Honestly, I couldn't think of many gift ideas for the twins. Chiara had a strong interest in music, while Ciara loved reading—so much so that she had even started writing her own book recently. I won't lie, her imagination was truly unique.
So, in reality, our options were quite limited. Chiara always watched violinists with admiration, so we could look for a violin for her. As for Ciara, since she was already writing a book, I thought a beautiful feather quill would be a perfect gift.
When we arrived at the street where the vendors were, we carefully scanned our surroundings. You could find all sorts of items here—colorful fabrics, books, various foods, and many other goods were being sold.
After walking for a while, we stopped in front of a carpenter's shop. Musical instruments like violins were just starting to gain popularity, which meant small towns like this didn't have stores that sold them yet. If you wanted a violin, you had to visit a carpenter and have one specially made.
Before entering the shop, I turned to Eirian and said,
"If you'd like, you can take care of Chiara's gift while I go look for a quill. We can meet in front of the bar when we're done."
Eirian thought about it for a moment, then nodded in agreement before heading inside. Meanwhile, I walked toward the bookshops.
Since the bookstore was close to the carpenter, I didn't have to walk too far. As soon as I stepped inside, my eyes landed on a quill made from goose feathers. Without hesitation, I purchased it and had "Ciara" engraved on the box before leaving the store.
The side effects of "Sanguis" still hadn't worn off—I felt dizzy while walking. Taking slow steps, I finally reached the front of the bar about ten minutes later, but Eirian hadn't arrived yet. Since we had agreed to meet outside, I didn't expect her to go inside, so I decided to wait.
Even after twenty minutes, she still hadn't shown up. I was starting to worry. Just as I was about to head back to the carpenter's shop to check on her, I saw Eirian approaching with a box in her hands.
When she reached me, she held up the box and said,
"Sorry, Athan. I ran into a little trouble while bargaining, so it took longer than expected. Turns out, the guy already had a violin he had made, but he gave me a hard time over the price. Anyway, at least we didn't have to order a custom-made one."
She smiled as she opened the lid of the box and took out the violin.
The violin's wood didn't seem very high quality, but it was in good condition and polished. Its strings were brand new. What mattered was not its appearance but its sound, and Eirian said they had tested it at the carpenter's, confirming it was quite clear.
After putting the violin back into its case and closing the lid, we entered the bar.
The inside looked more crowded than usual. I couldn't see any empty seats, so I said,
"I don't see anywhere to sit. I think we should just grab Casimir's beer and head home for today. Look how packed it is."
After I said that, Eirian looked at me with a surprised expression and replied,
"What do you mean? It actually looks emptier than usual today. Look, there are a few open seats."
She then walked over to a table where an elderly couple was sitting and took a seat on one of the stools. It seemed as if she had sat on one of the elders, but since my head was already spinning and aching more than before, I assumed I was hallucinating again and didn't question it further.
As I approached the table where Eirian sat, I said,
"I must be a little tired; I think I'm hallucinating again. Sorry about that."
I then placed my things on the table and went to get us two mugs of beer.
My dizziness had worsened, and once again, I felt as if I were passing through people. As I carried the beers back to the table, I felt a warmth dripping from my nose. Then, suddenly, my knees buckled, and I collapsed.
The mugs fell to the ground, shattering into pieces, but I couldn't care less about them at that moment. It felt as if my heart was being crushed. Without warning, I started coughing up mouthfuls of blood. Blood continued to stream from my nose, and soon, it must have begun flowing from my eyes as well because everything I saw was tinted red.
The floor was covered in blood, and the pounding in my head had become unbearable. The pain in my chest had escalated to an excruciating level. Finally, I couldn't endure it any longer and collapsed completely onto the ground. I couldn't hear anything—I only wished for the pain to stop.
Just before I lost consciousness or perhaps died, the last thing I saw was Eirian rushing toward me in a panic.
And then, everything was swallowed by darkness.