Mob Yandere

[Part 2/4]

"No, no, no. I truly appreciate it. When you're only talking among family, it's easy to overlook problems! It's only when outsiders point things out that we can see them clearly. ...Now that you mention it, that's definitely true!"

The head of the family nods repeatedly, as if in agreement. I think even saying thank you is just flattery... but it is flattery, right?

"...So, when will you go for the investigation?"

"...Huh?"

I give a vague response to the head of the Juuyaku family's sudden question.

"Well, that is..."

"If there are youkai, we must eliminate them quickly! ...But we can't do the investigation alone; we need to prepare. So, I humbly ask for the kindness of the Household Member Coordinator! Please, don't hold back; tell us what you need for the investigation! If it's a problem related to our area, we will support you with all our strength!!"

As I'm confused, the head of the family bombards me with words.

"Right, we need a guide! ...Hmm. Kayo, Hana! You two will accompany as guides and attendants. Got it?"

"Wait a minute!"

For now, I'm swept up in the head of the family's plans, and I end up breaking my own rules by repeating myself.

...By the way, in the end, Tamaki was also convinced, and we decided to go on the investigation together as 3 people.

I-I can't accept this...!!

* * *

"...It's quite noisy outside, isn't it?"

Inside the covered wagon, a maid from the Hotoya family says this. She glance outside with a suspicious look. From what she can hear, it doesn't seem to be about a youkai attack or anything like that...

"It seems that Tomobe-sama is parting ways. He's going to investigate with the local people."

Listening closely, the blind girl caught bits of a distant conversation from her companion, Suzune.

"You have good hearing."

"I hear that a lot. Maybe it's because my eyesight is bad, so I pay more attention."

It was a pretty obvious answer from her blind companion. In fact, Suzune knew that she could tell who was around and how far away they were just by their footsteps.

It was only natural for Suzune to start talking like this with Mari, the completely blind girl. They both served Onitsuki. Honestly, it felt like it took too long for them to finally have a conversation. At Onitsuki's estate or wherever they stayed, Mari rarely got to be seen, almost like she was kept hidden away.

(Well, I guess that makes sense.)

A blind girl who is sick and has trouble walking is nothing but a weak person. If she went outside, she could easily get hurt, or even worse. Weak people are always at risk. In fact, Mari's situation, being so well protected, was quite unusual. ȓ�

(I wonder if there's a special reason for bringing her along.)

She had heard stories before. The servant had a girl he kept close, along with a lot of cultural background. The maids and workers at Onitsuki often looked down on her. They would say things like how a lowly servant had a useless little girl. They mocked how a lowly man had taken a weak and useless girl for himself. Some joked about how much they would have to pay to use her. There were whispers that bringing her on this trip was just to avoid getting sick from the locals.

Here is the revised text with "I" changed to "she":

Honestly, she was a bit skeptical. She didn't look down on the man. She understood his character. She owed him a favor. But... a man is still a man. Suzune had seen a boy she thought was just a child in their village doing something inappropriate, and she had even heard about things he had done.

She knows very well from experience that underneath a man's skin lies a beastly nature. People help each other only when they have the means to do so; if they don't, there's usually some cost involved. A person can be kind to one while being cruel to another. But, this is the opposite...

"Is it what you call being too nice?"

"...? What do you mean?"

"No, just talking to myself."

The blind girl tilts her head at the sigh that slipped out. Suzune quickly changes the subject, looking exasperated. She can't believe she's surprised by this. She should have known from Iruka's story.

...And from what she saw, this girl seems like a girl who struggles with low self-esteem. She seemed weak and vulnerable, yet also brave and dedicated in her own way. This mix of traits made it easy for others to feel sympathy towards her or even take advantage of her kindness. At the same time, the girl looked surprisingly content and happy, despite her struggles

That's right. Just because she's easy to use doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings. What's painful is painful, and what hurts is still hurt. That can't be hidden. She's realized from their conversations that Mari, no matter how foolish or ignorant, doesn't have a twisted sense of values. If she were just offering herself up for survival, there would be more shadows in their talks. Just like Iruka said when she stayed with them for a while, it seems Mari has no shame. She does seem a bit sheltered, though.

(Is being overprotective too easy?)

Keeping her unnecessarily caged isn't good either... but that's only if she has a healthy body. For someone as weak as Mari, She feels like she needs that kind of protection, or it could lead to something irreversible.

"...If the Household Member Coordinator leaves, there's nothing left to do."

"I think it's only right for my brother to accompany me, but... he probably won't."

Changing the topic back to the siblings' plans, Mari gives a self-deprecating smile. She looks full of regret.

"Don't worry too much about it. If he leave the group to take on a task, it means there's danger. Your brother isn't exactly trained in martial arts, right? It's wiser not to have him come along, just in case."

To comfort her, Suzune explains the situation. Having someone slow down during a tough job can actually put the master in danger. Even if it were Iruka, she couldn't see how she could be of any help. She would probably just be held back. All she could do was trust her master and prepare for their return.

"...Yes, that's true. You're right."

The air was heavy with an uncomfortable silence. But the words that followed were filled with conflict and a sense of helplessness.

"...I believe you usually help with housework, right?"

From their earlier conversation, Suzune had heard that Mari did laundry, tidied up bedding, cleaned the floors, and sewed.

"Yes. But since my brother is the main one doing it... it's more like I'm allowed to help rather than actually helping. If I do nothing, I'd just be a burden. I wish I had some other role to play."

Mari answered shyly, fidgeting. In reality, the housework she did was far less than what was needed to support an extra person.

"Excuse me, but I heard you're good at music and games?"

"I'm flattered. I can't do any work, so I just play..."

"Oh, no. That's not what I meant..."

Remembering what Iruka had said, she asked, but it seemed Mari misunderstood and became very downcast, her voice trembling. Suzune quickly added to her statement.

"I believe the Household Member Coordinator enjoyed your music, right?"

"...I'm embarrassed to say, but he really enjoyed the sound of the koto. I also played games like sugoroku, go, and shogi with him."

"Are you good at it?"

"Unlike everyone else, I have plenty of free time... so, what's the matter?"

"No, it's just that since you're so skilled, would you mind teaching me a bit?"

"Teaching you?"

The confusion in Mari's response was a natural reaction, Suzune thought. At the same time, she noticed that Mari's mood had shifted from downcast to more hopeful. She continued.

"I've heard you're quite skilled at both the koto and games. Since you have nothing else to do, I'd love to learn from you. I can pay a little for lessons, you know?"

"Lessons..."

"Yeah. If I'm going to marry into a good family, I need some education... that's what my brothers advised me. Plus, with games, I think you can improve your skills too. And if there's a reward, it might make things a bit easier for me, right?"

"I see..."

The girl, with her eyes still closed, puts her hand on her mouth, thinking over Suzune's suggestion. She tilts her head, deep in thought.

"I want to talk to my brother about it. But I think he'll agree with me."

Then she smiles softly, a gentle smile from the blind girl.

"If I can earn some money, he'll probably think I'm being useful."

"..."

The maid couldn't help but feel a flutter at Suzune's warm, motherly smile – it was as gentle as melting chocolate, making her want to draw closer. Some people, especially women, might find it a bit too much and feel jealous or uncomfortable, but at least Suzune was captivated. But being this fond of her nice ways could lead to trouble. The maid liked it when she acted sweetly, but she knew she had to be careful not to get too used to it and lose control.

"...Suzune-sama?"

"Eh? ...Cough. No, that's good!"

Normally, she would want to discuss the details and rewards more, but she decided to put that aside for now. She didn't think it would get complicated, and more than anything, she wanted to stay calm. After clearing her throat, she laughed.

(...At this point, I'm surprised I'm still calm, right?)

Rough Iruka aside, she was genuinely amazed that the man servant seemed to have nothing going on. Unable? No, that couldn't be true. Could it be that he was into guys? Thinking about how he chatted with pretty boys made her feel uncertain. No way?