Of course, Camilla knew nothing about Alois and Klausâ adventures as she was busy dealing with the fallout.
After Verrat gave in, Camilla left the despondent girl with Finne before going to try and cool down the situation between the vigilantes with Victor and the other boys. She meant to do it literally and, conveniently, there was the water which flowed into a fountain in the plaza. After a few buckets full of water, enough of them regained their senses a little bit.
It goes without saying some of them didnât take kindly to it, but she wasnât alone anymore. Victor, Dieter and Otto were much more reliable when it came to muscle, compared to a certain dainty nobleman she knew.
There were also quite a few who had been knocked out in the fighting. After sprinkling a little water on their faces too, they managed to regain consciousness.
Thatâs why, by the time the culprits Alois and Klaus finally left that back alleyway, the uproar on the main street had settled down somewhat.
ă
When he saw just what a state the boulevard was in, Alois was lost for words. Klaus, meanwhile, didnât break from that characteristic careless expression of his.
Sitting in the middle of the square, Camilla was exhausted. The same could be said for Victor and his friends, who had been helping her trying to settle everyone down. Once the noise had died away and there was some element of peace again, that exhaustion had finally caught up with them.
There was barely a soul on the boulevard anymore. To tend to some of the injured, only a few of the young vigilantes had stayed behind. After the festival had been trampled underfoot by the chaos, only ruined stands and a broken stage lay in its wake. The only musical instrument that had survived was Victorâs violin as well.
The band members were full of grief and the young vigilantes looked on with a deep sense of guilt. Verrat sat quietly in a corner of the square, head in hands, and not even the usually stout Camilla had anything to say.
Alois held his breath as he looked at the despondent scene in the plaza.
âC-Camilla, umâŠâ
After running up to Camilla, Alois struggled to find what words to say to her.
But, no matter how hard he thought, he couldnât think of an excuse. To solve the issue of the Lörrich succession, he had chosen to sacrifice all this.
âAhâŠâ
Instead of the perfect words that he wished would come to mind, Alois could only sigh instead.
Because of their strategy, he knew that there was going to be a disturbance on the main street.
Of course, it wasnât Aloisâ aim to have that uproar grow out of control. He knew just how much Victor and the others had been preparing leading up to the big day, and just how much Camilla had been looking forward to it. Thatâs why he was hoping against hope that at least the physical damage would be minimal.
But, in the end, things ended up going according to his worst-case scenario.
Or rather, it was actually worse than Alois ever imagined it could get.
ââŠThat things ended up this way, itâs all my responsibility.â
Alois decided to tell her the truth, as unsavoury as it was.
âI knew that something like this would happen from the beginning. Despite knowing that, I intentionally overlooked it. Camilla⊠Iâm the one who ruined this for you.â
âI suppose thatâs about right.â
Camilla answered him quietly. Not really understanding Camillaâs words, Alois tried to catch a glimpse of her expression.
Camilla looked down. Her fists were firmly clenched. Her shoulders trembling, just slightly.
âUm⊠This is all my fault. You know about the issue with the successorship to House Lörrich? To solve that, I used this festival.â
âI suppose thatâs about rightâŠ!â
Her voice shaking with anger, Camilla raised her head. Seeing Camillaâs strong glare, Alois jumped a little in surprise.
âI thought there might have been something like that going on! Because you were always always always always always whispering in some dark corner with Klaus! Constantly!â
ââŠSo you noticed us?â
Aloisâ eyes widened a little as he looked down at Camilla. As she shook with anger, Camillaâs cheeks were bright red. A deep frown creased between her eyes as she bit her lips, but that figure that Alois mistook for only reflecting Camillaâs anger and regret also belied her deep sorrow.
âI just didnât know what it was you were plotting! I only thought that it was going to be something strange again! Besides, I knew there would be people who just couldnât let others enjoy the festival on the day! Thatâs whyâŠ!â
Camilla glared straight into Aloisâ eyes as she spoke. That voice full of passion with which Camilla yelled seemed directed almost as much at herself as it was at Alois.
âThatâs why, at the very least, when you came back, I wanted you to be able to join everyone without having to worry!â
So that everyone didnât blame Alois. So that Alois didnât blame himself. Everyone who worked so hard would be rewarded, and people could have fun. She wanted to protect that time when even he could enjoy himself.
Yet, Camilla couldnât.
Yet, it all ended in misery.
Perhaps if it had been Klaus instead, he could have done better.
Perhaps if it had been Alois, he might have had a plan.
âBut, in the end, I couldnât do anything. Thatâs why I hate this, I hate it so much I could dieâŠ!â
Camilla felt powerless. Despite knowing there would be trouble at the festival, there was nothing she could do alone.
She had some hard feelings for Alois and Klaus, who had a hand in orchestrating all this. But, more importantly, she was furious at herself for not even being able to fulfil her wish of âmaking the festival succeedâ.
Alois was surprised as he looked down at Camillaâs trembling form. He didnât quite understand the meaning behind Camillaâs words right away. But, caught up in her momentum, he lost his words.
âIâŠâ
In front of his eyes, Camilla was hurting. Taking the energy that would usually have a person burst into tears, she instead glared at Alois. But that sad figure only made Alois shrink away more.
Exhaling roughly, Alois managed to stay standing. He looked down at Camilla for a while.
His face loosening slightly, Alois rubbed his head. Camilla still looked down.
On the ground beneath her, she could see the remains of flowers that had been trampled and torn apart by boots. Not being able to see Camillaâs face, Alois shook his head.
âTo make up for⊠No, in the futureâŠâ
â No.
Even if they held another festival in this spot, it wouldnât make up for Camillaâs feelings. What Camilla had wanted to cherish and protect was what was going to be held that day specifically.
Alois looked around the plaza, hoping desperately to see some clue. A desolate square. Weary and exhausted people. Band members who had lost everything they had poured their passions into. Camilla, as well as Nicole who anxiously stood by her.
ThenâŠ
ââŠKlaus.â
âWhatâs up?â
When Alois called out to him, Klaus answered with as irreverent a smirk as ever. Seeing just how appealing Aloisâ eyes were, though, it soon turned into a wry grimace.
âJeez, you sure are a needy Lord, ainât ya? Just as payment for seeing that sad face of yours, guess Iâll have to lend you a hand. Entrust everything to this charming man, alright?â
Klaus seemed to be pleased seeing a typically unseen side of Alois. Despite the situation, his voice had a song like tone for it.
âIn the first place, this festival was supposed to be for my sake, donât you think~?â
Then, Klaus began to slowly walk. Moving past Camilla and the others, he stepped up onto the stage, glancing at the broken musical instruments.
The flute, the oboe and the drums. But, he couldnât see the violin. Klaus didnât know this, but because it was the only one that hadnât been damaged, it had been put back in its case.
Not particularly bothered by the absence of the violin, Klaus picked up one of the fallen drumsticks. Sitting on top a broken drum, with the other drumstick smashed inside of it, he tapped the rim of the drum to get everyoneâs attention and then raised his voice.
âLittle girl, get up here!â
ââŠMe?â
When Klaus beckoned to her, Nicoleâs eyes suddenly widened. She turned to Camilla, confused, but she didnât find any help there. Although bashful and puzzled, Nicole climbed onto the stage, looking suspiciously at Klaus.
The snapped drumstick. The broken drum. A pot that had rolled into the plaza. A slightly larger plank of wood that was supposed to have been to set up the stalls.
âWhat are you planning to do?â
Nicole asked Klaus that, as he started lining up all that junk. Nicole had no idea what this man was thinking, though that wasnât truly anything new for her. Even though that man had said âleave it to meâ, just what exactly was he planning?
âYou need music for a party, right?â
Saying that, Klaus beat all the junk in front of him with his drumstick. As he smacked each one in turn, he grinned as he looked up at Nicole.
âAlright, little girl. Sing.â
âExcuse me?â
âYouâve always been practicing back in the cellar. You can sing the wedding hymn, canât you?â
Nicole blinked. She rolled over Klausâ incomprehensible words for a moment in her head, then her face reddened as she shook her head furiously.
âI-I-I canât! I canât sing! Especially not in front of everyone like this!â
âItâs alright, itâs alright. If youâre that nervous, Iâll sing with you.â
âThatâs not the issue here! In the first place, why does it have to be me!? It should be Miss Verra-âŠâ
No. Verrat, who was still hunched over in the corner, hadnât responded to anyone since.
âUmmm⊠Still, it shouldnât be me, maybe Mister Victor or Mister DieterâŠ?â
âWho wants to hear a guyâs voice?â
âBut, then, the other women areâŠâ
Camilla or Finne or Mia. Klaus shrugged as Nicole timidly looked at each of the other women in the square.
âThereâs no one else, besides you. Remember what I said? Youâve got a good voice. I like that singing voice of yours.â
Nicole bit her lip at his all too casual words. Without watching Nicoleâs reaction, he smacked the rubbish in front of him once again. With each strike, an irregular but unmistakeable light rhythm echoed out into the square.
âWell, if you really hate the thought of it, then it canât be helped. But if you donât, then let me hear your voice, Nicole.â
Klaus was truly the worldâs most selfish man.
As he just said whatever he pleased with a smile, he began to sing as he tapped away at that junk. His voice was slightly high for a manâs and wonderfully cheery⊠But, singing alone, it had a lonely tinge to it. Because it was a song that should have been sung at the head of five people.
âGuh,â Nicole balled her hands into fists. That hymn she had sung so many times was like an invitation all its own. She remembered the days she had spent in that cellar, practicing alongside Verrat. Klausâ bright and cheery singing was almost goading out Nicoleâs own voice.
âUuuâŠ. M-Mistress! This is only for my Mistressâ sake!â
Alois had entrusted it to Klaus. Even this song she didnât understand well, it had to have some sort of meaning. Something that would cheer Camilla up. So if she lent a hand to Klaus, it was still only for Camillaâs sake. Truly.
It wasnât because she liked to sing, or because she enjoyed raising up her voice. Honestly.
âFor my Mistressâ sake, Iâll sing!â
Her cheeks flushed with colour, Nicoleâs voice that Klaus thought so highly of echoed through the square.
Klaus, who watched that smile slowly creep into her face, only had one thing on his mind⊠It was a smile like a flower finally coming into bloom.
ă
The voices of Nicole and Klaus echoed down from the stage.
â To sing that even nowâŠ
Camilla, who heard the song float through the square, bit her lip. She didnât know what Klausâ intentions were, but how could a single song salvage everything now?
Rather, the only thing those two cheerful voices were doing were highlighting just how dreary the surroundings were by comparison.
â Stop thinking like that! Even though Nicole is putting so much effort into singing as well!
Camilla shook her head to dispel those dark feelings creeping through her. Those two were singing to try and do something. Camilla knew it wouldnât do any good to sit there alone and gloomily like that.
She raised her head, hoping to try and put on a smile.
But it was then that she saw her.
Had she been drawn in by the singing voices? Camilla noticed a single girl looking at the square from the shattered main street.