I slowly opened my eyes, only to find myself tightly bound to a chair. My gaze fell upon a familiar figure before me, clad in a black Miko outfit.
"Reimu...?" I muttered, my voice tinged with confusion. As she noticed my presence, her expression hardened, and she shot me a glare. "Ha? Can you be quiet for a moment?" she snapped, sighing in exasperation. "What a troublesome situation..."
I blinked, taken aback by her brusque demeanor. Although she resembled the Reimu I knew, there was a hint of anger or frustration that seemed unfamiliar.
Suddenly, another figure descended from the air—a woman in a striking red and black-pink dress, adorned with elegant red ribbons on her sleeves. "Lady Remilia?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. She locked her gaze upon me, and without hesitation, swiftly flew towards me, her hand closing tightly around my neck.
"Don't address me by my name with your filthy mouth... human."
I gasped, feeling the pressure on my throat, struggling to catch my breath.
"Let him down, vampire," Reimu said firmly.
"Hahhh? Are you ordering me? You useless miko," Remilia retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Reimu's glare intensified. "Are you provoking me?" she shot back with her patience wearing thin.
"Kyahaha~ What if I am~" Remilia taunted as her laughter rang in the air.
Tensions between the two powerful beings escalated, their exchange veering dangerously close to a confrontation. However, before the situation could escalate further, a voice interjected.
"You two... stop that," Sakuya's voice cut through the tension
The attention of both Reimu and Remilia turned towards Sakuya, their expressions reflecting a mix of annoyance and resignation. Sakuya then shifted her gaze towards me, "Now that the human has opened his eyes... Shouldn't we ask him now and send him back to where he belongs?"
Remilia glared at Sakuya but ultimately relented, turning her attention towards me. With a sigh, she released her grip on my neck, allowing me to gasp for much-needed air.
"Speak up, human... Introduce yourself to us," Remilia demanded me with her glare unwavering. "But if you dare to lie..." She extended her finger, its sharp point dangerously close to my skin. "I won't hesitate to cut you down."
Reimu, however, interjected, her voice calm yet firm. "How about I handle the interrogation," she suggested.
Remilia scoffed. "Well, true... But again, he appeared right in my territory... Intruders must be punished, after all."
Reimu's expression hardened in response. "He's still a human, and as a shrine maiden, it is my duty to protect them... even though it's annoying as... f*ck."
I blinked in surprise, unable to contain my astonishment at Reimu's uncharacteristic choice of words. "Did she just swear!?" I thought to myself as my mouth hung open in disbelief.
Sakuya, who had remained mostly silent, finally spoke up. "Sharp tongue," she remarked, her voice neutral yet laced with amusement.
"Now then, speak up," Reimu urged me up.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke, "My name is Shun, a butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion."
Upon hearing my words, Remilia and Sakuya exchanged glances. "Butler, eh?" Remilia remarked as a hint of amusement. "Your mistress must've been intrigued to have another human servant like you."
Feeling a lump forming in my throat, I nodded in acknowledgment.
"Hehe, interesting..." her eyes shine glinting with curiosity.
Before the conversation could digress further, Reimu interjected with a serious expression. "Now then, answer my question, Shun. How did you manage to enter Patchouli's library?"
I swallowed nervously, "I was simply cleaning Lady Patchouli's library when I stumbled upon a book that piqued my curiosity, I allowed myself a moment of distraction to read it. However, just as I was about to return to my duties, I found myself here."
Reimu fell silent, her gaze fixated on the ground as she tapped her chin in deep thought. "Could it be an incident?" she murmured. "It's possible that Yukari transported you here... yet there's no proof."
"That gap hag?" Remilia chimed in, her voice filled with annoyance.
Reimu shot Remilia a disapproving glare before sighing. "I'll go to Patchouli's library and investigate."
Sakuya interjected, her voice calm yet firm. "Oh no... you can't do that for now."
"Hahhh? Why?" Reimu questioned, slightly frustrated.
"It's in a mess right now after the battle with Shun."
Reimu's eyes widened in surprise. "This human? Defeated you two?" she exclaimed, unable to hide her amusement. "Seriously? I thought Marisa and I were the only ones who could defeat you two." She smirked confidently.
Remilia's retort was sharp. "Shut up, useless miko," she snapped, her glare piercing.
"Hehe, you seem frustrated, I see~" Reimu chuckled before turning to walk away, leaving the rest of us behind.
Remilia and Sakuya turned their attention toward me, "Now then, human... I'll be setting you free, but do not run away and refrain from wandering too far," Remilia stated firmly.
Sakuya proceeded to remove the ropes that bound me, allowing me to stand up from the chair. I nodded in understanding
"Good," Remilia remarked, her gaze fixed upon my eyes. "Regarding your mistress... tell me more about her later. But for now, I'm feeling tired..." She turned to Sakuya. "Entertain him."
"Yes, Milady."
With that, Remilia gracefully took flight and departed from the room, leaving Sakuya and me alone.
In the quietness of the room, Sakuya's demeanor seemed to soften slightly, and her tone became more timid as she addressed me. "So, are you hungry?" she asked, her eyes meeting mine.
I nodded in response.
"Follow me," Sakuya instructed, her voice gentle. As she began to walk away.
I won't get used to this...