After Gender Swapping, I Became the Daughter of a Yandere Mother with Animal Ears—With the Help of My Yandere Mom and Powerful Sister, I'll Live as a Fox Girl - Chapter 16: The Youkai Village

After traversing the mountain and walking along a well-maintained road for about thirty minutes, we finally arrived at our destination—the village.

“This is…”

The area was a burnt wasteland. Buildings that resembled houses barely stood, close to collapsing.

“We’re not too late… We made it in time.”

Yorikoma let out a relieved sigh. Indeed, the buildings were nearly destroyed, but from a distance, there were signs of people still living there.

“Let’s go.”

Kohaku and I nodded silently and quickly entered the village.

Up close, the devastation of the village was even more apparent. The fields were ruined, houses were on the verge of collapse, and the people were all covered in wounds.

“This is terrible…”

I found myself muttering unconsciously. It was hard to believe that humans could have caused such cruelty.

“Mashiro-sama, this way.”

Yorikoma beckoned and led us toward the center of the village. Despite curious stares from the villagers, I followed her.

“This is the house of our village chief.”

“Huh…”

The house she led us to wasn’t particularly large compared to the others. However, its thick pillars and relatively intact structure indicated its sturdiness.

“Yorikoma, I have returned!”

Entering the house, she shouted. A man soon appeared from the back.

“You’re alive…”

Upon seeing us, he looked relieved, but his eyes were somewhat empty.

“Yes, I have returned! And these are…”

He trailed off, looking at us inquiringly.

Even after hearing Yorikoma’s words, the man’s eyes remained lifeless, unfocused.

“These are Mashiro-sama and Kohaku-sama. They have come to offer their assistance.”

“Is that so… That is a relief… For our village in such a state…”

The man staggered toward us with unsteady steps. Stopping in front of me, he extended his hand, the skin peeling in places.

“Thank you for your help…”

“Yes…”

I shook his hand gently, feeling his extreme exhaustion. His hand was light, almost like holding a stick.

“Please, come inside…”

“Excuse us.”

“We’re coming in.”

Led by the man, we stepped over the threshold. Walking down the corridor, I caught glimpses of children through the gaps in the sliding doors. They were all thin, with dark circles under their eyes, their expressions full of despair.

“Who are those children?”

“They are children from the village. This place is sturdier, so we’re keeping them here.”

“I see…”

Their condition pained me. I remembered seeing children suffering in war-torn areas on TV back in Japan, but seeing it in person was a different level of sorrow.

“Is something wrong?”

“No…”

We reached the living room, where two people were already seated—a white-haired elderly man and a woman with long silver hair and sharp crimson eyes, glaring at us.

“Yorikoma, these are the ones you brought for help?”

“Yes! This is Mashiro-sama and Kohaku-sama!”

Yorikoma proudly introduced us, and the woman sighed deeply.

“Mashiro-sama and Kohaku-sama… They look like mere children. What can two young fox yokai do? I asked for someone strong and dependable, not this.”

Her words were sharp, filled with hostility towards us.

“Excuse me? Don’t lump us with fox yokai. We’re beings revered as gods.”

Kohaku retorted, clearly annoyed. The woman’s expression hardened.

“A delusional girl thinking she’s an Inari fox? Pitiful.”

She scoffed dismissively.

“You…”

Kohaku’s eyes changed with anger. I had to stop her.

“Stop, Kohaku!”

“But!”

“Hmph… Such emotional outburst over this… You’re nothing but common fox yokai.”

The woman’s smirk grew as Kohaku’s anger intensified. I tried desperately to calm her down. This was getting out of hand…

“Enough!”

Suddenly, the elderly man raised his voice. His tone was strong, vibrating the air around us.

“Whether they are fox yokai or Inari, they have come to help us. We should be grateful, not criticizing them.”

“But they are children! What can they possibly do?”

“It doesn’t matter if they’re children or adults. We need help. Even if they can’t fight, just helping treat the injured is enough.”

“…”

The woman fell silent at the elder’s reasoning.

“Sorry for the commotion. I am Kajuro, the village chief, and she is Hiiro, the strongest in our village.”

“…”

Hiiro nodded silently, and I bowed in response.

“Now, let’s get to the point. Mashiro-sama, Kohaku-sama, you’ve offered to help us, but what specifically can you do?”