Mob Yandere

[Part 3/4]

"...That's why. Get ready to travel anytime. You got it?"

She gave the order without looking at me. That meant that my dispatch was already decided.

"...Yes."

I bowed my head deeper and replied shortly, very shortly....

* * *

"Tengu, huh..."

I got the order to prepare for the trip, and when I was going to go out to get what I needed, I met her in the garden of the Oumi mansion. I met Hotoya Tamaki, who was training. She stopped me and she reacted to the word I said.

"...What, did something happen?"

The topic was about Tengu, and when I asked her about her tone, she answered shyly.

"Speaking of Tengu, I remember hearing a lot of stories about them in fairy tales, do you know the old tales of Tengu?"

"I have some recollection of them."

In Fusō-kuni, or rather in this world, there are many nursery rhymes and fairy tales that feature youkai. They teach children to be cautious and educated from a young age, otherwise they might die easily.

"I knew a lot of youkai stories, but I never saw any youkai in my hometown. I imagined them a lot in my head. And the one I was especially scared of was Tengu."

Lazy people have their skin peeled off their legs. Mischievous children are kidnapped and can't return to their parents. Stupid children are taken away... These are the deeds of Tengu that are depicted in many fairy tales. They tell the truth, warn against laziness, and urge to work hard.

"Honestly, I was really scared back then... When I dirtied my clothes, or ate the Manju that was hidden, I thought I would be taken away by Tengu, what should I do? I cried like a child..."

Tamaki scratched her head and gave a wry smile as if to cover up. She spoke of her childish side. Could this be...

"Are you here to ask for a favor?"

"Eek!?"

"Did I hit the mark?"

I am slightly annoyed by Tamaki's obvious reaction. She must have a reason to talk about her shame. Anyway, there are three spots. One person has been filled. And there is two left...

"Why don't you talk to her directly?"

"That is...haha. A little..."

Tamaki spoke with an evasive answer. She probably doesn't want to talk.

(Does she have a problem with Sumire?)

I don't know if there was any issue that ruined their relationship. It was probably not direct, but more like pressure or atmosphere.

I don't want to get close to that woman either, or talk to her. It feels like there is always a blade on my neck. Maybe, in the next moment, my head will fall off.

"No good, huh?"

"Well, I am just a household member. If I am not from Onitsuki, I am not a formal household member. Still, I will report later, but... don't get your hopes up."

I said the truth clearly. I don't know what I should do. Should I keep her in my sight, or should I let her go to a safe place? Anyway, I have no choice.

"Yes, right... yeah. OK. That's fine. Th, then!"

Tamaki nods and tries to convince herself. She accepts the hard reality, and looks at me with her eyes up.

"So... if we go together, will you help me, please?"

She asks weakly, without confidence, with hope. She is a tomboy girl who has a simple and cute request.

"...I will do my best."

I answered shortly. I looked away because I felt awkward to face her pure eyes.

My heart is dirty, and her eyes are too clear. They are different from me. I feel bad and guilty.

"Thank you?"

Tamaki notices what I did, and says thanks, but she tilts her head with confusion. I try to change the topic, and I see someone in my view. Or rather...

"...What happened?"

The youngest daughter of Akō was numb. Or rather, she was sitting in a triangle on the veranda of the garden. She sat there, blankly. For some reason, I could see a majestic starry sky in the background. I felt like I could hear grand music. ...And something like her silly hair (ahoge) was drooping.

"Ah. That was..."

Tamaki answered her with an indescribable expression.

...The reason for her state was apparently due to a letter. A disturbance that occurred in the Seki city in the western region. That caused the cancellation of the Akō family's Joraku (visiting capital). Not only the father who was the head of the family, but also the grandfather who was retired, and all the brothers stopped going to the capital. That seemed to hit her hard mentally.

"She kept saying that she wanted to Joraku (visit the capital). She said she was twice as strong as when she was at home. She said she would make everyone speechless."

"Is that so?"

I remember that she was a character with a high growth rate in the original work and setting. Therefore, first-time players would add her to the party... Well, she dies in most places where fighting and such are irrelevant, though.

I mean, I can't foresee that she would get a hole in her stomach on the way back from buying clothes with the protagonist in the capital. By the way, if you buy her a comb, her head will be gone. Is this going to appear on the exam?

"But... Seki city of the Western region, huh?"

Tamaki and Murasaki may not know, but I have heard some insider stories from the head of the family and Kayo. I even know from the original work knowledge. That similar troubles occurred at the Eastern and Southern regions. Especially, the problem in the Southern region is in a very bad situation.

(Youkai Salvation group?)

It's an event that was mentioned in the original work and novels. The work before the fireworks in the capital. In the original work, I didn't know the details, and the protagonist and others couldn't intervene. However, in reality, the protagonist and the Onitsuki family succeeded in intervening in the incident in the Northern region. I don't know the reason, whether their actions were faster or the schedule here was delayed.

Anyway, the other day's trouble at the Seki city was not a failure for them. That's what I think from the information I know. They could stop the Ako family from entering the city, and they got in the way of the cooperation between the Ezo tribe and the Daimyo. That should have been enough for them.

"Tomobe-kun...?"

"It's sad not to see her family. Miss Tamaki, please comfort her if you have time. She will listen to you more than me, because you are her sister student."

I say that and ask Tamaki when she calls me. I don't want Murasaki to be useless. She is very good at fighting. Even if she is not as good as the other family members, she is still important.

"...Yeah. You're right."

Tamaki looks at Murasaki and nods with some thought. Her eyes are full of kindness.

...I thought that was a good sign. In the original story, her eyes became cloudy as she was cornered, and she couldn't care about people anymore. The original story had a mental endurance section, and that changed the choices you could make. When the mental endurance was low, the choices were very bad.

When I looked at it that way, the situation seemed to have a lot of room for improvement. Was it because the awkwardness between Yukine and Iruka had eased since the incident in the city? They seemed to have made up without me knowing. That was lucky. Her mind was stable.

...As long as she didn't end up alone with Minister of the Left.

"...Well then, I'll be going now."

I shook off the worries that crossed my mind and left the place. She was bad enough as a man, but how would the Minister of the Left react if it's a girl? I couldn't imagine. But it was Minister of the Left, so I didn't think she would meet him easily. Moreover, she hadn't triggered any events yet. It'll be fine!

"..."

Feeling a strange uneasiness, I started to act to survive this job....

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