Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

"Akina-nii will definitely do it, Renren believes in you~"

Having received a satisfactory answer, Komeiji Komeiji held Akina Sawaya's hands and happily spun around.

As it turned, the voice of Komeiji Komeiji that Akina Zeya heard became choppy and produced white noise, like a radio with its antenna stretched out.

Suddenly, the sound completely disappeared, along with Komeiji Komeiji standing in front of her.

Akina Sawa stood there blankly, raising his hand. The cold touch of Komeiji Kokoro's hand was still faintly felt in his palm, but he was now on the verge of tears.

"You still haven't told me how to get out of here!"

Just as Akina Sawa was at a loss, a voice suddenly rang out, like someone speaking into a loudspeaker and being recorded.

"Please rate this dream communication session out of five!"

"You want to give me a score?" Akina Ze's face darkened. "Zero points!"

......

With a leisurely air, Akina Sawa also opened his heavy eyelids... Kirisame Marisa's swollen red eyes came into view... What happened?

"Oh! Master Akina!"

Seeing that Akina Sawa had also woken up, Kirisame Marisa was overjoyed but also filled with sorrow. She wiped her eyes and sobbed, "I couldn't wake him up no matter what I did, I thought..."

"Don't worry, I'm fine." He reached out and patted Marisa's head to comfort her.

It wasn't until then that Akina Sawa realized he was resting his head on Marisa's lap, and the sensation from the back of his head was absolutely top-notch. It seems that Doremi might not necessarily only get a zero.

......

Chapter 119 Returning Home

With his breath coming in short gasps, the slightly rough edges of Marisa Kirisame's black and white dress kept tickling Zeya Akina's ear.

Normally, the human ear is a sensitive area; even a light scratch with a feather or something similar can stimulate it and cause a sneeze.

But Akina Ze also suppressed the urge to sneeze, using the fine hairs on his face to carefully feel Marisa's still slightly fleshy thighs.

The refreshing scent of oranges wafted towards them... Akina Sawa couldn't help but twitch his nostrils. Although it was winter, Kirisame Marisa seemed to still be very clean and often took baths.

"Um, Master Akina, please don't do that, it's a little itchy..." Marisa Kirisame said, her face flushed and her voice unsteady, as she rubbed her legs.

The absolute territory beneath her skirt was completely unobstructed, and Akina Sawa simply lay down on it...

It wasn't just the warm, humid air she breathed through her mouth and nose; it was also the short, prickly stubble that made Marisa constantly uncomfortable.

Even though it was only her first time using a lap pillow, this was so stimulating! Marisa Kirisame's face was flushed and rosy.

It's not like she's never given someone a lap pillow before... Marisa Kirisame recalled playing house with Reimu at the Hakurei Shrine, where they would simply pat each other's heads and say a few happy words... She thought it would be the same with men.

but!

This is completely different!

A masculine aura, the constant scratching of stubble, and heavy breathing...

Marisa Kirisame's breathing became rapid... she was about to reach her limit!

She never imagined it was just an interaction between sisters and friends... but the effect was completely different when presented by a different person.

Just a moment ago she had made up her mind... Marisa Kirisame's mind wandered.

Akina Ze, who was comfortably enjoying Marisa's lap pillow, also remembered what happened in his dream and asked.

"Marisa, do you know someone named Doremi?"

This question was like a spring of water in the desert, giving Marisa Kirisame a chance to catch her breath just when she was about to lose control of her emotions. Otherwise, she really wouldn't have the face to face her master Akina...

"Hmm~" Marisa Kirisame let out a suppressed groan, then recalled the information she had read and said, "I know her. She is said to be a tapir monster who lives in dreams."

"A tapir monster?" Akina Ze adjusted the position of his face and said, "The reason I couldn't wake her up just now seems to be because she pulled me into a dream world."

On the other side, Marisa Kirisame sensed Akina Sawa move upwards again, and instinctively squeezed her thighs together, stiffly saying:

"It's not common for someone to actively pull another person into a dream. Is there something she wants to discuss with you, Master Akina?"

Do you remember when we were in the Old Hell?

"The time we searched for the cat mushroom?" Marisa Kirisame asked in return.

"Yes, but actually there was someone else following us the whole time, but you didn't notice, Marisa."

"!!!"

Upon hearing this, Marisa Kirisame was startled. This person who was secretly following her must be a stalker, right?

But in Gensokyo, very few people can secretly follow her without being discovered...

So she asked tentatively.

"Could it be Komeiji Koishi from the Earth Spirit Hall?"

"Huh? You actually knew?" Startled, Akina Ze continued, "Didn't you go digging for obsidian back at the Scorching Hell Ruins?"

"..."

Recalling that incident, Marisa Kirisame blushed. They had agreed to go find cat mushrooms together, but she couldn't tear herself away once she saw the rare materials.

"I didn't actually find it later. Those cat mushrooms were actually given to me by Ms. Komeiji Ren," Akina Sawa recalled. "But I needed to do something for her."

"What is it?" Marisa Kirisame asked, puzzled.

“We’ll convert part of the Scorching Hell ruins into a hot spring inn,” Akina Sawa replied honestly.

"A hot spring inn!?"

Upon hearing this, Marisa Kirisame was immediately shocked. "That's the ruins of the Scorching Hell! This is too reckless..."

"My initial thought was that I could just carry a few logs over and build a house..."

"That probably won't work," Marisa Kirisame said, calming herself down. "A simple house like that would be easily washed away by a geyser."

"Yes, that's what I think too," Akina Ze replied. "But relying on my own strength, this is all I can do..."

A moment of silence fell over the room. Even Marisa Kirisame couldn't think of a good solution. If it were about triggering a massive geyser eruption, she had many ideas, but building a hot spring inn... she was completely clueless...

"That's all for now." Akina Sawa also got up from Kirisame Marisa's lap and smiled, "I shouldn't have told you about these troublesome things, but thank you for listening to me."

“No, Master Akina.” Marisa Kirisame shook her head. “I’m happy that you’re willing to tell me these things.”

"if you can......"

Marisa Kirisame paused for a moment and then said, "Please treat me as someone you can confide in. You can tell me anything~"

“…Okay.” Looking at Marisa’s extremely serious expression, Akina Ze finally nodded.

......

"Cuckoo~"

The sounds of roosters crowing rose and fell.

The village of the living awakens once again from its slumber at night.

The same applies to the Akina residence.

Because it was too late yesterday, Akina Sawa didn't go home but slept on the sofa in Marisa's living room for the night.

Early this morning, Marisa Kirisame rode a broomstick to take him home.

After waving goodbye to Marisa, Akina Sawa tiptoed into the living room.

Going home should be a matter of course, but at this moment, Akina Sawa couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

"Huh? What is that?"

Akina Ze also noticed that there was a pair of bowls and chopsticks and a plate on the dining table, covered with a layer of insulating white cloth.

That couldn't be...

A bad idea popped into Akina Zeya's mind. He stepped forward and lifted a corner of the white cloth.

Looking at the contents, Akina Sawa's pupils constricted slightly.

A plate of cooked food lay quietly under the white cloth, its edges slightly charred...

"..." Akina Ze also put down the white cloth, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

After glancing at the tightly closed bedroom door, Akina Ze walked into the kitchen.

The dishes and other items in the sink had already been washed, and a piece of white paper with writing on it was placed on the table.

Without saying a word, Akina Ze stepped forward and took the white paper in his hand.

The above is a passage.

[The rice is kept warm in the wooden bucket, Zeya-kun.]

“…”

"You're back? It's a pity the food I made last night is already cold."

Upon hearing this, Akina Sawa also turned his head sharply to look.

Before anyone knew it, Ayatoshi Shameimaru was standing at the kitchen doorway, his brows slightly furrowed.

......

Chapter 120 The Limits of Cat Mushroom's Tolerance

Having not returned home all night, Qiu Mingze turned around guiltily, leaning against the cold stove, trying to maintain a calm expression, and asked guiltily, "Miss Wenwen, why did you get up so early today?"

"Why do you think I got up so early?" Aya Shameimaru glanced sideways at Zeya Akina with her light brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, something came up last night and I couldn't come back. I didn't have time to tell you," Qiu Mingze replied with a bitter expression.

Various events have shown that honestly admitting one's mistakes and being forgiven is much more likely than stubbornly denying them.

"Sigh..." Aya Shameimaru sighed, the warm breath he exhaled from his lungs taking on a hazy filter under the morning sunlight.

"I'm just lamenting the ingredients we used last night." Aya Shameimaru glanced at the now empty trash can... which had been filled many times last night. "I wonder if the dishes we made will suit your taste."

Akina Sawa felt somewhat ashamed after hearing this... His gaze inadvertently swept over Aya Shameimaru's palm, and his eyes suddenly sharpened.

An ugly band-aid was conspicuously stuck to those slender, fair fingers...

"It has nothing to do with you, I accidentally scratched it." Noticing that Akina Sawa was also looking at him, Shameimaru Aya clenched her right thumb and turned her face away to explain.

"Let me see it."

With an unyielding tone, Akina Sawa stepped forward and grasped Aya Shameimaru's relatively small, rosy hand.

"No!" Shameimaru Aya resisted, anxiously trying to pull her hand back.

However, Akina Sawa was no longer the weakling he once was, and even Shameimaru Aya's use of the Tengu's power could not break free.

He could only watch helplessly as Akina Zeya carefully examined his palm.

Pale blue veins were faintly visible beneath the alabaster skin, and there were more than one reddish wound on the fingers...

Holding his wrist, and looking at Aya Shameimaru who had turned her head away, Akina Sawa said with deep pity:

"Wenwen... let me do it next time."

"I already told you it has nothing to do with you!" Upon hearing this, Aya Shameimaru frowned.

She's no delicate flower vase; as Gensokyo's top reporter, what's a little injury to her?

If it means being pitied by others, Aya Shameimaru would rather not have it.

"Yes, I know." Akina Ze shook his head, but his gaze remained unchanged.

"Hmph! Whatever."

Shameimaru Aya turned and left. As she passed the living room, she glanced at the plates of food covered by a white cloth, her eyes dimmed, and she shook her head before entering the study.

......

Ignite the flame, heat it, and pour it back into the dish.

Several dishes that had been kept warm under white cloths were reheated by Akina Zeya on the stove.

Looking at the steaming hot dishes in front of him, Akina Ze also picked up some with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.