Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

"How did you manage to emit this ki blast that seems to be called KA-ME-HA-ME--HA?"

"Pfft"

Akina Sawa couldn't help but laugh, because when Shameimaru was reciting the Kamehameha, his pronunciation was completely off, the intonation was all over the place, but he still tried to finish it seriously, which was a little comical.

However, this is something that can't be mentioned out loud.

"Ahem," Akina Ze covered his mouth and coughed twice before continuing:

"Everyone has qi in their body, it's just that some people have more qi and some people have less qi, and I have only mastered how to perceive qi and use qi."

"Ki?" Aya Shameimaru rested her chin on the tip of her pen, seemingly deep in thought, but quickly snapped out of it and asked again.

"The third question, and also the most important question."

“Okay, please ask,” Akina Ze said seriously.

"Can you teach the villagers how to use this thing called Qi?"

Akina Sawa also raised his head and looked directly into Shameimaru Aya's eyes, where his own image was reflected in those red pupils.

"No, one Hakurei Shrine Maiden is enough."

"Hmm, I think I understand." Aya Shameimaru put the notebook back in her hand, and even if Akina Sawa stood on tiptoe, he still couldn't see what was written inside.

"Let's go find your two little girls," Aya Shameimaru said...

The ancient bluestone streets, so old that their age is unknown, were filled with people.

This is a once-a-year gathering for humans, but for this ancient street, it has been countless times.

"So... Miss Wenwen... weren't we looking for someone? How did we end up here...?"

A large bronze cauldron, covering several square meters, was placed on a bluestone slab. Countless ingredients were churning in the boiling soup. In just a few seconds, Akina Ze saw that there was meat, vegetables, and even three apples floating in it.

"Look, isn't that it?"

Following the direction pointed out by Aya Shameimaru, Akina Sawa also found Chito and Yuri. They were each holding a candied hawthorn and staring intently at the bronze cauldron, or rather, the food inside.

There were many people around, and it was very crowded. No matter how hard Akina Ze tried, he couldn't squeeze through, and his voice was drowned out by the others.

There was no other way but to wait until the ceremony was over before I could go and take them home.

Fortunately, the soup was almost ready; it would be cooked and ready to eat in a little while.

Akina Sawa was also curious: would it really taste good to cook so many different kinds of ingredients together like a hodgepodge?

Although he hasn't tasted it yet, Akina Sawa has already smelled a strange aroma, an indescribable aroma that seems to contain all sorts of flavors, yet upon closer inspection, it doesn't seem to resemble any of them.

But even within this flavor, there is still a scent that is extremely easy to detect.

That's the smell of durian. Even the aroma of bouillon can't completely suppress or contain it.

Whoever put the durian in there, they're really ruthless!

Akina Sawa also looked around at the large group of people and asked Shameimaru Aya:

"Miss Wenwen, do you know anyone who really likes durian?"

"Durian?" Aya Shameimaru thought for a moment, then shook her head and shrugged. "As far as I know, there shouldn't be any, right?"

"Oh, is it so"

Pity...

"wrong!"

Aya Shameimaru seemed to suddenly realize something, her eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "If it's Reimu, she'll definitely accept anyone!"

Chapter 86 The End of the Summer Festival

"You mean Reimu put a durian in there?"

Akina Sawa also grinned in surprise.

I never expected that the Hakurei Shrine Maiden would like to eat durian, a food with a strong smell. The two don't go together at all—in terms of temperament.

"I'm just guessing, don't tell anyone I told you!" Aya Shameimaru poked Sawaya Akina's forehead with her index finger and warned him.

Aya Shameimaru isn't afraid of Reimu. If she were to come knocking on his door, he could retreat at an unparalleled speed. However, the newspaper office located on the mountainside of the Youkai Mountain wouldn't move. It wouldn't be good if they came knocking on his door and smashed it because of these bad words.

"...That's true, no one can be sure that the shrine maiden put the durian there."

As expected of one of the top reporters in Gensokyo, he even knows what the shrine maiden likes to eat. Akina Sawa nodded knowingly.

Huh? Isn't that Reimu Hakurei?

In the crowded throng, her bright red bow tie was very eye-catching. If one's attention hadn't been drawn to Aya Shameimaru, they would have spotted her at first glance.

Although Reimu Hakurei was surrounded by a large crowd, there was still a small space around her where no one approached.

Everyone seemed to have agreed to leave enough space for the shrine maiden.

Compared to being surrounded by so many people that it's difficult to even turn around, I'm actually a little envious.

However, the fact that Aya Shameimaru was like him was a small consolation.

"Hey! Reimu-san!"

Akina Sawa also reached out from the crowd to wave.

But perhaps because the surrounding environment was too noisy, Reimu Hakurei didn't hear anything at all, and just kept staring at the large bronze cauldron where the Hyakurei Soup was simmering.

Reimu Hakurei's black hair was damp with a little sweat and clung to her cheeks.

Although the weather wasn't very hot today, the heat from the crowd was still considerable. Even if there was an inch of open space next to her, it wouldn't matter because the whole place was sweltering.

I was thinking of going to say hello and thank her for killing the monster, thus indirectly saving Niqua, but it seems impossible now.

Akina Ze also regretfully lowered his arm, planning to find another time to thank her.

The aroma of basil soup, tinged with a hint of durian, wafted through the crowded streets on the late summer breeze. Some durian lovers were naturally delighted, while others, who didn't particularly like durian, covered their noses but didn't intend to leave—basil soup is a special dish that can only be enjoyed once a year, and it's not just a dish but also a tradition.

The smell didn't bother Akina Sawa; he neither liked nor disliked durian, treating it as just an ordinary fruit.

But Aya Shameimaru, who was beside him, was very concerned.

As the soup was nearing completion, the strange aroma grew stronger, and Aya Shameimaru was already frowning, wanting to leave.

However, flying is prohibited in the Human Village. It's okay to skirt around the rules on ordinary days, but now that Fujiwara no Mokou, Hakurei Reimu and her group are nearby, it's really not good to violate the rules right under our noses.

"Seriously! Who put the durian in there?!" Even though they were very close, Aya Shameimaru shouted loudly to Sawa Akina next to her.

"Why are you yelling so loudly?" Akina Sawa complained to Shameimaru Aya, covering his ears in dissatisfaction.

"Look," Aya Shameimaru said, ignoring Sawa Akina's complaints and instead pointing mischievously in Reimu Hakurei's direction.

Akina Sawa looked over, somewhat puzzled, but then her eyes lit up. She turned back to Shameimaru Aya and they exchanged a smile, both wearing expressions of triumph.

At this moment, Reimu Hakurei's cheeks were flushed, and she nervously glanced at the people nearby.

She is the same girl who used thunderous methods to destroy the monster just now.

"Great! We love durian!"

Suddenly, someone in the crowded throng said this.

"Yes, yes! Thank you so much to the person who gave us the durians!"

"Me too!"

"..."

As the first person spoke, a chorus of voices expressing their love for durian rose and fell, much like the ebb and flow of the tide.

Surrounded by such comments, Reimu's already red face turned even redder. She was no longer flustered and stared intently at the cauldron, trying to ignore the surrounding influence.

The somewhat listless crowd, waiting for the soup to finish simmering in the summer heat, became lively as they discussed 360 ways to cook durian.

This sight startled Akina Sawa for a moment, but he quickly recovered, smiled, shook his head, and looked at Shameimaru Aya:

"You really are a journalist."

"Hmph! Isn't this just common sense?"

As if accelerated by the lively atmosphere, amidst the rounds of discussions about durian, the soup was finally ready!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Hieda Akyuu, representing the powerful clan, pulled Fujiwara no Mokou up a half-person-high staircase to look down at the group of crows below.

Although Hieda Akyuu was small in stature, she was not at all stage-frightened. She bowed slightly to the crowd as a sign of courtesy and then began her speech.

The summer festival is drawing to a close...

Hieda Akyuu talked a lot, and Akina Sawa listened very attentively, not because he was interested in what she was saying, but simply because he liked to hear her voice, which was clear and had a childlike quality.

At 12 years old, Hieda Akyuu is still a little girl, yet she does things that are completely inappropriate for her age.

Akina Ze couldn't say whether it was good or bad; it was none of his business, so he just watched quietly.

After Hieda Akyuu finished speaking, the microphone was handed over to Fujiwara no Mokou.

As the captain of the Human Village Protection Team, she is not an ordinary human, but she enjoys the deep trust of the villagers.

He was the perfect choice to speak at the summer festival.

Fujiwara no Mokou looked down at the large, trusting crowd of villagers below and felt a little dazed.

People used to be like this, didn't they?

Some older people gradually saw in Fujiwara no Mokou what he or she looked like when they were young.

These memories had been forcibly forgotten, but now they've resurfaced.

Fujiwara no Mokou shook her head, dismissing the lingering memories from her mind.

Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order of human life, so what is there to be sad about?

Reaching out to scoop up a bowl of soup, Fujiwara no Mokou looked at the large group of people staring at her and managed to squeeze out a few words.

"time to eat!"

"Yes!"

......

As the sun gradually set, the lively summer festival slowly grew quiet.

The large pot of Bai Le Tang was quickly devoured bowl after bowl by the enthusiastic villagers.

Akina Ze also drank a bowl.

The taste was a little different from what I expected. I originally thought that the soup with so many different ingredients would be a culinary disaster, but it turned out to be quite delicious.

It's neither greasy nor fishy; instead, it has a rich sweetness and, like its flavor, a wonderful aroma.

"Oh... I've never had such delicious soup before!"

Volume Three: The Ripening of Autumn

Chapter One: Cicadas in Autumn

"Chirp~ Chirp~"

The cicadas' chirping in early autumn sounds particularly mournful and tragic, making one unconsciously feel a chill for these little lives hanging on the branches.

After a lively festival, one often feels a sense of loneliness and emptiness, and this feeling intensifies the more one participates in it.

Akina Sawa, who was deeply affected by it, also named this symptom "post-holiday syndrome".

There's no particular reason; I just felt that the name sounded nice and sophisticated.

Ever since returning from the summer festival, Akina Sawa felt like she had contracted this disease. Every morning she didn't want to leave her warm bed until Nikua and Chito Yuri, who were starving, dragged her out of bed to make breakfast for the three of them.

Chito said it was just because of the cold weather.

Akina Ze didn't believe it either. How could a farmer like me, who can create energy blasts, be unable to get out of bed because of the cold weather?

Such a claim without evidence is inappropriate; it must be because I have this so-called "post-holiday syndrome"!

Akina Ze, who was lying on a rocking chair padded with cotton cloth, thought to himself, "I'm blaming all the blame on this illness."

Since the beginning of autumn, Akina Sawa has felt that his illness is getting worse and worse, and all he wants to do every day is lie in a rocking chair and not do any work.