I said goodbye to Patchouli and Koakuma and leave the Mansion after I got a clue to win. The full moon was looming ever closer, and with three days left before I had to face Remilia, the tension was starting to weigh ohe pressure was mounting—how could I possibly overe fate itself?

  In desperation, I decided to take some time off from Mystia's food stand so I went to where she is. I asked Mystia for a few days off, and she, surprisingly, gra without question. I thank her and said I o go somewhere a again.

  I made my way to Hakurei Shrihe shrine eaceful, a serene pce where the weight of the world seemed to momentarily lift. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I needed advice—maybe even a bit of guidance. And who better to seek it from than Reimu?

  When I arrived, I saw her in versation with someohe steps. As I got closer, I realized that the person was her than Yukari Yakumo, a familiar face, but ohat made me uneasy. Yukari smiled brightly when she saw me, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

  As I walked closer, Yukari's eyes immediately nded on me, and she smiled. "Well, if it isn't the young magi. Long time no see, how have you been?" she greeted warmly, her voice light and teasing.

  I felt a bit awkward but mao force a smile. "I'm fine and good evening, Miss. Yukari."

  Yukari's smile widened, clearly pleased by my response. "Ah, good evening too, Mr. Magi."

  At that moment, Reimu, standing a bit off to the side, rolled her eyes. "Why is it that an old dy gets so happy to see him?" she asked, crossing her arms.

  Yukari, ever the pyful oilted her head and gave Reimu a mischievous look. "Old dy?" she replied with a mock pout. "I'm still 17 years old forever, you know. It's you who should be worried. As a result of your slothful lifestyle, how are you going to react if your future husband runs away if he sees you."

  Reimu snorted, rolling her eyes, before turning on her heel and heading back to her shrine. As Reimu turo leave, I couldn't help but chuckle at the dynamic betweewo. Reimu, always so serious, and Yukari, forever the pyful ohe light atmosphere between them quickly faded, and Yukari turned her attention bae, her smile almost mischievous.

  "So," Yukari started, her tone shifting, "Do you think Reimu is pretty?"

  I blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her suddeion. "Uh... What?"

  She tilted her head, her smile widening even more. "I mean, do you think she's attractive? Would you like to date her or something?"

  I felt my face flush slightly, and I quickly shook my head. "No, I... I'm still young," I stammered, feeling awkward. "I don't want to think about marrying or anything like that right now."

  Yukari let out a ugh, ohat sounded like she was thhly enjoying my disfort. "Oh? Not even a little crush on her? Well, I guess that's a bit of a relief. I'd hate to see you getting involved with her. She has her own way of dealing with retionships, and it's... ly normal."

  I scratched the bay head nervously, feeling like I'd somehow entered an ued versation. "I really don't think about that kind of stuff right now, to be ho."

  Yukari, still ughing lightly, wi me. "I'm just teasing you. You're so serious about everything... It's cute." She patted me on the shoulder in a way that only she could get away with, before her expression grew slightly more thoughtful. "But you do have a lot on your pte. I guess you're not really in the mood for romance, huh?"

  I nodded, eager to move past the versation. "Not at all. I've got enough to think about with Remilia and this whole deal."

  Yukari, however, seemed more serious wheurned bae, her voice low and knowing. "I heard that you've made a deal with Remilia in a game, but you don't seem certain of the oute. Need some help?"

  I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But Yukari was no fool—she knew more tha on. I had no reason to hide the truth from her. After all, if anyone could help me, it was her.

  Finally, I took a deep breath and asked, "Yes, I do need help. I'm about to face Remilia in a game... but I 't help but feel like there's no way I win against her, especially with her ability to trol fate."

  Yukari's gaze softened slightly, her eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. "Fate, huh? That's quite the challenge." She thought for a moment before her advice. "If you want to beat Remilia, you'll o think outside the box. She might trol fate, but that doesn't mean it's set in stone. You have the power to twist reality, don't you? Use that. But remember, it's not just about strength—it's about pying the game differently."

  I listened closely, taking in her words. It wasn't much, but it gave me something to hold onto. A way to fight back, to make my own path.

  Before she left, Yukari's expression shifted slightly, as though she had o thing to say. "Oh, and by the way," she said with a wink, "I've left a gift for you at Reimu's shrine. You might want to check it out before you go."

  With that, Yukari went into a gap, leavih a mix of relief and curiosity. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of gift she had left for me. But more than that, I had to prepare. Yukari had given me a small spark of hope, a remihat there might be a way to beat Remilia. I just o figure it out.

  I arrived at Reimu's house, the quiet of the night ing around me. As I walked in, I could sense her presence even before I saw her. Reimu was sitting there, as though she knew I was ing. She was waiting for something, and I could feel a subtle tension in the air. It wasn't like her usual casual demeanor, but rather, an expet calm.

  I stood there for a moment before I realized—she waea.

  "I'll make you some," I said, walking to the kit. I knew she preferred it strong, so I prepared the tea the way I'd seen her drink it before. As the steam rose, I brought the cup over to her.

  "Thanks," Reimu said, taking the tea with a grateful nod. She took a sip, letting the warmth of the tea settle in, and then looked at me with a more focused gaze. "So, why are you here at night?"

  Reimu paused, her gaze narrowing slightly. "Did you e for yobai?"

  I blinked, caught off guard. "What's yobai?" I asked, genuinely fused. Being a fner, I wasn't familiar with all the s in Gensokyo.

  Reimu's cheeks flushed a little, and she quickly looked away, avoiding my eyes. "N-no... never mind," she stammered, looking uncharacteristically shy. "Just... go ask Yukari if you meet her, she knows a lot of things."

  I raised an eyebrow, still unsure of what she meant, but didn't push her further oter. It seemed like Reimu didn't want to expin, and it robably better to leave it at that.

  After all, this was Gensokyo—a pce where even the simplest of questions could lead to more mysteries than I repared for.

  I hesitated for a moment, taking a seat across from her. I told her about what had happe the mansion—about Fhe fight with Remilia that was ing in three days, and how I reparing for it.

  I also told her my ability because I wao earrust, and I wasn't scared of beirayed anymore. Trust is fragile, and you ever be sure who will betray you, but sometimes you have to take that leap. I couldn't live in fear of what might happen if I opened up.

  My ability, 'lies bee true', was my burden to bear, and if that was the price to gain someorust, then so be it. After all, this world was full of mysteries, and I was going to face whatever came without being weighed down by paranoia.

  As I spoke about my ability, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. It felt good to tell someone who might uand, even if it was Reimu.

  "I see..." Reimu said thoughtfully, her eyes sing me carefully. "You've ged. You're not quite the same as you were before."

  I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

  "You used to look like someone who could lie easily a away with it," she said, her gaze almost pierg. "But now, you seem different. Before you look like a liar, but you're not anymore."

  I chuckled nervously, scratg the bay head. "I'm still a liar. Just... someone who hide his lie in his magic tricks."

  Reimu smiled knowingly, she take out something from her sleeve—a deck of cards. I couldn't help but wonder what they were for.

  "Yukari left these for you," Reimu said, holding up the cards. "She said these are called 'Cheat cards.'"

  I took the cards from her, take a look at one of it curiously. It looked ordinary at first gnce, but as I exami, something familiar caught my eye. The card resembled the cards I used to transform into a sword—except, this o... different.

  "This is a sword," I said without thinking, my mind rag. I held the card out in front of me, ag as if it could somehow transform.

  Suddenly, the card glowed brightly, and before I could react, I felt something shift. The air around me seemed to ge, and I looked down in surprise to find that the card had indeed bee a sword. I had not used my ability to lie, but it felt as if the card had respoo my words, my lie, as if it somehow believed me.

  Reimu looked at me, her expression unreadable. "So, it worked? That's... iing."

  I tried to keep my posure, my mind rag. "I'm not sure," I said slowly. "I didn't use my ability. But the card... it listeo my lie."

  Reimu was silent for a moment, clearly deep in thought. I took another card, feeling the strange power behind it. "I'm a vampire," I said, with no particur iion behind my words. The card in my hand started to glow again, and before I could even process it, I felt the ges take pce.

  I looked down in shock at myself as I felt the familiar sensation of sharp fangs in my mouth, and wings sprouting from my back. The sensation of being a vampire rushed through me, just like the st time I'd tried to transform.

  Reimu's eyes widened. "Why did you suddenly bee a vampire?"

  I blinked, still surprised at the transformation. "I didn't mean to. It just... happehe card seemed to take my words at face value."

  Reimu shook her head, a small smile on her face. "You really are full of surprises."

  I was still holding the sword in one hand and other card which suddenly has a bat i, both feeling strangely powerful in their ht. But I also khat these cards, like the tricks I used with my abilities, were just tools. The real challenge would be fag Remilia, and whatever other forces were at py.

  "I'm not sure how this will help me with Remilia," I muttered, feeling a twinge of doubt. "But it seems like these cards have a mind of their own."

  After the whole ordeal with the cheat cards, Reimu took the cheat cards from my hands, her fingers brushing lightly against mine. She looked at the cards with a quiet iy, then turned her gaze bae.

  "Maybe this grant my wish," she said with a smirk, holding one of the cards up. She g me, looking as though she were about to make some grand request. "Give me a mountain of gold!" she said with mock seriousness.

  But nothing happehe air was still. Not a single golden appeared, and Reimu's fident expression faded. She sighed in slight embarrassment, waving a hand dismissively.

  "I'm a rich girl!" she said, her voice tinged with frustration. But still, nothing happehe cards y there, silent and unyielding.

  I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the absurdity of it all. Reimu looked up at me with a slightly embarrassed blush on her face, givihe cards back. "I was just testing them for you," she said quickly, avoiding my gaze. "These cards seem to only work for you, so you don't o worry about arying to steal them."

  I nodded, uanding her expnation. "Thank you," I said quietly, feeling a bit awkward myself after the silehat followed.

  Reimu, realizing the situation, quickly turned and walked toward the door. As she stepped outside, she gnced back at me. "Why are you still sitting there?" she called, her voice sharp but with a hint of frustration. "Get up! From now on, I'm going to train you until you beat me!"

  Her words left me slightly fused but amused, and I couldn't help but notice the almost ical urgen her tone—like she was trying to hide her embarrassment by fog on anything else.

  I raised a hand in protest. "'t we do this tomorrow? I'm a little tired after all the stuff with Remilia..."

  "No!" Reimu snapped immediately, her face flushing with determination. She walked over to me, grabbing me by the wrist, and practically dragged me to my feet. "No more excuses. You o get stronger if you want to beat Remilia, and I'm the best person for the job!"

  Despite my reluce, I found myself being pulled out of the house, Reimu's grip firm and unyielding.