Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

But after a long while, Komeiji Ren hesitated to put pen to paper. She seemed stuck, holding the pen, unsure of what to draw.

Akina Ze also noticed something was wrong and asked in confusion, "Lianlian, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Akina-nii... I don't know how to draw you..." Komeiji Ren looked dejected, holding her pen and not knowing where to start.

"Oh, I see. I thought something was wrong." Akina Ze shook his head with a laugh. It's just a simple line drawing to represent someone, right? Just do something casually, it'll do.

He said with a smile, "Lianlian, just draw a hoe on it."

"Hoe, hoe..." Komeiji Ren muttered to herself for a moment, and finally reluctantly sketched a hoe in her notebook.

"Wait?! How come I'm a crow with a big beak?"

Aya Shameimaru noticed the simple sketch of herself drawn in the notebook.

A black crow with its beak wide open and wings flapping.

Although it is simple, it is very expressive.

......

Chapter 168 Exclusive Enjoyment

"Why is my drawing so abstract?!"

As Aya Shameimaru walked from the reception hall into the corridor near the hot spring, she was still muttering complaints.

It seems she's really unhappy with her image as a crow with a big beak in Miss Love's logbook.

"Oh!"

A voice suddenly came from beside him, drawing Akina Zeya's attention.

A jet of water, several meters high, shot out from a pool near the corridor. The water droplets splashed and shattered on the wooden ceiling of the corridor, then gathered into a thin stream that flowed down the protruding eaves and back into the pool.

"This is something we deliberately kept; it adds to the unique character of this hot spring inn."

Kawashiro Nitori walked over from the other end of the corridor, rested one hand on the railing, and explained while looking at the still-erupting water column.

"It's really quite interesting." Akina Ze nodded in agreement. If there were sunlight on the ground, there would definitely be a rainbow, and it would be even more beautiful then.

Thinking this, Akina Sawa also turned his gaze away from the water column and looked at Kawashiro Nitori, who was talking to him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Because Kawashiro Nitori looked as if she had just come out of a hot spring, her already fair skin looked even more delicate and pink, and her hair was wrapped in a clean, soft towel with only a few long strands peeking out from her forehead.

"That's about enough, let's go to a bar."

Seeing the interaction between the two, Aya Shameimaru, her inner alarm bells ringing, stepped forward and took Sawaya Akina's hand, intending to lead him away from the corridor and away from the kappa.

Having finally completed the construction of the hot spring inn, and having just soaked in the hot spring, Kawashiro Nitori was in a good mood. Looking at the hostile Shameimaru Aya, she smiled and had a few mischievous thoughts come to her mind, something she hadn't done in a long time.

She slowly stepped forward and, under Aya Shameimaru's incredulous gaze, took Akina Sawaya's other arm.

"Akina-kun, I'm so grateful to you. If it weren't for you giving me this project, I'd definitely still be drowning in debt right now~"

"It's just mutually beneficial, mutually beneficial!"

Being so close, it wasn't just the softness of her arm that touched him; Akina Sawa also keenly smelled the lotus fragrance emanating from Kawashiro Nitori.

"More than that, I remember a lot!"

With her arms crossed, Kawashiro Nitori's eyes held a deep, unsettling look. She wasn't just teasing Shameimaru Aya; her gratitude towards Akina Sawaya was genuine.

Because of the Scarlet Devil Mansion project, she was detained at the Kappa office in the Human Village, working as a maid to pay off her debts. Kawashiro Nitori thought she had no chance of turning her life around and could only work hard as a saleswoman every day until she paid off her debts.

But unexpectedly, at that desperate moment, Akina Sawa walked in and rescued her with a contract.

Now that the project is complete, his debts are wiped clean... Kawashiro Narito looked up at Akina Sawaya's face, his heart overflowing with joy at the loss of such a heavy burden.

"You've gone too far!"

On the contrary, Aya Shameimaru was furious. The wonderful hot spring trip hadn't even started yet, and there was something bad right from the start?

She grabbed Kawashiro Nitori's arm and forcefully pulled her away, shielding Akina Sawa behind her with both hands. Her light brown eyes were fixed on Kawashiro Nitori, ready to react at any moment.

"Just kidding, please forgive me~" Kawashiro Nitori covered her mouth and chuckled twice, then turned around and began to introduce the hot spring inn to the two of them, showing them what else was worth seeing.

Shameimaru Fumiya lowered his guard slightly, but still clung tightly to Akina Sawaya's arm, keeping a close eye on Kawashiro Nitori as she explained the sights ahead.

As for Akina Sawaya... he has been struggling with something that is too active.

My pants aren't that fitted, and it would be so embarrassing if a bulge was noticed!

Enduring the fragrance emanating from beside him, Akina Sawa was in great agony, wanting nothing more than to quickly walk down the corridor and reach the bath.

He barely managed to look up to see how much longer it would take to reach his destination, but then he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Kawashiro Nitori's exposed calves beneath her white bathrobe...

"Oops!"

Cursing under his breath, Akina Ze closed his eyes and began to imagine things that would help him calm down.

But things didn't go as planned, and the situation became even more serious, because not only Kawashiro Nitori's image, but also Aya Shameimaru, Marisa Kirisame, Reimu Hakurei, and even Alice in a white bathrobe appeared.

"..." Akina Ze also suddenly opened his eyes, looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

"what happened to you?"

Aya Shameimaru naturally heard this sigh and asked curiously.

"It's nothing... From now on, let Nikua and the others sleep in your room at night."

“?” Aya Shameimaru looked puzzled.

......

Although the corridor twisted and turned, the three of them still arrived at the bathhouse lobby.

Lifting the curtain that served as a door, Kawashiro Naritori turned to the two and said, "Go in, it's inside."

finally reached!

Seeing the entrance glowing yellow light behind the curtain, Akina Zeya's face lit up with joy. Without waiting for the other two to speak, he rushed inside.

I've endured this for so long, it's truly torture!

But as soon as he entered the door, Akina Ze was dumbfounded.

Inside, there are two heated curtains dividing the space into left and right sides.

He recognized the pattern on the curtain on the right; it was the women's entrance, where only women were allowed to enter.

But on the left side, there is a human face drawn!

"What the hell!?"

Akina Sawa had never seen such a distinction before.

Logically speaking, the right side is the women's entrance, so the left side must be the men's entrance, right?

But this hot spring inn, built by the Kappa and supervised by the Earth Spirit Hall, is completely different.

"Ze Ye, this painting looks like you!"

Aya Shameimaru, who followed behind, also saw the painting and said hesitantly.

The portrait looks very much like the outline of Akina Sawaya, especially the facial features, which are really very similar!

Moreover, I'm right here right now, and comparing the two, Aya Shameimaru looks more and more like her.

"How could that be?" Akina Ze waved his hand and laughed. No matter what, he couldn't possibly not recognize his own face, even though he hadn't looked in a mirror in a long time.

As he spoke, Akina Sawa glanced at the portrait on the noren again, wanting to see who it was.

But the closer he looked, the more Akina Ze frowned.

This looks so much like me!

"This painting is of you!"

Kawashiro Nitori pointed to the portrait on the noren and said seriously, "The right side is the women's entrance, and the left side is Akina Sawaya's exclusive entrance."

"How could that be?" Akina Ze shook his head with a smile. He didn't believe it at all. Such a large pool was reserved for one person to use alone. Only a fool would believe that.

"I'm serious," Kawashiro Narito said earnestly, without a hint of joking.

"..."

Akina Ze was stunned. He pointed to himself in disbelief, then to the entrance on the left.

Kawashiro Nitori responded with a deep nod.

......

Chapter 169 People Come to the Pool

"This is outrageous! Why would they draw my face on it...?"

The hot spring pool was filled with mist, and Akina Sawa sat comfortably inside, enjoying the warm spring water.

But the thought of having my face displayed at the entrance of a hot spring from now on, and what if someone recognizes me on the street and says, "Isn't this the person painted on the noren?"

He still couldn't quite hold back.

However, even so, Akina Ze glanced around the huge hot spring pool and realized that he was the only one there; it was practically a private event.

"Marking my hot spring with my face, that's interesting."

With his hands parting the rippling water, Akina Sawa gave a self-deprecating laugh.

A straight, upright oak wall divides the hot spring into two parts: the left side is the 'Akina' pool, and the right side is the women's pool.

Through the oak wall, Akina Sawa could faintly hear bursts of laughter coming from the women's pool, which sounded like there were many people there.

Thinking about it, there are definitely a lot of people. He himself brought three little ones and one big one, plus the kappa he already had, it must be very lively.

However, Akina Sawa had no interest in eavesdropping on the sounds coming from the right. He forcefully swung his arms to the left, as he had his own things to do.

Reaching the center of the pool, Akina stopped what he was doing. Looking at the pure water that was above his chest, he decided to do something he had always wanted to do but never had the chance to.

Akina Ze took a deep breath, expanded his lungs, pinched his nose with one hand, and squatted down.

The hot spring water was over my head, and every inch of my skin was soaked in it.

The heat of the water seeped into my body, making me feel warm and cozy.

It's unclear how long it lasted, or perhaps Akina Sawa was so comfortable in the hot spring water that he forgot the passage of time. When he raised his head again, a thick, pure white steam billowed from his mouth, shooting out like an arrow. It flew several meters away before gradually blending into the mist that was already on the water's surface.

"Ah~ that feels good." Akina Ze also brushed his wet hair with one hand, shook his head vigorously from side to side, and droplets of water splashed onto the water's surface with the inertia.

"Pfft!"

Suddenly, Akina Sawa also heard a sound that looked like someone covering their mouth but couldn't help laughing.

Startled, he quickly crouched down and looked around.

Am I the only person in this hot spring? I didn't hear anyone come in!

I wonder if anyone saw all those childish things I did just now?

Upon realizing this, Akina Ze's face immediately turned red; as a grown man, he couldn't bear to lose face like that.

It's pointless to try and find out who spoke out; the most important thing now is to act as if nothing happened.

Some things, unless confirmed in person, can indeed be treated as if they never happened, because human memory can provide a reasonable explanation.

Grabbing the towel floating on the water and wrapping it tightly around his waist, Akina Ze quietly walked towards the door, keeping only his head above water.

They walked forward for about ten meters, but the soft laughter did not ring out again; they were not far from the door.

Relieved, Akina Sawa stood up from underwater, intending to leave quickly, but just as he looked up...

"Wow~ Your place is quite spacious~"

Before he knew it, Aya Shameimaru was standing on the shore looking at him, her eyebrows curved and the corners of her mouth turned up high.

Akina Sawa was startled and abruptly squatted down, splashing a large amount of water. He blurted out, "Isn't this the men's pool? What are you doing here?!"

"Who said this is a men's pool? Isn't this the 'Akina' pool, your pool?"

Shameimaru Aya wiped her face, which was wet from the splashing water, and said nonchalantly, "Since it's your pool, can't I come in? Or are you not welcoming me?"

It's not like it's a men's pool... There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with what I said?

Akina Sawa was also taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered and said, "If it's not the men's pool... then am I not a man? If you just come in like this and see something you shouldn't see, that's none of my business!"