Stardew Valley of Gensokyo

"Miss Youmu, don't you have any confidence in your cooking skills?"

Akina Ze also spoke seriously.

"Huh? I..."

Upon seeing Akina Sawa, she suddenly became serious, and the smile on Konpaku Youmu's face gradually disappeared.

—After a long while, a faint response came.

"...No"

"Alright, Youmu-san, let's have a match!"

"What kind of contest? You can't beat me in swordsmanship," Youmu Konpaku tilted her head and looked at Zeya Akina.

“Of course it’s not swordsmanship,” Akina Ze said, waving his hands repeatedly.

Looking at the two swords hanging on Miss Youmu's body, I knew she must be very powerful. Besides, I had never touched a sword before, at most I would touch a kitchen knife or something. How could I possibly compete with Miss Youmu in swordsmanship?

"I meant a cooking competition," Akina Ze pointed to the large bag on Youmu's back, which was filled with many ingredients prepared for Yuyuko.

"No, no, what I make definitely won't taste as good as yours!"

Youmu Konpaku had attended a party hosted by Sawaya Akina before, and she knew that Mr. Akina's cooking was delicious.

"It's alright. I'm going to Hakugyokurou to get hop seeds anyway, so I might as well cook a big meal for Miss Yuyuko as a reward, and let her be the judge to see whose is better."

"This..." Youmu Konpaku looked troubled and sighed, "Lady Yuyuko will say any food is delicious, so she can't be a judge."

"..."

So this is what's bothering you...

That makes sense, though. If someone like Yuyuko, who's a big eater and enjoys everything, were to be a judge, she wouldn't be of any use.

Just then, the maid, guided by the compass, arrived near the two of them, seemingly searching for something.

The gem on the compass was shining, pointing towards Akina Zeya and Konpaku Youmu.

Following the direction, Izayoi Sakuya looked up and saw Akina Zeya looking over. The two stared at each other...

Do you know how to resolve the mutation?

Sakuya Izayoi immediately launched into a direct question to Sawaya Akina.

The gem on the compass finally gave guidance, pointing to the man before her. Izayoi Sakuya, eager to return home, could no longer wait.

"What kind of anomaly?" Akina Ze also looked at the silver-haired maid with a puzzled expression.

He had no idea what the maid was talking about, and he had never heard of the word "mutation" before.

Youmu Konpaku silently watched as Sakuya Izayoi asked Sawaya Akina.

An anomaly? The words spoken by Izayoi Sakuya intrigued her, and she decided to continue listening.

"An anomaly, an anomaly! This is the compass guiding me."

As she spoke, Sakuya Izayoi pointed to the compass in her hand.

Why is it pointing at me?

Akina Sawa circled around Izayoi Sakuya's hand holding the compass, and was surprised to find that the gems on the compass lit up in response to his movement.

This is really strange.

Akina Sawa had no idea what was on his body that would cause the compass to react.

"The compass is pointing to you, so how do we resolve this anomaly?" the maid said indifferently.

"I don't know either," Akina Ze said with a wry smile. "I'm off to Hakugyokurou to have a cooking competition with Youmu."

Youmu Konpaku, who was standing to the side, paused for a few seconds, then nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.

“I want to go too,” Izayoi Sakuya said calmly, putting away her compass.

Since the compass points to Akina Sawaya, following him might lead to some clues...

"Eh? Izayoi-san, are you going to Hakugyokurou too?" Konpaku Youmu asked in surprise when she heard Izayoi Sakuya say that she was also going to Hakugyokurou.

She remembered that this silver-haired maid was the one who managed the Scarlet Devil Mansion, so why would she want to go to my Hakugyokurou?

"The young lady asked me to deal with the anomaly, so I came out."

"Oh~" Youmu Konpaku nodded knowingly.

“That’s perfect, you can be the referee,” Akina Ze chimed in.

Since we didn't know who should be the referee, and this maid was going to come with him, let's let her be the referee.

"You want me to be the referee?" Sakuya Izayoi looked puzzled.

"Well, referee, Miss Izayoi must be an expert in cooking, managing such a large mansion like the Scarlet Devil Mansion. So I'd like you to taste my cooking and see whose is better, mine or Mr. Akina's."

All the dishes in the Scarlet Devil Mansion seem to be made with the help of fairy maids, but in fact, they are all made by Izayoi Sakuya using her own abilities. After all, those fairy maids are too stupid, and they would probably be poisoned if they ate the food they made.

These events occurred when Izayoi Sakuya had just recruited the fairy maids and was training them.

Turning her gaze back to the present, Sakuya Izayoi said, "I agree."

Chapter Thirteen: First Entry into the Underworld

The sound of cicadas echoed endlessly.

The road to Hakugyokurou was one that Akina Sawa had never traveled before.

This is a small path that extends northwards, sparsely populated, but not covered by weeds.

Or rather, the further north you go, the denser the vegetation becomes, and withered weeds are everywhere, creating a stark contrast with the sparse vegetation to the south.

What kind of place is Baiyulou? Akina Ze wondered to himself.

Sakuya Izayoi, walking side by side with me, showed no reaction on her face, indicating that she knew what was going on.

“Mr. Akina must be very curious as to why the plants here are so sparse,” said Youmu Konpaku, who was walking ahead.

"I do find it strange. Isn't it summer? These plants should be very lush."

Akina Zeya brushed his right hand across the few stubborn wild grasses growing by the roadside and said.

"This situation only started in the last few years," Youmu Konpaku said with a wry smile. "By the way, Mr. Akina, are you familiar with the Netherworld Barrier?"

"A Netherworld Barrier?" Akina Ze was also completely baffled.

"The Netherworld Barrier refers to a barrier that separates the Underworld from Gensokyo," Izayoi Sakuya explained calmly.

"Just as Miss Izayoi said, a Netherworld Barrier separates the Netherworld area where Hakugyokurou is located from Gensokyo," Youmu Konpaku paused for a moment before continuing, "but in recent years, the effectiveness of the Netherworld Barrier has been gradually weakening, and a small amount of Netherworld energy has been able to pass through it."

"So those withered plants you see are actually because of the underworld."

"I see," Akina Ze nodded, but after a few seconds he seemed to realize something and suddenly said, "Wait? Hakugyokurou is in the Underworld???"

"Didn't Miss Konpaku tell you?" Izayoi Sakuya looked at Akina Zeya with surprise.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew..." Youmu Konpaku said apologetically, her head bowed.

Is it too late to back out now...?

The underworld is where ghosts live. Although I've already seen the legendary monster Akina Sawa, ghosts are something else entirely...

I'm still scared...

Akina Ze also turned deathly pale.

Sakuya Izayoi, who had been keeping an eye on Akina Zeya out of the corner of her eye, noticed this situation, but she decided to test the waters again.

"It seems there are many ghosts in the underworld, after all, it's a place in hell where ghosts are temporarily stored."

Sakuya Izayoi pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Lady Yuyuko is in charge of those ghosts, you know~"

When the topic of Yuyuko was brought up, Youmu Konpaku became more enthusiastic.

"...Oh, I see."

Ghosts, ghosts everywhere, ghosts flying all over the sky, terrifying ghosts.

Akina Zeya's face grew increasingly pale.

Since there are youkai in Gensokyo, then ghosts must also exist. However, even though Akina Sawa knows that ghosts exist, he really doesn't want to see them in person. What if he can't eat for three days after seeing them...?

I never expected Bai Yulou to be in the underworld...

Sakuya Izayoi smiled subtly; she already knew what she wanted to know.

"Actually, Yuyuko-san is a ghost too."

!!!

Akina Sawa was also stunned.

"You mean Yuyuko is actually dead?" Akina Ze asked incredulously.

He had no idea that such a beautiful woman was actually a ghost.

"Miss Izayoi is right. Lady Yuyuko is actually a ghost, and even I am a half-human, half-spirit being."

Youmu Konpaku touched the white spirit beside her and said.

That's truly astonishing.

There was so much news at once that Akina Ze was having trouble processing it all.

He recalled whether Yuyuko had a shadow or not when he first met her.

Although it was nighttime, there was still light from the light bulbs.

Yuyuko with her charming smile, Yuyuko eating and drinking heartily, Yuyuko without a shadow...

The truth has come to light. Based on his recollections from the corners of his memory, Akina Sawa has confirmed that the two of them were not lying, and that Miss Yuyuko is indeed a ghost.

However, Akina Sawa relaxed after reaching this conclusion, and his complexion returned to normal, even becoming somewhat rosy.

"Aren't you scared? Miss Yuyuko can be a pure ghost~" Izayoi Sakuya noticed Akina Zeya's change the whole time and asked questioningly.

“Although I know that Miss Yuyuko is a ghost, I can’t be afraid of such a beautiful woman,” Akina Sawa paused for a moment before continuing, “Besides, your master is a vampire, but he’s also so cute, so what’s there to be afraid of?”

Upon hearing Akina Zeya's compassionate remarks, Izayoi Sakuya and Konpaku Youmu both paused for a moment.

Then, a flash of cold light appeared, and a sword and a dagger were simultaneously pressed against Akina Zeya's neck.

"I advise you not to have any ill intentions towards my master, otherwise..." the two said in unison.

"I see!"

Feeling a slight, stinging sensation on his neck, Akina Ze quickly gave a French military salute.

"Humph!"

Both of them simultaneously withdrew their weapons.

"Whoo~"

Akina Ze also breathed a sigh of relief. Although it only lasted for a few seconds, it felt like several years had passed.

But after this incident, the trio returned to silence, but perhaps because they were no longer talking, they traveled much faster.

Before long, the three of them arrived at the entrance to the Netherworld Barrier.

This is an entrance with two stone pillars located on either side of the road.

The surface of the stone pillar seemed to be carved with some kind of pattern. Since it was the first time she had seen it, Youmu Konpaku did not stop her. So Akina Sawa also curiously went over to see what was carved on the stone pillar.

Upon closer inspection, what I initially thought were rough patterns turned out to be lifelike carvings of fluttering butterflies and falling cherry blossoms.

Before I could think it through, the Netherworld Barrier was opened.

Youmu Konpaku grabbed Sawaya Akina's arm and dragged him into the underworld.

Sakuya Izayoi glanced down at the compass, whose gems pointed to the entrance. She put away the compass and went inside as well.

With a blink of an eye, I arrived in the underworld.

This left Akina Ze somewhat disappointed. He had expected it to be like teleportation, arriving at the destination with a "biu" sound, but it turned out to be so uneventful.

The sky in the underworld was gray and there wasn't a single patch of green to be seen along the roadside. Everywhere was barren land, which made Akina Zeya, the farmer, feel somewhat uncomfortable. He wondered if such land could be used to grow crops.