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Regarding Leo's ambitious request to build several massive Livestock Sheds all at once and have them finished within a single day, even the incredible engineering prowess of Nitori Kawashiro couldn't pull that off. Physics still applied, somewhat.
The final result of their intense negotiation in the Kappa Heavy Industries office was a compromise: they would first set up a series of simple wooden shacks using basic lumber planks to provide the incoming animals with some immediate shelter from the wind and spring rain, with concrete plans to gradually upgrade and improve the structures later.
Having just handed over the only thirty-thousand-odd gold he had left to his name, Leo kept looking back over his shoulder as he walked toward the exit. It wasn't that he was heartbroken over spending the money; it was an investment, after all. Rather, he was completely captivated by the stunning decor of the Kappa Heavy Industries office.
The crisp scent of polished cedar filled the air. He absolutely loved the elegant, traditional style of the small arched bridges arching over artificially flowing water, and the intricate wooden pavilions dotting the landscape.
He had tentatively asked Nitori about the price of such a landscaping renovation for his own farm earlier. She didn't say a single word, only giving him an awkward, strained, yet perfectly polite customer-service smile. Leo knew right then and there that the price tag was not something a mere mortal farmer could afford right now.
The beautification project for this office was entirely handmade—intricate stone carvings of river spirits, delicate openwork wooden decorations, carefully balanced rockeries, and babbling small streams. Just one look at the craftsmanship made a normal person's budget feel like it was spontaneously exploding.
Naturally, Kappa Heavy Industries didn't actually have to spend raw capital on their own construction. Those Little Kappa interns who hadn't graduated from the academy yet would do absolutely anything for course credits; this entire gorgeous garden was essentially their grueling graduation assessment. They didn't get a single cent in wages, and they even had to cover their own room and board while building it. Truly, the ultimate capitalist exploit.
"Boss, stop looking. Right now... we really don't have that. How about I take you to see the hot spring? It's almost ready over there, and you can give it a try."
Nitori accompanied Leo out to the main path, rubbing her temples and feeling quite a headache coming on. The Kappa needed to make money too; they couldn't just work for Leo for free, no matter how much produce he bought. These purely handmade landscaping items were indeed exorbitantly expensive, all produced by Little Kappa pulling highly-caffeinated all-nighters. It was impossible to give away even a little bit for free as a bonus.
"The hot spring is ready?"
Leo's eyes widened. His intense longing for a Suzhou-style garden vanished instantly, replaced by a deep, primal yearning. No matter how beautiful a garden was, it was just for looking at and had no practical, physical effect. But a hot spring was entirely different.
As a true northerner in his past life, Leo used to go to the bustling public bathhouse near his home at least once a month. He'd soak his tired bones in a low-temperature pool for twenty minutes until his skin softened, then go to the dry sauna to steam out the toxins. Finally, he would find a burly, experienced back-scrubbing master, lie face down on the vinyl table, and cordially ask if they had eaten yet.
The greeted back-scrubber would then kindly pick up a coarse, bright red scrubbing towel to show him what real, physical stats looked like. An ordinary person would feel chest tightness and be unable to breathe after staying in a humid underground bathhouse for a while, but a veteran back-scrubber could chat and laugh effortlessly with a lit cigarette dangling from their mouth while peeling off a layer of dead skin.
After bathing, he'd lie heavily on a soft bed in the lounge area for some fiery cupping and a deep-tissue massage, then take a long, dreamless nap. The whole rejuvenating set only cost about 40 yuan, yet it could completely dispel a grueling week's worth of corporate fatigue.
It was just a profound pity that the default bathhouse building in Pelican Town was too small, too basic, and was a strictly 'proper', self-serve one.
"Is there back scrubbing? Is there massage and cupping?"
Leo got visibly excited, leaning toward the Kappa. The Farmhouse had a basic bathroom and a hot shower, but how could standing under a spray of water possibly compare to a luxurious, serviced soak? Even though it was still early morning and his stamina bar was completely full, he just wanted to go experience it immediately.
"Boss, we do have the things you mentioned. Our Kappa Vocational and Technical College has professional students working at the Geyser, but the problem is... we only cater to girls. Boss, you... how about a snip-snip?"
Nitori made the strange suggestion with a deeply odd, evaluating expression, her eyes briefly flicking downward toward Leo's waist. If they really provided those intimate physical services to a man, it would undoubtedly attract the terrifying, absolute wrath of Reimu Hakurei enforcing public morals.
"Huh?"
Leo instinctively crossed his legs together, a cold chill running down his spine. His grand fantasy of a bustling Northeastern bathhouse shattered like fragile glass, and he visibly wilted.
If there was no one to provide the service—unless he paid the ultimate physical price—what was the difference between this and just bathing in his own tub at home? Didn't one go out to a bathhouse specifically to enjoy themselves and be pampered? What was the point of bathing without any of the services?
"How about... I make you a robot that can do back scrubbing and massages? You can operate it yourself?"
Nitori hastily offered a technological suggestion, seeing her best client looking so utterly defeated. This wasn't hard to implement for Kappa engineering. Since the boss just wanted to experience scrubbing and massage services without violating the gender ban, simply making an automated machine would do the trick. Although the main hot spring pool was mixed-gender, the enclosed bathing and scrubbing areas were strictly separate, so a robot in the men's side wouldn't provoke Reimu.
Leo blinked. His mind instantly connected the dots.
"An auto-petter! Have I become an animal?"
Wasn't this exact concept just the Auto-Petter machine players placed in Livestock Sheds for their cows and chickens?! It was a mechanical item consisting of spinning robotic hands that saved the farmer the trouble of waking up every day to physically pet the animals to increase intimacy. Leo never, ever imagined that one day he would be the sad creature using this mechanical contraption on himself.
"Then make it now. I'll come for the hot spring once it's finished."
Feeling entirely listless and stripped of his dignity, Leo sighed and waved a weak goodbye to Nitori.
After wandering aimlessly around the mountain paths for a bit to clear his head, he went back home. He pulled out his sharp steel sickle, the blade glinting in the sun. Swish. Swish. He methodically harvested a large batch of tall, wild grass and deposited it into the towering red silo.
This magical grass grew incredibly fast; the designated grazing area Leo had fenced off for the incoming livestock had grown back into a dense jungle after just a few days of not looking at it. The five pairs of animals he had bought from Special Week couldn't possibly finish it all even if they tried their hardest.
Moreover, this processed fodder could be stored indefinitely in the silo for use in the dead of winter. In this current spring season, he just had to open the wooden fence gate every morning and let the animals happily forage in the mountain grass themselves; he didn't even need to feed them specifically.
He just needed to specifically, urgently notify the Fairy Swarm and Flandre. Lest they encounter the new animals while playing in the mountains and violently slaughter them for BBQ, mistakenly thinking they were ownerless wild game.
Spotting a random Little Fairy playing with a butterfly on the edge of the farm, Leo walked over. After feeding her two juicy, gold-star strawberries, the Little Fairy's eyes lit up. She puffed out her tiny chest and set off with a great, solemn sense of mission to find Daiyousei to deliver the warning. It seemed they had been heavily roleplaying adventure games lately.
Sometimes Leo really wondered if he had a glowing, golden RPG question mark hovering directly over his head. As soon as he spoke a command, a Little Fairy would pop out of the bushes to accept the 'quest'. For just two strawberries or some other small sugary treat, these Little Fairies would gleefully do absolutely anything.
The sun climbed higher into the sky. Chen had gone out to the river fishing again, and Flandre was completely nowhere to be seen by the time he returned from Kappa Heavy Industries; he had no idea where the little vampire had gone to play.
Leo was truly bored with nothing to do for the afternoon, so he picked up the resting One-Eyed Xiao San from the porch and took Kogasa Tatara out for a leisurely stroll into Pelican Town. He naturally had to spoil his own children, especially since One-Eyed Xiao San was very much like a loyal Golden Retriever—as soon as the umbrella saw him approach, it would literally whine, hop happily on its handle, and run over to affectionately lick his hand with its massive tongue.
Sitting on a warm wooden bench in the center of town and comfortably basking in the afternoon sun, Kogasa sat closely beside him, leaning against his shoulder and starting to doze off, her breathing soft and even.
One-Eyed Xiao San, the umbrella, was happily hopping all over the green grass of the town square, chasing a stray butterfly. The whole scene looked incredibly peaceful and domestic.
Scanning the quaint, quiet houses in the town, Leo's mind wandered, and he suddenly remembered something important.
When the Eientei crew had come for their team-building BBQ before, he had checked the system. Kaguya Houraisan's specific unlock conditions were running a bar and having game consoles. But at that time, the idea was put on indefinite hold because of his farm's low agricultural output and the complete lack of brewed alcohol.
Now that he was a bit more well-off, with upgraded skills and a steady cash flow, he could actually try to run it.
For the initial drink menu, he could temporarily use the fresh fruit juice and the berry wine he had aging in the kegs. Once the newly purchased animals were fully raised and producing milk and eggs, it could even organically expand to serve as a small, bustling restaurant. Otherwise, having absolutely nothing to do every single day after finishing the morning farm work was a bit too boring for a modern man.
Whoosh—
The sudden, sharp sound of rushing wind broke his train of thought.
"Hey kid, you're here. Here are your clothes."
Marisa Kirisame, flying high in the sky on her magical bamboo broom, spotted Leo on the bench and immediately dove down, landing nimbly on the cobblestone path. She tossed a heavy, cloth-wrapped bundle directly into his lap.
For these few sets of custom-tailored clothes, the witch had been forced to sign all sorts of horrific, unequal treaties with Alice Margatroid. The terms included, but were not strictly limited to: having to go to the creepy Doll Mansion every single month to be a living mannequin and try on frilly clothes, absolutely not being allowed to break in and enter through the second-story window without Alice's explicit permission, and having to accompany the doll-maker for a polite, excruciating walk at least once a week.
"I've finished the commission," Marisa declared, dusting off her black apron, her golden eyes gleaming with unapologetic greed. "I want all the rewards to be red mushrooms. As for the fruits and ingredients Alice wanted, I'll buy them with money."
Marisa was incredibly shrewd. Naturally, she'd take any given chance to hoard more of an ultra-rare, non-sale magical item like the Stardew Valley red mushrooms. As for the mundane agricultural share of the reward she had promised to Alice? Couldn't she just easily buy it from Leo with cold, hard cash and keep the magical loot for herself?