Patchouli passed away peacefully.
Faced with Sakuya's "poor yet merciless" interrogation, she stubbornly refused to reveal any information.
No matter how cruel or ruthless the head maid's methods were, Patchouli's resolve remained unshaken, as if she were determined to live and die with the Scarlet Devil Mansion's secrets.
In the end, Rin, impressed by her willpower, took over from Sakuya and granted her a dignified end.
"If the pressure's too light, won't the effect be poor? Should we give her another round?"
"Sakuya, don't mix personal grudges into this. Time for the next one."
"Tch."
Sakuya clicked her tongue, her gaze shifting to Reimu in the distance.
After a thorough up-and-down inspection, the head maid's expression softened considerably.
Ah, a fellow comrade!
"You've already started getting the hang of it. I'll leave this one to you—I'll go cut some fruit."
"Got it." Sakuya nodded with full confidence.
Rin's explanations were so detailed that it feels like he had chewed the knowledge into bite-sized pieces before feeding it to her. If she still couldn't master it, she'd be unworthy of her title as head maid.
Watching him leave, Sakuya then turned her claws toward the next victim.
Meanwhile, Rin immediately headed for Yukari Yakumo's location—for some reason, an uneasy feeling had settled in his chest.
But when he arrived, seeing Yukari still leisurely sipping her drink, he finally let out a small sigh of relief.
"Yukari, you actually have your reliable moments sometimes."
"Now, now, Boss Rin, that's a bit hurtful~"
Yukari shot him a sidelong glance, her cheeks tinged with a drunken flush. The way her breath carried the scent of alcohol mixed with her natural fragrance made the glance seem oddly alluring.
Rin's heartbeat skipped for a second before he averted his gaze slightly. Then, noticing the empty sake barrels on the ground, his expression stiffened.
As if realizing something, he raised a finger and tested—
"How many fingers am I holding?"
"Ara~ Boss Rin, don't lump me in with lightweight amateurs like Reimu. This little bit of alcohol is nothing to me."
Yukari poked Rin's chest as she muttered, her breath carrying a mix of alcohol and her own intoxicating scent.
Yet Rin remained expressionless, scrutinizing her before asking again—
"How many fingers am I holding?"
"..." Yukari's breath hitched before she leaned in with a pout, her entire demeanor oozing grievance.
"I'm hurt, you know? Here I am, dutifully standing guard, and you still doubt me?"
"Good thing it's me. If this were your future wife, this kind of distrust could really cause marital discord~"
As she leaned her shoulder against his, Yukari reached out to casually swat at Rin's raised finger—only for him to swiftly dodge her attempt.
"Boss, I feel like there's a lack of trust between us." Yukari's eye twitched, her tone growing even more aggrieved.
"You're stealing from my stock and slacking off on guard duty. It's hard to take you seriously."
"Maa~ Just a little indulgence. It won't affect my guard duties~"
Yukari waved a hand dismissively before clinging to Rin's arm like a spoiled child, her drawn-out act making him shiver.
Old hag, please act normal. You're scaring me...
Rin gave her a sidelong glance, unsure if she was genuinely drunk or just using the alcohol as an excuse to act cutesy.
"Alright, that's enough. No more drinking—I'll get you some soup."
"Okaaay~"
After pressing the seemingly dazed Yukari back into her rocking chair, Rin finally headed for the door.
...Only to return moments later.
Cupping Yukari's smooth cheeks in his hands, he kneaded them like a high-quality stress toy before finally leaving the storage room, satisfied.
Yukari remained slumped in her chair, still looking half-asleep—though the tips of her ears had turned a faint shade of red.
As silence returned to the storage room, a small head peeked out from the skylight above.
Crimson eyes locked onto the rows of sake barrels below, nearly causing the observer to lose all reason on the spot.
"Well, Suika? See anything?"
Hoshiguma Yuugi, carrying her on her shoulders, asked impatiently. The closer they got, the stronger the aroma of alcohol became, stoking her restlessness.
"I see them! There's so many! But there's a dangerous guard—won't be easy to grab any."
Suika's expression was grave. Even if the guard seemed to be lazily lounging, she could feel how terrifyingly strong she was.
But faced with such an intoxicating temptation, the risk was worth taking!
"No problem. We don't have to fight head-on. Shrink down, sneak in, drop the money, grab the goods, and run."
"Fine. Keep watch—if anything goes wrong, whistle for me!"
After giving her instructions, Suika's small frame shrank even further before she slithered through a crack like a mischievous spirit.
The moment she infiltrated, however, a gap silently opened behind Yuugi.
THUD.
Yuugi collapsed instantly before being unceremoniously dragged into the gap.
...Huh? What was that noise outside?
Suika, now inside, paused briefly—but she didn't have time to dwell on it. The sake barrels were right there, and she was dying for a taste.
With an excited squeal, she lunged for the nearest barrel—
—Only for a slender hand to pluck her out of the air like a bug.
"My, my~ Quite the little troublemaker, aren't you?"
A teasing voice drifted from behind her, sending chills down Suika's spine.
Shimaatta! When did she notice?!
Before she could whistle for backup, Yukari kindly informed her—
"No need for that, little one. The moment you snuck in, your partner outside was already taken care of."
"???" Suika's face fell.
'Damn it, Yuugi! Could you be any less reliable?! You got taken out that fast?!'
Seeing no way out, Suika dropped the act, returning to her normal size before pleading—
"You can do whatever you want with the big-chested one outside—just let me take some sake!"
"..."
Yukari's eyes twitched.
Do you two have zero camaraderie?!
When Yukari didn't respond, Suika's heart sank. Gritting her teeth, she made another desperate offer—
"Then just capture me! As your prisoner, if I cooperate really well... can I at least have a sip?"
"You could've just bought it normally, you know? It's not like the sake isn't for sale."
"But the owner! The newspaper said he torments and imprisons people—there were even photos as proof!"
Remembering the horrifying images in the paper, Suika shuddered violently.
"Ah, that. Just a misunderstanding."
"Hah?!"