The Young Descendant of Tepes

When she came to herself again, Sakuya Izayoi immediately pulled out her pocket watch and checked the time.

Barely a minute has passed since she lost her fight.

At first, she couldn't believe that to be true.

Even ignoring her battle wounds, using her ability drained much of her stamina, so she would have needed a long time to recover from that alone.

And as far as she was aware, she didn't subconsciously stop time when she fell unconscious.

So, it was hard for her to believe that just about a minute passed since her fight ended.

Then, the mysterious female voice she heard before falling unconscious came to her mind.

She said something about healing if she remembered correctly.

Did that mysterious person help her out, but why would she? Sakuya doubted a third intruder would make it inside the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Then again, with how much Meiling got beat up, it didn't come as that much of a surprise.

That girl needed a massive scolding, followed by a bit of pampering.

Then Sakuya noticed the note inside her hand.

She didn't remember it being there before. Opening it up, she curiously inspected the message.

"Make sure to repay me, chu~. -Rin Satsuki"

Seeing the message, Sakuya reflexively crumpled it up again as she felt a shiver run down her spine.

She had the inexplicable feeling that the devil just forced a deal on her.

Sakuya felt a hint of irony in the situation since she served someone who called herself the devil.

Ultimately, she decided to shake the feeling off.

Whatever the stranger that helped her out had in store for the future, Sakuya decided to pay it no mind for now, as they gave her another opportunity to stop the Hakurei Shrine Maiden.

"I won't waste that opportunity."

She hoped the fairy maids on the way up would have bought enough time for her to arrive.

[Sakuya's World]

Deploying her reality marble, she froze time once again.

As long as Reimu didn't stand face-to-face with Lady Remilia, time stood in her favor.

...

The Scarlet Devil Mansion.

A large and imposing European-style manor built of crimson red bricks, its owner is the vampire Remilia Scarlet.

How and when it appeared at the misty lake is another mystery. 

I thought that Sakuya constructed the whole thing during frozen time, but looking at the imposing building, it came to mind that building something of this size by oneself would be enough to make anyone insane.

Then again, what was it that she called her world?

"A reality marble, was it?"

Reality marble. It wasn't a term Rin was familiar with. At least, it wasn't a term used in the Touhou Project.

Then again, it wasn't a term she was completely unfamiliar with. It was a term used in a completely unrelated series. Its only relation to Touhou was that the fans were on a similar level of insanity in recording everything about their favorite series as best as they could.

Reality marble is a term coined and used in the famous visual novel Fate/Stay Night.

However, I guess the anime was more famous when I died in my first life.

"Reality marble..."

Did this mean the outside world of this Gensokyo was in the Type/Moon verse?

A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about it. There were hints that that could have been a possibility.

After all, Akyuu's retelling of Gensokyo's history differed from what I was familiar with in Touhou.

Touhou Project and Type-Moon.

Those two franchises with a similar amount of history yet differ in their fundamental structure.

One was a series that kept its mysteries in a veil of mystery, giving explanations here and there that might or might not be the truth.

The other series explains everything in meticulous detail, answering every question from its history to its science inner workings to its universe.

I wished to get transported into Touhou, so why did I find myself in a world possessed by the rules of a Fate-type world?

Not to mention that I wasn't all that familiar with the second franchise! Honestly, most of my knowledge is second-hand information! The only thing I directly knew about was Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works!

Still, even if that was the case, I couldn't help but shake from excitement.

A world I am barely familiar with. The prospect of that filled me with an unending amount of excitement.

It wasn't as if I was bored or regretted my choice. I loved meeting Reimu and everyone with all my heart, but the fear spread inside me that things would get dull since I knew so much about everything and everyone.

But if that was the case, it's all the more reason to stay on my toes and be careful.

"Geez. What a bother. So, a reality marble. A projection of one's inner mind into the real world, only made possible if your common sense is vastly different from the common sense of others."

Spelling it out, it made sense. Unless your common sense is vastly alien from that of an ordinary human, spending vast amounts of time isolated would be impossible.

Staring at the crimson bricks, Rin wondered if Sakuya's mind was that vastly different from a human's.

Then again, she wasn't someone you could call normal, either.

"Fufu, as expected of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I've walked for a while now, but there is no end. Now, where is it that the mistress of the house stores her blood?"

Pondering about someone she adore, Rin got into a good mood as she started to hum a melody.

"Shiruku no yami ni madoromi tokedashita kagaribi izayoi no tsuki inori mo jihi mo awaremi mo koyoi wa kanawanai~♫♪♩" 

(Dozing in a silken night, the moon of the 16th night melted into a bonfire. Prayers, mercy, compassion - they won't be granted tonight.)(+)

An ominous melody filled the halls of the Scarlet Devil Mansion as a girl happily skipped her steps while tracing along the crevices of the walls with her fingers.

...

"You again?"

At the peak of the mansion's clock tower, Sakuya Izayoi barely was in time to stand in Reimu's way one last time.

To think one minute was all it took for the shrine maiden to take out everyone she stationed to guard her mistress.

"I've got to at least make you waste a "bomb," before the mistress gets mad at me~."

Reimu sighed. Was it just her pride as the head maid of the mansion, or was it her loyalty towards her mistress?

However, it didn't matter to her. Either way, she would have to shoot the maid down.

"Can't you just be quiet and run some errands?"

Both of them looked at each other with a hint of understanding. Their duties, their responsibilities, their way of life, a Spellcard Duel conveyed one's emotions and intent to resolve a conflict through a non-lethal manner, even if one party used less than savory means.

"Finally ready to face me 1vs. 1?"

Sakuya chuckled.

"This is my final card. If you capture this one, I won't have a reason to stand in your way anymore."

Hearing that, Reimu gave Sakuya a smug smirk.

"Get on with it then."

A smile spread on the maid's face. This Spellcard was her last struggle. Facing Reimu in this Spellcard duel, Sakuya strangely felt at peace.

At that moment, Patchouli's words flashed through her mind once again.

Indeed, she should have decided to enjoy this much earlier. Doing something half-assed isn't something the perfect and elegant maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion should do.

"Conjuring!"

Her last reason for standing in Reimu's way wasn't anything fancy.

She even spelled it out loud.

Make Reimu Hakurei spend at least one "bomb."

[Eternal Meek]

...

"So, the final act has already started."

High above the skies of Gensokyo, Reimu Hakurei, and Remilia Scarlet stood face-to-face with each other.

As Patchouli said, this was the final act. Thinking back about everything, I solely felt out of place!

Why? Why do I feel out of place? Look at the people around here right now!

Take unconscious Sakuya down there as an example. What did her status tell me again? Right, it told me:

[Lvl. 50 Elegant Maid, Sakuya Izayoi]

That's one level higher than Meiling! Sakuya, purely as a human, is straight-up stronger than a Youkai!

And if it's about the people sitting with me inside the library right now?

[Lvl. 39 Ordinary Magician, Marisa Kirisame]

[Lvl. 78 Unmoving Great Library, Patchouli Knowledge]

Marisa wasn't that bad, but she leveled up 8-times since I last checked.

Not to mention Patchouli, who is just plainly at level 78. 

Admittedly, it's still lower than Cirno's when she was angry.

The same doesn't hold about the two parties facing each other high in the sky!

Did I mention the two parties high in the sky yet?

[Lvl. 107 Shrine Maiden of Paradise, Reimu Hakurei]

[Lvl. ??? Scarlet Devil, Remilia Scarlet]

They are both in the triple digits! And Reimu has a higher level than Cirno when she is enraged!

Not to mention, I can't even see Remilia's level! Is it because our level difference is grander than 100?

Then it's at least 120, but it could also be much higher.

Suffice it to say, but seeing all those high numbers made me feel like I was in the wrong neighborhood.

[Lvl. 19 Soul Idol, Rin Satsuki]

Just level 19. 

Yes, I did level up 4-times, but that's the least expected after that gruesome duel with Cirno! Honestly, I deserve a lot more!

Still, I finally made it to a level similar to Gensokyo's fairies, not that it was anything impressive.

Saying it out loud made it, in actuality, seem a lot less impressive. 

Still, I swallowed down my frustrations. 

After all, it wasn't every day that I could see a high-level danmaku battle between two people with triple-digit levels.

I sighed. I worked hard for this, so let's not think too much and enjoy the show.

"You two want some popped corn?"

"Oh~. The salted or the sugared kind, da ze~☆?"

"From where did you pull out the popcorn?"

...

The air was cold. On this cold midnight, with the scarlet moon looming high above everyone's heads, The Eternally Young Scarlet Moon and the Eternal Shrine Maiden stood face to face, staring intently into each other's eyes.

Tensions ran high, the pressure was tangible, and the bloodlust of Remilia Scarlet clashed with Reimu Hakurei's pure and untainted fighting spirit.

After a while of seizing each other up, Remilia was the first one to break the silence.

"My, my. You tormented my Sakuya quite a bit on your way here. That's quite rude of you, isn't it?"

"Hmpf. It's about time you showed yourself "Mistress." Don't worry about her. At the least, she's alive."

"Fufu~, I knew it. Humans are quite useless."

"I'll put it bluntly, Scarlet Devil. Stop this red mist sorcery at once."

At first glance, it appeared both talked past each other, and they indeed did.

But everyone at the scene, watching them with bated breath, realized long that the words the two exchanged weren't of any significance.

Just meaningless and thoughtless chatter, exchanged as if the two were friends meeting each other again after a long time.

It was a struggle of intent to see who had the upper hand, and at this point, both parties seemed evenly matched.

After having seized each other up, it was once again Remilia who broke the equilibrium, as she was the first to give a direct reply to the other.

"And what if I don't?"

Her words were ominous, a veiled threat, put lightly, but a clear open threat given the intent she said those words with.

"Sigh. Do you really have to ask?"

Remilia laughed at Reimu's attitude. Such a cool and tepid response, not at all what she was hoping for. Not at all intimidated by her presence or her blood lust.

She was only staring her down with an expression of mild annoyance.

Was she getting underestimated, or did the girl possibly not know who she was facing?

"No. You see, it's that I am kind of weak to sunlight. A lady's skin is delicate, you know?"

Hearing Remilia Scarlet's words, a mild suspicion of why the vampire caused this incident spread in Reimu's mind.

If that theory proved correct, Reimu could only smirk wryly upon that thought.

"Vampiric pallor, huh?"

"Yes! So, by spreading this mist, I can happily have fun outside even during the day, allowing me to do things I always wanted to do, like..."

Remilia fell into silence as if she were at a loss for words.

"Things like?"

Suddenly, Remilia Scarlet clutched her stomach and covered her mouth, bending down as if she was about to throw up.

Everyone took a step back upon that sight, wondering if it would be better to brace up or not in case something did happen.

Still, as it turns out, Remilia just tried to suppress her laughter at that moment because, in her words, it would have made her look unladylike.

Suffice it to say that she couldn't hold it in the end.

"Hohohoho-hoh! I completely forgot that I am mostly asleep during the day. There isn't much point in covering the sky!"

For the first time that night, Reimu's (usual) neutral expression broke into a scowl, seeing the girl's caprice behavior before her.

"Then stop this sorcery right now."

The pressure in the area rose tremendously again as Reimu's fighting spirit spiked after Remilia's words.

Everyone held their breath, not wanting to create any noise to pull attention towards themselves.

After wiping the tears out of the corner of her eyes, Remilia answered Reimu.

"Don't want to. I have put too much work into this to stop now~."

"I see."

Once again, silence returned to the scene.

The talking was over. Now was the time to let the weapons speak.

"The moon is so red... Tonight, I will end your life for real."

"The moon is so red, but..."

One sighed in exasperation while the other laughed in excitement.

"Looks like it's going to be a fun..."

"Looks like it's going to be a long..."

"...NIGHT!"

Those words were the signal that heralded the end of this long, long night.

With terrifying momentum, the two opponents collided, lighting the night up.

In an instant, azure and scarlet bullets filled the sky, reminiscent of the fireworks I saw during my first life.

So, this is how a grand scale Spellcard duel looked from an outsider's perspective?

It was a truly breathtaking spectacle. It wasn't as if I wasn't already familiar with Reimu's or Remilia's Spellcards. After all, I played all the Touhou games to hell and back, but seeing them in only two dimensions on the screen wasn't comparable to seeing the real deal in three.

I couldn't take my eyes off the spectacle playing before me, both Remilia spreading her danmaku around and Reimu elegantly and gracefully dodging each bullet while her yin-yang orbs left behind a trail of light while circling Reimu were just so beautiful.

Before I realized it, I had stopped breathing as all my senses focused on every second of the duel before me and just that duel.

With the blinding light and their fast speed, tracking their movement was difficult.

I could barely follow their afterimages by blocking my sense of taste and most of my touch and smell and instead focusing it all on my sight and hearing.

"As expected from you, Reimu~."

"Remi, it's time to stop playing around and get serious."

A problem only I seemed to have, as both the gleeful magician and the magician biting her nail seemed to be able to follow their movement just fine.

The bullets didn't seem to want to stop until I saw a trail of golden lights flash, followed by a small explosion.

After a while, I could see two distinct lights separate from each other for the first time in this duel.

It seemed the first clash ended up in a draw.

Seeing that Reimu was safe, I unconsciously breathed out in relief. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't at least slightly worried after seeing a level gap between them. But as I thought, those worries were unwarranted.

But that relief only lasted a short while as I could feel the mana in the atmosphere suddenly spike sharply.

"God's Punishment!"

Seeing the result, I could only laugh wryly.

At this point, in my mind, the idea that Spellcards were indeed non-lethal seemed almost unbelievable to believe in.

[Young Demon Lord]

Among us spectators, Patchouli Knowledge was the first to react to the grand spell of destruction about to be unleashed.

Whether she did it consciously or not, Patchouli surprisingly stood before us in protection, activating a defensive spell. 

However, in hindsight, the truth would be closer to Marisa and me moving behind her for protection, and Patchouli didn't have the energy to do anything against that.

Still, even protected, I could not tell what happened next.

Turns out that me focusing 40% of my senses on my hearing was a rather big mistake.

As for the remaining 60% on sight, since it's less than the usual 80% of humans, it wasn't as bad.

Why am I mentioning this? Cause I received the equivalent of a flashbang right into my face!

I was blinded and deafened as a result of Remilia's spellcard!

Still, what I knew was the aftermath of destruction that her Spellcard left behind in its wake.

As my eyes slowly recovered from the overstimulation of light, I could gradually see in front of me again.

First, there was Patchouli's back.

Second, there was the barrier she cast before us.

Third was the devastation surrounding me.

"Whoo~, that was some dense danmaku. It's great we can observe them closely with these front-row seats~."

"Gasp, gasp... Silence in those cheap seats behind me! Cough!"

As I already mentioned, seeing the library wall completely disappear made me greatly doubt the non-lethality of Spellcards.

But whether I believed it or not, I could only swallow back my saliva as all I could do was watch the fight as the other two did like me.

All three of us waited in anticipation for the dust clouds to clear, but some for other reasons than the others.

It was clear that Patchouli rooted for her friend, hoping that the destructive danmaku overwhelmed Reimu and ended the fight right here and now.

But, disappointing for her, Reimu emerged uninjured from the settling dust clouds, unbothered by Remilia's spellcard.

"Is this a joke, Remilia Scarlet?"

Cold sweat formed on my forehead as I once again felt ridiculous for worrying in the first place.

It was just a joke, nothing to take seriously. If Reimu saw that Spellcard that way, who was I to worry about her?

"That was flashy, but ultimately just rudimentary danmaku. As long as you don't panic about getting your movement restricted, it's no big deal. But get scared and try to flee, and you'll get hit. Did you seriously try to test me?"

It was a first for me seeing Reimu seriously get pissed like this.

Sure, I have seen Reimu angry. Truthfully, Reimu had quite a short temper, a person quick to anger, so to say, but as easy as it was to irk her, she was as quick to calm down.

She wasn't the person to hold grudges. She wasn't the person who held onto her emotions, discarding them immediately if someone even just changed the topic.

So, I couldn't help but feel that something was afoot when I saw Reimu hold her anger in the middle of a Spellcard duel.

I started to tremble, but whether it was out of fear or excitement, I couldn't tell, just like how nobody beside me could tell how Reimu felt right now.

Was it the excitement of seeing someone unaware of poking a hornet's nest, or was it the fear of seeing someone provoke hornets?

But whether I trembled or not was of little importance.

The fact is, I was the only one who could see the color of anger tint Reimu's pure white soul ever so slightly.

So, Remilia Scarlet will keep screwing around and find out the consequences of her actions.

"Test you? But, of course. It has been such a long time since I last enjoyed myself. It's necessary to test whether the toy I play with won't break if I get a little wild~."

At this point, I could only chuckle as I slowly got dizzier as time passed.

Was the pain getting to me? Why did I feel dizzy? Why was the ground moving? Why was my sight getting blurry?

All those thoughts flashed through my head as if each one was a neuron in my brain, firing at rapid speeds.

But the thing that my eyes focused on all the while was the status bar above Remilia.

Was it just me, or were the question marks after her level getting blurrier?

"But, it seems you'll be some good fun for me tonight, Hakurei Miko~."

As my perception slowly stabilized, so did the mysterious number above Remilia.

Well, it was a lot less mysterious now after I saw it.

[Lvl. 87(?) World of Crimson, Remilia Scarlet]

Level 87? That was much lower than I thought, but what was that new title? World of Crimson? Not to mention, but what was that question mark?

But ultimately, none of those questions mattered, as I knew one thing with guarantee now.

"Sigh. You Youkai are all the same. All of you are so full of yourself that you can't even properly measure your opponent's strength. Isn't that so, vampire?"

The atmosphere once again turned 180. Despite being the one who created the light show strong enough to destroy one of the wings of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, everyone paid attention to the Hakurei-Miko instead.

I knew one thing about this situation.

"What...?"

As Remilia Scarlet was right now, she didn't stand a chance against Reimu.

...

Remilia Scarlet.

Prideful, confident, imposing, arrogant, dignified, powerful, and charismatic.

Those words are just a small selection in the vast array of words that were fit to describe Remilia Scarlet's character.

Yet, if I had to describe myself in no more than one word, I, Remilia Scarlet, would choose "indifference" as the best fitting adjective to represent me.

Since birth, throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one.

Those were the first words Remilia Scarlet uttered after leaving her mother's womb, marking the beginning of her end.

That was her destiny.

That was her fate.

That was the path the world had chosen for her the moment she was born.

That was her ability the world had bestowed upon her upon coming to be.

The ability to manipulate fate.

*click*

Her first memory was that of the icy tundra in Siberia.

The cold wind grazing her skin, the hot blood clinging to her clothes, the miserable pile of bodies beneath her feet.

She was just a newborn, not even one year of age, yet despite that, as if humanity itself tried to make a stand on the day of her birth, an army of armed humans reached the place where she was born, ready to take action against her, as if Alaya responded to Gaia's will.

There wasn't an ounce of mercy in the eyes of the enraged mob of humans. How could they have had any?

After all, she was a vampire. She was a monster disparate from humans. It didn't matter if her appearance was that of a child or if she was still innocent because she had just been born. Her very existence was at odds with humanity.

Upon her birth, the first thing Remilia Scarlet had to learn was to kill.

"Weak."

That was the impression she got after squashing that group of insects.

Sitting on her throne of skulls, metal, and flesh, Remilia Scarlet learned her second thing.

That was that humans were food. Especially their blood was rather delightful. 

Yet, it was a pity that she was only a light eater. As much as she didn't want to waste any food, after just one sip, her stomach already felt full.

*clack*

That was Remilia Scarlet's first memory.

This memory was Remilia Scarlet's first door in the endless hallway before her.

The ability to manipulate fate.

It is a powerful ability, an ability truly invincible if it existed.

It was the ability that the world gifted her upon her coming to be.

And precisely because it's such an all-powerful ability was the knowledge it gave more of a curse than a blessing.

From start to finish, fate is like a story without the slightest bit of disorder, already set in stone.

From start to finish, I could neither "manipulate" nor alter the "contents" of fate.

To put it simply, once I open a door with my keys, once I am inside, I am merely a spectator without the ability to interfere with the story.

Still, it wasn't all that bad.

It didn't matter where, how many times, how long, or when. I could continue to watch parts of my own fate forever.

*click*

That is my power to manipulate fate.

"Happy birthday, big sister Remilia!"

The second door I opened in this endless hallway was a memory from about 100 years after my birth.

"Yes... My birthday..."

For Remilia Scarlet, who controlled fate, this was, without exaggeration, a bad joke.

"Huh?! Whose birthday?! Mine's not today!"

After all, her date of birth was everything but a good memory. Let alone a day she wanted to celebrate.

Yet, the moment she questioned whether it was her birthday was an annoyed look from the little blond girl who wished Remilia a happy birthday.

"Nobody here does. We are just dirty children with nobody to rely on, after all. But the years still pass, and we'll grow older each year, whether we know our actual date of birth or not. So, don't rain on our parade just because you don't want to celebrate your birth, big sis."

With that, Frandle turned around and stopped paying attention to her whatsoever.

That's right, all her memories slowly started to sort themselves in her mind again.

After wandering around for a couple dozen years, a kind older gentleman took her, whose body and appearance were that of a young child, to his orphanage.

Something unusual since kindness was a rare good during war-torn times. Still, Remilia had no reason to refuse. 

It would be her next convenient hiding place on the arduous and endless pursuit of Remilia Scarlet.

Only a simple stop. That's all it was supposed to be. That's what Remilia at that time believed it to be.

But her fate determined it to be otherwise.

She got attached to everyone.

Especially to the girl who gave her an attitude during her "birthday."

"Happy birthday, big sister Remi!"

She could only sigh at the attitude of her little sister. Remilia wondered, if Frandle knew her identity, would she still love her as much as she did now?

"Are you all still doing the whole thing of celebrating everyone's birthday on the founding day of this orphanage?"

Once again, an annoyed face spread on Frandle's face, but unlike the first time, her expression hid fondness behind that annoyed look.

"Hmpf, if you don't want to celebrate with us, just say that you don't want to celebrate with us. Don't ruin everyone's mood, Remilia."

Remilia laughed.

Her heart felt light, and her head felt clear. Fond memories had that effect. After all, memories can give people the strength to face the future.

"Who said I didn't want to celebrate? Now, hand me a slice of the cake, Fran!"

Sadly, as fate determined, happy days couldn't last forever. Especially for Remilia Scarlet, fond memories were shackles that weighed her down.

She hardly wanted to continue to the next scene. After all, knowing that your next critical memory was a tragedy after a slice of life, who would willingly keep moving forward?

Clinging to the cold, motionless, limp, dead body of her little sister, the Scarlet vampire cried tears of pain.

"Why?"

Why did fate have to be so cruel to her?

Why was she born with this ability?

What was the point of living if everything was predetermined?

What was the point of continuing if she already knew her own fate?

*clack*

"It never gets easier. No matter how many times I reexperience it."

But to Remilia Scarlet, those were just questions stored in the back of her mind.

After all, it's just a snapshot of fate, a snapshot of Remilia Scarlet's fate. If she wanted to, she could play this memory for the rest of eternity, just like a movie.

In that sense, could a painful parting be called painful if it isn't the end?

If she felt listless, she could revisit her favorite scenes.

Again...

*Click*

Whether it was her fateful meeting with a certain Chinese girl.

"Please, do not worry, Ojou-sama. From now on, I'll keep protecting you as your gatekeeper!"

*Clack*

And again...

*Click*

Or maybe a destined meeting with a lethargic witch under the moonlight?

"Bye then, my little devil~."

*Clack*

And again.

*Click*

Why not watch the inevitable confrontation with a certain shrine maiden again?

"The moon is, indeed, beautiful tonight."

*Clack*

And again~.

*Click*

Or should we go with something more spicy, like my death anniversary?

"..."

*Clack*

It's ironic to think that the day I was born would also be the day I would die.

In any case, that's Remilia Scarlet's ability to control fate.

Knowing that, are you brave enough to...

Continue?

...

*Click*

I don't know how often I repeated this point myself, but seeing the scenery before me, I couldn't help but exclaim once again.

"So beautiful."

That Danmaku is indeed beautiful.

Hearing me be bold and express my thoughts loudly, a certain ordinary witch standing to my right started cackling.

"Duh. Just realized? Of course, Danmaku is beautiful. It could hardly be called a Spellcard Battle if it wasn't, ze~☆. Especially hers..."

I think Marisa didn't realize I could understand the words she muttered under her breath about Reimu.

But, graceful idol I am, I understood when I would overstep my bounds only to get a little chuckle out of it.

I am a fool, but I am not that kind of fool.

Still, looking to my left, the witch who had just lost an entire wall of her library didn't seem to mind her conundrum much and seemed to admire the beautiful lights above us.

"Stunning..."

Indeed, Danmaku is beautiful.

That much was the truth, but for those who find themselves on the other side of a curtain of bullets, Danmaku was hardly beautiful.

First of all, they hurt. 

Not a little bit, mind you, but a lot. At the very least, it's strong enough to burn and tear your clothes off, and most of the time, the bruises it leaves behind are hardly flattering.

Not to mention that there is hardly an upper limit on how much damage a Spellcard could theoretically inflict upon you.

Considering that one is just a speeding train, I wondered how Danmaku wasn't lethal.

But, ignoring the pain aspect of Danmaku, there is another reason why I thought facing another person in a Spellcard Battle couldn't feel beautiful.

And that was the fact that you bared yourself to your opponent.

Your feelings, thoughts, hopes, dreams, and aspirations are all laid bare in a Spellcard Battle.

No matter how ugly, violent, or uncontrollable your emotions seem, to think that they could create something beautiful like this.

Still, it's hardly beautiful for the person who has to bear what you laid out, don't you agree?

"Ugh, Destiny!"

Especially now when Gensokyo's fate was on the line.

[Miserable Fate]!

Activating her Spellcard, scarlet chains emerged that tried to snare Reimu.

I sighed.

That's something that would hardly work on someone like Reimu.

"Spirit Sign."

Just before the chains hit Reimu, they shattered before they could do anything.

[Fantasy Seal -Concentrate-]

Reimu's Danmaku broke through Remilia's chains, flying directly at the vampire, who only smirked as she saw the attack coming at her from a mile away.

"Who's testing who? Coming at me with this slow Danmaku that even Patche could dodge."

"HEY!"

Both Marisa and I smirked at Patchouli. It seems the joke her friend made at her expense upset the magician.

Not that I was going to do something against it.

Still, Remilia was letting her guard down too much. It seemed that she planned to counterattack after dodging Reimu's slow Danmaku.

Of course, that would have been the right course of action, weren't it for the fact that Fantasy Seal...

"What?!"

...is a homing attack.

Her open back was an easy target, to say the least.

"Tch- Don't think you'll hit me with a cheap trick like this! Scarlet Sign!"

Oh boy, this is going to be another big one.

"Patchouli!"

"Working on it. Hey, don't command me! Also, stop hiding behind me!"

Not that she could stop us.

Hiding behind Patchouli, if my prediction proves correct, the next Spellcard will be a giant scarlet cross solely made out of magical energy.

If that's the case, I should cover my eyes if I don't want to receive a flashback directly to my face again-

[Red the Nightless Castle]

I couldn't see or hear it, but with how sensitive my sense of touch and smell was, I could feel how intense this Spellcard was.

The ground shook as if I stood in the middle of an earthquake, and I could pick up a faint burnt smell with my nose.

At this moment, I could once again only swallow back my worry as I prayed that Patchouli's barrier would hold up.

Even if Danmaku wasn't lethal, I wished I would never have to face one of Remilia's Spellcards.

The shockwaves of Remilia's attack even reached the far side of Gensokyo, shaking the Hakurei Shrine.

Feeling the vibrations, a particular chronicler woke up from her recovery nap.

"Ugh, where am I?"

"We are currently at the Hakurei-Shrine. As for the reason why we brought you here after you collapsed, Rin and I thought that your body wouldn't be able to endure the stress of the Scarlet Mist."

"Gah-"

Not expecting an answer, Akyuu flinched when she received a reply, only to calm down when she saw the familiar face of the teacher in front of her.

"Is that the case? Where's Rin, then? Let me guess, gathering supplies in the Forest of Magic, right Keine-sensei?"

Keine shook her head.

Akyuu immediately perked up when she saw her guess was wrong.

"Where is Rin, Keine!"

Keine just shook her head before pointing outside to the giant red cross in the sky.

"What?! Don't tell me-"

This time, Keine nodded.

Having found her answer, Akyuu clenched her bedsheets.

She really wanted to rush out and scold Rin right now. But she knew, Akyuu knew that she didn't have a body that could do something like that.

All she could do was lie down again and swallow her feelings until Rin came home.

Keine sighed, seeing the little girl obviously trying to contain herself.

She knew that once Rin came back, she was in for hell.

"Good luck."

She muttered under her breath, kindly asking Rin to accept the consequences of her actions.

Meanwhile, the epicenter of what woke Akyuu up slowly started to calm down again.

"How's that, Hakurei Maiden!"

And a certain vampire was quite smug after blocking an attack with what I would call an overkill block.

Still, Remilia took quite a while, and leaving your opponent out of your sight during a battle is something only a fool like me would do to get a kick out of a situation.

In other words, Reimu was behind Remilia.

"Dream Sign."

That was going to hurt.

[Evil-Sealing Circle]

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

*Clack*

...

Fate, destiny, if all of it was just a predestined woven thread, what's the point of seeing a story through?

Whether it's the story of a true ancestor and her sister, the story of a vampire and a witch, the story of a servant and her master, or even the story of two intertwining strings of fate merging...

All she was ever going to be was already cleanly laid out for her, a book she had read countless times, a story she knew from the beginning to end like the back of her hand.

Even the Hakurei carpet bombing her back was an experience ingrained in each millimeter of her body.

There was nothing to discover anymore, nothing to experience.

She has already read between the lines, but all that changes is her interpretation of her story.

The content always stayed the same, no matter what.

"Now that I think about it, the day I fought Hakurei Reimu was also on my birthday."

Wait, didn't I spread the Scarlet Mist in the first place because it was my birthday?

No, that can't be. Is fate just toying with me?

Why is every important event in my life tied to my birthday in one way or another-

*Click*

"Happy birthday, Ojou-sama!"

"... Right..."

Another memory. Once again, it was a memory of my birthday.

But this memory was different because I am sure that day wasn't my birthday!

"Huh?"

So, why is everyone holding a big celebration? Without my permission, no less?!

"Ah-! You don't understand English, right Lady Remilia? Let me start anew. Ahem. La multi ani, doamna Remilia."

Just because you start talking in Romanian doesn't mean that you'll change the fact that today is not my birthday, Sakuya!

"No... That's not the problem, Sakuya! I admit it's a nice gesture of you to wish me a happy birthday in Romanian, but whose birthday is it? It's certainly not mine."

"Well, I just felt like it was... Plus, you've lived for around 500 years. Maybe you've just forgotten about it?"

Hearing those kinds of conjectures leave my Sakuya's mouth, shock was the bare minimum I felt right now, followed by dumbfoundness and awestruckness.

"'Felt like'? 'Forgor'? What kind of attitude is that towards your master?!"

But I couldn't say I hated memories like this. Out of every memory, these whimsical moments reminded me how even things you already know about beforehand can surprise you.

"Eh? What? Today wasn't your birthday? I am sorry, but we have already started eating your cake..."

Sigh, you too, Meiling?

"Who in their right mind starts eating the cake before the guest of honor even arrives?!"

"Now, now, Lady Remilia. No reason to worry. We've prepared several things for you today, Lady Remilia. Look, there are your presents~."

Giving an elegant bow, Sakuya pointed towards the giant pile of presents, obviously meant for me.

Before the pile stood Meiling, having a proud expression on her face.

"Don't worry, Lady Remilia. As the party's organizer, I thoroughly prepared so this celebration will be a great success. First on the list, here's a dish from my fatherland, China! They say that your lifespan increases in proportion to the length of the noodles, so I made sure to make them extra long for you, Lady Remilia!"

"You made longevity food meant for humans for a long-living species like me, Meiling?"

While the gesture was certainly appreciated, it felt a bit silly, considering that it would at least take another eon before death would come for her.

"The effects are a hoax. It doesn't actually grant any longevity."

Said the at least two-millennium-old curse goddess, who was probably a lot older than that.

"It's not just length. Health is also a vital factor. You have to get enough sun."

The bunny that was quite possibly the White Hare of Inaba mentioned in the Kojiki snidely remarked from the site.

"Balanced diets make healthy bodies. It's a bit off, but it's a good mindset."

Advised the absolute immortal big brain of the moon.

To say the least, hearing all of their advice felt quite ironic, especially since it felt like they were going to outlive me no matter what.

"So, do all of you just have plans to live eternally? You certainly don't feel like you would have to worry about your lifespan. Also, are you trying to kill me, rabbit? Sheesh, I don't need all of you to worry about how long I am going to live. I won't go down anytime soon."

It felt silly talking about topics like lifespan, longevity, and healthcare since I knew the exact day when I would die.

And I knew there was nothing I could change about it.

Still, just because I knew everything was predestined doesn't mean I should let my noodles get soggy.

Twirling the long strands of flour on my fork, I took my first bite out of my "birthday" meal.

It was surprisingly spicy.

"Ramen loaded with garlic truly is the best, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it has that flavor that grows on you, doesn't it?"

Garlic?! 

Hearing that dreadful word, I immediately fell into a panic as I spat everything I just put into my mouth back out again.

Are you trying to kill me, Meiling?!

"Meiling-!"

But before I really managed to cough everything out, Sakuya already called out to Meiling to scold her.

"Think about what you are serving to the lady!"

As expected of my Sakuya. I don't even need to lift a finger, and she'll be there to serve as my right hand-

"This so-called 'Ramen' is more garlic than Chinese, at this point. Give it a more distinct flavor from your home country!"

"Is everyone working under me an accursed airhead?!"

Still, no matter how turbulent things got on this "birthday" of mine, I had to admit that it was rather enjoyable.

Memories like this are what I enjoyed most watching.

Not my tragedies, not the action-pumped fights, but ordinary days where everyone gathers around to have fun.

Still, time moved on, guests left, and again, I was left alone with my memories...

"Mistress, are you alright? You look a bit paler than usual. Did the garlic really take that much of a toll on you?"

It was nothing unusual.

At least, it shouldn't have been.

Still, I couldn't help but take note of it.

But Sakuya approached me and casually started a conversation with me.

Without much thought, I replied.

"No, it's not that. It's just that my birthday is on the same day as my death. So, I can't really say I am fond of it."

A slight pause.

"Oh my. So, your birthday is also your death anniversary, Lady Remilia?"

"Yeah, so I would appreciate it if you quit throwing these parties. It's quite distasteful, you know?"

"My lady, aren't moments like this important to remind you of the present? Sometimes, it feels like you'll disappear on me if I stop paying attention to you, Lady Remilia."

"Hmpf-. That's a good joke, Sakuya. With your time powers, it would be impossible to escape your grasp, Sakuya."

"I doubt my powers over time will be enough to track you down, Lady Remilia."

"What do you mean? You talk as if the flow of time doesn't matter to me..."

"Haha~, Lady Remilia, but isn't that so?"

It should have been just an ordinary conversation between a lady and her maid, but that wasn't the case.

It was the first time in my life that I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. It was not the me within my memories but the me that was nothing more than a passive onlooker to her own fate.

*Clack*

"Gasp- Gasp-"

Strange, that shouldn't have happened.

It's strange. This feeling I have, it's a "first."

That's why it's so strange.

My ability is not bound to the flow of time.

Whether something happened "when" or if something happened "first," the concept of "this time" shouldn't exist for me, and yet, it's strange. 

It's always been strange.

I should know all the fates that are connected with mine. I see them, I experience them, I live through them, and yet-

I don't want to face it. I don't want to face another farewell to Saku-

*Cli-*

"Happy birthday, Lady Remilia. This time, for real."

There it was again, the familiar voice she always woke up to. The familiar voice of Sakuya Izayoi.

But...

*Clack*

"You know, I am flattered that you wanted to see me first, but going for a memory of me when the real deal is right by your side?"

Yet, somehow, she appeared at a place that should have been impossible for her to appear in.

"Sakuya, how are-"

For Remilia Scarlet, who has lived in her world cut off from the flow of time, having a visitor enter her hallway was very unusual.

It should have been impossible.

But there she was, standing perfectly still as if she awaited her master's order to do anything.

"No... that's not what I should be asking. Isn't that right, Sakuya?"

In truth, deep in her heart, Remilia knew this day would come.

"Is this farewell, Sakuya?"

Upon that question, Sakuya shook her head, kneeling down to talk to her mistress at eye level.

"You know, Lady Remilia, I am sure you had that realization a long time ago already..."

The maid gently grasped the vampire's hands, her eyes carrying a thoughtful expression.

"But we both are very similar in some ways. Especially with our abilities."

Remilia reciprocated. Sakuya's hands were warm, a gentle, comforting warmth.

"What we should have the most of, we lack. Me, who should have all the time in the world, is cut off from the flow of time, stuck in an endless grey world."

It was the body warmth she was so familiar with.

"You, who has all of your fate clearly laid out before you but is nothing more than a distant observer, stuck in an endless hallway of memories..."

In her presence, Remilia felt she could do anything. 

But, just like always, fate would never allow Remilia Scarlet to have a happy moment, even now.

Even when they embraced each other, the world slowly broke down.

"How ironic. To think that I would ever run out of time. Lady Remilia, let me make it brief."

Before she realized it, Sakuya had already taken away the keys in her hands, which she used to open the door with.

"It's time for me to pay the life dept I owe you back, Lady Remilia. I, who have a scattered fate, shall take the 'fate' you grasp ever so tightly in your hand, and in return..."

As she looked down, she was already holding a silver pocket watch.

"You, with holds a dispersed time, shall have the 'time' I carry with me."

With the exchange completed, Remilia felt the violent pull of "time" try to return her to the timeline.

It was like nothing she ever felt before. It was impossible to resist.

But what is time, if not a miserable pile of occurrences?

"Wait, Sakuya. When will I ever see a remarkable human like you again if you leave my side? I don't care about time or fate if you aren't by my side? As long as you are by my side, I'll be happy, Sakuya!"

Those words made Sakuya happy, extraordinarily so. But, in the end, Sakuya still pushed Remilia away.

"I can assure you, Lady Remilia. For the next few centuries, you'll meet so many extraordinary humans that you'll get sick of them. So, don't worry and enjoy your time. Because you are living this life, in this time, please reign your fate with your own hands. While it is something anyone can do, only you can do it for your own fate."

With that, Remilia slipped away, the hallway before her slowly disappearing from sight.

Now that she thought about it, she never knew Sakuya's entire fate, did she?

In the same vein, she never did see Reimu's or Marisa's. Even Youmu's was outside of her sight. 

Let alone Rin's.

As Remilia slipped back into time, Sakuya watched her back with a woeful expression.

"It must have been fate that someone like me with powers of time got to serve you, Lady Remilia, someone with powers of fate. Not that it matters anymore."

Sakuya chuckled, holding the keys tightly to her chest.

"I hope when that time arrives, you let me spend it with you, Lady Remilia."

Happy birthday, Lady Remilia.

...

A moment, right before Reimu faced Remilia Scarlet.

"It's because I don't know the outcome that it's worth doing."

With those words, she lept down from the clock tower.

Facing Reimu with a high and mighty attitude.

"Well then, shall I show everyone the full extent of my power to control fate?!"

...

Remilia Scarlet lost.

It was clear who the winner was when she was sprawled out on the ground, each limb facing another direction.

Yes, even the proud vampiress had to admit, she had lost this Spellcard Battle.

"I guess it's my win then. Or do you want a best of three?"

Reimu said matter of factly, the previous anger on her face completely gone.

Right now, Remilia was happy.

It's just like what a distant memory reminded her of. She'll meet so many extraordinary humans that she'll get sick of them.

And in front of her was a sublimely beautiful human. One who seemed unbreakable, unyielding, unbending.

Is that how all Hakurei-Maidens were? Is that what they had to be if they wanted to be one?

To think something so beautiful came all the way to my humble house to face someone as worthless as me.

That's how Remilia felt at that moment.

"Best of three? You'd face me again?"

"If that's what you wish."

A big smile spread on Remilia's face.

Tonight was indeed a beautiful moon.

Standing back up, Remilia put her right hand on her chest, where her heart would be.

She was in control of her fate, so she was the one to reign it.

"I shall swear!"

If I, Rin Satsuki had to describe this scene, I would choose the words...

"Upon my name and the name of my ancestors, I swear on my honor, should I be defeated again in this battle, I will become a sword that destroys your enemies and a shield that protects your allies. Your enemies will be my enemies, and your friends will be my friends, and this land that you protect, I too shall protect. Until my body turns to ashes and becomes part of the soil again. I swear that upon my name as Remilia Scarlet."

Licht has shone upon Remilia's Fate.

"That vow, I hereby accept. In the name of Hakurei and the great god Watatsumi, I, too, promise not to soil this duel and your vow, Remilia Scarlet. Unleash as much strength as you want, Scarlet Queen of the Night."

Remilia bowed.

"Thank you, Shrine Maiden of Paradise."

Both smiled gently at each other, ready to strike each other down.

"Scarlet Sign..."

[Scarlet Meister!]