"You actually brought this much stuff?!" Marisa's pupils trembled at the sight of the potent ingredients.
'This is lethal!'
"The boss works hard every day. A little tonic won't hurt." Reimu nonchalantly answered at Marisa, swaying her hand casually as she brought the bag near her face.
"But all of it targets one area!" Marisa immediately retorted back.
"It is just pure coincidence."
"YOU LIAR!" Marisa's face paled. 'She's trying to kill me!'
She lunged for the bags, but Reimu dodged, evading every grab with infuriating ease. [T/N: her hitbox is canon.]
Just then, Patchouli slammed into the fray, flanking Reimu with Marisa. Their fighting spirits aim to struck down the shrine maiden's run.
Yet even two against one, Reimu casually weaved through their attacks like an eel, the bags remain untouched.
Within seconds, Patchouli collapsed, wheezing at the ceiling.
'Today's exercise quota... has been exceeded...'
"Patchy, get up!" Marisa glared helplessly at her useless ally. 'How are you worse than a trial version?!'
Patchouli weakly waved a hand, resigning to her fate.
'Too tired. Whatever. I've endured worse...'
With her teammate defeated, Marisa gritted her teeth, refusing to surrender.
But before she could scratch Reimu again, Rin yanked them apart.
"Enough. Reimu, go process their memberships."
"Marisa, go wash the veggies."
"???"
'He's in on this?! Making me prepare my own doom?!' Marisa struggled, but Rin's fingers dug into her waist, melting her protests into a whimper.
Defeated, she slumped off with the bags like a cat being grabbed in the back.
'If I can't stop it... I'll eat it all first!'
Once they dispersed, Rin helped Patchouli up, dusting off her skirt—
"Hurt anywhere?"
"N-No."
His closeness flooded her mind with scenes from last night.
Her body leaned in instinctively on the body of Rin, before she jerked back, horrified at her mind.
'Damn it! My body's too attuned now! This is all Marisa's fault!!!'
Patchouli whirled to confront her, then paused, remembering the line forming for memberships.
'Right. The mask ingredients...Which Sakuya just stole.'
After a long pause, she peered up at Rin.
"Boss... must memberships be paid with money? Can I... trade something else?"
"Sure. Ran's card was like that. What's your offer?"
"Let me think..." Patchouli racked her brain.
'Magic lessons? He's not that really interested. Artifacts? I didn't bring many spares. What else would tempt him...?'
Her gaze scanned the room, before locking onto a certain target. A sinister smile slowly crept onto her face.
"Boss... interested in a perfect maid?"
"Oh? Elaborate." Rin's expression shifted to grave seriousness.
Wary of eavesdroppers, they sneaked to a secluded corner.
"I have a spell that imprints a compulsion mark. The target must obey the mark's holder, or suffer punishment for defiance."
"Hiss—"
'Sounds like the mark I put on Aya's stomach. But my version was absolute—no time limit, no disobedience.'
'Patchouli's was weaker... but the punishment mechanic? Interesting.'
"What if she retaliates later...?"
"I'll take full blame." Patchouli nodded solemnly.
'Blackmail material first, then I'll usurp her mask slots!'
"But imprinting is risky. And the backlash... Given my sacrifice, could you preemptively spare some mask ingredients?"
"Earliest is next week. But Sakuya's booked that batch. If your spell lasts past then, I'll reassign her slot to you."
"Deal!"
They shook on it. The deed now sealed!
A flicker of guilt arose from Patchouli, but the mask's effects crushed it instantly.
'Best of all, if I tweak the spell to tether Sakuya to him... No more Marisa shenanigans!'
'I've seized my future! Escaping the fate of the sensation!'
"I'll begin immediately!" Patchouli dashed off, radiating determination.
Meanwhile, Sakuya, oblivious of the deal between them, shivered mid-wash.
'Someone's plotting against me. Lady Remilia? Or... Patchouli?'
Before she could ponder, Marisa slinked over.
"Sakuya... can we grill a few now? Never tried these before."
"Alright. We bought plenty. Pass the seasonings."
"Yay~ Can we do the oysters and leeks too?"
"...Are these for the boss... or for you?" Sakuya paused. Her conflicted gaze makes the ordinary magician shy away from her stare as they both prepare the ingredients silently.
Chapter 139: The Head Maid's Doom
After a batch of the ingredients brought by Reimu, has been grilled. Marisa, slightly shaking, pulled one of the grilled sticks and put it on her mouth to taste.
"Mmm... tasty, but the texture seems kinda weird." Marisa munched on the grilled lamb kidney, her expression flickering between delight and confusion.
But for the sake of her safety, she had to finish it all! After all, the mere thought of her boss, Rin enhanced by these ingredients made her chew faster.
Watching her devour the skewers, Sakuya raised an eyebrow at her behavior.
"Did you just skip meals today?"
"Ahem, special circumstances. Want some?"
"No thanks. Not my thing." Sakuya shook her head, returning to washing vegetables.
Just then, Patchouli materialized in the doorway.
Before Marisa could even greet her, Patchouli silenced her with a finger.
Marisa blinked, then grinned.
'Heh! Entertainment's here!'
As she obediently kept eating, Patchouli crept toward Sakuya's back.
The head maid, unaware, continued scrubbing with flawless focus.
But the instant Patchouli's fingers neared her.
POOF.
Sakuya disappeared. A dripping hand suddenly clamped onto Patchouli's nape, making her squeak.
"Eek~! So cold brr—l-let go!"
"What are you trying to do just now?" Sakuya's grip tightened, her eyes narrowed.
"Just... a fatigue-relief spell! You've been working so hard, I jus—"
"Since when are you this considerate, Lady Patchouli? Are you plotting something?" Sakuya wasn't buying it. Help didn't require sneaking.
'This witch is up to no good!'
"We're family! Why would I—" Patchouli wriggled futilely. Sakuya's hold to her was very tight.
Defeated, she confessed—
"You stole all the money! I can't get a membership, so I wanted to borrow yours."
"Borrow… mine?" The grip intensified. Patchouli's smile strained.
As Sakuya's other hand loomed, Patchouli panicked, trying to struggle in the maid's hold.
"Fine! Use it a little! Your mask slot's next week, perfect for testing those— Wait wait wait—family shouldn't—GYAH~!!" Sakuya's pinch cut her off.
Soon, they were tangled in a furious brawl.
Marisa, munching on the grilled kidney and oyster, noticed something odd.
A collar-like mark had appeared on Sakuya's neck. Even now, the maid herself remained clueless, still throttling on Patchouli.
By then, the mark flared. Sakuya suddenly froze against her will, and Patchouli, noticing the effect of her spell, immediately push back to safety.
"You—!"
Electric tingles raced down from the maid's spine.
"Keh... kehehe... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA—" Patchouli rose, her laugh twisted with triumph, as her hand tap against her head.
"At last... you bit the bait..." Dread pooled in Sakuya's gut, but her body wouldn't obey.
"What did you DO?!"
"A fun little spell. I knew… I knew you'd resist direct casting... so I imbedded the trigger in myself."
"So… Thanks for holding on so tightly~" Grinning, Patchouli plucked the membership card from Sakuya's pocket, and licked it.
Noticing Marisa's longing stare, she magnanimously declared.
"I'll share the free sessions."
"WOO!!" Marisa rejoiced, while still munching on the next grilled kidney.
"…. Now, its time for business." Patchouli coughed, before patting the dust in her garments.
"???" Sakuya's face paled.
'The card was just a bonus?!'
"Sakuya… With this command spell, I order you to… Come." The command immediately unlocked Sakuya's body.
But resisting the summoned jolts of pain from the pain, it began to slowly weaken her knees. And the punishment? The longer she defied, the worse it will get!
'This is BAD.' Sakuya's heart sank. She glared daggers at Patchouli, emanating with bloodlust.
'Just you WAIT—'
ZAP.
"Ghk—!"
'Even thoughts trigger it?!' Sakuya's jaw clenched. But with her body threatening to betray her further, she suppressed all rebellion.
'Bide your time, Patchy. I will break this spell. And then— PAYBACK.'
Creak—
"Hiss~!" Sakuya staggered, gripping the doorframe.
Before she could recover, Rin appeared in her vision.
Her eyelid twitched, noticing the stare of Rin and Patchouli to her.
'They colluded!!'
Noticing Sakuya's murderous gaze, Rin innocently looked to Patchouli. Even blinking confusedly to her accusation.
Unfazed, Patchouli beckoned—
"Your hand. Transferring the master mark completes the deal. Membership card ready?"
"Here." Rin handed over a card engraved with Patchouli's silhouette.
After verifying it, Patchouli clasped his hand.
Intricate magic circles bloomed on her wrist, shifting toward his left hand like living lace.
Once anchored, Patchouli didn't let go.
Instead, she flooded the spell with extra mana. Expanding the design with layers of new runes.
"Hmm~ What's this?"
"Minor adjustments. The transfer weakens the core. These stabilize it."
"But it's spreading..."
"Relax. Magic is my domain."