Touhou: I Became a Butler of the Scarlet Devil Mansion

Facing Reality (1)

The morning sun painted the shrine grounds in warm hues as I decided to immerse myself in the tasks at hand, distancing myself from the weight of recent events.

Reality had shifted, and I was determined to carve out a new place for myself, even if it meant focusing on mundane chores.

Leaving the room, my attention fixated on the task of finding a broom. I had set my sights on cleaning the shrine grounds, a task that seemed to offer solace in its simplicity.

As I ventured out, Reimu herself emerged from the shrine, her yawning hinting at the early hour.

"Good morning, Miss Reimu!"

Her gaze met mine, surprise mingling with the remnants of sleep. "Hm? Shun... You're early."

A smile tugged at my lips.

"Oh? You look like you're in a good mood today."

"Really? I guess I am... Thanks to you, Miss Reimu." The words slipped from my lips, accompanied by a genuine smile directed at her.

Reimu's cheeks warmed with a faint blush as she averted her gaze. "Hmph, good... Now, what are you doing out here?"

"Hm? Ahh, I want to clean the shrine. Do you know where the broom is?"

"The broom is in the storage room. Follow me."

"Ah! Alright!" "Ah, of course!" I trailed behind Reimu as she led me to the storage room. As the door creaked open, a cloud of dust swirled into the air, prompting both of us to cough.

Without a word, I gently nudged Reimu aside and ventured into the storage room.

"W-What's come over you all of a sudden?"

The sight before me was chaos: a disorganized mess and layers of dust covering every surface.

I turned to Reimu, my expression stern. "Miss Reimu, when was the last time you cleaned this room?"

"E-Eh? Why the sudden question?" Her words halted as she met my gaze, sensing the gravity of the situation. "E-Erm... I don't know."

A sigh escaped my lips. "Miss Reimu, would you mind if I take care of this mess?"

"I mean... Yeah, go ahead."

"Thank you. Please step outside for a moment. I'll manage the situation here."

She hesitated for a moment, her gaze locked onto me before she finally turned away and retreated.

Taking a deep breath, I surveyed the dusty chaos around me.

"Very well, dust particles, prepare to meet your doom. My cleaning skills shall vanquish you from this room, one sweep at a time."

And so, for the next hour, I dedicated myself to the task, of transforming the chaotic storage room into an orderly space. I meticulously cleared the area, rearranging items and disposing of unnecessary clutter. As I worked, a sense of satisfaction settled over me, the satisfaction of turning chaos into order.

As I worked diligently in the storage room, the sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention.

A voice greeted me with its characteristic energy, and I turned to find Marisa standing there, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Yo! What are you up to, Shun?"

"Hm?" I faced her fully, my gaze meeting her cheerful expression. "Hello, Marisa."

"Hello...!" Her eyes scanned the transformed storage room. "Whoa, did you do all this?"

"Yes, as you can see. It took me almost an hour to get it in order."

Marisa let out an impressed whistle. "I see, I see. Can you come clean up my place next? It's become quite a mess."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, Marisa, I'd be happy to help, but you really should take responsibility for your own mess."

Marisa made a playful pout. "Ehhh, what's gotten into you all of a sudden? Also, shouldn't you be at the mansion?"

I paused for a moment, a smile playing on my lips. "I've been replaced."

"What? Replaced? What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know... In simpler terms, I was fired."

"Eh?! Fired!?"

"Yes, there's a new butler at the mansion now. Probably someone much better than me... handsome, gentle..."

"Huh...? What are you saying... that's Mami-" Marisa's words were muffled as Reimu swiftly covered her mouth with an onigiri.

"Mmmphhp!?"

"Shun~ Why don't you take a little break for now? I need to have a chat with Marisa."

"Of course." I nodded, acknowledging Reimu's request, and left the scene, heading into the shrine.