For vampires, dayti isn't their active period. It's at night when they're most full of energy.
Right now, our ever-dignified Remilia was, as usual… sitting on the rooftop of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, gazing at the moon!
Ehhh… actually, she didn't really have this kind of hobby. It's just that lately, her younger sister had beco a bit hard to manage, and she found herself reminiscing about the tis when her little sister was still "normal."
After the Scarlet Mist Incident, Remilia and Flandre's relationship had sowhat improved, but Flandre's occasional erratic behavior was starting to worry Remilia more and more.
Although in Gensokyo, Flandre could still interact with others normally, the events of that night were sothing Remilia could never forget for the rest of her life.
"Milady? The wind's picking up outside. Shouldn't you co in and rest?"
Hearing the voice, Remilia instinctively turned her head to look at the person speaking.
Short silver hair with small braids at the sides, tied off with green ribbons. Dressed in a blue-and-white maid uniform that looked sharp and crisp on her fra, her face maintained its usual respectful expression.
This was the one responsible for all affairs within the Scarlet Devil Mansion—the one Remilia relied on and trusted the most.
Sakuya Izayoi.
The elegant and graceful chief maid, with the power to manipulate ti.
As one of the rare humans in Gensokyo who lived with vampires and other non-human races, Sakuya could move through the supernatural world with perfect ease.
"Sakuya… has Flandre gone to sleep? Did she make a fuss again?"
"The young mistress has gone to bed. She was a bit rowdy at first, but after playing with iling for a while, she cald down and went to sleep."
"Hehe… I wonder why Flandre always gets along so well with iling."
Remilia smiled, but Sakuya felt there was a hint of lancholy behind it.
After hesitating a mont, Sakuya spoke again.
"Milady, your relationship with the young mistress is actually very good. She cares about you a lot."
"I know. It's just… I feel guilty about how I treat Flandre sotis…"
After the Scarlet Mist Incident, Flandre was no longer confined to the basent and could roam the whole mansion. But when she lost control, Remilia still had to bring her back to the basent. If she started acting up, the entire mansion would descend into chaos again.
Sakuya would be the one left to clean up the ss.
It wasn't that Remilia cared more about Sakuya than she did about Flandre—everyone in the mansion was like family to her. But Sakuya already handled every matter in the mansion on her own, and Remilia thought she deserved a little rest now and then.
"Oh, right. Milady, Miss Patchouli is asking you to co down for tea."
"Patchy? She hasn't gone to bed yet? Honestly, her health isn't good as it is…"
Remilia frowned slightly, rembering how she'd even taken Patchouli to Eientei for treatnt when she coughed up blood before.
Thinking back to what the Lunarian from Eientei had said, Remilia's expression darkened slightly.
Patchouli's asthma wasn't just congenital. Years of magical research had brought side effects, and worst of all… a significant portion of her life force had been drained in order to suppress Flandre's powers…
According to that moon-dweller, dication could only treat the symptoms—not the root cause.
Flandre… Patchouli… and also…
Remilia subconsciously glanced at Sakuya, causing the maid following behind her to tilt her head in confusion.
"Is sothing wrong, Milady?"
"…It's nothing. Sigh…"
Will there co a day, a hundred years from now, when the only one still by my side is that gatekeeper?
Deep sigh... the dignified Remilia was filled today with worries about the future.
A vampire who can manipulate fate but cannot actively change others' destiny—what an irony.
Fate, if you could solve all the problems of Scarlet Devil Mansion and let beco a pet, I wouldn't mind!
How could that ever happen? Laughable! Remilia burst out in laughter.
Impossible, utterly impossible! There's no such divine magic!
In her heart, Remilia silently set a flag.
"Patchy, didn't I tell you to rest early? Why are you still up now?"
On the balcony, watching Patchouli quietly sipping her tea, Remilia's face was full of irritation.
Patchouli Knowledge has been Remilia's close friend for many years.
At least before Sakuya joined the mansion, Patchouli and Remilia already knew each other.
Patchouli gave a helpless shake of her head in response.
"Remi, I'm indeed quite sick, but not as exaggerated as you're making it out to be!"
"But patients should rest properly!"
"I actually think you, Remi, should rest now."
As she said this, Patchouli's eyes t Remilia's—Remilia nearly felt as if her mind was fully seen through by her friend.
But she didn't care; being seen through by a dear friend wasn't a problem.
"What... what do you an I should rest..."
"You thought of that night because of your sister."
Remilia: "..."
That night? Sakuya, curious, glanced at her mistress.
Although she served her mistress now, Sakuya didn't know everything.
For instance, matters before she began serving Remilia, Remilia wouldn't share for fun.
On the other hand, Patchouli had long researched how to help Flandre fully control her power—so she knew more.
---
That night earlier...
"Yes..."
Without the slightest hesitation, Remilia looked up at the full moon in the sky.
"Just like now, when the once-great Lord Tsukuyomi fell, the Scarlet family began to decline... My sister and I, as children, witnessed our parents' death and awakened our powers... Flandre lost control imdiately. She slaughtered everyone in the mansion, but the power also hard her—her wings are the best proof!"
Sakuya gasped, realizing that Flandre's damaged wings were caused by her own power.
And the crystal hanging on her wings was supposedly a birthday gift from Patchouli...
aning that thing was actually suppressing Flandre's power?
"Recently, Flandre has again been losing control. Seeing the sa moon makes think of that scene... I've had trouble sleeping." Remilia, rarely lancholic, normally maintained dignity with a childlike heart.
Sotis she even asked Sakuya to tell her bedti stories quietly...
But like this? Truly rare.
"I'll think of a way to control my sister's power."
"I won't allow you to harm yourself over this, Patchy! Your health actually—"
"Remi, that's enough!"
Remilia slamd the table and glared at Patchouli, but Patchouli rely let out a soft laugh.
"Stop being willful."
"Willful is your trait, Patchy!"
Uncharacteristically full of authority, Remilia stared at her friend.
"Anyway, I'll handle Flandre. You don't need to interfere!"
Saying this, she jumped from her seat and strode toward the room.
But then—
To both Sakuya and Patchouli's shock, Remilia's figure vanished right before them.
"Lady— Remi—"
They moved to follow when iling's voice rang from afar.
"Sothing's wrong! Sakuya! The young mistress is gone!"
Patchouli: "!!"
Sakuya: "!!"
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