Epilogue: Scarlet Side

"How do you find the tea, Lady Yuyuko?"

"It's quite delicious," she says. "I do enjoy a cup of tea with good company~"

The ghost princess smiles brightly at Grey.

"Such a polite and handsome servant! If the vampire wasn't looking, I'd take you home with me right now~"

He clears his throat.

"I appreciate the offer, but I must respect my contract."

"Ara? How disappointing~"

Grey bows politely before returning to Remilia's side. The vampire says nothing as she stares into her own cup quietly. The guest from Hakugyokurou just maintains her enigmatic smile, as if it were a mask. The atmosphere becomes heavy for this tea for three as silence fills the room.

"So~"

"..."

Yuyuko puts down her cup and looks straight into the vampire's eyes.

"It is quite rare that you would invite me to your home. And rarer still that you insist that I come alone. How curious~"

Remilia puts down her cup and grins.

"I thought that I would be a good neighbor and have you for tea."

"Indeed. And your unscheduled visit the other day?"

"Good neighbors help each other with the trash."

"I see. Well, I can't deny that I appreciate the help. It is good to know that Hakugyokurou has neighbors that it can count on~"

"We are all neighbors in Gensokyo, aren't we?"

An awkward moment of silence passes between the two. Without warning, both of them break out into laughter. A shiver runs down Grey's spine. It takes a couple of minutes for them to recover. Yuyuko takes another sip of tea. Then, she looks up at the vampire. She isn't smiling.

"Why did you call me here?" she says coldly.

Those eyes make Grey swallow uncontrollably. He suddenly becomes aware of how dangerous this girl is. After all, the ghost princess can invoke death at will. However, Remilia seems completely composed. She even manages a business-like grin before speaking.

"Good neighbors do favors for each other, don't they?"

"What do you want?"

The vampire puts down her cup.

"I need to borrow the sword that terminates delusions. Of course, I also need someone who can use it. Apparently, only those of the Konpaku family can wield the blade, or some silly rule like that."

She smiles at the ghost princess.

"Now I wonder... should I bring that half-ghost? Or perhaps, I should bring the ghost hunter? Both seem to have sufficient ability to use the weapon."

"..."

For the first time this afternoon, Yuyuko looks visibly shaken. She says nothing, but the smile on her face looks pained. Remilia grins at the ghost princess' hesitation. She pulls out something from her dress.

"Well, I know that you would have difficulty choosing, so I brought this."

The vampire holds out something in front of the ghost princess. It looks like an old coin made of gold. The insignia of the raven is engraved upon it.

"Why don't we let Fate decide?"