After school.
Tatsuya led the usual party to the police hospital in Nagano to visit
Leo. After getting the number of the sickroom at the receptionist’s
desk, they headed for the elevator. However, it was here that someone
called out their name.
“Everyone’s here now.”
“Erika, you’re still here?”
The gist of the situation was already conveyed through the morning
text. Erika’s oldest brother was responsible for the vampire case, Leo
was asked to assist in the investigation, but was unfortunately dragged
into the mess. To make him shoulder the responsibility (but not take
the responsibility), Erika asked for the day off to visit Leo at the
hospital. At least, that’s what the text message said.
Yet, they received the communique before school and now it was
almost dusk. Tatsuya using the word “still” was probably quite
appropriate.
“It’s not like I’ve been here all day. I returned home once today and
came back about an hour ago. I guessed that Tatsuya-kun would bring
everyone about this time.”
As they got into the elevator as a group, Erika answered Tatsuya’s
question.
Her voice and expression were not unnatural in the way that someone
was lying.
Except, the fact that she was perfectly normal only served to deepen
the idea everything was false. On this point, Erika was probably the
only one who didn’t notice.
“Erika-chan, is Leo-kun going to be OK……?”
Mizuki was standing right next to Erika in the elevator as she quietly
asked her question. Even though they were just about to find out with
their own eyes, she was probably still uneasy. These emotions differed
from one person to another, so some people were able to keep a tighter
rein on being objective.
“Don’t worry, Mizuki. Didn’t I mention in the text message? His life’s
not in danger.”
Nonetheless, this also depended on compatibility between people’s
differences. Seeing Mizuki heave a sigh of relief and pat herself on the
chest, Erika cast a warm gaze at her, but if it was a guy doing this,
Erika would undoubtedly be snarking mercilessly.
Even if no one else said it, Mizuki was definitely not the only one
thinking the same thoughts. After a few more moments of awkward
silence, Erika knocked on the door leading to the sickroom.
“Ah, come in.”
A young woman’s voice came from within the room.
“Kaya-san, excuse us.”
Leaving her bemused friends behind, Erika opened the door and
quickly stepped in. At this time, the first one to recover was, of course,
Tatsuya.
Before the curtain in the room could obscure Erika, he entered the
sickroom.
Miyuki was right behind him. Seeing this, Honoka quickly hurried in
as well, with Mizuki and Mikihiko coming in after exchanging a
glance and closing the door behind them.
Inside the spacious and undoubtedly high class sickroom, the ones
who greeted them were Leo, who was sitting up on his bed with a
bored look on his face, and a young woman with ash blonde hair
sitting on a nearby folding chair.
She was probably 4-5 years older than they were. Her hair was the
same color as the owner of Eine Brise, which gave the impression that
they shared the same nationality. In regards to her features, if they
were a little craggy and accounting for the gender differences, she
would like exactly like Leo, which clearly hinted at her blood relation
to Leo