Chapter 8: "She" in the Mirror

"A letter from home?"

With complex emotions, he opened it and read it through. The letter was likely written by his third youngest brother, who was illiterate but had paid someone to write it for him.

The letter stated that conditions at home had improved significantly over the years. His eldest brother had already married. He worked as an assistant for a local oil merchant, and having saved up some money, he had taken a wife. He worked at a shop in town and would occasionally send money home during festivals and holidays.

After coming of age, his third brother was also able to help ease the burden on their parents. Of the remaining siblings, one was still young, while the other had been sent to a wealthy household as a maid, where she was provided with room and board in addition to a wage.

Thanks to all this, the pressure on the family had lightened considerably. Previously, they had always subsisted on coarse grains—wheat, millet, and vegetable leaves—and during poor harvests, they were forced to survive on thin gruel and wild grass cakes. The children were often hungry, unable to make ends meet for three meals a day. However, in recent years, they could occasionally afford a few bowls of rice, and even have a slightly more bountiful meal during the New Year—a tremendous improvement.

His third brother also planned to work for a horse merchant once the youngest brother came of age. By living frugally, he hoped to save enough to eventually acquire some farmland, so they would no longer have to go hungry after harvests were taken away for annual tributes and land rent.

"Although it feels terrible to say this to you, brother, we truly wouldn't have made it through that winter without the money you received from the Exorcist clan..."

The third brother also hinted delicately in the letter that if he ever had the chance, they hoped he would come back to visit their parents, who longed to see him.

"Is that so?"

A look of distress crossed Hyakusuke’s face. His brows furrowed slightly as he folded the letter and tucked it back into its envelope.

Over the years, letters from home had arrived sporadically. He had never once replied, yet he treasured these letters, keeping them hidden away in a box.

"There is no point in meeting them; I don't even have any memories of the past..."

He did not blame his family for selling him. In this world, it was simply an unavoidable reality.

"Enough."

He could not keep dwelling on such things. With the moon still overhead, Hyakusuke decided to perform some personal practice.

As a transmigrator, he had not been lucky enough to receive a system, a status panel, or any "cheat" abilities. He felt a sense of helplessness about this, thinking that as one of the vast army of transmigrators, he hadn't even been granted a single "special perk."

He was a low-ranking ninja, and while he possessed a tiny sliver of spiritual power, it was incomparable to that of legitimate exorcists. Beyond his low spiritual energy, he had awakened no special abilities. Although he could barely use his spiritual power to enhance his physical strength, it only allowed him to run a little faster or jump a little higher than an average person.

If he were dealing with ordinary people, he might have a significant advantage, but as a low-ranking ninja of the Kurohime Mountain clan, the enemies he faced were various demons and ghosts, making such meager abilities seem pathetic.

No, not just pathetic—they were at the level of cannon fodder.

In the main storyline of *The Light of the Oborozuki*, if even the slightest error occurred, it could lead to the tragic downfall and annihilation of the Kurohime Mountain clan. In the late game, demons would even lay siege to the capital, inciting a human-demon conflict that would result in a bloodbath.

Without strength, he would die like a weed.

And then there was his family in this body. He had no feelings for them, but if things deteriorated, they would die as well.

"...I am truly too weak."

Yes, Hyakusuke knew all too well how weak he was. He had no strong body, no vast spiritual power, and no extraordinary talent.

He was incompetent and frail.

He couldn't just shout, "Deep Blue, show me your potential," and build up his strength through the accumulation of stats.

"Therefore, if I want to survive... I can only train myself to the limit."

Hyakusuke picked up a spear from the weapon rack and, by the light of the moon, silently practiced his thrusts. Though it might sound boastful, Hyakusuke was more proficient with the spear than with a ninja sword or other weapons.

He did not practice in an open field, but in front of a pond. This was located in a corner of the training grounds and was also where they drew water daily.

The pond was small, and the moon was reflected on its surface. Not a breath of wind stirred, and the water itself seemed to glow.

He practiced his spearwork silently against the moon's reflection; this was his unique method of training. As he continued to thrust, sweat pouring down his face, Hyakusuke forgot everything else. In his eyes, there was only the spear and the moon reflected in the water.

His heart was as still as water, his mind completely focused on the tip of the spear.

A night breeze drifted by. The cold wind brushed against his neck, but he paid it no heed; the breath he exhaled turned into a thin, white mist.

His eyes remained locked on the tiny point where his spear tip rested.

*Swish!*

Hyakusuke thrust his spear. In an instant, his movement was as fast as lightning, the spear tip leaving a flickering afterimage in the void.

At that very moment, a leaf happened to fall.

*Shoo.*

The falling leaf, dancing in the air caught by the breeze, was split in two just as it brushed against the tip of the thrusting spear. Finally, it landed on the surface of the water.

"Not bad."

A man’s voice sounded from nearby.

"..."

Hyakusuke paused, turning his head to see a rugged-looking man standing by the pond.

"It’s you, Chief."

The visitor was a middle-ranking ninja of the squad, named "Saizo," and he was Hyakusuke’s direct superior. He was a somewhat slovenly, unkempt middle-aged man, but he was one of the few middle-ranking ninjas who truly cared for the lower-ranking ones under his command.

The status of middle-ranking ninjas was not as lowly as that of the lower-ranking ones. Some among them possessed the bloodline of exorcists or were descendants of the main family’s retainers, responsible for monitoring and managing the lower-ranking ninjas. It was well known that lower-ranking ninjas were the most numerous, high-expenditure, and low-status units, and they were monitored by these retainers to prevent betrayal or desertion. When necessary, these middle-ranking ninjas were tasked with punishing or executing those who erred.

Yet, Saizo was a gentle-natured man who treated even the lowly lower-ranking ninjas with equality. It was thanks to him that Hyakusuke had managed to survive until now.

"Went hunting and caught a pair of tanuki, male and female." Saizo laughed proudly, patting his waist where the two dead tanuki hung. "You should be able to eat some tanuki hotpot, right?"

He reached out and patted Hyakusuke’s shoulder.

"Alright, alright, you kid have been training for a long time. Aren't your injuries not fully healed yet? Don't waste your energy like that. Come help me skin and process these two tanuki. Tomorrow, everyone will be able to eat something good and build up their strength. I'll make sure you get an extra portion of meat."

"Understood."

Hyakusuke was drenched in sweat from exhaustion, his shoulders heaving with his breath. Nevertheless, he nodded with a smile, set down his spear, and walked toward Saizo.

...

"It’s so idle today~~"

The original male protagonist, the destiny-ordained savior of the future, was stretching in his room, looking bored.

Tsukigaro Yoake, the eldest son of the Tsukigaro clan, was originally the future head of a prestigious exorcist family that dominated the Northern Hokuriku region. However, a few years ago, the Tsukigaro clan was attacked by a powerful Demon King and suffered unprecedented devastation. Many family members, including the clan head, were slaughtered, leaving only a handful of survivors.

The Tsukigaro clan’s territory had completely fallen, becoming a den for monsters and demons. These were powerful demons who had migrated south from the undeveloped lands of Ezo (Hokkaido); it was said they were originally deities worshipped by the Ezo people. For unknown reasons, they had fallen and transformed into powerful demons, leading a multitude of half-human, half-owl creatures to attack the Tsukigaro territory.

This incident caused a shock throughout the island nation. The occupation of human territory by a Demon King-level entity triggered an immediate stress response from the Imperial Court, who were instantly reminded of the great demon rebellion that had occurred 150 years ago.

Five Demon King-level entities had led armies to conquer land, causing severe damage across the island. Fortunately, the owl-like demon that attacked the Tsukigaro territory took no further action, maintaining its sphere of influence only around the main city of the Tsukigaro clan without intending to reach out to neighboring territories.

This allowed the nobles in Kyoto to breathe a sigh of relief, delaying any move to mobilize the Imperial Court’s forces to attack the Northern region, or rather, showing a lingering reluctance to initiate a war against the Demon King occupying the Tsukigaro territory.

The Yamato Court had faced frequent disasters in recent years—earthquakes, droughts, and floods—along with endless small-scale disturbances by demons. Their finances were extremely tight, and mobilizing a large force for a long-distance expedition would be a massive expense for the Court.

It was at this juncture that the Kurohime Mountain family, another prestigious clan from the Southern part of the North, acted very proactively. The head of the house personally went to receive the eldest son and his group, who had fled their territory and were now displaced. She explained the situation and made a grand promise: the Kurohime Mountain clan was willing to help the Tsukigaro clan retake their Northern territory, on the condition that Tsukigaro Yoake become a son-in-law of the Kurohime Mountain family. Once the territory was reclaimed, the influence of the Kurohime Mountain clan would also extend into the Northern region—this was the prologue to *The Light of the Oborozuki*.

"But, thinking about it from another perspective, it’s rare to be this idle, without having to practice swordsmanship or spiritual arts... it’s quite nice to drink tea so peacefully."

Tsukigaro Yoake, the eldest son, was a typical "nice guy" protagonist from Japanese manga—a gentle, considerate, and soft-spoken person who showed kindness to everyone. His personal interests included sunbathing on the veranda, playing Go with his foster sister, trimming bonsai, and enjoying delicious kombu tea indoors.

"The sun is nice today~"

"He" pulled back the covers, preparing to go outside to soak up the sun and breathe some fresh air.

For the past few days, "he" had been forcibly confined in an airtight room by the healers of the Healing Institute, who had been conducting tests using various methods.

What had happened to "him" was something even the eldest Director of the Healing Institute, the most experienced healer of the main Kurohime Mountain family, an old woman named "Shuka," could not understand.

"I cannot fathom it either. This is not a curse, nor is it any kind of technique... What exactly is going on?"

The old woman sighed. "However, generally speaking, son-in-law, after a thorough examination of your body, we can confirm you are currently in perfect health. It seems that although you have become a woman, there are no other traces of a curse."

—'But, is this a good thing, or a bad thing?'

The old woman sighed deeply at the end, her eyes revealing her concern for "him."

Yet, at the time, "he" had not noticed this at all—

"Strange, why do my old clothes feel so odd?"

Taking a few garments from the lacquer chest decorated with *maki-e* to change into, "he" was shocked to discover that none of them fit.

"Hmm... is it because my chest has grown?"

"He" felt that whenever "he" put on the old clothes, the neckline would inexplicably gape open, becoming quite revealing.

"Have I really turned into a woman?"

"He" had felt no real sense of this until "he" came to the dressing table of the foster sister and saw "himself" in the mirror.

"—Is this really me?"

In the mirror stood a young girl of exquisite beauty. Her features were delicate, her lips rosy. And, she moved in perfect synchronization with "him."

"He" shook "his" head.

The girl in the mirror made the same movement. In an instant, the hair draped over her shoulders slid down.

Yes, she had long hair like black silk, slightly drooping eye corners that gave her a gentle appearance, and a black tear mole beneath one eye.

"Is it really... me?"

"He" touched the mole at the corner of "his" eye—at the same time, the girl in the mirror made the same gesture.

Deep within Tsukigaro Yoake, a strong sense of absurdity and displacement welled up. For the first time, "he" felt the uncanny sensation of having become something else.

"Have I... become a woman?"

"He"—no, now she should be referred to as "she"—uttered the words of doubt from her lips.