Mob Yandere

[Part 1/4]

It hurts. It hurts so bad. Even as everything goes blurry, I can still feel the pain.

This is suffering. It's like torture. Like being in hell. Like punishment for something I did wrong. But no, it's not fair or something that can be fixed. In a strange way, it almost feels like comfort, like I'm just lost in my own thoughts... maybe even stuck in this sad way of thinking...

'Here we go again. You always say that.'

"...?"

A voice whispers from somewhere, sounding tired and annoyed. It's not that guy. It's not the cursed god. Not even some dumb spider. Then... who is it?

"Who...?"

I search through the void. In the emptiness, not even dark, just empty. I struggle, trying to find them. To meet them. Just to see them once.

I search. I keep searching. But I can't find them. I don't know where are they. I feel uneasy. Time's running out.

I go deeper, sinking down. Deeper and deeper. My breathing gets shaky from the nerves. I don't need to breathe like this. It's a problem with my heart.

I dig deeper. I push past the walls around my heart. I finally see it──just a glimpse of their back.

'...'

They turns around. Looks at me with a complicated expression. They shrug, like they're unsure. There's a wry smile, like they're wondering why they're even here. My eyes widen with relief. I reach out, run towards them, desperate to reach them...

'Too bad, time's up~♪'

"!?"

A sudden, chilling announcement echoed. In the next moment, countless hands grab hold of me. I turn around, and all I see is a face, smiling wide, filling my whole view.

'Now, it's time to get bigger, my cute, cute boy?'

Saying such nonsense, the ominous green goddess murmured, trapping my cheeks in her hands so I couldn't escape, as if examining her prey...

...

...

...

"Mufufufufu! All right, then! Time for a change in plans! Now begins the god nose-hair-pulling hour, brought to you by this mighty Akane-sama's hands!"

"What the heck are you doing?"

"Ouch!?"

I shot a chop at the lizard little girl who'd been closing in, partly as a jab at her ridiculous idea.

"Awaaaaah!! Akane-oneechan, the demon (oni)'s awake!!'

"My forehead! My forehead hurts!"

I sighed, sitting up in bed. Looking around, I noticed I was in a private room.

In front of me, a lizard girl held her head in pain, and a trembling cow-girl, Ume, seemed on the verge of tears. She looked like the world had ended.

(Come on, no need to scream like you've been cursed. I didn't even chop that hard!)

"So, uh, where is this..."'

I dug through my memory, trying to understand what was happening. Then, I fixed my gaze on the two girls with a questioning look.

"Are... are you two okay?"

Just before I'd been pulled into a past vision, they'd both been captured and seemed to have fainted. I worriedly asked about their well-being.

"...My forehead hurts!"

"Uh... did we do something bad again?"

They exchanged puzzled looks, scratching their heads, half-guilty and half-confused. Just what are these two...

"Hey, what do you two think you're doing to our sleeping guest?"

A voice called out from behind, cutting through my thoughts. The two girls jumped, their shoulders shaking. I turned to see her, arms crossed, wearing a look of pure exasperation on her face.

Azuma Hibari quietly slid open the shoji door and entered the room unnoticed. She snorted and ordered the mischievous kids to leave.

The lizard girl quickly ran out, dragging her almost-crying little sister (Ume) with her. They left in a hurry, three times faster than usual.

"What are you doing kids...? Hah, if you want to act like an big sister, you should teach them instead of playing tricks."

"Azuma-dono. This is..."

"Wait, wait. It's fine as it is. ...Don't push yourself."

Azuma Hibari sighed. She stopped me from getting up in a rush and continued speaking while I lay down.

"I've already heard most of the story. About Shiro and everything, from the Princess of Onitsuki. You've had a hard time, haven't you?"

Her words were kind, but my doubts only grew deeper.

"...This isn't an illusion, right? How many days has it been?"

"About ten days. I can't clearly prove it's not an illusion right now. If anything, the fact that you can doubt it is proof."

Illusions fade the moment they are questioned, and they start to show cracks if you feel something is off, especially if they're not something grand that takes a part of the past away.

"...I have a lot to talk about, but can you explain things first?"

"Of course. Alright, I'll tell you."

If I doesn't understand the situation correctly, I might say something completely off. The Tanuki girl sitting nearby began to explain the details to me.

"Your plan worked out well... I think. There wasn't a big reaction from the curse tools that observe past alterations."

"I didn't even know those existed... By the way, who has them?"

At this point, I could tell that Azuma had already grasped a lot of the situation. I also realized there was some outrageous setting I didn't know about. What the heck is that...?

"It started with the princess of Onitsuki, but the Omnyouji Bureau has something similar. Plus, Miyataka... I got confirmation from the Bureau Head based on the report from the princess of Onitsuki. I can't meet with Miyataka directly, so I had to send a message."

"Let's put Aoi-sama aside for now... so you know about Miyataka too?"

I wondered if she'd hear something about letting that infamous princess into her house.

"I understand it's hard to refuse due to your position. I know she's wild and a troublemaker... but I still can't accept it."

Her quiet anger was mostly directed at the situation, but some was aimed at me. She seemed to suspect the cause, even if she didn't say it outright.

She likely held back from accusing me due to the lack of evidence.

"After the curse broke and she returned, it seems she left the mansion right away. The second princess of yours, who came with Ako's young lady, checked on you while you were passed out in the room. Then she sent someone to take over the management of the orphanage quietly."

It was clear this was Aoi's consideration. If exorcists discovered the use of a forbidden youkai technique, especially in the Center region's Spiritual Vein, it would be a death sentence.

I'd be blamed for not completing my duty, but Aoi would never allow that. This was all a cover-up using her power.

"Being the head of the Omnyouji Bureau, this is something I should report... Well, it's probably better to 'forget' about it for now. There's nothing to gain for me if it becomes an official matter. But..."

She paused, then revealed... a rubber hammer?

"Something about this feels familiar to me."

"Hm? Well, this was made a long time ago... it's rare. Who had it?"

I tilt my head at the déjà vu I feel from the curse-tool in Azuma's hand, and she tilts her head too. Unfortunately, I have no way to answer.

"I see. Well, it's fine. This is a curse-tool that turns memories into solid objects and sends them away. I'll have you send some later. It might be better for you not to know anything, right?"

Thinking about my position where I might be forced to reveal the truth by having my memories read, I guess this is a kind of consideration. I can't really be happy about it, though.

"It's not fun to have your memories messed with, that's true. But you'll have to accept it. I'll make sure everything balances out, and in the future, you'll get it back. After all, this situation, no matter how it happened, doesn't really change much. It's like putting things back in their original place."

"So, what about Shiro...?"

"She was collapsed in the room with you. Since it was a curse technique, it seems it took a toll on her body. She might have been stronger when you faced her, but by the time the second princess found her, she was weak and shrunk. She doesn't remember anything about the memories."

"Nothing at all, huh..."

It was probably the result of trying to balance things out. After I rolled around, that black fox must have messed with Shiro's memories.

It seems odd that changing past memories could affect the future, but if someone can help someone recover from a broken mind after torture, then it might be possible.

"Also, those 2, from their behavior, they don't know anything, right?"

"About Akane and Ume? Yeah, they probably slept through it all. The other kids don't know anything either. That's a good thing."

In other words, even when facing Shiro, there are no lingering feelings, and at least the way the orphans treat Shiro hasn't changed. Shiro feels the same way...

"The mountain shakes, but not even a mouse... so there's really nothing at all, huh?"

There's not even a noise in my pocket. Nothing has changed. Everything's just normal. It's a pretty boring result. But peaceful times are good times.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect things to get complicated like this."

"No, I'm the one who should apologize... I was entrusted with this, but I couldn't fulfill it. I'm sorry."

We both apologized. Then there was silence. Azuma was the first to shrug and give a wry smile.

"Starting with Onitsuki's princess, we're saying that you got sick because of overwork and the bad mix with water. Well, those who suspect something will figure it out, but don't worry. If memories are erased, there's no evidence. No one will dig around for trouble."

After all, it's not uncommon for exorcist families and noble families to handle cases privately or keep them hidden. If they dig too deep, it could cause problems for everyone. No one wants that.

"I see..."

"You should stay here for a few more days. Your body must be stiff and not moving well, right? Getting used to it is important."

"What about the housework?"