Steward Of Paradise At Work

by Tall-Gothic-Guy

I didn't come here to meet shrine maidens or monsters. I didn't come here to erect a cross. No one even told me about magic being a thing here. Actually, I didn't expect myself to be here at all. I was simply chasing a woman who created eye portals. But it beats being a runaway thief. I just wish I knew sooner, that this place will never give me a break, not even God...Bring it on.

7. Forgive, Just Don't Forget

If waking up makes people feel groggy after a long night, then I'm really lived the experience just at the start of noon.

Yep, I woke up at lunch. That gives me a lot of consolation, at least. It was a fuckin' terror to even sleep last night. Not even the thought of sleeping in a bed comforted me.

Due to the midnight attempted assault, I was too scared to even settle down, my eyes constantly on the door or even the window, expecting 'Flandre' to come back in and try to get a full taste of me. My knife stuck to my hand, or rather, my hand firmly magnetized to my knife, I was expecting to be attacked, and I had hoped to God that I won't have to fight or even hurt anybody that night, especially that vampire who entered my borrowed room.

Spilling blood was the last thing I wanted to do.

Sleeping in the afternoon often gives you lots of energy, that translates to give you enough vigor to last an all-nighter in the evening. My yesterday KO in courtesy of Chun Lee pretty much marked my fate to last until 3 in the morning before I could properly sleep. But since the 'visit' last night, that made me paranoid and a little jumpy. I was frightened to even get up from my bed to light the candles back up, too scared to even move a muscle in my fetal position on the grand bed. Too terrified to even close my eyes.

I was even frightened of the window. I kept looking at that window as if a grotesque vampire would float there, look at me through the glass and leer over the sight of fresh blood flowing on my nape before breaking in and go for the kill. The thought of the moonlight entering my window suddenly making the silhouette of a winged human over my frightened form pretty much had me sweating bullets.

With no other clue as to what to do, I resorted to my last solution.

Pray.

And that was all I did. I shut myself off from the world, but the world didn't shut me off in turn. It was still there, the fear, the anxiety, I wasn't even aware of the time, but I never separated my hands and kept praying. I told God to protect me, I told God to send a guardian angel to watch over me, I told God to keep the evils away from me. I asked Him for so many things that I couldn't even count them.

It was what I always do. When I'm desperate, hurting or even on the verge of despair, I always turn to Him. Being alone in the world, no parent to support me, no friend to keep me, I have no one, no one but Him. That's why I never stopped praying for his comfort.

Whenever I prayed in the real world, it was sometimes hollow and any form of spiritual comfort that was expected to fill me could barely be felt.

But here in Gensokyo, it felt different. it was….clear.

I felt safe, I felt protected, the feeling was so genuine that my fear felt like it didn't even need to exist in the first place. It was as if Jesus Christ was actually there beside me, holding me in his arms protectively and said comforting words to me to ease my fears as I prayed.

I wondered if prayers in Gensokyo were actually a powerful thing to have. Instead of a long-awaited occurrence to eventually happen as a sermon does say where my prayers will be answered after a long time, my prayers are heard and met immediately. Seeing solace in the action, I continued to mutter all of my prayers and hoped that He will not leave my side.

And that's when the morning came. It was only a slight spot of yellow and orange, but it was the greatest color I could ever see. God answered my prayers. The smallest ray of light broke through the window, and it fell on my eyes, blinding me. Never before have had I ever thanked the Lord for bringing the morning, and I did just that.

Slowly but steadily, the sun was rising to become the light in the sky, laying its gaze over this red colored mansion. I took comfort in its light and made it my guardian. It will guard me with its warm light, and it will keep the vampire away from me. Corny, yes, but it was the only feel I had from it. I was tempted to think that God was the sun watching over me, and I smiled over that.

And so, I finally took my most desired sleep.

That pretty much lead me to where I am now. Waking up groggy, sweating from the heat of the sun, and that my eyes hurt. Worth it, the bed felt soooo good.

And my ice bag still hadn't lost its cool. Accidental pun, but seriously, that bag is still creating a small mist.

Since I removed it last night because of its chilly texture not doing any good to my paranoia and placed it to the nearby nightstand, it left a rather large amount of moisture all throughout the night. If I looked closely to the wood, it was frozen.

This must be some magic-shit going on, I was kinda tempted to rip it open and see what's inside but I refrained from it. Don't wanna risk an explosion of frostbite to come out of that. Rubbing my heating body with the hand-sized cloth bag of packed winter, I was set for the morning.

Time for my punishing.

I opened the door to my room, and I was a little surprised to see the remarkable hobgoblin from yesterday crossing his arms as he stood just outside it, as if he had been waiting for me to come out since morning. If he was an attentive butler, then I made his job harder than it is. But I couldn't help it, I slept when the sun came out, I'm pretty much having vampire-syndrome just by being here (or probably due to last night but eh).

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Jergo." I apologized politely, smiling for the mythical being's efforts.

"Hrrrm," He shrugged, then he turned around and walked along with him towards the rather dark hallway, barely illuminated by the window at the middle of the hallway, which is so far away from here. It feels like each hallway is fucking 5 miles. This mansion pretty much gave the impression that it was night instead of day thanks to all this lack of lighting. "Mistress awaits."

"…..Right." A vampire walking around in the morning? I guess that confirms Remilia's words that it doesn't really kill them that much, I bet she's using an umbrella right now. I guess this explains the lack of windows and the dark and spooky hallway

"Have mercy." The hobgoblin grunted.

What? "What did you say?" I asked, looking down on Jergo as he didn't lose pace in speed.

"Have mercy."

'Have mercy'?

…

Oh, he knew about what I'm going to do to the gate guard. And judging from what he said, he seemed to be mindful of her welfare, in spite of what she did to me.

"Worry not, Jergo. The delivery of my punishment will be nothing but a fluff of a feather." For all the hope I have, I hope this plan works. "Trust me."

He made no response, but the sudden change of his gait says something.

~~~~~ « ҉ » ~~~~~

The way it's gonna go, my punishment that is, I'll need to be in a place where there is so much ground good enough to compare a tennis court. Apparently with the mansion's 'physics-be-fucked' aspect in regards to its spacing, that can be said on its backyard as well. It's bigger than I expected. If that's the case from a view outside the walls, then physics is pretty much a bitch to this place. Besides the obviously-medicinal flower garden, there is a rather large empty space of grass where a soccer playing field could fill in. Surrounding the open space of grass was more flowers and gardens, and the walls are still far from here. Geez, these vampires must be stinkin' rich to have this much land.

Then, with the desired setting at the go, all we need is the subject. Besides Chun Lee, who looked dreadfully guilty as she stood a few meters away in front of me, head hung so low that her scarlet bangs really covered her eyes, Draculina and Sakuya were there along with a few new faces. These people would be the other residents of the mansion, I guess.

I could easily tell apart who is who. The rather short-as-Marisa and…brittle, pallor-faced and looked-like-about-to-fall-apart-by-the-touch-of-a-leaf girl wearing a dress-like pajama and mob cap just like Remilia had rather really long purple hair is obviously…uh, what was it again? Patchouli Knowledge? I think it's Patchouli Knowledge. Definitely Patchouli Knowledge. She's holding a book and looked rather uninterested with what's gonna come.

The next one is obviously the 'Little Demon' Sakuya mentioned last night, Koakuma, right? Yeah. She looked rather civil for a demon, and (unfortunately) did not look like a tan-skinned demon from hell with horns like I expected. She looked like an office lady with wings on her head and back. White blouse and black one-piece dress shirt, she might've passed off as a human if she didn't have those wings. But the amazing red hair and red eyes are a hint to her supernatural heritage along with those wings so it's okay.

No little sister here though, thank goodness.

Sakuya looked really apathetic. As expected of the person with more authority in this mansion, her eyes show nothing but a cold gaze, only looking at me as if I was expected to do what I was expected to do, which was to beat the shit out of Chun Lee for socking me in the fucking eye.

Beside the head maid was the Draculina herself. All four people there are under the shade of the balcony of the second floor above them, found at the back part of the mansion, seated at a coffee table with served tea in front of them. But she looked unlike what I've met last night.

"Uuurrggh" Remilia groaned as she kneaded her forehead with her childlike hands.

…..That's the sight of a hangover. Whatever had happened after I left the dinner table last night, she sure got hammered afterwards. Fuggin' lulz.

I smirked. [Rough night, eh? How many was it? Five drinks and you're done?]

"Silence, boy." She snapped, lacking the strength to make it harsh due to her pounding headache. "Just get on with it." She ordered, reaching for her cup and drinking from it. If that was Master's great Tea of Wellness, it would've kicked that hangover in the ass right out of her head.

I turned to Sakuya, "I understand if you must be present for this, Ms. Sakuya but must they see this too?" I asked, gesturing to the vampire, bookworm, and demon with a hand. "Not to mean offense there." I added, inclining my head slightly to the ladies.

"They came of their own accord, Sir. They come simply to spectate."

The Purple Lady said something to Sakuya but I could hear it, which the Maid responded with a slight sheepish look.

Huh…..

Looking around, there were a few hobgoblins and fairy maids secretly spectating as well from behind the corner, up on the balcony, and some were watching from the fewer windows found in this part of the mansion. Some were bold enough to just be in the open and openly watch.

Sigh. This sucks. Really sucks.

I reached for my eye patch and I removed it, pulling the winter bag out and extending it to Sakuya's direction. "Hold this for me."

"Certainly." She teleported in front of me (not a surprise anymore), cordially took it from my hand and placed it inside her apron pocket.

Placing my eye patch back on, I reached inside my pants and pulled out my knife. "This too." I added, extending the tool towards her. This punishment will go my way, and I will not have this thing deterring my movements.

She stared for a short second before inclining her head, "Certainly." She took the blade by the hilt and teleported back to her Mistress's place.

Alright. Showtime.

"Now, lift your head." I ordered, adding a firm authority to my disposition, especially with my body language. "Tell me your name, gatekeeper."

She reluctantly raised her head up but she could not look at my eyes. They looked really guilty, and I could feel my heart hurting a little at the sight. I can't believe I have to this. "…My name is...Hong Meiling, sir."

I held on to a part of my tubular bandana and frowned. "Speak louder, gatekeeper!"

She winced as if my words were a physical blow to her being, and I felt the pit of my stomach fall even deeper, "M-my name is Hong Meiling, Sir!" She exclaimed.

Hong Meiling. I will remember that.

I lowered my bandana down a little and made sure to expose the damages she's done to me, "Look at me in the eye, Hong Meiling." When her eyes kept pacing from here to another direction at first, she eventually brought her guts together and stared intently at my one bad eye. "This is the damage you have wrought on me, and by the demand of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, you must be punished for this."

"…I have no excuses."

Don't worry, Meiling. I'll get you out of this.

"While I desire only to forgive you for, what I could only deem in my perspective, an honest mistake, the house says otherwise so I will have no choice." I adjusted my bandana with a third loop. It's going to happen, I'm gonna rough this woman real good, and I barely have enough energy for it. I only had a drink of water and no food, but this'll do. "How I condone your punishment, you will not have objections, understand?"

She nodded, "….I understand."

"But first, answer my question." She brought her head up and stared back at me, "Do you know self-defense and martial arts?" Just in case.

"Ye-yes, it's what I could do."

Perfect.

"Then listen carefully for I will not repeat myself." She nodded firmly and stood straight. Okay, deep breath. I began, "I will come and strike at you endlessly, you shall block my attacks with any means you could. Once I managed the first strike on your person, whether severe or not, that's your punishment. Once you are struck by me, you can retaliate against me with strikes of your own."

"What?" She asked, shocked over this ridiculous condition that I made. I know, but this is the only way I could do both of us a favor. "But you are supposed to punish me, why must I even strike back against—"

"Do you object!?" I growled and she was instantly silenced, wincing. "Do you deny the punishment I have set for you!? Do you deny the wrong you have done to me!? Should the house condone the punishment for me and have the specific severity be above my liking!?"

"No! No, Sir!" She frantically objected, her eyes almost about to break into tears. Fucking hell, this hurts. "….Please, make do with my punishment."

"Good." I brought my knuckles to my palm and I crackled them, then I did the same to the other hand. "Ready your stance." I ordered.

"Yes, sir." She brought her fists up, one shoulder pointed towards me and one leg slightly bent.

Now I know a martial artist when I see one, and that stance speaks a lot of experience. I wonder if I could land a strike. I just hope she wasn't holding back on this.

Protect yourself, Hong Meiling.

"Are you certain with this punishment, Mr. Retisha?" Sakuya asked on the sides.

I spared a moment to stare back at her pale blue eyes, "The first stone is mine to throw, remember?" I asked rhetorically, feeling a little prideful for using the power of their words for my own. "I will decide the severity of everything."

She stared for a little thought before saying, "I see." She inclined her head in agreement. Remilia looked like her headache's only out for a bit but her eyes are revealing the slightest sign of interest. The demon floating in the air showed direct worry and compassion for Meiling, hoping she'll be alright after this. But not the librarian, her attention is literally absorbed to that book.

Staring back at Meiling and nodding at her, her form stiffened and prepared, it's time for the go.

Clenching my fist, I charged her with carefully placed movements. [Coming in!] I screamed as I jumped to the air and aimed my strike towards her face.

As expected, she sidestepped with ease, then I whirled my body to send a backhanded fist towards her with my other hand, which she dodged by leaning back her head a little, then I instantly threw a jab, making sure to make my strike quick enough to catch her off guard. She somehow saw my strike coming and merely parried it off-course with a push of her forearm and she jumped back a short distance.

If she's good at this, then this punishment might take a while.

I charged again with a hook, which she ducked under, then I followed with a kick using the opposite leg aiming to her side, which she caught with her left arm coiled around it. "My goodness! I'm so—" Her apology for even grappling my foot as if she wasn't even allowed to was met with a fist flying towards her face, which she caught with a free arm (it didn't even budge).

Yep, that's a Youkai giveaway. Nobody could've stopped that without having their hands shaking at the impact. If I didn't know any better, I would'a thought she was a helluva strong woman.

I abandoned standing and I hopped off the ground with my free foot, sending a kick to her unprotected middle, using her grip on my fist and foot as footholds. At a momentary reflex, she released both her hold on me and blocked my kick with both her forearms in front of her at an amazing speed, sending her staggering backwards and me falling to the grass on my back.

I was very impressed with how she blocked that at the stroke of half a second but I maintained authority and continued.

"I told you to block my strikes with whatever means, pay attention!" I kicked up my feet and quickly hopped off the ground with my hands, wasting no time in following up my next attack as I rushed her.

"Ri-right! I'm so—" She was silenced again with a jumping roundhouse kick towards her face coming from me that she ducked under, making me whirl in the air for the miss.

"Do not talk! Block!" I sent a swiping kick towards her side and she caught it again, side-stepping before she did to remove the steam of my kick.

Instead of following with a fist like last time, I grabbed a hold of her shoulder, hopped off the ground and sent a knee aiming for her chin with my free foot. She leaned her head back, and my knee merely grazed her face. If that missed, I threw a fist straight downwards, using my fall as a fuel to the blow.

She pushed me off with her free hand towards my chest and threw off the leg she held. No. scratch that. Instead of throwing me off, she pushed herself back, making my drop fist hit the air.

Thanks for the momentum, by the way.

This is what you call 'Punishing'.

With my missed fist going straight for the dirt instead of her face, I maneuvered my hand to scoop the ground and I rolled on the floor to control the momentum. When I had the floor on my back and Meiling just in front of my feet, I horse-kicked straight towards her middle with both my legs and it hit home, but not where I wanted it. She blocked it again with forearms in front of her, but the force and brewed momentum sent her flying off the ground and on her back. Thank goodness she's wearing slacks underneath that green tailed dress, otherwise I'd be violating her with my eyes.

I looked over to the audience, the fight sure got their attention, even the librarian had finally looked up from her book, sipping tea absentmindedly as her purple eyes took in the action. Draculina looked like she recovered, and her bloody red eyes are seriously wide and unblinking, looking like a kid watching a circus. Sakuya finally broke out of character with the apathetic coworker attitude and she looked like she was enjoying the performance.

The servants broke out of hiding, neglected their duties and joined in the crowd, floating in the air or standing atop the railings of the balconies above or on top of another (that's the goblins doing it).

Is this a punishment or a match?

…..

Ha. I already decided what it was in the first place. Now that I assessed Hong Meiling's compatibility, I can finally place the real beating.

I lifted my ASS off the ground with the use of my hands and I flared my feet towards my back before I landed my feet to the grass, standing back up.

I awaited Chun Lee to get back up to her feet and readied her fists in front of her face, when she did I charged.

I aimed the first fist to her right side, she parried that.

Second strike is a right hook to her face, she parried that as well.

Cross with my left hand to her chest, she caught that fist with her right. I quickly opened that fist and grabbed a hold of the defending wrist, and moved it out of the way, making her think that I will strike the unprotected chest with my other hand. I readied the strike, aiming for the midsection with my other fist, her hand came to cover before I even threw it. Then, I changed aim and went for her face. Aqua-colored eyes widening at the feint, she leaned her head to the (my) right, my fist striking where her face should've been. I opened my right hand….

Then I slapped the bitch out of her.

Then I pushed myself off her with my left hand that held her wrist as quickly as I could and I dodged the uppercut that could've nailed me had I not moved. Needing more than necessary distance, I executed 4 backhand springs and 1 backflip, doing a running start crouch upon landing.

Her role to block and dodge is done. Now, she can fight back.

Her fighting stance is now at the ready, but her eyes still had the guilt in them. Whatever she's going to do, she better not hold back. Because if she does, then this damn thing's not worth it.

"You better fight back now, gatekeeper." I told firmly, ripping off a few blades of grass out of the ground before standing up, undoing my bandana so it can go back to its original state and placing it to my neck like a necklace. I don't think I could fight without knowing the distance of where I'm looking. Exposing this injury in front of her might just make it worse on her part, but I have no choice.

She nodded, but she was biting her lip, trying to look at anywhere but my eye. Just how are you beating yourself up for this? Is it really that bad?

Feeling the intensity roll through my veins, I charged her again. When I got the distance I executed the 540 kick, placing all of my weight to my striking foot as I aimed for Meiling's shoulder. She back-stepped, and my foot smashed the floor harmlessly. Not intending to break the flow, I followed up with a spinning roundhouse kick, aiming for her side. Instead of catching it this time, she blocked it with a forearm and finally swung her first fist towards me, aiming for my chest.

It was weak.

It wasn't typically weak that it barely hurt, but it barely had the force needed to back somebody back.

Because of that horrible strike, I grabbed her wrist and yanked her, and threw her to the opposite direction behind me with a push of my other hand to her waist. She rolled on the dirt, and stood back up almost quickly.

"Why was that weak? Gatekeeper, why did you not make the attempt to harm me?"

"I….I" She was heaving in breathes for a reason, and her eyes was planted to the ground. The amount of guilt in her eyes was almost unfathomable. "I can't!"

Now, I'm getting pissed.

"Is that how it is, Hong Meiling!?" I clenched my fist. "Is that how it is!? Is that how far your strength can bring itself!?"

"This is too much, sir!" She yelled, "Why must I defend myself for this!? Why should I even raise my hand against the punishment I deserve!? Why did you even—"

"Is this how the gatekeeper of the Scarlet Devil Mansion delivers herself!?" I cut off, finding myself extremely annoyed with the damn guilt she was purposely filling herself in. "Is her strength so weak that she is deemed inept for the task!?"

She gasped in shock, her form freezing still.

I see that got into ya.

"Would she allow the intruder to pass!? Would she let herself be deemed a bystander than a barrier!? Would she even submit to such facts!?"

Get that sense of duty back into ya, Chun Lee!

"Am I wrong!?" I shouted, stomping with my number one right foot as loud as I could on the grass. "Am I wrong, Hong Meiling!?"

"Yes, you are!" She screamed, the sign of indignation filling her eyes.

…..very good.

"Prove it!" I charged her again, a right hook coming to her face and she ducked under it, sending a quick punch to my midsection at the same time.

Her punch was seriously beyond average on the impact and it was stronger than the first punch she sent me, and FUCKING HELL, IT HURTS!

Growling in pain, I crumpled the skin of my struck midsection through my shirt and stood back to my fighting stance. The way Hong Meiling was now, she lost all of that guilt in her eyes and now she looked like she was really driven, wanting to prove herself as the guard to the Mansion to her Mistress and to me, who hath said she so incompetent. She wasn't doing a fight. She wasn't doing an obligation. She was just doing a simple order given by me, a guest.

We circled around each other, expecting either one to make a move, a feint or a strike, someone must make a move. Her presence grew big, her presence alone tells me just how experienced she was apart from me. She had obviously learned from official training, I was a copycat. Due to my acrobatic ability, judo and breakdance, parkour and taekwondo techniques are almost easy to do. To me, they're just jumping and kicking and tumbling. In other words, they were too easy.

Meiling was different. Not only did she learn how to fight, she also learned the theory behind it from a real experienced master. She had more wisdom in her techniques than me, who does nothing but follow the role of 'Monkey see, monkey do'. Which further emphasizes what people think of me all the time, especially my former friends: A Monkey.

Let's find out if the copied techniques I had could prove a match against disciplined training.

"Hiya!" She struck first.

I side-stepped the spinning flying kick that was coming, and she recovered from the landing quicker than expected to send me the same well-muscled fist that socked my face straight to my chest. I was able to block it with a single forearm, but it came a little late. Her fist hit both wrist and chest, and it also fucking hurts. I got myself reeling backwards from the blow, my wrist aching like a bitch, but it doesn't mean I didn't throw a blow of my own; I punched her on the cheek the sooner she hit me.

She staggered a little and held her cheek, I rubbed my wrist a little, which did less than 'a little' to ease the pain, it took no time for the both of us to go back to the action. She did a back kick towards me, it grazed my side as I dodged it and caught it with my arm coiled around it.

My turn to pull your leg, Chun Lee.

I swept her standing foot off the ground without letting go.

Thank God for her flexibility, because her one foot is literally turned parallel to her side. Seeing that this position doesn't hurt her, I kicked one foot to the sky above, my knee close to my face, and I axe-kicked straight towards her face, which she blocked with both her arms, her scarlet hair flaring at the wind power of my leg. Both of us grunting in the exertions, her trying to push my foot off, me trying to crush down her face. And I still have her foot on my hold under my arm.

Unexpectedly, her other foot came up and landed a blow to my face.

Ow!

I lost hold on her foot and staggered backwards with a growl, holding the damaged temple. She quickly rolled to her feet and swept my feet off the ground this time, making me land on my side.

Is it a game of back and forth now, you hit me, I hit you back, I floorsweep you, you sweep me off the ground with your foot in turn, if I had attempted to axekick you, are you going to—

BARREL ROLL!

*Thud!*

SHE ACTUALLY FUCKING DID!

With Chun Lee doing foot kicks that involved the steel-toed tip of her steel-toed shoes and the sole, I barrel rolled for who knows how many times just to not have a shoe marked on me clothes. For all the funny clichés to exist, I do not want the size 10 boot print to the ASS happening to me! That's what I'm gonna do to Marisa!

When I managed to make my space between the curb stomper and me sizable, I pushed myself up with my hands, then I swung my feet around me.

BREAKDANCE!

Chun Lee made no attempt to come close lest she be sweeped again by Crazy Legs. Doing one flare, I executed the coffee grinder spin while trying to approach her. With each spin of my 'blade', her feet pivots back behind the other feet and repeating, I quickly returned to the flare, propelling 3 times before I converged to the air flare, momentum flowing all around my two feet.

Yeah, this is how we do it in the 60's, bitches!

With no way for me to move anywhere in a straight direction, I stacked back to my feet then I cartwheeled towards her direction, which she back-stepped from. Then I followed with a side flip, sending a single kick to her upon my landing, throwing all the brewed momentum in that one strike. It landed against her shield forearms again, and this time she persevered the strike, only making her slide backwards on her feet a few paces away.

Just how strong are those forearms? They kept blocking my every strike like natural vambraces, and is she feeling any of those?

I'm tempted to say no.

I charged her and aimed a punch to her midsection—

—Not! She fell for it!

My rearing fist was actually a propeller to my actual attack—a spinning crescent kick to her now undefended face.

*TWACK!*

And it struck home.

….?

What the?

My foot was now resting against the crook of her neck, but she didn't hit the floor. Her feet were still firmly planted on the floor, and her upper body was only reeling to the side because of my blow, her green beret falling to the ground.

Her head slowly turned my way, and what I saw signified that I wasn't against a human at all: aqua-colored eyes slowly staining red, and a set of fangs poking out of her sneer.

I think I just roused a beast from its slumber.

Crap!

I tried to jump away but she caught my right foot before I could roll backwards, and she sent clean punches to my thigh, midsection, chest and face. All in the quick succession of one second, one handed, she isn't human, alright.

A temporarily unusable leg, blown out air, an aching chest, and a facial rearrangement, all too painful for a standard human to bear.

Good thing I am not standard.

Because I could still do this: I hopped off the ground with my other foot and sent a roundhouse kick to her face amidst all those. That made her let go of my leg and she was sent staggering again. Now, I'm back to the ground again. Leg still unusable, I'm down to my fists now. Barely used 'em in a fight, I'm more of a kicker, see?

Pushing myself up with my hands as quickly as I could, I got up to my feet with a limp and Chun Lee quickly rushed up, sending a right hook towards me, only for me to parry it and send a head-butt towards her, sending the both of us reeling.

Fuckin' ow!

I didn't only have the strongest ASS, but my head is also hardened from my stubbornness and from my regular habit of face planting whatever flat surface existent, sometimes the dirt (due to obvious reasons). But her forehead was actually harder than I thought, and damn did I ever feel that. Shaking my head to remove the dizziness, Chun Lee managing to recover as well, she quickly made way to strike once again with the same fist as before. I tucked my chin in and covered my face with a curved arm, blocking her punch. But her other fist came faster than I could catch up to, and I got hit right there.

The next ones were completely continuous, my face, my chest, my midsection, even my shoulders, anywhere that was in my upper body, I got sent a good machine gun of womanly punches, which were like a WWE champion's standard punch in each one, which hurts a fucking lot and every strike leaves a serious ache.

Left chest.

Midsection.

Center chest.

Right shoulder.

The blows were getting sluggish but even heavier, she's waning her last punches with everything she has. I can't even block, she's punching with so much force that my mind is too numb in pain to process a proper counter or even lift a single arm.

Sweating in exertion, Hong Meiling looked like she had decided to end this. One to my right chest, another to my right shoulder, then my cheek, then the last strike was the complete finisher.

She nailed me right at my bruising eye. The one area that I didn't want her to hit.

Now all the bloated flesh inside the bruise exploded on her fist, sending splatters of blood in the air, and I had the first experience of ever seeing the world in a worldly red, even just for one eye. Yelping in a guttural throat, I covered my left eye as I fell to the floor, supporting myself with an elbow against the grass.

It stings.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry! Are you alright!? Can you still see!?"

It hurts.

It burns.

I slowly turned my head to look back at Meiling, who looked utterly distressed as she knelt down beside me, her left knuckle stained with blood.

My blood.

Why did you hit me?

For all the will I have left in me, I quickly jumped off the ground, away from Meiling, which only made me fall on my back due to the puncturing ache in my beaten upper body. But I grit my teeth and struggled for her hat without letting my hand leave my eye. It's just there, I can reach it.

I'm used to pain, I'm used to pain, I'm used to pain, this is not the worse I've gone through.

"Sir, please stop pushing yourself! You're making it worse for yourself than it is for me!"

Quiet, Meiling.

When I finally had her beret in my hand, I forcefully stood up, shaky legs barely holding up my beaten form. Don't lose face now, you're supposed to be in control here. I smacked the beret against my pants to remove any dirt that clung to it before turning around and facing the Gatekeeper with one eye.

Looks like it'll be more than one week for this one eye to heal.

At least the job is done, worth a sacrifice.

I approached Meiling and I—

"Hng!" She stiffened greatly, bowing her head and awaited the punishment.

—placed her beret back to her head.

"Eh?" As expected, she was shocked and confused. "What are you doing, sir?"

Shut up, let me do my work.

Adjusting the placement on her head, turning it around so the bill is pointed forward like how she wore it yesterday sleeping, I tilted it a little upwards then I stepped back.

Ah, there we go. Now, that's a security guard.

I moved my hand off my eye and extended it to her, expecting a handshake. [Good fight.] I simply said, smiling as much as I could amidst the pain of my eye and my body. "I forgive you now."

"But Sir!" She looked conflicted, she looked at my hand, then at my damaged eye, then to her bloodied hand. Doing so for a few times, she stared back at me again, "But what of your eye!? I made the damages worse! Why are you treating this like something unimportant!?"

"Don't object," I admonished, closing my one good eye in a sigh. "Don't make this any harder than it needs to be."

She brought her eyes down, gritting her teeth and wallowing internally, still not taking my hand. "Sir! That wound is not a skidded knee! That isn't something so light! Why are you acting in such a way to me who has done that to you!?

Oy.

Her reaction was natural, and she can't be blamed for it. Nonstandard fools like me would always face the same reaction from others when we would brush off wounds like this in the same manner I did, but could anyone help it? I've always been like this. I'm a realist, I know what comes naturally and I either go along with the flow or go against it. I'm going against natural reactions at the moment: I'm not mad even if she had just made my injury even worse.

"This is a punishment, Hong Meiling. If I say I forgive you, I forgive you. And I do forgive you, but I can't trust myself if you don't forgive yourself."

She looked up at me again, surprised over the words I've said. I'm only making them up, I was never mad at all, there was no need to be forgiven.

It was an honest mistake. If I say it is, then it is.

In other words:

This wasn't a punishment at all, it's just a friendly match.

"If you want a clear word from me…." I inhaled, then exhaled as casually as I could as if my eye didn't explode. "…..I'm not mad at all. But I will be if you don't accept that."

Since I sparred against Marisa yesterday, including the danmaku practice, I enjoyed it, I liked it, and I feel like doing it again. I do free-runs just to find thrill, but sparring was a great alternative. I am given a chance to use my combat skills that barely had a use besides self-defense when I could use it to play with others who know how.

I always wanted to try fighting where there is nobody hating each other for it, opportunities are rare. My former friends can't fight like me, there were no fellow fighters like me, I'm just….one. Any fight happening in my life before is just one filled with hate, we're doing it to hurt somebody, not to play.

This one?

Well, it's a little new for me. I'm letting myself get hurt in the fun. I'll admit that I got a little peeved for her guilty movements and I was extremely enraged when she hit me in the eye, but she did throw her punch and proved my point so that makes up for it. Now….

I'll just wait for her to take my hand, and, hopefully, have more opportunities to play again with her at a later date when I have the time.

And she does, holding my bloody left hand with her equally bloodied left hand. It's like we're making a blood pact. It'd be great if we actually are. She's a really good fighter, and being kindred in blood and spirit looked really appealing.

Her grip was firm as expected, but the feelings in it are quite warm. Plus she was smiling to me, "Thank you, Sir. I failed to say it before but…" She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry."

Despite the aches in my body, or the damaged eye, I was glad.

Come 'ere, you.

I neared up to her and embraced her with my free and clean hand and rubbed her back tenderly, making sure to keep my red arm away, keeping from staining her with my wet red-stained limb. She returned it weakly, but the hug was good enough to make my tired state back to life instantly, I could feel it.

We parted afterwards. "Come." I walked past her, heading over to the audience. We went quite a distance during all that roughhousing, and I didn't even notice it. That explains why there were no people 'oohing' or 'aaahing' with every blow at the time. Just how into it was I? She and I are almost at the edge of the clearing.

"But what of your eye?" She asked, matching my walking pace beside me.

I took note of the warm liquid flowing down my hand to my wrist as I covered the opened wound, "Let us hope the Mistress or her handmaid can provide basic first aid."

"Oh have confidence in her," She said confidently, "She's a capable servant amongst the others."

Hearing her speak highly of the coworker who'd definitely deliver the punishment fivefold to her face makes me like her a lot easier. She's actually willing to take her punishment and even submit to her wrongs instantaneously. People would rather be silently mostly.

…..

"Why are you laughing?" She asked, noting my snickering and uncontrolled smirk.

"It's about what happened to me yesterday, that's all you are privileged to know."

"The day I struck you?" She inquired, her voice gone a little soft at the mention of her mistake.

I just shrugged, "Hm, pretty much."

I find it funny that someone with a wonderful personality like her ended up punching an innocent bystander in her sleep, and she was standing while doing so as well.

Weird humor I have, yes, but what're you gonna do?

"By the way, Sir, what is your name?"

"Eman Letitia. Eman is all you need to address me."

~~~~~ « ҉ » ~~~~~

Among the three ladies surrounding the coffee table at the shaded patio, Remilia had her hands interlocked together on the table, Sakuya included, librarian looked like she placed a bookmark on that closed occult book as she regarded both our messed-up states with interest. Even the lower servants were very entertained, chatting amongst themselves about the fight, ones trying to do the blows Meiling and I threw. A collective few of the hobgoblins were giving applaud, Jergo, who was stood prominently among them with crossed arms and stood at the center of the balcony railing gave me a nod. And the Koakuma girl was very delighted for the end result of the match, glad that her friend wasn't injured severely.

Overall, they were pleased by the show.

I guess they saw the entire thing like a fist match instead of a punishment.

"I admit, that was rather impressive," Meiling and I shared a smile at the librarian's soft spoken compliment.

"Now, then. Hong Meiling." And here comes Sakuya, she's gonna do her part of the punishment. She stood up from her chair, walking away from the space of the table and stood in front of the gatekeeper. I backed away, respecting the business distance between coworkers. "Now that the guest's punishment has been handed out, I will personally condone the punishment of the house."

Remilia was leering at the blood flowing down my arm, her fangs slipping out of her lips, her bloody red eyes widening and focused on me.

Look away, hopefully the sun makes her placid. "A backhand to the left cheek. A left hook also to the cheek. A sweeping kick to the left tendon. A crescent kick to the nape. A roundhouse kick to the right cheek. And finally, a headbutt to the forehead."

Whoa. Sakuya really caught on, I think those were all the blows I sent to Meiling, and they were all in an accurate order. Just six strikes, and nothing more. All the other attacks I did were all blocked. I gotta say: Meiling got arms. That's for sure. She probably sent me more than 90 blows, those machine gun punches were too fast and too many to count.

"The punishment is to have each blow repeated to you again, with the severity of each strike increased fivefold."

"I understand. I will take each blow wholeheartedly and keep it etched to my memories for as long as I exist. This shame shall teach me well and strengthen me." Meiling quickly agreed, bowing formally and nobly.

She sure has honor, and I really admire it.

But I'm not letting it go your way, Sakuya.

"Sakuya, hold." I admonished with a raised voice, which brought her attention to me, giving me a curious look. "You are not following the conditions of my punishment."

But first lemme have a glance to the Vamp.

I can see your hands shaking, Draculina. Control that thirst, if you would. You look like you're about to pounce on me, and those wings are just screaming 'I'm gonna fly this bitch so stand still so I could feed her' on a megaphone. I could already hear ya, what I'm wondering, however, is that will you do it or not?

"What are you saying, Mr. Retisha?" Sakuya asked, expressing shock over my words.

"Allow me to restate it:" Ignore the vampire for now, but keep vigilant (damn it, I'm feeling stiff). "Once I managed the first strike on your person, whether severe or not, that's your punishment." I looked at Sakuya in the eye, "The first strike WAS the punishing blow, nothing else. The following exchange of blows between me and her after that was just an order from me."

"But Mr. Retisha…."

I narrowed my one good eye, "Failure to follow the conditions would only signify the incompetence of the Scarlet Devil Mansion to hold on to the promises made to its guests."

She gasped in shock and she glared hard at me for that comment. I didn't want to say it but I had no other way to be quick about it. Plus I'm feeling a little insecure, Remilia didn't even react to the indirect insult to her manor, her attention is literally planted on the blood on my arms that finally reached my elbow and were dripping to the granite floors.

I turned to Meiling, "Just how severe was that slap I sent you? Be honest, and state it with your own vocabulary." I ordered. Let's see if my promises to Jergo are kept.

Sakuya diverted her attention to her, "How severe, Meiling?"

The gatekeeper reached up to smother her dirt-matted cheek, the same cheek I struck the first time and the most times, closing her eyes to recall it from the depths of her memory. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and addressed the head maid, "Like the fluff of a feather."

HA! FUCKING CALLED IT! TOLD YA SO, JERGO!

I never actually bitch slapped her, it was just a 'brush' of my hand to her cheek.

Sakuya quickly frowned, too stupefied for that wimpy description. She turned back to me, "Is this true?"

I quickly nodded. "I find no reason for her to even deserve a harsher blow." A small crowd of goblins came in from the back entrance of the mansion with piles of white cloth and buckets of water in hand. I lowered my blood stained hand from my eye and they instantly formed the Goblin Sandwich formation in teams of 3, the uppermost member holding the damp cloth and wiping the blood off my entire forearm. Something pushed the back of my knees and I was suddenly seated on a chair, another team of goblins came up beside the first team on my left and dabbed a wet cloth against my bleeding eye gently.

Thanks, boys.

I continued, "I deem her deed to be accidental and she shows clear repentance, therefore the need for her to apologize and the need to punish her is complete nonsense." I spared a glance to the Draculina with my one eye and she looked like she was trying to divert her attention away from me with her cup of 'red' tea, but I noticed her nose flaring almost inconspicuously, and it's not the tea she's smelling. Her thirst is really hyper with the smell of human blood, isn't it?

"….." Sakuya glared hard, I wasn't sure if I rendered her speechless or was just silently fuming, but she eventually placed her fist to her chest and inhaled a deep breath to calm her nerves, realizing that she had no say in this matter since the day she was the one who gave me freedom for this, unless Her Lady says otherwise.

I turned my stare back to the said Lady. She was looking at the goblins doing their medical cleanup on me with contempt.

Geez.

"I understand." Sakuya submitted, turning her full attention back to Meiling and placed the back of her hand against the gatekeeper's cheek. She reared it back, her palm touching her own opposite shoulder then…..

*SLAP!*

Motherfucking hell, that snap was loud! So loud that a collective few of the goblins who were watching, including me winced, it even roused Remilia from her death glaring and made the librarian's face crinkle. Koakuma, who was right behind Hong Meiling, was the one who yelped. Props to the gatekeeper for not even yelping herself, her face only reeled slightly to her left from the impact, a deep red mark pasted on the slightly tanned flesh.

After a second, she faced back her coworker and expressed a smile, "That shall do, Ms. Sakuya."

Heh. I like you already, Meiling.

"Ms. Sakuya, will you please lend her my ice bag?" I requested politely, "She might be needing it at the moment."

"Certainly." She reached inside her apron pocket and brought out the misty cloth bag, "Here, by his request, and as a token of my apology. The rules of the Mistress are absolute."

…Well, that shocked me. She's apologizing. I was kinda getting the impression that she wouldn't even think about the well-being of others as long as she does her job.

"Ms. Sakuya…." She sheepishly reached for the ice bag.

She didn't let go as Meiling was about to take it, "But…" Well, not shocking anymore, her façade's back and her eyes grew steely cold. "You make sure that this will not happen the second time. The reputation of Our Lady's Mansion must not be deterred than it already has."

She stared, a flash of fear entering her eyes before gulping, "Understood."

Sakuya released the misty bag, with Meiling quickly laying it against her bruising cheek. The head maid walked over to me, drawing out my knife from seemingly out of nowhere, spinning it in a skillful and graceful pattern with her hand, blurs of black circling around her fingers and palm in a fantastic speed before she held the metal, pointing the grip to me. "Your knife, Sir."

I took the blade with a close lip smile, feeling more than gleeful after everything that happened to this point. Finally got myself fighting a very good fist fight, got myself a friend, and I got to see some more knife-rolling from Sakuya (she's so good at it).

"Well, that ended rather wonderfully," Remilia commented sarcastically, sneering at the goblins whose hands were stained with my blood as she said that. "But I seem to be starving." Geez, Draculina. "Sakuya, ready our lunch."

"As you wish, Milady." *Wshk*

Well, additional spoil coming right up!

BRUNCH!

[Rest assured, Lady Scarlet.] I said to her. When she turned to me with a rather sharp glare, I nearly winced, [My compensation will satisfy you once I leave.] I tapped my neck with my finger as emphasis.

She let her fangs show, I wasn't sure if it's a smile or a leer, but the predatory look on her face as she looked at my neck kinda tells something, [We'll see, Eman.]

She didn't say 'boy' again.

~~~~~ « ҉ » ~~~~~

With the hobgoblins having done with the medical duty of cleaning the blood off (and Draculina sneering all the way as they left the scene), the librarian finished the job of putting my eye back into condition. All she did was tell me to shut up, hold still, and simply traced a finger across the open wounds. I never went through laser surgery, but I'm sure it definitely felt like that. Her finger was like a laser, and it burnt a lot when she grazed the rather sensitive areas with a fingertip glowing purple. Add a burning finger with a stinging wound, I was grunting and crying from that. It wasn't pretty.

But it took her just 11 seconds to finish, and now my eye was as good as if it hadn't exploded from Meiling's punch earlier.

I asked if she was a magician in some way and she said 'yes'. I wonder if the library she owned had some spellbooks. If anything, I'm inclined to read some of 'em and try learning a standard fireball spell just for self-defense.

After saying thanks, we went into conversation while we wait for the dishes to come in. But my partner was only Meiling, we talked about fighting and how I learned to fight like that, Remilia somehow recovered from a 'Blood trance' and sometimes adds in a comment or ask a question, joining in. Patchouli (I asked for her name again since I forgot) pretty much stayed silent and continued reading her book, though she looked like she was in deep thought about something rather than actually reading. Koakuma the 'Little Devil' flew to the kitchens, saying that she would like to serve something for Meiling.

The medical duty goblins somehow switched to grooming duty, coming back to the patio with brushes and a few sheets of fresh cloths in hand, the bloodstains on themselves were washed off. What they did: brush the dust and dirt off my clothes and Meiling's. Jergo had joined in as well, and he monopolized the duty to handle Meiling, and she gladly allowed him. Needless to say, he works almost as fast as a computer software doing the job for you instead of doing it yourself manually.

I get the vibe that these two are like Master and pet, though that'd be rude so I label 'em as 'Best Buds'. The rest of the goblins dealt with me, and they really took it to the top, they even included a hair brushing and shoe shine.

These boys sure take their job seriously. But their work ended way quicker than I expected thanks to their strength in numbers and they instantly ran away afterwards, Jergo following in tow but not without a respectful bow. That's the power of teamwork for me. Now I look like the version of the Eman Letitia who liked to look neat and clean (I kicked him out of my life long ago, he's such a pushover). They also styled my black hair to a one side flow, I kinda like it, actually. Seems to fit.

Few moments later, and a few words exchanged, Sakuya arrives with a tray of dishes in hand along with a few goblins carrying a tea pot and pie dishes, served from the courtesy of the 'Goblin Chefs' and the Head Maid herself, along with Koakuma who made something called a 'Sweet Red Bean Soup', Meiling's favorite. Looks tasty.

Then again, all the dishes looked tasty, I don't have to be picky.

"I must say," I began, slicing a piece of apple pie. "These 'butlers' are very reliable, they make better servants unlike the fairies or any other servant in this mansion. Of course not above you, Sakuya, you are a Head Maid for a complete reason."

"Thank you for compliment." She gave a slight bow, "These butlers have a knack for coordination and their dependence for each other is almost unmatchable. I wondered why the human village would reject such industrious beings."

"They were hideous, of course." Patchouli chimed in, taking a bite of her bread dipped in her coffee. "Humans always direct their preferences on the appearance than the personality and merit given."

Cynical, huh? Is that the influence of extended knowledge and prolonged isolation in the library talking?

"It would've been advantageous, yes?" Meiling added, swirling her soup with a spoon. "Zashiki Warashi and Hobgoblins together, even a poor man would be considered fortunate.

"At least it was a stroke of luck for us when they employed here, right?" Koakuma said confidently. "The extra hands and the chance for prosperity could be useful for us."

"We are already prospering in wealth and Sakuya pretty much handles the mansion with the competence of every other servant present in this mansion, even before the hobgoblins came."

If the hobgoblins were here, Patchouli, they'd be riling over everything you've said. They do their best in their jobs and obligations and you're not helping them. That snarky tone of yours could possibly piss off a lot of people…..possibly including me. Just don't try to be excessive, yeah?

"By the way, Sir?" Meiling began, turning to me. "I never get to ask, but are you western, given your name?"

Oh, asking about my nationality, eh? "I'm eastern in general, actually. I was born in an Eastern country before I moved to a Western country."

"What country, actually?"

"I was born in the Philippines, just a few thousand kilometers below the country of Japan." My unique face could work as a giveaway, my body structure is also too small for American standards. My tall height is the only thing that signifies my western heritage. "When I reached my 10th year, I moved to America. When I reached my 19th year, I moved in to Gensokyo. When I reached my 5th day in Gensokyo, I ended up here in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. When I reached the lunch hour of my 6th, you kicked my ass." She and Remilia ended up laughing afterwards, another Eman Letitia joke success.

"So you're a recent-arrival." She asked, "I haven't seen your kind in ages."

"As recent as it is, so much has happened already." So much that it's crazy that it even happened. Almost everyday there was something coming to hurt me, I wonder if people, if not just the outsiders suffer this thing all the time. "Let me ask you, do you speak English?" I asked to Meiling.

"Um…" She looked about uneasily, "Not at a fluent level but I do understand the tongue."

I turned to the Draculina, [Then I guess that's your influence, eh? You talked a lot of English around her before turning into Yen?]

She giggled, laying a clawed hand to her cheek as she looked at a distant memory in the ceiling, [Yes, the days were pleasant when I first employed her as a maid. It was fun to tease her when I demand something from her in the common language until she finally adapted.]

Meiling looked rather embarrassed at the sentence, "It was too far of you to do that, Milady. How could you expect me to do a good job if I cannot even understand you?"

[I was bored, my dear Meiling. Shouldn't you make the effort to entertain me?]

You. Are. Sadistic, Draculina. Even for me, that's way too far. Were you purposely making her fail and face punishment each time?

Here, Meiling. Gimme a fist bump, it'll make you feel better. Come on, come on, it works on me so I guarantee it'll work on you. Yeah, there you go, that wasn't so bad, was it? You got a nice smack, rough but it didn't hurt so much. "Thank you, Eman-dono."

Dono? That's a rather….fitting term to choose for a Chinese gate guard.

[Funny how you two ended up becoming friends after what just happened.] Draculina asked, drinking from her blood tea.

Well, you're gonna have to get used to my quirks if you 'n I are gonna see each other often, Remilia, [Yeah, well I got myself a sparring partner here so it'd make sense, eh?]

She gave me a raised eyebrow, red eyes a little critical as she regarded me, [Even after what she did to your eye?]

Oh dude! Simmer down, Draculina! You didn't have to bring that up, Meiling's really feeling bad about that. "Sorry about that, Eman-dono." Meiling apologized meekly, facing away from me.

Oy. I grabbed her shoulder and shook it gently, just like a friend, [It's fine. I'm gonna forget about it later anyway.] Plus, my eyes fixed up now, no reason for me to hold a grudge anymore, yeah? [You're my friend now, it's my job to forgive you when you say you're sorry.]

"Can I be your friend too, Eman?" Koakuma asked, mocking a beg pose in her elevated place.

"Yeah…." Oh no, it's happening again. "SSSsssuuuuure."

Koakuma, the beautiful being before me, grinned happily for my approval and reached her milky white hand to hold mine that I somehow raised unconsciously and shook it. "Yay, let's get along, Mr. Eman! My name's Koakuma."

"Yes, it'd be a pleasure." Look away, look away.

This thing had been happening for a while, and it took so long for me to realize that it was actually unnatural. Whenever Koakuma looks at my eyes, or even come at arm's reach, I get this extreme urge to look at her every curve, her every detail, her eyes, her hair, even her wings, especially her private areas. It was as if my subconscious thoughts are telling me to look at her and only at her, as if she was only for me—

No. No!

Resist it, resist it. Focus on something else. Uh, Remilia Scarlet the vampire. Think about her wings. Membranes, furs, a second pair on the head, red haired on its roots.

Wait a minute, I'm referring to Koakuma!

"You are such a wonderful man, Eman." She appraised, neari—why'd you get near, you little—You look so alluring, my dear, much so when we are in such proximity. And you have such a wonderful scent, was this natural? "Even when you're so injured, you never got angry at Dear Meiling."

"Tha-that's heartening, Madam Koakuma." Patchouli! Patchouli! SOS! MIND RAPE! MIND RAPE!—Oh, her words are so heavenly, it makes my heart boil with so much appreciation. WAIT! CALL FOR HELP! "Madam Patchouli….?"

"Mm?" She looked up from the book.

"Help….!" GET THE FUCKING MESSAGE AND KEEP THE DEMON AWAY FROM ME—Oh, her scarlet eyes are so deep, so deep that her native land known as Hell was found in them, and it was such a wonder.

"Oh….." Yeah, yeah, you realized, now keep her away from me!‼

"What's wrong, Eman?"

Oh nothing, my dear. If I say that I was relishing your presence in every second that passed with glee, it wouldn't be too close to how I truly feel at the moment.

"Koa, please step away from Eman." Thanks for using my name. I could turn my attention on you for that. "I believe your presence is giving him torment."

What're you talking about, Shorty? Her presence is nothing but the greatest Bullshit I had ever dealt with in my entire life that involved my sanity! Get the hell away from me, Demon!

"What do you mean, Ms. Patchouli? I'm not doing any—" Please get away! Please get away! Please get away! Oh my gosh, I'm terribly sorry!"

MMMMPUAAH!

I exploded to hyperventilating, as if her presence was as suffocating as smokes from a fire. And believe me, it practically was. I was this close to becoming soulfully devoted to a demon, a bloody sexy demon at that.

….

Oh.

….

Well.

…..

Shit.

*Slide plate forward*

"No."

A pale, slender hand instantly went into view and my face somehow mashed itself to it, preventing yet another addition to the Eman Letitia table sheet contemporary art gallery.

[AAAH! DON'T STOP ME, SAKUYA! I'M SERIOUSLY MINDFUCKED AT THE MOMENT AND I NEED A GOOD KNOCKING TO GET BACK UP!‼]

"No, sir! Such table manners are not to be put into practice in front of the Mistress or anywhere within the Mansion!"

[AH! FUCK IT!] Got your hands, Boss Maid! No stopping me, now! [MEILING! PUNCH MY FACE! HURRY!]

"Release me, Mr. Eman!" No!

"WHAT!? WHY ARE YOU ORDERING SUCH A THING, COMRADE EMAN!? YOU ARE BECOMING UNREASONABLE!"

[NOW, MEILING!‼ FUCKING DO IT!!‼]

"BUT—but!" Fucking do it! Fucking do it! Fucking do it! "Oh, you leave me no choice! HIYA!"

*Bsh!* I said a punch!

*Thud!*

"Ahahahahaahahahahaha!‼!" Ah geez, the Draculina lost her shit again.

….

….

….

Well.

That was kinda therapeutic but ow.

Now my chair had tipped over from the impact, sending it falling to the floor with me still stuck in a sitting position to it.

That's another one down on my bucket list.

I raised a thumbs up in the air. [Good job, Meiling. That kick….was perfect.]

"Uh….my thanks….Comrade Eman."

[Still got the ice bag?]

"Uh, hold on…..yes I do. Do you need it?"

[Uh….] Well, this is awkward, especially with the position I'm at. [….Could ya help me up, please? I don't think I could do this on my own.]

~~~~~ « ҉ » ~~~~~

[Really sorry for that, Sakuya.]

"It's alright, Sir. Nothing major had occurred so rest assured that you are not in any trouble."

"Except the fact that Comrade Eman had to force my hand. That was irrational, I admit."

"I'm sorry, Eman, everyone. This is entirely my fault to begin with."

"It's alright, Koakuma. Our lack of visitors left us with no experience as to what to expect. It's partly my fault to even forget about the natural effect you have among males."

After the ensued chaos due to mind rape, we got our bearings together and continued eating. Overall, I wasn't really happy that it happened, not just about what happened but everything that happened. The amount of punishment I had stomached since I got here was too numerous. Getting suckerpunched, getting humiliated at dinner, nearly getting assaulted in my sleep, getting beaten like shit, catching a bleeding eye, the memorable violation of my cognitive networks (euphemism) and, finally, the second suckerpunch (kick) to the face along with the back of my head slamming to the floor on the fall.

Now I have a nosebleed.

At least Patchouli worked her magic again on this one simply by pinching the bridge of my nose and muttering an incantation under her breath. After a clogging sensation and a slight burning, the nosebleed was gone, but the neat and clean state I formerly was in thanks to the boys had been decimated. Exaggerated, yes, but I reverted back to the Eman Letitia that likes to tumble and rumble right after one strike, just one.

And my body is still a little sore from her hundred punches. I wondered why Patchouli didn't heal that part. Maybe she forgot or possibly didn't have enough mana but eh, I'll leave her be. This is fine. I could take it.

"Do you have a glutton for punishment, Mr. Retisha?"

I raised a finger up, covering my mouth as I did the proper table manners of not talking with a mouthful. Gulp, okay, [Before I answer that, you gotta start calling me 'Eman' from now on. Your mispronunciations are starting to annoy me, like a lot.]

She had an eyebrow raised, "I thought I pronounced it correctly."

[Nope.] Absolutely not. [Just go with 'Eman'' and there won't be any problems.]

She bowed, "I shall, Mr. Eman."

There we go. [For your question: No. Just a spur on the moment, pain is kinda sometimes the easy solution to most cases.]

"How bad was the effect on you?" Great, now Koakuma was the one feeling guilty. I'm a little surprised that this Demon with a Japanese name could understand English.

[It was so bad that my thoughts were kinda going the wrong direction. Imagine me having rape thoughts rolling over my head.] I ran a hand up through my hair, holy shit that was a horrifying trip. Was that how a philandering fuckboy feels like? "At least I owe Meiling a thank you."

"There could've been another way, Comrade Eman!"

Oh yeah? [State one.]

….

Yeah, that's what I thought.

I turned to the Little Demon, keeping the ice bag pressed to the back of my head. [Yeah, I was really ticked off, Koakuma but I forgive you. It was accidental so I understand.]

She nodded. She is currently posted to a good distance away from me, which was beside Meiling in another table. There was an alternative to evading the mind rape aura she has. I just don't look back at her eyes, and keep distance. Simple as that. Though her sweet scent was unavoidable unless I bring my bandana up my nose.

She was actually a Succubus. A sex demon, capable of sucking out a man's life force via sex. Considering the mythical trait that they 'rape' men, it was actually a case of mind control. Their victims were swayed into having sex with them, simply done just by being there. And I'm the only male of this place, and that's not even a good thing. Not at all.

At least she doesn't act like she was wanting to rape me or anything.

And Remilia Scarlet has been silent since I recovered. She barely moved since her plate was placed in front of her, and she has been holding that tea for who knows how long.

Hello? Gensokyo to Vampire Lady who kept ogling my arm earlier?

"Lady Remilia?" I lowly called.

The four other girls present turned heads to the Draculina, finally noticing the vampire being in a trance, eyes unfocused and her mind flying elsewhere.

"Remi?" Patchouli was also confused, her friend was not moving at all, like she's completely frozen. Vampires can be still like statues (Dammit, Twilight) but to see the rest of the girls showing worry over that, I don't think this is considered usual for them.

"Milady?" Sakuya shook her shoulder.

She instantly jolted in her seat, her black wings stretched out in surprise, "WHA—WHAT!?"

Oh she's back.

"Remi, what's gotten into you? You don't ever space out like that."

"Milady, spacing out on the table isn't ladylike. Is something the matter?"

"No-nothing! Nothing is the matter!" She took her cup and drank from it, then lowered it instantly. "Tch. Cold." She settled to eating her slice of green cake, slicing a portion with a knife and popping it to her mouth with a fork.

Meiling and I looked at each other. I sent an invisible question to her, and she shrugged. She doesn't get what was going on with the Mistress. I turned to Sakuya, she looked very uncertain and her eyes were clear with worry. Even the Handmaid doesn't know.

I'll not bother, but I'm not letting it go.

Because I think I got a probable reason why she's like that.

It was because of my—

"Hey! Eman! There you are!"

…..

…..

Well, well, look who's here?

"This is where ya've been!? I've been looking all over for ya-ze."

….

I gave my sweet comrade of thrill a one-sided smirk, "Hello, Marisa~ It is such a delight to see you here out of all places~"

"We've been looking for ya all night! And Reimu's been chewing my ass non-stop!"

"Kirisame, what are you doing here, trespassing!?"

"There was nobody at the gate so I thought I'd take the chance and hoard some good books while I'm at it-ze."

"Wait! You went to my library!?"

"Madam Patchouli, Meiling, you can take it easy." I assured to my esteemed dining mates, pushing my chair back so I could stand up, placing the ice bag on the table next to my plate before walking over to the delightful witch. "I will handle the salutations to our honored guest. Please eat some cake or chat while I do~"

Thank goodness I didn't sheathe my knife.

I approached Marisa with slow but casual steps. "Where is Priestess Reimu, my dear Marisa?"

"She's looking around for you, or any information of where the hell you are. She's beating the shit out of any Youkai for it-ze."

Just three more steps.

"Is that so? Well, I should be flattered for Reimu's concern for me. I suppose I should be grateful for your concerns as well."

"Nah, I was just doing what Reimu tells me before she'll hit me upside the noggin', again!"

Two.

"Then, I suppose it's well deserved since you left me behind at Kourindou yesterday."

"Then why didn't ya wait for me!? I was gonna come back!"

"I was with Rinnosuke boy for five hours. Do you hear me? Five hours and you still had not come back."

One.

You're right up to me, Marisa. Now you can't escape my wrath.

"Which is why….." The grip on the knife I held behind me tightening, and readying my hand for a good grabbing, I neared my head towards her for a clear remembrance. "…..You shall be disciplined for leaving a hapless human to potential harm."

"WHOA!"

DAMN IT, I MISSED!

[Get back here, you damn flying midget!]

~~~~~ « ҉ » ~~~~~

"Well, that was rather….appeasing." Meiling commented, watching the two humans run off to the side and turning to the end of the corner, disappearing from sight.

"Granted. If I have to hope, then I hope she earns more than a simple punch for breaking into my library while I was gone." Patchouli said, drinking from her tea.

"Um….What happened to Eman-kun before he came here, exactly?" Koakuma inquired, "He said something about being left behind, didn't he?"

"I believe I will answer that question, Koakuma." Sakuya inclined her head politely, "Eman-sama told me his story. Considering that he was an outsider hoping to adapt, he and Marisa-sama toured around Gensokyo and try to be familiar with the lay of the land. After visiting Kourindou he kindly taught Murichika-sama how to properly use his wares. That can potentially make his store relevant and well-known, don't you think?"

"Agreed. I wished I could take a look at one of his wares considering I can't leave my post at the gate."

"Oh, if Patchouli-sama allows me then maybe I could find something that you like." Then she turned to the librarian in a slight panic. "Of course, under your permission, Patchouli-sama. I wouldn't go on my own like that."

"Hmm." She drank her tea again, indifferent for the news but slightly inclined to know about it as well. "If what Eman said is to be trusted, then I will settle a schedule. We can go there together, I would try to see if he has something I would like."

"Yay~!"

"May I continue the story?" When the girls settled down and stayed quiet, she continued, "Thank you. After Eman-sama left the store, Marisa-sama had already left him behind. He might've decided to return to the Hakurei shrine on his own. But since he still isn't familiar with the road he crossed…." She trailed.

"He ended up here instead." Meiling followed.

"And you punched him in your sleep afterwards." Patchouli sardonically added, flipping a page.

Meiling silently grumbled, lowering her head in shame with her hands interlocked together on her lap.

"It's alright, Meiling-chan." Koakuma patted her arm, "At least he got to stay for the night. Who knows what might've happened to him if he went alone."

[TRY COMING DOWN THE EDGE AND LAND ON YOUR FUCKING HEAD, YOU SACK OF RAAAAHHHH!‼!]

"Aniki, you're really going ape shit right now-ze! Did the Koumakan feed ya something you shouldn't have!?"

[Here's what you didn't get from the 'Koumakan', a nice serving of Knuckle Sandwiches in courtesy of me!]

"He-hey! Watch it, you could'a hit me!"

[Shut the hell up and die!]

"Geez, Aniki!? What's gotten into ya, yer attacking me all of a sudden!?"

[Don't spout the 'I forgot what I did' bullshit on me! The amount of shit I had to put up with since I got here is too much! And it was all on you!]

"The Koumakan really did it, didn't they, Aniki!? You got fed with something that melted your vocabulary, didn't ya!?"

[I'm speaking in fucking English, you numbnut!]

A few profanities thrown later, the noises disappeared to another part of the mansion. The four ladies' heads followed it until it was no longer heard.

"Were they at the rooftop?" Sakuya asked, looking at the general direction of where the shouting was last heard.

"Most probably, that was too far to be the second floor." Patchouli confirmed, subtly taking pleasure over the probable chaos given to her usual 'borrower'.

"But how did they end up on the roof?" Koakuma asked, her above-average hearing catching a few screams that certainly belonged to the boy and a few more of Marisa's tomboyish yells. "I mean I understand if it's Marisa but how did Eman-kun get up there?"

"Hmm," Meiling thought up a probably answer, "Maybe he held unto Kirisame's broom as she floated and ended up there."

The sound of wood hitting cement resounded the balcony above them and a broom suddenly fell to the grass just a few meters away from them.

"Hey, my broom!" Marisa's distant voice was almost clear, marking her that she was directly right above them.

[No more flighties, Missy!] Especially Eman.

"That's gonna ruin my magician image! Without that broom, I ain't myself no more!"

[You're a damn human who knows magic! And I'm a human who doesn't,] "how do you think I even got UP here, grab on to that piece of wood as soon as you levitated just to get here!?"

"Hey, you're talking sense again-da ze!"

[What!?]

"Whoa!"

*KKSSHHH!*

The faint sound of roof tiles being punched brought a few pieces of ceramics falling right above them, if not for the balcony over their heads, they would have suffered potential injury via shrapnel. As the sounds of the shout-fest goes further away again, the ceramic pieces still continued to litter the balcony above them.

Sakuya looked at the sounds of falling shrapnel with a rather unconcerned look, "I hope they don't ruin the rooftops too much. I still have a few errands to handle."

Patchouli flipped another page, "Don't worry, Sakuya. Let the goblins handle it, they'll probably finish before night."

"Hmm, I guess I shall. I'll task them later, thank you, Patchouli-sama."

And they continued to eat peacefully, listening carefully for the next batch of curses to arrive at any second, chatting amongst themselves about any random topic that comes to mind.

Until Remilia finally decided to speak.

"His blood….."

All heads present turned towards the Mistress's direction, eyes laced in confusion as their conversation was brought to a stop.

"What was that, Remi?" Patchouli asked.

"His blood…..there's something odd about it." She leaned forward, her pale hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "And for whatever reason, I can't stop thinking about it."

Meiling and Koakuma glanced at each other. This behavior coming from the Mistress struck them odd. It might've been her thirst acting up again, but such cases are very rare, with the night of the full moon as an exception where she needed more than what she usually intakes. Sakuya would always provide with whatever needs she demanded, especially blood. But this was new, the full moon had already passed four days ago, and Sakuya already served blood on her tea, yet her disposition was still implying thirst.

And she said that the blood tea was cold.

She never mentions any comment like that when it comes to blood.

"Ojou-sama, what do you think is the matter with Eman-sama's blood?"

"The way it smells. It didn't smell…human."

Surprise rolled all across the four women's faces. They were eating with a non-human the whole time?

"Do you mean he's a Youkai?" Meiling guessed, her shock most prominent among them.

"No." Remilia shook her head. "No, not what I meant. I mean he smells human but his blood isn't." She frowned heavily, "That doesn't make sense."

"So you noticed it too." Remilia's head snapped towards the librarian's direction the sooner she said that, which unnerved the latter over how intense the red eyes were staring back at her.

"You mean you know what it was, Patchy?"

"N-no." She paused to regain composure. "Not that I knew what it was but I know that something was off. When I healed his wounds, I felt something….clean rushing in his bloodstream. Something that was pure, untainted."

"You mean he has magic in his bloodstream?" Koakuma inquired.

Patchouli snapped towards the Little Demon's direction, what she said wasn't actually a stretch from what she had in mind. "Possible. But that can't be right. Casting magic always involves the manifestation of natural forces, and are always associated with the elements. I could feel the natural elements either afar or by touch, but whatever was flowing inside Eman's blood, it was clean. There were no natural forces related to it or even in it. It was as if the natural force that comprised it was….himself."

Remilia frowned even more, "I still don't get it." Then she sighed, slumping to her chair. "And why the hell is this bothering me?"

Patchouli pursed her lips. Something was definitely amiss with that blood, and the fact that it made her vampire friend act differently was something not to be ignored. She should confirm it. "Remi. Answer me this: do you feel thirsty for blood at the moment?"

She scoffed, "No."

Steeling herself for the next and final answer, the Unmoving Great Library asked, "Do you thirst for his blood?"

"No—" Her voice stopped short, her deep red eyes widening when her honest thoughts told her what the true answer was. "Yes." She admitted, then a feeling of want erupted in her, her hands curling in the action, "Yes, I want it. Seeing all that blood rushing from his eye down to his hand, something within me demanded it. It didn't smell like a human's but it smelled exquisite, and I want to sample it. Now!" Without any realization, her breathing was becoming heavy, her mouth drooling uncontrollably, and her eyes growing wide with desire. Then it lapsed to irritation, "But why!? Why am I wanting the blood of a guest!? Why am I finding this blood unappealing!? What is happening to me!? I am not like any of those fools! I am beyond them, I am a greater vampire than they are! Yet why am I feeling like this!?"

"Ojou-sama, calm down!" Sakuya quickly warped beside the vampire and held her on either side of her face, forcing her to look back at her blue eyes. "Look at me, Ojou-sama. Don't think about them, don't think of blood, and don't even think of Eman-sama or his blood. Think only of me. Think of Patchouli-sama….think of Imouto-sama."

The thought of Flandre brought her mind to a sudden snap. Urges for blood, urges for red, urges for a feed all but gone. Her realization hit her hard. She was starting to fall, falling to a state similar to her little sister. Uncontrolled, irrational, oblivious, damaged….lost.

That can't be.

That cannot be.

She was the eldest of the last of her family, and she is expected to be strong, strong enough to be looked up to, strong enough to be feared, strong enough to look down on everything that stood before her…..strong enough to look after her.

The tight slits in the Scarlet Devil's eyes slowly softened, the barely visible red glow dimming to a gentle light, her breathing easing to a proper rhythm, she managed to regain her bearings. Holding both of Sakuya's wrists, she lowered them down. "Thank you." She breathed, wiping the drool that dripped out, earning herself a small blush for being seen acting in such an unladylike way.

Patchouli pondered with a curled finger to her lips, "This may be major than it looks. I might have to research him for this. Acting like that just from just from the smell….interesting." This might be a chance to discover something new, and she wouldn't let it go by. Remilia never craves blood like that, and whoever Eman was, he's clearly not a normal human.

"Research him? How will you do that?" Meiling asked.

"Simple: get his blood sample, gather the magical properties, and then identify it." The librarian stated matter-of-factly.

"Patchy, if you could…." Remilia paused, taking her 'cold' tea close to her lips. "….Gather enough portion for me, if you may."

"I'll try." She picked her last portion of the pie with her fork before popping it to her mouth, finally satisfied.

[Alright, down you go!]

"He-he-hey! Aniki, what the hell are you doing!? We're right at the edge!"

[That's the idea, now fly, little birdy!]

"No way!"

[Uh—Hey!]

"YOU'RE GOING DOWN WITH ME-ZE!‼"

The sound of their screams came closer and closer to the ground.

"Sakuya."

"Hai, Ojou-sama."

As the grappled forms of the two humans came into view as they fell right from above, Sakuya pulled her silver pocket watch out into view and Time bent to her will, the world falling to a complete stop; winds stopped blowing, trees stopped dancing, fallen leaves left elevated in the air, the ridiculous pose of Eman Letitia and Kirisame Marisa suspended before they could hit the ground, just by 1 meter away.

And Sakuya couldn't help but sweat drop at the sight of the two.

Both their forms were upside-down, heads pointed to the ground, would potentially kill them if she willed Time to continue, and they had a good grip of each other's neck. The hatless witch had a hold of Eman's collar with her hands, her face frozen to a scream or curse or roar, further defined by her wildly scattered blonde hair (possibly from being gripped hard), her braided side lock about to unravel from the loose ribbon, her throat gripped tightly by two pale hands that belonged to the guest. His pale face defined satisfaction over the pain he currently conflicts to his abandoner—a sadistic smile stretching so wide that it looked like it would hurt his cheeks.

Marisa's hat was found above, falling late at the fifth level of the building. Must've slipped off when she fell.

Eman's knife was found falling as well, pointed down, floating to a stop in-between his feet…aiming for his rear.

Sakuya snickered, entertaining herself at the hilarious sight. Then her snicker was lost to a full blown laughter, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. Her amused state will forever be known to no one but herself at this moment.

Wiping a tear off her eyes, she made do with her orders and readjusted their positions around, killing their fall momentum in the process. "My goodness."

Looks like the Scarlet Devil Mansion will become even rowdier. If Her Lady's word is right, where the Guest would be involved with so much danmaku games and other conflicts, then these two will definitely create a lot of noise within the usually silent and isolated abode. If he plans to visit the mansion more often, then it's a guarantee.

It will be something that could annoy the Mistress greatly but a little change of pace wouldn't hurt.