Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

Is there a famine or a war in Gensokyo lately? Or are those great youkai fighting again?

While waiting for the undead to board the ship, Onozuka Komachi made wild guesses. After all, it was definitely not normal for large numbers of undead to pass through the port of Gensokyo to the other side.

Moreover, the more she looked at them, the more she felt that these dead bodies crowded on the shore looked somewhat familiar, as if they had been transported before.

"Damn it! I was thinking that Gensokyo would be a good place to slack off since there are fewer people, but with so many people, I don't have any time to play!"

Onozuka Komachi complained, but she still diligently transported the dead day and night.

......

Chapter Ninety-One was already destined

Inside the Hall of Right and Wrong.

The spirits awaiting judgment formed a long line and drifted into the house one after another.

These are all spirits who came from the ferry near Gensokyo, taking the awning boats of Onozuka Komachi.

Hoo~ Hoo~ Hoo~

A ghost with a gaping hole in its throat is making a hoarse sound in the courtyard. And it's not just one; looking around, there are countless other ghosts waiting to make their own sounds with the same hoarse voice.

Sitting in the courtyard, Shiki Eiki frowned slightly, not because the spirits were difficult to understand, but because she sensed something amiss.

The undead that were clearly cleaved in two, the undead whose skulls were simply stitched up and were still crumbling, and the undead that were burned to charcoal—it wasn't because they looked terrifying, but because they shouldn't have so many unusual marks, since this batch all came from Gensokyo.

Although Shiki Eiki often stays in the Other Shore, it hasn't been long since she last went to Gensokyo. There shouldn't be so many deaths in such a short time, and there are obvious signs of external damage.

"The documents that were sealed away a few years ago have been retrieved. Please review them, Lord Enma."

The servant respectfully carried a thick stack of files containing records of the dead who had been judged in Gensokyo over the past few decades. These files were all compiled and recorded by Eiki Shiki herself.

Relying solely on memories in one's mind is not enough to ensure 100% accuracy; physical evidence is also necessary. Looking at the face of the deceased before her, Shiki Eiki pulled out one of the files from the stack and carefully examined the records on it, matching them one by one with her memories.

Having finished reviewing the documents, Shiki Eiki had obtained a preliminary answer. She put the file back into the pile of books, nodded, and dismissed the servant.

Looking at the still howling spirits below the stage, Shiki Eiki frowned slightly. "They are all spirits that have already been judged, but why are they entering from this side again?"

"Lady Shiki, I request a vacation!" Just as Shiki Eiki was pondering, Onozuka Komachi stormed in from outside, shouting, "You've done the work I've done for years these past few days! If you don't let me take a vacation, I'll... I'll just give up!"

"Okay, I agree."

"I don't care, I don't care! I won't leave unless Master Shiki agrees!" With the habit she had when applying for leave before, Onozuka Komachi lay down on the ground and started throwing a tantrum.

"I shouldn't...wait?"

Before the next cycle could be finished, Onozuka Komachi realized something was wrong. She shakily got up from the ground and looked at Shiki Eiki with a puzzled expression, asking, "Lord Enma, have you granted my request for a vacation?"

“Yes, but I have one request,” Shiki Eiki replied.

The cheer caught in her throat, and as soon as she heard the word "but" that followed, Onozuka Komachi realized that another chore was about to begin.

She said timidly, "Um... I won't ask for leave, is that okay?"

"No, I've already promised you, you can't go back on your word." Shiki Eiki calmly shook her head, watching the Grim Reaper, Onozuka Komachi, who was about to run out of the courtroom.

"...Please give your orders, Lord Enma."

Seeing that things were hopeless, Onozuka Komachi, who had already stepped halfway across the threshold, obediently walked back to Shiki Eiki and waited for instructions.

"As you've probably noticed, the new batch of undead from Gensokyo are all spirits that have already been judged. According to past practice, they won't leave the Other Shore on their own, so there must be something wrong with them. I need you to go to Gensokyo and investigate." Looking at the person in front of her, Shiki Eiki gave the order in a businesslike manner.

"I will obey Lord Yama's orders."

Onozuka Komachi clearly distinguished between what constituted creating a lively atmosphere and what constituted serious business. She obediently accepted the order and walked out of the courtyard.

Watching the departing figure of the Grim Reaper, Shiki Eiki stood up from her chair, holding a golden repentance staff with the black character for sin engraved on it very conspicuous. She did not mind using this repentance staff to make the person who was behind the trouble repent on the spot!

......

Last night was not peaceful, in every sense of the word.

Although the movements in bed were very small, for fear of waking the fairies, except for the last step, it can be said that everything that needed to be done was done.

As the winter sun rose and its warm rays shone into the house, Akina Sawa woke up before the rooster crowed, due to his biological clock and excessive excitement.

Feeling the uneven texture around him, Akina Ze felt a silent tear welling up in his eyes, as if it were all a dream.

If it's a dream, he doesn't want to wake up; he'd rather remain asleep in his dreamlike state.

But... this is definitely not a dream.

After a brief period of suppression came excitement, an overwhelming joy. Akina Ze couldn't contain his excitement either, and childishly waved his right hand toward the ceiling, though he was immediately frozen by the morning chill and pulled his hand back.

"Hmm~"

Not only that, but Aya Shameimaru, who was fast asleep with her head resting on Sawa Akina's left arm, also seemed to be affected by the cold air. She murmured something and her little face scrunched up.

"I can't let her wake up from the cold," Akina Sawa thought with a start, clenching his fists. He took the initiative and moved even closer to Aya Shameimaru in the blankets.

—In the dead of winter, if you have the chance, you should hug someone to keep warm.

After waiting for several minutes, Akina Sawa finally breathed a sigh of relief when Aya Shameimaru's even breathing resumed.

Looking at the sleeping face so close to his, Akina Sawa murmured to himself, "I never thought I'd end up like this..."

He recalled what happened in the spring, his first encounter with Aya Shameimaru. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either; it was just average. But one thing was certain: he certainly couldn't have imagined back then that it would develop into a relationship where they shared a bed.

"Why is this happening?" Akina Sawa looked at the sleeping face of Shameimaru Aya beside her, and even she, in the midst of her memories, was veiled in a rosy filter.

"Is the fate of the Flower Festival really real...?"

On the day of the Spring Flower Dance Festival, perhaps due to the atmosphere, the two looked at each other. Although Akina Sawa was also deeply mired in self-doubt at that time, he still mustered up the courage to invite the dazzling Tengu reporter to dance with him.

Congratulations! She agreed. Even now, Akina Ze still finds it unbelievable when he thinks back on it. Perhaps it really was fate that prevented them from missing each other.

Although the dance experience wasn't great afterward, thinking back to his embarrassing state, Akina Sawa shook his head and smiled. The process wasn't easy, but the ending was good, and that was enough.

His left arm was a little sore from being used as a pillow all night, but Akina Sawa didn't mind. He reached out and brushed away the sideburns covering Aya Shameimaru's sleeping face, then lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead.

......

Chapter Ninety-Two: All in Action

The sky in the underworld is always overcast, but it never rains.

With a large scythe slung over her shoulder, Onozuka Komachi yawned and strolled slowly along the dirt road leading to Hakugyokurou, muttering complaints under her breath.

"Sigh, back to work again. I haven't had a break. Lord Shiki really doesn't understand me at all~"

A few ghosts occasionally floated by, but Onozuka Komachi wasn't afraid of being heard by them, because most ghosts only remember what happened in front of them, and even then, it was incomplete. The memories they had after becoming ghosts didn't last long and they would be forgotten quickly.

Although if Shiki Eiki heard these complaints, she would inevitably receive a long and tedious lecture, Onozuka Komachi was just looking for a thrill. If she didn't dare to say it to her face, and she didn't dare to say it outside either, then what was the point of coming out?

Whew~ Whew~

The spirits of the dead in the underworld are as numerous as roadside weeds. Since the heavenly realm became overcrowded, a large number of spirits who have been judged by the Hall of Judgment and declared innocent, awaiting reincarnation or Buddhahood, have remained here. Saigyouji Yuyuko of Hakugyokurou is the underworld administrator appointed by Enma to manage these dead.

However, judging from the situation, it seems that she is someone who doesn't care about anything. Onozuka Komachi wouldn't care about these things, because she herself is a habitual slacker and is too busy avoiding things to bother with such matters.

However, based on the current situation, there seems to be a problem in the underworld, because a large number of judged spirits have appeared in Gensokyo and are crossing the Sanzu River again. It is obvious that they must have escaped from the underworld, as only here could so many judged spirits be lingering.

Although she knew roughly where the problem lay, Onozuka Komachi did not intend to rush to Hakugyokurou to ask the manager, Saigyouji Yuyuko, or rather, she had already prepared for the worst—that Saigyou Ayakashi would be freed from his seal.

She was unwilling to make this judgment until she had sufficient evidence, because if it were true, it would definitely be a catastrophe. The monster that controls death has no intention of letting any person or monster live. Even ghosts would have to face real death.

With the thought of running away at any moment in mind, Onozuka Komachi stopped when she reached a spot where she could see the giant cherry blossom tree in the center of the underworld. This distance was enough to ensure her safety.

Gazing at the towering cherry blossom tree, Onozuka Komachi held her breath and focused intently. A blue flame ignited in her right eye as she observed the flow of energy within the withered canopy.

Seeing the dense, even more numerous, energy threads on the canopy than cicada pupa, she breathed a sigh of relief. This meant that the Journey to the West demon was still sealed and the situation was under control.

"Ok?"

Upon closer observation, within the almost solidified aura, Onozuka Komachi keenly noticed that a thread was not connected to the tree root, but rather extended outwards.

"What's going on? It broke through the seal, but only by a tiny bit?"

Upon seeing this thread of energy, Onozuka Komachi's face showed a look of doubt, but the current situation in the underworld did not seem like that of the Saigyou Ayakashi who had broken through the seal even slightly. Even if a great yokai of this level only broke through a little bit, the underworld would be in complete chaos.

When using her ability, some of the overflowing aura attracted the passing undead. She swung her scythe to push away the approaching undead, and Onozuka Komachi focused all her attention on the overflowing thread. The ghostly blue flames in her right eye surged suddenly.

To know the truth, we must understand the specific trajectory of this leaking gas valve.

After watching for half the night, Onozuka Komachi finally closed her eyes. Exhausted, a trace of fatigue appeared on her face. She murmured to herself, "Strange, how did this wisp of energy pass through the Netherworld Barrier and reach the Human Village?"

......

Even after returning from Akina Sawaya's residence, Marisa's blush hadn't faded by the time she entered the house.

She wanted to vent her emotions, but now was not the time to do so. Putting aside her distracting thoughts, Marisa Kirisame walked to the shoe cabinet, opened it, threw her now-cold leather boots into a basin full of water, and then quickly walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind her back.

Click~

With the door locked and her alone in the room, Marisa Kirisame couldn't keep her composure any longer. She jumped onto the bed, wrapped her arms around the blanket, buried her face in it, and twisted her body like a caterpillar.

"Ahhhh!"

A muffled shout came from under the covers. Unlike the open and flirtatious teasing back then, once you leave that atmosphere, your sense of shame will surge up and hit you hard.

The same applies to "dark history"; you only realize it's dark history after it's over.

After a long while, the muffled shouts in the room gradually disappeared. Taking the blanket off her head, Kirisame Marisa lay flat on the bed, her long golden hair spread out on the sheets, and her cheeks were flushed. She was now replaying the scene of kissing Akina Sawaya on her face in her mind, but every time she replayed it, the blush on her face would deepen.

I can't keep thinking about it!

Shaking her head, Marisa began to mentally deduce the reasons why things had developed to this point, in order to temporarily forget about it.

She closed her eyes, her thoughts wandering... Although she had spent the whole day with Akina Ze, although he spoke kindly, although he had a good personality, although he smelled wonderful, although he risked his life to save her, although his hands were warm, although he...

"Although I like looking at his face..."

As she pondered, the reason transformed from her thoughts into a soft whisper in the room. Marisa Kirisame was jolted awake; she had accidentally fallen asleep while lying in bed.

The mental excitement couldn't overcome the physical fatigue; after experiencing the extremes of ice and fire underground, one was exhausted.

Outside, the bright moon had already risen, but the cabin was pitch black. Marisa Kirisame propped herself up from the bed with her hands and groped to turn on the light in the room.

Click~

The indoor chandelier emitted a yellowish glow. Marisa didn't have much money, so she could only afford this kind of light because it was relatively energy-efficient.

Marisa walked to the window and looked at the moon outside. She felt a strange loneliness around her. She often felt this way when she was alone, but now the feeling was even stronger, and her stomach was rumbling.

"Is it too late for me to go to Master Akina's for a free meal?" Marisa rubbed her flat stomach, recalling Aya Shameimaru's gloomy face as she stood under the eaves, and chuckled, "I never thought that the tengu 'reporter' who never misses a good show would show that kind of face. I thought she would just parade around with that seemingly objective mask."

Despite her laughter, Marisa Kirisame was well aware that now was not the time to go to Sawaya Akina's house. After all, she had provoked him before leaving, and if she continued to push him too hard, that tengu might actually react and do something drastic.

Although she wasn't afraid, it would be troublesome if she left a bad impression on Master Akina. For some reason, Marisa was now very concerned about her image in Akina Sawaya's place.

"Ah! Master Akina can't go now, does that mean I really have to cook for myself?"

After much deliberation, nothing seemed to work. Marisa rolled over on the bed, not wanting to hastily light her freezing stove, as it would take too much time, and by the time the food was ready, she would be starving.

Suddenly, Marisa Kirisame had an idea.

"Then I can just go to Alice's for a free meal, right? How could I forget about her?"

With this thought in mind, Marisa quickly dressed and flew off on her broomstick toward the small mansion in the Magic Forest.

......

Chapter Ninety-Three: Joys and Sorrows Are Not Shared

"Hōrai, oh Hōrai, tell me, why hasn't Marisa come to see me for so long?"

Alice sat gracefully on a garden chair, intently embroidering a doll in her hands. She wore a black and white apron, had long golden hair, and amber-colored glass eyes, and from a distance, she looked remarkably like Marisa.

The Penglai doll sat silently on a ball of yarn in a basket beside it, or rather, it didn't have that function.

"She's probably too busy, that's why she doesn't have time to come here."

As if giving herself a reason, Alice said with a smile, holding up the doll in her hand that had a resemblance to Marisa, and admiring it as she twirled it in the moonlight refracted through the glass dome of the greenhouse.

"Hehe... Haha." Alice chuckled as she looked at the exquisite doll, her slender white fingers lightly touching the doll's cheek.

The next moment, click~

Soft cotton fluff drifted down from the sky, tearing the doll in two along the seam, causing its head, which was wearing a small hat, to droop.

The group of puppets that had been flying and working in the air around them stopped moving, clicked their heads, and turned around. Their glass eyes, some red and some black, all looked in this direction.