"What's the job?" Reimu licked her finger and swiftly counted the stack of yen Yukari had handed her.
Oh-ho! This is enough for a whole year's worth of good tea!
"It's about the Bo—"
"Take it back." Hearing the next word Yukari's about to say, Reimu immediately shoved the money back with reluctance.
Damn it, you should've said it was about the boss from the start!
'The last person who dared cause trouble had already been turned into a toy. If she dared try anything, her fate probably wouldn't be much better!' Seeing her actually resist the temptation of money, even Yukari was taken aback.
Without hesitation, she pulled out another stack of cash.
Reimu's mental defenses instantly cracked, her eyes twitching with the strain of resisting as blood vessels bulged.
Everyone who is in this very room could clearly sense the struggle and desperation radiating from her.
By the time the third stack of bills hit the table, Reimu could no longer hold back—her hand slammed down on the money.
"Screw it!"
"Tell me what you want me to do!"
"It's nothing too serious..." Glancing at Suika and Yuugi organizing the shelves, Yukari leaned in and whispered into Reimu's ear.
After hearing the request, Reimu's expression turned strange.
"That's it?"
"That's it!"
"Piece of cake. Leave it to me."
Reimu waved her hand dismissively, then pulled out paper and pen and began scribbling furiously.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing my will first. If I fail, please give the money and this to my mom."
"..."
You're really thorough, huh?!
After shoving the will into Yukari's hands, Reimu put on a solemn expression and charged toward the back room.
Watching her figure disappear as if she might never return, Yukari scratched her cheek, her anticipation growing.
'Just what kind of flavor does that liquor have, for Rin to guard it so fiercely?' As Reimu left, Marisa and Sakuya returned to the shop, both looking somewhat absent-minded.
"Why the long faces? Did something happen?" Yukari asked with an amused smile.
"The young lady suddenly fainted earlier, so I thought I'd give her a massage and bone adjustment to help her relax."
"But for some reason, she suddenly stopped breathing. I had to press her philtrum for a long time before she came back." Sakuya muttered in confusion.
She had held back her strength—it shouldn't have been that bad. Meanwhile, Marisa seemed to realize something, her pupils trembling.
If she had to guess, Remilia had collapsed from an unexpected orgasm.
And before she could recover, she was subjected to the exquisite pain of a deep-tissue massage and bone realignment… And she still survived?!
What kind of miracle doctor is this?!
Yukari's eyelid twitches. For Remilia to have lived this long, she must have incredible luck.
"Well, as long as she's fine now. Maybe try again when she's fully conscious and in better condition."
"True. Gotta admit, the techniques the boss taught are pretty effective." Sakuya nodded in admiration. She'd have to ask him for more life skills later.
Hearing this, Marisa shuddered as if triggered, her face twisting.
Ugh, I know exactly how "skilled" that bastard is.
But it didn't matter—soon, it'd all be in the past!
Once she turned the tables, he'd be the one turned into a toy!
Thinking of the ever-reliable Patchouli, Marisa immediately regained her confidence.
Meanwhile, the actual Patchouli...
"Hiss—!" Staring at the small section of magic circles drawn on her arm, Patchy suddenly sucked in a sharp breath.
She had only trembled slightly—just a tiny deviation in the runes—but in that instant, her arm went completely limp, as if all the bones had been removed.
At the same time, her mana consumption skyrocketed to terrifying levels, draining over half her reserves in a single moment.
A hollow, uncomfortable sensation rose in her chest as her face paled slightly.
"The practice cost is a bit high..." Patchouli clicked her tongue and mustered the last of her mana. A dazzling purple magic circle engulfed the entire room.
As the light faded, the space was now filled with countless mana-replenishing potions.
The moment her mana was fully exhausted, Patchouli collapsed onto the bed. The combination of exhaustion, the hollow sensation, and her already frail body nearly made her pass out.
Trembling, she reached for the nearest potion and chugged it. Only as her mana slowly trickled back did she finally relax with a sigh.
But soon, her brows furrowed again.
'The recovery is too slow! And the amount restored is pitiful!' She downed several more bottles, her stomach slightly bloating, yet her mana had barely recovered a tenth.
"Lower-grade potions won't cut it. The high-grade ones are limited..."
"This is getting expensive." Muttering to herself, she weakly put away the lower-quality potions.
By the time she finished sorting, only a small box of high-grade potions remained.
Why are my reserves so low?
Then, memories of Remilia and Flandre's past explosions and destruction in her library flashed through her mind.
Remiliaaaa!!!
Her blood pressure instantly spiked. If she weren't so drained right now, she'd drag that troublemaker out and beat her senseless. She's involved every single time!
Suppressing her murderous intent, she reluctantly chugged another high-grade potion.
This time, her pale face finally regained some color.
Feeling her mana replenish, she exhaled in relief and resumed practicing the magic circles.
As Patchouli marched down the path of no return, Rin stood frozen in front of the shop's freezer with a complicated expression.
Where there should have been rows of ice pops, there was now a small figure curled up inside.
Azure hair and eyes, a large ribbon tied at the back of her head, a frilly blue dress hugging her petite frame—she looked like an exquisitely crafted doll.
Her six icy wings were folded neatly behind her. If not for the lack of packaging, she would have easily been mistaken for a new ice pop.
"When did this thing crawl in here?"
Rin asked in confusion, but the only response he got was the blank stares of the others.
Hearing the noise outside, Cirno—who had apparently been napping inside the freezer—stretched lazily and blinked sleepily at the crowd.
The moment their eyes met, the little ice fairy's face flushed with embarrassment...