7 The Scarlet Mist part 4? (1/2)

Editor: Acerman

-POV: Me-​

Heyo, Arah here. That one guy who tortured a child by making her waiting in front of her house and in the end she fell unconscious because of exhaustion….FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-.

The guilt is still in there dude, even after I slept the guilt still lingers. Even though I stopped calling Akyuu a loli and started calling her a child, I know it's the same thing but the guilt man.

And of course I can't even bare to leave the mansion with this guilt. Ugh, that means I'm gonna hafta shift the schedule for putting my new home in the Forest of Magic.

But more importantly, I need to scold Akyuu, I have to make sure this doesn't happen again, but of course I will do it after she woke up.

Speaking of waking up, a notification appeared when I did so.

[5* The Red Mist Incident - Complete]

[Reward: 20.000 AP & 20.000 IP, random ability, random magic item.]

Thank you for the points and random thing.

When they said random, they really meant random.

[Obtaining ”Dancing Master”]

[Make the user dance masterfully]

[Obtaining ”Mimicry String”]

[Force the Target to mimic User's Movement]

Seriously, what do I do with Dancing Master?! Do I do Gangnam Style when the dance festival comes?! Do I tap dance on the middle of the stage or something?!...now when I think about it, it's not that bad of a skill. I gotta try dancing sometime.

And for Mimicry String, that's actually a cool item, perfect for trolling when in combat, or I can add it into my spell card, PERFECT! I'AM A GENIUS!

But right now, I'm eating my breakfast in the main room, the a room where Akyuu usually does her main activity, reading. There're few thing you can do if your health is bad, and fewer thing you can do if there's no internet either. I wonder if her books are coming from Suzunaan. Kosuzu is younger than Akyuu when Forbidden Scrollery happens, so I guess Kosuzu is younger than seven, which is Akyuu's age right now. That also means the ones manning the store are her parents or her gramps.

…stuff to think when you are eating.

I looked at my breakfast.

A bowl of rice, a veggie soup, a river fish, an egg, tofu, a pickle and a pair of chopsticks for eating. All of those have been put on top of so called dish table. The height of the table is about as tall as your ankle, I guess? I don't know, I'm just estimating.

And also I'm eating in the corner of the room.

…I miss eating junk food.

*sigh*

Just eat the food, eat the food, eat it, eat it, don't complain….

I was eating, I heard multiple footsteps from the corridor.

I looked in the direction of the corridor.

It was Akyuu and her servant. She's wearing her everyday clothes.

Akyuu eyes and my eyes made contact but she immediately averted her eyes from mine.

It was an awkward but lovely atmosphere; happens all the time in my life.

She continued walking into the room and sat in the middle of it.

A new Servant came into the room to bring her her breakfast.

And then she started eating.

…it's silent. The only sound in the room was our eating.

*clink* *clink* *clack*

Well, I finished eating mine first. While I want to talk to Akyuu, she's still eating so I'm gonna wait first, just like any sensible being.

*clink* *clink*

…Still waiting.

*clink* *clink*

…Any minute now.

*clink* *clink* *clack*

She finally finished eating. The servant took the small table and full of plates away, leaving the only people in to be us.

I guess it's time.

I stood up and moved towards Akyuu.

She looked anxious and worried.

Steel your heart man, you have to do this.

After I sat down in front of Akyuu, I asked her a question.

”Akyuu-chan, why did you do it yesterday?”

”…I was just worried.”

”So worried that you make yourself wait for me from the afternoon?”

”…”

”Akyuu-chan, did you really have no trust in me?”

”!” She looked shocked, ”I…I have no excuse.” And now she looks down.

…what's going on, why was she so worried about me? From Akyuu perceptive, I should be just another Outsider teenager that got lost in Gensokyo. Even if this is because I'm a guest in here, it doesn't explained why she'd wait for me from the afternoon. If she's doing it for the knowledge about the Outside world, she already know majority of it from the outside magazines that occasionally arrive in Suzunaan. If she's doing it hoping for some Outside technology, I already stated from the first week that I don't have any in me. Does she think I'm lying? That's unlikely because she has to know that I wouldn't gain anything from lying.

…don't tell me is it because of personal feelings? What kind of personal feelings? Siblingness? …or maybe love? Okay, take it back, that's waaaay to far; if I really think that's the reason then I'm just a narcissist fuck. Let's just ask her.

”Akyuu-chan, why did you care for me?”

”…because you are a guest. I can't just let them go dying when they are still a guest of my household.” She answered, still looking down.

…it's a reasonable enough excuse but I think there's more to it…and she's still doesn't fully trust me enough to tell me.

*sigh* this is troublesome. One of the perk of being pessimistic is that you're already prepared for the worst, I guess.

Guess I need to fix this mood first.

”You know, I have a few feelings about what happened yesterday.”

I saw Akyuu body stiffen.

”The first one is that I'm mad, mad at your action, pushing yourself too hard and ended up falling unconscious at the end of it, to be honest, I hate it.”

Akyuu shoulder trembled.

”The second one is that I'm happy,” Akyuu shoulder stop trembling ”happy that someone actually care about me, aside from my family of course. The point is thank you for worrying about me.”

I closed my eyes.

”The third and the last one, I'm sorry. My inability to prove that I could stand up for myself caused you, a child, to be worried about me, I'm really sorry.”

I bowed my head.

I guess inferiority comes with the package of pessimistic personality.

”W-no, please raise your head Arah-san! That was not your fault! That was mine! I should be the one saying sorry!” She said hurriedly.

I raised my head and opened my eyes.

I'm face to face with Akyuu.

”No, I, as a man, hurt a girl, even if it's directly or indirectly because in the end I still hurt you.”

I moved my hand.

”That's why right now,” I pat her head. ”I want to make it up to you, let's go out together right now.” I smiled.

”Eh?” she was dumbfound with what I said.

”Just go with the usual attire you use when you go out. The place we are going isn't that far but use the pills, just in case.” Still patting her.

”E-eh?” still dumbfounded.

”I will wait in front of the mansion. No need to be hurry, just take your time.”

As I said that, I get up and proceeded to walk to the outside.

-In front of the Hieda Mansion-​

…she's really taking her time.

Is this supposed to be her revenge for making her worried?

Ugh, I better check everything I have before I regret it.

Money Bag, check.

My waist pouch, check.

My yukata is straightened.

Good, everything is in order.

…What? That's how every guy prepares himself whenever he's going to go out right? Or I'm the only one who lazy about it? Probably the latter.

”Sorry for the wait, Arah-san.”

I turned around.

Oh, there she is, there she is, in her usual clothes along with a bag.

”You ready to go?” I asked.

”Yes, but if I may ask, where are we going?”

”We are going to Hakurei Shrine.”

”Hakurei Shrine? Reimu-san?”

”Yeah, we gotta celebrate when the incident's been resolved and where better a place to celebrate if not in the Incident Resolver's home.” I grabbed Akyuu's hand ”and also you can ask her about the incident yourself.”

”…Yes!” she finally smiled.

I lead her out of the Mansion.

-Morning, Village Market-​

”But of course, we need to buy the food first to start celebrating.”

”…I guess trading food for information is fair enough.” Akyuu nodded understandingly.

I don't know if Poor Reimu is canon or not, but I don't really have attachment with money here, so I'm okay with spending my money. As for the reason why I started the gathering service, it's just for passing time.

”Then Akyuu-chan, do you know where a good shop is?”

”Yes, I heard from some of the servants that there's good sweet shop around.”

”Great, let's go.”

Then we bought meat buns, dango, daifuku, manju, taiyaki, etc, etc, I'm hungry, I'm hungry, oh my god, I can't wait to eat all of this.

I have 8 bags of sweets in my hands; the bags are like paper bag but with rope for holding the bag, and 4 bags each in my hand.

”Arah-san, I can use Hieda household money to buy all the sweets, you know.”

”Yes, I know, but I can't let a girl pay for me, it's all about the silly pride of a man.”

”…a silly pride of a man?”

”Yes, just a silly pride of a man.”

”…even though you're just a boy.”

”And you're also just a girl, Akyuu-chan.”

And she's pouting. I want to pat her too, but my hands are kinda full right now. Oh well…

-Morning, Hakurei Shrine Stairway-​

It's long, the stairway to Reimu place is really long, I'm okay because I have Body enchantment but…

I looked at the child beside me.

Akyuu eyes look dead, she's in despair. I think stairs are probably on her arch-nemesis list. But fear not! I will help this poor child from her ordeal!

I crouched down and faced my back to her.

”Hop on. I'm gonna take you to the top.”

”…Thank you.”

”You're welcome.”

She hopped on my back; I could feel her weight.

”Pretty good, I didn't notice your weight at all.”

”!” She's hitting my back, but of course I didn't feel anything from her attack.

”Hahaha, let's go.” I just laughed at her action while climbing up the stairs.

-Hakurei Shrine-​

We arrived at the top.

”…can I get off please?”

”Of course.”

I crouched again to let Akyuu down.

”…Stupid Arah.”

”Yes, yes, I'm stupid.”

I looked up ahead and I saw Reimu sweeping the path. She already noticed us and was observing us from the distance…wait…no…those eyes…she's observing me. I guess once when you've been branded a pervert, you will always be branded a pervert.

”YO! REIMU! WE COME TO PLAY!” I shouted at her direction.

”SHRINE IS NOT A PLACE TO PLAY!” she shouted back.

”WE GOT SWEETS!” I raised my 8 bags of sweets.

She suddenly appeared in front of me and snatched all the bags.

”I will prepare the tea.” She ran off with the sweets.

I blinked and looked at Akyuu.

She's a bit dumbfounded by what just happen.

”You can go ahead first, I'm gonna go pray at the shrine for a minute.”

”…Okay.”

Akyuu and I parted; she went to Reimu's house and I went to the Shrine.

Let's see if I still remember how to do this.

Take the ladle with my right hand from this water container thingy.

Pour the water into my left hand.

Switch the ladle to my left hand and pour water into my right hand.

Rinse mouth with the water, but the ladle mustn't make contact with the mouth.

Tip the ladle to rinse it off.

Now, go to the offering box.

I threw some coins into it.

Ring the shrine bell.

Bow twice.

Clap your hand twice,

Keep your hand together and pray.

'Thank you for keeping me safe inside Gensokyo, may I stay healthy forever, may all of my acquaintance and friend stay healthy forever as well.'

And finally bow for a final time and finish.

I turned away from the shrine and immediately noticed 2 people looking at me from the distance, Akyuu and Reimu. Reimu was peeking from her house while Akyuu was still on her way to Reimu's house.

I waved at both of them. Akyuu waved back at me but Reimu just dipped back inside. Lovely.

Akyuu continuing walking to Reimu's house and I followed suit.

I arrived inside the House.