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Spring is here. It is the season for animals to breed. Even the fish in the sea appear in pairs.
So, why is Leo still a single dog at thirty-one?
The Beach Road.
"On the beach, two figures walked out of a dilapidated shack... a Wolf and a Fish."
Leo was telling a story to the Fairy Swarm as they marched.
"The Wolf Husband woke up at six every morning to farm. The work was hard, but the pay was good. He could feed his family."
"But one day, right after the husband left, the wife committed suicide by jumping into the sea..."
The Little Fairies gasped.
"By the time the husband returned, he found his wife's body washed ashore. The husband tearfully enjoyed a hearty seafood meal."
"Wait!" A fairy interrupted. "That twist is forced! Even Aya wouldn't write that! Isn't the wife a Mermaid? Can a mermaid drown?"
Kagerou Imaizumi, who was walking nearby, stopped wagging her tail underneath her skirt. She looked at Leo with a mix of amusement and helplessness.
Kick. Kick. Kick.
"Alright! Stop hitting me!"
Leo was currently "wearing" four Flandres. One under each arm, one perched on his head. The fourth one, finding no purchase, was repeatedly kicking his shins.
Leo suspected this kicking Flandre was the Main Body. Her personality trait seemed to be "Contrarian."
Blacksmith's Shack.
They arrived. Leo peeled the Flandres off his body.
He sent Chen and Kogasa inside to start forging. Then, he led the Fairy Swarm to the side yard.
Rattle.
As he passed the trash can, Leo habitually opened the lid and rummaged through it.
[System: Achievement Unlocked - Rummage through trash for 30 days.]
"Everyone~~ Time to eat!"
Daiyousei put down her backpack.
Thump.
She pulled out a full-sized Electric Rice Cooker.
Leo stared. Her backpack rivaled Nitori's hyperspace storage.
Steam.
The aroma of white rice wafted out. The Little Fairies lined up with wooden bowls.
Breakfast: Steamed Rice + Pickles.
Leo joined the line. The pickles (from his Preserves Jar) were salty and crunchy. 80 Gold a jar. Much cheaper than Mystia's robbery.
"Eat up," Daiyousei ladled rice like a cafeteria lady from hell. "You're too thin."
Leo watched the fairies eating until their bellies bulged. No wonder they spend all day sleeping. The carb crash must be brutal.
North of the Blacksmith's Shack.
While the fairies digested, Leo wandered north.
There stood a massive, dilapidated building.
In the game, this was JojaMart. The route of corporate slavery.
Leo walked inside. It was empty, dusty, and huge.
"The Community Center bundles haven't triggered yet," Leo muttered. "I haven't seen a Junimo since the first day."
Without the Bundles, he couldn't unlock the Greenhouse or the Bus Repair.
He looked around the vast, empty commercial space. A lightbulb went off.
"Why not open a Mall?"
Stardew Valley needed commerce.
First Floor: Supermarket. Fresh vegetables from the farm.
Second Floor: Tenant Shops.
Alice's Boutique.
Marisa's Apothecary.
Yuuka's Flower Shop.
Ran's Fur Care Salon.
Third Floor: Cinema / Entertainment.
"I'll have Nitori renovate it," Leo nodded. "Everyone in Gensokyo is bored anyway. They can run physical stores here."
He was becoming dependent on Kappa Heavy Industries. But Nitori was just too useful.
Back at the Shack.
The Fairies were lying on the grass, immobilized by rice. They were slowly evolving into "Fairy Balls."
"Done!"
Kogasa walked out, holding a gleaming steel rod.
It actually looked like a fishing rod this time, not a giant needle.
"Let's go!" Chen grabbed the rod, eyes burning with vengeance. "To the Beach!"
Leo woke up the fairies.
"To the Beach! BBQ Party!"
He pulled out his phone and messaged Ran.
[Chat: Poor Orphaned Mother and Daughter (Ran)]
Leo: We're spending the day fishing at the Beach. BBQ later. Do you want to come? You can bring family members.
Ran: I'll definitely be there. Are there any ingredients you need? I'm alone on my side; I have no other family besides Chen.
Leo hissed.
Miss Ran hasn't cooled down yet. The Sage of Youkai has been removed from the Family Registry.