First Date in the Principality (Philia the Blood) (4)
The moment I pictured Lee Ha-eun’s sly, cat-like expression, the image of a teacher who loved teasing her students far more than a battlefield warrior came to mind.
“Does Philia attend school in Valter as well?”
“What do you think?”
Philia the Blood pushed herself away from the wall, offering only a quiet smile. She extended her hand toward Marei as if to say they should walk again. He took the small hand that looked like it would be a full finger shorter than his own. It was soft. A faint warmth rose from her bare white palm.
“My little sister goes there. You didn’t answer me. So… what do you think I am?”
“You seem like you attend school.”
Philia gave a vague answer to dodge the question—“Maybe, maybe not”—and lightly placed her hand on the door sealed shut with chains wrapped around it. Metal clinked. The chains unwound on their own and clattered to the floor. Bright light poured through the opening.
“Here. This is my favorite view in the entire world.”
The sight of the young girl smiling brightly with the sun at her back made Marei’s face burn crimson. It felt like his cheeks were on fire.
“Come see.”
Her small hand tugged him even harder. As he stepped into the light, the sun—already beginning to dip—embraced the city below. The capital unfolded in a single glance. Canals catching the golden sunlight sparkled like liquid gemstones.
“It’s beautiful…”
The words slipped from his lips before he could stop them. Philia smiled, clearly delighted.
A towering gray castle rose at the center. Massive waterways stretched out like tree branches toward the sea. Pure white ramparts encircled the entire city. Beyond the horizon, faint green farmland blurred into view. Tiny figures of people could be seen bustling about. The buildings packed tightly within the city weren’t particularly impressive on their own, but when combined with everything else, the scenery was so breathtaking he wanted to capture it in a photograph.
When he turned his gaze to the side, a long range of towering mountains came into view. Below them, a single train raced past at high speed.
He stole a glance at Philia. Her crimson eyes fixed on the city, her snow-white face, and those pink lips. Her beauty sparkled even more brilliantly beneath the sun, and without realizing it, his hand almost moved toward the eyepatch on his left eye.
It was a shame to think this about her, but compared to the voluptuous, mature bodies of the older women who spent their days drowning in carnal pleasure with him, Philia’s figure was small and modest. Yet like an unripe flower bud, she held a hidden beauty that didn’t show on the surface. Occasionally she gave off a sweet floral scent like a fully bloomed flower, creating a strange fluttering in his chest.
“Well, now that the sightseeing is over, shall we go eat? Dinner’s on me.”
“Can’t we stay just a little longer… and look some more?”
Even at Marei’s plea, Philia shook her head. She walked to the doorway and looked back at the hesitant boy.
“If this view is precious to you, let it go right now. The reason flowers are beautiful is because you cannot hold onto them. The moment you reach out to grasp something that cannot be caught, the beauty inside your heart will be stained with lingering regret.”
Her half-lidded eyes looked up at him as she spoke. His feet, which had remained rooted, slowly moved forward. She let out a small chuckle and pulled her back away from the door. The arms that had been crossed now opened the door back to reality.
Descending the church bell tower was quite a strenuous task. Following behind Philia, who complained that her knees would bruise and walked down slowly, he realized the evening glow had already painted the distant castle a deep red.
“I think I’ve shown you all the most important things for now. It’s still a little lacking, though.”
“I ran around all day, so I can barely remember anything…”
“You just need time. The things that rise in your mind without you trying to hold onto them will bloom fully inside you. Of course, the last memory will come to you most easily. That’s why I brought you to the clock tower—so you wouldn’t forget the sight of the Principality.”
They climbed into the black car that had been waiting in front of the church. Philia didn’t give a destination, yet the vehicle began driving slowly along the road.
“Dinner compared to lunch… might feel a little lacking. The person who made lunch was a former chef, but the owner of where we’re going now was a former butler. Still, he’s incredibly talented in many ways, so the food isn’t bad at all.”
The car soon came to a stop. The driver got out, opened the door for them, bowed politely after letting Philia and Marei out, then drove away.
The place they arrived at was far too grand to simply call a restaurant. It would be more accurate to call it a hotel. It stood tall and solitary on the outskirts, quite far from the city center.
Even though a sign reading “Closed” hung on the door, Philia opened it lightly.
“My lady, you’ve come again this year without forgetting. It seems this old man is blessed with good fortune in his final years. It would have been even better if the little lady had come with you. Instead, you’ve brought a splendid young gentleman. A pleasure to meet you, young master. Please feel free to call me Norman. Your room and dinner have been prepared. This way, please.”
An old man. Or perhaps it was more fitting to call him an old gentleman. Despite the wrinkles on his face, the neatly groomed elder let out a warm chuckle. As if he had been waiting for Philia, he took her outer coat and led the two of them toward the elevator.
“You’re still so full of energy, yet you retired. The place is in complete chaos without you. Building a hotel in a place like this and spending your retirement in comfort—it’s a national loss. I could understand if you opened during the festival, but shutting down completely during the most profitable time of year makes no sense.”
“You already know it was my long-held dream after retirement. I’ve earned enough to be satisfied, and I’ve lived as much as I was satisfied. This old body has nothing left to cling to; I simply guard the remaining longing here like a gravedigger. And who else but me could offer my lady a place where she can quietly watch the magical sky?”
Philia let out a small sigh.
“That may be true, but… Norman, you’re still so energetic. Just look at what Father is doing these days. He seems to have lost his mind.”
“I am already an outsider. He must have his own thoughts. It is an honor that he still considers this old man, but it would be rude to make the young master beside you feel awkward. My lady.”
Norman firmly pressed the elevator button. The doors opened immediately. Norman and Philia stepped inside and looked at Marei as if inviting him to join them.
“My lady is at the age where she should be meeting boyfriends now. If this old man could hold your child once before I die, I would have no other wish.”
“What boyfriend? We only met today. I got tangled up with him while running away from the surveillance dogs Father sent… That’s all.”
Philia twisted the ends of her hair between her fingers. Norman’s wrinkled eyes narrowed, and a small smile formed on his lips.
“Connections in one’s youth tend to arrive more suddenly than expected. Once you reach my age, new connections stop coming. All that remains are the ones you must slowly organize, leaving only their backs to paint in your memory.”
“Norman, you’re still young. Don’t say things like that. It scares me… it sounds like you’ll die soon…”
At Philia’s unexpectedly fragile reaction, Marei deliberately turned his gaze away. The elevator arrived at the top floor with a soft mechanical chime.
“I must take my leave now as I have another engagement. The food has been prepared. Since it’s a holiday, I sent all the staff away, so you’ll need to reheat it.”
“Take care on your way…”
“Yes. Welcome back to the Principality, my lady. I forgot to greet you properly. And to you, young master. No—Marei de Pawen. Please take good care of my lady.”
“Y-yes…!”
The old gentleman who introduced himself as Norman seemed far from ordinary. Marei had never told him his name. Even Philia had only recognized him after hearing the name, yet Norman had identified Marei with just a glance at his face.
“I’ve tidied the penthouse nicely. It was meant for my lady and the little lady. But one of them never comes anymore. It’s about time… for me to go out with my wife. I left the key inside the room.”
“Emma is…”
Philia’s fist was clenched tightly. Her lips were pressed together, and she couldn’t continue.
“She is the same as always. I plan to stay with her tonight. I will keep the door closed, so I hope the young master uses whichever room is most comfortable. It really would have been wonderful if the little lady had come as well.”
“………Next time I’ll drag her here by kicking her ass, so don’t worry.”
“Haha, even just hearing you say it is enough to make me happy.”
The old gentleman placed a hand over his chest, gave a respectful bow, and disappeared along with the elevator.
He was a fascinating person. No—he seemed like an extraordinary one. As Marei stood there blankly staring at where he had vanished, Philia lightly elbowed his side.
“Norman was also a famous administrator. He’s from the Empire, so maybe you wouldn’t know?”
“Ah, yes…”
“It’s about time… We should go out to the garden to see it properly. I should warm up some water.”
Philia opened the door with practiced ease. A vast space that hardly seemed like a mere room unfolded before them, and beyond the glass doors lay a green garden. With skillful hands, she placed a kettle on the stove and lit the flame.
“There’s a thermos in front of you—take it out. The red one. Don’t touch the pink one; that belongs to someone else.”
The dishes Norman had said needed reheating were already laid out on the table, steaming warmly. Noticing Marei couldn’t tear his eyes away, Philia sat down first and gestured for him to take a seat.
Nights in the Principality were bitterly cold. Even though spring had clearly arrived, the night air swirled coolly around the table. The chill that passed even around the blanket they shared melted away like snow in a single cup of hot jasmine tea.
“What could you possibly be thinking about for so long with a lady sitting right in front of you?”
“Ah, I was just thinking a little about Norman…”
Philia pulled the blanket closer around herself. A deep sigh settled over her teacup. Like longing, the thick, clinging breath continued to hover and hover above the table.
“Five years ago… Emma died.”
“Wasn’t the name of Norman’s wife just now Emma?”
“……Emma was the nanny for me and my sister. The cause of death was poisoning. They used an extremely potent toxin that melts all the internal organs.”
The teacup revealed its empty bottom. The kind smile of the old gentleman with the cane rose in Marei’s mind and pressed heavily on his chest. Though he wasn’t here, he felt undeniably present beside them. A small finger seemed to tilt the cup, producing a soft clink. Instead of herbal tea, the cup filled with a warmth-less pain.
“Everyone says Norman has gone mad. A few idiots even point fingers and claim he’s senile. They just don’t want to accept it. The old man is simply being stubborn, yet no one even tries to understand. Those terrible people…”
Where pain had once filled the space, only a cold, heavy melancholy remained. Emotions crept in through the darkness, slowly grasping their ankles and dragging them both downward. Since it could not fill the heart, it filled the cup instead.
“Why am I telling you all this… I’m sorry. I ruined the mood for no reason.”
“…It hurts. But thank you for telling me.”
Philia kept her head lowered, touching her face several times. She lifted her head with a faint smile. The corners of her mouth trembled, and she lowered her head again. She was angry.
“Don’t comfort me. I’m fine. I really am fine.”
She looked like she might burst into tears at any moment, yet she was trying her hardest to smile. It seemed she had held in her anger for so long that she had even forgotten how to express it. She simply kept touching her own face again and again.
Numerous magic circles began to rise into the dark sky. The view Philia had wanted to show him was now spread out before them, but she remained quiet, steadying her breath and suppressing her emotions. Marei deliberately looked away from her. Silence filled the garden completely.
The one who broke the seemingly eternal stillness first was Philia.
“Hey… I want to drink your blood.”
Philia held the empty cup with both hands. As she avoided his eyes and spoke hesitantly, he found himself nodding before he could think.
People called the beings of the Principality vampires. The people of the Principality called themselves vampires.
“You smell so incredibly good.”
Philia, now sitting on the table, carefully stroked Marei’s cheek. He could feel the trembling of the back of her hand as it brushed past. After stroking his cheek, her hand was soon caught in his. Warm breath flowed out, tickling his face.
“You don’t seem very surprised.”
He nodded. Porcelain-white skin, crimson eyes with slit pupils. Long, elf-like ears. The glimpse of fangs he had seen when she saved him on the cruise ship. And many people, many situations. Everything had already told him she was a vampire.
“Will it… hurt?”
“Pfft, no. I told you it doesn’t hurt. Really…”
The trembling of Philia’s tightly held hand finally stopped. Slowly she drew closer until their eyes met. Her crimson eyes held a strange anticipation. The small hand he had let go of now stroked his cheek again, caressed the area around it, and carefully fumbled with the top button of his shirt.
“Are you scared?”
“I trust you, Philia. You won’t hurt me… right?”
The first button came undone. When her breath touched his collar, a strange sensation began to rise. He wanted to shower kisses on those white cheeks faintly flushed pink. But the thought of being bitten made his body tremble slowly in a strange way.
“For someone who says that, you look quite terrified…”
“I-it’s my first time, that’s why.”
The words whispered in his ear were as sweet as sugar. They lightly traced the curve of his ear before slowly melting away.