Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

"It's break time now, that's right, it's break time, go relax!"

Marisa casually tossed the mini Bagua furnace on the ground, then mounted her broom and flew into the sky.

Although she said she was going to relax, Marisa didn't have a specific destination and just flew aimlessly in the sky.

They flew aimlessly like this, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the Hakurei Shrine.

Looking at the plaque with the words "Hakurei Shrine" written on it, Kirisame Marisa hesitated for a moment, then turned around and prepared to leave.

"Eh? Marisa, you're here."

Just then, a heavy thud was heard behind them, followed by Reimu Hakurei's voice.

Upon hearing Reimu Hakurei's voice, Marisa Kirisame did not turn around immediately. Instead, she waited for a while before turning around, scratching the back of her head, and speaking with a smile.

"Hahaha, I'm just taking a walk, let's go now, hahaha, DA☆ZE!"

"Huh? Is that so?"

For some reason, Reimu Hakurei always felt that there was something strangely off about Marisa Kirisame's smile.

With this sense of incongruity, Reimu Hakurei patted the handcart beside her and continued, "See the ingredients on this handcart? They're all rare ingredients~"

"Hahaha, these are all rare ingredients. Reimu, I'm leaving now." Marisa Kirisame was about to leave, manipulating her broom.

"Wait! Don't you want to stay for dinner? These are all rare ingredients!" Reimu Hakurei called out to Marisa, who was about to leave.

Something's definitely not right. If it were any other time, Marisa would have pounced on her already. She's acting very strangely today!

"No, I have things to do at home. That's it, I'm leaving." Marisa Kirisame turned her head away from Reimu Hakurei, and with the infusion of magical energy, her feet left the ground.

Snapped!

Marisa Kirisame stared in astonishment at the slender, pale hand that was tightly gripping her arm.

"Marisa, why don't you stay here today?" Reimu Hakurei's voice came from ahead.

A bewildered Marisa Kirisame looked up and saw Reimu Hakurei's figure, with her back to the sun, reflected in her pupils.

Reimu Hakurei's face held a seriousness that Marisa had never seen before, but it wasn't just a simple seriousness; Marisa didn't know exactly what it was.

but...

"Okay, I'll stay today."

Faced with this face, Marisa Kirisame couldn't bring herself to refuse.

"Okay, that's good. You must try the dishes I prepared for the banquet!"

Reimu Hakurei laughed and pulled Marisa off the broom.

"Haha, has Reimu's cooking improved at all? I'm going to have a good taste of DA☆ZE~"

Marisa Kirisame reluctantly followed Reimu Hakurei into the shrine and took a seat.

"Have a cup of tea to fill your stomach first."

Reimu Hakurei placed a cup of tea on the table and then went into the kitchen.

Looking at the few tea leaves floating in the teacup.

"It really is clear tea..." Marisa Kirisame couldn't help but remark.

Although I'm used to Reimu's style, I still can't help but want to complain.

The clock ticked away at a steady pace.

Marisa Kirisame stared blankly at the sunset glow outside the shrine, which was illuminated by the setting sun and turned into a fiery red color. She stretched out her arms and lay half-reclined on the tatami. The water in the teacup on the table had long been finished.

"Is Reimu not finished yet...?"

Marisa's stomach was already rumbling, and she was getting a little impatient.

"It's ready! Come and have a taste!"

Marisa had barely formed this thought when Reimu came over carrying a small plate of food and a small bottle of sake.

"Huh? Reimu, drinking is wrong, isn't it?"

"What does it matter? Just tell me if you want to drink it or not. This is a wine I've treasured for many years."

"We still have such good food, do you want some?" Reimu Hakurei teased, waving the bottle in front of Marisa.

"Okay, okay, I'll drink it," Marisa said, blushing.

She had always been curious about alcohol. When she attended banquets before, she saw adults drinking one glass after another. When she asked for some, she was always told, "What are you doing drinking alcohol, you little kid?" But now that she was all grown up, no one cared about her anymore. The alcohol was right in front of her, so why not drink it?

......

"Hahahaha! Reimu! Hiccup~"

Inside the shrine, Marisa, her face flushed, pressed herself against Reimu Hakurei, twisting her body incessantly.

"I didn't expect Marisa to be so susceptible to alcohol."

Reimu Hakurei sat on the tatami mat with a slightly flushed face. Because there was an alcoholic in her family, Reimu had a high tolerance for alcohol.

However, the sight of the adorable and shy Marisa Kirisame in her arms, who looked completely different from usual, prompted Reimu Hakurei to make a decision.

I absolutely must never let Marisa touch alcohol again!

"Hey, Reimu-chan, aren't you tired of being all alone at the Hakurei Shrine?"

"Hmm? Why do you say that?"

"Because, Reimu-chan is always just standing there at the shrine, staring blankly at the sky~"

Marisa Kirisame gave Reimu Hakurei a silly smile.

Seeing that silly face, Reimu Hakurei smiled and shook her head, picked up the sake on the table, took another small sip, and then said, "Not tired at all."

"But I think Reimu-chan is tired!"

Marisa Kirisame, her face flushed from drinking, said angrily.

"So! I want to help you with some of the burden! Leave the fireworks display for this banquet to me! I'll definitely make the most beautiful and magnificent fireworks display ever!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Marisa collapsed, unable to stay upright, and soon the sound of her breathing as she fell into a deep sleep could be heard.

The moonlight was at its most beautiful outside the window. Reimu Hakurei gazed at the moon and silently drank the last sip of sake from her cup.

"Fool"

......

Chapter 81 Ordinary Magicians

"Woo~"

Marisa woke up from her sleep in the early morning.

I opened my eyes, and the familiar ceiling came into view, along with the somewhat old quilt covering me.

"It's still this same blanket, really..." Marisa touched the blanket on her body and shook her head with a wry smile.

When Marisa was younger, she often stayed overnight at the Hakurei Shrine, but at some point, she gradually stopped staying there.

Seeing the blanket she used to sleep in as a child brought back memories for Marisa.

"Really, I'm so young, why am I thinking about these things?"

But the nostalgia didn't last long; Marisa quickly came to her senses and threw off the covers.

Actually, Marisa got drunk after only drinking a small glass of wine last night, and Reimu Hakurei didn't give her any more wine when she saw that she was already drunk.

Therefore, Marisa, who only drank a little bit of alcohol, did not experience the discomfort that people often feel after a hangover.

Time waits for no one; the Flower Dance Festival is almost here, but the magic isn't ready yet. Marisa is thinking about hurrying back to do her experiments.

Although the experiment had failed so many times, Marisa wasn't completely unaffected by each failure. Marisa is human too, and although she is open-minded, optimistic, and carefree, it's impossible for her to be completely unaffected by things that cause her sadness.

But Marisa is Marisa after all; how could failure completely extinguish the flame in her heart?

This was just a minor incident. As a human mage, talent was not her reliance; perseverance was the absolute factor that brought her to where she is today.

So, after yesterday's relaxation and recharge, Marisa is once again full of energy and ready to continue her magical experiments.

With the thought of going back to continue her research in mind, Marisa pushed open the bedroom door.

In the hall, Reimu Hakurei was kneeling on the tatami mat, holding a cup of tea in her hands, quietly lost in thought.

The sound of the wooden door sliding brought Reimu Hakurei back from her reverie.

"Marisa, you're awake."

Reimu Hakurei turned to look at Marisa, took a sip of tea, and said.

"Ahahaha, I'm so sorry, Reimu. I didn't know I was such a bad drinker. I've completely forgotten what happened after I drank last night. Sorry!"

Marisa clasped her hands together and raised them above her forehead to apologize to Reimu Hakurei.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Reimu Hakurei asked, puzzled.

"I've heard that drunk people often act crazy, so I think I must have done something bad yesterday, so I apologize in advance."

Marisa Kirisame scratched the back of her head, revealing a silly grin.

"Oh?"

Surprisingly, Marisa knew absolutely nothing about this.

Seeing Marisa's silly look, Reimu Hakurei had a long-lost urge to play a trick on her.

"So you did know? Do you know what you did yesterday?"

Reimu Hakurei's expression suddenly turned serious.

"No way!? Did I really do something bad???"

Faced with Reimu Hakurei's textbook-level acting skills, the naive blonde mage was easily hooked.

"You know what? You were really strong last night! I couldn't push you away!"

Reimu Hakurei paused for a moment, put down her teacup, and spoke to Marisa.

"W-what? You're kidding me, right?"

Marisa asked in disbelief, trying to make sure she had heard correctly.

It's true!

Without a moment's hesitation, Reimu Hakurei uttered those words effortlessly.

That's definitely true. It refers to last night when Marisa insisted on getting into Reimu's arms, and no one could push her away. She even had a silly smile on her face.

Marisa glanced at Reimu Hakurei, who was sitting solemnly before her, then looked down at her own hands. As if she had made up her mind, she nodded and said...

"I understand, DA☆ZE!"

Marisa remembered Alice saying that people who do that kind of thing will eventually...

Marisa's face gradually flushed red. Although she had to rush away because of some unexpected things happening at home after Alice said those words, Marisa still remembered those words very clearly.

Just as Marisa raised her head, her eyes shining with determination, and was about to speak...

Reimu Hakurei spoke first.

"What have you figured out, Marisa? Do you remember last night when you were like a little baby, trying to crawl into my arms for a hug?"

Reimu Hakurei teased, a mischievous expression on her face.

Waaaaah~~ Waaaah~~

Like the sound of a train whistle.

In an instant, Marisa's cheeks turned bright red, and steam began to rise from her head.

"Ah! Hahaha! Of course I remember! I was just pretending! It was all an act! That's how it is!" Marisa spoke rapidly, like a machine gun, as if she had overheated. "I remembered I have something to do at home, so I'll be going now! Goodbye!"

Deng!Deng!Deng!

Marisa quickly stepped on the wooden planks of the shrine, wanting to leave this embarrassing place as soon as possible.

Reimu Hakurei, who was kneeling on the tatami mat, watched Marisa's actions with a wide smile.