For 30+ advance chapter: patreon.com/Snowing_Melody
"Report: The first-year students from the Civil Engineering Department have assembled, and the materials have been counted and verified."
The Little Kappas who emerged from the Gap lined up in perfect formation. They sounded off their numbers, inspected the crates of materials strapped to their backs, and finally snapped to attention before Nitori.
"Very good," Nitori nodded, turning to Leo with a smug grin. "See, little brother? This is the industrial might of Kappa Heavy Industries. There's absolutely no problem cooperating with us. Call us if anything comes up."
Nitori whipped out her phone—the one she received just yesterday. As the self-proclaimed smartest person in Gensokyo, she had already mastered the UI and was actively spamming ads on the Commission Board.
AA Kappa Heavy Industries General Agent: Undertaking earthwork projects, infrastructure maintenance, appliance upkeep, nuclear facility repair, cucumber wholesale, child pickup/drop-off, homework writing services. For other services, please consult customer service. As long as you can afford it, we can do anything. (Auto-reply)
"Little brother, this is my account," Nitori winked. "Contact me anytime."
"Okay, dear," Leo replied automatically.
He watched with a strange expression as the line of Little Kappas marched off toward the town, looking like elementary school students on a field trip carrying heavy artillery.
"Are they always like this?" Leo asked Ran. "Does Gensokyo not have antitrust laws? They're operating across multiple industries simultaneously."
"It's even more extreme back home," Ran confirmed. "If you need anything built or commissioned, you go to them. Although their fees are extortionate, the service is genuinely impeccable."
"That amazing?" Leo was skeptical.
He worked in the service industry. Dealing with brain-dead customers in the backend—the argumentative ones, the freeloaders, the "I'm a student give me a discount" crowd—was enough to send his blood pressure into the danger zone. Sometimes he just wanted to reach through the screen and strangle someone.
Could the Kappas really maintain perfect service?
Ran said nothing, merely leading Leo to follow the Kappa team to the Mayor's Manor (now the Yakumo Residence).
Yukari was already sitting there, sipping tea on a lawn chair she brought herself.
"Today, our client is the Sage of Youkai!" Nitori shouted to her troops. "For those of you who just graduated high school, this is both a challenge and an opportunity! We must satisfy all the Sage's needs using the knowledge you learned! Do you have confidence?!"
"YES~~!"
Unknowingly fed a bowl of inspirational corporate propaganda, the Little Kappas' eyes sparkled with the naive excitement of unpaid interns. Their posture was perfect.
"Good! If the Sage is satisfied, everyone gets 5 Academic Credits!"
Leo and Ran watched from a distance as Nitori brainwashed her workforce.
"How much did Yukari spend on this renovation commission?" Leo whispered.
"50,000 Gold," Ran replied. "Originally, she wanted to freeload, but she decided not to owe the Kappa a favor. Her favors are too valuable."
"And how much of that 50,000 do those Little Kappas get?"
"5 Credits."
Leo fell silent. Capitalism is truly terrifying.
"Esteemed Sage, please look," a Little Kappa presented a blueprint. "This is the rendering we designed overnight. Please check if there's anything that needs improvement."
The construction crew began unloading, placing protective mats on the floor to prevent scratches.
Yukari glanced at the drawing. "Change this area. I want a sofa in the style of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. And put a partition here..."
As she spoke, the Little Kappa pulled out a pen and modified the design in real-time, sketching rapidly to visualize the client's vague demands.
"Hmm," Yukari frowned at the new sketch. "Individually, they match my aesthetic, but combined... it looks strange."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind. Just change the sofa style. Stick to the original plan for everything else."
The Little Kappa froze for a microsecond.
"...Alright. We will revert to the original design."
The Kappa took a deep breath, plastered on a professional smile, walked behind the house, punched a tree twice to vent her rage, high-fived her crying colleague who had stayed up all night drawing the partition, and then returned to direct the construction.
"How can they tolerate that?" Leo was astonished. "Why aren't they shoving the blueprint down her throat?"
"This is service," Ran said, accepting two cups of water from a passing Kappa worker. Even though Leo and Ran were just bystanders, the crew made sure they were hydrated.
"To be honest, I'm tempted," Leo admitted. "Do you have a price list so I can extinguish this hope immediately?"
"Guest, please look!"
Nitori suddenly popped out from behind a bush.
As a merchant, she had spotted the business opportunity the moment she arrived. While her minions were serving Yukari, Nitori had already surveyed Leo's farm and drafted a proposal.
"This is the expansion plan I designed for you. Since I understand you might be experiencing some... financial liquidity issues... I can offer an Installment Plan. However, you must provide the materials."
"Uh..." Leo took the blueprint.
Nitori had thoughtfully marked the prices in big, friendly letters.
Kitchen Addition: Includes stove, fridge, sink, and cookware.
Price: 10,000 Gold + 450 Wood.
Second Floor Expansion: Adds two empty rooms.
Price: 60,000 Gold + 100 Hardwood.
Wine Cellar: (Highly Recommended! Essential for every Gensokyo home!)
Price: 100,000 Gold. Includes temperature control and aging casks.
Leo looked at the price. He wanted to say "I'm broke."
But then he looked at his tiny cabin. He thought about the pickle jars blocking his path to the bathroom. He thought about Chen's giant cushion taking up 40% of the floor space.
And he looked at Nitori's expectant, shark-toothed smile.
"Let's start by adding a Kitchen," Leo sighed.
"Excellent!" Nitori beamed. "We welcome your commission to Kappa Heavy Industries! We will provide you with the highest quality service!"
Showing zero dissatisfaction that he picked the cheapest option, Nitori confirmed the order on her phone and sprinted back into the Gap to summon more interns.