Casually tossing the grasped sword blade into the newly generated vortex, Luke looked at the cleared scene and nodded with satisfaction.
Keine, running to his side, watched the path quiet down after the one-sword cleanup and asked with some worry,
"Luke, those vanished youkai..."
"Don't worry, I didn't kill them. After all, there might have been the guy who gave me vegetables before among them. So I just made them suffer a bit, then tossed them into another dimension."
As for how to deal with them.
Actually, Luke didn't need to bother.
Just finding Onozuka Komachi for overtime later would suffice...
After all, solving the problem of vengeful spirits and sending ghosts for judgment were the Shinigami's job.
"In this aspect, Luke's handling method is indeed excellent. If it were me fighting..."
"Keine-san is excellent in other aspects too."
"Mm..."
Keine smiled lightly, then changed her expression, staring into the distance.
"This rampage of ghosts and vengeful spirits, what exactly is the source?"
"Previously, the half-human half-phantom Netherworld gardener Konpaku Youmu came to my shop seeking help, asking about Yuyuko's whereabouts. So it can be inferred that this is somewhat related to the master of Hakugyokurou."
"Saigyouji Yuyuko..."
"But don't worry about this problem. Keine-sensei, just stay here and protect the village and those children."
After saying this, Luke prepared to leave.
Just as he lifted his left foot, Keine called out to him.
"Wait a moment."
"What is it, Keine-sensei?"
"Be careful, although this worry might be unnecessary."
"Honestly, compared to Keine-sensei's worry, I'd prefer other kinds of encouragement..."
Luke stopped, looked at Keine standing there, and then spread his arms.
Seeing his posture asking for a hug, Keine, with hands on her hips, reminded him sternly,
"Now is not the time for jokes."
"That's true..."
"It's okay later though."
Keine tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"When the private school children are on vacation, you can come to my room then."
"Speaking of which, has the nightgown I commissioned the tailor to make been completed?"
"The one called 'lingerie'? Who would wear that."
Keine, brandishing a fist, flatly refused.
Next time, I'll definitely make her wear it...
Thinking this, Luke bid farewell to Keine.
Having confirmed the safety of the Human Village, he returned to the restaurant.
Reimu and Marisa were highly efficient; the commotion caused by ghosts and vengeful spirits in the vicinity was already gone.
Additionally, several youkai lay sprawled haphazardly by the entrance.
Their eyes were rolled back, foaming at the mouth, all passed out cold.
And atop the mound formed by these youkai, Suika, drinking the restaurant's fine wine, swayed her sake bottle.
"My payment, I've already taken it."
"Drink less, don't think Reimu will pay your tab every time."
"I've always been working for Reimu! For example, sitting near the shrine can scare away mischievous fairies, reducing her trouble!"
"Yes, yes, yes."
Luke entered the restaurant.
Seeing him return unharmed, Kobayashi Rindou and Nakiri Erina both breathed a sigh of relief.
"How's the situation outside?"
Kagarino Kirie asked first.
She was full of curiosity about Gensokyo, and this incident piqued her interest even more.
"The problems caused by ghosts and vengeful spirits around the restaurant and in the Human Village have been resolved, but the true source hasn't been found yet."
"The missing Yuyuko-sama must be related to this incident."
Konpaku Youmu, who had stayed in the shop and gone nowhere, said so.
The reason she didn't leave was that she had heard Yuyuko talk about the restaurant and its owner before.
What if Yuyuko-sama really found her way here?
Konpaku Youmu hadn't forgotten the scene of those ghosts gradually gathering towards the restaurant earlier.
That's why she decided to wait patiently.
But judging by the current situation, it didn't seem to be working...
"Guess we still have to go investigate outside."
The one who said this was Reimu.
She believed the threat around the restaurant was eliminated, and it was time to investigate the truth.
Marisa, taking a sip of water, strongly agreed.
The magician waved the broom in her hand.
"Yeah, we must find the truth, discover the source, and deal with the mastermind behind it all. If we don't, terrifying things from the Netherworld will surely keep pouring into Gensokyo!"
"Marisa, you should stay here with Luke-san. I don't want to be disturbed by you."
"What are you saying! Since we resolved the trouble around the restaurant together, we definitely have to finish this incident, daze!"
Marisa decided to cling to Reimu.
Clang!
At this moment, the main door was pushed open, and Suika, who had been drinking outside, walked in.
And behind her, Shameimaru Aya, who had just landed from the sky, greeted them.
"Hey! Youkai Mountain is quite chaotic right now, but I still seized the opportunity to figure out the situation everywhere! I came specially to report to Luke-san!"
"I don't remember asking you to do such a thing..."
"This is a free bonus, okay? I hope Luke-san will take good care of me and our Tengu clan in the future!"
After saying this, Shameimaru Aya ran in front of everyone.
She conveniently took out a notebook, opened it, and briefly explained the situation in various places to everyone.
"Firstly, Youkai Mountain where I am. Some youkai were possessed by vengeful spirits, some Kappa and Tengu started a war among them, which has now stopped. Another part went to the Human Village. According to Miss Kamishirasawa there, the problem has already been solved by Luke-san."
Then...
"I went to the Scarlet Devil Mansion side again and found the two vampire ladies happily hunting the frenzied vengeful spirits. I feel quite sorry for them... Since I was almost hit by a terrifying explosion, I left without interviewing them."
Subsequently——
"I chose to take a detour to check the situation in other areas of Gensokyo, and happened to see two rabbits fighting youkai possessed by vengeful spirits; after interviewing them, I learned they came out from the Bamboo Forest of the Lost for shopping and encountered this trouble on their way back; right, right, before leaving, I also saw the master of Eientei. Houraisan Kaguya gave me some money and asked me to publish an ad for her to find someone to recover the money she was cheated out of. I wonder if I can post the request at Luke-san's restaurant..."
"We'll talk about that kind of thing later..."
Luke wasn't interested in hearing this now.
Nakiri Erina, experiencing an incident for the first time, asked,
"Has this happened before?"
"It has happened before, just in different forms."
Hakurei Reimu, responsible for resolving incidents and exterminating youkai, recalled the past and showed a troubled expression.
"Was it always resolved by Reimu-san?"
Kobayashi Rindou looked at the red-white shrine maiden.
Before getting an answer, Marisa jumped in.
"Not entirely! I've also resolved crises in Gensokyo! Because Reimu sometimes slacks off, I have to shoulder this responsibility and save Gensokyo, daze!"
"Who's slacking off? I just didn't think it was necessary to act. Anyway, some incidents are just minor squabbles once figured out."
"Even so, you should take it seriously!"
"Take it seriously... a magician who always steals other people's things shouldn't talk about seriousness."
"I just borrow! And I usually choose great youkai, okay? Anyway, their lifespans are long, borrowing from them for a few days is just a fleeting moment for them~"
"Just excuses."
Reimu spread her hands.
Konpaku Youmu grabbed the Tengu's arm at this moment.
"Tengu reporter, did you collect any information about Yuyuko-sama?"
"The master of Hakugyokurou? The master you serve didn't appear in my records, nor are there any sightings of her."
"Then where on earth did Yuyuko-sama go?"
Without new information, Youmu momentarily became like a headless fly, unsure from which angle to search for her master.
Seeing Youmu's downcast look, Luke went back to the kitchen and poured her a cup of sweet tea.
"Have something to drink first."
"Thank you..."
Youmu took the cup and drank it all in one gulp.
Reimu, not planning to stay at the restaurant any longer, grabbed Marisa by the collar.
"Let's go, we're going to investigate."
"Hey hey? Where are we going?!"
"Anywhere is fine, preferably somewhere with lots of ghosts."
"You clearly said before you didn't want me along!"
"Chatterbox."
Reimu dragged Marisa and opened the restaurant door.
"Luke-san! Please stay at the restaurant, someone needs to watch over this place."
"Reimu, you guys be careful."
"We will."
Before the words faded, Reimu took Marisa and flew into the sky, deciding to launch a search.
Seeing the Hakurei shrine maiden fly away, Kobayashi Rindou couldn't help but sigh,
"If only I could fly too..."
"In our world, you'd be caught and studied as a weirdo, right?"
Nakiri Erina's words pulled Kobayashi Rindou back to reality.
Kagarino Kirie, who had been silent until now, spoke up,
"If the incident can't be resolved, doesn't that mean the restaurant can't operate normally?"
"Precisely."
"It could also be understood as a permanent break time."
Kirie glanced at the second floor, urging Luke to go up with her eyes.
Still thinking about doing 'that' at a time like this?
Is she a venomous-tongued juicer?
Just as Luke was about to tap Kirie on the head, a weird space opened up.
The Gap Youkai appeared in everyone's sight.
Yakumo Yukari scanned the scene, finally locking onto Luke.
"Long time no see, Luke-san."
"Isn't this Yakumo-san? Do you have any clues about the current incident?"
"I do. This might be the residual impact of a previous large-scale incident, causing the existence between the Netherworld and the outside world to become blurred. Finally... the desires of living souls, the hopes of ghosts, the despair of vengeful spirits caused this event."
As the Great Sage of Gensokyo, Yakumo Yukari analyzed from her perspective.
Hearing this, Konpaku Youmu approached and asked,
"Yakumo-sama, what does this matter have to do with Yuyuko-sama? She should be controlling these ghosts..."
"The various desires mixed together can easily affect the mind, you know. Even Yuyuko is no exception."
Yakumo Yukari said, then took something out from behind her.
She lightly tossed it to Luke.
"Yakumo-san, this is..."
"Netherworld Higanbana, and... the tree sap from before."
Yakumo Yukari handed a portion to Luke.
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
"This is the part I kept aside for backup."
"Yakumo-san, could it be... you intend for me to use them as ingredients for cooking?"
"Ghosts gather here, and Yuyuko also likes the snacks you make. Undoubtedly, the delicacies made by your hand hold a great attraction for ghosts."
Hearing this, Konpaku Youmu understood.
She clapped her hands together.
"Use the fragrance to attract the missing Yuyuko-sama?"
"Precisely. However, correspondingly, the ghosts scattered throughout Gensokyo and the rampaging vengeful spirits will all gather here."
Yakumo Yukari's meaning was straightforward——
Luke cooks, attracts all the ghosts spread across Gensokyo, and thus lures out Yuyuko.
Regarding this plan, Luke didn't think too much.
"Let's begin."
Without hesitation, Luke intended to use delicious food to lure out the missing Yuyuko.
There's a myth in Japan.
Legend says the goddess Amaterasu, due to a dispute with her brother Susanoo-no-Mikoto, angrily hid in the Ama-no-Iwato cave, causing heaven and earth to plunge into darkness, the world losing its light.
To resolve this crisis, the gods gathered outside Ama-no-Iwato to discuss countermeasures and decided to hold a ceremony to lure Amaterasu out.
And what Luke and the others were doing now was similar.
Since the fragrance needed to spread everywhere, it had to be made outside the restaurant.
Therefore, Luke took out a camping stove from the kitchen.
The stove wasn't large, but it was sufficient for cooking the ingredients.
"Leave the guard duty to me."
Konpaku Youmu stood guard nearby, keeping an eye on the movements in the woods.
"Count me in too."
Suika, who hadn't left with Reimu and Marisa, also stepped forward.
She leaned against the wall, raised her head, and stared at the somewhat chaotic sky.
"I don't want this restaurant to be destroyed by ghosts."
"Same here. I admire the owner's culinary skills."
Yakumo Yukari in the air smiled slightly, then gestured with her eyes for him to begin.
Thus, Luke started cooking the Netherworld Higanbana and the thousand-year sakura tree sap Yakumo Yukari had provided.
"By the way, what exactly are you making?"
"I'm making a type of crispy pastry. Since it uses Higanbana, let's name it Higan Sakura Crisp."
After answering Suika's question, Luke soaked the Higanbana in spring water, then took them out for a second rinse.
Next, he cut the petals into fine shreds and mixed them with a small amount of honey, allowing the petals to retain their original color while adding sweetness.
The second step was heating the thousand-year sakura tree sap to just the right temperature, making it soft and transparent.
Then Luke took out an exquisite ceramic bowl, mixed the processed Higanbana shreds with the warm tree sap, simultaneously adding a trace amount of cinnamon powder and lemon zest to enhance the overall flavor profile.
With preparations complete, he continuously stirred until all ingredients were fully integrated, forming a mixture that was both elastic and glossy.
The final step was preparing the dough and baking.
Making the dough was particularly simple; Luke finished it very quickly.
Next was wrapping the filling inside and baking.
Making crispy pastries requires careful control of the heat; he had to constantly monitor the state of the stove fire.
And this gradually spreading baking aroma triggered a new incident.
The fragrance drifted into the air, and before dissipating, it seemed to bloom with the color of cherry blossoms, flickering with red and pink light.
Attracted ghosts and vengeful spirits began to gather towards the restaurant's location.
Like a swarm of insects, they instantly covered the sky above the restaurant.
Inside the house, Kobayashi Rindou, Nakiri Erina, and Kirie saw this scene through the window glass.
The next moment...
The ghosts and vengeful spirits launched their assault.
Seeing this, Luke's bodyguards sprang into action.
Konpaku Youmu, as the Saigyouji family's gardener and a half-human half-phantom, drew her Roukanken with her excellent swordsmanship, using spell cards to unleash sharp sword qi attacks at the enemy;
Yakumo Yukari displayed her awe-inspiring spatial manipulation ability...
The moment she activated her spell card, gorgeous danmaku erupted in the intertwining space of reality and illusion!
These bullets were not only beautiful but deadly, striking directly at the enemies hidden within the phantoms.
Suika raised her head, looked at the impact exploding above, crossed her arms, and looked at Luke.
"Looks like I'm not needed."
"Yeah."
Luke returned a smile.
Then...
The chaos abruptly ceased.
In the center of the ghosts and vengeful spirits, a figure surrounded by Netherworld butterflies appeared from the stream of light!
It was Saigyouji Yuyuko herself.
"Is it you?"
Yuyuko followed the scent and saw Luke.
"The one who awakened me with that scent amidst the dazzling, chaotic stream of memories..."
Descending from the air like a lightly dancing butterfly, Yuyuko arrived beside Luke.
"I think... I wasn't wrong."
The reappeared Yuyuko revealed a smile.
"From now on, I want you."
The master of Hakugyokurou, missing and then reappearing.
And then——
She took a liking to Luke.
---
...
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