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 34: The Tearful Shrine Maiden

“Are you okay, Mashiro-sama… Wait, what’s dripping!?”

“Eh…?”

Prompted by Kohaku, I looked down and indeed saw something dripping. It’s… blood.

Why…? I shouldn’t be injured…

“Mashiro-sama, excuse me.”

“Eh, wait…”

Suddenly, Kohaku lifted my skirt, peering inside intently.

“Wh-what are you…”

“Just stay still, please.”

She spoke only those words and then brought her face closer. Her twitching nose was slightly ticklish.

“Hmm… sniff… Ah, I see…”

“You see what?”

“This is your ‘time of the month.'”

“My ‘time of the month’?”

It was an unfamiliar term. Is it a disease unique to this world?

“It’s menstruation. Haven’t you experienced this before?”

“Menstruation?”

My thoughts couldn’t keep up. Menstruation… as in the bleeding from female organs…

But no, that’s impossible…

“Finally, you’ve come to that time too, Nee-sama.”

“Kohaku, do you know about this?”

“Yeah. It means a woman is ready to have children. It means you and I can make a baby now,  Nee-sama.”

“We’re not making one! We’re both girls, and it’s incest!”

“It doesn’t matter. I believe love can transcend gender.”

“That’s a boundary that shouldn’t be crossed…”

Ugh… I knew this time would come eventually as a woman, but experiencing it firsthand waser than I imagined. I thought I understood the female experience, but this this my expectations.

“Mashiro-sama, you look in pain, but we can’t stop here. Can you endure it?”

“Yeah… somehow…”

“Then, let’s hurry.”

Despite the discomfort in my groin, I took steps forward, one after another. I needed to take care of it soon, or my underwear would be a mess.

But as I struggled with the pain and continued down the road…

“Wait right there!”

A girl appeared in front of us, blocking our path. Her peach-colored hair swayed in the breeze, and her eyes, like amethysts, fixated on us. Her attire was that of a shrine maiden, complete with a cap on her head.

“You are the barbarians ravaging the village!”

She shouted with hostility. She must be referring to that woman…

“Um… who might you be?”

“Names are unnecessary for monsters! Just surrender and let me defeat you!”

It seems like she’s not the type for negotiations… But I’m reluctant to hurt her. I’d prefer to resolve this peacefully if possible…

“Do you know this person, Ikoma?” “No, I don’t know her either.” “Hey! Don’t ignore me!”

Frustrated by our attitude, she drew her ōnusa (purification wand) and assumed a stance. She seemed ready to fight. No choice… I wanted to avoid rough measures, but I guess a peaceful resolution is out of the question.

“Kohaku… please.” “Leave it to me.” “Hmph, you’ll regret opposing me!”

She declared confidently and charged at us with full force.

She’s attacking!? I thought she was like a shrine maiden who would fight using spells… This is bad, Kohaku could get into her range!

“Ugh…”

However, she didn’t let Kohaku close in and tripped on something invisible, falling face-first to the ground after just three steps.

“Kohaku… did you do something?” “No, I didn’t do anything…”

She remained motionless in a ridiculous pose as if she had run out of strength. Did she exhaust herself just by falling?

“Um… are you okay?”

I cautiously placed my hand on her shoulder. She shivered and slowly turned to face me, her face wet with tears and flushed red.

“Uhh… uhh…”

Her sobs were weak and pitiful, stirring a protective feeling in me.

“Uh… I’m sorry…”

I didn’t know why I was apologizing, but seeing her crying face made me feel an irresistible urge to do so. Her expression was so full of pain, that it made me forget my physical discomfort.

“Sniff… waaahh…” “Um… well…”

What should I do… I don’t know how to comfort her. I’m not even sure why she’s crying… Is it because she fell? Is it the pain, or is it frustration…

“Waaaahhh!”

“Onee-chan, let’s just leave her. She’s making no sense.”

“But…”

Leaving a crying girl alone on this deserted road doesn’t feel right… She could be in danger of assault or abduction…

“I’ll handle this!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Mashiro-sama, just watch!”

With confidence, Ikoma knelt before the wailing girl, hands on the ground. Then suddenly…

“I’m so sorry!!! Whatever we did, please forgive us!!”

He bowed deeply, forehead hitting the ground. It was an impressive display of apology, almost samurai-like in its execution.

“Hey… what are you doing…”

“….Waaaahhh!”

The girl cried even harder upon seeing Ikoma’s bizarre behavior. It was beyond control now…

“We shouldn’t pamper her like this. We need to be firmer. You know, the saying about the crying child…”

He was obviously off the mark. While some kids might stop crying with a stern approach, it was clearly not the case here…

“Stop crying, brat. If you don’t, I’ll seriously hurt you.”

“Ah!”

Kohaku’s eyes were filled with menace as she spoke in a low, threatening tone. Gone was the cute little sister, replaced by a character straight out of a villainous organization.

“Waaaahhhh!!”

Naturally, the girl’s crying intensified, as if ignited. It seemed no one could stop her now…