"You really let her go......

Looking at the departing figure of his companion, Reimu couldn't help but let out a certain sigh.

This is just a simple sigh, and there is no surprise in it, which shows that the witch has long expected the choice of the demon dream. It was precisely because it was an exclamation that she didn't expect a reply. It might be more appropriate to describe her feelings in self-talk.

"That's inevitable, because it's not a wise choice to fight one against the other."

However, Youmu responded to Reimu's self-talk.

"So, you choose to let go of the weaker one, and leave the opponent who has the potential to truly defeat your master to be dealt with by yourself, right?"

Looking directly into Youmeng's eyes, Reimu asked rhetorically.

The eyes are the windows to the soul - although there is such a saying. However, the reality was very different, and Reimu only saw a void in the cold eyes of the half-spirit swordsman, unable to peek into any emotional fluctuations at all. The only thing she saw was her own figure reflected in the depths of her pupils...... That's because the other party is also looking at themselves.

"Isn't Reimu very aware of this, that's why she brought it up? I'm just following a reasonable request."

"So, can you get out of there without doing anything superfluous? As a statement by the Hakurei shrine maiden who resolved the mutation, I think this is also a reasonable request."

"Perhaps."

Got an ambiguous answer.

However, this only made Reimu purse the corners of her mouth helplessly. Seeing that Youmeng opened her mouth to say something again, she said before that.

"I seem to have heard a big "but" blurted out."

How to say that...... Reimu's overly clever teasing finally brought Youmu back to his usual form a little bit from his meticulous swordsman's state. Although it was only a slight change, the depths of her eyes that made people feel cold did have a little heat.

The girl who was interrupted by Reimu opened her mouth wide and froze for a moment, but she quickly said in that tone.

"Uh... You're smart, but I'll say it anyway, but, as a servant, the master's will is what I should prioritize."

"yes, I know, I know."

With no intention of continuing on this topic, Reimu waved her slender jade hand tiredly, signaling that she agreed with it.

She wasn't surprised by Yume's actions, but she was interested in why her master had caused the mutation.

"By the way, do you know why your master created this mutation?"

In the impression of Hakurei Reimu, Yuyuko of Saigyoji Temple is really an unpredictable guy. Although there have always been many elusive goods around her, such as a certain martial god, and a certain idle person in the gap, they are all characters who make people look at them and have no idea what they are thinking. Maybe it's because of their age, their cheeks and the city are extremely deep to some extent, and they can't even speak normally, they have to be like that Remilia to play dumb riddles to show their inscrutableness, but they do have a flutter that young Reimu can't guess.

However, Yuyuko is also the most outstanding of these unpredictable goods - in a bad sense.

For the most part, Reimu didn't understand what the Yokai Sage was thinking, or what her intentions were for her seemingly pointless actions at first glance, that didn't stop her from knowing that there must be some kind of purpose with that act. The Yokai Sage's actions have a clear purpose, but her long-term vision and whimsy make it impossible to understand her purpose, which also creates her mystery.

However, in the face of Yuyuko in the Saikyo Temple, Reimu couldn't guess whether she had another purpose. Her incomprehensibility does not contain a strong sense of purpose like others, but is full of an uncertain confusion. It is this desireless nothingness that makes Yuyuko seem so mysterious. Reimu was suspicious that sometimes this woman might not understand what she was thinking.

To be honest, even if Youmeng replied that the guy was completely idle to make this mutation, she believed it.

However, Youmu said something that Reimu couldn't understand.

"Yuyuko-sama, I hope to make the cherry blossoms bloom."

「…… Huh?"

Reimu looked strangely at the gloomy sky.

Cherry blossoms are sure to bloom naturally when the season comes, and where do you need to start a mutation to make them bloom. Moreover......

She reached out to the sky and gently grasped a few petals that drifted by in the wind.

Needless to say, the powder-like petals could not have come from any plant other than cherry blossoms.

「…… This has already opened."

"No, all Yuyuko-sama is looking forward to is the cherry tree standing in the middle of the garden."

Looking at Reimu's surprised expression, Youmeng shook his head heavily.

How could she not have been aware of such obvious facts, yet her master had only the deepest expectations for one of them. But the strange dead tree that had never bloomed showed no signs of flowering until now, and that's what got things to this point.

「…… In other words, your master took the whole of Gensokyo spring because he wanted a cherry tree to bloom?"

「…… That's right."

The harsh rebuke made Youmeng bite her lip unhappily. However, she had no other choice but to nod her head in acknowledgement. Because what Reimu Hakurei is saying is pure truth that has not been embellished in any way.

Looking at such a demon dream, Hakuri Reimu chose to change the topic after sighing.

"Forget it, there's no point in asking about that now. But, seriously, Youmeng, you're a little surprising to me."

「……？」

Although she didn't speak, the way Youmeng tilted her head to look at her was obviously asking a wordless rhetorical question.

"I thought you'd see us and draw your sword and cut it without saying a word."

Recalling the few meetings in which the girl had been tossed by her master, Reimu nodded affirmatively.

At that time, although the soul demon dream seemed to give people a calm impression at first glance, it was actually quite impatient, or rather unstable, and her impatience to show her strength had actually exposed her inner uneasiness.

Although Reimu didn't know what she was worried about, but when they met again after a few months, the girl had swept away the decline of the past.

She is stronger now than she was ever -- and that strength comes from a change of heart.

"You look better at home than you used to? Why is that?"

Reimu's question,It should be regarded as an acknowledgment of the girl's change.。 Realizing this, Youmu finally smiled a little in front of the shrine maiden for the first time.

"Hmm...... I think it's because of Mr. Feili's teachings -- and of course Dr. Yonglin's."

Hearing the familiar name from Youmeng's mouth didn't make Reimu feel any better.

Remembering what Marisa had said earlier, she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows in exasperation.

"Oh yes, yes, that's the name...... Soul Demon Dream, always go to find that little girl in Ah Fei, right? ”

This man really causes trouble for himself everywhere.

Suppressing the righteous indignation against a certain man, she asked at a loss for what she was still scratching her head about.

"So, do you think you'll be able to defeat me after that guy's teachings?"

This statement is not without provocation, and in fact, it is exactly what Reimu Hakurei means. Although she doesn't like to compete with people as much as Marisa, Reimu is also very confident in her own strength.

「…… I think it's still a possibility."

After a long groan, Youmeng still gave a fairly safe answer.

"Hah, then, let's fight each other."

"Miss Reimu."

Hearing this unpretentious declaration of war, Youmeng did not rush to make a move, but solemnly evoked the name of the shrine maiden.

That kind of penetrating gaze made Reimu suddenly draw his attention.

"What's wrong?"

"So you haven't found out yet? The battle has begun."

"Mm--huh?"

Reimu looked at the figure coming at him in astonishment, fell into a stupor, and only had time to let out a meaningless rhetorical question.

Just before Youmeng could finish speaking, the situation in the Reimu Vision had changed, and the figure of the half-spirit swordsman suddenly disappeared, and only an overly bright silver thread suddenly appeared in front of him.

-- A gale of wind followed.