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And at this moment, what was our discussed protagonist, Aya Shameimaru, up to?
To avoid Yukari's radar, she had hidden far from the town square barbecue. For a fast youkai, 1000 meters was nothing—a blink of an eye.
When she saw Leo show his phone to Yukari, and the Sage began scanning the area, Aya's instincts screamed: EXPOSED.
She couldn't return to Gensokyo (the portal was closed), so she had to hide.
Thus, Aya—the Runner-Up of the Gensokyo Hide-and-Seek Championship—activated her ultimate stealth mode.
(By the way, the Winner of that championship was never found, even during the award ceremony. The trophy itself vanished into thin air. Some say it was Koishi Komeiji. Others say it was just a administrative error.)
Holding her breath, Aya hung upside down from a windowsill like a bat.
Heart Rate Control: Slowed to a near-stop. A skill honed to avoid Remilia Scarlet's blood-sensing ability.
Mind Empty: No thoughts. No emotions. A stone. A technique forced upon her by sneaking into the Palace of the Earth Spirits to avoid Satori Komeiji's mind-reading.
No Gaze: Eyes closed. A painful lesson learned from sneaking into the Oni villages. Those muscle-heads had an eerie sixth sense for being watched.
In this state, Aya was a non-entity. A shadow.
"No! What are you trying to do?!"
Yukari's cry echoed through the town. Her voice was filled with panic, helplessness, and... a hint of bashful indignation?
Thump.
Aya's heart, which had been silent, gave a single beat.
"Jie jie jie... Mrs. Yakumo, you wouldn't want the children at home to go hungry, would you?"
Leo's voice drifted over. It sounded... villainous.
"As long as you... I will give you enough food to live on. What you have to give up is trivial compared to the children."
Thump-thump!
What are they saying? Damn it, the voice is too low! Aya strained her ears.
"Impossible! I am the prestigious Sage of Youkai! How dare you treat me like this! Let go!"
"The Sage of Youkai? That identity makes me even more excited."
Thump-thump-thump!
It couldn't be... Is this Leo guy really that gutsy? No! I can't think about it. Stop. Don't think. I am a stone. An emotionless stone.
"Stop! Ran... Ran is still here!"
Ran stood with her hands tucked in her sleeves, watching the performance with a deadpan expression.
Originally, both actors had refused this script. Yukari felt it was beneath her dignity. Leo felt it was suicidal (and immoral).
However, Ran had convinced them with two sentences:
"Lady Yukari, do you want to guess if Aya took a photo of you rolling on the ground begging for fish earlier?"
"Lord Leo, do you want a stalker watching you while you sleep?"
In an instant, Yukari decided Aya had to die.
So, the skit began.
Yukari's voice acting was Oscar-worthy. It could sustain ten Hata no Kokoros.
Leo, having consumed too much "NTR" content in his previous life, channeled his inner villain. The first thing out of his mouth was a sleazy "Hehehe..." so convincing that Yukari glared at him for real.
Curious.
She was extremely curious right now.
Although Aya suspected it was a trap, the journalist in her couldn't resist. She needed to see it. Even if it was fake, if she could snap a photo, tomorrow's Bunbunmaru Newspaper would explode.
Unconsciously, her stealth dropped. Aya crawled onto the roof and poked her head out.
"Caught you, little mouse."
Yukari's voice rang out from behind her.
Aya froze.
Four people stepped out of a Gap, looking down at the tengu lying on the roof tiles.
Aya wore a white shirt, a short skirt, and a tokın hat. Her trademark white stockings made her legs look plump and soft. Her camera was pointed exactly where the "scene" was supposed to be.
"If I said I was just here to look at the scenery... would you believe me?"
Aya's wings flared, but she didn't move. She was the fastest in Gensokyo, but "Speed" < "Teleportation."
No one spoke. Yukari looked at her like she was a dead woman. Leo was busy studying the fabric of her stockings, wondering if Gensokyo's textile industry was really this advanced.
"Um... can we settle this peacefully?"
Aya put her hands behind her head and surrendered. She placed her beloved camera on the ground.
Swish.
Yukari swept the camera into a Gap.
"I just wanted to report some exclusive content! I absolutely had no intention of spying on anyone's privacy!"
Aya dropped into a "Duck Sitting" pose, burying her head against her knees, hands over her head. This was the "Charisma Break" defense technique learned from Remilia Scarlet.
Look pitiful. Look cute. Even Reimu hesitates to hit a crying girl.
"Oh really?" Yukari pulled a notebook out of the Gap. Aya's notebook.
She began to read aloud.
"SHOCKING! The Sage of Youkai's Pet Is So Intimate with a Strange Man!"
"SHOCKING! Kappa Heavy Industries Has a Secret Deal with Stardew Valley!"
"SHOCKING! The Master of Stardew Valley Intends to Join Forces with Yakumo Ran to Sideload the Sage and Subvert Gensokyo!"
"..."
Uh oh. I'm doomed.
Aya looked up, tears welling in her eyes, revealing a small, tear-streaked face that looked incredibly adorable.
"Please don't kill me!"
It would have worked perfectly if Yukari wasn't currently holding the physical evidence of her slander.
At this moment, Aya bitterly regretted her habit of writing drafts on the fly. Why couldn't she have waited until she got home? Why did she have to show off her literary talent in real-time?
Who among decent people writes drafts? How base!