Mentioned Characters: Remilia, Flandre, Sakuya, Patchouli, Meiling, Koakuma

Remilia Scarlet, also known as the Scarlet Devil, is the mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. As a sunlight-hating vampire, she rarely goes outside during the day, unless she's accompanied by her maid with a parasol. It's rumored that she caused the Scarlet Mist Incident so she could go outside whenever she wished. Vampires are an incredibly strong type of youkai known by practically everyone in the West. They are also a popular trope in fiction, typically depicted as mysterious aristocrats who command other monsters with powerful magic. This accurately describes Remilia, even if she can be a bit more childish or self-indulgent than some fictional vampires. She also has to deal with the many known weaknesses of vampires, which seems to be a common trait of powerful youkai. Though apparently, some of these "weaknesses" are in fact made up by the vampires themselves to lure people into thinking that they are easier to exterminate than they actually are. In the 80th provisional Gensokyo, Remilia helps to navigate and steer the Probability Space Hypervessel. Her ability to manipulate fate lets her control possibility vectors, essentially acting as the ship's rudder. However, steering a ship of this scale and complexity isn't easy, so she has to work with other beings who also have power over fate.

[Part 1 of an unresolved investigation into a lost world] "I don't see the problem... We can just beat up anyone who disagrees." Remilia confidently stated this while leaning back on her chair in the Scarlet Devil Student Council office, emitting a haughty aura of superiority. However, this wasn't her intent. She was simply leaning back in the chair because it was too big for her tiny frame, and there was no other way to sit on it comfortably. The chair and the desk were also positioned so high that she couldn't help but look down at anyone speaking to her. Remilia is often mistaken for an elementary student due to her size, but it doesn't bother her. And she isn't the least bit concerned about her Scarlet Devil nickname that she got from her tendency to spill strawberry milk and tomato juice on herself. "Please be reasonable, milady." It seems Sakuya, her vice president, still didn't understand that this academy's student councils are led by the most able and talented students. Trying to garner support by kowtowing to the whims of the masses was a sign of weakness. Only those with vision, those who lead from the front, can earn the right to rule over everyone. That's all that Remilia was trying to do. She was acting in accordance with this world's fate. To be more specific, the most able and talented refer to those who can win challenges. Since this academy has so many competing student councils, jurisdictions are not decided by votes. They are decided by direct challenges between student councils. The winner of the challenge claims the other's jurisdiction, and all promises made before the challenge must be kept. These are the rules that everyone plays by, and Remilia loves them for their simplicity and clarity. By inciting other student councils to challenge her, she can defeat them and gain even more power over the academy. "What's so unreasonable about building a roof over the whole academy?" "Everything."

[Part 2 of an unresolved investigation into a lost world] "Have you already forgotten about the last time you tried that and failed, Remi?" Remilia had forgotten. She doesn't remember all the little things she's done in the past. Dwelling on them would be a waste of time. She couldn't for the life of her understand why so many people felt the need to obsess over pointless details like that. Then again, there were a lot of things in this world that seemed completely nonsensical to Remilia. Seeing that her friend had completely missed the point she was trying to make, Patchouli Knowledge, the witch of the library, let out a long, exasperated sigh. "I know I'm asking the impossible here, but I think you need to calm down a little." "What do you mean? I'm always calm and composed. I'm a noble, after all." "Then maybe you should ask your noble parents to build the roof for you..." Patchouli didn't know what else to say. Classes had ended for the day, and she was holed up in her favorite corner of the library, ready to lose herself in a book. She only forgave the interruption because it was Remilia. Not only were they old friends, but Remilia was also kind of like Patchouli's patron or sponsor, because the library's existence and its extensive catalog were largely thanks to the Scarlet Devil Student Council. Even though it was a pain, she couldn't just ignore her. "Oh, Lady Remilia's here, too. If I had known, I would've poured you a cup." A student, whom everyone only knew as Koakuma, cheerfully placed a cup of coffee on the table next to Patchouli. Remilia preferred tea to coffee, so she didn't mind. "Sorry for interrupting your reading, Patchy. I'll try asking someone else." "Thanks. But I'd feel bad leaving my best friend with nothing, so a word of advice..." Perhaps Patchouli saw this as an opportunity to show off her knowledge, or maybe she simply wanted to see the cute expression Remilia makes when she's confused. "If there's no bread, let them eat cake."

[Part 3 of an unresolved investigation into a lost world] "Sorry, let me repeat it back to you to see if I understood this correctly." Remilia decided to ask Hong Meiling next, another member of the Scarlet Devil Student Council. (Koakuma and Patchouli are also members.) Unlike most student councils, the Scarlet Devil Student Council members are mostly free to do as they please. Nobles leave the day-to-day management of their estates to their subjects, so that when something goes wrong, they'll have the strength and energy left to protect them. "Umm, you want to make a big umbrella that covers the entire academy, paid for with the academy's budget. But obviously, it's impossible. So, you thought to resolve this with violence, but that won't work either. Then you said something about bread..." "Yes, that's everything." "That makes no sense." "It makes more sense than working out in a tracksuit in front of the academy gate at sunset." "It's not just a workout―it's Tai Chi Chuan." Remilia and Meiling got along well thanks to their shared love of comics, so Remilia really hoped she'd understand. "If the sunlight bothers you so much, why don't you just use a parasol like you're doing now?" Meiling's point was valid, which made it all the more irksome. "You're right. I could just use a parasol. But then I'd always have to think about it. And if I wanted to use both hands, I'd have to ask Sakuya to hold it for me. I'm only ever truly free at night." "But, Lady Remilia, you're normally only awake at night. Though I guess that means you're actually up early today." "That's because today is special." "Hm?"

[Part 4 of an unresolved investigation into a lost world] Everyone in the Scarlet family has weak skin. Remilia inherited this from her parents, along with their noble blood. But she doesn't begrudge them this. In fact, she believes that the truly strong should have at least one weakness. Conversely, she considers the power she inherited from her parents to be a curse. That's why she doesn't concern herself with them anymore. So much so that she can't even remember their names. However, there is one person whose presence forces her to confront her accursed blood. "I'm not late, am I, Remilia?" Remilia was waiting outside the academy gate as the Sun dipped below the horizon. She was waiting for her blood relation, who shares at least one parent with her: her biological sister, Flandre Scarlet. "Not really. The Sun has only just set." "Oh, that's good." They'd probably be the first to admit that they aren't the closest of sisters, as in, they definitely aren't best friends. And yet, they implicitly understood that when it comes right down to it, they could trust each other to have their back. "All right, I guess we should at least act like we get along, huh?" Flandre held out her hand. From afar, she probably seemed like the perfect little sister, but both of them knew that this was a ritual. They made a promise to regularly play the part of loving sisters, even if they didn't want to or had just fought. They meet up after school, so they have to carry their school bags. This means that if Remilia also had to use a parasol, she wouldn't have any free hands to hold her sister's. That's why they did this at night. Remilia is always reminded of this on the special days she sets aside to walk home with Flandre. "For some reason, I feel like tonight's gonna be a fun night." Flandre's voice is the bread that sustains Remilia―the bread that tastes sweeter than cake.