Time started to move from a standstill as Miyo stood from the ground and walked to the wardrobe to find fitting or more than fitting clothes for the child. "Should I get food for both of you?" I hesitantly asked Miyo and preparing to stand up, she shook her head softly and answered. "No, I have enough already. I can make soup for her."
I nodded slowly at the decline and stood softly to not disturb or shock the little lady on the couch as it is more likely that the child is traumatized from god knows what. Approaching quietly and kneeling in front of her, staring at the blue eyes that is quite similar to mine yet they were colder than mine. "Do you… have a name?" I asked curiously and softly, she moved her head to stare at mine.
"..Sakuya," So that one is confirmed. This is indeed Sakuya, but clearly not what I expected to find in a condition like this. Her name is clearly Japanese, so she must have gone the same way as Hiroyuki did, the driver of the carriage — through the nobility and made as a servant.
We both went silent and the only sound in the background is the shuffle of clothes being searched by Miyo, and she came back with familiar clothes that seemed to be the casual clothes that I almost never wear. I suppose she did keep it, but I do not know for what purpose. "Are you… noble?" Sakuya asked, her eyes seemed to hide fear and despite that, she asked bravely.
"Remilia is a former one. I forced her to change to a commoner," answered Miyo before I could even answer her question, and I indignantly stared at Miyo with a pout that elicits a giggle from the child. Well, at least she giggled — I really don't want to make her cry at all.
Seeing my job in this part of London is complete, and I really need to find nourishment before I fall over unconscious in some dark part of the street. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Miyo." I nodded but she grabbed my arm and I yelped.
"I'm not allowing you to go until you've eaten on my dining table." She hissed with the impression of a viper that found its prey, and I nodded vigorously to not attract her anger. I have seen her anger back then when I was six years old, and it was not pretty at all and I do not want to go through the same experience as before. "..Got it." I agreed easily.
Never waste a single thing on her plate, or you're going to attract her anger. Never spill something on her table, or you're going to attract her massive anger. A rule that I've created during my childhood, and I must stick to that rule.
As she had said before, she was going to serve soup and she did indeed. I watch with amusement as Sakuya practically gobbled up all the food in the served bowl. She seemed to stare at me with focus and seeing whether I am going to abandon the food on the plate.
A bit terrifying, but okay then.
I exited the building after I said my proper goodbye to both of them, and headed to the center of the city and rest in the inn room. As soon as I enter the main streets, I noticed that the citizens are tense to the degree that they pull their children closer.
What happened?
I asked myself and yet nothing answered in my mind, what could've driven the citizen this tense? I doubt the kappa incident earlier made them this fearful, other than that, I noticed that the guard patrols are much more frequent. I set out to ask somebody about the situation, most preferably the guards.
"Sir, what's happening in the city?" I asked seriously, he made to answer but upon recognizing the serious tone in my voice. He seemed to answer with hesitation, probably because of my age. "…There have been three murders in the north, if I were you, kid. I'd hurry to your home." I hummed in acknowledgment since there is no indication whether this is my problem or not.
I headed back to the inn immediately, I felt much more relaxed knowing that it's not the work of a myth or a youkai and that implied of the fact that I can leave those to the guards of the city, and they can find whoever is causing those murders.
I saw someone trying to stop somebody in the alleys, but I ignored them in favor of survival. Sure, it is disgusting and I would like to stop them from robbing a certain person but I do not have a connection to them, proving disadvantageous to me. My old life would have made me jump in between them and act as a hero, but not in this life.
I went upstairs and slept in my inn room after locking the door, and up above, the clouds rumbled as rain threatened to break out and fall onto the ground of London, and down below, the pocket watch ticks away until the morning came.
I woke up as the morning light came, though it was awfully gray and any person can deduct from the light that it is currently raining. I really didn't want to abandon my sense of exploration today, so I wore an extra coat above to keep the coldness away.
"Good morning, sir." I nodded politely at the innkeeper, who nodded back and returned the greeting politely. "Good morning, kid. Are you sure you're going out today?" And I merely shrugged, opening the door from the inn to explore more of the city though I will be keeping to the heart mostly. "Yes, I am still not satisfied," I said as I went out of the door.
The smell of rain hits my nose immediately, and I could feel myself relaxing at this point. I've always loved the rain and cloudy skies, for today, the streets are empty save for some running through the streets hurrying to get to the other side.
What manner of myth or youkai will I find today?
I walked through the alleys to the north as I became increasingly curious about this killer that is loose out in the city, the noise of the rain hitting the stone and concrete masking some of the noise that would've been heard in silence but I walked through anyway regardless of the danger posed.
My thoughts turn to Flandre, and if I met her instead of some shabby looking killer, I would've been exasperated at her insistence to go hunting masked as playing. Her appearance here is unlikely since three deaths happened only in the north and she would've been moving from part to part.
I stopped myself and looked down, red fluid splattered on the surface of the ground in the alley as the rain dropped from above. It was blood and judging by its color, it has been here for quite some time but it was too perfect. An injury would have splattered blood everywhere nearby, and yet this seemed as if somebody poured their blood onto the floor.
It did not look disturbed by drag and there were no footprints nearby that could indicate that the killer was here before. The trail is too suspicious to be even human, and that is what worries me. At this point, the case is more likely for vampires such as Flandre more than a rampaging serial killer.
There were far less likely theories, such as chupacabras since they are also related to vampirism but they do not target humans as far as my knowledge goes. This pool of blood could come from an animal, but it would not make sense about the murders in the north said by the guard last night.
A watery footstep was heard from behind, and I immediately ran away to avoid being framed or being stabbed in the back. I hid beside a wall and sighed in relief, "By the gods! Call the others, we've got another blood spot right here!" My instinct to run away from the scene was made correctly after all, since it seems that they're patrol guards.
My thoughts last night were wrong after all. This seems to be the work of a youkai.
I walked away to go even further north of London, hoping to find the culprit for this one. If I can survive getting out of that since I almost did not survive fighting Flandre before. I walked inside another dark alley but immediately froze at the sound of breathing coming from the darkness.
I whirled around to face the possible youkai and only found the familiar woman wearing the purple and white dress. I could barely see the fact that she wields something similar to the bent handle of a cane facing upwards, and golden eyes that stared out at me.
Before I could speak or ask who she is, she immediately blended into the darkness behind her and disappeared immediately. What youkai that could travel through shadows and darkness? Some version of vampires could, but I doubt that she is a vampire.
It has been two hours ever since then, and I haven't found anything but small droplets of blood on the floor, some even was laid bare on marble floors in an apartment building. A thought entered my mind and I wondered if those who were struck by this youkai is even alive anymore at this point, but I am thankful that this has not spread to the east yet, where Sakuya and Miyo live.
In the other case, I wonder how it is still raining even before I was even awake. I briefly wondered if the rain is actually an incident and it's a distraction for those who wanted to go outside.
Another blood spot.
Though I noticed that it was much more spread out and seemed to be disturbed, and the color entails the fact that it is still fresh from the wound. I could see the shape of a hand plastered on the surface. "Hmph, youkai, come out!" I shouted out, taking an example from where I only have to say the words to make the kappa come to me.
Silence came instead and I instantly became embarrassed, imagine if somebody was watching and I would've been more than embarrassed. The thunder flashed in the clouds above as the rain has begun to drop faster and harshly onto the earth, and I could only run away to avoid being stormed by the rain.
Maybe I'll rest for now and visit Miyo for the time being, turning around to go to the east of London while running away from the ridiculous storm from above. It took around thirty minutes, running to the shades of the building and finally arriving in the same apartment building as before.
I entered the building with a relieved sigh, water droplets dripping from my coat and my light blue hair is utterly soaked by the rain. At this point, it felt like I just recently exited a shower before coming here.
I went upstairs and knocked on the room door I remembered was owned by Miyo, arrays of footsteps are heard from behind the door and it seems Sakuya opened the door with a curious look. She looks surprised to find out it was me, "Miyo!" She shouted out, running back into the room.
Miyo entered my vision and deadpanned at my sopping hair and coat, "Enter and dry the coat in the bathroom, thank you very much." she said dryly as I entered the warm room, entering the bathroom on the right and putting it on the dry rack.
"How are you two doing after last night?" I asked conversationally, hopping off my shoes, and wiped my hair with the towel in the bathroom, and then going to the living room where Sakuya is staring out the window with melancholy. I see that she likes the rain as I do, and that makes me somewhat happy.
I sipped the warm tea that has been given to me by Miyo, she seemed to be amused at my rare moment of sinking into the warm couch behind me. "By the way, Remilia, where have you been? That coat is far too wet for a simple walk to my house." I opened my mouth to tell her that I've been wandering on the western side of London, but unfortunately somebody behind Miyo gave me such a cold look that I immediately told the truth.
Where on earth did she learn that glare!?
"I explored the northern area of London." I blurted out, and I watched in horror as the eyes of Miyo darkened with rage and worry. I could only look betrayed at the smug Sakuya from behind Miyo, but at the same time, I was glad to have found another that eases my heart in London. This feels much like the banter with Anne back in that town.
"And pray tell, what were you doing in that part of London despite guards warning to not go there for the time being?" I gulped at her dangerous voice, expecting a clear answer and reason of why I went to the north but unfortunately I only have the truth of wanting to investigate.
"I wanted to investigate." and I immediately whimpered, hugging the teacup closer at the terrifying look that came from Miyo's face. She nodded as if in agreement, but actually disagreeing with me judging by her gritted teeth. Any moment now, she is going to erupt.
"You WERE GOING TO SEARCH FOR A KILLER, LITTLE LADY!?" She seemed to have reverted back to her old pronoun for me, but it was still terrifying enough as I sunk lower and lower into the seat. The lecture felt unending for half an hour, with frequent quiet snickering from Sakuya from behind Miyo.
I have my eyes closed to rest for a few moments before going out once more before nightfall, but I felt poking in the midst of my daydreaming and I opened my eyes only to reveal Sakuya staring at me intensely. "What?" I mumbled only to yelp as she laid her head upon me.
"Good. That'll prevent you from going outside!" shouted Miyo from the kitchen who were apparently watching me and Sakuya, today feels rather unlucky for some reason. Some unknown youkai stalking me, finding only blood spot and having to shout to the youkai to come out, a lecture from Miyo, and then this happens.
From all that, I could do the only thing I can do. I pouted and laid my head on the couch pillow for a lengthy rest on the temporary home offered by Miyo. Outside, the rain is still pouring endlessly onto the window and yet the rain and the wind cannot simply batter away the protection gained by the windows.
I feel like Miyo and Sakuya are probably going to be the only ones that will stay with me...
But the longer I stay with them, the faster they will be pulled into my fate.
I stepped out of the room quietly, hearing the door being locked quietly by Miyo from the inside. I managed to convince her that I won't go investigating around the north anymore, but unfortunately for her, I lied to her and it seems Miyo knew that when I was about to step out.
I went downstairs and stood in front of the door leading outside the building where the rain stormed endlessly. I put my coat on tightly to avoid being washed by the water, and Miyo gave me a white mob cap with blue trimmings from the wardrobe saying that I never did use it before.
After walking several hundred meters away from the building, I headed north for another several hundred meters. A cold freezing sensation suddenly dropped itself into my entire body, and I froze on the spot from the clear implication that I was really really close to the culprit.
Turning around to where it seemed to radiate to my body the strongest, I walked towards the source and shivered at the buzzing feeling that seemed to combine with the cold sensation. A continuation of fate combined with freezing cold, I felt rather nauseous of how fast I discovered my fate.
Across the street is a man wearing a white coat with black stripes all over the coat, if not for the color of his coat I would've already mistaken him for Severus Snape and laughed at him outright. His face is quite similar to that of the hook-nosed man from the popular series, and I felt like pinching my nose in disbelief.
I decided that I would go the way I approached the long-dead noble from the previous town I've stayed in. By saying it outright that he is completely suspicious, it would be quite amusing at this point. I was already annoyed by the rain.
"Sir?"
"Yes, child? What is it that you want?" The man said gruffly, looking down on me with no suspicion at all, and yet he held no malice in his eyes but the emotions of curiosity and kindness. It would have completely fooled anyone with the exception of me.
"You look downright suspicious, sir." I blurted out with a faintly amused smile on my face, and the man choked with disbelief but he suppressed it with a fake cough that did not fool me at all. "Really, child? Could you tell me why you find me suspicious?"
I sighed, "Enough with it, youkai. Don't hide on the fact why you've murdered—!" I choked as all my breath left my lungs and I fell onto the watery ground below, my consciousness fading out into a slumber. "How the hell did she know?" The man grumbled.
Actually, I think I regret doing that.. I'm being carried to God knows where. My last thought tapered off into nothingness as I fall unconscious in the hand of the unknown youkai.