Touhou: I Became a Butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion

Maid with a Blade

immediately turned around and my eyes widened in surprise. Sakuya stood before me, but her maid outfit was different. She wore a red and black ensemble with a black apron, short sleeves, and a white ribbon.

"Sakuya...?!"

"Hm? How did an intruder like you know my name?" she asked, glaring at me.

"...My name is Shun, the butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

"Butler? Pfft, Ahahaha! Lies..." she exclaimed, taking out her blade and disappearing from her position. "Intruders... should be punished!"

My eyes widened as I looked around. "She disappeared."

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my back and left arm, blood dripping from the wounds. "Argh!" I knelt down, and as I looked up, I saw Sakuya pointing her blade at my neck.

"Human... You managed to defeat Lady Patchouli... But... This is the end for you."

I gritted my teeth and stared back at her. "Now that I think about it... This is a different world..."

"What are you muttering about?"

"That means I can show you my spell cards that I haven't tried in the normal Gensokyo!"

I vanished from my previous position and reappeared slightly farther away from Sakuya, holding both of my blades. With a swift motion, I unleashed a series of rapid slashes, ("Twin Blades - Blood Torrent!")

As I attacked, a cascade of slash projectiles filled the air, resembling a torrential downpour. The projectiles spread out in a mesmerizing pattern, creating a veil of shimmering blades that gracefully descended upon Sakuya.

However, Sakuya quickly stopped time and stepped back, attempting to avoid the onslaught of slashes. But even with her time manipulation, my torrent of slashes persisted, raining down on her as time resumed. The library was left in disarray as the slashes tore through the air.

"Forgive me, Lady Patchouli... Your library is in a mess," Sakuya bowed in apologized, catching her breath.

Patchouli waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, Sakuya. Don't underestimate that human... He keeps claiming to be the butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion and speaks of a different world."

Sakuya nodded, taking a combat stance once again, ready to face me.

Sakuya's serious expression didn't waver as she asked, "Very well... Let's say you're the butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion in Gensokyo. Why would a human like you serve a vampire?"

I paused, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "True... Why would I serve her?" My blade emitted a crimson glow as I pointed it directly at Sakuya. "Because she's the one who saved me... I have vowed my life to protect and serve her..." My body, too, began to radiate a reddish hue as my eyes turned a deep shade of crimson. "That's why... I won't tolerate someone like you speaking to her without respect."

Sakuya and Patchouli exchanged glances.

"Very well... Show me your loyalty to your mistress... Butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion," Sakuya declared. In an instant, she dashed and vanished, only to reappear high in the air surrounded by an immense sea of knives. (Crimson Sign: Scarlet Veil of Blades!)

She disappeared once again, leaving behind an ethereal afterimage that swiftly faded. Suddenly, she emerged in a blaze of crimson flames, encircled by an awe-inspiring array of countless knives. As the blades filled the air, they shimmered with a fierce fiery radiance, transforming into blazing projectiles.

As the projectiles hurtled towards me, I swiftly assumed a defensive stance, placing my blood-infused sword at my back. (Blood Sword: Vampire's Tears.) Concentrating my energy on the blade, it glowed even more intensely, and with a powerful slash, I unleashed a torrent of slashing projectiles aimed directly at her incoming onslaught. One by one, the projectiles collided, causing explosions of energy in the air.

"Hahh... Hahhh... How... was that?!" I shouted triumphantly, thrusting my sword into the ground. However, in an instant, a sharp pain surged through my nape, causing me to stagger and collapse to the ground.

"Interesting, human..." Sakuya muttered as her voice filled with admiration and surprise.