Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

Comics require two people to perform together.

Now Reimu Hakurei is all alone.

This is essentially throwing the problem back at us.

It's not that Akina Sawa doesn't want to help, but rather that having only one person means there's no way to know the true effect, and therefore no way to make improvements.

She should leave now, right?

Facing Reimu Hakurei, who was frowning and looking troubled, Akina Zeya's facial expression appeared regretful, but in reality, he was overjoyed.

Salted fish, so delicious!

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Wave-Particle Duality of Rehearsals

In the quiet, remote farmhouse courtyard where the autumn wind was blowing, Akina Ze looked at Hakurei Reimu, who was deep in thought, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

With his arm slightly bent, the tea-red liquid flowed down the side of the cup into Akina Zeya's mouth.

Hmm, today's tea has a particularly pleasant flavor!

At the other end of the tea table, Reimu Hakurei stopped thinking and took out a long exorcism wand from her sleeve.

How could such a big stick possibly be hidden in a sleeve, especially one that exposes the armpit? There's simply no room to put it there.

This was something Akina Sawa first realized: the question of how much space there was in the sleeves and under the skirt.

Because a beautiful girl's skirt can also reveal a series of items that are too big to fit in, Akina Sawa temporarily puts the two items together for disposal.

But then he realized something else that was even more noteworthy.

Why is Reimu Hakurei taking out her exorcism wand now?

Do you want to cure yourself or the monster?

With this question in mind, Akina Ze glanced around the yard and found nothing except for two yellow chickens huddled together in the shed.

Therefore, it couldn't be for the purpose of exorcising monsters, because there are no monsters here for her to exorcise.

Another possibility is also impossible: Akina Sawa simply did not agree to Reimu Hakurei's request to improve the script, which would not have led Reimu Hakurei to use her exorcism wand to teach her a lesson.

Therefore, this possibility can also be ruled out.

But things always need a reasonable explanation; this isn't a nonsensical world...

Reimu Hakurei got up and walked into the yard, picked up her exorcism wand, and drew a straight line in the air with the tip of the wand.

【Dream of an Empty Cave】

To Akina Ze's astonishment, a pitch-black rift appeared.

But the matter was not over yet. Reimu Hakurei directly reached her right hand into the gap, and with a force of her waist and arm, pulled it out like a radish.

Suddenly, Reimu Hakurei pulled a girl out from the gap.

Akina Sawa's pupils contracted slightly, because he recognized the girl in front of him—Kochiya Sanae—whom he had met several times before.

"Ah, this is it?"

The look of shock on Sanae Kochiya's face had not yet faded after she was forcibly dragged over by Reimu Hakurei.

Seeing Akina Zeya, who also looked helpless, Kochiya Sanae quickly realized what had happened and turned her gaze to Hakurei Reimu.

Just moments ago, she was preaching on the streets of the Human Village, trying to persuade a passerby to join the ranks of the Moriya Shrine's believers with her silver tongue and sincere faith.

But unexpectedly, it was interrupted by someone outside the venue.

Please give me an explanation.

Sanae Kochiya's expression was calm, but one could vaguely see the anger hidden in her pupils.

"I need you to do a stand-up comedy routine for me so that Mr. Akina can improve the script for us." After a pause, Reimu Hakurei continued, "You see, I'm all alone, I can't do it."

"I see..." Sanae Kochiya glanced at Zeya Akina, then closed her eyes again, and finally opened them again, saying, "Okay, I understand."

You understand, but I don't!

But the matter has come to this, and the done thing is done.

I thought one person couldn't do the job, but Reimu Hakurei actually managed to bring in another person. Now she's really shot herself in the foot, and there's no going back now.

But since we've already decided to do it, we must give it our all.

Akina Ze also secretly mustered his strength, even though he had no confidence at all.

As the saying goes, nothing is impossible if you have the drive...

"Ah... I guess I'm still not good enough."

Akina Sawa also lay on the table in a dejected, forward-leaning posture.

My ears and brain are filled with the performance that resembled torture.

The fluctuating voices, the inexplicable movements, and the complete lack of chemistry between the partners made it a torturous experience for anyone watching.

Why would two beautiful girls with high looks and the added buff of being shrine maidens perform something like this?

Akina Ze couldn't figure it out either. He decided to take his brain to get cleansed; maybe there was still hope.

"How many people will come to see your performance?"

Akina Ze asked weakly.

“I’ll probably go to the whole of Gensokyo, since it was founded by Lord Enma who also serves as the referee,” Sanae Kochiya replied.

"That won't do... I have to work harder, otherwise everyone will collapse, and who will I sell my food to?"

Akina Sawa also stood up unsteadily, his face pale, but full of determination.

If I don't go to hell, who will? Compared to His Majesty Nero's singing, this performance was still acceptable.

Huh? Who is His Majesty Nero?

A word inexplicably popped into her mind, but the next second Akina Sawa forgot about it.

The most important issue now is the problem at hand.

How to bring the [Great Witch and Little Witch] combination back from -99 to 0.

Generally speaking, if a group has a problem, it's because one of the members is the one with the problem. Once that member is dealt with, the problem will be solved.

Therefore, Akina Sawa also plans to train each of them individually to see where the problem lies.

"Ms. Sanae, you can go first."

Akina Sawa also waved to let Sanae, the shrine maiden of Moriya Shrine, come first.

After all, a sophisticated woman with the air of a married woman is definitely better than a spoiled brat.

......

After some time, Sanae Kochiya lifted her skirt and bowed, marking the end of her solo performance.

Akina Ze nodded in satisfaction.

In his opinion, there was absolutely nothing wrong with Sanae Kochiya's performance just now.

Sanae's strong wifely charm overwhelmed him, almost making him succumb to it.

In that case, the problem lies with Reimu Hakurei.

Withdrawing his gentle smile, Akina Sawa also looked at Hakurei Reimu with sharp eyes.

Admit it! You're the broken gear on the clock!

Reimu Hakurei turned around blankly...

"Ah!!! I was wrong!"

Akina Sawa was also completely trapped in the swamp.

Reimu Hakurei's performance just now left him, someone who already had a prejudiced impression, with no fault to find.

If Sanae is a gentle older sister, then Reimu Hakurei is a playful and adorable young girl.

It's not surprising that Sanae portrayed Akina Sawa in this way, because that's how she usually is.

Moreover, most of the believers at Moriya Shrine are actually captivated by Sanae's charm as a married woman.

The reason everyone is eager to become a believer is that they want to experience the gentle comfort of Moriya Shrine when they have a minor illness or cold.

But Reimu Hakurei's performance surprised Akina Sawa as well.

To be honest, in Akina Zeya's opinion, apart from being the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, Reimu Hakurei's impression of her was that of a poor, energy-saving, lazy girl.

Akina Sawa scoffed at the idea that such a salty fish with excessively high salinity could be called salty fish.

But this seemingly listless, energy-efficient girl perfectly demonstrated what youthful beauty and boundless energy truly mean in her performance.

Akina Ze almost wanted to donate all the money in his pocket to her on the spot.

Fortunately, after the performance, Reimu Hakurei returned to her lazy state, which brought Akina Sawa back to his senses, and he put his wallet away.

These are clearly two different people!

Tell me quickly, Reimu Hakurei is actually a twin!

Akina Sawa also grabbed a handful of his hair.

I just want to get rid of all my worries...

Because such an outcome would be the worst possible result.

They're amazing when they're alone, so why do they perform so poorly when they're all together...?

"What the hell is this?!"

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Culinary Arts of the Four Seasons

In the end, Hakurei and the others did not get any useful advice from Akina Sawaya and left disappointed.

Have they left?

Nikua peered out from the inner room, her little head peeking out.

To ordinary fairies, priestesses are unwelcome.

Ever since the inexplicable attacks on the fields and paths during the festival, the "Red Killer" has been firmly remembered by the fairies.

Another shrine maiden, Sanae Kochiya, was disliked by the fairies for a rather peculiar reason—she was annoying.

It's quite amusing that a fairy who should be annoying everyone can one day find herself being annoyed to no end.

But the wind priestess of Moriya Shrine, Sanae Kochiya, is that powerful.

As a demigod, she was not content with preaching among humans, and even extended her reach to the fairy community.

The fairies of the closest mountain to the monsters were the first to suffer.

They were forcibly gathered together by Sanae Kochiya and forced to act according to her plan.

Praise it three times every morning.

"苟..."

And do a set of radio calisthenics, and Suwa Daibu.

If it doesn't meet the standards, it has to be done again, and the judges are composed of two gods and a priestess.

Overwhelmed by this, the fairies fled the monster mountain one after another.

Perhaps it was because the fairy's resentment was too great.

Even Nikua, who lives in Akina Sawa's yard, had heard about it.

That's why they've been avoiding going out.

"Brother Akina, what are they here for?"

Looking around, Nikua realized that the two had indeed left. She ran out, grabbed Akina Zeya's arm, and asked.

"They just have nothing better to do."

Akina Ze also casually remarked.