Butler vs Maid

"Huh? Miss Meiling isn't here to greet us?" I inquired as we finally returned after an extended shopping trip, the late-night air settling around us.

"Hm..." Youmu's excitement bubbled over, prompting her to stride toward the gate. "I'll go inside first!" With that, she dashed away, disappearing into the mansion.

"Ah... Youmu couldn't even contain her excitement for the party, huh..." I chuckled, glancing around. Turning to my side, I began, "Let's go too, Saku—"

But she was gone from my side, and my attention shifted to a figure standing near the gates.

Sakuya stood before me, her gaze sharp as she glared daggers at me.

"Erm... Sakuya?"

"Shun... Before we go in... Can we have a match?"

Surprised, I widened my eyes and offered a smile. I walked away, carefully placing the groceries in a secure spot, and returned to my position, extracting the crimson crystal from my pocket, transforming it into a gleaming crimson blade.

"As you wish, Miss Sakuya!" I took a confident stance.

She smiled, observing me. "Looks like you're not holding back. I remember when you used to be concerned during fights around us, but now... It seems you're very familiar with how this world works."

I remained silent, my focus on her.

"Not in the mood to talk? Well then..." Sakuya takes out her old stopwatch and a set of daggers. "Let us begin."

The moon hung high in the night sky as Sakuya and I faced each other near the gate. 

Sakuya, with a confident smile, twirled her daggers, the moonlight glinting off the polished blades. "You've come a long way, Shun," she remarked, her eyes assessing my crimson blade. "Let's see how much you've learned."

With a swift motion, Sakuya lunged forward, her daggers flashing. I parried with the crimson blade, the clash echoing through the night. Our movements were fluid, a dance of blades beneath the silver glow of the moon.

As the exchange continued, Sakuya's speed and precision were unmatched. She closed the distance between us in the blink of an eye.

Time-stopping abilities are a pain in the ass!

I managed to step back before she closed in.

Sakuya's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Impressive, Shun. It seems you've embraced the rhythm of this world."

I grinned, appreciating the challenge she presented. "You're not holding back either, Sakuya."

"Then shall we spice things up?" Sakuya's eyes glinted mischievously.

 <Time Sign "Private Square"> 

Without a word, she spread her arms wide, and a peculiar energy enveloped the surroundings. Suddenly, everything shifted into a surreal slow-motion, a testament to her mastery of time manipulation.

Caught in the altered pace, I felt the world around me decelerate, yet a confident smile played on my lips. 

 Unbeknownst to her, my crimson stopwatch bestowed upon me the ability to navigate this slowed-down reality with ease.

As the ambient sounds stretched into elongated echoes, Sakuya, with a grace befitting her skills, extracted more knives from her concealed arsenal. 

Her movements were deliberate, a prelude to a mesmerizing display of dexterity.

<Illusion Sign "Killing Doll"> Her voice echoed softly as the knives scattered outward, each blade gleaming in the moonlight.

 Then, with a sudden rush, they converged towards me, a deadly ballet in motion.

Time may have slowed, but the intensity of our exchange heightened. Dodging and weaving through the oncoming barrage, I matched her intricate maneuvers with a grace of my own. 

 Each step and parry danced with a slowed tempo.

As the last knife whizzed past, the temporal distortion began to lift. The world gradually returned to its normal rhythm, and we stood facing each other, breathless but exhilarated.

Sakuya chuckled, a genuine amusement in her eyes. "You handle the slowed pace well, Shun. Impressive."

"It's my turn now!"

As Sakuya stood momentarily caught off guard, a mix of surprise and curiosity played across her features. The tables had turned, and now I held the reins of time.

<Illusion Sign "Temporal Mirage"> I murmured, and in response, multiple illusions of myself materialized, a captivating display of synchronized movements. The mirages, charged toward Sakuya.

Her reaction was swift and precise. Each illusion fell under the deft strokes of her blades. Yet, as the illusions dissipated, one thing remained real.

In an unexpected move, I closed the distance while she was occupied with the illusions. Swiftly, I brought her down to the ground, my crimson sword positioned at her neck.

"My win," I declared a victorious grin on my face.

Sakuya's gaze met mine, and a smile played on her lips. "Yeah... I didn't see that coming."

"You were within my spellcard range," I explained, "It's a new creation inspired by Lady Flandre's Four of a Kind spellcard. Although similar, mine cannot produce bullets or spell cards."

Her surprise gave way to admiration, and she nodded in acknowledgment. "Impressive, Shun. I'll have to be more cautious next time."

With that, I helped Sakuya up, "Shall we go now?"

"Yeah."

The moment we stepped into the mansion, a chorus of voices erupted in unison, accompanied by the sudden burst of confetti and festive decorations. My eyes widened in surprise as the entire room seemed to come alive with a celebratory atmosphere.

"Happy One Year Anniversary, Shun!" echoed the enthusiastic voices, and I found myself at the center of attention.