-Azuma Ayame’s POV-
My name is Ichino Ayame… No, I’m still Azuma Ayame.
That day was a Sunday, but since it was during exam season, dungeon exploration was on hold. So, I decided to visit my grandma in Himeji for the first time in a while.
Grandma, Abe Kawatome, is 65 years old and, believe it or not, still an active explorer.
Her level is 62, which is lower than mine, but she still goes into dungeons every day like it’s a stroll in the park, earning money.
The reason I came to her house today is to have her take a look at my curse.
「This is… It’s completely erased the mouse curse I placed on you. This must be the Guardians of Silkworms.」
「Grandma, do you know it?」
「I’m still an expert, after all. And it’s also completely suppressing the power of the snake. Who exactly did this for you?」
「Well, it was a woman named Mikoto at Fushimi Inari.」
After discussing it with Ichino-san, we decided that Grandma was the only one I could tell about Mikoto-san.
「Mikoto… Could it be Uka no Mitama no Ookami!?」
「Huh? What’s with that long name?」
「It’s the name of the Inari deity. Another name for her is Uka no mitama no Mikoto.」
Uka no… mitama… no mikoto…Mikoto…..
That might be right.
No, wait, technically it’s a bit different, isn’t it?
「Ehto, she’s kind of a holy beast who was born from people’s faith in the Inari deity, and she carries the power of Inari-sama.」
「I see… I don’t fully understand it, but I get the gist. Don’t worry, Ayame. This seal is perfect. There’s no way the curse will break easily.」
「Really!?」
「Yes, it’s true. You’ve done well… You really have.」
Grandma said that and hugged me.
Her shoulders were trembling.
I knew why.
The name ‘Tome’ in Kawatome was chosen to symbolize the end—to stop the curse in her generation.
Grandma wasn’t allowed to marry and had been suppressing the curse within herself, ensuring it wouldn’t pass to the next generation.
But she broke that promise.
She met someone she loved, spent a night with him, and had a child—my mother.
Luckily, or perhaps fatefully, the curse stayed within her, and my mother wasn’t affected. Grandma thought she’d finally fulfilled her duty.
Until the curse passed on to me.
「If you hadn’t given birth to Mom, I wouldn’t be here.」
「…Yes.」
「Grandma, I’ve found someone I love. He’s a wonderful person, and it’s thanks to him that the curse has been sealed.」
「…Yes.」
「I’m so happy now. That’s why… thank you.」
Grandma’s embrace tightened.
I gently wrapped my arms around her and stroked her back until she calmed down.
Just like she had done for me once.
-0-
Grandma asked me to bring my beloved next time I visit, and I happily agreed.
It seems I’ll be introducing him to her before I even introduce him to my parents.
Thinking that, I arrived at the station near my house and headed to the department store to do some shopping for Mom.
And that’s when I saw Ichino-san.
I was thrilled at the coincidence—at first.
But then I saw him walking arm in arm with a woman I’d never seen before.
She had long, slightly wavy hair, big eyes, and a large chest.
Her clothes had a mature, elegant look to them.
Instinctively, I hid.
If this had been the old me, I might have suspected that she was Ichino-san’s lover.
But I’ve grown since then.
After all, I’m married to Ichino-san now.
Except for the part where he’s married to three women, Ichino-san is a faithful person.
That woman must be some shady salesperson.
Ichino-san is too kind to just turn her down, so he’s stuck with her.
It’s time for me to step in and save him.
「Ichino-sa—」
「Hey, Aoi-san, you’re clinging too much. It’s hard to walk.」
「Oh, come on, Taira-chan. We’re going to be family once we’re married.」
「Well, that’s true, but…」
The next moment, I had already taken out my phone and sent a message asking Milk and Oshino-san for help.
The two of them arrived immediately. Milk only lived about 15 minutes away by bike, but how did Oshino-san, who lives in Kyoto, get here so quickly?
「Hey, Ayame. Are you sure they said they were getting married?」
「Yes. She said they’d become family once they were married… and Ichino-san nodded.」
「Thayers* impossible!」
TN: Yeah, this one is in roman character.
Oshino-san screamed in English, holding her head.
「Shh, Ichino-san might hear you. Hey, Milk… Milk?」
「It’s Aoi-san…」
「Huh? Milk, do you know her?」
Milk’s face had turned completely pale.
That alone told me something was seriously wrong.
「Yeah, she used to live in the neighborhood. Tonari Aoi… she was Taira’s first love. I even played with her a few times when I was little.」
「What?」
I felt something inside me crumble.
「Ichino-san!」
I stepped in front of him.
「Ayame? And Milk, and even Hime!?」
「Ichino-san, who is this woman?」
「Oh, Taira’s friend. Nice to meet you, I’m Tonari Aoi. Is that you, Milk-chan? You’ve grown so much.」
「Yeah, she’s an oneesan who lived near us.」
Ichino-san said it casually, without a hint of guilt.
But that’s not what I wanted to know.
「Is it true that you’re getting married?」
「You overheard? We’re planning to hold the ceremony next month.」
Ichino-san said this without the slightest shame.
「……!? W-What!? I wasn’t told anything!」
「Areh? Didn’t I mention it? We’re having the ceremony before her pregnancy becomes noticeable.」
Pregnancy!?
Wait, so Ichino-san and Aoi-san are already—
「Aoi-san, are you pregnant? And the father is—」
Milk asked, and Aoi-san, looking embarrassed, replied:
「Yeah, it’s Ichi-kun’s child. It’s already five months, and things have finally stabilized.」
Five months…? That’s before I even met him!
Does that mean… we’re the ones who were the affair?
「I’m really looking forward to it. After all, I’m going to have a nephew or niece soon.」
Ichino-san said this with a smile, celebrating the child’s birth.
Wait… nephew? Niece?
「Ano, Ichino-san, who exactly is Aoi-san marrying?」
「My aniki. Who else would it be?」
-0-
I quickly apologized to Ichino-san and Aoi-san for the misunderstanding. They were surprised at first, but soon laughed it off, and the five of us moved to a nearby family restaurant.
「I never thought you’d misunderstand things like that. We were just out shopping for my aniki’s birthday present.」
「Right? Taira-chan’s my adorable little brother-in-law. He’s been so cute ever since he was a kid. I used to think, if I had a little brother, I’d want someone like him. I never imagined he’d actually become my brother-in-law.」
「It’s not like I chose to be.」
Ichino-san said with a wry smile.
So that’s what they meant by becoming family.
Now that I think about it, Aoi-san called him ‘Taira-chan’ and called her fiancé ‘Ichi-kun’. She was using different names for them.
「Still, Taira-chan’s quite something. Three cute girls rushing to help him like this—he’s pretty lucky.」
「Well…」
「But don’t make them cry, okay?」
「Of course not. They’re precious to me.」
Ichino-san said firmly.
I felt ashamed for doubting him, even for a moment.
「So… which one of you will be my sister-in-law, I wonder?」
Aoi-san chuckled, looking at the three of us.
We just smiled back, unable to say, ‘We’re already married to him.’
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