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"It's delicious, meow! Thank you, Leo!"
"Lord Leo's skills are indeed excellent. I have learned much," Ran smiled.
"Waaaah~~~ Ran, you're bullying me!" Yukari wailed.
Following the usual Yakumo hierarchy: Chen got the boneless, fatty belly meat. Ran got the tail and fins—bony, but fun to chew.
And Yukari? She got the fish ribs.
While sucking on fish ribs had its own charm, it was undeniably a "poor man's meal." It was all flavor and zero substance.
"How about... we share?" Leo offered, holding out a piece of white meat.
He stared at Yukari, who was practically rolling on the ground like a toddler throwing a tantrum. He truly couldn't understand how a Sage who had lived for millions of years could act like this so naturally. Where was her dignity? Did she leave it in the Gap?
"Sure! Thank you, little brother."
Swish.
A clean plate instantly appeared in front of Leo.
It was as if the tantrum had been an illusion. Yukari sat elegantly in her chair, holding her parasol, radiating an aura of serene refinement.
If only the main course had been pastries instead of fish, she thought wistfully.
"SHOCKING NEWS: Stardew Valley Owner Conspires with Yakumo Ran to Sideline the Sage of Youkai!"
Headline: Is This a Coup?!
According to this reporter's investigation, the Master of Stardew Valley, Leo, has formed a secret alliance with Yakumo Ran to subject the Sage of Youkai to "Cold Violence."
This includes verbal neglect, behavioral exclusion, and—most horrifically—withholding food. Disturbingly, Yakumo Yukari seems to have been broken by this treatment; she offered no resistance and appeared to accept her lower status.
Warning: Be wary of this man named Leo. He possesses methods of psychological manipulation that can tame even the strongest youkai!
On the roof of Pierre's General Store, Aya Shameimaru lay flat on her stomach, peeking over the edge.
She crawled backward slowly, like a crab, ensuring she remained unseen. Only when she was safe did she pull out her notebook and start fabricating slander.
Meanwhile, Leo was relaxing after the meal. He had a bad habit of playing on his phone immediately after eating.
He checked his stats.
Foraging: Level 2.
Fishing: Level 2.
Farming: Level 1.
Mining: Level 1.
Combat: Level 0. (Marisa had killed everything in the mine, so he got zero XP).
In this world, higher skill levels meant reduced stamina usage and higher quality crops. It was a grind, especially Foraging.
He flipped to the Social tab to check on his new residents.
He scrolled down and froze.
A new profile had appeared at the bottom.
Name: Aya Shameimaru Race: Crow Tengu (Youkai) Ability: Manipulation of Wind / Supersonic Speed Occupation: Reporter / Great Tengu / Paparazzo Residence: Youkai Mountain Unlock Condition: Host a Large-Scale Event.
Leo stared at the screen.
"Silence..."
"Did you guys bring Aya here?" he asked slowly.
The Villager list only displayed people he had met or who were physically present in Stardew Valley. He definitely hadn't met the wind girl yet.
"No," Yukari waved her hand lazily, basking in the sun like a lizard. "Why would I bring that pest here? With her foul mouth, she'd ruin the vibe. I wouldn't invite her even if I were bored to death."
"Then we have a problem," Leo said. "Miss Aya is here. Right now. Since she didn't use a Gap, she must have snuck in through the Kappa's portal. And since no one has spotted her..."
Leo shuddered.
"Guess what she's doing."
Yukari froze.
Because Stardew Valley was so peaceful, she had let her guard down. In Gensokyo, she constantly maintained a 360-degree radar to detect threats. Here, she was just chilling.
It was too late now. Aya had not only speed but also S-Tier Stealth. Unless she walked right in front of your face, she was invisible to magical detection.
"What do we do?" Leo looked around nervously. "We have to get her out. Otherwise, I'll be living with a stalker forever. I'm scared."
His imagination ran wild. He pictured Aya hiding in his closet, watching him sleep. Hiding under his table, stealing food from his plate when he blinked.
It was a horror story.
"Tsk. Why did this troublesome girl come here?" Yukari scratched her head in frustration.
Aya was a headache for everyone. The fact that she published daily slander and hadn't been murdered yet proved how capable she was.
She was currently banned from the Scarlet Devil Mansion (treated on par with "Dogs"). Yet, photos of Remilia and Flandre fighting over pudding still appeared in the newspaper every week.
There was no defense against her. None.
"I have a plan," Ran said calmly.
She had finished washing the dishes and tucked her hands into her sleeves. The Nine-Tailed Tactician was online.
"Strategist, please speak!" Leo looked at her with hope.
"Based on historical data," Ran analyzed, "Aya's stealth has a flaw. When 'Big News' appears, she loses her composure. The urge to get the scoop overrides her caution. That moment is when she is vulnerable."
Ran smiled, eyes narrowing.
"So, we just need to create Fake News to lure her out."
"Fake News?" Leo asked. "But nothing is happening here except construction."
"Simple," Ran said. "If we can't find news, we make it up. Aya fabricates lies all day. It's time she tasted her own medicine."
"We will stage a scandal so juicy she won't be able to resist."