Ch. 2: Scarlet Devil Tower
Index
- Standing Behind You Pt. 1
- Standing Behind You Pt. 2
- Standing Behind You Pt. 3
- The House of Dantalion Pt. 1
- The House of Dantalion Pt. 2
- The House of Dantalion Pt. 3
- Thus Spoke the Mooch Pt. 1
- Thus Spoke the Mooch Pt. 2
- Thus Spoke the Mooch Pt. 3
- Maid in Service Pt. 1
- Maid in Service Pt. 2
- Maid in Service Pt. 3
- Maid in Service Pt. 4
- Maid in Service Pt. 5
Standing Behind You Pt. 1
Good morning, Reimu!
What's that you're reading? A newspaper?
Reimu
Oh, good morning, PLAYER. There was an article in the morning issue of the Bunbunmaru that I had to read.
The Bun... What?
What a weird name for a newspaper.
Reimu
It's published by a crow tengu named Aya Shameimaru.
Reimu
I usually only use it for wrapping my baked sweet potatoes, but there's some quality content this time.
Reimu
Here, look. "Mysterious Red Seal Crystal Found at the Scarlet Devil Mansion!"
So that crystal we came across...
There really are more of them!
(It's just as Miss Yukari said...)
Reimu
No worries, PLAYER. I'll resolve all of the incidents, or my name isn't Reimu Hakurei!
Reimu
So, I'm heading over to the Scarlet Devil Mansion now to ask some questions. Could you look after the shrine for me?
Could I go with you?
I want to help...!
(I might be needed, if what Miss Yukari said is true.)
Reimu
All right, all right... It'll be faster with more people helping anyway.
Reimu
And I probably shouldn't leave you alone at the shrine. Even Aunn hasn't been around much lately.
Reimu
Let's get going then! But make sure you stay close to me. We don't know what might happen once we're there!
Sakuya
Milady, Reimu and PLAYER have come to see you.
Remilia
Thank you, Sakuya. Wait over there.
Sakuya
Certainly.
H-Hello!
S-Sorry for the intrusion...
Remilia
Oh, why are you so nervous? It's not your first time here, so make yourself at home.
Remilia
If you can, that is... There's a reason why humans don't usually come by.
Reimu
Yeah, yeah, whatever. We're already here, so you can cut that out.
Remilia
But I was just about to get to the scary part!
Reimu
We'll leave as soon as we finish our business here.
Remilia
I'm guessing that you've come all the way here because of the red Seal Crystal, ri―
Marisa
Howdy, Reimu! PLAYER! You two are so slow!
Hello, Marisa!
What are you doing here?
Marisa
Hehehe... I'm conducting my own investigation.
Reimu
I should've known you'd come. You always seem to know what's going on.
Marisa
I mean, the last time I tried to investigate a red Seal Crystal, it disappeared before I got a closer look at it.
Patchouli
You didn't need to come. I will solve everything myself and then write a book on the subject.
Marisa
Awesome. Lend me that book when you're done. I'll give it back eventually... at my funeral!
Patchouli
Not even in your dreams.
Patchouli
Anyway, I heard that you found a red crystal a while ago, so I was curious about how that went...
Patchouli
But then this girl just shows up uninvited and uses Master Spark on the crystal!
Marisa
My bad! I was just testing its durability! And I guess Aya's article on it brought Reimu here then.
Reimu
You did WHAT?! You know they explode! If you ever find a red Seal Crystal, you HAVE to tell me!
Marisa
No thanks. You'd just seal it again before I get a look at it!
Reimu
Of course I would! You can just investigate it after it's sealed!
Marisa
Ha! Finally, you show your true colors! You can't bear the thought of me getting ahead of you!
Marisa
You should leave this matter to us magicians.
Marisa
We'll solve the mystery and get to the bottom of this. What's the source of this power? Who made them?!
Marisa
Figuring this out is our task! We'll follow the path of wisdom! Climb the mountain of knowledge!
Patchouli
Marisa, you say you're a magician, but you're still just a human.
Right, you're an ordinary human that uses magic...
But you can fly and shoot bullets, can't you?
Patchouli
Marisa's bullets are the result of her mastery of magic items.
Patchouli
Normally, magicians are humans who acquire the ability to abandon food and death, leaving their humanity behind.
Patchouli
Essentially, they are youkai who are called magicians. However, Marisa hasn't done this. She's just a user of magic.
Marisa
Exactly what Patchouli said. That's why I call myself an ordinary magician.
Patchouli
*sigh* I don't really understand why you want to remain human. You won't reach the truth in your lifespan.
Marisa
But my heart is a burning flame! My willpower unbreakable! And I'm just as skilled as natural-born magicians!
Patchouli
...Well, I do admit that you have a point there.
Reimu
OK, you two can talk shop later! Just let me seal that red crystal already.
Patchouli
...Well, get started then.
Reimu
You're backing off just like that?
Patchouli
What's so strange about it? I can just find myself another red Seal Crystal.
Patchouli
Magicians live long lives. A hundred years, a thousand years... It's not much of a wait to me.
Reimu
Hm... You really are obsessed with your research, aren't you? It just seems like a waste of time to me.
Marisa?
Is something wrong?
Marisa
N-Nope! Everything's cool! Even I get lost in thought sometimes, y'know!
Patchouli
Also... I'm interested in the reaction that might be triggered when the Hakurei shrine maiden seals a red Seal Crystal.
Patchouli
I want to observe it with my own eyes.
Sakuya
Pardon me. Milady, are you really going to give Reimu the red Seal Crystal...?
Remilia
I gave it to Patchy, so she can do what she wants with it.
Remilia
And I'm rather curious myself about how the sealing will go.
Sakuya
Understood.
Remilia
Not to mention, there seem to be quite a few red Seal Crystals lying about, though not as many as the blue ones.
Remilia
We can always look for another one.
Reimu
I'll need to take it to Hakurei Shrine in order to seal it. Is it, um... safe to touch?
Reimu
(What happened the last time I touched a red crystal...? Why can't I remember?)
Patchouli
Oh, yes. It's perfectly fine.
Reimu
How can you be so sure?
Marisa
Because we've already done so ourselves.
Reimu
WHAT?! Why would you do that?! I told you it was dangerous!
Marisa
Come on! It didn't even twitch when my Master Spark hit it. Obviously a light touch would be fine.
Reimu
Really? That's not what happened last time... At least I don't think it was...
Patchouli
Considering PLAYER's case, I hypothesized that a space-time displacement could occur and tested it.
Marisa
We had a fairy maid, hobgoblin, and chupacabra touch it. Meiling did too! Oh, plus Patchouli and me, of course!
Marisa
And after all that, the red Seal Crystal is still right here. See? Nothing to worry about!
Reimu
...OK then! I guess it should be fine. Now I feel silly for worrying!
Reimu
Maybe the last red Seal Crystal was an exception to the rule. We still know far too little about them.
...Could I touch it too?
Though I'm a bit scared!
Reimu
Sure. Here you go.
Reimu
HEY! I thought you said everything would be fine!
Reimu
Urk... It's sucking PLAYER and me in!
Patchouli
Wh-What's happening?! I need to take some notes...! Sakuya! Fetch me a piece of paper and a pen! Now!
Sakuya
Here you are, Lady Patchouli.
Reimu
What are you doing?! Forget about all that and HELP US!
Marisa
Reimu! PLAYER! Grab my hand!
Reimu
Ugh, I can't reach! What is going ooooooooooooooooonnn―
Standing Behind You Pt. 2
Reimu
Ow...!
Huh... This looks like a kid's room.
I guess this must be a different parallel world.
Reimu
Without a doubt. There wasn't a place like this on that island. Is this another Gensokyo? ...Wait, is this even Gensokyo?
Huh? Reimu, you remember the parallel world now?
You were acting like you'd forgotten all about it...
Reimu
What kind of question is that? How could I not remember the Lost Word Incident? We solved it just the other day!
Reimu
I wouldn't forget it that quickly!
(She can remember while in a parallel world, but why?)
(Maybe her memories only remain in parallel worlds?)
Reimu
I wonder if this place is also suffering from the Lost Word Incident, like Yukari said.
Reimu
If there's a time limit here too, we'll need all the help we can get.
Reimu
You have nothing to worry about though! I've been resolving incidents for ages. I'll get us out of this!
Reimu
First, I'll call Yukari. It's nice having the gap youkai around at times like this.
Will Miss Yukari just come if we call her?
Reimu
She'll probably just pop up out of nowhere as usual. Probably.
Reimu
Let's give it a shot.
Reimu
Yuuukaaaariiiiii!
Reimu
Could you come out for a sec...?
Reimu
Hm...
Reimu
It's not working... Geez. She's always around when no one needs her, but she's useless at times like this!
Should we try at another location?
We could go somewhere else.
Reimu
Yeah, let's have a look around. Sightseeing time!
???
*stare*
Reimu
Oh, if it isn't Flan.
Flandre
*stare* *stare* *STAAARE*
She's staring holes through us!
Reimu
Oh, I get it. This is the Scarlet Devil Mansion of a parallel world, and this room belongs to the Flan that lives here.
Flandre
Who are you...?
Reimu
Well, that's a relief. Looks like you can actually have a proper conversation today.
Reimu
Oh! This is the first time you two have met, right? This is Flandre Scarlet, Remilia's younger sister.
Nice to meet you, Miss Flandre.
My name's PLAYER.
Flandre
PLAYER! Are you friends with that girl in red and white?
Reimu
She is. Now say hi to the girl in red and white too! My name's Reimu, so do me a favor and use it.
Flandre
Reimu? ...Oh, I see! You can call me Flan!
Flandre
...But are you really Reimu?
Reimu
What's with the doubt in your eyes?! I'm the one and only Reimu Hakurei!
Flandre
Then it must mean that you came to keep your promise! I've been waiting for you for so long!
Reimu
What? Did the me of this world make a promise with you?
Flandre
If you're here, it means you're ready to make good on your promise, right?
Reimu
Um... I have no idea what you're talking about.
Flandre
Here! Look at this!
Reimu
It's a blue Seal Crystal!
Flandre
You two came out of this!
Reimu
So the blue Seal Crystal really is the exit to the red Seal Crystal's entrance...
Then if we find a red Seal Crystal...
We might be able to find a way back home?
Reimu
I'm not sure. There might be a reason we're being thrown into parallel worlds like this.
Reimu
Seal Crystals, huh? Maybe they appeared because of the Lost Word. Could you take out your journal, PLAYER?
You think it's related to the Lost Word Incident?
Have you figured out the Lost Word already?!
Reimu
Nope, I got nothing! But it'd be nice if we just happened to come across it, right?
Reimu
Last time, the journal rang like a bell when we found the missing word.
Reimu
So I figured we could give it a shot!
Flandre
Heeey, whatcha up to? What's that you're holding?
Reimu
Hehe... Take a close look, Flan. This journal is going to make a funny sound.
Flandre
Wow, really?! Kyahaha! Show me already!
Reimu
OK, let's get started.
Reimu
Hakurei Shrine!
Reimu
Scarlet Devil Mansion! Hakugyokurou! Eientei! Moriya Shrine!
Reimu
This is tough... but how about this? Barrier of Life and Death! The Big Four of the Mountain! Spell Card rules! Sages!
Reimu
*huff* Why... isn't this... working...? *huff* I chose words related to Hakurei, since that was the Lost Word last time...
Flandre
Hmph. How long is this gonna take?
Reimu
Just wait a bit more...! Oh! How about Gensokyo?!
Shouldn't it be something you can't easily say?
Maybe there's a reason you can't guess it.
Reimu
Ah, how could I forget?! From the moment we came here, we've been under the influence of the Lost Word too!
Reimu
The missing word is written in the journal for sure, but we don't know what it is, so we can't just look it up!
Reimu
We have no choice but to gather information from scratch...
Flandre
Hey! When is it going to make that funny sound?! Why are you always leaving me out of all the fun?!
Flandre
Fine! I'll just squeeze the sound out of it!
Reimu
Stop that! Ugh, I can't relax with you here. And what are you talking about? ...Oh, do you mean the scarlet mist incident?
Flandre
Yeah! Everyone was so mean! That was a hundred... Maybe ten thousand? ...No, it was a thousand years ago or so!
Reimu
Huh? A thousand years ago?
Is the flow of time different in this world?
Maybe it's farther in the future than ours?
Reimu
Hm... Maybe that's it.
Flandre
Hey! Can we play before you go and keep your promise?
Reimu
Well, I don't really remember that promise.
Flandre
How could you forget about something so important?! Poor witch, poor me, poor Reimu!
Flandre
But it's OK! A couple of hits should make you remember! Then, the witch and me can get our happily ever afters!
Reimu
What about MY happily ever after?!
Flandre
Let's play until you break! How long can you last in this battle of bullets?! Kyahahaha!
Reimu
Your power's out of this world, as usual. But you're still no match for me.
Flandre
Amazing! Just wow! Kyahaha!
Standing Behind You Pt. 3
Reimu
There. It's over.
Flandre
You didn't break! WOW! You're the only human who hasn't broken down after playing with me!
Reimu
Well, at least you had fun. Are you satisfied now?
Reimu
'Cause we're in a hurry. Flan, you stay here and be good, yeah?
Flandre
Where are you going?
Reimu
If this really is the Scarlet Devil Mansion, someone who knows what's happening should be in the library.
Flandre
Ooh, OK! You're going to keep your promise then!
Reimu
What's with this promise stuff again?
A promise that the you of this world made...
Reimu
Hey, Flan. What is this promise you're saying I made?
Flandre
Huh?
Flandre
Er...
Flandre
I'm not sure!
Reimu
Oh...
Flandre
Did you forget your promise, Reimu?
Reimu
I don't even remember making one in the first place.
Flandre
*pout*
Flandre
Oh well! I've played my part.
Flandre
If you're going up, take me with you! I'm sure I can help you remember your promise!
Reimu
Hm? "Going up"?
Is this room underground?
Are we in the basement right now?
Reimu
Come to think of it, the Flan of our Gensokyo was imprisoned underground for a long time.
Flandre
Please, Reimu! PLAYER!
Reimu
OK, OK... You can tag along.
Flandre
Yay! Thanks, Reimu! And you too, PLAYER!
Reimu
BUT! No drinking PLAYER's blood, OK?!
Reimu
She's got an important part to play. If you try to break her, I'll show you exactly what pain is.
Flandre
Oh, you've got an important part to play too? You're just like me then! Don't worry―I'll protect you!
Thank you!
I'll give it my all as well!
Flandre
And just so you know, I only eat Sakuya's cooking!
Reimu
All right. If everything's sorted, let's go.
Flandre
Yay!
The House of Dantalion Pt. 1
Reimu
The Scarlet Devil Mansion back in our world was enormous, but this one feels even bigger.
Is it just me or is the floor sloping?
I feel like we're climbing some huge spiral...
Reimu
You're right. We've been going up all this time... Kind of reminds me of the Bamboo Forest of the Lost!
Reimu
When the Great Hakurei Barrier lost its name, the lay of the land changed. Maybe this is related to the Lost Word too!
Flandre
Kyahaha! What are you saying?
Flandre
This is the Scarlet Devil Tower! All towers are like this!
Reimu
What? Are you talking about the clock tower at the Scarlet Devil Mansion?
Flandre
The Scarlet Devil Tower is the Scarlet Devil Tower, obviously!
Reimu
Are you saying this Scarlet Devil Mansion is actually a tower...?
Flandre
Yeah! And we're going to meet the witch at the very top!
Reimu
Wait a sec...
Do you mean the witch from the library?
Flandre
Haha! Of course not!
Flandre
I'm not talking about Patchouli! That's not who you have to meet.
Flandre
We're going to see the Witch of Scarlet Dreams!
Reimu
Who in the world is that?
Flandre
She's the poor little thing at the very top of the tower!
Flandre
She's been waiting all this time in the snowy world for her promise to be fulfilled.
Flandre
At least, that's what it said in a picture book Sakuya and Patchouli read to me!
Reimu
Ah, so you're talking about a picture book. It'd be nice if we get to meet her.
Flandre
We will! After all, I'm taking you to see her right now!
Reimu, look...!
There are fairy maids!
Flandre
Oh, they're probably here to tell me to go back to my room!
Flandre
Patchouli told me that I had a part to play, so I'm not allowed outside. The maids are keeping an eye on me.
Reimu
A part to play? In what?
Flandre
That's what Patchouli said...
Reimu
...Flan, what do you want to do?
Flandre
I... I worked hard to get out of that room. So I want to play a little bit longer! Plus―
Flandre
I need to get you and PLAYER to the Witch of Scarlet Dreams! I have to protect that promise!
Reimu
In that case, I'll deal with them. But you'll have to help.
Flandre
Sure!
Flandre
If you want me to go back, you'll have to catch me first! Kyahahaha! It's a game of tag!
Reimu
Looks like you're the one trying to do the catching though... Well, whatever. Let's clear out everyone in our way!
Reimu
I can't believe we actually fought on the same side. Life really is full of surprises.
Flandre
It's over already? *pout* Fairy maids are so weak!
Flandre
Reimu, what should we do?! The fairy maids ran away...
Reimu
It's OK. I let them go on purpose. If they report it up the chain...
We'll be able to meet Miss Patchouli, right?
I'm curious about the Witch of Scarlet Dreams too...
Reimu
Right... Flan's picture book is our only clue right now.
Flandre
So all we have to do is to chase the fairy maids, right?! Hooray! I'm great at chasing!
Reimu
Ah! Flan, wait―
Reimu
...
Is she playing tag with them...?
The fairy maids are running so fast!
Reimu
Well, yeah... I'd do the same if I were them.
Reimu
Oh, you're done playing tag already?
Flandre
Yeah... They told me they had to go back to work, so I let them off.
Reimu
Wow, that's a pretty good decision coming from you. I guess Sakuya and Patchouli will know we're here soon.
Reimu
Though I feel bad for those fairies!
Flandre
Huh?
Flandre
But we had so much fun with the bullets and tag!
The House of Dantalion Pt. 2
Reimu
Finally, a place that looks like a library. I didn't think we'd have to walk so far.
Flandre
I wonder where Patchouli is!
She should be in this library...
Do you have any ideas?
Flandre
Nope. I was in that room for a thousand years. I don't know anything about what's outside of it.
Reimu
A thousand years? Just thinking about it makes my head spin.
Weren't you lonely?
Flandre
Not at all! Sakuya and Patchouli read books to me and played with me! It was fun!
Reimu
And that's when they read you the picture book about the Witch of Scarlet Dreams?
Flandre
That one's my favorite! Even Patchouli was impressed with her! You know―
Koakuma
Oh my, oh my, oh MY! The fairies were telling the truth! Lady Flan is out of her room!
Reimu
Huh?!
Reimu
Found you!
Koakuma
Oh dear... Be careful! Those are dangerous!
Reimu
Wait... You're Patchouli's familiar, right?
Koakuma
Oh? Wait, it can't be... Is that you, Miss Reimu?!
Koakuma
But how?! You're just a human!
Reimu
Ahaha... About that. You might not believe me, but I came here from a world that's still in the past. Probably.
Reimu
So now we're looking for a way to go back. That's why I want to talk to Patchouli, since she knows about this kind of stuff.
Koakuma
You came from a parallel world?! You hear about that sort of thing in science fiction, but wow!
Koakuma
I never thought I'd witness this myself! Oh, so that's why you look exactly the same!
Reimu
Quick on the uptake, as expected from Patchouli's assistant―I guess you're not in the library all the time for nothing!
Koakuma
But who is your companion...?
Hello, I'm PLAYER.
Do you work in the library?
Koakuma
Oh, I see. You must be a friend of Miss Reimu. I'm Koakuma―it's nice to meet you!
Koakuma
I don't exactly work here. I just act as the assistant librarian here to help Lady Patchouli.
Koakuma
I'm busy day in and day out, arranging and maintaining the books!
Koakuma
But today, the fairy maids asked me to take Lady Flan back to her room and to capture you two.
Koakuma
I just want to do my duties, so... Would you please have a battle of bullets with me?
Reimu
You say you don't work here, but you take your duties pretty seriously, huh... But fine. If you insist.
Koakuma
Yay! ...Oh, wait!
Reimu
What now?
Koakuma
Well... It just dawned on me that I probably shouldn't be so happy about fighting you, Miss Reimu.
Reimu
Yeah, well... You know I don't hold back, no matter who my opponent is.
Koakuma
In that case... Who might I stand a chance against?
Wh-What? M-Me?!
Um...
Flandre
Yaaay! Koakuma is gonna play with meeee!
Koakuma
Wait! I never said anything about that!
Flandre
Well, you said you don't wanna play with Reimu, but you still need to fight, right?
Koakuma
Yes, but...
Flandre
So you can fight me! Problem solved!
Koakuma
Nothing's solved at ALL!
Koakuma
Like I said, I came to take you to your room. That means I need to fight Miss Reimu or PLAYER―
Koakuma
EEEEK! Please don't look at me so eagerly!
Koakuma
I beg you! Have mercy...!
Flandre
I don't get to play with you often, Koakuma, so I'll take out my special bullets for you!
Koakuma
Nooo! No thank you!!!
Koakuma
*huff* *huff* Am I... still alive...?
Flandre
Oh, you didn't break up into pieces, Koakuma! You're sturdy! I like that!
The House of Dantalion Pt. 3
Koakuma
*sob* Lady Patchouli! I carried out your order... I fought the battle of bullets like you asked...! *THUMP*
Flandre
Boy, that was fun! Oh? We're playing dead now?
Reimu
Uh, not quite. We're really not very good at holding back, are we, Flan?
Reimu
Well, then. Koakuma, you fulfilled your duty. Now tell us where Patchouli is.
Koakuma
*sniffle* About that...
Koakuma
Lady Patchouli is in a rather dangerous place...
Koakuma
It's very, very deep in the library... The whole library turned into a huge maze.
Reimu
The Great Library turned into a maze... a Great Labyrinth? This sounds inconvenient though. I was hoping we could fly there.
Koakuma
I wouldn't recommend that. You'll lose sight of the path. Even I haven't remembered the way yet, hehehe...
How do you normally move around then?
Is there a way to get around without knowing the path?
Koakuma
Well... When it's only me, I just teleport. I just go whoosh―then I'm there!
Koakuma
And Miss Reimu, if you wouldn't mind... Could you please tell Lady Patchouli that I fought well?
Reimu
Wow, you must have a hard time managing this place. Just looking around here takes my breath away.
Reimu
...Fine, go on then. Whoosh away! Ugh, you always act so silly, but you're so by the book about stuff like this.
Koakuma
I'm in your debt!
Koakuma
I'll make sure to inform Lady Patchouli about you!
Flandre
Huh? We're not playing anymore? But I still wanna play!
Flandre
...Oh, there's another little devil here now? Kyahaha! Let's play!
Don't run! It's dangerous!
Reimu
I think that little devil just came to save Koakuma, but that was some bad timing...
Reimu
When she just rushes forward like this without thinking, she's really not all that different from the fairies...
Flandre
I knew you all still wanted to play!
Flandre
That was SOOOO much fun! Kyahahaha! What a super day!
Reimu
You sure look like you enjoyed that rout...
Thus Spoke the Mooch Pt. 1
Reimu
An enormous library that also happens to be a maze! Hm...
Reimu
This'll be a piece of cake for me!
Huh? Really?!
Is there some trick to getting out of a maze?
Flandre
Whoa, that's so cool! I wanna know too!
Reimu
Well... I'm used to resolving incidents. Getting through places I don't know is my bread and butter.
Reimu
Normally, this is how it goes. First, an incident occurs, right?
Flandre
Right!
Reimu
Then, I fly out of the shrine and go looking around wherever, and before I know it, I find the cause of the incident. Always.
What do you mean by wherever?!
And before you know it...?!
Reimu
Well, that's how it always goes. This time, we'll lose sight of the path if we fly, but we can reach Patchouli if we go on foot.
Flandre
We've been walking forever!
Reimu
I wonder how much farther we have to go...
Flandre
Hey, haven't we passed through this area already?
Reimu
H-Have we? You're probably imagining things. Libraries just look alike wherever you go.
Flandre
Reimuuuu, we haven't moved forward at aaaaaaall.
Reimu
Hmm? That's strange...
I'm a bit tired. Could we take a break?
Maybe we could stop to think things over.
Reimu
That's a good idea. I'll use this break to calm down and try to figure things out.
Flandre
Yay, break time!
Reimu
Still, I can't believe we're stuck in a place like this. Why in the world did Patchouli turn the library into a maze?
I wish we had some kind of clue.
Like a key to a shortcut...
Reimu
Normally, in a place like this, there'd be some kind of secret path that only the person in charge knows about...
Reimu
But we're talking about a magician's maze here. Just like Koakuma, magicians don't need shortcuts.
Reimu
...Oh, I forgot that I had some rice crackers in my pocket! PLAYER, do you want some?
Flandre
Help yourself to my snacks too! I grabbed them before leaving my room!
Thank you! You're both so kind.
Flandre
Wow, this is really fun! It's like we're on an adventure!
Reimu
Uh, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're currently stuck in a huge labyrinth. How can you be so cheerful?
Flandre
Why wouldn't I be? This place is so cool! As thanks, I'll tell you a story...
Flandre
The story of the Witch of Scarlet Dreams!
Flandre
"Scorching heat and blinding light ceaselessly blazed out from the witch's body."
Flandre
"Everyone and everything that got close to her would burn to a crisp."
Reimu
That's quite the premise. Is this really a fairy tale for children?
Flandre
"The witch climbed the tower. Up, and up, and up she went. Her destination was the snowy world at the very top."
Flandre
"Having set off from the underground, she continued to climb until she found herself in a humongous maze of a library."
Flandre
"To avoid burning all the books with those flames, she held up the Ankh of the Sun and opened a path for herself."
Reimu
...Huh? Hold on a sec, Flan!
Flandre
Hmph! Don't interrupt my story!
Reimu
You said she climbed up from underground and found herself in a library. Isn't that exactly what's happened to us?
Flandre
Huh? But it's a story from a picture book. I've heard it over and over for a thousand years.
Reimu
Was the author of this book a prophet or something?
Flandre
A... proffet? I don't know what that is, but Patchouli's the one who wrote it.
Reimu
Wait, what? Patchouli's the author?!
Reimu
(I heard she was skilled, but still... Well, maybe this isn't unusual for the Patchouli of this world.)
Reimu
(More importantly, if Patchouli wrote this herself, this might mean that...)
Reimu
Is the story of that picture book based on the actual Scarlet Devil Tower?
Flandre
Huh?
It looks like Flan doesn't know...
Reimu
OK, back to the story... What did the witch do when she got to the library?
Flandre
I just told you. "She held up the Ankh of the Sun and opened a path for herself."
Reimu
That Ankh thing... I think I read about something like it in a book from the outside at Kosuzu's place.
Reimu
Is it a charm from a faraway country? One that resembles a cross?
Reimu
I heard that it protects the Sun... It's also an item of revival. Something that Patchouli would find useful for her magic.
Could it be the strange item on that wall...?
It looks like a sun and a cross combined.
Flandre
Wow! You found it, PLAYER!
Reimu
I see... I thought it was just a decoration. You'd only notice if you knew the story.
Flandre
Ah! The little devils are trying to take it away!
Reimu
They probably want to hide it from us now that we've spotted it. We need to grab it before they do!
Reimu
That charm is definitely the Ankh of the Sun, right?!
Flandre
Let's play while we're at it!
Flandre
Oh, this is it! It looks exactly like the one in the book. As long as I have this, I'll be able to use magic too!
Reimu
You can use magic without it too, can't you?
Thus Spoke the Mooch Pt. 2
Reimu
All right! We got the Ankh of the Sun!
But how do we use it?
Did the book mention how to open the path?
Flandre
Um...
Flandre
"To avoid burning all the books with those flames, she held up the Ankh of the Sun and opened a path for herself."
Flandre
...That's what the book says, anyway!
Reimu
"To avoid burning all the books with those flames," huh?
Reimu
Don't tell me... we have to set some books alight and then hold this thing up?
Flandre
Kyahaha! Reimu, you're always so smart!
Reimu
You're not wrong about that, but I doubt it's actually about burning books.
A bibliophile like Miss Patchouli would never allow it!
Patchouli
Don't burn the books!
Reimu
Oh, you came out without any prompting. I guess the Ankh played the role of a key in a way.
Miss Patchouli!
I thought you were deep in the maze though...
Patchouli
And you are...?
Reimu
Oh, right. This world's Patchouli doesn't know you, PLAYER.
Reimu
Patchouli, this is PLAYER. She's a human, but she's helping me out.
Thanks, Reimu... It's nice to meet you, Miss Patchouli.
Patchouli
Courtesies aside, I came to give you a warning. I won't have you causing any more of a ruckus in this library.
Reimu
Oh. Sorry about that. Did Koakuma tell you about us?
Patchouli
Yes. I took what she said with a grain of salt, but you really do seem to be the Reimu from back then.
Patchouli
A different Reimu from another world―another Gensokyo. It's been many years, but I do remember. You haven't changed.
Patchouli
Is this girl also from a parallel world?
Y-You're too close!
Why are you staring at me?!
Koakuma
L-Lady Patchouli! You're standing far too close to her!
Koakuma
I'm sorry... She's always like this when she gets interested in something...
Patchouli
Oh, I got a little carried away...
Reimu
Well, you could say she's from a parallel world too. On that note, we wanted to ask you something.
Reimu
We don't know how to go back to our world. And Yukari isn't responding either...
Patchouli
I see. So you came to me for help.
Patchouli
...A wise decision.
Flandre
Patchouli, I came to play!
Patchouli
Flan!
Patchouli
You shouldn't leave the basement without permission. You know your part.
Patchouli
Tch.
Flandre
I'm sorry...
Reimu
What do you mean by her "part"?
Flandre
B-But Patchouli... Reimu is going to meet the Witch of Scarlet Dreams.
Flandre
That's why we have to go upstairs! It's about the promise!
Patchouli
Ah, the promise...
Reimu
That's right! The Witch of Scarlet Dreams is our only clue right now! I want to hear more of the tale!
Reimu
I heard that you wrote that book and read it to Flan, Patchouli.
Patchouli
So?
Reimu
You based it on real life, didn't you? I mean, we've gone through the exact same thing up till this point.
Patchouli
And...?
Reimu
Well, um... We want to return to our Gensokyo, so... You know something, right? Be nice and tell us.
Patchouli
...Why should I?
Reimu
Huh?! Because I want to know, obviously!
Patchouli
And you think that is reason enough for me to tell you? Hmph.
Koakuma
Lady Patchouli...
Patchouli
I'm a magician. The Magician of the Seven Luminaries and Knowledge.
Patchouli
Do you expect magicians to be nice folks that just help out when asked?
Patchouli
If so, you are gravely mistaken, human. Life isn't a fairy tale.
Patchouli
And I haven't forgotten about your attempt to burn my books.
Th-This is looking bad...!
Reimu, what should we do?!
Reimu
No need to get so worked up. She cut me off mid-sentence and got the wrong idea.
Reimu
I wasn't going to burn the books anyway, but this wouldn't be Gensokyo if everyone understood you right off the bat.
Reimu
Quarrels, duels, conflicting views―everything gets settled with a battle of bullets.
Reimu
You're fine with that too, right?
Patchouli
That way of speaking and attitude of yours...
Patchouli
You're the real Reimu. How absolutely fascinating.
Patchouli
And you suggest a battle of bullets? ...Fine, why not? I'll entertain you.
Flandre
Kyahahaha! I can play with Patchouli too!
Patchouli
Koakuma, support me.
Koakuma
Certainly, Lady Patchouli! I'll help you in every way I can!
Reimu
I can tell why people call you a witch. You left almost no openings for me―it made for a fun fight!
Patchouli
Compliments that sound like insults... You really are Reimu.
Thus Spoke the Mooch Pt. 3
Patchouli
*sigh*
Reimu
It's our victory. As usual, your lack of stamina is what brings you down.
Reimu
But putting that aside, I trust you'll tell us what you know now.
Patchouli
Grrrr...
Patchouli
...Very well. You won fair and square, so I'll keep my promise.
Flandre
Thanks, Patchouli! We'll keep ours too!
Patchouli
Did you make one?
Reimu
Ah... Right. Flan is talking about some promise I apparently made with the Witch of Scarlet Dreams.
Patchouli
Hmmm...
Patchouli
So you want to know how you can return to your world, correct?
Reimu
Exactly! So come on, tell us!
Patchouli
If you want to go back to your Gensokyo...
Patchouli
...you must find the word that this world is missing.
Reimu
A missing word... The Lost Word!
So it really is the Lost Word Incident.
Patchouli
You seem to know about the Lost Word Incident. I'd like to hear how and why, but we shouldn't waste any more time.
Patchouli
Let me tell you about the incident at hand then.
Patchouli
All causes and effects related to the missing word have collapsed... Or rather, causality has been overwritten.
Reimu
Huh? What does that mean?
Patchouli
It means you can't return home. Let me explain in more detail.
Reimu
What?!
Patchouli
Since all causality has been overwritten, this world has branched off and detached from many other parallel worlds.
Patchouli
I've spent a thousand years carefully researching all possibilities. I even used my own magic when necessary.
Patchouli
I concluded that this world's original cause and effect have been overwritten. Only I could have come to this conclusion.
Reimu
What does cause and effect mean here?
Patchouli
The birth of the Witch of Scarlet Dreams is the cause that has been overwritten. This lone Gensokyo was born as the effect.
Patchouli
And you are the so-called outcasts of fate who were lucky enough to make it to this deserted island of a Gensokyo.
Reimu
Well, that's inconvenient. If we could get in touch with Yukari, we'd probably be able to come up with a solution...
Patchouli
I haven't been able to reach that youkai sage for a thousand years. She's probably asleep.
Reimu
(For real, Yukari?!)
Patchouli
But she left me some important hints: parallel worlds and the existence of the Lost Word.
Patchouli
Those hints led me to conclude that causality has been overwritten. This world is alone, unperceivable by others.
Reimu
So... it's closed off in every direction?
Patchouli
If the sage were here, she'd say that the boundaries weren't connected, but I'd need many more years to confirm it.
Reimu
(So Yukari can't cross boundaries that don't exist? I bet she could still do something... We can't do this without her.)
Can't we send a signal from this world?
Or make other worlds perceive this one somehow...?
Reimu
PLAYER, you're a genius! If we do something on our side―
Patchouli
The boundaries aren't connected at all. We're completely alone. I've tried every single thing I could think of already.
Reimu
Ugh... And nothing worked, I guess.
Flandre
Can't I just destroy the boundary?
Patchouli & Reimu
(That is something she would try...)
Patchouli
It's impossible even with your power, Flan.
Flandre
Boo... How boring!
Patchouli
But it's all right. We won't need to resort to such aggressive means if we can just recover the missing word.
Patchouli
Then that youkai or someone else can do the rest...
Recover the missing word...
And resolve the Lost Word Incident...
Reimu
In short, it's the same as last time. So how is the incident affecting this world anyway?
Patchouli
Currently, it isn't. I built the Scarlet Devil Tower in order to stop the destructive power of the missing word.
Reimu
Did it get out of hand or something?
Patchouli
Yes. The body of the Witch of Scarlet Dreams intermittently emits explosive flames and scorching heat.
Patchouli
She is difficult to approach. Everything in her vicinity burns to the ground.
Patchouli
In order to put distance between the rest of the world and her heat, I turned the Scarlet Devil Mansion into this tower.
Reimu
Wait! Are you saying that the Witch of Scarlet Dreams actually exists?!
Patchouli
The one we call the Witch of Scarlet Dreams, I suspect, is the one suffering from the missing word.
Reimu
I see... So the story in the picture book was based on something that really happened.
Reimu
The Witch of Scarlet Dreams is real. If we can find out her name, we'll be able to resolve the incident!
Patchouli
That's right... But it won't be that easy.
Patchouli
The notion of remembering the missing word is itself a contradiction.
Patchouli
In any case, her existence itself has been forgotten. It's like she was never here in the first place.
Patchouli
Finding the Lost Word is difficult. It may even be impossible. Let me use what you said as an example.
Patchouli
How would you restore a book that has been burned?
Reimu
We could just look for another book on the same subject, right?
Patchouli
That's not the same as restoring the burned one.
Reimu
Why not?!
Patchouli
Let's say the book isn't in print now. That was the one and only manuscript in the whole world.
Patchouli
Without a power like Gumonji to help you recall everything you have ever seen, how could you ever recover this book?
Reimu
I mean... Obviously, that'd be impossible.
Patchouli
Exactly. It's obvious when I put it this way, isn't it?
Patchouli
The word went missing a thousand years ago. In all those years, no one has been able to find a solution.
Patchouli
Or more precisely, it is impossible to find one.
Reimu
So what are you saying we should do?! You don't think things are OK like this, right?!
Patchouli
I don't like this either. The witch's flames grow stronger. It's only a matter of time before my magic barrier breaks.
Patchouli
But if we interpose an outside factor of cause and effect...
Patchouli
That is, if something that shouldn't be in this isolated world suddenly appears and tries to resolve the incident...
Patchouli
Yes, the appearance of such a variable could overturn my theory.
Patchouli
It is possible, at least.
Flandre
They will show up! Reimu made a promise, after all!
Patchouli
...
Patchouli
Hm, yes. There is also another possibility...
Reimu
Come on, you two. Stop stringing us along with your riddles.
Patchouli
As I thought, this Reimu might be the key.
Reimu
Don't talk about me like I'm something you can just slot into a door...
Reimu...
Reimu
It's fine, PLAYER. At least we know what we have to do now.
Reimu
The story says the witch is at the top of this tower, right?
Patchouli
Yes, on the very top floor.
Reimu
OK, so we just need to get up there. Let's go. Then we'll figure everything out.
Flandre
Yay! You're finally willing to keep your promise!
Reimu
Yeah, sure... I don't know what this is all about, but I'll head to the top floor.
Flandre
Yaaay!
Patchouli
I'll accompany you. This opportunity won't come again, so I have to see it with my own two eyes.
Reimu
What? You'll just be extra weight for me to carry. Plus, is it OK for you to leave the library?
Patchouli
Oh, no need to be so harsh. I can move around the tower if I use my support magic.
Patchouli
And Koakuma will take care of the library for me.
Koakuma
Of course, Lady Patchouli! I'll watch over it while you're away!
Patchouli
There's nothing a magician regrets more than a missed opportunity. I'm going even if you consider me a burden!
Wow, the fire is burning in your eyes!
Reimu
I guess you wouldn't be a magician if you weren't obsessed with research! Fine, you can come. But don't get in my way.
Maid in Service Pt. 1
Out of the library... and into the forest?!
Did we warp here?!
Reimu
Are you sure we're still inside the building?
Patchouli
Yes, this is the tower's Forest Zone. I recreated the Forest of Magic in order to improve the magic transmission ratio.
Reimu
Wait, what? Why do you have to worry about stuff like that?
Patchouli
The Scarlet Devil Tower's self-building magic has overseen its construction for the past thousand years.
Patchouli
This process is driven by Flan's magic power, which is drawn up from the basement. However, that wasn't enough.
Patchouli
It also needed an architect, so I took on that role.
Reimu
Huh. That's cool―
Reimu
Wait, WHAT?! This tower's been being built for a thousand years?!
Patchouli
That's right. So I honestly don't know how high up the top floor currently is.
Reimu
Wow...
Reimu
That being said, you probably have a guess, right? You're the architect, after all.
Patchouli
Who knows? It has been growing taller in accordance with the strength of the witch's heat.
Reimu
All on its own?!
Reimu
How long will it take us to get to the top floor?!
Patchouli
I can't calculate that without knowing how far it is. I wasn't too concerned, since we magicians live such long lives.
Reimu
But I, as a human, am VERY concerned!
???
...So the report was accurate.
Sakuya
Someone resembling Reimu is brainwashing Lady Flan...
Flandre
Brain what?
Patchouli
Good, you're here. I was just about to suggest that we ask for your help.
(Was she...?)
Reimu
(Um... I guess?)
Patchouli
We need to reach the top floor of this tower within Reimu's and PLAYER's lifespans.
Sakuya
Oh my. It's not just Lady Flan. Lady Patchouli has been brainwashed too.
Sakuya
And... there's a face I haven't seen before.
The head maid of this world, Sa―Miss Sakuya!
Hello! My name is PLAYER.
Sakuya
How do you know who I am? Have we met?
Reimu
Sakuya, I'll explain it to you in detail later. Right now―
Reimu
We're all in the same boat! We share the common goal of resolving this thousand-year-old incident... We're allies!
Patchouli
...I wouldn't go that far.
Sakuya
Looks like Lady Patchouli says otherwise.
Reimu
Oh, come on, Patchouli! Read the room!
Flandre
Don't worry, Reimu! I'm your friend!
Reimu
Thank you, Flan...
Sakuya
Brainwashing Lady Flan like that again... I really can't let my guard down―not even for a second.
Reimu
Would you please just stop talking and listen?! They're the ones tagging along! I didn't do anything!
Sakuya
I don't want to hear your excuses. If you feel the need to explain yourself, do it through a battle of bullets.
Reimu
...OK, fine. I'll prove my innocence to you!
Sakuya
You do speak like the real Reimu. I'll hear you out when there is no strength left in my body.
Reimu
So? Are you willing to listen to me now?
Sakuya
Yes. I said I would hear you out, so that is what I shall do.
Maid in Service Pt. 2
Sakuya
Thanks to that battle of bullets... I know that you really are Reimu. *pant* You never go easy on your opponent.
Flandre
That was so much fun!
Reimu
Will you hear me out then?
Patchouli
...And here we are.
Patchouli
I think that the key to finding the missing word is this odd Reimu here.
Reimu
It's not nice to call other people "odd."
Sakuya
Well, if Lady Patchouli says so, I shall give you the benefit of the doubt.
Sakuya
So, you're saying that you need to find the missing word and resolve this incident, or you won't be able to return home.
Sakuya
We have a common interest then.
Reimu
That's what I've been saying this whole time.
Sakuya
So you weren't plotting to bring destruction and mayhem to the Scarlet Devil Tower?
Reimu
Just what do you think I am...? And how could I even destroy something so huge?!
Sakuya
You do have a point... though I also feel like it wouldn't have been impossible for you.
Reimu
*sigh* You haven't changed over these thousand years either.
Reimu
Wait a sec. Sakuya, you're human, aren't you? Don't tell me your mistress―
Sakuya
That is a secret.
Sakuya
And my ability to keep secrets is exactly what makes me a perfect and refined maid.
Reimu
...I'm pretty sure I just heard something I didn't want to hear.
Oh, you're so mysterious!
The secretive maid of the Scarlet Devil Tower!
Patchouli
Sakuya, I'm going to use the elevating machine. I want you to come with us.
Sakuya
Of course, Lady Patchouli. I'll escort and protect you right to the end.
Reimu
What's the elevating machine?
Patchouli
You know that Sakuya has the ability to expand and contract space, right?
Reimu
I've heard something about it on the grapevine, but I don't know the details.
Patchouli
Then you can listen and learn.
Patchouli
With her ability, we changed a whole section of the tower into the elevating machine.
Patchouli
By shrinking this section to its original height and then expanding it again, it is possible to move instantaneously to the upper levels.
Reimu
Oh, good to know you have something so convenient on hand.
Flandre
Heeey, will we meet the Witch of Scarlet Dreams if we use that elevating machine?
Patchouli
Yes... If it operates as expected.
Flandre
Yay! We'll be able to keep the promise then, PLAYER!
Right!
Thank you!
Patchouli
There's no need to thank me. As I said, it also depends on whether the machine operates as expected.
Reimu
Can't you just accept somebody's gratitude like a normal person for once?
Did you use Miss Sakuya's ability for the maze too?
If you can expand space, can you also enlarge it?
Patchouli
Oh... You're quite smart. Indeed, it's just as you surmised.
Reimu
Must be nice to have a maid around if they're all so handy.
Sakuya
Indeed. Much nicer than having a shrine maiden around, at least.
Sakuya
Oh my. This level is far too untamed... A swarm of fairies is coming this way.
Sakuya
How fortunate. You will be able to see your guardian in action.
Sakuya
Let the maid conjuring begin.
Reimu
What's with that cool face? I know you can't wait to get started.
Reimu
That was some nice knife work! That must be why you're the head maid, right?
Sakuya
No need to mock me... Though I appreciate the compliment if you really meant it.
Maid in Service Pt. 3
Patchouli
It's a long way to the elevating machine. It will take quite some time to get there on foot.
Reimu
Yeah... But there's not enough room to fly here. Let's make sure to take breaks from time to time.
Patchouli
Are you sure we can take it so easy?
Reimu
You have your support magic, but PLAYER here is a human. She can only rely on her own strength.
Patchouli
Well, if you insist... I would like to take a break now.
Reimu
Exactly. You can use your support magic, but―
Reimu
That's not what you were saying earlier!
Patchouli
Even with support magic, I get tired too... Using magic consumes my stamina.
Actually, I'm feeling a bit worn out too!
We could all use a break!
Reimu
Well, I haven't walked this far in quite a while either. OK, let's stop for a bit.
Sakuya
Everyone, I've prepared some snacks.
Flandre
Wow, Sakuya, you're quick! Picnics are so much fun!
Sakuya
I've also brought a tea set, Lady Flan. There are just enough cups for everyone.
Reimu
Where were you hiding all that? ...Not that I'm complaining!
Sakuya
It's lemon ginger herbal tea. It will help alleviate your fatigue.
Reimu
I didn't even notice you brewing it!
Sakuya
I am a maid, after all. Here you are, Miss PLAYER. This tea is safe for humans.
(So there are teas that aren't?!)
Thank you!
Patchouli
Mm, delicious.
Reimu
So? Are you acquainted with the Witch of Scarlet Dreams?
Flandre
Hm, I don't know! She's a fairytale character, after all!
Patchouli
Well, I've seen her before.
Sakuya
Me too.
Reimu
What was she like?
Sakuya
Flames kept shooting out from her body as she fought. The heat was unbearable. There was no end to it.
She sounds like an active volcano!
Was she... aggressive?
Sakuya
Well, she seemed to be suffering from her nature. It didn't look like she was in control of her bullets.
Patchouli
The battle was extremely dangerous.
Patchouli
That's why I had to build this Scarlet Devil Tower: to keep her as far away from everything else as possible.
Reimu
Was the heat she put out that terrible?
Patchouli
If she weren't so far away.... this entire area would probably be covered in lava.
Patchouli
But in case you were wondering, the Witch of Scarlet Dreams was rather cooperative when it came to isolating her.
Patchouli
She climbed to the top of the tower herself and has stayed there of her own will.
Reimu
Hmmm... If she's aware of the threat she poses, she must be quite rational. I think I'm finally getting this.
Reimu
Raging flames, active volcano, relatively reasonable... Yeah.
Patchouli
As the word went missing in the Scarlet Devil Tower―no, the Scarlet Devil Mansion―the witch must be someone we know.
Reimu
Hehehe... I think I can guess who she is!
Patchouli
If your assumption is right, we can solve it right here and now! So tell me at once.
Reimu
Her name is...
Reimu
Fujiwara no Mokou.
Flandre
...I don't think I've heard of her!
Reimu
Oh?! Could this be―
Patchouli
I know her.
Sakuya
Me too.
Reimu
H-Huh?
Sakuya
A silver-haired girl in work pants, right? She advised us on how to suppress the flames during construction.
Sakuya
The residents of Eientei knew how much of a threat this incident posed too, so they revealed themselves to us.
Sakuya
Fujiwara no Mokou came along with them.
Reimu
So the end result is the same as in our world, even though history is being rewritten.
Patchouli
Eientei also shared their technology, which was a great help. However, it's been years since they evacuated.
Reimu
I see... It's not Mokou, then. Tsk, I thought I'd figured it out.
Patchouli
I guess it won't be that simple.
Patchouli
It looks like fairies are heading this way again. We shouldn't linger here too long.
Sakuya
Shall we chase them away as a little after-meal exercise?
Flandre
Yay! We can play the bullet game!
Flandre
Hey, fairies! Wait right there!
Sakuya
Lady Flan, it's dangerous to run here. And make sure you look where you're going when you're playing with bullets!
Flandre
Aw, it's over already? But it was fun! Kyahahaha!
Sakuya
That was a beautiful battle of bullets, Lady Flan.
Maid in Service Pt. 4
Reimu
Phew, we've walked quite a distance. How much farther to the elevating machine?
Patchouli
It's still a long way away.
Patchouli
We'd better set up a camp before night falls... Sakuya.
Sakuya
Right away, Lady Patchouli.
Reimu
Huh?! Night falls here?!
Patchouli
Yes, and it's about time for the sun to set. I created this quasi-environment to maintain the forest in a natural way.
Wow, you really are amazing!
Patchouli
H-Hmph! This is nothing given my powers!
Sakuya
It's hard to set up a tent when it's so dark out...
Let me help you!
Sakuya
Really? Thank you so much.
Flandre
We're just going to sleep outdoors?!
Patchouli
No, we have tents.
Flandre
Oh, so it's a camp? Hooray! I love camping!
Sakuya
All right. The tents are ready now.
Sakuya
I will prepare the campfire next.
Patchouli
Thank you. It'll make a good insect repellent. I'll use my magic to keep the smoke away so my asthma doesn't act up.
Sakuya
I'll go look for some firewood then. Tea brewed over a campfire should be a nice treat.
Patchouli
I always assumed that camping wouldn't be my cup of tea, but it's actually much better than I thought.
Reimu
That's a pleasant surprise.
Reimu
By the way, Patchouli. Why did you come with us?
Patchouli
I guess this is a good time to tell you. There are two reasons I decided to go on this excursion.
And they are...?
Two...? Please tell us!
Patchouli
The first is to be able to observe the Witch of Scarlet Dreams again.
Patchouli
And the other... is that I want to see... this incident resolved... with my own two eyes...
Reimu
So in the end, everything comes down to your obsession with research.
You look really sleepy...
Reimu
Since you usually seclude yourself in the library, you must be completely exhausted.
Patchouli
Urk... There is nothing I can say to that. I think I've reached my limit. I'll head to sleep first.
Patchouli
My Jellyfish Princess... will keep the smoke away from you...
Patchouli
Don't get too close to her... or you'll... get hurt... *yawn*
Reimu
Well then... Sakuya and I will go take a look around.
Reimu
They might just be fairies, but the last thing we want is to be ambushed in the dark.
Sakuya
I agree. As a maid, it's my duty not only to ensure that Lady Patchouli sleeps soundly, but also to protect our guests.
Flandre
How about me?
Sakuya
Would you please keep Miss PLAYER company until she falls asleep?
Reimu
And there's one more thing. You're the only one I can ask, Flan.
Flandre
Ooh! What is it?
Reimu
If the fairies attack while we're away, you need to protect PLAYER. Got it?
Flandre
Sure thing! You can count on me!
Reimu
Thanks! I'm leaving her in your hands then.
Flandre
I never thought I'd be able to sleep outside!
You do seem happy!
I'm pretty excited myself!
Flandre
You're enjoying yourself too? I'm having so much fun I might faint!
Flandre
A thousand years ago, Reimu came here to investigate the incident. She dropped by my room too.
Flandre
At that point, I'd been locked in there for 495 years.
Wow, that makes a total of almost 1500 years!
It makes sense that you're enjoying the outside!
Flandre
Right? Hey, PLAYER. Won't you tell me a story?
Flandre
If you do, I'm sure I'll have a good night's sleep!
Sorry, I don't remember any stories...
I'd love to, but I've lost my memory...
Flandre
You have? You've got it rough too...
Flandre
But don't worry! You'll regain your memory one day! I'm sure you will!
Flandre
Then let me tell you a story instead. About the Witch of Scarlet Dreams!
Flandre
"A long, long time ago, there was a girl."
Flandre
"This girl had a dream."
Flandre
"A dream to become a witch who could do anything and everything, just like those that appear in the fairy tales."
Flandre
"The girl flew out of her house and headed into the heart of a forest. There, she started learning witchcraft."
Flandre
"One day, she met another girl, who was a little unusual."
Flandre
"This girl was able to do anything even without magic. She was precisely what the aspiring witch wanted to be!"
Flandre
"She took an instant liking to the girl she met."
Flandre
"The two of them would play and go everywhere together."
Flandre
"As the two got closer to each other, the first girl realized something..."
Flandre
"Although the strange girl could do anything, she had nothing to call her own."
Flandre
"Before the aspiring witch knew it, her dream to become a witch changed into a dream to befriend the girl."
Flandre
"She decided to live only for the strange girl―to become her only friend. Her dream to become a witch could wait."
Flandre
"She also wished never to lose the memories she made with her important friend."
Flandre
"And so, she used magic."
Flandre
"She evoked an image of the moon in a mirror and cast a spell recording all the memories upon it."
Flandre
"Unpolished but strong, her magic would preserve all the memories of the days she spent with the strange girl."
Flandre
*mumble*
Flandre
And then... then... The girl... *zzz*
Good night, Flan.
Patchouli
Hush. Keep quiet so you don't wake her up.
Patchouli
But what could this mean...?
Patchouli
The story Flan told you... I've never heard of it. It's not in any book I know.
Patchouli
I've never read this story to her.
Maid in Service Pt. 5
Reimu
Good morning, PLAYER.
Good morning to you too, Reimu.
I slept great last night!
Sakuya
Good morning, Reimu, Miss PLAYER. Would you prefer tea or coffee?
Patchouli
I want a grape juice shot... About a quarter of a glass...
Flandre
*yaaawn* I'm never awake at this hour... Sakuyaaaa! I want tomato juice and a raw steak!
Sakuya
Coming right up.
Reimu
Oh, that's right. Vampires sleep during the day. Is it OK for you to be awake when it's light?!
Flandre
Yeah! Patchouli helped me put on a special sunscreen!
Patchouli
Its effect will wear off soon, so we'll have to reapply it later.
Patchouli
But we should be able to reach the elevating machine before that.
Sakuya
What about you? What would you like?
Reimu
Hm... Tea to drink and... Do you happen to have rice and miso soup?
Sakuya
Well, I could cook it if you don't mind mushrooms as the main ingredient.
Reimu
That'd be great! And make PLAYER's share too, please!
Wow, you're incredible!
Capable, fast, and beautiful too!
Sakuya
Hehe... These are but the fundamentals of being a maid.
Sakuya
That aside, Miss PLAYER. I heard that you lulled Lady Flan to sleep last night.
Sakuya
Allow me to express my deepest gratitude.
You don't have to thank me that much...!
It was nothing at all!
Sakuya
The least I can do as thanks is tell you what I know as we eat.
Reimu
You mean...?
Sakuya
Yes, about the Witch of Scarlet Dreams.
Reimu
Please tell us everything.
Sakuya
I saw the mistress having a battle of bullets with the Witch of Scarlet Dreams.
Sakuya
It was right after the witch appeared for the first time. The mistress sensed the danger and flew over to her at once.
Reimu
Remilia did something so commendable?
Sakuya
Well, the mistress will eventually rule over the world. She can't do that if the world is gone, so she went to protect it.
Reimu
Ah, that makes sense.
Reimu
Though I was thinking that the Witch of Scarlet Dreams might have been Remilia...
Patchouli
That's interesting. Why is that?
Reimu
I haven't even seen her once since we came here, and you didn't speak of her, either.
Reimu
Plus, you both address and speak of Flan just as I do. In my Gensokyo, you usually refer to her as young mistress.
Reimu
So I figured it might be because Remilia isn't around.
Patchouli
Interesting... You found it suspicious that we call Flan differently and don't speak Remi's name?
Sakuya
That's because... Well, the mistress has been away for a very long time. This is how things have come to be.
What do you mean she's been away?
Did the Witch of Scarlet Dreams do something?!
Sakuya
Yes. We haven't seen the mistress for a thousand years. As to the reason for that...
Sakuya
She lost the battle against the witch and went out of commission. We are still awaiting her revival.
Reimu
Remilia was defeated?! Who in the world could put someone as powerful as a vampire out of commission?!
Patchouli
I've been trying to help her recover faster, but a thousand years have passed and she's still...
Reimu
She lost that badly in a battle of bullets?! I can hardly believe it!
Sakuya
Her opponent was a witch who'd just come into existence. The normal rules didn't apply to that battle.
Sakuya
The mistress recognized the witch's destructive power and decided immediately to keep her away from the mansion.
Sakuya
She fought her in order to buy us some time.
Sakuya
Then, after Lady Patchouli set up the tower, the mistress convinced the witch to cooperate and led her upstairs.
Sakuya
Her desperate efforts saved us all. Since then, the tower has been remodeling itself in accordance with the witch's power.
Reimu
It sounds like you might be glorifying Remilia a bit too much, but I guess that doesn't change what she actually did.
Reimu
Still, it's not comforting to know that the witch was able to send a vampire into a thousand-year sleep...
Flandre
Hey! Listen to me!
Reimu
Wait a moment, Flan. We're talking about something important.
Flandre
Hmph! You sure? Fairies are coming for our meal, but I guess you're OK with that?!
Reimu
Shoot! You're right...
Sakuya
Thank you, Lady Flan. Our meals might have been taken by the fairies if it weren't for you.
Flandre
Hehehe!
Sakuya
Well then, let's take care of these uninvited guests.
Flandre
I'll give you some of our food, but don't tell Sakuya, OK?
Sakuya
Lady Flan, please don't do that. If you feed them, they'll keep coming for more.
Flandre
Kyahaha! Now they're in no state to eat!
Sakuya
Well then, it's time to continue our meal. As a lady, you should heed your table manners.
