Eternal Melody

It seemed that those words did the trick since Sumire lifted her gown slightly so he could see her knee. The blood was still fresh, indicating it only happened not too long ago.

After a few minutes of blinking and looking quite puzzled, he finally asked her. “… What are you doing here?”

“Soujiro said I had to come.”

“Sumire-san, normally you would refuse.” This was why even though they had the same status, he never bumped into her during these events. 

This was the reason why he could comfortably play the role of Sylvia van Tetsuo. Tetsuo is glad that she did not want to return to the ballroom and that he expressed that he would not too. For some reason, he does not want her to see him like that.

He did not want Sumire to see him among those nobles who faked their smiles. He did not want her to see him acting like those vile people.

A deep sigh escaped her lips. “I intended to refuse, but I felt like I was bothering Yuhi, so I ran away.”

As he began to tend to the girl’s wounds by giving her simple first aid, Tetsuo noticed something. Her skin was unusually hot. His eyes widened when he realized something. “Don’t tell me you are sick?”

“Ssssh! What if somebody hears you?”

Tetsuo looked at her dumbfounded. What on earth is she thinking now?

“Even if it is a place like this, Yuhi-san knows a lot of people. What if they overhear and tell him.”

So she must have run away the moment Terashima was about to notice. This girl does such stupid things sometimes that he does not know what to think. Then again, how many times did he see this in the past? But back then, that person, Tsueno Mamoru, was always there for her. He would appear just in time.

“Then I shall remain here with you and right afterwards take you home.”

Even if she has superhuman strength, she is still sick. What if she ends up feeling worse after fighting?

“That man came to see you did he not?”

She looked up, a bit startled at the sudden shift in conversation. He did not want to continue the previous one. Since it would mean having to comfort her, Tetsuo is not like Ran or Jun; he will not pretend to know how to comfort her. He accepted that he was no good at dealing with the opposite gender.

Tetsuo knew what went on her mind, but he shook his head. “There is no use hiding things.”

Sumire fiddled with the cup in her hands. “Yes. He came rushing the second he found out about it—my connection to the enemy leader. Truthfully speaking, Ran to knows about it that’s why he’s been trying to stop me. But I can’t do that. That guy is responsible for the death of my father, responsible for the incident that day.”

“Are you certain?”

She looked down. “There is evidence. But somehow.. I don’t get a good feeling about it.”

“At that time, I thought about it. With the amount of power you had, I doubt you needed to run.”

Back then, Ibuki Sumire was not powerless or a pretty marionette-like other thought. While it was small, she gradually built up her power.

“That’s right. I didn’t have to run away. I could have tried to put out the fire; wells and waters are surrounding the buildings for a reason, you know? But I didn’t do that and chose to run away. You know I loved it.” She spoke quietly.”Beautiful palaces, roads with elegant bridges. The sky was always clear, and the night full of stars it was like a paradise.”

Tetsuo sensed the loneliness in her tone. Despite her praise, he did not see the usual light in her eyes whenever she was excited.

“Sometimes I wish I could just stay there forever. But that was a naive thought.”

“Was it because of your desire to see the world?”

“Perhaps. But it doesn’t change anything, does it? Nobles Oblige. Even though I had the power to save everyone, I did not help them. In the end, I committed a far greater sin than one could have imagined.”

 “I wished to protect my homeland without staining my hands with the blood of my enemies, so I escaped and let them follow me.”

She looked him straight into his eyes, her eyes stained with tears.

“I am the one responsible for this mess.”

Is she crying? She cried earlier due to getting injured, but there was something different about these tears. Tetsuo watched as she groggily got up and immediately lost her balance, but before she could fall, somebody caught her.

“Terashima.” 

Indeed the one who caught her was none other than Terashima Yuhi. He nodded in his direction and quickly turned to Sumire. “You’re sick again, you’re so careless.”

“I want to hurry up and catch up, Yuhi.”

“You don’t need to make yourself sick over it.” He picked the girl up in his arms, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. “Even though you missed me, you ran away. You’re so silly Sumire, what do I do with you?”

Despite the mini scolding, Tetsuo could not miss the affectionate look in his eyes. 

“Hold me more.”

Yuhi laughed. “Really you…” He trailed off as his gaze met his. “Sylvia, the people inside are looking for you.”

Tetsuo sensed an odd atmosphere and knew it was his cue to leave. “Have a good night, Sumire-san and Terashima.” With those words, he swiftly left. The last sight he saw was Sumire biting into Terashimas neck, and a scent of blood washed through the air.

He hurried his footsteps when he realized what had happened. This is not the first time he sees it since he often saw that scene before. When Ran could not control his abilities, he did the same with Momoi Futaba. But Tetsuo knew this was different. He felt a pang in his heart. What is this sudden pain?

Tetsuo shook his head. There is no use thinking of such pointless things. The only thing he ought to focus on is how to play his role properly.