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“Sakuya, pass me the sugar please,” the vampire demanded, and her loyal servant gave her cubes of sugar. She added them to her tea, slowly reading her book and enjoying the peace. She took a quick sip, before returning to leafing through thick pages of heavy books.
She took one sip. Sakuya was still there.
Second sip, what a surprise. But Sakuya was still there.
Third sip. Yes, Sakuya was still there.
It was getting harder and harder to concentrate on reading, especially when someone pierced her with stare and presence. It’s like unwanted attention.
She seemed like she didn’t know what else to do, and had too much free time on her hands.
“Sakuya.”
“Yes, Mistress?” Sakuya’s eyes light up.
“Don’t you have anything better to do rather than standing here like a doll?”
Sakuya lowers her head, and only now she has realized how it looked from her perspective.
“No, Mistress. The mansion is clean, Meiling is on her duty diligently, every floor is spotless, I checked everything.”
The downside of having such a professional housemaid is that you will quickly lose the list of orders you give them. Which was exactly the problem with Sakuya.
“Ugh… Perhaps check on Flandre, as well as Patchouli?”
“Lady Patchouli is resting, as well as young Flandre. I tucked her in myself.”
Remilia just blinked, sipping another cup. Then, she sighed. “Then, why not rest yourself? There, just take a day off.”
“Impossible, I still need to take care of you, my Mistress. I mean, what if-” she started to add and try to convince herself that she is still indeed needed here.
“Sakuya.” Remilia interrupts. “Everything is really fine. Please, take a rest. That’s an order.”
The maid lowered her head, and walked out of the room without complaint. Then, she just stood there, her hands itching to do something as she walked the halls without any purpose. She checked wardrobes, tables, even door handles for any sign of dust. But there was nothing. Everything was smooth and clean, even the carpets and the floors beneath them. She stood in one place in the hall watching the wall clock. She didn’t move from that spot from five to three minutes hoping someone would ask for her help.
Then Remilia stepped out of the room, instantly finding her. Sakuya ran up to her like a puppy, and in the next moment stood ready to take any order. “Mistress, do you need anything?”
Remilia stared at her silently then sighed. “I could hear your footsteps from inside…” she said with slight tiredness and irritation in her voice…
Sakuya lowered her head again, realizing that she disturbed her mistress from resting and just enjoying the moment… “I’m terribly sorry, my Mistress. I’ll be going then…” she said.
Remilia then just stared at her and sighed. “Since you are so incompetent in taking days off. I, as the head of this mansion, have the privilege and responsibility to teach you myself.” She coughs. “So, dress up. We are going to the human village. I heard there is a festival going on there. You will accompany me, treat this as… Vacation!”
Human Village, ah. The valley of prosperity and life, a trading hub for imported goods—even those that youkai sometimes need more than life itself. That’s why many of them pretend to be humans, just to stock up for hard times, or maybe bring home souvenirs. But enough describing what you already know.
The maid walked alongside her mistress. Evening had already fallen over the village, and the festival was in full swing. Children playing, vendors selling their stuff, people sharing laughter and dancing, bringing their joy. Lights, music—it was loud everywhere. Not exactly what you would call fun for a sensitive vampire, and yet she carried herself with grace for her maid, who walked alongside her.
“Are you alright, my mistress?” the maid asked.
Remilia just shrugged it off. “All this noise makes my head feel heavier. But… It is fun. Alright, let’s look around for something enjoyable while it lasts. Do you have any particular ideas?"
“I’m afraid not… I’m not a fan of places like this either, but if you, my mistress, are interested in something, just let me know.”
“Ugh, we came here to have some fun, you know… But you still don’t know what to do.”
“I apologize… My mistress…” Sakuya bowed her head out of shame. But then something caught Remilia’s eye.
Some people were throwing knives at balloons, and many of them failed. It caught her interest; her eyes lit up. Competitive spirit and curiosity awakened in her, and she pulled Sakuya closer. “Oh, look. What are they doing?”
“A simple game of precision.” She stepped closer, explaining the concept of the game flawlessly. “It seems participants are required to throw and hit those balloons with a knife in order to win a prize, but…” She stared at the balloons and how people threw the knives. “It seems to be a scam. I calculate that it is impossible to pop these balloons because they are too far away, not to mention how heavy those knives are.” She broke down the scheme just by looking.
“A scam, you say?” Remilia chuckled. Her eyes glowed, and a smile spread across her face. “To think so many fools hand over their money for a game with no winning conditions. Human greed knows no bounds…” Then she noticed a big plushie standing on the shelf, attracting customers' attention like moths to a flame.
“Which is why, Sakuya, you will demonstrate how easily the illusion of success can be ruined in a single night. I wish to obtain that plush bear.” She couldn’t care less about the toy itself, but she wanted to mess with that scammer. It was, in a sense, HER idea of fun.
Sakuya didn’t question anything and just nodded. “As you wish, my mistress.”
The vendor, noticing the two of them, said something he shouldn't have. “Hey! Come closer, ladies. You! Perhaps win something for your little daughter, what do you say?” He tried to lure them into his trap.
Remilia found those words irritating. She scoffed and whispered into Sakuya’s ear, “Destroy him.”
“Well, here are the knives. You have three shots—if you succeed, the grand prize is your—”
THUMP.
Two left.
THUMP.
One left.
Remilia stared coldly at the vendor, and sweat broke out on his forehead. Remilia didn’t pity him. She stared at him, then at the balloons, like a predator at its prey.
THUMP.
None left.
“My prize, mister,” Sakuya demanded.
The vendor didn’t even realize what had just happened. He stared at them for a few seconds before silently handing the big plushie to her. He didn't even argue; he was simply speechless.
They took the plush bear and gave him one final look before Remilia spoke. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Then they both vanished, leaving him trying to process what had just occurred.
“As expected from my maid, that was delightful!” Remilia laughed, hugging the plush close and enjoying the moment. “Think we can do the same with every game out here?” Remilia mused for a second.
“Thank you, my lady. It was nothing difficult.” The happiness on her mistress's face filled Sakuya with warmth. “If it is your wish, I can win any game here.”
“I don’t doubt that. Then let’s get going.”
After that, they spent an entire hour beating every local game in sight, leaving some vendors broke while making others rich, as crowds gathered to beat the new record scores.
After their one-hour challenge, Remilia led her to a local blacksmith shop.
The heat of steam, the clanging of metal, and heavy noises greeted them inside. Most importantly, sharp and pointed weapons were all over the place—on the walls, on the counter.
“Sakuya, stay here,” Remilia ordered, leaving her maid for a moment.
Sakuya looked around. Her mistress was talking to the blacksmith, picking up and testing various knives, each looking more dangerous than the last. It made Sakuya feel uneasy.
Her eyes caught a shop nearby, right next to the blacksmith's. Books? Oh. She recalled that Lady Patchouli really loved reading, so, glancing back at Remilia one more time, she went to buy something, telling herself it would be quick.
After she bought the books, she spotted a toy store!
Dolls, plush bears, figurines. She recalled that Flandre didn’t have many toys because of how often she broke them and tore them apart. So she bought a few toys, adding another bag to her arms. Then… Ugh! Was there no end to these shops?
There was a tea shop nearby too! Well, she could have ignored it if it were ordinary tea, but these were special imported teas from England, France, and the rest of Europe. Something you couldn’t find in Gensokyo! So she HAD to buy them!
Just when she thought she could finally return, a Chinese specialty store appeared as if out of nowhere. That idiot Meiling probably needed something too! Maybe it would boost her motivation to work. Spices, Chinese tea varieties, balms... She packed it all into her bag and finally headed back without looking behind her, arriving at the blacksmith's shop just in time—right to the spot she had been told to stay.
Remilia came back holding a neat case for something Sakuya couldn’t quite recognize. Remilia walked back to her with a proud expression, but when she arrived, that smugness vanished, replaced by sheer confusion.
She stared at her maid, who had seemed empty-handed just minutes ago, now holding bags filled with stuff Remilia KNEW the purpose of. Sakuya tried to hide them behind her back, but Remilia could tell just by looking at what was inside.
“Sakuya, I was gone for five minutes,” she scolded her.
“Three and a half, to be precise.”
Remilia scoffed.
“I left you here to REST, not to buy groceries. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Sakuya looked down at the ground. “I just saw a store nearby. I thought to myself maybe I could…” She paused, then added, “Besides, this tea... I knew if I didn't buy it now, I wouldn’t be able to serve the tea you love for a long time. So I had to buy it! And the special tomes Patchouli was craving, and toys for Lady Flandre!”
Remilia sighed, though beneath her annoyance was a quiet appreciation for her maid's devotion. Acceptance, perhaps. Maybe Sakuya simply didn't know how to rest—even if Remilia was still a little miffed that her order had been ignored.
“You’re really hopeless,” she chuckled with a soft laugh, realizing there wasn't much she could do about her maid's nature. Instead, she approached her and handed her the case. It felt soft, sturdy, and strange in Sakuya's hands—almost as if it had been made specifically for her.
“My lady, may I ask what this is?” Sakuya asked.
“A present from me, as a token of gratitude for your service. You will take it—I won’t take no for an answer.”
Sakuya didn’t understand at first, but when she opened it, she discovered twenty to thirty small, lightweight knives. They felt weightless, almost like an extension of her own body.
“My mistress… I—”
“Made out of silver. Perfect for you,” Remilia interrupted. “I realized after your performance today that you needed a proper weapon of your own. Ordinary knives won’t do—they’d only slow you down. But these? These were made for you. Take care of them. Do you understand?”
Sakuya hugged the knife case to her chest, her face turning bright red. She felt happier than ever in that moment and swore to herself that from now on, she would use only these blades.
“Yes, your wish is my command. I’ll take care of these knives and treasure them until the very end. I… Thank you, my mistress.”
Remilia chuckled, though deep down she felt a little embarrassed—and deeply proud of herself for picking out such a gift. The unspoken bond between them grew a little stronger.
“I want to go home now. It’s too loud here, and I’m getting tired. Let’s head back,” Remilia said.
“As you wish, my lady,” Sakuya replied, leading the way through the night-bound forest of Gensokyo.
The night was chilly, yet the soft, cool air of the forest felt strangely warm to her. It had nothing to do with the temperature, but rather the deep sense of devotion she felt for her mistress. She gripped the knife case tighter, almost afraid that she might lose it—or that this day was nothing more than a dream. But one look at her mistress washed all her worries away. Smiling softly, she guided the way back to the mansion.