Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

......

Chapter 149 Approaching

Tick ​​tock~tick tock~

The glistening liquid slid down her delicate chin, splashing a few droplets on the dark brown wooden floor.

"...Can you tell me why?"

After the initial surprise, a deep sense of doubt arose.

Why would the little demon girl in front of me do this? She mentioned earlier that she wanted to help Miyaguchi Zuirei, but the specific help she offered was to suggest that she attack humans.

The attack would only bring trouble to the humans, which doesn't make sense, does it?

Based on the information recorded in the Hakurei Shrine texts he had read before, Akina Sawa could already imagine the scene of Miyaguchi Zuirei being driven out of the human village by the humans.

“Strange, shouldn’t you be afraid of me? After all, I did bad things and caused people to attack humans.”

Her flushed face, flushed from intoxication, revealed no subtle expressions. Suika Ibuki tilted her head back, her orange-brown eyes reflecting only her image.

“That’s why I wanted to know the reason.” Akina Sawa calmly wiped the water stains off the floor and sat down next to Suika. “As for being afraid… I’m not afraid, because I think you’re just a drunken loli, and just a loli.”

"Tsk, you underestimate me? Worried I'll eat you up!"

Setting down the sake gourd, Ibuki Suika opened her mouth, revealing sharp canine teeth on either side that were harder than steel.

"Then you can eat it, but be careful not to chip your teeth." Akina Ze remained unmoved, and instead stretched out his hand, presenting it to Suika's open, defiant mouth.

"..."

Suika Ibuki slapped away the arm in front of her, her wide eyes narrowing in obvious boredom. "Consider yourself lucky, I don't eat human flesh."

"Since you don't eat people, why should I be afraid of you?"

Akina Ze withdrew his arm and smiled, the energy that had filled his arm flowing back into his body.

If you really try to bite, it's not impossible for your teeth to break. The energy inside your body completely covers the surface of your skin, so even a diamond can't pierce it.

"Well, say whatever you want."

Unable to win through verbal sparring, and unwilling to actually take action, Ibuki Suika simply gave up, figuring she could never finish the sake in her gourd anyway.

The sunset glow was slanting, and a cold wind was blowing.

After drinking until her stomach was bulging, Ibuki Suika let out a satisfied burp and said:

"The riddle is hidden in the surface of the riddle."

"Where's the riddle?" Akina Ze asked, puzzled.

Seeing that Akina Sawa was also puzzled, Ibuki Suika stood up and swayed as she spun around, her violet patterned skirt spinning in the air.

What does this mean?

Completely baffled, Akina Sawa stared at the constantly spinning Ibuki Suika, but just couldn't guess what was going on.

"I thought you were pretty smart, but it turns out you're just a fool."

Stopping the rotation, seeing that Akina Sawa still looked puzzled, Ibuki Suika complained.

"No... you're just going around in circles without saying anything, how am I supposed to guess?" Akina Ze was speechless. At least give some hints when solving a riddle, right? Just guessing like this is impossible for anyone.

"I don't care, you're just an idiot!"

The swaying Ibuki Suika made it impossible to tell whether she was drunk or not.

"Let me be blunt with you, only harmonious things are allowed to exist within the Great Barrier!"

Like a barrage of rapid-fire attacks, Suika Ibuki continued her barrage: "Almost all the Oni who wanted to keep fighting have moved to the old capital. Similarly, the Oni on the human side also need to withdraw."

"You should know who it is by now."

As the fragmented puzzle in his mind gradually came together, Akina Ze slowly said:

"...Miyadechi Mizuki? Then why did you let her attack humans?"

Seemingly no longer intending to hide anything, or perhaps intending to release her inner repression, Ibuki Suika replied:

"Rui Ling, who has killed many demons, is a source of trouble even under the great barrier that ensures harmonious coexistence. If she doesn't die, the demons' revenge will follow one after another, and harmony will never be achieved..."

"To maintain balance... she will be dealt with, just like the monsters who refuse to follow the new rules."

Hearing this, Akina Zeya frowned deeply. "So, by letting her attack humans, the so-called balance will be restored?"

Suika Ibuki did not respond, but silently drank her sake, her brownish-yellow sideburns swaying in the breeze.

"I still admire her quite a bit. At that time, there were very few humans who were willing to stand up and fight."

"Why could she become a demon? If she became a demon, how did she become a vengeful spirit now?" Qiu Mingze pressed on, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Based on the information gathered, Miyaguchi Ruiling doesn't seem to have a physical form. How did she become this vengeful spirit? What exactly did she go through?

"This brings us to another taboo," Suika Ibuki said with a sneer. "In Gensokyo, attacking humans is..."

"Suika, you talk too much."

Before he could finish speaking, a gap appeared out of thin air, stopping him from saying anything more.

Akina Sawa also looked up and saw the blonde beauty he had met before, Yakumo Yukari's exquisite face, on the other side. She was expressionless, but he could vaguely feel an inexplicable pressure aura.

"Tsk, why do we have to care about this?" Ibuki Suika said, clearly dissatisfied.

I won't stop you from saying what you said earlier.

Yakumo's purplish-yellow eyes shifted to Akina Sawaya's face. "But what you're about to say, you absolutely cannot mention."

"Huh? Do you think he looks like a human being?"

Suika Ibuki grabbed Sawaya Akina's arm and breathed on Yukari Yakumo.

“If he thinks so, then so be it,” Yukari Yakumo replied.

"Tsk tsk, if these guys, who are stronger than demons and have all sorts of incredible abilities, are all human, then I can say that all the youkai in Gensokyo are human!"

As if to prove her point, Ibuki Suika hugged Akina Sawaya's waist, wanting to lift him up high.

"That Suika, I am indeed human, just a bit stronger."

With one hand holding down Suika, who was causing trouble behind him, Akina Sawa explained embarrassedly.

No one would say that a human who has cultivated ki is not human. Just like Marisa and Reimu Hakurei, who possess magical and spiritual powers, they are 100% human.

"You think the things you grow are fast and delicious? Stop pretending!" Ibuki Suika, who had been secretly observing for over a year, shouted.

Startled, Akina Ze forced an explanation: "...This only proves that I'm good at farming."

He thought no one would notice this, but it seems he'll have to be more careful in the future.

After trying for a while, Ibuki Suika had to give up her idea of ​​lifting her up high because she was worried that the shrine floor would be damaged and Reimu would have to pay for it.

Feeling the force behind him disappear, Akina Sawa turned around, wanting to ask Yakumo Yukari about Rui Ling, but found that the gap that had opened in mid-air had closed at some point.

"Since that guy won't let me say it, then I won't say it."

After fuming and tidying up her clothes, Ibuki Suika sat back down in her original spot.

"Anyway, go ask that guy yourself. She's waiting for you in the bamboo forest at midnight."

After pondering for a while, who would be waiting for him in the bamboo forest? Akina Sawa asked in confusion:

"Who?"

"Who else? Of course, it's Rui Ling." Ibuki Suika rolled her eyes at Akina Sawa and continued, "Also, don't tell Reimu what I just said, don't even mention it. You're not like me, that guy Yukari really will take action."

......

Chapter 150 Two-Way Grinding

"So that's why you disappeared all of a sudden! Turns out you were slacking off here with Suika!"

Wearing white tabi socks, Reimu Hakurei pushed open the folding wooden door behind the shrine and looked at the two people lying on the floor gazing at the sunset. Her cheeks puffed out slightly.

She was still racking her brains trying to figure out how to catch the cunning Miyakojiru.

But I didn't expect that Akina Zeya would start slacking off so early, and even watch the sunset with Suika!

Well, the sky is indeed very beautiful today...

Reimu Hakurei looked up at the clouds on the horizon, which were distributed in the sky like fish scales, and were exceptionally beautiful.

"Reimu, why don't you take a rest too?"

The pure white tabi socks were placed on either side of his ears, but surprisingly, Akina Zeya didn't show any interest. He didn't turn his head to look at them, but instead quietly gazed at the sky.

Seeing Akina Sawa lying motionless on the wooden board, Reimu Hakurei turned to Suika Ibuki, hoping she would speak, but Suika simply closed her eyes, looking as if she were asleep, indicating that she did not want to get involved.

There was nothing she could do now, a helpless expression on Reimu Hakurei's face.

A gentle breeze rustled the fallen leaves on the ground.

Reimu Hakurei rolled up her skirt and sat down next to Zeya Akina. The wooden planks of the shrine were high enough that even though her calves were completely off the floor, they didn't touch the ground.

A fallen leaf was swept up by the wind, drifting and floating into the air, carried by the current.

Seeing this, Reimu Hakurei's frustration and disbelief at learning about Rui's identity gradually subsided.

If only there were a cup of tea right now, but all I could smell was the aroma of sake... A hint of regret crossed Reimu Hakurei's face.

Do you like this peaceful life?

Turning his gaze away from the sky, Akina Ze also looked at Reimu's back in front of him. Upon closer inspection, he could see that her red and white shrine maiden dress was embroidered with several floral patterns.

"Huh? Why are you suddenly asking this?" Reimu Hakurei turned her head, looking puzzled. The orange-red glow of the sunset reflected on her face, making her exquisite features breathtakingly beautiful.

"No, it was just something I felt like saying."

Akina Sawa smiled, wondering when he had become so sentimental.

Some questions are actually answered the moment they are asked...

With that final word, Akina Ze's gaze softened as he looked at Reimu Hakurei. He extended his hand to Reimu, who was sitting by the board, and smiled:

"Let's go, Reimu. Miss Komeiji should still be waiting for us inside."

"He asks me questions but won't let me answer them. What a weirdo."

Reimu Hakurei took the hand while complaining, but to be honest, her legs were already numb after sitting for a while.

Before entering the room, Akina Sawa also glanced back at Ibuki Suika. She seemed to be really asleep, with only her flat chest rising and falling evenly with her breathing.

Inside the shrine's main hall, Komeiji Satori sat obediently in her seat, like a delicate porcelain doll.

When the two who had left halfway finally returned, Komeiji Satoru simply nodded slightly, as if the long wait had no effect on her.

......

Akina Sawa also returned from the Hakurei Shrine.

The final decision of the meeting was to continue patrolling the human village tomorrow. As soon as news came that a monster had fainted, they would rush to the scene immediately, stop everyone from leaving, and then check each one one by one.

It's a clumsy method, but it seems to be the only way to deal with elusive vengeful spirits.

"Why did you go out all day and only just come back today?"

Hearing the sound of someone pushing open the courtyard gate, the reporter standing under the cherry blossom tree turned around and said, half complaining and half delighted.

"I'm busy, never mind that. Ta-da, look what this is?"

As he spoke, Akina Ze also took out several candied hawthorns wrapped in candy wrappers from behind his back, his face full of smiles.

Before heading home, Akina Ze also made a last-minute trip to the stall that was selling candied hawthorns today. Luckily, the shop owner hadn't left yet, which allowed him to buy the few remaining ones.

"I..." Shameimaru wanted to say a few more words, but seeing that Akina was also panting, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

Relying on her powerful intelligence network, she knew what Akina Sawaya was doing that day, such as searching for something in the Human Village with the Hakurei Shrine Maiden and Komeiji Satoru from the underground.

Based on recent events, and the fact that he was with a shrine maiden, it's likely related to the incident where a yokai inexplicably fainted.

But it was precisely because she was aware of such small details that she complained when Akina Sawa also returned.

However, looking at Akina Sawa's bright smile, Aya Shameimaru's little emotions had completely vanished.

"Welcome home."