"Oh ho, this rabbit meat smells amazing."
"Hah— Spicy, but good spicy— Hah— Boss, get me some— cough— Actually, just a drink."
Under Keine's sharp glare, Mokou shrank back and quickly amended her request.
After downing a huge glass of ice-cold juice, she let out a long, satisfied sigh.
Man, eating a big meal with a lively group just hits different!
"Want more rice?"
"Yes!" Ran took her empty bowl and packed it with three heaping scoops before handing it back.
Mokou poured some broth over it, inhaled the rich aroma, and immediately dug back in with gusto.
Meanwhile, Patchouli stared at her own overstuffed bowl, her expression complicated.
'These guys are trying to shut me up! What did they do to Remilia?!'
She wanted to ask, but with Marisa sitting so close to Rin, she had to swallow her curiosity.
Better not stir the pot now. If Rin starts his under-the-table shenanigans again, I'll die of embarrassment on the spot!
As Patchouli settled down, Marisa and Reimu exchanged relieved glances and happily resumed eating.
At the same time, Rin sipped his soup while eyeing the randomized item pool projected before him by the Sage.
He hadn't completed the daily "Catch 10 Fish" quest himself, but thankfully, Marisa and Reimu's haul counted toward it.
The prize pool was a wild mix of bizarre and wonderful items—
『 Exusiai LED Model Kit (Dominator Edition), RTX 4090Ti, Cat Soul Extraction Massager, Giant Snorlax Beanbag, Multi-Color Lightsaber, Slot Machine, Romantic Mahjong Table, High-Performance Handheld Console, Microphone Equipped Showerhead… 』
'I want it ALL!' Rin's fingers itched, but he could only pick one.
Tearing his gaze away, he signaled the Sage to start the draw.
The space before him rippled as twinkling starlight coalesced into a shimmering constellation.
The stars pulsed rhythmically, and with a faint tremor, a small gift box emerged from the cosmic tapestry, landing neatly in his palm.
The constellation vanished instantly, leaving only the box in full view of the table.
"Boss, what's that?" Marisa leaned in curiously, another new booze, maybe?
"A handheld console. It'll go on sale at the shop later. Dunno how many games are preloaded, though."
"I call dibs!" Marisa's eyes sparkled. She'd exhausted all the toys in the shop. 'This was perfect!'
Rin tossed the box to her without a second thought.
"Just don't stay up too late playing."
"Woo!!"
"The cost'll be docked from your pay. You're working three extra days."
"..." Marisa's grin froze.
'Dammit, my sentence just keeps getting longer! Whatever, I'm playing this no matter what!'
Just as she was about to tear into the box, a chop thwacked her skull—
"Eat first. The games can wait."
"Ugh~ Fine." Marisa pouted but obediently set the console aside.
Mokou, however, stared at the familiar-looking device, her face thoughtful.
'I've seen something like this before… in the bamboo forest. When she'd been chasing that damn woman through a gauntlet of traps, a few similar gadgets had fallen out of her pockets.'
'Assuming they were more trap triggers, she'd torched them on the spot. Then the black-haired bitch really lost it and lured her into a trap minefield…'
'This thing could lure her out! Revenge is mine!'
Mokou perked up and immediately turned to Rin.
"Boss, how much for one? I'll take it!"
"50,000 yen."
"..." Mokou's eyelid twitches. After paying for homework outsourcing, her allowance was bone-dry.
After a long silence, she shot Keine a pleading look.
Keine paused mid-bite and sighed.
"Just this once."
"Woo!! Keine, you're the best!!"
"Eat first."
"Heh, 'course! Here, have some more too!" Mokou grinned, enthusiastically piling Keine's bowl high with food.
'With this bait, plus some traps… That bitch won't know what hit her!'
'And with that nosy reporter tagging along, my glorious victory might even make the papers!
You're dead!'
Mokou's fighting spirit ignited as she fantasized about humiliating Kaguya.
Meanwhile, Suika nudged Yuugi impatiently.
"Yuugi, stop just drinking! Eat something! Not hungry?"
"...Kinda. Boss's medicinal liquor works too well. Kills my appetite, makes me drowsy… and kinda tingly." Yuugi blamed the liquor without missing a beat, chugging more to hide her guilt.
The alcohol dulled certain lingering sensations, but the overwhelming fullness still left her scowling.
'Too much… I can't even drink properly now.'
"If you really can't handle it, I'll sacrifice myself and help out." Suika's hand shot toward the bottle—
SMACK!
Yuugi batted it away.
"No freeloading! Stick to your own share. I'll just… save these for later."
"For breakfast tomorrow!"
'The horror of Rin's "the more you drink, the stronger he gets" ability flashed through her mind. No way I'm risking a repeater.'
Suika's eye twitched, but she reluctantly withdrew.
After glugging her own drink, she eyed Yuugi's ankle again.
"Can you drink that medicinal liquor?"
"Trust me, if you drink it, you won't want any other booze for days."
Yuugi rolled her eyes… but then licked her lips subconsciously.
That liquor's brew had sent her to heaven. Even her stomach had felt warm and soothed.
Not to mention how it enhanced her physique, leaving her stronger than before…