For 30+ advance chapter: patreon.com/Snowing_Melody
"Little brother, your construction project has tricked all the Kappas away. No one is working for me anymore."
As Leo walked through town, a "21-year-old beautiful girl" lying on a bench called out to him with resentment.
She had spent 50,000 Gold to hire the Kappas to renovate her new home. However, Nitori had forcibly recalled every single worker to rush the construction of the "Office" (the Carpenter's Shop expansion).
Although a full refund and compensation were provided (due to the "unforeseen scheduling conflict"), the construction of the Yakumo Residence was suspended indefinitely. Now, with her new home reduced to a half-finished construction site, Yukari had nowhere to go. She had resorted to loafing on a park bench like a vagrant.
"Doesn't your Gensokyo have problems to solve?" Leo greeted her, though his eyes weren't on her at all. "If you're bored, go work. Idleness is the devil's workshop."
He was staring intently at the massive golden fox sleeping on the grass next to the bench.
Ran was curled up, her nine tails wrapped around her body like a fluffy fortress. She breathed deeply, enjoying the spring breeze and sunshine.
"There's nothing going on in Gensokyo," Yukari yawned. "What could happen after all these years? Besides, Reimu is there. I've worked for centuries; what's wrong with taking a break?"
She tapped her finger. A subtle gap enveloped Ran, isolating the fox from external noise.
"Ran has been working non-stop coordinating the food crisis. Now that your farm's supply chain is stable, she can finally rest. Don't wake her."
Don't be fooled by the Yakumo family dynamic. Usually, Chen ate the meat, Ran ate the bones, and Yukari drank the soup. But that was just daily banter. The Great Youkai respected her Shikigami.
"Want to pet her?"
Seeing Leo staring at the fluff, Yukari sat up and whispered into his ear.
"This is Ran, you know. Her fur is smoother than silk, her body temperature is perfect, and she's a big fox who might even whimper if you scratch behind her ears."
Although she was an ancient being, her youthful appearance (and teasing tone) made a single dog like Leo sweat.
"I want to..." Leo admitted, his hand twitching.
"In your dreams."
Yukari smirked. "Ran is my Shikigami. Only I can pet her."
She pulled out her Tail Wallet and slapped it into Leo's hand.
"Here. You can touch this instead."
Having successfully teased the boy, Yukari laughed delightedly.
Leo held the wallet. He wanted to be dignified and throw it back, but... the texture. It was absurdly soft. It felt like if he didn't grip it tight, it would slip out of his hand like liquid silk.
Just how much Dove chocolate does Ran eat to be this smooth?
"Leo! Leo! I finally found you!"
A voice rang out. Chen sprinted down the road, balancing a massive cauldron on her head like an acrobat. The pot was filled to the brim with Salmonberries and wild fruits.
"Lord Ran is sleeping! I want to squeeze in too!"
Seeing the sleeping fox mound, Chen's eyes lit up. She dumped the cauldron into Leo's arms, transformed into a black cat, and dove into the pile of tails.
Feeling a familiar weight, Ran's tails instinctively parted to welcome the kitten, then closed again. Ran didn't even open her eyes.
"Have you eaten?" Leo asked subconsciously, holding the pot of berries. It was the classic Chinese greeting.
"Not yet," Yukari replied. "Together?"
"Sure. What are we eating?"
"Grilled fish? Do you know how to make it? I have the tools."
"Let's do it."
Squatting right in the middle of the town square, Yukari reached into a gap and pulled out a full BBQ grill. It was a relic from past banquets, pristine and clean thanks to subspace storage.
Leo took out the Flounder he had prepped for lunch. He had planned to make stew, but since Yukari provided the grill, plans changed.
He knew how to barbecue. Back in his old world, he was always the designated grill master at company retreats.
He lived in Luoyang, a city famous for grilled catfish. For two years, he ate barbecue every three days just for the fish, until the pandemic closed his favorite shop. He missed that taste.
He slapped the fish onto the grill.
Sizzle.
He flipped it expertly, sprinkling on seasonings Yukari provided. These spices might be centuries old, but preserved in the gap, they were still potent.
"Little brother, you've got skills," Yukari observed, handing him the tongs and slumping back into her chair to slack off. "Would you consider setting up a stall at the next Gensokyo banquet?"
"I can try," Leo said, basting the fish. "But why don't you guys come here? As long as I have the ingredients, I can use the 'System Crafting' to duplicate dishes instantly. It saves trouble."
He had discovered this while processing mushrooms. The Cave's output was huge, and cooking manually was tiring. So he tried the game method: Select recipe -> Consume ingredients -> Poof, finished dish.
It worked. But the taste lacked "soul." Manual cooking tasted better.
"Anything works," Yukari shrugged. "I don't mind the crowd. Those idiots in Gensokyo fight all day out of boredom. They'd be happy for a new hangout spot."
The fish turned golden brown. The aroma of cumin, chili, and charred skin filled the air.
Yukari sat up straight, holding a plate with both hands like an obedient child. The dignified aura of the Sage was gone.
Finally. Finally, I can eat. That winged pest Megumu isn't here to steal my food.
(Sniff, sniff)
"Smells so good~~"
"Lord Leo, it's you cooking! I knew Lady Yukari couldn't possibly make something this good!"
The sound barrier blocked noise, but it couldn't block smell.
The tail-mound shifted. A cat head and a fox head popped out simultaneously, noses twitching.
"No~~~~!" Yukari wailed as her private meal was discovered.