While Sister Ch'en and Governor Wei Yenwu were chatting inside the office, Flandre and Hong Meiling had already walked out of the Governor's Mansion.
Flandre had originally intended to head straight home, but Hong Meiling gently stopped her, pointing out that since she had left yesterday without saying goodbye, Sister Beatrice must have been quite anxious and sad.
It would be a wonderful idea to pick up a small surprise on the way back; that way, Sister Beatrice wouldn't hold a grudge over yesterday's sudden departure.
Flandre found this deeply agreeable. Hand in hand, the two wandered over to a nearby bustling bazaar known for its artisanal knick-knacks and accessories.
The street was lined with vibrant stalls selling all sorts of trinkets—hand-woven bracelets, delicate earrings, polished hair ornaments, and crafted pins. Most of the patrons browsing the displays were fashionable young women.
Fortunately, Hong Meiling was accompanying her; otherwise, Flandre, being such a small girl, would have stood out far too much walking through the boutique market alone.
Before long, they paused in front of a fine accessory shop, where Flandre took an instant liking to an item on display.
It was an ornate hair chain designed to hold long locks in place.
The entire piece was a soft, pale gold, which would complement Sister Beatrice's flowing blonde hair perfectly. Most importantly, it was remarkably sturdy yet easy to remove, meaning it wouldn't tangle or mess up her elegant hairstyle. In a sudden pinch out in the wilderness, it could even double as an emergency soft iron whip or a lightweight binding rope.
The only minor downside was that it felt slightly heavy for a ordinary hair ornament.
For a Magical Girl like Flandre, however, weight was barely a factor. This item could easily be enchanted with lightness Arts. Even if she couldn't cast the ritual herself, didn't they still have Patchouli resting at home?
"An elder in the house is like a treasure"—wasn't this the exact situation that idiom was meant for? Having Patchouli weave a lightweight weight-reduction glyph onto the metal would take mere seconds.
Originally, Flandre had glanced at a few exquisite bracelets, but she quickly remembered that Sister Beatrice, as a Guard Department officer, needed to maintain a pristine, professional image. Wearing fancy bangles on duty would draw unnecessary criticism from her superiors.
A hair chain was entirely different; nestled within her golden locks, its matching hue made it unobtrusive, and it would keep her long hair neatly pinned back during intense operations. It wouldn't even interfere with her officer's cap.
It was, quite simply, the perfect gift for Sister Beatrice.
Next, Flandre selected a pair of fine silk gloves trimmed with light purple lace for Patchouli.
Flandre had noticed long ago that the reading gloves Patchouli wore while flipping through her massive tomes were getting worn around the fingertips. Though Patchouli could mend them with elemental Arts, restored fabric was never quite as soft as a brand-new pair.
Hong Meiling, standing behind her, nodded approvingly as she watched Flandre finalize her purchases. Then, a playful smirk curled the corner of the martial artist's lips.
"Flandre, you really have no conscience," Meiling teased, dramatically clutching her heart. "You bought lovely gifts for both Beatrice and Patchouli, but what about me? I've been running around the wilderness with you all day! Don't I get a reward?"
Flandre wasn't annoyed in the slightest. Instead, she gestured grandly at the entire boutique, offering very generously, "Sister Meiling, pick whatever you like! I'll pay for it!"
Hong Meiling wagged her index finger back and forth. "No, no, no~ I want a special gift chosen personally by Flandre!"
Seeing her insistence, Flandre scanned the shop's shelves, taking in the vast array of colorful items. After sweeping her eyes across the glass counters, her attention locked onto one particular accessory.
Without a second thought, she picked it up with a bright, happy grin and handed it straight to Hong Meiling.
A massive bead of sweat instantly formed on the back of Meiling's head the moment she laid eyes on the object.
It was an eye mask—the kind commonly carried by Laterano travelers to sleep during bright flights.
If there was any distinction between this eye mask and a normal one, it was that the front had a pair of ridiculously goofy, squinting cartoon eyes printed across the fabric. Wearing it instantly transformed anyone into a walking, living meme.
"Are... are you absolutely sure you want to give me this?" Hong Meiling asked, her voice trembling slightly with exasperation.
"Sister Meiling, don't you love taking naps?" Flandre chirped happily, tilting her head. "It's so easy for the bright sunlight to dazzle your eyes when you sleep during the day! If you wear this, you won't have that problem anymore!"
Hong Meiling was completely struck speechless.
She usually snuck naps while actively hiding from Sakuya Izayoi, and even then, she was caught more often than not. If she strapped this absurd thing across her face, wouldn't it be like setting off a signal flare to announce her slacking? The Head Maid would pinpoint her position every single time!
Yet, to say it was a terrible gift... Flandre was genuinely looking out for her rest.
Besides, Meiling couldn't be sure if the residents on the other side were watching through the scrying mirror. If they were, and she dared to reject Flandre's innocent kindness, she calculated that her next encounter with the Head Maid would end in unimaginable tragedy.
Faced with the threat of an early grave, Meiling swallowed her pride and accepted the eye mask with the best grateful smile she could muster.
Over in the Scarlet Devil Mansion back in Gensokyo, a large crowd had indeed gathered around the magical viewing screen to watch the interaction.
At first, when Flandre had carefully chosen the gloves, Remilia had felt a deep wave of warmth in her chest. She recognized that the old gloves Patchouli currently wore were the very pair Remilia had gifted her decades ago. Seeing Flandre notice such subtle details and buy a replacement filled Remilia with pride—wasn't this absolute proof that her little sister was growing up into a thoughtful young lady?
When Hong Meiling asked Flandre to pick a gift for her, everyone in the mansion had leaned forward, eager to see what wonderful treasure Flandre would bestow upon her loyal guardian.
When the goofy eye mask was revealed, everyone's jaw hit the floor.
A split second later, the grand hall erupted into hysterical laughter. The vampires and fairy maids clutched their stomachs, rolling back and forth on the plush carpets, and even the corner of a certain "perfect and elegant" Head Maid's mouth twitched upward by a full ten pixels.
...
Back in Lungmen, seeing Hong Meiling "happily" accept her present, Flandre beamed with satisfaction. She then picked up a set of delicate white hair clips, paying the shopkeeper and tucking them carefully into her small pouch.
"Who are those hair clips for? How about I trade my eye mask for them!" Hong Meiling suggested, leaning in hopefully.
"No way! These clips are for the two maid sisters who cook delicious food for me and clean the villa every day," Flandre flatly rejected the trade, leaving Meiling feeling even more defeated.
If she had known it would turn out like this, she should have just picked a normal item when Flandre offered! Why had her brain short-circuited, leaving the choice to Flandre?
While it was just a silly trinket, the thought of carrying this meme mask home to be relentlessly mocked by Patchouli—not to mention the inevitable teasing from everyone back at the Scarlet Devil Mansion—made Meiling want to bury her face in her hands.
Gifts secured, the two walked merrily back to the villa.
By the time they arrived, the two local maids were finishing up their evening chores. Knowing Flandre was returning tonight, they had spent the afternoon baking a spread of her favorite sweet pastries.
Flandre was delighted by the sight and immediately pulled out the white hair clips, presenting them with a bright smile.
The two maid sisters were thrilled to receive the gifts. Though the trinkets were inexpensive, they represented Flandre's genuine appreciation for their hard work. For professional staff, their young mistress's personal validation meant more than any monetary bonus.
As dinner approached, Patchouli stepped into the main hall, returning from her evening walk.
Seeing Flandre sitting safely at the table, Patchouli gave a approving nod. Seeing that the girl didn't look tired or mistreated in the slightest, a wave of relief washed over her.
"Where is Hong Meiling?" Patchouli asked, looking around.
Flandre pointed toward the living room sofa.
Hong Meiling was sprawled across the cushions, wearing the ridiculous squinting eye mask, fast asleep.
Taking in the absurd sight of those cartoon eyes staring back at her, the corner of Patchouli's mouth twitched violently. "Where on Terra did she get that dreadful eye mask?"
"I bought it for her!" Flandre declared proudly, placing her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest with absolute self-assurance. "Doesn't it look amazing on her?"