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The flight to the Scarlet Devil Mansion was relatively uneventful. There was hardly anything of interest to see on the way there, and even if there were, neither of them felt like speaking. Both Alice and Grimnír stayed silent during the trip, each occupied with their own thoughts.

"..."

Grimnír had many questions in his head. Would the gateguard let them inside? How much information would they have to share with her? Can they possibly bypass her without causing insult to the residents inside? Is it possible to defeat the gateguard with just the two of them? And would there be other threats once inside?

For some reason, Alice never mentioned anything about the other vampire. She kept describing only one vampire named Remilia, who was also known as the Scarlet Devil. He was tempted to ask more, but in the end he stayed silent. Perhaps Alice has her own reasons to keep it out of the discussion.

After a few minutes, they manage to leave the border of the Forest. Grimnír looks curiously down at the large lake below. For some reason, there is a fog forming on the lake and on the area around it. Somehow, the atmosphere feels a bit foreboding.

"There it is," says Alice as she points toward something at a distance. It looks like a large mansion complex.

...

"W-W-What happened here?" whispers Alice.

"The area looks like it has been through hell," replies Grimnír. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Yes, this is the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but..."

The dollmaker flies a little ahead, motioning for him to stay behind. As they approach, the devastation becomes clearer. The outer walls have large cracks on them, and the front gate has been completely ripped off its hinges. Uprooted trees lie carelessly around the garden. Several of the mansion windows are broken, and the front door looks badly damaged. Bloodstains can be seen all over the area.

"Now, this is just wonderful," says another voice. "That brat said she had things under control here..."

"Y-Yukari?" cries Grimnír in surprise. Sure enough, he can see the tiny gap youkai peeking out of his new "front pocket". However, she doesn't have her usual mischievous smile on her face.

"Keep your voice down," she replies.

"Do you know what happened here?" whispers Grimnír.

"I have an idea of it," says Yukari. "But I never saw this damage until now. It must have happened only this morning."

"I thought that the Scarlet Devil Mansion was pretty well defended," says Grimnír. "Alice described it like a fortress."

"It is a fortress," replies Yukari. "In any case, be very careful when you get inside. We still have unfinished business, so take care of yourself~"

She gives him one last wink before disappearing back into his robe. Before Grimnír can react, Alice starts motioning for him to follow. He quickly flies beside the magician.

"What do you think?" she says quietly as she points down.

Only a short distance away and above the Mansion, he notices a number of fairies dressed in maid uniforms running about. By the looks of their tools and actions, it seems like they are conducting repairs and cleaning up the damage. Some of the fairies seem to have bandages, as if recently hurt.

Nearby, a girl with long scarlet hair is supervising their work. She is dressed in a green beret and dress that complements the color of her hair. For some strange reason, Grimnír feels like he has seen her before, but he can't remember exactly when...

"We can easily sneak by like this," says Alice. "The gateguard and the maids seem preoccupied. But I'm not sure if we should..."

[ ] Head directly into the Mansion. Go through the front door.
[ ] Head directly into the Mansion. Sneak inside through a window.
[ ] Land beside the gateguard. Request an audience with Remilia.
[ ] Land beside the gateguard. Try to learn more about what happened here.
[ ] Custom