The people from Gensokyo had not yet left the restaurant.
As long as they were around, the atmosphere remained lively, and now was no exception.
Even though the noisiest of the group, Marisa, had not come today, plenty of others were capable of making a commotion.
Suika and Yuugi sat on either side of Lucoa.
The gourd in Suika's hand poured out clear, transparent liquor, and one whiff was enough to tell it was potent.
This was the exact strength of alcohol beloved by the little oni.
Every drop flowing from that gourd was caught by a deep, pure-red plate that had appeared in Yuugi's hand.
Its color was as vivid and unclouded as the red horn on her head.
When the clear liquor hit the dish, small bubbles rose with a soft gurgling sound, and the fragrance of the alcohol grew richer.
That transformation left Yuto amazed.
"Come on, Lucoa! Drink, drink, drink!"
At this moment, Lucoa was a stark contrast to her usual smiling, big-sisterly self.
Her cheeks were flushed red, and her expression carried a trace of boldness.
Her heterochromatic eyes were wide open, though those mysterious eyes held a drunken haze.
She accepted Yuugi's wine dish and gulped it down in one go, putting the tremendous drinking capacity of a dragon on full display.
"Haaah—" Lucoa let out a satisfied sigh, a fresh blush rising across her face. "Whew~ Good liquor!"
Lucoa's boisterous praise made Tohru, who stood nearby while covering her face.
Right now, Lucoa was being a little embarrassing for dragonkind!
Yuto was curious about the dish in Yuugi's hand, so he asked Yukari about it.
Yukari gave a small smile and explained.
The large cup in Yuugi's hand, shaped like a round plate, was called the Hoshiguma Dish.
Any liquor poured into it would rise by one grade in quality, making it a true treasure for anyone who loved to drink.
As for Suika's gourd, it was called the Ibuki Gourd.
Inside it was a sake bug capable of producing alcohol without end.
Perhaps Suika and Yuugi's close relationship was inseparable from those two treasures.
A gourd that produced limitless liquor, and a cup that improved the grade of that liquor.
Add to that two owners who loved alcohol as much as life itself.
They were a perfect match.
For a moment, Yuto felt a stir of emotion.
Just how much coincidence was required for these two to meet?
"I heard Suika say she hadn't seen Yuugi in a long time. Why is that?" Yuto asked.
"I heard she was training in secret, but in my opinion, Yuugi probably just hid herself away on a whim," Reimu said.
Yuto nodded.
The more non-human beings he encountered, the more he understood one thing: those long-lived youkai, gods, oni, and similar existences were all creatures searching for amusement throughout their boring lives.
After all, when one had lived for too long, life became dull without finding something interesting to do.
"Oh, right." Yukari touched her palm, then looked toward Yuto with a smile.
Her purple eyes, brilliant like a river of stars, shone with amusement.
When it came to youkai who sought entertainment simply because they felt like it, Yukari herself was one of them.
Yuto looked at her with mild surprise. "What is it?"
"It isn't anything important. I merely wanted to ask at what time do you plan to come to Gensokyo tomorrow?" Yukari said.
Yuto had already made an agreement with everyone from Gensokyo that he would visit.
"Well... wouldn't it be inappropriate if I went too early?"
He had never been to Gensokyo before and did not know the daily routines of Yuuka and the others.
If he went early and happened to arrive while everyone was still asleep, that would be awkward.
"Ara, Kamisaka-kun doesn't need to worry about that."
The corners of Yukari's lips curved.
Her gaze flicked toward Yuuka beside her, a trace of amusement rising in her heart. "Kamisaka-kun, you close at seven, don't you? By that time, Yuuka will already have been awake for quite a while."
Yukari's tone was casual, as though she were giving Yuto a simple reminder.
The moment her words fell, Yuuka glanced at her without leaving any visible trace.
Under the counter, Yuuka stepped on Yukari's foot.
The step was silent, but the pain was thorough!
The curve at the corner of Yukari's mouth nearly failed to hold.
"In that case... Yuuka, I'll have to trouble you when the time comes," Yuto turned to Yuuka as he spoke.
Yuuka nodded, agreeing to his request.
Beneath her calm expression, the foot pressing down on Yukari's exerted more force!
Yukari did her utmost to maintain her smile.
With a thought, the foot beneath Yuuka's shoe was replaced by a certain kitsune girl's fluffy tail.
"Squee—" Ran let out a cry of pain, but in the next moment, under the gazes of both her master and Yuuka, she suppressed her sorrowful expression.
Smile.
She had to smile.
Even though it hurt!
Yuuka glanced at Yukari out of the corner of her eye, then withdrew her foot.
She had no interest in targeting a shikigami.
The kitsune girl's expression relaxed, her face revealing an indescribable look.
Yuto noticed the situation.
"Ran, what's wrong?" he asked.
What answered him was the kitsune girl's strained smile. "I'm fine. Nothing is wrong at all."
Yuto felt something was strange, but he did not press the issue.
Perhaps she had some difficulty she could not speak of.
"Once I arrive in Gensokyo tomorrow, I'd like to take a look around the Human Village," Yuto said to Yukari with a smile.
He had heard about it from Reimu before. There was a human settlement in Gensokyo called the Human Village, a protected area where humans who had entered Gensokyo long ago now lived.
When Yuto first heard Reimu explain it, he had been reminded of a legend from his own homeland: The Peach Blossom Spring.
Between the two, there seemed to be a similar charm.
He was curious about the Human Village.
"Of course. When the time comes, Kamisaka-kun can have Yuuka show you around." Yukari produced a folding fan, using it to cover half of her face, making her look both alluring and mysterious.
"I can just look around by myself. There's no need to trouble Yuuka that much," Yuto said with a laugh.
Having someone accompany him while he wandered around always made him feel as though he were inconveniencing the other person.
Yuuka's eyes shifted when she heard his words.
Yukari gave a soft laugh. "It's fine. Yuuka is free all day anyway."
Her words earned her another glance from Yuuka.
Yuto turned his head, but before he could speak, a calm voice sounded first.
"I can."
Yuto paused for a moment, then a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Then I'll be troubling you, Yuuka."
Yuuka nodded.
She was like clouds and wind, light and unhurried, calm and plain, like a clean white lily.
"Speaking of which, I think the reason Remi didn't come today is because she's preparing tomorrow's banquet," Reimu mentioned, lying there bored out of her mind.
"A banquet?" Yuto found that strange.
"Yeah. Didn't you say yesterday that you were going to visit the Scarlet Devil Mansion? That girl is preparing a banquet for it."
There was an odd sourness in Reimu's tone, as though she were jealous of something.
Yuto's mind could not quite keep up for a moment.
Just because he was going to visit, she was preparing a banquet?
"No need to be surprised. That girl is just like that. No matter what happens, she always likes showing off how rich she is. Damn it, what's so great about having money?" Reimu spoke with bitter resentment.
Whether she was criticizing Remilia's wasteful behavior or envying her wealthy lifestyle was something that required careful consideration.
"If I had money, would I still be living like this?" Reimu muttered under her breath, though everyone heard her.
Yuto could not help but smile.
She was a shrine maiden, yet Reimu was obsessed with money.
At the same time, Yuto found himself looking forward to tomorrow.
What would a banquet at the Scarlet Devil Mansion be like?
Clatter—
While everyone was chatting, the restaurant door slid open.
When Yuto saw who had arrived, a smile touched his face.
The canelés he had frozen last night could finally come in handy today.
"Boss, Boss! I brought my older sister!"
Beside Miku, she was holding the hand of a quiet woman who looked cool and elegant, yet for some reason also carried a faint gentleness.
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