Mob Yandere

[Part 3/4]

(Yes, without limits...)

At the same time, the conversation with the lady, who turned her back on me, passed through my mind...

...

...

'It's quite easy to take your life.'

'However, your position is entangled with numerous complexities and interests. It's unwise to dispose of you easily.'

'That's why that person gave you an opportunity.'

'Your duty is simple and clear. Serve faithfully by that person's side, that's all.'

'No one can defy that person. No one can harm that person.'

'And you shoulder everything.'

'Will you decline? That's alright too. I don't want to force you into anything. Certainly, someone without motivation cannot fulfill the role of a sacrificial pawn. However...'

'Hehehe. You have such a cute little sister, don't you?'

...

...

"..."

It was after escaping from 'Mayoiga.' After parting with Botan and fell asleep, I was jolted back to consciousness by the sensation of swaying on horseback. The words exchanged immediately upon regaining consciousness, the words delivered to me. They were a threat, a curse. The unique and only phrase that could compel me to obey.

(Truly, relentless. Magoroku and the others are thorough as well. It's almost impressive...)

Thinking about the one who desperately serves under Tamaki, I grit my teeth in secret.

Suppressing the turmoil within my chest, I continue to feign calmness. Expressionless, unresponsive, concealing my emotions. I didn't know what I might do if I let my emotions take over.

The path leading to the depths of the mansion felt so, so long...

"...Here is far enough. Thanks for your time. You can leave now."

In the corridor of the main hall, Yuusei announces in front of the sliding doors leading to the master's study. In other words, it means not to enter beyond this point.

"You must be tired from being outside today, right? Rest in your own room."

"Yes."

Sumire bows in response to the comforting words that seem devoid of any genuine concern, then turns on her heel. As I return to the corridor, there's only one thing I wish for: that my skull won't be crushed by the two who might change their minds in the next moment.

Now, in an almost eternal short time... I continue down the corridor, turning the corner, and disappearing from the view of the two. Yet, my unease doesn't disappear. I only feel relieved when I finally leave the main hall and step into the garden.

Sumire's blade... frankly, the clan is still the clan. Even if I'm away from her, it seems likely that her slashing strike could still reach me, but she probably won't change her mind from this distance. I exhale a faint sigh of relief.

"...I'm going crazy."

Walking through the garden, which probably spans several dome-sized venues due to the space-warping effect, I involuntarily mutter.

Honestly, it's been just over a week since I was appointed to the side of the lord. My mind has been utterly exhausted. Since taking on this new role, my mind hasn't found any rest, far from sound sleep, and both my mind and body have worn out.

It's because fear of death. But that's not the only reason. Being confronted with the fact that allies and friends are drifting away, being shown the fact that I'm being hated by those around me, having the lives of my loved ones in the hands of others... more than anything, repressing this simmering anger has been an unbearable pain.

"...!!"

The moment I realize this, I find myself pounding my fist into the nearby tree trunk as my emotions dictate. It's a blow delivered by my bare hand, but without using spiritual power, without transforming into a youkai, and without wearing gloves, it doesn't break the trunk. I couldn't afford to break it. So, instead, what hurts is my own fist, and that was expected, but it was also fortunate.

Because I can still deceive myself about the vivid sensation of strangling a person's neck that remains in my palm.

"Ugh...!!? Haah..."

The pain in my bones feels like a heavy ache, and the little red drops coming from my scraped skin remind me that this is real. I take a really big sigh, trying to let go of my anger. The rush of blood to my head is starting to go away...

No, this won't do. Don't lose control. Recklessness leads to self-destruction. Be patient. Keep waiting. There's no use in going crazy right now. It's smarter to just get beaten in return. Even if things go really wrong and everything turns out bad, there won't be anything left. I won't have anything to leave behind. I won't be able to keep anything safe. So...!!

(It's tough to have to seek revenge for the original's happy ending.)

Both are necessary. Both can't be overlooked. Both... Sigh, I've become quite greedy myself. It seems like my mind has been heavily influenced.

"...Truly, it's about time to head back."

How long had I stayed there? Finally calming my mind, I started my journey back home. Magoroku might be one thing, but Mari is perceptive about human emotions. I didn't want to scare her. Already being forced to change residences due to others' convenience, and with Iruka not here, there's no way it could have been suitable for her emotions considering her age.

Before I knew it, the sky had turned dark, and the moon had shifted its light to the second hour. I continued along the night road where crickets chirped. In the distance, I reached the place I should return to, the place where I feel most at ease in this mansion.

"Hmm...?"

And then, I noticed her presence.

"...Oh my, you're surprisingly late, aren't you? I thought you'd come back a bit earlier, and I had a bet going. Could it be that you were lingering somewhere?"

In front of the cabin I was supposed to return to, her long hair, the color of a wet raven's wing, fluttered as she turned and smiled brightly at me.

The first princess of the Onitsuki family, Onitsuki Hina, was there. Her delicate body was illuminated by the moonlight, outlining her in a fantastical manner.

A beauty to look back on, such words passed through my mind without thinking.

"...Princess Hina?"

"Hehe, my apologies. I came to visit suddenly... Could you spend some time with me for a while?"

With an expression filled with both grace and affection, she invited me for a nighttime stroll...

A harmonious miniature garden spreads in the depths of the vast mansion. It was originally an open space set aside to establish defenses when the mansion was under attack. After the Great War, it was created by the fifth-generation head of the Onitsuki family, who had a hobby for gardening.

With considerable funds, renowned gardeners were summoned from the capital, and by incorporating grass dolls obtained from alchemists of the Southern Barbarians, the garden's landscaping is maintained semi-permanently and automatically...

"Hey, do you remember? In the past, you used to wander around this vast garden, calling it exploration?"

"..."

As I remained silent in response to Hina's question, she tilted her head and then, as if realizing something, her expression changed. She smiled and began to speak.

"Don't worry. As far as I can see, no one is watching or listening. Even if someone managed to hide well, if they were to tattle, I would cover for you. ...It's my selfishness. Didn't I say that before? I don't want to talk formally until this point."

In response to my concerns, Hina reassured me. Her cheerful and somewhat haughty attitude prompted me to respond in kind.

"Yes. I remember... I remember when the princess got lost and was crying."

"Oh, can you tell me?"

Once we started talking, it was as if a dam had burst. Walking aimlessly through the bamboo grove in a corner of the garden, Hina and I began sharing stories.

It was a tale of the two of us exploring all over the mansion. It was about Hina's pranks that led to scoldings. It was about squabbles over snacks, and it was about the time Hina, frightened by thunder, crawled into bed, crying.

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