When Remilia asked what I wanted, I looked her straight in the eyes and said, "I want to call you sister. Can I call you little sister just like I call Fndre?"

  She stared at me as if I had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

  "...What did you just call me?"

  "Little sister," I repeated calmly.

  Her eyes narrowed. "And why, exactly, do you want to call me that? You'd better have a good reason."

  I shrugged. "I just like the way Fndre calls me 'Big Brother.' It's... nice, I guess. It feels warm. And if I can be her big brother, then why not be yours too?"

  Remilia's expression shifted. It was hard to tell whether she was amused, annoyed, or just trying to process my request. Finally, she crossed her arms and sighed.

  "Since you don't want money, power, or anything else—just to call me sister... Fine. I'll accept it."

  "Really?"

  "But!" she added sharply, raising a finger. "I don't want you calling me 'little sister.' Do you have any idea how old I am?"

  I tilted my head. "Fourteen?"

  Remilia nearly choked on air.

  "I stopped counting after I reached 500 years old," she said ftly.

  Beside her, Fndre beamed. "And I'm 495!"

  Remilia smirked. "So, since we're both older than you, you'll call us 'Big Sister.' Got it?"

  "Yay!" Fndre cheered, cpping her hands. "I got a little brother! Call me Big Sister!"

  I suddenly felt like I had made a terrible mistake.

  "...Can I change my wish?" I asked, my voice filled with regret.

  Both sisters responded in unison with smile.

  "NO!"

  I sighed in defeat.

  After that, Remilia and I pyed with Fndre using the dolls she had collected. It was a strange sight—two vampires and a human sitting on the floor, acting out stories with stuffed toys. But seeing Fndre's pure joy as she giggled and talked to her dolls made it worth it.

  An hour ter, Fndre started to feel sleepy. She yawned, rubbing her eyes, and crawled into bed without much fuss. It seemed the excitement had drained her energy.

  Remilia, too, looked tired. She stretched and stood up, brushing off her dress. "I'll be heading back to bed as well." She turned to me, her crimson eyes narrowing. "But before that... take off that ridiculous bear costume."

  I hesitated. "Why?"

  "No question, just take it off."

  After taking off my costume. Before I could react, she grabbed my arm—and bit down.

  "Ow! What the hell?!" I yelled, flinching from the sharp pain. I tried to pull my hand away, but she held on tightly, refusing to let go.

  Remilia stayed like that for a full minute, drinking just enough to make me feel lightheaded. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and my knees nearly buckled. Finally, she released my hand, licking the stray blood from her lips.

  "That was a small punishment for what you did to me," she said with a smirk.

  I clutched my hand, gring at her. "You call that small?"

  She ignored me, tasting the lingering fvor. "Hmm... B type."

  I had a bad feeling about this.

  "Alright," she continued, "from now on, I'll have Sakuya draw blood from you every day."

  I stared at her in horror. "I'll die if you drain me daily!"

  Remilia gave an exaggerated sigh. "Do you want your big sisters to go hungry?"

  "I'd rather die now than be drained dry over time."

  She chuckled. "Fine. Four days a week."

  "Two days."

  "Deal," she said with a smirk, clearly amused by my desperation. "I'll inform Sakuya. You can go home now—you look like a husband in a hurry to return after a long day."

  She ughed at my expression before heading back to her room.

  I sighed in exhaustion and made my way out of the mansion. At the entrance, I ran into Sakuya, who gave me a graceful bow.

  "Thank you for taking care of Lady Remilia and Fndre."

  I waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine. Remilia went back to sleep, so I should head home too."

  She nodded, bowing again before disappearing into the mansion.

  Before leaving, I passed by Hong Meiling, who—for once—was not zing around. She stood at the gate, looking oddly alert.

  "Yo," I said. "You're actually doing your job today?"

  She groaned. "Sakuya threatened to cut my wages..."

  I chuckled, shaking my head before taking off into the sky.

  By the time I reached home and opened the door, the pce was eerily quiet.

  Then, I noticed Mystia. She was sitting at the table, her head resting on her arms, fast asleep.

  I smiled. It looked like she had been waiting for me all night.

  Carefully, I lifted her into my arms, making sure not to wake her. She stirred slightly but remained deep in slumber. I carried her to her room and gently pced her on the bed.

  As I stood there, watching her peaceful sleeping face, a mischievous thought entered my mind.

  I grinned.

  How should I surprise her when she wakes up?

  ................................

  In the heart of Paris, where the city pulsed with life, stood a peculiar hospital. It was a towering structure, yet no windows allowed a glimpse of the outside world. No sunlight ever touched its interior, casting an eternal gloom within its walls.

  A woman in a pristine white nurse uniform moved gracefully through the silent corridors. Her footsteps echoed faintly as she approached the director's office. She knocked once before stepping inside.

  The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the glow of an ornate chandelier. At the far end, a man sat in a grand chair, his fingers steepled as he gazed at a painting on the wall—a portrait of a young Remilia, her expression still untouched by time, radiating innocence.

  In front of the desk stood a small girl, cradling a worn cat-shaped doll in her arms. Her golden eyes flickered in the dim light, her presence eerily quiet.

  The nurse bowed. "Master, the witch has sent word." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "She reports that something has happened to the Scarlet Sisters. Their fate... has been changed."

  The man remained silent, his gaze never leaving the painting. Only after a long pause did he speak, his voice calm yet cold.

  "Do you know where they are now?"

  The nurse lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Master. The witch is unable to locate them. She suspects that they are either dead... or no longer exist in this world."

  The man finally turned away from the painting, his expression unreadable. "She who is also a fortune teller failed to predict this change in fate, and even now, she cannot trace them?" He exhaled slowly. "Then she is no longer of use."

  He leaned back in his chair. "Dispose of her. Feed her to my other daughters."

  The nurse didn't flinch. She simply bowed. "Yes, Master." With that, she turned and left the room without another word.

  A moment of silence stretched before the man spoke again, this time addressing the little girl.

  "Melly." His voice softened, almost gentle. "The witch is no longer useful. Can you find them?"

  The girl clutched her cat doll tighter, her small fingers trembling against the fabric.

  "Yes, Father."

  Her golden eyes flickered with an eerie glow before she whispered:

  "...Found them... in Japan... Gensokyo."

  As the words left her lips, a sharp pain surged through her head. A thin trail of blood trickled from her nose, staining the doll she held so dearly. Her body swayed slightly, her breathing uneven—the cost of using her power weighing heavily on her fragile frame.

  At that, the man chuckled, his lips curling into a knowing smile.

  "Gensokyo... What a wonderful name." His voice dripped with amusement. "A nd of fantasy, is it?"

  His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest, as if savoring the revetion.

  "Then let's pay this nd of fantasy a visit... Shall we."