Mob Yandere

[Part 4/4]

My face was grabbed, and an evil beauty filled my vision. The fox laughed at my question.

"It's a shame. This is going to be more interesting."

The fox denied my words, and with a grin like the Slit-Mouthed Woman, continued to distort her face.

"This is a technique taught by Ane-sama. It takes a lot of power, but if I can tame the golden egg-laying hen, it's worth it. Let me show you one of the youkai fox's secret techniques... the Revised Fantasy..."

* * *

The sound of "crunch" echoed. It was the sound of digging into the frozen earth, where the water in the soil had turned into frost.

The sound of "crunch" echoed again. I dug into the earth with my shovel, breaking up the frozen soil and exposing it to the air.

This was soil preparation, and it was a cultivated field. To nurture the soil's fertility, we had to get rid of the pests and their eggs that were harmful to the crops. This ongoing work was to exterminate the pests that fed on the soil's nutrients, using the cold weather to our advantage.

"Hey, isn't it ridiculous to kill them in this cold weather?"

"What's with you, saying that out loud?"

My muttering was interrupted. I turned to see a scrawny farmer and a laborer with a miserable appearance. Their faces were gaunt, weathered from the sun, cold, and hard labor... they didn't exactly look kind.

"Move your hands before you open your mouth. We need to dig up all of this area by today. Do you think I'm going to do extra work for you?"

Our wages were paid daily, and the amount was fixed. The supervisor didn't bother to calculate it based on our performance, so we had to divide the workload equally among ourselves. We couldn't get paid until we finished our tasks.

"...You too. Don't slack off, okay? I won't do anything outside of my assigned tasks."

I warned them, my tone venomous. I had calculated the area and assigned the workload equally, and they reluctantly agreed. Some of them looked unhappy, probably because they didn't want to do extra work.

"Ugh, you're really something, kid."

The old man gritted his teeth, showing his rotten teeth. Then, we resumed work. I couldn't keep talking all day either. I silently started digging again...

"Hey, it's a salary! Line up! Hurry up!"

The farmhand's work ended about 2 hours later. In the quiet, cold air, the supervisor hired by the landowner distributed the pay packets.

"..."

I opened the packet, revealing the contents, and examined them while exhaling a white breath. There was a 100-mon coin, some 4-mon coins, and one-mon coins... totaling 100 26 mon.

"...yeah."

It was clearly lower than the standard daily wage. I had worked more than half a day, and this was... but when I looked at the guards standing by the supervisor's side, I knew no one would dare to complain. There were hunters with guns, woodcutters, and even exorcists...

"..."

I quickly left the scene, feeling the approaching winter. It was a time when dissatisfaction with the payment was spreading, and being too vocal about it would be suicidal. If I got on their bad side, they'd take all my money and throw me out into the snowfields.

...My money and body aren't just for my own sake, after all.

"So, sorry about that."

I avoided people's gaze and left the gathering, heading home on the snowy path. The hem of my winter clothing rustled as I walked. With each step, my straw sandals crushed the frost and dew, making a soft crunching sound. The overcast sky was growing darker. I had to hurry home. Night wasn't a time for humans.

...I walked for a while, and eventually, I saw it in my field of vision. A thin figure was standing in front of the small hut.

"Mom, you didn't have to wait outside for me."

"I was worried. I should have gone all the way to the workplace to greet you, but..."

My mom, who had been waiting, hurriedly put a hat on me and brushed off the snow that had accumulated on my clothes. I smiled and responded to her apologetic tone.

"It's okay, no need to worry, mom. I know you can't leave the house empty. And more importantly, yes!"

I handed the packet to my mom. She took it, looking troubled, and checked the contents.

"...You must be tired. You did a great job. We caught a bird in the trap at noon, so I made bird porridge. It's warming up by the hearth, so let's hurry up and go?"

"Yeah!"

A heartfelt thank you and an amazing report. Since we can't hunt in the mountains, our means of getting meat at home were limited. We could either buy it or catch small animals with simple traps... and in winter, birds migrate, and many beasts hibernate. We're really lucky.

"Thanks to that kid watching the trap for us... I'll praise them later, okay? They seem to be looking forward to it."

I understood the reason for the hesitant last request. She's different from me, always staying at home. She helps with household chores and handicrafts, but since she can't go outside, I knew her limitations. Above all, she... my mom would naturally feel guilty for my inner thoughts.

...But it's not like I need to worry about that.

"I got it. I'll make sure to thank them properly. You were keeping watch for the family, right? Of course."

It was a sincere and heartfelt phrase, without any hesitation. It's not her responsibility, nor is she lazy. She's doing what she can. Why would I be dissatisfied?

Rather, as a child, I should be sympathetic since I can't do what she's expected.

"Let's go! I'm starving!"

I grabbed my mom's sleeve and said something childish and silly. I knew that if I acted like a kid, my mom would feel more at ease.

"...Yeah, okay."

My mom smiled gently and took my hand, leading me back to the house. We arrived home and opened the door. The warm air from the hearth caressed my skin. Then, a small white figure jumped into my arms.

"Nii-sama! Welcome home!"

The little kid buried her face in my belly. She had pure white hair like snow, and animal-like ears grew on the top of her head.

Fox ears, which shouldn't exist on humans...

"Today, I caught a bird! Isn't it amazing!?"

For a while, I twisted my head with a grumbling stomach, and then I looked up with a big smile on my face. My eyes were shining with expectation.

"...Ah. Mom told me. You're amazing. Thank you."

And I responded to her expectations. When I stroked her head, she narrowed her eyes in delight, despite the cold sensation. She looked really happy, with a relaxed expression.

"Shiro... you know."

"What is it, Nii-sama?"

I called out her name. She tilted her head and responded. She seemed to be waiting for my words.

"...I'm back."

"Welcome home!"

My half-yokai little sister, who has a different dad than me, was super happy and responded enthusiastically to everything I said when I came home.

...Somewhere, a female fox was laughing at a fantasy.