Traces of Lost Magic - Vocaloid 神威がくぽx巡音ルカ

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 After nightfall, the city never truly fell asleep. The lights in the towering buildings illuminated one after another. People hurried along the streets, convenience store doors opened and closed automatically, and trains continued carrying the last passengers of the night toward their respective destinations. People had grown accustomed to these nights, accustomed to using their phones to find directions and machines to handle the little tasks of everyday life. They had also grown accustomed to believing that the world no longer held any inexplicable miracles. At least, that was what the publicly available historical records claimed. Magicians had long since disappeared. Hundreds of years ago, the last people who possessed ancient powers vanished from human records. Their names were forgotten, their books scattered across the world, and the knowledge they had once passed down gradually became nothing more than mythology. Later generations regarded those stories as the fantasies of people from a distant past. Occasionally, someone might pause to examine related texts in a museum, but only out of curiosity. No one knew that the lost magic had never truly disappeared. It had simply found another way to exist within the city. At eleven forty-seven that night, Kamui Gakupo stood on the rooftop of an old apartment building, looking down at the streets below. His long purple hair stirred in the night breeze, with a few strands falling over his shoulders. He had lived in this city for a very long time, long enough that the redevelopment of entire districts, the widening of roads, and the gradual disappearance of once-familiar old shops had all become ordinary memories. He had never truly become part of this era, but neither had he felt any urgency to leave. To Gakupo, the human world had always possessed an inexplicable charm. He liked bookstores that remained open late at night, quiet alleys after the rain, and the occasional sight of a stranger lending an umbrella to someone who had come unprepared for the weather. Human lives were brief, and their abilities were limited, yet they continued to make time for one another. That was why, throughout his long existence, he had never grown tired of this world. However, he had not come here tonight simply to admire the scenery. "You're early again." A familiar voice came from behind him. Gakupo did not turn around, but a faint smile had already appeared on his lips. "I thought you would arrive even earlier." Megurine Luka walked over and placed the paper bag in her hand on the low wall surrounding the rooftop. Her long pink hair fell smoothly around her, standing out against the darkness of the night. The city lights in the distance were reflected in her blue eyes. "I was planning to come earlier," she said, glancing at him. "But I happened to pass a bakery and saw that they were selling the bread left over from the day." Gakupo lowered his gaze toward the paper bag. "And?" "So I bought some." She spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Then she opened the bag, took out a piece of bread, and handed it to him. Gakupo accepted it and looked at her for a moment. "Luka." "Hm?" "We came here tonight to deal with a problem." "I know." "And you bought supper." "That doesn't mean we can't eat while dealing with a problem, does it?" Her counterargument left him momentarily speechless. In the end, Gakupo merely smiled and put the bread away. "You always find a way to make me feel like I'm the one who doesn't understand how to live." "Because sometimes, you really don't." Luka laughed and leaned against the low wall, looking out over the city with him. The time they had known each other far exceeded the history of this city. They had walked across this land before its skyscrapers existed. They had seen people give different names to the same stars and had witnessed with their own eyes how magic could transform an entire era in ancient kingdoms. They were the last magicians still alive. Not because they were stronger than everyone else, but because when the long upheaval that caused magic to disappear from the world began, they chose to survive and uphold an ancient promise. They would not allow ordinary people to discover that magic still existed. That promise did not mean they had to stand aside and do nothing. On the contrary, whenever someone unknowingly encountered danger, or whenever a power that had slipped out of control threatened innocent lives, they would quietly intervene where no one could see them. They left no names behind and asked for no gratitude. Just as they were doing tonight. "Have you received the news?" Luka asked. Gakupo's smile faded as he looked toward the other end of the street. "I have. Something hasn't been right in that area for the past three days." "I went to look yesterday, too." "Alone?" "Yes." He turned toward her. "Luka." She recognized the disapproval in his voice and couldn't help sighing softly. "I know what you're going to say. I didn't do anything reckless. I only checked the situation." "You could at least have told me first." "I didn't want to bother you." "You could never bother me." His answer came too quickly. Luka was slightly taken aback. The night breeze passed between them, and headlights from passing cars swept across their eyes. Gakupo seemed to realize that his tone had been more earnest than usual. He shifted his gaze away and returned his attention to the distance. Luka, however, did not respond immediately. She had heard him say many things over the years, yet she had never quite grown accustomed to the concern that slipped so naturally into his words. They had spent too much time together. So much that their habits had become intertwined with their daily lives. She could distinguish his moods from his brief silences, and whenever they parted, she instinctively remembered when they would meet again. Yet some things never became easier to say, no matter how many centuries passed. "All right," she finally said softly. "I'll tell you next time." Gakupo looked at her again. "You promised." "I promised." They exchanged a glance that only the two of them could understand before leaving the rooftop. They did not use the main entrance. Instead, they descended the stairs at the back of the apartment building and passed through a narrow alley without security cameras. To the city, they were merely two ordinary residents out late at night, nothing worth noticing. That was until they reached a shopping street that had been closed for years. It was not far from the busy main road, yet it seemed to have been forgotten by the city. Most of the storefronts had their shutters down, several streetlights had long since stopped working, and only a vending machine in the distance continued to glow. Luka stopped walking. "This is the place." Gakupo followed her gaze. The street appeared no different from usual. However, some things could not be recognized by human eyes alone. To them, a power that had no place in a modern city lingered here. It was not particularly strong, but it had persisted for several days. Like something forgotten that was desperately searching for a way out. "Someone has touched an old artifact," Gakupo said. "I think so, too. There's a warehouse nearby that's scheduled for redevelopment. Quite a few things have already been removed." "Have you been there?" "I went during the day. I pretended to be a local resident and asked the construction workers about the situation." Gakupo looked at her, seemingly wanting to say something. In the end, he could only smile helplessly. "You're still the same as ever." "So are you." Luka walked over to the warehouse and stopped in front of a half-open side door. "I think the problem is inside." Gakupo did not immediately enter. Instead, he observed their surroundings for a while. Not far away, a night-shift delivery rider passed on a motorcycle, the sound of navigation instructions briefly echoing along the street. In an apartment building on the other side, someone opened the curtains and brought the laundry in from the balcony. Ordinary life continued all around them. They had to make sure that none of it would be affected by their carelessness. "I'll go in first," Gakupo said. "Together." "There could be danger inside." "That's exactly why I'm going with you." She did not raise her voice or argue. She simply looked at him calmly. Gakupo knew he would never convince her otherwise. Besides, he had never truly wanted to leave her outside. He simply could not bear the thought of her being hurt, and that feeling had not changed in the slightest despite the passage of centuries. "Then stay close to me." "All right." He held out his hand. Luka naturally slipped her fingers into his. The gesture was so familiar that it felt as though they were merely crossing an ordinary street together rather than entering a place that might conceal an uncontrolled power. Gakupo gently tightened his fingers around hers, making sure she was beside him before leading her into the warehouse. The interior was empty, containing only a few wooden crates that had not yet been removed and some old furniture piled in a corner. They walked along the wall without speaking. When they passed a table at the far end, Luka suddenly stopped. "Gakupo." "I see it." A faint mark remained on the tabletop. It was a symbol that only someone familiar with ancient magic could recognize. Luka slowly released his hand and leaned forward to examine it more closely. "This wasn't left by us." "Of course not." Gakupo's expression darkened. They had always believed that no one else in this era knew how to use the lost knowledge. Even if someone accidentally came into contact with an ancient artifact, they should not have been able to understand its true meaning. Yet the mark before them proved that they might have been wrong. More troubling still, this was not a trace left behind naturally by some ancient power. Someone had deliberately left a message here. Luka lifted her head and met Gakupo's gaze. "Do you think there could be others?" "I don't know." This was one of the rare moments when Gakupo could not immediately provide an answer. They had spent centuries searching for others like themselves, only to face disappointment time and time again. Eventually, they had stopped searching and gradually grown accustomed to the reality that they would continue living as a pair. If someone else had truly survived, what did this mark mean? Was it a plea for help, a warning, or a threat they had yet to recognize? Gakupo extended his hand, signaling Luka to move beside him. She did not object. Instead, she placed her hand back into his palm. Together, they examined the mark one last time before quietly leaving the warehouse. Outside, the city remained brightly illuminated. No one knew that on this otherwise ordinary night, two magicians whose existence had been erased from history had discovered something that might change their peaceful lives. On the way back, Luka remained silent for a long time. Only after they had passed the street corner did she suddenly ask, "Would you be happy if there really were other magicians?" Gakupo considered the question for a moment. "Yes." She turned to look at him. "But I would also be worried." "Worried about what?" "That the peaceful life we've finally managed to protect might change because of this." Luka remained quiet for a while before smiling. "I thought you would say that you'd finally have someone else to help you deal with all those troublesome things." "If they could help, I certainly wouldn't mind." "What about me?" Gakupo stopped walking. "What about you?" "If someone else could help, you wouldn't need to look for me every time, would you?" She spoke casually, but her gaze never left his face. Gakupo studied her and finally understood what she was really asking. He did not answer immediately. Instead, he reached out and gently brushed aside a strand of hair the wind had blown across her face. "Luka, those are two different things." His voice was as gentle as ever. "I've never sought you out simply because I needed help." She froze for a moment. Gakupo offered no further explanation. He simply took her hand again and continued walking beside her. This time, Luka did not ask anything else. She merely tightened her hold on his hand, allowing their fingers to intertwine naturally. At the end of the street, the city lights reflected against the night sky. They were still the only magicians left in this era, still obligated to conceal their identities, and still burdened with feelings they could not easily put into words. But at least tonight, they did not have to face the unknown alone. It was not until they entered the old apartment building whose entrance was known only to the two of them that Gakupo spoke again. "We'll go back tomorrow night." Luka nodded. "All right. This time, I'll tell you beforehand." "And one more thing." "Hm?" "Remember to buy an extra portion of supper." She stared at him for two seconds before bursting into laughter. "Didn't you say we came here to deal with a problem?" "The problem has already been dealt with." "Then why were you so serious earlier?" Gakupo looked at her, a familiar smile finally returning to his purple eyes. "Because I knew that if I didn't make myself clear before we went home, you'd buy only one portion again tomorrow." Luka laughed and gave him a gentle shove. "You're really good at holding a grudge." "I simply have an excellent memory." Their laughter echoed softly through the empty stairwell. Behind them, the city continued to move at its own pace. No one noticed that two names forgotten by history were quietly stepping into another night. Who had left that unfamiliar mark, and what did the warehouse conceal? Those questions remained unanswered. Yet from that day onward, Gakupo and Luka both understood that their long-standing peaceful lives might soon undergo an unpredictable change. And whatever the future held, they would continue walking forward together, just as they had through countless nights before.