(Vanitas no Carte belong to Jun Mochizuki.)
I'm Ines Archambault. I'm just an ordinary 21st century teenage girl. I'd never believe in vampires until I met them. At first, I thought everyone was pulling a prank. MAN, THIS IS NO JOKE.
Warning: this chapter contains language and violence that may not be suitable for all readers. You may skip this chapter.
" INES! "
I pushed away the guards to the wall, but it was too late. Someone with wounded arms took her. Rushing to intervene between Vanitas and Jeanne.
" VANITAS! NOÉ! " Jeanne screamed as I grabbed Vanitas under my arm and off to the other side.
After we closed the door of the border, we found Dante, Johanh and Riche lying unconscious on the floor. Vanitas rushed to check on Dante while I helped Riche and Johanh. Dante slowly regained his consciousness, " What happened? "
" We were attacked. " Dante grunted, trying to sit.
Vanitas looked straight at him mercilessly, " Spare the details Dante. "
" There were some guys with masks who took your new friend." He wheezed out and showed a piece of torn black fabric on his palm. The both of us stared at the black fabric, instantly we knew who they were.
Before I knew it, they already tied me up on a chair. I gazed near the table there's a man left bleeding on the cold ground. " Oh, Hugo. " I quietly uttered.
" Finally! you're awake. " I was greeted by a shadow woman, a plague doctor, and a red eyes masked guy. " Oh! I've always wanted to meet you! " Her sharp finger armors caressed across my face.
" BACK OFF LADY! What did you do to my friend? " I tried to bite her finger armor, yet she found myself funny and laughed eerily.
" My, claiming a vampire as your friend? How kind for a half-human. " she mockingly chuckled. " Say, why did you waste such precious time not to join us? If you helped us kill the kin of the blue moon, we will get you home. " When I heard that it felt like time stopped for a moment. " What do you say Ines?" she offered genuinely.
I stared on my feet for a moment like a hopeless person then I started to laugh that made them wary of me. " Oh, that was a good one, Naenia. " I snorted, enjoying the masked clowns froze in place and Naenia backed away from me immediately.
Eight eyes walked closer to me since I am a threat to him. " How did you know her name? " He grabbed my collar, I only scoffed at him.
Eight eyes lifted me by the collar instantly. " I know all about you, low-ass charlatan. " though I was choking, I still grinned at them. The plague doctor and eight eyes pulled out their knives.
Naenia glared at me, " You... "
" ENOUGH. " A tall man stepped out of the dark, his crimson eyes darted at them. " Our deal was to bring her to me alive. " It's the man who had helped me sneaked out of the castle.
He finally released my neck then fell down. I held my throat, it felt like my collarbone was almost snapped. " Lord Constantin. " The plague doctor called to him.
My eyes widened though visions still blurry, I was sure I heard the name correctly. His shiny shoes were right in front of my eyes. He crouched to take a good look at my beaten face with his pearly with teeth on display, " I apologize for the violence. Are you alright, mademoiselle? "
Out of all my guilts, this particular case were something no one can fix. Coughing from the pain I said " You're..."
" Joseph Constantin. The past Marquis were my father. " He rested his hand on his chest. The scent of his cologne struck my nose along with the sickening blood.
Slowly I brought myself to a sitting position, not able to grasp the situation for a sec. " You want to kill me badly to the point you even funded a group to claim lies? "
Joseph laughed, my brow furrowed. What does he want? " Killing you won't do me any good, Ines Archambault. " With ease, he walked toward my car. " Instead, why don't change the past when you have the power? " the rage hidden behind his gentle mask made an appearance.
I must pay the price.
Eight eyes carried me to the front seat. " Let go. I can walk by myself. Hello? " I calmly told him. Without even bother to hear any of my words, he just put me on a seat next to Joseph. I let out a sigh, tired of being captive.
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Joseph started the engine. The date, hour, and location image were set to one hour prior before the accident. Without hesitation he stepped on the pedal and experience the lightspeed jet coaster ride all the way to the past. We both arrived in front of a mansion. Second time wasn't that bad, only a bit dizzy. Surprisingly, Joseph didn't puke.
Joseph waverly got out of the car and let out his vomit on a trash can nearby. " I guess that goes for anyone. " It's gross to watch other people barf. So, he just left me here and sneaked inside the mansion. I looked around from the cabinet to the floor, there's a swiss army knife under my seat.
Meanwhile, my past self have a conversation with father. Once I was already out of sight, that's the time for me to entered his office and confront my father. " Joseph? What are you doing here? " To his surprise, I hugged him abruptly. " Is something wrong? " he patted my back cluelessly.
I must warn him, " Father, please don't go to the small alley at the back tonight. "
Father were confused by my sentence, " How did you know? I've made an appointment, I must go. " Even though I have told him something terrible will occur, still he insisted " Enough of this, Joseph. For the last time, it's an urgent matter I can't manage to lose. ". He left me in the mansion.
I'm not giving up yet, I tailed him to the small alley. Why was the appointment so important to my father? From the dark alley I watched father waited for someone. Suddenly a man in a cream cloak jumped down in front of him, I tiptoed to eavesdrop from behind the wall. " Here's the document you asked. " He gave a thick file to the mysterious man. " It contains the key formula to transtemporal travel. "
He opened to skimmed the first few sheets of the document then smirk, " With this, the revolution will begin. " Upon hearing their conversation, I wonder what he meant by "revolution" ?
Understood the consequences caused by their action, I went out of hiding. Tried to snatched the document from the man in cloak however he manage dodge. Before I could ran after him, father halted me furiously. " Father, we must stopped him! " I told him off.
" THAT'S ENOUGH, SON. " He emphasized, what I saw in his eyes was his own anger faded away into a gentle feeling toward myself.
Father enquired, " What could possibly be worse to happen? We all eventually will die. " That moment, I lost at words. What is father trying to say?
" Do you know what's worse than death? "
" To know we have wasted each speck of time for nothing. Don't make the same mistake I did. "
Twas the first time I saw father in tears. Finally I understood, " I won't, father. "
A cosmic light appeared out of nowhere, I saw a vehicle were coming toward him at the speed of light. Before Ines's car hit me, father pushed me away to replace my position. Only for a moment I saw his father's kind smile for the last time.
Once again the same event were being repeated. I watched it all from afar.
I passed by the streets a few blocks away from where the accident took place to search for Joseph. When he jumped down abruptly in front of the car, I was aghast. " WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SCARED ME LIKE THAT? " I rested my hand on my chest.
He shushed me with a wave. For some reason, Joseph went inside the car as if he has lost his soul. " Let's go back. " he ordered.
Without a word, I drove back to the past. In the process he quietly wiped his tears. I took a deep breath, " I'm sorry. " I solemnly gazed at him.
" It wasn't your fault. My father knew all along. " This time he was rather calm than before. It turns out the past marquis were the one who created the time travel formula, he has prepared for the worst outcome. Did my mother set the time and coordinates on purpose?
While I have a lot in my mind, we already arrived at the garage. Joseph and I stepped out of the car where we were greeted by Naenia and his friends, " So, did you get what you wanted Joseph? " the shadow expected his answer.
" Yes. " he replied.
The shadow figure reached out her arms to hold me, " Well then. ". Inside her pitch black figure I feel her real hands were cold as a corpse as I stood silently. Hoping no one notice my trembling hands.
" How would you like to die, Ines ♡ ?. "
Author's note: Yay! First chapter of the year! I hope you readers enjoy this new chapter and Happy Belated New Year!
