The next morning, I headed out to look for Ciel. As expected, I found him crouched in one of the alleyways, munching on chocolates alone in the shadows.
His eyes gleamed when he spotted me.
"Master!!" he beamed.
"You've got such a sweet tooth—and you're a vampire…"
"Why can't I be?" he asked, cheeks stuffed.
I sighed.
"Never mind… I need to talk to you."
His whole face lit up. He nodded quickly, still chewing.
We found a quiet spot to sit, away from the noise.
"Do you know how to get to Nocturnis Veil?" I asked.
"Hm… Boats, I guess? Why? You planning to visit my hometown?"
"Kind of," I murmured.
"I should send you off somewhere far too…"
"What was that?" He tilted his head, blinking.
"Where do we even get boats?" I deflected.
"The harbor, obviously," he said with a small shrug.
"But it's kinda pricey!"
I thought about it for a while, then dragged the curious bat to the harbor.
—
"This place… I remember it now," I muttered under my breath.
This was where I was found. Drifting on the ocean. Almost swallowed by the waves.
"Master?"
I snapped out of it at his voice. He was pointing toward a small hut near the docks, where a few fishermen stood smoking and sorting nets.
"We can ask them to lend us a boat!"
I approached one of them—a broad-shouldered man crouched over a tangled net, hands thick with rope and sea salt.
"Hm? What's a guy like you doing here?" the man grunted without looking up.
"Trying to get to Nocturnis Veil," I said. "Any boats heading that way?"
He paused, then smirked—a knowing, greasy sort of smirk. Something about it didn't sit right.
"Sure," he said, dragging out the word.
"For a price, of course."
"How much are we talking?"
"Eh… ten golds?" He chuckled.
"The way there ain't exactly a walk in the park, y'know?"
"Hey, that's such an obvious scam!" Ciel snapped, stepping forward.
The fisherman shrugged. "Then it's your loss."
Ciel crossed his arms, scowling.
"It's fine," I said quietly.
"We'll come back with the ten golds... if that's what it takes."
"Huh? Are we seriously going along with this?"
Ciel hissed, his eyes darting between me and the man.
I kept silent and turned away—only to notice someone watching us from the edge of the dock.
Another fisherman… or at least, dressed like one. His clothes were sea-stained, rough like the others—but something about him felt familiar.
"We can see you," I said flatly.
The man jolted. "Haha—sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I just overheard you talking about Nocturnis Veil."
He stepped forward, hands raised, smile sheepish.
"I can help. No scams or weird prices, I promise."
Ciel narrowed his eyes. "And how exactly can we trust you?"
The man looked at me—really looked.
"I wanted to repay a favor. Everie... right?"
I froze.
He gave a short nod, almost shy.
"You probably don't remember, but… a few years ago, I was the one who pulled you from the ocean. You were unconscious. Half-drowned. I didn't think you'd survive."
My breath caught in my throat. A flicker—waves, darkness, a hand reaching through seafoam—surfaced in my mind.
"You helped me?" I asked, voice low.
"I did," he said simply.
"And I'd do it again. That ocean owes you no kindness. But maybe I can."
I glanced at Ciel, then gave the man a soft smile and a nod.
"That'd be great. I'll always be indebted to you."
"Glad to help. Name's Dean," he said, offering a hand—then pulling it back with a sheepish laugh.
"Let's meet here in a week. The weather should be better for sailing by then."
With that, he gave a casual wave and headed back toward the docks.
Ciel leaned in once Dean was out of earshot.
"You sure about this guy?"
I watched the sea sway behind Dean's fading figure.
"No," I murmured. "But I want to be."
—
Later the night.
I looked around. It was bright. The room felt familiar, yet different—wide and luxurious, the kind of place I shouldn't recognize but somehow did.
Is this a dream?
"Everie!"
A woman's voice called out, warm and sweet. It sounded like... home.
"Come to the garden, we're having a picnic~" she added, her voice trailing off with a smile.
I turned toward the mirror. A smaller figure stared back—wide eyes, a softer face. Is that... me?
I stepped outside. The garden was large and blooming with color, filled with flowers of all kinds. The air was thick with their scent—vibrant, almost overwhelming.
The woman waved me over. And beside her… a boy with golden hair.
"Brother! Come sit with us!" he called out, his eyes shining.
I felt a smile tug at my lips before I could stop it.
"Lyle kept begging me to have a picnic to celebrate your crowning. Congratulations, Everie."
The woman smiled gently, her hand brushing against my cheek.
Lyle…? Crowning…?
"Blegh—" I gagged, my body reacting on its own.
But the two of them continued, unfazed. Of course they did. This was just a memory. My actions didn't matter here.
"When you become king," Lyle grinned, "I'll be by your side as the best knight you'll ever have!"
King…? Was I—
Darkness swallowed the garden.
The laughter twisted into screams. The woman's face, once so warm, contorted in terror.
"Everie—! Stop this…!" she cried.
Flames consumed her body.
What...? Did I… do that?
No. No, this can't be—
I collapsed to my knees, devastated, clutching my head—until a soft giggle echoed through the burning void.
A cold finger tilted my chin up.
"Hellooo, Everie~ It's your guardian angel, Miriel!!"
She smiled sweetly, her eyes gleaming with madness.
"How was that? Now you know what I'm capable of."
"You—are you messing with me?!"
"Hm~ It's fun, isn't it? Aren't you curious now…? What happened? Why did it happen?"
I glared at her.
"Your temptations aren't working. Leave me alone."
She only laughed—a light, lilting sound—then nodded.
"Mhm… Sure. Go on, wake up. Pretend you saw nothing. Just remember—" she smiled, eyes glinting—
"I'll come in handy soon."
I scoffed but didn't answer.
She vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the echo of her voice—
and the cold bite of doubt.