Remilia slowly opened her eyes, the faint sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. She took a moment to gather her bearings, blinking away the remnants of sleep. As her surroundings became clearer, she realized she was lying in her bed. The st thing she remembered was the excruciating pain from Carl's attad the overwhelming feeling of being knocked unscious.

  She reached up to touch her head, half-expeg to feel the weight of the blow, but found nothing. The room felt almost surreal, as if she was stepping out of a dream. But then, the realization hit her like a wave—her fate, the o by their father, had haunted her siheir arrival in Gensokyo. She hurriedly reached for her powers, cheg the strands of fate that had once been darkened and twisted.

  A smile tugged at the ers of her lips as she noticed something: a shift, a ge. The path that had once seemed so clear and inescapable had bent in a new dire. For the first time in a long while, hope stirred in her chest.

  Before she could process her thoughts further, the door to her room creaked open, and Sakuya stepped in. She paused when she saw that Remilia had already woken up, her expression one of quiet surprise.

  "Lady Remilia," Sakuya said softly, stepping inside. "You're awake."

  Remilia blinked, still trying to gather her bearings. "Why am I here?" she asked, her voice groggy. "How long have I been asleep?"

  "It's m," Sakuya replied. "You've been asleep for several hours. Miss Patchouli and I were waiting for you to e out from the... fake world. We expected you to e out victorious, but who would've guessed it was Carl who carried you back?"

  Remilia raised an eyebrow. "Carl? He... carried me?"

  Sakuya nodded. "Yes, Master. After he gave you to me, Miss Patchouli took him to her library and I carry Master to your room."

  For a moment, Remilia processed the information, but then something clicked in her mind. Her eyes narrowed as she remembered her sister. "Where is Fndre?" she asked quickly.

  Sakuya hesitated for a sed before answering. "When she found out that Carl had defeated you, she... she ran straight out from her basement. She was excited and curious, asking him all about how he mao defeat her sister."

  A flicker of irritation crossed Remilia's face as she felt a tightness in her chest. Her mouth twitched in disbelief. "Fndre... of course."

  Then, notig the hesitant look in Sakuya's eyes, she pressed, "What is it, Sakuya? Is there something you're not telling me?"

  Sakuya looked unfortable, her gaze shifting away. "Miss, did you really lose?"

  Remilia's smile flickered. Her mind raced, but she forced her voiain steady. "I didn't lose... But I didn't wiher," she lied, her eyes glinting with something unreadable.

  Sakuya appeared fused, but Remilia didn't have the time to expin. "Since I'm awake now, take me to Carl," she anded.

  Sakuya blinked. "He's in Fndre's room."

  Remilia's smile disappeared as quickly as it had e. Her face hardened, a fsh of something darker crossing her features. "Take me there now!" she ordered, but then paused, her eyes narrowing. "No, fet it. I'll go myself."

  Before Sakuya could say anything more, Remilia was already on her feet, her determination fueling her movements. "Who knows what that guy is doing to my sister?" she muttered under her breath as she stormed out of the room, her footsteps eg down the hallway.