First Date in the Principality [Philia the Blood] (2)
The vampire girl let out a small sigh and shrugged her shoulders.
“Well… if you want to see him, then follow me. The Empire is moving from the west and the Archduke from the east at the same time, both heading toward the castle. If you want to catch a glimpse of the Archduke’s face, we’ll need to hurry. We should pick up the pace if we want to get there before they arrive at the castle…”
Her voice rang low and quiet amid the buzzing crowd full of festive excitement. It felt strangely detached from the lively atmosphere of the festival.
“My name is Marei. What’s yours?”
“…Marei? Marei de Pawen?”
“Yes? You know me?”
“A little. You’re quite famous, after all.”
The girl smiled faintly. The distance between them, which had felt impossibly far, seemed to shrink by a single step. Once again, her crimson eyes slowly traced over Marei.
“So it was you… In that case, Lia should be fine.”
“Huh?”
“Call me Lia. That should be enough for now.”
Lia clearly knew who Marei was. Or rather, she already knew him. Yet Marei could say with certainty that this was the first time he had ever seen the girl before him. Could it be because of Labella? His thoughts raced without pause, but they were cut short by the sight of Lia’s back as she walked ahead once more. Keeping up with her brisk pace was difficult enough on its own.
Fortunately, they managed to reach their desired spot just before the Archduke’s procession entered the castle.
“As expected, it’s hard to see clearly from here. Wait a moment.”
Lia approached one of the people controlling the viewing area and spoke to them. A woman in uniform wearing sunglasses scratched her cheek with a troubled expression, glanced at Marei, then let out a small sigh and nodded at Lia.
“Good thing I knew someone. Come this way. I’ll let you watch from right up front.”
Without waiting for Marei’s reply, Lia grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the massive castle gates. Her hair, pressed down by her hat, fluttered gently, carrying a sweet peach scent. As she drew closer, the men in black suits who had been holding the crowd back shifted subtly, creating a small space just big enough for Marei and Lia to stand.
“You look like you have a lot on your mind. For now, focus on what’s over there.”
Her small finger pointed toward the procession of the Archduke of Rumania approaching from afar. They couldn’t see the Archduke’s face. Instead, a woman was leaning out of a carriage window, waving her hand. She gave off a frivolous rather than elegant impression.
“Is she the Archduke’s wife?”
“No. She’s a concubine. The person who was originally supposed to be beside him was… Never mind. Tsk…”
The Archduke’s procession passed by quickly. Lia clicked her tongue sharply and began walking again. The back that had looked so large from a distance now seemed small and frail, matching her petite stature. Not knowing what to say, Marei could only follow quietly behind her.
Their conversation didn’t flow easily. The girl who had seemed so out of place with the festival now looked powerless in contrast to the lively celebration around them. Even so, she introduced him to delicious shops and interesting sights worth seeing.
The capital of the Principality was a fascinating city with a massive waterway running through its center. Despite the sea lying just beyond the city’s outskirts, it didn’t feel humid at all. Even in the strong afternoon sunlight, cool air lingered whenever they passed beneath the shade.
Stone powder lightly scraped against the soles of their shoes on the paved streets, and the edges of the bricks felt rough against their fingertips. A small cut had formed on Marei’s finger, dusted with white powder. The river didn’t just cut through the city—it branched out in every direction like the limbs of an ancient tree.
Strangely, there was no fishy smell. Instead, it carried a clean, refreshing fragrance—if one were to exaggerate slightly, it felt like the pleasant scent of a deep lake at dawn. It was only natural that a sightseeing boat ride would be part of the tourist experience.
“Interesting city, isn’t it?”
Marei had been staring blankly at the sparkling sunlight dancing on the water’s surface. When the question came from beside him, his head nodded before he could even think. Lia was half-sitting on the railing, gazing at the passing scenery. Since she still had her hat pulled down low, half-hiding her face, his eyes naturally drifted to her shimmering hair. The silver strands fluttering in the wind caught the sunlight and looked like threads of pure white silk.
“The small sightseeing boats are famous for the variety of buildings you can see along the waterway… and for the fish swimming right beneath you.”
When Marei followed where Lia was pointing, he saw a school of fish poking their heads above the surface, eagerly following the boat. They would normally avoid people or vessels, yet these fish swam along with their mouths opening and closing. Leaning over the railing, he cautiously reached out a hand. The fish repeatedly leaped into the air as if nodding before diving back underwater.
“…I’d recommend watching them from a distance.”
“Huh? What do you—Hiiiik…!”
Before he could even finish questioning her words, the fish bared their teeth. The sight of dozens of fish staring up with gleaming fangs was so grotesque that his grip on the railing loosened for a moment. His body tilted forward, tumbling toward the water’s surface.
“Ah… ah… ah…”
His body spun once in midair, but instinct made him thrust out a hand, grabbing the edge of the hull. The slippery sensation lasted only a second before gravity claimed him again, and the white railing grew even farther from his fingertips.
“…Didn’t I tell you?”
Lia, who had grabbed the railing and caught Marei’s wrist, let out a small sigh. Her black hat brushed past him and slid across the surface of the water before vanishing beneath the school of fish. The tension that had seized his body suddenly drained away, and he let out a ragged breath. He looked up at Lia, who had saved him.
Her wide, startled crimson eyes were now filled with relief. Her silver hair fluttered gently, and the sound of the fish splashing filled his ears. After hanging there for a moment, he was pulled back up. Once his feet were firmly on the deck, Marei pulled Lia into a tight embrace over the railing. The sweet peach scent washed over him, melting the tension from his body until he nearly collapsed forward.
“Get back over the railing first. You might fall again.”
“Yes…”
Lia helped him over the support and then burst into laughter at the sight of his deathly pale face.
“…Is this really part of the tourist route?”
“Yes, it’s famous. There haven’t been any fatal accidents yet. They run away if someone actually falls in.”
“Really…?”
Seeing the school of fish swarming the hat that had fallen when he was pulled up, Marei found it hard to believe her words.
“There haven’t been any reported accidents so far.”
Lia sat down in a corner and lightly covered her face with one hand. The face she had shown while pulling him up felt strangely familiar. It was as if he had seen it somewhere before, but he was certain he wouldn’t forget someone like Lia, so he dismissed it as a strange sense of déjà vu.
“It looks like it’s almost over. Let’s stop by a shop first. I need to buy a new hat. I want to wash up a bit too.”
The boat slowly decelerated as it reached the docking point and came to a stop. After all the passengers had disembarked, the captain approached and offered Lia his own hat, but she refused, saying, “I don’t want to borrow someone else’s belongings,” bowed politely, and quickly walked away.
At the end of an alley, Lia glanced around cautiously, covered her face with one hand, and entered what appeared to be a rather luxurious clothing store.
“Welco—My lady!”
“Hello. Business going well these days?”
“Of course! Ah, is the person beside you your boyfriend?”
Lia let out a loud “Puu—” and burst into laughter.
“Not a boyfriend… Hmm… He’s the one who sprayed milk all over me.”
“What?!”
The female clerk’s expression turned fierce.
“It was just an accident, so relax that face. Anyway, can I borrow the bathroom?”
“Of course!”
She answered Lia in a gentle tone, but the sharp glares she kept shooting at Marei made his body instinctively shrink. Whether Lia noticed or not, she picked up some clothes and underwear, took the key, and headed straight up to the second floor.
As soon as Lia disappeared, the clerk’s gaze grew even sharper. It was so intense that Marei felt afraid to meet her eyes, as if she were a police officer frisking a criminal. He considered stepping outside, but his body refused to move.
Just as he began to worry how long this would last, the door opened and a customer entered. The person seemed familiar with the store, greeting the clerk warmly by name, but the clerk responded with a stiff, hardened face.
“Madam Raven, we’re closed for the day.”
“Huh? Is something wrong…?”
The woman addressed as Madam Raven glanced at Marei. Seeing the clerk’s murderous glare, she offered a cautious greeting and quickly left, closing the door behind her. Faced with the clerk who looked ready to pounce the moment he turned his eyes away, Marei kept his gaze fixed quietly in the corner without even catching a proper look at Madam Raven’s face.
“You sprayed milk on our lady?”
“…No, I mean… it was an accident… Yes…”
He tried to offer some excuse, but the dangerous aura radiating from her was so strong that he could only admit his guilt.
“You said you know our lady, young master?”
“No… I don’t know her… but she said she knows me…”
“…So you’re on a nickname basis.”
The woman who appeared to be the clerk was clearly furious. Marei didn’t understand why she was angry, but one thing was certain—the atmosphere between the two of them was rapidly plummeting into the abyss. The clerk was smiling. Her lips were trembling violently, but she was smiling.
Marei deliberately looked away. He didn’t have the courage to face that bizarre, terrifying smile head-on.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Are you an outsider?”
“Yes? Ah, I’m from Valter.”
Pointed ears, pupils slit like a beast’s, and skin so pale it lacked any trace of blood. He finally understood what the clerk meant by “outsider.” She pursed her lips tightly and let out a deep sigh through her nose.
“How old are you, young master?”
“Fifteen…”
“Fifteen… As expected of a human. You grow up so quickly.”
The clerk scanned Marei’s face and body once more before nodding lightly.
“If it’s not too rude, may I ask your name?”
“Ah, hello. My name is Marei. Marei de Pawen.”
“…The Pawen family.”
The moment the low voice rang out, the clerk’s face twisted. She smashed the white wall behind her, shattering it, and pulled out a greatsword from within. Startled by her sudden action, Marei stumbled backward. Sensing she was about to charge at him, he grabbed the bracelet Erden had given him and thrust it forward.
“Stop!”
“Ah, my lady…”
“He’s my guest, Demeter.”
Lia was coming down the stairs, drying her hair with a towel.
Her silver hair, heavy with moisture, sparkled as it danced through the air, shedding droplets before returning to place in a constant cycle.
“The Pawen family! My lady!”
“I said he’s my guest.”
The clerk seemed displeased with Lia’s answer and tried to say something, but Lia silenced her by pressing a finger to her lips.
“Put the sword away too. And bring me a hat.”
The clerk, apparently named Demeter, bit her lip hard and hung her head. She raised the greatsword high as if to slam it into the floor, then clenched her mouth shut, let out a frustrated shout, and stored it back inside the broken wall. It was far too thick and long to be called a sword. It looked more like a steel plate.
“Does this even match the outfit?! Give me that one.”
Lia frowned at the long panama hat Demeter brought and pointed instead at a straw hat hanging in the corner.
“That’s just for decoration. It’s cheap junk…”
“Give me that one. I made myself clear, Demeter. I left my wallet behind today, so I’ll pay later. You can come collect it yourself if you want… Just write up a rough receipt and I’ll sign it. I’ll pay you generously when I come back.”
“I only run this shop as a hobby. If it’s for you, my lady, I could give you the entire place…”
Despite her smooth words, the woman called Demeter dutifully wrote up a receipt and handed it to Lia. When Marei glanced at the price written on it, he saw an amount far beyond what his allowance could cover. He had expected the luxurious atmosphere to mean high prices, but the so-called “cheap junk” straw hat cost an astronomical sum.
“Hmm… The distance is farther than I thought, so just come collect it yourself. Also, add the cost of repairing the store to the bill. Write a new receipt. I’ll sign it.”
Lia scribbled on the paper like she was doodling and left the store.
“You must be quite famous, Lia.”
“…………Just so-so. I’ve lived here a long time. It’s a small city.”
Lia didn’t seem to want to talk about it. She gave a vague answer and continued walking. The sun shone down on her still-damp hair. The deep color, heavy with moisture, caught the sunlight and gleamed with a distinct silvery hue.
“This place was opened by the royal chef of the Principality after he retired. He runs it as a hobby, so the prices are reasonable and the portions are generous. It’s a place I visit often.”
While waiting in the long line of people, Philia began giving a brief explanation about the restaurant. They passed the time with light, meaningless chatter—talk of food they couldn’t eat and food they liked—before finally entering the restaurant.
“Oh dear, what an honor to have such a distinguished guest in this humble place…”
“What’s so distinguished? We’re just customers like everyone else.”
The rugged-looking old man widened his eyes when he saw Philia, then smiled softly and approached.
“It’s been so long that this old man was afraid he might have forgotten your face.”
“You look like you could live another hundred years… Is there a quiet room available? I don’t like noisy places.”
Lia hugged the old man, who had bowed deeply, and lightly kissed both his cheeks.
“There is always one room kept open. Ah, you have a companion. Is this your boyfriend?”
“Yes. Marei, say hello. This is Furuk Mel.”
At Lia’s introduction, Marei bowed his head in greeting.
