An indescribable smell wafted from the crack in the door of Hakurei Shrine.

"Marisa! W-What does this smell like?! …… Wow, is this really edible? ”

Reimu's eyebrows kept jumping. The main culprit of this situation is the horrible pot of strange soup on the low table. Not to mention the dismal green color of the soup, the colorful mushrooms that float on the surface of the soup alone are enough to scare off any average diner. This is of course Marisa's forte, but as well as her forte, which is the mixing of soup with illicit goods—potions that are deliberately or unintentionally refined with all sorts of strange effects.

"Well, let's have a taste. And Youning, you haven't tasted it yet, have you? This recipe is based on Pache from the book~~"

At Marisa's half-kind persuasion, half-instigation, Reimu frowned and scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in her mouth, and then spit it out in Marisa's expectant gaze.

"Marisa! Why is this thing so unpleasant! ”

"Huh?"

Marisa looked at Reimu's stinky face, snatched the spoon from Reimu's hand in disbelief, squeezed it to the side of the pot and tasted it herself.

"Hmmm—it tastes a little weird......"

"It's not 'a little weird', is it?"

"It's weird, I'm obviously following the formula of the facial paralysis spirit - okay, okay, I was wrong!"

Marisa carefully nudged Reimu's shoulder, moving her fist away from her cheek.

It's just that, in addition to the fight with Reimu, she also discovered other things.

"Hey! Youning, what do you think of the taste of this soup? ”

Youning sat at the table and drank the soup without saying a word, even the mushrooms that couldn't be looked at directly ate ate without changing his face. It's just that his eyebrows also trembled slightly, revealing his heart that was not as calm as it seemed on the surface.

"You can't drink it at all, can you?"

Reimu said. Youning didn't speak, just shook his head. When Reimu looked over, he hesitated, gently placed the bowl on the table, and said, "...... Courtesy. ”

"Huh?"

Reimu slapped Marisa on the head.

"There's no need to be polite to this kind of guy."

"It's the same with this guy!" Marisa struggled out from under Reimu's palm, "What then?" The dim sum was also taken away by Purple. ”

"I had to 'do that'."

"That's right! It's okay to be 'like this'! ”

Reimu wrapped her scarf in a scarf, Marisa ********, and they opened the door to the shrine. Youning glanced at the pot of soup on the table that no one had handled, and followed.

Marisa got on her broom and flew away. Yunei looked back at the shrine.

"Let's go, let's go."

Reimu said.

A faint amount of heat wafted out of the shrine, and the noise of Marisa and Reimu was still in my ears. Yu-Ning seemed to understand something, and then turned to Reimu.

"Here, where is it?"

Reimu's eyes widened slightly. She thought about it, and it seemed that it was indeed her negligence.

So she said, "This is Hakurei Shrine." ”

……

……

"Really, you're going to have to add a lot of money to your credit records."

The manager of Xianglintang sat helplessly behind the counter and witnessed the whole process of his small shop being ransacked.

"Wait a minute, that's bird food, you can't eat it, hey! - Phew, Youning, you're here too? How's your bookstore? ”

“…… I'm sorry. ”

Youning had been standing there watching before, bowing slightly to Rinnosuke at this time, and then shaking his head.

"He made the youkai smash his head."

Marisa said as she nibbled on a cookie.

"Huh?"

"I probably can't remember what happened. Xianglin, do you have any solutions? ”

Reimu said.

"What is this...... So, how to say it, my name is Mori Kinrinnosuke, and I'm the owner here. If you need miscellaneous goods or items to be identified, you can come to me. ”

Youning looked at Linnosuke's outstretched hand, hesitated for a moment, and still shook it with Linnosuke.

"I knew you before."

"Hmm."

"One-sided relationship, huh?"

"Huh? …… Yes. ”

Youning didn't speak again, but was thinking about something to herself. Marisa ran away before she was full of food and drink, and Reimu ate something of her own, greeted Rinnosuke and walked out of the door of Korindo. Youning followed.

"That's right, Youning."

Rinnosuke shouted from behind.

"Huh?"

Youning heard his name, and this time he was not sluggish.

"When you recover, remember to sell me some books from the outside world."

“…… Yes. ”

After saying this, Youning walked out, and Reimu grabbed his arm and flew in the direction the wind was blowing. Through the branches of the woods, you can vaguely see the river and the plain over there.

"You've gotten heavier, Youning."

"Yes."

Youning looked back and saw that the figure of the small shop had been hidden by the trees.

"Where is this?"

"This is Xianglin Hall."

“…… Okay, I remembered. ”

Youning closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. From the pupils, a faint light shines.

……

……

"It's you. Hui Yin is in class. If you want to investigate youkai or something, wait until evening. ”

Reimu landed directly in the courtyard of the temple house, and she was greeted by Mei Hong, who was standing on the roof to clear the snow. Huiyin in the room heard the movement and said something to the students, and after a while, the sound of reading came from the classroom. With a click, Huiyin opened the door and walked out.

"Reimu? Marisa? …… Youning, how do you feel? ”

Youning understood what she was talking about, and he shook his head slightly.

"I can't remember. Still, there was no other discomfort. This is the temple house? ”

"Yes...... I don't know what's going on with the vampires. ”

"It's the same with Sakiya. I heard about it from Purple. ”

Reimu replied. Marisa asked, "Huh? Purple didn't say anything, but it was ignored. She looked at the students in the classroom and seemed to bring back some bad memories, so she ran away under the pretext of chasing the youkai.

"The monster matter will be ...... in the afternoon" Huiyin failed to dissuade her, sighed, turned her head to look at Youning and said, "Youning, you remember to go to Zhong Shou's house." Your stuff is still there. ”

"Okay."

Youning nodded. Reimu said goodbye to Huiyin, and Huiyin returned to the classroom. When she pushed the door open, there was a sudden silence in the classroom, and then immediately there was the sound of reading a wah-wah-wah, mixed with the sound of desks and chairs colliding.

"Let's go."

"Okay, okay."

Youning followed Reimu to the outside, but his head was still facing the temple house. He tilted his head when he heard the change in the voice in the classroom, and then, with a smile of nostalgia.

……

The streets of Rinkicho are still covered with thick snow. At the door of Zhong Shou's house, Youning thanked the young watchmaker, and then opened the big backpack.

"Tent umbrella and trap...... Folding stool...... This is, the sign. ”

"It's a beautiful word." Red Pill's father patted Youning's shoulder with a haha, "Speaking of which, you're really interesting from these outside agencies." …… I'm sorry to take it to study without permission. ”

"It's okay, I understand. A true craftsman. ”

Youning replied with a slight smile. Reimu glanced at Youning with some confusion, and at this time, the mistress of this family ran out with the red pill.

"Well, I'm sorry! Red Pill hid the book himself......"

"Ah, big brother......!"

Youning was stunned and looked at the mechanical compendium handed over by Hongmaru's mother. He flipped through a few pages of the book in his hand, then snapped it shut and handed it to Red Pill, who was looking at him apprehensively.

"Well, I've got you."

"Huh?"

"Do you like it?"

"I like it!"

"Humph......"

Yuning watched as Red Pill couldn't put it down and held the book in his arms, squinting his eyes happily.

This time it's a goodbye to Youning.

"Youning, do you have any money?"

"Money...... There is a little bit in the backpack. ”

Consommé somen noodles, this is the shrine maiden's lunch - it's actually past noon.

Youning asked for the same food as Reimu, and he solved that little thing in a few clicks.

Reimu was still taking small bites, not speaking or speeding up. Youning didn't urge, he just looked at the pedestrians on the road, and from time to time he looked at the appearance of Lingmeng's small animal-like eating, and the corners of his lips inexplicably hooked an arc.

"Whew...... Ha. ”

Reimu put down the dishes and chopsticks, revealing a satisfied smile.

"Let's go."

"Where are you going?"

"Investigate the mutation—you're going to have to keep up with me."

"Uh-huh. Of course. ”

So Reimu began to walk on the streets of the earth.

She passed by the bustling market, where people toiled as usual. Marisa joins in.

They passed by the babbling temple house, where parents welcomed their children after a day of separation. Huiyin joins in.

They walked to Rinkichi, and in the shops on both sides, young and old people waved and smiled happily. Maidens of youkai, shrine maidens, and magicians surveyed the scene. Youning flipped through a Bo Li Ling talisman in the snow, stretched out his finger and gestured it, as if realizing that it was his own handwriting from the past, smiled slightly, and put the talisman into his arms.

Finally, they passed by Suzuna-an, and chatted with Ah Qiu in the study of the barnyard family until dusk. It's just that Ah Qiu doesn't know about it - Go-Ah Li only knows about the youkai that appeared in Gensokyo, not to mention that Ah Qiu hasn't awakened yet. Of course, there is no conclusion.

"Reimu, I'll go first~"

At the exit of the village, several people waved goodbye to each other. Huiyin and Aqiu both went home, and Marisa lived in the Enchanted Forest to the west, and went back before it was too late. Only Youning and Reimu are left here.

"Where are you going now?"

"You're heavy again."

"Ah, of course."

The cold wind in the sky swirled like a solidified millstone. Youning looked back and saw faint smoke rising from all over the village.

He tilted his head slightly, the corners of his lips curled, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

"By the way, here's it?"

"It's called, in the world."

————————————==————————————

。 "This isn't a shrine in this direction."

"Hmm."

"So where is this going?"

"Go find the youkai."

"Youkai?"

"Hmm."

It was very late, and the sound of rustling could be faintly heard in the silent night sky. Looking at the geography, there is a cold light that looks like a ghost fire and a wandering spirit. Youning was slightly stunned and put his hand into his arms.

It's close. It was not one or two, but a row - a long row.

It's all youkai.

Youning pulled his hand out and sighed. Mo said that he was incapable, and even if he did, he couldn't imagine what kind of ability he could defeat such a huge cluster of monsters. He looked at Reimu.

"Sand."

The soles of cloth shoes are intimate with the sound of earth. This movement was like a stone cast on the surface of a calm lake, and countless eyes converged on Reimu and Youning.

Reimu just lifted his feet, one step, two steps, three steps.

Then she said, "Hostess, have a grilled fish." ”

- There is a way here, and the souls of the deceased go to the ferry of the Santu River from here. Here are the youkai who are in the business of the undead. Of course, youkai, goblins, and humans who can bring in profits are also welcome.

Youning looked at the lantern lit by the ghost fire with curiosity, and listened to Reimu and the yokai stall owner arguing over the price, and he suddenly stood up and found that the other youkai were not afraid of the existence of the shrine maiden at all, and only glanced at him slightly. Occasionally, the sound of shouting and selling their own snacks can be heard.

"Whoa."

Reimu handed over a skewer of grilled fish. Wormwood was probably smoked when roasted, perhaps to summon spirits, and it smelled indescribably fragrant.

"Thank you."

"Now, remember to pay later."

Youning was stunned, not knowing what to think, and laughed with a hum.

"Thank you for your patronage~~ Come often in the future~~"

"Let's go."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute."

By the light of the lantern, Youning carefully examined his palm.

Then, a fluorescent-like arc of light seeped out there, outlined and condensed into a plain skeleton under the night sky.

A thin pamphlet appeared in his hand.

Youning opened the hard shell of the cover and wrote it in a flying manner.

Not sure what he wrote.

However, the corners of Youning's mouth grew stronger.

"That's right."

"There's a way here."

"Not true. That's not what I'm asking. ”

Reimu stepped closer and looked into Yuning's eyes. As if slightly touched, she smiled unusually slightly.

"This is, Gensokyo."

……

Looking at the way from the sky, the lights, the smoke, the trumpet singing for the dead, inexplicably warm.

With a snap, Youning closed the booklet and stuffed it into his arms.

Hakurei Shrine. Xianglin Hall. In the world. There is a way. Gensokyo.

Marisa Kiriyu. Mori Kinrin's help. On Shirasawa Huiyin. Fujiwara sister red. Barnyard Aqiu. Mistya. By the way, there is also Zhong Shou Hongmaru.

"What are you laughing at? Hey, beware of me throwing you down. ”

"Nope. I want to ask, why are you running around with me? ”

"Clues."

"Uh-huh."

Reimu replied casually, and Youning nodded.

The moonlight was sprinkled down, and Reimu was able to see Yuning's face clearly.

"You're smiling the same way you were before. Remember something? ”

"Hmm...... I'm sorry. Not at all. ”

"Is it funny?"

"No way. That's what Gensokyo is, so I can't help but laugh. ”

"...... so?"

"Ahh......hh It's beautiful. ”

There is something in Youning's words. I don't know if Reimu has realized it.

"I loved it here. Not only the scenery and the village. You monsters and humans alike, I love it. ”

“…… I thought you'd keep it hidden. ”

Reimu muttered vaguely.

"Huh? There is no need. Because I think even if I lose my memory now, I'll still like it here. And ah,"

Youning looked at Reimu's long hair curling in the wind.

"From the very beginning, I trusted you completely."

"That's right."

Reimu didn't look back.

With a snap, the two of them landed in the open space in front of the shrine one after the other.

"I'm going to sleep—"

"Well, wait a minute."

Reimu turned around, and the moonlight reflected in her pupils, drawing a very bright lake.

Youning said to Reimu, "I haven't asked yet, what is your name. ”

“……”

Reimu looked at Youning carefully.

"My name is Reimu Hiroshi."

"Hmm."

Youning nodded, showing a gentle and happy smile. He took his glasses out of his pocket, as if trying to see Reimu's face.

"Hello, Reimu."

It's still the same long tone, just like the first time I saw it.

-

[You are Youning, my name is Reimu]

It's a very good question, but it's wasted...... I can't always write a sense of resonance, and I can't write the reason why we love this Gensokyo. Sigh. This chapter will be put here first, and it will be remade V2.0 at your leisure...... Speaking of which, if this chapter is expanded, it will be enough to water the plot of several chapters. It's just that I couldn't wait, and as a result, I didn't write the likes that should have been written, but I accidentally empathized. Ah, well, a card.

The chapters are in terrible shape overall. Being too obsessed with [writing a story] has lost the carrier of the story. I wonder if this state will continue for a few days...... It's a headache just thinking about it. I don't ask for your understanding, but please bear with me. I'm so sorry.