[Part 2/4]
"Haah..."
It's not a fox... That was the most reassuring fact, even if it was baseless. At least, my sister's existence wasn't known, and there was no worry about being targeted because being possessed by a fox. That was fortunate.
"There's a possibility they might attack the village. We need to strengthen our defenses. Tomorrow, we'll organize patrol and extermination teams. Everyone, prepare your weapons."
"Are you serious...?"
"Should we just call the government troops or exorcists?"
The men whispered among themselves at the supervisor's declaration. The fact that they didn't openly oppose it showed how seriously they took the existence of youkai.
Youkai... beings that exist outside of human understanding. It was unthinkable to leave them alone, and it was only natural to exterminate them as soon as possible. The great chaos caused by monsters that drastically reduced the population of Fusō happened just a hundred years ago, and the horrific tales of that time were deeply engraved in the hearts of the people. Compromise was not an option. That was the norm.
(My family is probably not normal...)
Even if she was a child born from mother's pain, hiding and raising a half-monster was something that would make a saint come to beat her to death. It was common for youkai to attack human women, and there were often cases of them getting pregnant. Most of the children born were either strangled on the spot or discarded...
(But, at this point...)
It was completely unthinkable to abandon or strangle her now. To do such a thing to my innocent little sister, who sweetly relied on me and our mother... Unfortunately, I couldn't be that cruel. I had become attached. Or maybe this was the seductive power of the youkai fox? No, that couldn't be.
"...And you, kid, you're fine. Just do your patrol at home."
"...Huh?"
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice I was being called until it was too late. I froze for a moment, then understood the supervisor's order and felt confused.
"...Is that okay?"
"Brats aren't really useful. Your house is far away. Just take care of your mom. It would be a real shame if we left you alone and you got eaten."
The supervisor replied to my question with a look of genuine annoyance. It was more like he was treating me like a ticking time bomb rather than someone to respect. And that was the reason my mother had managed to survive all this time despite being persecuted.
"...Understood."
Feeling awkward under the painful gazes around me, I agreed. Honestly, I wanted to avoid both the hunt and the village patrol since my life was at risk. If I could take it easy, that would be best.
...And there was my little sister to think about. I didn't want to be too far from home.
"...Alright. Then I'll assign the rest of the tasks."
The supervisor, who had been looking at me suspiciously for a moment, quickly started calling out names to assign the remaining villagers to the hunt and patrol...
"...So that's the situation. It's probably best to avoid the mountains for a while. There might be patrols showing up at this cabin too."
After being handed some firewood instead of my unpaid wages, I headed home, brushing off the snow as I reported to my mother. When they come to visit, I'll have to hide Shirona. I'll have her hide in the closet or something.
"You're staying here, right?"
"Looks like it, mother. I do need to check around the house a bit, though."
Still, it was better than being with the other guys. Maybe the rumors about being possessed by a fox could be useful sometimes...?
"Good. Then let's take it easy for a while, okay? It's been really cold lately... so let's warm up at home?"
My mother, Ine of the Miko family, is in her thirties. She responds to my report with gentle words. She adds more firewood to the irori (hearth) and encourages me to warm myself by it.
"Big brother? Are you home? For a long time!?"
Then, a little child comes running from the back of the house towards me. She looks up at me with hopeful eyes, and I can't help but smile wryly at my little sister's white figure.
"Not for a long time. Just until the youkai are dealt with."
"Until then, you'll stay home, right!? You will, right? You're not busy, right!? Then, you'll play with me, right!?"
My little sister happily interrupts my correction, firing off a barrage of words. It seems she hasn't thought deeply about what I said, as she doesn't seem to feel any sense of crisis. She just looks really happy to have someone to play with.
...For my little sister, who can hardly go outside, family is her only playmate. The home and family are everything to her. But even family can't always pay attention to her because of work and chores. For a child who wants to play, it must feel like torture. She might not know much about the world. Maybe it's smart of her to stay home and keep her promises.
"I'll check around the house. And I have some work to do at home too. I'll help out since I have free time. I can't just eat without doing anything, right?"
"Eh!? Ugh..."
At my suggestion, Shirona seems to sulk. She hangs her head. She doesn't complain or resist because she understands which side is right. Though she seems young, my sister is surprisingly wise.
"..."
I exchange glances with my mother, who has a troubled smile. I shrug my shoulders. We both agree. Then, I pat my little sister's head. Shirona jumps a bit and looks up at me...
"Okay, okay. I'll make some time for you, so don't be sad. So? What game... 'Nii-sama!!' Whoa!?"
I had no choice but to listen to my little sister's request, and just as I was halfway through comforting her, she jumped on me. I couldn't catch her, and I ended up falling on my backside.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch... Seriously, that was dangerous, you know?"
"Sorry, big brother! So, so! Let's play with the juggling balls! Juggling battle! And also, doll play! And, and...!!"
Ignoring my complaints, my little fox sister was on top of me, her eyes sparkling as she listed all the games she wanted to play. She was as excited as a wild animal. It might have been a display of her youkai instincts, prioritizing emotions. No, wait. Stop wiggling your hips. I can feel the weight. Ouch, that hurts!
"Hey, you're too excited, okay? Get off me, Shirona!"
Seeing this, our mother pulled my sister away from me. Shirona looked a bit embarrassed as she glanced at me, as if she had come back to her senses. It might seem a bit obvious, but that's probably reading too much into it. I let out a deep sigh. It can't be helped.
"...For now, let's start with juggling. We can do it after we finish weaving the sandals. ...Can you wait until then?"
"...!! Yeah!!"
At my words, my little white sister nodded energetically.
The next morning. Two men from the village, who were on night patrol, found something near the edge of the village, close to a house, in a state of being ravaged...
"Kisuke and Kazuki..."
"This is terrible. Is this what people do?"
"It's a monster. It can do this much."
Red spots scattered across the white snowfield. As they watched the scene of the meat being cleaned up, the villagers whispered.
"Hey, kid. Didn't you hear any screams?"
Among the men, an older man asked. All eyes turned to me. I shook my head in response.
"At least, I didn't hear it. Mother didn't hear it either."
"Is that so?"
An awkward silence. My words weren't lies, and the villagers wouldn't criticize with reason. Last night, there was a light snowstorm. Snow absorbs sound. Even though the distance was the closest, it was still pretty far. It was entirely possible that they were killed before they could scream.
That aside, it's natural to feel bad towards the person who was closest. Especially if that house is cursed. Did they just leave it alone? It's a natural feeling to have doubts like that in the back of my mind.
(...What a bad draw.)
I wished it had happened further away. I couldn't help but think such a terrible thing and glanced at the meat wrapped in cloth, feeling regret. If it weren't for these guys, our family might have gone straight to the house. Maybe the 3 of us would have been enjoying a feast together. The insults were misplaced.
"...If it's a bear that's turned into a youkai, this isn't just a one-time attack."
The young hunter, Tamai Isuke, who also serves as a bodyguard for the village and the village head, broke the silence. The young hunter, who had just taken over, spoke, and those present began to murmur and look at each other. They trembled with anxiety and fear.
"Bears are persistent. They're also bold. They've tasted human flesh. They probably understand we're easy prey. This village is a feeding ground for them. They'll come back again and again. Until they've eaten everything."
"Is that...?"
One of the villagers was shocked. The two people who were killed were in a terrible state. What if this continues?
"They'll break into homes and eat the wives and the brats. That's how bears and youkai are."
"They might drag them back to their den. If this is happening in winter, they need food. They might turn them into preserved food."
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