Inside the SDM dining room.
Patchouli stood up without looking at Remilia, Sakuya, or Reimu.
"I am returning to my library. I have Mr. Beckitzer's mysterious biology to solve. I will attend the council later."
Without waiting for a response, she walked slowly from the room, already lost in her thoughts.
Sakuya gave a slight bow.
"Sure," Remilia replied.
Reimu, however, watched the two of them with suspicion.
Remilia noticed her look. "Why the long face, my dear Miko? You look as if you've just seen a phenomenon you can't explain."
Reimu's eyes frowned slightly. "How did you two manage it?" she asked, her voice low. "How did you make that man change? Yesterday he was… a walking disaster. An aloof individual… Now he's… accommodating. He's joking with no cynical intention. He's listening. What did you two do?"
Remilia let out a soft, melodious laugh. "My dear Reimu, we didn't make him do anything. That was the entire point."
She stirred the tea in her cup, savoring it instead of finishing it.
"You and Yukari saw a weapon to be aimed. I saw a lock to be picked. You cannot bludgeon a lock open and expect it to behave normally; you must use the right key, applied with the right pressure."
She gestured to Sakuya. "We provided the environment. Order instead of chaos. Respect instead of demands. We gave him a bed and food without asking for anything in return. We enforced our rules not as a cage, but as the walls of a sanctuary. He was drowning in his own power and guilt. We simply offered him a quiet shore."
Her eyes gleamed. "And most importantly, we gave him a mirror. Sakuya, by sheer happy accident, reflected a piece of his past he thought he'd lost. Not through magic, but through simple, human care. We didn't change him, Reimu. We simply reminded him of what he was before he broke. The rest... he did himself."
Reimu countered. "But we tried to give him what he liked. During the Human village walk. We gave him space. We didn't pry him open. We let him be just a guy, so long as he wasn't causing trouble. And…"
"Oh?" Remilia mused. "Then, he must have known something else that he kept his heart locked away from both of you." |{Context on Chapter 20}|
Sakuya, standing at her post, looked at Reimu. "True, he has a high level of awareness. But our method wasn't managing him through power, but instead through protocols and patience."
She did not mention the slap nor did mentioned the shouting. Those were not protocols. Those were something else entirely.
"...He tested some boundaries, of course, and we held them firm, but without hostility. He was waiting for a reason to fight us, or a reason to care. We denied him the fight and inadvertently provided the latter."
Reimu connected the dots, feeling a sense of ease settle over her, even as a familiar annoyance itched at Remilia's smug expression.
"I see," she acknowledged. "But did he say he will stay? Or at least, extend the three-day deadline?"
Remilia shook her head. "Not in so many words. But there is a high probability he will formalize it during the meeting. That is the only reason for why he initiated the council, to declare a decision born of conviction, not with pressure."
A slow, weary sigh of relief escaped Reimu.
"Excuse me. I will prepare the council room now," Sakuya stated with a bow before walking out from the dining hall.
Reimu gave a tired nod, taking a long sip of her tea. Remilia, meanwhile, maintained a plastered smirk that radiated the satisfaction of someone who had just won the world championship.
A visible throbbing vein appeared on Reimu's temple. "Can you cut it off?"
Meanwhile, outside in the courtyard, Nowa wiped the last remaining droplets of lake water from the exhaust of his moto.
Marisa, who had her face practically pressed against the inactive rune engine, was reading the faintly glowing symbols with intense, laser-focused curiosity.
"Hey, Old-timer."
Nowa looked at her. "What is it, Kid?"
She turned. "What does this do?" Then her eyes wide and shining. "Can I learn it?"
Nowa glanced away for a moment before meeting her hopeful gaze. "That's the component for multi-directional thrust. It's part of a chain command array, a series of rune functions linked together."
Marisa gasped in awe. "But… can I learn it?" she repeated, her eyes taking on the desperate begging cat.
'...Kid, if I start teaching these runes. There will be consequences, and I'm not sure you're prepared to pay the full price of such ultimate runes…'
Nowa stared at her for a long moment.
'Wait… Oh yea, she can't reach that ultimate level… I see, so she's capped out at advance level then, huh?' A dry, rasping chuckle escaped him.
"Let's see about it," he said, standing up and resting his hand on the leather seat.
She treated his vague statement as a solid "yes." Her face split into a massive, triumphant grin.
"Yes! You're the best, ze!"
He sighed, then looked at Marisa. "Speaking of learning… didn't you break the roomba and study it? What did you learn from your own research?"
Marisa stood up. "Oh, yeah! Let's see, let's see…" She scratched her head, recalling her night-long roomba study. "Firstly, I could not, for the love of god, understand the language. It seems more ancient, or rather, it predates language…"
Nowa nodded with pride, acknowledging her point. She continued.
"That aside, when I took out that singular rune from its interior, it reacts to mana. It causes things to spin, but the crystal itself doesn't spin, only what it touches. I assume that's what allows the roomba to move, right?"
Nowa nodded again. "Mhmm, Correct. Continue, continue."
Marisa clenched a victory fist and muttered, "Yes!" Then she continued. "And I tested it for quite a bit. I could make a vehicle out of it, like a moving cart or something… that's about it." She sighed. "But still, how in the heck does that cleaning disk produce a shield? And how does it's suction work? There isn't anything there! And that's the only functioning rune I saw… maybe?"
Nowa patted her shoulder. "Right, right. Relax there, kid. You're almost right. It's Impressive enough." He paused, leaning on the moto using his arm as a stand.
"Well, the spin is the foundation of the roomba, and for other applications for it." Weaving his free hand's finger to make a statement
"It circulates mana, or rather, it weaves via the motion of conceptual spin. The disk itself is the container of that, and there are runes written on it that I hammered into being. That singular rune you mentioned is actually doing multiple tasks: spinning, acting like a mini black hole for specific things under specific commands, providing movement for the mini wheels through mini controlled-vibrations, and, through the disk, scanning its environment to find that dust or specific objects. As for the shield…"
'...Kid, the reason was that I was thinking about protecting you. Reimu has tons of energy surrounding her, while you have few. It's how I view reality.' He thought. '...And I might've almost taken you with me when the three days are up, leaving this realm for good. Traveling with me. It just shows that you are more compatible to be around me. Though I knew you would hate me for the rest of your life if I did so… And if I die. It might've put you in more danger outside your home universe than here.'
"...It's either the concept of symbiosis, or I'm just a guy who likes to makes the stuff he makes protected. Though the Symbiosys is a protection for itself, keeping it safe will in turn protect and give to its owner. Give and take for both sides. A fair trade."
Marisa listened, eyes gleaming. "No way! That's so cool! That's so many functions for a cleaning disk! I can't imagine the rest of your toolkit, one rune with that many functions? Gad dayum, man!" She vibrated with excitement.
"Right? Anyway… I know this is late but…" He started. "Can you introduce yourself to me? I know your name already, but out of context, what makes you… well, you."
"Sure thing, Ze!" she straightened, gesturing at herself. "I'm Marisa Kirisame, an ordinary magician of the forest of magic! For what makes me, me." She tapped her chin. "Well, I like to hoard stuff, like a lot, hehe. But with good and smooth talk, I am able to," she confidently shrugged. "Well, 'Borrow' their stuff, mostly books," then she added. "I do take on some extermination jobs from Reimu from time to time, and we sometimes end up in a fight from time to time when such things occur." She slumped. "But forty percent of the time I win since Reimu is really strong, despite being one heck of a lazy one."
Nowa absorbed her introduction with a wry smile. "Well… It's alright. But hoard? Why though?"
Marisa straightened again. "To study and use em! What else is its use other than its value, Ze?"
Nowa blinked. "...Yeah, you have a point. You rather live a… lively life, huh? Your parents must be super worried."
Marisa was silent for a moment; Nowa noticed her sudden silence.
"No, I live alone in the woods, Ze." Marisa waved it off.
Nowa paused. 'Something happened with her parents, isn't it?' Then he spoke. "Are your parents alive?"
"...Yea, they're in the human village. Why you asked…?"
'In the Human village, huh? Did we missed it by chance of seeing them yesterday? Or no? But, I can see her discomfort when It's her parents' topic… I guess I'll save the questions for another time.' Nowa waved it off. "Nothing, it's part of the introduction, I guess?" He shrugged.
Then he leaned towards her. "But hey, you're doing fine. I'll say that's a success on its own." Raising his fist in a fist bump.
Marisa was quiet for a moment, lowering her head. She hid her accepting, honest smile under her witch hat.
She raised her gaze back and met his then beamed. "You bet I am!" She met his fist bump with her own fist.
Nowa straightened and gave her a soft smile. "Well, that's one introduction of a person done. And…" He looked up toward the sky, where the sun was steadily climbing toward its highest point.
"There's more to go."
Marisa blinked. "...You're getting to know us more?"
"Well, yeah. And also."
Noon was approaching.
"The time is nearly there," he said, meeting her gaze back. "You should go first. I just have to lock my moto, then I'll join you all."
Marisa nodded, her excitement barely contained. "Sure thing, ze!" She beamed before turning and dashing back inside to meet the others.
'Troubled girl, I see. I can't comment on her relationship with her parents without knowing the problem is. But It's nice to have em around.'
A silent pause.
'Well… keep it aside. It's not like my real parents are with me. I don't even know them…'
He scoffed. Letting the thought die on its own. He watched her form disappear into the mansion. Then he looked at the back of his hand.
'A touch of a real person. That must be what Sakuya just felt when slapping me out of my shell, huh.'
He closed and opened his hand.
"Ma… Na miss ko na hawak mo…(I missed your touch)" He whispered to himself.
His gaze then lifted towards the mansion.
"Ma… I think you will hate my absurd situation." He giggled. Giving a side eye at nothing. "I heard this place's woman has higher ratio than men. And… Your teaching is only one woman in life."
A pause. "Well… I will still follow your teaching, Ma. You don't have to wrangled me to death yet."
He looked back at the mansion. Then at the bench he and Sakuya had just sat last night at the far end of the stone path. Then down at his moto, giving the tank a single caress. Letting the silence pass by.
Finally. 'The discussion will be about their enemies, their situation and my assessment of it will be brutally honest… but they need to hear it.' He made up his mind. 'If they inquiring more information of it, or they do not believe, I'll just show it just how fucked up their asses are.'
"This is going to crush their spirits when I say it later in the meeting," he muttered to himself, then a wry smile touching his lips. Locking the moto with a click in the keyhole.
"A teacher. Student. Mentor." A pause. "Not a bad plan. That could help them. Though I will be listing whose who only. I can't teach willy-nilly."
His gaze lifted once more to the sun. He stared at it for a moment longer. When.
'Huh… Strange, what an odd looking sun.'
"You alright there, Mr. Special Guest?"
The woman's voice came from behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder. A woman in a green Chinese dress with vibrant red hair stood there.
"You are?"
"Hong Meiling," she said, waving a hand in a friendly gesture. "The gate guard of the Scarlet Devil Mansion."
"I see." He paused, taking her in. "I'm alright."
He turned fully to face her, his posture relaxing slightly. "I'm Nowa Beckitzer. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand towards her in a formal handshake.
Meiling was slightly surprised. "That gesture is very uncommon in Gensokyo, just so you know."
Nowa raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? Why is that?"
She shrugged with a nervous chuckle. "We… Shoot each other first before we greet each other, actually. If you meet gods or higher beings." She quickly added at the end.
"Okay…?"
She took his hand with a firm grip anyway and a bright, easygoing smile. "But still, It's nice to finally meet you properly! I've heard... well, a lot of things. But you seem pretty alright to me."
Nowa let go and scratched the back of his head with a self-deprecating grimace. "Yeahhh... Not really a good introduction of me, huh?"
Meiling chuckled. "I mean. It's alright. Everyone starts from somewhere."
"Yeah. By the way, you coming too? It's about time," Nowa asked, gesturing towards the mansion.
Meiling shook her head. "No. I still have to guard the gate, even at this hour." She let out a low groan. "I just want to sleep, man."
Nowa let out a genuine, understanding chuckle. "Relatable."
"Welps, I'm going in now." He turned to leave, then paused, looking back at her with a new, confident glint in his eye.
"Expect more chaotic me in the future, and a way more lively mansion from now on." He gave a final wave.
Meiling waved back, her smile returning. "Looking forward to it! Good luck in there!"
Inside the Scarlet Devil Mansion's main drawing-room, sunlight streamed through the tall, stained-glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic patterns onto the polished floor. A vast, ornate rug dominated the center of the room, which had a heavy, dark oak table. Around it, chairs of varying styles were arranged, a plush high-backed crimson throne for Remilia, elegant but sturdy chairs for the other attendees. The air carried the clean scent of lemon polish and the faint, sweet aroma of the impeccable tea service Sakuya had just finished arranging on a sideboard. The room was a perfect blend of intimidating grandeur and calculated comfort.
Sakuya, standing beside the table, gestured with a hand. "Please, everyone, take a seat."
Reimu gave a nod and sat. Marisa practically bounced into her chair, beaming with anticipation. Patchouli, with Koakuma standing quietly behind her, was already seated, a book open on her lap. Remilia took her throne, and Sakuya gracefully adjusted her mistress's chair before moving to stand at her side.
Marisa glanced around, counting heads. "Uh, where are the Yakumos?"
As if on cue, the air shimmered and folded open. A boundary rift opened without a sound, and Yukari Yakumo stepped through, followed by Ran Yakumo and an excitedly peeking Chen. Yukari's smile was serene.
"My apologies for our slight delay," she said. "Some boundaries simply demand to be admired."
Marisa scoffed. "Of course you do."
Yukari walked towards the table, Ran and Chen following behind her. "Please, don't let us interrupt. We are all eager to hear what our host has to say."
Outside the room, Nowa stood before the closed door; fairies bowed before walking away, having completed their task of guiding him toward the drawing-room.
'This is it, the fate of an entire structure of this story will be decided, right here and now.'
He took a single, steadying breath, steeled his resolve, and in one smooth, decisive motion, pushed the door open.
Every eye in the room turned to him.
He entered and scanned the room for any fairies or those anomalies that he detected yesterday, finding none, and let his stiff shoulder loosen.
Then his gaze sweeps over each person: Yukari's knowing smile, Reimu's weary focus, Marisa's eager anticipation, and Patchouli's curiosity. Finally, Remilia, seated on her throne, and his eyes landed last on Sakuya, standing faithfully at Remilia's shoulder.
'Those two are inseparable,' he thought. 'they have much more deeper relationship than I thought, huh. I mean, I get it... but damn. My chances are low with Sakuya, huh.' He closed his eyes for a fleeting second, then opened them with a soft, accepting smile.
'Oh well. I can try, at least.'
He walked to the empty chair directly opposite Remilia and stood behind it, his hands resting on its carved back.
The room was silent, waiting.
"My apologies for my initial arrival's... rudeness introduction," he began, his voice clear. "There are tons of shit I've been managing up until you guys met me, and I'm not going to excuse my awful behavior."
A pause.
"Allow me to formally reintroduce myself." His gaze swept the assembly once more.
"I am Nowa Y. Beckitzer. I am the one rumored as the 'Flame Noah' across the multiverse. I may be a rumor, and that... is because one's fate is determined by existing." He sat on his chair and the future of Gensokyo's fate will be announced by his word.