Chapter 13: Past and Future

I’ve been feeling a strange sense of unease ever since I saw that man last night.

It’s like a very important memory has been completely ripped out of my head.

I tried to tell Akiha about my past and what I was doing last night, but she was sick in bed.

Guided by Kohaku-san, I entered Akiha's room and saw that she was sound asleep, with bags under her eyes, presumably from exhaustion.

So, after having breakfast alone, I decided to look around the mansion since it was a rainy holiday today.

I wandered the large mansion, searching for old memories and recollections. I felt a sense of nostalgia looking at things like the pillar where Akiha and I carved our names during our name-writing race, but as I looked around, I couldn't recall anything important, and the strange feeling of déjà vu only intensified. It was as if, no matter where I went, there was someone else besides Akiha when I was a child.

This feeling became stronger as I moved from the wooden house used by the servants, which Kohaku-san mentioned, further into the forest beyond.

"Where is this…?"

Walking through the mud, I found a spacious clearing in the forest. In the center of the clearing was a terrace, but it was completely unkempt, damaged, and surrounded by overgrown weeds.

This was the perfect place to sneak out and play with Akiha while she was supposed to be taking lessons.

"Huh...?"

Suddenly, an old memory resurfaced. It was the memory of bringing Akiha out from her lessons and playing here together. But still, something more, something much more important, was missing.

Someone else was definitely here with us. And here, I once...

"Ah, guh..."

A terrible headache struck me as I thought that far. My brain felt scrambled, making a zaa-zaa sound like a TV screen with static. It was hard to breathe; no matter how much air I inhaled, it wasn't enough.

"A..."

In my blurry vision, I thought I saw a boy. The boy was young, but somehow resembled the man in the kimono I met last night.

That's right, I know him.

"He's not coming... Shiki."

"Yeah... I guess so."

The park after 11 PM was eerily quiet, as always, due to the recent commotion. No one was here except for me and Arcueid-san.

Another night had passed, and we had gathered at the park again, but Shiki still hadn't shown up. We were forced to wait alone and sadly, just the two of us. Arcueid-san, in particular, was restless because she was so bored.

But Shiki is late.

Has he gotten involved in another "event"?

Hmm, an event… maybe today was the day in the [Original Story] when he'd be bedridden after an old trauma resurfaced.

If that's the case, there's no point in waiting here. However, barging directly into the Tono mansion might lead to the Tono family finding out and causing a scene. Besides, what would we even do if we met Shiki while he was sick in bed?

...Wait, my [Original Story] knowledge is completely useless here.

“...He’s s-o-o late.”

Arcueid grumbled discontentedly while randomly swinging on the swing.

“Shiki has a habit of being late, so let’s wait.”

"Right, let's wait a bit longer."

Although I actually knew Shiki might not come, we gambled on the possibility and chatted for a while. However, several hours passed, and it was now well past 11:30 PM.

"Hey, does this mean the promise has been broken?"

"...Probably."

At first, we enjoyed a casual conversation, but as time passed, hour after hour, our words became fewer, and our expressions vanished. The bright, sunny smiles and cheerful atmosphere disappeared, replaced by an aura of anger radiating from Arcueid.

"Heh, heheh... Heheheh. I see, I understand now... So this is the emotion called 'anger'... Heh, Shiki's neck. I want to rip it off."

Realizing that Shiki had broken his promise, Arcueid-san was emitting a tangible killing intent... Honestly, I want to run away.

"Hey, Sacchin."

"Y-Yes!?"

I was considering running away in a moment of escapism, when Grip!! A sound effect seemed to accompany the firm grasp she put on my arm.

"We're going to Shiki's house. You come too, Sacchin."

"Um, do I have a right to refuse?"

"No."

I don't have the right to refuse, I see...

"..............."

"..............."

Pulled by Arcueid-san, we walked towards the park exit, both remaining silent the entire time.

"You know, Sacchin," Arcueid-san said as we reached the exit of the park. She didn't turn her face towards me, so I could only see her back, but she was wrapped in a somewhat lonely atmosphere.

"Earlier, I got really angry that Shiki broke his promise. But when I thought about why I was so angry, I realized something. For example, Sacchin, you can surely meet me again even if you break a promise because you’re able to stay with me. But Shiki is human, so he'll die someday, and I'll never see him again. He's so fragile that he might even be gone from this world by tomorrow."

She continued to speak.

"The thought of not being able to see Shiki makes me incredibly anxious. Why is that? Why do I think about Shiki all the time? This is the first time I've ever felt this way—fearing the loss of something, or fearing time itself, despite living for so long."

...Come to think of it, this person, Arcueid Brunestud, seemed optimistic on the surface but was fundamentally a pessimist. That’s why she arrived at the thought that Shiki might be gone by tomorrow, even as a mere hypothetical.

Ah, damn it. Since I've also become a vampire, Arcueid-san's anxiety isn't just someone else's problem. In the long flow of time, while everything around me changes, I am also half-certain to remain unchanged and be left behind by everything. I've tried not to think about it, focusing only on solving the immediate problems, but once I start thinking, the anxiety is relentless.

There is nothing more terrifying than an unforeseen future. Yet, I must endlessly walk that road called the future. The more I think about it, the more I know that unthinkable hardships await me.

But—

“Arcueid-san, you might be confused because everything is likely new to you. That might be why you’re feeling anxiety and impatience, but I think you should just enjoy the present, including all those feelings.”

"Enjoy the present" is a nice phrase, but it doesn't fundamentally solve the problem. However, it might be more helpful than being negative due to overthinking, just to focus on the present positively.

"Enjoy the present, huh? That's irrelevant to me, who has been sleeping all the time. It's the kind of human phrase where they devour the stars because they're caught up in the immediate, but... yes, I don't dislike that kind of optimistic thinking."

She turned her face toward me and continued.

"Sacchin, thank you. You've made me feel a bit better!"

"You're welcome."

Arcueid-san expressed her thanks with a smile, vigorously swinging her clasped hands. Her emotional expression was somewhat exaggerated, but that innocent, cheerful demeanor suited her.

"Well then, now that I feel better, instead of ripping off Shiki's head, let's both beat up Shiki for breaking his promise!"

Please stop that; someone is going to die, mainly Shiki.

"Sorry I'm late, both of you!!"

Just then, a third party intervened. Or rather, it was Tohno Shiki, whose fate was sealed to be beaten up by two vampires. Fortunately, or perhaps I should say luckily, Shiki's head was not ripped off, nor was he beaten up.

I think I deserve praise for restraining Arcueid-san, who was about to rush at Shiki like a leopard the moment she heard his voice.

However, in the process, we both got tangled up and ended up kissing the ground together, and Shiki looked at us with an expression like, "What are you two doing?" I, on the other hand, just prevented him from being beaten up...

"The enemy is quite the coward to actively avoid seeing the Dead for two consecutive days."

I had been asleep from fainting at noon until evening. I was finally able to move around at night, but I was late for our meeting time because I had to buy something. Thus, today's search was complete.

"We destroyed quite a few magic circles, so that should be enough, right?"

"Yes, and that's thanks to Sacchin. I might not have thought of that if I were alone."

Although the [Dead] didn't appear today either, Yumizuka suggested the possibility that a spell for concealment had been cast, so we focused on searching for and destroying those spells today. The places where Arcueid and Yumizuka felt a sense of unease were precisely where these spells—magic circles—had been cast, and we physically destroyed them, competing with each other.

Arcueid constantly reminded me that viewing non-living things with the [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception] puts a strain on me, so I could only do things like occasionally defeating the [Dead] that appeared.

By the way, the moment Arcueid first saw the spell, she spread an unbelievable killing intent around, but when I asked the reason, she irritably said that the spell was based on a magecraft called Sūmonhi and that while it concealed, it also served as an energy supply tap for the main body's hidden magic fortress through the leyline.

"Speaking of which, Shiki. You've been holding that paper bag since you arrived. What is it?"

Arcueid suddenly asked about the item in my hand with interest. Right, today's almost over, and I should give it to her soon.

"Yumizuka,"

"Huh, me?"

She sounded surprised and puzzled.

"It looks like you borrowed Arcueid's clothes today. I thought it might be weird to wear the same thing all the time, so I brought some clothes for you."

"E-Eh!?"

I handed her the paper bag containing a shirt and a sweater. I had bought clothes for Yumizuka because her outfit hadn't changed since the fight with the Senpai. Today, Yumizuka was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, black mini-skirt, and black tights, which she must have borrowed from Arcueid.

...Come to think of it, Yumizuka preferred trousers over skirts. It's unusual for her to wear a mini-skirt, especially since she publicly stated she wouldn't wear one even if she died.

As I pondered this and observed her closely, Yumizuka, who had received the bag, looked inside and asked, "Shiki, I think this is from a fairly good brand..."

She noticed the brand name on the label. True, a cheaper one would have been fine, but I didn't want to give her something like that.

"You don't need to worry about it, Yumizuka. Don't worry."

".................."

She looked at me with an awkward gaze and tried to say something, then closed her mouth. She looked down and closed her eyes, but immediately lifted her face and said,

"...I'm sorry, and thank you. I promise I'll treasure them."

She whispered softly and apologetically, clutching the paper bag she held.

"Hey, hey, what about me, what about me?"

Arcueid, who was watching the exchange, approached me with a pure, glittering look of expectation... No, this is for Yumizuka, who doesn't have a change of clothes.

"Hmph! Sacchin is the only one who gets something, that's unfair!"

Arcueid pouted and whined like a child. What a childish attitude, but that's what Arcueid is like—Whoa!?

"A-Arcueid, um..."

"Heh, is Shiki trying to say 'I'm heavy' to a lady?"

Arcueid suddenly jumped from the side and climbed onto my back in a piggyback ride. Her white, slender arms lightly wrapped around my neck over my shoulder, and her legs hooked around my waist.

I think I'm great for not falling over when someone suddenly jumped on me. However, my anemic body, due to being in bed all day, was screaming in protest.

In addition to that, Arcueid's sweet breath was on my neck. The soft, warm feeling of a woman's body, hidden under her simple clothing. Her ample bosom and other parts, unlike Akiha's, were pressed tightly against me.

To put it mildly, Arcueid's irresistible 'female' scent was overheating my control rod and causing a very bad situation, yes.

"I won't let go until Shiki does something for me."

...This airhead vampire, she has no idea how I feel.

"Arcueid-san, perhaps you could just play with Shiki tomorrow?"

As I wondered what to do, Yumizuka, seeing the situation, came to my rescue.

When Arcueid heard Yumizuka's suggestion, she seemed surprised, as if the thought had never occurred to her! She simultaneously detached from me and happily took Yumizuka's hand.

"That's great! Let's go! Let's all three of us play with Shiki tomorrow evening!"

"Ah, no, me... well. I'm still..."

In contrast to the delighted Arcueid, Yumizuka spoke apologetically. Huh, why does Yumizuka look a little disappointed? Oh, right.

"Well, I wish I could go, but I'll die instantly if I'm exposed to the sun..."

"Ah..."

Arcueid looked as if she realized her mistake. I was talking as usual, so I completely forgot that Yumizuka is a vampire.

Come to think of it, she acts like everything is fine, but I wonder if it really is. She's keeping her normal demeanor even though it would be understandable to be consumed by despair.

"Yumizuka."

That's why I want to make a promise to her.

"Don't say 'I wish I could go,' just go. If the daytime is no good, we'll go at night, or perhaps we'll all three go once everything is over."

"------------"

...Huh? Did I say something strange? Yumizuka's cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes were wide open.

"---Seriously, Shiki, you're just like a main character."

After a moment, she spoke with a hint of exasperation. Her voice was somewhat shaky, unlike usual.

"You're right. Let's go once everything is over. All three of us."

The immediate problems have not yet been solved. But the return to those quiet, unchanging days is probably very close now.

"Yes, I promise. We'll definitely go."

She was always by my side in our everyday life at school. I sincerely want to support her.