Although Reimu Hakurei was lazy, it didn't mean she was unhygienic, nor would she casually put insects into a guest's tea. Thus, the true culprit had to be that damned curse... Lin Luo felt helpless. While this curse wasn't life-threatening, enduring such a continuous barrage was certainly disgusting.

Taking the tea away, Reimu poured another cup, this time with great care, ensuring no bugs appeared. Lin Luo scrutinized it carefully again before quickly drinking it down, worried that if he left it any longer, more filth might appear... Strike first and gain the upper hand, perhaps that was the sentiment.

After introducing themselves, the group finally got to know each other properly. Seeing the hundred thousand kōsen (incense money), Reimu generously allowed Lin Luo to call her by her given name. However, Alice warned him sternly not to call her Devastator again, or she would turn hostile, prompting a foolish grin from Marisa.

"So, that's the situation. I need your help with this, Reimu." Lin Luo briefly explained what had happened at the Kirisame Magic Shop, naturally omitting the passionate encounter with Marisa and the secret involving Alice. "This isn't exactly an incident, so I won't ask you to help for free. I'll come to worship here every day from now on and offer kōsen."

Although Hakurei Reimu was dubbed the Hundred Thousand Priestess, in reality, she was only concerned with kōsen. She had little concept of money because, in Gensokyo, aside from food, there were virtually no places requiring expenditure; even meals often didn't cost anything. Therefore, money was largely superfluous... Lin Luo certainly didn't think giving her a hundred thousand meant he could just do whatever he pleased—that would be courting death.

But if it was kōsen, Reimu would be delighted to accept. Lin Luo’s objective in doing this was twofold: first, to secure a favor with Reimu, and second, to use it as an excuse to frequent the Hakurei Shrine daily and foster a closer relationship with the uninhibited shrine maiden. After all, the neighbor gets the moon first. This saying was worth considering.

Hearing Lin Luo’s words, Reimu was indeed pleased and immediately asked, "How much kōsen have you prepared?"

"Heh heh," Lin Luo smiled slightly, adopting the look of a nouveau riche tycoon. "Money isn't the issue. What interests me more is, Reimu, do you prefer the kōsen in currency or in gold?"

"That... gold would be better, I suppose," Reimu pondered for a moment. Gold coins were easier to preserve than paper money and less prone to damage. Just recently, some rare kōsen had been burned up in a blaze during a feast hosted by a certain drunkard. She really had reason to hesitate.

"Then I'll give you a gold bar first, consider it compensation for the damage I caused to the shrine earlier." Lin Luo’s words were skillfully chosen; it wasn't a reward, but compensation, making the giving of it seem completely justified. Then, with an empty grab, a palm-sized gold bar materialized on the table.

Marisa and Alice had seen Lin Luo conjure objects from thin air before, and Reimu, frequently aided by a certain Peeping Tom, was quite accustomed to such things, so none of them showed surprise. However, when their eyes fell upon the glittering gold bar, they all involuntarily blinked.

"Is this gold pure, by any chance?" Marisa seemed to have taken some interest and reached out to grab the bar. But before her hand could make contact, Reimu on the other side snatched it away with lightning speed—a speed that surpassed light, surpassed electricity, surpassed the divine, unparalleled in the world.

"This is kōsen." Reimu glared warningly at Marisa, signaling that anyone who dared touch her kōsen would be considered her enemy, and then carefully tucked the gold bar away.

Marisa scratched her head, appearing somewhat awkward. Alice seemed used to such displays, her expression unchanged. Lin Luo remained calm, as expected, feeling smug inside.

"This curse is a bit troublesome, actually. I heard a bit about it from Marisa just now..." Since she had accepted the money, dealing with the matter was unavoidable. Reimu didn't deliberately stall and stated the facts plainly. "It's not the first time I've heard of something like a Cursed Box. I can indeed sense a faint aura of misfortune on both of you, though Marisa's seems lighter, while yours..."

Reimu looked at Lin Luo, her expression faintly serious, yet her tone remained quite relaxed. "I estimate that most of the magic from that Cursed Box has concentrated on you. The signs of misfortune on you are more than ten times stronger than Marisa's."

"No way?" Lin Luo was startled by this statement, looking both surprised and deeply annoyed. If Reimu was right, this was monumentally unfair! They were afflicted simultaneously, so why was his misfortune so much greater than Marisa's? Wasn't gender equality advocated nowadays?

Reimu nodded affirmatively. As the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, if she couldn't judge even this correctly, she shouldn't be doing the job.

"That’s great! Then it seems I'm fine, haha." Compared to Lin Luo’s dejection, Marisa was quite excited. She had prepared for the worst outcome, but hearing Reimu say this was undoubtedly a blessing in disguise.

Lin Luo: "..." Retracting his previous statement, she's still hopelessly simple-minded.

Reimu leisurely took a sip of tea and delivered a timely blow: "Don't celebrate too soon. Even if your curse is lighter, it doesn't mean you're lucky. For instance, if you tried to steal something right now, you'd definitely get caught."

Marisa's cheer abruptly ceased, and she glared at Reimu with dissatisfaction. "When have I ever stolen anything? I only ever borrow from others, alright?"

"Mm, borrowing without returning," Alice interjected with a slight smile and a nod of agreement.

The casual and relaxed demeanor of the three was truly grating to Lin Luo. He gently tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention, and then asked Reimu, "Do you have a way to solve this? It's becoming inconvenient for me just to walk or eat."

If it were a straightforward physical attack, Lin Luo wouldn't fear it, but curses... he had absolutely no defense against such messy mysticism. His only reliance right now was Reimu.

To his disappointment, Reimu shook her head. "The Hakurei Shrine Maiden isn't responsible for this area. While I can ward off minor misfortunes and invite good luck, at most I can only offer prayers; I can't concretely change your luck value. Moreover, the curse on you has already exceeded what mere prayer can address."

It's over.

Lin Luo was on the verge of tears. Reimu's words made him realize his tragic future was about to begin. Perhaps he would end up dying by tripping while walking, getting run over while crossing the street, choking to death on water, or expiring from sheer frustration because his instant noodles lacked a seasoning packet—the most absurd ways to die imaginable.

"Of course, you shouldn't be overly pessimistic. While the curse is troublesome, it’s not entirely without a solution." Perhaps because it didn't concern her directly, Reimu remained quite composed. Seeing Lin Luo's expectant gaze, she slowly continued, "In fact, a curse is a form of misfortune; it gathers around a person and disperses because of a person. You are currently like an aggregate of misfortune; it will attract more bad luck, making you even more unfortunate..."

"Doesn't that make it worse?" Upon hearing this, Lin Luo nearly bit off his tongue.

"I haven't finished speaking yet." Reimu gave him a faint side-eye and went on. "What I just described was the gathering aspect. Next is the dispersal. Actually, dispersing it isn't overly difficult. Broadly speaking, there are two methods. First, the opposite of misfortune is luck. If you can find enough lucky objects, you might be able to offset the misfortune. Second, among youkai and gods, some subsist on misfortune. If you can find one of those beings to consume the bad luck, your problem will be solved."

"Luck, or having misfortune eaten?" Reimu's words instantly made Lin Luo's eyes gleam. Even if he didn't know the true extent of the Hakurei Shrine Maiden's magic, he knew her statements weren't groundless. Based on his understanding of Gensokyo, creatures fitting those descriptions actually existed.

In the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, there was a rabbit youkai, also known as the Lucky Rabbit, named Inaba Tei, who possessed the ability to influence human luck. While in most cases, she could only ensure travelers in the maze safely returned home before the luck subsided—that was only because the Lucky Rabbit had left. Conversely, if she were kept nearby, perhaps the luck would continue indefinitely.

However, that rabbit was cunning, prone to lying and manipulation, and enjoyed tormenting humans. Furthermore, she lived in the most bewildering labyrinth of all, the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. Given his current level of misfortune, the probability of finding her was tiny. Even if he managed to catch her, she was Kaguya’s "pet." If he angered Kaguya, he might even draw out Eirin Yagokoro, who stood behind her... Eirin Yagokoro was a bizarre entity on the same level as Yukari Yakumo, and with his current strength, he absolutely could not afford to provoke her. The Lucky Rabbit would have to be set aside for the time being.

As for the second method, a being that could consume misfortune resided on Youkai Mountain, though she wasn't a youkai, but a god: Hina Kagiyama, the little goddess of misfortune who enjoyed spinning. Her ability was to gather misfortune. Simply put, to prevent humans from encountering disaster, she monitored and collected bad luck, and she could also absorb the misfortune from others without becoming unlucky herself.

Given her tendency to spin, perhaps seeking her help would work, as that was fundamentally her job. But the problem was... the sheer amount of misfortune surrounding her was immense. Approaching her rashly would be like adding fuel to the fire. Even if she could consume his misfortune, there was a real question as to whether he would survive long enough to reach that point.

Therefore, both methods presented significant challenges.

At this juncture, Reimu spoke again: "However, there are things about the Cursed Box that I don't fully understand. I don't think it's just about simple misfortune. Before anything else, it would be best to find someone who can provide detailed information about the Cursed Box's origins."

"Who should I look for?"

"Patchouli."

"..." Fine. It looked like a trip to the Scarlet Devil Mansion was necessary.