Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

Frogs, butterflies, little people, and some round things.

"Cirno, what are those round things?" Akina Z asked, pointing to some round balls placed together.

“This is a dumpling~” Cirno replied.

A dumpling? It looks more like a giant ice hockey puck!

Akina Z also squatted down and picked up a dumpling from the pile.

A transparent, oval ice ball.

It's similar, but not completely similar.

But did Cirno make dumplings because she wanted to eat them?

Akina Z also looked up and glanced at Cirno, who was facing away from him.

He remembered that long-eared rabbit monsters often came to sell dumplings in the human world.

With her short, orange-yellow hair and clothes in a uniform color scheme, she is also a cute and beautiful girl.

Her name seems to be Suzuko?

Akina Z had seen her from afar a few times, and although he had never bought anything from her, the rabbit girl named Suzuko would still smile and nod to greet him whenever she saw her.

These rabbit monsters must all belong to Eientei, right?

It seems like it's been a long time since I've seen that NEET princess. I hope she's happy playing games alone.

Akina Z also shook his head, shaking off the unnecessary thoughts.

The rain was still falling, and Akina Z looked up. The sky was full of layers of dark clouds. It had been sunny when she went out. The weather in Gensokyo was really extreme and could change in an instant.

Niqua, who was sitting on the ground, was bored and counting ants. Akina Z looked at Niqua counting ants and then at Cirno making various types of carrots. Suddenly, he felt like someone else's child.

Never mind, I'll just say something random to kill some time.

Akina Z also looked at Cirno and said:

"Cirno, where did you get that bellflower?"

He'd always wanted to ask this question: how do bellflowers appear in spring? It was a perfect topic to pass the time.

"You mean that flower?"

"Yes, it's the flower you said you were going to give to Lady."

"It was a gift from Daijang. He said he wanted to see it so that it would remind him of her, but I just thought it was pretty and accepted it."

Upon hearing this, Akina Z also felt that Daiyousei was somewhat tragic.

The flowers were given away and then given to someone else, but fairies might have different customs than humans, and perhaps they don't care about such things. Akina Z also slightly comforted herself, her heart breaking from hearing other people's stories.

He then asked, "...Then why freeze it?"

"Shouldn't pretty things be frozen? Just like my frozen frogs?" Cirno said, puzzled.

"All right..."

This explanation isn't that far-fetched, and Akina Z's idea is understandable; it's like freezing leftovers to eat later.

"So you've been freezing since spring?"

"Yes, my ice cubes are invincible!"

"..."

A flower has been frozen from spring to winter, and now Akina Z doesn't know what to say.

Perhaps this is what a fairy is like...

The conversation abruptly ended.

A sense of boredom returned, and this time Akina Z wasn't really keen on talking.

If only Miss Wenwen were here, she'd always be so funny and have so many stories, I'd never be bored.

......

As time passed, the sound of rain gradually subsided until it stopped completely.

Composing himself, Akina Z decided to move on.

The air in the forest after the rain is very fresh, but the muddy ground can still be uncomfortable.

Cirno flew ahead, leading the way, her feet barely touching the ground.

At this point, Akina Z felt a little envious. He wished he could fly so he wouldn't have to struggle through the mud.

Once again, Akina Z disgustedly shook the mud off his trouser legs and asked:

"Cirno, how much longer until we arrive?"

“Almost there, just ahead,” Cirno replied.

Such conversations continued many times along the way.

Whether it was because the road was difficult or because the Great Fairy lived far away, Akina Z felt like he had walked a very long way.

But every road eventually comes to an end.

“We’ve arrived,” came Cirno’s voice.

Reaching out, Akina Z parted two branches that were leaning together and looked up.

Cirno was standing in front of a huge tree that was so thick that it would take several people holding hands to encircle it.

The branches stretched as far as the eye could see, filling the sky above, but because it was winter, all the leaves had fallen, making it look somewhat eerie.

But if you come in the summer, you should be able to see a magnificent forest, right?

How come such a big tree wasn't discovered before?

Akina Z also felt as if he had entered another world.

"The soybean paste lives in here."

Cirno stood in front of a tree hole about the width of a person and said.

A layer of withered yellow leaves blocked the view inside.

So fairies really do live in tree holes, that was Akina Z's first thought.

......

Chapter Nineteen Mao

After kicking along the grooves in the tree bark a few times, Akina Ze quickly arrived at the tree hole in the middle.

Push aside the half-closed screen made of leaves, and the furnishings inside the tree hollow are fully visible.

Inside the cramped cave, there was nothing but vines that stretched along the cave wall and formed a bed.

Akina Sawa's target this time, the Great Fairy, was lying on this wooden bed made of vines.

The vine bed was some distance from the cave entrance, and the wooden cave was less than 1.5 meters high, which was rather low for Akina Zeya, a normal adult male.

Left with no other choice, Akina Sawa, hunched over, slowly walked to the vine bed, while Nikua and Cirno had already sat down by the bedside.

Short people are like this; unlike tall people, they don't have many things to consider.

Having finally reached the bedside, he was startled by the state of the great demon before him.

The great demon had its eyes closed, its shoulder-length emerald green hair was somewhat withered, its face was haggard, and its brow was furrowed, as if it were having a nightmare.

"Soybean paste?"

Cirno climbed onto the bed and leaned over the Great Fairy.

Akina Ze also watched the scene with curiosity, and casually pulled Nikua in front of him, ready to cover her eyes if any inappropriate images appeared.

Little imp, that's a long way off.

Unfortunately, Cirno only placed one hand on the Great Fairy's forehead and the other on her own, seemingly checking if the Great Fairy's temperature was normal, and there were no scenes unsuitable for children.

After a while, Cirno withdrew her hand, looking as if she had figured something out, but she didn't say anything.

His eyes kept blinking in this direction, as if he was waiting for someone to respond.

Akina Ze was also speechless. The Great Fairy was already lying on the board, and Cirno was still being cheeky.

"But maybe that's just how Cirno is," Akina Sawa shook his head.

Although Akina Sawa didn't respond, Nikua certainly wouldn't.

She asked anxiously, "Cirno, what's wrong with the Great Fairy?"

Cirno stretched out her index finger and shook it in the air a few times, saying:

"The great fairy is just asleep. Let's go, don't wake her up."

"Is it true? Then I can rest assured."

Although somewhat doubtful, Niqua believed Cirno when she heard her say she was alright, and put her hand to her chest, letting out a sigh of relief.

But... does this really look like everything is okay?

Akina Sawa also looked at Cirno, who clearly wanted to leave, and the Great Fairy, whose eyes were still closed and who hadn't made a sound.

His intuition told him that something was wrong.

Just then, the great fairy who had been sleeping soundly finally opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Cirno lying on top of her. She called out softly, half in confusion and half in surprise.

"Cirno?"

Cirno, who was still inputting her opinions into Niqua, slowly turned her head like a stuck wind-up toy.

She could see it clearly, even her own reflection in the great fairy's blue eyes—that panicked face.

"You're awake..." Cirno's voice choked with emotion. "I thought you wouldn't wake up at a time like this..."

"What are you talking about? Cirno, I just took a nap..."

Cirno didn't respond to the Great Fairy's words; instead, she hugged the Great Fairy tightly.

"Um...why did you wake up...why..."

Large tears streamed uncontrollably from Cirno's eyes.

Even though I knew everything, even though I was prepared, I just couldn't help it.

Witnessing everything firsthand was torture. Cirno knew she shouldn't have come, and just like every year, she would wait for the new Great Fairy to appear the following year.

But this year is a little different. There's an outsider in Gensokyo who might be able to help the Great Fairy.

"Cirno, don't cry, I'm still here, aren't I?"

The great fairy chuckled and stroked Cirno's hair.

Having obtained clues from Huiyin and indirectly guessed everything, Qiumingze could hardly bear to watch the scene before him, so he turned his back.

Akina Ze also considered himself a heartless person; no matter how cute a little girl was, he wouldn't give her candy for free. But now, his eyes were truly filled with tears.

Fairies are the embodiment of nature, just as flowers that bloom in spring will turn into mud and disappear into the world after the season is over.

And fairies... are the same.

Although Akina Sawa didn't want to believe it, that was the truth.

The great fairy is about to disappear, and will soon transform into an invisible breeze blowing through the lake and the forest.

But what is somewhat comforting is that flowers bloom again, and people can come back again.

The great fairy that disappears this year will be born next year; this is the law of nature.

Akina Sawa also firmly believed this.

"Help me... Mr. Akina..." Cirno's voice was a little hoarse.

Ok?

Akina Ze was immediately startled. What natural laws? Bah!

Do you understand the saying "Man can conquer nature"?

Hearing Cirno's soft, husky voice, Akina Ze felt a surge of heat coursing through his body.