Mob Yandere

[Part 3/4]

The middle-aged lumberjack followed the hunter. The muscular man, who also served as the village's bodyguard, had actually encountered youkai in his line of work and had experience in smashing them to death with his axe. Twenty years ago, he was praised as a hero for chopping a giant insect monster that attacked the village into pieces with his 2-handed axe. His words truly terrified the villagers.

"...Like it's someone else's problem!! Isuke, if you had properly killed it when you encountered it last time, we wouldn't be in this situation!!? You didn't just injure it and let it come back, did you!? Hey, is that gun of yours unloaded, huh!!?"

One of the men accused him. But the hunter aimed his matchlock gun to intimidate him as he tried to grab him. The lumberjack hurriedly calmed him down.

"Stop it! There's no point in fighting among ourselves!! Isuke, lower your gun! Lower it!!"

"..."

At the lumberjack's words, the hunter clicked his tongue but stopped aiming the matchlock gun.

"...Anyway, we need to report this to the higher-ups. Now, what will happen?"

The lumberjack sighed. Should they wait for experts or government troops to come while barricading themselves? Or should they all go hunting in the mountains...?

"A trap?"

The lumberjack looked puzzled at the hunter's suggestion.

"We can use leftover meat. We'll ambush it and beat it up. It's a pretty effective method against bears."

"That's..."

The lumberjack glanced around. The villagers looked at him with disdain.

"We haven't even held a funeral or buried anyone yet, you know? How could you suggest something so sacrilegious...! Who do you think will explain this to the families!?"

"I told you. Bears are persistent. Even if we bury it, they'll just dig it up. So we should make effective use of it."

"You heartless monster!"

"The opponent isn't human, you know."

The calm response to the men's insults. A plan without blood or tears. However... he couldn't ignore the words of an expert.

"...The decision is up to the higher-ups. We should make a proposal. Also, don't let the body into the village. Don't send it to the family either. If the story is true, it's dangerous. Let's just gather it at the edge of the village. ...Can someone keep watch?"

The lumberjack asked. No one responded. Who would want to? What are we supposed to do if we face a bear youkai? We'd just get eaten.

"If the bear find it, you don't need to stop it. Just blow the whistle and call for help."

"Then you stay behind."

One of the village men complained, but the hunter just snorted. If the officials and the village head don't have experts explain things directly, there's no way to convince anyone or create a sense of urgency.

"Don't be stupid. ...Hey, Miko's brat. You live close, right?"

...Ah, I saw this coming. They want me to keep watch the trap.

"...Yeah, at least can I get a charm and some weapons?"

For now, it's best to get as much stuff as possible. Haha, this is ridiculous...

* * *

"It's terrible. Only one charm, and you stay here..."

"Of course, no one wants to stay behind. ...Well, I'll just make up some excuse. It's not like I'll be watching the whole time."

I said this to my mother, who brought me some rice balls close to the trap. Sitting on a log, I took the salty rice and bit into it. Yeah, it's good.

"Should I stay too?"

"It won't change anything if you're here, mother. ...What about Shirona?"

"She's sulking. She was looking forward to playing..."

Yesterday, we played until night. Today, we were supposed to play Hina dolls. That plan got ruined, and my little sister is upset.

"I'm sorry for causing trouble."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry for always making things hard for you. I wish I could have let you rest..."

My mother looked pained, thinking about my struggles.

"It's not like you need to worry about that... But shouldn't you head home soon? It's not good to leave that kid alone for too long, right?"

After all, if a youkai attacked while my little sister was home alone... I have protective charms at home, but they're just cheap government-issued ones meant for commoners. Honestly, who knows how effective they really are? Just thinking about my sister makes me worry. It's because she's only half safe, right? If the charms were 100% pure, they would work, right? I can trust that, right?

...Those who believe will be saved (rolling eyes).

"I've packed my things. If it comes down to it, I can carry my stuff and grab that child to escape home right away. Don't worry. ...You too, if anything happens, you need to run, okay? Don't push yourself too hard."

"Of course, mother. I don't want to die just to protect a dead person."

I glanced at the bodies covered in straw that we had gathered in a distant spot before I spoke. It was true. If a real monster showed up, I planned to run and hide immediately. I wouldn't complain about facing a youkai... right?

"...Look forward to dinner, okay? I'll make it special."

"You don't have to go all out, mother... Just make it like usual. It's still before winter, after all. We need to save up."

The story of the ant and the grasshopper is simple. In reality, even if you try hard to save, there are people who freeze or starve to death in winter. We shouldn't waste our precious supplies on something like this.

"But――okay, I understand. I'll do as you say."

She tried to argue, but when she met my gaze, she finally accepted it. She probably wanted to share her portion, but looking into my eyes made her give up. This delicate person knew that doing something unwanted isn't a good deed. Unwanted kindness can sometimes become a burden for others.

"Really, I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble... I'm a bad mother, aren't I?"

"I'm not alive without that useless mother, so it's a fair trade, right?"

"Hehe. That's a terrible way to say it, isn't it?"

Saying that, my mother wipes my mouth with a cloth. After putting my jacket on me, she folds up the bamboo leaves that wrapped my rice balls. Then, she comes closer and hugs me.

Tight, and gently embracing...

"Mother..."

"Don't do anything reckless, okay?"

She make a whisper like a prayer. I wonder how long she has been doing this. Finally, when she releases me from her arms, she smiles gently once more. Then, she gathers her things and turns to head home.

"...I'm not a baby, you know."

It's a bit too much to be treated like a child. I feel a little embarrassed, but I watch my mother's back as she walks away for a while. I see her figure getting smaller in the distance, and I refocus on my watch duty. After all...

"Being careless is the enemy."

What I'm gripping and looking down at is a borrowed short spear. It's my only weapon, but honestly, I wonder how effective it will be against youkai. It's just for peace of mind. I have a charm in my pocket, but I just hope it has some effect to keep them away...

"If I actually encounter one, will I have time to blow the whistle?"

Running away, or maybe hiding... at least fighting is out of the question. I mean, the moment I blow the whistle, a monster might rush in and beat me to death.

"Haha, that's not a joke."

It's truly a bad draw. Damn, Miko's family has no relatives in the village, and besides, I'm an outsider born outside the village... Ah. No good. Once I start thinking about it, all my grudges and complaints come flooding back. It just proves how ugly and lowly people can be...

"...?"

I was thinking about some pointless complaints in my head, but then I suddenly shivered with a chill. I instinctively hid behind a log. Silence. I held my breath. Slowly, I peeked out to look at the snowy field.

(When I'm talking about it, but it's already here...!!?)

I cursed my accurate intuition. Then I confirmed it again.

It was bigger than an adult. A huge, black, furry body. A growling, fierce voice. Its face was hidden by long fur. All I could see were its fangs and glowing eyes peeking through the fur. A 4-legged monster emerged from the forest, stepping onto the snowfield.

"A bear cub? That's it? No way...!!?"

The hunter thought it was a bear cub, but there was no way that was a cub. Well, it's not strange since there are youkai that are the size of a normal person, but...

(Whatever the case, this is too much to handle!!)

With the bear spear I had, I couldn't imagine being able to kill that thing. If it charged at me without warning, I'd be eaten alive. A whistle? Don't joke with me. That would be suicide.

(I'll just wait it out... right. Waiting it out is the right choice...!!)