Chapter 25

Gabriel

"So let me make myself clear. I will not allow you to hurt my family."

Vlad

"...Haha."

Gabriel

"Vlad…?"

Vlad

"You won't allow me to hurt the residents of your mansion, hm? Vacek said the same thing.

Gabriel

"Lennon did?"

Vlad

"Yes. He was very serious about it, too. Good for you that you have such a nice family, Comte."

Gabriel

"..."

Vlad

"Isn't it natural that I would want to break up a family with strong bonds if they stand in the way of my plans?" "I realize that others don't understand what I'm trying to do." "But if I just sit around and do nothing, then the future will not change." "Someone has to do something.

Someone has to change it!"

Gabriel

"And you are that 'someone'?"

Le Comte asked. Vlad answered with a beautiful smile. Why is he smiling like that? His smile was completely clear without hesitation. Vlad stood there quietly, as if he had accepted everything.

Vlad

"I wish I could've lived without shouldering this burden." "I wish I could've been accepted for who I am, treated kindly, and loved forever." "And then maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this between us."

Gabriel

"..."

Vlad

"But 'that's just the way the world is', right?"

Vlad's eyes suddenly looked achingly sorrowful. But it lasted only a split-second, then he reverted to its picture-perfect smile.

Vlad

"This mansion sure is big, Comte." "When we both lived here together, do you remember how I teased you for building such a large mansion?" "But now it seems just the perfect size."

He looked up at the mansion, smiling even more.

Gabriel

"What are you trying to say?"

Vlad

"That this is who you really are." "You revived historical greats, had them live here in your mansion, and continue to protect them. That's who you are." "But…" "Will that change anything?"

Vlad and le Comte looked like they were standing on opposite sides of a chasm, neither taking one step. The icy wind tousled Vlad's silver hair. He gave a little chuckle that sounded as if he'd given up on something.

Vlad

"You've been indecisive for centuries, Comte." "You're kind. Cruelly so."

Gabriel

"…Vlad."

Le Comte's back that stood protectively in front of me seemed to be screaming out with sadness. Finally he spoke, forcing the words out.

Gabriel

"…Go home. Go home before I put my hands around your neck and strangle you."

Vlad

"Fine, I will. Let's go, Marshmallow."

Marshmallow looked up at me with his big eyes as if he didn't want to go home at all….Vlad scooped him up and looked at me with the same look in his eyes. I suppressed the urge to run into his arms, tearing my gaze away from him.

Vlad

"Until next time, Comte. Kira."

And then he vanished, disappearing into the night. The red rose dropped from his hand onto the ground. I picked it up. The beautiful flower was broken. Even if I picked up the scattered petals, it would never be made whole again. Just like Vlad and I could never go back to the days when we were innocently chatting and laughing with each other.

~~~~~

…A carriage raced through the dark night. The man looked up at the sky, the moon covered by thick clouds, then glanced back down at his lap. An expensive wine bottle lay on Sander's lap, tied with a ribbon. One of his patrons had asked him to deliver it to le Comte.

Sander

"Everyone is so desperate to please him. It must be that irresistible pure-blooded charm."

A sardonic smile curved upon his lips just as the carriage stopped in front of the mansion.

Driver

"We're here, Monsieur. Shall I wait here or shall I come back to get you tomorrow?"

Sander

"It's late. I'll deliver the wine and come right back. I don't want to face le Comte right now." "You wait here."

Just as he was about to open the carriage door, he spotted a familiar figure moving in the night.

Vlad

"..."

Sander

"My lord, what are you doing here? Don't tell me-"

Sander's gaze jumped over towards the mansion. Had he gone there to hurt the residents? But he did not sense the usual coldness from Vlad that he often did when he would speak of "removing the pawns he didn't need". In fact, he seemed so sorrowful that it made Shakespeare's heart ache just to look at him. Vlad was staring at something.

Sander

"...The light from Kira's window?"

Vlad was standing there completely still, gazing up at Kira's room. His eyes were filled with a heat so dizzying it made Sander recall a certain memory– Yes, it happened one night when he had visited Vlad's bedroom.

Flashback

Sander

"...Excuse me, my lord. May I come in?"

Vlad didn't answer. He was busy staring at something.

Vlad

"..."

Sander

"???"

Sander followed his gaze...Vlad was staring at a portrait of someone who had no face. He gazed at it tenderly, almost like a man in love.

Flashback Ends

Vlad

"..."

He had the exact same look on his face now as he gazed up at Kira's room. Sander closed the door of the carriage and asked the driver to go.

Driver

"Monsieur?"

Sander

"Please drive. I'll come back again some other time."

Driver

"Y-yes, Monsieur. Right away."

The carriage finally began to move and Sander sat back in his seat, thinking. He was deep in thought as if he were trying to think up the end of one of his plays. Suddenly a possibility crossed his mind. But…

Sander

"That's just too absurd..."

He let out a sigh as he tucked what he just saw deep into his heart.

~~~~

After Vlad disappeared, le Comte invited me into his room. But…

Gabriel

"Take a seat, Kira. I'll make you some hot tea."

He was smiling, but there was a deep sorrow in his golden eyes that he couldn't hide. It makes sense. Even if they did have a falling out, Vlad was still a precious friend to him once. It makes sense. Even if they did have a falling out, Vlad was still a precious friend to him once. Not many people could understand what it was like to be an immortal, pure-blooded vampire, and he had lost one of his confidantes. Le Comte probably wanted to understand and help Vlad even more than I did. I could tell that by the way he looked at Vlad. It isn't much, but this is the least I can do. I Took the teapot from Le Comte and smiled at him.

Kira

"You must be cold, Comte. Let me make the tea." "What kind of tea should I make?" "How about chamomile? Sebastian told me drinking it can help relax you."

Gabriel

"That's our Sebastian. He knows what he's talking about. Let's have that, then."

I brewed the tea and then poured us two cups. Le Comte took a sip and smiled at me.

Gabriel

"It's delicious. Probably because you made it. Thank you."

Kira

"No, thank you. I'm sure it's not anywhere near as delicious as yours or Sebastian's tea."

He set down the cup and folded his hands in his lap as he stared at me.

Gabriel

"I want to apologize to you for before."

Kira

"Why? There's nothing to apologize for."

Gabriel

"I got in between you and Vlad even though you didn't want me to. I have no right to take away your freedom."

Kira

"I know you were just worried about me. Like I said, you don't have to apologize. Also..."

Gabriel

"…?"

Kira

"Even if you would've told me to do what I wanted, [just can't make a decision right now."

Gabriel

"What do you mean?"

Kira

"I want to understand Vlad. But the more Hearn about him, I feel like the more I lose sight of him, if that makes sense."

I thought about how Vlad just smiled without hesitation when he spoke of wanting to change the future no matter what. But at the same time…He tried to hide his trembling fingertips as he desperately tried to connect with me.

Kira

"The closer I get, the farther away he is. I just don't know what to say to him." "I know there has to be the right words to say to him... There has to be something, but I just don't know what it is." "I don't know what to do, Comte."

Gabriel

"..." "Do you want to know about Vlad, Kira?"

Kira

"…Yes."

He smiled and took another sip of his tea.

Gabriel

"Shall I tell you everything I know about him, then?"

Kira

"Yes, I want to know. But, Comte, you're…"

Gabriel

"I'm wary of you becoming too close to him."

He finished my sentence and winked at me.

Gabriel

"That's right. I'm worried about you." "But I also trust you."

Kira

"..."

Gabriel

"And since I trust you, I want you to think carefully about your decision. And when you make it, I want to support you." "If you thought he was hopeless, you would've given up on him long ago, wouldn't you?"

He's right. I can't just forget about Vlad. Something keeps pulling me back to him. Once, I thought that I could erase him from my heart and not see him anymore. But I couldn't. I realized he had already found his way deep into my heart. Too deep to let go. So even if I can't understand him right now, and even if he feels too far away, I'm going to keep reaching out to him. My wavering heart slowly felt calmer.

Kira

"Please tell me about Vlad, Comte."

Steam lazily wafted up from our tea cups.

Gabriel

"Ever since Vlad was born, he was different from other vampires. Among purebloods, vampires like him are called divine children."