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Eternity – Part 01

A Tale of Purple Tulips —The Netherlands, 1635—

One sunny morning in late summer, St. Marguerite Academy.

The garden sprawled across the vast campus was slowly losing its vibrant colors. The fading foliage and the flowers in their beds swayed in the cool breeze.

Cold water trickled down from the white fountains. Petals drifted on the surface of the water like tiny boats. It was still early in the morning, so none of the usually noisy, uniformed children of the nobility were to be seen. The garden looked like an isolated paradise.

“Hngh. Got it.”

A boy’s bright voice came from a lush tree standing in the empty, marvelous garden, near the gravel path. There was a rustling sound, and an oriental boy appeared from between the leaves. He was wearing a serious look, his jet-black eyes a little misty. Balancing himself on a thick branch, he looked down below.

“This soft and purple ribbon, right? Victorique? Hello?”

The boy—Kazuya Kujou—smiled. He was holding a dark purple cotton ribbon. The wind blew, and the vibrant ribbon fluttered up, momentarily blocking his vision.

“You can stop crying now. Here. Hmm?”

The golden-haired girl—Victorique—who had been standing on the grass some distance away, looking up at the tree tops a moment ago, started walking. Standing about 140 centimeters tall, with a petite and slim figure, she was wearing a refreshing, cotton dress, in gradated shades of pink and purple. Her skirt, which billowed out at the hips and reached her ankles, had five layers of ruffles and adorned with shiny pink pearls.

A three-strand necklace with the same pink pearls was wrapped around her slender neck. On her head was a tiny straw hat that looked like a toy, with lots of small ribbons, swinging from side to side with her every step.

“Where are you going, Victorique? Oh, you’re coming here.”

Victorique approached the tree. Silently she gripped the ladder that Kazuya had propped up against the trunk with both hands.

“Wh-What are you doing?” Kazuya asked. “Do you want to climb up too? It’s dangerous. You’re tiny and not very coordinated. You trip over your own feet a lot. Just wait down there.”

There was a faint, audible snort. Then, Victorique tried to lift the ladder, but her meager strength could not move it. She went about it for a while, her face turning red. Her tiny hat quivered.

“Wh-What are you doing?”

“Hngh… I thought…” A deep, husky voice came from below. “I thought it would be hilarious to see you flustered.”

The ladder rose for a moment, but Victorique couldn’t handle its weight. She let out an adorable, uncharacteristic yelp as she toppled to the grass with the ladder.

Victorique rolled over on her stomach. Her ruffled skirt was upturned, and the floral embroidery on her soft bloomers stirred in the wind.

“Are you okay?” Kazuya asked gingerly from atop the tree.

“…”

There was no reply. Kazuya waited for a while.

“Hello?” he called again.

A bundle of pink and purple ruffles slowly rose.

Victorique was holding her face with her small, chubby hands. Her shoulders were quivering.

Kazuya studied her with concern. A moment later, he smiled.

“I get it,” he said. “You’re embarrassed, aren’t you? You’re too proud, I guess. Imagine falling victim to your own mischief.” He chuckled. “You get embarrassed so easily. Can you put that ladder back up? I kinda need it.”

Victorique slowly turned. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t do it.”

She seemed to have hit her pretty little nose hard on the ladder, as the tip was a little red. Tears welled up in her deep green, jewel-like eyes.

“Even if my pride was on the line,” she added.

“You don’t have to bring your pride into it. Your pride meant nothing the moment you fell. Look, if you can’t do it, go call Ms. Cecile. I have to get down, or I’ll miss morning classes. I’m proud of having the best grades in class and never skipping lessons.”

“What worthless pride.”

“And yours is supposed to be worth something? Wait, where are you going? You’re the one who called me so early for your ribbon. What’s with your attitude? I didn’t even finish my breakfast! You should learn proper manners. Hey, are you listening?”

Victorique ignored him and walked away. Her pink and glassy, high-heeled shoes receded into the distance.

“Get back here, you meanie!” Kazuya bellowed.

Come on, you can do it, Kazuya told himself. You’re the third son of an imperial soldier.

He jumped down. His jet-black hair floated in the wind, and the bottom of his school jacket billowed.

Kazuya nimbly landed on the grass, then rose to his feet. Victorique’s green eyes widened in surprise.

Smiling smugly, he broke into a run. Victorique quickened her pace. Like a black Doberman chasing a little pink rabbit, Kazuya immediately caught up with Victorique. She crouched down and curled up.

“Now say you’re sorry,” Kazuya demanded.

Victorique exhaled sharply.

“Don’t give me that.” Kazuya knelt on the grass and wrapped the soft ribbon around Victorique’s hat. “Man, you’re such a handful. Hmm?”

Victorique’s long and magnificent golden hair flowed down to the grass like a small, golden river. Her nape was a little hotter than usual.

Victorique and Kazuya had just returned to the academy a few days ago after solving a case that occurred on the Old Masquerade, a transcontinental train. Victorique developed a fever from the fatigue, so she spent the whole day yesterday resting on the couch in her room. He thought she was feeling better since she went out for a walk in the garden.

“I’m not mad,” Kazuya said. “So raise your head.”

With a grunt, Victorique slowly lifted her head. Kazuya studied her face, and Victorique held his gaze with vacant, green eyes. Her delicate features made him want to stare at her face forever, searching for the slightest change in her expression.

It felt like she still had a fever.

Kazuya placed a hand on her forehead, and she hunched her shoulders. Kazuya placed his other hand on his own forehead.

“Yup, you still have a fever,” Kazuya said. “You’re burning.”

“Indeed. I feel a little sluggish.”

“Then why are you out walking and causing mischief? You don’t have to go out of your way just so you could bully me, you know. You should lie down until evening. Understood?”

“You’re not the boss of me, pumpkin-head.”

“I’m just worried about you. Now go back to your place and rest, okay?”

Kazuya pulled Victorique’s hand and started walking toward the marvelous maze of colorful flowerbeds. They turned left and then right at the corner of the green labyrinth.

Kazuya noticed Victorique’s low spirits. “You can go back to the library once your fever goes down, yeah?”

Victorique tucked her pale chin a bit. Whether it was a nod, Kazuya wasn’t sure. Her expression remained unchanged.

“I’ll find more stories that involve flowers,” Kazuya said. “So you don’t get bored.”

“I want purple flowers, then.”

“Purple? Okay, you got it.” Kazuya smiled. “The same color as your dress today, I suppose.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll see you in the evening, then.

“You are such a nag!”

Kazuya flared, and Victorique quickly bolted away.

“Wait, Victorique!”

Like a rabbit escaping into its burrow, she burst through the front door of the small, candy house.