A sweet scent hung in the air — like the soft, clean fragrance a girl carries on her skin, but somehow… different.
“Fou?”
“Fou-fou?”
A wet warmth on her cheek.
A weight on her chest.
Fou was lying across her, licking at her face.
Sakura opened her eyes.
“An unfamiliar — room?”
Awareness drifted back into her body, piece by piece.
Sakura shifted her fingers, a small motion.
“Fou-fou!”
“Fou-fou-fou!”
The little white bundle bounced on Sakura’s chest, and even through the woolen sweater, Sakura could feel the soft, fruit-like give of herself swaying lightly with each bounce.
Sakura stretched out her hand and did the thing Asagami Fujino most loved to do to her.
She pulled Fou into her arms.
The little white bundle squeaked and squealed, then gave up the struggle entirely.
Only its big, fluffy tail kept twitching back and forth.
Sakura slowly propped herself up on the bed and looked around.
A girl’s bedroom, immaculately maintained, furnished in pale tones — refined, expensive things arranged just so.
A few dolls and trinkets scattered here and there, lending the space the sweet atmosphere a young woman’s room ought to have.
Big Sis Rouge’s home?
Sakura rubbed her temples.
Memories of the encounter with the vampire trickled back in piece by piece.
On a desk by the window stood a small bronze censer of antique design, still trailing thin curls of smoke.
The sweet smell seemed to carry some particular effect.
Breathing it in, her mind drifted unbidden into emptiness.
The tight, anxious set of her chest slowly loosened.
Even her awareness blurred a little.
And — and there was a faint heat.
Just a touch.
Sakura sat staring blankly out the window, where the dusk had stained everything orange-red.
Creak—
The door opened.
A girl with hair that nearly brushed her ankles stepped into Sakura’s view, a small teacup in her hand.
“Awake?”
Altrouge walked slowly to the window and broke off the incense stick.
She sat on the edge of the bed and took Sakura’s right hand.
Sakura looked into those crimson eyes.
The skin under her fingertips was soft and silken — and far too cold.
“Mm.” She gave a small nod.
Fou, who had only just managed to wriggle free of Sakura’s chest, swayed unsteadily, then flopped over backward onto the bed with a soft thud, paw-pads turned up like little pink plum blossoms.
The expression on its almost-human face was distinctly woozy.
“Honestly.
How could you be so reckless.” The spoon clinked softly against the teacup as Altrouge fed Sakura the medicine.
“I… I can do it myself.”
The faint fragrance threaded into Sakura’s nose.
Looking into those crimson eyes, Sakura’s heart began to race against her will.
The stories said vampires possessed a charm that ensnared the heart.
Sakura had to admit — they seemed to have gotten that part right.
She tried to take the cup herself.
“Do you have the strength?” Altrouge said softly.
“Eh!?”
Only then did Sakura notice — there wasn’t much strength in her limbs.
Soft, pliant, like a lamb laid out for the table.
“That was the Witch’s Enchanting Fragrance.” Altrouge explained.
“It was made originally to suit aristocratic tastes — but it has rather excellent properties for soothing soreness and exhaustion.
So I put it to use.”
Gulp.
Sakura swallowed.
A vivid peach-pink flush rose along her cheeks.
She thought she understood now why her throat had felt so dry.
The spoon was lifted gently to Sakura’s lips.
Sakura looked into those crimson eyes — and asked, suddenly,
“Big Sis Rouge… are you a vampire too?”
Altrouge’s hand paused.
“No.”
Hearing Altrouge’s answer, something in Sakura eased.
Big Sis Rouge would never lie to her.
If she said no, then no.
“I am… a True Ancestor.”
It wasn’t entirely the truth, but it would do.
Altrouge watched Sakura’s small face freeze in confusion, and couldn’t quite suppress a smile.
Sakura didn’t really understand the difference.
But… it sounded very impressive.
She gazed up at Altrouge and obediently sipped the murky brew.
Strength returned to her limbs little by little — more than that, even.
She felt stronger than before.
“Once you’re recovered, you should head back.
I saw the Asagami household’s people searching for you earlier.” Altrouge set down the cup, her voice gentle.
“Wait, wait, wait—!?”
Sakura jerked upright.
Through the window, the sky was already washed in the deep red of sundown.
A bad feeling rose in her.
Bad — bad — my poor bottom — I might have to sleep on my stomach tonight.
Altrouge helped tidy Sakura’s clothes.
It was only then that Sakura noticed — the ill-fitting bra from earlier had been taken away.
Under her sweater there was nothing.
While she hadn’t known, it had been fine.
Now that she did, it felt — strange.
Her too-sensitive skin sent strange little signals back to her, and Sakura’s movements stiffened, became careful and slow.
The clothes Sakura had bought earlier were already neatly packed by Altrouge.
Sakura slung her bag over her shoulder and, head bowed, cheeks burning, said her goodbyes. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“Fou-fou~~”
Fou waved a tiny paw too.
“Wait.”
Altrouge stopped her.
While Sakura stood there, faintly embarrassed, Altrouge stepped close and re-hung the small black knife on its chain around her neck.
The cold of the metal slid down inside her sweater.
Sakura’s shoulders gave a small shudder.
Fighting down her embarrassment, she scurried out of Altrouge’s Western-style residence.
Watching the slowly setting sun, an odd, unreal feeling rose in Sakura’s chest.
Vampires…
True Ancestors?
She held up her small palm against the burning disc of the sun, pressed her other hand to her chest, and walked slowly toward home.
To her surprise, her sister didn’t scold her.
Wandering shops until dusk was a girl’s natural instinct, apparently.
Asagami Fujino only told her — next time, call home in advance.
Don’t make her be the one to call, only to have her dear little sister not answer, and someone else pick up instead.
For some reason, Sakura had the distinct sense that the last part was the part that mattered.
After being indulged with a little fussing in her sister’s arms, Sakura padded off to the bath.
Her clothes fell to the floor.
Sakura looked at herself in the mirror, slowly raising her arm.
The place where the rush of swordwork had scraped her skin open earlier — only a faint pink mark remained.
Sakura turned.
The bruise on her back, where Yumizuka Satsuki had pinned her against the wall, was the same — barely a trace.
She slid into the bath.
Her body sank, little by little, until half her face was submerged.
She blew bubbles into the water.
Today had felt a little too dream-like.
The world on the reverse side.
The vampire.
The strange, strange potion.
But Sakura’s intuition whispered—
This was only the beginning.
Creak—
The bathroom door opened.
Sakura’s eyes went wide.
A pair of red eyes — smiling — were looking down at her.
“S… Sister?”
She didn’t notice it herself, but her voice had gone soft, weightless, and carried a distinctly languid charm.
…
Altrouge sat on the edge of her bed, Fou cradled in her arms.
A faint trace of the Witch’s Enchanting Fragrance still hung in the air.
“I don’t think I told Sakura — she shouldn’t touch water for half an hour.”
“Fou-fou.” Fou waved a paw.
“Surely the timing wouldn’t be that bad.
It must have taken her a good quarter of an hour to get home.”
(Sakura)