#or perhaps nothing faze her anymore being surrounded by revived historical figures who are also vampires

[miminorenai]

The person is beside the wagon with plenty of flowers, as if he’s bringing along the spring. (...At last, I met him.) “I found you ‘again’, after all.” I want you to tell me your name —

CHAPTER 03

The man with crimson eyes “I found you ‘again’, after all.”

MC “Huh...?”

The man with crimson eyes “I’ve always wanted to meet you since that snowy day. I feel like I’ll find you if I keep wishing for it.”

The man with crimson eyes “Thank you for making my wish comes true.”

I lost my words in front of the smile that looks too happy, but I quickly pulling myself together.

MC “I’ve been looking for you too.”

MC “The other day, I received an armful of flowers, but I couldn’t thank you properly...”

(Uhh...was there anything I could give him as thanks?)

When I look inside the shopping bag, I realize I was buying wine.

(No, this is the wine that Comte and Leonardo-san are looking forward to...!)

After some hesitation, I took out the strawberries I had bought for my snack —

MC “Um, I’m sorry. I don't think this is enough to thank you, but please accept it if you like.”

The man with crimson eyes “...”

MC “Er...”

The man with crimson eyes “...”

(...What should I do, was it annoying?)

MC “Either way, I didn’t have much now —“

The man with crimson eyes “Can I really take it? Thank you, I love strawberries very much.”

His appearance with a carefree smile while receiving strawberries slowly warms my heart, and I can’t help but to smile too.

MC “Hehe...”

The man with crimson eyes “What’s wrong, is there anything amusing...?”

MC “Sorry, I’m laughing since I’m so happy. I’m glad you like it.”

(...I could never forget the lonely figure I saw on that snowy day. Oh, I see.)

(I wanted to meet this person’s smiling face...)

As I’m feeling extremely peaceful, the person’s hand gently takes my hand.

The man with crimson eyes “Then can I *take you away from now on?”

(*連れ去って - kidnap

MC “Eh......? Take-take me away!?”

The man with crimson eyes “Yeah, it's a waste to eat such delicious food alone, so let's eat it together.”

The man with crimson eyes “There is a place with beautiful scenery.”

(...Is that so? Since he said things like taking me away, so I interpret it strangely.)

MC “Yes, of course! Just, before that —“

The man with crimson eyes “Hmm...?”

When I turn my eyes towards the people in the city lining up to buy flowers, the person smiles softly.

The man with crimson eyes “Ahaha, I’m sorry everyone. I’m just absorbed in my own matter.” 

The man with crimson eyes “Hey, can you wait for me a little while?”

Smiling as if he’s getting relieved, the person reaches out to the colorful flowers.

His soft and thin silver hair’s shining sparklingly through the sunlight and swaying in the winter breeze.

(Ah, right...!)

MC “I just have one thing I want to ask of you.”

The man with crimson eyes “Yes...?”

MC “What’s your name...?”

He smiles as if he’s *reacting to my question with his whole body.

(*受け止める - accept, take

Vlad “Vlad.”

Vlad “...Hey, what’s your name then?”

After all the flowers are passed into the people’s hands, Vlad-san takes me to the shore of Seine.

Vlad “···— That’s what happened.”

MC “Oh, really...?”

Vlad “Yeah, that’s true. Ahaha, isn’t that weird?”

While eating strawberries side by side, Vlad-san tells me about himself.

He’s been picking flowers from his own garden and selling them on a whim.

He lives in an old castle a little apart from here, with 3 person live together, named Faust and Charles.

And many other things.

(...It feels strange. Or, how should I put it, he’s talking without hiding anything, but I can’t grasp it somewhere although it’s being transmitted.) 

(Or rather, he’s being mysterious.)

But, I don’t want to step more than necessary, because there’re always parts that people don’t want to touch.

Besides, there were many things I couldn’t say either.

(There’s no way I can say that I came to this world beyond time and space.)

Vlad “Hey, let me hear your story this time.”

MC “Huh...? Things about me?”

Vlad “Yeah, anything is fine. If it’s about you, I want to know everything.”

Vlad “If I’m not mistaken...you just came to this land a month ago, right?”

MC “Yes, for a trip a month ago.”

Vlad “A trip, huh? That’s nice. It's very important to actually see the scenery you've never seen before.”

Vlad “Then, does that mean you’re living in a hotel now?”

(Well...the fact that everyone in the mansion is resurrected great men shouldn’t be known, right?)

— Much less in saying that they’re vampires.

I look back into Vlad-san’s eyes as I choose my words with care.

MC “No. I received an invitation from a certain nobleman, and now I live and work in his mansion.”

Vlad “Live-in employee, huh. You’re very remarkable to work in an unfamiliar place.”

I shake my head and Vlad-san looks into my face.

Vlad “Hey...how long can you stay in this place?”

(That’s...)

Comte “Everyone, get down!” Napoleon “Mimi, come over here...!”

MC “Well, in fact, I couldn’t go back to where I was because of a slight mistake...”

Vlad “...”

MC “Oh! But, it’s okay. Rather, I think it’s great that my trip has been extended.”

MC “And everyone in the mansion cares a lot ···—“

Then, suddenly the words are cut short.

It may be because the city is so beautiful at dusk, or perhaps it’s because Vlad-san’s asking so that I could accept everything,

The emotion that had been sunk deep in my heart ever since the door’s closed is overflowing into my voice.

MC “...I’m all right but sometimes, things like anxiety suddenly fills my heart.”

MC “I know it’s okay if I really talk to everyone and laugh away, but I can’t do that.”

Vlad “Why’s that?”

In the evening, I think of kind and strong people who reside in the mansion.

MC “Surprisingly even for myself, I cherish everyone in the mansion...I like them so much.”

MC “That’s why it’s hard to confide and speak frankly when my heart feels gloomy.”

Vlad “...?”

MC “I don’t want them to carry along my sadness by showing my sad appearance.”

MC “Since I want the people I love to laugh as much as possible even for a second.”

Vlad “...”

MC “Ah, I’m sorry. I just talked about myself —“

When I look back at him feeling apologetic, Vlad-san’s eyes are gently narrowed...

Vlad “I’ve been having a hard time lately.”

MC “Huh...?”

As I was surprised by the words spilled without context, Vlad-san keep on talking without any care.

Vlad “Right now, I'm selling flowers by myself, but I don't have enough manpower. That's why I have a request for Mimi.”

Vlad “Can you help me with my work?”

MC “I want to help you but...I also have to work in the mansion.”

Vlad “I don’t mind with only an hour every day, though...”

(...He said it would be just around one hour, so I guess it’s quite hard. Alright, then!)

MC “Okay, let me help you on my way home from shopping then.”

Vlad “Thank you, then I'll be waiting at the place where I met you today.”

MC “Yes...!”

From that day on, as promised, I started going to see Mr. Vlad on my way home from shopping, but —

MC “Hello Vlad-san. Say, if there’s anything you need my help with —”

Vlad “Hey Mimi. Look over here. A kitten was just born in a customer’s house. See?”

MC “Wow, so cute...! Can I hug it?”

Vlad “Of course. Here you go.”

(...Yesterday I just played with Vlad-san and the kitten.)

(Today I’ll do my best to help him properly!)

Vlad “Charles told me that new strawberry sweets will be available from today at the café here.”

Vlad “I'm glad you came to see me. Let's order all the strawberry menus and *splitting evenly between both of us.”

(*はんぶんこ - halfsies

MC “Ev-everything...!?”

After that, Vlad-san just took me around on a whim without asking for my help.

(I have to work properly today. Eh?)

Vlad “...”

MC “What are you doing, Vlad-san?”