Original subtitles

You must never approach those grounds.

A glimpse will sicken you; a touch will curse you.

Its name, passed down since ancient times, is Yamatagi-Madara.

Yamatagi-Madara

Yamatagi-Madara

Dara-san of the Reiwa Era

Dara-san of the Reiwa Era

Dara-san of the Reiwa Era

Dara-san of the Reiwa Era

A long, long time ago, two villages stood at the foot of two small mountains.

A giant serpent dwelled in the valley between the two,

acting as the ruler of the mountains.

The villages of the east and west revered the serpent as a god,

and managed to eke out an existence by offering it sacrifices.

It was then that a traveling family of exorcists arrived at the village.

The villagers welcomed them warmly, and to repay them,

the two priestesses accepted the task of slaying the great serpent.

After a battle that lasted three days and three nights,

the priestesses defeated the serpent.

However, the cunning creature possessed one of the priestesses

when her defenses were down, and proceeded to kill the other.

In doing so, it came to take a form that was part-priestess, part-serpent.

The great serpent, wielding the priestess's stolen power,

was furious at the villagers for betraying it.

The next morning, several of the villagers to the west were dead,

along with the priestesses' family.

The surviving villagers, in an attempt to quell the calamity,

sought long and hard for all the wisdom they could...

By enshrining them as the god of the mountain,

the priestess and serpent were both bound to the land.

It was only then that peace returned to the village.

They named it Yamatagi-Madara.

Likely after its huge, snake-like body— large enough to coil around a house—

and the speckled pattern of its scales.

Other names like Omatagi-sama and Matagari-sama all come from that.

That said, this is all so old that there's no telling how much of it is accurate.

Wow.

I'm still not sure why you two brought out this old notebook

and started asking about Yamatagi-Madara...

When did you even hear that name?

Uh, well... The name just jumped out at me when I found the book.

If we tell him we heard it straight from the horse's mouth, he'll be ropable.

Fair enough. It's getting late, though. You two oughta head off to school.

Yessir.

Wasn't that the same story she already told us, though?

Guess we can get the finer details some other time.

We're off, Grampa!

They really are brother and sister.

There's the schoolhouse...

That's as much as my far-sight can see.

Now, how does one scry using the water's surface again?

Oh, there it goes.

The sound quality isn't very good...

Kaoru-kun. You're to come see me after school. By yourself.

R-Right...

You can trust me.

Who is this ogre? A schoolteacher?!

How can that be? He's clearly some manner of deviant!

He has malevolence writ large upon his face!

Well, not that I care what happens to the lad.

After school, eh?

Guidance Office

I'm so glad you could join me, Kaoru-kun.

Now, bring it out and show me.

There's nothing to be ashamed of.

Okay...

Sensei... This still feels kinda embarrassing.

I won't tell anyone. It'll be fine.

Wretch! I know where your kind belongs!

You really are an incredible artist.

People would be shocked if they knew.

And it makes my half of the job that much easier.

I'm still not sure I want people to know.

For characters like this, if you think about it realistically,

they'd probably wear something you can throw on like a poncho, though that'd make the fact that the character's a priestess harder to tell at a glance. But when you consider that the range of motion for her shoulders isn't that different from a normal person's, it'd be a good idea for the sleeves to be a bit wider than in traditional priestess garb, with the opening for the arm being as wide as the opening for the wrist. If putting all three arms through makes it harder to move around, you could use a tasuki to keep it tighter. And from what I can tell, it looks like you're going for a sexy look with the human portion of the body, so I think that instead of sticking with an undershirt you should put her in underwear that pushes her breasts down, which will give her a better silhouette with the Japanese-style clothing. And given that her lower body is a snake's, instead of typical hakama, you should probably give her something that can be worn like a dress that fastens on the side. It'd be hard for someone with a snake's lower body to wear something that you have to slip into like pants, and six arms would likely make it hard to wear anything that you pull over, right? So I think a white robe with clothes you don't need to climb into on top would make the most sense. As for the priestess garb, you could always make it more like a poncho, and then add a haori on top of it that she'd wear like a cape. I think that'd be very impressive-looking.

I see.

He is talking... with incredible speed.

I have to say, though, multiple arms on top and a snake half below?

You've definitely got cultured tastes to come up with a character like this.

In what way?

Monster girls are supreme!

Why's he laughing like that...?

I can't follow this conversation at all.

Be that as it may,

it seems this one bears no malice after all.

Okay, then. Let's go with this design, Sensei!

Well, uh, sure. I'm still not sure what you want it for, but okay.

So, Kaoru-kun, in exchange...

I know.

I'll keep your secret about making and selling cosplay outfits as a hobby.

Besides, I like you, Sensei. I'd miss you if you were gone.

Right...

He's a little devil!

Is that... me?

I see. He must've found out I was once a priestess.

It's simply inexcusable, given your sister's beauty.

How can you resemble her and yet be so lacking?

Our parents...

It shames me to be the sister of someone so hideous.

You are to stay hidden when we have visitors!

And my sister...

They all hated me for my unsightly appearance.

Enough that they would plot to kill me for the sake of the family's prosperity.

And yet...

How can that be? He's clearly some manner of deviant!

He has malevolence writ large upon his face!

I of all people should've known better.

The Next Morning

Look, I'm sorry

Did I do something wrong?!

The western mountain, with its lush, cultivated land,

was where the elder sister and her parents lived, maintaining the main shrine.

The eastern mountain was ill-suited to human settlement,

but it had a small creek as its source of water,

and it was there that the younger sister had her hut and a small shrine.

Each of the priestess sisters attended to the sealing of Yamatagi-Madara—

one the head, the other the body.

One year later,

disaster reared its ugly head.

Starting with the children and the elderly,

the weakest of the villagers began to fall sick and collapse.

Upon looking into the matter,

the villagers suspected that their well was the cause.

And indeed, the illness no longer spread once they stopped using it.

But the actual cause of the disease remained unknown—

except to the family of the priestesses.

The well had been afflicted by the carcass of Yamatagi-Madara

that was sealed deep within the mountain,

tainted by the malice and resentment that spilled forth from the serpent's curse.

With the village well no longer usable,

the villagers turned to the eastern mountain's creek for drinking water.

Before long, more and more villagers from the western mountain

began to envy and resent those of the east.

The elder sister, suspecting they'd soon seek a scapegoat for the well's taint,

began to let the dark, menacing feelings

that had built within her over many years take form...

Oh, yeah! Jackpot!

And since I hit it big, I've got one for you!

Thanks, I suppose.

Scoring a freebie from a vending machine is great,

but you don't always know what to do with it.

Here you go!

'Tis true. Those who seek to buy one drink seldom have need for two.

Do the pull tabs for cans not come off anymore?

What's that sound?

Sweet, sharp, and so bubbly!

Sweet, Sharp, and So Bubbly

Brisk and

Refreshing

I-Is this the "cola" I've always heard about? I've never had it before.

Yeah, to be honest, I've never seen a priestess with cola either.

Did you come on your own today?

You should be playing with your friends, not braving the wilderness.

Don't look at me like you don't understand.

The two of you really should be more afraid of me!

Does my monstrous form inspire no thoughts of revulsion in you?

Just, "She looks like the third ascension of this naga in my mobile game!"

Assault Naga

Assault Naga

What is this? What am I looking at?

Also... my sister mentioned

that there's apparently a whole ton of sexy art of ladies with snake bodies...

Disabled the adult

content filter on the sly

You speak the truth. The modern age is fearsome indeed.

Unbelievable.

It might be hard to maintain my standing in this era unless I cause some real harm.

So what happens if you actually curse someone, Dara-san?!

Welcome back, Sis.

Well, how about it?

Surely there must be records.

They're all real vague.

Anyone who sets foot into these parts gets sick as hell!

People go missing, despite how tiny the mountain is, and are never seen again.

There was something about bodies that got found all messed up a long time ago, too.

But that's all just stuff we read. Not like we've seen it ourselves.

Well, regarding the first case...

Getting "sick as hell" refers to those who were caught in the miasma I released.

Myassmar?

Just between the three of us...

In simple terms, miasma is like spiritual germs.

Miasma

Smaller amounts just cause an unpleasant feeling and mild exhaustion,

Miasma

but above a certain threshold, it causes spiritual illness,

which can negatively impact the body.

And should things worsen even further past that point,

the soul will mistakenly believe it is in the land of the dead,

rejecting the living body as a foreign object,

which, in the worst-case scenario, leads to death.

That sounds totally supernatural!

That's... because it is.

Strong spiritual illness tends to strongly reflect its cause.

This is the kind of curse they call "tatari."

I get it.

There have always been many types of tatari,

but mine tend toward synchronicity.

Those I curse feel the same pain I did when I lost my limbs.

It has to do with my original grudge—

What about now?!

Are you still in pain?!

Uh, no, I'm fine.

That's a relief, then.

Yeah.

So what about those disappearances? Were those also related to the curse?

Well, back in the old days, I would've devoured trespassers...

But over the last hundred years,

I mostly just spirited away people who committed suicide on the mountain.

Spirited away?!

That's super-supernatural!

At what point did you think any of this wasn't supernatural?!

Well, in that case...

What about that stuff about people dying with their arms and legs all weird?

You know how they say not to approach the shrine?

As long as you keep that in mind, you won't end up like them.

What is it, Nagi?

Uncle.

The ceremony from the other day, with the Misogiyas in the mountains...

You mean relocating the pacifying shrine?

It's been 35 years since my predecessor last conducted the ritual.

That's far short of the expected 66 years, but it was a natural disaster, after all.

It was my first time in the mountains since becoming Shimonagi,

but I couldn't feel a single trace of the Yamatagi-Madara my predecessor spoke of.

And I can't stop thinking about it.

Either she's grown weaker over time, or her curse is on the verge of dissipating.

I certainly hope that's the case.

But it may be that whatever is happening...

is something we can't even imagine.

Cursedly Refreshing

It'll Leave You Gasping

Vowin Cola

Of the twin priestesses,

in comparison to the radiant older sister,

the younger was often compared to a frog or a snake.

Yet as an exorcist, she was as talented as her sister—or perhaps even more so.

For that reason, the family was reluctant to forsake the younger sister entirely.

With the kind treatment of the villagers

relieving them of their harsh life on the road,

they used the pretense of encouraging the younger sister's independence

as an excuse to send her off to the poorer, eastern village.

The kind younger sister was accepted warmly by the villagers there,

and despite her feelings of anxiety at being treated well for the first time,

in time, she came to savor the peace that this life offered her.

To repay their kindness,

she devoted herself without restraint to helping the villagers—

enough for rumors of her deeds to spread to the western village.

It pains me that someone so kind is living in such a shabby hut.

With those words, a young, rugged carpenter from the western village

began to make frequent visits to the younger priestess.

I was wondering if you'd want me to wash the clothing

and underwear I gave you, Dara-san...

I managed without underclothes for centuries, you know.

I really don't need them in the first place.

And what if you get all saggy?!

Does it bother you that much?

It'd be great if we had spare clothes for you, but nothing I've got would fit.

After living unclad on the mountain for so long,

'tis somehow embarrassing to be wearing clothes again.

Well, that half-undressed look is hotter than just plain being naked.

Did you need to say that?!

Anyway, for that change of undies,

if I grab more of Mom's, I'll prolly get caught. So I'll bring someone else's.

How does a grade-schooler have access to multiple women's undergarments?

I'm sure you already have someone in mind,

but I don't feel wonderful about having to keep wearing other people's.

So while I can't do much this time,

I'll have to think of a way to obtain the funds to purchase my own.

If you wanna get a job, I can buy you a C.V. template!

I think a snakey office lady would be real hot!

Not what I had in mind.

Look, 'tis almost nightfall. The two of you best be off.

'Kay!

See you next time, Dara-san!

Right. Watch yourselves on the way back.

What exactly do those sisters enjoy so much about coming out here?

Wait! The younger one is the brother!

I realize I was just returning something I borrowed, but...

When I think how I just stripped in front of a boy and handed him my underwear...

Divinity aside, is that really something an adult should be doing?

Are you just now realizing this?

Are you just now realizing this?

After School the Next Day

Yes? Who is it?

It's Kaoru.

What's up?

I just... well... wanted to ask a favor.

Wha?! Uh, well, you wanna come in?

Yes! Thanks for having me.

So, what did you want?

Well, this is hard to ask...

I wanted to borrow some underwear!

Well, I'm not wearing a bra right now,

and all I've got on downstairs is some crummy granny panties, but...

No, see, I mean clean ones.

Oh, right! Of course!

Does he want to wear them himself? There's no way they'd fit, though.

So what else? Could it be... what I don't dare put to words?

You could've just swiped 'em from my drawer, y'know?

Well, I have these. They're plain, but they're comfy on the skin, y'know?

Will two sets do?

Yes.

All that underwear talk got me curious...

But I wasn't expecting this to be his approach!

I'll wash them for you once you're done, so just hand them over as they are, 'kay?

Thank you!

Whether they're on the same page or not, there's something unsavory about this!

I can pay you back by helping out with your manuscripts again some time.

Oh, don't worry about that!

Your very existence helps sustain me!

Kaoru-kyun, just what're you gonna do with my panties? Ooh, I wonder!

She had better not the type of woman who preys on grade schoolers...

With my androphobia,

I can't even get a normal job. He's the only boy I can talk to...

Oh, I see.

I suppose the boy's appearance offers a degree of salvation to one such as this.

Let's see.

I've been waiting four years so far for Kaoru-kun to come of age.

He's in fifth grade, so that's eleven years old.

Shortest wait possible would be after high school, which is seven years.

If he inherits the family property, he'll be treated as an adult...

By that point, I'll be thirty-... That still barely works!

Target is underage

No touching

They seem to get along

Waiting until he's an adult

Extremely clingy

Out...

She's safe!

Is the ref blind?!

Ludicrously Permissive Call

Still, two pairs of underwear... I suppose that counts as an offering?

Since I'm here, I should do something for her...

A collector of dolls, eh?

Should I have handed it over differently?

It looks like Kaoru-kun...

And it's hand-carved!

Considering how it showed up, it's definitely sketchy...

But I'm scared to throw it out.

And it's well-made... I guess I'll find a spot for it.

She got used to it surprisingly fast.

She got used to it surprisingly fast

Third Strange Tale

The Laws of Forbidden Ground