Chapter 11

He stared at me so intently it was like he'd forgotten to breathe.

Kira

"Um…"

Crimson-eyed Man

"Hey." "...Haven't we met somewhere before?"

His question took me off guard, but I tried to remember.

Kira

"I don't think so...?" "I only came to this...country a month ago…"

I just can't imagine meeting him but not remembering. How could I forget a man so beautiful?

Crimson-eyed Man

"Are you sure?"

Kira

"...? Yes, I'm--ah!"

As I nodded, I suddenly noticed the cart filled with flowers next to the man. The poor flowers were unshielded from the snow, their petals covered in white. Oh, no!)

Kira

"If your flowers stay out in this snow they'll be ruined….. Let's take them over there!"

I grabbed the cart and ran, moving it beneath the eaves of a bakery. There, now they won't get snowed

on.

Kira

"...That should be good. I'd be sad if all these pretty flowers wilted."

Crimson-eyed Man

"..."

I breathed a sigh of relief and noticed the man was staring at me intensely, as if he were trying to look right into my heart.

Kira

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should've asked permission before just taking your cart off like that!"

He slowly shook his head.

Crimson-eyed Man

"No... It's all right."

He turned his crimson gaze on the cart of flowers and reached out to touch one in an elegant gesture. And within moments, he assembled a colorful bouquet almost as if he had performed a magic trick.

Crimson-eyed Man

"This should be good. You'll be able to carry this bouquet with both arms." "Please, take this as a thank you gift for helping me."

He pressed the bouquet against my chest.

Kira

"I couldn't possibly accept such a large bouquet! I didn't-"

Crimson-eyed Man

"Take it."

His lips parted and he smiled so sweetly my heart skipped a beat.

Crimson-eyed Man

"That's how happy you made me." "I must be going now, though."

He looked happy as he took his now empty wagon and started pushing it through the snow.

Kira

"Wait..!"

He paused and looked up at the sky again, a smile curving upon his lips.

Crimson-eyed Man

"Oh... The snow's going to stop soon."

Huh? I followed his gaze and watched as the snowfall slowed down...and then stopped entirely. It was just a sudden, passing snowstorm. There were only traces left of the snow in the sky now. I heard a pleasant voice say into my ear…

Crimson-eyed Man

"...I hope we meet again."

I turned, but he was already gone. The strangest sensation came over me, as if I'd just been standing here dreaming in the snow. He was gorgeous. He had such an ethereal beauty about him, he almost didn't even seem human. I wondered why he had stared at me like he recognized me from somewhere, though. Maybe I do know him from somewhere? Just then, I heard footsteps beside me.

Lennon

"Sorry I took so long, Kira. Hm? Where'd you get that huge bouquet?"

Kira

"Lennon! Actually…"

I told Leonardo what happened during the snowstorm and he let out a chuckle.

Lennon

"It sure does sound like you made him happy. ...Hm?"

All of a sudden he reached out and touched one of the flowers. It was a pale blue one.

Lennon

"That's a forget-me-not. It doesn't bloom in winter. Either he grows them in a greenhouse, or…" "...it bloomed out of season."

~~~~~~

Sanders stepped into the old castle and then found its lord, who was out in the beautiful gardens. The man wore an overcoat darker than night and hummed as he gazed at the flowers. He was so beautiful as he stood there, bathed in the moonlight, that it sent a shiver down Sander's spine. He walked slowly over to the man--to

Vlad-and stood beside him.

Sanders

"Did something good happen, my lord?"

Vlad

"Yes, something very good."

Sander's gaze settled on the flowers that bloomed in the garden.

Sander

"Forget-me-nots don't bloom this time of year...nor do those flowers. Ah, or those…" "How in the world did you get them to grow?"

Vlad

"It's unusual for you to come here, Will. Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Sander

"..."

Vlad's gaze swept over to Sander in a movement so swift it made him freeze. A spell of silence so long it seemed to last an eternity fell between them, then Sander spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

Sander

"I joined forces with you ever since I left the mansion that day...in search of tragic experiences that would improve my writing." " was in search of tragedy, you were trying to revive historical greats to realize your ambitions. We had a common goal." "And I admit I was moved in the face of the people you revived for your experiments."

Vlad

"..."

Sander

"But I just cannot accept their lives being disregarded like this." "I know this is selfish of me, but I just cannot in good conscience continue to dirty my hands and—"

Vlad

"Hey, Will?"

Sander

"…?"

Vlad

"Do you know why they're called forget-me-nots?"

Sander seemed taken off-guard by the sudden question, but then recovered to answer.

Sander

"A knight was bending over to pick a flower which was growing on the riverbank for his lover, but he fell in and drowned." "Before he died he said, 'Forget me not!' and that's the legend of the flower's origin."

Vlad

"That's right. I figured a writer like you would know the story." "But you know what I think? I think that the residents of le Comte's mansion are like this flower." "Their lives already ended once, yet they fear being erased from this world again." "Le Comte probably gave them another chance at life because of his strange, almost cruel attachment to humans. Will?"

Sander

"Yes…?"

Vlad

"They will surely become the cornerstone for making my dream come true. So you must choose." "Choose a strong human who will help you. You understand what I want to do here, Will."

Even though Vlad's voice was as calm as a peaceful sea, his eyes were sharp and fierce. Sander took a deep breath and then raised his voice.

Sander

"I will not let you manipulate me any further. But, I admit, I was the one who agreed to help you." "So if you want to kill me, then kill me. I'm sure. you don't need a flower like me in your garden."

Vlad reached his hand out towards Sander's neck…But then his pale hand withdrew.

Sander

"Why?"

Vlad

"It will be more painful for you to continue living. Farewell, Will."

Once Sander l, Carlos and Flynn came out to the garden.

Flynn

"Are you sure it was the right decision to let the playwright get away, le Voivode? Seems like that's going awfully easy on him."

Carlos

"I'm sure Lord Vlad has his reasons. Don't you?"

Vlad responded with a smile, then trained his dark red eyes onto the night sky.

Vlad

"The world is so beautiful again today. And that's why I can't give up on my dream." "There's still a long way to go, but...I must make it come true."

Flynn

"..."

Carlos

"..."

The two of them were speechless once they saw the crazed look on his beautiful face, but he didn't seem to notice. Vlad knelt down and stared at the forget-me-not.

Vlad

'''Forget me not', hm? Has she forgotten me?" "We met on that snowy day so long ago…"

Flynn

"…?"

Carlos

"…?"

Vlad

"I hope I see her again. Yaaawn…"

Carlos

"Huh? Lord Vlad?" "...He fell asleep."

Flynn

"First he starts mumbling all sorts of nonsense and then he falls asleep outside." "What a willful old goat he is. Let's go, Carlos."

Carlos

"Shouldn't we carry him inside, Docteur?"

Flynn

"I'm sure he'll wake up on his own sooner or later."

Carlos

"What? But anyone else would die being left outside in the winter…"

Flynn

"And you know that he won't have that problem."

Carlos

"Still, he could catch a cold."

Flynn

"Sigh... He really is too much trouble."

~~~~~~

Once Sander left the castle, his face looked completely vacant, almost like a doll's. He looked up at the dark night sky. The moon was almost full, and the sight of it made him recall something. A month ago, by some twist of fate, a woman had appeared in this world. She had no special talents like the others, though. She was completely ordinary. And so he didn't tell Vlad about her, because he figured this human would not be of use to him. But of course, that was all merely a pretext. For some reason, he had a feeling she would be able to change this situation, for better or for worse. He felt like not even god knew how the fates of Vlad and Kira might intertwine.

Sander

"I need to make sure I do all that I can...even if I have to risk my life."

~~~~~~

Every time I went into town since that snowy day, I found myself searching for the snow fairy, as I liked to call him. But…Trying to find one specific person in all of Paris is impossible… I cursed myself for not at least asking for his name so I could've had something to go on. I wanted to thank him for giving me that huge bouquet. Also...it was hard to explain, but I just had this overwhelming desire to see him again.

Kira

"I don't know when, but...I want to see him again."

I murmured to no one in particular. All of a sudden I smelled a faint scent of spring in the chilly air. I followed the scent and…

Crimson-eyed Man

"..."

I saw a cart filled with flowers, and there he was beside it. Finally! I walked over to him and his crimson gaze slowly turned towards me.

Crimson-eyed Man

"I knew you'd find me again."