I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 54 - I want to see him, so I can’t help it

(Why did I say something so terrible?)

After that, I immediately regretted it. Even though I was upset, I said too much.

(Tino helped us…)

Thankfully, Stella quickly woke up. She didn’t seem to remember what happened in the flower field. She looked confused about why she was lying in bed.

“…Sister, what are you looking at?”

In the library, while I was reading the book I wanted, someone spoke to me from behind. When I turned around, I saw Stella tilting her head and looking at me. I showed her the cover of the book.

“‘Victoire’s’… re… reki…?”

“History. I was just curious and wanted to learn more,” I answered.

Stella blinked.

“Why are you learning about it?”

“…I thought I should check again how this country started.”

I traced the book’s cover with my hand.

Since I was little, I had known about the founding of Victoire as common knowledge. A long time ago, our human ancestors were attacked by demons. They fought back. After a fierce battle, they won their freedom, and that became the country called Victoire.

In other words, Victoire is proof that we fought off the demon attacks.

Victoire is a country of victory. A country of freedom. A country of hope.

Demons are evil.

They are bad creatures that try to control humans in dirty ways.

That’s what we were taught, so…

Thinking that far, I shook my head.

(No… that’s just an excuse…)

Tino tried to explain everything properly.

But I was the one who cut him off and didn’t listen.

Since then, Tino hasn’t come to the flower field again.

“…Sister, what’s that?”

“…!”

At some point, Stella had come closer.
She pointed at the purple human-shaped figure on the cover.

“This… this is a demon. You learned this too, right? About how Victoire was founded.”

“…A bad one?”

Stella tilted her head and asked.

Since coming to the Zenefelder house, Stella had become even more beautiful. She was still a young girl, but sometimes her eyes were so beautiful they even surprised me, her older sister. Her presence, her aura—Stella had something that draws people in. Words like ‘graceful” or ‘adorable’ suited her perfectly.

I stroked Stella’s young leaf-colored hair. Her smooth hair slipped through my fingers. When I patted her head, she closed her eyes happily.

“…I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

Maybe I should have said, “Yes, demons are bad!” But when I thought of Tino, I couldn’t say that.

Tino said he wasn’t a demon. Then what is Tino? He’s not… human, I think.

(Tino said he’s a vampire…)

Suddenly, I remembered our past conversation.

Vampires aren’t demons? Are they different from the ones who attacked Victoire long ago?

…I don’t know.

Even if I want to ask, Tino doesn’t come to the flower field anymore.

“Sister, you’re weird.”

“…Huh?”

I was surprised and looked at her when Stella suddenly said that. She just looked at me straight and spoke.

“Father and Mother said demons are bad people. But Sister… is weird.”

Even though she said it clumsily, Stella spoke clearly.

Her words hit me like a punch to the head.

…That’s right. Demons are bad creatures.

And yet, I—

I quietly put the book back on the shelf.

Then I smiled at Stella.

“Yes, you’re right. That’s what we learned.”

That day—I gave my sister a fake smile for the first time.

It might have been awkward. But Stella’s expression didn’t change.

Her deep blue eyes seemed to be blaming me. Even though she shouldn’t remember anything about the flower field, even though she didn’t know about Tino the vampire, it felt like she was blaming me for not telling our parents about him.

I felt that way. Because deep down, I felt guilty.

I looked away from Stella and said,

“…Let’s go back to your room, Stella. I’ll help you with your studies.”

And with that, I tried to hide how I felt.

☆

Since then, I’ve gone to the backyard—the flower field—many times. But Tino never came.

(I said something so terrible…)

“You’re not human.”

Maybe I wasn’t wrong, but I’m sure those words hurt Tino.

The first time we met, he was crying.

I knew that Tino was lonely and easily cried…

But when I started to think he might be a demon, Tino suddenly didn’t feel like the same person I knew anymore.

Day after day, I waited for him in the flower field. But he never showed up.

He might never come again—but still, I waited.

Because I wanted to say sorry. Even though I was confused and rejected him, I wanted to talk properly. That’s the only reason—I waited and waited.

Then one day—

(He didn’t come today either…)

The sun set, and everything was colored by the evening light. The yellow flowers—violas. Even the violas looked sad, with their heads drooping.

It was almost time to return to the mansion.

The Crown Prince’s search for a fiancée was about to start seriously, and I was one of the candidates.

(Father wants me to become the prince’s fiancée…)

I don’t understand everything, but if I, the daughter of the Zenefelder family, become the prince’s fiancée, it will help Father.
That’s why I have to study harder than ever to be chosen.

It’s getting harder and harder to sneak out of the mansion like this.

(Maybe I’ll never see Tino again…)

Thinking that made me feel deep regret.

Even if I was confused back then, I should have listened to what Tino had to say.

(But today, I won’t give up.)

Sitting on the flower field, I made a decision.

It’s been three months since I met Tino.

Maybe he really won’t come anymore.

But just maybe—he might come today.

Because today is the day we first met.

Clinging to that one small hope, I decided to wait for Tino.

(If… I wait until late at night and he still doesn’t come…)

Then… I’ll give up. I’ll accept that Tino will never come again.

And so, I waited for Tino.

After the sun set, I went back to the mansion for dinner. Then I sneaked out again.

I didn’t know.

(Once the sun sets, it gets this cold…)

It was warm during the day, but the backyard was chilly at night. I wrapped the shawl I brought around my shoulders and waited for Tino.

Soon, the moon rose in the night sky.

I breathed out, “Haa…”

(What time is it now…?)

It was probably about time I usually went to bed. I started feeling sleepy.

I rubbed my eyes and tried to stay awake. I didn’t know how much time passed while I fought off sleep.

It felt like a long time… or maybe it went by quickly.

While I was dozing again, a shadow appeared.

I quickly looked up—

“Tino…!!”

There he was—the person who had left me the other day.

Tino looked guilty, awkward. He looked away from me and kept a little distance, then spoke.

“…What are you doing, Chalize? At this hour.”