Touhou: I Became a Butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion

Before the Incident

"Everyone... Calm down," I tried to reason, but my attempts were futile.

"Oh? It's the human butler!" Alice chimed in with a playful smile.

"Hehehe~" She pulled me closer, her voice sounding somewhat drunk. "Now that I think about it, aren't you a cutie?" she said, giggling.

Before I could respond, Youmu grabbed my arm, pulling me toward her. "What do you mean~ Shun is mine! I already confessed!" she exclaimed, echoing Alice's tone.

In this situation, most boys might find it flattering or enjoyable, but for me, it felt like a worst-case scenario!

2 hours ago... before this incident.

"Hm? We're invited to a festival?"

"That's right! Now that I think about it... Shun hasn't ever attended a festival," she said, looking at me expectantly. "This is your chance."

"Chance... for what?"

"To taste the Moriya Shrine's sake!" Meiling grinned mischievously, emphasizing the word 'sake.'

I sighed and shook my head. "I think I'd rather stick to wine."

"Oh, come on! It's a festival! You should try something new."

"Now that I think about it... Shun hasn't experienced what it's like to have an incident around Gensokyo," Sakuya chimed in, holding a laundry basket.

"Ah, let me help you with that," I said, reaching to take the laundry from her hands.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile.

"Back to the topic... Miss Sakuya! Let's go to Moriya Shrine!"

Sakuya sighed. "It's up to Lady Remilia to decide, not us."

"Why not? I think it's a fine idea," Lady Remilia chimed in as she descended the stairs.

Sakuya and I both bowed, and Meiling followed suit.

"Fufu~ I think it'll be great to join them, especially since the Moriya Shrine is providing the festivities," Lady Remilia added with a grin.

"Very well then, I suppose we can go and have a little fun."

As we headed to the shrine, the sun started to go down, casting a warm glow over the landscape.

Remilia, Meiling, Sakuya, Patchouli, and I were the only ones attending from Scarlet Devil Mansion, as Lady Flandre was already fast asleep.

The festival was in full swing as we arrived, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement and laughter.

We explored the various stalls and attractions, each offering a unique experience. The Kappas had set up their technology games, offering prizes for those who could master their inventions.

Nitori pointed at me with a mischievous grin. "Oh? It's the human butler! Come here, come here!" Sakuya and I exchanged glances and approached her booth together.

"Oh? Are you two on a date together?" Nitori teased, smirking.

Sakuya looked down, slightly flushing, and shook her head. "No, we're not."

Nitori chuckled. "Alright, alright. Anyway, how about giving my booth a try? There's a great prize waiting for you!"

Her booth caught my attention; it seemed like a shooting game, but instead of using a toy gun, we had to knock down prizes with soft bombs. The prizes were protected by explosion-proof plastic, making it challenging to win.

"Well? Are you ready?" Nitori challenged. "I bet you two won't be able to get a prize from this!"

"Haha, I'll give it a shot."

"Sweet, I'll do it."

Nitori handed me three small ball bombs.

I took the first bomb and focused on my target, (the teddy bear holding a small toy knife)

With a toss, the bomb narrowly missed the edge of the prize.

"Good try! You have two more shots!"

I nodded and calmed my nerves. Taking the second bomb, I aimed carefully and threw it at the prize. The bomb hit the target, exploding upon impact, but the prize remained steadfast.

"Eh!? It didn't move at all!"

"Told ya~" Nitori grinned.

I sighed, feeling a bit disappointed in myself. "Well, do you want to try, Sakuya?"

She smiled confidently. "Hmmm, why not?"

Sakuya took the last bomb and focused her gaze on the prize. With a flick of her wrist, she threw the bomb with remarkable precision.

The bomb hit the prize dead center, causing it to wobble precariously. It was evident that Sakuya's aim was much more accurate than mine.

"You did it!"

The prize teetered and finally toppled down, earning Sakuya a triumphant smile from Nitori.

"Well, well, you managed to do it!" Nitori applauded. "You both win a prize!" (Tch, I need to fix that.)

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Ahh! Nothing!"

Sakuya accepted the prize handed by Nitori, "Well then, Have a great day." I bowed.

"Yeah!"

We walked away from the booth, and Sakuya hugged the prize in her arms.

"Ack looks like we lost the three."

"I'll go find the others..."

But before I could run through the crowd, Sakuya gently grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"Wait," she said, blushing slightly. "H-how about we check out other booths together? There are so many things to see and do!"

I slowly tilted my head, surprised by her suggestion. "Hmm... Yeah, sure! I'd love to explore more of the festival with you!"

Sakuya's face brightened with a smile. "Great! Let's go then."