Chapter 8: Velmyra, the City of Fashion
Part 2
Silence surrounded them. The revelation from Simmone—and the fear reflected in Haruto's eyes—had stifled even the gentle murmur of the café's patrons.
—Sorry for my ignorance, but... who exactly was "Jack the Reaper" to make you react like that, Haruto? —Melodía asked, breaking the tension.
Haruto took a breath, his voice low and tense.
—They say he was a killer who was never caught. At night, he'd murder women in the streets of London...
—Mother wasn't like that —Simmone interrupted, her voice firm, tinged with pain—. She wanted to catch the real culprit. But because of the curse we carry, the Amorettas were blamed. If it hadn't been for those vampires, none of this would've happened...
Haruto felt a knot form in his stomach. The look in Simmone's eyes—a mix of restrained rage and deep sadness—made him shudder.
Melodía, seated next to him, nudged his side lightly, snapping him out of his trance.
—Don't be dumb, messy-head. Do you really think this little girl is a serial killer?
The elf's words pulled him back to reality. Haruto blinked.
—You're right... I'm sorry, Simo —he murmured with a small bow of his head.
Simmone continued without looking at him, her voice calm but weighed down with something heavy.
—Like I said, my mother was investigating those crimes. But someone inside Scotland Yard framed her. She was already very ill... the curse was eating away at her, and she died when I was five. After that, they came for me... because I also wanted to uncover the truth.
She paused, eyes fixed on the table, trapped in her memories.
—One night, while patrolling the city, I fell into a trap.
Slowly, she uncovered her right shoulder, revealing a clear scar.
—Professor Artemisa Drake, the Lady of Shadows, shot me.
—Cowards... —Thalindra growled, clenching her fists—. What kind of disgrace targets a child?
Simmone took her time to respond. When she did, her voice was heavier.
—I was wounded, running from them... then a voice spoke to me. It offered me a way out.
The group listened in silence.
—A blue portal opened in front of me. I didn't think twice. Artemisa didn't want the truth getting out, and unlike Eleonor, she seemed determined to eliminate me.
She glanced down at her tea, as if seeking refuge in its aroma.
—When I crossed through, I fell into the trees. I had already taken my raven form. All my energy vanished.
She paused one last time.
—The rest… you already know.
No one spoke at first. The weight of her story was impossible to ignore.
Yuna was the first to move. She leaned in and gently hugged Simmone. The girl remained still, surprised.
—It's okay now. You're safe. We won't abandon you —Yuna said tenderly.
—Well said! —Thalindra added with a wide smile—. You're one of us now.
—Yes, Kizu! We're friends now! —Kizuna chirped, floating nearby with a big grin.
—You're not alone. And none of us think you're bad —Melodía said, arms crossed, though her expression was kind.
Haruto, finally recovered from the shock, spoke sincerely.
—I'm sorry about earlier. I let the shock get to me, but you know you're free to make your own choices, Simo. Still… we'd love for you to stay with us. We're kind of like a family now.
For the first time, Simmone let her walls down. Tears slid down her cheeks as she sobbed silently, clinging to Yuna's embrace.
For the first time in her life, she allowed herself to feel—surrounded by a warmth she had never known.
—Thank you, everyone. I've always wanted a place to belong… Thank you for not rejecting me, even after everything I told you —Simmone said, taking a slice of strawberry cake and nibbling it gently.
Thalindra, rocking slightly in her chair, grunted thoughtfully.
—I'd love to visit your world and give those people a good beating.
—You always want to solve everything with punches —Melodía commented, somewhere between exasperated and amused.
—Of course I do. How do you think I work at the forge? My motto's always been: "If it doesn't work, hit it harder." —Thalindra replied proudly.
The comment drew a soft smile from Simmone, who let out a faint laugh before returning to her cake.
The group continued enjoying their tea and sweets. Thanks to the dwarf's humor, the atmosphere had lightened considerably—wrapping them in a warm sense of family that, for a moment, made all worries fade.
After paying, Thalindra exchanged a few words with the hostess before they all stepped outside. The weather was milder than in Molgaroth, and sunlight bathed the elegant streets of Velmyra.
—What do you say we go look at clothes? —Melodía suggested with a radiant smile—. It's getting warm, and we need something lighter.
—Also, if we're heading to the beach later, we should check out swimsuits too —she added, her tone rising with excitement.
—I'm not fooled. You just want an excuse to buy new outfits —Haruto replied, rolling his eyes with a smile.
Melodía ignored him and turned to the other girls, pointing toward a street lined with shops.
—I want to see Simo and Thalindra try on new clothes. Besides, they don't even have a change of wardrobe!
—I like my style —Thalindra replied, crossing her arms with pride.
—My dress is completely functional —Simmone added in her usual neutral tone.
Ignoring their protests, Melodía pushed them toward the first shop, clearly thrilled.
—She's always like this... —Yuna sighed, following with a smile. She paused for a moment in front of a display window filled with dresses, and with a slight blush, added—: Though... I guess I wouldn't mind trying something different too.
Kizuna flew behind her with a cheerful laugh.
Haruto watched them walk away, letting out a long sigh.
—I've been completely abandoned... —he muttered, just as a dry tumbleweed rolled in front of him, as if the universe itself was mocking him.
At that moment, a short girl walked past him. She was dressed in black and carried a matching parasol. Her blond hair fluttered in the breeze, and a delicate scent of roses lingered in the air.
A chill ran down his spine as he heard a soft laugh—barely audible, yet strangely unsettling.
Haruto spun around, but no one was there. It was as if the girl had never existed.
—What… was that? —he murmured, his skin prickling as he scanned the street.
—Are you gonna stand out there forever or help us pick dresses? —Melodía shouted from inside with an annoyed look on her face.
Haruto sighed.
—Yeah, yeah, I'm coming —he said, trying to shake off the unease as he stepped inside.
However, his mind was still caught on that strange encounter.
As he crossed the entrance, he found something completely different from what he expected.
Standing before him were Simmone and Thalindra, wearing light, summery outfits that clashed completely with their usual looks.
Thalindra, usually covered in work gear, now wore a pale dress with floral patterns along the edges. Her fiery red hair looked even brighter, and for the first time, she radiated a kind of femininity that clearly made her uncomfortable.
—Don't look at me like that —Thalindra said, twitching her ears up and down, as if they were betraying her attempt to stay serious. She crossed her arms and frowned—. This is Melodía's fault. I didn't ask for this.
Haruto tried to hold back a grin. The contrast between her tough attitude and the delicate dress made it hard not to react.
—You look... really nice —he said, trying to sound casual, though clearly flustered.
—Is that supposed to be good or bad? —Thalindra shot back, raising an eyebrow. Her ears twitched again, betraying her nerves. She tugged awkwardly at the hem of the dress—. I've never worn something like this. I don't even know how I'm supposed to feel about it.
—Thank you all. I've always wanted a place to belong... Thank you for not turning me away, even after everything I told you —Simmone said, taking a slice of strawberry cake and giving it a small bite.
Thalindra, rocking slightly in her chair, grunted thoughtfully.
—I'd love to visit your world and beat those people up.
—You always want to solve things with violence —Melodía said, half exasperated, half amused.
—Of course I do. How do you think I work at the forge? My motto's always been: "If it doesn't work, hit it harder." —Thalindra replied proudly.
The comment brought a smile to Simmone's face, and she let out a quiet laugh before going back to her cake.
The group continued enjoying their tea and pastries. Thanks to Thalindra's humor, the atmosphere felt lighter—warm, even—and for a brief moment, all worries seemed far away.
After paying, Thalindra exchanged a few words with the shop owner, and the group stepped outside. The weather was warmer than in Molgaroth, and sunlight poured over the elegant streets of Velmyra.
—How about we go clothes shopping now? —Melodía suggested, flashing a radiant smile—. It's getting hot, and we need cooler outfits.
—Plus, if we're hitting the beach later, we should check out swimsuits —she added, her voice rising with each word.
—I'm not falling for that. You just want more clothes —Haruto said, rolling his eyes with a smile.
Melodía ignored him and turned to the other girls, pointing toward a street filled with boutiques.
—I want to see Simo and Thalindra in new outfits. They don't even have a second set of clothes!
—I like my style —Thalindra replied, arms crossed with pride.
—My dress is perfectly functional —Simmone added, expression neutral as always.
Without paying them any mind, Melodía pushed them toward the first boutique, clearly brimming with excitement.
—She's always like that… —Yuna sighed, following with a gentle smile. She paused in front of a window full of dresses, then blushed slightly and added—: Though... I guess I wouldn't mind trying something different, too.
Kizuna flew after her, giggling cheerfully.
Haruto watched them go, letting out a long sigh.
—I've been completely abandoned… —he muttered, just as a lone tumbleweed rolled across the street, as if the universe itself were mocking him.
Just then, a short girl passed by. She was dressed in black, holding a matching parasol. Her blond hair fluttered in the breeze, and the soft scent of roses lingered in the air.
A chill ran down Haruto's spine as he heard a faint laugh—barely audible, but oddly unsettling.
He spun around—but no one was there. It was like the girl had never existed.
—What… was that? —he murmured, skin prickling as he scanned the street.
—Are you just gonna stand out there, or are you going to help us pick dresses? —Melodía shouted from inside, clearly annoyed.
Haruto sighed.
—Yeah, yeah, I'm coming —he said, trying to shake off the strange feeling as he walked in. But his thoughts remained stuck on the mysterious girl.
As he crossed the threshold, he was met with something entirely unexpected.
In front of him stood Simmone and Thalindra, wearing light, summery outfits completely out of character for them.
Thalindra, normally clad in work gear, now wore a pale dress with floral trim. Her fiery red hair looked even more vibrant, and for the first time, she gave off a femininity that clearly made her uncomfortable.
—Don't look at me like that —Thalindra muttered, her ears twitching up and down like they were betraying her. She crossed her arms and frowned—. This is Melodía's fault. I didn't ask for this.
Haruto tried to hold back a smile. The contrast between her tough attitude and the delicate dress was too much.
—You look… really nice —he said, trying to keep it casual, though obviously flustered.
—Is that good or bad? —Thalindra asked, raising an eyebrow. Her ears twitched again, and she tugged awkwardly at the dress—. I've never worn anything like this. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel.
Before Haruto could answer, his eyes shifted to Simmone. The little girl had swapped her white dress for a light blue summer dress that made her silver hair and bright eyes stand out.
—How do I look? —she asked, turning slightly. Her tone was as neutral as if she were talking about the weather.
—It suits you, Simo —Haruto replied with a soft smile.
—It's functional. It serves its purpose —she added, smoothing out the fabric with precise movements—. Will this be enough for the heat?
Melodía appeared with a triumphant grin.
—Of course it is! You both look stunning, right Haruto?
Before he could answer, Yuna chimed in with a gentle smile.
—I doubt anything would look bad on them. Especially Simmone—she really does look like a porcelain doll.
Haruto nodded, still trying to process the contrast between their usual outfits and their new look.
—"Stunning" isn't exactly what I wanted to hear... —Thalindra grumbled, tugging at the dress—. This just doesn't feel natural.
Simmone simply blinked.
—You both look amazing, Kizu! Though Thalindra, with that frown, you look like you're about to break display cases —Kizuna teased.
Thalindra shot her a sharp glare... then let out a small laugh.
—Fine. I guess I can deal with it for today —she finally said. Her ears tilted forward, suggesting she didn't actually hate it as much as she claimed.
Still full of energy, Melodía showed up holding a red dress, eyeing Yuna like a predator stalking her prey.
—Yuna, your turn. Those green dresses are way too "serious priestess." Time to switch things up.
—Well, I… I like my tribal clothes and…
—No excuses! —Melodía cut her off, dragging her into the changing room.
Haruto watched the scene unfold with quiet resignation.
—At this rate, I'll probably end up in a dress too…
Shortly after, Yuna stepped out of the fitting room. The red dress highlighted her figure and contrasted beautifully with her fair skin, giving her a bright, refreshed look. Though her expression was shy, a faint blush colored her cheeks.
—Ta-da! How's our leader look? —Melodía declared, spreading her arms like she was unveiling a masterpiece.
Haruto froze. Words wouldn't come out.
—How do I look? —Yuna asked softly—. It's a little short, but... what do you think?
—Red suits you. Good choice —Thalindra said.
—You look gorgeous, Kizu! You'd totally turn heads at the beach.
—Right? —Melodía beamed.
—Gotta admit, you've got taste, Kizu.
Simmone, true to herself, simply nodded as she observed silently.
Thalindra, noticing Haruto's silence, elbowed him gently.
—You look really nice —Haruto finally managed to say, scratching the back of his neck nervously.
—Thanks, everyone —Yuna replied with a warm smile, though her cheeks stayed pink.
—You're so boring, messy-head... I'll never understand guys —Melodía sighed dramatically, marching up to the counter with a pile of dresses.
—We're taking them all —she declared, dropping several gold coins—. And I want a white dimensional magic bag, one hundred-item capacity. It's for the girl.
The shopkeeper, a silver-haired dwarf, smiled politely and gave a graceful bow.
—Thank you very much for your generosity. I'll prepare everything right away.
Relieved, Thalindra grabbed her work clothes and headed for the fitting room.
—Finally, I can go back to feeling normal...
But before she could take another step, Melodía grabbed her by the shoulder. A dangerous smile formed on her face, eyes gleaming with mischief.
—Where do you think you're going? —she asked sweetly… too sweetly—. This is just getting started. Now that we've got summer outfits… it's swimsuit time!
—What?! —Thalindra groaned.
—We're wearing these dresses out —Melodía added triumphantly.
In that moment, Thalindra felt true fear.
—Why did I agree to join such a weird group...? —she muttered, placing a hand on her forehead.
With a spark of desperate hope, she looked at Yuna.
—Is it still too late to run?
Yuna gently shook her head, wearing a smile that was equal parts sweet and wicked.
—There's no turning back now.
—Accept your destiny! —Melodía declared, pointing dramatically toward the door.
Thalindra lowered her head in total defeat. Her ears drooped downward—like two white flags of surrender.