"Is she really dead?" Remilia cautiously poked Patchouli's "corpse" with a clothes hanger, asking nervously.
'There hadn't been any movement for a while now! Had she run out of revival chances?'
Sakuya and the others also gathered with grave expressions, checking for a pulse. Only after confirming she was still breathing did they let out a slight sigh of relief.
"Seems like she just passed out. I'll take her back to her room for now."
"Fine. At least she's settled down now."
As Sakuya lifted Patchouli, she noticed the "corpse" suddenly twitch unnaturally. A strange blush spread across Patchouli's cheeks, and her faint breaths carried a strangely sweet scent.
Watching her bizarre reaction, Sakuya's eyelid twitches. Patchouli, get a grip—we're still in someone else's house!
After the head maid carried Patchouli off to the bedroom, the others in the living room showed no signs of dispersing.
"Any ideas about what's going on with Patchouli?"
"Didn't she say Marisa mastered some new magic? Maybe it's related to that?"
"Oh right, Patchouli only started acting like this after Marisa barged into the shopkeeper's room."
"Hiss—"
What kind of weird magic were those two messing with? It didn't seem very… proper.
"Anyone want to go check things out?"
"If Patchouli ended up like this, what kind of state is Marisa in?" At Remilia's question, the living room fell silent.
Yet, everyone's gaze simultaneously turned toward Aya, making her scalp tingle.
"Don't look at me! I'm just a reporter, not a suicide squad!"
"You're the professional here."
"Exactly. As a journalist, how can you back down at the first sign of danger? Where's your dedication?"
"A little danger?!" Aya pointed at the puddle of sweat left on the floor, her face darkening.
This is clearly way beyond the danger threshold!
Seeing the cowardly tengu hesitate at such a critical moment, the others clicked their tongues in disappointment.
「 「 Useless. 」」
Meanwhile, Yuugi quietly glanced at Suika, who also had convenient abilities.
Noticing this, the group's eyes lit up.
Another expert?!
But Suika's face twitched. After a brief silence, she clutched her sake bottle and flopped onto the floor, mumbling drunkenly—
"Ugh~ This sake's got a real kick… my head's spinning. Gonna take a quick nap. You guys carry on."
"..."
Could your acting be any faker?!
Remilia scoffed at them, then stood up with her petite frame, waving her hand fearlessly—
"I'll go!"
"Wooo!!! That's our Remilia!"
"As expected of the mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Such courage is unmatched!"
"Shame on you, Aya! Shame on you, Suika!"
"Lady Remilia, your presence has grown so grand and majestic!" Drowning in their praise, Remilia's grin stretched uncontrollably. Just scouting some intel? Nothing to be afraid of!
But just as she was about to set off—
"Uwaaah—~~~ N-no… I-I admit defeat! Hah— Hah— Haaah~ Ooooh!!!"
"I-I swear!! Really, I swear!"
"Next time, I'll never— Uuuu~ never dare again!"
"W-wait!! Y-you're serious, you damn shopkeeper?! I was too arrogant before! Eeek!!!"
"Help— Patchouli, Patchy, save me! Where's your after-sales service?!"
"Uuu~ I'll fight you—!! Ooh~ Uuugh—"
The desperate pleas sent a jolt down Remilia's spine, instantly clearing her mind. She obediently sat back down, reaching for a cup of tea to calm her nerves—
But then, Marisa and Patchouli's simultaneous pained screams made her hand tremble, spilling tea all over the table.
Remilia's tiny brain buzzed violently. That scream just now… did it sound like what I think it did?!
Everyone in the room shivered. Even as Marisa's cries weakened, taking on an odd tone, the sheer terror lingered.
This shop suddenly feels like a death trap!
"S-still going?" Yuugi cautiously asked Remilia.
Remilia's face darkened. 'Now's not the time to ask that! Who in their right mind would go now? Getting caught might mean becoming side dishes!'
Ahem. "Since no one's going, let's call it a night. I'm kinda sleepy anyway."
"Yeah, bedtime."
"Wait—where are we supposed to sleep? The shopkeeper didn't assign rooms!" Yuugi and the others scratched their heads in confusion.
With so many people staying over, there probably weren't enough rooms.
"Don't worry, I've got you covered. You can stay in the massage room for now."
"It's pretty spacious—just squeeze in. There are futons too." Just then, Yukari popped out of a gap, smiling as she made arrangements.
With a wave, she opened a doorway-sized gap, revealing the familiar interior.
Inside, Reimu, Patchouli, and the others were already asleep, with futons neatly laid out across the floor.
"Thanks."
"No problem~"
After watching the group step inside, Yukari quickly closed the gap—as if afraid they'd change their minds.
At the same time, she dispelled the soundproofing barrier in the room.
Instantly, Marisa's agonized, stifled moans—clear as day—drifted into their ears. And with Patchouli's shared sensations, it was like a duet, leaving everyone in the room flushed and flustered.
"Uh… I think the feng shui in this room is bad. Wanna just sleep in the living room?"
"YES!!"
In unanimous agreement, they scrambled to gather their futons and bolted out.
Staying here all night would absolutely warp our minds!
Only after shutting the living room door, blocking out all noise, did they finally exhale in relief.
Rubbing their burning ears, Yuugi suddenly remembered—
"Wait, did we leave Reimu behind?"
"Don't worry, she's sleeping like a log. Won't hear a thing."
"Phew, this sake's stronger than I thought…" Yuugi muttered, her heart itching with curiosity.
But then, an idea struck her, and her eyes gleamed.
'If Marisa's already gotten close to the shopkeeper… maybe I can ask her to put in a good word for me? Then I'll get all the booze I want!
She's already been "defeated"—what's another hundred or so times?'
Getting on Marisa's good side is a must!