The Island's Secret
Three full days after departing from the mansion, we finally arrived at Lorelan Lake just past lunchtime. René and I, who had been growing bored of the scenery passing by the carriage window, urged our parents to hurry so we could see the lake with our own eyes and stepped out of the carriage as soon as it stopped.
“Wow, there’s way more water than in the garden pond.”
“Well, obviously… Whoa.”
Hearing René compare it to the mansion’s garden pond, I laughed and was about to reply when the exaggerated sight of the lake—large enough to remind one of the sea—made me gasp in admiration.
Lorelan Lake was vast, but the island in its center and the surrounding scenery, beautiful as if painted by an artist, took a long while to fully absorb. Only after some time did I manage to calm the emotions the view stirred.
‘No wonder everyone is so careful around the Loreleis.’
Unlike ordinary lakes, this one sent its spring-fed waters flowing outward, influencing not only the surrounding area but the entire eastern breadbasket. Seeing it firsthand made me understand how the Lorelei family could command such respect while maintaining neutrality. The water was so clear that I could see fish of all sizes swimming beneath the surface. As I stood marveling, I heard footsteps approaching and turned my head.
“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.”
An elderly man who looked about the same age as the mansion’s head butler stepped forward from a group of people and greeted us with a polite bow.
“It’s been a while. I trust all has been well?”
“Yes. Nothing but peaceful days.”
The old man smiled warmly at Father’s greeting, then his eyes widened when he saw Arlan and Aran.
“I hardly recognize you both. You’ve grown so much.”
“Well, it has been quite some time.”
“Ah, hahaha. So it has. Forgive my careless words.”
After exchanging pleasantries with the two brothers, the old man turned his gaze to us. When he looked at us with open curiosity, I offered a proper greeting first.
“I am René Lorelei.”
“I’m Lene! Lene Lorelei!”
Though I didn’t know who he was, he clearly knew our family and was our elder, so Lene quickly followed my lead, stumbling a little over her words.
“There’s no need to be so formal with me.”
The old man chuckled, clearly amused by us, then introduced himself as the villa’s caretaker and told us we could speak casually.
“Still, you’re much older than us…”
“Hoho, thank you for your consideration, Lady René.”
After chatting with us, the caretaker introduced the villa staff who had crossed the lake that morning to wait for us. Once greetings were exchanged, we boarded the waiting boat in turn.
“Ooh… The floor is moving.”
Lene, experiencing her first boat ride, looked around in wonder. I smiled at her reaction, but the moment I stepped aboard, I found myself reacting the same way. The boat felt far more rickety than anything I remembered from my previous life. To calm my nerves, I moved to the center and sat down. Lene immediately scurried over and pressed herself against my side. Seeing us clinging to each other, Arlan laughed as if he’d seen something amusing.
“No need to worry so much. I was your age once, and nothing happened.”
“…If we had to ride the boat from back then, wouldn’t that be cause for concern?”
“…You might have a point.”
When Arlan’s attempt to reassure us only created new worries, he rubbed his chin, looking as though he hadn’t considered that possibility. One of the villa staff, overhearing us, whispered that the boat had been newly built a few years ago. Only then did we relax a little, though we still clung to each other, eyes darting nervously.
“Hmm, if you’re still uneasy… how about I tell you an old story?”
Arlan sat across from us and began recounting a tale tied to the island where the villa stood—the very island we were heading toward.
‘The mountain spirit and the woodcutter, the celestial maiden and the woodcutter…’
The story was essentially the same as the folktales I knew from my past life, only with different characters and setting. While Lene listened with sparkling eyes, I simply nodded along at the right moments.
Once preparations were complete and the boat began moving, the sound of water lapping against the hull tickled my ears with a strange sensation. Curious, I closed my eyes and focused on the sound. A quiet sense of peace soon welled up inside my chest.
“René. This sound is really nice.”
“Yeah. It is.”
Lene’s voice, now relaxed and unhurried, told me I wasn’t the only one feeling peaceful. As we listened to the water together, the boat reached the island before we knew it. When we stepped off, the staff who had remained at the villa greeted us with polite bows, steadying our wobbling legs.
“This is really amazing.”
While the staff unloaded our luggage, Lene quickly recovered and looked around with bright, curious eyes—the same expression she wore whenever she was about to cause trouble at the mansion. I quickly linked arms with her before anything could happen. She tilted her head, puzzled.
“What are you doing?”
Instead of saying I was trying to stop her from getting into mischief, I told her I just felt like it. Lene grinned and linked her arm with mine in return.
While I kept Lene occupied, Mother, now with some breathing room, called us over and took our hands.
“Lene. René. This place is different from the mansion, so you must be careful.”
She explained that the family soldiers had already cleared away anything obviously dangerous, but there could still be things unsafe for children. Her eyes silently pleaded for us to behave.
“Yes, we’ll be careful.”
When I answered first, Lene quickly nodded and echoed me. Mother looked worried for a moment, but when I smiled, she smiled back and let the matter drop.
Afterward, we followed the well-maintained path with everyone else and entered the villa. Though smaller than the mansion, it was comfortable in its own way.
“René! The bed here is exactly like the one at home!”
When we were shown to our room, Lene immediately checked the bed, just as she had every night since we left. Finding the feel identical to the one at the mansion, she climbed right on top of it.
“Wait, don’t climb on the bed with your shoes on.”
I reached out to stop her, but Lene replied lightly that she wasn’t stepping on it, so it should be fine. While I agreed that the staff could simply replace the bedding if it got dirty, another thought stirred in my mind.
‘Even so, you don’t climb onto a bed wearing shoes.’
That was one thing I couldn’t allow, even if it was Lene. Following that firm conviction, I spoke again, more firmly this time.
“Don’t climb up with your shoes on.”
“…Ah, okay.”
Lene paused, then obediently climbed back down. Feeling an odd sense of relief and peace, I let out a small breath—only to turn at the sound of knocking.
“Lady Lene, Lady René. May I come in?”
It was the staff member who had accompanied us from the mansion. We both answered at once. Smiling, the staff member entered and informed us that dinner would be served a little earlier than usual. When she mentioned that tonight’s menu featured the season’s freshest Lorelan Lake water-colored carp, Lene muttered something about the fish dish from two days ago.
“The water-colored carp from Lorelan Lake this season has soft bones and an excellent flavor.”
The staff member assured Lene it would be different from the previous dish and promised she would enjoy it. With our appetites whetted, she suggested we bathe before dinner. Since we were both feeling a bit grimy anyway, we agreed without complaint.
Though the facilities weren’t as good as the mansion’s, they were better than expected. After a satisfying bath, we explored the villa until dinnertime.
“Huh? René, did you just see that?”
“Huh? See what?”
“Over there, around the corner.”
Lene suddenly stopped and pointed, saying something strange. When I tilted my head in confusion, she looked back and forth, rubbing her chin, then added that she had seen a girl about our age.
“A girl our age… Maybe the child of one of the staff?”
“Ah, that could be.”
Lene agreed with my guess and asked the staff member who came to fetch us for dinner.
“No. All the staff’s families live off the island.”
The question, asked in hopes of finding a playmate, was answered with a shake of the head. There were no children on the island—not a single one. A chill ran down my spine.
‘Could it be a ghost…?’
In my previous life, I would have dismissed the idea, but here, ghosts might actually exist. Shivering, I glanced at Lene and saw her face had gone pale too. I quietly reached out my hand. She took it without a word, gripping tightly, and we hurried—almost running—toward where our family was gathered.