Just a few minutes had passed right when Sakuya agreed to accompany us, standing on one side of the table between us, as if she was awaiting orders. as I held a cup of tea to my mouth, yukari was holding her cup with both hands as she blew on it.

"Do you really have to be standing like that? It creeps me out." I said to Sakuya as I took a sip from my tea.

"Yes… it's very formal don't you think? Why don't you take a seat?" Yukari said as she gestured to Sakuya to sit on one of the empty chairs of the desk.

"I apologize, Force of habit." she responded as she sat down.

How hardwired is Sakuya to do this kind of work? At what point is it just an act… or maybe not an act at all, has Remilia brainwashed her to be her maid pet?

But just like before, we stayed in silence for a bit as Yukari was seemingly enjoying her cake, whilst i'm busy looking at my notes.

"Mmmm, It's always so delicious! I have to know the recipe!" Yukari said with a mouthful of cake in her mouth.

"I'm afraid I cannot Lady Yukari, Otherwise you would come by to visit!" Sakuya said in a soft joking manner.

"Touche," Said Yukari, "I wonder what Remilia would do without you."

"Oh no idea! I don't think Remilia would find someone fitting as me, but I have planned to teach a successor later on." Sakuya responded as she shook her head as she probably hadn't thought of that outcome.

But as they conversed, I stayed silent and focused on my notes, maybe i was trying to use all the time I had to research as much as I could before leaving the mansion, but I will admit that in that moment, I didn't accumulated enough courage to even talk to her, let alone make a move.

"Plyush-san you haven't let your eyes of those notes for a very long time." Yukari directed towards me

"I would love to chat, but I have limited time here, I gotta use…" I said but then a large yawn interrupted me mid sentence, "Yaawn~ sorry um, use the time I have available"

"Aren't you tired after the work you have done so far?" Yukari said.

As she asked, I took a small glance at Sakuya, enough to not be that hard of a glance as I did days ago.

"I'd say my work paid off, I'm glad to have access to the library in the first place." I said

"Well then… let's talk about your investigation then!" Yukari kept trying to talk with me.

"mmm…sure I can do that." I said.

"I do find curious your recent interest in the library, what is it you are investigating?" Sakuya Asked as she placed a finger gently on her cheek.

"Can't say much, because I'm still just beginning. So far I only got something about the magical properties of Gensokyo and how they manifest, i.e fairies, youkai and the notable landmarks." I explained

"Something I find curious is that Gensokyo's magic seems to be very loose and free, which could explain how many could shoot Danmaku In every direction and in such ridiculous quantities. How would you explain it Yukari?"

"Well, My Danmaku has its unique patterns, Danmaku not only is a form of non-deadly combat, but an art as well. The beauty of the patterns and color, their size and shape, are attributed to the emotional state of the shooter, their state of mind, their past within themselves and their passion for victory. Many gifted individuals generate magic on their own to generate powerful and unique Danmaku, but anyone can shoot Danmaku if they are able to channel that energy Gensokyo gifts in any way possible, theoretically, one can shoot Danmaku as long as they desire." she answered

"loose and free… so potentially there are certain places with higher concentrations right?" I ask more.

"You said earlier that magic also shapes notable places in Gensokyo; some of those places do release excess energy in a way, the garden of the sun is a notable example, Hakugyokurou, Chireiden, the nameless hill, etc. However, some places with religious strength do release a magic of their own, Moriya shrine initially came from the outside but displays some interesting properties, Myouren temple as well displays a healthy aura." She continues

"Moriya shrine eh? My last week there, I could probably take a look." I said in hope.

"Mind if I take a look at your notes?" Sakuya asked me.

"Sure." I say as I hand her the paper sheets.

Sakuya scans the whole sheet with her eyes, so far I have written one sheet and a fourth worth of info.

"It's quite elaborate, a little but so far I'm impressed, you're more dedicated than I thought."

"I still have 3 days ahead of me so-"

"You still have to do the chores around here, I must remind you that you start working at 7:30 PM. I'd suggest you rest for now, I don't want you to look at your tired mid-work." Sakuya Interrupts me.

Tired? Of course I'll be tired, juggling between day and night, and worse of all having my sleep schedule flipped, how the hell do you even stay in such shape?

"And what about that book of alchemy?" Yukari asks me out of curiosity.

I take a look at the stack of books beside me and notice the alchemy book I picked a little ago, standing on top of the stack.

"I've noticed that you read more of that than the other books, why so?"

…

I sighed In hopelessness before answering.

"I… don't know."

"hmm?" both Sakuya and Yukari respond in intrigue.

"I found a breakthrough, but calling it that is the understatement of the millennium, more like a hit perhaps, Venetian said the only name he had registered in his memory about my "creator", is the Alchemist. I figured I would find something here in this book, but so far I have found nothing, all I have seen is more about philosophy more than science, al I'm always reminded of this passage: 'You cannot make more of what you input, for the law of equivalent exchange gives as much as you put.' I'm trying to comprehend this but is very-"

"Esoteric." Yukari finished my sentence.

"Alchemy is based on human principles and philosophy, as there were certain rules to follow if you practiced it. The law of equivalent exchange in another way is that you must be willing to sacrifice something to receive another, nowadays, chemistry is the more modern and correct science but that though still semi persists."

"This is something I don't understand. Why do humans link such a conundrum to science? isn't science meant to explain the things the world believes via religion and superstition? they just like to complicate and delude themselves." Sakuya ranted.

"you…are working as a maid… for a baroque mansion in a magical land… with a vampire child for its owner… there really is no common sense here, eh?"

Yukari appeared to share my thoughts as well. When I look at her in the eyes I can see a face that expresses: "did she really say that?"

"Oh, will you look at the time!" Yukari says as she looks at a grandfather clock far to her left, "I must get going, thank you for letting me know what tanker's up to now, you behave now!" she said as she stood up her seat and walked one of the dark halls of the library.

Sakuya lets a little giggle under her hand as I look at Yukari

"I'm not your kid!" I bark.

Footsteps fainted until they abruptly ended.

…

"I believe I must be going now too, should now attend th-"

"Aren't you tired…" I interrupt Sakuya.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Aren't you just tired of just perpetually going through the same tasks over and over?" I asked her.

"My work with the mistress goes way back, but I am grateful she allowed me to be her most trusted member. it is none of your business."

"Your powers… How many times have you used them?"

Sakuya stayed quiet.

"5? 10? or a number so high, time no longer flows at its natural pace."

"Time never warps, I have full responsible control of my abilities." Sakuya responds

"I meant your perception of time. You have control for what and how things would flow, but what about you, how do you flow within time? I think you lost the concept long ago."

"Or what about your perception of humanity? why look down upon humanity as not only a source of food to harvest, but as a ball of superstitious idiots?"

"You dare to speak about humanity? Look at you! What bit of you isn't human to begin with! You should be grateful you were lucky enough to be graced upon by your Master, so don't you be talking about humanity as a youkai!" Sakuya responds in a higher tone of voice.

That last part was the most ignorant crap I have ever heard so far. I stood off my seat and approached Sakuya.

"Do you think I desired this? my whole life to be defined as a monster, at such a young age? If anything, I'm looking for my "master" to beat the shit outta them." I snarked

"Initially, I thought to reciprocate that hatred towards humanity, they too treated me as a monster and a freak, governmental organizations bent on capturing me, religious freaks treating me as a devil. but it has been a long time since I realized what was wrong… they were scared, and so was I." I continued but my tone was getting more reflective and calm.

"Scared? Do you think I'm scared of my mistress?" Sakuya Scoffs and she gets a hand besides her right leg, getting ready to grab a Knife.

"No… that fear, felt human… I felt human."

I then stopped in front of Sakuya, we met eye to eye.

"As time went on, I realized the thing I was missing at the time, literally time, time to reflect upon myself. I Felt human for the fact that I realized that I was acting on how they would act as well, how I would act if I kept human form. And just recently I remembered an important lesson: I shouldn't act on how they want to see me, but on how I want them to see me."

I play it risky and put my hands on her shoulders, in a swift motion but not aggressive so I dont alert her. Sakuya only jolts in place.

"Do you have time for yourself? I know you probably have plenty in your hands at your reach, but do you take advantage of that for you?" I ask her.

"M-me?" Sakuya says.

"Your abilities are phenomenal… Hand-made for this kind of work I may say, but what purpose does that ability even serve if you can't use it to your advantage. Sure maybe to fight, but, this fight is within oneself. If you dedicated your entire life to serve someone, that's one's choice, but if you have this Kind of Philosophy very tied to the servitude of your master, what purpose does an ability with such freedom even serve…"

"If anything, It's more of a curse."

Sakuya faced me as I looked into her deep sapphire blue eyes, and for a moment I swear her eyes turned red for a split second. She kept a stoic face all the time I was ranting, but something tells me my observation got into her mind, a twitch on her side lips, that was very subtle yet strong.

"Please lay your hands off me" Sakuya says in a more serious tone.

I oblige.

"I must get going, this is already wasting my time, and you are pretty much wasting yours, you have tasks to do later and so do I. I'd suggest you rest up while you can because If I ever catch you slacking on the job…"

She pulls an extremely sharp silver knife and places it inches away from my neck.

"Meiling will learn how well she has it. Are we clear?"

…

"I understand."

"Good, you have until 7:30 PM, arrive 10 minutes early to the maid briefing room so I let you know about your tasks." she says as she moves the knife away from my neck and turns away from my direction, blending in with the dark halls of the library.

I have tried my luck now, and despite being really direct with her, I have yet to express my truth to her, only time will know if I have succeeded in a change of mind, as She seems young and a bit impressionable, she could reflect on her needs, maybe she could change her mind of the world…

*Yaaaaaawwn~

But I will give it to her, I need rest, or I'll be skewered into a wall as a trophy if I get caught slippin', I should head back to my room.

As I walk between the big halls of the SDM, I still have my doubts whether my message did resonate with Sakuya, as to be honest, I passed through a situation so different to hers yet the solution was one that was similar all along

The Russian government found out about the death of Voroshilov, which was relayed by the KGB in record time, they implemented various reckless actions in order to keep the existence of such a creature to the world and their worst enemy, the U.S . Intelligence was blocked into reaching the hands of senior security officers, CCTV tapes where burned, witnesses of the fight in the building where executed, the whole country Voroshilov held was locked completely, no one could enter or exit until the situation seemed stable enough, they somehow convinced the EU To aid in these ridiculous restrictions solely for the fact of my existence, and from countless years of work they managed to achieve the impossible… They erased Voroshilov from the annals of history.

This also meant another thing, they exterminated the guerrilla group with the help of the EU top brass of special forces: the SAS, the GIGN, EKO Kobra, the GSG9, among the best. Our history and influence was also altered from the minds of the people, the only ones left to know being the few survivor members that manage to escape, and the PMC Voroshilov employed, because of course they paid their way out.

They turned their people to fear a legend, a dwindling fire, and as rumors reached the religious individuals, they turned their sights on me, spreading the word of a loose demon roaming Europe. So what did I do? I gave them what they wanted. For a while I became known to raid post-voroshilov military bases very regularly, and while I rarely messed with the EU, I gave them a show to remember in their sleep. been called a ghost, a demon, a ghoul, an homunculus, amongst many others in other languages, something that I have been doing more out of spite and hatred.

But one day, I tried my luck to raid a village that apparently was held in control of a paramilitary group, but as I tried to scare the hell out of them, I come to realize that group was mostly opposing the movement the government was implementing, and the village acted as a refuge for the few left who knew about Voroshilov and the guerrilla, and to my surprise, few survivors where volunteering to help this group. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday…

(1992, somewhere around Slovakia & Poland, 9:24 P.M.)

"You are the raider?"

"That's how they call me?"

"Of course they are gonna be comrade Plyush! no one is stupid enough to steal from the reinforced troops!"

"They think they are protected enough to keep their riches to themselves by locking themselves in their concrete playhouse, I'm just letting them know that a new playmate wants a little of that."

"Comrade Plyush you don't understand, they think that the raider has something to do with us, they already got our last 2 safe spots in Poland."

"Since when?"

"You caught us just packing up. We received Info that Polish Infantry is advancing at this very moment. We're leaving as soon as we can but we expect them to arrive at 2 in the morning."

"Where are you even planning to go? If you are the last that remains of Bereza Sila, they are not gonna be alone, they'll have EU reinforcements."

"It is you that brought them to their attention! we are rushed and have no time to slack around, how are we gonna race against the clock?!"

Grrr….

"Comrade Plyush, this is not you at all, what happened to the jolly old tanker that helped around the carpool? The time you saved me from that half track almost falling off the hydraulic platform onto me, the times you volunteered to disarm undetonated bombs on the returning vehicles? that same young tanker that rose up and gave us mechanics an opportunity to oppose the tyrants, We became sappers because of you! you joined the best within Bereza Sila, you were our role model!"

…

"What happened to our beloved Tanker?"

"THIS, THIS HAPPENED! They spread lies about our work, about what we stood for, and pinned down upon me! Of all the things that would've happened, becoming a monster was not something I was prepared for at all! The things they believe Ludovich! They are morons that forgot our fight and are scared to confront a danger so oblivious to them, that they delude themselves that all of this happened because of a monster. if they want a monster, I'LL GIVE THEM A MONSTER."

Haaah…

"haven't you stopped to think about this? Why do they act? Because they are scared of you, not because you are really the cause of an incompetent government, but because they believe by instinct. You are scared to be the change you want to see because they allow you to get into your head that easily!"

…

"Don't listen to them Plyush! Listen to yourself! If you want to be the change, what is it that YOU want to see changed?"

…

"What do YOU want now?"

"...To help"

"And how do you want to help?"

…

…

"I think I may have a plan Ludovich."

"You do?

"But I'm improvising here, it's now my time to help my comrades, hmm… Do you have lots of gas masks?".

That same night, I managed to help mobilize and escort the refugees out of Poland into the Czech Republic. I worked as a diversion by generating heavy amounts of smoke to slow down the recon troops and general infantry, something seen out of a chemical movie. With the help of my old partners and some new paramilitary partisans, we used the smoke to take those unfortunate to enter, as a result, we took over 160 men with only 24 masked partisans.

In the end, they had scouted an abandoned train depot that had some functional trains in advance, some which were in tracks that directed towards Germany, from there they would cross the borders and sneak in between the masses. I am not certain what became of them afterwards, maybe they found another life to live in peace and away from that lifestyle, maybe they went into the crime business, or maybe they couldn't make it…

The first one I kept in contact with initially, was Ludovich, he is currently a math professor at the University of Munich. He is 62 years old and we contacted each other through mail and letters, although as time and technology advanced, we now communicate via email. As I began exploring around the European and Asian continents, I came upon familiar faces on my travels and managed to regain contact with the majority of them. So far I've managed to get the emails of 52 members, some of whom have found a way to travel to the Americas for a new life. But Ludovich is the one I have contacted the most.

It's been a while since I have emailed him after I venture into japan, I wonder what his reaction would be if he knew about a place like Gensokyo, or that I ended up as a butler in he-

All my trance and mental flashback is interrupted by a peculiar sound that resonated around the halls. I look around my surroundings to identify where the noise is coming from, but the noise is mostly a faint yet echoed sound that appears to come from relatively away.

It sounds like crystals… Bumping into each other, like eerie wind chimes…

"Maybe I do need some sleep." I said to myself.

As I finished that sentence I turned around to the right wall of the halls and noticed the door to my room.

Just in time!