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Back at the Lost Village, Ran pulled out a sleek smartphone from within the fluff of her tails.
This device belonged to Yukari. Given to her by the Dragon God, it was the only link to the Master of the other world. Its primary function was a Commission Board: Gensokyo residents could post requests, and the Master would decide whether to accept them based on difficulty and rewards.
Yukari had kept this a secret. Only she and Ran knew. If the news leaked to the general populace of Gensokyo—a collection of hedonists, drunks, and impulsive fairies—this board would instantly turn into a chaotic wishing well.
Ran used the handwriting input method to carefully draft her request. She told herself she was just helping Yukari beta-test the system.
It was definitely not because Chen hadn't eaten fresh fish in weeks. It was not because seeing Chen's joy yesterday had broken Ran's motherly heart.
Commission: The Child is Hungry
Content: Regardless of size or type, please provide fish for a poor, growing child. (Quantity: 10 fish).
Reward: Professional Fishing Rod (issued in advance), 500 Gold.
Commissioner: A Poor Mother
Ran hesitated, then tapped 'Publish'.
In the other world, Leo's phone chimed. But at 2:00 AM, the farmer was deep in dreamland.
Day 4 in Stardew Valley.
"Welcome to the Gensokyo Weather Channel, your number one choice for weather, news, and entertainment!"
On the TV, Sanae Kochiya was radiating energy.
Waking up to a cheerful, beautiful shrine maiden was a hell of a drug. For Leo, a burnt-out ex-corporate slave, this was like walking into a maid café and being greeted with a heartfelt "Welcome home, Master~!"
It healed the soul.
"The weather is nice today! Partly cloudy with light breezes. However, pollen counts will be high, so please take care!"
Sanae flashed a blindingly sweet smile and bowed. The screen cut to static.
"Lady Kanako, how did I do?"
In the studio, Sanae slumped, letting out a breath. She looked at the two deities behind the camera: Kanako Yasaka and Suwako Moriya. Due to the lack of faith, these once-great gods were currently weak enough that a prolonged arm-wrestling match with a fairy might end in a draw.
"Very good, Sanae," Kanako gave a thumbs-up. "Next time, try sneaking in some subtle propaganda. See if you can get the World Master to worship us."
Kanako's expression was serious. Unlike Yukari, the gods saw the bigger picture. The connection to Stardew Valley wasn't exclusive. Countless other ley lines connected to the Void. If Gensokyo fumbled this partnership, Leo could easily contract with another world. The loss would be catastrophic.
Stardew Valley.
Leo opened the door of his cabin and froze.
Standing by his overgrown field was Yakumo Ran. She stood with perfect posture, hands tucked into her sleeves, nine golden tails swaying gently behind her. A fishing rod was strapped to her back, and a large package sat at her feet.
"Uh... Miss Yakumo Ran?"
Leo blinked. Were they just popping up on his lawn now? He clutched his chest. "You guys really need to work on your entrances. My heart can't take the jump scares."
"Excuse me for disturbing you," Ran bowed slightly, her ears twitching with anticipation. "Did you check your phone today?"
"My phone? No, let me see..."
Leo unlocked his screen. Two new notifications popped up.
Commission 1: [The Child is Hungry]
Commission 2: [A Long-Awaited Banquet]
He opened the second one first.
Commission: A Long-Awaited Banquet
Content: Please sell a batch of ingredients sufficient for Gensokyo to hold a banquet. (Types: 0/5, Quantity: 0/100).
Reward: Spring Seeds (issued in advance), Gratitude from the Youkai (verbal), One Favor (ask for anything).
Commissioner: A Beautiful Girl Who is Forever 18 (System Note: User attempted to type '17'. Autocorrect changed to '18'.)
"Pfft." Leo stifled a laugh at the commissioner name. "Alright, let's see the goods."
He opened the package Ran had brought. He needed to verify Yukari's sincerity. If she gave him joke seeds like Coffee Beans or nothing but Garlic, he was going to riot. He wasn't a zombie; he couldn't survive on garlic alone.
"Garlic, Potatoes, Green Beans, Rice, Cauliflower... not bad. Enough to plant a few acres."
He dug deeper into the bag. "Wait. Why are there so few Strawberry seeds?"
He held up a tiny packet. It wasn't even enough to fill half a plot.
"I apologize," Ran said, her face impassive. "Those are all the strawberry seeds we have. Lady Yukari and Reimu raided Youkai Mountain yesterday. This is everything they could... liberate."
"Liberate?"
"The Great Tengu was practically crying when Reimu pinned her to the ground," Ran explained calmly. "These seeds were her private stash. Reimu defeated the entire Tengu police force to get them. The resistance was fierce enough to actually tire Reimu out."
Leo stared at the packet. He could almost feel the blood, sweat, and tears of the Tengu radiating from the seeds.
"Right. Okay. I accept the commission."
"That is excellent," Ran nodded. "But farming takes time. Please look at the other commission. The fishing one."
Her tone shifted slightly. As a strategist, she cared about the banquet. As a mother, she cared about Chen. Yesterday, when Yukari had hogged the phone to post her banquet request, Ran had nearly snapped. A banquet could wait. Chen's protein intake could not.
Leo opened the first commission.
Commission: The Child is Hungry
Reward: Fishing Rod + 500g
"Fishing, huh..." Leo rubbed his chin. "I want to. I really do. But I have a stamina problem. Planting these seeds and watering them manually is going to drain me dry every morning. If I have no energy, I can't fish efficiently. And if I force it, I'll pass out."
He looked at Ran, then at the overgrown farm.
"Unless... I had some help?"
PLS SUPPORT ME AND THROW POWERSTONES .