Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

You absolutely have to help me!

Unexpectedly, Marisa grabbed Akina Zeya's leg.

"Help you? Help you with what?"

Akina Sawa was also completely bewildered, not understanding the situation. What does Marisa want me to do for her? I won't do anything illegal or against the rules.

"The thing is like this..."

Marisa then told Akina Sawa that she was going to cook a big meal for Alice.

"So you want me to cook for you?"

"No! No! I want you to teach me how to cook."

Hearing Marisa say this, Akina Sawa was a little surprised. He thought that based on Marisa's personality, she would ask him to cook for her. He didn't expect to hear her say that she wanted him to teach her how to cook.

But the problem is, my cooking skills aren't that great, so how can I teach others?

Feeling inadequate, Akina Sawa immediately wanted to refuse Marisa's request.

"Na~"

"..."

"Okay, I agree."

Under Marisa's adorable onslaught, Akina Sawa couldn't hold out for even a second and immediately succumbed.

"Hey! Should I call you master now?"

Marisa curiously leaned closer and asked.

When he saw Marisa coming closer, Akina Sawa quickly pushed her away. After all, Marisa was too cute, and he could hardly control himself.

"Ahem, no need to call me master, just call me Akina," Akina Ze said in a serious tone.

“Yes, Master Akina,” Marisa replied in a serious tone.

"Um... never mind," Akina Ze decided not to argue with Marisa here. "Do you know what Alice likes to eat?"

Marisa thought for a moment and then said, "It should be dessert, right?"

Since she often went to Alice's for afternoon tea, and the desserts were always delicious, Alice must have a fondness for desserts.

After some analysis, Akina Ze also said, "Then make a dessert for Alice. It doesn't need to be too delicious, just let her know that you are sincerely apologizing."

"I see!"

Marisa clenched her right fist and slapped her left palm, then said with a sudden realization.

So where should we begin?

Marisa then passed the question to Akina Sawaya.

"Let's go back to my place first. I have plenty of materials there, so you can practice without worrying about running out."

"Okay, let's leave it at that for now."

"Master, let me take you back. It'll be faster to fly in the sky."

"no!"

Akina Sawa probably doesn't want to be exposed to the cold wind in the spring.

"Eh~ Should I go first?"

"You go first, I'll walk back by myself."

Having heard that Akina Sawa had said the same thing, Marisa had no choice but to ride her broomstick alone and take her leave.

Seeing Marisa float into the air and fly towards her home, Akina Sawa also started heading home.

"Another troublesome matter, but it's not so bad."

……

A short while later, Akina Sawa also returned home, where Marisa was already waiting.

"Marisa, do you know what you need to make desserts?"

Marisa shook her head.

"I knew you wouldn't know, hahaha!"

Marisa delivered a swift chop to Akina Sawa's head.

"If I knew, would I need you to teach me?"

"Ahem, enough of that. Anyway, all that high-level stuff is useless to you. Just follow my steps."

Afterwards, Akina Sawa began to seriously make desserts, while Marisa watched his every step with great focus.

Before long, the dessert was taking shape. Akina Ze put down his tools and asked, "You know how to do it now, right?"

"That's for sure, I'm Marisa, DA?ZE!"

Akina Sawa originally wanted to see Marisa make a fool of herself, but unexpectedly, Marisa seemed very confident.

"give it to me!"

Marisa took the tools from Akina Zeya and started making desserts as well. Judging from her actions and steps, she was no different from Akina Zeya.

Soon, the dessert took shape in Marisa's hands.

"Then there's absolutely no chance of anything going wrong."

As he spoke, Akina Ze put the two dessert prototypes into the oven, and then sat down in a chair to wait for the desserts to be completed.

Marisa, on the other hand, stayed in front of the oven as if she wanted to watch the dessert take shape.

"That's how beginners are," Akina Ze shook his head, recalling how he used to stay in front of the oven the same way when he was learning to make desserts, not wanting to leave for even a moment.

"Marisa, would you like some tea? Black tea, please?"

Marisa shook her head and remained in front of the oven, seemingly determined to wait until the dessert was finished.

……

Ding Dong!

Once the baking was complete, Akina Ze put on gloves and took the plate of dessert out of the oven.

Marisa tried to pick up the hot dessert from the oven and taste it, but Akina stopped her.

"Not yet."

After some time, Akina Ze also felt that the temperature was about right.

“That’s it”

Marisa, who couldn't wait any longer, picked up the dessert and took a bite.

"How's it going?"

Marisa put down the dessert in her hand with a complicated expression, gesturing for Akina to try it as well.

Is there a problem? Aren't the steps exactly the same as mine?

Akina Ze, with a question in his mind, picked up the dessert Marisa had made and took a bite.

"Huh!? Marisa, why does this dessert taste like mushroom?!"

Chapter Thirty-One: I heard someone has a high judgment threshold?

Things are very serious now, yes, very serious in the literal sense.

All desserts made by Marisa end up with a strange mushroom flavor, which greatly troubles Akina Sawa.

"You followed the exact same steps as me, Marisa, what kind of magic do your hands have?"

"I don't know either! Could it be because I've been cooking too many mushroom dishes lately? Did the flavor get into the mushrooms?"

Marisa also carefully sniffed her hands, trying to find clues as to why the dessert tasted strangely different.

“Impossible,” Akina Ze shook his head. “No one’s hands would get marinated in food. Marisa, don’t talk nonsense.”

I don't know how many ingredients I've touched with my own hands. If it's like Marisa said, wouldn't I be able to just stick my hand in when I'm making soup and get a pot of Gensokyo-style hyacinth soup?

Hmm, that must taste awful.

"So what's going on here?"

Marisa was a little disappointed. She tried hard to learn how to make desserts, but for some reason, all the desserts she made had a mushroom flavor.

"Marisa, don't panic. Let's think of a solution."

"Oh"

Although Akina Ze offered some words of comfort, Marisa still couldn't muster any enthusiasm. After all, knowing that no matter how hard she tried, the desserts she made were still mushroom-flavored made her feel utterly unmotivated.

But Akina Sawa is still very motivated because he wants to help Marisa, a girl who is working hard for friendship (limited time only), so he has to help her.

This reminded him of an anime he watched before he transmigrated, "Magical Girl Homura," where Madoka Kaname kept reincarnating to protect Homura Akemi. Akina Zeya also found this kind of friendship between girls very precious.

Therefore, even if Marisa intends to give up, he will not choose to give up.

But that's what they say, so how exactly do you do it?

In fact, Akina Sawa had already thought of a solution, but he hadn't said anything because he didn't know if Marisa would agree.

But it seems that this is the only way now.

"Marisa, I do have an idea, but I don't know what you think."

"Oh? Tell me."

"Since you were directing me to make the desserts, shouldn't that count as you making them?"

Akina Ze spoke in a softer and softer voice, keeping a close eye on Marisa's expression.

The clock is ticking.

Marisa was still deep in thought, her brows furrowed. Akina Sawa swallowed hard; this was the only method he could think of right now. If this didn't work, he didn't know what else to do.

"That's it, DA?ZE"

Marisa agreed, although she was clearly conflicted, she ultimately agreed to Akina Sawaya's plan.

Akina Ze breathed a sigh of relief. He had put a lot of effort into coming up with this idea, and it would have been a waste if it had been rejected.

"But Master, are you alright? We don't get paid for going to the Magic Forest tonight."

Now it's Marisa who's starting to have some concerns.

"Of course... there must be something going on! Aren't you taking me with you?"

Akina Sawa was speechless. He dared to go to the Kourindo at the crossroads, even though the Magic Forest was such a far and dangerous place. But Marisa was obviously living there, so how could he dare to go?

The key point is actually the last few words, but since Akina Sawa also misunderstood, let's just leave it at that. After all, we don't have much money. Our Misty Rain Magic Shop in the Magic Forest doesn't make much money.

"It's settled then. I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, that's settled then."

Marisa realized that staying there was pointless, so she decided to leave. Although she had gone around in circles, she decided that Akina Sawa would do it, but she still had to get the ingredients for the dessert herself.

Akina Ze watched silently as Marisa mounted her broom, flew into the sky, and disappeared from sight.

"Today was anything but boring!"

So much happened today. I went out because I was bored, but I ended up running into the scary Tatara Kogasa and getting caught up in the mess between Marisa and Alice. I'm actually feeling a bit tired now.

"Chirp, chirp"

Two little yellow chicks were circling around Akina Ze. To his shame, Akina Ze didn't go to a carpenter to make a new nest for the chicks; he was still using the ugly little nest he had made himself.

Since everyone already knows, there's no need to replace it. And whether it's just my imagination or not, Akina Ze always feels that the chick he just bought seems to have gotten a little bigger.

The sun gradually sets, and the quiet night falls once more...

——————————The First Dividing Line————————

"Cuckoo!"

The rooster in the human village crowed again, and Akina Sawa woke up from his dream. To be honest, he had just had a terrifying dream. He dreamed that the child he had in the game Stardew Valley was black, which startled him awake. But a game is just a game, and where in Gensokyo would there be black people? This put him at ease.