Yorigami Shion accepted Luke's invitation, deciding to become the caretaker he employed for the vegetable garden.
However, since the garden hadn't been built yet, Luke arranged for her to rest in the storeroom beside the restaurant.
The storeroom already contained guest bedding, sheets, carpets, etc.; a little tidying up was all it needed to serve as a resting place.
Initially, Luke thought of letting Shion stay in the second-floor guest room, but this poverty god had no intention of further closing the distance.
For her, the measure of happiness wasn't high.
Having a place to stay and food to eat was enough.
Not insisting, Luke returned to the restaurant, took the key from the changing room cabinet, gave it to Shion, then went back to the kitchen to start working.
Shameimaru Aya, at this time, didn't continue interviewing the Hakugyokurou master and servant, but decided to investigate elsewhere for any news following the ghost rampage incident.
Actually, Shameimaru Aya had also asked the newly arrived Bocchi-chan, who played guitar at the restaurant...
The result was nothing.
Bocchi's answers were hesitant and stammering, eventually becoming unintelligible, her entire being gradually burning out.
Worried that further questioning would turn Luke's new customer into a pile of white ash, Aya quickly gave up and prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Luke called out to Shameimaru Aya.
"Aya, wait a moment."
"What? Are you giving me something good?"
"Want a knuckle sandwich?"
"Just kidding! What instructions does Boss Luke have?"
Shameimaru Aya rubbed her hands together like a fly, waiting by the door for Luke to speak.
Coming beside the Tengu, Luke whispered a few sentences in her ear.
After listening, Aya glanced at the Hakugyokurou master and servant in the booth area, then nodded firmly.
"No problem, I'll finish it beforehand, then go for the interview."
"Okay, thanks for the trouble. As a reward... I'll waive one of your consumptions at the restaurant."
"Yay! I'm leaving now!"
Aya walked out of the shop and flew into the drizzling sky.
After seeing off the noisiest Tengu reporter in the shop, the restaurant instantly became quiet.
Bocchi-chan obediently enjoyed her second serving of mixed stew;
Yuyuko and Youmu were also chatting about future plans in the booth area.
Of course, the master of Hakugyokurou...
The ghost princess of the Netherworld still had no intention of leaving.
Even Youmu's persuasion attempt—saying she would ask the Yama King-sama for leave for Yuyuko-sama so they could visit the restaurant often—was useless.
As mentioned initially, Yuyuko decided to stay here.
Walking to the counter near the kitchen, Kobayashi Rindou asked curiously at this moment,
"Luke-san, I heard you mention Yorigami Shion earlier. Why didn't the Tengu lady who likes interviewing people go talk to her?"
"It's a long story. Simply put... Yorigami Shion is a poverty god. Anyone who comes into contact with her becomes unfortunate, meaning their assets will be lost due to various reasons..."
"Eh? Really? Such a god actually exists?"
Kobayashi Rindou was also Japanese and naturally had heard of the eight million gods.
In such a small nation, everything has a god.
The most typical are various Tsukumogami.
And the poverty god was the most taboo existence.
"That poverty god... is named Yorigami Shion, right?"
"Correct."
"Sounds like a goddess's name. What does she look like? In the legends I've heard, poverty god's appearance is always that of a thin, dirty, sorrowful old man holding a round fan."
"Shion is different from what you mentioned; she's a beautiful girl with purple hair."
"A beautiful girl..."
Kobayashi Rindou seemed lost in thought.
She couldn't help but look towards the corridor leading to the backyard.
"Can I go take a look?"
"Do you know the reason Aya didn't approach her? It's fear of being cursed, even if it's not Shion's own intention. So I advise you to stay away from her too."
"Luke-san is fine, though?"
"That's the advantage brought by my strong luck."
"Oh? This strong luck can even counteract the power of a goddess?"
"Yes, at least I think it's no problem."
If there were a problem, Luke thought, something should have gone wrong already.
Thinking of this, Luke saw Bocchi-chan had finished her second serving of mixed stew.
He asked Kobayashi Rindou to watch the ingredients in the pot, then walked over.
"Gotoh-san, were you satisfied with the meal this time?"
"Eek?! Meal? Ah, I, I was very satisfied, the owner's skill is amazing..."
"Glad you liked it. Want a third bowl?"
Shaking her head, Bocchi-chan declined.
She turned to look out the window.
"Th-that... the forest outside the window seems different from when I arrived. How do I get back... Can I even get back? If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. Sorry, really sorry!"
"It's nothing."
Luke smiled.
He also looked out the window.
"This isn't a prison where you can only enter but not leave. The door Gotoh-san passed through when arriving still connects to your original world. When you go back, just think about the scene when you arrived, it's okay even if it's not perfectly accurate."
"Is that so... How magical."
Bocchi-chan finished speaking and stood up.
Lowering her head, bowing, she said softly in a humble manner,
"Then... I want to go back... I hope the performance earlier can cover my expenses..."
"It's more than enough. Welcome back anytime."
"I don't know if I'll come back here again, but I really liked the food earlier..."
Hearing the reply, Luke understood that making a socially anxious person a regular customer was indeed difficult.
Therefore, he didn't insist.
"Whether to come or not is up to the customer. Personally, I quite liked the performance earlier. It would be nice if you had the chance to perform again."
"Is, is that so... hehe, cough cough!"
Bocchi-chan, giggling foolishly due to the praise, quickly returned to normal.
Coughing to divert attention, she slowly walked towards the main door.
"I... might come again..."
"I see."
"Here... can I share it with my friends?"
"I don't think there's a problem, provided your friends can accept this other world."
"I think they'll definitely like it... especially Ryo... cough cough! Thank you for your hospitality this time, owner."
After saying these words, Bocchi-chan placed her right hand on the doorknob, turned it, unlocked, and pushed the door.
Outside was still rainy weather, same as Gensokyo, but the rain seemed a bit heavier.
But this situation was much better than when she arrived.
"Need an umbrella?"
"No, no need. I can see clearly now. I'll catch up with them, maybe they're looking for me too..."
Bocchi-chan finished speaking, and a calling sound seemed to come from the rain.
Hearing the noise, Bocchi didn't hesitate.
After bidding farewell to Luke again, she quickly entered the rain.
She ran in the direction of the sound until her figure completely disappeared.
After Bocchi-chan left, only four people remained in the restaurant.
Luke and the newly hired staff member Kobayashi Rindou;
The Hakugyokurou master and servant duo.
"Speaking of which, I haven't heard the parrot's calls recently."
'Could it have been caught and eaten by some fairy while out wandering...'
Luke, seemingly talking to himself, was interrupted by the girl beside him.
"Luke-san, I'm not quite sure about the current seasonal changes in Gensokyo, but I feel some dishes on the menu need to be changed."
"Tell me about it."
"This vegetable salad here, I looked at the large refrigerator in the kitchen, the spinach stock seems insufficient."
"Mm... indeed."
Luke also went to look at the refrigerator.
Not just spinach, tomatoes and cucumbers were also running low.
To ensure normal meal supply, he needed to commission the merchants in the Human Village to deliver more.
"I'll solve this problem by increasing the ingredients."
"In that case, no need to change it."
Kobayashi Rindou turned back to watch the stove fire, ensuring the currently simmering thick soup had a perfect taste.
Luke, holding the menu, scanned it, thinking the purchase of some ingredients needed to be increased by half.
'I'll talk to Keine about it later.'
Keine was very popular in the Human Village.
Some of Luke's ingredients were purchased based on Keine's recommendations.
The results were good too; the ingredients were fresh, without flaws.
Dingaling.
"A customer has arrived."
Kobayashi Rindou looked towards the entrance.
The customers arriving at the restaurant on a rainy day were also a duo.
The taller woman walking behind held an umbrella for the girl in front.
Only when the former entered the shop did the latter fold the umbrella and place it by the entrance.
"Yuyuko-sama, it's them..."
Youmu in the booth area saw the arrivals, and her expression instantly changed subtly.
The somewhat carefree Yuyuko also showed an expression of 'why is it them?'.
"Excuse me, Luke-dono."
"Welcome, Shiki Eiki-san."
Luke showed a professional smile and handed her the menu.
Since the Yama-sama had appeared, the follower behind naturally needed no introduction; it was the Shinigami Onozuka Komachi.
"Excuse me too, Luke."
Onozuka Komachi waved.
As Luke nodded in acknowledgment, Shiki Eiki, who had just arrived, turned to look at the booth area.
Both Yuyuko and Youmu understood that lecture time was next.
Moreover, since it was Yama-sama herself visiting, escaping directly was impossible.
"You two... let's have a talk."
After saying this, Shiki Eiki walked towards the master and servant.
Onozuka Komachi, remaining behind, chose a seat.
"Boss Luke, Yama-sama and I took a trip to the Human Village. I heard from that teacher that you banished all the ghosts to some dimension?"
"Yes, I still need your help processing them, sending them back."
"Okay, the number isn't too large, right?"
"A few hundred?"
"Sigh..."
Onozuka Komachi knew she had to work overtime again.
Meanwhile, on the other side——
"Yuyuko, are you slacking off again?"
Shiki Eiki, heading to the booth and standing before the Hakugyokurou master and servant, asked bluntly, her voice tinged with dissatisfaction.
"Do you know that as one of the important members of the Netherworld, your every move can affect the balance between the Netherworld and the living world?"
Yuyuko sat at the table, lightly swirling the water glass before her.
She looked up at Shiki Eiki, revealing an innocent smile.
"Oh my, Yama-sama, aren't you being too serious? I just wanted to come out occasionally, try some fresh food."
"Occasionally?"
Shiki Eiki frowned and said,
"Last time, because you collected spring on a whim, you nearly threw Gensokyo into chaos."
Seeing her master being lectured, Konpaku Youmu, although also wishing Yuyuko would return quickly, decided to stand by Yuyuko's side now.
So Youmu seized the opportunity to interject,
"Yama-sama, I think relaxing occasionally is also necessary. After all, we usually have a lot of work to do every day."
"Youmu."
Shiki Eiki turned to her, her tone still firm.
"Your words have some truth, but you must understand, as members of the Netherworld, our actions affect not only ourselves but also the safety of all other residents. If such incidents happen again and aren't resolved immediately, punishment will be incurred when blame is assigned."
"But..."
Yuyuko tried to argue,
"I'm just having a meal here, wanting to spend a little more time with Luke-san."
Hearing this, Shiki Eiki took a deep breath, seemingly restraining her emotions.
"I know, Yuyuko. But you need to understand that even the smallest action can trigger a chain reaction. For example, if everyone leaves their post casually like you, what will Gensokyo become?"
Shiki Eiki was quite serious.
Clearly, the Hakugyokurou duo couldn't argue against this judge.
Yuyuko sighed softly.
"I understand... I'll go back."
With that, Yuyuko reluctantly looked at Luke.
Facing the ghost princess's gaze, Luke thought for a moment, finally speaking,
"A private dinner... Yuyuko-san, would you like to have one?"
"Eh? A private dinner?! For me?"
Luke's proposal instantly made Yuyuko, who was about to return to work, beam with joy.
Because the restaurant's regular customers all knew that Luke's private dinners were very special, an event everyone pursued.
And this time... Yuyuko became the chosen customer.
---
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