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

With four skewers to begin with, only one remained. As I was chewing on it, the woman suddenly started to speak.

“Is the taste of that Sanma important to you?”

“…?”

My guard, already completely lowered, easily accepted her question.

However, it was a question that made little sense to me. Important, the taste of sanma? I had never even considered it.

It might be important, but I had no idea in what way it was important or even why it was important.

“Maybe my way of asking was a bit mean,”

She said, a troubled expression on her face, and continued.

“To you, right now, in this moment. Are the events since you came to this world important?”

“!?”

My relaxed guard instantly tensed up.

“There’s no need to be so surprised. Even if I knew your true identity, it wouldn’t be so strange, would it? Besides, I’m not the only one who knows about you, right? Considering you’re traveling with her, it’s not a secret now, right?”

This person… knows about Hibari…

The only time Hibari and I discussed secrets was once in the forest. And it was only for a brief moment. So, how could she know…

“Or is it because you’re pee friends? Sharing pee. That’s quite a unique relationship.”

“What…”

How… does she know? At that time, at that place, it was just me and Hibari. No one else was there.

No, this person… could it be… she’s been… watching me all along…

“So, what will it be? Is the time you’ve spent in this world important to you?”

“……”

“Is the mirror… something you would sacrifice that time for?”

“…!!”

My heart leaped.

I had heard a similar question recently…

“Hey, Mashiro, which is more important to you, that mirror or your life?”

At that time, I couldn’t give a clear answer. It was ambiguous.

Even now, that scale hasn’t tipped…

“…Why”

Why do I not want to give up this time, this role as Onee-chan, to Mashiro…

The plate with the mirror on it had tilted up slightly.

“…”

I looked at the woman’s face again.

Her eyes glowed a creepy yellow, overlapping with the image of Hibari from that day.

“Ugh…”

Nausea and fear made the gastric juices rise. The sanma I had eaten earlier was now at the back of my throat, ready to be vomited out at any moment.

Is this person Hibari? Or connected to Hibari? That would explain everything up to now…

Once a certain thought took hold, my thoughts began to lean heavily in that direction.

I was far from being able to think calmly.

“Ugh… pant pant…”

While gasping for breath, I managed to swallow.

Painful. Suffocating. Nauseous…

“It’s okay…”

The woman gently stroked my back.

With each pass of her comforting hand, my breathing eased a bit more, bit by bit.

It was like magic. Nausea and discomfort melted away with the warmth of her hand…

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d get so upset… I am a fool. I wasn’t considering your feelings. I’m sorry…”

So… why apologize? It was the same at the shrine. Causing me pain, and then, why…

“It’s time for me to go.”

When my breathing had calmed down, she announced her departure. Her slow rise to her feet was like a mother who had soothed her child to peace…

“Oh, right. I’ll give you this.”

Clank…

A bag fell to the ground. Judging by the sound… it was…

“Money. Keep it for when you might need it.”

“Your… dirty money…”

“Do you not want it? That would be a foolish choice, I think. If Kohaku falls ill, Yorikoma gets hurt, and Hibari gets hungry, you’ll surely regret it. You must have learned the importance of money in Japan, right?”

“…!”

I was at a loss for words. She was right. Money could save people. But, such dirty money…

“If you’re reluctant to use it, you don’t have to until you need to, or if you don’t want it, just leave it there.”

“…”

“I hope your journey is filled with happiness… See you again.”

The woman turned on her heel and walked away on the sand.

What was left behind was the extinguished campfire, a bag, and unanswered questions.