The End of the Scarlet Night

What did it mean to fight?

For what purpose did people clash against each other, tearing each other apart as they threw their entire bodies and strength against each other in the hope of coming out on top?

Was it to protect something? Was it to prove your ideals? Was it a conflict of higher morals? Was it because of hate? Or was it because something annoyed you?

There are many reasons people could make up to justify their violence, but ultimately, at the core, people fought either because of fear or because of anger.

It was as simple as that.

Yet, looking up at the scarlet sky...

Anyone who saw such a sky would realize something was wrong.

It was not the usual blue one saw when looking up into the sky on a beautiful summer day, nor was it the gentle violet and purple hues seen during a sunrise, and it was completely different from the deep orange color one saw during a sunset.

Scarlet didn't belong in the sky; it was unnatural.

Yet, now that the mist slowly lifted and the villagers slowly dared to peek out the windows of their homes again, everyone standing under the sky would only think of one word.

And that word would be 'beautiful'.

Whether it was the chronicler and the teacher at the shrine, the book rental girl in the village, the curio shop owner at the edge of the forest, the fairies of the lake, the magicians watching from the library, the injured maid and gatekeeper in the infirmary, or the locked up little sister, or even the residents hiding inside the bamboo forest, everyone was looking at the moon at this moment.

Looking at the two silhouettes clash over and over again up in the sky, the word beautiful would naturally come to anyone's mind who spectated it.

Whether it was the scarlet torrent Remilia's [Scarlet Meister] created or the rainbow-colored barrier that came from Reimu's [Duplex Barrier], I was stunned to the point where I thought that no word of mine could bring justice to describe the fight I was seeing right now.

Why did people fight?

Well, they fought because of fear and anger.

At least, that's what I believed in.

Yet, seeing a smile bit by bit creep onto the two girls' faces as they threw heavier and stronger ordinance magic at each other, I couldn't help but think that maybe "fun" might have been another reason why people fought.

Whether it was the [Scarlet Gensokyo] that attempted to dye Gensokyo into her color or the [Omnidirectional Oni-Binding Circle] that tried to contain the sudden outpour of scarlet, I felt...

Weak

Incredibly so. Whether I compared my abilities, life, or even the beauty of Danmaku, I felt inadequate. Simple as that.

Looking at the aloof shrine maiden above or the hard-working magician on my right, what did I have?

I was a nurse chasing after Elation, but I questioned what kind of fulfillment I searched for in this pursuit of enjoyment inside this broken body of mine.

My dream was fulfilled, yet standing in the shadow of such overwhelming power, I felt hollow. Was this all I had to offer? What purpose was I serving when all I could do was watch? What goal should I pursue next?

Was it only to live?

Was that my only desire?

Looking above me, I tried to reach for the beautiful fireworks, yet it felt unreachable, not because of the physical distance, but because it felt like I would never even reach Reimu's shadow.

I wondered if I had the potential to one day stand beside them—not as an imposter, but as an equal.

Clenching my hand, I tried to grasp it, but it slipped through. Or maybe it was never within reach, to begin with.

Anyway, my point is...

"It's Reimu's win."

I casually said, turning around and pulling the two magicians who were absorbed in watching the fight out of their immersion.

"Huh, what? Remi has that shrine maiden cornered. What are you talking about?"

"How can you know? The fight barely just got interesting, ze~☆."

I just chuckled. Reimu was the protagonist. Of course, she'd win. But, if I had to give an actual reason...

"Treasure Sign: [Yin-Yang Treasured Orb]!"

"It's because both try to end this with their next attack."

"Divine Spear: [Spear the Gungnir]!"

As the Yin-Yang Orb and Divine Spear clashed, their power shook the Scarlet Devil Mansion's very foundation. For a moment, I thought an earthquake hit us.

 I'd seen enough. With that, I turned around and left through the stairs.

"Wait, Rin! Don't you want to watch until the end, da ze~☆?"

Why should I? After all...

[5* The Scarlet Mist Incident - Complete]

I completed what I set out for.

As for my rewards?

Aren't you a curious one for wanting to know?

"Tell me afterward how it finished."

With that, I left behind what was left of the library and slowly descended the stairs.

I sighed, the weight of it all pressing down on me

Happiness, regret, envy—they churned inside me, too tangled to unravel. Complicated barely scratched the surface.

At first, I was thrilled to meet the characters I had loved so deeply. But characters are just that—characters. People are people.

Then again, did I ever treat people as people and not as characters? Whether during my first life or the life I was given in my second one, I never cared much about people, did I?

A realization I was confronted over and over again with the sight of Spellcards.

After all, a Spellcard was the crystallization of one's feelings. Those feelings shone brightly like a beautiful jewel, yet seeing them, I can't help but be reminded...

Reminded of the fact that I don't care about other people. 

"Oh my, I can hardly let Ms. Nurse leave with such a melancholic expression. What if rumors were to spread that the Scarlet Devil Mansion is a bad host to its guests?"

Hearing the elegant voice behind me, I stopped at the last step and turned towards the source.

"Sakuya Izayoi."

A cold expression spread on her face as I called out her name despite her having never told me her name.

Yet, it didn't seem that she was surprised at all. Instead, it appeared that it was within her expectations.

With a professional smile, the perfect and elegant maid greeted me with a curt curtsy.

"Sakuya Izayoi. Maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. At your service."

...

If I had to put my feelings about the events of the Scarlet Mist incident into a single word, it would be "painful."

If I was given more words, it would be "everything hurts."

To say the least, I didn't enjoy the commotion at all, and I would honestly be glad if nothing like that ever happened at the mansion again.

Though, if I know something about the lady's whims, I doubt that something like this would be the last time. 

Still, no matter how unreasonable her whims are, I'll follow her orders no matter how high they are.

That's what I owe her after she gave me my life.

Yet...

THIS ENTIRE PLAN WAS F***ING UNREASONABLE!

First, having to build the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion in frozen time upon our arrival in Gensokyo.

I don't have to say it, but...

*Peaking Microphone filter*

Building this entire mansion by myself without outside inside my reality marble, I repeat, BUILDING THE SCARLET DEVIL MANSION BY MYSELF. I almost cried hearing that order.

Then, the entire ordeal of the Scarlet Mist incident.

How did it start?

"Sakuya, the sun has been bothering me. Do something about it."

*Insert a space background with a confused Sakuya before it.*

"Excuse me. Block out the sun?"

"Yes."

"With what? My good looks?"

"No, with your time powers, of course"

*Space background, but this time a confused Inu Sakuya.*

"What if I don't? Will you cry? Throw a tantrum? Make a mess of things?"

To break my lady's charisma in a single swoop, she cried about it. And maybe she did the other stuff, too.

Still, that didn't stop her from somehow realizing her plan. One way or another. 

Ignoring all warnings placed on her by others.

One day, a door appeared in the middle of our mansion out of thin air and opened with a deep, threatening voice coming out.

"If you go through with this little plan of yours, be prepared to face extermination."

To say the least, in the face of such a threat, my lady made a bold declaration.

"I, True Ancestor, Remilia B■■■■s■■■ Scarlet, am not threatened by the words of a secret god."

I vomited some blood upon that declaration. Not only because of my lady's defiant attitude to one of Gensokyo's sages but because she mentioned her true heritage!

I am going to piss and shit myself if she keeps things like this up! Not that the perfect and elegant me would let that ever happen.

Still, only loud laughter came from that door and words I surmised as "this is going to be amusing," but my lady kept up with her plan unperturbed.

So, Gensokyo got covered in Scarlet Mist. I wish that is where my troubles would have ended, but as my lady's maid, I can hardly let intruders intrude unperturbed.

Still, at the end of the day, I received two beatdowns, the workforce of the mansion was officially incapacitated, and the mansion was basically 30% destroyed, including the space dilation magic I cast on it.

Still, despite everything, if I had to say it...

No, to admit it, I enjoyed myself quite a bit during this ordeal. Maybe even a lot.

Spellcards. After all, they were the crystallization of one's own feelings. No, they even went beyond that. To put "meaning" into Spellcards, it wasn't unusual to put some records of your life into them.

After all, the more meaning inside a Spellcard, the more powerful it was.

It would be a lie if I said that I didn't connect with Reimu or Marisa in any way after our fights.

Despite all the troubles my lady has brought me, as I looked up into tonight's sky, the moon I have been gazing at, tonight was a fun night.

If things ended like they are right now, there would have been no reasons for regret.

Yet, something felt wrong. As if there was only one single thorn left behind in this otherwise enjoyable evening.

Of our three "guests," two of them were enjoying themselves with a big smile as they watched the show.

Yet, the one that seemed the most cheery among them had their face marred by an expression of glum.

As my lady's maid, I needed to ensure that each of my lady's guests enjoyed themselves adequately after a banquet. So, having one leave melancholic like that would honestly ruin my mood.

"Oh my, I can hardly let Ms. Nurse leave with such a melancholic expression. What if rumors were to spread that the Scarlet Devil Mansion is a bad host to its guests?"

Instantly, she stopped at the last step of the stairs and turned her face toward me.

Oh my.

When did I last see such an empty face devoid of obvious emotions? Well, the last time was when I looked into the mirror before Lady Remilia took me in.

In a sense, the girl seemed like a kindred spirit right now.

"Sakuya Izayoi."

But the moment she realized that it was "me," a kind and warm smile spread on her face as if meeting an old friend.

Calling out to me with my name. I need to add that this was our first meeting. I haven't even introduced myself yet.

Then again, countless old monsters and forgotten mysteries exist in this world. Moreover, in a land whose purpose is to house mysteries, holding onto common sense was a pointless endeavor.

Something like figuring out my name at a first meeting is something an ordinary human could do. Moreso, since I didn't try to hide it like I did in the outside world.

Still, as the perfect maid, a proper introduction should be in place. No matter the circumstance.

Bowing politely, I greeted the house's guest.

"Sakuya Izayoi. Maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. At your service."

A slight pause. It seemed Rin forgot that introductions were in place since she already knew mine.

Fufu~, I wonder how long it will take her to realize?

"Ah, yes! Rin Satsuki. I guess I am the village's doctor. Personally, I see myself more as a nurse or maybe an alchemist. And since I am here, I think we can also put incident resolver on my resume. Case in point is, it's nice to make your acquaintance, Ms. Izayoi."

Seems she realized it quite quickly after all. How boring.

"So, why stop me now? Oh! Could it be~?"

Rin leaned in with a playful smirk. 

"Don't tell me you're here to repay me for patching you up~?"

The way she talked was disgusting, optimized to get a reaction from someone, no matter the circumstance.

Even I slowly felt goosebumps run all over my body for a moment.

Yet, while she seemed to enjoy herself, and her eyes were sparkling, a certain depth was missing in them.

It was as if the glow was only superficial. It didn't reach the depth of Rin's eyes.

Still, superficial or not, the way she talked still pissed me off.

"Repayment? For what if I might inquire? I don't recall that you have done anything worth that would require payment, Ms. Nurse."

Whether she talked that way naturally or if it was something she learned for this expressed purpose of teasing someone, neither mattered to me as I was curious about the person before me.

She was different than the other two who came here to resolve the incident.

Yes, she was earnestly trying to resolve the incident. That much did I believe to be her motive.

While she was indeed weaker than Reimu or Marisa, Rin still did everything within her limited power. That, too, was without a doubt true. In truth, it was even admirable.

Even her giving me medical attention was perfectly reasonable. While I was her enemy, that would be only temporary until Reimu plastered my mistress all over the wall.

And then, I would just be battered and bruised from my fight with her, and to avoid any potential bad blood, she healed me.

Her actions were somewhat understandable until then, if not a bit insane.

Honestly, if she left after the fight with Reimu and Remilia was over, I wouldn't have stopped her.

But here she was, all doom and gloom like a lost puppy, leaving before the grand finale.

It was suspicious, to say the least.

So, what if Rin was a tease? Two can play that game, and I was going to make sure you are the first to slip up between us two, Rin.

"Now, might I ask what you are doing here, Ms. Rin Satsuki?"

Silence.

I had her cornered. I see how it is. All attack and no defense, how unexpected of her to be a glass canon.

To be pushed back that quickly after a bit of resistance. Well, nothing wrong with having the lead, now to push Rin furth-

"Fair, fair. How could you remember right after you ruined all my hard work? To think you would throw yourself right in front of Reimu again after you were beaten black and blue. Your loyalty is admirable, but how about taking care of yourself more? Not that I am the one that should be saying that. Anyways, how about you get to the point? You still haven't answered why you stopped me. As to answer your question, I was leaving. Nothing more, nothing less."

Ugh, that was a lot- How do I even begin to an-

"What's your business about my health?! I never asked you to treat me!"

Did I accidentally say that out loud? Again?! And now that shit-eating grin on her face.

She's such a bother to deal with.

"That aside. You leaving is a lie, isn't it?"

For a second, Rin's eyebrows raised in shock as she wasn't expecting anyone to possibly look through her.

Then again, it wasn't as if she tried to hide the fact that much.

"Oh? What makes you think that? Any proof, Ms. Detective?"

I smiled. I could at least humor to answer Rin's questions.

"Why leave through the front door when you can jump out of the giant hole in the library? Everyone here is capable of flight."

"Maybe I didn't want to cross the huge Danmaku Battle before me?"

"And cross the convoluted labyrinths that are the mansion's hallways instead? We both know that sounds ridiculous."

"I am tired, and my way of flight is very tiring. I'd say about two times a full-speed sprint. It was high up, so I took the stairs."

"These stairs? We are pretty far away from the stairs to the main entrance."

"As you said, this is a labyrinth. I got a little bit lost."

"Oh, really? Then, this must be a pretty shoddy labyrinth, considering how easy you seem to navigate it. First, my location, then Lady Patchouli's library. Both were direct paths toward the goal without checking you weren't walking the wrong way. It seems you already familiarised yourself with the mansion, Ms. Satsuki."

"Yeah! So, I took the stairs instead of flying! Nothing wrong with it!"

"That still doesn't change that these are the stairs furthest away from the entrance and the backdoor."

"Ugh..."

"Finally ran out of excuses?"

Rin sighed.

To think that she would be caught in the end.

She wanted to avoid this, but given the circumstances, it seemed she couldn't.

"To think Rin Satsuki Stage 4 would be real..."

"What?"

She was tired. She was at her limit. She didn't want to do another Spellcard Battle today, much less face Sakuya, but it was what it was.

"You know, I still had some questions about this whole ordeal, but I was ready to drop them and not pursue them once this incident was over. But, since you offered, I might as well take the bait."

Cold sweat ran down my neck. Rin seemed different from before. If the previous one was all fun and games, this one was all serious and business.

"Unlimited."

"Huh?"

She wasn't particularly fast or nimble on her feet, neither did she employ any special techniques or footwork. By all accounts, her movements were so simple that I should have been able to track her movements.

After all, all Rin did was run in a straight line towards me, but somehow, Rin escaped my notice, and before I knew it, she was right in front of me.

Holding a glowing card in her hand no less.

"Idol Sign: [Sacred Stage]"

Curses...

...

As the Scarlet Spear and the Yin-Yang orb hit each other, grand ripples that massively convulsed the air formed, destabilizing the Scarlet Devil Mansion's foundation.

Anyone unfortunate enough to be able to observe this scene would realize that they better should not and that they should run instead.

Yet, some daredevils opted for the opposite and were still observing fights, even if there was no safe distance as long as you would see this clash.

The air warped and twisted, and Marisa Kirisame was watching her friend's back with a smile.

Reimu Hakurei, her friend and rival. In other words, her best friend. Someone she enjoyed just spending her time with but also someone who annoyed her to no end in a fight and spurred her on to keep improving.

That's what Reimu Hakurei was to Marisa Kirisame. Her beloved friend and rival, yet at times, she wondered if her feelings were one-sided.

Was Reimu feeling the same way as her, or was it just something she pushed onto her?

Whenever she looked at Reimu, such doubts would creep into her mind. Reimu was so beautiful that sometimes, Marisa felt like she wasn't real. To clarify, the beauty referred to here wasn't Reimu's physical appearance, nor was it about her inner beauty. No, the beauty that Marisa saw in Reimu was more ethereal, similar to how someone would appreciate falling cherry blossoms or the beautiful night sky. At times, she felt so distant, so unreachable, like a distant star up in the night skies.

When looking up at the stars at night up in the mountains, they always seem so close, close enough for Marisa to try and reach for them, but just like how often she tried, they always slipped past her fingers.

In a sense, the stars were similar to Reimu. Just like them, Marisa tried to reach for Reimu, and whenever it felt like she caught up to her if only for a little bit, she slipped past and once again was ahead of her.

Reimu was her rival, yes, but at times, Reimu felt more like a goal for Marisa, a goal she tried to reach but could never get close to.

Thinking about what Rin said, Marisa had to agree with the nurse. She couldn't see Reimu lose, even if it was against a powerful youkai like a vampire.

In the future, she'll face even more powerful opponents. Whether it's gods, demons, or ghosts. All will be the same for Reimu.

So, where would it leave her in the end as her rival?

"Will you leave me behind, or will I catch up to you, my rival?"

Once again, Marisa tried to reach for the star she couldn't grasp. But even if she knew it was hopeless, she would never give up.

If she was someone quick to give up, she would have never left her old life behind, never pursued magic, and would have probably been married off to some boy in the village by now.

If she wanted the cozy life, she wouldn't stand here now. So, even if she had to struggle to the point where her body was bloodied and her mind numb, she would never give up until the day she could grasp the stars.

*Fwoomp*

Suddenly, the maintained equilibrium of the two treasures collapsed as the air around their impact point violently underwent gestaltzerfall, breaking down the air molecules to their base components.

But contrary to Rin's predictions, Reimu was the one who was pushed back before Remilia's spear pierced through the orb and then successively through the shrine maiden herself, sending her hurdling through the foundation of the SDM.

"Reimu!"

Marisa called out to her friend, but before she could take another step, the lilac magician held her at gunpoint with a Spellcard pressed to the back of her head.

Patchouli held her at cardpoint.

"So, I guess the ceasefire is over, da ze~☆?"

Patchouli groaned at her statement, sick and tired of this situation.

"In the first place, we only stopped to observe their fight. Now that it's over, I see little to no point maintaining the temporary ceasefire."

"How are you so sure the fight's over? You can hardly see anything from here."

"The shrine maiden was pierced by a divine construct and then sent flying through a time-halted, reinforced concrete wall and foundation. If she's not dead, she's at the very least unconscious."

"Exactly, so let me check in on my friend and see if she's neither and that she can continue this battle."

"And risk you taking over for her? With Remilia exhausted like that, I, as her friend, can't let you do that. So, if you'd like to check on your friend, you have to step over my unconscious body first."

"Sigh, what a bother. Can't you stay still as my request as the victor of our duel?"

"The results have yet to be determined. Our fight didn't end yet."

Marisa sighed. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. If only she could challenge Remilia to a fight now, she could have ended the incident, and the credit would fall to her.

But behind her was a magician who was holding her at cardpoint. Taking another step would spell her doom, but not taking that step would spell her friend's doom with each passing second wasted.

If only she could do something like alert Rin or get rid of Patchouli, she wouldn't have to worry.

But sometimes, you are left with no choice but to make a difficult decision and can't wait for miracles.

"What a hardass..."

"What was that?"

Lifting her hands up, she took a pose reminiscent of someone surrendering.

Seeing that, Patchouli couldn't make heads or tails of the situation until she saw that Marisa's right hand was pointing upwards, slowly drawing a trail toward her head.

As she saw the slow movement, it suddenly clicked in her head.

"Dammit!"

Doing her best, Patchouli threw her entire body weight forward, headbutting Marisa's back.

As Patchouli slowly fell to the ground, a laser appeared in her periphery, scorching the ground she just stood on to a crisp.

As the black-white magician stumbled forward, she jumped up, landing on her broom, before spinning a few times as she took flight.

"Narrow Spark."

Patchouli saw Marisa's stern expression and felt cold sweat trickle down her neck. She slowly realized that this wasn't the same Marisa she faced an hour ago. She was a lot stronger now.

"This has to be a bad joke..."

...

A Spellcard Battle.

In this story, we have talked plenty of times about Spellcards. I have explained everything from its history to its rules, the process of creating one, and even the intent some notable people put behind it when used in battle.

Yet, I don't think I've painted a clear picture of them yet. How was the beauty in a fight measured, what was a non-spell, what is a bomb, what is legal to use in a fight, what is illegal to use in a fight, and lastly, the extent of the weight of emotions weaponized against one another.

Let's begin with non-spells and beauty.

At the end of the day, ignoring all the talks about beauty and non-lethality, a fight would stay a fight, no matter what.

Unless specified, a Spellcard Battle wasn't played as a sport. It was fought like a live battle, and nobody wouldn't capitalize on an opening if it showed up.

So, as to prevent moments of silence mid-battle, non-spell rounds exist.

Essentially, no holds barred live combat where every kind of attack was allowed as long as it was beautiful and not aiming to kill.

You didn't even have to necessarily use Danmaku. You could even punch your opponent in the face if it was (somehow) beautiful. Because martial arts, in a sense, were arts too.

So, knowing that...

Hey System, unlock the Tier 2 System shop and move to the skill section.

Purchase the Basic Boxing skills, and-

[Warning, the Basic Boxing skill is a whole skill. It can't be further improved.]

Who cares! Make the purchase!

Instantly, the purchase was made, and all the information on how to box ran through my brain and muscles as I threw a nasty uppercut into Sakuya's guts.

The maid's eyes widened in shock as she felt my fist bury into her liver, instantly dropping her to her knees.

As I knocked the air out of her lungs and she knelt, I tried to follow up with a right hook, but as I swung my fist, it hit empty air as she disappeared from the spot.

Taking the opportunity, I instantly activated the Spellcard I held in my other hand.

"Idol Sign: [Sacred Stage]"

Light pillars that resembled spotlights filled the room, appearing and disappearing in an irregular pattern but with regular timing. As they dissipated from the ceiling down to the ground, they turned into star bullets, further restricting movement.

Unexpectedly, it seemed that I had taken the initiative in this fight. Then again, Sakuya must have been pretty tired from being beaten like a dog by Reimu.

Still, I had a bad gut feeling, as this felt like it was going too well.

Then, out of nowhere, I saw my life flashing through my eyes.

Shocked, I heard the sound of my heartbeat pound inside my eardrums. Thousands of thoughts flashed through my brain as I tried to process, discern, and deduct from where death would be approaching me.

As I swallowed my dry saliva, it slowly crept into my mind that this was pointless.

No matter my life experiences, with the knowledge and abilities I had, it was impossible for me to rationally beat a time-stopping maid.

As the clock slowly continued to tick, maybe out of instinct, I moved my hand erratically to the side.

"Time Sign: [Private Square]"

Then, the accursed words were finally revealed, and I felt a sharp impact in my chest area.

But, out of sheer luck, the knife happened to be in the path of my hand, and before the weapon could penetrate any deeper, I grabbed the blade.

"What?! How!"

Perhaps surprised that her attack failed twice today, Sakuya looked at me in shock before I yanked the knife out of her hand and activated my second Spellcard.

"Vitality Sign: [Energy Surge]"

As my second Spellcard went off, we took a safe distance from each other again, slowly circling each other, carefully gauging the opponent.

Though, I had to admit that it was impressive that Sakuya managed to dodge my Spellcard throughout.

"How the hell did you manage to block my private square?"

"Instinct and luck, I guess?"

"You mean to tell me you blocked my perfectly executed time attack through sheer luck?"

"Well, my hand happened to move in the direction where you were gonna stab me, so yeah. I'd say that was luck."

"Got it."

Once again, Sakuya disappeared from my sight, but instead of reappearing nearby, she reappeared with hundreds of knives.

"Illusion Existence: [Clock Corpse]"

This wasn't even a fight anymore. The initiative I gained at the start was lost again as Sakuya took the lead, making me respond more passively and more passively in this fight.

It was oppressive, but I quickly realized that even if my opponent was injured, tired, and on their last leg, as long as they could stop time, it would still be an uphill battle for me.

Throughout the battle, more and more cuts and bruises appeared on my body as I was forced into a defensive position.

"Ready to confess your scheme yet?"

"What scheme? I already said that I am lost!"

"The hard way then."

Closing her eyes, Sakuya drew a deep breath in as she again focused on the fight ahead of her.

As the tension rose again and Sakuya revealed her scarlet-tinted eyes, countless knives were again duplicated before her and around me.

Seeing myself so thoroughly surrounded, I felt this was a hopeless battle. If things kept going as they were, it was inevitable that I would end up losing.

But it wasn't as if I twiddled my thumbs the entire time. Since the fight started, I have been cycling all of my mana through my eyes to enhance my eyesight to the point where they started bleeding.

In the process, while I saw improvements in my dynamic vision, clarity of my eyesight, and even an enhanced field of view, it was still far from enough to keep up with Sakuya, who had been (basically) teleporting through the entire room without a pause.

In addition to cycling mana through my eyes, I had my appraisal skill fully active and focused all my senses into my sight the entire time.

Yet, I have only barely kept up a defensive battle against Sakuya the entire time.

As the fight kept going without a miracle to help me, more and more blood drained from my body, and even my max-enhanced sight slowly turned faint.

What was I expecting, fighting a time-stopping maid? I guess it was clear I was going to lose...

But I can't afford to lose...

Come on, plot armor, kick in!

[Skill Detected: Inscribing into System]

[Pure Eyes (Introductory Level)]

[Eyes that can see which can not be seen. Makes it possible to see the path of mana.]

Wow...

For a second, I really thought my ridiculous request had been answered.

But this ability was entirely useless for this duel!

Is this some sick joke of fate-

[Ability fusion detected. Would the user like to fuse Appraisal, Presence Detection, Six Senses Mental Lock, Oblivion Correction, and Pure Eyes together for 669 System Points?]

Do you need to ask? What choice do I have? Hurry up!

[669 System Points consumed]

In an instant, I could see how the world slowed to a crawl until everything was frozen, including me.

In this frozen world where I couldn't move, I observed Sakuya doing her thing, jumping up before throwing a dagger into the air, as it duplicated into countless copies.

Seeing it happen live in front of me felt very threatening, but as I could see it happen, I could see a path ahead of me towards victory.

Then, time slowly started to resume again.

This would be the last attack. With Rin limping around, dodging, and her consciousness fading in and out, that was only the natural expectation to have.

Sakuya genuinely thought that with this final Spellcard, the fight would be over.

"And resume. Illusion Sign: [Killing Doll]"

As time resumed again, waves of knives fell upon their target. Sakuya thought it was a pity she would never hear the girl's secret, but at least she protected the mansion.

With that, she turned around and prepared to clean the mansion.

"What did I say about lying down to rest?"

The last thing Sakuya expected was for Rin to flawlessly dodge her Spellcard and counterattack.

"Hope Sign: [Stella Finale]!"

[Skill Fusion: Mystic Eyes of Soul Perception Lvl 0]

MY EYES ARE BURNING!

...

As the night continued, more and more chunks of the Scarlet Devil Mansion blew out as the inevitable result of all the fighting that happened here tonight.

Surprisingly, it was neither the owner of the house nor the maid who had to clean up this whole mess afterward that were particularly concerned about the manor's destruction.

No, the one who was the most worried was the asthmatic librarian who fought as if her life were on the line to make sure her precious collection wouldn't be damaged.

I mean, how couldn't she? After all, a magus's lifeline was their workshop.

There was only so much bounded fields and barriers could do, and in the face of destructive capabilities strong enough to erase the entire building from the ground up, you would find their defensive capabilities severely lacking.

Ignoring the fact that the foundation, walls, and ceiling of that said building was, at its basis, already enhanced with a spell that suspended time.

It shouldn't have been possible for the building, at its foundation, to crumble.

Yet, it did, with things as simple as Danmaku.

"Magic on the level of the age of gods is truly bothersome..."

Patchouli Knowledge whispered under her breath as she had to dodge a couple of star projectiles flying at her.

"Where is that motivation to put me into my place? Already ran out of air to fight back?"

If it weren't for her chronic asthma, she wouldn't have been put on the defensive like this.

But what could she do? She was inherently cursed with a weak constitution since her birth. Some things couldn't easily change, even with her vast knowledge of magic.

Of course, if she was that desperate about it, she could always try to rearrange her DNA, but it didn't need to be said that's a decision with a rather ominous-sounding drawback, right?

Not to mention, with her friend providing for her like this, she wasn't in a desperate mood to scramble her DNA.

"Grand Sun Sign: [Divine Burst]"

Once again, Patchouli used the philosopher's stone to forcefully invoke a ritual-level spell without a ritual.

As Marisa was still chasing Patchouli, she was surprised when she saw a blazing sun form ahead of her before it erupted into a fiery plasma beam about to incinerate her.

"Woah!"

Seeing the giant beam, Marisa turned sharply skyward to dodge it.

"Not on my watch!"

But as Patchouli saw through that feeble attempt to dodge, she swiftly made a hand sign, changing the direction of the giant laser to chase after Marisa.

If Marisa failed to dodge this, it would be her victory.

But, contrary to her expectations, Marisa didn't panic when the hot plasma scorched her back.

Stopping before the ceiling light, Marisa turned around, facing the laser as she stood up from sitting on her broom, pulling something out of her hat.

At this moment, Patchouli chuckled in resignation as she couldn't believe what she saw.

What Marisa pulled out of her hat was a glowing card. It was a card that looked slightly too familiar for Patchouli's tastes.

"Thanks for the new Spellcard, friend da ze~☆."

"What?"

"Love Sign: [Non-Directional Laser]"

Patchouli immediately recognized the attack as one of the non-spell attacks she had used in their battle.

Shocked, she couldn't believe that Marisa stole one of her spells, but the most shameless thing must have been...

"How the hell can it keep up with my Grand Ritual!"

That Marisa's spell had a lot more firepower than the original.

"You thieving rat!"

But all Patchouli received from Marisa was a wink and a quick salute before the rotation speed of the 10 rainbow-colored lasers increased rapidly, pushing back her Spellcard.

Seeing her attack so thoroughly dashed, Patchouli sighed as she had already given up.

"I am tired. I give, you thieving cat."

Against all expectations, Marisa Kirisame was the victor in her duel against Patchouli Knowledge with a Spellcard she (technically) stole from the lilac magician.

Slowly spiraling towards the ground, Patchouli lost all strength in her body as she couldn't maintain the flight spell she had cast on herself.

She hated to admit it, but she had truly and utterly lost to that newbie witch who researched magic maybe for a bit more than a decade.

The irony wasn't lost on her, but what could she do against it?

In the end, it was she who violently crashed into the ground and not her opponent.

As Patchouli lay sprawled on the ground, Marisa approached her.

"Didn't you want to check on your friend? What are you here for? To make fun of the loser and rub in that you are the victor?"

Marisa chuckled softly before taking a seat right beside the lilac magician.

"Nah, I am sure she's alright..."

Meanwhile, on Reimu's side, the shrine maiden was lying on the rubble of the collapsed wall, checking if everything was in place.

"I, Marisa Kirisame, on the other hand, have some questions for you that were left unanswered."

"Oh? And what made you think I would answer them?"

Marisa only gave Patchouli a peace hand, but in this case, it didn't stand V for Peace, but V for Victory.

"Victor's right. If you have complaints, ask for a rematch."

Patchouli could only growl in annoyance, but rules were rules. So, she begrudgingly accepted having to answer.

Seeing that her senior was now much more willing to answer, Marisa pulled out a vial that contained a scarlet-coloured substance.

"This was mixed in with all the magical energy within the mist. Care to explain what it is?"

Patchouli wordlessly stared at the test tube. After a moment of silence, she sluggishly answered.

"Would be Remilia's blood a good enough answer?"

"It would be if I didn't know its make-up isn't anything like blood. No plasma, no cells, not even water. If I had to put it, it's more like a fine powder made of crystals."

Hearing Marisa's words, Patchouli clicked her tongue in annoyance. She hoped Marisa would have just let it go.

"That's the problem with mages, always so hungry for knowledge..."

"What was that?"

"It's nothing. Right, it's nothing like blood. How about... kidney stones?"

This time, it was Marisa's turn to just wordlessly stare at Patchouli.

At some point, Patchouli couldn't stand it anymore.

"Alright, fine. The substance in that test tube is made out of an incredibly unique ruby imbued with the powers of a vampire. Satisfied?"

Hearing that, Marisa kept staring, but at some point, she realized she wouldn't get any new answers if she just did that.

"I feel like you are leaving out an important detail there."

"And you won't get that detail from me unless you challenge me to another duel."

"Come on, is it such a big secret that you can't tell me even after I won against you in a Spellcard duel?"

"Yes."

With that, Patchouli cut off the conversation, staring at Marisa with such an intensity that implied until here and not further.

But, for the lilac magician's pain, Marisa couldn't be deterred by things like that.

Opening her mouth, she was about to challenge Patchouli to a Spellcard duel again.

But as she received the black-white magician's challenge, her answer was simple.

"I refuse."

Since she was the one who was challenged now, she had no obligation to agree to the duel.

Something Marisa just realized.

"Ah-☆..."

With their business over, Patchouli turned around and retreated further into her library.

"Koa, assess the damages."

Hearing Patchouli's words, a sharply dressed imp appeared from a corner, saluting to the magician before disappearing again.

"Woah, come on! I still have some questions left over."

"Let's talk about them over tea then."

"Tea~? Oh my, what surprising hospitality you offer me, Ms. Knowledge."

"Might as well do it now that things are done and over. Do you prefer milk or sugar?"

As much as Patchouli didn't want to admit it, she found some respect for the human magician after their duel.

Clinging to her humanity, she used everything she could to advance her magic. To that goal, she wasn't ashamed to steal or fight for her cause.

In that regard, Marisa Kirisame was quite an impressive individual.

On the other hand, Patchouli wondered if she was born human and not a magician, would she have the same strength to strive towards her goal as that girl?

Then again, pondering hypotheticals was a pastime she could do without.

"Now, what questions do you have for me, Ms. Kirisame. Well, questions that don't infer the nature of the gems used for this ritual."

"Well, to start with, how did you manage to spread this mist so far?"

Patchouli chuckled.

"Well, you see..."

...

To my surprise, my final Spellcard was all it took to end the fight, as Sakuya lost the strength in her legs and fell over after she got hit by surprise.

As I thought about all this, I concluded that this situation was ridiculous. After all, there wasn't to be anything gained by provoking me to a fight now of all times. Especially now when things were so close to wrapping up.

"What are you thinking about? You were going to steal from us when nobody was looking..."

Huh, apparently, it turns out my emotions show on my face clearly enough that she could read my thoughts through it.

But given her answer, I only got more confused about her reasoning.

"Huh? Me? I am not the kleptomaniac among all of us. If you are worried about someone stealing your stuff, look at Marisa."

For some reason, Sakuya wasn't convinced.

"Then why were you scurrying around the building like a rat searching for food?"

Hearing her confusion about my goals, I started furiously blushing. It seems this was a misunderstanding.

"I wasn't scurrying around! I was... looking for you, okay? Making sure you were still breathing..."

Silence. It took a moment for Sakuya to process that information, but at some point, she did.

"Huh?!"

"I mean, you appeared in front of me out of nowhere and suspected me of some unspecified crime I wasn't aware of. How could I not start to panic?!"

"Ugh..."

"Not to mention that the last time I acted all touchy-feely with my friends, they were pretty upset about it. Reimu put me five feet under the last time I got too handsy with her. I was sure you were upset about the letter I put into your hand after I cured you and came for revenge..."

"Eh..."

"I mean, I would understand if you came after me to beat me up for that reason, but your aura was a bit too intense for my taste. I am sorry, alright! I can't help myself in the presence of a pretty lady such as yourself. I can hold myself back in a professional setting, but internally, I can't help but swoon!"

Sakuya froze, her mind racing to process Rin's reasoning.

Swooning? Calling her a pretty lady? The words swirled in her head, impossible to ignore.

"Nevermind. So, you weren't wandering around to steal things?"

Rin once again shook her head.

"I swear on my honor. I can even give you a pinky promise."

"You don't need to. I take you for your word."

An awkward silence passed through the two of them as they didn't know what to talk about-

"Why were you sulking around the mansion?"

Nevermind.

"Oh, that? Are you curious about me?"

Sakuya folded her arms, looking at me in disgust.

 "Don't flatter yourself."

A wry smile spread on Rin's face. She felt flattered that Sakuya, out of all people, was curious about her, but in the end, it was still quite difficult to talk about your feelings.

"It's just..."

Drawing quite a big breath in, Rin realized that this would be quite a lengthy conversation.

Not wanting to stand throughout, she sat right down beside the exhausted body of the maid, checking if she was still conscious.

"Watching my friends, I couldn't ignore how incredible they were—and how small I felt by comparison."

Sakuya blinked for a moment, not sure what to answer for a moment.

"Is that it?"

"I know, it's quite pathetic, right?"

"No, that's not what I meant!"

Hearing Rin's self-deprecating talk, Sakuya wanted to push herself off the ground to correct the misunderstanding, but before she could, Rin just grabbed her and pushed her down on her lap.

"No overworking in my presence."

Sakuya really wanted to push away from Rin's lap in this moment, but for some reason, they were just so damn comfortable.

Comfortable enough that Sakuya couldn't see herself leaving them as long as she was this exhausted.

"I am sure you didn't mean to dismiss me like that when you asked if that's it, but sadly, that's just how I feel. I mean, how couldn't I? I selfishly tagged along to resolve this incident, but my contribution was subpar, to say the least. Felt like I was in the way more times than not."

Not wanting Sakuya to see her pathetic face, Rin turned her head towards the ceiling, looking at the crimson full moon in the sky.

"I am just a weak nurse. I am not as strong as Reimu, nor do I have Marisa's boldness. I am just a newcomer who has been in Gensokyo for maybe a month, and it was only today I learned how to create a proper Spellcard."

In her moment of somberness, Rin reached for the scarlet moon above her head as longing was quite visible in her eyes. It hurt. It really did in her chest as a seed of envy sprouted in her heart.

"I know how pointless this jealousy is, but when I saw Reimu's fight against Remilia, as their Spellcards clashed..."

Needless to say, it was far too far away for her to grab.

"I wondered if someone like me, who doesn't even understand her own emotions, would have any right to stand beside them."

Happiness, entertainment, teasing others, bringing hope, searching for the next little Elation, Rin had always been searching for her reason to live outwardly, but now that she was confronted with the question of what she wanted, she was scared.

Let's forget about understanding others for a moment. Rin didn't even understand herself.

As tears started flowing down from her face, Rin felt the soft feel of fabric touching the corner of her eye.

"Personally, I think such worry is unnecessary. Especially in your case, Rin."

"Huh?"

As Rin looked back down again, she realized that Sakuya was wiping her tears with a handkerchief.

"In my humble opinion, you are just as fine an incident resolver as Ms. Reimu or Ms. Marisa. I mean, look at yourself. You defeated me! Be more proud of yourself!"

"But you are severely exhausted and injured. Not to mention, but your od is running pretty low."

"That's beside the point! If you weren't there to take the fight, they wouldn't have made it past that ice fairy."

"How did you know that? Nevermind. They would have made it past Cirno sooner or later."

"But it would been later rather than sooner. Look, none of what I could say about you would stick the landing. After all, Spellcard duel or not, I barely know you."

Chuckling shyly, Rin had to agree. They've barely known each other for 20 minutes.

"But look, it's normal to occasionally feel a bit of jealousy towards others as you look for what you lack in others."

As Rin's tears dried up, Sakuya stopped wiping her face with her handkerchief.

"But Rin, if you don't want to be left behind, it's time to look at your worth. Do you really think you accomplished nothing here? Is that what you truly believe? Because if that's the case, apologize to Ms. Reimu and Ms. Marisa now!"

"Huh?"

"They are your friends! If they believed you were deadweight, they would have deterred you from entering long ago! Do you not believe in their ability to judge people!"

Hearing Sakuya say those words, Rin couldn't help but start laughing. What a fool she has been.

"Right, what a big fool I have been."

"A big fool indeed."

"Thank you, Sakuya."

As the clouds parted, a ray of light shone through the broken roof of the mansion, illuminating the pair.

As the light illuminated the back of Rin's head, Sakuya could see her smile clearly.

That damn smile...

"Well, I told you plenty about myself just now. To make things fair, how about you tell me about yourself? Mainly, the story of how the SDM came to be~."

...

Lying in the destroyed rubble of the mansion, Reimu was reflecting.

That last Spellcard, [Spear the Gungnir], she had no choice but to admit it, but it was an impressive card.

To think that it pierced through her [Yin-Yang Treasured Orb].

Still, now wasn't the time to be slacking off. Remilia could restart her attacks at any time.

Standing up, she felt how all her tendons revolted, screaming from being forced to stand up.

"What a bother..."

If she was honest with herself, she was sick and tired from this entire incident. Having to investigate, having to fight, it was all such a bother.

"Yet, I can't help but appreciate some good Danmaku."

After that thought flashed through her mind, Reimu couldn't help but sigh as a small smile spread on the temperamental girl's face.

"Just business as usual then."

Pulling out a talisman from her Sarashi, it went up in flames as it dissolved.

"Sigh..."

To think she would completely destroy her defense talisman in one attack. If it didn't take the damage in her stead, Reimu wondered how long she would be out of commission if that attack hit her directly.

Then again, she still had that health potion from Rin.

Speaking about it, she might as well take it now, now that she's injured.

Still, why did Remilia take so long to start her next attack? Reimu wondered as she sipped on the red potion, but as she stepped out of the dust cloud caused by the collapsed walls, she almost couldn't believe what she saw.

"What's with that face? If the winner makes that face, in what position does it leave the loser?"

Remilia was a sobbing mess, kneeling and crying.

She couldn't find joy in her victory against the Hakurei-Shrine-Maiden. Just when she encountered such a beautiful human again, she feared it slipped from her grasp again.

Why did humans have to be so frail? Why did fate always take away the things she loved-

That's when she heard the mildly annoyed she learned to love in her eyes.

Looking up, she saw the same red-white that clashed against her mere moments ago, looking at her with a smile.

"Rei... mu?"

"The one and only. It's time we end things. The sun is about to rise."

Indeed, from behind her mansion, behind where the Hakurei stood, a gentle purple spread in the distant horizon as the night would soon end.

Yet, despite the looming threat of the sun, Remilia paid it no mind, as she couldn't contain her emotions and wanted to leap into the shrine maiden arms to hug her.

But just for this night, she managed to hold them in.

"Yes. Let's end this."

Standing up, Remilia wiped the tears from her face as she was so glad Reimu was still alive.

As the two stood face to face, determination was flaring up on their faces, as they knew that for this attack, they had to give it their all.

After all, this would signal the end of the night, and anything less would have been a big sign of disrespect toward their foe.

As they locked eyes, all hesitations left as they lept with all their might toward each other.

Without hesitation, the two of them unleashed their trump card.

[LAST WORD]