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 72: A Sense of Discomfort

“Ah…”

Awakening to the red sunlight streaming in through the cracked window, it appears I’ve dozed off unintentionally. I’ve always regarded lullabies as merely a tool to soothe infants to sleep. And yet, to my surprise, I find myself having succumbed deeply to its embrace… A lullaby’s effect is not to be taken lightly.

“Hm?”

As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Hibari, but something about her seemed different from usual. She wasn’t acting clueless, nor was she being motherly, but there was a serious look on her face. In her hand was… a mirror. The Soul Exchange Mirror.

It was supposed to be safely stored away, and I even locked it… yet, for some reason, she was holding it. It’s a simple lock, but still…

…

Muttering something, she carefully observed her entire body. Then, as if realizing something, Hibari furrowed her brow.

“…So it’s no good after all.”

Hibari let out a disappointed sigh. What did she mean by ‘no good’? Was she unable to use the power of the mirror? But I can’t think of any reason why Hibari would need to use the mirror…

“…Hibari?”

Feeling a slight fear at her obviously strange behavior, I called out to her.

“Hm? Oh, good morning, Mashiro. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes… thanks to you.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m glad my singing was worth the effort.”

She smiled happily, but her eyes were not looking at me. Her gaze was fixed on the mirror in her hand. It’s unusual for Hibari to avert her gaze while talking… Something is definitely off…

“Hey, Hibari. Why do you have the Soul Exchange Mirror?”

“Ah, I just wanted to see it and borrowed it without asking. Sorry.”

“No, that’s not a problem but…”

What is this unease I’m feeling…? If she wanted to see the mirror, she could have just asked me while I was awake. There’s no need to put me to sleep and look at it in secrecy.

If it was just to borrow it, she could have simply asked openly.

The fact she’s going about it in such a roundabout way suggests there’s some reason behind it.

And… the words she just said are strangely nagging at me.

“Is something wrong?”

Noticing my silence, she looked at me curiously, with no hint of malice in her expression.

Maybe I’m just overthinking things…

“No, it’s nothing.”

I smiled to cover up my concerns. Even if she has something to hide, whatever it is, I trust her.

“Okay. But you still look pale. You probably haven’t fully recovered yet. You should rest a bit more.”

“Eh, ah… yeah, maybe I should…”

I crawled back into bed. My body felt heavy and my head was foggy. Maybe I still had a fever.

But with all these thoughts racing through my mind, falling asleep was difficult.

“I’ll sing for you again.”

“…Thank you.”

Feeling like a baby for not being able to sleep without a lullaby, I decided to indulge in the comfort it offered. After all, it helps me sleep better.

“~♪”

…Huh? The atmosphere of the song seems different from before… The last time, I purely felt kindness, but now, there’s a hint of sadness.

Is it because of the lyrics?

“~♪”

No, it’s not about the lyrics. It’s about the way she’s singing… rather, it’s about her heart. Hibari isn’t just singing for me; it’s as if she’s singing to console herself.

As if trying to soothe her own heart’s sorrow…

“~♪”

This is bad. The hypnotic effect is stronger than before.

Ah… my eyelids are… heavy… my consciousness is… fading…

“…♪~”