Chapter 44: Lullaby
Vlad did not disturb him further. He returned to his wardrobe, where his backpack rested. From the top pocket of the bag, he retrieved a violin the size of a forearm.
He walked to the open window, through which the moonlight cast soft silhouettes across the room, bathing it in a warm, silvery glow.
Vlad placed his foot firmly on the edge of the windowsill, turned around, and leaped upward. Thanks to his superhuman strength, he reached the rooftop of the four story building in a single bound. He sat on the edge of the cold cobblestone, his legs dangling freely into the night.
"I have made it here," he murmured, gazing at the luminous white moon in the sky with his crimson eyes. His entire demeanor had shifted. His face was drawn long, filled with immense longing and something deeper, something aching. "Just wait for me."
He closed his eyes, settled the violin against his shoulder, and set the bow upon its strings with his other hand.
His hand moved in a slow, masterful stroke, the bow gliding across the sharp strings. A heartwarming, melodious sound echoed through the still air.
As he continued playing, the tone grew more and more soothing, until it felt almost hypnotic. The music wrapped around the silence like a gentle tide.
His lips parted slightly. His Adam’s apple tightened as a deep but soft hum rose from his throat, perfectly synchronized with the violin’s melody.
♪ O my swan
♪ Don’t be scared anymore
♪ May the moon’s brightness fill you with good dreams
♪ Sleep my dear swan
♪ O my swan
The golden fireflies, which normally avoided the stone buildings and kept close to the green grassland or the thick leaves of the towering trees, ascended to the rooftop. They swirled around Vlad in an ecstatic, shimmering dance.
The violin continued to play with masterful precision. From the corners of Vlad’s closed eyes, glistening tears trickled down his cheeks as he continued playing, his soul pouring into every note.
♪ Don’t let the dark touch your wings
♪ Let your feather spread like the vast sky
♪ The moon sings for you, the stars dance for you
♪ Don’t be scared anymore
♪ Sleep my dear swan
♪ O my swan
The noises of the insects faded into silence. The air grew still, as if lulled to sleep by his gentle lullaby. The final note lingered in the air before completely vanishing into the darkness of night.
Vlad lifted the bow from the violin and placed the instrument on his lap. He slowly opened his crimson eyes, wiping the tears from his cheek with the sleeves of his shirt.
"That was a beautiful song sung miraculously," a soft voice entered Vlad’s ears.
His head snapped sideways. Beside him, on the rooftop’s edge, sat a stunning woman with long silver hair. Her skin was pale, and her eyes held the same shining silver hue as her hair. Her mature frame was clad in a beautiful cyan dress with wide sleeves and long flowing strips of fabric. Given her otherworldly appearance and the enigmatic air she carried around her, Vlad wondered whether she was even human.
’I didn’t sense her presence at all?’ Vlad gasped inwardly at the woman’s sudden appearance.
"Who are you?" he asked in a firm tone, his eyes narrowing.
"Eh? You are more cautious to see me than mesmerised by my appearance," the woman said, tossing her silver hair back with a smug smile.
"And she is narcissistic as well," Vlad whispered in a low tone.
The woman narrowed her silver eyes at Vlad with a frown. "I heard that," she muttered.
Vlad’s body flinched. He truly had not thought that she would actually hear the words that had barely escaped his lips. Offending someone whose very existence seemed mysterious was the last thing he wanted to end his long day. Her presence was so faint that if Vlad were to close his eyes, he would not even be able to tell that she was sitting beside him, even though his senses were far above those of a normal human due to all the hunting he had done in the forest since childhood.
"You may address me as Lily," the woman introduced herself, attempting to ease Vlad, who appeared to be on edge.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Lily," Vlad said, bowing his head slightly and placing his hand firmly on his chest.
"Oh, come on. You do not have to be so formal with me. Just address me as Lily," Lily chuckled, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.
She placed her hand on the cobblestone floor and leaned closer until her face reached parallel to Vlad’s. With curiosity filled eyes, she asked, "Where did you learn that song?"
For a moment, Vlad did not answer, as if weighing the consequences of revealing it.
"Do I really need to reveal it?" he asked.
Lily clearly understood the intent behind his words. He did not want to tell her, but if she forced him, he would have no choice but to comply. Even though he had not yet formed a core, he already knew that she was not someone he could afford to make an enemy of, at least not yet.
"It was just my curiosity. You do not need to answer if you do not want to," Lily replied, leaning back.
Vlad released a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders dropping ever so slightly.
"Interesting..." Lily whispered, her gaze fixed on Vlad. "You have not formed a core yet, yet your voice was so magical that it made all the creatures in this area rest in peace."
"Umm...that was not a very wise choice of words," Vlad said with a deep sigh.
Lily repeated the sentence she had just spoken in her mind again.
Her eyes widened, only so slightly, as she let out a light gasp. "Oh, that was not what I meant."
"Well, I understand the intent, so no harm done."
She tilted her head, letting her cheek rest against her palm, and asked, "Will you sing that song tomorrow as well?"
Vlad pointed his finger toward the sky, where the moon shone brightly between the scattered stars. "I only sing this song on the full moon."
Lily followed the direction of his finger to the heavens and silently nodded to herself.
"Well, in that case..." Lily said, rising gracefully to her feet. "I will meet you on the next full moon...Vlad Lumberjack."
’She knows my name?’ Vlad blinked, taken aback.
Before he could ask, she had already vanished, just as suddenly as she had appeared, leaving behind only the lingering scent of night blossoms.
