The strong sunshine of a summer morning descended on the seaside town of Vinea. Ario's group was having a late breakfast on the café terrace of the hotel. Set up on the fifth floor, they dined with a beautiful view of the sea stretching out in the distance. Trees and flowers were planted everywhere, making it look like an aerial garden. A bard was playing a stringed instrument in the corner, lending the scene aquaint atmosphere. The soft and comforting melody reached Ario's ears.
Finishing off the meal with a modest teatime, a slice of cake was set in front of Seere. "Chiffon cake! The only right way to eat it is with a bunch of whipped cream on top!" Seere's eyes twinkled as he eagerly brandished his fork. "I really don't like humans, but I love the sweets they make." Seere quickly took a bite; his expression was one of pure bliss.
"Seere, your tail is sticking out."
"Huh?! Really?!" Seere looked as shocked at the sight of his own tail as if it was the first time he had ever seen it. Its peculiar key shape was a dead giveaway that it belonged to a demon.
The scene of the innocent Seere frantically stuffing his tail away brought a small smile to Ario's face. Even if he is a powerful demon, he's still just a child, she thought as she closed her eyes and took a sip from the white ceramic teacup. The strong, sweet apple scent flowed through her sinuses. When she opened her eyes, she saw Aria staring back at her—she had been silently watching the exchange with Seere from the sidelines and smiled.
Aria was as beautiful as ever. But hers was no ordinary beauty... It was a beauty so ephemeral that it seemed it could fade away in the strong morning light. Noticing Ario's uneasy gaze, Aria opened her small mouth. "Watching Seere reminds me of the old Ario."
"What? Do me and Ario look alike?"
"That's not what she means!"
"When Ario gets caught up in something, she tends to lose sight of everything else."
"What was that? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Seere grinned cheekily. Aria giggled at Ario's frustration.
"Aria, please don't encourage him..." Ario puffed out her cheeks and pouted. Though she didn't want to show it, thinking about the past filled Ario with a feeling of fondness. Come to think of it... I used to be such a nuisance to Aria, she thought to herself. An assortment of happy memories flashed in Ario's mind and her chest grew tight.
Suddenly, the sound of stringed instruments that had been flowing gracefully was disturbed. An unsettling air came over the café terrace.
David and his men were moving in, weapons in tow.
"It's just like you said Aria, they're moving in from the other side," said Ario. Catching David and the others out of the corner of her eye, a devious smile spread across her face.
YOU ARE READING
Nothing But Requiem
FantasyTrapped in despair after losing her beloved, a girl was greeted by a demon. The demon offered her the magic gun, "Blutgang," and whispered, "If there's something you wish for, you have to make it come true." The girl who lost everything. In its plac...
