About

This is a town that long ago earned the resentment of animals. Disasters struck, plagues spread, the weather turned harsh, and the fields withered. In desperation, the villagers decided to offer sacrifices to the gods. While the people starved and their numbers dwindled, the animals raided human graves, ravaged the wilds, and overran the fields, gorging themselves on everything in sight. They captured the overpopulated animals one by one and offered them as sacrifices. However, the fields remained parched, and women and children continued to die from disease. The enraged townspeople decided to consult a certain shrine maiden. They asked how they could appease the gods' wrath, how they could escape this famine, and how they could return to the peaceful days of the past. The shrine maiden replied: "Dogs, cats, birds, deer, fish... every animal in this world. Offer one boy and one girl under the age of ten. Or, offer one newborn boy and one newborn girl. Sacrifice them together to the gods." The villagers believed her. They believed her words were a divine message. Following her instructions, they brought most of the animals and newborn infants to the shrine where the gods were said to dwell as sacrifices. Those who struggled were bound, and those who still resisted were beaten to within an inch of their lives. They crammed every living creature into the offering chamber. The villagers said the stench was horrific. And there they were left for a long period, until every living thing had perished. ───Time passed, and peaceful daily life returned to the town. Bountiful rains fell, sprouts emerged, the fields were nourished, and everyone was able to eat their fill. Famine vanished, and as birds and dogs were brought in from other lands, animals once again took root in the town. Then, by the time the generation that had forgotten the great sacrifice reached adulthood... An anomaly occurred in the town. *Waaaaah, waaaaah...!* A newborn baby had ears. Small, fluffy brown ears like those of a Shiba Inu. They twitched every time the infant cried. "It's an accursed child!" Someone screamed. And with that as the beginning... One after another, children were born with ears, tails, or both. Shiba Inu ears, deer-like ears and antlers, bird-like winged arms, cat-like ears and tails. In extreme cases, some had human skeletons but were entirely covered in fur. The town had regained its food and livelihood, but in exchange, it had lost something of its humanity. The town became rumored as the place where accursed children—beastfolk—were born. It was shunned by neighboring towns and became completely isolated. This is that place: the cursed town of "Nienosei," the Life of Sacrifice. Those born as beastfolk are either loathed as abominations or revered as heroes.