"Stop thinking about it."

"Eh?"

Sakuya looks at him seriously.

"Forget about what that girl said and focus on the search."

"Ah, but don't you think that what happened back there was pretty weird?"

The chief maid sighs loudly.

"Nothing good can come from taking that girl seriously," she says. "That ice fairy is probably preparing for some stupid prank again or such nonsense. She can't possibly be doing anything important."

"I see..."

For some reason, he feels like there was something he missed during that random encounter. But without any evidence to back it up, he decides to shrug it off. Like Sakuya said, it probably isn't anything important.

~~~

After searching for another hour, the two of them take a break underneath one of the larger trees. The chief maid simply leans against a tree and folds her arms. Grimnr takes a seat on the grass and tries to collect his thoughts. After a few minutes of silence, he decides to ask her a question.

"Hey Sakuya," he says. "Why are you looking for the trident-wielder?"

"..."

"I know that it's probably something you don't want to talk about, but I am helping you out here."

"..."

"At the very least, I'd like to know if I'm walking into something dangerous. It seems only fair."

"..."

Another minute passes without a reply. He sighs loudly and starts staring at the clouds instead. But to his surprise, as soon as he turns away, the chief maid speaks.

"To protect her," she whispers.

"Eh?"

He turns to the chief maid. She has a slightly pained look upon her face as she continues.

"If Lady Remilia finds out that he is still alive, then she is sure to do something reckless again."

Grimnr has no idea what this girl is talking about, but he gives her an encouraging nod all the same.

"I have to find him first and conclude our business," she says. "And then, I have to take that weapon back to the mansion."

"The weapon? You mean the trident?"

She nods quietly.

"It belongs to the family Scarlet."

~~~

After the break, they start searching again. Grimnr quietly notes how fruitless this task seems.

[ ] Keep searching the Forest of Magic.
[ ] This is useless. Head back to Eientei.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Continue searching the Forest of Magic.
[X] Custom

---

"Oh," says Sakuya carelessly. "My bad. It's just that naughty ice fairy again."

"L-L-Lemme go! Lemme go!"

Grimnr lands beside the chief maid and stares at her catch curiously. At first glance, it looks like a small young girl with bright blue eyes and hair. However, her odd icicle-shaped wings confirm that this person isn't human. Dressed in a simple blue dress and a large blue ribbon upon her head, the little fairy waves her hands angrily at them. With a half-dozen knives holding her in place, she is hanging helplessly against a large tree.

"Ice fairy?" he repeats.

Ignoring the girl's angry cries, Sakuya nods at him calmly.

"This one bothers travellers by the lake sometimes, though I haven't seen her near the mansion grounds lately. Look like she started bothering travellers in the Forest, instead."

The little ice fairy folds her arms and pouts at them.

"W-what the heck is that? I'm not bothering anyone!"

"Really? Then why is that tree over there frozen solid?"

Grimnr takes a glance to where Sakuya is pointing. Indeed, one of the larger trees has been frozen completely within a large block of ice. In fact, it was this strange sight that had drawn them to come down here.

"Of course I had a good reason for that!" cries the little fairy. "I'm definitely not doing it because someone cute asked me to, or because I was bored waiting for someone, or because that giant frog chased me again."

"Wait... what?" says Grimnr.

Sakuya sighs loudly. In the next moment, the knives holding the fairy in place suddenly vanish. The little girl squeals in surprise as she lands on her behind.

"Just get lost before I change my mind," says the chief maid. "And stop bothering people with your stupid pranks. They are very irritating."

"This isn't a prank!" cries the girl. "And stop calling me 'that ice fairy'! I have a name you know!"

"Ah, is that right?" says Sakuya. "Now what was it again, I wonder.."

The little fairy stands herself up and complains angrily at them.

"Cirno!" she cries out. "It's Cirno, y-you stupid meanie-head!"

For some reason, Sakuya seems mildly amused at the little fairy. Is she teasing Cirno? He almost feels sorry for the little girl.

"I think that's enough, Sakuya," he says. "You shouldn't pick on her like that."

"Yeah! Why the heck do I always get -"

Suddenly, Cirno stops speaking when he notices him. Her eyes widen, as if recognizing him for the first time. Grimnr frowns slightly. He's been standing here for a while now. This girl must be really out of it. She just keeps staring at him blankly.

"..."

A minute passes in awkward silence. He clears his throat before speaking.

"Err... so Cirno," he manages. "Why are you freezing trees in the Forest?"

"Eh? Ah, I'm not freezing trees," she says. "I'm freezing only that tree."

"But why?"

Cirno frowns hard at him, as if he said something strange.

"Are you stupid or something, Grim?" she says.

"Huh?"

The ice fairy grins smugly.

"Well, I suppose that I can tell you, being the strongest and all..."

Sakuya covers her face with her palm, but says nothing. Cirno ignores her (or doesn't notice), and suddenly raises her finger at him dramatically.

"Cirno is going to save the world!"

Loading User Commands:
[X] Attempt to scam Rinnosuke
[X] Custom

---

"Well? It's a generous offer, is it not?"

Grimnír pauses. This person is dangerous. He is sure of it now. But still... these are diamonds we are talking about here.

Diamonds!

He slowly takes the contract and reads through each clause. Most of it looks legitimate with the exception of a few strange lines. The runes themselves seem to be written beside key terms and conditions. Seems like the contract is iron-clad - hardly anything can be used as a loophole. In the end, however, this is only if he signs the contract...

"It is tempting," he replies. "But is there really any need to put this in such formal writing? I'm sure that a handshake will be enough."

Rinnosuke smiles grimly.

"I've dealt with magicians often enough to know that drafting a contract is generally a good idea. Don't take it personally, of course. I'm sure that your intentions are quite honest. This is just good business."

"That is understandable," says Grimnír. "But I find the terms of this contract quite one-sided. Why don't we talk about some other options?"

The shopkeeper considers him carefully. Without warning, he takes the contract from his hands. Then, he collects the diamonds back into his pouch and returns it to the bag tied at his front.

"It is unfortunate that we can't come into agreement," he says with a sigh. "My offer was quite generous."

"Eh? B-but I -"

Rinnosuke smiles darkly at him.

"Thank you for visiting," says the shopkeeper. "I have some work to finish, so if you'll excuse me..."

Before they realize it, Grimnír and Sakuya find themselves escorted out of shop.

~~~

After they left Kourindou, they headed deep into the Forest of Magic. The two spent an hour searching, but to no avail. Grimnír couldn't find any traces of the battlefields where he had met the trident-wielder. It was as if someone restored everything back to its original state. Aside from the occasional wild fairy, they didn't meet anyone at all.

"The Forest of Magic is really big after all. I guess that the chance of finding him is next to none. We don't even know if he is still here."

Sakuya turns around and frowns at him.

"We need to keep searching," she says. "I know that he is still alive. I need to finish our business, once and for all."

"Do you know who he is?" asks Grimnír. "I mean, you keep talking of him as if you know him."

"..."

The maid pauses for a moment, then she turns away. She doesn't answer his question. Instead, she says something else. Something strange.

"That deal Rinnosuke offered," she whispers. "It was good that you didn't accept it."

"Eh?"

"There is no way that you are getting your hands on that weapon. Absolutely none."

"How can you be so sure?"

She turns to him and smiles confidently.

"Because I am taking that back to where it belongs, and I won't let anyone stop me."

[ ] Continue searching the Forest of Magic.
[ ] Head back to Eientei.
[ ] Custom

"Welcome back," says a voice. "You arrived just in time. Grimnr, was it? Just give me a moment, here."

The owner says it all without lifting his head. After a minute, he finishes inspecting an old cannon shell. He looks up and smiles politely at his visitors. This strange golden-eyed person is the owner of Kourindou, Rinnosuke Morichika.

"Ah! Sakuya as well," he says. "Good to see you again."

The silver-haired maid gives him a slight nod, but says nothing.

"Sorry to trouble you," says Grimnr. "We just passed by to see if you have some -"

"Answers," whispers Rinnosuke.

The shopkeeper smiles enigmatically.

"Follow me to the back office. We can talk more in there."

~~~

Rinnosuke takes a tiny pouch from inside his bag.

"Here."

The shop owner slowly opens it and empties its contents onto the table. Grimnr's eyes widen in shock. Three cut diamonds, each the size of his thumbnail! In the outside, such things would amount to a fortune unimaginable by ordinary people. How the heck did Rinnosuke acquire this? Wasn't he just some oddball who ran a junkstore than no one visits?

He takes a glance at Sakuya. From the expression on her face, she too is surprised. But it isn't just that. For some reason, she looks a little frightened.

"You may take one of them now. After you deliver the goods, I'll pay the rest."

"The goods?"

"You want answers about the trident-wielder in the Forest of Magic," he says. "As Marisa's friend, you would like to make sure that she won't suffer like that again, don't you?"

"Err... I suppose."

Grimnr doesn't even look at the shopkeeper's face, still dazzled by the precious gems. With something like this, he could probably buy a mansion. He wouldn't have to worry about money again. Nor would he have to freeload on Alice or Marisa.

"So do I," whispers Rinnosuke. "That is why we are going to finalize the transaction in this contract."

He brings out a sheet of paper. It seems to be a trade contract, though Grimnr recognizes some magical runes on it as well. Perhaps those are safeguards to prevent people from breaching the terms?

Grimnr looks back at the shopkeeper and almost jumps when he sees it. Rinnosuke stares at the diamonds, a dull expression upon his face. As if they were old toys that he had grown bored of. At this moment, Grimnr suddenly felt that he wasn't looking at a human being anymore.

"I want you to bring me the trident," says Rinnosuke. "Do whatever it takes."

This person... is dangerous.

[ ] Accept the offer.
[ ] Refuse the offer.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"Night bird, night song~ Ah! It's done!"

Mystia Lorelei smiles as she places a dish in front of him. A plate with a generous helping of grilled lamprey. Grimnír looks back at the sparrow girl, puzzled.

"I haven't ordered anything yet," he says.

He also doesn't have any money with him. Or any other type of currency whatsoever. While this would be no problem at Kourindou (the owner prefers to trade in goods), he most certainly can't afford to get into trouble with those who expect payment. For this simple reason, he prudently left the food untouched and waited for her response.

"Don't worry about it," says Mystia. "Here is one more~"

She places another serving in front of Sakuya. The silver-haired maid says nothing. A moment of silence passes. Then, Mystia starts busying herself with the dishes once more. She seems strangely happy.

But that isn't the strangest part. Grimnír looks around carefully, yet he still has difficulty believing it. This street stand was completely trashed yesterday, wasn't it? How the heck was it restored so quickly? It looks exactly the same as when he passed by with Alice. Even the cooking utensils look unchanged.

He glances to the left, then to the right. The road and the trees nearby, in both directions, are completely undamaged. There is no trace of the battle yesterday at all. As if it never happened.

"Mystia," he says. "How are you feeling?"

"Eh? Ah, I feel great!" she says, smiling. "She was even able to reattach my wing! Eientei's medicine really is the best, though that doctor can be really creepy. She kept asking weird questions, too."

The sparrow girl stretches both her wings and flaps them happily. She stares at him for a minute, as if confused. Then, she gives him a little wink.

"Don't worry about payment," she says. "These are on the house. It's the least I can do after you saved Wriggle and I~"

She turns to Sakuya.

"Your gateguard was a great help as well," she adds. "I'll make her something too when she visits next time."

"Eh? Gateguard?"

"She's a regular customer of mine~"

Sakuya simply nods and smiles. For some reason, he feels a slightly dangerous aura around the maid. It quickly vanishes when she starts eating, thankfully. He doesn't know why, but something must have irritated her. Grimnír turns to Mystia quickly.

"Speaking of Wriggle," he continues. "I don't see her around. Didn't she leave with you this morning?"

Mystia nods lightly.

"She accompanied me all the way back," she says.

"But she isn't here?"

"Wriggle said that she had something important to do, so she left right after she saw that everything was alright."

Mystia sighs, a rare display of melancholy.

"She is so busy and serious nowadays. I'm starting to think that she might be getting into something dangerous. I can't help but feel a little worried about her."

"I see," he says.

Mystia serves them some tea to go with the food.

"Has Wriggle been acting strangely?"

"Hmm," says the sparrow girl.

She turns to him, her eyes glinting with something he can't place.

"Not really," she says with a smile. "Wriggle will always be Wriggle, after all. It doesn't really matter where or when. She'll always be a sister to me~"

For some reason, he feels like the sparrow girl is hiding something.

"Seen anything odd or out-of-place?"

Mystia shakes her head.

"Then how did your street stand get restored so quickly?"

The sparrow girl pauses at those words. She immediately puts down what she is doing. Mystia turns to him, smiling brightly.

"It's a secret~ S-E-C-R-E-T, alright?"

She winks again before turning back to her work.

"But in any case," she whispers. "I'd like to thank you for taking care of Wriggle. Please continue to do so, Mr. Wizard~"

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"No half-assed answers like 'I want to learn with everyone', alright?"

Grimnír smiles awkwardly as he looks at them. Seated farthest is Yukari Yakumo, the Master of Boundaries. She stares at him silently, taking an occasional sip from her teacup. He can't make out the expression on her face, though if he were to guess, it's probably a cross between curiosity and cheerfulness. A little bit closer and to his right is the Seven-Colored Puppeteer, Alice Margatroid. When he glances at her, she turns away with a "Hmph!". She seems irritated for some reason. And the one right beside him, her face dangerously close to his, is none other than Marisa Kirisame, self-styled "ordinary magician". She doesn't bother hiding her excitement as she wait eagerly for his answer.

"Err...", he mutters.

He takes a sip of tea to buy himself a few more seconds. For some reason, each option seems equally attractive at this point. Yukari seems to have no malicious intentions (at least toward him). In addition, she might able to shine some light on many of his questions. Alice, on the other hand, has been reliable and consistent with his training. For the most part, she has been using an organized and balanced method. Marisa is definitely the most enthusiastic of the three. Despite her reckless and dangerous tactics, he finds it hard to say no to her eager smile.

Then, he remembers something else. A promise he made before breakfast. He sighs heavily before speaking.

"I should have known that breakfast was too good to be true," he says.

At those words, Marisa's smile starts to fade.

"Ah! Does your stomach hurt?" she cries suddenly. "But I know that I didn't use any 'special' ingredients this time, so -"

"Not that. It's just that I have a previous engagement this morning, so lessons will have to wait either way."

"E-eh?" say the three of them, in perfect unison.

Grimnír slowly turns to the side, unable to look any of them in the eye. He could hear their disappointment so clearly in those words. If he were to look at them now, he will surely lose his resolve.

"It's sort of a promise," he says. "So I really don't want to go back on my word."

"What promise?" says Alice quickly. "And with who?"

Grimnír sighs as he decides on the best way out of this.

"I had to make a deal in order to get the materials required to manufacture Marisa's cure, and it looks like my benefactor has decided to call in for that favor."

"A deal? What deal was that?" says Marisa, suddenly worried.

"I see," says Yukari. "So that's why that maid arrived this morning..."

"Huh? S-Sakuya is here?" asks Alice.

The gap youkai sighs heavily. Then, she turns toward Grimnír.

"Don't do anything too reckless," she whispers.

~~~

A few minutes later, he and Sakuya left for the Forest of Magic. For some reason, the chief maid kept silent the whole time. She seemed very focused on the task on hand. Or so he first thought. When she finally spoke, he realized that the girl was actually very much distracted.

"H..Hey you," she says. "Why did you lie to them?"

Grimnír slowly turns toward her.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play games with me," says the maid. "You know that I'm not acting on Lady Remilia's orders. You are far too observant to make a mistake like that."

This girl must have been listening in on them earlier.

"I did agree to help you, so isn't that really beyond your concern?"

"..."

Sakuya doesn't say anything, but she starts frowning slightly. He just shrugs at her.

"If you must know, I had a few good reasons. Honestly, I didn't expect them to try to corner an answer out of me like that. Especially after a somewhat peaceful morning. Maybe I really couldn't choose properly in that sort of situation."

"Sounds like someone else I know..."

"But it isn't just that," he continues. "I also have my own reasons to meet the trident-wielder. Everyone seems to say that he is some sort of madman, but by the way he acts and speaks, it can't be as simple as that."

"..."

At those words, Sakuya suddenly looks more attentive.

"I just have this strange feeling that he and I are in similar circumstances. That guy seems to know something about 'curses' and 'abilities'. And he just doesn't have the proper feel that a 'villain' would have."

"..."

The chief maid doesn't say anything else, and she stays strangely quiet during the rest of the trip. Soon, they clear the Bamboo Forest. Grimnír looks down to see several familiar places. They can probably pass by somewhere before starting their search.

Somehow, he gets the feeling that we won't get this chance once they enter the Forest of Magic.
[ ] Pass by Mystia's red-lantern stand.
[ ] Pass by Alice's cottage.
[ ] Pass by Marisa's house.
[ ] Pass by Kourindou.
[ ] Head straight for the Forest of Magic.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Agree to help her. But only after breakfast.
[X] Custom

---

Sounds like this could get complicated. But still...

"..."

Grimnír looks up at Sakuya, observing her closely. The maid slowly turns away, blushing faintly. He sighs heavily.

"Alright, I'll help you," he says. "But only after breakfast. I haven't eaten a thing, yet."

The girl's eyes widen, and for a moment, he thought that he saw her smile. But in the next moment, she has a perfectly neutral expression on her face. The maid gives him a formal bow.

"Understood," she says. "I will wait until you finish eating. Thank you."

"Just one last question."

"Go ahead."

"Have you encountered any other strange persons in the Forest?"

The maid pauses to think. After a moment, she shakes her head.

"Nothing comes to mind. Just the usual forest youkai and fairies. They know better than to play tricks on me, though."

"Ah, I see."

"I shall take my leave."

Then, Sakuya vanishes from sight. He isn't surprised. Perhaps his mind is getting more flexible. After all, if one continues thinking in terms of "reality" and "common sense", he would most certainly go mad in this wonderland called Gensokyo.

~~~

"H..h..hey, can I have a moment?"

"Mmm?"

"How is the taste? It isn't strange, is it?"

Grimnír turns toward Alice. He smiles gently at her.

"The pancakes are quite good," he says. "The forest berries add a pleasant aroma, and the texture is smooth. You must be very experienced."

Alice turns away, blushing.

"N-not really," she whispers. "I just know a little of this and that -"

"Hmph, as expected of Alice ~ze," says another voice. "But is it as awesome as mine, I wonder?"

He turns toward Marisa, who has a big wide grin on her face.

"The mushroom omelette is also well-made," he says. "Though I wonder... you didn't use any poisonous mushrooms to make it tasty, did you?"

The black-white smiles widely and gives him a thumbs-up.

"Don't worry, apprentice" she says. "I only used 'ordinary' mushrooms for that one. I don't think you are ready to taste my true strength in cooking yet!"

She laughs loudly after her declaration, as if winning a battle.

"Did you sleep well?"

Slowly, he turns toward the third person. She calmly takes a sip of her tea before looking up at him enigmatically.

"It was peaceful," he says. "Didn't even have any dreams this time."

She smiles a little bit, but says nothing. He takes a moment to drink from his cup.

"This tea really is a good blend, Yukari."

"I'm glad you like it~"

~~~

Breakfast ended without incident. Too bad Reisen and Dr. Yagokoro were already finished when he arrived. He wanted to ask them a few questions. Apparently, Mystia had recovered completely last night. She and Wriggle left early this morning. Forest youkai seem to be a restless bunch.

"Such a peaceful morning," he says carelessly.

Grimnír turns towards the others. For some reason, all three of them seem to be staring at him. They are all smiling expectantly. Somehow, he gets a bad feeling about this.

"E-er, is something wrong? What is it?"

A moment of silence.

"Such a clueless apprentice, ~ze."

"Geez, he really doesn't get it..."

"Can't say I'm surprised, though it is kinda cute~"

Grimnír somehow feels hurt at each of their statements, though he still doesn't understand why.

"Sorry for being clueless," he says. "If you have something to say, then say it. I can't read minds, you know."

Alice frowns at him. Then, she turns away, irritated.

"S-stupid idiot," she whispers.

Yukari just nods patiently.

"For a person of your intelligence, you can be really dumb sometimes~"

Marisa just smiles wider.

"Ahahaha!" she says. "I guess I'll have to spell it out for my clueless apprentice after all. We want to know who you want to have morning lessons with, ~ze!"

"..eh?"

The black-white cheerfully steps closer.

"We all made a bet," she whispers. "The other two will take care of the mansion repairs. No half-assed answers like 'I want to learn with everyone', alright?"

[ ] Morning lessons with Alice
[ ] Morning lessons with Marisa
[ ] Morning lessons with Yukari
[ ] I have something else I need to do...
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Offer to assist her if she tells you the truth.

---

After washing his face, Grimnír turns around. The maid is still standing listlessly behind him.

"Excuse me, Miss Maid.."

The girl slowly looks up at him.

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Ah! E-excuse me!"

She gives him a formal bow before leaving. Her face is still bright red. Grimnír sighs as he considers what to do next.

~~~

With his morning rituals complete, Grimnír steps back into his room.

"Uhm..."

The silver-haired maid is still here. Her face looks much better now, as if she has regained some of her confidence. Seems like she isn't going to quit so easily. He sighs as he walks toward his sack in the corner.

"You still haven't introduced yourself," he reminds her. "It might be better to start over."

"Ah! Of course!" says the maid. "My name is Sakuya Izayoi. I am the chief maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion and first servant to Lady Remilia Scarlet."

Slowly, he turns toward the girl, looking at her carefully. Then, he sighs.

"I see," he says. "So the vampire must have sent you then?"

"..."

Sakuya maintains a neutral expression.

"That was faster than I thought, and quite less than convenient. But a deal is a deal. Give me a few minutes to collect my things. I'll head to the mansion and talk to your Mistress after breakfast.."

"Y-you can't," she whispers.

".. she has some impossible task for me, I suppose? As long as she doesn't ask something completely unreasonable, then maybe -"

"You can't!" cries Sakuya.

Grimnír stops talking and turns to her in surprise. She looks quite nervous, for some reason. After muttering an apology for her outburst, she lowers her head.

"You can't tell Lady Remilia that I came here," she whispers.

The maid looks desperate. Somehow, that troubled expression on her face is quite cute. He looks away casually to think.

"I see," he says. "Why don't you explain your circumstances? If it is something I can do, then maybe I can help."

~~~

"I understand," he says. "You can't tell me anything else?"

Sakuya shakes her head sadly.

"So please," she whispers. "Can you help me find the trident-wielder of the forest?"

Grimnír pauses to think. This girl has been searching the forest for that person for weeks, but she has never seen him. Every time she mentions that person, she has a strangely pained look upon her face. Yesterday, she heard about him from the mansion's butler, Grey. So she came to him this morning to force him to help.

"I never thought that my plan would backfire so easily," she adds.

He smiles at the girl. A little encouragement wouldn't hurt.

"Don't mind it," he says. "You were only a little unlucky this morning."

Also, he was in a particularly bad mood earlier.

"But I'm afraid I can't really help you. I have no idea where that guy lives. We just bump into each other every once in a while."

Sakuya nods in agreement.

"That's why I want you to come with me," she says. "Even if it's only a small chance, I need to meet to that person. I need to... conclude something."

Grimnír pauses to think. This sounds like it could get complicated.

[ ] Agree to help her. Leave immediately.
[ ] Agree to help her. But only after breakfast.
[ ] Refuse to help her. You don't want to get involved.
[ ] Refuse to help her. She isn't telling you everything.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

Each of her knives hangs dangerously in the air, as if frozen in time. The silver-haired maid smiles casually at him.

"Won't you accompany me for a short while?" she says cheerfully.

This is most certainly unexpected, but he can't afford to panic. Grimnír forces himself to calm down. There is only one thing to do in a situation like this. He closes his eyes and rubs his forehead.

"Er... that is..." he mumbles, buying himself some time.

Think. An unexpected intruder who knows his identity... a girl in a french maid outfit... a threat of bodily harm if he doesn't cooperate. There isn't enough data to come up with a conclusion just yet. He looks into the girl's eyes. He can't read her expression, but she looks like she is expecting him to give in. But if that is the case, then..

Grimnír looks up and stares the girl in the eye.

"Huh... How rude."

"E-eh?" she says, taken aback.

"One generally introduces herself before asking a stranger to accompany her. Or maybe you're just the forward type?"

The girl stares blankly for a moment. Then she covers her mouth to stifle a giggle. While she is laughing, he takes this chance to take a better look at her. He notices something interesting.

"My, how clueless. You don't even realize that your life is on the line here, do you?"

Grimnír pauses and takes a good look around the room. He notices another little detail. He is sure now. Slowly, he smiles.

"Are you sure about that?" he says carefully. "From what I understand, my life is perfectly safe as it is."

"What are you talking about?"

"You have absolutely no intention of harming me, much less killing me."

"W-what?" she cries. "How can you be so sure?"

"If you wanted to kill me, then you would have done so while I was asleep. And if you only needed me alive, then you would have easily knocked me unconscious or broken my arms and legs so you could drag me out of here unseen. Therefore, that only leaves one possibility."

Grimnír smiles at her with confidence.

"You need me alive and intact."

"Ugh..."

"In fact, you were waiting patiently until I woke up, weren't you?"

The maid takes a step backward, suddenly cautious. Her eyes narrow at him. The knives suddenly vanish. She makes a strange motion with her hands. The pocketwatch disappears, and in its place is a single knife. The girl bites her lip before she speaks.

"How?" she whispers. "How did you know that I was waiting for you?"

Grimnír chuckles slightly.

"There was still the possibility that you just entered now. That would mean that you may still be willing to hurt me if I didn't cooperate with your request. However, you got careless, miss maid."

"Careless?"

The girl frowns at him.

"The first clue was your watch," he explains. "You were probably checking the time before I entered the bathroom. Perhaps you were feeling a little impatient?"

"..."

"But of course, it could have been a coincidence. It was the second clue that made me sure that you were already here, waiting for me."

"Second clue?"

Grimnír's smile widens. It really was a careless mistake. Slowly, he points his hand toward the western style toilet to the left. He hasn't taken his morning piss yet, but...

"The seat is down," he says.

"... what?"

"The guest rooms of Eientei each have their own bathrooms, so I left it up last night because I was too sleepy. You must have been here for a pretty long while if you had to take a bathroom break on the job, miss maid."

The girl turns white as he speaks. She opens her mouth, as if to argue. But then, she can't find any words to say. Slowly, her face turns beet red. She lowers her head, completely embarrassed and beaten.

For a moment, he almost feels sorry for the girl. Her plan failed completely, and now she has no way of forcing him to cooperate.

The tables have turned.
[ ] Force her to tell the whole truth. Use blackmail if you have to.
[ ] Force her to tell the whole truth. Use force if you have to.
[ ] Offer to forgive her if she tells you the truth.
[ ] Offer to assist her if she tells you the truth.
[ ] Leave her alone and prepare to leave.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Pass out. Let's continue this tomorrow.

---

Grimnír looks out of the window as he rubs his eyes. Seems like it is already late in the morning. He wonders idly if he missed breakfast.

"Another day, I guess.."

He gets up, his mind still on yesterday's "Extra Lesson". While dangerous, he definitely feels that he learned something invaluable. And he was able to test it, too. To be able to defend against Marisa's "Master Spark" while saving his own power is no simple feat. For sure, he needs to develop this skill even further. Perhaps he can even find other uses for the concept "Gate".

His ability involves controlling the passage of energy and matter through a fixed point in space. As he washes his faces, Grimnír wonders idly if there are any ways to use this concept to prepare an offensive. Perhaps he should start experimenting with -

"Huh?"

He blinks stupidly as he stares at his reflection in the mirror. Is he seeing things? If this isn't dream, then there is most certainly another person standing directly behind him.

"W-what the!"

He quickly turns around. In front of him stands an unfamiliar face. A silver-haired maid with her hair tied in braids. She seems to be holding a pocket watch in her hand. The stranger smiles at his confusion.

"Good morning, Grey Wizard."

"Eh? Who the heck are you?"

"That isn't important," she says. "I've come to make a simple request."

Without warning, a couple dozen knives materialize in the short space between them. Each of the weapons hangs dangerously in the air, as if frozen in time. For some reason, he feels like these can easily impale him at any second.

"Won't you accompany me for a short while?"

[ ] Cooperate
[ ] Refuse
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] "Gate"

---

Gate - a point where entry or exit is controlled. When closed, it prevents passage. While open, it allows the flow. This is the essence of Boolean logic. Absolute truth or absolute falsehood - only one can exist at any single point in time or space. There is nothing in-between.

At that moment, it came upon him like the sea crashing upon the rocks. A high wave that comes once every hundred years. In an instant, he understood.

Grimnír looks back at Marisa. Then, he smiles.

"Heh, that's a good face," she remarks. "You are actually starting to look like a magician for once."

She raises her arm and points at him cheerfully.

"Prepare yourself, apprentice," she says. "As your Master, I'll punish you kindly!"

He only gives her a small nod. He can't act too confident just yet. Even if the concept is solid, he still needs to test certain things. And even if it works, his chance of victory is still quite small. If he makes even one mistake, it's all over.

"If this hits, it's really going to hurt!" she cries.

The witch raises her mini-hakkero at him. From this distance, he can easily dodge a linear attack. However, he relents. This is the perfect chance to test his theory. If it fails here, then there isn't any point in trying anything else. Even if it will risk his life, he will stand his ground.

"Love Sign, 「Master Spark」!"

He holds out his hand and forms a barrier wide enough to block the attack. From this distance, it won't look any different from an ordinary barrier. Normally, he wouldn't have enough power to block against her full strength. Logically, this attempt would be suicide. But this time is a little different.

Soon, the blast completely engulfs the barrier, and by the time her attack ends, the forest behind him is reduced to fire and ashes. For a moment, Marisa's eyes widen in horror. But in the next -

"Ah!"

She barely dodges his laser attack. Not much larger than the width of his wrist, the beam barely misses her. The witch turns to see the wizard hovering unharmed to her right. He doesn't have a scratch on him.

"Wow! I didn't think you could block that completely!"

Grimnír only smiles back at the girl. Looks like it works.

At this point she still didn't realize what he did. He most definitely didn't block her spark attack. That would be impossible for a magician of his level. The destroyed bamboo stalks behind him were proof that he didn't block the flow of her beam. Instead, he took the concept of "Gate" and applied it to his barrier magic. What followed was a simple but powerful ability.

A Temporary Barrier

The barrier need not block an attack completely. He only has to maintain it's strength for a split-second so he can avoid the attack. Then, once out of harms way, he can release his focus on the barrier and let the attack flow through harmlessly. This way, he can defend against attacks that are several times more powerful than his own capacity. And since he only has to keep the barrier up for a moment, he saves his own magical energy as well. If he only raises barriers in this way, then he can use his power to form even larger shields or even multiple shields at different points.

Rising from inside, he could feel it - the urge to go on and risk his life on this gamble. Even if it is only a small chance, the possibility of winning exists! He only needs to prepare a scenario that even she can't escape. Yes! As long as he uses his wits, he can defeat this witch even with his inferior power. A spell card duel isn't a battle of raw strength, but one of the mind, after all. With this, he can -

"Ara? So this is were you two have been playing~"

"M-Marisa! What the heck are you thinking!"

But their epic battle will have to be postponed for now. Seems like two newcomers have come to end this beautiful starry night.

...

Back at his room, Grimnír finally realizes how tired he is. The futon looks so comfortable.

[ ] Pass out. Let's continue this tomorrow.
[ ] Pass out. Let's forget that this ever happened.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Extra lessons? Why not?

---

"Stop running, ~ze!"

Grimnír barely dodges another volley of green bolts.

"D-damn it! You said that this was training! What the hell?"

Marisa smiles cheerfully back at him.

"Alice told me that you learned some new tricks. Why don't you show me, apprentice? I won't hurt you ~ze."

The witch raises her mini-hakkero right at him. At this range, he won't be able to dodge it in time. Without hesitation, he starts muttering the spell commands to form a barrier between them.

"Well.. not too much, anyway," she adds as an afterthought.

Suddenly, he finds himself engulfed within a huge beam of light. Somehow, his barrier manages to keep the attack from hitting him, but the spark itself is wider than his spell shield. All he can do is keep his focus on the barrier. For several seconds, he wonders to himself if this is the end. Then, without warning, it stops.

Grimnír slowly peeks from behind the spell shield. Somehow, he feels really irritated when he sees her face. The black-white is smiling as wide as a Cheshire cat.

"Wow! You really can block it! I didn't think that you could ~ze!"

He lowers his barrier and frowns hard at her.

"Wait a minute. You didn't know I could do that?"

"Not at all! I thought that I'd send you to the hospital with that attack!"

"What the hell? Are you crazy?"

"Crazy? Of course not! If I sent you the hospital, then I could nurse you back to health ~ze..."

Marisa smiles brightly at him. Her cheeks are even slightly pink, as if a little embarrassed that she said such words. But what the hell? She would send him to the hospital for such a stupid reason? This girl is impossible!

"Unacceptable," he cries out. "I won't accept that sort of reasoning!"

"Uwaaa! Such a scary face ~ze! He is angry now! What am I going to do, ~ze!"

"..."

At that moment, something in him cracked.

Grimnír raises arm and aims his palm right at this wicked witch. His mind is clear, and his concentration is flawless. He doesn't have a mini-hakkero, but he most certainly doesn't like this someone in front of him. And he definitely doesn't draw his power from 'love'.

The little details don't matter. He smiles darkly as he feels something warm start collecting in his palm. Marisa's eyes widen when she sees his hand shining brightly.

Laser is not difficult.

...

When he opens his eyes, only the burnt earth and forest greets him. Grimnír's face turns pale white. Oh God, did he just...

"Marisa! Are you alright!" he cries out.

Something black and white and slightly charred steps out of the broken bamboo stalks below. After coughing a few times, she picks up her broomstick and inspects it closely. She calmly takes a moment to brush off the dust and leaves from her skirt before looking up. The witch laughs loudly and gives him a thumbs-up. He hurries down and offers to help her, but she just shakes her head. The witch stands up on her own and looks straight at him with her clear and golden eyes.

"You figured it out pretty quickly," she says.

"I-I'm sorry!" he cries. "I didn't think that it would actually work."

"Don't mind it! In any case, I'm still standing, and so are you."

She smiles mischievously at him. Her eyes shine with excitement.

"Let me tell you something good," she says. "Come closer for a bit."

He takes a few steps closer. Suddenly, Marisa grabs him in a headlock. Then, she whispers something into his ears.

"It will take more than 'laser' to take me down."

Grimnír now has a means of attack. But if he is to survive this evening, he needs something else. A way to visualize his ability into something clear. A method for defining his will into this world. A means of focusing his powers.

A "concept".

[ ] "Servant"
[ ] "Mirror"
[ ] "Gate"
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] It would be nice to bump into Marisa.

---

Grimnr looks up. He isn't even surprised anymore. Of course this would happen. A wonderfully convenient coincidence. Convenient for who? Well, not for him. Not at all. He couldn't help but plant his palm firmly upon his forehead.

"Eh? Are you having a headache ~ze?" asks a voice from above.

Marisa is sitting on the roof of the mansion, smiling cheerfully at him.

"What are you doing up there," he says back. "That's dangerous."

"It's fine, it's fine. I just like the view up here. Kinda feels closer to the stars. You know - the stars, ~ze."

He pauses for a moment and considers heading back inside and ignoring her. But then, doing that seems to be too harsh. Even for him. So instead, he does the opposite. A couple of seconds later, he lands beside the black-white magician.

"Marisa, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"How are you feeling?" he says.

She smiles a little wider before responding.

"I'm fine, ~ze! It will take more than that to kill someone as awesome as me!"

"Heh, I guess Dr. Yagokoro was right. You really are fully recovered. You even managed to fly around and level a third of the mansion, after all. I suppose that it was a foolish question."

"Ahahaha! It was really nice of Eirin to let us stay the night. I really thought she was going to attack us when she stepped out of her dingy lab."

Grimnr shudders slightly as he remembers the cold anger in the eyes of that lunarian doctor.

"Hey, we aren't really guests," he reminds her. "She said that we should stay the night so that we could help with the repairs tomorrow morning..."

"Details, details," she says carelessly. "Anyway, forget about that for now ~ze."

"Uh..."

Marisa suddenly points at the sky.

"You should sieze the moment!" she cries out. "Live each day like it's your last, and die with not a single regret! Shine brightly like a star before you vanish."

"Stars don't vanish," he reminds her.

"Er... what was it again? Ah! Like a shooting star ~ze!"

"A shooting star?"

Marisa stretches her arms enthusiastically.

"Yep," she says. "They last only for a moment, so they have to work their hardest to shine brightly!"

"I see," he replies. "Sound like too much trouble though. I think I'll pass."

The witch frowns at him for a moment. Then, she lowers her head and slowly removes her hat.

"Is that how it is?" she whispers.

"Er... that isn't really what I -"

"It's decided then!" she cries. "Looks like you need some extra lessons, you clueless apprentice! Be thankful that someone as awesome as I has taken pity on you!"

"..."

She doesn't look like she is joking.

[ ] Extra lessons? Why not?
[ ] Refuse. Maybe next time.
[ ] Sneak away quietly.
[ ] Custom

Marisa smiled the brightest of smiles. She waved at them as she ran up excitedly. Then, she extended her arm to shake Suika's hand.

"Hey Suika!" she said. "Long time no see!"

At the time, Grimnr didn't notice anything wrong. Everything up to this point seemed normal (or as close to normal as it could be, since this was Gensokyo, after all). He couldn't see Marisa as anything but a cheerful ordinary magician.

"Marisa!" cried the Oni. "What are you and that one doing here?"

Suika raised her arm towards Alice. He frowned. Don't point at Alice like that. It's rude.

"W-well... t-that is..."

Suddenly, an icy voice interrupted her.

"Hey Marisa," whispers Alice. "Why the stuttering? Just yell at her like you always do. 'Bitch, get out of the way!' Like that."

The dollmaker narrowed her eyes and smirked.

"Don't tell me that 'We'll be in for it if she gets mad!'," she said coldly. "I don't think that we can just walk away, now that we -"

Grimnr turned back toward Marisa, and his eyes widened in shock. Neither Suika nor Alice have noticed it yet, but there was no mistaking it. Marisa's mini-Hakkero was already in her hand. With a calm expression, she slowly raised it right at Suika's face.

"Magicannon, ?Final Spark?" she declared, a bright smile upon her face.

As the world turned white, he stepped back. But he knew that it was already too late. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact. And then, without warning,

He fell.

...

He can't remember the details, but by the time he stopped falling, he was already sitting in a cozy armchair in front of another familiar face. His head was still spinning violently, and he felt like vomitting. Across from him, the other person put down her teacup and gave him a tiny smile. There doesn't seem to be anyone else in the room.

"Would you like to have some tea?" she asked.

"..."

"With me," she added, perhaps as an afterthought.

Sitting in front of him was the third troublesome blonde that was missing from his current predicament. The Youkai of Boundaries: Yukari Yakumo. Strangely enough, she doesn't seem to be the cause of his trouble. This time, at least.

"..."

Slowly, he looked down to see a small tray upon a tea table. Upon it were some teacups and sweet biscuits. He gave the girl a questioning glance.

"There isn't anything strange in it," she answered.

"I never asked," he said with a smile.

"Of course you didn't," said the girl with a smile that mirrored his.

He carefully took the teacup to his lips, sipping slowly. This tea...

"Earl Grey?" he asked.

"The finest blend in London, 1845," she answered.

"1845? But this isn't wine," he said.

"That's the year it came from," she said. "1845, fresh."

"Is that so?"

He took another sip. It really is a fine blend.

...

Peaceful.

He never expected it, but that was the only word he could use to describe the time that he had spent with her. They stayed together like that, sitting and talking. Sitting across from each other, a comfortable and safe distance. Talking about nothing important, nothing serious. Everyday things and everyday thoughts.

In that quiet little sitting room, he felt that time stood still. He could hear the sound of her cup hitting the saucer as she put down her tea. He felt her looking at him with gentle, unhurried eyes. He saw her smile at him simply, without a trace of malice.

And he smiled back.

...

Everything was still a mess when they returned, of course. Somehow, the place had turned into a massive battlefield. Yukari disappeared with a wink, giving him a look that said, "You can clean up your own mess." So the rest of the evening was spent trying to do exactly that, though for the most part, it didn't go as planned.

"Haa..."

Grimnr looks up from his bed, staring at the ceiling as he collects his thoughts. His head is starting to clear up, and the numbness in his legs is starting to disappear.

For some reason, he can't sleep.

Slowly, he gets up. A walk would be nice. The night air would definitely do him some good. After stretching his arms and legs a few times, he prepares to head outside.

[ ] It would be nice to bump into Alice.
[ ] It would be nice to bump into Marisa.
[ ] It would be nice to bump into Yukari.
[ ] It would be nice to have the evening to myself.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Remember what Yukari did.

---

"Sorry, but I don't drink," said Grimnír firmly.

No way was he going to drink out of that suspicious gourd. Sake that an Oni drinks? From the beginning, he had felt something dangerous from her brand of alcohol. Such a thing would probably knock him out cold, if he wasn't careful.

"Hehehe... you don't drink, eh?"

"W-well, I drink a little bit," he admitted. "But I don't really drink as a habit, and rarely do I consume anything stronger than wine."

This statement was the complete truth. He had hoped that it would be enough. Clearly, he was mistaken. Suika only smiled wider, a malicious glint in her eye.

"Err... Suika? W-why are you smiling like that?" said Grimnír.

"Smiling? Now why was it, I wonder~" replied the Oni.

Suika took a long swig from her gourd. For a moment, he thought that the discussion was over. But when her eyes suddenly met his, he saw what she was thinking. Immediately, he formed a barrier between them, but he was already too late. In the next second, the Oni was already standing right in front of him. His eyes widened in horror as -

"Chuu~"

The Oni had forced her lips onto his. He tried to pull away, but he couldn't escape. The girl had already grabbed the back of his head to hold him in place. Her grip was incredibly strong. Then, he suddenly felt her tongue push desperately between his lips. He couldn't help but open them in surprise. That was a mistake.

"Mmph!"

Suika had not swallowed a drop of the sake from earlier. Instead, she was forcefully pouring the alcohol from her mouth into his. His face quickly turned red as the powerful drink went down his throat. By the time she had let him go, his head was spinning and he could barely stand up. W-what the hell? Normal humans can't possibly drink something as hazardous as this!

"Good stuff, isn't it?" whispered Suika. "Would you like to taste a little more~"

He only looked back at her silently. Partly because he was tempted to say "Yes", as the girl's innocent expression was incredibly cute, and partly because he couldn't think properly anymore because of the alcohol. Unsatisfied by his response, the Oni opened her mouth to argue.

"..."

But then, they weren't alone in the hallway anymore. In fact, by the look of Alice's pale white face and Marisa's strained grin, they hadn't been alone for the past several minutes. His head only pounded more painfully as he struggled to think of a way out of this mess.

The man named Grimnír manages to make it back to his room. His head pounds painfully as he looks around for his futon. It really hurts his head. He shouldn't have drunk so much.

"..."

Wait.. was he drinking? What was he drinking? He struggles with himself as he tries to remember... yet the last few hours. Nothing registers. Huh?

Suddenly, he sneezes. Is he catching a cold? He shivers slightly as he makes his way across the room. Something feels strange... almost inconsistent. But then, he starts to recall the events that led to this. Almost too conveniently. But of course, he can't realize it.

"Ah..."

Suika answered the riddle correctly, and he told her so. Then, things went crazy. He doesn't understand exactly what had happened next, but it somehow involved the following: Alice frozen in place, Sake, An ever-smiling Marisa, A kiss (accidental?), A lesson about easy lasers, Shanghai hug, Shattered barriers, An overturned salt shaker, Yukari's grin, Teleportation, Numerous holes in the wall and roof, Rice cakes, Reisen hiding under a table, A dance around a bonfire, Patchouli excusing herself quietly as she leaves, A three-way duel, Being tied up and gagged for half an hour, Someone whispering to his ears "It's needle time", and a welcoming party.

"Ugh..."

Shit. Shouldn't have drunk so much. Or something. Suddenly, the bed looks really comfortable. But before he falls asleep...

[ ] Remember what Alice did.
[ ] Remember what Marisa did.
[ ] Remember what Yukari did.

A Tremor

Darkness.

I fell once more into the truth that I had forgotten. All around swirled the lost memory... the fragments of ebony. Like picking up the pieces of a broken mirror, any effort was futile. It was pointless to ponder; pointless to comprehend. The endless days of searching and seeking had finally come to an end. After living like Sisyphus for a moment and an eternity, I found it.

I didn't know if it was a curse or a miracle.

Each time I closed my eyes, I remembered that wonderful dream. Of friends and family I never met. And of whom I never will, now that I have found the truth. But I don't mind. I had always believed that the truth was preferable to lies, no matter how painful it was. Perhaps, deep inside, I had always known. Childlishly, I refused to accept it, as it was something I could not understand. Something beyond the experiences and imagination of an ordinary person.

Yet, from the beginning, I knew that it wouldn't last.

I always felt that something was strange. If I were to describe it, I felt like there was always a loose thread in this fabric called reality. A place, a person, a series of events - it didn't matter which. At times, it would be the smallest of coincidences. But then, even the simplest of things can give birth to doubt. A doubt that grew into the realization of truth.

That I was standing at the end of the world.

So I fell once more into the truth that I had forgotten. Yet I had no regrets. Because I knew that the truth would always be preferable to lies. And everything would turn out fine, now that I had returned here, to the end of the world. I closed my eyes and smiled. The memory of a passing dream is enough for me. I can rest now.

Or so I had thought.

Without warning, a single ray of light flashed upon me from the heavens. As if to wake me... no, as if to mock me. I cringed and struggled. I waved my arms in defiance. Yet that light would not give up. Despite my refusal, I found myself drawn to it. This was a disaster... no, a catastrophe. Everything I had sacrificed would be for naught. Yet, I could not resist. Or rather, it only took one more push.

She called out my name.

And the world trembled.