Marisa, who had been unconscious from rage for who knows how long, was finally roused by the rich aroma of mushroom soup.
Blearily turning her head toward the source of the smell, she saw Rin had already set up a pot over a fire in the clearing, surrounded by a group of small, adorable dolls.
The soup bubbled enticingly, with mushrooms, quail eggs, baby bok choy, and other ingredients occasionally surfacing—instantly awakening Marisa's appetite.
"Boss, where'd you get the pot and seasonings?"
"I didn't see you carrying anything else on the way here. And these dolls…?"
Marisa scooted closer, curiosity piqued. The dolls immediately made space for her.
"My ability lets me summon items from the general store remotely. Pretty handy."
"As for these dolls, they're being controlled by a kind soul who came to help. Otherwise, your house wouldn't be fixed this fast."
"They even picked some of the mushrooms in the soup."
As he explained, Rin ladled a bowl of soup and handed it to the nearest doll.
The doll blinked at him, nodded in thanks, then flew off into the forest, carefully cradling the bowl.
Marisa craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was controlling the dolls, but Rin pulled her back.
"Stop peeking. Eat first, then get back to work. You've been slacking all morning, y'know."
"Okaaay~"
Marisa obediently took the bowl, her attention finally shifting back to her house.
Meanwhile, the doll zipped through the trees, arriving at a Western-style mansion deep in the forest.
A lone figure sat in the garden by the entrance, quietly flipping through a book.
Her neatly styled, short golden hair swayed slightly in the breeze, and her pale, porcelain-like skin seemed too pristine to ever be marred by dirt.
Her serene, delicate features were like the finest masterpiece of creation—just gazing at her was enough to lose oneself in admiration.
She wore an elegant, sleeveless blue dress, a vivid red ribbon cinched at her waist, accentuating her slender, graceful figure.
The entire scene, with her in the garden, looked like something out of a fairy tale—too perfect to disturb.
As the doll floated over with the small bowl, her sapphire-blue eyes softened with a gentle smile.
Taking the bowl, she took a sip, savoring the rich flavors blooming on her tongue.
Not bad at all.
"Shanghai, cut some fruit and bring it over. Make sure to cover it—don't let any spores get on it."
At Alice's instruction, the doll flitted into the house to prepare.
Soon, it returned with a large platter of fresh fruit and flew back toward Rin's location.
Watching it leave, Alice hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to follow.
We're close enough to be neighbors anyway. We'll meet eventually. The dolls' help is enough for now.
Back at the construction site, Rin, now in possession of the fruit platter, began feeding Marisa.
The moment he held out a slice of apple, she chomped down on it, washing it down with a big gulp of soup before sighing in satisfaction.
"Eating like this in the middle of the forest feels kinda nice. Maybe I'll try it myself sometime."
"Just don't pick any weird mushrooms. If you get poisoned, no one's gonna save you anytime soon."
"Relax, I'm a pro at identifying mushrooms, da☆ze!"
Marisa thumped her chest confidently.
After downing another big bowl of soup, she was fully recharged.
"Time to get back to work!"
"I'll handle the roof. You take care of the damaged parts inside. The floor's gotta be torn up and relaid."
"Yessir!!"
With that, Marisa dashed into the house like a whirlwind.
Soon, the sound of what could only be described as a dog tearing apart a home echoed from inside—proof of her boundless energy.
Meanwhile, Rin packed up the cooking gear and climbed back onto the roof with the dolls, resuming the rhythmic hammering.
Marisa kept darting in and out, hauling broken floorboards to a pile in the distance.
But after a dozen trips, her expression grew increasingly strained.
There's… way more to tear up than I thought!
"My back and arms are already shaking…"
"Can I summon Patchy to help?"
"Do you want her to die?"
"What about Reimu?"
"She'd probably start slacking the second she got here. Don't count on much help."
"Boss, why is your shop full of lazy freeloaders…?"
"Birds of a feather?"
Marisa's eye twitched. Rubbing her sore back, she could only grit her teeth and keep working.
Dammit, no more snacks for those two!
Useless!
Half an hour later…
By the time she finished tearing up all the floorboards, Marisa was slumped against the doorframe, panting like an old woman. Her back felt like it had been filled with cement—she couldn't even straighten up.
"My… my poor back…"
She let out a groan befitting an elderly woman. Her hands were also scratched up from the work, tiny splinters embedded in her skin.
It stung, but the pain was nothing compared to the agony in her spine.
Right now, she felt decades older, as if her bones were about to crumble.
Rin, having just finished the roof repairs, hopped down and hauled her over to a tree stump to rest.
As he knelt to pick out the splinters from her hands, he updated her—
"Roof's mostly done. Just need to lay the tiles back on."
"The inside's still a mess, though. Too much damage. Probably won't finish till nightfall."
"Let's work overtime and get it done in one go. We'll stay here tonight—priority is fixing the bathroom and bedroom."
"I'll lay the floor next. You rest up, then gather ingredients with the dolls later."
Hearing his detailed instructions, Marisa's eyes shimmered with gratitude.
"Boss, you're amazing. I'll definitely—"
"Your tab this time includes travel expenses, labor fees, material costs… Since you're working off your sentence without pay, you owe me an extra month of free labor."
"I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Marisa's gratitude evaporated instantly. With bloodshot eyes, she lunged for Rin's throat.
But the moment he raised his hand, she suddenly collapsed to the ground, limp.
"I haven't even cranked up your sensitivity yet."
"Sorry… just a reflex…"