After Flandre and Komeiji Koishi spent some time wandering through the lively, illuminated crowd, Flandre suddenly spotted a familiar market stall.
"Boss, make me a little clay figurine!"
There weren't many shoppers queuing in front of the counter, so it quickly became Flandre's turn.
The old artisan immediately recognized Flandre. With a warm, raspy chuckle, he agreed to the request as his eyes settled on Koishi, whom Flandre had pulled up to the wooden table. After measuring Koishi's features for a brief moment, the old man's weathered hands moved with extraordinary speed and agility; in less than a few minutes, he had shaped a crisp, vivid likeness.
With the rough clay model crafted, both parties agreed to return later to collect the finished, dried piece, and Flandre prepared to head off to the next attraction.
"Should we make clay figurines for Big Sister and the others too?" Koishi asked, tilting her head.
"Then let me go call everyone over!" Flandre suggested.
Koishi agreed that it was a great idea, but since their party had long since scattered across various corners of the vast plaza, the two little girls decided to split up to locate them. Otherwise, in this overwhelming sea of shoppers and glowing lanterns, the two of them probably wouldn't be able to gather the entire group even if they searched until dawn.
Relying on their deep blood connection, Flandre quickly tracked down Remilia, who was currently standing in front of a high-end specialty tea stall, politely bargaining with the merchant. Her target was a refined variety of black tea she had taken a sudden liking to.
When Flandre popped her head out from behind her dress, Remilia instinctively reached down and stroked her younger sister's cap; the soft hair beneath was as familiar as ever.
"Flandre, didn't you go off to explore with Komeiji Koishi? Why did you come back alone?" Remilia asked, looking around in mild confusion when she realized Koishi wasn't trailing behind her.
"Koishi went to fetch the others..." Flandre quickly explained the plan about getting custom clay figurines crafted.
Remilia was well aware of the traditional craft, and after considering it for a second, she offered a regal nod. "Very well. Allow me to finish purchasing this black tea first. By the way, there is a sweet soup shop right next door. Do you want to pick up a dessert drink?"
Remilia pointed toward the colorful banner hanging over the adjacent stall.
Flandre trotted over to take a look. "Eh~~ Ban-Sa herbal tea? What is this? Such a strange name... I'll take two!"
Because the establishment was explicitly decorated as a sweet soup shop, Flandre instinctively assumed that every single item sold inside was a sweet, sugary dessert. She didn't even bother to read the small Yanese character for "bitter" printed on the corner of the herbal tea label; she simply thought the name sounded curious and, out of pure impulse, ordered two bottles.
Why two portions? Naturally, she included one for her dear friend Koishi.
Before long, she returned to Remilia's side clutching the two dark glass bottles filled with the pitch-black liquid.
Remilia had just completed her purchase as well. After walking a short distance down the lantern-lit avenue, they ran into Sakuya Izayoi, who had just secured a set of pristine, balance-weighted silver dinner knives from an antique vendor.
The three of them set off together to locate the rest of their entourage.
Very quickly, they found Fujiwara no Mokou leaning comfortably against a wide oak tree reading a paperback book, with Hong Meiling dozing off right beside her roots.
In the very next second, Sakuya's knuckle made swift, gentle contact with Meiling's midsection.
"Oof~~~!"
Meiling collapsed onto the turf, rolling back and forth while clutching her stomach, while the Head Maid gracefully flashed back to Remilia's flank, her apron utterly spotless.
"Hmm? How did you all end up together?" Mokou looked up from her book, eyeing the Scarlet sisters with mild curiosity.
Flandre rapidly explained the plan about the custom clay figurines.
"Oh, crafting clay figurines? Sounds like fun, count me in!" Hearing the idea, Mokou found it quite entertaining and tucked her book away to join them.
As for Meiling, she was dragged along by Sakuya to retrieve Patchouli from a nearby scroll shop.
When the group returned to the old artisan's stall, they found that Koishi and her older sister had already arrived. After exchanging notes, they learned that Koishi had run into Junko, Hecatia, and Kazami Yuuka earlier, but those three had zero interest in clay figurines and preferred to continue their leisurely stroll. Meanwhile, Yuugi Hoshiguma had planted herself at an outdoor tavern drinking local rice wine and had absolutely no intention of moving. Thus, only the immediate group had assembled.
Seeing everyone present, Flandre proudly pulled out one of the dark bottles she had bought and handed it over to Koishi.
"What is this?" Koishi asked, peering curiously into the pitch-black liquid shaking inside the glass.
"It's called Ban-Sa herbal tea—sounds super weird! But I bought it straight from a sweet soup shop, so it must be really sweet and tasty!" Flandre indicated that she hadn't tasted it yet either, acting out of pure curiosity to give it a try with her friend.
Standing nearby, Meiling—who had just stumbled over with Sakuya—heard Flandre's declaration and instinctively glanced at the label on the bottle. She opened her mouth, fully intending to shout out a warning, but after a second of evil consideration, she promptly shut her lips. A sly, hilarious grin spread across her face as she stepped back, preparing to watch the tragedy unfold.
Sakuya, standing beside her, cast a suspicious glare at Meiling, instantly sensing that the lazy gatekeeper was plotting some absurd mischief.
Right on cue, Flandre and Koishi popped the caps, lifted the bottles simultaneously, and took a hearty gulp.
The very next second, the two little girls froze. Their eyes widened in mutual shock, and after a breathless beat of profound silence, they both turned around and offered the bottles directly to their respective older sisters.
Remilia looked down at the bottle Flandre presented so earnestly. Suspecting absolutely nothing, she accepted it with a graceful smile and took a large, dignified swig—only to lock up completely on the spot.
"Hmm? Big Sister, doesn't it taste super bitter?" Flandre asked in genuine shock, noticing how eerily calm Remilia's face remained (though in truth, her elder sister's tongue had been rendered entirely numb by the overwhelming, concentrated bitterness).
"...Not bitter at all~"
It took a terrifyingly long moment for Remilia to suppress the urge to cough, forcing those two words out through her teeth with absolute, rigid composure.
"Wow! Big Sister is amazing!" Flandre clapped her small hands in pure admiration.
Not far away, the sisters from the Palace of the Earth Spirits were having a completely different interaction. Facing the bottle handed over by Koishi, Satori smiled calmly. "Is it extremely bitter?"
Koishi nodded emphatically, her small mouth still twitching.
"Then wait a second..." Satori murmured, watching the interaction between the Scarlet Sisters. When she saw Flandre praising Remilia, Satori raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes as she whispered: "Activate your subconscious ability right now, sneak over quietly, and pour all of your herbal tea into their bottle."
???
Koishi was utterly stunned—she had never realized her own older sister could be this shockingly underhanded!
Of course, Koishi had no idea that Satori was currently eavesdropping on Remilia's inner monologue via her telepathy, and was practically on the verge of dying from suppressed laughter.
Monsters and gods above, who could possibly understand the hilarity of this moment? Remilia was screaming, crying, and flailing in absolute agony inside her own mind, yet on the outside she had to force a stony, majestic facade just to maintain her dignity as an elder sister! It was simply too funny for words.
Satori firmly believed she wasn't a malicious entity, but watching her distinguished peer make a complete fool of herself was truly an top-tier entertainment experience.
Fortunately, Sakuya finally picked up on the subtle, unnatural atmosphere. Stepping forward smoothly, the Head Maid relieved Remilia of the glass bottle.
"My Lady must have indulged a bit too much during dinner earlier, so it is best not to consume cold beverages right now. Allow me to hold onto this container for you, My Lady."
"Yes... yes, exactly! I ate far too much during dinner earlier, so my stomach is still completely full," Remilia quickly agreed, taking the lifeline offered by her maid with immense, silent gratitude.
Flandre uttered a simple "Oh" in response and didn't press the matter further.
Holding the dark bottle, Sakuya glided over to Meiling, her pale eyes narrowing dangerously. "What, precisely, is going on with this drink?" She was ninety percent certain that the gatekeeper knew the truth all along.
"It's authentic traditional Ban-Sa herbal tea!" Meiling almost burst out laughing right there, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook. "If the culinary cultures of both worlds are similar, I can guess what that brew tastes like... Back in my old memories, drinking this stuff is practically no different from chugging concentrated, boiled medicinal roots... It's all bitter as absolute hell!"
Receiving a lethal, razor-sharp glare from Sakuya's blue eyes, Meiling instantly snapped her jaw shut and pulled her mischievous grin right back into her collar.