Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari

2014-09-19T01:31:16Z

Stealth: /* Wave 3 */ Chapter 50 preview on pastebin

{{Teaser|English}}

[[File:Tate_no_Yuusha_Volume_1_Cover.png|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]
'''Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari / The Rising of the Shield Hero''' (盾の勇者の成り上がり)a Japanese web novel written by Aneko Yusagi (アネコユサギ). The web novel was adapted into a manga drawn by Aiya Kyuu (藍屋球) and published by MF Books. The light novel was illustrated by Minami Seira (弥南せいら) with 6 volumes and ongoing.

The Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari series is also available in the following languages:

*[[Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (Indonesia)|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]

==Synopsis==
Iwatani Naofumi was summoned into a parallel world along with 3 other people to become the world's Heroes. Each of the heroes were respectively equipped with their own legendary equipment when summoned. Naofumi coincidentally received the Legendary Shield as his weapon. Due to Naofumi's lack of charisma and experience, he ended up with only a single teammate while others have several. Unfortunately, on his third day Naofumi was betrayed, falsely accused, and robbed by the said teammate. Shunned by everyone from king to peasants, Naofumi's thoughts were filled with nothing but vengeance and hatred. Thus, his destiny in a parallel World begins...

==Translation==

===[[Tate_no_Yuusha:Registration_page|Registration]]===

Translators are asked to [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Registration_page|register]] beforehand to avoid confusions.

===Guidelines and Formats===

*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Tate_no_Yuusha:Names_and_Terminology|Tate no Yuusha Names and Terminology]]

===Feedback & Discussion===
If you like the novel then please give us your [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7641 feedback and/or thoughts]

==Recent Updates==
* September 15th, 2014 - Chapter 20 Completed
* September 10th, 2014 - Chapters 22-23 (Wave 1) and Chapters 24-25 (Wave 2) Completed
{{:Tate_no_Yuusha_no_Nariagari: Updates||}}
Older updates can be found [[Tate_no_Yuusha_no_Nariagari: Updates|here]].

==Extra info==

The difference between the LN and WN can be found [[Tate_no_Yuusha_no_Nariagari:_Recommended_Read|here]].

==Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari by Aneko Yusagi==
*Please do note that there are differences between the light novel and web novel. These translations are based on the web novel.

===Wave 1===
[[File:Tate_no_Yuusha_Volume_1_Cover.png|thumb]]
*[[Tate_no_Yuusha_Volume 1 Illustrations|LN Volume 1 Illustrations]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_1|[Web Novel 1] Chapter 1 - Royal Summoning]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_2|[Web Novel 2] Chapter 2 - Hero Introduction]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_3|[Web Novel 3] Chapter 3 - Hero Discussion]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_4|[Web Novel 4] Chapter 4 - Specially Arranged Gold]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_5|[Web Novel 5] Chapter 5 - Shield's Reality ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_6|[Web Novel 6] Chapter 6 - The Trap & Arts of Betrayal]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_7|[Web Novel 7] Chapter 7 - False Charge]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_8|[Web Novel 8] Chapter 8 - Fallen Fame]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_9|[Web Novel 9] Chapter 9 - Something Called a Slave]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_10|[Web Novel 10] Chapter 10 - Kids' Lunch]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_11|[Web Novel 11] Chapter 11 - Slave's Accomplishments ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_12|[Web Novel 12] Chapter 12 - What's Yours is Mine]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_13|[Web Novel 13] Chapter 13 - Remedy]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_14|[Web Novel 14] Chapter 14 - Taking a Life]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_15|[Web Novel 15] Chapter 15 - Demi-Human's Traits ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_16|[Web Novel 16] Chapter 16 - Preparations for the Wave]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_17|[Web Novel 17] Chapter 17 - The Barbarian's Armor ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_18|[Web Novel 18] Chapter 18 - Engraved Dragon Hourglass]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_19|[Web Novel 19] Chapter 19 - Memory/Black Beast]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_20|[Web Novel 20] Chapter 20 - Wave of Calamity ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_21|[Web Novel 21] Chapter 21 - Practice of Heresy]]([[User:Alpaca|Progress]])
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_22|[Web Novel 22] Chapter 22 - What I Wanted to Hear]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_23|[Web Novel 23] Chapter 23 - Shared Pain]]

===Wave 2===
[[File:Tate_no_Yuusha_Volume_2_Cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_24|[Web Novel 24] Chapter 24 - Egg Gacha]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_25|[Web Novel 25] Chapter 25 - Gift of Life]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_26|[Web Novel 26] Chapter 26 - Filo]]- [[http://pastebin.com/Pmmdvy9a PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_27|[Web Novel 27] Chapter 27 - Growth]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_28|[Web Novel 28] Chapter 28 - Exit by a Kick ]] [[http://pastebin.com/NuddPzZ0 PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_29|[Web Novel 29] Chapter 29 - Those With Wings]] [[http://pastebin.com/zvzDhYEX PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_30|[Web Novel 30] Chapter 30 - Transformation Ability]][[http://pastebin.com/RKBEUwHq PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_31|[Web Novel 31] Chapter 31 - 飴と鞭 Carrot and Stick]][[http://pastebin.com/kB1n5bWG PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_32|[Web Novel 32] Chapter 32 - ご褒美 Reward (aka Riverside BBQ)]][[http://pastebin.com/BRBdJnMS PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_33|[Web Novel 33] Chapter 33 - 行商 Peddling]][[http://pastebin.com/iqjJ2dX5 PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_34|[Web Novel 34] Chapter 34 - 馬車の旅 Journey on Carriage]][[http://pastebin.com/3YtuVrta PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_35|[Web Novel 35] Chapter 35 - 勇者達の噂 Rumors of Our Hero]][[http://pastebin.com/1gXK85Zh PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_36|[Web Novel 36] Chapter 36 - 命以外の全てを奪う To Take Everything But Your Life]][[http://pastebin.com/bBAKPpja PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_37|[Web Novel 37] Chapter 37 - 魔法習得 Magical Study]][[http://pastebin.com/JjS4VuLQ PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_38|[Web Novel 38] Chapter 38 - 封印された理由 The Reason It Is Sealed]][[http://pastebin.com/251SGJpZ PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_39|[Web Novel 39] Chapter 39 - 侵食植物 Plant Invasion]][[http://pastebin.com/VKVLsf2d PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_40|[Web Novel 40] Chapter 40 - 品種改良 Selective Breeding]][[http://pastebin.com/pH9VZP9v PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_41|[Web Novel 41] Chapter 41 - 将軍様…… Incognito Shogun]][[http://pastebin.com/1qHiHWjS PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_42|[Web Novel 42] Chapter 42 - 疫病の村 The Village of Plague]][[http://pastebin.com/4SqRZHzS PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_43|[Web Novel 43] Chapter 43 - カースシリーズ Curse Series]][[http://pastebin.com/jmkfaPy1 PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_44|[Web Novel 44] Chapter 44 - 憤怒の盾 Shield Rage]][[http://pastebin.com/maLEJtNn PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_45|[Web Novel 45] Chapter 45 - 行商の成果 The Results of Peddling]][[http://pastebin.com/FxuQnG0E PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_46|[Web Novel 46] Chapter 46 - 蹴り逃げ、再び Exit By A Kick, Again]][[http://pastebin.com/RV2qA2Td PREVIEW]]

===Wave 3===
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_47|[Web Novel 47] Chapter 47 - ウェルカム Being Welcomed]] [[http://pastebin.com/jp48XpM8 PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_48|[Web Novel 48] Chapter 48 - 成りすまし冤罪 To Foil Another False Accusation]][[http://pastebin.com/MhnD62cv PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_49|[Web Novel 49] Chapter 49 - 志願者 Applicants]] [[http://pastebin.com/q8MK24Z5 PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_50|[Web Novel 50] Chapter 50 - 嵐の前の Before the Storm]] [[http://pastebin.com/GXMvWepL PREVIEW]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_51|[Web Novel 51] Chapter 51 - 第三の厄災 Third Disaster]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_52|[Web Novel 52] Chapter 52 - グロウアップ Grow Up]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_53|[Web Novel 53] Chapter 53 - アイアンメイデン Iron Maiden]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_54|[Web Novel 54] Chapter 54 - 決別 Farewell]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_55|[Web Novel 55] Chapter 55 - 旅立ち Departure]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_56|[Web Novel 56] Chapter 56 - 盾の悪魔 Shield Demon]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_57|[Web Novel 57] Chapter 57 - 三勇教会 The Church of The Three Saints]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_58|[Web Novel 58] Chapter 58 - 指名手配 Wanted]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_59|[Web Novel 59] Chapter 59 - フィーロの秘密 Firo's Secret]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_60|[Web Novel 60] Chapter 60 - 悪魔の所業 Deviltry ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_61|[Web Novel 61] Chapter 61 - 説得 Persuasion]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_62|[Web Novel 62] Chapter 62 - 運命共同体 Common Destiny ]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_63|[Web Novel 63] Chapter 63 - 影 Shadow]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_64|[Web Novel 64] Chapter 64 - 名前 Names]]
* [[Tate_no_Yuusha:Web_Chapter_65|[Web Novel 65] Chapter 65 - 伝説の神鳥 Legend of The Divine Bird]]

==Project Staff==
*Supervisor: [[user:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-GTO]]
*Project Manager: [[user:Alpaca|Alpaca]]

===Translators===
Active
*[[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]]
*[[User:Ren|Ren]]
*[[User:Aperture:Null|Aperture:Null]]
*[[User:Uguu|Uguu]]

===Editors===
Active
*[[User:Soraya21|Soraya21]]/[[User:Soaya21|Soaya21]]
*[[User:BDB|BDB]]
*[[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]]
*[[User:Reiji|Reiji]]
*[[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]]
*[[User:KuroInfinity|KuroInfinity]]

== Original Web Novel ==

Original web published novel can be found here: [http://ncode.syosetu.com/n3009bk/ 盾の勇者の成り上がり]

==Series Overview==
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 1 - 334 pages (August 22, 2013) ISBN 978-4840152754
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 2 - 316 pages (October 24, 2013) ISBN 978-4040660496
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 3 - 313 pages (December 21, 2013) ISBN 978-4040661667
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 4 - (February 25, 2014) ISBN 978-4040663210
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 5 - (April 25, 2014) ISBN 978-4040667188
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 6 - (June 25, 2014) ISBN 978-4040667904
* 盾の勇者の成り上がり 7 - (September 25, 2014) ISBN 978-4040669967

User talk:Alpaca

2014-09-08T17:58:07Z

Stealth: /* Release notification */

==Release notification==
passed out 30 mins after last night's comment。 Ch 20 should be done around 11pm tonight mdt time at the latest。 sry for the tardiness o3o - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 19:37, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

Argg, ch 20 will once again be delayed, i was more busy than predicted, - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 01:21, 8 September 2014 (CDT)

np and thx

Take it easy. Don't stress over the delays. Everybody is thankful for the work you've been doing on this. And in the end, it's better if you take the time to properly rest than to try to rush the chapter at the cost of sleep/life. As you'd be much more likely to burn out and drop the series. I'm pretty sure everyone would rather get slower releases than that.
Thanks for the good job! [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 12:58, 8 September 2014 (CDT)

Sorry to say this, but I think u translate this from web novel version instead of light novel one, since I concur that chap 16 of light novel differ greatly compared to web version, as it explore how Raphtalia get over her trauma, while web version just skip it to a week later, where Raphtalia already grown up physically. Otherwise, the novel illustration which cover where they fought in cave would have no meaning [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 15:07, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

This is a project for the web novel, Chryrst. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 14:33, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

My apologies then, I didn't read the staff(editor n translator) only thread that I didn't notice [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 15:07, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

Well, instead of having it as part of the story progression, the web novel's version place Raphtalia's trauma as a flash-back-ish kind of chapter, right before the first wave hit. And I thought the text above volume 1 was pretty big. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 18:36, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

What will u do about vol 1 side story? You might manage for the "redoing of spear hero"(although it might greatly spoil what happened few volume ahead...), but what about "flag of kid lunch"? U basically already translate it as "Kid Lunch" chapter [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 20:06, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

I'm putting the side stories off for now and will translate them as I come across them as they don't impact the story much, for now, and they contain a fair amount of spoilers. As for side story 2 flag of kid lunch, that should be 'flag again' from the web novel.

Did such chapter exists? I don't remember read those on ncode...[[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 01:12, 31 August 2014 (CDT)

Yep. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 01:27, 31 August 2014 (CDT)

<s>Still no new 17th?</s> Aaaaaand it's up. Half hour lag.[[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 23:08, 31 August 2014 (CDT)
Regard 18: Gaaaah! [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 02:56, 2 September 2014 (CDT)

19's time check [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 22:58, 2 September 2014 (CDT) Incoming!!! within the next hour hopefully :cross finger: [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 00:05, 3 September 2014 (CDT)

Thank you yet again !!! :) --[[User:Tasear|Tasear]] ([[User talk:Tasear|talk]]) 01:30, 3 September 2014 (CDT)

Sorry, I do not know exactly how to comment here or where I comment on it ... Dude, where part of the novel that shows this image? http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/images/a/ac/Tate_no_Yuusha_Volume_1_Image_6.jpg - [[User:Chouzenfox|Chouzenfox]] ([[User talk:Chouzenfox|talk]])

That look like the shield and a sword being maintained. Considering the name of chapter 19,, Memory/black beast, I think that scene happen in there. Fortunately Alpaca is translating that and we can expect its release within 12 hours. Probabbly. [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 21:16, 3 September 2014 (CDT)

That's from the light novel, we're translating from the web novel, just wait for them to be sticked to their respective spots. (and don't post on TOP of that message please, it's there for a reason) - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 21:34, 3 September 2014 (CDT)

Alpaca-Kaichou! Gomenasai~! >_< Unfortunately due to school starting again, I'll only be able to edit and proof read over the weekends and holidays... I'll try to help when I can though... Again, sorry... Good luck to the rest of you for Proofing during the weekdays though :P--[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 00:33, 4 September 2014 (CDT)

20's time check! [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 00:54, 5 September 2014 (CDT) It's torturous, this waiting. 08:02, 5 September 2014 (CDT) I gotta fix my F5... Isnt there no change in two days? [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 10:21, 6 September 2014 (CDT) Isnt it mid Sunday now? [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 11:22, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

Lol. Its quite long of a chapter and ive been busy since uni statted. 70% translated already. SOON............ -[[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 13:22, 6 September 2014 (CDT)

== Thanks to the translator ==
Thanks for the steady Tate no yuusha releases. Keep it up! -johnemis, 30/08/14

Thank you --[[User:Tasear|Tasear]] ([[User talk:Tasear|talk]]) 01:56, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Okay then, I'll do that. Thanks~
--[[User:Soraya21|Soraya21]] ([[User talk:Soraya21|talk]]) 01:10, 24 August 2014 (CDT)

Hello, I've recently edited chapter 1 of Tate Yuusha, mostly for grammar and reading clarity. If you're satisfied with the work, I can also proofread the rest of the chapters currently out.
--[[User:Soraya21|Soraya21]] ([[User talk:Soraya21|talk]]) 00:49, 24 August 2014 (CDT)

Thanks for picking this up Alpaca!
Edit from same anon: Dude, you're my hero for translating so quickly! xD Don't burn yourself out though lol.

I'm clarifying my reads on the novels as I translate anyway so most likely I won't, but I'll have to slow down once Uni starts again. [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 22:17, 22 August 2014 (CDT)

Thanks for the translation read a couple of manga chapters on it and funny progress info.

Thanks for picking up Tate no Yuusha. Between Mushoku Tensei and this I`m in heaven. [[User:RougeReader|RougeReader]] ([[User talk:RougeReader|talk]]) 13:05, 22 August 2014 (CDT)

Thanks for your hard work! The google translation is horrible xD -- Maelos

Thanks so much for your work on the Shield Hero series. I just picked it up and it looks very promising. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 17:02, 23 August 2014 (CDT)

Dang you work fast! Thanks for all your work! :D [[User:Starwarscards|Starwarscards]] ([[User talk:Starwarscards|talk]]) 02:51, 25 August 2014 (CDT)

Thanks so much for translating this! It's a cute story. Question though: what timezone are you in? I'm seeing you post ~1 or 2AM PST. Don't burn yourself out! [[User:D4mi3n|d4mi3n]] ([[User talk:D4mi3n|talk]]) 12:09, 25 August 2014 (CDT)

If one consider to translate all extra n gaiden as well, it would be very hard to ever caught up with author work; the author always post update on ncode at 08.00AM(GMT+7) EVERYDAY WITHOUT MISSING DAY REGARDLESS THE DATE. The break only happen between main tale to extra and extra to gaiden. The author pace seriously earn my respect [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 15:28, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

== This is important, I need some opinions from our editors and translators ==

Dunno if this will help you, but here:
http://pastebin.com/Z94kTa6U

I posted this on discussion but no one seems to notice so, here it is:

I just went ahead and translated the rest of the Japanese names of the chapters. I noticed a few chapters having different ordering comparing the the Web novel. The current chapter 16 should be the 19th chapter from the web novel since, the naming make sense with the chapter's contents (trying to be as spoiler-free as possible). But the problem here lies in 'Black Headed Dog' chapter's contents (according to the web novel's version), which will be very weird without reading chapter 17-19 (preparation, armor, and hourglass) first. Although since the Light novel's version is different from the web novel's one, the contents might be slightly different(but both should be talking about Raphtaria's memory). With that said, what do you guys suggest we should do about this chapter('black headed dog')? Should I just translate according to the webnovel's flow, meaning: re-arranging 'Black Headed Dog' to ch 19?
 There is also chapter 20, 'sword', I don't remember reading any of the web novel's chapter that was close or similarly named around the time line of volume one ( before Wave 1 and a day or two after ). Should we just skip this chapter for now?
 Also, for the epilogue, can someone that has access to the light novel check for me if this is "分け合う痛み/Shared Pain" the 23rd chapter on the web novel website? I'm heading off for the day. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca|talk]]) 01:35, 26 August 2014 (CDT)

I think you should do what you think is best, if it makes more sense from your viewpoint to just rearrange the chapters go ahead. Unfortunately I have no understanding of the Japanese language (except for a few random words) so all I can suggest is just do what you think is best since you actually understand the language. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 15:17, 26 August 2014 (CDT)

My opinion is that since this is a project for the web novel, you should stay true to it. That's all I really have to say though. I don't know much about the story concerns without actually reading them. As in if any sort of change was made would be an improvement or not, I have no idea about that. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 15:16, 26 August 2014 (CDT)

I'm thinking of changing skill names with '1' into roman letter of 'I', any take on this? - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 18:22, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

That's acceptable. I've seen that in many games before. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 18:54, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

It would be still way far ahead, but there are people who refer their skill name power with kanji instead of plain number(XXX I to XXX X, while some XXX一 to XXX 十), thus I think it's better to think of variation for later date [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 15:08, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

== Shield Hero ==

===Editor Comments===
簡易調合レシピ１ C11: Simple Compound Recipes 1 C14: Simple Compounding Recipe 1

I think that I will take the best of both worlds and go with 'Simple Compounding Recipes 1', since 'Recipes' implies that it provides more than one. 'Compounding' is more correct as well. I'll go ahead and make the edit, because I think that you will agree with my change. Thank you. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 02:52, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Yep, sounds great. And now I'll head off to bed, I'll aim for a double release tomorrow o3o - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 03:51, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

How do you guys feel about contractions? As in like changing "What is" into "What's" etc. Japanese usually breaks English up when its translated, so should we re-contract them? [[User:KuroInfinity|KuroInfinity]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 07:47, 27 August 2014

I like reading them un-contracted usually, but that's just my reference (same with all the sfx o3o) - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 00:57, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

Hmmm... is it okay if I just do the ones that sound weird to me? Don't worry about the sfx though, I'll leave those alone. --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 22:53, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

'inside one of the ditches[14] on my shield.' in chapter 15. How about 'slots' since that is what it looks like to me in the illustration. And it would also confuse nobody and thus we can remove the TL note. How does that sound? [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 12:29, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

Also, I noticed in this last chapter that you used 'Oyaji' the the entire chapter. You know if you want to you can just completely refer to him that way the entire novel. Consistency is a good thing too. I'll let you think about it. Also Kuro has been changing Pop to Pops lately as well. So now it is even more important to set a standard. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 17:38, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

I've been thinking of changing it all to Oyaji instead of Pop/Pops since I like the sound of oyaji better while Pops makes me think of Pepsi. What do you guys think about this? (posted the same message on Reiji's talk, just want one her for reference.) - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 17:51, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

As someone who likes the Japanese language, although I don't study it,(I try sometimes, but I'm not cut out for the kanji/grammar hurdle) I believe I am biased on the matter, but I like 'Oyaji'. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 17:57, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

It was 'Erst', but I was meaning to get into more detail on that subject. There's another translator that used 'Air Strike'(a translator on Beast's Lair) and another one that used 'Instant'(on the Tate wikia page) エア can mean Air, and スト can be Strike, according to Rikaisama, however I do not know how that other translator got Instant from エアスト. It is hard to say what it really is without any context as to what it does. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 18:08, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

It was on chapter 8 [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 18:19, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

I need you to write a new TL note for the first appearance of the name Oyaji on chapter 4. Also, I had to make some bigger changes to chapter 8 because of the usage of stuff like: 'the old Pop' So it may seem a bit odd. I just didn't want to keep 'the old Oyaji' or something like that, seemed weird to me considering the nickname. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 18:47, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

Alpaca-kaichou!! Can you check over my check on chapter 7? I re-worded some things, and some parts confused me a bit. --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 19:45, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

Roger that. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 20:27, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

While editing Ch.8 noticed this. It says that Naofumi Lv. UP-ed to level 2 but at the end of ch.5 he already leveled up... shouldn't he be at lv.3 or what? --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 00:20, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

“Air Shield!”

The first skill I learned. This skill summons a shield with a range of five-meter approximately.

So.. did the author forget about the existence of Air Bash being his first skill. Or does he mean first 'useful' skill? PS: I have added the shields and the new village name from chapter 16 to the terminology page[[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 12:13, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

Ah, yes. I should have known. And sorry about missing the asterisks. ahaha [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 12:49, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

It is erst(first in German) shield, since later he gain skill of "second shield", which effect same like erst, basically same skill with different cooldown
Also, Demi-human sounds more acceptable than subhuman, and beastman(at least kanji wise) than mutant [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 15:06, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

That was posted by a user named Chryrst ^ Also, he makes a good point. On the wikia there is also skills named エアスト・フロートミラー and セカンド・フロートミラー

So I was right to begin with, huh? Also Chryrst if you ever read this, sign your messages with four tilde(~) at the end. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 14:30, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

Meh, I was thinking of about switching them into beast and and demi-humnan but since another translator(beside moi) translated it so I just went "whatever" on the subject and leave it as is. As for the skill name, I've only read up to chap 83 since I'm trying to hit my quota of 1 chap a day (and I know that we won't be catching up at this rate but bleh, I am the only really active translator for this project atm) - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 18:43, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

Done, and I didn't find any instances of 'mutant' so he must have been mistaken and gave us the wrong word. If you find out what should be changed, let me know what to change. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 00:10, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

Also done. And when referring to their kind, I used 'beastmen'. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 01:11, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

U have my thanks. This is one of few translated work that I feel comfortable to read on(most translation, VN included, feel "weird" due incapable bring essence of its original meaning of words), thus my suggestion just little selfishness of mine[[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 06:28, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

I need you to look at these edits by Wololo:

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_3&diff=387649&oldid=387344&rcid=&curid=57691

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_1&diff=387637&oldid=387631&rcid=&curid=57613

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_2&diff=387639&oldid=387363&rcid=&curid=57614

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_4&diff=387662&oldid=386768&rcid=&curid=57758

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_5&diff=387667&oldid=386931&rcid=&curid=57799

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_6&diff=387672&oldid=386769&rcid=&curid=58098

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_7&diff=387675&oldid=386872&rcid=&curid=58134

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_8&diff=387678&oldid=387164&rcid=&curid=58135

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_10&diff=387686&oldid=386772&rcid=&curid=58171

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_11&diff=387689&oldid=387435&rcid=&curid=58192

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Chapter_12&diff=387694&oldid=387436&rcid=&curid=58256

Hai Hai -> Good idea! is really stupid in my opinion. Just an example of one of the changes. He may do more of these edits in the future, up to you what to revert, and possibly contact him about not doing that in the future without asking you first. This is what I wake up to... haha [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 11:32, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

Done. I thought you would think so. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 14:10, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

It seems Chryrst has some concerns over on the main Tate talk page. Just thought I'd point you in that direction. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 14:19, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

Uguu(the former anon translator) uploaded his chapter 22 translation today. And I suppose he is wondering if that was alright by you, and if it was he can upload the rest of the chapters he translated as well that were registered by you. You may want to communicate with him and either let him know to remove his chapter or to leave it up and to maybe upload the rest of his stuff. I'll leave the decision to you, Alpaca. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 20:43, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

Well, regardless, still try to communicate with him. Let him know if you approve of his work, and if you think it needs a little TLC work you can do that as well. He's waiting on talking with you before uploading the rest. If your desire is to translate them yourself, you'd still be in the right to do so because you registered for that chapter. You just need to let him know what you want. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 23:13, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

===Other===
I cleared up some of the older messages since it was kind of clustered.[[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 00:10, 25 August 2014 (CDT)

It wasn't my idea. Also, that person was already in the process of changing most of them when I messaged you. I just wanted you to be aware. I think that it should be up to your preference of what is pleasing to your eye. I actually don't mind either of them. Also this project doesn't have too many people working on it and very few of them are vocal. The other translators especially have been extremely quiet. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 00:13, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

I know you don't check the forums too often but one of the members there (Edricano) posted this from chapter 5: 
“ORAORAORAORA!” 
I continuously strike the Orange Balloon like a Kung-Fu master. 
Isn't it a reference to Star Platinum, Jotaro's stand (in Jojo's bizarre adventures)? 
I've never read/watched Jojo but it appears that he/she is correct, here's the link for a wiki: http://jojo.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Platinum 
I (or Reiji, whoever gets to first) can add the reference in if you want, just let me (or him) know. On another note I will be busy during the day so I probably won't get around to any editing till later. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 08:47, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Go ahead and add the references if you can, I'm not bad at noticing those. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 13:04, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Could you check this line for me in chapter 3? 
The three of them were throwing my way absentminded when they talk about each of their respective games. 
It's just worded very awkwardly maybe something like this instead: The three of them started to talk with each other about their respective games while occasionally throwing absentminded glances my way. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 13:15, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Lol with the pace you're working at I wouldn't be surprised. Honestly your doing great considering how fast your going, also do you even sleep? O.o [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 20:23, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

You overestimated me quite a bit there in that message to Kuro. I do very little work on this project. I would say Soraya21 is doing such an incredible amount of work. I wonder how he does it.. have you seen all of it? haha [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 20:24, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Just thought I would let you know, I'm not editing the most recent chapters (I will be reading them :D), I'm currently editing all chapters in chronological order and I'm currently on chapter 4. I will edit the new chapters once I catch up. Just thought I would let ya know. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 21:43, 27 August 2014 (CDT)

Yep, Soraya did a massive amount of revamp, and I appreciate it, on a side not I don't think I'll be able to release any chapter tonight. I was more busy than expected. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 00:57, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

Don't worry, I'm gonna reread the Muv-Luv trilogy. That should keep me busy. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 01:44, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

Awwww[[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 06:34, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

aight, it's been more than 24 hours since I last see my Raphtalia-tan o3o. Time to get the show started. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 11:13, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

So you're female.... hehehe. Lol, see I told you it would get creepy really fast XD [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 16:46, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

Lol traps are fine too... cause I'm one too (I'll let you guess XD)! But I'm also jailbait... [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 22:12, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

Hey Alpaca-kaichou! I found Volume 7! :D Well... its cover anyways... but how do I add the date its released (Sept.25 2014) and stuff to the main page?
(Like official looking with the ISBN and stuff.)

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E7%9B%BE%E3%81%AE%E5%8B%87%E8%80%85%E3%81%AE%E6%88%90%E3%82%8A%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8A-7-MF%E3%83%96%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9-%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8D%E3%82%B3-%E3%83%A6%E3%82%B5%E3%82%AE/dp/4040669967/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409282874&sr=1-1

That grown up Filo (I think... Does she grow up like Raphtalia?)! --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 22:34, 28 August 2014 (CDT)

is it really Filo? I thought it was Firo. and yes he will grow up like what happen to Raphtalia. [[User:Ren|Ren]] ([[User talk:Ren|talk]]) 01:46, 29 August 2014 (CDT)
Time check! [[User:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]] ([[User talk:Laclongquan|talk]]) 06:42, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

Raphtalia groaned, looking unconvinced. Her hands were preciously holding 'ball.' 
I'm a little confused with the wording here for chapter 15. Are you trying to say that the ball is precious to Raphtalia? If you are you could say that she held the ball protectively. Lol, looks like you're gonna have to do some cleaning here again. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 15:13, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

Yeah you might want to add your own interpretation then. Although you could just say Raphtalia held the ball that was precious to her or even go with the one that I suggested earlier which would imply that the ball is important to her or something else entirely. I'll leave it to you to decide. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 19:05, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

I wonder why he used エアストバッシュ? Reply to me that you're 100% sure about this decision. [[User:Reiji|Reiji]] ([[User talk:Reiji|talk]]) 19:39, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

UUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH I love good grammer, but I hate editing -_- Srry 'bout the wrong changes. Hardest part of being an editor is when you change something that was already good from the beginning... --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 22:56, 29 August 2014 (CDT)

I'm sorry to say this, but Filo human form never grow, while her filorial form still grow. Thus if u see her humanoid form look adult, It's just matter of perspective that make u think so... Her human form, is what u call eternal loli(ok, not THAT loli, but still...) [[User:Chryrst|Chryrst]] ([[User talk:Chryrst|talk]]) 15:17, 30 August 2014 (CDT)

You guys...
http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_Volume_1_Side_Story_2 <--- Can someone please explain to me... just what is this? -_- --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 00:07, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

Well, I'm deleting this garbage, if you want to know what i'm talking about, (Somebody's idea of a joke, I guess) just check the editing history... -_- --[[User:KuroInfinity|Kuro]] ([[User talk:KuroInfinity|talk]]) 00:14, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

GG. just got back home and that's what I saw - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 01:15, 7 September 2014 (CDT)

===Format Changes===

I just wanted to propose a format guideline for the leveling system. Let me know what you think and/or any changes/proposes. For now this is what I'll be stinking to with while editing and maybe the other editors will use it depending on what they think. 
1. Whenever a character mentions a level in their speech, it should just be put as 'level' 
Reasoning: When most people use abbr. (abbreviations) they tend to say the actual word. Go ahead try it. (etc. = et cetera) 
2. When a level is mentioned with a number attached (outside of character speech), it should be written as either "Lvl. 25" or "Lv. 25" 
Reasoning: This is just keeping with the whole rpg game feel. Just think of it as when you find monsters or look at stats. they tend to have it in this format. 
Also we should come to a consensus if we abbreviate level to "Lvl." or "Lv." 
Again these are just suggestions and you're more than welcome to add you own opinions or suggestions. Please let me know what you think. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 23:58, 31 August 2014 (CDT)

I think that's some great sugguestion, I will try to follow that from now on and for (2.) I say go with lvl since that's more common than lv (at least here in NA). Off to bed for now, night folks. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 00:33, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

Oh wow, you're NA?! You are up waaaaaay too late... then again so am I >____< 
Just another thing I would like to get your and our editor's opinion on the format for item/ability names. Since I've seen it as just: (Chain mail) or ("Chain mail") 
So we should probably pick one format for consistency. Anyhow I'm headed off to bed too. [[User:DarkeKyuubi|DarkeKyuubi]] ([[User talk:DarkeKyuubi|talk]]) 02:51, 1 September 2014 (CDT)

== Chapters ==
What chapter does volume 2 starts?

roughly 24th, but haven't check between the Ln and WN yet[[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 13:57, 22 August 2014 (CDT)

I typed up what's out and formatted it more like a book in a pdf file. I'll try to make an e-pub when I have time
http://www.mediafire.com/view/6jhvrs09tsx4vs2/shieldbro.pdf

== anon script verification ==

Dear Alpaca,

Please find below a link to chapter 22, translated by an anonymous user.
[http://pastebin.com/Z94kTa6U Shield Hero chp.22]

I would appreciate if you can verify it and whether you wish to use it or have plans to translate the chapter yourself.

As i'm aware of this script, i will prevent any publishing of chapter 22 until i hear your reply on this matter.

Best Regards,
Onizuka-GTO 21:25, 31 August 2014 (CDT)

=== Registration of Chapter 22 ===

Dear Alpaca,

In accordance to the "first come, first serve" guidelines, with you as the registered translator for this chapter, this decision is entirely up to you and i will prioritise any actions in regards to this chapter.

Best Regards,

Onizuka-GTO 23:12, 31 August 2014 (CDT)

=== Chapter 24 ===

Dear Alpaca,

Once again, an existence of an anonymous script has been brought to my attention:
[http://pastebin.com/5UHmTnKR Vol.2.Chp.24]

This is simply a notification and there is no need to reply.

Once again, this is at your discretion as the registered translator to do what you wish with this.

Regards,

Onizuka-GTO 09:01, 5 September 2014 (CDT)

Hi, I did the anonymous translations for chapters 22-24. Shall we work together? I feel like it's a waste of your time to redo those chapters but if you don't feel that the translations are up to par then go ahead. I don't see 25 as being registered by anyone so I might take it (though I'm already almost finished). Dropping it anonymously on /a/ is what I had originally planned. However, due the length of the series it might be in everyone's best interests to collaborate our efforts.

Hi, sorry for the late reply, I just got back home. As I attempted to contact you earlier, it would be to our best interests if you were to join us. As for the chapters, I had not read the ones on pastebin since I already read the raws to know what's up. If you would like, just register and we can just add you to the translator list to start off with. - [[User:Alpaca|Alpaca]] ([[User talk:Alpaca#top|talk]]) 21:29, 5 September 2014 (CDT)

Talk:Mushoku Tensei:Web Chapter 83

2014-08-07T16:36:12Z

Stealth: /* Edits based on my understanding, from the context and from whatever I could make sense of the previous translation effort */

== Edits based on my understanding, from the context and from whatever I could make sense of the previous translation effort ==

I am going to put my suggestions here instead of editing the chapter directly, as I think it is a bit too large of a change to do without confirming with a translator.
I will write the original text in Italic, and will write my suggestions after it. I may bold some points for emphasis, and I will also add explanations in parenthesis.

''Although, even if it was such a luxurious dish, her job as a guard made her required her to eat until the very end, but she had to retire after seeing exactly how much those of the upper level nobility could eat.''

Although, even if it was such a luxurious dish, '''and even though''' her '''job as a guard required of her''' to eat until the very end, but she '''still''' had to retire after seeing exactly how much those of the upper level nobility could eat.
(Here I think the emphasis is on the fact that she is supposed to stay and eat with the nobles but she couldn't eat as much as the glutton nobles, even if she loved the food)

''The similar yet lower ranking guard was Luke.''

''However the difference in quality of meals here than those of Buina village was like the difference between Heaven and Earth.''
(I would be surprised by the fact that Luke would be considered "lower ranking" than Sylphy, he is a noble of the Notus family, is older than her, and has been working as guard for longer, and as far as the context is concerned, there is no reason to mention it at this point in text even if true. I think something else was meant here.
From reading the previous translation, my guess is that it is meant to say even though her food is of lower quality than what Luke gets, it's still light years ahead of what she used to eat in her village)

She was served similar dishes, yet of lower quality, as Luke.

'''But even then''' the difference in the quality '''between the meals served here''' than and those of Buina village was like the difference between Heaven and Earth.

''[Even if they are said to be the Genius Boy, apparently that genius doesn't extend into using manners properly.]''
(I think we are using they to avoid mentioning the gender of Fitts/Sylphy, but in this case, it is clear the person talking is assuming she is a Rudeus...)

[Even if '''he''' is said to be '''a genius''', apparently that genius doesn't extend into using manners properly.]

''Secretly supplementing the parts he knew that she was lacking, and stealthily teaching her the parts that she did not know at all, he had become a shadow of support for her.''

''A shadow only.''

''Because around here, there was a reason he was popular.''

(I feel that "a shadow of support" doesn't convey the meaning it's supposed to... Saying a shadow of something usually means that is barely in the shape of it, basically insufficient. Here is a shadow supporter I think.)

'''Subtly''' supplementing the parts he knew that she was lacking, and stealthily teaching her the parts that she did not know at all, he had become '''her hidden supporter'''.

'''From the shadows only'''.

'''And that was''' a reason he was popular '''around here'''.

''In her heart there was no crevice filled with anything other than that of Rudeus.''

(Slightly strange wording... Nothing important, but I suggest the following)

In her heart there was no room left for anyone other than Rudeus.

''However if Ariel orders it, he will let fall the head of Sylphy.''

(I Think here it is meant that he will have to behead Sylphy himself)

However if Ariel orders it, '''he will have to behead Sylphy himself'''.

''Was the beginning of Lord Liston's thoughtless words.''

'''It all started with''' Lord Liston's thoughtless words.

Those are all suggestions, I'd like to get a translator's or a more experienced editor's opinion. Thanks [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 11:36, 7 August 2014 (CDT)

Talk:Mushoku Tensei:Web Chapter 83

2014-08-07T16:34:32Z

Stealth: /* Edits based on my understanding, from the context and from whatever I could make sense of the previous translation effort */ new section

Talk:Mushoku Tensei:Web Chapter 82

2014-08-04T01:11:09Z

Stealth: /* Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name */ Reply to Skuizaan

Since nobody really uses these pages I'm just going to list all my edits and questions here

I love you editors... I really do. This chapter jumps around a great deal in present and past tense between paragraphs so there is are bound to be mistakes in that area. Every change seems satisfactory so far. --Skui

== Edits Made ==

* Added headers and subheaders

* In the Garden of plants where the blossoming white flowers were collected. (Capitalized plants)

* also known as, The Garden of White Lilies. (Capitalized also)

* instantly kills the guard of the princess (changed kills to killed)

* protected the princess' life (added s after ')

* Such as thing happening (as to a)

* A Demon appearing in the Royal Palace is an unprecedented incident. (is to was)

* who is charge of the Royal Palace's defense (added in after is)

* it's tentative collapse. (it's to its)

* It is a matter of course to receive well the hero (switched well and receive)('''Maybe change in future to warmly instead of well?''')

* well, The second princess Ariel (lowercase the for The)

* would not (contracted to wouldn't)

* time, The Princess and Luke would both be dead (The to the)

* Among those questions asked was, (was to were)

* [If the Princess say so.] (say to says)

Give me a sec be right back, computer problems

* Changed Sylphie to Sylphy a couple of time

* His soft smiling face makes one relieved. (makes to made)

* He was possessed of such pride. (of to by) Alternative could be removing was and of

* Still to this day there was the child in Buina village who glanced at her with hostility. (was the child to were children)

* Oh, What's this? (What's to what's)

* You are still too young for something like this, Give it up already!] (Give to give)

* From here, It starts from here!] (It to it)

* I am sorry, Have I given you reason to be afraid? (Have to have)

* Still, If you will allow me to (If to if)

* You of the beautiful White-washed Hair (White to white and Hair to hair)

* he meant by White-washed hair (White to white)

* Luke who was no longer necessary to be made to keep her company (removed to be made)

* Fittoa Territory (changed to Fedoa Region since Name Guidelines)

* daughter of the Hunter in Buena Village, and who learned magic from my friend Rudei. (the Hunter to a hunter, removed who and Rudei to Rudi)

* A story, A genius boy, who defeated the minions of the Senior Minister. (A genius boy to a genius boy)

* A story, A genius boy, who the Sword King Ghyslaine acknowledged superiority. (^ same as above)

* A story, He who managed the Boreas' violent daughter, (He to he)

* Most, if any of the story is true. (Changed Most to Well)(Feedback for this would be helpful)

* If Sylphiette said that she was not that Genius boy (Genius to genius)

* The real name of that Genius is Rudeus Greyrat (^ same as above)

* When the Full Name was spoken, a [Hm?] was uttered and many nobles puzzled. (Full Name to full name and were added after nobles)

* And this it is allowed for those mistress' to call themselves Greyrat. (this to thus and mistress' to mistresses)

* There decided that the names of the four protected sides they would be called by would be: (There to They)

* Notos, Boreas, Euros, Zephyrus. (added and after Euros, since it's a list)

* However, Though an ordinary name (Though to though)

* That he started out with with the Boreas (removed extra with)

* Sauros' so-called illigitimate child (Sauros' to Sauros's)

* struggle was of far more important than anything trivial, (important to importance)

* News about the disappearane of Fittoa Territory (Fittoa Territory to Fedoa Region)

* They reported on the situation and the nearest town. (and to at)

* A second knight succeeds the first, continues on a horse without rest for a day, and relays the information to the next big city. (succeeds to succeeded, continues to continuing, and relays to relayed)

* Everyone became missing. (became to was)

These are all the edits I've done on this chapter currently

== Questions on Changes ==

1. To the This word, Protection knight who are Luke also agreed. (I'm going to change this, To these words, Protection Knight Luke also agreed) >> sounds much better. I did make an error here though, Any instances of 'Protection knight' need to be changed to the more proper titled Guardian knight or Knight-guardian if they are spotted. Thanks! --Skui

I'm going to go with Guardian Knight -[[User:Marrow|Marrow]] ([[User talk:Marrow|talk]]) 11:26, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

2. Too luxurious was the bed. Too luxurious were the clothes the people wore. Too luxurious was the room. I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing luxurious place.

'''This seems awkward to me, would it be alright if I changed it to something like'''

(The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.)I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing, luxurious place.

>> go ahead. I was just doing a line-by-line as it appeared, since he reiterates it like that in that section.

　シルフィは目覚めた瞬間、夢だと考えた。

　'''豪華すぎる'''ベッド。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) bed

　'''豪華すぎる'''服を着た人達。 >> '''too luxurious''' (were the) clothes the people wore

　'''豪華すぎる'''部屋。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) room.

　自分がこんな豪華すぎる所にいる理由がわからなかった。

I was just doing a line-by-line and trying to keep it looking similar. Honestly it looks better just making it grammatically pleasant. He does this a few times, once at the beginning involving the demon attack, and a bit further on when talking about the 'genius boy' Rudeus. So, if you wish to polish those up, it's more than welcomed. --Skui

To be honest, I think the repetition was placed there purposely since it reads off like a list. Comparing

"The bed is too luxurious.

The people's clothes are too luxurious.

The room is too luxurious.

I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

with

"The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.
I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

You can see amount of emphasis placed the notion of luxury primarily because it is repeated so many times. The latter condenses it, so it loses a bit of that feeling.

This is just my take on it though.
--[[User:Sarnik|Sarnik]] ([[User talk:Sarnik|talk]]) 11:53, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

== Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name ==

It appears that "Fitts" is the name Silphy was given because she hails from the "Fittoa Territory". Since we have been using "Fedoa Region" until now, wouldn't be more appropriate to adapt the name too?
Not sure what it would be... maybe Fed or Feds? (I know it sounds silly and like a reference to FBI agents... but Fitts doesn't sound much better either) [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 10:31, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Begin rant.txt:
If Fitts is changed instead of the abortion to katakana the translation given to us as Fedoa was, I will personally, manually, change it back every time until my editing rights are revoked. Fedoa makes no sense. It was a courtesy leaving it that way to the initial translator back when there was no reason at that point for anyone to say, "gee, perhaps you should double-check that katakana reading." None. No searchable reference or anything. This chapter literally, gave us lock stock and smoking barrel the definite name of the territory, and ''how and why'' Sylphy's name was changed to it.

フィットア | フィッツ

Fi tto a | Fi ttsu

フェドア | フェヅ

Fe do a | Fe dzu

Do you dare to take the ctrl+f challenge?
Ah, I really don't mean to sound rude, but I don't know how to cope with the thought of doing something so backwards to the effort. My blood actually gets hot and I want to yell and stuff. But all I can say is: Please, no. Please don't change Fitts' name. It's just not kosher to do it. Amen. A salaam aleikum. Hakuna matata. Sorry, and thanks. Just remember.. 'Fitts' fits.--[[User:Skuizaan|Skuizaan]] ([[User talk:Skuizaan|talk]]) 19:07, 3 August 2014 (CDT)

No need to get angry, I am not aware of the details of why or how the name got to be what it is. I am with you that we should stick as close to the original material as possible.
It is just that currently, the Names and Terminology page recommended we use Fedoa Region. I was simply saying that if we go that route we should try to stay consistent. Otherwise I vote for it to go the other way around and we change Fedoa to Fittoa everywhere. This would make it that the name Fitts correctly "foreshadows" the true identity of the character (although that was extremely easy to guess even without that extra clue).
I personally have no intention of making any major edits without consulting. That is why I actually asked first. I will do as many edits as I can, but only as long as I do not make any deep changes without consulting a translator first. In doubt I'll ask again on the talk page. [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 20:11, 3 August 2014 (CDT)

Talk:Mushoku Tensei:Web Chapter 82

2014-08-01T15:33:31Z

Stealth: Removed doubled section that was added by mistake.

Since nobody really uses these pages I'm just going to list all my edits and questions here

I love you editors... I really do. This chapter jumps around a great deal in present and past tense between paragraphs so there is are bound to be mistakes in that area. Every change seems satisfactory so far. --Skui

== Edits Made ==

* Added headers and subheaders

* In the Garden of plants where the blossoming white flowers were collected. (Capitalized plants)

* also known as, The Garden of White Lilies. (Capitalized also)

* instantly kills the guard of the princess (changed kills to killed)

* protected the princess' life (added s after ')

* Such as thing happening (as to a)

* A Demon appearing in the Royal Palace is an unprecedented incident. (is to was)

* who is charge of the Royal Palace's defense (added in after is)

* it's tentative collapse. (it's to its)

* It is a matter of course to receive well the hero (switched well and receive)('''Maybe change in future to warmly instead of well?''')

* well, The second princess Ariel (lowercase the for The)

* would not (contracted to wouldn't)

* time, The Princess and Luke would both be dead (The to the)

* Among those questions asked was, (was to were)

* [If the Princess say so.] (say to says)

Give me a sec be right back, computer problems

* Changed Sylphie to Sylphy a couple of time

* His soft smiling face makes one relieved. (makes to made)

* He was possessed of such pride. (of to by) Alternative could be removing was and of

* Still to this day there was the child in Buina village who glanced at her with hostility. (was the child to were children)

* Oh, What's this? (What's to what's)

* You are still too young for something like this, Give it up already!] (Give to give)

* From here, It starts from here!] (It to it)

* I am sorry, Have I given you reason to be afraid? (Have to have)

* Still, If you will allow me to (If to if)

* You of the beautiful White-washed Hair (White to white and Hair to hair)

* he meant by White-washed hair (White to white)

* Luke who was no longer necessary to be made to keep her company (removed to be made)

* Fittoa Territory (changed to Fedoa Region since Name Guidelines)

* daughter of the Hunter in Buena Village, and who learned magic from my friend Rudei. (the Hunter to a hunter, removed who and Rudei to Rudi)

* A story, A genius boy, who defeated the minions of the Senior Minister. (A genius boy to a genius boy)

* A story, A genius boy, who the Sword King Ghyslaine acknowledged superiority. (^ same as above)

* A story, He who managed the Boreas' violent daughter, (He to he)

* Most, if any of the story is true. (Changed Most to Well)(Feedback for this would be helpful)

* If Sylphiette said that she was not that Genius boy (Genius to genius)

* The real name of that Genius is Rudeus Greyrat (^ same as above)

* When the Full Name was spoken, a [Hm?] was uttered and many nobles puzzled. (Full Name to full name and were added after nobles)

* And this it is allowed for those mistress' to call themselves Greyrat. (this to thus and mistress' to mistresses)

* There decided that the names of the four protected sides they would be called by would be: (There to They)

* Notos, Boreas, Euros, Zephyrus. (added and after Euros, since it's a list)

* However, Though an ordinary name (Though to though)

* That he started out with with the Boreas (removed extra with)

* Sauros' so-called illigitimate child (Sauros' to Sauros's)

* struggle was of far more important than anything trivial, (important to importance)

* News about the disappearane of Fittoa Territory (Fittoa Territory to Fedoa Region)

* They reported on the situation and the nearest town. (and to at)

* A second knight succeeds the first, continues on a horse without rest for a day, and relays the information to the next big city. (succeeds to succeeded, continues to continuing, and relays to relayed)

* Everyone became missing. (became to was)

These are all the edits I've done on this chapter currently

== Questions on Changes ==

1. To the This word, Protection knight who are Luke also agreed. (I'm going to change this, To these words, Protection Knight Luke also agreed) >> sounds much better. I did make an error here though, Any instances of 'Protection knight' need to be changed to the more proper titled Guardian knight or Knight-guardian if they are spotted. Thanks! --Skui

I'm going to go with Guardian Knight -[[User:Marrow|Marrow]] ([[User talk:Marrow|talk]]) 11:26, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

2. Too luxurious was the bed. Too luxurious were the clothes the people wore. Too luxurious was the room. I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing luxurious place.

'''This seems awkward to me, would it be alright if I changed it to something like'''

(The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.)I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing, luxurious place.

>> go ahead. I was just doing a line-by-line as it appeared, since he reiterates it like that in that section.

　シルフィは目覚めた瞬間、夢だと考えた。

　'''豪華すぎる'''ベッド。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) bed

　'''豪華すぎる'''服を着た人達。 >> '''too luxurious''' (were the) clothes the people wore

　'''豪華すぎる'''部屋。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) room.

　自分がこんな豪華すぎる所にいる理由がわからなかった。

I was just doing a line-by-line and trying to keep it looking similar. Honestly it looks better just making it grammatically pleasant. He does this a few times, once at the beginning involving the demon attack, and a bit further on when talking about the 'genius boy' Rudeus. So, if you wish to polish those up, it's more than welcomed. --Skui

To be honest, I think the repetition was placed there purposely since it reads off like a list. Comparing

"The bed is too luxurious.

The people's clothes are too luxurious.

The room is too luxurious.

I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

with

"The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.
I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

You can see amount of emphasis placed the notion of luxury primarily because it is repeated so many times. The latter condenses it, so it loses a bit of that feeling.

This is just my take on it though.
--[[User:Sarnik|Sarnik]] ([[User talk:Sarnik|talk]]) 11:53, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

== Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name ==

It appears that "Fitts" is the name Silphy was given because she hails from the "Fittoa Territory". Since we have been using "Fedoa Region" until now, wouldn't be more approriate to adapt the name too?
Not sure what it would be... maybe Fed or Feds? (I know it sounds silly and like a reference to FBI agents... but Fitts doesn't sound much better either) [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 10:31, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Talk:Mushoku Tensei:Web Chapter 82

2014-08-01T15:31:47Z

Stealth: /* Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name */ new section

Since nobody really uses these pages I'm just going to list all my edits and questions here

I love you editors... I really do. This chapter jumps around a great deal in present and past tense between paragraphs so there is are bound to be mistakes in that area. Every change seems satisfactory so far. --Skui

== Edits Made ==

* Added headers and subheaders

* In the Garden of plants where the blossoming white flowers were collected. (Capitalized plants)

* also known as, The Garden of White Lilies. (Capitalized also)

* instantly kills the guard of the princess (changed kills to killed)

* protected the princess' life (added s after ')

* Such as thing happening (as to a)

* A Demon appearing in the Royal Palace is an unprecedented incident. (is to was)

* who is charge of the Royal Palace's defense (added in after is)

* it's tentative collapse. (it's to its)

* It is a matter of course to receive well the hero (switched well and receive)('''Maybe change in future to warmly instead of well?''')

* well, The second princess Ariel (lowercase the for The)

* would not (contracted to wouldn't)

* time, The Princess and Luke would both be dead (The to the)

* Among those questions asked was, (was to were)

* [If the Princess say so.] (say to says)

Give me a sec be right back, computer problems

* Changed Sylphie to Sylphy a couple of time

* His soft smiling face makes one relieved. (makes to made)

* He was possessed of such pride. (of to by) Alternative could be removing was and of

* Still to this day there was the child in Buina village who glanced at her with hostility. (was the child to were children)

* Oh, What's this? (What's to what's)

* You are still too young for something like this, Give it up already!] (Give to give)

* From here, It starts from here!] (It to it)

* I am sorry, Have I given you reason to be afraid? (Have to have)

* Still, If you will allow me to (If to if)

* You of the beautiful White-washed Hair (White to white and Hair to hair)

* he meant by White-washed hair (White to white)

* Luke who was no longer necessary to be made to keep her company (removed to be made)

* Fittoa Territory (changed to Fedoa Region since Name Guidelines)

* daughter of the Hunter in Buena Village, and who learned magic from my friend Rudei. (the Hunter to a hunter, removed who and Rudei to Rudi)

* A story, A genius boy, who defeated the minions of the Senior Minister. (A genius boy to a genius boy)

* A story, A genius boy, who the Sword King Ghyslaine acknowledged superiority. (^ same as above)

* A story, He who managed the Boreas' violent daughter, (He to he)

* Most, if any of the story is true. (Changed Most to Well)(Feedback for this would be helpful)

* If Sylphiette said that she was not that Genius boy (Genius to genius)

* The real name of that Genius is Rudeus Greyrat (^ same as above)

* When the Full Name was spoken, a [Hm?] was uttered and many nobles puzzled. (Full Name to full name and were added after nobles)

* And this it is allowed for those mistress' to call themselves Greyrat. (this to thus and mistress' to mistresses)

* There decided that the names of the four protected sides they would be called by would be: (There to They)

* Notos, Boreas, Euros, Zephyrus. (added and after Euros, since it's a list)

* However, Though an ordinary name (Though to though)

* That he started out with with the Boreas (removed extra with)

* Sauros' so-called illigitimate child (Sauros' to Sauros's)

* struggle was of far more important than anything trivial, (important to importance)

* News about the disappearane of Fittoa Territory (Fittoa Territory to Fedoa Region)

* They reported on the situation and the nearest town. (and to at)

* A second knight succeeds the first, continues on a horse without rest for a day, and relays the information to the next big city. (succeeds to succeeded, continues to continuing, and relays to relayed)

* Everyone became missing. (became to was)

These are all the edits I've done on this chapter currently

== Questions on Changes ==

1. To the This word, Protection knight who are Luke also agreed. (I'm going to change this, To these words, Protection Knight Luke also agreed) >> sounds much better. I did make an error here though, Any instances of 'Protection knight' need to be changed to the more proper titled Guardian knight or Knight-guardian if they are spotted. Thanks! --Skui

I'm going to go with Guardian Knight -[[User:Marrow|Marrow]] ([[User talk:Marrow|talk]]) 11:26, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

2. Too luxurious was the bed. Too luxurious were the clothes the people wore. Too luxurious was the room. I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing luxurious place.

'''This seems awkward to me, would it be alright if I changed it to something like'''

(The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.)I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing, luxurious place.

>> go ahead. I was just doing a line-by-line as it appeared, since he reiterates it like that in that section.

　シルフィは目覚めた瞬間、夢だと考えた。

　'''豪華すぎる'''ベッド。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) bed

　'''豪華すぎる'''服を着た人達。 >> '''too luxurious''' (were the) clothes the people wore

　'''豪華すぎる'''部屋。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) room.

　自分がこんな豪華すぎる所にいる理由がわからなかった。

I was just doing a line-by-line and trying to keep it looking similar. Honestly it looks better just making it grammatically pleasant. He does this a few times, once at the beginning involving the demon attack, and a bit further on when talking about the 'genius boy' Rudeus. So, if you wish to polish those up, it's more than welcomed. --Skui

To be honest, I think the repetition was placed there purposely since it reads off like a list. Comparing

"The bed is too luxurious.

The people's clothes are too luxurious.

The room is too luxurious.

I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

with

"The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.
I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

You can see amount of emphasis placed the notion of luxury primarily because it is repeated so many times. The latter condenses it, so it loses a bit of that feeling.

This is just my take on it though.
--[[User:Sarnik|Sarnik]] ([[User talk:Sarnik|talk]]) 11:53, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

== Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name ==

It appears that "Fitts" is the name Silphy was given because she hails from the "Fittoa Territory". Since we have been using "Fedoa Region" until now, wouldn't be more approriate to adapt the name too?
Not sure what it would be... maybe Fed or Feds? (I know it sounds silly and like a reference to FBI agents... but Fitts doesn't sound much better either) [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 10:31, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

== Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name ==

It appears that "Fitts" is the name Silphy was given because she hails from the "Fittoa Territory". Since we have been using "Fedoa Region" until now, wouldn't be more approriate to adapt the name too?
Not sure what it would be... maybe Fed or Feds? (I know it sounds silly and like a reference to FBI agents... but Fitts doesn't sound much better either) [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 10:31, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Talk:Mushoku Tensei:Web Chapter 82

2014-08-01T15:31:42Z

Stealth: /* Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name */ new section

Since nobody really uses these pages I'm just going to list all my edits and questions here

I love you editors... I really do. This chapter jumps around a great deal in present and past tense between paragraphs so there is are bound to be mistakes in that area. Every change seems satisfactory so far. --Skui

== Edits Made ==

* Added headers and subheaders

* In the Garden of plants where the blossoming white flowers were collected. (Capitalized plants)

* also known as, The Garden of White Lilies. (Capitalized also)

* instantly kills the guard of the princess (changed kills to killed)

* protected the princess' life (added s after ')

* Such as thing happening (as to a)

* A Demon appearing in the Royal Palace is an unprecedented incident. (is to was)

* who is charge of the Royal Palace's defense (added in after is)

* it's tentative collapse. (it's to its)

* It is a matter of course to receive well the hero (switched well and receive)('''Maybe change in future to warmly instead of well?''')

* well, The second princess Ariel (lowercase the for The)

* would not (contracted to wouldn't)

* time, The Princess and Luke would both be dead (The to the)

* Among those questions asked was, (was to were)

* [If the Princess say so.] (say to says)

Give me a sec be right back, computer problems

* Changed Sylphie to Sylphy a couple of time

* His soft smiling face makes one relieved. (makes to made)

* He was possessed of such pride. (of to by) Alternative could be removing was and of

* Still to this day there was the child in Buina village who glanced at her with hostility. (was the child to were children)

* Oh, What's this? (What's to what's)

* You are still too young for something like this, Give it up already!] (Give to give)

* From here, It starts from here!] (It to it)

* I am sorry, Have I given you reason to be afraid? (Have to have)

* Still, If you will allow me to (If to if)

* You of the beautiful White-washed Hair (White to white and Hair to hair)

* he meant by White-washed hair (White to white)

* Luke who was no longer necessary to be made to keep her company (removed to be made)

* Fittoa Territory (changed to Fedoa Region since Name Guidelines)

* daughter of the Hunter in Buena Village, and who learned magic from my friend Rudei. (the Hunter to a hunter, removed who and Rudei to Rudi)

* A story, A genius boy, who defeated the minions of the Senior Minister. (A genius boy to a genius boy)

* A story, A genius boy, who the Sword King Ghyslaine acknowledged superiority. (^ same as above)

* A story, He who managed the Boreas' violent daughter, (He to he)

* Most, if any of the story is true. (Changed Most to Well)(Feedback for this would be helpful)

* If Sylphiette said that she was not that Genius boy (Genius to genius)

* The real name of that Genius is Rudeus Greyrat (^ same as above)

* When the Full Name was spoken, a [Hm?] was uttered and many nobles puzzled. (Full Name to full name and were added after nobles)

* And this it is allowed for those mistress' to call themselves Greyrat. (this to thus and mistress' to mistresses)

* There decided that the names of the four protected sides they would be called by would be: (There to They)

* Notos, Boreas, Euros, Zephyrus. (added and after Euros, since it's a list)

* However, Though an ordinary name (Though to though)

* That he started out with with the Boreas (removed extra with)

* Sauros' so-called illigitimate child (Sauros' to Sauros's)

* struggle was of far more important than anything trivial, (important to importance)

* News about the disappearane of Fittoa Territory (Fittoa Territory to Fedoa Region)

* They reported on the situation and the nearest town. (and to at)

* A second knight succeeds the first, continues on a horse without rest for a day, and relays the information to the next big city. (succeeds to succeeded, continues to continuing, and relays to relayed)

* Everyone became missing. (became to was)

These are all the edits I've done on this chapter currently

== Questions on Changes ==

1. To the This word, Protection knight who are Luke also agreed. (I'm going to change this, To these words, Protection Knight Luke also agreed) >> sounds much better. I did make an error here though, Any instances of 'Protection knight' need to be changed to the more proper titled Guardian knight or Knight-guardian if they are spotted. Thanks! --Skui

I'm going to go with Guardian Knight -[[User:Marrow|Marrow]] ([[User talk:Marrow|talk]]) 11:26, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

2. Too luxurious was the bed. Too luxurious were the clothes the people wore. Too luxurious was the room. I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing luxurious place.

'''This seems awkward to me, would it be alright if I changed it to something like'''

(The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.)I don't know the reason why I'm in such a amazing, luxurious place.

>> go ahead. I was just doing a line-by-line as it appeared, since he reiterates it like that in that section.

　シルフィは目覚めた瞬間、夢だと考えた。

　'''豪華すぎる'''ベッド。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) bed

　'''豪華すぎる'''服を着た人達。 >> '''too luxurious''' (were the) clothes the people wore

　'''豪華すぎる'''部屋。 >> '''too luxurious''' (was the) room.

　自分がこんな豪華すぎる所にいる理由がわからなかった。

I was just doing a line-by-line and trying to keep it looking similar. Honestly it looks better just making it grammatically pleasant. He does this a few times, once at the beginning involving the demon attack, and a bit further on when talking about the 'genius boy' Rudeus. So, if you wish to polish those up, it's more than welcomed. --Skui

To be honest, I think the repetition was placed there purposely since it reads off like a list. Comparing

"The bed is too luxurious.

The people's clothes are too luxurious.

The room is too luxurious.

I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

with

"The bed, the peoples' clothing, and the room were all too luxurious.
I don't know why I'm in such an amazing, luxurious place."

You can see amount of emphasis placed the notion of luxury primarily because it is repeated so many times. The latter condenses it, so it loses a bit of that feeling.

This is just my take on it though.
--[[User:Sarnik|Sarnik]] ([[User talk:Sarnik|talk]]) 11:53, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

== Fittoa Territory, Fedoa Region and Fitts name ==

It appears that "Fitts" is the name Silphy was given because she hails from the "Fittoa Territory". Since we have been using "Fedoa Region" until now, wouldn't be more approriate to adapt the name too?
Not sure what it would be... maybe Fed or Feds? (I know it sounds silly and like a reference to FBI agents... but Fitts doesn't sound much better either) [[User:Stealth|Stealth]] ([[User talk:Stealth|talk]]) 10:31, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Talk:CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1 Chapter1

2009-02-26T17:20:57Z

Stealth: Who's talking here?!

== Who's talking here?! ==

''Konoha was the one who was poking '''my''' shoulder. She said to Haruaki in an awkward manner;

''"I think that in that situation, you have some faults too, you know."

''"Why? I can't explain what she did other than playing a prank against me."

''"Well, if you try to look at things around you, maybe you'll see what I mean. Try to look over there on the garden. Or at the kitchen"

'''''I''' tried to look at where she pointed out. It was totally different from how '''I''' left them this morning. '''I''' still couldn't see anything other than Fear trying to play a-----

''"....Huh?.... That girl... was she trying to...?"''

Who's talking here? It seems to me that it is reflecting the thought of Haruaki but since the text is written from a third person omniscient narrator perspective. At least most of the rest of the text, it seems weird to me for it to suddenly switch to first person. I was going to replace the "my", by a "his" and all the "I"'s by "He"'s...
But I had a doubt... So hope someone will check this and confirm or deny my doubts.--[[User:Stealth|Stealth]] 17:20, 26 February 2009 (UTC)

CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1 Chapter1

2009-02-26T17:08:22Z

Stealth: /* Chapter One: Night of Rubik's Cube */ Typo and tense error

===Chapter One: Night of Rubik's Cube===

"....What is this? A custard pudding?"

The girl said as she poked the yellowish-white object in front of her with sulky expression.

"Have a taste and you'll know."

"Hmmm... hm?! T-this...."

She guided the spoon into her mouth, then froze up.

"It's not sweet! This is a fake! What a nasty food... When you say a soft pedestal and a black sauce, it's just have to be a pudding!"

"Don't say nasty to the food. It's just tofu, a solidified soybean soup. You didn't like it?"

Haruaki sat just opposite of the girl after removing the apron he had on.
The girl's ill temper was obvious as she chewed the Yakko-Doufu. She was now wearing a borrowed shirt and hot pants.

"Hmph, it's not bad. It's inferior to the crunchy snack I was munching earlier, though."

"Poor tofu, being compared to a rice-cracker."

"So, that was called a rice-cracker. Now, that one had a unique food texture. It was sweet but spicy at the same time, and that feeling while crunching at it... h-huh?
Why are you looking at me?"

Haruaki simply answered that it was nothing, and looked away from the face that said she was caught off-guard. He started eating, too. Haruaki thought that this situation was
just like what the old sayings wanted to share; to eat while you can, since you can't fight a war with empty stomach.
The girl who sat opposite him unnecessarily checked that the food in front of her was a fish, looking at the broiled mackerel pike as if she had never seen it before.
After her thorough observation, she placed down the spoon and fork she was holding. Haruaki imagined what she was going to do and initiated a warning before the girl's
bare hands got the mackerel.

"Wait. You'll have to go over my dead body first before you could eat something with bare hands in front of me."

Haruaki reached for the mackerel plate to prevent her hands from it, but for some reason the girl suddenly backed-off from the tatami space she was sitting at.

"Hey wait. I just misunderstood things earlier. I was a little confused at first but I'm alright now. I even lent you those clothes didn't I?"

"I-I'm not sure.... I mean, you just played with THAT part of the body earlier in front of the gate..."

"But I didn't know I was touching THAT part of your body. Oh hell, I'm sorry anyway. Just forgive me already, 'kay?"

Haruaki asked her a cliched apology while he started on the mackerel pike with his chop sticks.

"Watch me how to dismantle this mackerel. Just do it first like this then grab its head then pull it away with those nasty fishbones. It's easy, isn't it?"

The girl watched with interest for a while but she quickly recovered her wary face. After a few seconds, she snorted with ill temper as she sat back on front of the table.

"By the way, What's your name?"

"...I'm called Fear."

Fear quickly shut her mouth, as if she was surprised that she'd told him her name.

"Fear, is it?"

"Well, yes. It's none of your business though... you can just call me what you want."

"Unfortunately, you're part of my business now. You just became my top priority. In fact, the way you became my top priority was almost a foul play. So, what are you anyway?
What kind of box are you?"

"Er..."

"Er?"

Without a warning, she raised her eyebrows in outrage and she started making holes on the broiled mackerel. It was just after Haruaki raised a question mark at her answer.

"Shut up! It's none of your business, you fool!"

"Whoa! What kind of cursing was that?! I haven't heard them for a while. Anyway, are you a brat having an outburst like that?!"

"W-Why you?!"

"I haven't heard that for a while too... wha, hey! Stop attacking that mackerel and close your mouth!"

"Digging up on a lady's past like that! You should learn some respect, you shameless brat!"

Haruaki thought that he didn't want to hear that from HER. But being the sensible one, he decided to give up.

"Whew.... Well, I won't push you if you don't want to tell me about your past. I know its not exactly filled with happy memories."

It seemed that her temper cooled down some because of Haruaki's honest words. She was at a loss for words and turned her face down.

"I... hate that appearance. I wouldn't want to turn into that form unless its absolutely necessary. Someone told me that coming here would be easier with that form so
I had no choice but to give up..."

"Who told you? My old man?"

"He said his name was Honatsu... Are you his son?"

"Yeah. And my name's Haruaki. How's my old man doing?"

"I don't know. He said that he still had something to do over there."

"As much of a freeman as usual, I see. Geez, I'm tired of complaining about him though. As long as he keeps sending money for my living, I'll keep up with his game."

"I don't understand you two... I mean, you and your father. I thought an ordinary man wouldn't try to understand the likes of me."

"We've been receiving cursed tools like you since I was a kid. Usually, tools that we accept are those with slight curse in it, but there are rare occasions where a tool who
could assume human form like you comes here for help."

After a brief silence, Fear let out a sigh and placed down the fork she was holding. Her serious gaze pierced Haruaki as she looked up, her silver hair swaying slightly.

"I'm going to say something serious."

"....Go ahead."

"I....I was placed in some dark dungeon, thrown away long ago by my last owner. Yachi Honatsu came one day and found me. He tried to talk to me and I told him my wish."

"A wish?"

Haruaki already had an idea what her wish was. But, cursed tools who came here with its own will were often the ones who needed to confirm the purpose of their existence
by putting them into words. Knowing that, he chose to let her say it out loud from her own mouth.

The girl who was not a human answered in a whisper, biting her lips softly,

"I want to free myself from my curse."

"How much do you know...? About the curse, and about tools like me?"

"Well, here's what I know; First, a tool changes its quality into negative direction if it continues to receive negative thoughts.
Secondly, a tool that receives negative thoughts often affect the owner and the people around it.
And for the third, in exchange with the negative effect it brings upon the people around it, It may show mysterious charm and function..."

"Is that all?"

Haruaki narrowed his eyes and looked at Fear, who was speaking with her eyes looking down at the table.

"To add one more, I know that at the end of receiving all the negative thoughts and curses from humans, an item would be... something that's in front of me right now."

Yes. A tool which received too much grudge from humans will earn a human quality----

Haruaki didn't know the specific details but he knew that an item gains a personal thought which affects its essence as a tool. It was a result of being grudged by people
over and over again. In the end, they'll possess their own mind, soul, and an ability to change forms with its own will.

"That's right. It started with a single grudge. I was made to harm people and because of it, I have received much hatred, grievances, and murderous intents. From those grudges,
I was branded with an abominable curse of [driving my owner into insanity.]"

Haruaki noticed that the girl was gripping her hands tightly. He thought it was better not to ask more about her about concrete details of the tool that she was and
about what she meant by driving her owner into insanity.

"My curse doesn't end there. The grudge I received gave me [human qualities] and my own will. To me, who was nothing but a tool in the beginning. Let me correct, I was not given;
I was forced to have those capabilities. Have you ever thought about how bad was the affinity between a will and a curse? I envy those tools which only have slight curse. They won't
realize by themselves that they were burdened by a curse. How fortunate that it's blessed with ignorance!"

For a moment, she took a deep breath.

"I came here believing in Honatsu's words that I can free my curse here in this place. That's the reason why I came, but I was not told about details of what I have to do. Tell me
honestly---- Will I, will I be able to lift the curse from myself without affecting the people around me? Remember that Honatsu sent me to you so that makes you my current owner. If you're
just lying about here being a place to free one's self from a curse, you would be the first to receive the harmful effects that comes with it."

Her eyes looked straight into his. But those eyes reflected undeniable fright and doubt.
That was why Haruaki simply told her,

"Yes, you can."

"....Huh?"

"I said you can free yourself from your curse here. You see, I don't have strong spiritual sense or special ability like my father but it seems that I have a unique body constitution which
repel curses, which makes me unaffected by them. So, whatever your curse is, it doesn't work on me. Hahaha! Be afraid of me, you violent little girl!"

"What the...?! Wait, you said that I could lift my curse here, but how?"

"I'm not sure about the detailed mechanics but this place had been a very pure land for a long time, and the area where this house was built was the center of the pure energy that comes from the land.
That's why just being here would fill you with positive energy. They say that this place is protected by some kind of force field, though the rate of cleansing is kinda slow. Just leaving the tools here would eventually lift the curse."

Haruaki remembered the woman who set the force field around the house. Her outfit caught much eyes, and she said that the force field would last for the next hundred years. He supposed that
there won't be a chance to see her again, if the force field would really last that long.

"And, there's another way of lifting a curse. The mechanic is simple; if a curse comes from negative thoughts, you just have to receive positive thoughts by helping people around you. If you keep on
receiving them, the curse will be neutralized eventually."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean to say that you have to vaguely perform acts that people will be thankful for, I suppose. You just have to live here and work as a part-timer or volunteer for public events... I think?"

"W-Wait, why was there a question mark in the end?"

Fear leaned forward, which sent the mackerel bits flying at Haruaki's face. He wondered if Fear did that on purpose.

"Well, its not like I actually experienced trying to lift a curse from myself. That was just what I heard."

She puffed out her cheeks like a child, making a sullen expression.

"I can't believe it... I mean, I don't think that simply sleeping or working here would lift the curse. Besides, I doubt that my curse could be lifted in leisurely phase..."

"You're right about going leisurely. Being able to assume human form would mean that many curses have been gathered in your body so it would take years to free yourself. I don't know any
other way of lifting a curse so maybe you'll just have to be patient about it."

"Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I still can't believe it."

"Don't worry so much about it. Even if you can't believe for----"

Ding dong. The door bell rung suddenly. Fear seemed to be frightened by it so Haruaki told her that it was just a bell that said there was a visitor. He stood up and pointed at the table.

"The food'll grow cold, so eat it now. Especially the mackerel pike."

<center>* * *</center>

"Good evening, Haruaki-kun."

A familiar smile greeted Haruaki as he opened the entrance. The smiling girl was wearing big round glasses like ones that you'd see in a manga. She had an apron around her well-endowed
body and it was impressionable. The pot that she was holding reinforced the familial impression that shrouded her.

"Hey, Konoha. What is it?"

"I've made too much Nikujaga for myself so I thought that I'd share some with you. Its a bit late already so maybe you can have it for your breakfast tomorrow."

"That'll be a great help. I was just having my dinner right now... Oh yeah, its just great that you came now. I have a favor to ask of you."

Konoha slanted her head in question. At that exact moment, Haruaki heard footsteps coming toward him.

"Hey, Haruaki. The food was kind of lacking in quantity. Isn't there any left? I would like to request for a rice-cracker if there's still some left."

"You eat too fast!"

Needless to say, the person who came behind Haruaki was Fear.

"Um, Haruaki-kun? Who is that child?"

"Oh yeah, the favor I was going to ask you was about---"

An openly belligerent voice came from Fear as she broke into the conversation.

"Hey, you there! We've just met and you started calling me a child. How dare you speak to me like that, you unfortunate-looking Woman!"

"Unfortunate-looking....?!"

Konoha was still smiling but Haruaki sensed a dangerous aura coming out from her. Fear stood behind him with arms crossed, looking aggressively at Konoha.
Haruaki thought he saw a lightning shaft running between Konoha and Fear.

"You two there. Why are you raising a hostile aura in front of my house?"

"I think you're just imagining things. I'm not angry, really. After all, they're just words of a CHILD."

At that moment, Haruaki felt a violent aura rising behind him. He sensed danger so he quickly changed the topic.

"Er....Oh yeah! Hey Konoha, have you made anything else besides this? I mean, have you eaten your dinner? Why don't you eat here for a change? It's been a long time since last time you've eaten here.
It seems that I have to cook more food anyway."

"Well, if you say so... I think I will. Come to think of it, it has been a long time since last time we ate together, Haruaki-kun."

"My cooking skills haven't improved though."

"It had been great since past so don't worry. I think I'm getting hungry just thinking about the dishes you make."

Konoha smiled and entered the house. Suddenly, an insulting snort came out from no where.

"Go ahead, and eat. Hah, I think that being able to send all the nutrients you eat to your breasts is some kind of talent. I bet that your brain's very light."

Haruaki heard a clashing metal sound. Almost at the same time, he saw Konoha kneeling on the floor, catching the pot that almost fell out from her hands.
He looked at the floor and saw the handle of the pot, which was cut cleanly in half.

"....I think its very sad when a person eats but the nutrients doesn't go to one's breasts... Oh, I was just talking to myself."

"W-Why you?!"

"Ahahaha-- I'll go ahead now."

Konoha let out a feigned laugh and went into the living room. Fear was staring at her back and was murmuring with hatred;

"What kind of character does that woman have...! Maybe I should curse her!"

"She's not usually like that. In fact, I have this feeling that you were the one who started the fight. Why are you being so hostile anyway?"

"It's none of your business! I just didn't like what she said when she saw me. That's enough reason for my hostility. Besides..."

A weird smile came from her angry expression.

"I just realized now that bullying that cow-tits woman is going to be fun. She'll see, I won't lose the next time...!"

Fear went back into the living room, letting out an evil snort as she walked to the living room.

Haruaki was worried about what could happen if he let those two together in the living room. But, he had to cook some food for Konoha and the hungry juvenile so he had
no choice but to leave those two together in the living room.
Haruaki made a plate full of easy saute dish. Together with rice and miso soup for Konoha, he brought the food into the living room.
He was greeted by a view of two girls throwing dry laughs at each other. Only God knows what happened while he was in the kitchen. He didn't even want to know.

"I only sauted what was left in the fridge. Is that okay for you?"

"No problem. I've made quite lot of Nikujaga anyway."

With a "Ta-da" sound effect, Konoha lifted the lid of the pot she brought with her.
Inside the pot was a steaming soup of brownish broth and beef, letting out a fragrant smell of soy sauce. To put it simply, It looked delicious.
If you'll take a good look at it, you'll notice that excessive amount of beef was covering all the other ingredients like potatoes. The beef formed a great pile,
just like a mountain sitting on a pot. If you ask me, It's more of a Niku-Niku-Nikujaga instead of a simple Nikujaga.

"Um, so, doesn't that look good?"

"It looks delicious, just as always."

Meat-demon Konoha's face lit up with a smile.

"I see, this definitely looks delicious. You can easily see that it was made by a Gluttonous incarnate of appetite."

With that remark, the round lid that Konoha was holding fell on the table, cut into half. Without a word, she picked up the half circles and threw them behind her.
After that, Konoha mouthed an Itadakimasu and started eating with a cheerful (that was how Haruaki interpreted Konoha's expression) face.

"I've no clue why or how this meal has turned into a tense atmosphere, but I guess I have to make an easy introduction at least. Konoha, our visitor here is called Fear.
As you might guess, she was sent by my old man."

Konoha sent a look at Fear while she took loads of beef from the pot. Fear, on the other hand, completely ignored her.

"Fear, this is Konoha. Well, what can I say... er, she lives in the room inside the house's outer building, and we're also in the same school level though our classes are different.
She'd been like a childhood friend since I was a kid and----"

"And she's not human."

Fear said without a pretense. It was followed by few seconds of silence and,

".... That's right. She's like your sempai here in this place."

"I thought so. A lid would never break into half by itself. I know that tools who could assume human form could usually keep the nature of their original form even if they turn
into human form----I suppose you're some kind of blade aren't you?"

"Would you answer me if I asked what was your original form?"

Konoha asked with a smile pasted on her face. Fear replied with a snort.
Uncomfortable silence went on as they ate their dinner. All of their plates were almost empty when Fear spoke to Haruaki.

"So, you wanted to say earlier that I could believe what you said because there's a precedent."

"Er....Yeah. that's right. Konoha did a lot of helpful things like working part-time since when she first came here."

"He's right. Thanks to my deeds, I'm almost free from all of my curses."

"Almost, you say. What would happen if you become completely free from curse?"

"Tools with only a slight curse would just turn back into a normal tool. But according to my old man, the negative energy that built up inside the tools who could assume human form
went over the original nature that it had so even if you were able to neutralize those negative thoughts, their human form will be kept. That means that you two will just be
free from the curse that you have."

"So, I won't turn back into my original form..... I see."

"To be honest, I don't know much about it. Just ask my old man once he comes back."

Fear wasn't even listening to Haruaki. She just kept silent and nodded, murmuring "I see... I wouldn't...I see..." as she did.
It was as if she was trying to hide the expression of relief on her face.
Fear finished up the remaining food on her plate and asked a question to Konoha.

"Haruaki said earlier that you've been together with him for more than ten years now. Does it really take that much time?"

"I think it also depends on the degree of your curse, but..."

Two empty plates covered the table. For a moment, two eyes----one silent and one with a hint of hostility----looked at each other.

"The amount of grudge that we accumulated within ourselves are so great that whatever you do, we can't easily forget, throw away, or repent for them... You get on my nerves
but at least, in that aspect, we could have something in common. This is something that could be shared between you and me, as a same ruined state of mind."

Fear started to say something, but just looked away and said;

"....It's the same for me you know, you get on my nerves too...."

"Well, you just have to take it easy. I think there's nothing I could help with though."

It was a composed statement of a senior. Konoha had said those words with much ease. Fear, of course, just snorted.

After that, Haruaki also finished his meal so he cleaned up the table with Konoha and went to the kitchen to wash them. When he came back, Fear was hugging her knees and was looking up
at the ceiling with a blank stare. He brought an after-dinner tea so he handed one to Fear and started drinking it.

"Oh yeah, Konoha, could you bring some of your old clothes? I wouldn't say right now but I just thought that it would be better if Fear had something to wear. I know that the size won't fit though."

"....Sorry for having small breasts!"

"I didn't mention any part of your body that wouldn't fit!"

Haruaki almost dropped the yunomi that came from the opposite side of the table.

"I guess that can't be helped.... Alright, I'll bring some as soon as I can."

"I'm counting on it."

"Say, what are you going to do for tonight, like where'd she sleep?"

"Huh? Well, I suppose she's gonna spend her night here. I'll just lend her one of the Japanese rooms."

"S-She'll be staying here?! Isn't that a bad idea, since I think it is!"

"But you see, the outer building's already full... Kuroe isn't home and her room is locked."

The outer building was made like an apartment, with two rooms inside. Konoha was living there with another house-mate but she was always away about half a month so Konoha
didn't really feel that she had a house-mate living next door.

"By the way, make the guest room as luxurious as possible. That way, you could compensate for what you did to me."

"Compensate?"

Haruaki asked Fear and he received a reply with a threatening attitude.

"Don't say you already forgot what you did to my body earlier! Playing with my body like that... I've never had someone put his finger [there]! My face was burning with
embarrassment!"

Haruaki was about to say that Fear was just a box at that time, when he heard a sound of yunomi rolling off on the tatami. He saw that Konoha was trembling as she stood up.
A false smile covered her expression for a while but it eventually broke into tears.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I can't believe it! Have you two already done THOSE kind of things?!"

Konoha ran away from the living room covering her face with her hands.
They just heard the violent sound of the entrance door being shut. Fear just nodded with content and said,

"I'm not sure what happened but I've won. I feel great."

<center>* * *</center>

Dull-colored stone floor was all that there was. The room smelled of metal and of metal-like stink. The air was congested but it wasn't stagnant.
The air was clear. Clear like the air inside a tomb or a casket.
There wasn't anything that could tell time. There was only a dead space, without a trace of any living things.
The only thing that you could feel from there was the constancy and blockade.
The mass of steel that was left there didn't have anything to do other than to whisper the same words over and over again.
It wasn't even said aloud. It just made circles within its mind. Like an endless loop.
When it's awake, while it's asleep, when it opened its mind, and when it closed its mind.
It's freezing, it's cold, it's dark, it's freezing, it's cold, it's dark, it's freezing, it's cold, it's dark, it's freezing, it's cold, it's dark.
It went on and on-----

She opened her eyes. There was nothing inside the Japanese room. She raked up and embraced the futon that was given to her. There was only the sound of scraping futon.
There was some warmth left in the futon but it was a false warmth... It was just an accumulated heat from covering someone. So, it was the same as having no warmth at all.
Shards of her dream sent a chill down her spine. She knew that there was a difference between this room and the dungeon room where she was kept.
But, however there was a slight warmth and sound inside this room, She couldn't help thinking that this room was the same as the place where she was kept.
She silently opened the sliding door and walked along the porch. Moon light illuminated her path as she arrived in front of another room. She entered.
A boy was sleeping. He was laying in an odd position and his futon came off below his waist. A slight snort came from a faintly smiling face.
The girl kneeled down before the rolled-up futon and slowly reached for it. She stroked it for a while, then she brought it up to her cheeks.
It was someone else's smell.
Someone else's warmth.
That, perhaps, was the first time that she felt those things.

<center>* * *</center>

Next day, during lunch break at school. Haruaki opened the lid of his lunch box and thoughts about the problem he left alone in his house came to his mind.

(I wonder If she'll be alright alone. I left her a note and some leftovers from my lunch box, but... Wait, what if she can't read?)

When Haruaki visited the girl in her room this morning, she was still sound asleep with a happy expression. He tried to wake her but she didn't wake up
so he just left her a note that says he's going to school and he'd left her some food.
Haruaki wondered if she was still asleep. When he woke up this morning, his futon was gone. When he entered the girl's room, he saw that the girl was covered
with HIS futon while hers was abandoned on the corner of her room. How it happened was still a mystery to him.

"Hey Haruaki! What's with you? You petrified all of a sudden after you opened your lunch box... Maybe you should be moving your body more, not just for cooking and housework.
Baseball is great, if you'd just give it a try!"

A classmate whom Haruaki always had his lunch with spoke to him. His name was Hakuto Taizo.

"His withered expression is nothing new, but it does have a different glow compared to his usual expression. Maybe---- he made some girl pregnant? Hahaha!"

"Kana! Enough of your vulgar jokes!"

A girl with healthy sun-kissed skin, Miyama Kana, followed Taizo's teasing with her own.
The class rep, Ueno Kirika, remonstrated Kana about her vulgar remark.

Kirika let out a disgusted sigh and turned to face Haruaki.

"Forget Kana's reckless remark. But, I too think that you lack the concentration that you usually have. Is there some thing that makes you anxious?"

"Huh? No, no, I don't have any problem. Maybe I caught a chill last night."

"Did you hear that Taizo-san? Kirika-chan just said something like this: I'm always looking at Yachi so I know something's wrong with him! Ohh, If there was something I
could do to comfort him..."

"What a villain you are Haruaki! Since when did you steal the class rep's heart? Did you save a princess? Have you set a fire to a forged bill factory? Did you kill someone
in a clocktower with pair of scissors?"

"Both of you! Stop s-saying nonsense! How foolish!"

Taizo and Kana had been Haruaki's friend since his junior high years while Kirika became his friend in high school.

Kirika was a formidable class rep. She was calm and composed at all times and her grades were top-notch. She always wore a knee-length long skirt, which gave her an impression
that she was born two decades later than she should have. She also hated to expose much of her skin, and was always wearing a jersey during physical education classes and
even at summer, she wore a long-sleeved blouse.
Because of this, only few people tried to get close to her and she was often alone during her first few days. It was only Kana, who was friendly to everyone, who forcefully
brought Kirika with them.
There was a specific reason though, why Kirika started to take her lunch together with them.

"Setting aside those worthless remarks, let us proceed to our daily showdown. I'm confident with my fried eggs today. I'll get back for all my previous losses! I'm counting
on you two for the judge."

Kirika opened her lunch box and brought it to Taizo and Kana's table.

"So, Kirika-chan. Do you think you have a chance of success today?"

"I've tasted it several times. Plus, I got hold of the fact that Yachi might have caught a cold... that means his taste organ might not be working well. I decided that today
is the day."

A spirited glare pierced Haruaki.

"Oh...where is she getting all that motivation...?"

"Well, they say that maintaining health is part of the battle. We only care about the taste, so don't worry. After all, we are the judges. Alright, here I go---!"

"I'll have this first! ------Wow Kirika-chan! These fried eggs are just great! I love the crunchy bacon bits!"

"Really now? So, It's great huh? Hehehehe.....!"

Kirika saw the two gave her food a good evaluation and smirked. But, that smirk was off her face immediately since the battle was still ongoing.
The judges reached for Haruaki's lunch box and-----

"Akki's fried eggs are delicious too! It's soooo good! .... Hmm I wonder where this strange taste comes from?"

"Haruaki, what did you add to your fried eggs?"

"I've put some avocados in it. Hehe, I based it from an old cooking manga."

Taizo and Kana looked at each other and nodded. They grabbed the winner's lunchbox and raised it above their heads, looking like funny symmetrical statues holding a
lunch box.

"Um, the tastes were both great but we decided that Haruaki won for his novel idea!"

In that moment, Kirika lowered her head, both her hands shaking.

"Ugh....! Novelty.... They're right. My attention was tied to the taste and I failed to give a thought about an original idea....! So I learned today that a conservative
idea alone is not enough to go against the ever-changing idea these days!"

".....Hey, class rep, I keep telling you that you shouldn't be THAT serious with the battles."

Haruaki tried to reassure her. Kirika raised her head and said;

"I can't keep on losing to a man especially when it's about cooking! I'll win for sure next time!"

He'd already heard that line many times. But, telling that now to the class rep would be suicidal so he kept his mouth shut and just returned a bitter smile.

After that, they proceeded on having their own lunch for a while.
A little later, Haruaki heard a classmate calling out to him that he had a visitor. He looked at the door and saw a familiar face.

"It's Konoha-san! She's just as...well, you know, as always! Damn it Haruaki, please tell her that I, Taizo, send my appreciation for her being as beautiful as
a belladonna!"

"I don't know why Hakuto would choose a poisonous flower to compare her to. It's plain stupid."

Haruaki ignored the conversation behind him and walked over to the door. It was his first time seeing Konoha in school today.

"What's up?"

"There's nothing important, really... It's just that I worry about that girl..."

"I tried to wake her up but she wouldn't so I just left her alone with a note."

"What?"

She froze.

"Was it ok to leave her alone?"

"From what I saw last night, I think that she's harmless enough but, hmmm... now that you mentioned it, I started to worry about her. After all, we didn't talk that much."

"Have you seen her.... original form?"

"Just a little bit, when I saw her for the first time. She was a big mysterious box."

He started to think about something for a moment but decided that he had no idea what she was and shook his head in surrender.

"Well, if you say that she's alright, I guess she is. I suppose there's nothing to worry about."

Konoha bowed her head in good bye and went back to her classroom.

(She said there's nothing to worry about, but....)

When a person starts to worry, it won't leave him until he checked on what was worrying him. It was like having second thoughts about your answer in an examination when you
checked it over for a correction. Haruaki had no choice but to stare at the slow-moving clock inside the classroom and wait for the time to go home.

After the classes, Haruaki and Konoha met in front of the school entrance.

"Don't you have a student council meeting today?"

"I've passed for today. I felt like it."

There was an understanding between the two. Haruaki hurried back to his house together with Konoha who was publicly known as his related cousin.
They arrived at the gate, opened it quickly, then entered the house. There they saw----

"What the?!"

They saw that the inside was horrible. Turned back table was standing in a slant position, its leg piercing the sliding door. The cabinets turned over. On the floor was
unnecessary things that should have been inside the closet scattered all over.

....Just in a half day, his place of rest became a place of chaos. Something extraordinary must have happened here.

Haruaki searched for the silver-haired girl, his heart beating wildly. He found her immediately.
She was lying face-down on the porch. Not a movement from her. He kneeled over her and picked her up.
He tried to talk to her while he shook her body. Her eyes opened and she blinked with a blank stare.
Konoha went to the kitchen to get some water but hurriedly came back.

"We've got a problem! The kitchen too is in wretched condition!"

"Just what in the world happened here... Fear! Come on, Fear!"

"Ugh...... Stop shaking me... I'm alright..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Oh, you just don't know what I've been through."

Fear sat up and held her head. Her head was drooped as she breathed in and out, as if saying that she was about to say something very important. She raised her head and said;

"Listen... A light green-colored alien with three legs came here a while ago and----"

"Haaaa!"

Before Fear could finish, Haruaki's hand went to the back of her head. A good sound came out from his strike.

"W-what are you doing all of a sudden?! You want me to curse you?!"

"I should be the one asking you what were you doing! I get it, you had nothing to do so you tried to destroy the house didn't you? Look at what you did!"

"Y-you're wrong..."

Fear faced away.

"Then how can you explain my collection of rare dishes being sucked by the vaccuum cleaner?! I could only take it as a presentation of malice against me! Have I done anything
to you?!"

Haruaki cornered her. Fear just made a sullen face and glared at Haruaki.

"Shut up! I don't care what you say about me! I'm feeling sleepy so I'll go get some sleep! Don't even try bothering me!"

She ran away to her room. Haruaki was taken back by her sudden outburst and lost the will power to follow her.

"That little... tsk, she should try to be the one who'll fix these things up! So this is how she repays me for my kindness!"

"...Um, excuse me?"

Konoha was the one who was poking my shoulder. She said to Haruaki in an awkward manner;

"I think that in that situation, you have some faults too, you know."

"Why? I can't explain what she did other than playing a prank against me."

"Well, if you try to look at things around you, maybe you'll see what I mean. Try to look over there on the garden. Or at the kitchen"

I tried to look at where she pointed out. It was totally different from how I left them this morning. I still couldn't see anything other than Fear trying to play a-----

"....Huh?.... That girl... was she trying to...?"

What Fear did first when she entered her room was to mount on a pillow and punch it to get some stress out of her body. The moment she got out of breath, she took the futon out
and covered herself with it. But, that didn't completely take out her anger.

"Hmph....Hmph! That idiot, that shameless brat....! He doesn't have to be so..."

He didn't even try to listen to my explanation. How annoying.
Well, to tell the truth, she wasn't that enthusiastic about trying to explain things to him...

"There's no way I could tell him what I've been up to."

She can't explain THAT to him. It was too embarrassing and too disappointing. She had that much pride, at least. She couldn't help it but----it was annoying.
After letting out a big snort. She rearranged the futon and covered her head again.

<center>* * *</center>

For the few days that Fear spent together with Honatsu, she was taught by him the basic Japanese reading and writing, as well as the common knowledge about the modern world.
That was why Fear was able to read the note that Haruaki left for her. She thought that leaving her alone here was impertinent but there wasn't anything she could do about
it so she just ate the breakfast/lunch that Haruaki left for her. After the meal, Fear murmured to her self.

"..... Phew. How boring."

She was sitting at the porch and looking up at the sky. That was when the "urge" hit her. It was a refreshing experience since it was her first time, but it was kind of
embarrassing thinking about it------The call of nature.

"Being a human wasn't as comfortable as I thought."

She went to the washroom, making a face. After a few moments, her mission was completed.

"Now that was convenient. Haruaki said that it was called a faucet. I was quite amazed."

Fear stood before the wash stand, washing her hands and thinking about the great changes of the world around her. She mastered the use of faucet. Though she was amazed
sometimes at the technology, she taught that it was not enough to make her afraid.
While she was shaking the water off her hands, something inside the room caught her eye.

"Hm. I know that machine. It's called a "Washing machine". You put water and detergent to it and it will wash the clothes automatically."

Fear remembered what Haruaki said last night. She had to do something that [people would be thankful for] in order to lift her curse. Now, she thought about her current
condition. She had nothing to do. Maybe she should start doing something that would be helpful for people. Haruaki also said that it would take a lot of time to lift the
curse. If so, she should start early to finish earlier than it will originally take.

"....Hehehe. Thank me for what I'm going to do. And marvel at my true capacity...!"

First of all, she grabbed the clothes in the laundry basket and put them inside the washing machine. Next, she searched for a box of laundry detergent and found a box of powder
besides the washing machine. She tried to smell and it smelled like soap. She thought with confidence that this was the laundry detergent. Finally, she put the detergent inside
the washing machine-----one whole box of it. After the procedure, she tried to push different buttons and saw that the machine started to operate.

"I can do this...hehehe. I'm amazed by my adaptation ability. Well, maybe I should clean the house next!"

The thing that she needed was called a vacuum cleaner. According to Haruaki, it was a box with long nose attached to it. She found the vacuum cleaner inside the closet.

"I know too that this machine requires electricity. There should be a nose-like hole on the walls. Hm, this should be it. It does look like a nose hole. But, hmmmm this
fork at the back of the vaccuum machine won't reach those holes......Wha?!"

The cord extended as she played with the plug. She was surprised by the unexpected movement.
She coughed, held her head high, and looked at her left and right.

"......It was just a feint. I knew about that."

She inserted the plug into the consent and tried to push all the buttons of the vacuum cleaner. It revved up and started to suck in dust. Perfect.
Fear slowly moved the vacuum and cleaned the whole room. She started to enjoy using the vacuum, so she proceeded on cleaning anywhere that she pleased.
She gradually got used to it and became faster as she cleaned. Though, there were some unknown phenomenon where the cord became heavier and crashing sounds resounded
behind her. Fear tried to look back but something more important entered her sight. It was a black eight-legged insect that was crawling above the tatami.

"A s-spider?!"

Goosebumps rose all over her. Fear asked herself why did it have to appear in front of her.
She vilificated her luck and tried to run away but she quickly turned back in self denial, thinking that she shouldn't back off against a spider.
Grabbing the vacuum cleaner, Fear rushed to the spider. The machine she was holding wasn't a convenient vacuum cleaner anymore. It was an advanced weapon that could
send that wretched spider into another dimension.

"Turn into ash with the power of electricity!"

The spider quickly changed its direction and was able to evade the attack. It went inside the open closet where the vacuum cleaner was placed.
Fear couldn't hold back so she inserted the vacuum inside the closet and tried to suck in the spider. The vacuum hit other things inside the closet while
fear was maneuvering it. They came crashing out of the closet.
The vacuum must have sucked in something big since the vacum suddenly stopped working after raising a weird sound.

"What the?!"

She was the one attacking a while ago but now the table was turned against her. She backed a few steps and quickly shut the closet door. She sat down, let out a sigh and
thought of letting go of the closet door.
What should I do? Should I attack again? No, there's no need. he won't be able to get out unless I open this door. That's right, I'll just keep it shut. I'll just have
Haruaki terminate it when he comes home.

"I didn't see anything..... Yes, that's how it is."

Fear saw an object familiar to her rolling near her feet. It must have come from the closet. It was a cube in a size where one could hold it in their palm, having a surface of
3x3 tiles. Every tile was painted with different colors.
She slanted her head and tried moving the cube. The colored tile shifted. She thought that if the tiles are moved right, the color on surface of the cube would be uniform.

"...... ...... ...... Oh! I forgot that there are things that I should be doing right now."

Fear placed the cube back on the floor. That moment, she heard a buzzing sound coming from the washing machine. She remembered that she was washing clothes.

"....Well, it certainly is showy. I wonder if it was necessary to do that much."

Bubbles were bursting out from the washing machine like a mountain. Not only that, the overflowing water made a pool on the floor.
Anyway, if there are washed clothes then they must be hung to let them dry.
Fear rescued the washed clothes out of the washing machine and placed them in a basket. She got out into the garden and went to the drying pole. The garden was carpeted
with green grass and it felt good to her bare feet.
Fear stood before the drying pole, wrung the clothes and set them on the pole to dry. There were triangular beak-like things on the pole but she didn't know what its used for
so she put them away. Maybe it was a charm or something.

"This is the last....one. Phew. It's perfect."

The clothes waved like a flag. Thinking that she was the one who did it caused a strange sense of fulfillment course through her.

It came when she tried to turn back, confident about her victorious feat-----A gust of wind.

There was no way she could go after it, and the towel went up over the roof. She made a wry face and jumped high onto the roof.
She heard a sound of something breaking below her but the towel was more important at that moment. She collected the towel and jumped down to the ground.
At that moment, another gust of wind came, as if it was playing a prank against her. Because of this, some of the clothes flew high up onto the branch of a tall tree.
She clucked and placed the collected towel on the pole. The moment she let go of the towel, the gust carried it up again, on to the tree branch. Damn. It was endless.

"..... Er, well. Clothes will dry faster if there was a wind to dry it. That means that those clothes over there on branch will dry faster. When viewed from a broad
perspective, it was better that it went up there on the tree.... or at least, I think that way."

She forcefully convinced herself and turned back to the house's direction, trying not to look at the waving clothes on the tree
a strange thing came into her view. And it was....

First, there was the living room. The cabinets were turned over and the table on the center was slanted into a weird position. Its foot pierced through the sliding door.
The cord constricted around the table. She didn't notice because of the appearance of the spider and the cubic toy. Somehow, she thought she knew what that caused weird phenomenon earlier.
Adding to that, many things which came from the closet were scattered on the floor and the vacuum cleaner was lying dead on the floor.
Fear also noticed that something fell from the roof and saw that it was a gray-colored roof tile. It must have been the breaking sound she heard when she jumped over to the roof.

It was the first time that fear thought that something was strange. It seemed that the house became disarranged, more than before she started cleaning. In fact, she had a
feeling that it was completely wretched. She wondered why.

"Could it be that I have done something wrong?"

Two people's footsteps answered her question.
Fear slowly went over the porch and laid on her stomach, thinking.
A poltergeist or an alien. Which would be more credible if she were to reason out?

<center>* * *</center>

"Hmmmmmmmmm. I have this feeling that what she tried to do was too predictable but, could it be really...?"

Haruaki murmured to himself while looking up at the laundered clothes swaying on the branches of the tree located in the garden.

"If she was just playing around, she wouldn't think to put laundry detergent into the washing machine.... Except for the amount she put in it. If you go to the washing machine
right now, you'll see for yourself that it's throwing out bubbles like a crab."

Konoha raised her hands and formed a "scissors", trying to imitate a crab. Haruaki picked up the Rubik's cube that was laying on the floor.

"Really. Where did she find this thing?"

"Um, Haruaki-kun...? Do you remember the time when I first came here?"

"I can't remember much of the details, but I do. You did some strange things back then."

She came to this house when Haruaki was about to enter grade school. Of course, he didn't remember the clear details but he could still remember Konoha's impression.

"I thought so. Well, I wanted you to forget all about it at first but thinking about it it now, I'm glad that you still remember how I used to be."

"Why?"

"Hehe. You just have to tell Fear-san what you told me back when we first met. With that, I bet all the problems will be solved."

"I don't remember what I told you. What did I say back then?"

"Well, Haruaki-kun didn't change a bit so you just have to tell her what's on your mind right now."

After that, Konoha offered to help cleaning up the house but Haruaki politely refused. He felt that it was something he had to do, and not anyone else. Konoha didn't argue
with him.
Later, after Konoha went back to the outer building, Haruaki left the Rubik's cube on the table and looked up at the ceiling.

"Oh hell. What am I supposed to do...."

In that evening.

"Hey. Are you awake?"

He waited patiently for the answer. After few moments, it came to him.

"Shut up. I'm asleep."

"No you're not. You answered my question."

"Shut up and be silent if you don't wanna be cursed."

"Alright, alright. So, don't you have something to say?"

After an interlude of silence, Fear replied that she didn't have anything to say to him. Haruaki said never mind and sighed. Talk about being stubborn.

"You might not have anything to say to me, but I do. Well, er... I'm sorry."

There was no reply. There wasn't anything he could do for her silence so he just continued speaking.

"I already knew what I should have done, but I forgot. You look like a human but you aren't-----but in reality, you're a human so you might have some difficulties at first. There might
be things that you wouldn't understand, and there might be times where you bother other people. There also might be times where you have a quarrel with someone. Konoha also
went through all of that."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about but don't compare me to that cowtits. It's unpleasant."

"Yeah, okay. Well, what I want to say is... that you don't have to hurry trying to lift your curse. And, if there is something that you don't know, just ask me and I'll teach you
so long as it is something that I know. I left your dinner at the kitchen so you can have it when you get hungry. I'll be going now. Oh, I forgot, here's my present for you.
Take it."

Haruaki left the paper bag he was carrying onto the floor in front of the sliding door. After that, he went back to his room, yawning as he walked away.
After a few minutes, the sliding door silently opened. After some minutes of observation, a white hand came out and took the paper bag. The sliding door moved silently as the
sliding door closed.

Inside the paper bag was some clothes. They were kind of big but most of them were universally fitting one pieces. There was also new underwear that was wrapped in a plastic.
A note fell from it saying "Only underwear should be brand new for infants"....

"Drop dead!"

Fear threw the note on the floor by reflex. She noticed that behind the paper was another note addressed to her. It said, "If you want a bra, try to work part-time and buy it yourself. You'll be able to do so when you get used to living here..... Well, we're cursed tools so our bodies won't grow. That means that there won't be a need to, I mean, it would
be just a waste of time if you...."

A heel drop struck the paper before Fear could finish reading.
There were other things inside the paper bag other than the clothes. It was the cubic toy from earlier. And, there was also...

"....a rice cracker."

Her stomach growled. Haruaki said that she ate all the stock so he must have bought it for her.

"H-Hmph. I won't be bribed that easily. Does he think I'm such a child that I'll fall to his scheme?"

Despite her muttered complaints, her hands opened the snack and dug-in to the treat. Her other hand played with the Rubik's cube. Sound of creaking plastic filled the room.

"Hm. Sesame seeds. It's coated with sesame seeds. How fragrant..."

Fear thought about Haruaki while two sounds resounded inside her room.
Well, I'll forgive that shameless brat for now. He should thank my merciful heart. First things first-----I should ask him where this wonderful snack is being sold.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[CubexCursedxCurious|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 6

2009-02-24T18:36:14Z

Stealth: /* 2 */ a stray cat being knocked down by a cat -> knocked down by a car. (I don't think cats knock down other cats that violently)

== Chapter Six - Finale - The Brave and Selfless Rescuer ==

=== 1 ===

“He” watched everything from the sky, and has been doing so since the beginning.

To a human, it is basically a blind spot right above him. “He” who is lurking in the dimensional gaps observing below, his presence is undetectable even by the strongest Fuu-Jutsushi.

“He” is very happy now. Everything is going as “he” thought, moving as “he” had expected them to. They are completely unaware that they are pawns, believing that they are acting according to their own will.

From the point of view of a supernatural being, looking upon it all, “he” indulges himself in this feeling of superiority.

(What a great thing that I picked up.)

Misao Ogami------ the first pawn “he” obtained. Hating that man blindly, a pawn that bears a special meaning to that man.

To be able to obtain such a convenient pawn, “he” earnestly thank the guidance of the stars------ “They” worship neither God nor Devil.

It was just a game in the beginning.

To assist that silly girl’s naïve plans for revenge------ And at exceptionally cheap price. Such charity-like actions is “his” favorite hobby.

When that reward he requested is really insignificant, the expression on the person’s face is always very amusing, he does not get bored of it no matter how many times he has seen it.

However, that is just a unessential entertainment. Because now Misao has already become a sharp blade that can kill that man.

(Kazuma Yagami------ that unforgivable sinner, I must eliminate him by my very own hands. Just what can be more glorious than that……)

Having such a prestigious record, “he” may be bestowed with an extremely high position. Receiving continuous praises, envies and admirations------ A future filled with glory.

That is neither a fantasy or a dream, that “tomorrow” that will definitely come about is right before his very eyes.

Of course, the power he has now is not enough, there is no way he can beat that monster head-on. But, he is very confident in his victory.

Even though he is powerful enough to do so, Kazuma can’t bring himself to kill Misao. Furthermore, Misao has yet to reach the stage of completion.

(Come on, Misao------ Just a little more.)

“He” reveals a smile filled with gentle love at the girl who is walking down the road of destruction.

“……Finally……”

Those red lips give off an agitated voice of happiness.

“This moment has finally arrived……”

“I don’t know which moment it is you are referring to, but it is indeed time to settle things.”

Kazuma nods, saying this meaningful line.

“I don’t really care------ But must you kill “that person”?”

“Ahh, you mean “this person”?”

Misao lowers her head to look at her father’s head that she is hugging.

“It is only right for the father to avenge his son right? But, not only did otou-san not agree to help me, he even intended to kill his very own daughter, me. So, I decided to just borrow his powers------ like this.”

Something similar to a powerful current flowered into Misao’s hand from Masayuki’s head. The skin of the head dries up rapidly, the hair that turned white begins falling off.

In a matter of seconds, the chopped off head became a dried mummy.

“Foolish otou-san.”

Misao grapples hard at her father’s head. At the same time as it is giving off irritating squeaking sounds, Masayuki’s head was crushed into pieces. The pieces were all disintegrated and blown off by the wind before reaching the floor.

“Come on, otou-san------ Become one with me, and let’s take revenge for onii-san together?”

Absorbing her father------ The life of the head of the Ogami, Misao’s youki shows an explosive increase.

“Woah!”

“Mmm……”

The remaining Jutsushis moans. Even Ayano stretches her arms before her, taking on a defensive stance.

An abnormally strong youki. Its strength is so, its quality is very ominous as well. This is the power she obtained from draining the lives of over a hundred, countless grudges from the souls are mixed within, it can be considered reasonable in some way.

“The few of you can just get back now!”

Ayano hurriedly warns the Jutsushis. Having evolved to such an immense youki, the powers of the branch family cannot handle it at all.

“B…… But……”

“Get back!”

Ayano shouts at those hesitant Jutsushis. The Jutsushis look towards each other.

“------Got it, we will obey Ayano-sama’s order.”

They discreetly stated that they are obeying orders, and then rushed off the scene.

Following that, Misao’s youki began to gather into a bundle. Basked in the youki that seemed as though one would be able to hear the voices of hatred from the victims, the fire spirits manifested in the form of pitch black flames.

(Oh…… That is rather quick……)

Looking at the black fireball created above Misao’s head, Ayano is secretly impressed.

Misao stretches her right hand out swiftly, pointing at Kazuma alone. Following that action, the fireball whistles off and closes in at Kazuma.

“…………”

Kazuma does not move an inch, staring silently at the fireball that is coming straight at him. Following that------ The sound of an explosion can be heard, Kazuma’s body is surrounded by pitch black flames.

Misao shows a hearty smile. But, seeing Kazuma covered in flames, there is no change on Ayano and Ren’s faces.

The flames disperses slowly. Appearing within is------

“------!”

Even though it may be unsuitable to say this, but it is naturally Kazuma, without a scratch.

“------ And then?”

“Grr------”

As if being pushed back by his presence, Misao bites hard at her teeth as she moves backwards, but after that she began gathering youki once more.

“Then------ How about this!?”

A black fireball is created above Misao’s head once more. Not just one. Two, three------ fireballs kept on appearing, each of the fireballs is twice as hot as one just now.

“Wow……”

Ren exclaims.

“Misao is really talented.”

“Yeah. If anyone would still dare to say her personality is not suitable for training now, that would be a joke. If she accumulates experience properly, she would probably have been the strongest Jutsushi among the branch families by now.”

Ayano praises Misao’s talent without any conservation. Yet, that calm expression is just opposite to what she has just said, she does not see Misao’s powers as a threat at all.

Up to ten fireballs came to Kazuma’s side one by one. The group of fireballs that has their heat and kinetic energy completely under control, surrounds Kazuma in a hemispherical manner and explodes.

Misao adjusts the direction of the explosion, causing all the energy to be focused within the hemisphere. Being scorched by the great heat, with the merciless pressure from explosion waves from all directions, a normal Jutsushi will probably be completely destroyed, leaving not a single piece of meat behind!

(That is really something. But……)

Needless to say, Kazuma is of course, not a normal Jutsushi. He stands in the interior of the explosion that is gradually dispersing, blocking off the black flames’ attack without a sweat.

“How can that be……”

“I say------”

Ayano informs Misao who is dumbstruck there with an impatient tone.

“If Kazuma would die under flames of that level, he would have been killed by me long ago.”

“Nee-san…… That is a little……”

“The way you handle your attacks is very flexible, but just looking at power alone it is way weaker than Ren. To use that kind of warm flames to kill Kazuma, it will not even be considered a joke to others.”

“How can that be…… This kind of thing should not happen!”

Faced with those heartless comments, Misao with a great change in her expression tries hard to rebut:

“I have become even stronger than Kazuma-san! I can definitely beat him now, Angel-sama guaranteed that!”

“Angel-sama?”

Ayano stares straight and hard at Misao.

These words sound a little mad, but she does not seem to be joking either.

(It seems something is helping her from behind the scenes------ and it is the kind that is not too decent.)

Ayano grumbles in her heart.

“Angel”------ What a shameful name. That should not be a real angel, but no matter whether it is a name he gave himself or by others, the moment that person accepts that name readily, he is not decent already.

“Just what kind of pervert is that?”

“It is insulting to call me a pervert.”

This answer that bears laughter within came from the sky suddenly.

“------!”

Ayano raises her head abruptly to look up into the sky. About five meters in the air------ There he is.

Ayano stares closely at the youth that is gradually descending from the sky.

“So that’s it…… An “Angel”……”

His age is around ten. Golden curly hair, round emerald eyes, and a smile filled with benevolence.

That appearance with gentle light coming out from all over his boy, it is just like the angel that is drawn on the pictures of religions. If there is background music and songs of praises now, then this would certainly be filled with a solemn atmosphere.

“Angel-sama!”

Misao runs to the youth’s side, looking very touched. She does not seem to mind if her kimono is dirtied, she kneels right by his feet entirely.

“Angel-sama, please guide me on what to do, please bestow upon me the way to successfully take revenge.”

Like a lost child yearning for his mother, Misao relies on the youth whole-heartedly.

The youth reveals a gentle smile, caressing Misao’s head gently, and says:

“There is no such method.”

Misao slowly blinks her eyes.

“…… Huh?”

“For you to defeat Kazuma Yagami, that is an impossible task.”

The youth said every word out very clearly. Everyone else besides Misao begins to notice, that that seemingly loving smile, is actually a joyful expression of torment.

“B…… But…… Angel-sama told me that I have already obtained enough power for revenge------”

“Oh, you mean that.”

The youth nods seriously, then lowers his head to look at Misao. Misao still seem as though she can’t believe that the youth betrayed her, her eyes shine with uneasiness.

“That is a lie.”

Misao is so shocked she is at a loss for words, and simply widens her eyes. The youth looks at the expression happily, and then uses an exaggerated tone to ask:

“Why do you seem so surprised? Didn’t you not even trust me from the very beginning?”

<nowiki>------</nowiki>For our mutual benefit, let us work together from now on-------

Misao suddenly remembers this line. It was undoubtedly spoken from her very lips. In less than a week’s time, she has completely forgotten all about it------

“That’s right, we were just using each other, that was the relationship between us. But now you believe in me unconditionally, just what made you that way?”

“T……That is……”

Misao tries hard to recollect her memories, but------

“…………”

“It seems you noticed, nothing. But you trust me, why?”

The youth’s smile is very gentle all along, the name “Angel” suits it very well.

“You…… What did you…… do to me……”

“Nothing special, just a little hypnosis. Don’t worry, it is dispelled now. And------ You have something with me, I shall return it to you as well!”

“------ Ahhh!”

Misao uses a very exaggerated motion to dodge the fingers that the youth stretched out at her, as though there is lethal poison at his fingertips.

The youth uses gentle eyes to look at Misao who collapsed to the floor and is unable to get up, moving her hips to try to get away, yet at the same time he raises his stretched out hand up towards the sky.

“Actually there is no need for direct contact.”

Snap, the youth’s fingers gave off a sound.

“Come, recall. All your actions before today.”

“Huh……?”

(All my actions……)

In order to take revenge for my brothers, I killed over a hundred innocent civilians to obtain their vigor------

(But, that was for revenge, it was for a justified cause, so……)

Just as she thought so naturally, her brain seems to have received an impact suddenly.

“So” what?

Because it is for a justified cause, so all those people who were killed would forgive her? And to willingly give their lives up?

That is impossible.

No matter the reason, taking away the lives of others is an undeniable sin, it is an unacceptable action------

<nowiki>------</nowiki> I don’t recall hiring dead people------

“No……”

<nowiki>------</nowiki> As long as I continue taking in the vigor of hundreds, thousands of people like this------

“No way……”

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Foolish otou-san------

“No…… No way……”

“Angel” made a merciless declaration at Misao who is trying to run away from reality.

“That is right, they were all killed by you.”

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!”

Misao screams out.

“No way! No way! No way! It’s not me! I didn’t want to do that kind of thing!!”

“But you still did. In order to obtain power, so you manipulated youma and took away the lives of hundreds, and you won’t even spare your very own father.”

“------!”

Misao eyes expands to their limit. She raises her head to look at that gentle smile directed at her with extreme fear.

“Ah…… Ahh…… Ahhhh……”

She thought she was very cautious, and to use him instead. The result from such reckless actions------ Is this.”

To not realize at all that she is the one being manipulated instead, and killed over a hundred innocent people, and even killing her own father in the end.

Originally intending to take revenge for her family, yet she killed her very family in the process. This can only be described as an extreme irony.

“You worked hard all this time, Misao. By the way------“

The youth asks Misao, who is at a loss thinking about her own sins, with a cheerful smile:

“Your father’s vigor, how did it taste?”

“----------------!!”

Her pupils shrink instantly, sweat coming out from her forehead. The mouth that opened subconsciously gave off a choking moan:

“…… Ah…… Ah……”

A great power that is way beyond her actual strength residing in her chest. The sound of that beating power became that of an attack, constantly blaming Misao.

The evidence of her sin is so obvious, there is no way she can escape the sound of those grudges coming from within her body.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Misao stretches her five fingers, stabbing them into the centre of her chest. As if trying to use her fingers to pierce through the ribs, digging that dreadful power out together with her heart.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Misao rolls around on the floor with red eyes as she continued screaming madly.

=== 2 ===

“What did you do……”

Ayano’s eyes shift away from the frantic Misao, and in turn stares at the youth.

“What did you do to Misao!?”

“I can’t believe someone would complain about me doing that.”

Ignoring her fierce eyes, the youth smiles to say:

“Didn’t I say that earlier? I am just returning what I held onto back to her.”

“What you held onto------?”

“This girl, Misao, is way too soft-hearted, even for revenge, she is unwilling to harm anyone that is not related in any way.”

Hearing Ayano’s question, the youth cheerfully explains:

“So I took away some obstructing emotions from Misao’s heart. Like how to respect others, worries as not hoping to cause trouble for others------ Meaning what most would call conscience or ethics?”

“What……”

Such malicious methods left Ayano speechless.

Precisely because of that, Misao took the lives of others without hesitation, and used the reason “for revenge” to justify it.

And then, when Misao’s hands are tainted with blood, the emotions that were taken away earlier is put in once more. Converting her back to the kind and gentle Misao who would rather get injured than to hurt others.

All just to mock the way she crumples due to guilt.

“You actually……”

“It is really too interesting.”

The youth uses a smile to reply to those blaming eyes, then shifts his eyes slightly.

“So? Are you pleased?”

“……What is it that you want to do?”

Kazuma uses an emotionless tone to ask:

“To put in so much effort, and ruin a person just for fun?”

“That is one of my purposes as well, because I enjoy seeing how people get ruined. Even though very few people would make me put in this much effort, but------”

The youth’s smile becomes even more magnificent.

“Yagami Kazuma, to ruin someone that is special to you, won’t it be rude if I don’t put in more effort?”

The youth’s smile is very eerie. Ayano can’t help but retreat backwards, Ren on the other hand hides behind Kazuma.

There aren’t any changes in his tone and expression at all, but the hatred shown amidst his words, made the two who have no resistance against this kind of eccentric characters feel very scared.

Kazuma knits his brows slightly.

“……Have we met somewhere before?”

“This is the first time we met face to face. But I------ We did not forget you even for a second. You must understand, you standing here, alive, are in itself an unforgivable taboo.”

The youth voices out to scold him, yet he is unable to move Kazuma in any way.

“And here I was wondering what you wanted to say------”

Kazuma says with an obvious mockery:

“I offended way too many people, so I can’t really recall. Ahh, but you don’t need to explain any further, I won’t recall anyway.”

“You won’t recall? That is a good thing. The noble name of our master is not something that someone like you should remember, it is best that you have forgotten it.”

The youth fights back, taunting Kazuma.

“But as I am benevolent, I shall tell you my name!

My name is Mikaeru! Mikaeru Hari!! In the name of the stars and wisdom, I shall now eliminate our enemy Yagami Kazuma!”

“----------------!”

Kazuma’s expression vanished instantly. He bears that blank expression, as if wearing a mask, and stares at Mikaeru who announced his name with resolution.

<nowiki>------ </nowiki> In the name of the stars and wisdom------

Kazuma shut his eyes while facing the youth for a second.

In a certain way, this sentence made Kazuma who he is now. Four years ago------ That day, when he experienced for himself that the lack of power can sometimes be equivalent to a sin, “That man” melodiously declared that sentence before him.

<nowiki> ------ </nowiki> I only seek the truth ------

In his hand, he holds the girl whom Kazuma wanted to protect, yet failed to do so, her heart.

When he opens his eyes once more, Kazuma’s usual arrogant smile is back. But------

“…………”

Ren who stuck behind Kazuma, suddenly let go of his hand that is grabbing the lower part of his jacket, and backs off. Ayano turns her body, switching it to an angle that can see both Kazuma and Mikaeru at the same time.

“Ahh------ So that’s it.”

Silently------ Kazuma smiles silently.

“I got it, so you wanted to follow in your master’s footsteps?”

At the next moment, Kazuma’s “ki” exploded.

“Ahhhh!”

“Wahhhh!”

Multiplied, expanded------ it is not such a simple phenomenon. Basked in the pressure of the “ki” that is equivalent to a shockwave, Ren’s body began to float.

“Wait……Wait a minite…… This is……”

Ayano’s expression is very tense. Power of such intensity, she has not seen anything like it even when Kazuma is fighting against Ryuya.

(Just what is this about------!?)

A “ki” that is responding towards his furious roar, the wind begins to spin fiercely. All the energy that is being collected in a bundle is compressed to a scary intensity------

“Fine then------ Let me help you. Pray to the demon lord, to bless you such that you would follow your master to hell!”

The wind is released, a supersonic speed wind blade strikes towards Mikaeru rapidly.

“How naïve.”

The youth reveals a cold smile, and disappears the moment before he is cut by the wind blade.

“Che! Teleported?”

As if answering Kazuma, Mikaeru’s conscious echoed emptily.

''“I did not run away, because there is no such need. Why did you think I appeared before you? That is because I am not afraid of you------ Because I have obtained enough power to kill you!”''

As he makes his declaration loudly, countless goo pieces emerge from the ground surface.

''“As you have seen just now, that is not Misao’s true power. She is unable to completely control that great power------The method to use that power as one pleases lies within my hands.”''

“Misao------?”

Without realizing it, Misao’s screams has vanished. Ayano looks around, and finds Misao lying on the floor as if dead.

Her chest rises up slightly, but other than that there is no indication of life. The body with sand all over lies motionless, there is nothing reflected in those open, but empty eyes.

The goo pieces quietly crawls forward, pressing onto Misao’s body. In the blink of an eye, Misao is wrapped by a small semi-transparent mountain.

“Ah……”

First, the color changed.

The transparency disappeared, the surface began to bear the shine of a metallic surface. That wavering, seemingly soft appearance, with that ironic texture that can reflect light, makes one associate with gigantic mercury.

Then, the shape changed.

The goo pieces that sat still like a bun grew four legs, and lifted its gigantic body, then a head, tail reached out, and its back even grew wings.

The shape-shifting continued to progress.

Its appearance that is rough like the clay product made by a child, slowly and continuously adjusts its shape, gradually possessing a clear outline.

Joints appeared in those legs that were originally but four sticks, and sharp claws grew out of them. The surface of the body is covered closely by scales, a set of skeleton appeared in the interior of the head, tail and wings, evolving into a structure that is very logical in biology.

These changes took no longer than thirty seconds. Within such a short period of time, the semi-transparent slime changed into a huge silvery white dragon.

Ayano grumbles unknowingly:

“…… Why does a slime become a dragon upon job changing?”

“You play too many games, idiot.”

Kazuma rebuts bluntly.

“That is just changing into a form suited for combat, it is not a real dragon.”

In the end it is just an imitation. The shape of a dragon does not possess much meaning. Compared to its appearance, the main point lies in that all the slimes combined into one.

A single slime is just like trash, but when a number of them gathered, they can form a magical circuit. And, by connecting the different circuits with each other, a more complicated, bigger system can be formed.

A system so big that it can control the massive power that Misao has gathered.

“Hahahahahaha! How’s that, Yagami Kazuma! Can you defeat this “Vritra” that I created!?”

Mikaeru’s voice came from the gigantic dragon------ It seems its name is Vritra------ ’s back region. That puny body is more than half submerged into Vritra’s body.

“But then, by defeating it, Misao would die.”

After tossing this vicious sentence, the youth is completely merged with Vritra. The statue-like Vritra began to move.

“GRRRR……”

Vritra’s gigantic mouth gave off a low groan. Its wings spread out completely, the lowered head is raised upwards, looking at the sky proudly.

“WRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-----------------------------!”

As if challenging the skies, the gigantic dragon roars loudly.

The coarse roar that is like a broken bell slowly becomes clear.

This may be proof that Mikaeru has began controlling Vritra. That clear sound that is like striking against crystal, reminds one of his high pitch voice.

To kill him before he takes action------ Normally Kazuma may just do so without hesitation, yet this is one of those rare exceptions. He looks up at the silvery white dragon. From the way he looks, there doesn’t seem to be any signs of him wanting to attack it.

“So, what to do……”

Ayano voices out to question Kazuma who is talking to himself:

“You still intend to save Misao?”

“Yes.”

Kazuma replies without any hesitation.

Ayano frowns and looks at Kazuma. After understanding all the truth behind it, she does not have any unpleasant emotions against Misao anymore, but------

“Listen, even though you may not want to heed what I say…… But, judging from Misao’s current situation, won’t she be happier if she dies?”

She has nothing now. Everything has been taken away by Hyoue, Mikaeru, and------ Kazuma.

Just remembering her scream then, Ayano’s chest felt as though it is being squeezed tightly.

Maybe it really is possible to save Misao from the clutches of Mikaeru. But, would that be the result that she would want?

Even if she survived, all that awaits her in the future, won’t it be only days tormented by guilt?

“…… Perhaps so!”

She had originally expected Kazuma to be angered, but he agreed unexpectedly.

“But, even so……”

There is soil in his mouth, as he raises his head to look up at that back.

That tiny body can’t stop trembling.

But the girl still spread her arms courageously, determined to stand before him.

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Please stop! This is really too much! ------

The girl uses a tone that is close to bursting in tears to beg. Even if she is right------ No, Precisely because it is right, that is why it would not be accepted by others, this was such a sentence.

Even if she is stared at, even if she is blamed, the girl still did not back off.

Her entire body trembled, a tiny back.

Burned into his blurred eyes, the one single time ten years ago that------

“Even so, I still hope that she will live on……”

“…………”

“…………”

Hearing Kazuma murmur to himself as if praying, Ayano and Ren can’t help but wonder if they had heard right.

Especially Ren. He had even forgotten to hide his shocked expression, and stares at Kazuma dumbly with his mouth wide open.

Kazuma stares at his dumbfounded brother.

“What? Is there something strange?”

“Huh……? Ah, no, there is nothing strange at all.”

Ren shakes his head hurriedly. At the same time as his tiny head wavers, his eyes also stares straight at the silent Ayano who bears a complicated expression.

“------What?”

Sensing Ren’s stare, Ayano asks impolitely.

“N…… Nothing…… Nothing at all.”

Ayano turns her back against the stuttering Ren, looks at Kazuma and says calmly:

“There is nothing wrong with that. Let’s go save her! I will act according to your instructions.”

“Is that so.”

Kazuma acts almighty, and nods his head as if that is how things should be. Ayano did not feel angry towards his attitude, but calmly listens to his plans.

“So then what should we do? If we do not know where Misao is, I cannot burn that thing up at one go. Should I start burning it slowly from the sides?”

“Why go to such trouble…… The purifying flames are used at times like this. If you just burn off all the youki, all that remains would be the living Misao. Simple right?”

“I can’t perform such a high level trick.”

“------------------------------------------ Ah?”

Kazuma stares straight at Ayano who replied instantly. He seems to be really shocked, his eyes shifted away from Vritra.

“What did you say?”

“I said, I do not know that kind of high level technique that can burn youki only.”

“……………………………”

After staring at Ayano blankly for some time, Kazuma looks towards Ren for a shred of hope. Ren shakes his head hurriedly in denial.

Kazuma sighs out deeply, grumbling in his mouth:

“……Good-for-nothing……”

“Sorry for that.”

Ayano humphs and flicks the hair that is stuck on her cheek towards the back.

“Damn! If my old man is here, this could be done so easily…… Why is it that he is not around at crucial times like this?”

“What do you mean by why------ You were the one to beat him up remember? He is still in the hospital now.”

“…… Nii-sama, that is really willful for you to say that.”

The two’s simultaneous rebuts were completely ignored by Kazuma.

“Oh well, There is no point in wishing for things that just isn’t there. It is better to have something than none, you can start burning from the side then!”

Just as those words left his mouth.

“Is your little discussion finally over?”

A laughter suddenly sounded off from above them. Raising their heads, they see the gigantic dragon using that big face that is of the size of a small lorry to look at them.

Those eyes are a bright emerald green------ Just like Mikaeru’s. That emerald luster that is reflected on that large silvery white body is undoubtedly the proof that the gigantic dragon’s body is under complete control of the dark mage.

“It should be about time that we begin.””

“It has begun long ago, you idiot.”

Faced with that will that can’t wait to start the fight, a mocking voice and a wind blade responded to it at the same time. The wind blade did not let Vritra have any time to react, and sliced off both its wings entirely.

The sliced off wings changed back into the transparent slimes upon leaving the dragon’s body. The slimes crawled forward on the ground surface, and then stuck onto the dragon’s legs, combining with the dragon directly from that spot.

After several seconds, wings sprouted from Vritra’s back once more.

“That was mean.”

With a meaning completely different from what he said, Mikaeru announces unhurriedly:

“And I was waiting so patiently for you guys. Yet to sneak attack without even shouting start, how despicable. You really have no sportsmanship.”

“Oh really, you flatter me.”

Kazuma acts humble, looking serious. The word “despicable” is but a praise to his ears.

“Next it shall be my turn!”

Vritra draws in one deep breathe. As if it really possesses lungs, its chest area begins to inflate.

After the crystal-like transparent teeth bite against each other, hot sparks were flared out in its mouth. All the air that filled the entire chest was blown out at the same time.

Dragon’s breath.

Pitch black flames stretched out in a straight line, passing through where the three were just now.

“Dragons can breathe fire. This guy really faithfully acts as how a dragon should be.”

Kazuma murmurs as he flies backwards. Vritra turns its head in pursuit of Kazuma, the shining black flames burns the air, following closely behind Kazuma.

“How persistent!”

Kazuma waves his right hand horizontally, the wind generated by this action blows the flames that are closing in at him off. At the same time, an upward wind strikes at Vritra’s chin like an uppercut.

Kachunk, the dragon’s mouth is closed up, the dragon’s breathe naturally stops as well. Kazuma lands onto the ground unhurriedly.

“Did you expect something like that can defeat me? If so, you are really underestimating me too much!”

“We were just getting to the good part!”

Vritra roars as a strike from its front legs rushes at Kazuma.

The five hooked claws at its feet, each of them possesses a length and sharpness similar to a katana. There is perhaps no organism on earth that can get hit by such a strike and still possess a full corpse!

Faced with the attack coming in horizontally, Kazuma calmly calculates the distance and dodges it easily. Having its full-scale attack dodged by the opponent, Vritra’s body began wavering, having lost balance.

“You fell for it.”

With its back towards Kazuma, Vritra bears its teeth and smirks. With the centrifugal force that comes with making a semi-circular rotation, its tail was flung out with a devastating force.

Kazuma originally intended to use wind blades to cut the tail off, but at the last moment he decided not to.

That tail that is like a log, its size is enough to contain a person within, and he cannot be certain that Misao is not inside.

“-------Che!”

He jumps up to evade, but he was just a little too late. The tail swept past the tip of his feet, Kazuma who was in the air, his body began rotating vigorously.

“Nii-sama!”

Ren releases fire pellets at Vritra who intends to follow up on its attack. The golden flames hit the neck portion of the gigantic dragon------but are reflected off by the silvery white scales.

“Huh!?”

“Quit meddling around!!”

Ren jumps backwards, attempting to dodge the backhand claws. However, pitch black fireballs were released from the tip of Vritra’s claws.

“-------!!”

Ren who is in mid-air is unable to dodge at all. Seeing Ren who hurriedly intends to use his hands to defend, Kazuma who regained his posture shouts out loudly:

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 263.jpg|thumb]]
“Don’t block it! Get away!”

This is an impossible request, the black flames mercilessly wraps around Ren’s arms.

That filthy thing that bears youki can no longer be associated with the word fire, it is just a boiling hot mass of filthy particles.

Having its properties changed to such an extent, the spirit’s blessings are unable to take effect. The black flames mercilessly erode the body that can originally resist against fire.

“Wahhh!”

“Ren!!”

Vritra uses its huge body to stand before Kazuma who is rushing to his brother’s side.

“Get lost------------!!”

“GRRRRYYYYYYYWWWWW!!”

The shockwave met the dragon’s breathe head-on. Though the wind sliced the black flames apart, the weakened shockwave is insufficient to send Vritra’s huge body off.

“Don’t block my way------”

Kazuma waves his hand out once more. However, Vritra takes in a huge breath as well, preparing to spit fire. Ignoring the opponent’s actions entirely, Kazuma acts on his own and begins to gather wind blades.

Yet, just before the conflict happens again, a plasma ball from the side sent Vritra flying. The huge body that has a weight greater than a blue whale, is now flying in the air like a stray cat being knocked down by a car.

“------ Ayano?”

“Leave this to me.”

Ayano uses a monotonous voice to say, and then began closing in onto Vritra. She does not even look at Kazuma, and waves Enraiha calmly.

“……?”

Though Kazuma is very puzzled by that cold behaviour, but right now Ren’s situation is more important. He leaves Vritra to Ayano, and runs to the side of Ren who is sitting on the floor.

“Are you still alive, Ren!?”

“Ah, yes…… I survived somehow. But, my flames actually bounced off……”

“Well, since it is using Misao as its core, so its fire resistance probably increased as well.”

In fact, it is too humble to say that it “probably increased as well”. Having taken that attack from Ayano earlier, there is not even a trace of burnt mark on those silvery white scales. Just looking at its fire resistance, Vritra is comparable to a member of the Kannagi main family.

(…… That is to say, I cannot expect much from the two of them, and that I must take care of this myself? And to add on to that, this is free service.)

Kazuma indulges in depressing thoughts as he checks Ren’s injuries.

He was burnt from the back of his hand to his elbow, but it will not place his life in danger. Ren seems to have used his own flames to nullify the attack.

“Hmm------ It looks fine. This should not leave a scar.”

Seeing that the injury is lighter than what he had expected, he relaxes and caresses Ren’s tiny head.

“You can back off now, just leave everything else to Ayano and me.”

“I still can fight!”

Ren shouts out instantly. He raises his head and uses determined eyes to look at the surprised Kazuma.

“I still can fight, I cannot back off just because of a small injury like this.”

“----------------”

Kazuma looks straight at his brother, who possesses a strong will to fight, for some time------ and then places his hand on Ren’s head once more.

“I want to save Misao, lend me your strength!”

“Yes!”

Ren nods with pride. At this moment------

“GRRRRLLLLYYYY------------!!”

Vritra’s roar shook the air. Ren looks towards that direction, and subconsciously widens his eyes.

A glowing magical formation suddenly appeared on the ground surface, and began to wrap by the side of the gigantic dragon that is giving off a silvery white glow.

The hexagonal formation that has two circles of different diameters at the center slowly begins to spin. As the volume of the roar increases, the glow becomes more glaring, lightning running at the surface.

The lightning that is rampaging on the ground surface created countless lightning balls, floating around Vritra. The lightning balls that are connected to each other by thin lightning, is just like an electric prison trapping a gigantic dragon.

“GYYYR!”

With its short cry as a signal, all the lightning balls shot off at the same time. There were no fixed targets, just a bunch of lightning balls being shot off in a wide area, following an unpredictable route to strike at Ayano.

“Onee-sama!”

Ren cries out loudly. At this moment, Ayano uses a speed faster than the speed of sound to sprint out.

Up against the lightning balls that are falling down like rain, the tiny body speeds within their gaps at a godly speed.

An emergency stop that brings down her speed in an instant, a sharp directional change that goes against the law of inertia, and an amazing acceleration to speed up to her limit in an instant, Ayano illustrates such a body motion that can be called a miracle. The countless lightning balls are unable to touch their target at all, and begins to lose their energy like that.

After passing through the torrent of lightning, Ayano buries herself into the chest of Vritra. She dodges the claws and tail that strike at her with ease, and jumps onto Vritra’s back at the same time, using the entire weight of her body to stab Enraiha downwards.

Kachun!

A solid sound sounded off, the tip of Enraiha pierced through the silvery white scale.

Damage of this level, is nothing but a needle prick to Vritra. This is not Ayano’s real intention.

“------ Huuu!”

As she breathes out, fire spirits are injected into the gigantic dragon’s body from the tip of Enraiha. And then, ignited.

“GWYYYYYYYYYY!”

Even the sturdy scales seems fragile under the explosion from within the body. A gap big enough to contain a person within was made on the back of the dragon by the explosion.

“GRRRRWWWWWWWWWW!!”

Vritra gives off an angry roar as it twists its body. Ayano dodges the randomly waving claws and tail calmly, and pulls a distance from Vritra once more.

“------ Onee-sama is so powerful……”

After witnessing Ayano’s astonishing strength in battle, Ren gasps. Yet, Kazuma beside him seems to look displeased.

“That girl…… What the hell is she thinking?”

Ren thought that he was commenting on Ayano, and speaks in her aid hurriedly:

“B……But! Misao is also a Jutsushi of the Kannagi, she will probably not be killed by that hit earlier------”

“I don’t mean that, that kind of fighting style is too reckless. She has completely given up on defense------ Does she want to die?”

Kazuma’s voice did not carry any joke or mockery. Ren shivers, and looks at Ayano who consistently performs kamikaze style attacks.

“Onee-sama……!”

=== 3 ===

Ayano did not have anything else on her mind, focusing solely on waving the Enraiha.

Not thinking about anything at all, not hesitating, just focusing on fighting alone. She had had thoughts of showing some mercy, but she forgot about that instantly. Besides, if she goes easy against Vritra which possesses superb fire resistance, she won’t be able to so much as scratch it.

Wielding the divine blade that is shining with brilliance, Ayano became a weapon.

Perhaps due to this, her mental capabilities were raised to a level beyond any before. So much so that she can accurately predict the movement of those thunderballs almost at the speed of light.

Ayano dodges the furious waves of attacks by her agile movements alone. She did not have any efforts to spare to defend, and instead transfers all her energy into Enraiha’s blade.

To run even further.

To move even faster.

Without any considerations at all regarding how to protect herself, just viciously and calmly attacking the enemy. The way she is now is no different from a fighting machine.

She dodged the claws and teeth by several millimeters, and thrusts the Enraiha at the root of Vritra’s tail. The fire spirits that entered through the sharp tip, materializes into its golden flame form.

“GRRRYYYYWWWWWWW!!”

Dragging its tail that has more than half of it blown off, the giant dragon roars loudly. Ayano attacks once more fearlessly, and slices off the tail that is as big as two people hugging together entirely.

The severed tail loses its silvery white shine, turning back into a semi transparent goo piece. But that was for just a moment------ The goo piece that attaches itself with Vritra, transforms back into the shape of a tail as if nothing has happened.

The gigantic dragon bares its crystal teeth to smirk. The body that has completed its regeneration shines with a silvery white glow, there is no trace of the damage done to it earlier.

“------------”

Ayano silently brings up her Enraiha. Even after witnessing the seemingly infinite regeneration capabilities, her will to fight has not wavered one bit.

That is of course. A machine does not fear, a weapon does not hesitate, nor think at all------

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Why are you so concerned about Misao? Is it because…… You like her?

That kind of thing does not matter anymore. No matter who is in Kazuma’s heart, a machine would not be bothered by it at all.

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Even so, I still hope that she will live on……

A fighting machine that will neither waver, nor feel at a loss, does not require a heart that would be disturbed by a mere sentence.

Ayano steps onto the ground with force, plunging at Vritra’s chest.

Vritra’s hooked claws strike at Ayano at the same time, sandwiching from both directions, left and right. For that massive size, such an action may be considered very swift, but to Ayano now, it was as if it is still.

Ayano slices the middle and ring finger of the right hooked claw off, passing through the gap that she has just created, and took a detour, getting to Vritra’s back.

Yet, this is a miscalculation that cannot be any more obvious. Because Ayano still does not know, that Vritra is a combination of magical beings, and that this dragon outer appearance is but a form it took up.

Something like a tentacle grew out from somewhere around dragon’s right elbow suddenly. The sharp tip did not have a moment of hesitation, as it flies straight towards Ayano.

Her accelerated senses can already feel this gradually stretching tentacle, its distance is less than one meter away.

(------Unavoidable.)

Ayano calmly admits this fact.

Even though her senses are accelerated, her motion will not be accelerated along with it. In this air that is sticky and gluey like tar, Ayano’s movements are slower than that of the tentacle.

The tentacle aims directly and accurate at the dead centre of Ayano’s body, causing Ayano to be unable to dodge by merely twisting her body around. At this rate, the tentacle will clearly and surely pierce through Ayano, and dealing her a fatal injury.

Ayano closes her eyes gently, quietly accepting the unavoidable “death”.

“------Ugh!?”

Padong!

This is definitely not the feeling of a murderous weapon stabbing into the body. It felt just like someone’s body come crashing into her------

“Still sleeping!? Wake up! You dumb girl!”

“Ahh!?”

The angry shout by her ear pulled Ayano back to reality. She opens her eyes, Kazuma’s angry expression appears ten centimeters before her eyes.

“Ka……Kazuma!?”

The unrealistic feelings she had ten seconds ago vanished without a trace.

This is the shocking reality, her conscience was drawn in by the glow in those eyes before her, the throbbing in her heart cannot be suppressed.

(Was he the one who saved me……?)

On that expression that is tense with nervousness, he lost his usual smile. Seeing the sweat that is coming out from his forehead, Ayano showed a smile.

Looking at the smiling Ayano, Kazuma------

“Argh!?”

Pinches her nose.

“What are you staring blankly at? Didn’t I tell you to wake up?”

“Who…… Who said I was sleeping!”

Ayano flings that hand away, but did not let go of the hand that Kazuma is hugging tightly. Their bodies are flying several tens of meters in the air like this------ in the sky that is even higher up than Vritra’s head.

(I was forced into it.)

Ayano finds an excuse for herself, and then hugs Kazuma’s body even more tightly. She subconsciously look towards Kazuma’s back.

“------Behind you!”

Before Ayano shouted, Kazuma had already turned his body agilely in mid-air. Following that, he saw countless tentacles stretching towards the two of them from all over Vritra’s body.

“Che------”

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 6

2009-02-24T18:06:28Z

Stealth: /* 1 */ Typo

== Chapter Six - Finale - The Brave and Selfless Rescuer ==

=== 1 ===

“He” watched everything from the sky, and has been doing so since the beginning.

To a human, it is basically a blind spot right above him. “He” who is lurking in the dimensional gaps observing below, his presence is undetectable even by the strongest Fuu-Jutsushi.

“He” is very happy now. Everything is going as “he” thought, moving as “he” had expected them to. They are completely unaware that they are pawns, believing that they are acting according to their own will.

From the point of view of a supernatural being, looking upon it all, “he” indulges himself in this feeling of superiority.

(What a great thing that I picked up.)

Misao Ogami------ the first pawn “he” obtained. Hating that man blindly, a pawn that bears a special meaning to that man.

To be able to obtain such a convenient pawn, “he” earnestly thank the guidance of the stars------ “They” worship neither God nor Devil.

It was just a game in the beginning.

To assist that silly girl’s naïve plans for revenge------ And at exceptionally cheap price. Such charity-like actions is “his” favorite hobby.

When that reward he requested is really insignificant, the expression on the person’s face is always very amusing, he does not get bored of it no matter how many times he has seen it.

However, that is just a unessential entertainment. Because now Misao has already become a sharp blade that can kill that man.

(Kazuma Yagami------ that unforgivable sinner, I must eliminate him by my very own hands. Just what can be more glorious than that……)

Having such a prestigious record, “he” may be bestowed with an extremely high position. Receiving continuous praises, envies and admirations------ A future filled with glory.

That is neither a fantasy or a dream, that “tomorrow” that will definitely come about is right before his very eyes.

Of course, the power he has now is not enough, there is no way he can beat that monster head-on. But, he is very confident in his victory.

Even though he is powerful enough to do so, Kazuma can’t bring himself to kill Misao. Furthermore, Misao has yet to reach the stage of completion.

(Come on, Misao------ Just a little more.)

“He” reveals a smile filled with gentle love at the girl who is walking down the road of destruction.

“……Finally……”

Those red lips give off an agitated voice of happiness.

“This moment has finally arrived……”

“I don’t know which moment it is you are referring to, but it is indeed time to settle things.”

Kazuma nods, saying this meaningful line.

“I don’t really care------ But must you kill “that person”?”

“Ahh, you mean “this person”?”

Misao lowers her head to look at her father’s head that she is hugging.

“It is only right for the father to avenge his son right? But, not only did otou-san not agree to help me, he even intended to kill his very own daughter, me. So, I decided to just borrow his powers------ like this.”

Something similar to a powerful current flowered into Misao’s hand from Masayuki’s head. The skin of the head dries up rapidly, the hair that turned white begins falling off.

In a matter of seconds, the chopped off head became a dried mummy.

“Foolish otou-san.”

Misao grapples hard at her father’s head. At the same time as it is giving off irritating squeaking sounds, Masayuki’s head was crushed into pieces. The pieces were all disintegrated and blown off by the wind before reaching the floor.

“Come on, otou-san------ Become one with me, and let’s take revenge for onii-san together?”

Absorbing her father------ The life of the head of the Ogami, Misao’s youki shows an explosive increase.

“Woah!”

“Mmm……”

The remaining Jutsushis moans. Even Ayano stretches her arms before her, taking on a defensive stance.

An abnormally strong youki. Its strength is so, its quality is very ominous as well. This is the power she obtained from draining the lives of over a hundred, countless grudges from the souls are mixed within, it can be considered reasonable in some way.

“The few of you can just get back now!”

Ayano hurriedly warns the Jutsushis. Having evolved to such an immense youki, the powers of the branch family cannot handle it at all.

“B…… But……”

“Get back!”

Ayano shouts at those hesitant Jutsushis. The Jutsushis look towards each other.

“------Got it, we will obey Ayano-sama’s order.”

They discreetly stated that they are obeying orders, and then rushed off the scene.

Following that, Misao’s youki began to gather into a bundle. Basked in the youki that seemed as though one would be able to hear the voices of hatred from the victims, the fire spirits manifested in the form of pitch black flames.

(Oh…… That is rather quick……)

Looking at the black fireball created above Misao’s head, Ayano is secretly impressed.

Misao stretches her right hand out swiftly, pointing at Kazuma alone. Following that action, the fireball whistles off and closes in at Kazuma.

“…………”

Kazuma does not move an inch, staring silently at the fireball that is coming straight at him. Following that------ The sound of an explosion can be heard, Kazuma’s body is surrounded by pitch black flames.

Misao shows a hearty smile. But, seeing Kazuma covered in flames, there is no change on Ayano and Ren’s faces.

The flames disperses slowly. Appearing within is------

“------!”

Even though it may be unsuitable to say this, but it is naturally Kazuma, without a scratch.

“------ And then?”

“Grr------”

As if being pushed back by his presence, Misao bites hard at her teeth as she moves backwards, but after that she began gathering youki once more.

“Then------ How about this!?”

A black fireball is created above Misao’s head once more. Not just one. Two, three------ fireballs kept on appearing, each of the fireballs is twice as hot as one just now.

“Wow……”

Ren exclaims.

“Misao is really talented.”

“Yeah. If anyone would still dare to say her personality is not suitable for training now, that would be a joke. If she accumulates experience properly, she would probably have been the strongest Jutsushi among the branch families by now.”

Ayano praises Misao’s talent without any conservation. Yet, that calm expression is just opposite to what she has just said, she does not see Misao’s powers as a threat at all.

Up to ten fireballs came to Kazuma’s side one by one. The group of fireballs that has their heat and kinetic energy completely under control, surrounds Kazuma in a hemispherical manner and explodes.

Misao adjusts the direction of the explosion, causing all the energy to be focused within the hemisphere. Being scorched by the great heat, with the merciless pressure from explosion waves from all directions, a normal Jutsushi will probably be completely destroyed, leaving not a single piece of meat behind!

(That is really something. But……)

Needless to say, Kazuma is of course, not a normal Jutsushi. He stands in the interior of the explosion that is gradually dispersing, blocking off the black flames’ attack without a sweat.

“How can that be……”

“I say------”

Ayano informs Misao who is dumbstruck there with an impatient tone.

“If Kazuma would die under flames of that level, he would have been killed by me long ago.”

“Nee-san…… That is a little……”

“The way you handle your attacks is very flexible, but just looking at power alone it is way weaker than Ren. To use that kind of warm flames to kill Kazuma, it will not even be considered a joke to others.”

“How can that be…… This kind of thing should not happen!”

Faced with those heartless comments, Misao with a great change in her expression tries hard to rebut:

“I have become even stronger than Kazuma-san! I can definitely beat him now, Angel-sama guaranteed that!”

“Angel-sama?”

Ayano stares straight and hard at Misao.

These words sound a little mad, but she does not seem to be joking either.

(It seems something is helping her from behind the scenes------ and it is the kind that is not too decent.)

Ayano grumbles in her heart.

“Angel”------ What a shameful name. That should not be a real angel, but no matter whether it is a name he gave himself or by others, the moment that person accepts that name readily, he is not decent already.

“Just what kind of pervert is that?”

“It is insulting to call me a pervert.”

This answer that bears laughter within came from the sky suddenly.

“------!”

Ayano raises her head abruptly to look up into the sky. About five meters in the air------ There he is.

Ayano stares closely at the youth that is gradually descending from the sky.

“So that’s it…… An “Angel”……”

His age is around ten. Golden curly hair, round emerald eyes, and a smile filled with benevolence.

That appearance with gentle light coming out from all over his boy, it is just like the angel that is drawn on the pictures of religions. If there is background music and songs of praises now, then this would certainly be filled with a solemn atmosphere.

“Angel-sama!”

Misao runs to the youth’s side, looking very touched. She does not seem to mind if her kimono is dirtied, she kneels right by his feet entirely.

“Angel-sama, please guide me on what to do, please bestow upon me the way to successfully take revenge.”

Like a lost child yearning for his mother, Misao relies on the youth whole-heartedly.

The youth reveals a gentle smile, caressing Misao’s head gently, and says:

“There is no such method.”

Misao slowly blinks her eyes.

“…… Huh?”

“For you to defeat Kazuma Yagami, that is an impossible task.”

The youth said every word out very clearly. Everyone else besides Misao begins to notice, that that seemingly loving smile, is actually a joyful expression of torment.

“B…… But…… Angel-sama told me that I have already obtained enough power for revenge------”

“Oh, you mean that.”

The youth nods seriously, then lowers his head to look at Misao. Misao still seem as though she can’t believe that the youth betrayed her, her eyes shine with uneasiness.

“That is a lie.”

Misao is so shocked she is at a loss for words, and simply widens her eyes. The youth looks at the expression happily, and then uses an exaggerated tone to ask:

“Why do you seem so surprised? Didn’t you not even trust me from the very beginning?”

<nowiki>------</nowiki>For our mutual benefit, let us work together from now on-------

Misao suddenly remembers this line. It was undoubtedly spoken from her very lips. In less than a week’s time, she has completely forgotten all about it------

“That’s right, we were just using each other, that was the relationship between us. But now you believe in me unconditionally, just what made you that way?”

“T……That is……”

Misao tries hard to recollect her memories, but------

“…………”

“It seems you noticed, nothing. But you trust me, why?”

The youth’s smile is very gentle all along, the name “Angel” suits it very well.

“You…… What did you…… do to me……”

“Nothing special, just a little hypnosis. Don’t worry, it is dispelled now. And------ You have something with me, I shall return it to you as well!”

“------ Ahhh!”

Misao uses a very exaggerated motion to dodge the fingers that the youth stretched out at her, as though there is lethal poison at his fingertips.

The youth uses gentle eyes to look at Misao who collapsed to the floor and is unable to get up, moving her hips to try to get away, yet at the same time he raises his stretched out hand up towards the sky.

“Actually there is no need for direct contact.”

Snap, the youth’s fingers gave off a sound.

“Come, recall. All your actions before today.”

“Huh……?”

(All my actions……)

In order to take revenge for my brothers, I killed over a hundred innocent civilians to obtain their vigor------

(But, that was for revenge, it was for a justified cause, so……)

Just as she thought so naturally, her brain seems to have received an impact suddenly.

“So” what?

Because it is for a justified cause, so all those people who were killed would forgive her? And to willingly give their lives up?

That is impossible.

No matter the reason, taking away the lives of others is an undeniable sin, it is an unacceptable action------

<nowiki>------</nowiki> I don’t recall hiring dead people------

“No……”

<nowiki>------</nowiki> As long as I continue taking in the vigor of hundreds, thousands of people like this------

“No way……”

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Foolish otou-san------

“No…… No way……”

“Angel” made a merciless declaration at Misao who is trying to run away from reality.

“That is right, they were all killed by you.”

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!”

Misao screams out.

“No way! No way! No way! It’s not me! I didn’t want to do that kind of thing!!”

“But you still did. In order to obtain power, so you manipulated youma and took away the lives of hundreds, and you won’t even spare your very own father.”

“------!”

Misao eyes expands to their limit. She raises her head to look at that gentle smile directed at her with extreme fear.

“Ah…… Ahh…… Ahhhh……”

She thought she was very cautious, and to use him instead. The result from such reckless actions------ Is this.”

To not realize at all that she is the one being manipulated instead, and killed over a hundred innocent people, and even killing her own father in the end.

Originally intending to take revenge for her family, yet she killed her very family in the process. This can only be described as an extreme irony.

“You worked hard all this time, Misao. By the way------“

The youth asks Misao, who is at a loss thinking about her own sins, with a cheerful smile:

“Your father’s vigor, how did it taste?”

“----------------!!”

Her pupils shrink instantly, sweat coming out from her forehead. The mouth that opened subconsciously gave off a choking moan:

“…… Ah…… Ah……”

A great power that is way beyond her actual strength residing in her chest. The sound of that beating power became that of an attack, constantly blaming Misao.

The evidence of her sin is so obvious, there is no way she can escape the sound of those grudges coming from within her body.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Misao stretches her five fingers, stabbing them into the centre of her chest. As if trying to use her fingers to pierce through the ribs, digging that dreadful power out together with her heart.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Misao rolls around on the floor with red eyes as she continued screaming madly.

=== 2 ===

“What did you do……”

Ayano’s eyes shift away from the frantic Misao, and in turn stares at the youth.

“What did you do to Misao!?”

“I can’t believe someone would complain about me doing that.”

Ignoring her fierce eyes, the youth smiles to say:

“Didn’t I say that earlier? I am just returning what I held onto back to her.”

“What you held onto------?”

“This girl, Misao, is way too soft-hearted, even for revenge, she is unwilling to harm anyone that is not related in any way.”

Hearing Ayano’s question, the youth cheerfully explains:

“So I took away some obstructing emotions from Misao’s heart. Like how to respect others, worries as not hoping to cause trouble for others------ Meaning what most would call conscience or ethics?”

“What……”

Such malicious methods left Ayano speechless.

Precisely because of that, Misao took the lives of others without hesitation, and used the reason “for revenge” to justify it.

And then, when Misao’s hands are tainted with blood, the emotions that were taken away earlier is put in once more. Converting her back to the kind and gentle Misao who would rather get injured than to hurt others.

All just to mock the way she crumples due to guilt.

“You actually……”

“It is really too interesting.”

The youth uses a smile to reply to those blaming eyes, then shifts his eyes slightly.

“So? Are you pleased?”

“……What is it that you want to do?”

Kazuma uses an emotionless tone to ask:

“To put in so much effort, and ruin a person just for fun?”

“That is one of my purposes as well, because I enjoy seeing how people get ruined. Even though very few people would make me put in this much effort, but------”

The youth’s smile becomes even more magnificent.

“Yagami Kazuma, to ruin someone that is special to you, won’t it be rude if I don’t put in more effort?”

The youth’s smile is very eerie. Ayano can’t help but retreat backwards, Ren on the other hand hides behind Kazuma.

There aren’t any changes in his tone and expression at all, but the hatred shown amidst his words, made the two who have no resistance against this kind of eccentric characters feel very scared.

Kazuma knits his brows slightly.

“……Have we met somewhere before?”

“This is the first time we met face to face. But I------ We did not forget you even for a second. You must understand, you standing here, alive, are in itself an unforgivable taboo.”

The youth voices out to scold him, yet he is unable to move Kazuma in any way.

“And here I was wondering what you wanted to say------”

Kazuma says with an obvious mockery:

“I offended way too many people, so I can’t really recall. Ahh, but you don’t need to explain any further, I won’t recall anyway.”

“You won’t recall? That is a good thing. The noble name of our master is not something that someone like you should remember, it is best that you have forgotten it.”

The youth fights back, taunting Kazuma.

“But as I am benevolent, I shall tell you my name!

My name is Mikaeru! Mikaeru Hari!! In the name of the stars and wisdom, I shall now eliminate our enemy Yagami Kazuma!”

“----------------!”

Kazuma’s expression vanished instantly. He bears that blank expression, as if wearing a mask, and stares at Mikaeru who announced his name with resolution.

<nowiki>------ </nowiki> In the name of the stars and wisdom------

Kazuma shut his eyes while facing the youth for a second.

In a certain way, this sentence made Kazuma who he is now. Four years ago------ That day, when he experienced for himself that the lack of power can sometimes be equivalent to a sin, “That man” melodiously declared that sentence before him.

<nowiki> ------ </nowiki> I only seek the truth ------

In his hand, he holds the girl whom Kazuma wanted to protect, yet failed to do so, her heart.

When he opens his eyes once more, Kazuma’s usual arrogant smile is back. But------

“…………”

Ren who stuck behind Kazuma, suddenly let go of his hand that is grabbing the lower part of his jacket, and backs off. Ayano turns her body, switching it to an angle that can see both Kazuma and Mikaeru at the same time.

“Ahh------ So that’s it.”

Silently------ Kazuma smiles silently.

“I got it, so you wanted to follow in your master’s footsteps?”

At the next moment, Kazuma’s “ki” exploded.

“Ahhhh!”

“Wahhhh!”

Multiplied, expanded------ it is not such a simple phenomenon. Basked in the pressure of the “ki” that is equivalent to a shockwave, Ren’s body began to float.

“Wait……Wait a minite…… This is……”

Ayano’s expression is very tense. Power of such intensity, she has not seen anything like it even when Kazuma is fighting against Ryuya.

(Just what is this about------!?)

A “ki” that is responding towards his furious roar, the wind begins to spin fiercely. All the energy that is being collected in a bundle is compressed to a scary intensity------

“Fine then------ Let me help you. Pray to the demon lord, to bless you such that you would follow your master to hell!”

The wind is released, a supersonic speed wind blade strikes towards Mikaeru rapidly.

“How naïve.”

The youth reveals a cold smile, and disappears the moment before he is cut by the wind blade.

“Che! Teleported?”

As if answering Kazuma, Mikaeru’s conscious echoed emptily.

''“I did not run away, because there is no such need. Why did you think I appeared before you? That is because I am not afraid of you------ Because I have obtained enough power to kill you!”''

As he makes his declaration loudly, countless goo pieces emerge from the ground surface.

''“As you have seen just now, that is not Misao’s true power. She is unable to completely control that great power------The method to use that power as one pleases lies within my hands.”''

“Misao------?”

Without realizing it, Misao’s screams has vanished. Ayano looks around, and finds Misao lying on the floor as if dead.

Her chest rises up slightly, but other than that there is no indication of life. The body with sand all over lies motionless, there is nothing reflected in those open, but empty eyes.

The goo pieces quietly crawls forward, pressing onto Misao’s body. In the blink of an eye, Misao is wrapped by a small semi-transparent mountain.

“Ah……”

First, the color changed.

The transparency disappeared, the surface began to bear the shine of a metallic surface. That wavering, seemingly soft appearance, with that ironic texture that can reflect light, makes one associate with gigantic mercury.

Then, the shape changed.

The goo pieces that sat still like a bun grew four legs, and lifted its gigantic body, then a head, tail reached out, and its back even grew wings.

The shape-shifting continued to progress.

Its appearance that is rough like the clay product made by a child, slowly and continuously adjusts its shape, gradually possessing a clear outline.

Joints appeared in those legs that were originally but four sticks, and sharp claws grew out of them. The surface of the body is covered closely by scales, a set of skeleton appeared in the interior of the head, tail and wings, evolving into a structure that is very logical in biology.

These changes took no longer than thirty seconds. Within such a short period of time, the semi-transparent slime changed into a huge silvery white dragon.

Ayano grumbles unknowingly:

“…… Why does a slime become a dragon upon job changing?”

“You play too many games, idiot.”

Kazuma rebuts bluntly.

“That is just changing into a form suited for combat, it is not a real dragon.”

In the end it is just an imitation. The shape of a dragon does not possess much meaning. Compared to its appearance, the main point lies in that all the slimes combined into one.

A single slime is just like trash, but when a number of them gathered, they can form a magical circuit. And, by connecting the different circuits with each other, a more complicated, bigger system can be formed.

A system so big that it can control the massive power that Misao has gathered.

“Hahahahahaha! How’s that, Yagami Kazuma! Can you defeat this “Vritra” that I created!?”

Mikaeru’s voice came from the gigantic dragon------ It seems its name is Vritra------ ’s back region. That puny body is more than half submerged into Vritra’s body.

“But then, by defeating it, Misao would die.”

After tossing this vicious sentence, the youth is completely merged with Vritra. The statue-like Vritra began to move.

“GRRRR……”

Vritra’s gigantic mouth gave off a low groan. Its wings spread out completely, the lowered head is raised upwards, looking at the sky proudly.

“WRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-----------------------------!”

As if challenging the skies, the gigantic dragon roars loudly.

The coarse roar that is like a broken bell slowly becomes clear.

This may be proof that Mikaeru has began controlling Vritra. That clear sound that is like striking against crystal, reminds one of his high pitch voice.

To kill him before he takes action------ Normally Kazuma may just do so without hesitation, yet this is one of those rare exceptions. He looks up at the silvery white dragon. From the way he looks, there doesn’t seem to be any signs of him wanting to attack it.

“So, what to do……”

Ayano voices out to question Kazuma who is talking to himself:

“You still intend to save Misao?”

“Yes.”

Kazuma replies without any hesitation.

Ayano frowns and looks at Kazuma. After understanding all the truth behind it, she does not have any unpleasant emotions against Misao anymore, but------

“Listen, even though you may not want to heed what I say…… But, judging from Misao’s current situation, won’t she be happier if she dies?”

She has nothing now. Everything has been taken away by Hyoue, Mikaeru, and------ Kazuma.

Just remembering her scream then, Ayano’s chest felt as though it is being squeezed tightly.

Maybe it really is possible to save Misao from the clutches of Mikaeru. But, would that be the result that she would want?

Even if she survived, all that awaits her in the future, won’t it be only days tormented by guilt?

“…… Perhaps so!”

She had originally expected Kazuma to be angered, but he agreed unexpectedly.

“But, even so……”

There is soil in his mouth, as he raises his head to look up at that back.

That tiny body can’t stop trembling.

But the girl still spread her arms courageously, determined to stand before him.

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Please stop! This is really too much! ------

The girl uses a tone that is close to bursting in tears to beg. Even if she is right------ No, Precisely because it is right, that is why it would not be accepted by others, this was such a sentence.

Even if she is stared at, even if she is blamed, the girl still did not back off.

Her entire body trembled, a tiny back.

Burned into his blurred eyes, the one single time ten years ago that------

“Even so, I still hope that she will live on……”

“…………”

“…………”

Hearing Kazuma murmur to himself as if praying, Ayano and Ren can’t help but wonder if they had heard right.

Especially Ren. He had even forgotten to hide his shocked expression, and stares at Kazuma dumbly with his mouth wide open.

Kazuma stares at his dumbfounded brother.

“What? Is there something strange?”

“Huh……? Ah, no, there is nothing strange at all.”

Ren shakes his head hurriedly. At the same time as his tiny head wavers, his eyes also stares straight at the silent Ayano who bears a complicated expression.

“------What?”

Sensing Ren’s stare, Ayano asks impolitely.

“N…… Nothing…… Nothing at all.”

Ayano turns her back against the stuttering Ren, looks at Kazuma and says calmly:

“There is nothing wrong with that. Let’s go save her! I will act according to your instructions.”

“Is that so.”

Kazuma acts almighty, and nods his head as if that is how things should be. Ayano did not feel angry towards his attitude, but calmly listens to his plans.

“So then what should we do? If we do not know where Misao is, I cannot burn that thing up at one go. Should I start burning it slowly from the sides?”

“Why go to such trouble…… The purifying flames are used at times like this. If you just burn off all the youki, all that remains would be the living Misao. Simple right?”

“I can’t perform such a high level trick.”

“------------------------------------------ Ah?”

Kazuma stares straight at Ayano who replied instantly. He seems to be really shocked, his eyes shifted away from Vritra.

“What did you say?”

“I said, I do not know that kind of high level technique that can burn youki only.”

“……………………………”

After staring at Ayano blankly for some time, Kazuma looks towards Ren for a shred of hope. Ren shakes his head hurriedly in denial.

Kazuma sighs out deeply, grumbling in his mouth:

“……Good-for-nothing……”

“Sorry for that.”

Ayano humphs and flicks the hair that is stuck on her cheek towards the back.

“Damn! If my old man is here, this could be done so easily…… Why is it that he is not around at crucial times like this?”

“What do you mean by why------ You were the one to beat him up remember? He is still in the hospital now.”

“…… Nii-sama, that is really willful for you to say that.”

The two’s simultaneous rebuts were completely ignored by Kazuma.

“Oh well, There is no point in wishing for things that just isn’t there. It is better to have something than none, you can start burning from the side then!”

Just as those words left his mouth.

“Is your little discussion finally over?”

A laughter suddenly sounded off from above them. Raising their heads, they see the gigantic dragon using that big face that is of the size of a small lorry to look at them.

Those eyes are a bright emerald green------ Just like Mikaeru’s. That emerald luster that is reflected on that large silvery white body is undoubtedly the proof that the gigantic dragon’s body is under complete control of the dark mage.

“It should be about time that we begin.””

“It has begun long ago, you idiot.”

Faced with that will that can’t wait to start the fight, a mocking voice and a wind blade responded to it at the same time. The wind blade did not let Vritra have any time to react, and sliced off both its wings entirely.

The sliced off wings changed back into the transparent slimes upon leaving the dragon’s body. The slimes crawled forward on the ground surface, and then stuck onto the dragon’s legs, combining with the dragon directly from that spot.

After several seconds, wings sprouted from Vritra’s back once more.

“That was mean.”

With a meaning completely different from what he said, Mikaeru announces unhurriedly:

“And I was waiting so patiently for you guys. Yet to sneak attack without even shouting start, how despicable. You really have no sportsmanship.”

“Oh really, you flatter me.”

Kazuma acts humble, looking serious. The word “despicable” is but a praise to his ears.

“Next it shall be my turn!”

Vritra draws in one deep breathe. As if it really possesses lungs, its chest area begins to inflate.

After the crystal-like transparent teeth bite against each other, hot sparks were flared out in its mouth. All the air that filled the entire chest was blown out at the same time.

Dragon’s breath.

Pitch black flames stretched out in a straight line, passing through where the three were just now.

“Dragons can breathe fire. This guy really faithfully acts as how a dragon should be.”

Kazuma murmurs as he flies backwards. Vritra turns its head in pursuit of Kazuma, the shining black flames burns the air, following closely behind Kazuma.

“How persistent!”

Kazuma waves his right hand horizontally, the wind generated by this action blows the flames that are closing in at him off. At the same time, an upward wind strikes at Vritra’s chin like an uppercut.

Kachunk, the dragon’s mouth is closed up, the dragon’s breathe naturally stops as well. Kazuma lands onto the ground unhurriedly.

“Did you expect something like that can defeat me? If so, you are really underestimating me too much!”

“We were just getting to the good part!”

Vritra roars as a strike from its front legs rushes at Kazuma.

The five hooked claws at its feet, each of them possesses a length and sharpness similar to a katana. There is perhaps no organism on earth that can get hit by such a strike and still possess a full corpse!

Faced with the attack coming in horizontally, Kazuma calmly calculates the distance and dodges it easily. Having its full-scale attack dodged by the opponent, Vritra’s body began wavering, having lost balance.

“You fell for it.”

With its back towards Kazuma, Vritra bears its teeth and smirks. With the centrifugal force that comes with making a semi-circular rotation, its tail was flung out with a devastating force.

Kazuma originally intended to use wind blades to cut the tail off, but at the last moment he decided not to.

That tail that is like a log, its size is enough to contain a person within, and he cannot be certain that Misao is not inside.

“-------Che!”

He jumps up to evade, but he was just a little too late. The tail swept past the tip of his feet, Kazuma who was in the air, his body began rotating vigorously.

“Nii-sama!”

Ren releases fire pellets at Vritra who intends to follow up on its attack. The golden flames hit the neck portion of the gigantic dragon------but are reflected off by the silvery white scales.

“Huh!?”

“Quit meddling around!!”

Ren jumps backwards, attempting to dodge the backhand claws. However, pitch black fireballs were released from the tip of Vritra’s claws.

“-------!!”

Ren who is in mid-air is unable to dodge at all. Seeing Ren who hurriedly intends to use his hands to defend, Kazuma who regained his posture shouts out loudly:

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 263.jpg|thumb]]
“Don’t block it! Get away!”

This is an impossible request, the black flames mercilessly wraps around Ren’s arms.

That filthy thing that bears youki can no longer be associated with the word fire, it is just a boiling hot mass of filthy particles.

Having its properties changed to such an extent, the spirit’s blessings are unable to take effect. The black flames mercilessly erode the body that can originally resist against fire.

“Wahhh!”

“Ren!!”

Vritra uses its huge body to stand before Kazuma who is rushing to his brother’s side.

“Get lost------------!!”

“GRRRRYYYYYYYWWWWW!!”

The shockwave met the dragon’s breathe head-on. Though the wind sliced the black flames apart, the weakened shockwave is insufficient to send Vritra’s huge body off.

“Don’t block my way------”

Kazuma waves his hand out once more. However, Vritra takes in a huge breath as well, preparing to spit fire. Ignoring the opponent’s actions entirely, Kazuma acts on his own and begins to gather wind blades.

Yet, just before the conflict happens again, a plasma ball from the side sent Vritra flying. The huge body that has a weight greater than a blue whale, is now flying in the air like a stray cat being knocked down by a cat.

“------ Ayano?”

“Leave this to me.”

Ayano uses a monotonous voice to say, and then began closing in onto Vritra. She does not even look at Kazuma, and waves Enraiha calmly.

“……?”

Though Kazuma is very puzzled by that cold behaviour, but right now Ren’s situation is more important. He leaves Vritra to Ayano, and runs to the side of Ren who is sitting on the floor.

“Are you still alive, Ren!?”

“Ah, yes…… I survived somehow. But, my flames actually bounced off……”

“Well, since it is using Misao as its core, so its fire resistance probably increased as well.”

In fact, it is too humble to say that it “probably increased as well”. Having taken that attack from Ayano earlier, there is not even a trace of burnt mark on those silvery white scales. Just looking at its fire resistance, Vritra is comparable to a member of the Kannagi main family.

(…… That is to say, I cannot expect much from the two of them, and that I must take care of this myself? And to add on to that, this is free service.)

Kazuma indulges in depressing thoughts as he checks Ren’s injuries.

He was burnt from the back of his hand to his elbow, but it will not place his life in danger. Ren seems to have used his own flames to nullify the attack.

“Hmm------ It looks fine. This should not leave a scar.”

Seeing that the injury is lighter than what he had expected, he relaxes and caresses Ren’s tiny head.

“You can back off now, just leave everything else to Ayano and me.”

“I still can fight!”

Ren shouts out instantly. He raises his head and uses determined eyes to look at the surprised Kazuma.

“I still can fight, I cannot back off just because of a small injury like this.”

“----------------”

Kazuma looks straight at his brother, who possesses a strong will to fight, for some time------ and then places his hand on Ren’s head once more.

“I want to save Misao, lend me your strength!”

“Yes!”

Ren nods with pride. At this moment------

“GRRRRLLLLYYYY------------!!”

Vritra’s roar shook the air. Ren looks towards that direction, and subconsciously widens his eyes.

A glowing magical formation suddenly appeared on the ground surface, and began to wrap by the side of the gigantic dragon that is giving off a silvery white glow.

The hexagonal formation that has two circles of different diameters at the center slowly begins to spin. As the volume of the roar increases, the glow becomes more glaring, lightning running at the surface.

The lightning that is rampaging on the ground surface created countless lightning balls, floating around Vritra. The lightning balls that are connected to each other by thin lightning, is just like an electric prison trapping a gigantic dragon.

“GYYYR!”

With its short cry as a signal, all the lightning balls shot off at the same time. There were no fixed targets, just a bunch of lightning balls being shot off in a wide area, following an unpredictable route to strike at Ayano.

“Onee-sama!”

Ren cries out loudly. At this moment, Ayano uses a speed faster than the speed of sound to sprint out.

Up against the lightning balls that are falling down like rain, the tiny body speeds within their gaps at a godly speed.

An emergency stop that brings down her speed in an instant, a sharp directional change that goes against the law of inertia, and an amazing acceleration to speed up to her limit in an instant, Ayano illustrates such a body motion that can be called a miracle. The countless lightning balls are unable to touch their target at all, and begins to lose their energy like that.

After passing through the torrent of lightning, Ayano buries herself into the chest of Vritra. She dodges the claws and tail that strike at her with ease, and jumps onto Vritra’s back at the same time, using the entire weight of her body to stab Enraiha downwards.

Kachun!

A solid sound sounded off, the tip of Enraiha pierced through the silvery white scale.

Damage of this level, is nothing but a needle prick to Vritra. This is not Ayano’s real intention.

“------ Huuu!”

As she breathes out, fire spirits are injected into the gigantic dragon’s body from the tip of Enraiha. And then, ignited.

“GWYYYYYYYYYY!”

Even the sturdy scales seems fragile under the explosion from within the body. A gap big enough to contain a person within was made on the back of the dragon by the explosion.

“GRRRRWWWWWWWWWW!!”

Vritra gives off an angry roar as it twists its body. Ayano dodges the randomly waving claws and tail calmly, and pulls a distance from Vritra once more.

“------ Onee-sama is so powerful……”

After witnessing Ayano’s astonishing strength in battle, Ren gasps. Yet, Kazuma beside him seems to look displeased.

“That girl…… What the hell is she thinking?”

Ren thought that he was commenting on Ayano, and speaks in her aid hurriedly:

“B……But! Misao is also a Jutsushi of the Kannagi, she will probably not be killed by that hit earlier------”

“I don’t mean that, that kind of fighting style is too reckless. She has completely given up on defense------ Does she want to die?”

Kazuma’s voice did not carry any joke or mockery. Ren shivers, and looks at Ayano who consistently performs kamikaze style attacks.

“Onee-sama……!”

=== 3 ===

Ayano did not have anything else on her mind, focusing solely on waving the Enraiha.

Not thinking about anything at all, not hesitating, just focusing on fighting alone. She had had thoughts of showing some mercy, but she forgot about that instantly. Besides, if she goes easy against Vritra which possesses superb fire resistance, she won’t be able to so much as scratch it.

Wielding the divine blade that is shining with brilliance, Ayano became a weapon.

Perhaps due to this, her mental capabilities were raised to a level beyond any before. So much so that she can accurately predict the movement of those thunderballs almost at the speed of light.

Ayano dodges the furious waves of attacks by her agile movements alone. She did not have any efforts to spare to defend, and instead transfers all her energy into Enraiha’s blade.

To run even further.

To move even faster.

Without any considerations at all regarding how to protect herself, just viciously and calmly attacking the enemy. The way she is now is no different from a fighting machine.

She dodged the claws and teeth by several millimeters, and thrusts the Enraiha at the root of Vritra’s tail. The fire spirits that entered through the sharp tip, materializes into its golden flame form.

“GRRRYYYYWWWWWWW!!”

Dragging its tail that has more than half of it blown off, the giant dragon roars loudly. Ayano attacks once more fearlessly, and slices off the tail that is as big as two people hugging together entirely.

The severed tail loses its silvery white shine, turning back into a semi transparent goo piece. But that was for just a moment------ The goo piece that attaches itself with Vritra, transforms back into the shape of a tail as if nothing has happened.

The gigantic dragon bares its crystal teeth to smirk. The body that has completed its regeneration shines with a silvery white glow, there is no trace of the damage done to it earlier.

“------------”

Ayano silently brings up her Enraiha. Even after witnessing the seemingly infinite regeneration capabilities, her will to fight has not wavered one bit.

That is of course. A machine does not fear, a weapon does not hesitate, nor think at all------

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Why are you so concerned about Misao? Is it because…… You like her?

That kind of thing does not matter anymore. No matter who is in Kazuma’s heart, a machine would not be bothered by it at all.

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Even so, I still hope that she will live on……

A fighting machine that will neither waver, nor feel at a loss, does not require a heart that would be disturbed by a mere sentence.

Ayano steps onto the ground with force, plunging at Vritra’s chest.

Vritra’s hooked claws strike at Ayano at the same time, sandwiching from both directions, left and right. For that massive size, such an action may be considered very swift, but to Ayano now, it was as if it is still.

Ayano slices the middle and ring finger of the right hooked claw off, passing through the gap that she has just created, and took a detour, getting to Vritra’s back.

Yet, this is a miscalculation that cannot be any more obvious. Because Ayano still does not know, that Vritra is a combination of magical beings, and that this dragon outer appearance is but a form it took up.

Something like a tentacle grew out from somewhere around dragon’s right elbow suddenly. The sharp tip did not have a moment of hesitation, as it flies straight towards Ayano.

Her accelerated senses can already feel this gradually stretching tentacle, its distance is less than one meter away.

(------Unavoidable.)

Ayano calmly admits this fact.

Even though her senses are accelerated, her motion will not be accelerated along with it. In this air that is sticky and gluey like tar, Ayano’s movements are slower than that of the tentacle.

The tentacle aims directly and accurate at the dead centre of Ayano’s body, causing Ayano to be unable to dodge by merely twisting her body around. At this rate, the tentacle will clearly and surely pierce through Ayano, and dealing her a fatal injury.

Ayano closes her eyes gently, quietly accepting the unavoidable “death”.

“------Ugh!?”

Padong!

This is definitely not the feeling of a murderous weapon stabbing into the body. It felt just like someone’s body come crashing into her------

“Still sleeping!? Wake up! You dumb girl!”

“Ahh!?”

The angry shout by her ear pulled Ayano back to reality. She opens her eyes, Kazuma’s angry expression appears ten centimeters before her eyes.

“Ka……Kazuma!?”

The unrealistic feelings she had ten seconds ago vanished without a trace.

This is the shocking reality, her conscience was drawn in by the glow in those eyes before her, the throbbing in her heart cannot be suppressed.

(Was he the one who saved me……?)

On that expression that is tense with nervousness, he lost his usual smile. Seeing the sweat that is coming out from his forehead, Ayano showed a smile.

Looking at the smiling Ayano, Kazuma------

“Argh!?”

Pinches her nose.

“What are you staring blankly at? Didn’t I tell you to wake up?”

“Who…… Who said I was sleeping!”

Ayano flings that hand away, but did not let go of the hand that Kazuma is hugging tightly. Their bodies are flying several tens of meters in the air like this------ in the sky that is even higher up than Vritra’s head.

(I was forced into it.)

Ayano finds an excuse for herself, and then hugs Kazuma’s body even more tightly. She subconsciously look towards Kazuma’s back.

“------Behind you!”

Before Ayano shouted, Kazuma had already turned his body agilely in mid-air. Following that, he saw countless tentacles stretching towards the two of them from all over Vritra’s body.

“Che------”

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 5

2009-02-24T01:53:39Z

Stealth: /* 2 */ I'm pretty convinced it's a mofuku and not a mohuku.

== Fall part two – The price of Soul- ==

=== 1 ===

“…………!”

There is a guy leaning against the wall reading a horse racing paper, his eyes stop to look at a female who passes the corner of his view.

That is a girl who looks a little over twenty, wearing a tidy blue silk kimono. The guy takes up his paper to cover his face, acting as though nothing is wrong, but yet staring at the girl attentively at the same time.

The girl seems completely unaware of his gaze, and continues to walk at a set pace. The guy folds his paper and places it under his armpit, and takes out a hand phone from the belt holster at his waist.

“I see the target. Will begin tailing her.”

(At the same moment...)

A middle aged guy hangs a silver chain over an opened map. There is a platinum ring at the chain that forms a loop, wavering at a height that almost touches the map.

“Hmm.....”

Suddenly, the chain begins to shift in a certain direction. As if being pulled by some invisible force, the ring's movements seem completely unnatural.

The guy moves in the direction the chain is being pulled in. Realizing he had walked too far, he moves back again, and after repeating these movements over and over again, he finally stops at the point where the invisible force has led him.

“....Is this the place?”

The ring kept spinning at a point on the map. The guy reads out the name of the place that is written there, and then reaches out to pick up the phone on the table.

A young female is attentively staring at a crystal ball. She is a beauty who is dressed up as a fortune-teller that can be seen anywhere on the streets, giving off a mysterious aura. Even though it is inappropriate to describe her this way.

The crystal ball of twenty centimeters is carved and polished flawlessly, yet for some reason there is a white mist at the its' center.

In order to see through the mist, the female stares at the crystal ball with a glare, a nerve almost popping at her temple.

“....!”

Maybe due to her hard work, the white mist gradually disperses, and an image begins to surface : Something resembling a building

The entire structure seems thin and long, a black cross is portrayed at the upper half of the white wall.

The entrance was zoomed in. The female reads out the words carved on the door, and writes them down carefully.

“Speaking of which, how daring. This is indeed a blind spot.”

The female gives a praising smile towards the enemy she has never seen before, and walks out of the room to make her report.

(An hour later...)

The ten Jutsu-shis led by Ogami Masayuki all gathered near a certain Church at Ikebukuro. The purpose, needless to say, is to hunt down Misao, whom they have finally found.

This operation is a little rushed, there was no time to hesitate. They failed to find any trace of where she was hiding before this, yet they managed to find her suddenly though a few sources.

It is really just too suspicious... Or should it be said, that this is a trap that cannot be any more obvious, as if Misao is waving her hand right before their eyes.

It is just like saying Misao hid herself during a game of hide-and-seek, and then purposely sticking her head out, as if deliberately wanting for Kazuma to catch her.

But, Misao’s power should still not be sufficient to defeat Kazuma. Precisely because of this, Masayuki is acting hurriedly. In order to put an end to this himself, before Misao is defeated by someone else...

“Listen up people, among you, there may even be a few of you that are on good terms with Misao, but don’t misunderstand. She is an unforgivable evil being that has degenerated into a demon, so do not go easy on her. In order to uphold the name and honor of the Kannagi, we must eradicate her with all our force so that not a single cell of her being remains!”

Standing before the subordinates he gathered, Masayuki is giving a speech loudly. The hidden meaning of “The survival of the Ogami family depends on this battle!” is conveyed to everyone clearly.

Or it can also be said that, nothing was mentioned other than this. Like his love for his daughter, pity, the pains of having to end his own daughter by his very hands etc.

Because it is his daughter, that is why he is so hardhearted, this kind of positive explanation is not entirely absent, but to believe this saying from the bottom of the heart would probably require a lot of imagination!

Masayuki’s attitude is just like that.

Ayano leaves the group, and as she looks at Masayuki’s back as he is giving the speech, she thinks in her heart.

(Maybe it is because of her father being this way, that Misao is unable to endure the pains of losing her brothers...)

Even so, the unpleasant feelings in her heart still lingers.

Maybe this is a child’s wishful thinking. But Ayano feels that, this is not what is meant by a family.

Ren seems to have the same thoughts, as his expression seems very uneasy.

“So then...“

After the speech ended, Masayuki turns towards their direction, a flattering smile on his face.

“If Kazuma comes over, please deal with him.”

“...Hmm.”

As she is under no obligation to put Masayuki at ease, Ayano emotionlessly nods in response. Not sure how Masayuki takes her reply, he frowns to verify once more.

“Is it really okay?”

“What do you mean?”

”Are you confident in winning against Kazuma?”

“How can I be confident about that...”

Ayano says bluntly. This is not to scare him, but the true words in her heart.

However, Masayuki’s expression changes greatly hearing what she said.

“How.. How can that be!? Then why did you promise to take care of Kazuma!?”

“Do you need to ask? Because I am the only who can do it.”

Ayano looks coldly at the shocked Masayuki, and says bluntly:

“No matter what your thoughts may be, Misao must be eliminated. Not by the hands of others, but by us, the Kannagi clan, so I will not let Kazuma make trouble regarding this matter.

If it is left up to you guys, you would all be killed within three seconds. But, I can buy you people up to three minutes, so figure something out during this period of time!”

The whole area became quiet instantly. What Ayano just said is not an alarmist talk, the number she gave, three minutes, is already a very optimistic estimate.

To think that they naively believe that up against Kazuma, having Ayano on their side allows them to relax. Perhaps the image of “the 'weak Kannagi Kazuma' is still buried deep in their hearts!

“So, what is the battle plan?”

Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Ayano voices out to ask Masayuki. If they have intended to fight a prolonged battle, they must change their plans immediately.

“Y-Yes. We intend to lure Misao out from the church, and then chase her to the park just opposite. This entire area has been blocked off, so there is no worry that other people may get involved in this. After that we are going to set up a kekkai in the park. Misao will be like a fish in the net. It is absolutely foolproof, there will not be any accidents.”

“Oh...”

Ayano thinks that this is not a bad method. In terms of fighting abilities, Misao is not much of a threat, so by sealing off all possible escape routes, with the power of ten, they shouldn't lose.

“But, who is the one blocking the area off? And, the kekkai is...”

As she is querying, Ayano quietens suddenly. Because she recognizes a female figure that is walking towards the area.

The female is wearing a tall and thin outfit with trousers. She is wearing sunglasses, so her face is not clearly visible, but somehow Ayano just feels that she has seen this female somewhere before.

“The kekkai is ready, we can start any time.”

After a routine report, the female takes off her sunglasses. Ayano's eyes widens instantly.

“A-..Ahhhhhh.....!!”

She stretches her finger out and calls out without realizing it. That is undoubtedly the woman from before, the one holding hands with Kazuma at the love hotel street, named Kirika.

“Hi, Ayano.”

Kirika smiles faintly, and looks at Ayano expectantly.

“...You know each other?”

“We met once before.” Kirika replies, acting as though she is unaware at all. Masayuki puts on a serious expression and stares at her.

“I hope you mind your tone. Ayano-sama has the bloodline of the main family, she is originally not allowed to be spoken to directly like this...“

“Oh, sorry for having been so rude.”

Kirika apologizes respectfully, and cutting into a long nag by Masayuki at the same time. She uses an extremely natural attitude to ignore him who still wants to say something, and gives a formal salute towards Ayano.

“I am Superintendent (Note: A title of one of the ranks of the Japan Police, of the middle ranked officers.) Tachibana Kirika sent by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (Note: Japan’s east Tokyo central main base of the police force). It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Police..? The surname Tachibana, could it be that...“

I am from a branch family.” Kirika smiles as she shrugs her shoulders.

Ayano gets more and more confused. Speaking of the Tachibana family, that is a famous Onmyoji clan. Even from the branch family, how can it be possible that a member of the Tachibana clan became a cop?

(Prepare a kekkai------?)

Ayano instantly stares at Masayuki with strict eyes.

“You sought the help of police?”

The duty of the Kannagi clan is to eradicate youma through direct combat, and the quality of their work requires cooperation from government related agencies such as the police.

As their relationships with the police are rather close, and their astounding results from protecting the society for the past thousand years, some unreasonable requests are still accepted.

But, in this current case, there should not be unrelated personals like the police involved since the start.

The criminal they are hunting down is from their own family. And to degenerate a Kannagi Jutsu-shi into a youma, moreover that Jutsu-shi killing over a hundred people has already left a great stain for the clan. Such a fact should not be revealed to outsiders.

“N-No... This is because...”

Seeing that Ayano is questioning him, Masayuki became afraid, he bends down slightly and retreats backwards, yet Kirika does not change her relaxed attitude.

“Please calm down, we are helping in response to Juugo-san’s request.”

“Otou-san...?” Ayano asks in doubt. Masayuki who is hiding behind Kirika hurriedly nods in agreement

“That's right, Ogami Misao’s hiding spot was also investigated and acquired by us,”

Even so, Ayano still doesn't understand. Why would her overly-cautious father do something that even she thinks is dumb.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 195.jpg|thumb]]
Against Ayano’s hostile eyes, Kirika walks towards her, defenseless. Then, she places her face by the ear of Ayano who is in her battle stance, and says softly at a volume that only Ayano can hear:

”You are to be mindful of what we know,”

Ayano’s body shook lightly. Kirika continues saying, looking as though she feels like laughing:

“Those things that you 'do not want others to know', we already know very well. For example, what Ogami Misao did.... But, we are still unsure of the actual number of victims.”

(Should I kill her...?)

Ayano ponders this carefully. Even though she is very unwilling to do so, but she really cannot just ignore what Kirika said.

“You intend to threaten the Kannagi?” Ayano verifies one last time. If the other party nods, then she must set her mind to it.

But Kirika shakes her head with ease.

“How can that be. I am not so ignorant. After all, a minor issue of this standard is not enough to use as a threat.”

“...What do you mean?”

“The 'value' of the Kannagi will not be shaken by this minor scandal. Maybe if the higher ups know of this, they may use it as a chip at making deals, but this information will be kept safely with me.”

Ayano raises an eyebrow.

“Did you just say you will not threaten us?”

“Don’t you get it? This is to represent my sincerity.”

“...?”

“Kill me, and no one will ever find out... That is what it means.”

“...!”

“Why do you...?”

“So that the Soushu of the Kannagi will remember me, this tiny price means nothing. Besides, we will also get a record of having helped the Kannagi.”

“....”

Ayano has a strange feeling. The 'we' that has appeared several times in Kirika’s speech, does not seem to mean the entire police organization.

There is only one explanation that she can think of. That would be that in between the two unrelated powers of the police and jutsu-shis, there is a line linking the two.

“Could you be that...? That...unit called Information Consolidation department or something...?”

“To be more accurate, it would be the Special Information Consolidation Department. I am the chief of that department.” Kirika nods proudly.

The Special Information Consolidation Department of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

This is a department that was recently established. As if to hide from others, the nameplate of this department only lingers quietly at one corner of the basement of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Everyone knows of the existence of this department, but the number of people that knows what they do is very few. To the extent that what the words “Special Information” means, the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department...Including the employees working there, there is no one that knows at all.

To put it simply, there is no such thing that exists. Such an obscure department name, it is just a hoax to hide the contents of its operations.

For over a century after the Bureau of Onmyou was disbanded, Japan has passed on most of the spiritual protecting jobs to its people. In order to make a breakthrough from this current situation, this special information department is established... The only government-run exorcising organization.

As they are unable to label themselves as an exorcising department in broad daylight, so they used a name that just seems to 'do odd jobs'. It is even rumored that, the 'information' is taken from the same pronunciation as 'dead spirits'.

Leaving this government agency style of naming aside, its establishment really made an impact in the field.

“Oh, so there really is such a department. I have not heard of any activities at all, so I had thought that it is just an urban legend kind of rumor.”

From Ayano’s current understanding, it is something like that.

“Hmm...”

Hearing this harsh comment, Kirika shows a hurt expression.

“O-Of course we have been active! Restoring distorted kekkais, suppressing land-bound spirits and the like... Because we have to obtain Jutsu-shis with fighting capabilities, so we are unable to plan large scale exorcisms,”

“Ah, so you are a bunch of people that are working silently. That sure seems like a government function.”

Ayano smiles with a 'hmph' expression. That expression is really arrogant and incomparable, 'cute' to the point that it makes one want to give her a tight slap.

But Kirika is an adult after all. She does not show her anger, and uses a kind smile to say to Ayano:

“But the higher ups are always unable to understand our unnoticeable activities. Ayano, do you want to come over and work in the Special Information Department? Even if it is just as a part time job.”

“I refuse.”

Ayano’s reply is very firm. Yet, as if she just thought of something, she uses questioning eyes to look at Kirika.

“Ah... Could it be that, that time you were trying to persuade Kazuma to join?”

“Huh? Ah, you meant the last time we met?”

Kirika shows a relaxed smile.

Their positions are switched instantly. Ayano, who is now at a disadvantage refuses to give in and stares back at Kirika, but her eyes reveals clearly that those are just looks, and empty within.

“In your heart, you really hope that I met with Kazuma only because of work right?”

“N-No I don’t...”

Despite how she is denying it with her mouth, Ayano can’t help but ask again:

“...So, what is it?”

Seeing Ayano who is lowering her head while staring at her, Kirika replies,“I won’t tell you.”

“...!”

“Be it for private reasons or work, I am under no obligations to tell you anything. Isn’t that right?”

(This.. This woman..!)

Ayano’s eyes glow with murderous intent. Against such a strong stare, Kirika still maintains her relaxed smile.

As the two continues staring at each other, a hand tugs at Ayano’s sleeve. Ayano looks down, and promptly turns back to stare at Kirika.

“Don’t interrupt me, Ren. I must settle things with this woman...“

“But everyone is waiting for us.”

“Huh...?”

Ayano follows the direction Ren is looking in, there are ten Jutsu-shis using very unfriendly eyes to observe their duel.

Among which, Masayuki seems especially impatient. He is trying his best to control himself so that he does not show an anxious expression, but he is unable to hide a very obvious nerve at his temple.

This feeling is just like using all the restraining powers one can gather to hold back the impulse to scream out “Hurry up, you two brats!”.

In replacement of that roar, Masayuki asks in a fake manner:

“It is about time to head for the church... Are the both of you ready?”

But, these two are of course not 'brats' who would be afraid of someone like Masayuki. They look at the guy with a fake smile on his face, and coldly says:

“Then shall we?”

“Feel free to go now.”

Masayuki’s smile froze. He looks dumbly at the two with an expression that is neither laughing nor crying.

“I should have said earlier that 'we can start anytime'. Or should I say, is there some reason that we must go together with you?”

“Mm...”

“You better hurry and move along. If she escapes, are you going to take responsibility?”

“Mmm...”

After being blasted by the two’s words continuously, Masayuki’s face flushes red, unable to say anything anymore.

Facing this old man who is staring at her with cursing eyes, Ayano waves him away with ease... As if chasing a dog.

“Hmm... Everyone, let’s go!”

After shouting out as if venting his anger, Masayuki walks off with loud and clear footsteps. He reprimands the Jutsu-shis who look at each other in an angry voice.

“Will you hurry up!”

“G-Got it!”

Seeing Masayuki and the jutsu-shis walk off hurriedly, Ayano lets out a sigh.

“Finally gone.”

Seeing such a frank reaction, Kirika asks, smiling:

“You seem to hate that old man a lot, don't you, Ayano-chan?”

“Do you need you ask! Someone who intends to harden his heart and kill his daughter for the survival of his clan... There is no need to put up with him!”

“As for me, it doesn’t matter as long as the Soushu is happy. Besides, what kind of future can that guy have?”

Ayano shrugs her shoulders with a bitter smile.

“I can only say, otou-san has no intentions of destroying the Ogami family.”

Even so, he can't just not take up any responsibility at all! And this responsibility must be given up by Masayuki as he is the head of the family.

“The one who is to take responsibility exists precisely to take up the responsibility. I really like this sentence. By the way...You really intend to fight with Kazuma?”

Kirika nods as if it evoked her thoughts, and then changed topics suddenly. Even though she is slightly at a loss, Ayano still replies honestly:

“Yeah, there is no one else after all. Even though I may not be able to win, but I can try to buy time.”

“..You don’t have to push yourself so hard. Even if you lose against that man, it is not considered shameful.”

“I know. I don’t intend to put my life on the line for it. Besides, I have this kid with me.”

She pats on Ren’s head, who is standing beside her. Ren raises his head in surprise to look at Ayano.

“Huh..? Me too..?”

Ayano keeps quiet, and changes the hand on Ren’s head into the shape of a claw. A sharp pain strikes at Ren in an instant.

“O-Ouch! That hurts Onee-sama!”

“Let’s work hard together, Ren! [heart symbol]”

“O-Okay...”

Ren gave in to fear and pain, nodding in reply with tears in his eyes.

=== 2 ===

“Thank you for the hard work.”

Kirika shows a smile on her face, the police officers return the greeting instantly.

The vehicles that blocked the way shifted slightly, opening a small gap that allows one person to get through. Passing through that small gap, Kirika, Ayano and Ren in sequence, entered into the secured zone.

“……What a thorough job.”

Looking at their surroundings, Ayano uses an extremely shocked tone to say to Kirika.

This corner of the city that is originally very busy, has now been completely transformed into an empty dead city. Not only are there no pedestrians, even the people inside the buildings seem to be all cleared away.

Kirika shrugs her shoulders lightly.

“Actually we only evacuated a few people. Most of the people sensed an abnormality and escaped before we did anything.”

“Abnormality…… Is it?”

Smelling the stinking stench similar to a rotten fish amidst the wind, Ayano frowns. The asphalt road surface seems strangely gooey. Every step they take, their sole seems to be glued to the ground, a thin thread stuck at the centre.

Maybe due to the base portion being corroded, the trees in the park are tilting at a dangerous angle under the wind’s blow, as if it would topple any moment.

“It is rather common to hear others say, that humans are a type of animal that has lost its basic instincts. But judging from this, it seems humans have not completely lost them after all. Just think about it, isn’t there no one coming to watch the scene or any reporters at the inspection area?”

“------Now that you mention it, it seems to be that way.”

Ayano recalls the scene of when they were passing through the inspection area.

In contrast to the completely empty streets, such a big cast seems to be overdoing it, causing one to question whether it is necessary. But thinking about it more carefully, it won’t seem strange.

Because the centre of Ikebukuro is clearly sealed off, yet there are no commotions. Normally speaking this is very abnormal.

(Normally speaking huh------)

Faced with a meaningless imagination, Ayano can’t help but show a bitter smile. Under a situation whereby youki causes a physical change, causing the wind and earth to be corroded, using the word “normally” does not seem to be suitable.

If the people are to realize the abnormality and escape, that would be most convenient. Because this way they will not have to worry about other people seeing them, and fight as they wish.

She smiles in her heart, and walks to the center of the secured zone. There is a small church there, this is perhaps a church that is furthest away from the word “Holy” in the whole world!

Looking at the actual place, the preparations are ready. Ten Jutsushis surround the church, not letting even a seep of water to get through.

Sensing Ayano approaching, Masayuki who is standing right at the entrance turns around.

“Please do not take part in this Ayano-sama and Ren-sama.”

“I know.”

Ayano impatiently waves her hand towards Masayuki who reminds them once more.

The Jutsushis are concentrating, waiting for Masayuki’s signal. He knows that Misao is inside there, and at this stage he does not intend to spend more time searching the interior.

He plans to burn down the entire church.

If ten Kannagi Jutsushis are to release flames all at the same time, this kind of building would be destroyed before it even begins burning.

It is best if thing could be settled just like this. In case she survives, then according to their plans they will force her into the park and eradicate her.

There exists no element of failure. Everyone believes firmly at the arrival of their victory.

“Okay, begi……”

Right at the moment before Masayuki gave the command, the door of the church opens slowly. Masayuki hurriedly stops the hand that is about to wave down, and stares closely at the door.

Following a sharp squeaking sound, the door opens gradually. Unable to see the interior at all, the darkness filled within rejects the entry of all light.

Not only that, the darkness even began infesting the light. A certain black object passes through the front door, and appears in the space filled with light.

It is someone dressed in a pitch black kimono------ A black-haired girl wearing a mofuku. The darkness that took on the shape of a human stares at the group of people.

“…… You are…… Misao……?”

Masayuki calls out his daughter’s name, as if moaning. The reason why the pitch near the end raises up, is due to the immense youki wrapped around her.

“I welcome everyone’s arrival. Oto-sama as well, I am glad to see that you are still so healthy.”

Misao elegantly greets them. That gentle smile announces her genuine welcome.

But, if there is anyone who knows Misao, they may probably see the abnormality in this. In the recent tens years or so, Misao has never smiled like this towards Masayuki.

Of course, even Masayuki did not realize this. Because as a female, Misao who cannot become a fighter, is nothing more than a useless and worthless existence to him.

Staring angrily at the daughter who is smiling innocently, Masayuki shouts from the bottom of his heart:

“Shut up! A dirty and despicable thing like you is not qualified to call me oto-sama!”

In a moment, the smile in Misao’s eyes vanishes. But after that she remembers how to give a smile, and returns to her original expression.

“Sorry to have been so rude then. By the way------“

Misao looks around, verifying the faces of everyone at the scene.

“Where is Kazuma-san?”

“That guy has already been dismissed!”

Ayano answers at an astonishing speed:

“Whether he is capable enough is only secondary, we have no intentions of hiring someone who does not plan to work at all. This is not charity work.”

Staring at Ayano who would feel unpleasant if she doesn’t say this for quite a while, the side of Misao’s lips rises suddenly.

Ayano’s eyebrows jump up in an instant. Even if it was just for a moment, but she has correctly understood the meaning of that smile.

It was a mockery, a mockery that looks down upon the opponent from a high place. It is something a Jutsushi from a branch------ and to have degenerated into a youma, it is an intolerable expression.

“What is so funny……?”

Ayano questions in a suppressed tone.

“The attitude of Ayano-sama is too ugly.”

Misao replies, still having a smile at her face.

Swoosh, Ayano steps out, slanting her right body. That is completely a battle posture. Masayuki who is standing between the two is so scared he jumps backwards.

Ignoring the murderous aura directed at her, Misao smiles and says:

“Does Kazuma-san caring only for me make you that jealous?”

“------!”

The uprising murderous aura shakes the area, but Misao shows no signs of backing off. Unsure whether she is confident in winning, or has lost her normal judgment capabilities------

“Very well…… Speaking of which, we have yet to settle from last time.”

“Is that so…… I can’t recall such a thing.”

A face-off like swords and blades crossing each other. Their exchanged glances gives off sparks, a tense atmosphere is at the brink of exploding.

Ayano takes out her Enraiha quietly, the golden brilliances that erupts from it exorcises the murky youki.

Faced with a sudden battle between females, the Jutsushis from branch families began trembling.

“A…… Ayano-sama. Leave Misao to us……”

Masayuki hurriedly tries to halt Ayano, yet he quietens down under the stare filled with murderous intent. After all, the level between the two is completely different.

No one can stop them. Just as everyone at the scene is thinking this way------

“Excuse me, sorry to disturb when the two of you are so busy.”

With her ear stuck at the mobile phone that is switched to vibration mode, Kirika makes a routine announcement.

“Yagami Kazuma has appeared. He is closing in from the direction of the main road.”

Ayano’s body shook suddenly.

(Saved------)

Seeing this reaction, Masayuki sighs in relief.

“Ayano-sama------“

“I know.”

Keeping Enraiha, Ayano stares at Misao once more. Misao lifts her chin, showing a smile of victory in response.

She saw the way Ayano’s temple entangles together.

(There should still be time after killing her first……)

For a moment, Ayano considers this seriously. But, since she has calmed down now, she cannot place her personal feelings before her.

“Masayuki-san, please act as we have originally planned. Superintendent Tachibana, I will not ask you to fight with Kazuma, but please maintain the kekkai. Okay?”

Ayano gives off commands one by one, and finally shifts her eyes to Ren.

“Let’s go stall Kazuma!”

“…… Yes……”

Ren droops his eyes, and nods to reply with a helpless tone. Yet Ayano does not care about Ren’s attitude, and forcefully drags him off.

=== 3 ===

“I'm late, has it already begun?”

Sprinting on the empty streets, Kazuma grumbles, swerving as he turns a corner.

He saw Misao’s 'invitation', yet he noticed an hour later than Kannagi and the police. This is not due to some special reason, but purely because he was sound asleep.

Even though he jumped up from his bed immediately when he sensed the rising youki, but he is still unable to deny the fact that he came late. The only thing fortunate to him would be that it is happening next to the hotel he is using as a base for his search for Misao.

(Speaking of which, to be located so close…… Even though I am not sure who it may be, but he's good.)

Thinking about the real enemy who has yet to reveal himself, Kazuma speeds up. Perhaps due to all his wrong-doings most of the time, he did not reach the destination that easily.

Two shadows stand before Kazuma, stopping him. Kazuma uses sharp eyes to stare at the shadows. He eventually lets out a bored sigh.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Well, SORRY that it's me.”

Hearing his disappointed voice, Ayano replies impolitely in the same manner. She held Enraiha in her hand. Her intentions were plain as day.

Leaving that aside...

“Why is Ren here as well?”

“Well, what do you think?”

Ayano opens her palm and slaps onto the bitterly smiling Ren’s head. A very clear sound was given out.

“Obviously, we're working together to beat you up!”

Ayano says enthusiastically , but Ren backs off slightly, and shakes his head vigorously from a place that Ayano cannot see.

Kazuma decides to put Ren aside for now. Looking straight at Ayano who seems ready to fight anytime, Kazuma smiles proudly:

“...Are you sure you came prepared?”

A fierce ki surrounds Ayano.

“Argh……”

It's frightening. Kazuma is only standing there... Yet, that seems really scary already.

She is not prepared at all, as there is not a single hope of victory.

“Even so, I must do this! Because only I can!”

As if trying to throw away her fears and hesitations, she raises the Enraiha with everything she has. She swings down the blade with all her strength.

“Take this..!! KAZUMA!”

A massive plasma body burns the air and speeds off. Looking at that object closing in at a high speed, Kazuma waves his hand out with ease.

The fist entangled with wind sends the plasma bullet flying. The scorching flames veer off at a 90 degrees angle, and a big hole is made in the building caught in the flames’ path.

(As expected, ranged attacks are useless...)

Ayano holds the Enraiha tightly, determined to go into melee combat.

As she gradually reduces the distance between them, intending to jump straight into Kazuma, he suddenly relaxes and takes a step back.

“...?”

“I'm sorry to do this when you are all fired up, but I am in a rush to get over there. I'll play with you next time!”

Leaving this selfish remark, Kazuma rides the wind and flies into the sky... and disappears. This was done by manipulating the density of air, causing a change in the refraction of light to create an effect of invisibility.

“Huhhh!?”

Ren who is standing further back gives off a sound of surprise. But Ayano has already seen this kind of trick before, and has come up with a method against it.

“Hmph...“

She raises Enraiha slowly.

“Did you think the same trick....“

Just as Fuu-jutsushis observed the air flow, En-Jutsushis use fire; heat to see the world. Ayano cannot possibly miss the heat source with more than twice the temperature of the air.

“Can work on me twice...?!”

A high speed plasma bullet fired off, and accurately shot past the invisible Kazuma. Fortunately, for Kazuma, the layer of wind kekkai around him repelled the blast.

“Woahh!?”

Kazuma suddenly appeared in the sky. Having lost the protection of the wind, Fuu-Jutsushis are naturally unable to fly in the air------ and will of course fall down.

“Yosh..!”

Just before falling onto the ground, Kazuma regains control of the wind. Just as he flips into an upright posture, his feet land softly on the ground.

Looking at the proud Ayano, Kazuma sighs and lectures her:

“Didn’t I tell you before? If you have time to study small tricks like this, you should go practice your sword skills.”

“It doesn't matter. It's pretty useful, after all.” Ayano shoulders Enraiha, laughing proudly.

“Are you disappointed to have your technique exposed?”

“..Not really. That aside... what are you going to do now?”

Ayano has already dragged Kazuma onto the ground, so she can use Enraiha to attack directly.

<nowiki>------</nowiki>That is, if she can hit him.

With Ayano's abilities, she can't even touch Kazuma. The difference in power is too great to be bridged by hard work or determination.

However, Ayano's composed smile doesn't fade.

“Did you really think I would go against you without thinking of anything?”

“Yup. After all, you're an animal that moves on instinct.” Kazuma replied instantly. A vein rose in Ayano's temple.

“Why you..! Then, watch this!”

Ayano stretches her hand behind her, thrusting out the 'thing' she grabbed towards Kazuma.

“Ultimate technique! Ren Barrier!!”

<nowiki>------</nowiki>(Please wait a moment...)

The stopped time started to flow again.

Kazuma sighs as if emptying his lungs. He looks at Ayano with a pitying look.

“...For now, explain why are you using Ren as a human barrier?.”

“He he he, no matter how wicked and inhuman you are, I doubt you'd be able to hurt Ren! As long as I have this Ren Barrier, even if I can't win, I definitely won't lose either!”

Hiding behind Ren whose entire body is lifted up by the collar, Ayano declares while brimming with confidence.

While looking at this scene with a pained expression, Kazuma asks:

“..How should I say this, don’t you feel embarrassed as the next Soushu of the Kannagi?”

“I, for one, am embarrassed...” Hung like a doll that had just been washed, Ren quietly mumbled.

“Shut up! I'll do whatever it takes to win!” Ayano shouted, flustered.

“No, you still can't win. You just won’t lose.”

“Ah...That's... Anyway. If you think you can break through this Ren Barrier, just try it!”

“Sure.”

Kazuma effortlessly released blades of wind that, drawing an arc like a boomerang, sliced at both of Ayano's arms from behind.

“Kya!”

Although it doesn't reach the skin, both of Ayano's sleeves were completely shredded, surprising her enough that she releases <s>Ren</s> the Barrier.

Ren quickly escapes to a place where Ayano's hands don't reach. He naturally didn't want to keep working with her.

“Hey, stop right there!”

Ayano tries to chase after Ren, but

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Swoosh!

A blade of wind flying right before the tip of her nose made her stop in her steps.

She happens to look below her feet, and noticed that the surface of the asphalt was smoothly sliced through like butter.

A cold sweat ran down Ayano's back.

“Well, I understand somewhat. Basically, you're just trying to buy some time, right?”

Ayano was frozen, her intentions exposed. Kazuma pronounces coldly:

“I think I told you already, but I'm in a hurry to get there. If you keep fooling around... You'll die.”

“....!”

As if being pushed by a massive intent to kill, Ayano uses all her strength to move to the side. A blade of wind ran through the place where Ayano had just been.

This wasn't a threat or an attack meant to disable someone. It was literally an attack to instantly slices a person in two.

(He's gotten serious...?)

A shiver ran down her back. Ayano prepared to aim for the eyes, and focuses every nerve in her body on the enemy in front of her.

Kazuma's attacks don't have movements for preparation. He can release a lethal strike without even moving a finger. In comparison to dodging attacks like this, dodging bullets is much easier.

Ayano tosses aside her useless defense. She prays to god that she will not suffer fatal injuries, and thrusts in a straight line.

Wind blades that strike at her continuously cancel out with the flames that surround her entire body. Ayano gives up on all meaningless dodging actions, and closes in on Kazuma in the shortest distance possible.

(...I reached him!)

The attacking range of the sword, at this distance, the sword is faster than Jutsu.

What Jutsu means is the substantiation of one’s will. And so, when one uses Jutsu, he must think; that means it must go through the brain.

In comparison, when the body is moving, including the usage of every piece of muscle, sometimes even the most basic will of to 'make the body move' may be left out entirely.

For someone whose fighting skills have been trained to a certain extent, they have experienced 'striking out before thinking' before. This speed will never be caught up by Jutsu. No matter how much one trains, to activate Jutsu subconsciously is impossible logically.

Ayano swings Enraiha down forcefully. The destructive powers of this sword would be humbled even by calling it 'overwhelming'. If a human is hit...No, even lightly scraped by it, he would become a piece of charcoal.

Kazuma moves to the left to dodge the slice. Ayano pulls the blade back, reversing her grip, and cuts a slant upwards.

Kazuma moves left, and at the same time dashes into Ayano's chest who pulled her torso upwards for the upward slice, and stretches his hand out at the handle of Enraiha. Enraiha slips out from Ayano’s hand.

If this is a competition, the judge would have probably announced Kazuma’s victory by now. But, this is an actual battle... And the blade that Ayano holds is Enraiha.

After dodging the palm strike aimed at her chin by twisting her body, Ayano focuses her consciousness onto Enraiha.

At the same time, the Enraiha that was flying in mid air disappeared. Following that, a collection of energy was made in Ayano's body at her chest area.

She holds the empty right hand tight, and places that burning, beating power within. In the blink of an eye, Enraiha is in her right hand once more.

That is a strong and sudden straight attack. Even though Ayano thought that her surprise attack was successful, but this seems to be within the opponent’s expectations as well. Kazuma bends backwards slightly, the tip of the blade swept by his body by a mere 4 millimeters.

Kazuma unhurriedly pulls their distance apart once more, a smile appearing on his face. That is undoubtedly a smile of praise, but Ayano did not realize that.

(Smile all you want!)

In order to not let the opponent pull the distance apart, Ayano jumps right into Kazuma. She slices at the body parallel with the ground, and then continuously to strike at Kazuma who is dodging backwards, swinging her sword once more.

Kazuma’s back knocks against the wall of a building, he cannot retreat any further. The joy of having forced the enemy to his end made Ayano reveal a sinister smile.

(Hit....!)

All the muscles in her body tenses up, the condensed power all gather at one spot and releases. The sword tip strikes straight at Kazuma’s face at the shortest distance possible.

The scorching blade cannot be defended at all, there is no time to even dodge. Ayano firmly believes she has won.

That is a full-powered attack at that detestable face that is always laughing and joking around...

“What...?“

Ayano widens her eyes. Enraiha became still before Kazuma’s face. As if stopped by an invisible wall, no matter how much strength she uses, the remaining distance of ten centimeters just cannot be shortened any further.

(A wind kekkai...?)

The truth is placed before her eyes, but Ayano still cannot believe it. A high level spirit Jutsu can go beyond a physical phenomenon------ She can understand this common knowledge very well. But, just how much will must be inserted into the air to be able to make a kekkai that is strong enough to withstand against Enraiha? Ayano cannot imagine it at all.

“That's just how it is.”

Kazuma mumbles as if it is only natural, the wind kekkai disappears at the same time. Walking past Ayano who falls forward as she is unable to draw her strength back in time, Kazuma uses a tone that cannot be any more arrogant to say:

“Let’s stop here for today.”

Ayano is, of course, very agitated.

“Wha..What do you mean by 'stop here for today'!? This is not a practice!”

“I accompanied you for some time already, what else do you have to complain about?”

"...This is not over.”

Ayano regains her calm very shortly, she uses the Enraiha to point at Kazuma.

“You must stay with me until Misao’s punishment is over. Because this problem must be taken care of by our own people.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, that side can hardly fend for themselves.”

“------What do you mean?”

Towards Ayano’s question, Kazuma silently raised his hand, stretching three fingers out.

“Three? What..?”

Kazuma didn't answer, but instead he retracted his ring finger.

“Two.”

Following that, he retracted his middle finger.

“One.”

The last one. Kazuma retracts his index finger, showing a faint smile on his face.

“Bang!”

Accompanied by a strong explosive sound, a pitch black pillar of fire rises up into the sky.

=== 4 ===

“What……”

Ayano raise her head, staring at the fire pillar dumbly.

Black flames.

That is unlike the black smoke that is created from burning of heavy oil, the flames itself is black in color.

“That is…… Misao……?”

“Is there anyone else that can use flames that are full of youki like this? It seems that the battle style of the Kannagi must have changed quite a bit ever since I left then.”

Kazuma questions her back with a serious look. Perhaps he really wanted to know the answer to this question?

“We don’t have anyone like that!”

Ayano answers rudely. Of course, Kazuma will not feel bad about this. He puts on an expression as though it does not matter to him, and shrugs his shoulders as he walks off.

“W...... Wait a minute!”

Kazuma obediently stops in his steps.

“What is the matter? Is there someone among those people there that you hope will die? Then I don’t mind waiting a bit longer, after all there is only three minutes left.”

Ayano took quite a bit of time to truly understand what that sentence meant. Ren who interpreted what the line means asks with a fearful look on his face:

“Is Misao really that strong? That even ten people working together are still unable to defeat her.”

“Six.”

Kazuma corrects truthfully.

“------Huh?”

“That blast earlier, the presence of four people disappeared.”

Ren became speechless, and in replacement is Ayano’s roar:

“You should say something like that earlier!”

“You should have realized it much earlier yourself.”

“……Y…….You……”

“Calm down, Onee-san.”

Ren tries to pacify Ayano who is on the brink of explosion as he looks at his brother with blaming eyes.

“Onii-san, why can’t you just get along with onee-san?”

“What do you mean by get along? Our goals this time are entirely different, she is my enemy.”

“Don’t tell me you still intend to defend Misao!?”

“Yup.”

Kazuma nods naturally at Ayano who stares at him with her eyes wide open.

“…… What are you thinking? Do you know how many people that girl killed!?”

“How would I know. I am not so kind as to pity those strangers that died.”

Kazuma spits this line out easily, and following that walks off without waiting to see their reactions. Ayano hurriedly chases after him from behind------ And finally overtook Kazuma.

The park is not that far away. Even though she ran, she was only faster by around ten seconds.

But, that is more than enough.

(Find her, and settle it in one shot!)

She is very confident. No matter how strong Misao may have become, compared to herself who is of the main family, their levels of power are entirely different. Just one strike from Enraiha should be able to eliminate Misao?

She reached the park. She jumped over the fence at the entrance, and ran into the square.

There is no need to search for her, Misao stands at the centre of the square. Despite being surrounded by Jutsushis of the branch families, there is not a single trace of anxiety on her face, instead it is the Jutsushis that seem to be trembling in fear.

There is no time to care for the face of the Ogami anymore. In order to finish Misao off at one go, Ayano pushs the Jutsushis surrounding Misao away------ And then became stunned like them.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 227.jpg|thumb]]
Misao did not even notice Ayano’s appearance, and is playing with a rubber ball happily.

She wears an innocent smile, and uses an extremely gentle motion to bounce the rubber ball that rebounds back to her waist level. The group stares at this simple repeating action without getting bored by it.

However, the rubber ball looks very old and tattered, the surface has became yellowish like the earth. The fading grayish black threads spread around in great volumes, just like a bamboo curtain falling off continuously. Those continuously wavering black thread, are just like hair------

(Just like------?)

The instant she realizes what that rubber ball is, Goosebumps rose all over Ayano’s body. Her hand reaches out to cover her mouth, trying hard to stop herself from vomiting.

The messy black threads------ those are hair of a man just over fifty years of age.

The red threads that spread over the soil-yellow surface------ Those are blood stains that are stuck to the victim’s skin.

That object that Misao is playing like a rubber ball, is the head of a dead person. The face of the man who is planning to slay his own daughter for the survival of the family, is now bouncing up and down between the ground surface and the white and tender hand.

Dong……Dong……

The sound of the rebounding of the “rubber ball” is abnormally heavy. Every time it hits against the solid ground, more wounds are gradually added to Masayuki’s painful and distorted expression.

Speaking in terms of common sense, it is impossible for the head of a human to bounce like a rubber ball. This may have been caused by psychic powers or something similar to move the head……

“…… Misao……”

Ayano is unable to say a word. Facing off against a girl who is happily playing with her father’s head, what can she say?

Before the eyes of Ayano and gang who are holding their breaths and staring at her, Misao bounces the “rubber ball” attentively.

If there is any purpose to this action, that could still be seen in a more optimistic manner. Like venting her anger on the body, scaring the enemy with her power, or a part of a Jutsu ritual------ Anything would have been fine.

But this is different.

Anyone can tell that, this action is meaningless.

This is just merely a “game”. Like a kid taking a piece of paper crushed in a bundle as a ball, she is just merely playing with her father’s head as a rubber ball.

“…………”

Misao suddenly hits the “rubber ball” with force. Jumping higher than before, the “rubber ball” bounces to her chest area, and Misao stretches her hands out to catch it.

“What have you been doing since just now?”

No one understood what her murmuring meant.

Yet, a voice came in reply.

“It is hard to explain in a moment’s notice, but I still rushed here.”

Like an avalanche, everyone’s eyes gathered at the same direction.

That relaxed expression without any tension, did not waver at all under the stare of everyone in the area.

Even though he possesses power that surpasses anyone, but his presence is calmer and firmer than anyone.

Just that cheeky appearance is enough to dispel the abnormal demonic presence given off by Misao.

Natural as the air, and possessing absolute power to accept everything. To possess a “right” that is not violated by anyone, the man called Yagami Kazuma stands there.

“Looks like I made it in time for the main event of this show.”

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 5

2009-02-23T22:37:25Z

Stealth: /* Fall part two – The price of Soul- */ Wording and some typos

== Fall part two – The price of Soul- ==

=== 1 ===

“…………!”

There is a guy leaning against the wall reading a horse racing paper, his eyes stop to look at a female who passes the corner of his view.

That is a girl who looks a little over twenty, wearing a tidy blue silk kimono. The guy takes up his paper to cover his face, acting as though nothing is wrong, but yet staring at the girl attentively at the same time.

The girl seems completely unaware of his gaze, and continues to walk at a set pace. The guy folds his paper and places it under his armpit, and takes out a hand phone from the belt holster at his waist.

“I see the target. Will begin tailing her.”

(At the same moment...)

A middle aged guy hangs a silver chain over an opened map. There is a platinum ring at the chain that forms a loop, wavering at a height that almost touches the map.

“Hmm.....”

Suddenly, the chain begins to shift in a certain direction. As if being pulled by some invisible force, the ring's movements seem completely unnatural.

The guy moves in the direction the chain is being pulled in. Realizing he had walked too far, he moves back again, and after repeating these movements over and over again, he finally stops at the point where the invisible force has led him.

“....Is this the place?”

The ring kept spinning at a point on the map. The guy reads out the name of the place that is written there, and then reaches out to pick up the phone on the table.

A young female is attentively staring at a crystal ball. She is a beauty who is dressed up as a fortune-teller that can be seen anywhere on the streets, giving off a mysterious aura. Even though it is inappropriate to describe her this way.

The crystal ball of twenty centimeters is carved and polished flawlessly, yet for some reason there is a white mist at the its' center.

In order to see through the mist, the female stares at the crystal ball with a glare, a nerve almost popping at her temple.

“....!”

Maybe due to her hard work, the white mist gradually disperses, and an image begins to surface : Something resembling a building

The entire structure seems thin and long, a black cross is portrayed at the upper half of the white wall.

The entrance was zoomed in. The female reads out the words carved on the door, and writes them down carefully.

“Speaking of which, how daring. This is indeed a blind spot.”

The female gives a praising smile towards the enemy she has never seen before, and walks out of the room to make her report.

(An hour later...)

The ten Jutsu-shis led by Ogami Masayuki all gathered near a certain Church at Ikebukuro. The purpose, needless to say, is to hunt down Misao, whom they have finally found.

This operation is a little rushed, there was no time to hesitate. They failed to find any trace of where she was hiding before this, yet they managed to find her suddenly though a few sources.

It is really just too suspicious... Or should it be said, that this is a trap that cannot be any more obvious, as if Misao is waving her hand right before their eyes.

It is just like saying Misao hid herself during a game of hide-and-seek, and then purposely sticking her head out, as if deliberately wanting for Kazuma to catch her.

But, Misao’s power should still not be sufficient to defeat Kazuma. Precisely because of this, Masayuki is acting hurriedly. In order to put an end to this himself, before Misao is defeated by someone else...

“Listen up people, among you, there may even be a few of you that are on good terms with Misao, but don’t misunderstand. She is an unforgivable evil being that has degenerated into a demon, so do not go easy on her. In order to uphold the name and honor of the Kannagi, we must eradicate her with all our force so that not a single cell of her being remains!”

Standing before the subordinates he gathered, Masayuki is giving a speech loudly. The hidden meaning of “The survival of the Ogami family depends on this battle!” is conveyed to everyone clearly.

Or it can also be said that, nothing was mentioned other than this. Like his love for his daughter, pity, the pains of having to end his own daughter by his very hands etc.

Because it is his daughter, that is why he is so hardhearted, this kind of positive explanation is not entirely absent, but to believe this saying from the bottom of the heart would probably require a lot of imagination!

Masayuki’s attitude is just like that.

Ayano leaves the group, and as she looks at Masayuki’s back as he is giving the speech, she thinks in her heart.

(Maybe it is because of her father being this way, that Misao is unable to endure the pains of losing her brothers...)

Even so, the unpleasant feelings in her heart still lingers.

Maybe this is a child’s wishful thinking. But Ayano feels that, this is not what is meant by a family.

Ren seems to have the same thoughts, as his expression seems very uneasy.

“So then...“

After the speech ended, Masayuki turns towards their direction, a flattering smile on his face.

“If Kazuma comes over, please deal with him.”

“...Hmm.”

As she is under no obligation to put Masayuki at ease, Ayano emotionlessly nods in response. Not sure how Masayuki takes her reply, he frowns to verify once more.

“Is it really okay?”

“What do you mean?”

”Are you confident in winning against Kazuma?”

“How can I be confident about that...”

Ayano says bluntly. This is not to scare him, but the true words in her heart.

However, Masayuki’s expression changes greatly hearing what she said.

“How.. How can that be!? Then why did you promise to take care of Kazuma!?”

“Do you need to ask? Because I am the only who can do it.”

Ayano looks coldly at the shocked Masayuki, and says bluntly:

“No matter what your thoughts may be, Misao must be eliminated. Not by the hands of others, but by us, the Kannagi clan, so I will not let Kazuma make trouble regarding this matter.

If it is left up to you guys, you would all be killed within three seconds. But, I can buy you people up to three minutes, so figure something out during this period of time!”

The whole area became quiet instantly. What Ayano just said is not an alarmist talk, the number she gave, three minutes, is already a very optimistic estimate.

To think that they naively believe that up against Kazuma, having Ayano on their side allows them to relax. Perhaps the image of “the 'weak Kannagi Kazuma' is still buried deep in their hearts!

“So, what is the battle plan?”

Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Ayano voices out to ask Masayuki. If they have intended to fight a prolonged battle, they must change their plans immediately.

“Y-Yes. We intend to lure Misao out from the church, and then chase her to the park just opposite. This entire area has been blocked off, so there is no worry that other people may get involved in this. After that we are going to set up a kekkai in the park. Misao will be like a fish in the net. It is absolutely foolproof, there will not be any accidents.”

“Oh...”

Ayano thinks that this is not a bad method. In terms of fighting abilities, Misao is not much of a threat, so by sealing off all possible escape routes, with the power of ten, they shouldn't lose.

“But, who is the one blocking the area off? And, the kekkai is...”

As she is querying, Ayano quietens suddenly. Because she recognizes a female figure that is walking towards the area.

The female is wearing a tall and thin outfit with trousers. She is wearing sunglasses, so her face is not clearly visible, but somehow Ayano just feels that she has seen this female somewhere before.

“The kekkai is ready, we can start any time.”

After a routine report, the female takes off her sunglasses. Ayano's eyes widens instantly.

“A-..Ahhhhhh.....!!”

She stretches her finger out and calls out without realizing it. That is undoubtedly the woman from before, the one holding hands with Kazuma at the love hotel street, named Kirika.

“Hi, Ayano.”

Kirika smiles faintly, and looks at Ayano expectantly.

“...You know each other?”

“We met once before.” Kirika replies, acting as though she is unaware at all. Masayuki puts on a serious expression and stares at her.

“I hope you mind your tone. Ayano-sama has the bloodline of the main family, she is originally not allowed to be spoken to directly like this...“

“Oh, sorry for having been so rude.”

Kirika apologizes respectfully, and cutting into a long nag by Masayuki at the same time. She uses an extremely natural attitude to ignore him who still wants to say something, and gives a formal salute towards Ayano.

“I am Superintendent (Note: A title of one of the ranks of the Japan Police, of the middle ranked officers.) Tachibana Kirika sent by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (Note: Japan’s east Tokyo central main base of the police force). It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Police..? The surname Tachibana, could it be that...“

I am from a branch family.” Kirika smiles as she shrugs her shoulders.

Ayano gets more and more confused. Speaking of the Tachibana family, that is a famous Onmyoji clan. Even from the branch family, how can it be possible that a member of the Tachibana clan became a cop?

(Prepare a kekkai------?)

Ayano instantly stares at Masayuki with strict eyes.

“You sought the help of police?”

The duty of the Kannagi clan is to eradicate youma through direct combat, and the quality of their work requires cooperation from government related agencies such as the police.

As their relationships with the police are rather close, and their astounding results from protecting the society for the past thousand years, some unreasonable requests are still accepted.

But, in this current case, there should not be unrelated personals like the police involved since the start.

The criminal they are hunting down is from their own family. And to degenerate a Kannagi Jutsu-shi into a youma, moreover that Jutsu-shi killing over a hundred people has already left a great stain for the clan. Such a fact should not be revealed to outsiders.

“N-No... This is because...”

Seeing that Ayano is questioning him, Masayuki became afraid, he bends down slightly and retreats backwards, yet Kirika does not change her relaxed attitude.

“Please calm down, we are helping in response to Juugo-san’s request.”

“Otou-san...?” Ayano asks in doubt. Masayuki who is hiding behind Kirika hurriedly nods in agreement

“That's right, Ogami Misao’s hiding spot was also investigated and acquired by us,”

Even so, Ayano still doesn't understand. Why would her overly-cautious father do something that even she thinks is dumb.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 195.jpg|thumb]]
Against Ayano’s hostile eyes, Kirika walks towards her, defenseless. Then, she places her face by the ear of Ayano who is in her battle stance, and says softly at a volume that only Ayano can hear:

”You are to be mindful of what we know,”

Ayano’s body shook lightly. Kirika continues saying, looking as though she feels like laughing:

“Those things that you 'do not want others to know', we already know very well. For example, what Ogami Misao did.... But, we are still unsure of the actual number of victims.”

(Should I kill her...?)

Ayano ponders this carefully. Even though she is very unwilling to do so, but she really cannot just ignore what Kirika said.

“You intend to threaten the Kannagi?” Ayano verifies one last time. If the other party nods, then she must set her mind to it.

But Kirika shakes her head with ease.

“How can that be. I am not so ignorant. After all, a minor issue of this standard is not enough to use as a threat.”

“...What do you mean?”

“The 'value' of the Kannagi will not be shaken by this minor scandal. Maybe if the higher ups know of this, they may use it as a chip at making deals, but this information will be kept safely with me.”

Ayano raises an eyebrow.

“Did you just say you will not threaten us?”

“Don’t you get it? This is to represent my sincerity.”

“...?”

“Kill me, and no one will ever find out... That is what it means.”

“...!”

“Why do you...?”

“So that the Soushu of the Kannagi will remember me, this tiny price means nothing. Besides, we will also get a record of having helped the Kannagi.”

“....”

Ayano has a strange feeling. The 'we' that has appeared several times in Kirika’s speech, does not seem to mean the entire police organization.

There is only one explanation that she can think of. That would be that in between the two unrelated powers of the police and jutsu-shis, there is a line linking the two.

“Could you be that...? That...unit called Information Consolidation department or something...?”

“To be more accurate, it would be the Special Information Consolidation Department. I am the chief of that department.” Kirika nods proudly.

The Special Information Consolidation Department of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

This is a department that was recently established. As if to hide from others, the nameplate of this department only lingers quietly at one corner of the basement of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Everyone knows of the existence of this department, but the number of people that knows what they do is very few. To the extent that what the words “Special Information” means, the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department...Including the employees working there, there is no one that knows at all.

To put it simply, there is no such thing that exists. Such an obscure department name, it is just a hoax to hide the contents of its operations.

For over a century after the Bureau of Onmyou was disbanded, Japan has passed on most of the spiritual protecting jobs to its people. In order to make a breakthrough from this current situation, this special information department is established... The only government-run exorcising organization.

As they are unable to label themselves as an exorcising department in broad daylight, so they used a name that just seems to 'do odd jobs'. It is even rumored that, the 'information' is taken from the same pronunciation as 'dead spirits'.

Leaving this government agency style of naming aside, its establishment really made an impact in the field.

“Oh, so there really is such a department. I have not heard of any activities at all, so I had thought that it is just an urban legend kind of rumor.”

From Ayano’s current understanding, it is something like that.

“Hmm...”

Hearing this harsh comment, Kirika shows a hurt expression.

“O-Of course we have been active! Restoring distorted kekkais, suppressing land-bound spirits and the like... Because we have to obtain Jutsu-shis with fighting capabilities, so we are unable to plan large scale exorcisms,”

“Ah, so you are a bunch of people that are working silently. That sure seems like a government function.”

Ayano smiles with a 'hmph' expression. That expression is really arrogant and incomparable, 'cute' to the point that it makes one want to give her a tight slap.

But Kirika is an adult after all. She does not show her anger, and uses a kind smile to say to Ayano:

“But the higher ups are always unable to understand our unnoticeable activities. Ayano, do you want to come over and work in the Special Information Department? Even if it is just as a part time job.”

“I refuse.”

Ayano’s reply is very firm. Yet, as if she just thought of something, she uses questioning eyes to look at Kirika.

“Ah... Could it be that, that time you were trying to persuade Kazuma to join?”

“Huh? Ah, you meant the last time we met?”

Kirika shows a relaxed smile.

Their positions are switched instantly. Ayano, who is now at a disadvantage refuses to give in and stares back at Kirika, but her eyes reveals clearly that those are just looks, and empty within.

“In your heart, you really hope that I met with Kazuma only because of work right?”

“N-No I don’t...”

Despite how she is denying it with her mouth, Ayano can’t help but ask again:

“...So, what is it?”

Seeing Ayano who is lowering her head while staring at her, Kirika replies,“I won’t tell you.”

“...!”

“Be it for private reasons or work, I am under no obligations to tell you anything. Isn’t that right?”

(This.. This woman..!)

Ayano’s eyes glow with murderous intent. Against such a strong stare, Kirika still maintains her relaxed smile.

As the two continues staring at each other, a hand tugs at Ayano’s sleeve. Ayano looks down, and promptly turns back to stare at Kirika.

“Don’t interrupt me, Ren. I must settle things with this woman...“

“But everyone is waiting for us.”

“Huh...?”

Ayano follows the direction Ren is looking in, there are ten Jutsu-shis using very unfriendly eyes to observe their duel.

Among which, Masayuki seems especially impatient. He is trying his best to control himself so that he does not show an anxious expression, but he is unable to hide a very obvious nerve at his temple.

This feeling is just like using all the restraining powers one can gather to hold back the impulse to scream out “Hurry up, you two brats!”.

In replacement of that roar, Masayuki asks in a fake manner:

“It is about time to head for the church... Are the both of you ready?”

But, these two are of course not 'brats' who would be afraid of someone like Masayuki. They look at the guy with a fake smile on his face, and coldly says:

“Then shall we?”

“Feel free to go now.”

Masayuki’s smile froze. He looks dumbly at the two with an expression that is neither laughing nor crying.

“I should have said earlier that 'we can start anytime'. Or should I say, is there some reason that we must go together with you?”

“Mm...”

“You better hurry and move along. If she escapes, are you going to take responsibility?”

“Mmm...”

After being blasted by the two’s words continuously, Masayuki’s face flushes red, unable to say anything anymore.

Facing this old man who is staring at her with cursing eyes, Ayano waves him away with ease... As if chasing a dog.

“Hmm... Everyone, let’s go!”

After shouting out as if venting his anger, Masayuki walks off with loud and clear footsteps. He reprimands the Jutsu-shis who look at each other in an angry voice.

“Will you hurry up!”

“G-Got it!”

Seeing Masayuki and the jutsu-shis walk off hurriedly, Ayano lets out a sigh.

“Finally gone.”

Seeing such a frank reaction, Kirika asks, smiling:

“You seem to hate that old man a lot, don't you, Ayano-chan?”

“Do you need you ask! Someone who intends to harden his heart and kill his daughter for the survival of his clan... There is no need to put up with him!”

“As for me, it doesn’t matter as long as the Soushu is happy. Besides, what kind of future can that guy have?”

Ayano shrugs her shoulders with a bitter smile.

“I can only say, otou-san has no intentions of destroying the Ogami family.”

Even so, he can't just not take up any responsibility at all! And this responsibility must be given up by Masayuki as he is the head of the family.

“The one who is to take responsibility exists precisely to take up the responsibility. I really like this sentence. By the way...You really intend to fight with Kazuma?”

Kirika nods as if it evoked her thoughts, and then changed topics suddenly. Even though she is slightly at a loss, Ayano still replies honestly:

“Yeah, there is no one else after all. Even though I may not be able to win, but I can try to buy time.”

“..You don’t have to push yourself so hard. Even if you lose against that man, it is not considered shameful.”

“I know. I don’t intend to put my life on the line for it. Besides, I have this kid with me.”

She pats on Ren’s head, who is standing beside her. Ren raises his head in surprise to look at Ayano.

“Huh..? Me too..?”

Ayano keeps quiet, and changes the hand on Ren’s head into the shape of a claw. A sharp pain strikes at Ren in an instant.

“O-Ouch! That hurts Onee-sama!”

“Let’s work hard together, Ren! [heart symbol]”

“O-Okay...”

Ren gave in to fear and pain, nodding in reply with tears in his eyes.

=== 2 ===

“Thank you for the hard work.”

Kirika shows a smile on her face, the police officers return the greeting instantly.

The vehicles that blocked the way shifted slightly, opening a small gap that allows one person to get through. Passing through that small gap, Kirika, Ayano and Ren in sequence, entered into the secured zone.

“……What a thorough job.”

Looking at their surroundings, Ayano uses an extremely shocked tone to say to Kirika.

This corner of the city that is originally very busy, has now been completely transformed into an empty dead city. Not only are there no pedestrians, even the people inside the buildings seem to be all cleared away.

Kirika shrugs her shoulders lightly.

“Actually we only evacuated a few people. Most of the people sensed an abnormality and escaped before we did anything.”

“Abnormality…… Is it?”

Smelling the stinking stench similar to a rotten fish amidst the wind, Ayano frowns. The asphalt road surface seems strangely gooey. Every step they take, their sole seems to be glued to the ground, a thin thread stuck at the centre.

Maybe due to the base portion being corroded, the trees in the park are tilting at a dangerous angle under the wind’s blow, as if it would topple any moment.

“It is rather common to hear others say, that humans are a type of animal that has lost its basic instincts. But judging from this, it seems humans have not completely lost them after all. Just think about it, isn’t there no one coming to watch the scene or any reporters at the inspection area?”

“------Now that you mention it, it seems to be that way.”

Ayano recalls the scene of when they were passing through the inspection area.

In contrast to the completely empty streets, such a big cast seems to be overdoing it, causing one to question whether it is necessary. But thinking about it more carefully, it won’t seem strange.

Because the centre of Ikebukuro is clearly sealed off, yet there are no commotions. Normally speaking this is very abnormal.

(Normally speaking huh------)

Faced with a meaningless imagination, Ayano can’t help but show a bitter smile. Under a situation whereby youki causes a physical change, causing the wind and earth to be corroded, using the word “normally” does not seem to be suitable.

If the people are to realize the abnormality and escape, that would be most convenient. Because this way they will not have to worry about other people seeing them, and fight as they wish.

She smiles in her heart, and walks to the center of the secured zone. There is a small church there, this is perhaps a church that is furthest away from the word “Holy” in the whole world!

Looking at the actual place, the preparations are ready. Ten Jutsushis surround the church, not letting even a seep of water to get through.

Sensing Ayano approaching, Masayuki who is standing right at the entrance turns around.

“Please do not take part in this Ayano-sama and Ren-sama.”

“I know.”

Ayano impatiently waves her hand towards Masayuki who reminds them once more.

The Jutsushis are concentrating, waiting for Masayuki’s signal. He knows that Misao is inside there, and at this stage he does not intend to spend more time searching the interior.

He plans to burn down the entire church.

If ten Kannagi Jutsushis are to release flames all at the same time, this kind of building would be destroyed before it even begins burning.

It is best if thing could be settled just like this. In case she survives, then according to their plans they will force her into the park and eradicate her.

There exists no element of failure. Everyone believes firmly at the arrival of their victory.

“Okay, begi……”

Right at the moment before Masayuki gave the command, the door of the church opens slowly. Masayuki hurriedly stops the hand that is about to wave down, and stares closely at the door.

Following a sharp squeaking sound, the door opens gradually. Unable to see the interior at all, the darkness filled within rejects the entry of all light.

Not only that, the darkness even began infesting the light. A certain black object passes through the front door, and appears in the space filled with light.

It is someone dressed in a pitch black kimono------ A black-haired girl wearing a mohuku. The darkness that took on the shape of a human stares at the group of people.

“…… You are…… Misao……?”

Masayuki calls out his daughter’s name, as if moaning. The reason why the pitch near the end raises up, is due to the immense youki wrapped around her.

“I welcome everyone’s arrival. Oto-sama as well, I am glad to see that you are still so healthy.”

Misao elegantly greets them. That gentle smile announces her genuine welcome.

But, if there is anyone who knows Misao, they may probably see the abnormality in this. In the recent tens years or so, Misao has never smiled like this towards Masayuki.

Of course, even Masayuki did not realize this. Because as a female, Misao who cannot become a fighter, is nothing more than a useless and worthless existence to him.

Staring angrily at the daughter who is smiling innocently, Masayuki shouts from the bottom of his heart:

“Shut up! A dirty and despicable thing like you is not qualified to call me oto-sama!”

In a moment, the smile in Misao’s eyes vanishes. But after that she remembers how to give a smile, and returns to her original expression.

“Sorry to have been so rude then. By the way------“

Misao looks around, verifying the faces of everyone at the scene.

“Where is Kazuma-san?”

“That guy has already been dismissed!”

Ayano answers at an astonishing speed:

“Whether he is capable enough is only secondary, we have no intentions of hiring someone who does not plan to work at all. This is not charity work.”

Staring at Ayano who would feel unpleasant if she doesn’t say this for quite a while, the side of Misao’s lips rises suddenly.

Ayano’s eyebrows jump up in an instant. Even if it was just for a moment, but she has correctly understood the meaning of that smile.

It was a mockery, a mockery that looks down upon the opponent from a high place. It is something a Jutsushi from a branch------ and to have degenerated into a youma, it is an intolerable expression.

“What is so funny……?”

Ayano questions in a suppressed tone.

“The attitude of Ayano-sama is too ugly.”

Misao replies, still having a smile at her face.

Swoosh, Ayano steps out, slanting her right body. That is completely a battle posture. Masayuki who is standing between the two is so scared he jumps backwards.

Ignoring the murderous aura directed at her, Misao smiles and says:

“Does Kazuma-san caring only for me make you that jealous?”

“------!”

The uprising murderous aura shakes the area, but Misao shows no signs of backing off. Unsure whether she is confident in winning, or has lost her normal judgment capabilities------

“Very well…… Speaking of which, we have yet to settle from last time.”

“Is that so…… I can’t recall such a thing.”

A face-off like swords and blades crossing each other. Their exchanged glances gives off sparks, a tense atmosphere is at the brink of exploding.

Ayano takes out her Enraiha quietly, the golden brilliances that erupts from it exorcises the murky youki.

Faced with a sudden battle between females, the Jutsushis from branch families began trembling.

“A…… Ayano-sama. Leave Misao to us……”

Masayuki hurriedly tries to halt Ayano, yet he quietens down under the stare filled with murderous intent. After all, the level between the two is completely different.

No one can stop them. Just as everyone at the scene is thinking this way------

“Excuse me, sorry to disturb when the two of you are so busy.”

With her ear stuck at the mobile phone that is switched to vibration mode, Kirika makes a routine announcement.

“Yagami Kazuma has appeared. He is closing in from the direction of the main road.”

Ayano’s body shook suddenly.

(Saved------)

Seeing this reaction, Masayuki sighs in relief.

“Ayano-sama------“

“I know.”

Keeping Enraiha, Ayano stares at Misao once more. Misao lifts her chin, showing a smile of victory in response.

She saw the way Ayano’s temple entangles together.

(There should still be time after killing her first……)

For a moment, Ayano considers this seriously. But, since she has calmed down now, she cannot place her personal feelings before her.

“Masayuki-san, please act as we have originally planned. Superintendent Tachibana, I will not ask you to fight with Kazuma, but please maintain the kekkai. Okay?”

Ayano gives off commands one by one, and finally shifts her eyes to Ren.

“Let’s go stall Kazuma!”

“…… Yes……”

Ren droops his eyes, and nods to reply with a helpless tone. Yet Ayano does not care about Ren’s attitude, and forcefully drags him off.

=== 3 ===

“I'm late, has it already begun?”

Sprinting on the empty streets, Kazuma grumbles, swerving as he turns a corner.

He saw Misao’s 'invitation', yet he noticed an hour later than Kannagi and the police. This is not due to some special reason, but purely because he was sound asleep.

Even though he jumped up from his bed immediately when he sensed the rising youki, but he is still unable to deny the fact that he came late. The only thing fortunate to him would be that it is happening next to the hotel he is using as a base for his search for Misao.

(Speaking of which, to be located so close…… Even though I am not sure who it may be, but he's good.)

Thinking about the real enemy who has yet to reveal himself, Kazuma speeds up. Perhaps due to all his wrong-doings most of the time, he did not reach the destination that easily.

Two shadows stand before Kazuma, stopping him. Kazuma uses sharp eyes to stare at the shadows. He eventually lets out a bored sigh.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Well, SORRY that it's me.”

Hearing his disappointed voice, Ayano replies impolitely in the same manner. She held Enraiha in her hand. Her intentions were plain as day.

Leaving that aside...

“Why is Ren here as well?”

“Well, what do you think?”

Ayano opens her palm and slaps onto the bitterly smiling Ren’s head. A very clear sound was given out.

“Obviously, we're working together to beat you up!”

Ayano says enthusiastically , but Ren backs off slightly, and shakes his head vigorously from a place that Ayano cannot see.

Kazuma decides to put Ren aside for now. Looking straight at Ayano who seems ready to fight anytime, Kazuma smiles proudly:

“...Are you sure you came prepared?”

A fierce ki surrounds Ayano.

“Argh……”

It's frightening. Kazuma is only standing there... Yet, that seems really scary already.

She is not prepared at all, as there is not a single hope of victory.

“Even so, I must do this! Because only I can!”

As if trying to throw away her fears and hesitations, she raises the Enraiha with everything she has. She swings down the blade with all her strength.

“Take this..!! KAZUMA!”

A massive plasma body burns the air and speeds off. Looking at that object closing in at a high speed, Kazuma waves his hand out with ease.

The fist entangled with wind sends the plasma bullet flying. The scorching flames veer off at a 90 degrees angle, and a big hole is made in the building caught in the flames’ path.

(As expected, ranged attacks are useless...)

Ayano holds the Enraiha tightly, determined to go into melee combat.

As she gradually reduces the distance between them, intending to jump straight into Kazuma, he suddenly relaxes and takes a step back.

“...?”

“I'm sorry to do this when you are all fired up, but I am in a rush to get over there. I'll play with you next time!”

Leaving this selfish remark, Kazuma rides the wind and flies into the sky... and disappears. This was done by manipulating the density of air, causing a change in the refraction of light to create an effect of invisibility.

“Huhhh!?”

Ren who is standing further back gives off a sound of surprise. But Ayano has already seen this kind of trick before, and has come up with a method against it.

“Hmph...“

She raises Enraiha slowly.

“Did you think the same trick....“

Just as Fuu-jutsushis observed the air flow, En-Jutsushis use fire; heat to see the world. Ayano cannot possibly miss the heat source with more than twice the temperature of the air.

“Can work on me twice...?!”

A high speed plasma bullet fired off, and accurately shot past the invisible Kazuma. Fortunately, for Kazuma, the layer of wind kekkai around him repelled the blast.

“Woahh!?”

Kazuma suddenly appeared in the sky. Having lost the protection of the wind, Fuu-Jutsushis are naturally unable to fly in the air------ and will of course fall down.

“Yosh..!”

Just before falling onto the ground, Kazuma regains control of the wind. Just as he flips into an upright posture, his feet land softly on the ground.

Looking at the proud Ayano, Kazuma sighs and lectures her:

“Didn’t I tell you before? If you have time to study small tricks like this, you should go practice your sword skills.”

“It doesn't matter. It's pretty useful, after all.” Ayano shoulders Enraiha, laughing proudly.

“Are you disappointed to have your technique exposed?”

“..Not really. That aside... what are you going to do now?”

Ayano has already dragged Kazuma onto the ground, so she can use Enraiha to attack directly.

<nowiki>------</nowiki>That is, if she can hit him.

With Ayano's abilities, she can't even touch Kazuma. The difference in power is too great to be bridged by hard work or determination.

However, Ayano's composed smile doesn't fade.

“Did you really think I would go against you without thinking of anything?”

“Yup. After all, you're an animal that moves on instinct.” Kazuma replied instantly. A vein rose in Ayano's temple.

“Why you..! Then, watch this!”

Ayano stretches her hand behind her, thrusting out the 'thing' she grabbed towards Kazuma.

“Ultimate technique! Ren Barrier!!”

<nowiki>------</nowiki>(Please wait a moment...)

The stopped time started to flow again.

Kazuma sighs as if emptying his lungs. He looks at Ayano with a pitying look.

“...For now, explain why are you using Ren as a human barrier?.”

“He he he, no matter how wicked and inhuman you are, I doubt you'd be able to hurt Ren! As long as I have this Ren Barrier, even if I can't win, I definitely won't lose either!”

Hiding behind Ren whose entire body is lifted up by the collar, Ayano declares while brimming with confidence.

While looking at this scene with a pained expression, Kazuma asks:

“..How should I say this, don’t you feel embarrassed as the next Soushu of the Kannagi?”

“I, for one, am embarrassed...” Hung like a doll that had just been washed, Ren quietly mumbled.

“Shut up! I'll do whatever it takes to win!” Ayano shouted, flustered.

“No, you still can't win. You just won’t lose.”

“Ah...That's... Anyway. If you think you can break through this Ren Barrier, just try it!”

“Sure.”

Kazuma effortlessly released blades of wind that, drawing an arc like a boomerang, sliced at both of Ayano's arms from behind.

“Kya!”

Although it doesn't reach the skin, both of Ayano's sleeves were completely shredded, surprising her enough that she releases <s>Ren</s> the Barrier.

Ren quickly escapes to a place where Ayano's hands don't reach. He naturally didn't want to keep working with her.

“Hey, stop right there!”

Ayano tries to chase after Ren, but

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Swoosh!

A blade of wind flying right before the tip of her nose made her stop in her steps.

She happens to look below her feet, and noticed that the surface of the asphalt was smoothly sliced through like butter.

A cold sweat ran down Ayano's back.

“Well, I understand somewhat. Basically, you're just trying to buy some time, right?”

Ayano was frozen, her intentions exposed. Kazuma pronounces coldly:

“I think I told you already, but I'm in a hurry to get there. If you keep fooling around... You'll die.”

“....!”

As if being pushed by a massive intent to kill, Ayano uses all her strength to move to the side. A blade of wind ran through the place where Ayano had just been.

This wasn't a threat or an attack meant to disable someone. It was literally an attack to instantly slices a person in two.

(He's gotten serious...?)

A shiver ran down her back. Ayano prepared to aim for the eyes, and focuses every nerve in her body on the enemy in front of her.

Kazuma's attacks don't have movements for preparation. He can release a lethal strike without even moving a finger. In comparison to dodging attacks like this, dodging bullets is much easier.

Ayano tosses aside her useless defense. She prays to god that she will not suffer fatal injuries, and thrusts in a straight line.

Wind blades that strike at her continuously cancel out with the flames that surround her entire body. Ayano gives up on all meaningless dodging actions, and closes in on Kazuma in the shortest distance possible.

(...I reached him!)

The attacking range of the sword, at this distance, the sword is faster than Jutsu.

What Jutsu means is the substantiation of one’s will. And so, when one uses Jutsu, he must think; that means it must go through the brain.

In comparison, when the body is moving, including the usage of every piece of muscle, sometimes even the most basic will of to 'make the body move' may be left out entirely.

For someone whose fighting skills have been trained to a certain extent, they have experienced 'striking out before thinking' before. This speed will never be caught up by Jutsu. No matter how much one trains, to activate Jutsu subconsciously is impossible logically.

Ayano swings Enraiha down forcefully. The destructive powers of this sword would be humbled even by calling it 'overwhelming'. If a human is hit...No, even lightly scraped by it, he would become a piece of charcoal.

Kazuma moves to the left to dodge the slice. Ayano pulls the blade back, reversing her grip, and cuts a slant upwards.

Kazuma moves left, and at the same time dashes into Ayano's chest who pulled her torso upwards for the upward slice, and stretches his hand out at the handle of Enraiha. Enraiha slips out from Ayano’s hand.

If this is a competition, the judge would have probably announced Kazuma’s victory by now. But, this is an actual battle... And the blade that Ayano holds is Enraiha.

After dodging the palm strike aimed at her chin by twisting her body, Ayano focuses her consciousness onto Enraiha.

At the same time, the Enraiha that was flying in mid air disappeared. Following that, a collection of energy was made in Ayano's body at her chest area.

She holds the empty right hand tight, and places that burning, beating power within. In the blink of an eye, Enraiha is in her right hand once more.

That is a strong and sudden straight attack. Even though Ayano thought that her surprise attack was successful, but this seems to be within the opponent’s expectations as well. Kazuma bends backwards slightly, the tip of the blade swept by his body by a mere 4 millimeters.

Kazuma unhurriedly pulls their distance apart once more, a smile appearing on his face. That is undoubtedly a smile of praise, but Ayano did not realize that.

(Smile all you want!)

In order to not let the opponent pull the distance apart, Ayano jumps right into Kazuma. She slices at the body parallel with the ground, and then continuously to strike at Kazuma who is dodging backwards, swinging her sword once more.

Kazuma’s back knocks against the wall of a building, he cannot retreat any further. The joy of having forced the enemy to his end made Ayano reveal a sinister smile.

(Hit....!)

All the muscles in her body tenses up, the condensed power all gather at one spot and releases. The sword tip strikes straight at Kazuma’s face at the shortest distance possible.

The scorching blade cannot be defended at all, there is no time to even dodge. Ayano firmly believes she has won.

That is a full-powered attack at that detestable face that is always laughing and joking around...

“What...?“

Ayano widens her eyes. Enraiha became still before Kazuma’s face. As if stopped by an invisible wall, no matter how much strength she uses, the remaining distance of ten centimeters just cannot be shortened any further.

(A wind kekkai...?)

The truth is placed before her eyes, but Ayano still cannot believe it. A high level spirit Jutsu can go beyond a physical phenomenon------ She can understand this common knowledge very well. But, just how much will must be inserted into the air to be able to make a kekkai that is strong enough to withstand against Enraiha? Ayano cannot imagine it at all.

“That's just how it is.”

Kazuma mumbles as if it is only natural, the wind kekkai disappears at the same time. Walking past Ayano who falls forward as she is unable to draw her strength back in time, Kazuma uses a tone that cannot be any more arrogant to say:

“Let’s stop here for today.”

Ayano is, of course, very agitated.

“Wha..What do you mean by 'stop here for today'!? This is not a practice!”

“I accompanied you for some time already, what else do you have to complain about?”

"...This is not over.”

Ayano regains her calm very shortly, she uses the Enraiha to point at Kazuma.

“You must stay with me until Misao’s punishment is over. Because this problem must be taken care of by our own people.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, that side can hardly fend for themselves.”

“------What do you mean?”

Towards Ayano’s question, Kazuma silently raised his hand, stretching three fingers out.

“Three? What..?”

Kazuma didn't answer, but instead he retracted his ring finger.

“Two.”

Following that, he retracted his middle finger.

“One.”

The last one. Kazuma retracts his index finger, showing a faint smile on his face.

“Bang!”

Accompanied by a strong explosive sound, a pitch black pillar of fire rises up into the sky.

=== 4 ===

“What……”

Ayano raise her head, staring at the fire pillar dumbly.

Black flames.

That is unlike the black smoke that is created from burning of heavy oil, the flames itself is black in color.

“That is…… Misao……?”

“Is there anyone else that can use flames that are full of youki like this? It seems that the battle style of the Kannagi must have changed quite a bit ever since I left then.”

Kazuma questions her back with a serious look. Perhaps he really wanted to know the answer to this question?

“We don’t have anyone like that!”

Ayano answers rudely. Of course, Kazuma will not feel bad about this. He puts on an expression as though it does not matter to him, and shrugs his shoulders as he walks off.

“W...... Wait a minute!”

Kazuma obediently stops in his steps.

“What is the matter? Is there someone among those people there that you hope will die? Then I don’t mind waiting a bit longer, after all there is only three minutes left.”

Ayano took quite a bit of time to truly understand what that sentence meant. Ren who interpreted what the line means asks with a fearful look on his face:

“Is Misao really that strong? That even ten people working together are still unable to defeat her.”

“Six.”

Kazuma corrects truthfully.

“------Huh?”

“That blast earlier, the presence of four people disappeared.”

Ren became speechless, and in replacement is Ayano’s roar:

“You should say something like that earlier!”

“You should have realized it much earlier yourself.”

“……Y…….You……”

“Calm down, Onee-san.”

Ren tries to pacify Ayano who is on the brink of explosion as he looks at his brother with blaming eyes.

“Onii-san, why can’t you just get along with onee-san?”

“What do you mean by get along? Our goals this time are entirely different, she is my enemy.”

“Don’t tell me you still intend to defend Misao!?”

“Yup.”

Kazuma nods naturally at Ayano who stares at him with her eyes wide open.

“…… What are you thinking? Do you know how many people that girl killed!?”

“How would I know. I am not so kind as to pity those strangers that died.”

Kazuma spits this line out easily, and following that walks off without waiting to see their reactions. Ayano hurriedly chases after him from behind------ And finally overtook Kazuma.

The park is not that far away. Even though she ran, she was only faster by around ten seconds.

But, that is more than enough.

(Find her, and settle it in one shot!)

She is very confident. No matter how strong Misao may have become, compared to herself who is of the main family, their levels of power are entirely different. Just one strike from Enraiha should be able to eliminate Misao?

She reached the park. She jumped over the fence at the entrance, and ran into the square.

There is no need to search for her, Misao stands at the centre of the square. Despite being surrounded by Jutsushis of the branch families, there is not a single trace of anxiety on her face, instead it is the Jutsushis that seem to be trembling in fear.

There is no time to care for the face of the Ogami anymore. In order to finish Misao off at one go, Ayano pushs the Jutsushis surrounding Misao away------ And then became stunned like them.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 227.jpg|thumb]]
Misao did not even notice Ayano’s appearance, and is playing with a rubber ball happily.

She wears an innocent smile, and uses an extremely gentle motion to bounce the rubber ball that rebounds back to her waist level. The group stares at this simple repeating action without getting bored by it.

However, the rubber ball looks very old and tattered, the surface has became yellowish like the earth. The fading grayish black threads spread around in great volumes, just like a bamboo curtain falling off continuously. Those continuously wavering black thread, are just like hair------

(Just like------?)

The instant she realizes what that rubber ball is, Goosebumps rose all over Ayano’s body. Her hand reaches out to cover her mouth, trying hard to stop herself from vomiting.

The messy black threads------ those are hair of a man just over fifty years of age.

The red threads that spread over the soil-yellow surface------ Those are blood stains that are stuck to the victim’s skin.

That object that Misao is playing like a rubber ball, is the head of a dead person. The face of the man who is planning to slay his own daughter for the survival of the family, is now bouncing up and down between the ground surface and the white and tender hand.

Dong……Dong……

The sound of the rebounding of the “rubber ball” is abnormally heavy. Every time it hits against the solid ground, more wounds are gradually added to Masayuki’s painful and distorted expression.

Speaking in terms of common sense, it is impossible for the head of a human to bounce like a rubber ball. This may have been caused by psychic powers or something similar to move the head……

“…… Misao……”

Ayano is unable to say a word. Facing off against a girl who is happily playing with her father’s head, what can she say?

Before the eyes of Ayano and gang who are holding their breaths and staring at her, Misao bounces the “rubber ball” attentively.

If there is any purpose to this action, that could still be seen in a more optimistic manner. Like venting her anger on the body, scaring the enemy with her power, or a part of a Jutsu ritual------ Anything would have been fine.

But this is different.

Anyone can tell that, this action is meaningless.

This is just merely a “game”. Like a kid taking a piece of paper crushed in a bundle as a ball, she is just merely playing with her father’s head as a rubber ball.

“…………”

Misao suddenly hits the “rubber ball” with force. Jumping higher than before, the “rubber ball” bounces to her chest area, and Misao stretches her hands out to catch it.

“What have you been doing since just now?”

No one understood what her murmuring meant.

Yet, a voice came in reply.

“It is hard to explain in a moment’s notice, but I still rushed here.”

Like an avalanche, everyone’s eyes gathered at the same direction.

That relaxed expression without any tension, did not waver at all under the stare of everyone in the area.

Even though he possesses power that surpasses anyone, but his presence is calmer and firmer than anyone.

Just that cheeky appearance is enough to dispel the abnormal demonic presence given off by Misao.

Natural as the air, and possessing absolute power to accept everything. To possess a “right” that is not violated by anyone, the man called Yagami Kazuma stands there.

“Looks like I made it in time for the main event of this show.”

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 3

2009-02-23T05:11:26Z

Stealth: /* 4 */ objection -> objective (deduced from context, objection would hardly make any sense)

== Chapter Three - Friendship –Contributions and Mistakes-==

=== 1 ===

Late night....

“Dammit! I'm not sure if I'll make it in time.”

A teenager rushed towards the station in order to catch the last train,

Takahashi Shuuji. A 20 year-old university student.

As a formal participant of the Kendo club, his slender-seeming body was actually very well trained—there was no fat on it at all.

His reflexes were benumbed due to an excessive intake of alcohol. Even so, the steps he took on the brick floor did not seem so disordered.

“...That’s weird.”

Shuuji suddenly had a strange feeling. He stopped in his tracks to look around him.

He found nothing suspicious—just a very normal underground passage that stretched a long way.

But—

“Hey... Why is there no one here?”

Besides him, not a single soul could be seen in the area.

This was the underground passage to the turnstiles. Even with it past midnight—the time when the last train was about to reach the station—it was impossible that there was nobody here at all.

“Rea— Really, anything can happen.”

Shuuji found some excuse to convince himself and tried to suppress the uneasiness in his heart.

“I'm... I'm going to miss the train at this rate...”

Shuuji began to walk quickly with a loud and clear ''ta! ta! ta!'' sound from his footsteps, . After a while it became a jog—and in the end he ran at full speed, as if he was flying.

''Ta! Ta! Ta!''

The sound made by the soles of his leather shoes knocking against the brick floor echoed throughout the entire vacant underground passage. Yet, no matter how long he continued to walk, there was no sign of the turnstiles before him.

“Wha—? What the hell!? It shouldn't be this long at all!”

The underground passage seemed to stretch on endlessly. Surrounded by store windows with the metal shutters pulled down at the sides, Shuuji gradually lost track of where he was.

He turned back to check on the way he came.

“—Eek!”

Shuuji gasped. Before him was a long tunnel that led to who knows where. The stairs that led to the surface could no longer be seen.

“—!”

He changed his direction once more. Back from the way he was heading in earlier, the scene reflected in his eyes made Shuuji stare, his eyes wide open.

The same as the way behind him—there was only one tunnel that stretched until it vanished as far as he can see. Of course, there were no stairs nor crossroads there either.

Shuuji was stranded in the middle of a tunnel that stretched endlessly—alone.

“What...? What's going on...?”

Cold sweat broke out from his face. Within the eyeballs that spun continuously, his pupils slowly dilated.

''“What the hell is this about?!”''

No one replied to his scream. His cry reverberated between the walls and ceiling and got sent back into Shuuji’s ears as a reverberating echo.

The teenager stumbled onto the floor, staring blankly at the brick with half mad, half sane eyes.

“...Ah?”

Suddenly, his eyes focused on one point—something was seeping through the gaps between the bricks on the floor.

“What...?”

It was a semi-transparent substance with a glue-like texture. It was originally the size of a ping-pong ball, then, it grew to the size of a baseball in a moment, and, after not too long, it was the size of a soccer ball.

The glue-like substance shone with a rainbow-coloured glow. If this thing was seen in a photo, maybe it would give a clear, lustrous, and refreshing feeling.

But, the actual substance floating before his eyes could only be described as ugly. It was just like a tumour, vomit, or a filthy gooey piece of the two condensed to the maximum limit.

Instinctively, Shuuji hurriedly jumped backwards, reacting to his disgust. He jumped with force, landing two meters behind where he was, and the sound of his steps spreads across the entire underground passage.

''Squeelch.''

"—!?”

He looked down at his feet in shock. There—! No, as far as he can see, all of the brick was covered with the filthy pieces of goo.

“WA—! WAHHHH!”

The globules that were in contact from under his feet slowly latched onto Shuuji’s body. Even though he attempted to peel the gooey things off, he couldn't; they were tougher than expected, firmly attaching themselves onto his limbs.

“...Huh?”

All of a sudden, his surroundings darkened. His eyeballs almost popped out, when he looked up away from the area near his feet he was staring at.

Before his eyes— At a distance so close he could touch it by stretching out his hand, a wall made from the globules appeared.

The scattered globules on the floor gathered around Shuuji, forming a semi-transparent, round bucket. Looking at the round bucket emitting a lustrous glow, it looked like a distorted pillar, like an avant-garde piece of art.

“...''Argh''... ''Ah''...”

Shuuji shook his head, unwilling to believe what was happening. In his mind, he tried hard to deny the existence of this gooey mass.

However, his wish was not fulfilled.

At that moment, the globules, which were stacked even higher than his body, collapsed on him all at once.

“—!”

Shuuji was too scared to say anything as his whole body was completely wrapped within the blob.

Unable to withstand such a chilling experience, sending shivers down his spine, Shuuji's consciousness was consumed by darkness.

And— He never woke up ever again.

“The way you manipulated them left me speechless, but—“

In the space where there was no one originally, a boy’s clear voice spoke up.

“Don’t you think you wasted too much time?”

A gentle female voice replied, “This is the first time; naturally I had to be more cautious.”

“Hmm, maybe!”

''Ka-ta.'' The sound of one footstep could be heard.

Who could say when they were there? Two shadows suddenly appeared in the abnormal space that trapped Shuuji.

There stood a seventeen or eighteen-year-old female with a boy about ten years old. The girl’s height exceeded that of the boy by about thirty centimeters—but, as for the position of the head, the boy’s head was slightly higher.

The two looked at Shuuji, who was trapped in the globule, chatting calmly.

“But, if you use so much time like this, who knows when it will be completed? To fulfill your wish, more power must be gathered.”

Right before the two of them, Shuuji slowly became emaciated.

He was being consumed.

Was it his blood—? No.

Was it his moisture content—? That was wrong too.

Being surrounded by the blob, Shuuji aged rapidly. All the vital essence of the teenager’s whole body— The radiance of life was being expropriated, his life that should last over half a century was used to its limit within a short period of a few minutes.

“I understand this very clearly! I will do it more cleanly and quickly next time!”

The girl raised her head to look at the boy, and used a determined tone to reply. As if to pacify the displeased girl, the boy gave a light smile.

“That's the way. You can do it.”

The short, neatly-cut golden hair waved lightly to follow his nodding motion.

Judging from the tone the two spoke in, it seemed the young boy was of a higher status.

Maybe his actual age was not as young as his appearance—the emerald-green eyes that looked innocent and naïve at first sight instead seemed deep beyond comprehension.

In a clear melodious voice like a silver bell, the boy said solemnly:

“Because he who is right will receive Heaven’s protection.”

“...You mean this?”

Looking at the vital essence of the innocent teenager being continuously sucked dry by the blob, the girl laughed mockingly.

“You're saying that this monster is the same as you? ''Tenshi''-sama? That sounds awful.”

The boy had no wings. A faint radiance emitted from all over his body as he floated in the air. The beautiful angelic face of his showed a bitter smile.

“Needless to say monsters—even devils—cannot escape the grasp of God. Because the omnipotent God is capable of anything.”

The girl looked at the smiling angel (self-proclaimed) with puzzled eyes. However, she did not reject his extended hand.

“No matter what your reason may be, I'm very thankful that you lent me power. For mutual benefit, let us work together from now on!”

“—One day, you will surely experience the love of God, too.”

Before the teenager gradually withering away, two hands filled with personal desires and hypocrisy were tightly clasped.

=== 2 ===

Next day at the Kannagi residence:

“What’s the matter?”

Kazuma—who was sought out—suddenly decided to forgo the pleasantries to ask Juugo directly.

He didn't even glance at Ayano who was sitting at his side.

Ayano, as usual, was in a silent anger. Kazuma, as usual, ignored her presence and kept his gaze on Juugo only.

“From yesterday night up till this morning at zero hours, Ikebukoro has a total of eight youngsters dying from being weakened by an unknown reason, their age ranging from ten plus to twenty plus years old.”

Juugo matched himself with Kazuma, going to the main point directly.

“And so?”

Kazuma calmly hushed for his continuation. He had an extremely high tolerance towards the suffering and misfortunes of others.

Even though you could just say how he was without blood or tears.

“They seem to have their vigor sucked dry. And so, I would like to ask you to find this person, and, if possible, eliminate him.”

“Okay, I got it.”

Without a more detailed negotiation, Kazuma accepted the request readily. This, too, was his usual style.

“I leave it to you. This is the data related to the incidents...”

With that said, Juugo takes out a thin sheaf of documents. Even though they were said to be data, but the incidents only happened last night, so there were no important clues. Just simple data about the victims and where they were found, and some photos while they were still alive, and some after their death.

“Oh oh.... These are just like residues.”

Kazuma compared the photos, and says the term that would make the relatives of the deceased curse him.

Yet, this was probably the most direct thought of anyone who saw the photos— Even though there were not many who dared say it out loud.

Every victim looked very lively—just looking at their photos allowed one to feel the brilliance of their lives.

Switching back to their photos after death... To be frank, they were mummies. Nothing would seem out of place even if they were placed directly in a museum for exhibition.

Dry and wrinkled skin, faces filled with wrinkles. In those open and vacant eyes, there was no sign of fear, only just a supernatural calmness.

Even if you told everyone how they had been still alive a few hours ago, there wouldn’t be many who would believe you! That was just how bad they looked after death.

“This time there is no time limit—but act fast. You will co-operate with Ayano—“

Kazuma simply cut into Juugo’s sentence. “No need.”

“—What?”

“She'll just be in my way.”

Faced with Juugo’s question, Kazuma replied coldly.

“Wha—? What!?”

Ayano furiously cried out in protest. Juugo stopped her.

“—Kazuma.”

He called out Kazuma’s name like a sigh—but Kazuma showed no intention of backing off.

“The job this time is primarily to search—right? Then ''En-jutsushi'' are completely useless. If the opponent is not something I can handle, I'll contact you guys again. Until then, just remain on stand-by!”

“But, if the enemy escapes because of this, then we'll have to go through this trouble again.”

Juugo didn’t give up, and persistently attempted to let Ayano travel along. Kazuma refused once more.

“''Youma'' that I alone cannot handle, I doubt their numbers are many. So why should I bring a heavy burden to prevent such a situation?”

Ayano jumped up in her anger. “Burden—!? Aren’t you being too arrogant—!?”

Juugo restrained Ayano and pulled her back to her seat.

“You won’t bring her along no matter what?”

“Nope.”

“...Is that so?”

Under such a direct rejection, Juugo could only comply.

“I get it. I'll trust you on this, then. And one more thing—“

“What is it?”

“You seem to care a lot about Misao. But, for now, just forget about her! At least until this matter is over.”

“----------------------“

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 109.jpg|thumb]]
Kazuma made no reply. He stood up silently, turned and left the room.

“You idiot—! Even if you come back crying, begging me, ''I will definitely not help you—!''”

Ayano raged at the back of Kazuma who gradually left.

Juugo looked at his daughter bitterly with a deep sigh.

“You should at least...”

“What!? You think I'm in the wrong?”

The ignorant Ayano said in a temper.

''Slice!''

Wind blades sped through to slice a bunch of eerily wriggling blobs into pieces. Staring at the semi-transparent objects turned into crumbs, Kazuma breathed out.

“Gee, another failure.”

It was two days since he took on Juugo’s request.

During this period, he was assaulted by these ''youma'' up to nine times.

They didn't seem to consider Kazuma as a target. Even though he himself walked into these areas with a strong ''youki'', meeting them was a sheer coincidence.

Nine times.

A very abnormal number.

And while he investigated, everyday there was another five or six victims....

''Five or six? I doubt there were so few.''

Indeed, such was only the number of corpses found. But, after witnessing how a victim was devoured from start till end, Kazuma realized that Juugo’s assumption was wrong.

Not just their vigor—this type of youma ate flesh too. And anything it swallowed up—including clothes and accessories—everything got devoured.

Kazuma dejectedly looked at the victim, now dissolving through his skin, flesh, until in the end even his bones were dissolved. His expression was not due to the dissolving process being so gruesome, but because he understood what this meant.

''—The reason why corpses remained, was only because it couldn't digest them completely.''

The actual casualty number may be off by one digit—or even two digits.

“No way....”

Kazuma sighed weakly.

Just how many more shape-shifting worms that fed on human flesh resided within Tokyo city? Just thinking about it irritated him.

“There's no end to this... I better come up with a way —and fast—to get to the core of this and end it once and for all!”

After nine battles, Kazuma almost completely understood the characteristics of these ''youma.''

In appearance similar to a single cell organism, with no intelligence at all. They act purely by instinct, continuously devouring humans filled with vigor.

Their ability was “Absorption”. To drain away one’s vigor completely—even their bodies were converted to energy and taken in.

Alone, they posed a threat no different from any normal pest. But what was troubling was that their numbers were not few as was normal—and when they joined up they gained new abilities.

When they gathered to a certain number, some kind of magical circuit would then form among them. Using this circuit to create a ''kekkai,'' they caused the targeted human to be unable to escape.

Kazuma predicted that these globules all together were just one entity. The situation now was like split cells conducting activities independently.

The ability of each “cell” was to absorb calories, and then exhaust it through activity. When they gathered together to form an “organ”, they gained the ability to control the energy they absorbed.

In the final stage, perhaps, each “organ” would link up to form one entity. But Kazuma didn't care about the true identity of this monster.

If it was just one entity, then there must be an organ like a brain giving out commands... Something like a core. Things would be fine so long as he found this core and destroyed it.

Currently, the enemy was acting separately; and, its powers weakened, there was no reason not to strike during this opportunity. He didn't have the weird kind of habit of “hoping to fight with strong enemies.”

As such, Kazuma had been trying to find clues from the “cells” that would lead him to where the core might be, trying to find the real enemy... But so far it was nine consecutive losses.

“These guys are too dispersed. Some bait must be used to get them to gather at one place...”

Kazuma suddenly went quiet.

Bait. Someone full of vigor.

“There just so happens to be one available.”

Just as he clapped to exult in coming up with such a brilliant plan, Kazuma sensed the appearance of the tenth batch of ''youma''. At the same time, he noticed the presence of a certain someone he knew.

Kazuma's smile was arrogant.

“''Hehe'', not bad. Without my needing to say anything, our bait took up its role already.”

Listening to the wind, he identified the exact location.

“A little far... Should I jump?”

Jumping in the city might be seen by others. Kazuma's eyes subconsciously turned to the road while he pondered. His ears and eyes noticed “it” at the same time.

''Okay—let’s use that.''

Kazuma made up his mind immediately. He hopped over the protective railing and stood in the road. Following that, with his left leg as the center, he spun round once to pass the side of a motorcycle that sped through the sidewalk...

''“Wha—!?”''

The reverse spin kick swept at the neck of the rider.

While the rider was thrown off the motorcycle and still in mid-air, Kazuma—as if doing a magic trick—straddled the motorcycle.

''Thong!''

A blunt and heavy sound came from behind. It seemed the driver fell head first onto the ground—but since he was wearing a helmet, he wouldn't die at that kind of speed.

“I will try my best to return it to you.”

Kazuma muttered with his greatest sincerity—and then suavely sped off.

=== 3 ===

“Hey you girls, wanna—”

''Bang!''

The poor guy didn't not know how to look at the situation. Before he even completed his first sentence, he was sent flying into the air by the schoolbag that flew in from the side.

''“Scram!”''

Ayano yelled. His companions, seeing this, abandoned the unconscious man and instantly ran off. This was probably the most loyal and clever judgment made by self-survival instincts!

Yukari and Nanase did not rebut a single word all along; they knew better than anyone it wouldn't be a wise move.

The massive crowds all around the front of Ikebukuro station made it difficult for anyone to move on in a straight line—yet no one blocked Ayano’s way.

Like Moses who split the red sea in two, Ayano walked boldly on the path cleared right in the middle of the crowd.

''What was that!? What was that!? Sorry I'll only be a nuisance! Too bad I'm weaker than you! Gee, I'm so sorry—!''

In her heart, Ayano was used her ''Enraiha'' to stab that flippant detestable face.

Yet, no matter how she mashed or beat up that face, the fury in her showed no signs of abating.

“''Erm''...... Ayano?”

“What is it?”

Ayano looked back at Yukari with scary eyes that would even scare a yakuza. But when she saw Yukari retreat back in fear, she reflected on her own behavior.

“Give me a moment.”

Ayano turned her back on the two and took in a few deep breaths. After she finally managed to give a relaxed expression, she turned back at them, wearing a smile once more.

“What’s wrong?”

“''Ah, erm''...... We took the wrong way.”

“—''Huh?''”

Ayano looked around her, just to realize that this place seemed very unfamiliar to her.

“Where is this?”

“A small path by the main road.”

It seemed that because Ayano was walking without watching her way up till now, they had unknowingly walked into a separate road.

Even though this was a completely new place to them, they could still see the Tokyu Hands sign ahead. Apparently they hadn't strayed too far.

“''Ahaha''— Sorry, sorry. I was thinking about something.”

“Geez, this will not do— You should pay attention when you walk.”

Ayano gave an embarrassed smile. And Yukari smiled back at an appropriate time, lifting her hand to poke her forehead to lighten the mood.

“But, it's just one street away. Why did it become so empty suddenly?”

Ayano who didn't know too much about Ikebukuro said.

As she said, in this alleyway sandwiched between a car park and a love motel, there were just the three of them—no one else.

“Yeah...... There's no one around......”

This place shouldn't be so empty to have no one at all.

It was just like having a gap that suddenly appeared amidst the noisy city; the silence made one feel an unimaginable uneasiness.

“This kind of situation happens once in a while I guess. Today's not a holiday after all.”

As if trying to dispel the gloomy atmosphere, Nanase said confidently.

“Yeah, that’s right......”

“Alright, let’s go. Ayano too......”

At the instant she looked at Ayano, Nanase's eyes opened wide.

“Nanase......?”

Yukari looked in the direction of Nanase’s line of sight; her face also went stiff. An expression of a pale bloodless face filled with fear.

“Aww, don’t be like that—there's no need to be so afraid. I won’t scare you guys again.”

“Behind you!”

Nanase shouted out in a rare tone of panic. When Ayano heard it she stopped smiling and turned her whole body around.

“—!?”

Her heart almost jumped out from her throat.

Because that kind of thing was less than a meter away from her.

A semi-transparent and continuously wriggling piece of goo. It looked like a slime from an RPG, but Ayano clearly knew it wasn't something cute.

She ignored the eyes of the other two. Under an instinctive feeling of detest and irritation, Ayano released the flames.

''—Kaboom!''

The golden flames burnt the goo till there was no trace of it left.

“That...... That was scary......”

What a dangerous moment that was. If she were killed like this, it would probably be told to generations to come as the biggest humiliation of the Kannagi clan.

No matter how slow and pathetic the senses of a ''En-jutsushi'' may be, no matter how his attention was focused on other things, to be completely unaware of an abnormality that even a normal person would realize like just now was, without question, the biggest disgrace of all.

''I mustn't let others know of this......''

Ayano silently swore to bury this deep in her heart for the rest of her life.

“A—Ayano...... What was that just now......?”

“That's...... That's a good question...... I just saw a weird thing pop out, and then it suddenly caught fire......”

Ayano acted as though she knew nothing.

“Anyway, we better get out of this creepy place!”

She changed the topic immediately.

But Ayano had already sensed things were not that simple.

''This is not good...... This place is not Ikebukuro at all...... Can we get out......?''

All kinds of noise spread from the road just one street away. Yet this several tens of meters of distance was now even further away than the moon.

“A—Ayano, that!”

“''Ah''—Yeah.”

Ayano sensed it without even having to look at the thing Yukari pointed at.

Oozing continuously from all the gaps and cracks emerged a large mass of slime.

Not just from the sewer openings and water drains, the more exaggerating ones would be that they are coming out from the dispensing ports of automated selling machines, and from within the mailboxes.

The total number was countless.

“Those...... Those are—!? What the hell are these things!?”

“Calm down, Yukari.”

Ayano observed Nanase while she comforted Yukari who was out of control.

Nanase's face, normally calm and fearless, looked slightly distorted, but not to a large extent.

“Let me see— We should make a run for it first!”

Her mind was very clear despite how bad their situation was. As the opponent seemed to look very slow and clumsy, they should be able to escape easily.

So Nanase was indeed stunned as the globules all leaped at them. Who would have imagined that slimes could perform an amazing leap of over ten meters on the spot?

''—Oh shit!''

Ayano reflexively stimulated the power in her body. She placed her right hand at her left hip, and then, as she made one big step forward, she slashed horizontally out.

This was the posture of a ''battoujutsu'' without the blade. Yet there was indeed a blade that appeared there.

It was a bright crimson-red, double-edged straight sword. A golden flame possessing a shining and brilliant great power engulfed the blade.

''Enraiha''— The demon-slaying holy blade bestowed by the Lord of the Fire Spirits. The devastating flames that burst out from the blade burned all the youma in sight into a crisp.

“Phew—”

Breathing out softly, Ayano began to verify the safety of the two.

The two people before her were still in a state of extreme fear.

“It's okay now—don’t be afraid.”

Ayano wore a smile and took a step towards the two.

Yukari retreated three steps.

“Yukari......?”

Ayano only realized that what the two are afraid of now, was none other than herself.

Even Nanase, who tried her best to stand there, the fear on her face was plain to see.

“Ayano...... Just what are you......?”

“—!”

Ayano hid the ''Enraiha'' behind her immediately—but it was pointless doing so now.

''What...... What should I do......?''

She didn't feel ashamed of her powers, but instead she was very proud of them.

Even so, the fearful eyes that her best friends placed on her made her feel very painful.

It was not strange that the two would be afraid of Ayano. But, it was a kind of fear towards “a scary person”.

By now these two people had classified Ayano as “a scary person”. To them Ayano was the same as those blobs.

“N—No...... I......”

The moment she opened her mouth, the expression of the two flinched. Seeing their expressions, Ayano understood it was pointless no matter how she tried to explain herself. She shut her mouth.

She couldn't face them; she lowered her head, her body trembling lightly. As she lost her will, the flames vanished from the blade of ''Enraiha''.

“—Behind you!”

Nanase’s warning sounded off once more. Yet, Ayano had no strength to respond to her voice.

Behind Ayano who stood there emptily, a big lump of slime wriggled inexorably closer.

The blob that collapsed from above her head swallowed Ayano in the blink of an eye.

“—Is this the place?’

Kazuma muttered after parking the motorcycle he borrowed.

Attracted by Ayano’s vigor, a large group of ''youma'' gathered here at one go. This would allow him to be able to conduct a reverse investigation.

“Good job, Ayano— ''Hmm?''”

After nodding proudly, Kazuma finally realized something was amiss.

Ayano’s scent was very weak, and was surrounded by ''youma''—or should it be said that she was swallowed within.

“Even if you are the bait, there's no need to go to such an extent! What is this girl doing?”

Kazuma knew very clearly how powerful this kind of ''youma'' was. Even if their numbers filled up the entire Tokyo Dome, it would be impossible for Ayano to lose.

However, Ayano was now being swallowed up.

“Gee, what a trouble-maker—”

Kazuma grumbled unhappily. He stepped onto the motorcycle and flew off into the sky. He remained motionless in the air, and began to observe the inside of the ''kekkai''.

Even though it was only as thick as a piece of thin skin, but it was a space completely isolated from the real world. There was no way to get there through physical means.

Of course, it was the same for the wind.

A natural phenomenon like the wind could only operate revolving around the same world; it was unable to affect other worlds. If there was a wall that could be broken, it might still be possible—but there was no way to affect a space of a different dimension.

—That was the case for a “natural phenomenon."

Kazuma raised his right hand towards the sky. A large number of wind spirits responded to Kazuma’s summon, and gathered consistently.

In terms of spirit techniques, it was not just simply controlling a natural phenomenon. Using the phenomenon as a medium, so that his will could manifest in this world was the quintessence of it.

Imagining the edges of the abnormal space, Kazuma input the power into the wind to break that space.

From directly above it he took the thin and sharp “will” he made—

''“Gah!”''

—And fired it!

The raging wind broke the dimensional gap.

=== 4 ===

“I thought that it was the descent of God.”

Yukari said so after the incident.

This is the first time she felt the beauty of a powerful person.

Bringing forth the winds, an embodiment of great power descending suavely. That scene was reflected in Yukari’s eyes.

An invisible force that came from the skies crushed the gigantic youma in one blow.

Ayano rolls out from within that youma like a puppet. The amazing thing is, she did not suffer any injuries, not just that, there is not a single piece of goo sticking onto her.

This is the power of “purification” that only destroys demons------ The special demon slaying power that the Kannagi is so proud of.

“…… Cough……. Cough cough!”

He uses a cold gaze to stare at the girl who is coughing vigorously to try to breathe, and orders her strictly..

“Stand up.”

(…… What is she doing?)

After he clears off all the wriggling pieces of goo, Kazuma observes Ayano once more.

Her “ki” is unbelievably weak. The amount of vigor that was absorbed by the low level youma isn’t that much, yet she seems so expended she is like an average person.

“…… Kazuma?”

The pathetic way she lies on the floor, looking at him dumbly made him feel very displeased. Not a single shred of her usual dominance could be felt from her, her expression looks as nervous and uneasy as an abandoned puppy.

(Just what has she been doing since just now?)

“Stand up.”

He uses a pressurizing tone to command her. Even so, Ayano still showed some form of resistance. She obeys the command, using Enraiha as a crutch, she slowly stands up.

Against that pair of cold eyes that is staring right into her, Ayano does not dare face it. All that can be seen is how she peeks behind Kazuma’s right hand from time to time.

Of course, Kazuma noticed that there are two people there. Judging from how they wear the same uniform as Ayano, they are probably not people who are just passing by so coincidentally.

“Erm...... Err…… This is……”

Ayano’s gaze shifts between Enraiha and the two girls, who are standing there blankly, continuously. Just looking at her now, in his heart, Kazuma guessed pretty much what this is about.

(Gee……)

He stretches one finger out between Ayano’s eyes. The eyes that were originally busy shifting around, was captivated by the finger that appeared suddenly before her.

While Ayano’s conscious is still focused on the finger, Kazuma shouts loudly..

“ “Thou who hast been blessed by the spirits, where does thy power lie?” “
[or more literally: People who receives the blessings of spirits, what is your power used for? In a more olden days context, similar to the ones used by Horo in S&W]

That is a pledge------ and an article during sermons. This is the most basic pledge that spirit standard Jutsushis act upon.

Ever since Ayano was little, Juugo has been repeating this sentence continuously. Even if she is completely out of it, she still remembers clearly the line that follows.

“My…… “My power lies to protect. As a ministrant of the spirits, to slay the demons in this world, to uphold the truth is where my duty lies. Never to be forgotten------“ “

Suddenly, her tense speech stopped.

Ayano, whose eyes are focused at Kazuma’s fingertip, as if shocked by electricity, she lifts her head up to stare at Kazuma. Those eyes glow with a light of understanding.

She shifts her eyes to the side, looking at Yukari and Nanase. And finally downwards------ At the Enraiha that is in her right hand.

Ayano grabs the hilt that was originally hanging at her fingertips tightly.

When she raised her head up once more, the lost looks she had earlier has already vanished without a trace. Ayano uses her words to reinforce that pledge all over again.

“To protect------ The people I love!”

A dazzling flame bursts out from Enraiha. That is no longer an injured girl. Understanding the meaning of power, the duty that she bears, as a powerful En-Jutsushi, she stares right back at Kazuma’s eyes.

Kazuma shows a smile at his lips, and stretches a finger to poke Ayano’s forehead gently. Pak! Ayano’s head tilts backwards.

“Ahhh!? What are you doing, don’t do that------“

Ignoring Ayano who bloats her cheek and complains, Kazuma places his attention on the surroundings.

Unsure whether it is the self-regeneration of the remaining goo or a new batch emerging out, by now, countless goo pieces are surrounding them.

“So then------“

Not asking if she “can do it?” or “are you okay?”, that level of injury, there is no need to show solicitude. To put it more plainly, it is the level of it does not matter at all.

Because, the power they have exists precisely for this.

“I leave those at the back to you.”

“Leave it to me.”

Ayano replies without hesitation. The two walk out back-to-back at the same time.

“------ Kazuma.”

He did not answer, but he stopped in his steps.

“Thank you.”

Still, there was no answer. Only sounds of silent footsteps ring by her ears.

Ayano closes her eyes gently, trying her best to remember what she needs to do.

(Yukari, Nanase…… Farewell……)

It would be a lie to say that she doesn’t feel lonely or sad. But even so------

(Even so, I must protect everyone------)

She opens her eyes. There is not a single trace of gloominess or darkness in that pure and clear mind.

An explosion sounds off, golden flames bursts from all over her body. Inputting all of her upsurge of powers---

“Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Under a sharp scream, Ayano swung her Enraiha.

“Looking quite good------“

His back filled with explosive “ki”, Kazuma can’t help but give a bitter smile.

At this rate, these monsters will not be able to hold out very long. He must achieve his objective soon------

Kazuma blocks the two who are staring at Ayano with their eyes wide open, and says leisurely..

“Stay where you are, if you run around, you might be killed!”

Following that, he releases wind blades once more with ease, slicing the youma that is approaching consistently.

Shu! Pach! Pff! Puu!

In a radius of five meters around Kazuma, horrifying killing sounds sounded off over and over again.

The wind that Kazuma manipulates becomes blades at times, hammer at times, cutting the youma one by one, smashing them.

The youma is crushed in a moment, but in the blink of an eye, they recover instantly. They are originally something similar to a shape-shifting worm, without a standard form, so physical attacks have no effect at all.
Yet Kazuma still continues releasing wind. Even though it cannot cause fatal damage, but the raging winds can make the groups of youma unable to close in on them.

And so after a few minutes------

(------Found it.)

Kazuma who is surrounded by youma gives a proud smile. Almost at the same time, Ayano who completed her mission broke through the frontlines and appears before them.

“My side is finished------ What are you doing?”

Ayano uses a puzzled expression to stare at Kazuma who is playing with the youma.

“Just as you can see.”

“No…… It is precisely because I don’t get it that I am asking you.”

“The enemy is a being without form, no matter how I slice it, it will recover once more.”

“Then can’t you just purify them…… Or is that to say, you cannot use the power of purification like this!?”

Kazuma usually seals his strength firmly. Even though when he used the purifying winds in front of Ayano in the past, he had released the seal------

“Nope.”

“Really? You better speak the truth, and fast!”

Ayano did not ease her questioning. Thinking that she might be able to get hold of Kazuma’s weakness, her face becomes filled with expectation.

“Really. Besides, I don’t really want to dampen your mood……”

“What?”

”Even if what you said is true, but if the opponent is human, there is no such problem.”

“Hmm……”

Indeed, even if that is the truth, Ayano’s chances of winning will not increase.

Ayano, who had been so excited about nothing, looks very disappointed. Kazuma knocks her head and leaves the aftermath to her.

“So, I leave the rest up to you. I am going to head straight for their main camp.”

“You found it already!?”

”Yeah, things really are different when you have good bait.”

“Bait------?”

Ayano ponders on what this means. When she realized it, her face flushed red instantly.

“You…… You asshole, you used me again didn’t you!?”

“This is a misunderstanding.”

“Just which part of it is a misunderstanding!?”

“When I thought of having you as bait, you had already ran up and became the bait yourself, so it is not my fault at all.”

Kazuma says so seriously.

“You are really……”

“Sorry, I am in a rush for time. I shall listen to your complains in the future!”

Kazuma throws down this sentence coldly, and turns to leave. Ayano hurriedly shouts out to call out to him..

“Wait… Wait a minute! I am going with you too------“

“I see that you have a lot of things to settle? I will leave markings on the road, so catch up on your own later!”

Obviously, the so called “a lot of things” does not only mean eliminating the youma.

As Ayano’s eyes are directed towards Yukari and Nanase, Kazuma rides the wind, flying up into the sky.

“Ah, I told you to wait!”

Kazuma ignores the shout, and breaks the boundaries as when he entered, and vanishes.

Logically, Ayano knows that Kazuma’s choice is correct. But, she is unable to accept it like this. “She has been abandoned once more”, “he is obviously looking down on her”, this kind of thinking lingers in her heart, showing no sign of dispersing.

“Wuuuuu<nowiki>~~</nowiki>”

She groans in hatred, but Kazuma is long gone. So she places all her unreleased fury onto the enemy.

Her fierce scary eyes stared directly at the goo pieces. Faced with an abnormally strong murderous atmosphere, even the youma that bears no intelligence can’t help but retreat.

“Kazuma……”

She instills all her power into Enraiha. A glaring golden glow that makes one hard to look directly at it emerges from the crimson blade vigorously.

“You idiot-------------------------------!!”

After releasing a massive load of plasma, she burns off most of the youma at one go.

“------Phew.”

After burning up all the youma, Ayano breathes out, satisfied.

The result from converting all her stress into destructive behavior, she became very calm now. Just that some of the surrounding buildings were dragged into this pointless disaster, being destroyed together with the youma.

If this is not a different dimension, there would probably be over a hundred casualties?

After the youma that controls this dimension is destroyed, the area begins to return to its original state slowly.

Everything returned to the way they should be. Ayano and her friends returned to the original world as well.

(Now…… To settle “a lot of things”.)

Ayano looks at Yukari and Nanase. Perhaps because they have finally calmed down, the two generously meet with her gaze.

“……………………..”

Even though there are a lot of things that she must explain to them, Ayano cannot bring herself to say them.

For some time, the three exchanged silent stares.

“I……”

As though she had made up her mind, Ayano tries her best to put up a calm front and smiled at the two of them.

“So, good bye.”

In the end, that is all she can say. Tossing all the necessary explanations out of her mind, Ayano turns her back at the two of them.

She tries to hold back the tears that are swelling in her eyes and walks off------ But she stopped almost immediately.

“Wait, Ayano!”

Yukari grabs the lower area of her uniform, pulling her back forcefully.

“Yukari……?”

Ayano turns around and upon seeing the scene before her, she frowns instantly.

Yukari’s expression------ Looks perfectly normal, yet that is the most abnormal part of it.

There is not a single shred of fear in her face, nor any determination to attempt to overcome fear. All there is on that face is a brimming light filled with curiosity.

Yukari shows an expression of a prankster and says to the puzzled Ayano:

“After witnessing something so interesting, how can you leave without explaining things first?”

“What……”

Her curiosity overwhelms her fear. Even though Ayano is very puzzled by Yukari’s as per normal behavior, if she does not explain clearly first, it seems that Yukari will not let her go. As she does not want to turn and leave directly, Ayano started to make her long story as short as possible.

“Frankly speaking, my family is of a En-jutsushi clan that manipulates fire------“

”No! Not that!”

“……Huh?”

“I mean that man just now------ Kazuma-san! What kind of person is he? How did you get to know each other? What is your relationship with him now? Come on, spill everything, tell us all about how you two met------“

“Hey!”

Nanase knocks lightly on Yukari’s head, who has been rattling on and on.”

“Ouch, that hurts, Nanase~”

“Be quiet. All because of your constant nonsensical rumblings, Ayano has no idea what to do now. Besides, if you expect us to pretend that nothing happened just now, that is wishful thinking on your part!”

“Argh…… So that won’t happen huh?”

Before Ayano, who is at a complete loss, the two stood up. And------

“Sorry.”

Yukari bows down deeply.

“Yeah…… We are really sorry about earlier.”

Nanase at the side, embarrassed, avoids eye contact with Ayano, and apologizes.

“…… What is going on?”

“Actually, I was really afraid at first. Because fire burst out all of a sudden, and a sword came out from nowhere, Ayano seems to have turned into a totally different person. But after seeing how you talk back and forth with Kazuma-san like that, I know that you are still that Ayano I used to know.”

“Talking back and forth with Kazuma...... You……”

To suddenly be taken that they were having a cross talk, Ayano is displeased. Nanase continues to say at this moment:

“That is to say, there is no need to change our attitude towards you just because you can use some spells or supernatural powers.”

“B…… But…… Aren’t you afraid of me? If I want to, I can kill you two without so much as lifting a finger?”

“So?”

Nanase asks back calmly.

“What……”

”You still don’t get it? There is no need for you to use some special powers, you can kill us just with your bare hands!”

“That…… is true.”

“So then why should we start being afraid of you only from now on? Even if you change a gun to a cannon, you still die in a single shot.”

There is a certain limit to the amount of damage a human can withstand. Once he sustains an injury beyond this limit, he is doomed. There can never be a negative value being created in this manner.

To someone who possesses ten points of HP, taking ten points of damage and a thousand points of damage are basically the same. The remaining nine hundred and ninety points of damage are but an excess.

Yet, there are not many people that can understand such a simple logic in reality. Being by the side of a murderer whom you do not know, you will feel uneasy. That is to say------

“That is to say, the main point lies in whether you trust the person. But I have faith in you all along.”

“Ayano has never been someone who would harm another without a reason, so, I am not afraid at all.”

Ayano looks dumbly at the two of them, Yukari asks uneasily:

“So…… Please don’t hate us, can we still be good friends from now on?”

“……Yukari……”

Tears were about to fall from her eyes, but she never enjoyed saddening atmospheres. Ayano gets a hold of herself, and straights her thumb up from her raised fist.

“Of course! Even if you don’t want to, I will not let you go!”

After acknowledging their friendship again, Yukari begins her attack once more.

“Since we have all made up, I say we should let Ayano explain clearly, everything about that man of hers!”

“Who are you calling my man!”

“Kazuma-san.”

Yukari says as if it is only natural.

“I say, you------“

“Ayano, if you think that your love for him is only single sided, I think you are wrong! I am sure Kazuma-san cares a lot about you as well.”

“That’s right. Let’s forget about whether it has reached the level of love, but anyway you have created in him a liking towards you. So there is still a chance!”

Even Nanase joined in the ruckus. This made Ayano feel very troubled.

“I already told you, that guy is…… What?”

Seeing the two of them giving her a supercilious look, Ayano stopped even before she finished her rebut.

“You really are… Just earlier on you appeared to depend on him so much, and now you want to say “I have no feelings at all”?”

“I…… I did not depend on him……”

”Oh? Then when you were so lost and depressed, who was it that got you back up?”

“……You, the cause of it all, still dare to talk about that.”

“That is another matter.”

Nanase does not care about Ayano’s retaliation at all. In this world, there are a lot of things in which people with strong attitudes usually have an advantage over those who don’t.

“And, why do you two want to ask about Kazuma only now? You were obviously not so interested when you met him last time.”

“Because he looked like just some flippant man then.”

“…… Isn’t that the way he is?”

“Huh------ Of course not. Kazuma-san is so suave!”

Yukari says so cheekily. Ayano on the other hand stares at her with ice cold eyes below zero degrees Celsius.

“------ Yukari, your taste in men is rather unique.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t try to steal him away from you.”

Ayano’s eyes become even colder, but Yukari’s face continues to wear that smile of hers:

“So then, leaving Ayano’s feelings at one side, tell us about Kazuma. When and where did you meet? Speaking of which, I don’t think we have his name yet------“

Even though the questions are coming constantly and flooding her, but Ayano sighs out in relief having escaped from her questioning. Her mouth naturally became a little loose.

“The first time I met him, is probably the day I was born, even though I have long since forgotten about it. His current surname seems to be Yagami.”

“Current? You mean it is different last time?”

The two of them did not miss this small little detail. Faced with Nanase who asked that question, Ayano replies calmly:

“His original name is Kazuma Kannagi. He is my second cousin, and Ren’s biological elder brother at the same time.”

After explaining briefly her relationship with Kazuma, Yukari and Nanase both have a strange expression on their face.

“What’s the matter?”

Ayano asks, puzzled. Yukari uses an earnest tone to say to her:

“Kazuma-san is so caring.”

“Ah!?”

Hearing such an unexpected answer, Ayano screamed out loudly. But turning around to look at Nanase, she is nodding strongly as well.

“He…… Just which part of him is caring?”

“Don’t you know?”

Yukari asks Ayano back in a very surprised tone. Not just being surprised at how slow Ayano is, her eyes carry a certain obvious blaming glare.

“Kazuma-san has been constantly bullied in the past isn’t he? Not only that, he was even chased out of the family because he did not possess “power”. “

“After receiving such treatment, normally speaking he will not want to have any interactions with you people. But if it is for revenge, that would be a different case.”

Nanase follows on to say:

“But, Yagami Kazuma protected you instead. And not just protect you from all harm, and even encourage you to stand up once more with your own strength.”

“How thoughtful, Kazuma-san is just like Ayano’s knight.”

“……Ah?”

After Yukari said this sentence from the bottom of her heart, Ayano was at a loss for words.

“What…… What are you talking about! Who would want a knight with a flawed personality like him! As long as I am around him, I have an urge to kill him every five minutes.”

Ayano who finally got back to her senses tries hard to defend herself, but the other two kept on sighing with a “What can we do with her” kind of attitude instead.

Hearing that, Ayano became more furious.

“Just because you two have no idea how bad he is, that is why you are mistaking him for a good guy. He even used me as bait, and I almost died because of it!”

“But aren’t you still alive now?”

Nanase rebuts calmly:

“When you were really in danger, didn’t he come over to save you?”

“Argh……”

Spot on. But if she is to say such a thing, she will only receive even more vigorous rebuts. There is no way she can reply honestly.

“A……Anyway, that guy is one big badass! The reason he came to save me purposely this time must be for his own joy.”

“Look at her, Ayano is really not honest with herself.”

“It is that Yukari is too naïve! Don’t drag everything into boy-girl relationships!”

After shouting out in reflex, Ayano finally remembered that now is not the time to chat casually. She looks in the direction Kazuma disappeared in, her eyebrows shows a sign of anxiety.

“So, I shall make a move first. I don’t think anything will happen anymore, but still, be careful!”

With that, Ayano runs off leaving the two behind.

Yukari bears a very displeased expression, looking at the back of that person who ran off without turning her head back to look at them.

“Gee, that Ayano. It is so obvious that you have a love rival, if you continues to be so stubborn, what are you going to do then?”

Nanase at the side seems more calm on the other hand.

“Don’t just look at the negative side, be more positive!”

“More positive?”

“For example……”

After keeping Yukari in suspense for a while, she says with a serious look on her face:

“We can have some fun with this topic for quite a while.”

“………………”

Yukari’s eyes blink continuously. She looks dumbly at Nanase, her entire body frozen for a few seconds.

And then------

“Good idea, Nanase.”

She puts up a boxing pose, placing tiny fists at her chest.

“Let us observe their development quietly from now on!”

With a pure and holy smile similar to a loving mother------ Yet the contents of their speech is filled with bad intents.

That is to say, to not help the two develop their relationship to the next level, but to observe Ayano’s reactions for fun.

“That is exactly what we should do.”

Of course, Nanase has no objections either.

“If some other party take part in this, maybe things will become even more complicated.”

“Yeah, and there seems to be a lot of hidden complicated facts mixed within as well.”

The two smiles to each other, holding each other’s hands strongly.

“Hoho, we are really thoughtful towards our friends.”

Yukari thinks so from the bottom of her heart------ As to what Ayano thinks about this decision, that is another problem.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 1

2009-02-23T03:56:51Z

Stealth: /* Chapter One - Banquet for Victory -The Chosen Ones- */ Jugo -> Juugo

== Chapter One - Banquet for Victory -The Chosen Ones- ==
=== 1 ===
This is common.

You could say it is something that has become a part of their lives.

However, Yukari and Nanase can both sense the tension.

A tension that is hard to ignore.

“Didn’t I say so already? You girls will definitely not be bored. I know a great club! I just need to show my face for us to get in.”

”Come on! Let’s go! What fun is there to be had with only females?”

As the two exchange glances, a group of men with weak appearances make a vulgar speech in a flippant manner. They don’t look too bad, but their idiotic speech and actions show no class at all.

In simpler terms, they are trying to pick the girls up.

This is common.

Even though their appeals may differ, the three are beautiful girls that make one's eyes light up. They know exactly how to deal with such pick-up artists. Or at least they did, until now.

“----------------------------“

Suddenly, the third girl who has not spoken a word until now begins to move. She slowly raises her head, and looks into the eyes of the man in front of her.

“That place is frequently visited by idols, stars and models! We have many such friends, and if you are interested, we can introduce them to you……”

Glared at by cold eyes that chill to the bone, the originally glib man is unable to speak another word.

“Get lost.”

”……Yes.”

The men leave pitifully. Yet the girl does not even look at them, and instead puts on an unchanging, cold expression and leaves as if nothing has happened.

“……Ayano.”

“What’s wrong?”

The girl, Ayano Kannagi, seems rather displeased, and turns her head with those words.

“You seem to be really harsh on the people who've tried to pick us up recently?”

”It is just your imagination.”

Ayano replies, straying from the point.

“But……”

Yukari lifts her head to look at Nanase with pleading eyes.

Nanase nods and says, “Yup, you're really overdoing it recently. Let’s take last time for example - you actually used the corner of your schoolbag to hit the person’s temple.”

“Ah, that one was really scary. The whites of his eyes showed, and blood was flowing from his ears and nose-“

”……Does it matter, anyway? We called an ambulance for him.”

Nanase looks hard at the moody Ayano, and slowly closes in on the main point.

“Ayano, something happened between a guy and you, didn't it?”

”Wh-what…… What are you talking about?!”

The sudden question left Ayano unable to hide the stir in her heart.

“Hehe~”

Nanase gives off a smile deep with meaning.

“You, a father-complex girl, finally seem to be starting to show interest in guys other than your father.”

“I am not a father-lover.”

Ayano swiftly regains her calmness, and says strongly, “I just have never met a guy better than my father that’s all.”

“………………”

Nanase meets Yukari’s eyes, as if to say “what a headache,” and sighs.

“I admit, your father is indeed a mature and relaxed middle-aged man, but you cannot possibly find that kind of feeling in a young guy right?”

“That is not true. Father was young once too, so as long as I find someone similar-“

Half-way through, she shuts her mouth and frowns, as the conversation has somehow reminded her of that detestable man.

Seemingly difficult to approach, yet uncommonly relaxed- a person undoubtedly qualified to be considered alongside her father.

He is not like Juugo at all. Indeed, he is the total opposite.

But... he is very powerful. Not just his strength, but his entire existence. In that sense, he is comparable to the strongest man, Juugo, that she knows-

“Aya---no~“

Hearing the call rife with laughter, Ayano, who has stopped moving, returns to her senses.

“You are thinking of the guy you like right now, aren’t you?”

“Of…… Of course not! That kind of guy!”

“Which kind of guy?”

Being asked such a question, Ayano loses her strength for a moment.

“Nanase…… Even you……”

”Be honest! Such an interesting topic, I bet even Yukari won’t let it go easily either right?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

Yukari nods happily. Ayano stares at her two friends who intend to extract every single detail with antagonistic scrutiny.

Shinomiya Yukari and Kudo Nanase. They are both students of Seiryo Academy, where Ayano studies, and at the same time her best friends - even though there are times when she wonders about the friendship between them.

Yukari’s shoulder-length, beautiful hair moves up and down like waves, her face always shows a gentle smile and her speech is slightly slow. It is unclear whether she should be considered “mellow” or just “slow.” Regardless, from this description, one can probably imagine that she is a laid-back person.

In contrast, Nanase’s hairstyle is a refreshing blunt bob. She seems casually calm, and her swift movements and tone show no sign they belong to a girl, giving people an unsettled feeling, making her the type to receive a lot of chocolates on Valentine's Day.<ref>In Japan, girls are the ones who give out chocolate on Valentine's, so the implication here is that Nanase is popular with other girls.</ref>

These two girls are opposites no matter how you look at it, but what is truly remarkable is that when they tease Ayano, they exhibit perfect harmony in their cooperation - although to Ayano, this is something unbearable.

“Come on, tell us, what kind of person is it?”

“I already said there is no such person! By the way...”

Ayano stares at Yukari with accusing eyes.

“Aren’t we going to eat cakes now?”

”Yes, that is right.”

”Then why are we on this road!?”

In the direction which Ayano points her finger stands a long row of accommodations designed for a very specific purpose.

Just as with a haunted house in a back-country area, though there is nothing particularly odd about their appearance, they possess an atmosphere unlike that of a normal hotel.

That is right. For, as the three (except for a certain someone) were chatting happily, they had unintentionally come to the entrance for the street of love hotels.

Realizing that they are arguing in a special area, Ayano can’t help but blush. But Yukari’s smile did not change at all.

“This is a short-cut.”

”Even so, this kind of place……”

”Don’t worry. No one would think that we are going to play 3P.”

Ayano's face carries a pained expression, as she looks at this innocently smiling friend who has just said something very shocking.

“You…… Don’t use that cute face to say something so shocking, okay?”

“Kay~ But this kind of thing is nothing compared to Ayano's normal behavior.”

”…… What is the meaning of that?”

Against Ayano’s squinting eyes, Yukari puts on her usual smiling face. Though she may look easy-going, she is definitely not on the losing side.

Ayano, who realizes that she is at a disadvantage, decides to forcefully end the chat.

“Anyway, let’s not walk this way. Let’s go another way!”

”Geez, Ayano is so squeaky clean.”

“Squeaky clean? That doesn't even need to be said! This kind of hotel, whose only use is for people to share a bed - who knows what the people going in are thinking?!”

Ayano sounds violent, and scowls angrily at the love hotels as though they had killed her father, when suddenly, her expression freezes.

Yukari and Nanase follow Ayano’s line of sight. What lies there is...

“As agitated as always.”

A man and a beautiful lady, sticking closely together, walking out from the hotel street.

His age appears to be about twenty-something, with an upright face that could be considered handsome, but his expression seems to be rather sloven. A light smirk appears on his mouth, forcefully pulling the grade of this person down thirty percent.

“You should at least put some thought into your surroundings.”

The man makes fun of the dumbfounded Ayano and continues to speak.

“You are already a high school student. It is about time you know what shame is……”

Her ears hearing the man's incendiary words, Ayano’s frozen brain begins to thaw. Information begins to flow in, and she regains consciousness.

The man before her eyes is Kazuma Yagami. This is the man that Ayano hates most. As for the woman beside him, she has never seen her before. In addition, this is a love hotel street.

Catching up to this point, Ayano’s brain, which had finally returned to a normal temperature, suddenly began to heat up. Gripped with an inexplicable fury, Ayano shouts, “You…… What are you doing in a place like this!?”

“...Ayano?”

Yukari and Nanase share a puzzled look, looking at their friend who has suddenly fallen into a rage. Both pairs of eyes show no indecision, and seem to be simultaneously asking, “What is she talking about?”.

This question is not one that needs to be asked. Just as Ayano has said, there is only one thing to do in a love hotel - even if there are many different ways and methods; there is only one reason to be here, basically.

On the other hand, Kazuma who has drawn Ayano’s rage upon him simply shows a light smile, as usual.

“Asking me what I am doing- Ah, it is so hard to say it out loud~ ♥“

He acts shy, daintily using his hand to cover his mouth as he says that.

At this instant, the dozens of neural synapses of logic in Ayano’s brain snapped all at once.

Feeling the furious spiritual energy arising from Ayano, Yukari and Nanase can’t help but move back. But, even when engulfed in such a strong murderous intent, one that even normal people would notice and fear, Kazuma and the woman beside him do not change the relaxed smiles on their faces.

The woman ignores Ayano’s furious eyes as if they are nothing, her lips go close to Kazuma’s ears and ask, “This girl, is she Kazuma’s girlfriend?”

“Kirika…… That joke is not funny at all!”

After such a semi-derogatory question, Kazuma answers with an irritated look. Listening, Kirika glances at Ayano, and laughs lightly.

(------! This darn woman-!)

Seeing the seemingly taunting attitude of this person, Ayano views Kirika as an “enemy”. As if seeking a weak spot, she sizes Kirika up from head to toe. But...

(Argh……)

Although slim, she has a good figure, filled with femininity.

From the angle of a “woman,” Ayano has no way to compete.

Ayano is also a rare beauty, but her state of maturity is far below Kirika's. Future development or hidden potential have no effect now. Because in a battle in the real world, current capabilities decide everything.

Even so, if the opponent is just someone who devotes all nutrients, even those that should go to the brain, into her breasts and hips, Ayano will not concede defeat.

But, Kirika is different. Those thin, long eyes of hers carry the light of wisdom, clearly indicating that she is not just some vulgar woman who only knows how to fawn on guys.

Slightly older than Kazuma, she looks as if she is around twenty-five. From the way she can casually face up to Ayano’s killing intent as if it were not there, she is clearly not an average businesswoman. Maybe they are in the same trade?

Ayano bears the silent torture of inferiority, and continues to glare at the two with angry eyes.

“Kazuma?”

Kirika accepts Ayano’s eyes generously, and holds her body even more closely against Kazuma’s arm. Rather than a demonstration of love, this action seems more like she's trying to tightly hang on.

“Should I arrest you for lewd acts against an underage female?”

“Don’t be like that.”

Kazuma seems very displeased.

“She is just a distant relative. I've done nothing, nor have any intentions of doing anything.”

”Then, why is she angry?”

”She is always angry. Just ignore her.”

“Oh~”

Kirika looks towards Ayano once more, her face showing a smile with deep meaning. Ayano notices, her mind tangled in an instant.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 017.jpg|thumb]]

“I think it would be better to explain.”

”There's no need for that, it's too troublesome. Let’s go!”

Upon saying this, Kazuma pulls Kirika and walks away. As his eyes meet Ayano’s, he puts on a serious expression and warns Ayano, ”Go back quickly! This is no place for children.”

Kazuma walks past Ayano with ease, who is so angry her whole body is trembling. As the two sides pass one another, Kirika looks at Ayano. Those eyes, filled with sympathy, totally enrage Ayano, before departing in an utterly relaxed manner.

Yukari remained where she was, dumbly sending off the close pair with her eyes. She looks to the side, and coincidentally meets Nanase’s eyes.

At this moment, silence is golden. The two exchange bitter smiles, and as if they had discussed it much earlier, look towards Ayano who still has not turned back.

“So that's it.”

Nanase nods heavily.

“No wonder you were so harsh to those people who tried to pick us up.”

“That's right. It is really tough to like someone like that.“

“But what a surprise, I never thought Ayano would like flippant guys like that.”

“...You two……”

Ayano turns slowly.

In a gentle, but equally chilling tone, she answers, “What are you two talking about?”

”What else?“

Yukari answers straightforwardly.

“Ayano, you like that guy right? Although it looks one-sided.”

”You……What makes you two think that way?”

”Just think about your reaction just now. No matter how we look at it, it is of 'a jealous girl seeing the guy she likes getting snatched away,' right?”

“There is no such thing! It is definitely not that way!!”

Ayano shouts out, blushing. Her voice is so loud it almost seems to reach as far as the eye can see.

“Ayano, you were too loud.”

Ignoring Yukari’s warning, Ayano furiously continues to say, “Why would I like that kind of lowlife?! That is the type of person I hate most in this world! If I could have, I would have sliced him into pieces!!”

“Then why are you angry?”

Yukari rebuts with a calm voice.

“If you really didn’t like him, then it doesn't matter who he sleeps with, right? What would there be to be angry about?”

“This……This is because…… That……

……I just cannot bear to see someone like Kazuma sleep with that kind of beauty! They are not at all compatible!”

Ayano grips her fist tightly and tries her best to explain, as the other two look at her with cold eyes.

(What do you think?)

(She doesn’t seem to be lying…… Could it be, she hasn’t even realized it herself?)

(If that's the case, then she is not just slow - there is something completely wrong with her……)

(But... that is just like Ayano.)

(Yeah that’s true.)

“You two! Don’t whisper among yourselves right in front of me!”

Getting shouted at by Ayano, Nanase swiftly straightens her body. Following this, she uses a very serious expression, like someone who is faking marriage just to grab a hold of the password to a credit card, in order to say, “Ah. Okay okay. I get it, you really hate that man.”

”Yup, completely understood.”

Yukari chimes in instantly. They are indeed Ayano’s best friends, their actions matching flawlessly.

Ayano’s expression reveals her continued suspicion.

“...Really?”

“Of course.”

”Fine then.”

Ayano nods, though her expression still shows displeasure. After everything has come to an end, and the two give a sigh of relief-

“Ah, that is the girl. Mister Hanagi.”

Those guys had chosen the worst possible time to appear.

“These are the ones?”

The man they called Hanagi points his finger towards the three and says...

“You guys were scared off by these three girls?”

“Because the girl in the middle has a really scary stare……”

”That girl is really arrogant. Please teach her some manners, Go-san!”

The men who are saying these things are the punks, numbers one and two (temporarily named), who were driven off by Ayano earlier. It seems that because they were rejected so vehemently by Ayano, resentment arose, and so they found someone to help them take their revenge!

-- They do not come any lower than that.

“We invited you so nicely to have some fun, and yet you told us to 'get lost'. That was really rude. Now apologize.”

“----------------------“

Ayano stares at the group of men, her eyes indicating that they are unworthy even of notice. Seeing those ice cold eyes, punks numbers one and two cannot help but retreat several steps, though Hanagi shows no sign of fear.

“That trick of yours won’t work! Hanagi-san knows Shaolin fist techniques!”

“Please do it! Go Hanagi-san!”

Numbers one and two cower behind Hanagi and continue to shout. Ignoring the two who are merely relying on Hanagi’s strength, Ayano stares at Hanagi alone.

As they have mentioned, the man before her eyes seems to have undergone a certain level of training. As he wears only a thin, sleeveless sweater under his leather coat, his protruding muscles can be clearly seen. It is a body specially made for combat.

“For a woman to be so arrogant, that is why you are having such an unlucky encounter. Don’t try to go against men from now on.”

Hanagi reaches his hand out in a rough manner, intending to grab Ayano’s chin to lift her face.

At the instant his fingertips touch her chin, Ayano moves swiftly.

She angles her body and moves forward, while at the same time dodging Hanagi’s hand. Into Hanagi’s defenseless chest, Ayano cleanly swings her bent left arm.

Ayano’s elbow strikes the lower region of Hanagi’s earlobe, where the jaw is. This is a sudden full-force attack, and a powerful strike that even contains “ki”. It would not be surprising even if his jaw fell off from his face.

Hanagi’s body flies into the air in a spiral. His legs, which have left the ground, tangle together like twisted bread, and subsequently spray outwards with reactive force.

Hanagi’s body keeps on spinning, and after a sickening three and a half round rotation, he naturally has a failed landing; his whole body flattened against the outer wall of a hotel.

Splat.

A wet sound propagated along the entire street. This was definitely not a sound made by a human body. If a freshly slaughtered piece of flesh, with blood still dripping, was smashed into a wall, it would probably make this kind of sound.

Several seconds after Hanagi has been hammered into the wall, he falls to the floor like a flattened cockroach.

On the red bricks of the hotel wall, a fluid even more red than the bricks forms an eerie human figure.

“Uh... uh~”

Seeing Hanagi, blood pouring out of seven holes and his body twitching, Nanase draws a cross towards the sky. Beside her, Yukari places her hands together and closes her eyes to pray.

“Huh…… Huh huh……”

”Hanagi-san……”

The remaining two guys give voice to pitiful cries in tones that have reached the utmost limit of fear.

Ayano silently walks past the two men, who are unable to move their feet, and can only stand there like idiots.

She fires off two kicks at lightning speed. The tip of her foot hits right at the center between the legs of the two men.

“Argh!”

”Wah!”

The tip of her pointed shoe hits the pelvis, while the most important part is struck heavily. Ayano contemplates the two, now rolling on the floor in pain, with a pink foam of blood and spittle coming from their mouths, with disgust.

“How dirty!”

“Ah- Please send an ambulance over. There are three heavily wounded people.”

A cold voice comes from behind. Behind her, Nanase is using a public phone to contact 911. She reads out the number of the phone booth to inform the other party of the location.

“Please be quick, one of them doesn’t seem likely to make it.”

After that, she hangs up, ignoring their inquiries for her name. This action can be said to be very well-trained, for the reason she doesn’t use her own cellphone is to avoid leaving any trace.

“So, have you vented your anger?” Nanase asks Ayano calmly.

“……I did not do it purposely.”

Ayano pouts and replies unhappily, but the two do not believe her words.

They've known very well since the beginning that she has just been redirecting her anger at Kazuma. If she had not met Kazuma earlier, Ayano would not have been so cruel!

But, there is one thing they do not understand. Nanase leans in close to Yukari’s ear and quietly asks...

(By the way, is that guy really that good?)

(Hmm... I feel that he is above average, but……)

He does not seem like a man that would make Ayano feel jealous. That is the opinion of these two.

For though they have known her for a long time, they still do not know what the Kannagi do for a living, nor of the power that is within the bloodline.

These two will still have a few days to wait before witnessing for themselves the true power of Kazuma.

=== 2 ===
“Has Kazuma still not arrived?”

“Why are you asking me?”

Ayano replies to the Soushu, Juugo's, question in a sour tone of voice. She appears to have drunk some alcohol, and her gaze seems blank.

Stared at by his daughter, radiating malcontent, Juugo blinks.

“What is it between you and Kazuma?”

”Nothing.”

Ayano slams the wine cup on the table with a bang.

“I hate that guy! I neither want to see his face nor hear his name ever again! That kind of guy can just go have a good time with some old woman!”

“...So that is it.”

Juugo can roughly guess what has happened and decides not to probe any further.

“In celebration of the annihilation of the Fuuga clan!”

“Cheers to Hyoue who is now roasting in hell, suffering for all eternity!”

“Cheers!”

Vulgar toasts like this one abound. Everyone seems exuberant and the air is filled with the sound of cups clinking in toasts.

The cause for celebration is something that happened about a week ago.

The subordinates of the Kannagi, the Fuuga clan, had suddenly revolted. The leader of the Fuuga clan, Hyoue Kazamaki, had allowed his son Ryuuya to be possessed by a powerful youma and many of the Kannagi had been killed.

The ones who had fought them were the practitioners of the Kannagi main family, Ayano and Ren, and Ren’s brother, who had been exiled due to his ineptitude as an En-jutsushi and had eventually become a Fuu-jutsushi, Kazuma Yagami.

After a fierce battle, the three had finally defeated Hyoue and Ryuuya. On the fourth day following, that is, tonight, a banquet for their victory is being held.

The banquet is unlike any before. Just about every member of the Kannagi family able to attend is now in attendance. They have all joyfully joined the banquet, and are now raising their cups in celebration of the annihilation of their hated enemy.

This reaction comes as no surprise. For these people, who claim to be the strongest, Hyoue and Ryuya were existences that could not be permitted.

The fact that they had been able to possess youma beyond their powers alone was unforgivable. Furthermore, they had been of the Fuuga clan, a group of low level jutsushis they had stepped on for a long period of time.

To fear weaklings like the Fuuga to the extent they had had to go into hiding. To them, this is a humiliation that can never be vindicated.

However, since the Fuuga clan is now completely destroyed, that shame, if not erased, is now forgotten. In their joy, it isn't at all odd for them to be going slightly overboard with their celebrations.

“Hmph! For those dogs to forget who had raised and fed them and to go even so far as to bite their masters' hands! Those ungrateful bastards!”

“How dare they resist us? We, who are blessed by the Spirit Lord! What an outrage!”

“Cheers to the Fuuga clan’s demise!”

“Cheers!”

All around the tables, cups meet, and everyone downs their cups in one go.

Just as the banquet approaches its climax, Kazuma appears.

“Kazuma-san has arrived.”

As the servant makes his announcement, all noise in the hall comes to an abrupt halt.

Amidst the silence, a youth walks through the paper door the servant has opened, and steps into the hall with a confident swagger.

Unfriendly eyes gather upon this youth who walks in without a word. Just for the record, among the glares, the ones bearing the greatest hatred are Ayano’s eyes, but let’s leave this matter aside for now.

Actually, it is not without reason that this man is so despised. The Kannagi had over fifty jutsushis before the battle with the Fuuga clan, and yet there are only a little more than thirty present at the banquet. The total dead and wounded amounts to more than twenty.

Seven are dead, the rest injured with varying degrees of severity. Those seven were attacked by Ryuya. The only ones attacked by Ryuuya.

In other words, the majority of casualties are the work of Kazuma. Everyone gathered here has family members who have been sent to the hospital by Kazuma. Under such circumstances it is only natural that they do not wear smiles to welcome him.

Their hateful glares glance off of Kazuma who acts as if they aren't even there. His attitude serves only to increase their hatred for him.

This is the kind of feeling one gets from being looked down upon by someone whom one had looked down upon in the past. Needless to say, Kazuma completely ignores their presence. He seems to regard them as being beneath contempt. No matter how much Juugo tries to defend him, the negative feelings toward Kazuma only strengthen further.

Kazuma nods towards the only one who smiles at him, Ren, and then bows before Juugo.

“Sorry, I am late.”

“I don’t mind at all. I am the one who forced you to join us.”

Juugo smiles, forgiving Kazuma’s tardiness and tells Kazuma to sit beside him. In short order, wine and hors d'oeuvres are placed before his eyes.

“Welcome back, Nii-sama!”

Ren runs over and tightly hugs his brother’s arm like a spoiled puppy. Kazuma does not stop him. On the contrary, he reaches out his hand to caress his brother’s head. But he does not make the customary reply, "I am back."

Because, for a long time now, this place has not been Kazuma's, that is, Kazuma Yagami’s, home.

Ren does not seem to notice Kazuma’s thoughts, and serves him diligently.

“Ah, let me pour the wine for you.”

“...Okay.”

Kazuma takes the cup up with his hands, but puts it back on the table without drinking a single drop.

Ren questions hesitantly, “Nii-sama, why not have a drink?”

“I am not thirsty.”

Ren looks at the untouched food.

"...Won't you eat something?”

“I am not hungry.”

”...”

Ren feels puzzled, and lifts his eyes to look at his brother.

Kazuma continues to look straight ahead, ignoring Ren.

“Erm…… Err……”

Just as Ren panics, thinking he has done something to enrage his brother, a big hand is lightly placed on Ren’s head.

“……Nii-sama?”

The direction of Kazuma's gaze has not changed, nor does he speak. Despite this, the feeling of that warm hand is enough to satisfy Ren. Leaning against his brother’s body, Ren closes his eyes and shows a peaceful smile.

To Kazuma, the Kannagi residence is still enemy territory. Not only will he not eat any food placed before him, no matter how relaxed the others may look, he will not let his guard down even for an instant.

That is why Kazuma notices immediately when a young woman approaches him.

He deliberately doesn't move, observing her as if nothing untoward is happening, waiting for her to take action.

The young woman is around twenty and is wearing a kimono. She seems to be used to wearing one, for her actions are not the least bit awkward.

Her hairstyle, rather than saying it is a blunt blob, it is more like a round and simple [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Translator%27s_Notes#hairstyle|hairstyle]] with its sides cut evenly. Together with small, cute cheeks, she is a beautiful Japanese-style woman that would make one think of the outdated appellation “[[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Translator%27s_Notes#yamato_nadeshiko|Yamato Nadeshiko]].”

Seeing the girl kneeling before him bow deeply, Kazuma says with a hazy expression, “If I recall…… You are Ogami……”

“My name is Misao Ogami. I've been ordered to take care of Kazuma-sama. If you have any needs, please just inform me.”

“...Oh?”

Kazuma uses his fingertips to hold Misao’s chin and lift her face up.

Looking at her nervous expression, Kazuma smiles and asks teasingly, "Even at night?”

Faced with such a direct intimation, Miaso blushes and her eyes shift downwards. Even though she's embarrassed, she does not try to escape from Kazuma’s hand. She murmurs in hardly a whisper, “If...that is your wish."

Seeing that Misao is unresisting, Kazuma’s face closes in even more. At this moment, Kazuma, as if repelled, leans back suddenly.

A ray of red lightning pierces the air where Kazuma’s head had previously been. With a loud thunk, something embeds itself into the pillar behind Kazuma.

"You despicable piece of shit! Move your dirty hands away!”

Needless to say, the furious girl with the incomparable rage is Ayano. Kazuma does not even bother to look at her, but instead turns his head back.

A long, thin red stick is now stabbed into the pillar. Ayano’s chopstick.

The chopstick possesses no sharp point and yet it is half-sunk into the pillar. Guessing at the strength with which she must have thrown it, Kazuma laughs.

Ayano stalks towards Kazuma and raises her hand for a karate chop, aiming at Kazuma’s hand, which has been on Misao’s face all the while. Seeing a chop that carries the strength to break thirty tiles, he quickly removes his hand.

Ayano has murder in her eyes as she scowls at Kazuma, who has a smile on his face, and then slowly walks next to Misao.

“Misao, what are you thinking! Why ruin your life for scum like that!?”

“Huh…… Ermm…… Sorry.”

Faced with such an aggressive aura, Misao cannot help but apologize. Seeing such a happy scene, Kazuma puts on a hurt expression on purpose.

“Why are you making me sound so bad?”

“I was just telling the truth, wasn’t I? You already have a girlfriend. How dare you still lay your hands on other girls?! You jerk!”

“Girlfriend? I don’t have any.”

“Liar! That one earlier...“

“If you mean Kirika, we are not in that kind of relationship. She is just-“

“Just your sex friend, right?”

Ayano finishes Kazuma's sentence in an eerily gentle tone. Even though her face shows a smile, upon closer inspection, her temples are pulsing with anger.

Observing her expression, Kazuma smiles at her comprehension, and says, “Yup, you can put it that way too.”

Violent spiritual energy bursts out from Ayano’s entire body, and her body subconsciously enters battle mode.

“Ayano-sama.”

However, she is stopped just before she can erupt. Confronted with Misao’s appeal, Ayano is reluctantly forced to restrain her murderous intent.

“Please, don’t be angry. It was Kazuma-sama who avenged my brothers. To repay this debt, this kind of thing is nothing..."

“You should be grateful to me instead!" Ayano proudly says.

“This guy fought only because it was his job! We have already paid him enough to reward him! There is no need to thank him. You have a problem with that?”

That last line is, of course, directed at Kazuma.

“Nope, that is largely true." Kazuma admits frankly.

“I do not know what this fiery lass did that you should be grateful for, but at the very least, there is no need to thank me. Leaving Masato and Takeshi aside, you can consider half of the blame to be mine that Takeya died.”

Hearing such a shocking statement, a commotion erupted around them.

After making so much noise, it was only natural that they had attracted notice. Their bickering had become the center of attention and to hear such an alarming statement made everyone prick their ears and listen quietly.

“What do you mean?” Ayano asks in a sharp tone.

Kazuma brushes off her intensity like a thick-skinned willow tree does the wind and smiles.

“Even though the one to kill him was Ryuuya, he had already been defeated earlier by me. Ryuuya only cut the unconscious Takeya apart. Well, I guess even if he had still been conscious then, the result would not have been any different.”

Kazuma says this nonchalantly, and shifts his eyes back to Misao. He faces the bowed-down Misao, whose expression cannot be seen, and reassures her gently.

“So, you see? There's no need to be so courteous, how about taking that out from your sleeve?”

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 039.jpg|thumb]]
At the instant Kazuma finishes his sentence, Misao suddenly moves. Her foot forcefully stomping on the tatami, she pulls out the dagger which had been hidden in her sleeve all along.

“Ah……Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Screaming wildly, the dagger gripped tightly in her fists, Misao jumps into Kazuma’s chest.

For a moment, everyone remains completely motionless. Though everyone in the hall has witnessed the scene, it appears they are unable to comprehend its implications in time and are at a loss for what to do.

Misao and Kazuma both just sit there, without flinching; like a pair of intimate lovers, the two in a silent embrace.

“Ka……Kazuma?”

Ayano’s quivering voice calls out the name of the man she hates most.

He does not reply.

“Kazuma!? Ans…… Answer me quickly! Kazuma! Kazuma!!”

“What?”

Kazuma suddenly raises his head and answers as if nothing has happened. Using his fingertips to pincer the dagger that should have been in Misao’s hands, he raises it before his eyes and waves it.

“…………!”

Maybe because of her relief, Ayano falls to the floor, still in shock, and shouts loudly, “If…… If you heard me, at least make a sound! I thought you died!”

“Is there anything troubling to you about my death?”

“That…… That……”

Ayano is momentarily unable to speak. She tries her best to stop all the blood in her body from gathering at her face, while at the same time working hard to come up with a rebuttal.

“I…… I don’t want Misao to become a murderer.”

“That makes sense.”

“That is right!”

(---------?)

Ayano nods to agree, but feels that Kazuma’s reaction seems off somehow. At the same time she cannot say with certainty what it is that is wrong.

Ignoring Ayano who is puzzling over this, Kazuma places his eyes upon Misao, who has fallen on him.

“So are you still angry?”

”--------------!”

Misao forcefully pushes herself off of Kazuma and uses the momentum to jump backwards. She puts a little distance between them and stares with eyes full of hate at Kazuma.

But, Kazuma does not seem to mind those eyes at all. He calmly breaks eye contact with Misao and passes the dagger in his hand to Ayano.

“Take it.”

“Ah, okay.”

She takes it reflexively, and then looks closely at the dagger.

The blade of the dagger is about ten centimeters long. It would serve well for peeling apples, and not much more. There does not appear to be any poison on it either.

(…… Did she really think that a fruit knife could kill Kazuma?)

What a foolish action. Ayano bitterly regrets her earlier display of anxiousness.

At this point in time, the others are finally emerging from their shock. However, none step out to arrest Misao, because all of the people in the branch family feel the same way.

(What about Father?)

Ayano looks towards Juugo.

“What is the matter?”

“What do you mean by “What is the matter”? Don’t just look, do something.”

“Hmm……”

Juugo looks at the scene of the crime with cold eyes.

“Kazuma.”

“Ah?”

“If you do not wish to deal with her, shall I punish Misao for you?”

Even though his tone seems calm, its meaning is clear. “If you want to kill her, just do it.” Juugo is usually kind and well-tempered, but he is not so kind as to forgive someone who had just attempted murder.

Kazuma’s reply is totally unexpected.

“I don't think this goes so far as to require punishment. Nothing happened, just let her go!”

Hearing this reply, Juugo reveals a surprised expression and Ayano’s puzzled look can be clearly seen.

Ayano finally realizes why she has been feeling something is off. Misao is still alive, that alone is something which does not make sense.

On the battlefield, Kazuma would not care about anything else. Even if it was just a little girl, even if she was not moving of her own free will, being threatened or manipulated, Kazuma would not go easy on her.

Given Kazuma’s habits, after he has dodged the attack, no, the instant the dagger was drawn, Misao’s head should have landed on the ground.

(But this…… What is going on?)

Filled with questions, Ayano begins to look at the two.

Misao looks pale and weak. Though her eyes still bear hatred, it seems she does not have the strength to act again.

Her area of expertise is in defending seals and providing support from behind; she is not a jutsushi that fights on the front-line. Though her abilities are not weak, her personality is simply not suitable for battle, not to mention killing.

This may even be the first time she has directed a knife at someone. Her mentality of avoiding causing harm is no different from a normal person's. Just now she had acted on impulse, but after her failure, she does not have the ability to try again.

Kazuma lowers his head and looks at Misao silently. Those eyes carry no warmth, but neither do they show coldness.

(This is too abnormal, too weird! And... this makes me feel very unhappy!)

“What is the meaning of this-?“

“So be it. Since you have said as much, I have no reason to punish her either.”

Juugo interrupts Ayano, who has lost her composure, and comes to a simple conclusion.

“But, we cannot allow you to stay here either. Go back and reflect on this for a while!”

With that, he orders someone by his side to take Misao away. Misao struggles to get rid of the hands that are about to catch her.

“Why!?”

Ignoring the man who seems troubled by her struggling, Misao stares at Kazuma and shouts, “Why did Nii-sama have to die!?”

“Because he was too weak.”

Kazuma replies, very bluntly.

“-------------!!”

The hall is filled with rage in an instant. Misao is not alone in feeling that Kazuma has caused deaths in the family. To these people, Kazuma’s words have gone far beyond their ability to tolerate.

“You asshole------!!”

Ayano stands up, her face flushed red with anger. She places her hands at her hips and glares at Kazuma.

“What the hell is wrong with you! Can’t you differentiate between what can and cannot be said!? What do you mean by “because he was too weak”? Don’t joke around! Is it because you have become strong that you have forgotten what it was like to be weak!?”

Kazuma shows Ayano, who continues to lecture him, no sign of remorse at all. Instead, he looks coldly at her.

“Looks like you still don’t understand.”

He then looks around at the people who are staring at him angrily.

“Why are you all putting on the look of a victim?”

“What…… What do you mean by that?”

Kazuma’s eyes sweep across the room once more. All he sees are puzzled yet angry expressions. Again confirming that no one has understood what he meant, he sighs.

“I don’t think you guys have ever wondered, why did the Fuuga clan revolt?”

”What do you mean by why…… Of course it was to awaken their God!”

“No.”

Kazuma rejects this flat-out.

“That was just a means to an end. Just one of the powers they needed to rise against the Kannagi.”

“Why don’t you tell us the reason then?” Ayano asks without even thinking.

Kazuma gives Ayano a contemptuous look.

“……These people of the Fuuga were definitely not a group of useless waste. Instead, they were even rather skilled Fuu-jutsushi. Their combat abilities might have been very weak, but the inherent characteristics of the wind are not suited to battle in the first place.”

In terms of attack power, among the four main powers of earth, water, fire and wind, the weakest is wind.

This is because it is the lightest.

No matter how fast they might be, light attacks do not possess the strength to kill with one blow.

I believe everyone has had the experience of being cut by a piece of paper before. With enough speed, and if timed well, even a flimsy piece of paper can become a blade. And yet, it can only cut the surface of the skin. A slash without weight is unable to cut off flesh and bone all in one go.

The weight of water and earth are far beyond wind and fire possesses a large amount of energy. If they are to fight against these powers, a Fuu-jutsushi must summon and control numbers of spirits several times greater.

Precisely for this reason, the role Fuu-jutsushis play is to use the wind's mobility to perform searching, tracking and to control surrounding air in providing battle support. The Fuuga clan can actually be said to have been a typical example of wind practitioners.

“The Kannagi that are born with combat ability, and the Fuuga that excel at information gathering and battle support. To provide for the other’s inability, to coexist peacefully and equally - this should have been the way of interaction.”

Kazuma observes Juugo, who is showing a bitter expression, out of the corner of his eye. He is the only one here who understands the truth of Kazuma's words.

“Unfortunately, you, who only know how to use raw power as a standard, looked down on the Fuuga clan, which has no combat abilities. But without the Fuuga, you would not even know where the enemy was!”

“What you are trying to say is... because we have always looked down on the Fuuga, we deserve to be killed by them?” Ayano pouts unhappily.

But Kazuma shakes his head in denial.

“I never said that what you did is wrong. The strong are always right; this is the unequivocal truth.”

”But then……”

“But as you execute your right to crush the weak, you must also bear the burden of being crushed by people even stronger. Even if you are killed, you can have no complaints, as this is the very thing you have done.”

“…………!”

Ayano’s expression changes drastically. She seems to have understood what Kazuma is trying to say.

“Just because the Fuuga clan is "too weak," that is why you all looked down on them. Just because ''you'' are "too weak," that is why you were crushed by Ryuuya. This is a very simple thing to understand.”

This is not a question of who is right and who is wrong. Since both sides believe in the “law of power”, in the end only the strong survive. That is all.

“If you people have acknowledged everything that you have done towards the Fuuga clan, then the Fuuga clan can also only acknowledge what they did to you. To crush the weak, does it not allow you to be crushed by those even stronger? Just who do you think you are?”

This merciless accusation reaches the ears of everyone present like the roar of thunder, but it fails to touch their arrogant hearts.

“This, I am unable to accept.”

A voice of disagreement emerges from a place very close to Juugo’s seat of honor.

“Kazuma-san, your argument seems to have neglected one very important fact.”

The man uses a vicious and unrelenting tone to speak. He is Ogami Masayuki. The head of the Ogami family and Misao’s father. But he does not seem to care at all about his daughter, who has her head lowered and is keeping quiet.

“The price of life is definitely not equal. We are blessed by the spirits - a clan chosen! Yet you put us and the Fuuga, those lowlifes, on the same level. That is very apalling, not to mention it...“

He stares furiously at Kazuma, as if Kazuma is the killer of his son.

“Not to mention it gives those scum the right to kill us!”

Hearing Masayuki’s words, Kazuma answers with a calm smile.

“Who is it that was chosen?”

“... What?”

“Those words, why don’t you wait until you have power like Ayano's before saying them! To hear a weakling boasting about his bloodline, how pathetic! It is as if you have nothing else to boast about except for your bloodline.”

“You…… You asshole……!”

Masayuki instantly became agitated. In comparison, Kazuma’ mocking tone still has not changed.

“By the way, you should be thanking Hyoue instead!”

“?”

“He helped to get rid of Masato, who was a nuisance in your eyes. At the very least go burn some incense and pay your respects!”

“……! You……! What did you just say……!”

Ogami Masayuki’s younger brother, Ogami Masato. When he had been alive, he had been known as the strongest practitioner of the branch family. Everyone knew that had he not left his home to train, because he had hated fighting with his brother over the succession, he would have been the one to be lead the family.

Seeing the shaken Masayuki, Kazuma says as if taunting him.

“It ''is'' a nuisance to have a younger brother more elite than yourself, isn’t it?”

“Damn…… Damn you asshole!!”

Masayuki’s face changes color as he shouts. He stands up from the tatami, and with blood red eyes, stares murder at Kazuma.

This time, there is an almost palpable tension between the two. The killing intents around the room form a whirlpool, and gather towards Kazuma who is still sitting at his original location.

At this moment, Ren, who has been leaning against Kazuma’s shoulder, moves. He wriggles his upper body, his whole body stuck on Kazuma in a tight embrace. He looks as if he is trying to stop Kazuma and lacks the strength to do so.

Seeing this, a question goes through Ayano's mind.

(This kid…… Since when has he become so quiet?)

Even when Misao had attempted to stab Kazuma, she had not heard Ren’s voice. No matter how much faith he has in his brother’s strength, it is unnatural that he did not so much as cry out.

Under everyone’s stare, Ren’s upper body slowly slides down along Kazuma’s body. He places his face on Kazuma’s leg, and after a few seconds like this...

“Hmm…… Nii-sama……”

“So he is asleep!” Ayano can’t help but say.

Before the blissful sleep-talking, the originally tense atmosphere disperses in an instant.

“……………………”

His bloodlust gone, Masayuki sits down once more. His expression is solemn, but he no longer is in the mood to maintain his anger.

Masayuki’s reaction does not matter to Kazuma, as he had not cared from the beginning.

“Soushu.”

”……Yes.”

Juugo understands everything very well, and because of that, his voice sounds abnormally bitter.

“It is impossible to dream of these guys reflecting upon this. But please do not forget, it is the Kannagi’s arrogance that sparked this fight. If there are no changes, the same thing will just repeat itself."

“…… I understand.”

“Good.”

Kazuma lifts Ren’s head, and places him on Ayano’s leg.

“Kazuma?”

“There is nothing left for me here, I am going back.”

With this sentence, Kazuma leaves the residence without looking back.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Epilogue|Volume 1]]
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Chapter 1

2009-02-23T03:15:03Z

Stealth: /* 1 */ Ayano can't look hard at the moody Ayano, so from the context I suppose it's Nanase who does the looking.

== Chapter One - Banquet for Victory -The Chosen Ones- ==
=== 1 ===
This is common.

You could say it is something that has become a part of their lives.

However, Yukari and Nanase can both sense the tension.

A tension that is hard to ignore.

“Didn’t I say so already? You girls will definitely not be bored. I know a great club! I just need to show my face for us to get in.”

”Come on! Let’s go! What fun is there to be had with only females?”

As the two exchange glances, a group of men with weak appearances make a vulgar speech in a flippant manner. They don’t look too bad, but their idiotic speech and actions show no class at all.

In simpler terms, they are trying to pick the girls up.

This is common.

Even though their appeals may differ, the three are beautiful girls that make one's eyes light up. They know exactly how to deal with such pick-up artists. Or at least they did, until now.

“----------------------------“

Suddenly, the third girl who has not spoken a word until now begins to move. She slowly raises her head, and looks into the eyes of the man in front of her.

“That place is frequently visited by idols, stars and models! We have many such friends, and if you are interested, we can introduce them to you……”

Glared at by cold eyes that chill to the bone, the originally glib man is unable to speak another word.

“Get lost.”

”……Yes.”

The men leave pitifully. Yet the girl does not even look at them, and instead puts on an unchanging, cold expression and leaves as if nothing has happened.

“……Ayano.”

“What’s wrong?”

The girl, Ayano Kannagi, seems rather displeased, and turns her head with those words.

“You seem to be really harsh on the people who've tried to pick us up recently?”

”It is just your imagination.”

Ayano replies, straying from the point.

“But……”

Yukari lifts her head to look at Nanase with pleading eyes.

Nanase nods and says, “Yup, you're really overdoing it recently. Let’s take last time for example - you actually used the corner of your schoolbag to hit the person’s temple.”

“Ah, that one was really scary. The whites of his eyes showed, and blood was flowing from his ears and nose-“

”……Does it matter, anyway? We called an ambulance for him.”

Nanase looks hard at the moody Ayano, and slowly closes in on the main point.

“Ayano, something happened between a guy and you, didn't it?”

”Wh-what…… What are you talking about?!”

The sudden question left Ayano unable to hide the stir in her heart.

“Hehe~”

Nanase gives off a smile deep with meaning.

“You, a father-complex girl, finally seem to be starting to show interest in guys other than your father.”

“I am not a father-lover.”

Ayano swiftly regains her calmness, and says strongly, “I just have never met a guy better than my father that’s all.”

“………………”

Nanase meets Yukari’s eyes, as if to say “what a headache,” and sighs.

“I admit, your father is indeed a mature and relaxed middle-aged man, but you cannot possibly find that kind of feeling in a young guy right?”

“That is not true. Father was young once too, so as long as I find someone similar-“

Half-way through, she shuts her mouth and frowns, as the conversation has somehow reminded her of that detestable man.

Seemingly difficult to approach, yet uncommonly relaxed- a person undoubtedly qualified to be considered alongside her father.

He is not like Jugo at all. Indeed, he is the total opposite.

But... he is very powerful. Not just his strength, but his entire existence. In that sense, he is comparable to the strongest man, Jugo, that she knows-

“Aya---no~“

Hearing the call rife with laughter, Ayano, who has stopped moving, returns to her senses.

“You are thinking of the guy you like right now, aren’t you?”

“Of…… Of course not! That kind of guy!”

“Which kind of guy?”

Being asked such a question, Ayano loses her strength for a moment.

“Nanase…… Even you……”

”Be honest! Such an interesting topic, I bet even Yukari won’t let it go easily either right?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

Yukari nods happily. Ayano stares at her two friends who intend to extract every single detail with antagonistic scrutiny.

Shinomiya Yukari and Kudo Nanase. They are both students of Seiryo Academy, where Ayano studies, and at the same time her best friends - even though there are times when she wonders about the friendship between them.

Yukari’s shoulder-length, beautiful hair moves up and down like waves, her face always shows a gentle smile and her speech is slightly slow. It is unclear whether she should be considered “mellow” or just “slow.” Regardless, from this description, one can probably imagine that she is a laid-back person.

In contrast, Nanase’s hairstyle is a refreshing blunt bob. She seems casually calm, and her swift movements and tone show no sign they belong to a girl, giving people an unsettled feeling, making her the type to receive a lot of chocolates on Valentine's Day.<ref>In Japan, girls are the ones who give out chocolate on Valentine's, so the implication here is that Nanase is popular with other girls.</ref>

These two girls are opposites no matter how you look at it, but what is truly remarkable is that when they tease Ayano, they exhibit perfect harmony in their cooperation - although to Ayano, this is something unbearable.

“Come on, tell us, what kind of person is it?”

“I already said there is no such person! By the way...”

Ayano stares at Yukari with accusing eyes.

“Aren’t we going to eat cakes now?”

”Yes, that is right.”

”Then why are we on this road!?”

In the direction which Ayano points her finger stands a long row of accommodations designed for a very specific purpose.

Just as with a haunted house in a back-country area, though there is nothing particularly odd about their appearance, they possess an atmosphere unlike that of a normal hotel.

That is right. For, as the three (except for a certain someone) were chatting happily, they had unintentionally come to the entrance for the street of love hotels.

Realizing that they are arguing in a special area, Ayano can’t help but blush. But Yukari’s smile did not change at all.

“This is a short-cut.”

”Even so, this kind of place……”

”Don’t worry. No one would think that we are going to play 3P.”

Ayano's face carries a pained expression, as she looks at this innocently smiling friend who has just said something very shocking.

“You…… Don’t use that cute face to say something so shocking, okay?”

“Kay~ But this kind of thing is nothing compared to Ayano's normal behavior.”

”…… What is the meaning of that?”

Against Ayano’s squinting eyes, Yukari puts on her usual smiling face. Though she may look easy-going, she is definitely not on the losing side.

Ayano, who realizes that she is at a disadvantage, decides to forcefully end the chat.

“Anyway, let’s not walk this way. Let’s go another way!”

”Geez, Ayano is so squeaky clean.”

“Squeaky clean? That doesn't even need to be said! This kind of hotel, whose only use is for people to share a bed - who knows what the people going in are thinking?!”

Ayano sounds violent, and scowls angrily at the love hotels as though they had killed her father, when suddenly, her expression freezes.

Yukari and Nanase follow Ayano’s line of sight. What lies there is...

“As agitated as always.”

A man and a beautiful lady, sticking closely together, walking out from the hotel street.

His age appears to be about twenty-something, with an upright face that could be considered handsome, but his expression seems to be rather sloven. A light smirk appears on his mouth, forcefully pulling the grade of this person down thirty percent.

“You should at least put some thought into your surroundings.”

The man makes fun of the dumbfounded Ayano and continues to speak.

“You are already a high school student. It is about time you know what shame is……”

Her ears hearing the man's incendiary words, Ayano’s frozen brain begins to thaw. Information begins to flow in, and she regains consciousness.

The man before her eyes is Kazuma Yagami. This is the man that Ayano hates most. As for the woman beside him, she has never seen her before. In addition, this is a love hotel street.

Catching up to this point, Ayano’s brain, which had finally returned to a normal temperature, suddenly began to heat up. Gripped with an inexplicable fury, Ayano shouts, “You…… What are you doing in a place like this!?”

“...Ayano?”

Yukari and Nanase share a puzzled look, looking at their friend who has suddenly fallen into a rage. Both pairs of eyes show no indecision, and seem to be simultaneously asking, “What is she talking about?”.

This question is not one that needs to be asked. Just as Ayano has said, there is only one thing to do in a love hotel - even if there are many different ways and methods; there is only one reason to be here, basically.

On the other hand, Kazuma who has drawn Ayano’s rage upon him simply shows a light smile, as usual.

“Asking me what I am doing- Ah, it is so hard to say it out loud~ ♥“

He acts shy, daintily using his hand to cover his mouth as he says that.

At this instant, the dozens of neural synapses of logic in Ayano’s brain snapped all at once.

Feeling the furious spiritual energy arising from Ayano, Yukari and Nanase can’t help but move back. But, even when engulfed in such a strong murderous intent, one that even normal people would notice and fear, Kazuma and the woman beside him do not change the relaxed smiles on their faces.

The woman ignores Ayano’s furious eyes as if they are nothing, her lips go close to Kazuma’s ears and ask, “This girl, is she Kazuma’s girlfriend?”

“Kirika…… That joke is not funny at all!”

After such a semi-derogatory question, Kazuma answers with an irritated look. Listening, Kirika glances at Ayano, and laughs lightly.

(------! This darn woman-!)

Seeing the seemingly taunting attitude of this person, Ayano views Kirika as an “enemy”. As if seeking a weak spot, she sizes Kirika up from head to toe. But...

(Argh……)

Although slim, she has a good figure, filled with femininity.

From the angle of a “woman,” Ayano has no way to compete.

Ayano is also a rare beauty, but her state of maturity is far below Kirika's. Future development or hidden potential have no effect now. Because in a battle in the real world, current capabilities decide everything.

Even so, if the opponent is just someone who devotes all nutrients, even those that should go to the brain, into her breasts and hips, Ayano will not concede defeat.

But, Kirika is different. Those thin, long eyes of hers carry the light of wisdom, clearly indicating that she is not just some vulgar woman who only knows how to fawn on guys.

Slightly older than Kazuma, she looks as if she is around twenty-five. From the way she can casually face up to Ayano’s killing intent as if it were not there, she is clearly not an average businesswoman. Maybe they are in the same trade?

Ayano bears the silent torture of inferiority, and continues to glare at the two with angry eyes.

“Kazuma?”

Kirika accepts Ayano’s eyes generously, and holds her body even more closely against Kazuma’s arm. Rather than a demonstration of love, this action seems more like she's trying to tightly hang on.

“Should I arrest you for lewd acts against an underage female?”

“Don’t be like that.”

Kazuma seems very displeased.

“She is just a distant relative. I've done nothing, nor have any intentions of doing anything.”

”Then, why is she angry?”

”She is always angry. Just ignore her.”

“Oh~”

Kirika looks towards Ayano once more, her face showing a smile with deep meaning. Ayano notices, her mind tangled in an instant.

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 017.jpg|thumb]]

“I think it would be better to explain.”

”There's no need for that, it's too troublesome. Let’s go!”

Upon saying this, Kazuma pulls Kirika and walks away. As his eyes meet Ayano’s, he puts on a serious expression and warns Ayano, ”Go back quickly! This is no place for children.”

Kazuma walks past Ayano with ease, who is so angry her whole body is trembling. As the two sides pass one another, Kirika looks at Ayano. Those eyes, filled with sympathy, totally enrage Ayano, before departing in an utterly relaxed manner.

Yukari remained where she was, dumbly sending off the close pair with her eyes. She looks to the side, and coincidentally meets Nanase’s eyes.

At this moment, silence is golden. The two exchange bitter smiles, and as if they had discussed it much earlier, look towards Ayano who still has not turned back.

“So that's it.”

Nanase nods heavily.

“No wonder you were so harsh to those people who tried to pick us up.”

“That's right. It is really tough to like someone like that.“

“But what a surprise, I never thought Ayano would like flippant guys like that.”

“...You two……”

Ayano turns slowly.

In a gentle, but equally chilling tone, she answers, “What are you two talking about?”

”What else?“

Yukari answers straightforwardly.

“Ayano, you like that guy right? Although it looks one-sided.”

”You……What makes you two think that way?”

”Just think about your reaction just now. No matter how we look at it, it is of 'a jealous girl seeing the guy she likes getting snatched away,' right?”

“There is no such thing! It is definitely not that way!!”

Ayano shouts out, blushing. Her voice is so loud it almost seems to reach as far as the eye can see.

“Ayano, you were too loud.”

Ignoring Yukari’s warning, Ayano furiously continues to say, “Why would I like that kind of lowlife?! That is the type of person I hate most in this world! If I could have, I would have sliced him into pieces!!”

“Then why are you angry?”

Yukari rebuts with a calm voice.

“If you really didn’t like him, then it doesn't matter who he sleeps with, right? What would there be to be angry about?”

“This……This is because…… That……

……I just cannot bear to see someone like Kazuma sleep with that kind of beauty! They are not at all compatible!”

Ayano grips her fist tightly and tries her best to explain, as the other two look at her with cold eyes.

(What do you think?)

(She doesn’t seem to be lying…… Could it be, she hasn’t even realized it herself?)

(If that's the case, then she is not just slow - there is something completely wrong with her……)

(But... that is just like Ayano.)

(Yeah that’s true.)

“You two! Don’t whisper among yourselves right in front of me!”

Getting shouted at by Ayano, Nanase swiftly straightens her body. Following this, she uses a very serious expression, like someone who is faking marriage just to grab a hold of the password to a credit card, in order to say, “Ah. Okay okay. I get it, you really hate that man.”

”Yup, completely understood.”

Yukari chimes in instantly. They are indeed Ayano’s best friends, their actions matching flawlessly.

Ayano’s expression reveals her continued suspicion.

“...Really?”

“Of course.”

”Fine then.”

Ayano nods, though her expression still shows displeasure. After everything has come to an end, and the two give a sigh of relief-

“Ah, that is the girl. Mister Hanagi.”

Those guys had chosen the worst possible time to appear.

“These are the ones?”

The man they called Hanagi points his finger towards the three and says...

“You guys were scared off by these three girls?”

“Because the girl in the middle has a really scary stare……”

”That girl is really arrogant. Please teach her some manners, Go-san!”

The men who are saying these things are the punks, numbers one and two (temporarily named), who were driven off by Ayano earlier. It seems that because they were rejected so vehemently by Ayano, resentment arose, and so they found someone to help them take their revenge!

-- They do not come any lower than that.

“We invited you so nicely to have some fun, and yet you told us to 'get lost'. That was really rude. Now apologize.”

“----------------------“

Ayano stares at the group of men, her eyes indicating that they are unworthy even of notice. Seeing those ice cold eyes, punks numbers one and two cannot help but retreat several steps, though Hanagi shows no sign of fear.

“That trick of yours won’t work! Hanagi-san knows Shaolin fist techniques!”

“Please do it! Go Hanagi-san!”

Numbers one and two cower behind Hanagi and continue to shout. Ignoring the two who are merely relying on Hanagi’s strength, Ayano stares at Hanagi alone.

As they have mentioned, the man before her eyes seems to have undergone a certain level of training. As he wears only a thin, sleeveless sweater under his leather coat, his protruding muscles can be clearly seen. It is a body specially made for combat.

“For a woman to be so arrogant, that is why you are having such an unlucky encounter. Don’t try to go against men from now on.”

Hanagi reaches his hand out in a rough manner, intending to grab Ayano’s chin to lift her face.

At the instant his fingertips touch her chin, Ayano moves swiftly.

She angles her body and moves forward, while at the same time dodging Hanagi’s hand. Into Hanagi’s defenseless chest, Ayano cleanly swings her bent left arm.

Ayano’s elbow strikes the lower region of Hanagi’s earlobe, where the jaw is. This is a sudden full-force attack, and a powerful strike that even contains “ki”. It would not be surprising even if his jaw fell off from his face.

Hanagi’s body flies into the air in a spiral. His legs, which have left the ground, tangle together like twisted bread, and subsequently spray outwards with reactive force.

Hanagi’s body keeps on spinning, and after a sickening three and a half round rotation, he naturally has a failed landing; his whole body flattened against the outer wall of a hotel.

Splat.

A wet sound propagated along the entire street. This was definitely not a sound made by a human body. If a freshly slaughtered piece of flesh, with blood still dripping, was smashed into a wall, it would probably make this kind of sound.

Several seconds after Hanagi has been hammered into the wall, he falls to the floor like a flattened cockroach.

On the red bricks of the hotel wall, a fluid even more red than the bricks forms an eerie human figure.

“Uh... uh~”

Seeing Hanagi, blood pouring out of seven holes and his body twitching, Nanase draws a cross towards the sky. Beside her, Yukari places her hands together and closes her eyes to pray.

“Huh…… Huh huh……”

”Hanagi-san……”

The remaining two guys give voice to pitiful cries in tones that have reached the utmost limit of fear.

Ayano silently walks past the two men, who are unable to move their feet, and can only stand there like idiots.

She fires off two kicks at lightning speed. The tip of her foot hits right at the center between the legs of the two men.

“Argh!”

”Wah!”

The tip of her pointed shoe hits the pelvis, while the most important part is struck heavily. Ayano contemplates the two, now rolling on the floor in pain, with a pink foam of blood and spittle coming from their mouths, with disgust.

“How dirty!”

“Ah- Please send an ambulance over. There are three heavily wounded people.”

A cold voice comes from behind. Behind her, Nanase is using a public phone to contact 911. She reads out the number of the phone booth to inform the other party of the location.

“Please be quick, one of them doesn’t seem likely to make it.”

After that, she hangs up, ignoring their inquiries for her name. This action can be said to be very well-trained, for the reason she doesn’t use her own cellphone is to avoid leaving any trace.

“So, have you vented your anger?” Nanase asks Ayano calmly.

“……I did not do it purposely.”

Ayano pouts and replies unhappily, but the two do not believe her words.

They've known very well since the beginning that she has just been redirecting her anger at Kazuma. If she had not met Kazuma earlier, Ayano would not have been so cruel!

But, there is one thing they do not understand. Nanase leans in close to Yukari’s ear and quietly asks...

(By the way, is that guy really that good?)

(Hmm... I feel that he is above average, but……)

He does not seem like a man that would make Ayano feel jealous. That is the opinion of these two.

For though they have known her for a long time, they still do not know what the Kannagi do for a living, nor of the power that is within the bloodline.

These two will still have a few days to wait before witnessing for themselves the true power of Kazuma.

=== 2 ===
“Has Kazuma still not arrived?”

“Why are you asking me?”

Ayano replies to the Soushu, Juugo's, question in a sour tone of voice. She appears to have drunk some alcohol, and her gaze seems blank.

Stared at by his daughter, radiating malcontent, Juugo blinks.

“What is it between you and Kazuma?”

”Nothing.”

Ayano slams the wine cup on the table with a bang.

“I hate that guy! I neither want to see his face nor hear his name ever again! That kind of guy can just go have a good time with some old woman!”

“...So that is it.”

Juugo can roughly guess what has happened and decides not to probe any further.

“In celebration of the annihilation of the Fuuga clan!”

“Cheers to Hyoue who is now roasting in hell, suffering for all eternity!”

“Cheers!”

Vulgar toasts like this one abound. Everyone seems exuberant and the air is filled with the sound of cups clinking in toasts.

The cause for celebration is something that happened about a week ago.

The subordinates of the Kannagi, the Fuuga clan, had suddenly revolted. The leader of the Fuuga clan, Hyoue Kazamaki, had allowed his son Ryuuya to be possessed by a powerful youma and many of the Kannagi had been killed.

The ones who had fought them were the practitioners of the Kannagi main family, Ayano and Ren, and Ren’s brother, who had been exiled due to his ineptitude as an En-jutsushi and had eventually become a Fuu-jutsushi, Kazuma Yagami.

After a fierce battle, the three had finally defeated Hyoue and Ryuuya. On the fourth day following, that is, tonight, a banquet for their victory is being held.

The banquet is unlike any before. Just about every member of the Kannagi family able to attend is now in attendance. They have all joyfully joined the banquet, and are now raising their cups in celebration of the annihilation of their hated enemy.

This reaction comes as no surprise. For these people, who claim to be the strongest, Hyoue and Ryuya were existences that could not be permitted.

The fact that they had been able to possess youma beyond their powers alone was unforgivable. Furthermore, they had been of the Fuuga clan, a group of low level jutsushis they had stepped on for a long period of time.

To fear weaklings like the Fuuga to the extent they had had to go into hiding. To them, this is a humiliation that can never be vindicated.

However, since the Fuuga clan is now completely destroyed, that shame, if not erased, is now forgotten. In their joy, it isn't at all odd for them to be going slightly overboard with their celebrations.

“Hmph! For those dogs to forget who had raised and fed them and to go even so far as to bite their masters' hands! Those ungrateful bastards!”

“How dare they resist us? We, who are blessed by the Spirit Lord! What an outrage!”

“Cheers to the Fuuga clan’s demise!”

“Cheers!”

All around the tables, cups meet, and everyone downs their cups in one go.

Just as the banquet approaches its climax, Kazuma appears.

“Kazuma-san has arrived.”

As the servant makes his announcement, all noise in the hall comes to an abrupt halt.

Amidst the silence, a youth walks through the paper door the servant has opened, and steps into the hall with a confident swagger.

Unfriendly eyes gather upon this youth who walks in without a word. Just for the record, among the glares, the ones bearing the greatest hatred are Ayano’s eyes, but let’s leave this matter aside for now.

Actually, it is not without reason that this man is so despised. The Kannagi had over fifty jutsushis before the battle with the Fuuga clan, and yet there are only a little more than thirty present at the banquet. The total dead and wounded amounts to more than twenty.

Seven are dead, the rest injured with varying degrees of severity. Those seven were attacked by Ryuya. The only ones attacked by Ryuuya.

In other words, the majority of casualties are the work of Kazuma. Everyone gathered here has family members who have been sent to the hospital by Kazuma. Under such circumstances it is only natural that they do not wear smiles to welcome him.

Their hateful glares glance off of Kazuma who acts as if they aren't even there. His attitude serves only to increase their hatred for him.

This is the kind of feeling one gets from being looked down upon by someone whom one had looked down upon in the past. Needless to say, Kazuma completely ignores their presence. He seems to regard them as being beneath contempt. No matter how much Juugo tries to defend him, the negative feelings toward Kazuma only strengthen further.

Kazuma nods towards the only one who smiles at him, Ren, and then bows before Juugo.

“Sorry, I am late.”

“I don’t mind at all. I am the one who forced you to join us.”

Juugo smiles, forgiving Kazuma’s tardiness and tells Kazuma to sit beside him. In short order, wine and hors d'oeuvres are placed before his eyes.

“Welcome back, Nii-sama!”

Ren runs over and tightly hugs his brother’s arm like a spoiled puppy. Kazuma does not stop him. On the contrary, he reaches out his hand to caress his brother’s head. But he does not make the customary reply, "I am back."

Because, for a long time now, this place has not been Kazuma's, that is, Kazuma Yagami’s, home.

Ren does not seem to notice Kazuma’s thoughts, and serves him diligently.

“Ah, let me pour the wine for you.”

“...Okay.”

Kazuma takes the cup up with his hands, but puts it back on the table without drinking a single drop.

Ren questions hesitantly, “Nii-sama, why not have a drink?”

“I am not thirsty.”

Ren looks at the untouched food.

"...Won't you eat something?”

“I am not hungry.”

”...”

Ren feels puzzled, and lifts his eyes to look at his brother.

Kazuma continues to look straight ahead, ignoring Ren.

“Erm…… Err……”

Just as Ren panics, thinking he has done something to enrage his brother, a big hand is lightly placed on Ren’s head.

“……Nii-sama?”

The direction of Kazuma's gaze has not changed, nor does he speak. Despite this, the feeling of that warm hand is enough to satisfy Ren. Leaning against his brother’s body, Ren closes his eyes and shows a peaceful smile.

To Kazuma, the Kannagi residence is still enemy territory. Not only will he not eat any food placed before him, no matter how relaxed the others may look, he will not let his guard down even for an instant.

That is why Kazuma notices immediately when a young woman approaches him.

He deliberately doesn't move, observing her as if nothing untoward is happening, waiting for her to take action.

The young woman is around twenty and is wearing a kimono. She seems to be used to wearing one, for her actions are not the least bit awkward.

Her hairstyle, rather than saying it is a blunt blob, it is more like a round and simple [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Translator%27s_Notes#hairstyle|hairstyle]] with its sides cut evenly. Together with small, cute cheeks, she is a beautiful Japanese-style woman that would make one think of the outdated appellation “[[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Translator%27s_Notes#yamato_nadeshiko|Yamato Nadeshiko]].”

Seeing the girl kneeling before him bow deeply, Kazuma says with a hazy expression, “If I recall…… You are Ogami……”

“My name is Misao Ogami. I've been ordered to take care of Kazuma-sama. If you have any needs, please just inform me.”

“...Oh?”

Kazuma uses his fingertips to hold Misao’s chin and lift her face up.

Looking at her nervous expression, Kazuma smiles and asks teasingly, "Even at night?”

Faced with such a direct intimation, Miaso blushes and her eyes shift downwards. Even though she's embarrassed, she does not try to escape from Kazuma’s hand. She murmurs in hardly a whisper, “If...that is your wish."

Seeing that Misao is unresisting, Kazuma’s face closes in even more. At this moment, Kazuma, as if repelled, leans back suddenly.

A ray of red lightning pierces the air where Kazuma’s head had previously been. With a loud thunk, something embeds itself into the pillar behind Kazuma.

"You despicable piece of shit! Move your dirty hands away!”

Needless to say, the furious girl with the incomparable rage is Ayano. Kazuma does not even bother to look at her, but instead turns his head back.

A long, thin red stick is now stabbed into the pillar. Ayano’s chopstick.

The chopstick possesses no sharp point and yet it is half-sunk into the pillar. Guessing at the strength with which she must have thrown it, Kazuma laughs.

Ayano stalks towards Kazuma and raises her hand for a karate chop, aiming at Kazuma’s hand, which has been on Misao’s face all the while. Seeing a chop that carries the strength to break thirty tiles, he quickly removes his hand.

Ayano has murder in her eyes as she scowls at Kazuma, who has a smile on his face, and then slowly walks next to Misao.

“Misao, what are you thinking! Why ruin your life for scum like that!?”

“Huh…… Ermm…… Sorry.”

Faced with such an aggressive aura, Misao cannot help but apologize. Seeing such a happy scene, Kazuma puts on a hurt expression on purpose.

“Why are you making me sound so bad?”

“I was just telling the truth, wasn’t I? You already have a girlfriend. How dare you still lay your hands on other girls?! You jerk!”

“Girlfriend? I don’t have any.”

“Liar! That one earlier...“

“If you mean Kirika, we are not in that kind of relationship. She is just-“

“Just your sex friend, right?”

Ayano finishes Kazuma's sentence in an eerily gentle tone. Even though her face shows a smile, upon closer inspection, her temples are pulsing with anger.

Observing her expression, Kazuma smiles at her comprehension, and says, “Yup, you can put it that way too.”

Violent spiritual energy bursts out from Ayano’s entire body, and her body subconsciously enters battle mode.

“Ayano-sama.”

However, she is stopped just before she can erupt. Confronted with Misao’s appeal, Ayano is reluctantly forced to restrain her murderous intent.

“Please, don’t be angry. It was Kazuma-sama who avenged my brothers. To repay this debt, this kind of thing is nothing..."

“You should be grateful to me instead!" Ayano proudly says.

“This guy fought only because it was his job! We have already paid him enough to reward him! There is no need to thank him. You have a problem with that?”

That last line is, of course, directed at Kazuma.

“Nope, that is largely true." Kazuma admits frankly.

“I do not know what this fiery lass did that you should be grateful for, but at the very least, there is no need to thank me. Leaving Masato and Takeshi aside, you can consider half of the blame to be mine that Takeya died.”

Hearing such a shocking statement, a commotion erupted around them.

After making so much noise, it was only natural that they had attracted notice. Their bickering had become the center of attention and to hear such an alarming statement made everyone prick their ears and listen quietly.

“What do you mean?” Ayano asks in a sharp tone.

Kazuma brushes off her intensity like a thick-skinned willow tree does the wind and smiles.

“Even though the one to kill him was Ryuuya, he had already been defeated earlier by me. Ryuuya only cut the unconscious Takeya apart. Well, I guess even if he had still been conscious then, the result would not have been any different.”

Kazuma says this nonchalantly, and shifts his eyes back to Misao. He faces the bowed-down Misao, whose expression cannot be seen, and reassures her gently.

“So, you see? There's no need to be so courteous, how about taking that out from your sleeve?”

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 02 039.jpg|thumb]]
At the instant Kazuma finishes his sentence, Misao suddenly moves. Her foot forcefully stomping on the tatami, she pulls out the dagger which had been hidden in her sleeve all along.

“Ah……Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Screaming wildly, the dagger gripped tightly in her fists, Misao jumps into Kazuma’s chest.

For a moment, everyone remains completely motionless. Though everyone in the hall has witnessed the scene, it appears they are unable to comprehend its implications in time and are at a loss for what to do.

Misao and Kazuma both just sit there, without flinching; like a pair of intimate lovers, the two in a silent embrace.

“Ka……Kazuma?”

Ayano’s quivering voice calls out the name of the man she hates most.

He does not reply.

“Kazuma!? Ans…… Answer me quickly! Kazuma! Kazuma!!”

“What?”

Kazuma suddenly raises his head and answers as if nothing has happened. Using his fingertips to pincer the dagger that should have been in Misao’s hands, he raises it before his eyes and waves it.

“…………!”

Maybe because of her relief, Ayano falls to the floor, still in shock, and shouts loudly, “If…… If you heard me, at least make a sound! I thought you died!”

“Is there anything troubling to you about my death?”

“That…… That……”

Ayano is momentarily unable to speak. She tries her best to stop all the blood in her body from gathering at her face, while at the same time working hard to come up with a rebuttal.

“I…… I don’t want Misao to become a murderer.”

“That makes sense.”

“That is right!”

(---------?)

Ayano nods to agree, but feels that Kazuma’s reaction seems off somehow. At the same time she cannot say with certainty what it is that is wrong.

Ignoring Ayano who is puzzling over this, Kazuma places his eyes upon Misao, who has fallen on him.

“So are you still angry?”

”--------------!”

Misao forcefully pushes herself off of Kazuma and uses the momentum to jump backwards. She puts a little distance between them and stares with eyes full of hate at Kazuma.

But, Kazuma does not seem to mind those eyes at all. He calmly breaks eye contact with Misao and passes the dagger in his hand to Ayano.

“Take it.”

“Ah, okay.”

She takes it reflexively, and then looks closely at the dagger.

The blade of the dagger is about ten centimeters long. It would serve well for peeling apples, and not much more. There does not appear to be any poison on it either.

(…… Did she really think that a fruit knife could kill Kazuma?)

What a foolish action. Ayano bitterly regrets her earlier display of anxiousness.

At this point in time, the others are finally emerging from their shock. However, none step out to arrest Misao, because all of the people in the branch family feel the same way.

(What about Father?)

Ayano looks towards Juugo.

“What is the matter?”

“What do you mean by “What is the matter”? Don’t just look, do something.”

“Hmm……”

Juugo looks at the scene of the crime with cold eyes.

“Kazuma.”

“Ah?”

“If you do not wish to deal with her, shall I punish Misao for you?”

Even though his tone seems calm, its meaning is clear. “If you want to kill her, just do it.” Juugo is usually kind and well-tempered, but he is not so kind as to forgive someone who had just attempted murder.

Kazuma’s reply is totally unexpected.

“I don't think this goes so far as to require punishment. Nothing happened, just let her go!”

Hearing this reply, Juugo reveals a surprised expression and Ayano’s puzzled look can be clearly seen.

Ayano finally realizes why she has been feeling something is off. Misao is still alive, that alone is something which does not make sense.

On the battlefield, Kazuma would not care about anything else. Even if it was just a little girl, even if she was not moving of her own free will, being threatened or manipulated, Kazuma would not go easy on her.

Given Kazuma’s habits, after he has dodged the attack, no, the instant the dagger was drawn, Misao’s head should have landed on the ground.

(But this…… What is going on?)

Filled with questions, Ayano begins to look at the two.

Misao looks pale and weak. Though her eyes still bear hatred, it seems she does not have the strength to act again.

Her area of expertise is in defending seals and providing support from behind; she is not a jutsushi that fights on the front-line. Though her abilities are not weak, her personality is simply not suitable for battle, not to mention killing.

This may even be the first time she has directed a knife at someone. Her mentality of avoiding causing harm is no different from a normal person's. Just now she had acted on impulse, but after her failure, she does not have the ability to try again.

Kazuma lowers his head and looks at Misao silently. Those eyes carry no warmth, but neither do they show coldness.

(This is too abnormal, too weird! And... this makes me feel very unhappy!)

“What is the meaning of this-?“

“So be it. Since you have said as much, I have no reason to punish her either.”

Jugo interrupts Ayano, who has lost her composure, and comes to a simple conclusion.

“But, we cannot allow you to stay here either. Go back and reflect on this for a while!”

With that, he orders someone by his side to take Misao away. Misao struggles to get rid of the hands that are about to catch her.

“Why!?”

Ignoring the man who seems troubled by her struggling, Misao stares at Kazuma and shouts, “Why did Nii-sama have to die!?”

“Because he was too weak.”

Kazuma replies, very bluntly.

“-------------!!”

The hall is filled with rage in an instant. Misao is not alone in feeling that Kazuma has caused deaths in the family. To these people, Kazuma’s words have gone far beyond their ability to tolerate.

“You asshole------!!”

Ayano stands up, her face flushed red with anger. She places her hands at her hips and glares at Kazuma.

“What the hell is wrong with you! Can’t you differentiate between what can and cannot be said!? What do you mean by “because he was too weak”? Don’t joke around! Is it because you have become strong that you have forgotten what it was like to be weak!?”

Kazuma shows Ayano, who continues to lecture him, no sign of remorse at all. Instead, he looks coldly at her.

“Looks like you still don’t understand.”

He then looks around at the people who are staring at him angrily.

“Why are you all putting on the look of a victim?”

“What…… What do you mean by that?”

Kazuma’s eyes sweep across the room once more. All he sees are puzzled yet angry expressions. Again confirming that no one has understood what he meant, he sighs.

“I don’t think you guys have ever wondered, why did the Fuuga clan revolt?”

”What do you mean by why…… Of course it was to awaken their God!”

“No.”

Kazuma rejects this flat-out.

“That was just a means to an end. Just one of the powers they needed to rise against the Kannagi.”

“Why don’t you tell us the reason then?” Ayano asks without even thinking.

Kazuma gives Ayano a contemptuous look.

“……These people of the Fuuga were definitely not a group of useless waste. Instead, they were even rather skilled Fuu-jutsushi. Their combat abilities might have been very weak, but the inherent characteristics of the wind are not suited to battle in the first place.”

In terms of attack power, among the four main powers of earth, water, fire and wind, the weakest is wind.

This is because it is the lightest.

No matter how fast they might be, light attacks do not possess the strength to kill with one blow.

I believe everyone has had the experience of being cut by a piece of paper before. With enough speed, and if timed well, even a flimsy piece of paper can become a blade. And yet, it can only cut the surface of the skin. A slash without weight is unable to cut off flesh and bone all in one go.

The weight of water and earth are far beyond wind and fire possesses a large amount of energy. If they are to fight against these powers, a Fuu-jutsushi must summon and control numbers of spirits several times greater.

Precisely for this reason, the role Fuu-jutsushis play is to use the wind's mobility to perform searching, tracking and to control surrounding air in providing battle support. The Fuuga clan can actually be said to have been a typical example of wind practitioners.

“The Kannagi that are born with combat ability, and the Fuuga that excel at information gathering and battle support. To provide for the other’s inability, to coexist peacefully and equally - this should have been the way of interaction.”

Kazuma observes Juugo, who is showing a bitter expression, out of the corner of his eye. He is the only one here who understands the truth of Kazuma's words.

“Unfortunately, you, who only know how to use raw power as a standard, looked down on the Fuuga clan, which has no combat abilities. But without the Fuuga, you would not even know where the enemy was!”

“What you are trying to say is... because we have always looked down on the Fuuga, we deserve to be killed by them?” Ayano pouts unhappily.

But Kazuma shakes his head in denial.

“I never said that what you did is wrong. The strong are always right; this is the unequivocal truth.”

”But then……”

“But as you execute your right to crush the weak, you must also bear the burden of being crushed by people even stronger. Even if you are killed, you can have no complaints, as this is the very thing you have done.”

“…………!”

Ayano’s expression changes drastically. She seems to have understood what Kazuma is trying to say.

“Just because the Fuuga clan is "too weak," that is why you all looked down on them. Just because ''you'' are "too weak," that is why you were crushed by Ryuuya. This is a very simple thing to understand.”

This is not a question of who is right and who is wrong. Since both sides believe in the “law of power”, in the end only the strong survive. That is all.

“If you people have acknowledged everything that you have done towards the Fuuga clan, then the Fuuga clan can also only acknowledge what they did to you. To crush the weak, does it not allow you to be crushed by those even stronger? Just who do you think you are?”

This merciless accusation reaches the ears of everyone present like the roar of thunder, but it fails to touch their arrogant hearts.

“This, I am unable to accept.”

A voice of disagreement emerges from a place very close to Juugo’s seat of honor.

“Kazuma-san, your argument seems to have neglected one very important fact.”

The man uses a vicious and unrelenting tone to speak. He is Ogami Masayuki. The head of the Ogami family and Misao’s father. But he does not seem to care at all about his daughter, who has her head lowered and is keeping quiet.

“The price of life is definitely not equal. We are blessed by the spirits - a clan chosen! Yet you put us and the Fuuga, those lowlifes, on the same level. That is very apalling, not to mention it...“

He stares furiously at Kazuma, as if Kazuma is the killer of his son.

“Not to mention it gives those scum the right to kill us!”

Hearing Masayuki’s words, Kazuma answers with a calm smile.

“Who is it that was chosen?”

“... What?”

“Those words, why don’t you wait until you have power like Ayano's before saying them! To hear a weakling boasting about his bloodline, how pathetic! It is as if you have nothing else to boast about except for your bloodline.”

“You…… You asshole……!”

Masayuki instantly became agitated. In comparison, Kazuma’ mocking tone still has not changed.

“By the way, you should be thanking Hyoue instead!”

“?”

“He helped to get rid of Masato, who was a nuisance in your eyes. At the very least go burn some incense and pay your respects!”

“……! You……! What did you just say……!”

Ogami Masayuki’s younger brother, Ogami Masato. When he had been alive, he had been known as the strongest practitioner of the branch family. Everyone knew that had he not left his home to train, because he had hated fighting with his brother over the succession, he would have been the one to be lead the family.

Seeing the shaken Masayuki, Kazuma says as if taunting him.

“It ''is'' a nuisance to have a younger brother more elite than yourself, isn’t it?”

“Damn…… Damn you asshole!!”

Masayuki’s face changes color as he shouts. He stands up from the tatami, and with blood red eyes, stares murder at Kazuma.

This time, there is an almost palpable tension between the two. The killing intents around the room form a whirlpool, and gather towards Kazuma who is still sitting at his original location.

At this moment, Ren, who has been leaning against Kazuma’s shoulder, moves. He wriggles his upper body, his whole body stuck on Kazuma in a tight embrace. He looks as if he is trying to stop Kazuma and lacks the strength to do so.

Seeing this, a question goes through Ayano's mind.

(This kid…… Since when has he become so quiet?)

Even when Misao had attempted to stab Kazuma, she had not heard Ren’s voice. No matter how much faith he has in his brother’s strength, it is unnatural that he did not so much as cry out.

Under everyone’s stare, Ren’s upper body slowly slides down along Kazuma’s body. He places his face on Kazuma’s leg, and after a few seconds like this...

“Hmm…… Nii-sama……”

“So he is asleep!” Ayano can’t help but say.

Before the blissful sleep-talking, the originally tense atmosphere disperses in an instant.

“……………………”

His bloodlust gone, Masayuki sits down once more. His expression is solemn, but he no longer is in the mood to maintain his anger.

Masayuki’s reaction does not matter to Kazuma, as he had not cared from the beginning.

“Soushu.”

”……Yes.”

Juugo understands everything very well, and because of that, his voice sounds abnormally bitter.

“It is impossible to dream of these guys reflecting upon this. But please do not forget, it is the Kannagi’s arrogance that sparked this fight. If there are no changes, the same thing will just repeat itself."

“…… I understand.”

“Good.”

Kazuma lifts Ren’s head, and places him on Ayano’s leg.

“Kazuma?”

“There is nothing left for me here, I am going back.”

With this sentence, Kazuma leaves the residence without looking back.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Epilogue|Volume 1]]
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume2_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter4

2009-02-22T05:24:59Z

Stealth: /* 3 */ Typo

==Chapter Four - Returning to Visit, and Then―― ==

=== 1 ===
When he was within ten meters from the front door

“Ka….. Kazuma!?”

Kazuma looked at the guardsman who was screaming in shock with a displeased look on his face.

(Too slow.)

He mumbled in his heart. Even though they were on high alert, they only realized that he was here at this kind of distance? They are really useless.

But, the speedy reaction of the other party was perhaps worthy of praise! After hearing the guardsman’s shout, the jutsushis that were spread out at different corners on stand-by rushed over one by one

Within seconds, Kazuma became surrounded by at least ten jutsu practitioners.

“Get the clan chief out.”

Kazuma arrogantly commanded, completely ignoring the killing intent from all directions.

“We have already come out to get the door, you should be grateful.”

(These guys seem to want to pick a fight with me.)

Even though he knew this was just a taunt, Kazuma did not want to bear with it at all; frankly speaking, Kazuma became furious.

Ever since he had come back to Japan, he had met with a series of unhappy events. First of all, he was dragged between the fight between the Kannagi clan and the mystery man, and then he fell into the mystery man’s trap, having Ren abducted right before his very eyes. Now in order to convey this news, he has no choice but to force himself to come to the Kannagi household, which he swore never to come close to ever again.

All of this has stressed Kazuma’s nerves, resulting in his extreme annoyance. It did not matter who it was, but he just wanted to find someone and beat him up. If one sentence could be used to describe how he feels now, it would most probably be as mentioned above!

And now at this place, just so coincidentally there were a bunch of idiots, as if saying “Please punch me”, standing in rows waiting for him to do it. There was no reason to give up the opportunity.

One of the idiots stood out to break the stalemate, he might have been someone that Kazuma used to know, but at this point of time, Kazuma thought that there was no need to verify any one of them anymore.

“In this extraordinary time period, you think that you can stand in front of us and beg for mercy…?”

While he said that, it looked like he was fighting to the death at trying to control his near-erupted fury.

Not trying to waste any time, Kazuma slowly opened his mouth and said.

“Although I said to summon the Suzerain… it seems like I wasn’t heard?”

“Kisama!” (You!)

Crrackk!

With a sound of a blunt object, while the one jutsushi was angrily firing away fireballs, not one of the other jutsu practitioners saw the incoming attack from Kazuma – it was like a giant using an uppercut punch – the jutsushi was sent into the air. His chin was pummeled to pieces and he lost the strength to even open his mouth, which spit out blood mixed with broken teeth

The jutsu practitioners began to retreat in disbelief. They had never seen an attack method like Kazuma’s before. But while also realizing this, the battle had already begun, and so they started to collect their fighting spirit.

Of course the goal of Kazuma‘s visit was not to fight. It just seemed like someone inside of his mind was continuously saying that this world would be better off if all those idiots were to die. Kazuma let that voice persuade him, and he forgot what he came to do.

[Fist of Air] — — blocks of air that are highly compressed and sent forth at the speed of sound. The instant before contact, about 100 points of air is compressed into 1 point instantaneously — — and while pointing at a certain direction — — it is recoiled to its original state like a spring, with the strength of force far exceeding a professional boxer’s finishing blow. The jutsu practitioners could not do anything as one after another was knocked down.

Kazuma put out a string of continuing combos — — attacking targets without regards to accuracy, as long as the air bombs flew in the general direction, they even ended up digging up the surface and fracturing the wall. The people that were standing were completed knocked down and left helpless on the ground.

Kazuma still had his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, standing there all alone. People that were able to stand and stop him were nowhere to be found.

The jutsu practitioners were all knocked down on the ground; some had broken lower jaws, some had sunken noses that continuously spewed out blood, and some were moaning about with serious internal damage. They were all laying around in many different positions, but the common point was that all of them had no fighting capabilities remaining.

Even though knocking down this 10 or so jutsu practitioners didn’t even take 30 seconds, Kazuma’s expression did not have the feeling of arrogance. He simply accepted this landslide difference in strength, thinking this kind of thing happening as logical certainty.

But, that expression unexpectedly became pensive.

“…Doh…”

Not seeing one uninjured person, Kazuma finally realized that he had committed a deadly mistake.

“I thought carefully, and then communicated clearly to these people, so that this kind of situation would not have happened…”

Before this, a phone call would have probably had accomplished his goal. Also, there was no need to talk directly with the Suzerain. Even if he had suddenly met him, in such a short time’s notice he wouldn’t have known what to say. This time it was only because Ren was captured in front of his own eyes, making him waver, also — —

“Also I, would very much like to come back, huh?”

This place was what I called home in the past. I thought I had already abandoned this place and yet I have returned.

Kazuma shook his head, breaking his thought pattern, fearing a deepening of questing will recall quite an unhappy answer.

“Hey, wake up. Don’t fall asleep on me!” 

Kazuma, in order to change his mood, yelled and kicked the less hurt and younger jutsu practitioner. But the jutsu practitioner weakly opened and slowly closed his eyes, as he realized the extreme pain, and so he allowed Kazuma to do what he liked.

“— — Damn!”

Kazuma abhorrently threw him away and started walking towards the main door. He moved forward directly towards the door, without a care of whether he stepped on the ground or a practitioner.

The door was already opened, because the people that opened the door had already been defeated; thus the door being opened was a logical occurrence. And beyond the door, was an area where two times the amount of jutsu practitioners were waiting.
So at the same time when Kazuma stood in front of the door, 30 lines of fire arrived to kill him.

Honng!

That enormous amount of heat that transformed into plasma completely surrounded Kazuma. The light from the heat was enough to burn even the eyes. The jutsu practitioners started to believe they had won.

(We killed him!)

(If it’s like this and he’s still not dead — —)

(— — no human could survive that!)

But then, in the dissipating fire, they saw something they couldn't believe.

“Wh, What?”

Surrounded by a bluish/greenish white flame, there was Kazuma, safely inside.

“So boring…”

Kazuma ,without any elaborate procedures, waved his hand, removing the collected strength of 30 people’s fires. The strength of the fire and heat completely did not harm a single hair of Kazuma.

“Impossible… Is that guy a youma god… ?”

Now the jutsu practitioners were so shocked, it appeared that they had even forgotten to breath. If they looked calmly, they might have been able to see that the matter separating Kazuma and the flames was a thin layer of air.

High level jutsu-shi can even surpass the laws of physics. No matter if it is an enjutsu-shi or a fuujutsu-shi: igniting a fire where there is no oxygen and blocking the heat transfered in the air is not impossible.

Kazuma had complete control of the surrounding air inside this space; compared with laws of physics, his will had primacy. No matter how large the amount of heat, it could not be transferred to Kazuma’s body.

The requirements in order to be a first rate jutsu practitioner is not strength of the spells, nor the knowledge and technique, but the willpower; to deny the present reality and have the《willpower》to construct one’s own fantasy world.

Magic, Jutsu comes from mixing your own will into《Initial Principle》, then simply create new laws to control the effects.

It requires a constructed system of the《World》, and then rewriting the procedures and change it into reality.

In other words, in order to transfer the flames to Kazuma, one would need a stronger will in comparison to what Kazuma employed to deny the laws of physics. So what is needed is to use an even stronger will to deny the《Kazuma’s fabricated Laws》.

Realistically speaking, if you don’t have a belief of《Will burn you up》that’s stronger than Kazuma’s belief of《I won’t get burned》 then nothing will be achieved.

Since this was not achieved, it could be said that Kazuma’s will was greater than the sum of the will of those 30 people combined.

“Impossible… impossible…”

The jutsu practitioners mumbled with shocked looks.

It ought to be said that they can only mumble.

The reasons for the ineffectual jutsu spell they understood; in fact, they understood it well, just like they understood things such as arms and legs.

Of course, they did not consider Kazuma’s existence as that beyond common sense, but only considered him as a first-class spiritual jutsu practitioner. And from that point of view, it was that Kazuma only commanded a huge wind spirit.

Kazuma’s strength had already surpassed what they previously considered, completely achieving another dimension; the difference was clear.

But Kazuma didn’t proceed to counterattack the jutsu practitioners; naturally it was not to forgive them, but it was just that from the start, he wanted to simply ignore the practitioners from the branch families.

Because of the practitioners, Kazuma began to recall the days he spent for 18 years in this mansion; memories of a home that contained almost no happiness. No matter whom, they all disregarded him, even to the point of ignoring his existence. Inside such an excessive clan, people that kindly accepted him were almost nonexistent.

But no matter what kind of persecution Kazuma received, he began to feel a sort of homesickness; after all, it’s the place of his roots.

(That’s right… I have returned here…)

Kazuma could do anything but admit this thought. Even if he was looked down upon, and bullied, he was still able to be protected here. From society, from the responsibilities of living alone, he, who was a child back then, was protected.

However, to yearn for someone to protect him, that was weakness, escapism, and running away from reality.

Even though Kazuma admited that the weakness, which he should have had already abandoned since four years ago, still lingered within him, but this was something that made him feel depressed.

(In conclusion, I can't allow this home to continue existing)

Kazuma was assaulted by large amounts of《unhappiness》 and started blaming the roots of his evils — — of course by his own stubborn decision — — on the Kannagi main family. He came to the decision to crush it with his own hands.

Following Kazuma’s will, an even bigger wind spirit was summoned; condensing within his palm was a wind pressure that could challenge a typhoon.

If he would release all of it, all things within a radius of 200 meters would be destroyed in a blink of an eye. The practitioners had already prepared for thoughts of death.

At this moment, Kazuma completely forgot about the Kannagi clan or the people living close by; he only thought to erase the annoying things right in front of his eyes.

Even Kazuma himself did not notice that he had already accumulated such a large amount of pressure. Kazuma was indulged in such self-satisfied thoughs that he did not have the opportunity to regulate his power.

“Wo… Wah…!”

“What, what is this kind of strength…!”

No matter what, the practitioners certainly had no way of understanding what Kazuma was thinking. In front of such crushing strength, without even thinking of applying jutsu in resistance, they began to just dumbly stand there.

Certainly this was not without reason, the wind spirits that Kazuma summoned, no matter whether releasing as a jutsu or an out-of-control rampage, could eradicate this mansion.

“………..”

The older jutsu practitioners exchanged a look to each other without speaking; because they had more experience, and so they were less ruffled. Being exposed to Juugo when he was a young boy, they were already experienced to such out of control spirits that could be categorized as a natural disaster. Although at that time, they felt that (they) would be protected by such extreme strength.

After making an enormous inner determination and then a guess from Kazuma's posture, the only remaining method of attack was one, and there was no other.

They would gamble their live to perform a summoning of massive proportions; and just like what the words propose; it was the last method, which could result in a mutual suicide. But they had already prepared for death.

(If only to protect the Suzerain…)

(Before Ayano-sama returns…)

There was no other motive for them to gamble their lives besides trying to defeat Kazuma. Because if Kazuma was standing here, then it can be presumed that Genma was already defeated.

Then in that case, only Ayano would have the ability to fight on par with Kazuma. They gambled their lives in order to gain time for Ayano’s return.

“Let’s go…”

“Wait a second.” 

The second before the assault, a calm voice detained them. That voice seemed to have immense《power》. All members stopped.

It seemed like time had stopped, for a while now nobody moved. In such a tranquil space, (one) could only hear sounds of the bamboo hitting the stone. 

“Suz, Suzerain!’

“It’s too dangerous! Please withdraw!”

All the practitioners recommended that the Suzerain withdrawal.

Although all of the practitioners’ sight was gathered on him, Juugo still walked with ease with his line of sight directed at Kazuma.

Kazuma also didn’t avoid Juugo’s look.

Juugo was always very gentle with Kazuma, with feelings of loving concern over disclosing to strict words. In his shounen childhood, when the surrounding were all enemies, only his time spent with Juugo was when Kazuma could feel slightly relieved.

For Kazuma, facing Juugo was similar to facing an admired father, which was in contrast to only having terror in the face of Genma.

A kind of ancient yearning surged, but now Kazuma, even if wanting to cry, would not have any tears.

Certainly it seemed like Juugo completely detected Kazuma’s expression; and just like when speaking to a relative he had not seen in a long time, Juugo greeted Kazuma.

“Long time no see, Kazuma. How are you doing?”

“…Ahh”

Knowing that Juugo still believed in him, Kazuma laughed like being released from confinement.

And after identifying with such, Juugo laughed energetically as well; seeing the typhoon in Kazuma’s hand, he said.

“If it’s like this, then, what is that thing?”

“Huh? Oh, just trying to surpass the past.”

Kazuma clumsily waved his hand, dismissing all of the accumulated spirits. He even forgot the etiquette of saying 'thank you' to all of the spirits.

“Huh? Um, ok, standing here is difficult to talk. Come in for cup of tea.”

Although Juugo could not have thoroughly understood what Kazuma had meant, and so he just treated it as neglected mumblings. The practitioners were standing there as if being force fed some mute medicine when perceiving that Juugo, without care, started turning around to the facing Kazuma. They probably thought that Kazuma would attack when his back was turned.

“S, Suzerain, Kazuma is our traitor!”

Juugo gazed using a very sorrowful appearance towards the still incompetent practitioners, and then slowly turned around to face Kazuma and asked.

“Uh, is it like that?”

“No?”

Kazuma said as he shruged his shoulders. The bunch of idiots continued to be puzzled, having a mouth but no voice. 

“So it seems.”

“No, we can’t trust him!”

The practitioners shouted with voices of dissatisfaction, believing that Juugo had been deceived.

“Calm down, idiots!”

Juugo scolded, accompanied by sounds of sighing.

“If Kazuma was serious, you would have already been dead. Now do you understand?”

The jutsu practitioners all looked towards Kazuma with that careless appearance. The power with the strength to annihilate them was completely gone. It could not be disputed that the useless man has returned as a superior first class practitioner.

“— — Say why did you return? It can’t only be for a gathering?”

“Ah, that’s right; there is something I need to tell you.”

Kazuma finally remembered the reason for his approach, although admitting Ren’s capture under his watch to someone else was a very humiliating situation.

(Ah, no way out, after all, losing the initiative was my fault.)

“— — Ren has been abducted. It was someone who can use the wind, most likely an accomplice of the murderer that killed your comrades.”

“Quit joking! You were the one who killed Shinji and Shingo!”

Kazuma recognized for the first time, that this man was the Soushu of the Yuuki family.

(It doesn’t matter who dies as long as it’s not your sons?)?)

For an instant, he had an urge to say that, but he managed to keep it to himself. Kazuma considered the man unworthy for him to speak to.

“Ren was seized?”

Juugo also ignored Yuuki’s words, and asked Kazuma back.

“They did not kill him?”

“That is right. I am not too sure about the details; however, I can confirm that he is still alive. I believe that if we know their reason for abducting him, we should be able to lock only the criminal’s identity. I came here specially to inform you guys; but could it be, you already know who did it?”

“No, we do not know yet. But thank you for your information.”

Juugo seemed to have thought of something as his face began to show a bitter expression. He said something to the man standing at his side; Kazuma tried hard to remember, and recalled that this was a man trusted by Juugo.

Then that man bowed, and quickly departed from the house.

“Did you see the features of that guy?”

“…I saw what he looked like, but I don’t think it will be of any help. That thing isn’t even human.”

Just thinking about him brought chills to Kazuma, and that kind of irregular youma ki that 'it' possess could not be from anything human.

[[image:Kaze no Stigma vol 01 149.jpg|thumb]]

“So it’s like that… By the way, what happened to Genma?”

Faced with Juugo’s question, Kazuma sincerely started to laugh. It was unlike that of a grown man, but a laugh of a shonen (boy). That kind of grin could not be practiced; it was a mischievous grin fully covering the face.

Then, Kazuma showed his thumb and turned it down, with his chin moving backwards, braggingly saying.

“He was sent flying.”

“huh, haha, hahahahahahaha ! That, that’s how, was sent flying?”

Faced with this kind of overly energetic and without any evil-intention reply from Kazuma, Juugo uncontrollably started to laugh, an unstoppable roaring laughter.

“Suzerain! This is not a funny matter!”

Faced with an unstopping laughter from the Suzerain, the practitioners worriedly admonished.

“Hmm, certainly it is like that.”

Then Juugo pulled taut his face; with a severe, unyielding and steadily stare, he said to Kazuma,

“Don’t tell me you killed him?”

“Hey, I was quite merciful. I even called an ambulance; quite kind of me!”

“If that’s the case, then, it’s alright.”

“Absolutely not!”

The person interrupting was like the practitioner before. He was so angry he started to stagger as if he was dizzy.

“If your body is not well, you can withdraw.”

“My situation is of no importance! If Kazuma knocked out Genma-sama, then it is absolutely certain that he is rebelling!”

“…This situation is only that of a father and son argument.”

“This… this kind of situation is…!”

“Understood, that kind of situation has already been heard earlier. Okay, you can withdraw.”

After Juugo disrupted his words, he gestured at Kazuma and then entered through the door. Kazuma simply followed Juugo.

And so, after four years, Kazuma finally returned to the place where he was born.

=== 2 ===
Faced with this mansion where he had not walked through for four years, Kazuma looked about slowly and seriously. As with the outside, the inside of the mansion did not change at all. It was a mansion constructed during the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Warring States Period|Warring States Period]], and only four short years was not enough to grant any changes.

Kazuma continued behind Juugo, and he followed without speaking as he was taken to Juugo’s private room.

“Here we can talk straightforwardly. What would you like to drink?”

“It doesn’t matter, besides I’m not thirsty — —.”

With regards to Kazuma’s casual reply, Juugo stared at Kazuma as if he seemed to be looking for something..

“Hm, don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not that I’m suspecting you.”

Suddenly a discordant atmosphere began to spread throughout the room.

Certainly from the Kannagi clan’s point of view, there was not even one shred of evidence to believe Kazuma. Besides Juugo, all of the other members believed him to be the murderer.

To appear in the home of all the enemies pursuing Kazuma’s life was really unbelievable.

“Why did you leave the house?”

Juugo broke the silence. Out of everything else, this was what he wanted to hear the most.

“When I heard you were disowned, you had already left without discussing even a single word with me. Am I this untrustworthy?”

“Ah— — because of the circumstance, I didn’t even think of that. At that time, my only thought was to leave the Kannagi clan without delay. Both otou-san and oka-san (father and mother) said《not needed》, there was no other choice.”

“What did Miyuki say?”

Juugo had only heard of this for the first time: that Kazuma had seen his mother before leaving home.

“Now that I think about it, I was so foolish. It was nothing against you; I was requested by that woman and I went to apologize. To think, I still fancied that I still had my parents’ concern.”
Kazuma crooked his mouth, ridiculing himself of the past.

It was not about hating Miyuki, but about him being so foolish. He thought that things like ties of blood and motherhood would help him.

“What did Miyuki… say?”

Kazuma was brought back to that day, four years ago. When Juugo’s voice reached Kazuma, it seemed like it was sent from a far distant place.

When Kazuma first entered his mother’s room, he couldn’t calm down, constantly waiting for his mother’s reply.

In contrast, Miyuki was sitting opposite of Kazuma in a type of tranquil attitude as if she was absolutely not affected. She was showing the same composure as if she was idly chatting.

Although it felt like an absolutely eternal silence, in reality, it wasn’t even one minute. She then opened her mouth towards the son that came to her for help.

“Kazuma, your learning was very good, your physical education was also quite above normal. The teacher from the school had also praised you!”

“Oka, Oka-san…”

Miyuki’s words greatly failed Kazuma’s hope; because of Genma’s request, this was like… '''!  '''

“It was very regretful, if only you had the qualities for en-jutsu then (I) could have treated you as a worthy son and deeply love you and be concerned.

This is like… bidding farewell.

Kazuma realized that Miyuki was constantly discussing events as if it was in the past; for her, everything was over. She accepted the situation of her son being disowned as if it was a reality that could not be changed. She didn’t need a useless son, and didn’t hesitate to abandon him. 

“Oka-san…”

Faced with her son as he was begging for help in a quaking voice, Miyuki simply smiled as she handed him a note.

“Inside there is 10 million; although it is a small amount, it can still fulfill the needs of your life. Don’t get sick, and stay alive energetically.”

Those were already the words of departure. Kazuma, as if escaping, fled to his room; and then, on the second day, without almost anything, one person solely left home, and it seemed like nobody even noticed.

The reason he left Japan, was not because of a firm determination to live independently and alone.

He was afraid; afraid that his parents would really say through their mouths, “I don’t need useless things,” and look down upon him as though he was a monster even more terrifying than a Youma.

He had hoped to hide at a place where they could not find him. Even though his rational thoughts were clear: that they will not send people after him; however, his body did not seem to be able to understand that, and so he ran.

When he arrived at Hong Kong, Kazuma could unwind for the first time. But he could never had known then, of the tragedy that was about to take place there.

“Ahh, it is probably like that.”

“……………..”

Juugo said nothing as he buried his head in deep thought.

(This woman who had always did things her way since a long time ago; I can’t believe she was so cruel…..)

“Oh well, don’t be bothered by it. It's all in the past now.”

“…You have become strong, Kazuma.”

Juugo said, with deep meanings to it. To think, a simple youth who, four years ago, was considered like a useless pronoun, became an outstanding man that possessed great power and also had the mental strength to control such power. Juugo felt very happy.

Even though Juugo praised him from the bottom of his heart for accomplishing this feat, what the most important thing now would be to clear Kazuma’s name. Everything will begin from now.

“…I cannot agree with that…”

“Is it still not enough? Why do you desire power so much?”

Contrary to what Juugo had expected, Kazuma did not seem that satisfied with his power. Juugo questioned Kazuma, who believed he still does not possess enough power, in a tone that carries some kind of criticism.

But it appeared from Kazuma’s eyes that he had not yet fallen into a drunken pursuit of power; instead, it was like he was a lost and desperate youth trying to find a place to repose.

“Yes, I have become stronger… I cannot cry anymore. Even if I had to sell my soul to the devil, it would not not a problem; I absolutely cannot allow myself to remain weak.”

Kazuma said while hiding his head with two arms encircling the one raised knee.

He could still clearly remember that day, where he had cried feebly, with his pupils frozen by hopelessness and horror. He would never forget it in all his years.

(I couldn’t do anything…)

No matter what kind of crazy, assiduous training Kazuma went through; several times he was on verge of death, it was impossible to return to that moment. He couldn’t save……. her.

— — Why do you pursue power?

Kazuma could not answer that question.

Is it in order to prevent such tragedies from happing again?

Is it in order to protect better this time?

No

Those kinds of ideas could not satisfy him. She cannot return once again — — she is blocked by the bottom of hell.

— — Why do you pursue power?

(I don’t know!)

There was no reason, no purpose, just plainly because he had talent in this area. The telergy and sensitivity to synchronies himself with the wind spirits was an ability that would never blossom with the Kannagi family.

— — Why do you pursue power?

“… Once wanted to protect…”

Kazuma muttered this as if he was squeezing out toothpaste. In the end, he still could not say anything, because he could still not overcome it. There will be one day though, when he will discover the real meaning of power— —

Juugo didn’t say anything, but quietly watched Kazuma.

(“…Once wanted to protect…”)

Juugo did not know much about Kazuma’s past, he could only imagine what the meaning of that unfulfilled promise represented, imagining the pain from that still unhealed wound.

“Oh yeah, when this matter is resolved, let’s find a day and have a drink together! You can choose the place.”

Even so, Juugo could at least be a listener to Kazuma’s complaints! If he could spit out all of the unhappiness accumulated within his heart, maybe he could gain some tranquility. Juugo hoped that he could help his “son” as a “father”, even if the result would turn out to be very insignificant.

“……Hmm…… alright”

Kazuma hide the scar that is bleeding up to this day, and gave a gentle smile.

=== 3 ===
“Suzerain, the information is here.”

From the other side of the pull door, a sound was suddenly transmitted. Juugo immediately gave him permission to enter.

Entering through the pull door, was the man that was previously commanded by Juugo to go do something. In his hand was a folder.

“It’s this one.”

“Hm”

Juugo accepted the file and slowly and indifferently opened it; he passed the information to Kazuma.

“Although I only have a 10 year old picture…is the culprit this person?”

“— — Ah, that’s right.”

Kazuma replied immediately after seeing the photo that accompanied the information. This shounen, over the ten years, has added onto his self the ki of a youma that could send shivers down the back, becoming that kind of monster.

(Hey, that means, that that thing used to be human?)

“Is that so? Go detain all the Fuuga clan members, quickly!”

“Yes!”

Juugo eyed Kazuma while he was still looking at the photo, then to the man — — and gave commands to the assistant. The assistant’s entire being immediately disappear; he simply vanished without leaving a trace.

“That person… just what kind of person is he?”

Kazuma looked at the place where the assistant was at one instant before. Just how the person moved was a mystery to Kazuma.

“My attendant, didn’t you know?”

“No.. uh… I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Juugo quietly smiled happily at being able to surprise Kazuma. Kazuma decided to give up on the matter.

Kazuma moved his eyes back onto the file and discovered that there was one name written it: Kazamaki Ryuuya.

(— —Kazamaki?)

That was the last name of the Fuuga’s captain.

“This thing is the son of Hyoue. Around ten years ago he fell ill, during the recovery I have not seen him even once.

“So that’s how it is, rebellion? Gah, you tormented them too much.”

Based on Kazuma’s knowledge, although the Fuuga clan was described as a subordinate organization of the Kannagi clan, in reality, they were no different from slaves. That was most likely the reason for the rebellion.

“Maybe it is like that.”

Juugo’s voice became very grave. Such things as rebellions are much more problematic compared to attacks from exterior enemies. As a suzerain, having such a headache was part of the job.

On another note, for Kazuma this was completely someone else’s problem. No matter what the problem was, there is no connection with him. The first thing for him to think about, was how to rescue Ren , whether the Kannagi clan survived simply did not interest him.

“Then, why did the Fuuga clan kidnap Ren? As a hostage, his value is quite insignificant.”

Although Ren was from the main family of the Kannagi clan, his existence was not irreplaceable. It is arguable that if it was Ayano, who is the successor of the Enraiha, it would be another story. But using Ren as a hostage would not force the Kannagi clan to move carelessly and promote rash acts.

“He is not being held as a hostage….but as a living sacrifice!”

“You said living sacrifice!?”

Kazuma’s face became very red with rage as old scars were torn anew.

— — Maroon hair dyed red by fresh blood, the deep green eyes which was once overflowing with life is now blurred like old glass marbles. Lips that seem to create songs will never open again — —.

《You. Can you protect me?》

(Rin ------!)

Kazuma tightly clenched his fists; the pain from letting his fingernails break skin pulled him back to reality.

(Forget it! Even if it is just for this moment…..!)

Kazuma, whose breath was filled with frustration, punched the floor with his fist, which was dripping blood.

“Sorry, I interrupted you, please continue…”

Suddenly, Kazuma stopped talking and looked through the window towards the outside. Although he was late only be a couple of seconds, Juugo also turned to look in the same direction. He noticed a kind of ki of fire spirits that was increasing explosively

“Ayano…?”

After walking close to the window and seeing Kazuma’s form, Ayano’s posture instantly changed as she jumped directly in through the window while holding onto Enraiha with one hand.

“Kazuma!!”

After visually confirming Kazuma’s position, Ayano shouted and raised the Enraiha to the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Jodan no Kamae|Jodan no Kamae]] position.。(Note: Jodan no Kamae is attacking position in kendo, where you hold the ken above your head.)

Then without any doubts or hesitation she swung downwards without paying any attention to the surrounding environment. This kind of decisive decision making is worthy of praise!

“Woah!”

Kazuma was surprised by this sneak attack; his reaction was only a short couple of seconds late. But that was already a deadly delay. In order to receive the thousands of degrees from the plasma attack, although having constructed a kekkai…

(Damn, not enough!)

The number of spirits was absolutely inadequate.

Spiritual practitioners when interfering with the《Initial Principle》 are to use the spirits within one’s control to alter the environs.

In order to do that, it is required that enough spirits or spirits with enough strength must be accumulated. If not enough are gathered, then no matter how strong one’s will, it would still be impossible to realize the desired defense.

No matter how strong the will, it would not transform into real power if there were no spirits; they are a medium to transmit the will of the world. No matter how much a person will try to curse another, it is impossible to kill that person merely by thinking bad ills upon them, it also requires accumulation of enough spirits to produce an effect.

The scorching plasma had already severed the kekkai. This kind of strength was so much that the branch families could not even compare; it was like the arrival of the sun. No matter how fast Kazuma could summon, in this short time frame there was no way he could create a strong enough kekkai.

The kekkai that existed outside the room was instantly destroyed; plasma began to contact the glass of the window. Unable to withstand the pincer attack from both wind and fire; the window frame and even the constructed material of the wall began to weather down and collapse.

(Shit! I’m going to get stabbed!)

In the instant that Kazuma, without a doubt, sensed the danger to his life

"Huh!?"

A fierce kiai assailed, turning the plasma that would have turned Kazuma to dust, into something like a dream, disappearing without a trace.

“Quite powerful?”

Kazuma deeply praised Juugo. Juugo not only seized the spirits under Ayano’s control, but by using such a strong kiai, he completely sent them away without a trace.

It really was willpower beyond that of a normal person. Although he was already retired from the front line, the power that had been proclaimed as the strongest in history has not diminished a bit

“Otou, Otou-san?”

Although the reasons were unclear, but Ayano sensed that Juugo was very unhappy because of her own actions. She began to look as if spying for a chance to flee, bending the back while retreating backwards

But, that chance would never come.

“This, you big fool!!!”

“Ah!”

As if the angry roar punched the entire body, Ayano, like a little child, fearfully rolled into a ball.

That roar displayed such an enormous force that it was at a near-impossible degree. It was so loud that the walls that avoided Ayano’s first attack began to shake. Any glass that remained was instantly shattered by the sound’s attack. The roar displayed such an enormous force.

“This idiot daughter! I don’t know how many times I told you not to swing that sword around without thinking! You still don’t understand that the one who holds the Enraiha should not casually and carelessly use strength. At least have some intellect to accompany the strength! Idiot!”

“Ah…”

Faced with the heartless reproach from her father, who was almost always very gentle and kind, Ayano could not even stand. She was so shocked that she fell towards the garden with her butt to the ground, and her eyes grew moist as if she was about to cry.

Then Juugo faced Kazuma again,apologizing for his daughter’s reckless behavior.

“Sorry, my daughter did something disrespectful, very sorry… hmm?”

Kazuma, who should have been standing there, was not found. As if noticing something, Juugo looked downwards, and what entered his sights was the position of Kazuma as he was using his two hands to cover his ears.

“What are you doing? ...”

Faced with Juugo’s surprising question, Kazuma used a hoarse voice as he replied,

“Nothing…Next time if you are going to roar like that, please warn me. You scared me half to death…”

Although Ayano, who was several meters away, felt a loud voice that could expand your bones, for Kazuma, who was at a very close distance, the impact felt was simply incomparable.

The thing that Kazuma felt was more like shockwaves than something as comprehensible as a shout. Although his ear membrane was numbed, his brain was still ringing; the membrane could not block those strong waves from penetrating the body.

“… Even my brain feels like it splitting.”

Kazuma stood up unsteadily. Even though his brain was still ringing from the reverberations that sounded like a percussion instrument, he ignored them with his willpower.

"Let’s continue, please ignore that idiot daughter."

Kazuma said as he sat down at the same spot and did not move. To keep standing was not a very easy matter as the ossicles in his ears were still numb. (Note: Ossicles or three ear bones are found in the ear.)

“…No, Ayano only doesn’t know what going on, let her listen it will be easier for me.”

After a slight hesitation, Juugo called Ayano over. Ayano gave thanks to Enraiha and hung it in a crevice on the wall. She came closer to Juugo, bowed and lowered her head.

“… Ayano.”

“I’m very sorry.”

Ayano immediately got on the ground and bowed; she was not really clear about what was going on, but she preemptively selected this action in order to apologize.

"That’s enough, in the future pay more attention!"

Juugo did not want to repeat this topic as right now was not the time for it.

“Listen closely, Ayano. The guilty one isn’t Kazuma, it’s the Fuuga clan!”

“Fuuga? Those kinds of weak people, what can they do….?”

Juugo slightly glanced at the interrupting Ayano, telling her to be quiet.

“The one that did the act was Kazamaki Ryuuya, but it is more accurate to say it was the youma who possesses him.”

“It doesn’t matter what did it, what is going on with Ren becoming a live sacrifice?”

Kazuma hurried the topic. At that instant, Ayano again interrupted.

“What is this? Ren was captured?”

《You should be quiet!》

Juugo and Kazuma accidentally, yet perfectly said this at the same time. Ayano began to pout very unhappily, but given her recent disrespectful actions and behavior, her current situation was in a very weak light. So without any better ideas, she decided she could only sit there quietly and listen.

“Then continuing where we left off: the ancestors of the Fuuga and Kannagi clan started out doing completely different things— —.”

(That’s right.)

Kazuma mumbled to himself. Things like manipulating wind and manipulating fire have different strength and different characteristics. As they are now the same clan, the possibility that the Kannagi clan ended up absorbing the Fuuga clan was quite natural.

“This was an occurrence that happened 300 years in the past. At that time, the Fuuga clan was proud of themselves for being able to manipulate strong and powerful wind. They created a shadow organization that thrived off of assassinating, cheating, and doing destructive types of jobs in order to accumulate wealth. They would do anything no matter what kind of job, but too many of them were evil deeds, and the Kannagi clan was given a direct order from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogunate Shogunate] to proceed to eliminate them.”

At the final period of the strenuous battle, our ancestors finally sealed the source of power from the Fuuga clan, and then decided to absorb what was left of the Fuuga clan, who had lost most of their powers, as followers.

“What is the source of their power?”

“— — it’s god!”

Although Juugo’s reply was quick and simple, in order to understand the meaning of those words took a lot more time.

“god~~!”

Kazuma glanced at Ayano, who emitted a sharp sounding gasp. Although Kazuma was also surprised, due to Ayano’s earlier wavering, Kazuma decided to allow the room to return to tranquility before speaking.

“That kind of thing, what would have to be done to seal it?”

Kazuma wanting to hear this situation described was not without reason. After all, evaluating from a human’s rational: a human sealing a god, this situation is quite impossible to achieve.
What was mentioned as god, is not the creator that religion adheres too, but a general term for something or someone that surpasses all existence. Surpassing mankind is the reason to be termed as a god and to be defeated by mankind would not be a god.《Humans sealing god》this phase itself is contradictory.

“This kind of situation is only passed down through oral stories told throughout the generations. What really happened, I do not know…Probably, they had to borrow from the King of Spirits or else such a thing would be impossible.

The King of Spirits quite simply represents the king of all spirits: governing the existence of all of the spirits on this planet. Although it is speculated that there exists a King for earth, water, fire, and wind, no one has been able to determine whether they all exist.

About a thousand years ago, the first suzerain of the Kannagi clan and the King of Fire Spirits were able to achieve a covenant, and the Enraiha was gifted. Then due to blood relationships, the Kannagi clan received the ability to strongly perceive the power of the fire spirits. Or so the legend goes.

Truly, if you have the power of the King of the Spirits, then it would not be impossible to seal a god — —.

“But, even if the suzerain of 300 years ago was able to again have a contract with the King of Spirits, humans’ using such power is still limited. You can’t surpass a god. Could they have directly summoned the King of Spirits?”

“— — that kind of action is impossible isn’t it?”

To let a king that exists in the upper world descend onto this world, such an event could only be described as a miracle that surpasses common sense. Even in theory would still impossible. So given Ayano’s questioning, Kazuma coldly replied,

“What would happen? Well it doesn’t matter anyways, as I cannot achieve that kind of miracle.”

“We already knew that a long time ago!”

“Back to the topic: Hyoue’s motive is to revive that god?”

Kazuma gritted his teeth and continued to ignore Ayano as she was hurrying Juugo to continue explaining.

“Most likely, the act of sealing is passed down in secret throughout the generations of suzerains. For them to start a rebellion means that they have probably found the location of the sealing and the methods to remove the seal.”

As Juugo said this, his facial expression became more impatient. This was not without reason, because if the sealed god is released, then the Fuuga clan would receive strength comparable to that of the Kannagi clan. Also, it is undeniable that the wrath of the sealed god will descend upon them.

“— — Then, Ren will become a tribute to revive the god.”

Kazuma was pretty calm given the situation. After all, he does not have any obligations to help in the survival or destruction of the Kannagi Clan. If things were to really turn out that way, simply running away is a viable option; running away was something Kazuma had absolute confidence in.

“No, in order to remove the seal Ren is needed, or rather I should say, a main family member from the Kannagi Clan is needed.”

After stopping Kazuma from speaking, Juugo continued to say,

“Only the main family members can remove the seal because the seal is inside the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Samadhi Flame|Samadhi Flame]].”

The Samadhi Flame is a crystallization of a《fire》that does not have any corrupting factors. It is a pure flame that should not even exist in this world. Whatever comes in contact with it, no matter what it may be, would be completely burned, without even leaving any ashes.

In order to send away such thing, it is needed to come in contact with the place of origin of the seal, certainly without a Kannagi main family member it would be impossible.

“But, if the fire is a hindrance then you can directly blow it away, even if it is a Samadhi Flame, if I can do it, probably that guy also can.”

“The seal is inside the fire.”

Juugo again repeated what was just said, as if testing Kazuma.

“Then it is… hey, isn’t that?”

“That’s right, the fire is sealing that god, if the fire is blown away, the sealed god’s form will also disappear, so without those protected by the fire, removing the seal is impossible.”

The suzerain of that time established several layers of security for the sealing: the existence of the sealing was shrouded in the highest degree of secrecy; the process of the absorption of the Fuugo clan into the Kannagi clan was erased from memory. For both the Kannagi and Fuuga, it appeared as though such matters never even occurred.

The fact that the seal could not be removed by a member of the Fuuga clan was absolutely certain. If it was not done to such a degree, probably the shogunate that desired the destruction of the Fuuga clan would not have accepted the results.

“If the first thing the released god sees is the descendant of the person that sealed itself, I would fear to think about what would happen to Ren.”

“So that’s how it is…really, if in the beginning they would have completely wiped out the Fuuga clan, we would not have to go through such annoying matters.”

“You… don’t you have any compassion for fellow humans?”“

Ayano did not hide any of her inner despite for Kazuma.

“Compassion for fellow humans? You…do you actually think that the Kannagi kindly rescued the Fuuga?”

“What, what is that, isn’t it like that?”

“Wind can strengthen fire. As practitioners of lower standers, wouldn’t using them as subordinates be more suitable?”

What Kazuma just said was obviously pointed towards Juugo. Because using persuasive excuses right now was useless, Juugo honestly told them the truth.

“That’s right; our ancestors really did use the Fuuga clan only as a tool, a very convenient tool at that…”

“No way…”

“Hey, from the standpoint of a slave, which is how you treat them, such a rebellion is certainly a right. It’s justice to get revenge against you guys."

“What? Why are you speaking about it as if it is other peoples’ problems? Ren dying doesn’t matter to you?”

Ayano gritted her teeth as she angrily said this to Kazuma with his sarcastic and unimpressed expression.

“Ren is also a practitioner of the Kannagi clan, it is impossible that he would follow Hyoue’s commands.”

“That… it is possible.”

“What!?”

Kazuma ignored Ayano, who was ready for a thorough argument, and said to Juugo.

“At this moment it hasn’t even passed the twelve hour mark so he might be ok, but manipulating him would be quite easy. No matter what Ren’s talent is, if there is a day’s time, they could probably get him to kill even his own parents.”

The calm and direct explanation really quieted the two Kannagi.

Brainwashing or possessing, there are many methods that could be used; as many methods as could be desired. Although the strength of the Kannagi clan resides in its lineage, such attributes are practical only to that of the body, which means, even when losing conscious, or possessed by youma, the spirits would still protect Ren’s body. 

“If we don’t hurry and the seal is released, there would be no way back. Before this we must rescue Ren.”

“Please work hard!”

Like adding water to the fiery Juugo who just made an insistent statement, Kazuma used a manner of speaking that showed that these matters do not concern him.

Ayano furrowed her forehead. People like him, who have no sense of responsibility, are the ones that she really dislikes. People who have the ability and yet are unwilling to do anything, compared to those who merely do not have the ability, are rotten to the core. Ayano often thinks like this.

“You don’t need to remind me! Even without borrowing your power, I alone am enough. I’ll show you!”

“…Wait a moment!”

Juugo constrained his daughter’s aggressive manner, not because he suspected Ayano’s strength, but because since it will involve the clan’s survival, plenty of battle power would be needed. 

“Kazuma, can you defeat Ryuuya?”

“…It would be near impossible. Even under the best circumstance, I would not be able to last five minutes.”

After a slight consideration, Kazuma replied candidly. He frequently used an objective self-evaluation method to assess himself; meaningless over-evaluating of oneself is a very dangerous matter, this was something Kazuma learned from past experiences.

“Is that so…?”

In Juugo’s brain, an inequality was developed like so: Ryuuya> Kazuma> Genma> Ayano, which means that Ayano alone ould have no possibility of winning.

“Yare yare, where did they summon such a high level youma is beyond me. Hell, even a vampire of 3000 years in the interior of China with an extremely powerful youma ki was still incomparable with that thing.”

“You, you can even beat… that kind of thing?”

In Juugo’s expression there was probably more incomprehension than astonishment.

“Ha, yeah right! There was no way to fight against that thing. I just patted my ass and tucked in my tail, then ran far way.”

Kazuma used a mischievous tone in order to avoid further questioning. Those were memories he did not want to recall, and so he diverted the topic back to the original discussion.

“The problem with that guy is that the wind he uses is not normal.”

”…What does that mean?”

“It is so abnormal that I have no concept of how nature even developed that sort of thing. The spirits around that guy are all going crazy. Because of this, I can’t interfere with his spells; hell I can’t even sense it. If he chooses to hide himself, it will only be at a very close distance and right before he attacks that I will be able to sense anything.”

“That’s quite… no, really bothersome!”

Juugo worriedly mumbled.

Spirits do have wisdom and ability, although it is not known how to differentiate them, they still have will. So, they will get agitated like human being.

Putting spirits in a situation that is completely opposite of its own characteristics for a long period of time— — such as putting fire spirits in water and sealing wind spirits in the ground — — will cause them to go crazy. This is something that is a fact and has already been confirmed

But — —

“That kind of thing, how would you control them?”

Because they have already lost their consciousness, of course they would not be able to hear the words from a human — — well, probably.

“Who the hell knows? There are no cases where this has happened before, so there aren’t any similar topics to discuss about!”

Kazuma replied in very vague manner.

“In order to do it…maybe Ayano’s attribute would work better compared to fighting wind against wind. With fire being the main attacking force, using the Enraiha from inside his body and then proceeding to burn him, no matter how strong his will is, he will still die.”

“Then are you saying that you will not help?”

“I only dislike working.”

“I’ll pay 100 million!”

“Thanks for the job.”

Without any hesitation, Kazuma agreed to the contract.

This was not because the huge amount of money blurred his vision. To receive remunerations is to give him, an outsider, a reason to be involved. Of course, he would take what is his, but Kazuma joining the battle has already become an inevitable reality.

“You’re terrible, without money you would have abandoned your brother?”

Ayano’s words were full of despite, but Kazuma only grinned without replying to her.

Rather than being considered a “good guy” who acts by his emotions, being known as a miser makes him feel a lot better. Ayano’s scorn does not affect him in any way.

“Then, please.”

“Ah, leave it to me.”

After glancing at Ayano, who looked like she was about to shoot lasers from her eyes, the two men shook hands in agreement.

Juugo certainly understood Kazuma’s purpose. In order for him to have a corresponding standpoint, using 100 million yen is needed in order to sustain this kind of cooperation.

(I really can’t beat him…)

Juugo really felt that Kazuma’s consideration was not the same as before.

“Then, where exactly is this place?”

By now there was no further need for discussion. Faced with this kind of direct question, Juugo simply replied,

“Kyoto!”

In the northwest of Kyoto, there lies the ceremonial mountain of the fire god. That location was a sacred place of the Kannagi clan, the contractual place where the earth had the fire of the heaven’s burning. Revolving around 300 years past of gratitude and grudges, and gambling the two clans’ existence — — the place of the decisive battle is there.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter4

2009-02-22T04:56:44Z

Stealth: /* 1 */ Typos

==Chapter Four - Returning to Visit, and Then―― ==

=== 1 ===
When he was within ten meters from the front door

“Ka….. Kazuma!?”

Kazuma looked at the guardsman who was screaming in shock with a displeased look on his face.

(Too slow.)

He mumbled in his heart. Even though they were on high alert, they only realized that he was here at this kind of distance? They are really useless.

But, the speedy reaction of the other party was perhaps worthy of praise! After hearing the guardsman’s shout, the jutsushis that were spread out at different corners on stand-by rushed over one by one

Within seconds, Kazuma became surrounded by at least ten jutsu practitioners.

“Get the clan chief out.”

Kazuma arrogantly commanded, completely ignoring the killing intent from all directions.

“We have already come out to get the door, you should be grateful.”

(These guys seem to want to pick a fight with me.)

Even though he knew this was just a taunt, Kazuma did not want to bear with it at all; frankly speaking, Kazuma became furious.

Ever since he had come back to Japan, he had met with a series of unhappy events. First of all, he was dragged between the fight between the Kannagi clan and the mystery man, and then he fell into the mystery man’s trap, having Ren abducted right before his very eyes. Now in order to convey this news, he has no choice but to force himself to come to the Kannagi household, which he swore never to come close to ever again.

All of this has stressed Kazuma’s nerves, resulting in his extreme annoyance. It did not matter who it was, but he just wanted to find someone and beat him up. If one sentence could be used to describe how he feels now, it would most probably be as mentioned above!

And now at this place, just so coincidentally there were a bunch of idiots, as if saying “Please punch me”, standing in rows waiting for him to do it. There was no reason to give up the opportunity.

One of the idiots stood out to break the stalemate, he might have been someone that Kazuma used to know, but at this point of time, Kazuma thought that there was no need to verify any one of them anymore.

“In this extraordinary time period, you think that you can stand in front of us and beg for mercy…?”

While he said that, it looked like he was fighting to the death at trying to control his near-erupted fury.

Not trying to waste any time, Kazuma slowly opened his mouth and said.

“Although I said to summon the Suzerain… it seems like I wasn’t heard?”

“Kisama!” (You!)

Crrackk!

With a sound of a blunt object, while the one jutsushi was angrily firing away fireballs, not one of the other jutsu practitioners saw the incoming attack from Kazuma – it was like a giant using an uppercut punch – the jutsushi was sent into the air. His chin was pummeled to pieces and he lost the strength to even open his mouth, which spit out blood mixed with broken teeth

The jutsu practitioners began to retreat in disbelief. They had never seen an attack method like Kazuma’s before. But while also realizing this, the battle had already begun, and so they started to collect their fighting spirit.

Of course the goal of Kazuma‘s visit was not to fight. It just seemed like someone inside of his mind was continuously saying that this world would be better off if all those idiots were to die. Kazuma let that voice persuade him, and he forgot what he came to do.

[Fist of Air] — — blocks of air that are highly compressed and sent forth at the speed of sound. The instant before contact, about 100 points of air is compressed into 1 point instantaneously — — and while pointing at a certain direction — — it is recoiled to its original state like a spring, with the strength of force far exceeding a professional boxer’s finishing blow. The jutsu practitioners could not do anything as one after another was knocked down.

Kazuma put out a string of continuing combos — — attacking targets without regards to accuracy, as long as the air bombs flew in the general direction, they even ended up digging up the surface and fracturing the wall. The people that were standing were completed knocked down and left helpless on the ground.

Kazuma still had his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, standing there all alone. People that were able to stand and stop him were nowhere to be found.

The jutsu practitioners were all knocked down on the ground; some had broken lower jaws, some had sunken noses that continuously spewed out blood, and some were moaning about with serious internal damage. They were all laying around in many different positions, but the common point was that all of them had no fighting capabilities remaining.

Even though knocking down this 10 or so jutsu practitioners didn’t even take 30 seconds, Kazuma’s expression did not have the feeling of arrogance. He simply accepted this landslide difference in strength, thinking this kind of thing happening as logical certainty.

But, that expression unexpectedly became pensive.

“…Doh…”

Not seeing one uninjured person, Kazuma finally realized that he had committed a deadly mistake.

“I thought carefully, and then communicated clearly to these people, so that this kind of situation would not have happened…”

Before this, a phone call would have probably had accomplished his goal. Also, there was no need to talk directly with the Suzerain. Even if he had suddenly met him, in such a short time’s notice he wouldn’t have known what to say. This time it was only because Ren was captured in front of his own eyes, making him waver, also — —

“Also I, would very much like to come back, huh?”

This place was what I called home in the past. I thought I had already abandoned this place and yet I have returned.

Kazuma shook his head, breaking his thought pattern, fearing a deepening of questing will recall quite an unhappy answer.

“Hey, wake up. Don’t fall asleep on me!” 

Kazuma, in order to change his mood, yelled and kicked the less hurt and younger jutsu practitioner. But the jutsu practitioner weakly opened and slowly closed his eyes, as he realized the extreme pain, and so he allowed Kazuma to do what he liked.

“— — Damn!”

Kazuma abhorrently threw him away and started walking towards the main door. He moved forward directly towards the door, without a care of whether he stepped on the ground or a practitioner.

The door was already opened, because the people that opened the door had already been defeated; thus the door being opened was a logical occurrence. And beyond the door, was an area where two times the amount of jutsu practitioners were waiting.
So at the same time when Kazuma stood in front of the door, 30 lines of fire arrived to kill him.

Honng!

That enormous amount of heat that transformed into plasma completely surrounded Kazuma. The light from the heat was enough to burn even the eyes. The jutsu practitioners started to believe they had won.

(We killed him!)

(If it’s like this and he’s still not dead — —)

(— — no human could survive that!)

But then, in the dissipating fire, they saw something they couldn't believe.

“Wh, What?”

Surrounded by a bluish/greenish white flame, there was Kazuma, safely inside.

“So boring…”

Kazuma ,without any elaborate procedures, waved his hand, removing the collected strength of 30 people’s fires. The strength of the fire and heat completely did not harm a single hair of Kazuma.

“Impossible… Is that guy a youma god… ?”

Now the jutsu practitioners were so shocked, it appeared that they had even forgotten to breath. If they looked calmly, they might have been able to see that the matter separating Kazuma and the flames was a thin layer of air.

High level jutsu-shi can even surpass the laws of physics. No matter if it is an enjutsu-shi or a fuujutsu-shi: igniting a fire where there is no oxygen and blocking the heat transfered in the air is not impossible.

Kazuma had complete control of the surrounding air inside this space; compared with laws of physics, his will had primacy. No matter how large the amount of heat, it could not be transferred to Kazuma’s body.

The requirements in order to be a first rate jutsu practitioner is not strength of the spells, nor the knowledge and technique, but the willpower; to deny the present reality and have the《willpower》to construct one’s own fantasy world.

Magic, Jutsu comes from mixing your own will into《Initial Principle》, then simply create new laws to control the effects.

It requires a constructed system of the《World》, and then rewriting the procedures and change it into reality.

In other words, in order to transfer the flames to Kazuma, one would need a stronger will in comparison to what Kazuma employed to deny the laws of physics. So what is needed is to use an even stronger will to deny the《Kazuma’s fabricated Laws》.

Realistically speaking, if you don’t have a belief of《Will burn you up》that’s stronger than Kazuma’s belief of《I won’t get burned》 then nothing will be achieved.

Since this was not achieved, it could be said that Kazuma’s will was greater than the sum of the will of those 30 people combined.

“Impossible… impossible…”

The jutsu practitioners mumbled with shocked looks.

It ought to be said that they can only mumble.

The reasons for the ineffectual jutsu spell they understood; in fact, they understood it well, just like they understood things such as arms and legs.

Of course, they did not consider Kazuma’s existence as that beyond common sense, but only considered him as a first-class spiritual jutsu practitioner. And from that point of view, it was that Kazuma only commanded a huge wind spirit.

Kazuma’s strength had already surpassed what they previously considered, completely achieving another dimension; the difference was clear.

But Kazuma didn’t proceed to counterattack the jutsu practitioners; naturally it was not to forgive them, but it was just that from the start, he wanted to simply ignore the practitioners from the branch families.

Because of the practitioners, Kazuma began to recall the days he spent for 18 years in this mansion; memories of a home that contained almost no happiness. No matter whom, they all disregarded him, even to the point of ignoring his existence. Inside such an excessive clan, people that kindly accepted him were almost nonexistent.

But no matter what kind of persecution Kazuma received, he began to feel a sort of homesickness; after all, it’s the place of his roots.

(That’s right… I have returned here…)

Kazuma could do anything but admit this thought. Even if he was looked down upon, and bullied, he was still able to be protected here. From society, from the responsibilities of living alone, he, who was a child back then, was protected.

However, to yearn for someone to protect him, that was weakness, escapism, and running away from reality.

Even though Kazuma admited that the weakness, which he should have had already abandoned since four years ago, still lingered within him, but this was something that made him feel depressed.

(In conclusion, I can't allow this home to continue existing)

Kazuma was assaulted by large amounts of《unhappiness》 and started blaming the roots of his evils — — of course by his own stubborn decision — — on the Kannagi main family. He came to the decision to crush it with his own hands.

Following Kazuma’s will, an even bigger wind spirit was summoned; condensing within his palm was a wind pressure that could challenge a typhoon.

If he would release all of it, all things within a radius of 200 meters would be destroyed in a blink of an eye. The practitioners had already prepared for thoughts of death.

At this moment, Kazuma completely forgot about the Kannagi clan or the people living close by; he only thought to erase the annoying things right in front of his eyes.

Even Kazuma himself did not notice that he had already accumulated such a large amount of pressure. Kazuma was indulged in such self-satisfied thoughs that he did not have the opportunity to regulate his power.

“Wo… Wah…!”

“What, what is this kind of strength…!”

No matter what, the practitioners certainly had no way of understanding what Kazuma was thinking. In front of such crushing strength, without even thinking of applying jutsu in resistance, they began to just dumbly stand there.

Certainly this was not without reason, the wind spirits that Kazuma summoned, no matter whether releasing as a jutsu or an out-of-control rampage, could eradicate this mansion.

“………..”

The older jutsu practitioners exchanged a look to each other without speaking; because they had more experience, and so they were less ruffled. Being exposed to Juugo when he was a young boy, they were already experienced to such out of control spirits that could be categorized as a natural disaster. Although at that time, they felt that (they) would be protected by such extreme strength.

After making an enormous inner determination and then a guess from Kazuma's posture, the only remaining method of attack was one, and there was no other.

They would gamble their live to perform a summoning of massive proportions; and just like what the words propose; it was the last method, which could result in a mutual suicide. But they had already prepared for death.

(If only to protect the Suzerain…)

(Before Ayano-sama returns…)

There was no other motive for them to gamble their lives besides trying to defeat Kazuma. Because if Kazuma was standing here, then it can be presumed that Genma was already defeated.

Then in that case, only Ayano would have the ability to fight on par with Kazuma. They gambled their lives in order to gain time for Ayano’s return.

“Let’s go…”

“Wait a second.” 

The second before the assault, a calm voice detained them. That voice seemed to have immense《power》. All members stopped.

It seemed like time had stopped, for a while now nobody moved. In such a tranquil space, (one) could only hear sounds of the bamboo hitting the stone. 

“Suz, Suzerain!’

“It’s too dangerous! Please withdraw!”

All the practitioners recommended that the Suzerain withdrawal.

Although all of the practitioners’ sight was gathered on him, Juugo still walked with ease with his line of sight directed at Kazuma.

Kazuma also didn’t avoid Juugo’s look.

Juugo was always very gentle with Kazuma, with feelings of loving concern over disclosing to strict words. In his shounen childhood, when the surrounding were all enemies, only his time spent with Juugo was when Kazuma could feel slightly relieved.

For Kazuma, facing Juugo was similar to facing an admired father, which was in contrast to only having terror in the face of Genma.

A kind of ancient yearning surged, but now Kazuma, even if wanting to cry, would not have any tears.

Certainly it seemed like Juugo completely detected Kazuma’s expression; and just like when speaking to a relative he had not seen in a long time, Juugo greeted Kazuma.

“Long time no see, Kazuma. How are you doing?”

“…Ahh”

Knowing that Juugo still believed in him, Kazuma laughed like being released from confinement.

And after identifying with such, Juugo laughed energetically as well; seeing the typhoon in Kazuma’s hand, he said.

“If it’s like this, then, what is that thing?”

“Huh? Oh, just trying to surpass the past.”

Kazuma clumsily waved his hand, dismissing all of the accumulated spirits. He even forgot the etiquette of saying 'thank you' to all of the spirits.

“Huh? Um, ok, standing here is difficult to talk. Come in for cup of tea.”

Although Juugo could not have thoroughly understood what Kazuma had meant, and so he just treated it as neglected mumblings. The practitioners were standing there as if being force fed some mute medicine when perceiving that Juugo, without care, started turning around to the facing Kazuma. They probably thought that Kazuma would attack when his back was turned.

“S, Suzerain, Kazuma is our traitor!”

Juugo gazed using a very sorrowful appearance towards the still incompetent practitioners, and then slowly turned around to face Kazuma and asked.

“Uh, is it like that?”

“No?”

Kazuma said as he shruged his shoulders. The bunch of idiots continued to be puzzled, having a mouth but no voice. 

“So it seems.”

“No, we can’t trust him!”

The practitioners shouted with voices of dissatisfaction, believing that Juugo had been deceived.

“Calm down, idiots!”

Juugo scolded, accompanied by sounds of sighing.

“If Kazuma was serious, you would have already been dead. Now do you understand?”

The jutsu practitioners all looked towards Kazuma with that careless appearance. The power with the strength to annihilate them was completely gone. It could not be disputed that the useless man has returned as a superior first class practitioner.

“— — Say why did you return? It can’t only be for a gathering?”

“Ah, that’s right; there is something I need to tell you.”

Kazuma finally remembered the reason for his approach, although admitting Ren’s capture under his watch to someone else was a very humiliating situation.

(Ah, no way out, after all, losing the initiative was my fault.)

“— — Ren has been abducted. It was someone who can use the wind, most likely an accomplice of the murderer that killed your comrades.”

“Quit joking! You were the one who killed Shinji and Shingo!”

Kazuma recognized for the first time, that this man was the Soushu of the Yuuki family.

(It doesn’t matter who dies as long as it’s not your sons?)?)

For an instant, he had an urge to say that, but he managed to keep it to himself. Kazuma considered the man unworthy for him to speak to.

“Ren was seized?”

Juugo also ignored Yuuki’s words, and asked Kazuma back.

“They did not kill him?”

“That is right. I am not too sure about the details; however, I can confirm that he is still alive. I believe that if we know their reason for abducting him, we should be able to lock only the criminal’s identity. I came here specially to inform you guys; but could it be, you already know who did it?”

“No, we do not know yet. But thank you for your information.”

Juugo seemed to have thought of something as his face began to show a bitter expression. He said something to the man standing at his side; Kazuma tried hard to remember, and recalled that this was a man trusted by Juugo.

Then that man bowed, and quickly departed from the house.

“Did you see the features of that guy?”

“…I saw what he looked like, but I don’t think it will be of any help. That thing isn’t even human.”

Just thinking about him brought chills to Kazuma, and that kind of irregular youma ki that 'it' possess could not be from anything human.

[[image:Kaze no Stigma vol 01 149.jpg|thumb]]

“So it’s like that… By the way, what happened to Genma?”

Faced with Juugo’s question, Kazuma sincerely started to laugh. It was unlike that of a grown man, but a laugh of a shonen (boy). That kind of grin could not be practiced; it was a mischievous grin fully covering the face.

Then, Kazuma showed his thumb and turned it down, with his chin moving backwards, braggingly saying.

“He was sent flying.”

“huh, haha, hahahahahahaha ! That, that’s how, was sent flying?”

Faced with this kind of overly energetic and without any evil-intention reply from Kazuma, Juugo uncontrollably started to laugh, an unstoppable roaring laughter.

“Suzerain! This is not a funny matter!”

Faced with an unstopping laughter from the Suzerain, the practitioners worriedly admonished.

“Hmm, certainly it is like that.”

Then Juugo pulled taut his face; with a severe, unyielding and steadily stare, he said to Kazuma,

“Don’t tell me you killed him?”

“Hey, I was quite merciful. I even called an ambulance; quite kind of me!”

“If that’s the case, then, it’s alright.”

“Absolutely not!”

The person interrupting was like the practitioner before. He was so angry he started to stagger as if he was dizzy.

“If your body is not well, you can withdraw.”

“My situation is of no importance! If Kazuma knocked out Genma-sama, then it is absolutely certain that he is rebelling!”

“…This situation is only that of a father and son argument.”

“This… this kind of situation is…!”

“Understood, that kind of situation has already been heard earlier. Okay, you can withdraw.”

After Juugo disrupted his words, he gestured at Kazuma and then entered through the door. Kazuma simply followed Juugo.

And so, after four years, Kazuma finally returned to the place where he was born.

=== 2 ===
Faced with this mansion where he had not walked through for four years, Kazuma looked about slowly and seriously. As with the outside, the inside of the mansion did not change at all. It was a mansion constructed during the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Warring States Period|Warring States Period]], and only four short years was not enough to grant any changes.

Kazuma continued behind Juugo, and he followed without speaking as he was taken to Juugo’s private room.

“Here we can talk straightforwardly. What would you like to drink?”

“It doesn’t matter, besides I’m not thirsty — —.”

With regards to Kazuma’s casual reply, Juugo stared at Kazuma as if he seemed to be looking for something..

“Hm, don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not that I’m suspecting you.”

Suddenly a discordant atmosphere began to spread throughout the room.

Certainly from the Kannagi clan’s point of view, there was not even one shred of evidence to believe Kazuma. Besides Juugo, all of the other members believed him to be the murderer.

To appear in the home of all the enemies pursuing Kazuma’s life was really unbelievable.

“Why did you leave the house?”

Juugo broke the silence. Out of everything else, this was what he wanted to hear the most.

“When I heard you were disowned, you had already left without discussing even a single word with me. Am I this untrustworthy?”

“Ah— — because of the circumstance, I didn’t even think of that. At that time, my only thought was to leave the Kannagi clan without delay. Both otou-san and oka-san (father and mother) said《not needed》, there was no other choice.”

“What did Miyuki say?”

Juugo had only heard of this for the first time: that Kazuma had seen his mother before leaving home.

“Now that I think about it, I was so foolish. It was nothing against you; I was requested by that woman and I went to apologize. To think, I still fancied that I still had my parents’ concern.”
Kazuma crooked his mouth, ridiculing himself of the past.

It was not about hating Miyuki, but about him being so foolish. He thought that things like ties of blood and motherhood would help him.

“What did Miyuki… say?”

Kazuma was brought back to that day, four years ago. When Juugo’s voice reached Kazuma, it seemed like it was sent from a far distant place.

When Kazuma first entered his mother’s room, he couldn’t calm down, constantly waiting for his mother’s reply.

In contrast, Miyuki was sitting opposite of Kazuma in a type of tranquil attitude as if she was absolutely not affected. She was showing the same composure as if she was idly chatting.

Although it felt like an absolutely eternal silence, in reality, it wasn’t even one minute. She then opened her mouth towards the son that came to her for help.

“Kazuma, your learning was very good, your physical education was also quite above normal. The teacher from the school had also praised you!”

“Oka, Oka-san…”

Miyuki’s words greatly failed Kazuma’s hope; because of Genma’s request, this was like… '''!  '''

“It was very regretful, if only you had the qualities for en-jutsu then (I) could have treated you as a worthy son and deeply love you and be concerned.

This is like… bidding farewell.

Kazuma realized that Miyuki was constantly discussing events as if it was in the past; for her, everything was over. She accepted the situation of her son being disowned as if it was a reality that could not be changed. She didn’t need a useless son, and didn’t hesitate to abandon him. 

“Oka-san…”

Faced with her son as he was begging for help in a quaking voice, Miyuki simply smiled as she handed him a note.

“Inside there is 10 million; although it is a small amount, it can still fulfill the needs of your life. Don’t get sick, and stay alive energetically.”

Those were already the words of departure. Kazuma, as if escaping, fled to his room; and then, on the second day, without almost anything, one person solely left home, and it seemed like nobody even noticed.

The reason he left Japan, was not because of a firm determination to live independently and alone.

He was afraid; afraid that his parents would really say through their mouths, “I don’t need useless things,” and look down upon him as though he was a monster even more terrifying than a Youma.

He had hoped to hide at a place where they could not find him. Even though his rational thoughts were clear: that they will not send people after him; however, his body did not seem to be able to understand that, and so he ran.

When he arrived at Hong Kong, Kazuma could unwind for the first time. But he could never had known then, of the tragedy that was about to take place there.

“Ahh, it is probably like that.”

“……………..”

Juugo said nothing as he buried his head in deep thought.

(This woman who had always did things her way since a long time ago; I can’t believe she was so cruel…..)

“Oh well, don’t be bothered by it. It's all in the past now.”

“…You have become strong, Kazuma.”

Juugo said, with deep meanings to it. To think, a simple youth who, four years ago, was considered like a useless pronoun, became an outstanding man that possessed great power and also had the mental strength to control such power. Juugo felt very happy.

Even though Juugo praised him from the bottom of his heart for accomplishing this feat, what the most important thing now would be to clear Kazuma’s name. Everything will begin from now.

“…I cannot agree with that…”

“Is it still not enough? Why do you desire power so much?”

Contrary to what Juugo had expected, Kazuma did not seem that satisfied with his power. Juugo questioned Kazuma, who believed he still does not possess enough power, in a tone that carries some kind of criticism.

But it appeared from Kazuma’s eyes that he had not yet fallen into a drunken pursuit of power; instead, it was like he was a lost and desperate youth trying to find a place to repose.

“Yes, I have become stronger… I cannot cry anymore. Even if I had to sell my soul to the devil, it would not not a problem; I absolutely cannot allow myself to remain weak.”

Kazuma said while hiding his head with two arms encircling the one raised knee.

He could still clearly remember that day, where he had cried feebly, with his pupils frozen by hopelessness and horror. He would never forget it in all his years.

(I couldn’t do anything…)

No matter what kind of crazy, assiduous training Kazuma went through; several times he was on verge of death, it was impossible to return to that moment. He couldn’t save……. her.

— — Why do you pursue power?

Kazuma could not answer that question.

Is it in order to prevent such tragedies from happing again?

Is it in order to protect better this time?

No

Those kinds of ideas could not satisfy him. She cannot return once again — — she is blocked by the bottom of hell.

— — Why do you pursue power?

(I don’t know!)

There was no reason, no purpose, just plainly because he had talent in this area. The telergy and sensitivity to synchronies himself with the wind spirits was an ability that would never blossom with the Kannagi family.

— — Why do you pursue power?

“… Once wanted to protect…”

Kazuma muttered this as if he was squeezing out toothpaste. In the end, he still could not say anything, because he could still not overcome it. There will be one day though, when he will discover the real meaning of power— —

Juugo didn’t say anything, but quietly watched Kazuma.

(“…Once wanted to protect…”)

Juugo did not know much about Kazuma’s past, he could only imagine what the meaning of that unfulfilled promise represented, imagining the pain from that still unhealed wound.

“Oh yeah, when this matter is resolved, let’s find a day and have a drink together! You can choose the place.”

Even so, Juugo could at least be a listener to Kazuma’s complaints! If he could spit out all of the unhappiness accumulated within his heart, maybe he could gain some tranquility. Juugo hoped that he could help his “son” as a “father”, even if the result would turn out to be very insignificant.

“……Hmm…… alright”

Kazuma hide the scar that is bleeding up to this day, and gave a gentle smile.

=== 3 ===
“Suzerain, the information is here.”

From the other side of the pull door, a sound was suddenly transmitted. Juugo immediately gave him permission to enter.

Entering through the pull door, was the man that was previously commanded by Juugo to go do something. In his hand was a folder.

“It’s this one.”

“Hm”

Juugo accepted the file and slowly and indifferently opened it; he passed the information to Kazuma.

“Although I only have a 10 year old picture…is the culprit this person?”

“— — Ah, that’s right.”

Kazuma replied immediately after seeing the photo that accompanied the information. This shounen, over the ten years, has added onto his self the ki of a youma that could send shivers down the back, becoming that kind of monster.

(Hey, that means, that that thing used to be human?)

“Is that so? Go detain all the Fuuga clan members, quickly!”

“Yes!”

Juugo eyed Kazuma while he was still looking at the photo, then to the man — — and gave commands to the assistant. The assistant’s entire being immediately disappear; he simply vanished without leaving a trace.

“That person… just what kind of person is he?”

Kazuma looked at the place where the assistant was at one instant before. Just how the person moved was a mystery to Kazuma.

“My attendant, didn’t you know?”

“No.. uh… I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Juugo quietly smiled happily at being able to surprise Kazuma. Kazuma decided to give up on the matter.

Kazuma moved his eyes back onto the file and discovered that there was one name written it: Kazamaki Ryuuya.

(— —Kazamaki?)

That was the last name of the Fuuga’s captain.

“This thing is the son of Hyoue. Around ten years ago he fell ill, during the recovery I have not seen him even once.

“So that’s how it is, rebellion? Gah, you tormented them too much.”

Based on Kazuma’s knowledge, although the Fuuga clan was described as a subordinate organization of the Kannagi clan, in reality, they were no different from slaves. That was most likely the reason for the rebellion.

“Maybe it is like that.”

Juugo’s voice became very grave. Such things as rebellions are much more problematic compared to attacks from exterior enemies. As a suzerain, having such a headache was part of the job.

On another note, for Kazuma this was completely someone else’s problem. No matter what the problem was, there is no connection with him. The first thing for him to think about, was how to rescue Ren , whether the Kannagi clan survived simply did not interest him.

“Then, why did the Fuuga clan kidnap Ren? As a hostage, his value is quite insignificant.”

Although Ren was from the main family of the Kannagi clan, his existence was not irreplaceable. It is arguable that if it was Ayano, who is the successor of the Enraiha, it would be another story. But using Ren as a hostage would not force the Kannagi clan to move carelessly and promote rash acts.

“He is not being held as a hostage….but as a living sacrifice!”

“You said living sacrifice!?”

Kazuma’s face became very red with rage as old scars were torn anew.

— — Maroon hair dyed red by fresh blood, the deep green eyes which was once overflowing with life is now blurred like old glass marbles. Lips that seem to create songs will never open again — —.

《You. Can you protect me?》

(Rin ------!)

Kazuma tightly clenched his fists; the pain from letting his fingernails break skin pulled him back to reality.

(Forget it! Even if it is just for this moment…..!)

Kazuma, whose breath was filled with frustration, punched the floor with his fist, which was dripping blood.

“Sorry, I interrupted you, please continue…”

Suddenly, Kazuma stopped talking and looked through the window towards the outside. Although he was late only be a couple of seconds, Juugo also turned to look in the same direction. He noticed a kind of ki of fire spirits that was increasing explosively

“Ayano…?”

After walking close to the window and seeing Kazuma’s form, Ayano’s posture instantly changed as she jumped directly in through the window while holding onto Enraiha with one hand.

“Kazuma!!”

After visually confirming Kazuma’s position, Ayano shouted and raised the Enraiha to the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Jodan no Kamae|Jodan no Kamae]] position.。(Note: Jodan no Kamae is attacking position in kendo, where you hold the ken above your head.)

Then without any doubts or hesitation she swung downwards without paying any attention to the surrounding environment. This kind of decisive decision making is worthy of praise!

“Woah!”

Kazuma was surprised by this sneak attack; his reaction was only a short couple of seconds late. But that was already a deadly delay. In order to receive the thousands of degrees from the plasma attack, although having constructed a kekkai…

(Damn, not enough!)

The number of spirits was absolutely inadequate.

Spiritual practitioners when interfering with the《Initial Principle》 are to use the spirits within one’s control to alter the environs.

In order to do that, it is required that enough spirits or spirits with enough strength must be accumulated. If not enough are gathered, then no matter how strong one’s will, it would still be impossible to realize the desired defense.

No matter how strong the will, it would not transform into real power if there were no spirits; they are a medium to transmit the will of the world. No matter how much a person will try to curse another, it is impossible to kill that person merely by thinking bad ills upon them, it also requires accumulation of enough spirits to produce an effect.

The scorching plasma had already severed the kekkai. This kind of strength was so much that the branch families could not even compare; it was like the arrival of the sun. No matter how fast Kazuma could summon, in this short time frame there was no way he could create a strong enough kekkai.

The kekkai that existed outside the room was instantly destroyed; plasma began to contact the glass of the window. Unable to withstand the pincer attack from both wind and fire; the window frame and even the constructed material of the wall began to weather down and collapse.

(Shit! I’m going to get stabbed!)

In the instant that Kazuma, without a doubt, sensed the danger to his life

"Huh!?"

A fierce kiai assailed, turning the plasma that would have turned Kazuma to dust, into something like a dream, disappearing without a trace.

“Quite powerful?”

Kazuma deeply praised Juugo. Juugo not only seized the spirits under Ayano’s control, but by using such a strong kiai, he completely sent them away without a trace.

It really was willpower beyond that of a normal person. Although he was already retired from the front line, the power that had been proclaimed as the strongest in history has not diminished a bit

“Otou, Otou-san?”

Although the reasons were unclear, but Ayano sensed that Juugo was very unhappy because of her own actions. She began to look as if spying for a chance to flee, bending the back while retreating backwards

But, that chance would never come.

“This, you big fool!!!”

“Ah!”

As if the angry roar punched the entire body, Ayano, like a little child, fearfully rolled into a ball.

That roar displayed such an enormous force that it was at a near-impossible degree. It was so loud that the walls that avoided Ayano’s first attack began to shake. Any glass that remained was instantly shattered by the sound’s attack. The roar displayed such an enormous force.

“This idiot daughter! I don’t know how many times I told you not to swing that sword around without thinking! You still don’t understand that the one who holds the Enraiha should not casually and carelessly use strength. At least have some intellect to accompany the strength! Idiot!”

“Ah…”

Faced with the heartless reproach from her father, who was almost always very gentle and kind, Ayano could not even stand. She was so shocked that she fell towards the garden with her butt to the ground, and her eyes grew moist as if she was about to cry.

Then Juugo faced Kazuma again,apologizing for his daughter’s reckless behavior.

“Sorry, my daughter did something disrespectful, very sorry… hmm?”

Kazuma, who should have been standing there, was not found. As if noticing something, Juugo looked downwards, and what entered his sights was the position of Kazuma as he was using his two hands to cover his ears.

“What are you doing? ...”

Faced with Juugo’s surprising question, Kazuma used a hoarse voice as he replied,

“Nothing…Next time if you are going to roar like that, please warn me. You scared me half to death…”

Although Ayano, who was several meters away, felt a loud voice that could expand your bones, for Kazuma, who was at a very close distance, the impact felt was simply incomparable.

The thing that Kazuma felt was more like shockwaves than something as comprehensible as a shout. Although his ear membrane was numbed, his brain was still ringing; the membrane could not block those strong waves from penetrating the body.

“… Even my brain feels like it splitting.”

Kazuma stood up unsteadily. Even though his brain was still ringing from the reverberations that sounded like a percussion instrument, he ignored them with his willpower.

"Let’s continue, please ignore that idiot daughter."

Kazuma said as he sat down at the same spot and did not move. To keep standing was not a very easy matter as the ossicles in his ears were still numb. (Note: Ossicles or three ear bones are found in the ear.)

“…No, Ayano only doesn’t know what going on, let her listen it will be easier for me.”

After a slight hesitation, Juugo called Ayano over. Ayano gave thanks to Enraiha and hung it in a crevice on the wall. She came closer to Juugo, bowed and lowered her head.

“… Ayano.”

“I’m very sorry.”

Ayano immediately got on the ground and bowed; she was not really clear about what was going on, but she preemptively selected this action in order to apologize.

"That’s enough, in the future pay more attention!"

Juugo did not want to repeat this topic as right now was not the time for it.

“Listen closely, Ayano. The guilty one isn’t Kazuma, it’s the Fuuga clan!”

“Fuuga? Those kinds of weak people, what can they do….?”

Juugo slightly glanced at the interrupting Ayano, telling her to be quiet.

“The one that did the act was Kazamaki Ryuuya, but it is more accurate to say it was the youma who possesses him.”

“It doesn’t matter what did it, what is going on with Ren becoming a live sacrifice?”

Kazuma hurried the topic. At that instant, Ayano again interrupted.

“What is this? Ren was captured?”

《You should be quiet!》

Juugo and Kazuma accidentally, yet perfectly said this at the same time. Ayano began to pout very unhappily, but given her recent disrespectful actions and behavior, her current situation was in a very weak light. So without any better ideas, she decided she could only sit there quietly and listen.

“Then continuing where we left off: the ancestors of the Fuuga and Kannagi clan started out doing completely different things— —.”

(That’s right.)

Kazuma mumbled to himself. Things like manipulating wind and manipulating fire have different strength and different characteristics. As they are now the same clan, the possibility that the Kannagi clan ended up absorbing the Fuuga clan was quite natural.

“This was an occurrence that happened 300 years in the past. At that time, the Fuuga clan was proud of themselves for being able to manipulate strong and powerful wind. They created a shadow organization that thrived off of assassinating, cheating, and doing destructive types of jobs in order to accumulate wealth. They would do anything no matter what kind of job, but too many of them were evil deeds, and the Kannagi clan was given a direct order from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogunate Shogunate] to proceed to eliminate them.”

At the final period of the strenuous battle, our ancestors finally sealed the source of power from the Fuuga clan, and then decided to absorb what was left of the Fuuga clan, who had lost most of their powers, as followers.

“What is the source of their power?”

“— — it’s god!”

Although Juugo’s reply was quick and simple, in order to understand the meaning of those words took a lot more time.

“god~~!”

Kazuma glanced at Ayano, who emitted a sharp sounding gasp. Although Kazuma was also surprised, due to Ayano’s earlier wavering, Kazuma decided to allow the room to return to tranquility before speaking.

“That kind of thing, what would have to be done to seal it?”

Kazuma wanting to hear this situation described was not without reason. After all, evaluating from a human’s rational: a human sealing a god, this situation is quite impossible to achieve.
What was mentioned as god, is not the creator that religion adheres too, but a general term for something or someone that surpasses all existence. Surpassing mankind is the reason to be termed as a god and to be defeated by mankind would not be a god.《Humans sealing god》this phase itself is contradictory.

“This kind of situation is only passed down through oral stories told throughout the generations. What really happened, I do not know…Probably, they had to borrow from the King of Spirits or else such a thing would be impossible.

The King of Spirits quite simply represents the king of all spirits: governing the existence of all of the spirits on this planet. Although it is speculated that there exists a King for earth, water, fire, and wind, no one has been able to determine whether they all exist.

About a thousand years ago, the first suzerain of the Kannagi clan and the King of Fire Spirits were able to achieve a covenant, and the Enraiha was gifted. Then due to blood relationships, the Kannagi clan received the ability to strongly perceive the power of the fire spirits. Or so the legend goes.

Truly, if you have the power of the King of the Spirits, then it would not be impossible to seal a god — —.

“But, even if the suzerain of 300 years ago was able to again have a contract with the King of Spirits, humans’ using such power is still limited. You can’t surpass a god. Could they have directly summoned the King of Spirits?”

“— — that kind of action is impossible isn’t it?”

To let a king that exists in the upper world descend onto this world, such an event could only be described as a miracle that surpasses common sense. Even in theory would still impossible. So given Ayano’s questioning, Kazuma coldly replied,

“What would happen? Well it doesn’t matter anyways, as I cannot achieve that kind of miracle.”

“We already knew that a long time ago!”

“Back to the topic: Hyoue’s motive is to revive that god?”

Kazuma gritted his teeth and continued to ignore Ayano as she was hurrying Juugo to continue explaining.

“Most likely, the act of sealing is passed down in secret throughout the generations of suzerains. For them to start a rebellion means that they have probably found the location of the sealing and the methods to remove the seal.”

As Juugo said this, his facial expression became more impatient. This was not without reason, because if the sealed god is released, then the Fuuga clan would receive strength comparable to that of the Kannagi clan. Also, it is undeniable that the wrath of the sealed god will descend upon them.

“— — Then, Ren will become a tribute to revive the god.”

Kazuma was pretty calm given the situation. After all, he does not have any obligations to help in the survival or destruction of the Kannagi Clan. If things were to really turn out that way, simply running away is a viable option; running away was something Kazuma had absolute confidence in.

“No, in order to remove the seal Ren is needed, or rather I should say, a main family member from the Kannagi Clan is needed.”

After stopping Kazuma from speaking, Juugo continued to say,

“Only the main family members can remove the seal because the seal is inside the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Samadhi Flame|Samadhi Flame]].”

The Samadhi Flame is a crystallization of a《fire》that does not have any corrupting factors. It is a pure flame that should not even exist in this world. Whatever comes in contact with it, no matter what it may be, would be completely burned, without even leaving any ashes.

In order to send away such thing, it is needed to come in contact with the place of origin of the seal, certainly without a Kannagi main family member it would be impossible.

“But, if the fire is a hindrance then you can directly blow it away, even if it is a Samadhi Flame, if I can do it, probably that guy also can.”

“The seal is inside the fire.”

Juugo again repeated what was just said, as if testing Kazuma.

“Then it is… hey, isn’t that?”

“That’s right, the fire is sealing that god, if the fire is blown away, the sealed god’s form will also disappear, so without those protected by the fire, removing the seal is impossible.”

The suzerain of that time established several layers of security for the sealing: the existence of the sealing was shrouded in the highest degree of secrecy; the process of the absorption of the Fuugo clan into the Kannagi clan was erased from memory. For both the Kannagi and Fuuga, it appeared as though such matters never even occurred.

The fact that the seal could not be removed by a member of the Fuuga clan was absolutely certain. If it was not done to such a degree, probably the shogunate that desired the destruction of the Fuuga clan would not have accepted the results.

“If the first thing the released god sees is the descendant of the person that sealed itself, I would fear to think about what would happen to Ren.”

“So that’s how it is…really, if in the beginning they would have completely wiped out the Fuuga clan, we would not have to go through such annoying matters.”

“You… don’t you have any compassion for fellow humans?”“

Ayano did not hide any of her inner despite for Kazuma.

“Compassion for fellow humans? You…do you actually think that the Kannagi kindly rescued the Fuuga?”

“What, what is that, isn’t it like that?”

“Wind can strengthen fire. As practitioners of lower standers, wouldn’t using them as subordinates be more suitable?”

What Kazuma just said was obviously pointed towards Juugo. Because using persuasive excuses right now was useless, Juugo honestly told them the truth.

“That’s right; our ancestors really did use the Fuuga clan only as a tool, a very convenient tool at that…”

“No way…”

“Hey, from the standpoint of a slave, which is how you treat them, such a rebellion is certainly a right. It’s justice to get revenge against you guys."

“What? Why are you speaking about it as if it is other peoples’ problems? Ren dying doesn’t matter to you?”

Ayano gritted her teeth as she angrily said this to Kazuma with his sarcastic and unimpressed expression.

“Ren is also a practitioner of the Kannagi clan, it is impossible that he would follow Hyoue’s commands.”

“That… it is possible.”

“What!?”

Kazuma ignored Ayano, who was ready for a thorough argument, and said to Juugo.

“At this moment it hasn’t even passed the twelve hour mark so he might be ok, but manipulating him would be quite easy. No matter what Ren’s talent is, if there is a day’s time, they could probably get him to kill even his own parents.”

The calm and direct explanation really quieted the two Kannagi.

Brainwashing or possessing, there are many methods that could be used; as many methods as could be desired. Although the strength of the Kannagi clan resides in its lineage, such attributes are practical only to that of the body, which means, even when losing conscious, or possessed by youma, the spirits would still protect Ren’s body. 

“If we don’t hurry and the seal is released, there would be no way back. Before this we must rescue Ren.”

“Please work hard!”

Like adding water to the fiery Juugo who just made an insistent statement, Kazuma used a manner of speaking that showed that these matters do not concern him.

Ayano furrowed her forehead. People like him, who have no sense of responsibility, are the ones that she really dislikes. People who have the ability and yet are unwilling to do anything, compared to those who merely do not have the ability, are rotten to the core. Ayano often thinks like this.

“You don’t need to remind me! Even without borrowing you power, I alone am enough. I’ll show you!”

“…Wait a moment!”

Juugo constrained his daughter’s aggressive manner, not because he suspected Ayano’s strength, but because since it will involve the clan’s survival, plenty of battle power would be needed. 

“Kazuma, can you defeat Ryuuya?”

“…It would be near impossible. Even under the best circumstance, I would not be able to last five minutes.”

After a slight consideration, Kazuma replied candidly. He frequently used an objective self-evaluation method to assess himself; meaningless over-evaluating of oneself is a very dangerous matter, this was something Kazuma learned from past experiences.

“Is that so…?”

In Juugo’s brain, an inequality was developed like so: Ryuuya> Kazuma> Genma> Ayano, which means that Ayano alone ould have no possibility of winning.

“Yare yare, where did they summon such a high level youma is beyond me. Hell, even a vampire of 3000 years in the interior of China with an extremely powerful youma ki was still incomparable with that thing.”

“You, you can even beat… that kind of thing?”

In Juugo’s expression there was probably more incomprehension than astonishment.

“Ha, yeah right! There was no way to fight against that thing. I just patted my ass and tucked in my tail, then ran far way.”

Kazuma used a mischievous tone in order to avoid further questioning. Those were memories he did not want to recall, and so he diverted the topic back to the original discussion.

“The problem with that guy is that the wind he uses is not normal.”

”…What does that mean?”

“It is so abnormal that I have no concept of how nature even developed that sort of thing. The spirits around that guy are all going crazy. Because of this, I can’t interfere with his spells; hell I can’t even sense it. If he chooses to hide himself, it will only be at a very close distance and right before he attacks that I will be able to sense anything.”

“That’s quite… no, really bothersome!”

Juugo worriedly mumbled.

Spirits do have wisdom and ability, although it is not known how to differentiate them, they still have will. So, they will get agitated like human being.

Putting spirits in a situation that is completely opposite of its own characteristics for a long period of time— — such as putting fire spirits in water and sealing wind spirits in the ground — — will cause them to go crazy. This is something that is a fact and has already been confirmed

But — —

“That kind of thing, how would you control them?”

Because they have already lost their consciousness, of course they would not be able to hear the words from a human — — well, probably.

“Who the hell knows? There are no cases where this has happened before, so there aren’t any similar topics to discuss about!”

Kazuma replied in very vague manner.

“In order to do it…maybe Ayano’s attribute would work better compared to fighting wind against wind. With fire being the main attacking force, using the Enraiha from inside his body and then proceeding to burn him, no matter how strong his will is, he will still die.”

“Then are you saying that you will not help?”

“I only dislike working.”

“I’ll pay 100 million!”

“Thanks for the job.”

Without any hesitation, Kazuma agreed to the contract.

This was not because the huge amount of money blurred his vision. To receive remunerations is to give him, an outsider, a reason to be involved. Of course, he would take what is his, but Kazuma joining the battle has already become an inevitable reality.

“You’re terrible, without money you would have abandoned your brother?”

Ayano’s words were full of despite, but Kazuma only grinned without replying to her.

Rather than being considered a “good guy” who acts by his emotions, being known as a miser makes him feel a lot better. Ayano’s scorn does not affect him in any way.

“Then, please.”

“Ah, leave it to me.”

After glancing at Ayano, who looked like she was about to shoot lasers from her eyes, the two men shook hands in agreement.

Juugo certainly understood Kazuma’s purpose. In order for him to have a corresponding standpoint, using 100 million yen is needed in order to sustain this kind of cooperation.

(I really can’t beat him…)

Juugo really felt that Kazuma’s consideration was not the same as before.

“Then, where exactly is this place?”

By now there was no further need for discussion. Faced with this kind of direct question, Juugo simply replied,

“Kyoto!”

In the northwest of Kyoto, there lies the ceremonial mountain of the fire god. That location was a sacred place of the Kannagi clan, the contractual place where the earth had the fire of the heaven’s burning. Revolving around 300 years past of gratitude and grudges, and gambling the two clans’ existence — — the place of the decisive battle is there.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Kaze_no_Stigma|Main Page]]
| Back to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Forward to [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume8 Chapter6 - MTL

2009-02-19T23:34:02Z

Stealth: A hell of typos

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Six: The Nations Conference ===

It was just the second moon of January since the end of the war… On the first week of the moon of Hagar, on Freyja's week, one by one, nobles from all countries gathered up in Albion’s capital Londonium.

Londonium.

Compared to all other cities of Halkeginia, it had a new atmosphere around it. The central portion of the town was skillfully built from stone, which continued to build up due to constant ruling.

One hundred years ago, Londonium was hit with conflagration, and because the town outlines were made of wood, it almost burned down completely. By order of Albion’s king at the time, wooden constructions of buildings had been forbidden in Londonium ever since.

It was also meant to increase Albion's air force power that would roar over Halkeginia, as it protected the timber resources needed. It had the powerful fleet established with abundant timber, and looked down at all Halkeginia from above the clouds…

However, now it was only a fairy tale of the past.

At present – Albion was like a chicken placed on the table. Wings and nails were taken off and put on the plate – burnt poultry. Halkeginia’s most powerful figures were staring at the meat like starving wolves.

The havirand palace of Londonium was filled with people like in a party.

Galia, Germania, Romalia… kings and the emperors of each country came on their will with many vassals and waiters just to fight over the share of this poultry.

The Queen of the Kingdom of Tristain, Henrietta’s name was also listed in the ‘Nations conference’, as she was invited to attend the party two weeks ago.

Henrietta sat at the round table of Whitehall.

Next to her, Cardinal Mazarini could be seen. Near them was Germania’s emperor, Albrecht the III, once Henrietta's fiance. In a battle for power between 40 men, he won the emperor's seat and was now looking at Henrietta with a lecherous stare.

When Henrietta glared back courageously, he gave a broad grin.

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness Princess Henrietta.”

“I’m afraid I am a queen now, Your Excellency.”

The nose of Albrecht the III turned pale.

He looked gratefully at the Romalia’s ambassador, who sat in front of Henrietta. Romalia, who had a small militia participation, had very little to say in this conference.

Therefore, only the ambassador was attending.

Nearside, General Hawkins was fulfilling his duty as the plenipotentiary Albion ambassador. The man had dauntless features; he was in his prime. EVen though kings were sitting in a row before him, he had no fear. His chest was puffed out in a dignified manner, not showing the pathos of the defeated army general. Germania’s emperor who sat next him, didn’t like such an attitude at all.

“But… that guy is late.”

Albrecht the III muttered to Henrietta.

“You mean king Joseph?”

Joseph, the king of Galia, has not shown up yet.

“Yes. The incapable womanizer. No one else from the country was suited to be Galia’s king. Do you know? It is said that he got the throne by killing his younger brother. Such a shameless person.”

Such were the rumors…

Loud steps were heard behind the door, then it opened.

There stood a beautiful looking blue-haired man.

The announcer called in a perplexed tone.

“His Majesty; King of Galia!”

He seemed to have a charming figure. His back muscles bulged like a gladiator's. The neatly tightened face, framed by a blue beard.

It was Joseph, king of Galia.

The king of Galia watched everyone who gathered, with a broad smile on his face.

“This, this! Everyone is here! All Halkeginia’s kings meeting in this place, unbelievable! A happy day! A happy day!”

Joseph noticed Albrecht the III and tapped his shoulder.

“Dear emperor, Your Excellency! I am sorry for not attending the coronation! Are your relatives doing fine? I mean the ones that you lent your castle, so that you may hold that crown.”

Albrecht the III turned pale. This castle ‘lending’ - scathing sarcasm. Joseph was making fun of Albrecht the III, who imprisoned his rivals in the castle tower.

“A hard door and splendid chains were used for their own protection! Moreover, they were even given food. One bread crust, one glass of water, and firewood after two weeks when their bodies became cold. Just to keep them healthy. Such luxury is bad for the body. You are really a kind emperor! I would like to learn that too!”

“Aye, thank you.” Albrecht the III muttered, losing his composure. Then Joseph turned his face and this time took Henrietta’s hand.

“Oh. Princess Henrietta. You have grown. I wonder if you still remember me? We met at the end of a certain garden party at Langdorian lake. At the time, you were beautiful like a flower, that made all Halkeginia’s weeds hang their heads in shame. And now you are a beautiful queen of peaceful Tristain. Aye. Peaceful.”

Without looking at Hawkins and the ambassador in Romalia, king Joseph sat at the head of the table. As if it was a most natural thing.

Though Albrecht the III made a face as if wanting to say something, Joseph waved it off. Then, as if still in his royal palace, he cracked his finger joints.

Then trays with various dishes – like Howai, Toho, etc… were brought in by the servants.

Before Henrietta and Albrecht the III, a large amount of food were placed. Henrietta and others looked at it in astonishment. It included even the finest ingredients in abundance. For some people, not even a year's wages would earn such a dish.

“The dish and the wine I obtained from Galia. I apologize for the shoddiness, but this dish is nothing compared to the treat from the whole country, so enjoy yourselves!”
The waiter poured wine into the cup, which king Joseph hung.

Henrietta’s and others cups were filled with blood-red wine as well.

“Leaders of all Halkeginia. Though it is small, first of all, let us hold the feast of celebration. The war ended. Let us toast to peace!"

<center>* * *</center>

The feast continued for three hours… and ended because of King Joseph of Galia suddenly decided to retire. After only making noises of eating and drinking, he yawned, and said "I am sleepy" and stood up, leaving in a hurry.

As for the conference itself - nothing was done. Whenever the King of Galia opened his mouth, he did nothing but recommend cooking to kings, who sat in a row, and toasting, repeatedly.

Puzzled, Henrietta and others left as well.

“We are being conciliated - the real thing will start tomorrow.”

Germania’s emperor muttered and, shaking his belly stuffed with gorgeous dishes, went out of the Whitehall. Henrietta stood up listlessly, her elbows tightly pressed against her side.

That moment… General Hawkins came in front of Henrietta and bowed deeply.

“With all due respect, may I have a word with Your Majesty?”

Mazarin, who was nearby, tried to intervene, but Henrietta stopped him.

“First of all, thank you for the generous treatment all Albion’s people received. They are exhausted by a long war. You controlled not with the wand, but with the bread. By the power that Her Beautiful Majesty shines upon everyone, the people of the white country were led well. With all this generous treatment… could you not ask for repayment? (there is something odd here)

“Whether or not the war was just, the people deserve no punishment. Do not worry. (there is something odd here too)

Hawkins bowed deeply. Henrietta tried to pass him, but he still detained her.

“Is there something else?”

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty’s army was saved by only one hero. Do you know that?”

Henrietta shook her head.

As a matter of fact, the rumor about Saito stopping the Albion army was not delivered to Henrietta. Senior military officials could never admit being saved by a single fencer. As a result, such rumor was silenced before reaching Henrietta in a shape of report.

“I do not know.”

“Honestly. Honestly… cowardly generals, running to save their own hides, changed the story in their country.”

“What was that?”

Hawkins told Henrietta.

How the Albion army, that pursued Allied Forces, was stopped by a single swordsman.

As a result, the Albion army missed the Allied Forces which tried to run away from Rosais…

Henrietta’s mind was in turmoil. The heart that never trembled after the end of the war, now began to shake.

“A swordsman… Really?”

“Yes, a swordsman. A black haired boy with a foreigner’s face.”

Not hiding his feelings, with a straight look, Hawkins said.

“The hero raged on. He even pointed a sword to the tip of my nose, until he fell down exhausted. Then, he started to move again and disappeared into the forest… I guess, he did not survive with all those injuries. Yet, it was his deed that saved Your Majesty’s army. Only one swordsman… held back tens of thousands of army troops. A proper ceremony of honor is needed."

“I see. Thank you.”

Henrietta thanked him in a shaky voice.

A black haired swordsman from a foreign country…

…Could it be Louise’s familiar, listed between the names of killed in action?

Hiraga Saito.

A strange sounding name.

A boy who came from the different world.

The Void’s familiar.

Legendary Gandalfr…

Some time ago, when my mind was blinded, when I turned my wand to Louise… He stopped my spell, Henrietta recalled.

Once again, he stopped.

Not once, but twice… he stopped it.

Hawkins said, looking distant.

“If not for him… Today, Your Majesty’s and mine seats would have been reversed. By all means, bless that brave man. In the name of Your Majesty, give him the blessing.”

<center>* * *</center>

That night… in a Havirand’s palace room, Henrietta was lost in thought. It was a gorgeous room made to entertain the guests from the foreign countries.

Someone knocked against the door. One long, two short knocks. It was an arbitrary sign.

“Come in.”

The door opened, revealing Agnes. She carried no weapons or armor and was dressed in simple, plain clothes.

“Did you find anything?”

When Henrietta asked, Agnes shook her head.

“No… there were no clues.”

“I see.” Henrietta nodded.

Following Henrietta, Agnes came to Albion. The South Gotha revolts from the Tristain army… suddenly, as if waking from a dream, they returned to their side attacking Albion’s army and joining former allies.(this is strange)

All soldiers and officers answered the same upon explaining the temporary revolt – “I thought it was necessary to do so.” Was it the cause of some sort of magic – no one knew. It was strange that ten thousands of officers and experienced men sudden abandoned the victory, still, the cannon ball was shot out and no one could return it. Agnes, following Henrietta’s orders, investigated it for a long time.

“We thought that the water of South Gotha city may be the cause, and let mages to examine it, yet, no matter how long we examined it – it was still a common, normal water. Though noble’s pointed out the possibility of Primal Magic… there is no evidence. We are in a deadlock.”

“I see… Though a mysterious event, you should not give up the hunt for the truth. There are no limits.”

Agnes bowed.

“I did not match Her Majesty's expectations; there are no excuses.”

“Lift your head Agnes. My commander. You are not responsible. Mysterious things that never have been clarified happens in this world, all the time. Primal magic, sacred ground, demi-humans, elves, lands of the east, other side of the ocean and void. All of them puzzle the mind."

“Indeed.”

Agnes said in a tired voice. Agnes was always in motion these days. Her face looked as if it lost its zeal somewhere.

“Commander, I want to give you a new duty.”

“With pleasure…”

Henrietta spoke about what she heard from general Hawkins in the Whitehall today.

“Miss Valliere’s boy familiar?”

“It is so. He saved the Allied Forces… and the mother country. By all means, it is necessary to confirm if he is alive or dead. The point where he fought against the Albion army in south Gotha area… I hear that it is in the northeast of Rosais.”

“Certainly.”

Agnes saying so, bowed and tried to go out of the room again.

“Please wait.”

“What is it?”

To the surprised Agnes, Henrietta offered a cup from the table.

“Sake?”

Though Agnes lifted the cup while talking, she didn’t press her lips to it.

“There is something I want to ask you. Not as a queen, but as a woman… asking a senior woman.

“What?”

“…What does revenge bring? Emptiness? Sorrow? Do you regret your doings?”

“Revenge?”

Agnes shut her eyes.

“I, too… cannot find it.”

After the musketeer commander left...

Henrietta thought about the boy that saved the mother country and herself..

She poured wine into the cup again.

Watching the liquid sway inside, Henrietta slowly traced her lips with a finger.

The lips, as if by some spell, felt like it was on fire… Henrietta’s cheeks blushed slightly.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito glared at the firewood, hanging on the rope thrown over the tree branch.

“Kiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeee!”

While screaming, he pulled out the sword and lowered it.

-Kachink- came the sound of it hitting the firewood

Then again, he aimed the sword at it and lowered. The wood was diagonally cut and fell to the ground. Applause came from the children who were watching that sort of show from the surroundings.

Saito wiped away the perspiration from his brow.

He was practicing since the morning. He was doing it together with rehabilitation. Whenever he got up in the morning - he instantly ran around the forest. The run was long. After that, he swung his word; he practiced every day without fail. Derflinger was a useful coach. And the children watched curiously.

“Hey?”

Saito asked Derflinger.

“Haah haah. Is it all right? Hah, I am only swinging the sword. As such, I only train physical strength, not skill.”

“Indeed. However, there is no sparring partner…”

“Aarah. What if there were an expert? You lose even against kids who can swing a sword only a little.”

“Don’t say it so bluntly.”

Saito glared at Derflinger.

“Besides, they are short. It’s no good defeating short partners.”

“Damn…”

“Even though it’s not enough, swing the sword. Right now, partner is not Gandalfr anymore…”

“I know.”

Under the care of Derflinger, Saito continued training.

It continued for two hours…

“T-tired…”

Saito was lying on the ground.

“Mercy. I’m wasted.”

“…You’ve been saying that since the morning.”

Still, it was a comfortable tiredness. He never moved around so much in Japan. The sun shone through the cracks in the trees, and Saito closed his eyes.

“However…”

Saito watched his hand.

“What?”

“I did not know I could move this way.”

He said slightly surprised.

Compared with the time in Japan, he was considerably stronger. If it were the old days, it would be impossible for him to run such distances while swinging a sword. Derflinger was not light at all; it was a large sword. His old self would not been able to swing it around at all.

“Therefore, it is good for you to practice hard. However, I am saying it clearly, as an experienced veteran in combat – you are still an amateur, don’t get cocky."

“I’m not cocky.”

“You are not yet on the level to withstand an actual combat. Do not be so confident.”

“Nonsense.”

“Aah, partner, you should practice with a sword at least…”

Derflinger mutters hurt.

“Mo, I know that myself! But I can’t do that unflaggingly.”

Saito stood up.

“U-ummm…”

Turning around, he saw the hesitant Tiffania standing.

“What's wrong?”

“…W-will you eat lunch?”

The surrounding children shouted with joy.

The lunch was prepared in the garden behind Tiffania's house, if you could call it garden; since it didn't have any separations from the forest, it was impossible to tell where the garden ended and the forest began.

Tiffania started placing dishes on the table. It was bread with mushroom stew. Seeing that Saito suddenly noticed that he was very hungry.

“Itadakimasu!”

He shouted loudly and began to eat greedily. For a moment, Tiffania was astonished, but then smiled gently. The children were also interested in Saito's behavior, who was loudly gobbling and munching it up.

Noticing such attention, Saito blushed, and started to eat more slowly.

“It is delicious. Thank you.”

Tiffania laughed while smiling.

Those children who finished the meal, began to pester Tiffania.

“Tiffa-neechan! Let’s play!”

“Hey hey, I still haven’t finished eating yet…”

“Uwaa! Tiffa onee-chan, mama…”

The boy, approximately ten years of age, buried his face between Tiffania’s breasts, making Saito instinctively spout the stew.

“Gim! Aren’t you big already? You can’t depend on mother forever.”

“Because… Tiffa-neechan grew bigger, just like mother…”

Saito became suspicious about what the boy named Gim said.

“…Hey, your eyes are not discerning. After two-three years, your eyes should be able to distinguish them. Busted!”

When he said so, Gim glared at Saito.

“Tiffa-neechan belongs just for me!”

“Yes?”

Gim ran away.

“What… he misunderstood.”

When he faced Tiffania, he saw her firmly grasped fist resting on her knee.

“Tiffa?”

“N-no! I, I watched you practicing only because you looked happy, and I was just c-curious, so…”

Apparently, she was watching the practice, and Gim felt jealous.

Saito smiled wryly.

"I understand. Because I am close to your age, you are interested, right?”

Tiffania nodded silently. Tiffania grew up in a limited space and has not spoken to the teens of a similar age.

“…But, I wonder.”

“About what?”

“I am not scared of you. The dragon knight boys that I helped some time ago, were scary somehow…”

“I wonder why.”

“Oh well… I thought that maybe the reason that you are not afraid of me, as when I am scared, I become insecure myself, but it is somehow different with you…”

Apparently, Rene and the others were afraid of Tiffania. Oh dear, that could be it. Halkeginia’s nobles seemed to be afraid of elves due to the wars…

However, since Saito was not a noble from Halkeginia, he did not take part in wars either.

“Nonsense. Who would be afraid of such a cute girl like you?”

When Saito said so, trying to comfort Tiffania, she hesitantly turned.

However… when she hesitantly turned with both of her hands on her knees, naturally, her breasts were squeezed by her arms. Huge, shape-changing fruits. He did not know where to look.

Tiffania, noticing that Saito turned his eyes away shamefully; in a panic, covered her chest.

Though she gave Saito a light glare… as if remembering something, she became serious again.

“But… you really don’t want to inform them?”

Saito nodded with a serious look as well. This morning, Tiffania asked if he didn’t want to inform his family that he is all right. He said to Tiffania that though he wanted to return back to that place, no one cared if he is alive or not…

“Your family who was left in Tristain does not worry?”

“It’s all right.”

“I could send a letter…”

“It’s all right.” Saito repeated lonely.

“Your family will surely be worried about your safety.”

“There is no family in Tristain.”

“Then, where are they?”

“In a place where letters do not reach.”

“…Eh?”

“It is nothing. Please forget it.”

Tiffania, not knowing what to say, fell silent. Then noticing that Saito's stew plate was almost empty, Tiffania picked it up.

“I, I’ll bring seconds.”

Saying so, she disappeared in the house.

Saito lightly bit his lip.

After all, maybe he should tell the truth?

That there is a Void user besides Tiffania; to whom I was a familiar.

Though, that might worry her…

He felt someone's presence. Did Tiffania return already? That was very fast. Though I wanted some time to prepare my mind for this moment, there is no other way.

Saito said in a constrained voice.

“Though I do not have family in Tristain, however… There is an important person. Yet… I do not have the skills needed to appear in front of that person anymore. I’m not a familiar of that person already. Therefore…”

His hesitant explanation was interrupted by a low womans' voice.

“What are you doing here?”

It wasn’t Tiffania’s voice.

Frightened, Saito looked up.

The commander of the musketeers stood there.

<center>* * *</center>

“I thought it would be harder to find me. I’m disappointed.”

In the living room of Tiffania's house, Saito sat opposite from Agnes.

Agnes, who took off her black mantle and sat on the chair in a green tunic, amazed, watched Saito.

“I entered the forest from the highway, where I was checking village to village. Look, I was prepared for this. For the two weeks we searched through the bigger part of the forest… sleeping with a dew. Had to change shoes. And then I stopped at the first village's garden for lunch. So anticlimactic.

Agnes pointed at the stuffed rucksack and said.

“I see. So you are saying that Princess-sama looked for me?”

Asked Saito, after hearing about circumstances. Tiffania, with an embarrassed face, stood hesitantly as usual. There was no time to put a cap on her head either.

After drinking the tea on the table, Agnes stood up.

“Let’s go then. Miss, we are indebted to you. Though this is not much, take our expression of gratitude.”

After throwing a bag with golden coins towards Tiffania, Agnes turned to the doorway.

“What?”

Seeing Saito not moving, Agnes made a suspicious face.

“Umm… could you tell Princess-sama that I died?”

“What? You don’t want to be honored by Her Majesty and removed from the commoner’s list?”

Saito said.

“Princess-sama will inform Louise about it.”

“So what? Aren’t you Miss Valliere’s familiar?”

“Not anymore.”

“What?”

Saito showed to Agnes the left hand on which runes disappeared.

“Though I do not understand because I am not a mage… there should be letters engraved.”

“The time when I was dying, the runes disappeared. Since I am not a familiar, I am a free human now. Therefore, please say that I died.”

Though Agnes was gazing Saito… her glance stopped on Tiffania. Being watched by Agnes, Tiffania shamefully hid her ears. Though she was going to erase the memory from behind… was she seen through?　

“Elf?”

“…Half.”

“Is that so.” Agnes muttered.

Seeing that Agnes was not afraid of her, Tiffania asked timidly.

“You are not scared of elves?”

“I don't make a habit of being scared by those who do not show malice.”

Sighing, Agnes slumped back into the chair again.

“All right. I will say that you are dead.”

“Really?”

“Aah. Instead… I will stay here for a while.”

“What?”

Saito and Tiffania stared at Agnes with their mouth’s agape.

“There is no date specified. Besides...“

Agnes said in a somewhat tired tone.

“I want to take some rest. Ever since the war started, I haven't had much sleep.”

<center>* * *</center>

That night...

Saito, laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. He heard creaky sounds coming from the corridor. Then, someone knocked against the door.

“Agnes-san?”

He thought it was Agnes who was sleeping in the living room, but he was wrong.

“It's me.”

Came the shy voice of Tiffania from the other side of the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened revealing Tiffania. She wore a thin night cloth and had a candlestick with a wax candle in her right hand. The candlelight melted smoothly with Tiffania's blond hair.

“What's wrong?”

Saito said in a strained voice.

“I want to you talk about something. Can I?”

“Alright.”

It was the first time he saw Tiffania changed into her nightclothes. Though the nightclothes were loose, it hugged Tiffania's developed body tightly. Because of her young features, when the outline of her body was hidden, she looked very childish.

When Tiffania put the candlestick on the table, she sat on the chair.

And asked Saito in a serious voice.

“Hey Saito. Who are you? You don't have any family in Tristain, however, the queen of Tristain is searching for you. 'I am not a familiar anymore' you said. How can a human be a familiar? If you don't want to tell me, it’s alright, however… However, I feel uneasy.”

Saito worried.

If he had to explain it, the talk would touch ‘Void’.

That there is a girl named Louise, who, like Tiffania, is a user of ‘Void’…

But maybe he should not tell that to Tiffania, who lives peacefully in the forest. It might put her in an unnecessary danger.

When Saito kept being silent, Tiffania continued asking.

“When I played the harp, you cried…”

“You saw?”

“Yes. When listening to that tune, tears fell from my eyes. I remembered mother and the place where she was born. Though I do not know about it… for some reason, I still call it my hometown. Do you remember your home?”

Saito nodded. Apart from the explanation of Void, he could talk about himself...

“Where is it? If you want to talk that is.”

“…In a country of the Earth.”

“What?”

Tiffania stared at him with wide eyes.

“As I said, I am not from here. From another world. I am a human that came from there.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t? That’s why I did not want to talk about it.”

“Where you come from? How?“

“That… somehow I was summoned as a familiar. I do not understand it myself really.”

“There must be some reason…”

“There may not be one. As for the reason I ended up in here…”

“I absolutely want to know.”

“Well I became a familiar with an ability to use any weapon.”

Saito said in a soliloquy way.

“You can’t use them anymore?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s why you do not return to Tristain? But what about your master…”

“It’s all right.”

“You don’t want to meet that person?”

“That’s not why - I cannot meet her. It’s because as a human, I am useless now and have lost any purpose…”

Seeing Saito like this, Tiffania said in a sympathetic voice.

“You love her, don’t you?”

Once she said so, tears started flowing from Saito's eyes. Feelings that had been restrained till now broke free, and Saito cried raggedly. Tiffania stood up and hugged Saito’s head close to her.
　
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Don’t cry, don’t cry.”

After a while, once Saito’s sobbing subdued, he apologized to Tiffania.　

“I'm sorry for crying.”

“It’s all right. I also cry sometimes…”

Tiffania, even after Saito stopped crying, rested his head on her chest. Tiffania’s soft and big bosom settled Saito’s mind down.

“…That is so. That’s why I felt close to you.”

“To me?”

“Aye. It was the hometown to which you cannot return. I have one as well. I think this was the reason why you started crying after hearing my harp.”

He looked at Tiffania’s slumber attire.

“Do these clothes look unusual to you?”

“That’s right.”

The night clothes that Louise wore, were of a different design.

“These are Elven clothing. I got them from my mother. Because Elves live in the desert… they wear such clothes. The texture protects from the sun during the daytime, and the warmth protects from night’s cold. Because it is warm, I made it into nightclothes.”

Tiffania said in a longing tone.

“When the night comes, I remember mother. She was very beautiful and gentle. When I go to sleep and put these clothes on, I feel like I am held by mother again.”

“Yeah.”

“Lands in the east… Mother's hometown… I want to go there. But I cannot.”

”Why?”

“Elves dislike humans. When they see the ‘mixed’ me, they will not understand.”

In a sad voice, Tiffania said.

“And humans are afraid of Elves. They will not be afraid of me as long as I'm an unknown girl. Human in daytime. Elf at night. And neither in the end. A failure.”

“You are not a failure.”

Looking up, Saito said.

“Why?”

“You are very beautiful. When I saw you for the first time, I honestly thought you were a fairy. So have more confidence.”

Tiffania blushed.

“…”

“S-sorry… I didn’t have anything strange in mind when I said that…”

“Don’t say that again. It’s embarrassing.”

“Alright.”

“It was the first time someone told me I am beautiful. You are really a weird person. Instead of being afraid of me, you say I am beautiful.”

“But you are beautiful…”

When Saito said that, Tiffania quietly pushed Saito away.

“Tiffa?”

“…Muu, I told you not to say that again.”

“W-w-why you are so angry? It is not bad to be called beautiful.”

“S-stop saying that I am beautiful. I, I want you to be silent.”

Saying so, Tiffania stood up.

Confused, Saito scratched his head.

<center>* * *</center>

The next morning...

“Get up.”

N? Saito thrust out his head, but it was still dim.

“Isn’t it night still…?” he muttered and dived back under the blanket. Then the blanket was torn away.

“What the!”

He shouted and felt a sword pointed at his nose.

“Get up. I won’t repeat myself three times.”

In the darkness, he recognized Agnes's face. He also noticed that the pointed sword was Derflinger. ”It’s great, partner!”

“Ah?”

“The commander of the musketeers will be taking care of your training from now on! Under her guidance, you will gain skills in no time!”

Agnes smiled.

“Since I’m bored anyway, to kill time, I will train you, with pleasure.”

“I-is that so…”

He said scratching his head, but his cheek was pulled.

“W-what auch auch?!”

Then a hand gripped Saito’s ear and brought his face close to Agnes, who said.

“Alright? From today on, your only answer is ‘Yes’. Is that clear?”

She had a power different from Louise, and Saito nodded instinctively. It was a musketeer commander with stern look and not a young, beautiful woman.

“Y-yes…”

“I can’t hear you.”

“YES!”

“One minute. Put your clothes on and come to the garden.”

And once he ran to the garden, still hastily putting his clothes on, Agnes stood there with her arms crossed. When Saito stood before her, she reported in a lowered voice.”

“Ten seconds late.”　

“That, only ten seconds…”

She roughly pulled his cheek, Saito shouted in an almost crying voice.

“Yes! I’m late!”

“Well then, one hundred push-ups.”

She said simply, and Saito started doing push-ups.

After that, the basic training of hell continued. He was made to run around the forest for a long time, then his strength was trained using a log. The hard and intensive training that he was doing seemed like games now.

Once no one was around, Saito, as one would expect, collapsed on the ground. Then water was sprinkled on him.

“Dog. Exhausted already?”

Being called a dog made Saito clink.

“Sorry, but my name is not dog. My name is Saito.”

“If you want to be called by a human name, become an equal person.”

Then she pulled out a wooden sword.

“Next – swords.”

As soon as Saito struggled to his feet, she turned around and drove it straight into his belly.

“I-I haven’t taken the stance yet… w-why…”

When he muttered, fainting in agony, Agnes smiled.

“Do you think ‘taking a stance’ would matter in actual combat? First of all, you need to train your basic physical strength for half a year and only then start training the skills…”

Agnes then turned again and thrust the sword out at a high speed.

[[Image:ZnT08-177.jpg|thumb]]

“Fighting is not elegant. Skip the ‘art’. I’ll teach you the meaning of a ‘sword’.”

After one hour, Saito collapsed again. He fainted. Agnes poured a bucket of cold water on him again.

Saito, who woke up, stared at Agnes absent-minded.

During the one hour… Saito burbled and received a lot of damage. Saito’s sword didn’t even scratch Agnes. She just dodged, blocked it, and then hit any part of him with her sword.

“Do you know why you cannot land a hit on me?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s because the swordsmanship is not the same. Do you understand at least that?”

Saito nodded. If you swing a sword at Gandalfr’s speed, there is no need to avoid enemy attacks.

“It works if it is a surprise attack. However, if the enemy anticipates it, then you will never hit.”

“Yes.”

“Alright, halt your own attacks and wait for the chance to attack the opponent. Use your eyes to seize the opportunity.

“If there is no opening… then what do I do?

“Create it.”

Until the evening, no matter how hard Saito wielded sword against Agnes, he could not graze her.

Laying on the ground, exhausted, Saito muttered.

“Why… why can't I even graze…”

Agnes said in an amazed voice.

“Pfft, with the sword, the swordsman gain a noble's fame. Without actual combat experience, you are just an amateur to be defeated.”

“…A little while I had this thought. I am useless after all. I am no good with blades.”

Saito whispered, to which Agnes answered.

“There is no time to ridicule yourself; take the sword. A dog doesn’t have the right to belittle itself.”

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter5_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Chapter 5]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Forward to Chapter 7]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Talk:Zero no Tsukaima:Volume8 Chapter2 - MTL

2009-02-19T22:23:31Z

Stealth: Date tree?

== Date tree? ==

Mother often complained about the house across the streets and its terrible red walls. Saito took the time to “borrow” a couple fruits from the neighbor’s '''date tree'''.

Date tree? that's strange... well first I don't think dates grow on "trees" at least strictly scientifically speaking. The "trees" are called palms. But that isn't really the real problem I see here... Isn't it strange for dates to grow in Japan? Maybe in the southern islands it wouldn't be that strange like Kyushu or Shikoku... (And even then... from the pictures I saw from those areas... it doesn't really seem like palms grow there...) And wasn't Saito from Tokyo? At least he seemed to imply so when he was called a country boy...
Well dates could probably grow anywhere in the world if someone really wanted them to grow... But I'm suspicious about the translation here. Just wish if someone can confirm if this makes any sense. And yes I know it's a dream... But still up until that point everything made sense.--[[User:Stealth|Stealth]] 22:23, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume7 Epilogue

2009-02-19T21:17:33Z

Stealth: I doubt people "talk care" of wounds... Corrected it to "take care".

=== Epilogue ===

The left hand of God is Gandálfr, the ferocious shield of the lord. His left hand wields a large sword and right hand wields a long spear: protect me with endless vigilance.

The right hand of God is Vindalfr, the kind hearted flute of the lord. He dominates all beasts of life, leading me through earth, sky and water.

The mind of God is Myozunitonirun, the book that carries the crystallization of thought. It carries all knowledge and provides advice whenever I am in need.

There was one more person, but remembering its name gives me trouble…

Taking the four disciples, I came to this land…

From outside came the songs of children, along with the dawning lights, a young girl woke up. She slowly and somewhat lazily got up. Her eye-dazzling hair, like a wave of golden sea, like a cloak unraveling through her body. Her hair was so beautiful it would make people gasp, however, if one look closely, her hair would be half as thin as that of normal people. So when such beautiful hair moves, one could almost hear the sound of the air itself stroking it and the light from her hair could be absolutely blinding.

Even if you call her hair ordinary, the rest of her body was also very slim.

It was like god himself curved her body. A slim waist compared to the outlines of big, firm breasts that lifted her nightclothes whenever she breathed, looked even bigger. The young girl wore only a single part of pajamas, and lightly yawned as she woke up.

From the way her skin shined, the girl’s age was about 15 or 16, but her delicate body, which had to be handcraft of a godly being prevented anyone from accurately guessing her age.

The girl reached out and opened her window, and a group of children ran toward her.

“Tiffania onee-chan!”

“Tiffa onee-chan!”

A group of children following one another ran toward the window, screaming loudly to this young lady named Tiffania.

It appears this fairy-like beauty is these children’s idol.

“Ai Ya! What happened? Jack, Sam, Jim, Emma, Samantha, everyone came together. I listened to your songs and I woke up, you've been singing the same song again, don’t you know how to sing a different song?”

“Don’t know…!”

“In that case Tiffania onee-chan teach us to sing.”

Tiffania smiled, she considered these children to be her little brothers and sisters.

She suddenly realized one of the younger children had a look as if she wanted to say something.

“Emma what happened? Do you have something to say?”

The young girl called Emma shook uncontrollably.

“That…”

“Don’t be afraid, tell me.”

“In the forest…In the forest, I went to pick strawberries and I found…”

“What happened in the forest?”

“Emma what happened? If there is something you should have told all of us!”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because, I am very scared…the body was covered in blood…woo..woo” Emma had a look of a girl on the verge of tears.

“Everyone stop picking on Emma. Emma, what happened? Tell big sister?”

“…there, there is someone, collapsed there.”

Tiffania’s face instantly became clouded.

“Again?”

The children began to talk among themselves.

“It is probably that, the war, the war!”

“Yeah!” The children nodded together.

“Because this morning, through that road near from here, an army of soldiers passed.”

Tiffania threw an overcoat over her pajamas, and leaped out the window.

“Emma, where is it?”

”…there.”

The young girl flew through the already familiar forest as if it was her backyard, with the children following behind.

They found a young boy lying by a thick tree, his back against the wood.

Tiffania squat down and placed her ear to the boy's chest.

“…Still breathing, but the wound is grave, I have to take care of this quickly.”

Emma worriedly murmured,

“Tiffania onee-chan, can he be healed?”

“Idiot!” One of the other youths yelled. “How can there be an injury Tiffania onee-chan cannot cure? Don’t you know anything?”

“Let's take him back to the village first.”

The boys lifted his body, Tiffania took a closer look at him.

“Black hair, wearing some clothes I've never seen before.”

“He is a foreigner.”

But he doesn’t appear to be from Tristain or Germania. Just where were his clothes from?

''No''…Tiffania shook her head and let out a small smile, ''though truthfully I myself have a foreign blood as well'' Tiffania thought. The soft wind slowly caressed her golden hair.

The hairs around her ears began to flow.

In that moment, we could see her hair revealed a pair of pointy ears.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter10|Back to Chapter 10]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter1_%7EPreview%7E|Forward to Volume 8]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume7 Chapter10

2009-02-19T21:11:53Z

Stealth: Corrected strange wording :"shouldn't Saito-san to be with you?" -> "shouldn't Saito-san be with you?"

===Chapter Ten: The Place of Courage===

On a little hill drawn on a map…The dawn brought forth light to the darkness.

The view slowly expanded, and the grassland below grew larger and larger.

It was recorded on the map, a rural area approximately 150 leagues south-west outside the city of South Gotha.

After a whole night of riding, Saito finally arrived there. A light excitement covered him. Although he had been riding all night, Saito's fighting spirit and fatigue were restored by the morning light.

In the morning fog, slowly, slowly and accompanied with the shaking of earth, a great army appeared.

Saito stood up, and slammed his hand against the horse he had been riding. The beast that had been chewing grass idly was suddenly shocked, and fled in the direction where they come from.

“You are not going to use the horse?"

Derflinger asked over the shoulder.

“That guy has a life too; it is not just some tool.”

“You have such a good heart, partner.”

Saito asked Delfinger,

“Didn’t you say before, that Gandalfr was able to defend against a thousand foes alone? 70,000 shouldn’t be a problem right?”

“That is what they say, but it is only a legend, so people tend to exaggerate. Don’t get too hopeful, in reality, it was probably less than a thousand.”

“…Why are you like this? Lying to me like that. If you lied to me, don’t tell me the truth. We are already dead, at least lie to the very end.”

On the horizon of the grassland, they could see the advancing army. Although it was an army of 70,000, due the fact they were not marching abreast, it does not appear to be as large. But in reality, all 70,000 were there.

Soldiers wielding weapons, Mages armed with spells, cannons, demi-humans like orcs and trolls, Dragon Knights…Knights riding phantom beasts.

None were missing, all 70,000 were there.

Saito asked with a fear shaken voice.

“Ah, why must I risk my life to charge into that mob?”

“Why are you asking the obvious? Because our ships have to retreat, so we have to buy time.”

“No…I am not talking about that…But, forget it.” Saito let out his breath.

“Last time I was saved by Guiche’s mole, but this time there is no escape.”

“No, we cannot. No matter what, just charge in, in a situation like this no matter which direction charging is the same. Aim for the commanding officer, strike down the head, and the body will fall into chaos. You can probably buy them a day or so.”

Saito nodded, holding Delfinger tightly. The runes on his left hand began to glow.

“Let me tell you something, Delfinger.”

“What is it?”

”Can I tell you a story from my childhood?”

“Sure.”

“I once saw an old lady being harassed by some punk near a train station, something about the old lady bumping into them. But that time I was just a little chibi, if I wanted to stop them I couldn’t, so I only stood by and watched. That time I thought, if only I was a little stronger, but at the same time, I also sighed. Because even if I was stronger, it does not guarantee I would have won.”

“True.”

“No mistake, I am stronger now, there cannot be any excuses. That time I had no strength, so I had the excuse to not to do anything. The excuse was that I was not strong enough, so I didn’t help. But now, I've lost that excuse. Because I am now very, very strong. No matter what, I am Gandalfr, right?”

Deflinger murmured lowly, “Um hum.”

“But…all that strength is only external, in reality I am not really any stronger inside. But there is nothing I can do about it, although I am Gandalfr the legendary familiar, my body is shaking, I really don’t have any mental preparation. This type of situation is really not for me. Protecting everyone’s honor, I really don’t like it! I'm shaking with fear. I do not want to die.”

“Partner, you are really someone truly brave!”

“This kind of personality will only lead to trouble, fast.” Saito thought about it.

Courage, isn’t this what it is all about?

“Hey, Partner.”

“What?”

“Am I going to die?”

“Probably.”

The boy became silent. Delfinger decided to raise his spirits, “If it is going to be like this, then go out like a hero!”

“Why?”

“Because otherwise it will be a waste.”

Four hundred meters in front of them, they could see Albion’s forward assault force.

[[Image:ZnT07-239.jpg|thumb]]

Suddenly his body begins to move by itself; they would never know if this was the power of Gandalfr, or Saito’s own bravery, or something else…

Saito charged toward the army of 70,000.

The first group of Albion soldiers who found the charging hero was not Frontal Cavalry, but the owl familiar belonging to the artillery/firearm commander. Because he didn’t believe the Infantries, he decided to personally investigative the matter.

After he verified the situation through his owl, he immediately ordered the firearm squadrons to prepare to fire, because normally during the course of a march, firearm troops do not keep their weapons loaded.

“What? Only one person?”

He was surprised when he found out there was only one person, but he became shocked once he saw the boy’s speed.

It was not a speed that could be achieved by a human on foot.

The frontal cavalry also made the same mistake as well.

Because in the mistake with the estimation of speed, just as they stopped the opposition charged right past them. Before the cavalry could even draw their weapons, they were knocked off their steeds.

The only thing the fallen cavalry men could do was hear the sound of the enemy’s footsteps, the speed was so fast, they could not even see their foe’s image.

Before the soldiers finished loading their weapons, the enemy was already in front of their leader.
It was a person armed with a large sword.

The commander, in reflex, tried to pull out his wand, but was sent flying by the sword. Something hit him hard on the side of his head, the commander instantly lost conscious.

The next moment, Mage Knights approached from the sky. They used magic and familiars to track Saito’s movement, then released a barrage of spells.

Wind blades, ice spears, and fireballs flew in waves toward Saito, but were instantly absorbed by the sword. Though the Knights were taken by surprise, they did not stop their magical assaults.

The knight commander ordered his men to scatter; in the instant he made that order, a wind blew next to him, where the wind struck, his wand was snapped in half, and a foot slammed into his stomach. Ribs shattered, the pain was so strong the officer could not cry and soon fainted.

Deflinger asked Saito,

“Why didn’t you kill them?”

Saito threw back a short reply,

“I am not a soldier.”

“What do you mean?”

“No matter allies or enemies; I will not treat them as tools.”

Delfinger sighed.

Saito danced, dodged, and struck left and right, which caused massive chaos within the enemy formation.

Fighting alone turned out to be extremely advantageous.

To prevent friendly fire, the enemy did not dare to use firearms or projectiles, also, with the speed of Gandalfr, nothing in this world could catch up.

But…the Mage opponents were still very difficult to deal with.

The endless barrage of magic, although Delfinger could absorb them, but the amount of magic delivered was certainly above normal, and slowly the sword begin to lose the ability to handle them. “Ugh!”

“Left hand?”

“Hum, damn…I can’t move it anymore.”

Saito could only wield Delfinger with his right hand, his left shoulder took a deep wound, and a part of his body was now charred by flame, which came from the fireball that exploded near him.

Although the situation was grave, Saito still charged forward, bravely stood tall surrounded on all sides.

Due to the attacks by Magic and weapons alike…Saito’s injuries became graver every second.

<center>* * *</center>

Ridding on his phantom manticore was the unit’s commanding officer. He kicked his beast and prepared to charge. But a sword knocked him off his mount, he saw his manticore struck down. In that instant, his own legs were shattered, collapsed on the ground.

The commander for the firearm division ordered his men to prepare for a maneuver, thinking to surround this wind like enemy in an instant, but the enemy leaped over the formation, and struck the commander’s head with his sword, sending the man instantly into oblivion.

The young commander in charge of the Archers hastily ordered his men to fire, but the arrows could not reach their foe, but instead struck down his allies instead. In the chaos he managed to hit his foot.

The chaos with the forward guards became progressively worse. General Hawkins received reports that completely boggled him. The communications he received were completely a mess.

Some say, the enemy was a single rider.

Some say, the enemy was a Magician.

Some say, was a part of the enemy army.

Some say, was elvish Magic Knights.

Some say, was an elvish division…etc

But the general, a veteran who survived a hundred battles, felt it was a single foe.

An enemy with the speed of the wind.

An enemy with strength like fire.

An enemy unshakable like the stones of the earth.

An enemy elusive like the waves of the sea.

“I don't like it,” General Hawkins muttered.

<center>* * *</center>

Just as Saito broke the wand of an officer of middle rank, the boy spotted a group of mages. Since so many mages were protecting a single individual that meant…

“That guy must have a pretty high rank...” Delfinger added. But even though Saito heard him he could not do much, his body begin to be paralyzed by the pain. Very soon he wouldn’t be moving at all.

Saito must save the energy from his breathing.

Just to take down one more Officer…

Just to cause more havoc.

Just like this to extend the time, just even one minute, one second, must be taken.

This was Louise’s task.

A task my own beautiful master was going to do.

Saito leashed towards the enemy general surrounded by hoards of mages.

General Hawkins stared at the wind blasting toward him.

Truly amazing speed.

He pulled out his Wand, chanted his Magic, in one breathe he summoned a wind blade. But… the enemy agilely dodged it. He could only see the enemy’s blade, flying toward his head.

General Hawkins could only see the shadow in front of him, as if trying to brand it under his vision.

His riders struck the enemy full of Magic bolts, each attaching itself on to that swordman’s body.

Although so many bolts should had been fatal, but the wind like warrior never slowed.

A fencer's sword shot up, slamming into Hawkin's body.

The blade’s tip reached within 5 cm of his face.

Hawkins, not averting his gaze, stared straight at the top.

But it did not strik Hawkins’ face.

As if time suddenly stopped, the Swordman’s movement stopped.

Hawkins used his wand to knock the sword away, and the unknown Blademaster hit the ground with a thud.

“Your eminence! Are you ok?”

“General Hawkins!” one of the Knights rode by.

“No bones broken.” He answered.

“Combat is over, give me the report.”

Reports came in quick succession.

It is absolutely unimaginable a single warrior was able to cause such damage. Lower command, Upper command echelon had 14 wounded, the enlisted infantry estimated injured were around two hundred fifty. The loss apparently, from the entire army’s angle, is within the acceptable limit. But it's effects were significant. The strong Forward guards were now in complete chaos, in the fog of war, many were injured by their own friendly fire, and the story that 'Everything was caused by a single swordsman' had spread among soldiers like wildfire, greatly damaging the morale of the troops.

The forward commander reported with a bitter face: “I am afraid it will take a while to reform the forward command, at least for several hours.”

Also, stories continued to spread among the frightened troops, which greatly decreased the army marching speed. The enlisted soldiers were afraid the enemy may hide another swordsman like the one before.

The adjutant slowly murmured to General Hawkins:

“I am afraid we cannot continue today’s marching objectives. If the situation continues, we will have to waste half a day…no, an entire day of time.”

Hawkins lowered his head.

He got off his horse, walked near the fallen swordsman, and took in stock of his looks.

“He is just a boy.”

The body on the ground was a black haired, very unusual looking boy.

Looking at him breathing still weakly, but his body clearly took enormous amount of magical damage, it was only a matter of time.

Hawkins wanted to summon a water mage, but after so much injury, it would only extend his suffering. Not even magic is infinite.

Hawkins looked down on the boy, whispered

"I am really jealous."

"Huh?"

"A single warrior stopped an entire army....in the words of history long gone, he is a 'Hero'; I wish I was not merely a general, but a hero."

Hawkin's voice trailed off.

His sub-commander nodded as well.

"What you say is right, but situations like this are the results of war, a pity he was an enemy of ours."

"Although an enemy...not even a noble...but I believe he should receive the highest honor and respect."

"I understand your point."

General Hawkins and the Sub-commander both saluted the boy.

"Let's bury him with honor."

He gave his order to his troops.

In that second, Saito's body leaped.

"What the hell?"

Saito's body reached his old speed, and vanished into the forest.

<center>* * *</center>

Once inside the forest… Saito’s body fell down again.

A voice echoed in the dark forest.

Not Saito’s voice, but Derflinger’s.

“Haaah…it was one thousand years since the last time I used ‘Master’ was it? Though the reason I was able to move… was because of absorbed magic energy. Anyway, I'm beaten already... but partner, you look tattered...“

Saito’s body didn’t move in the slightest.

“Hey partner. Do you hear me? Hold on there, I will tell you a nice thing. At that time, that girl wore those black cat’s clothes just for you. She wanted you to push her down again.”

Derflinger waited for a while.

However, no matter how long he waited, there was no answer.

Once Derflinger’s power wore off, Saito’s hand lessened its grip. Free from Saito’s lifeless fingers, Derflinger muttered with regret.

“…cheh, you can’t hear me anymore.”

<center>* * *</center>

Louise awoke and found herself on the deck of the Redoubtable.

Because of the wind brushing her face, as well as the sound of the fluttering sail, she finally woke up.

Malicorne and Guiche were staring back at her face.

“Wow, Louise is awake!”

”Good! Good!!”

Seeing friends nodding their heads unstopped, Louise asked in a surprised voice:

“I… why…?”

“We don’t know. When the ship departed I found you sleeping here.”

“…Here, this is a ship?”

As she watched the moving scenery for a few minutes, Louise suddenly remembered a very important thing, suddenly springing to her feet.

“I, I must go stop the enemy army. I have to prevent the Albion army from catching up!”

Malicorne and Guiche both stared at her with surprise.

“Stop the enemy?”

“Yes! I have to delay the enemy to buy us time to retreat.”

“We already retreated.”

“This is the last ship from the Port of Rosais.”

“…Oh?”

Louise looked confused as she stared from the forecastle, as the continent of Albion became smaller and smaller.

“How is it like this? What happened to the Albion army that was chasing us?”

“They said only a little longer, they didn’t catch up with us.”

“Good, Good, this means we can get home safely.”

“But when we get back, there will still be a lot of trouble.”

Malicorne and Guiche stared at each other, then the two start laughing.

What really happened?

Why did the Albion Army slow their march?

In that moment…she suddenly remembered something more important.

She could not see Saito anywhere.

Louise ran around the ship in a circle, and met Siesta and her family on the forecastle.

“Miss Louise… you woke up?”

“Don’t talk about it! Where is Saito?”

Siesta’s face turned white upon hearing this.

“I was waiting for Miss Valliere to wake up to ask it, shouldn’t Saito-san be with you?”

Louise shook her head, looking at her worried face, Siesta became paler every second.

“Miss Valliere, where is Saito-san? Where, please tell me!”

In that moment, they heard two soldiers talking behind them.

“I heard from a buddy from Navarre's ship, they said they saw a single person ride off to stop the Albion army.”

“Haha, stop joking, it is just one person, what can he do?”

Louise walked near one of the soldiers and said

“Hey, what you just said, is it true?”

The soldier was surprised he was questioned by nobility, and showed a face full of shock and stammered,

“Yes, yes. But I don’t know if it is true or not, someone else told me this story, that part is true.”

Louise’s face lost all colors, instantly the color of blood withdrew from every inch of her body. It must been Saito. It is impossible to be wrong. I don’t know what he did to make me fall asleep, then drop me off on this ship… then went off against the Albion army.

Louise ran up to the hedge and screamed

“Saito!!!”

“Miss Valliere, what happened? Please tell me, tell me!”

Worried Siesta pressed Louise.

“Saito!!!”

Louise screamed, jumped over the railing, and then tried to jump toward the ground.

“HEY! HEY! You want to die?!”

Guiche and Malicorne saw the situation, and grabbed her before she could leap.

“Let me go!!! I am begging you let me go!!!”

“NO! There aren’t any of our men on the ground anymore.”

“Let me go!!!”

Louise’s wails and howls echoed across the White Country's sky.

<center>* * *</center>

The Albion army that arrived at Rosais, looked up into the sky and ground their teeth.

They were just a hair away, but now they could not do anything but watch the Allied army escape.

They would have continued the chase, but there were no ships left.

After occupying Rosais, Cromwell entered the red-brick base… then, bit his fingernails in anger.

He already had general Hawkins, who failed to accomplish the mission, confined and sent back to Londonium.

“Why didn't Galia send their soldiers? If they were attacked from both sides by both countries, Allied Forces would not have been able to leave South Gotha…”

He asked Miss Sheffield… who was nowhere to be seen.

Cromwell was nervous after losing a fight. He was afraid to carry this war any further. He was at the breaking point. He was at the point where he was shaking uncontrollably…

Shouts of joy sounded from the other side of the window.

When he stepped up to it…

He saw a large fleet piercing the sky.

On fluttering flags one could see two wands crossed… Galia’s fleet.

Cromwell went ecstatic.

“Ooh! Finally you came! As expected from the large country Galia! How many ships are there? But… why did it come now… after the enemy ran away?”

And once he bit his fingernail again, it hit him.

“That’s right! They are going to chase the enemy fleet! That's good! Messanger here, immediately!”

When he was about to call messenger… the messenger jumped into the room himself.

“Galia’s fleet! It arrived!”

“I know! I saw it myself! Now! Tell Galia’s fleet commander that- …”

The messenger interrupted Cromwell’s orders.

"There’s a message from Galia’s fleet, Your Excellency!”

“Message? Oh! I see!”

“They wanted to know your whereabouts in order to greet you!”

“Greeting? Is that so, ha ha ha! They are really very cordial! They have a cordial king and secretary, so the fleet commander must be too! Now, rise up an assembly flag in front of the door.”

“Understood.” The messenger left.

After a few moments, in the courtyard, the Holy Assembly flag of the Republic of Albion was raised. After that, dozens of ships lined up around the building one next to another. It was a spectacular naval scene.

What kind of greeting will it be? He waited excitedly…

Then, before his eyes, the building’s door opened and people ran out in panic. Why are they running away from here? Just like rats from a sinking ship.

He looked up at the fleet again. Hundreds of cannons from the gangway shone at the same time.

Cromwell hadn’t seen anything more beautiful during all 30 years of his life.

Thousands of cannonballs, after an order to fire, hit the red brick building where Cromwell was.

And in an instant, the official base turned into a pile of rubble.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Chapter 9]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Epilogue|Forward to Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume4 Chapter5 - MTL

2009-02-15T22:05:15Z

Stealth: Corrected minor mispeling (emrace -> embrace)

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Five: The Strength of a Love Potion===

When Saito woke up in the morning, Louise was sleeping by his side. Last night, when Louise, whose eyes were swollen from tears, got tired, he brought her to the room and fell asleep at once. "Kuukuu," with an innocent face, she breathed out through sleep. What made her change this way yesterday? One moment she was ready to kill, the other - she was suddenly weeping "Why don't you look at me!" What? What? Saito wondered.

She started waking up. Abruptly, Louise got up and noticing Saito, bit her lip. Then in a wrung out voice, she murmured "Good morning."

"G-good morning," Saito returned the greeting.

Then Louise blushed. Louise always blushed with an angry look on her face, but now it was different. Looking up at Saito, she softly curved her lips and said something hesitatingly.

"W-what?"

"Forgive me."

Louise opened her mouth and said in a lamenting voice.

"Forgivemeforgivemeforgiveme. Forgive me?"

Louise was definitely weird. She gazed at him with helpless puppy eyes, and yet, she never looked at Saito this way before. Louise always looked down on him or scowled, he wasn't used to being looked at some other away.

"Seriously, what is wrong with you?"

Worried, he gripped her shoulder. Dressed only in negligee, Louise bent her head and rested her cheek on top of his hand. He felt an unexpected pang. Moreover, a pang on his left side. A quick one. Soon he was fully overtaken by a destructive power. His body shook violently and his pulse was beating hastily. Aah, Louise looking like this… She wouldn't be in love with me, would she?!

"I saw."

"Eh?"

"..a dream, yesterday."

Dream?

"W-what dream?"

"A Dream about Saito."

"D-dream about what?"

"Saito was mean in the dream. Though I was talking very hard, he still spoke with other girls."

'Gab' Louise bit into Saito's hand.

However, it was not painful. Louise bit very gently. Then she glanced upwards at Saito's face.

"Even so, it was yesterday. Do not buy gifts for other girls, do not look at other girls - you have your master-sama, right?"

Saito gulped down saliva, while watching Louise. He never realized, that she was so in love with him...

But what made Louise's attitude change so much. It's as if she is an entirely different person. Louise who despised me up till now, cannot become so sweet just like that. At first she was mad. And now she gently chews on his palm while scowling.

She would not just bite like this. She would hit.

Louise would never sell herself for such flirt...

Though at first Saito thought that Louise may be in love, he drove the last ray of hope out of his mind.

"Listen to me."

"Y-yes."

"Tell me truthfully. W-whom do you love the most in the world?"

Louise buried her face in his chest and muttered in a tearful voice. Saito felt dizzy in his head and answered incoherently.

"M-master-sama. Yes."

"Lies."

It wasn't a lie. When near, only Louise can make his chest throb this much. However, Louise today...

"Really?"

"Yeah..."

Then Louise got up and, tototo, ran up to the other side of the bed.

After taking out something from the secret gap in the wall beside the bed, she ran up to Saito with it.

"N. N, nh"

And then she thrust it out to Saito.

"What's...?"

"Take it."

The thrust out complex object was made from knitting wool. In any case, it seemed to be unwearable. Saito received it and tilted his head, trying to figure out it's purpose. By all means, could it still be something "to wear"? No, never. He had no inkling of where it could fit on the body.

Louise kept on quietly watching Saito... with eyes that seemed to be moist from crying. Aah, can't help it when looked at with such eyes. They had an expecting look. Yet, he can't answer Louise's expectations as he doesn't know what on earth it is for, however, he had to do something!

What the heck is that. Saito thought. Think! Yeaaah, looking at it, it seems similar to medusa stuffed toy. It also can be thought to be one of Burgess fauna's species that ruled the sea in the ancient earth. Though it looks like a mysterious animal, because Louise handed it over to me, it must have some use. Ah! Think!

Saito fused, slowly losing his cool.

"Great! This! A fantastic thing! Medusa's outlook! The best!"

Louise's face fell.

"It's different... It's not that... It's a sweater."

As for the alien world sweater, it was different from what one would expect. It easily surpassed Saito’s imagination.

In panic, Saito tried to put it on. But how to wear it? Somehow he found an entrance and pushed his head in. However, his arm didn't go out and half of his face remained stuck inside. Being stuck in such an uncomfortable way, Saito stood still.

Then, Louise tightly embraced Saito and pushed him down onto the bed.

“L-Louise...”

Because his arm was imprisoned by the sweater, he could not move.

“Be still," Louise pleaded with Saito. What? I’m already still. But it is because I can’t get out my arms out of the sweater.

“Can’t do that.”

He said quietly, being honest.

Louise held onto Saito firmly, like a girl embracing her favorite stuffed animal.

“Ugh, don’t you have to go to class?”

“It’s alright. I’ll just skip it anyway.”

Muhaa! The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it sounded. Normally serious Louise never skipped class so lightly.

“For a whole day. Because, when you are let out, you flirt with other girls. I hate that.”

Seems like she wants to bind Saito this way. Yet, for a very prideful Louise to say such things… Even if she would be feeling this way, she’d never utter it aloud.

“Say something.”

Louise muttered sweetly. Saito, what is the matter with Louise? He wondered, while worrying, what made Louise start talking so weakly and softly.

<center>* * *</center>

In the afternoon, Louise finally fell asleep. The young girl snored faintly in a deep slumber.

Then Saito quietly slipped out of the room and headed to the dining room to get some food. He was going to take Louise’s share too.

Siesta, who was preparing lunch in the kitchen already, sweetly smiled when he finished explaining the situation to her.

“You are popular.”

“No, it’s different. Louise isn’t herself. She’s acting funny. It can’t be helped, and now I have to get some of this food…”

Worried, Saito said, while Siesta trampled on Saito’s feet, without breaking her smile.

“That’s great.”

“S-Siesta?"

Seems like she was really mad. The composed smile only emphasized her cold anger.

“Heeeh. That a highly prideful noble Miss Valliere would suddenly become clingy over Saito-san. What would make her change her mind about Saito-san? I’m worried.”

Still smiling, Siesta put more strength into crushing Saito’s foot. Saito screamed.

“I-it’s true! She really suddenly started acting strange”

“Really?”

“Yeah… It is as if she turned into a different person.”

Hearing that, Siesta started to think with a serious expression.

“This reminds me, I heard that there are some magical potions that can change a person’s mind this way…”

“Magical potions?”

“Indeed. Yet because I am not a mage I might have not understood it well...But, Miss Valliere would not drink such a thing…”

Saito remembered last night. Louise's attitude changed dramatically after entering Montmorency’s room… while he was hiding under the bed futon.

At that moment Louise’s attitude changed suddenly… Did Louise do something then?

Ah.

That reminds me, she said “Fuah! I’m thirsty from running around!” and in one breath drank up the red wine on the table!

That? Could it be that? Saito started to feel suspicious about the red wine in Montmorency’s room.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito waited for Montmorency to come out of the dining room and gripped her arm. Guiche, who was walking next to her, roared.

“Hey! What are you doing to my Montmorency!”

However, Montmorency’s face suddenly turned pale instead of complaining. What?! Even though he gripped a noble’s arm like that! Guess Montmorency, who was even more arrogant than Louise, did not want to make much noise. In a word, she felt indebted to Saito over something and that was surely related to Louise’s sudden change.

“Hey Monmon.”

Saito glared at Montmorency.

“W-what…?”

She awkwardly turned her eyes away. She was not angry at being called Monmon. It was becoming more and more suspicious.

“What have you made Louise drink?”

“Eh?” Guiche made a suspicious face.

“Montmorency gave Louise something?”

“Hey Guiche. You saw Louise’s change, right? One moment she was angry, the next placing her palms gently. Even someone as dimwitted as you should grow suspicious.”

Guiche thought while crossing his arms. It took some time, because he was slow as usual. Then Guiche, who with great effort recalled last night’s events, nodded.

“It is really as you say. It should not be possible for Louise to become so soft suddenly. Right?”

“Right! Monmon! Louise became strange after drinking the wine in your room!”

“That’s the wine I brought! There’s nothing suspicious about it!”

After saying so, Guiche noticed Montmorency’s unusual behavior. She was biting her lips strongly and on her forehead tiny drops of cold sweat appeared.

“Montmorency! That wine, really…”

“That child drank it without permission!”

Montmorency, who could not take it anymore, cried out.

“That’s not the point! It’s your fault!” she said while pointing at Guiche, poking his nose with her finger. Now with the anger reversed, Guiche and Saito dumbfounded watched Montmorency.

“Because you are always fooling around!”

“You! What have you put in the wine?!”

Saito understood. Montmorency wanted for Guiche to drink up something that was put in the wine. Yet Louise, who rushed into the room, drank it up instead.

For a moment, both, Guiche and Saito, stood hesitatingly embarrassed and resigned. Then Montmorency in a calm, bared voice said.

“…Love potion.”

“Love potion!”

Guiche and Saito cried out. Montmorency placed both hands over their mouths in panic.

“Idiots! Not so loud! … It is banned.”

Saito gripped Montmorency’s arm, removed her hand from his mouth and shouted.

“Then don’t start such a mess to begin with! Help Louise somehow!”

<center>* * *</center>

Montmorency, Saito and Guiche racked their brains in Montmorency's room. Montmorency explained to them both in an arrogant manner that she made a love potion to prevent Guiche from having an affair. She put it in Guiche's glass to have him drink it, but then Saito and Louise had flounced into the room. It wasn’t hard for Saito to imagine what happened after that. Unaware, Louise drank it all up. Saito screamed.

“What have you done?!”

“…However, otherwise she would not have fallen in love with me, right?”

Guiche, who kept silent till then, clasped a blushing Montmorency's hand.

“Montmorency, you cared so much for me…”

“Hah! You think that I did it for you? I would not waste my time on that. It was just merely unpleasant for you to have affairs behind my back!”

The blush on Montmerency’s cheeks was quickly replaced by an arrogant scowl. As expected, Tristain noble women's pride is really high. Very self-conceited and arrogant.

“Do not worry about me having an affair! I am your servant forever!”

Guiche embraced Montmorency closely. Then, holding her cheek, tried to kiss her. Startled Montmorency shut her eyes.

“Knock it off.”

Saito pulled them both apart.

“What are you doing, idiot?!”

“Doesn’t matter! Help Louise first!”

“She’ll recover sooner or later!”

“When is this ‘sooner or later’!”

Montmorency looked doubtful.

“Each person's physiology is different, it may take a month or maybe a year…”

“You planned to let me drink such a thing?”

Guiche turned pale.

“That will take too long. At once! One way or another! Do it!”

With a jerk Saito brought his face close to Montmorency’s.

“I understand! But it will take some time to prepare the antidote!”

“Hurry up then and do it! Now! Make it now!”

“However, to make an antidote, a certain expensive drug is necessary, however I used it all up while making a love potion and to buy it will take a lot of money. I can’t do it for now.”

"Yes, money will be hard to come by, I don't exaggerate."

"No money? You are nobles!"

When Saito shouted, Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other.

“Although we are nobles, we are students as well.”

“It is older members of the family that possess the territory and money.”

“Then ask your parents to send the money.”

Saito said to them both. Then Guiche rose his forefinger and started talking.
　
“Listen. This world has two kinds of nobles. One kind are nobles that do not have the good fortune of money, another kind – nobles that have the money. For instance, De Montmorency, Montmorency's family, fails in the land reclamation and the management of the territory is horrible.”

Montmorency cut in. 　

“Or like the De Gramont house, Guiche’s family, that for the sake of honour got involved in a war and wasted all of their money…”

“Anyway, there are moneyless nobles. Actually, and I am not exaggerating, half the nobles in the world have enough money only to maintain their residence and the territory around it at best. However, it is not for a commoner like you to understand the hardships of keeping the honour and pride of the nobility.”

These guys… Saito reluctantly started to search for something in his parka and jeans pockets. Then he pulled out the golden coins that he received from Henrietta before. Half of the amount he left in Louise’s room and the other half he carried with himself.

"Will this suffice?"

He spilled them out on the table.

“Uwaa! Why do you have so much money? You!”

Seeing the amount of gold lying all over the table, took the breath from Montmorency away.

“Awesome,and some are even 500 Ecu coins.”

“Don’t ask where it comes from. Just buy that expensive medicine with this by the end of tomorrow."

Montmorency nodded reluctantly.

<center>* * *</center>

When he returned back to his room with light pockets, the room itself looked weird. 　

Somehow whole room was filled with cigarette like smokes, yet the aroma was sweet. Louise was sitting in the center of the room with joss-sticks fuming around her.

“Hey, what? What’s up with all this?”

When Saito said so, Louise, who was watching Saito, answered in a teary voice.

“Where have you been...?”

Only then Saito noticed how tempting Louise looked. She wasn’t wearing her skirt.

“You left me all alone…”

She said in teary voice while sulkily looking up at Saito. Seems like, while feeling lonely, she started burning all these incenses.

“So-sorry…”

Why doesn't she put on a skirt?! He tried to turn his eyes away from her body when he noticed another unexpected fact. Well… Lo-Louise, Louise Francoise – that rascal, the skirt wasn’t the only thing that she missed… Her panties were gone as well.

Her lower waist line was peeking up from the gap of her shirt. There were no signs of any underwear beneath.

Saito began to tremble.

“Y-you, p-put on some p-p-p-p-panties!

Trembling, he shouted while looking to the other side.

“I w-won’t!”

“Why not?!!”

“I am not sexy enough. I know this because night after night Saito sleeps by my side in bed, but doesn't do anything to me. I cannot take this anymore.”

Louise said in a weeping voice.

“T-that’s, you, me, are you saying you want me to p-push you down and then d-d-d-d-do those things to you?”

“I-is it bad…?”

“That’s right.”

“But, I'll shut my eyes and for an hour, I will pretend not to know.”

But by saying that she would pretend not to know… Louise made a huge commitment.

Louise pulled the hem of her shirt down to cover her private parts and stood up. Louise moved her bare, slender legs. Saito's heart pounded inside his chest, sounding like a constant ringing of a bell.

Louise jumped onto Saito’s chest. A sweet smell of her hair was even stronger than the aroma of the incense in the room. She never used perfumes, it was her natural body’s smell.

With her face buried in Saito’s parka, Louise trembled and twitched.

“I am lonely… Idiot…”

Both of Saito’s hands positioned themselves on Louise’s body.

They seemed to embrace her firmly on an instinct.

Saito bit his lip. He put some pressure in his bite seeking to regain part of his calmness through pain.

Louise of today… is not the Louise whom I know. It is a love potion that’s making me lose myself. My Louise is the one I protect and like… For this reason, I cannot embrace her this way now. What if his brakes would fail him? He surely would covet Louise like a beast.

Because of love, this cannot be allowed.

Saito with trembling hands gripped Louise’s shoulders. Then he looked straight into her eyes and squeezed out as gentle a voice as possible.

“Louise…”

“Saito…”

“W-well… You are acting this strange today because of a medicine.”

“Medicine…?”

Louise looked up at Saito with moistened eyes.

“That’s right. The present you is not the real you. But don’t worry, I will find the cure somehow. Okay?”

“It is not because of medicine!”

Louise looked straight at Saito.

“These feelings are not because of medicine. Because whenever I look at Saito my heart starts beating wildly. Not only that…I cannot breathe and feel helpless. I know, this feeling is…”

“I-it’s different. I would like it if they were your real feelings, but it isn't, it is different. This is because of the drug. The antidote will be ready by tomorrow night, so wait till then. Anyway, go to sleep now, okay?”

Louise shook her head.

“I don’t understand. It doesn’t matter. Anyway, you must hug me tightly or else I won’t go to sleep.”

“If I do, you’ll go to bed?”

Louise nodded. Saito carried her to the bed. Then laid down, snuggling next to her. As usual, Louise clung firmly to him.

“Don’t go anywhere. Look only at me, no other girls, only me.”

She repeated, as if some kind of spell.

Saito nodded.

“I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay here for a long time.”

“Really?”

“Aah. Yes, so rest, ok?”

“Un… If Saito says to sleep, I will sleep. Because I don’t want him to dislike me.”

However, Louise didn’t go to sleep. Instead, she shuffled a little and brought her blushing face to the scruff of Saito’s neck. Before Saito could even think of what she was doing, she started to kiss his neck. It felt as if a torrent of small needles ran down his spine.

“Haaaaaaaaaaah...”

Saito started to shake in fear. Meanwhile Louise started to suck strongly on Saito’s skin.

“Louise! Louise!”

If you don’t stop I’ll die. However, Louise didn't stop. With flushing cheeks she watched the place that she just kissed. It reddened as if bitten by an insect.

Noticing this, Louise proceeded leaving marks on Saito’s skin with an absorbed interest.

“Louise, stop! I already! I! Aah!”

His mind could not take it anymore. When Louise separated her lips, she muttered in a sulky way.

“No. I won’t stop. Saito is mine and mine alone. Therefore, I will leave marks to show that he is mine and keep the other girls away.”

After that, Saito’s torture continued for a while. Louise started to leave hickey marks not only on the scurf of his neck but even on his chest too. By the end, there were ten of them.

Saito’s strong convulsions turned into a faint shiver, when Louise’s lips finally left his chest. Then Louise, turned her head to the side, presenting Saito her own neck.

“Now you mark me.”

“B-but…”

Saito looked at Louise’s slender, snowy white neck.

“If you don’t do this - I won’t go to sleep.”

There was no other way. Saito closed his eyes and brought his lips to Louise’s neck. He touched it. A deep sigh escaped Louise’s lips. Never hearing such a cute sigh from her, Saito almost died.

Very nervous, he sucked on Louise’s celadon skin.  

“Nh…!”

Louise must have been nervous too, as giving out such a cry seemed to confirm.

Tiredness soon took over her and Louise started to breath in a faint sleeper’s way after a while.

Dazzled he looked at his own red mark on Louise’s nape of the neck. It looked like a red strawberry in the middle of white snow.

Saito breathed roughly, he had to restrain himself many times, or else, he would have attacked Louise who was peacefully sleeping next to him.

Calm down! Louise is acting this way only because of the potion!

He had to find the antidote quickly, to return Louise back to her usual saucy self, instead of this cute one!

Then Saito noticed something that Louise was grasping tightly in her sleep.

It was the pendant that Saito bought her in town. She was grasping it tightly as if some sort of treasure. Seeing that lovely view he lost all his strength.

It was cruel. Louise was horrible. It’s a crime to look so disturbingly cute.

Subconsciously, he extended his hand towards Louise, only to clamp it with his other one. I don’t have the right to take advantage of Louise this way. It is not because of me. It’s because of the potion. Endure it.

[[Image:ZnT04-170.jpg|thumb]]

If only I wouldn’t have wanted for Siesta to wear that sailor uniform, Louise would have not turned into this… Therefore it is my fault.

I am useless, Saito thought. I never turn down an opportunity to flirt with a girl and…

Siesta. That’s right, Siesta.

Aah, Siesta, she would calm him down simply by her presence. She was a fine looking lass too.

But when Louise was nearby she made his heart race.

Aah, which one do I love more?

What a luxurious worry. He couldn’t even imagine having such worry back on Earth.

Watching Louise’s sleeping face, he started to think… why return back to his former world, if you can stay here?

When Louise became a court lady of Henrietta, it became difficult to travel to the east… Though he was disappointed, at the same time he felt glad. Because of that he could stay by Louise’s side.

Aah, Earth, Siesta and Louise. Those three turned round and round in Saito’s head, making him frustrated.

Which choice should I make? He could not make a choice today, but he would have to.

Maybe, in the near future.

<center>* * *</center>

In the evening the next day, Saito was in Montmorency's room. He had a quarrel with Louise before leaving her in her room and coming here…

“You can’t make an antidote?”

With his face lifted, Saito stared at Montmorency. Beside her sat Guiche holding his chin and scowling.
　
Montmorency and Guiche had gone into the city today to face the black-market traders in the hopes of finding the antidote, however....

“It can't be helped! It was sold out!”

"Then when can you buy it?!"

“It… seems like they do not have the goods needed.”

“What is it?”

“The specific medicine comes from Ragdorian lake, at the boarder with Galia. It is made from the tears of a water spirit… however it seems they were not able to contact the water spirits recently."

“Whaat?!”

“In other words, we cannot get this special medicine.”

“Then what about Louise?”

"Well, I mean, really, what is so bad about all this? She has fallen in love with you. You like Louise, do you not?"

Saito doesn’t consent with what Guiche said, though.

“I can’t be happy if the reason she likes me is because of that medicine. These are not Louise’s true feelings. That’s why I want Louise to return back to her original self.”

But… Montmorency pouted her lips and Guiche shook his head reluctantly. Even Saito thought quietly for a while, until he finally grasped his hand into a fist, determined.

“Where is that water spirit?”

"I told you already, it's at the Ragdorian lake.”

”So you only need to get in touch with her, right?”

“Eeeeeh!? Now listen here! The water spirit rarely shows her face before humans! And even if she did, she is very strong! If angered, the results can be disastrous!"

“I don't care, let’s go!”

"Well I do care! I am absolutely not going!"

Saito crossed his arms.

“Well then, there's only one thing I can do. I will have to tell her royal highness Princess about the love potion, or is it her royal highness Queen now? Anyway, I will have to ask for her help about the problem. Come to think, wasn't that potion banned? It's not supposed to be allowed to be made, right? Now, then, I wonder what would her highness do if she learned about it?”

Montmorency's face quickly turned pale.

“What do you think, Monmon?”

“Fine, already! I understand! I will go, if you go!”

“Hmm, we can't let Louise stay this way, either. Or else other's may notice her strange behaviour and suspect the love potion.”

Guiche shook his head.

“Fear not, my lover. I will stay by your side on this journey," said Guiche while leaning in and trying to slowly put his hand over Montmorency's shoulders, but she quickly evaded him.

“That’s not really inspiring. You are too weak.”

After that, the trio made arrangements for the journey.

They would leave tomorrow, early in the morning. Because they did not know how Louise might act if left alone, they decided to bring her along as well.

“Haah, this is my first time skipping school.” Montmorency sighed.

“And what about me, as I have not been going to school for half of a year now? After Saito came, it was adventures everyday! Ahahaha!” Guiche bursts into a hearty laughter.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter4_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Chapter 4]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Forward to Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume4 Chapter7 - MTL

2009-02-15T22:03:32Z

Stealth: Corrected weird wording

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Seven: The Ring of Andvari===

Saito, who had his eye healed by Montmorency's Water spell, had begun questioning Kirche, who was roasting meat with Tabitha around a bonfire. Guiche appeared to be completely content and had been talking loudly to himself with a glass of wine in his hand. He seemed only too content to be traveling. It was well past midnight, and the twin moons glittered beautifully over the surface of the lake. It was a wonderful sight.

Kirche approached Saito asking if his wound had recovered. Though Saito felt slightly bitter about being defeated, he could not help but admire both their team work.

"You are really good, we stood no chance."

"Victory or defeat is also dependent on luck. If your luck is perfect we can only run. Besides, you were fighting alone, Guiche was useless, Montmorency was only watching and Louise only dealt the final blow."

Kirche proudly brushed up her hair.

"But why are you attacking the Water Spirit?" Saito asked, sitting near the bonfire.

"Why do you need to protect it?" Kirche countered.

Louise, who had been nestling up to Saito's back for some time, pulled the sleeve of his parka sadly.

"Do you think Kirche is better than me?"

"Ah! No - that's not true! I was just asking about what's going on! Why don't you get some sleep?"

"No way, I don't need to rest! Don't you want to talk with me? That is the 32nd time you've told me to sleep today."

It seemed as if Louise had been counting the words Saito had said to her. Although a little scary, Saito felt that Louise was really lovable at that moment. But right now he was busy so he gently placed his hand on her shoulder and spoke as if she was a small child: "We can talk afterwards, you should go to sleep. You just cast a major spell, aren't you tired?"

Louise was bashfully tracing circles with her finger on Saito's chest.

"Then...promise me with a kiss."

"What...?"

"Kiss me or I won't go to sleep."

Kirche's stared at them, her mouth agape. Looking at each other, Guiche and Montmorency giggled. Kirche and Tabitha were still unaware of what had happened.

Saito reluctantly kissed Louise's cheek.

"Cheek isn't enough!"

Louise puffed up her cheeks and muttered bluntly.

Saito felt extremely awkward, it would be too embarrassing to kiss Louise straight on the lips with everyone watching. He worried for a while and finally kissed her forehead. Louise was reluctantly satisfied, and crawled into his lap, resting herself between his knees and pressing her body against his chest she closed her eyes. Soon her breathing slowed and light snores escaped from her slightly open pink lips.

"How did you manage to domesticate Louise to this degree? I didn't think you were the kind of guy who was able to entice a girl, yet she is already treating you like a god!" Kirche asked in admiration.

"It's not like that, Montmorency made a love potion and Louise accidentally drank it. The first person she saw was me and now she has fallen in love with me."

"Love potion? Why did you make such a thing?" Kirche asked Montmorency, who was nibbling some meat.

"Oh, I was just curious to see if I could do it."

Montmorency had sidestepped the question with a trivial answer...

"Really, a woman who has no confidence in her charms is the worst. Don't you agree?"

"Go die! Anyways, it's all Guiche's fault, if he had drunken it we would not need to search for the antidote now!"

"Are you saying it's my fault to begin with?"

Saito explained the situation to Kirche. In order to make the antidote, they needed the Water Spirit's tears. And in exchange for it they needed to repel the attackers...

"So that was it, that's why you are protecting the Water Spirit?"

Kirche looked awkwardly towards Tabitha who had been staring into the fire with a glazed expression.

"This is bad, we can't fight you but if we don't stop the Water Spirit Tabitha's family will be in trouble..."

"Why is it necessary to get rid of it?"

Prompted by Saito, Kirche replied hesitantly. She could not openly tell the private matters of Tabitha's family for sure.

"You see, the water levels have caused damage to the surrounding area. Tabitha's family has suffered losses because of the damage so we have been entrusted to get rid of it."

So that was it. They couldn't go home empty handed. Then how should they handle it... Saito considered it for a while and concluded.

"That's fine, you can stop attacking the Water Spirit and we can find out why the Water Spirit is raising the water level so much and ask it to stop."

"The Water Spirit will listen to us?"

"This morning we negotiated with it and it agreed to give us a part of its body if we stop the attackers."

Kirche considered for a second and asked Tabitha, "As long as the floods stop and the land is restored to its original condition would that be ok?"

Tabitha nodded.

"Great, it's decided! We can carry out the negotiations tomorrow!"

<center>* * *</center>

Early the next morning, Montmorency, like the previous day, released her small frog familar into the lake to call the Water Spirit. The water parted and the Water Spirit rose up through the morning mist.

"Water Spirit, the attackers will no longer bother you, as per the agreement will you give us a part of your body?"

As Montmorency finished talking, the Water Spirit's body trembled and a portion of its body was repelled as a thin line into the vial Guiche was holding.

Its promise completed, the Water Spirit sunk back towards the lake, however Saito quickly called for it to stop.

"Please wait! I have something to ask you!"

The Water Spirit rose up from the water's surface, taking, to Montmorency's displeasure, a naked Montmorency's shape once again.

"What, mere human?"

"Why have you raised the water? Please, if there is a reason can you tell us? We would be willing to help if you can stop."

The Water Spirit's body grew in size and assumed various positions. It concluded by twisting its form into that of Montmorency in a gesture that seemed to express feeling. Perhaps its form reflected its thoughts.

"I will consider entrusting this task to you. Since you honored our previous contract, I think I can trust you."

Suddenly seeming angry, the Water Spirit paused. Saito said nothing, but waited for the spirit to continue. After several shape changes, the Water Spirit had settled once again in Montmorency's form and continued to speak.

"A long time ago, your kind stole one of my treasures."

"A treasure?"

"Yes, my most important possession was stolen from the deepest part of my lake, about thirty months before the moon's crossing."

"Approximately two years ago..." Montmorency murmurs.

"Are you trying to take revenge on humans by increasing the water level and flooding villages?"

"Vengeance? Our kind does not have that purpose. I am simply trying to retake my treasure, and even if it takes an eternity water will slowly erode the land. Even if I must sink the entire continent I will regain what I have lost."

"You're willing to do so much?"

This was going too far, the Water Spirit was willing to submerge an entire continent in order to reclaim its treasure in a process that could take hundreds, even thousands of years.

"You sure are patient."

"Our concept of time is different, for me the whole is the same as the present. All time is the same to me, regardless of the present the future will always come. It makes no difference as I will always exist."

The Water Spirit did not seem to have the concept of death. Time on this scale would be unimaginable to a human.

"Well, we can help you retrieve your treasure. What is it?"

"My treasure is the Ring of Andvari, it had been with me until now."

"I think I have heard of it."

Montmorency muttered.

"A legendary magic item of the water system. It is said to give false life to the deceased..."

"That is not incorrect, but death is a concept that I do not understand, therefore I cannot understand your description. The Ring of Andvari does not simply bring false life, it is the embodiment of the ancient "Strength of the Water", it is not simply a magical item."

"Then who stole such a thing?"

"Using wind magic, several humans came into my dwelling. They did not disturb me in my slumber and took away my most prized possession."

"So you don't know their names?"

"One of the people went by the name Cromwell."

Kirche said to herself, "If I haven't misunderstood, he is the new Emperor of Albion."

Everyone but Saito could not help but look at each other in dismay.

"Could he be a different person? There could be two people with the same name... If he has gained the power of false life, what will he use it for?"

"Those who are revived have their freedom stolen. They must obey the owner of the ring."

"It is a truly evil ring, animating the dead is a disgusting power." Kirche said in a low voice.

Kirche continued to mutter to herself, she felt as if she should have remembered something but couldn't grasp the thought.

Saito nodded with a firm resolution, and turned towards the Water Spirit.

"I understand. Please stop raising the water level and I guarantee you I will return your ring."

The Water Spirit vibrated.

"I believe you, if you can bring back the ring I will no longer raise the water."

"Then when should I bring it back to you?"

This time the Water Spirit shook and trembled.

"Before your life ends, otherwise I am unconcerned."

"You don't mind such a long time?"

"I don't care, to me tomorrow is no different from any other part of the future." After saying this, the Water Spirit returned to the depths of the lake.

In that flash, Tabitha stopped it by calling out.

"Please wait."

Everyone stared at Tabitha in surprise. Although she had been with them all this time, this was the first time she had spoken out.

"Water Spirit, I wish to ask you something."

"What is your question?"

"We humans have always called you the "Spirit of Oath', I would like to know the reason."

"Mere human, my and your existence are completely dissimilar. I cannot understand your question completely, but I can speculate. My existence in itself is the reason for this name. I do not have a fixed shape, yet I will never change. For uncountable generations I have always been here with the water."

[[Image:ZnT04-206.jpg|thumb]]

The Water Spirit, trembling, spoke. The sound rang in the air.

"Because you are eternally unchanging, therefore you will forever carry our hopes."

Tabitha nodded, then shut her eyes. In the end, who had she made an oath to? Kirche gently put a hand on her shoulder.

Montmorency, having seen such Tabitha's appearance, immediately poked Guiche. 

"What?"

"Quickly, make an oath too."

"What oath?"  

"What did you think I made the Love potion for anyways?"

"Mmm! Ah... I swear that I will consider Montmorency above all others from this point forward..."

She poked Guiche again.

"Oww... Ah...! Really! I swear!"

"I don't want to be above others, I want to be the only. Swear you love only me!"

Guiche forced sad words out in a tone that most people would find hard to believe.

"I swear..."

Louise had also pulled on Saito's sleeve, her eyes were gazing up at him.

"You too - swear to me."

Saito looked into Louise's face. Today he must tell this Louise goodbye and he couldn't help but feel somewhat lonely. Even though it was only because of the Love potion, how many times had she told him that she loved him?

But Saito preferred the original Louise. Even if he was beaten by her and treated like a dog, he thought the original was better.

"You are not willing to swear to me? You don't love me?"

Tears filled Louise's eyes.

"Sorry... I cannot swear to you... I cannot make a promise to you the way you are."

When Saito said this, she began to cry. Saito gently stroked her head.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Chapter 6]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter8|Forward to Chapter 8]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume4 Prologue

2009-02-15T14:28:10Z

Stealth: Corrected a strange wording. "the conclusion it" -> "Its conclusion", "the conclusion of it" might have worked too.

===Prologue===

The Ragdorian Lake in between the Kingdom of Tristain and Gallia was one of Halkeginia’s most beautiful places. It spanned across six hundred square kilometres and its width could be compared to that of the distance of Tristania, the capital of Tristain, from the Academy of Magic. The lake was located on relatively high ground, and was as beautiful as if it were a painting. The lush green of the forests woven with the clear water of the lake was a masterpiece, which couldn’t have possibly been made by a god carelessly waving his axe around.

However, that lake was not something humans owned. It was a place inhabited by the water spirits, who were the original inhabitants of Halkeginia. It was the paradise of the water spirits who had a much longer history than the humans. The water spirits had made a castle and town at the bottom of the lake and developed their own culture and kingdom. It was said that those who saw it, no matter how evil they were, would turn over a new leaf.

These water spirits were called the spirits of oath and it was said that oaths made by them would never be broken. That being said… the water spirits, who were said to surpass the beauty of the woven colours of the forest, the sky and the lake, rarely appeared in front of humans. Tens of years ago, they had appeared once to renew their oath with the royal family of Tristain, but since then, they had not come up from the depths of the lake. Which is why, even though it was said that “oaths made by them would never be broken”, it was an extremely difficult task to prove it.

<center>* * *</center>

The first time Henrietta and Wales met was at that Ragdorian Lake. It was three years ago… Celebrating the Queen Marianne’s birthday, the Kingdom of Tristain invited guests from each nation and held a large garden party at the Ragdorian Lake. The nobles and royals invited from all over Halkeginia - the Kingdom of Albion, the Kingdom of Gallia, and the empire of Germania, gathered at the lake all dressed up and socialised to their hearts content. Fireworks of magic were set off and under a large tent, a ball was held throughout the night with the world’s finest food and wine prepared.

On the night at the end of the first week, as the celebrations were half over, the fourteen year old Henrietta left her tent and made her way to the shore of the lake without any attendants or guards. She was tired of the celebrations, which seemed to stretch on. The days had been packed with events, such as feasts, dance balls, poetry recitals… She was already fed up with all the greetings and flattery. She wanted to be alone and take in some fresh air.

She had passed through the area where the tents and buildings stood with her face hidden under a large hood and had made her way to the quiet bank side. The moon shone brightly, creating an illusionary atmosphere. Captivated by the sight, Henrietta simply stared at the river, which reflected the bright (dazzling?) moon. It seemed that just being captivated by the sight did not satisfy her. Henrietta looked around her. After checking that no one was around, she boldly slipped off her dress. With a mischievous smile arising on her beautiful face, she slowly made her way into the water.

The cool water enveloped her body. It was just the beginning of summer, so the coolness felt pleasant in the warm night. She would be scolded if she were to be found in such a place by the chamberlain La Porte, but she had endured the constrained garden party for so long. I’ll be forgiven for something like this, Henrietta whispered as she began to swim out. After swimming for a while, she suddenly sensed someone on the bank side. Henrietta’s face became red and she hide her body with her hands.

“Who is it?”

The figure did not reply. Who could it be? The annoying chamberlain La Porte? Her friend who was one year younger than her, Louise Françoise? However she had snuck out of the tent without any of them noticing. Becoming uneasy, she demanded for the person’s identity.

“Insolence. Name yourself.” Her panicking voice reached the bank side.

“I’m no one suspicious. I was only out for a stroll. Why are you out here swimming at a time like this?”

Henrietta was offended by his composed manner, even though he had been watching her swim all this time.

“I asked for your name didn’t I? Even though it may not look like it, I am the princess of a certain country. Before things turn ugly, state your name and leave.”

Hearing this, the figure was taken aback.

“A princess? Could it be, Henrietta?”

Henrietta was surprised at the absence of the address of ‘princess’. There were only five people gathered at the lake who could address her in such a manner. It would be unbelievable insolence if he weren’t one of those five people.

“Who are you?”

Henrietta had taken off the mask of a princess and questioned the figure in the voice of a frightened girl.

The figure laughed. Being laughed at, Henrietta blushed.

“It’s me Henrietta, Wales. Wales from Albion. Your cousin!”

“Wales..? You mean, Prince Wales?”

Prince Wales. The crown prince of Albion. They had never met before, but she of course knew of his name. The eldest son of the brother of her late father. She blushed even more deeply.

“I arrived here tonight with my father. I thought I’d just have a glimpse at the Ragdorian Lake because it’s so famous. Sorry for scaring you.”

“Geez, I can't believe you.” 

With her clothes on, Henrietta turned towards Wales.

“You can turn around now”

Wales had turned away while Henrietta was changing. At the instant he turned around, something ran across Henrietta’s spine for the first time in her life. Her body, cold from the lake became hot as though a fire had scorched her. She shyly smiled at his gallant looks. It seemed as though Wales had felt the same sensation as Henrietta.

“I’m surprised. You’ve grown beautiful, Henrietta…”

The astonished prince drew out moving words from his mouth.

“I-I haven’t at all…” Looking downwards, Henrietta couldn’t lift her face.

[[Image:ZnT04-016.jpg|thumb]]

“I didn’t mean to surprise you. I was just taking a stroll and I heard some splashing… When I came here, I realised someone was swimming. Sorry. I couldn’t help but gaze.”

“Why were you gazing?”

“Aren’t the water spirits that live in this lake drawn to the moonlight? I wished to see them just once. The beauty of the water spirits are said to put the two moons into shame.”

Henrietta smiled.

“Sorry that it was me then”

Scratching his cheek in an embarrassed fashion, he earnestly said: “Not at all. I haven’t seen a water spirit before but…”

“But?”

“You are more beautiful. More beautiful than a water spirit.”

Embarrassed, Henrietta hid her face.

“People from Albion are so good at jokes.”

“I-It’s not a joke! I’m a prince you know. I haven’t told a lie, not even once! I really think you are more beautiful” Replied Wales, panicking.

Henrietta’s pulse hastened as though a spell had been cast on her. The cousin in front of her… A prince from another country, whom she only knew the name of. The boring garden party, had suddenly become beautifully colourful whilst they stood before the sparkling Ragdorian Lake.

<center>* * *</center>

Their relationship grew quite intimate although it didn’t take that much time. They understood each other’s feelings just by looking at each other’s eyes and they also understood well that their time together was limited. At every night of the garden party, Wales and Henrietta would meet by the lake. Henrietta would hide her face with a large hood, and Wales would use a phantom mask which was used in the masked ball. The signal of their rendezvous was the sound of a small stone thrown into the lake. The person who had arrived first would reveal themselves from the thicket from which they were hiding, and after checking no one was around, they would use a password.

After Wales said “On the night the wind blows”, Henrietta would reply with “an oath of the water I pledge.”

On a particular day, the two were walking by the lake holding hands.

“You were pretty late Henrietta, I almost became tired of waiting”

“Sorry. The feast just stretched on. I’m so sick of drunk ramblings already.”

“But… Is it really alright for you to sneak away like that every night?”

Henrietta giggled at Wales worried look.

“It’s alright. I’m using a decoy”

“A decoy! That’s something pretty serious.”

“It’s not that big of a deal. That friend of mine you saw with me at lunch the other day…”

“You mean that skinny girl with long hair?”

Wales tilted his head. The girl that would follow Henrietta around and play with her. He was so captivated by Henrietta that he couldn’t really recall her look. However, he did vaguely remember her hair colour.

“Yes. She dresses up like me, and then goes into my bed for me. The blanket covers her right to the tip of her head so even if anyone stands beside the bed, they can’t see her face.”

“But, isn’t her hair colour different to yours? If I remember correctly, hers is pink while yours is…”

Wales brushed Henrietta’s hair with his hand.

“A beautiful chestnut colour. That would be a fairly bad decoy.”

“I’ve concocted a special magic hair dye. But, I feel a bit guilty. I didn’t actually say that I was meeting you. She thinks that I am just out for a stroll.”

“You’re so cunning!” Wales said while laughing.

“Shh! Don’t laugh so loud. We don’t know if anyone is listening.”

“No one is going to be here listening at this hour of the night except for the water spirits. Ah, I want to see them at least once. I wonder what kind of beauty makes the moon jealous.”

Pouting her lips, she replied to her lover with a troubling tone

“Oh, I see now. So you didn’t actually want to meet with me. You just wanted to see the water spirit, and have me tag along.”

Wales suddenly stopped and grasped Henrietta’s cheeks gently in both his hands and approached her lips. Henrietta was surprised, but soon closed her eyes. Their lips pressed together. After a while, Wales remove

“I love you, Henrietta.”

“I also love you.” Henrietta whispered, blushing furiously.

A tinge of loneliness was reflected in Wales’ eyes. While he was entranced by the idea of their love, a composed part of his mind also imagined its conclusion. Their status did not allow them to be with each other. If anyone knew about their relationship… they probably wouldn’t even be allowed to see each other in formal events. It was a part of being a princess and a prince.

Wales began to speak, trying to brighten the atmosphere.

“Hahaha… We’ve both been born with troubling destinies haven’t we. Most of the time we’ve spent together has been at night, with a disguise! It would be good, at least just once, if I could walk by this lake with just you and the sun.”

Henrietta closed her eyes and slowly nestled against his chest.

“Then make an oath.”

“An oath?”

“Yes. The water spirits living here are also known as the ‘spirits of oath’. Oaths made before them are said to be unbreakable.” whispered the fourteen year old Henrietta while she hid her face.

“It’s a superstition. Just an old folk’s tale”

“Even if it’s a superstition, I believe it. If by believing, it will grant me my oath, then I will believe forever. Forever…”

A tear dropped from her eyelashes and rolled down on her cheek. Wales gently stroked Henrietta’s cheek.

“I love you, Henrietta, because you love me so much. So don’t cry like that. The river will overflow with your tears. The people gathered here will drown you know.”

“You probably don’t know how much I love you. The more serious I get the more you tease me.”

“Don’t be like that Henrietta”

Lifting the hem of her skirt, Henrietta made her way into the water.

“The princess of Tristain Henrietta vows before the spirits of water that she will love Prince Wales for eternity.”

“You're next Wales. Make an oath like I just did.”

Wales entered the water and embraced Henrietta. Henrietta clung to his shoulder.

“Wales?”

“Your feet will get cold.”

“I don’t mind. Rather than that, I made an oath that I will love you forever. Make an oath as well.”

“Unbreakable oaths are just a superstition.”

“Are you saying that you will have a change of heart?”

Wales went silent for a while, deep in thought.

With a gentle expression, he cast his oath into the lake.

“The prince of Albion, Wales, vows before the water spirits that he will one day walk on this Ragdorian Lake with princess Henrietta and the sun, hand in hand.”

“I made the oath.”

Henrietta buried her face into Wales’ chest and whispered quietly to herself.

“…So you won’t vow to love me?”

The surface of the lake twinkled with light. Then after a while the lake was once again engulfed in silence.

The two looked at each other.

Was it the moon light, or was it the spirits of the water accepting their oaths, they didn’t know… but nestling against each other they continued to gaze at the beautiful lake of Ragdorian.

----

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Illustrations|Back to Color Illustrations]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter1|Forward to Chapter 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Talk:Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter2

2009-02-14T20:13:19Z

Stealth: /* Kirche's nickname */ new section

==Clarification requested==
for the lines:

Louise quickly turned the other way. Ugh, she must think I’m weird. The master thinks this mole is weird.

Saito stared at the food served on the plate with a dull face. '''It had been luxurious since the morning''', but he felt very gloomy.

The usual prayer proceeded and breakfast started. Saito quietly ate his food. It was delicious, but he was so miserable he could not taste it.

Could someone clarify what that is supposed to mean? I'm assuming it refers to the food, and he means that a luxurious meal has been set before him, or else that the food is extravagent for a morning meal, or something to that effect.

--[[User:Delwack|Delwack]] 00:05, 16 November 2007 (PST)

Translation error, at first i read it as Louise's treatment towards him being luxurious, but he meant the food. Fixed it, along with the other error, thanks again.

== Kirche's nickname ==

In this chapter they say :
The class turned to Kirche. If you were talking about the fire branch of magic in Halkeginia, then you would be referring to Germanian nobles. Among them, the Zerbsts were a famous family. Also, as her nickname, '''Slight Fever''' , indicated, she was good at fire magic.

But don't I remember it being ''Subtle Heat''? It probably is different interpretations of the same Kanji. I don't know which one is the closest to how it is supposed to be read. But I honestly think that "slight fever" lacks in "class". Subtle heat sounds cooler...
--[[User:Stealth|Stealth]] 20:13, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL

2009-02-14T19:42:40Z

Stealth:

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

=== Chapter One: Lineage of Zero ===

Tristain’s royal palace was situated on the end of Bourdonne's Street. In front of the royal palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled atop their magical steeds. The rumor that war was looming had begun spreading through the town two or three days ago. It was rumoured that the aristocrat faction that had conquered Albion, “Reconquista”, was poised to invade Tristain.

Therefore, the mood of the soldiers who guarded the surroundings grew tenser. In the skies above the royal palace, magical beasts and ships alike were banned from flying, and people who passed the gates were thoroughly checked.

Even tailors, confectionery shop employers and traders were stopped and inspected thoroughly at the gates, so as to prevent mages disguised through illusion, or people under the control of (spirit/charm?) magic from getting through.

It was because it was under such circumstances, that when a wind dragon appeared in the skies above the royal palace, the garrison of Mage Guards grew alarmed.

The Mage Guards was composed of three corps, and each guarded the royal palace in turn. Whilst one was on duty, the others either rested or trained. Today, it was the Manticore Corps that was on duty. Riding atop their manticores, the nobles flew up and headed towards the wind dragon that had appeared above the royal palace. There were five figures on the wind dragon's back, as well as a huge mole that was held in between the dragon’s mouth.

The Mage Guards warned them that this was a prohibited flight zone, yet the wind dragon, ignoring the warning, landed in the palace courtyards.

Atop was a blondish pink-haired beautiful girl, a tall lady with burning red hair, a blond boy, a small, petite girl with glasses and a boy with black hair. The boy carried a long sword over his shoulder.

The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the wind dragon and simultaneously drew their rapier-shaped wands, assuming a stance with spells at the ready. A strongly-built, rough-mustached commander, bellowed a warning at the suspicious intruders:

“Drop your wands!”

Instantly, the expressions of the intruders grew hostile, but the short blue-haired girl amongst them shook her head.

“Royal palace.”

The party nodded reluctantly, and as ordered, threw their wands to the ground.

“The skies above the royal palace is currently a prohibited flight zone. Didn’t you know that?”

A girl with blondish pink hair lightly jumped off the dragon, and introduced herself in a firm voice:

“I am Duke de la Valliere’s third daughter, Louise Françoise, not someone suspicious. I request an audience with her Highness, the princess.”

The commander twisted his moustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Valliere Duchy. After all, they were very renowned nobles.

The commander lowered his wand.

“You are Duke de la Vallière’s third daughter?”

“Indeed.”

Louise raised herself and stared straight into the commander’s eyes.

“I see... I can see that you have your mother’s eyes. Well, what is your purpose here?”

“ I’m afraid I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.”

“Then I’ll have to deny your request. To grant an audience without knowing your purpose, it’s something you lose your head over!” The Commander replied worriedly.

“The secret itself is not something that can be told either!” Yelled Saito as he jumped off the wind dragon.

The commander looked over at Satio as he interjected. He had a young face. Clothes that he had never seen before. A low nose. Yellow skin. A large sword draped over his back.

Though it wasn’t clear what country he was from, one thing was for certain – he wasn’t a noble.

“What a rude commoner. That’s not the way a servant should speak to a noble. Stay silent.”

Saito narrowed his eyes, and turned to Louise. It was too much for him. True, he wasn’t even a servant, but rather a familiar, but it was the commander's disdainful tone that infuriated him. Gripping the handle of Derf over his shoulder, Saito turned to Louise and asked.

“Hey, Louise. Can I take care of this guy?”

“Quick boasting. Just because you beat Wardes doesn’t mean you can be so arrogant.”

Overhearing their conversation, the commander’s eyes widened. Wardes? Wardes, as in that viscount Wardes, the commander of the Griffin corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?　

Shaking the concern aside, the commander raised his magic wand again.

“Who the hell are you people? Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”

The commander spoke out in a hard tone. The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise stared at Saito.

“W-what?”

“It's because of you and your blabbering that they think we are suspicious!”

“It’s all because of that bearded man and his damn attitude!”

“Shut up. You should have just kept your mouth shut!”

Watching the strange scene ahead of him, the commander quickly seized the situation. The mage guards which had surrounded the party quickly raised their wands.

“Arrest them!”

Under the commander’s order, the guardsmen/mages were about to begin their incantations when suddenly...

A person clad in a purple mantle appeared from the palace gates. Seeing Louise surrounded by the Mage Guards, she frantically ran over.

“Louise!”

Seeing the figure of Henrietta rushing over, Louise’s face shined like a rose.

“Princess!”

Under the gazes of the Mage guards, the two embraced one another in a hug.

“Aah, you came back safely. I’m glad. Louise, Louise Françoise…”

“Princess...”

Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.

“The letter... it is safe.”

Reaching into her breast pocket, Louise gently pulled out the letter. Henrietta nodded and firmly grasped Louise’s hands.

“You really are my best friend.”

“Your words are too kind, Princess.”

However, upon noticing the absence of Wales in the midst of the party, Henrietta’s expression grew sombre.

“As I thought... Prince Wales sacrificed himself for his kingdom.”

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

“... But what about viscount Wardes? I don’t see him, did he take another route? Or did he... perhaps... fall by the hands of the enemy? But if it was the viscount, shouldn’t...”

Louise's face grew grim. With much difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta.

“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”

“Traitor?”

A shadow crept upon Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the deep stares of the Mage Guards around them, Henrietta quickly explained.

“They are my guests, commander sir.”

“I see.”

Upon hearing this, the commander withdrew his wand, if somewhat unwillingly, and told his troops to do the same.

Henrietta turned to Louise again.

“What exactly happened on your trip? .... Anyway, let’s withdraw to my room before we continue. The rest of you, please get some rest in the other rooms.”

Leaving Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche in the waiting room, Henrietta brought Saito and Louise to her own room. Henrietta sat down on a small and delicate chair, her elbows placed upon the desk.

Louise explained the entire situation to Henrietta.

How Kirche and the others joined them en route.

How they took a ship to Albion, and its subsequent attack by pirates.

That the pirate leader was Crown Prince Wales.

How even though escape was offered to Prince Wales, he refused.

And how… because of the wedding with Wardes, they missed the ship.

That in the middle of the wedding Wardes suddenly showed his true colours… killing Prince Wales and snatching the letter from Louise’s hands...

Which was swiftly regained.

The ambitions of ‘Reconquista’… to unite all of Halkeginia, to the grand goal of liberating the Holy Lands from the Elves.

However... with the alliance between Tristain and Germania now secure, Henrietta still mourned.

“That viscount was a traitor… How can that be? To have a traitor within the midst of the Mage Guards...”

Gazing at the letter she herself wrote to Wales, tears built and streamed down her cheeks.

“Princess…”

Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.

“It was me who took away Prince Wale’s life. No matter how you put it, it was I who chose the traitor to be the messenger…”

Saito shook his head.

“The Prince had already planned on staying in his kingdom. It was not Your Highness’s fault.”

“Louise, did he, at the very least, read my letter?”

Louise nodded.

“Yes, princess. Prince Wales read Your Highness's letter.”

“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”

Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.

“Then... even after you urged the Prince to escape?”

Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.

Louise recalled Wales' words. He kept stubbornly telling her that “Henrietta didn’t tell me to escape”. It was just as Louise had thought - a lie.

“Ahh, with your death, there is no longer any hope. What about me, my lost love?”

Henrietta muttered softly in her daze.

“Was honor more important than me?”

But Saito came to a different conclusion. Wales remained not because he was trying to protect his honor. Rather, Wales remained so as to not give Henrietta any trouble... and to show the traitors that the royal families of Halkeginia were certainly not to be trifled with.

“It isn’t as you think, Princess. It was because he did not wish to give Tristain any troubles, that he remained in that country. That, is how I see it.”

Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.

“To not give me any trouble?”

“His escape, as the Prince said, would only have given a perfect excuse for traitors to invade.”

“Even if Prince Wales didn’t flee here, they would still invade here given the chance. But, without a reason to invade, peace can be kept. At the cost of his life, he prevented the rise of war.”

“... Even then, he still didn’t want to give trouble. Surely...”

Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.

Saito slowly repeated the words he had remembered.

“To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That... was what he asked me to say.”

Henrietta replied with a cheerless smile. When a princess, as beautiful as the delicate rose, became like this, even the air itself grew heavy. Saito’s heart ached at the sight.

Henrietta, resting her elbows on the table beside a beautifully engraved marble statue, questioned sadly.

“To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That’s your privilege as men. But what of those who are left behind, what are they to do?”

Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. Lowering his head downwards, he awkwardly nudged his shoe against the couch.

“Princess… If only I had tried harder to convince Prince Wales...”

Henrietta stood up and clasped the hand of the muttering Louise.

“It’s all right, Louise. You splendidly accomplished your mission, retrieving the letter. You should not have to be worried about anything. Because I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.”

Henrietta laughed with a smile.

“With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage removed, our country will be able to step into the alliance with Germania safely. In such a situation, Albion will not so easily invade us. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.”

Henrietta said it as brightly as possible.

Louise took out from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her.

“Princess, here, I return this to you.”

Henrietta shook her head.

“Please hold on to it. It’s the least I can do to express my gratitude.”

“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”

“For such loyalty, an appropriate reward should be bestowed. It is all right, put it on.”

Louise nodded and put it on her finger.

Upon seeing this, Saito remembered the ring he had removed from Prince Wales’ hands. Taking it from the rear pocket of his pants, he placed it onto Henrietta’s hands.

“Princess, this, is a keepsake from the Prince Wales.”

Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

“Isn’t this the wind ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?”

“Yes. In his dying moments, he passed the ring to me; he said to give it to Your Highness.”

[[Image:ZnT03-023.JPG|thumb]]

In truth, Wales was already dead when he pulled it off his finger.... but Saito had said that anyway. If he had said it like that, it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, however little it may be.

Henrietta put the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, it was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But when Henrietta muttered the ‘decreasing’ spell, the ring became narrower and narrower, and soon fit the finger snugly.

Henrietta lovingly stroked the Wind Ruby. Turning towards Saito, she gave a shy smile.

“Thank you, kind familiar.”

A sad smile filled with grief, yet also a smile of gratefulness towards Saito. Such was the nobility of the smile, that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently.

“That man, he had died bravely. Is that right?”

Saito nodded.

“Yes. It was so.”

Henrietta, whilst staring at the shining Wind Ruby, declared softly.

“Then I… I will live bravely as well.”

<center>* * *</center>

On the flight from the royal palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito as to the contents of the letter Wales had written, the two kept their lips sealed.

“Oi, c’mon, won’t you tell me at least tell me what the mission was? And to say that the Viscount was a traitor, it’s all so mysterious.”

Kirche looked at Saito with a feverish glance.

“However, darling attacked him?”

Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded:

“Y-yes. But he escaped…’

“Still, that’s quite an achievement! Hey, what was that mission exactly?”

Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent, and neither spoke.

Kirche puckered up her brows and turned to Guiche.

“Hey, Guiche!”

“What?”

With an artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche, who was spacing out, turned around.

“Do you know what was in the letter Princess Henrietta sent us to retrieve?”

Guiche closed his eyes saying:

“I do not know as well. Only Louise knows.”

“Louise the Zero! Why don’t you tell me?! Hey, Tabitha! What do you think? Well, I think that I am held for an idiot!”

Kirche shook Tabitha who was reading the book. Despite she was being shaken, her head followed suit and shook as well.

Because of all the shaking by Kirche, the wind dragon lost balance and slowed down suddenly. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and fell down. “Gyaaaaaa” he screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way, Guiche pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation” floated down slowly, avoiding near-death.

Louise lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Lousie blushed. ''This morning, when running away from Albion, Saito kissed me. That time I was pretending to be asleep.''

''But why? Why was I pretending to be asleep?''

''It might be love… However, I do not want to admit this thought, because Saito is my familiar; moreover, he is not a noble.''

Loving a person who is not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people”… As Louise grew up with such words, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings are true or not, that should be left to find out later.

So after all, having felt the hand move around her waist, Louise shouted in an angry voice:

“T-to be so bold, I’m going to get angry!”

“You looked like you were going to fall over. Like Guiche.” Saito replied, his face blushing as well.

“It’s all right, even if Guiche falls - it is only Guiche.” Stated Louise, still bewildered from before.

“T-that’s, even if he falls he will be all right. It would be troublesome if you fell however, since you cannot use magic.”

“You are just a familiar, and you dare insult your master?”

Louise drew a sharp breath and quickly averted her gaze. However, she didn’t seem angry.

“You are being too daring. Hum.”

Though Louise grumbled and complained, she didn‘t try to shake off Saito's hand. On the contrary, she leaned her body closer, snuggling against Saito. Yet, her face still remained averted. Saito stole a quick glance at Louise‘s face.

Her white cheeks were faintly dyed with pink and she was slightly biting her lower lip. Though Henrietta was beautiful... Louise was still incredibly cute, he thought. The hand on the waist pressed closer. And felt how her waist and thighs pressed further into him.

It was just as this was happening, that Kirche spun around and muttered softly.

“Since when did you become like this, you two?”

Louise, suddenly realising how things looked, blushed a furious red and sent the day-dreaming Saito flying off with a push.

“Nothing happened! You idiot!”

Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha, who was reading a book, dully swung her hand, and put a 'Levitation' spell on Saito.

Saito landed gently onto the plains, and saw Guiche, who had fallen before, walking along the road on the grassy plain with a bitter face.

Then Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.

“You fell too, right?”

Saito answered in a tired voice.

“I was pushed.”

“T-they are not coming back, are they?”

Saito looked up into the sky. In the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.

“…It looks like it.”

“Well, let’s walk then. Sigh, it’ll take half a day on foot.”

With a depressed look about him, Guiche started to walk. Saito is not sure why, but felt that the he was more impressed by him.

“By the way, you… That, well… There’s something I wanted to ask. Please tell me.”

Guiche mumbled to Saito as he fiddled with the artificial rose.

“Huh?”

“Did Her Highness... well... have anything to say about me? Is it true, that she’ll reward me after the mission, with the letter where the promised secret date is?”

For a moment, Saito felt pity for Guiche. Henrietta hadn’t even mentioned the letter “G” from Guiche’s name in their conversation.

“Let’s go.”

Saito, pretending he hadn’t heard anything, began quickening his pace. Guice chased after him from before

“Well, is the rumor true?”

“Come on, walk. It’s good for the health.”

“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I...”

Under the warmth of the sun, the two kept on walking towards the Academy of Magic.

<center>* * *</center>

Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold, was now a tragic ruin. Though it withstood the despair, it became a disastrous scene.

The castle walls, having been repeatedly attacked by spells and cannon fire, was turned into a pile of rubble, and corpses burnt beyond recognition were scattered around.

Though the siege was short, the rebels - no, because Albion lost its king, the rebels 'Reconquista', became the new government in Albion - suffered damage that was impossible to imagine. Three hundred royal army soldiers for two thousand killed rebels. And four thousand wounded. Seeing these casualties, it was hard to understand whether it was a victory.

Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was possible to attack it only from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces managed to push away the guards, they were repeatedly shot with magic and cannon fire, receiving huge casualties.

However, they won by the force of numbers in the end. Once behind the castle walls the defense was fragile. The king's army mages were left to guard against soldiers. But the mages' number was insignificant to 'Reconquista' soldiers; they were gradually killed and all fell, one by one.

Though the damage given to the enemy was great… the price was annihilation of the king's army. Literal annihilation. Because the royalists fought up to the last soldier.

In a word, the final decisive battle of civil war in Albion, siege of Newcastle’s fortress, fighting against 100 times or larger opponent, in a battle with damage that was worth ten such armies… became a legend.

<center>* * *</center>

Two days after the civil war had ended, under the blazing sun, between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat was inspecting the old battlefield. His hat was pushed to the side and he was dressed in an unusual way for Albion, the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard.　

It was Wardes.

A female mage with a hood over her eyes stood next to him.

It was Fouquet of the Crumbling Dirt. She escaped to Albion with the ship from La Rochelle. Last night, in the capital of Albion, she joined Wardes in the bar of Rondei Nium, and now came to the Newcastle’s battlefield.

Around them, soldiers of 'Reconquista' were diligently hunting for riches. A loud cheer came from the treasury nearby, as a band had found golden coins.

A mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand he cried out from joy.

Fouquet, who was watching the scene disapprobatory, clicked her tongue in disgust.

Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly

“What’s wrong, Fouquet of the Crumbling Dirt, aren’t these your colleagues who hunt jewels also? To rob the nobles of their treasure, was that not your job?”

“Do not compare me with them. I have no interests in the jewels on the corpses of the dead.”

“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”

Wardes laughed.

“I’m not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasure, because I love to see the frantic expressions of those nobles. But these guys…”

Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guardian with the corner of her eye.

“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”

“I guess Albion’s royal nobles are your enemies. Haven’t you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?”

Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet, regaining her composure, coldly said with a nod.

“Oh well. Accidents happen.”

And then Wardes turned. The Lower part of the left arm had been cut off . The uniform’s sleeve was loosely fluttering in the wind.

“It looks like it was a similarly harsh battle for you.

Wardes replied in a unchanging tone:

“An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade.”

“He must be something, that ‘Gandalfr’, to so swiftly cut off the arm of a Square-Class Wind mage such as yourself.”

“Because it was a commoner, I just got careless.”

“Don’t put it like that. He even destroyed my golem. However, nothing within this castle could have survived.”

When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.

“He is Gandalfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn’t report to have fought against such person. Perhaps, during our fight, he had expended all his energy, and was confused with a commoner. Probably the soldier, who killed Gandalfr, didn’t even notice that it was a legendary familiar.”

Fouquet, not convinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily?

“And where is that letter?”

“Somewhere around here.”

Wardes pointed to the ground with the cane. This place here, two days ago, was the chapel. The place where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding, the place where Wales lost his life.

However, now it was just a pile of rubble.

“Hmm, that la Vallière lass… your former fiancé, the letter was in her pocket?

“Correct.”

“You let her die? You didn’t love her?”

“Loved, didn’t love, I’ve already forgotten such sentiments.”

Dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice.

He drew the cane and chanted the spell. A small tornado appeared and started scattering around the rubble.

Gradually, the floor of the chapel could be seen.

Laying between Founder Brimir's image and a chair, was the corpse of Wales. It looked surprisingly unharmed.

“Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?”

Fouquet said in a surprised voice. Fouquet, who was once one of Albion’s nobles, remembered Wales's face.

Wardes didn’t cast even a single glance to the remains of the man he had personally murdered, instead searching intently for Louise and Saito’s corpses.

However… Their corpses were nowhere to be seen.

“Are you sure they really died here?”

Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.

“Hmm… Look, isn’t that George de la Tur’s ‘Founder Brimir's Visit’?”

Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor.

“I think it is a reproduction. Mm, come to think of it, this castle’s chapel must have been built to worship him… Hmm?”

Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, discovered a widely gaping hole under it, and called Wardes.

“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”

Wardes, with raised brows, squatted down and looked into the hole that Fouquet indicated. He realized that the hole must have been dug by that huge mole, Guiche’s familiar. On his cheeks Wardes could feel the cold breeze emanating from the hole

“Could it be that through this hole that both Vallière’s youngest daughter and Gandalfr ran away?” Fouquet remarked, and it was the truth. Wardes' face contorted in rage.

“Should we pursue them through?”

“It is useless. If there’s wind inside, it must mean it was dug clean through.” Wardes replied exasperatedly. Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned.

“It seems you are capable of such expressions. And here I thought that you were a man without feelings like a gargoyle… Why, oh why do such feelings appear on your face?” She mocked.

Hearing this, Wardes stood up.

From the distance a person appeared while they talked.

He said in a cheerful, limpid voice.

“Viscount! Wardes! Have you found the letter yet? That… what was it... ah, love letter that Henrietta gave to Wales, the saviour that would prevent the union of Germania and Tristain. Have you found it?”

Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man who had just appeared.

The man was in the middle of his thirties. He was wearing a round hat and a green mantle. From the first sight one could tell that he was a clergyman. However he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeped.

“Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head.

The man called ‘Excellency’, with a friendly smile on his face, approached Wardes and tapped his shoulder.

“What are you saying? Viscount! You did a remarkable job! You single-handedly defeated the enemy’s brave general! Ah, isn’t that over there, our dear Crown Prince Wales? Be proud! You defeated him! Apparently he loathed me deeply… but seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. Aah, that’s right. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend.

Wardes’ cheeks flinched slightly, as he noticed the sarcasm at the end of the speech. He quickly regained his composure, and once again repeated his apology to his superior officer.

“However, the mission to obtain the letter of Henrietta’s Your Excellency so desires ended in failure. I’m sorry I was not able to meet Your Excellency’s expectations.”

“Do not fret yourself. Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream, is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step.”

Then, the man in the green robe, turned to Fouquet.

“Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman.”

Fouquet watched the man. Before her eyes, Wardes bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. He had a strange aura around him. A sinister feeling was radiating from the gaps of his robe.

Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.

“Your Excellency, this is Fouquet of the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder.”

“Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss South Gotha.”

Hearing him say her noble name that she had abandoned long ago, Fouquet smiled.

“Did Wardes tell you this name?”

“That's right. He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property… it is hard for an aging bishop to remember everything. Oh, let's not delay my introduction.”

Opening his eyes widely, and placing his hand over his chest...

“'Reconquista' first general, Oliver Cromwell at your service. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the baronial council, I was appointed to be the first general, and I need to give my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is all right to ‘guide’ us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power for the better.”

[[Image:ZnT03-037.JPG|thumb]]

“Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore, you are now Albion’s…”

“Emperor, viscount.”

Cromwell laughed. However, his eyes didn’t change.

“Certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain’s and Germania’s alliance, however, there are more important things. Do you understand me, viscount?”

“Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep, that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them.”

Cromwell opened his eyes wide. Then, he raised both hands and began talking with exaggerated gestures.

“Unity! Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, an union of chosen nobles, that will get back the sacred land from those ominous elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! ‘Unity’ is our number one duty. Therefore, viscount, I trust you. There is no blame in such a trifle failure.”

Wardes bowed deeply.

“For this great mission, Founder Brimir blessed us with the power.”

Fouquet's eyebrow rose. Power? What kind of power they are talking about?

“Your Excellency, what power has Founder Brimir granted Your Excellency with? If it is all right, I would like to know.”

Cromwell continued in a slurred tone, caught up in his own theatrics.

“Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss South Gotha?”

Fouquet nodded. Even children know of such things. Fire, Wind, Water, and fourth – Earth.

“In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.”

“Element of zero… Void?”

Fouquet turned pale. The lost element. The magic of nothingness, that, as dark legends tell, disappeared. Does this man know something about the element of zero?

“That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with. For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia.”

Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.

“Wardes. I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. Instead, he became my greatest enemy in life, but now in death, would make a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?”

Wardes shook his head.

“He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions.”

Cromwell laughed with a smile.

“Well then, Miss South Gotha. I will show an element of ‘Void’ to you.”

Fouquet watched Cromwell’s movements with her breath caught.

Cromwell pulled out the cane that was attached to his waist.

A low, silent aria escaped Cromwell's mouth. These were the words Fouqout never heard before.

When the aria was completed, Cromwell gently lowered the cane and aimed at Wales's corpse.

Then… suddenly, Wales, whose body was already cold, opened his eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine.

Wales slowly sat up. A once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, Wales’s body sprang back to life.

“Good morning, Crown Prince.”

Cromwell muttered.

The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.

“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”

“So rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince.”

“Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency.”

Wales kneeled taking the posture of a vassal.

“I think I’ll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.”

“With pleasure.”

“Then, let’s be friends.”

Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn’t look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying:

“Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.”

Wardes bowed.

“There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let’s give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.”

“As you wish.”

“Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the sacred ground.”

After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.

<center>* * *</center>
　

It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth.

“That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That’s not possible.”

Wardes muttered.

“The void element manipulates life… That’s what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not.”

Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice.

“A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void’s magic too?”

Wardes laughed.

“Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I had since birth.”

After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.

“However…many lives were given for the founder’s sacred ground… what if they all would be revived by the element of ‘Void’?”

Frightened, Fouquet clutched at her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive.

“Don’t look that way. It was only my imagination. You may even call it my fantasy.”

Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes.

“It was surprising, that’s all.”

Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had been, he spoke softly.

“However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? That answer must lie in the Holy Lands... that’s how I feel.”

<center>* * *</center>

Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place next month, before the conclusion of military alliance.

The alliance conclusion was done in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the agreement sentence was to be signed by the prime minister Cardinal Mazarin of Tristain.

The next day after the alliance, a new Albion’s government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparkled between the two countries, but the first Albion empire’s Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a nonaggression pact.

As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the combined two countries' power in the air, they could not oppose Albion’s fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed to the neck, the two countries didn’t have much to choose from, and this offer was the best they could hope for.

However…peace was established in Halkeginia only on the surface. Politicians could not sleep day or night. It wasn’t only nobles, the commoners too waited for next day tensely.

Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception either.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Volume 2]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume2 Chapter9 - MTL

2009-02-14T18:05:57Z

Stealth: Changed some weird spacings

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Nine: The Final Battle===

The next morning…

Newcastle's port inside the cave, Saito, stood in a queue to board the Eagle, surrounded by rushing people that were not able to leave with Marie Galante.

“Because you love, you sometimes need to let it go…”

Derflinger muttered silently. He was hanging on a string on Saito's back. It was unbearable, during days like this, to have no one to talk to.

“Stop saying it…”

“Why?”

“I feel sick when you say it.”

“You mean ‘Because you love, you sometimes need to let it go’…That?”

“Why don’t you stop saying that?”

“I understand. I won’t say it anymore, if partner asks. Yet, we have to discuss a few things about our future. Have you decided where to go, since we have lots of free time now?”

Derflinger asked, pretending not to know.

“Maybe to Arukattsu.”

“And there we will look for the way to return to partner’s former world?”

“Why would you be looking for it? I’m the only one who is an alien here, right?” Saito said.

Way to return home? Louise said she’ll help search for it, but no one should rely on that. Even though, leaving Louise's city was something hard to do.

“Then you should become a mercenary.”

“Mercenary?”

“Yes. With a sword on your shoulder, looking to one battle today, and then wandering to another country and battlefield tomorrow. Poor income, but at least satisfied rage, right?”

Saito muttered.

“And a bad teammate.”

“What, without me as a partner, an ordinary guy like you would be left behind instantly.”

“Even if your greatest power is rusting.”

“How rude. But I forgive you, since you are my partner. By the way, partner, I recalled one thing the other day…”

“What?”

“Partner, you are called Gandálfr?

“Aah, because that’s the name of the legendary familiar. When I first heard it, I was amazed. I-“

“Wait. Wait just a moment, partner. I think I remember the name…”

“Really?”

“No, it is an extremely old memory… It was very long ago, I just caught it in a corner of my head…”

“Derflinger kept on muttering “hm” ,“aha”, and “aah” repeatedly.

“Maybe you misunderstand as it was some time ago? And besides, where is the head of a sword anyway.”

Derflinger thought about it for a while.

“The handle, maybe?”

He said, making Saito laugh.

Finally it was Saito’s time to board the ship. When he rose up the gangway, he saw that the refugee ship was everything one could expect it to be – many people squeezed between each other, so that it wasn’t possible to find a place to sit on the deck.

Saito looked at the limestone cave from the edge of the gunwale. At this moment, Louise was in the middle of her wedding. Saito shut his eyes tightly at this lonesome thought.

People still kept boarding the ship one after another, it was really overcrowded, and a mass of people pushed Saito around the deck. Someone’s elbow hit against his injured arm, making Saito scream.

<center>* * *</center>

Meanwhile, in a chapel, where the Founder Brimir's portrait hung, Crown Prince Wales was waiting for the bridegroom and the bride to appear. There were no other people around, as everybody was busy preparing for the upcoming battle. Wales also had planned, once the ceremony was over, to prepare for the battle as well.
　
Wales was dressed in the Crown Prince’s formal uniform.

He wore a bright purple mantle, the symbol of the royal family, and a hat, that had Seven color wings, the symbol of Albion's royal family, on it.

The door opened, Louise and Wardes had arrived. Louise stood with a dazzled expression on her face. Wales had to urge her to come and stand in front of him.

Louise was puzzled. Everything happened so suddenly. Wardes barged into her room this morning and brought her here, without even waking her up properly.

She was puzzled, because desperate feelings were swelling in her mind. She came here without thinking, still half-asleep. Because of the prince, who was determined to die and Saito’s attitude yesterday, Louise was very depressed.

Wardes, after telling Louise that “Time to do the wedding now” put a bridal veil, that was borrowed from Albion's royal family, on Louise’s head. The veil was nicely made, and the flowers, that were eternally fresh due to magic, made it look indescribably beautiful.

Then Wardes removed Louise’s black mantle and put on a white one, that was also borrowed from Albion's royal family, instead. Only brides were allowed to wear it, as it was a mantle of a virgin.

However, even while being dressed up by Wardes' hands, Louise was still unresponsive. Yet, Wardes understood Louise's mood as a sign of her affirmative will.

Wardes and Louise stood up in front of Wales, who was standing below the image of the Founder Brimir, wearing his official uniform. Wardes, who himself was wearing his usual clothes and a magical mantle, bowed his head.

“Well then, let's start the ceremony.”

The Prince’s voice reached Louise's ears. However, it sounded like a weak sound of a distant bell. Louise’s mind was still lost in the fog of her own thoughts.

“Bridegroom, Viscount Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes. Do you take this girl as your wife, and swear to respect and love her in the name of the Founder Brimir?”

Wardes nodded solemnly, and grasped the cane with his left hand, holding it out in front of his chest.

“I swear.”

Wales looked at Louise and smiled encouragingly.

“Bride, the third daughter of the Duke de La Vallière, Louise Françoise le Blanc de La Vallière…”

Wales read the oath in a clear voice.

Just now, Louise noticed that she is in the middle of a wedding ceremony. Her partner – reliable Wardes, for whom she once yearned. A marriage arranged by their fathers. Only now her childish, absent-minded, distant future was starting to turn into reality.

''It is not like I hate Wardes. Maybe I even like him. But if it is so, why do I feel such pain? Why do I feel so sad?

Is it because I saw a kingdom turning into ruins? Or is it because I faced a prince who deserted his love and hopes, in order to die?

It’s not that. Though those are sad events that hurt, there wouldn’t be such cloud of sadness hanging on my mind just because of that.''

It is a deep, melancholic cloud, which is hard to bear.

Louise suddenly remembered the expression on Saito’s face when she said “marriage” to him.

"Why did I say such a thing to him?"

It is because I wanted to be stopped.

By whom?

Because I wanted Saito to stop me.

Why?

Louise started to blush once thinking about the reason. Just like thinking about the reason why last night she, though in deep sorrow, so easily jumped into the chest of Saito, whom she accidentally met in the corridor.

"But are those feelings true ones? I don’t know. But isn’t it worth to try to find out?"

After all, no matter how excited or sad she had been, she never jumped into a man’s chest before.

<center>* * *</center>

Meanwhile…　

On the warship Eagle deck.

Saito, who was depressingly leaning against the edge of the gunwale, began to lose focus on everything around him.

“N?”

“What is it, partner?”

Saito's view grew dim. Just like in the heat haze of midsummer, the view in his left eye started swinging.

“My eyes are acting strange.”

“It’s because you are tired.”

Derflinger said, pretending not to know the real reason.

<center>* * *</center>

“Bride?”　

Wales looked at her direction. Louise looked up panicking.

She had an expression of a person who doesn’t know what she is doing here at all. Louise was puzzled. What should she do? What should she do at times like this? No one taught her. Only Louise’s familiar, who was leaving the ground at the moment, might know the answer.

“Are you nervous? That’s alright. It’s your first time, it is normal to be nervous.”

Wales smiled, while talking.

“Oh dear, we still have to hold the etiquette, doing this would have meaning only if we are to follow etiquette. Then, let me repeat. Do you take this man as your husband, and swear to respect and love him in the name of the Founder Brimir…”

Louise realized. She shouldn’t hesitate with the answer, waiting for someone to tell her what to do.

She had to make decisions for herself.

Determined Louise took a deep, deep breath.

And, before Wales finished his words, Louise shook her head.

“Bride?”

“Louise?”

Two people suspiciously looked into Louise’s face. Louise looked at Wardes with sad expression on her face and once again shook her head.

“By all means, Louise. Are you feeling bad?”

“No, that’s not it. I am sorry…”

“If today it’s bad, then another time…”

“That’s not it, that’s not it. I’m sorry Wardes, I cannot marry you.”

Wales looked doubtful at the sudden change of events.

“Bride, this is not the marriage you want?”

"Yes, that’s how it is. I want to apologize to both of you, for my rudeness, it was a painful decision to make, but I do not want to marry.”

An angry red blush quickly spread on Wardes face. Wales turned to him and said in an embarrassed, doubtful and regretful voice.

"Viscount, I am terribly sorry, but the bride doesn’t want for this ceremony to continue.”

However, Wardes, didn’t pay any attention to Wales, and took Louise's hand.

“…you are just nervous. Dear Louise. You cannot be seriously refusing my offer.”

“I'm sorry, Wardes. I yearned for you. Maybe… maybe even loved you once. However, it is different now.”

Then, Wardes gripped Louise’s shoulder. The expression in his eyes changed. Gone was the usual kindness from his face, replaced with chilly cold of a reptile.

Wardes shouted in a feverish tone.

“The world, Louise! I will rule the world! You are necessary for that!”

Frightened by the sudden change in Wardes, Louise kept on shaking her head.

“…I, I am not needed for that.”

Wardes extended both his hands, drawing Louise closer.

“You are necessary for me! Your ability! Your power!”

This Wardes was frightening Louise more and more. Not even in her wildest dreams Louise imagined the gentle Wardes frowning or shouting like this. Louise tried to turn away.

“Louise, have you forgotten what I once told you! You are not inferior to even the Founder Brimir, you will grow up as an excellent mage some day! You just do not know about it yet! That talent!”

“Wardes, you…”

Louise’s voice was trembling with fear. It was not the Wardes that Louise knew. What changed him into such person?

<center>* * *</center>

On the warship Eagle, Saito rubbed his eyes again.　

“What is it, partner?”

“Me left eye is really acting strange.”

“That’s because you are tired.”

However, the view of Saito's left eye was getting distorted more and more.

“Uwaa! I can see something!”

Saito shouted. That was really someone’s view.

The left eye and the right eye of Saito, felt like completely separate parts.

“ I can see…”

“What can you see, partner?”

“Maybe, this is Louise’s view.”

Saito said. Now, he recalled what Louise said some time age. “A familiar is the eyes and ears of its master, that’s their ability.”

However, Louise said she couldn't see anything through my eyes... It must be, there must be cases when the rules are reversed.

But why can I see Louise’s view all of sudden?

Saito looked at his left hand. The rune, carved there, was shining brightly, even though he wasn’t holding any weapon. Indeed, his guess must be correct.

This was his ability. Truly, it must be another ability of the legendary familiar Gandálfr.

''Let’s see, I guess that’s what Louise is seeing with her left eye then?'' While thinking so, Saito’s natural curiosity took the lead.

<center>* * *</center>

　Wales, who couldn’t stand Wardes threatening attitude towards Louise any longer, stepped in.

“Viscount…, that’s enough. Act manly…”

However, Wardes hit away Wale’s extended hand.

“Shut up!”

Wales, surprised by Wardes words, stood still. Wardes clasped Louise’s hand with his. Louise felt as if it was snake twining around it.

“Louise! You are necessary for me!”

“I don’t have any talent as a mage”

“I told you many times already! You are just not aware of your power, Louise!”

Louise tried to shake off Wardes' hand, but because he was holding it with incredible power, she wasn’t able to. Grimacing in pain, Louise said.

“I would rather die than marry you. I understand now, that you never loved me. You only loved a magical power in me that you foolishly think I have. It is cruel, to marry someone just because of such reason. It’s an insult!”

Louise raged. Wales put a hand on Wardes' shoulder, trying to pull him away, but Wardes pushed Wales instead, who fell on the ground.
　
Wales face turned red, and, after standing up again, he pulled out his cane.

“You, what impoliteness! It’s an insult! Viscount, move your hands away from la Vallière right now! Or else my magical blade will tear you up!”

Only then Wardes hand finally let Louise go. A kind smile spread on his lips. However, the smile was forced and obviously fake.

“Even if I ask you this way you won’t do it? Louise. My Louise.”

Louise said, while trembling from anger.

“No, there is no doubt left that you are not the one whom I would ever marry.”

Wardes looked up at the sky.

“And I made such great efforts, to capture your feelings during this journey…”

Wardes spread his hands widely, while throwing his head backwards.

“Well, it can’t be helped. I guess I will have to give up on this goal.”

“Goal?”

Louise looked doubtful. What was he thinking about?

The corners of Wardes lips went up, forming an ill looking smile.

“That’s right. There were three goals for me to achieve during this travel. Sadly, I achieved only two of them”

“Achieve? Two? What are you talking about?”

Louise asked, feeling the shivers of uneasiness travel down her spine. Her mind was working at full power, trying to figure out what was happening.

Wardes put out his right hand in front holding up three fingers, and bent his forefinger.

“First one was you, Louise. I had to get you. However, it seems that I won’t be able to accomplish that.”

“Obviously not!”

Wardes smiled, bending his middle finger.

“The second goal, Louise, is in your pocket - Henrietta's letter.”

Louise was startled.

“Wardes, you…”

“And, the third…”

After hearing Wardes saying “Henreitta’s letter” Wales understood everything and pulled out his cane and started to chant a spell.

However, Wardes had already prepared two complete spells before.

Wardes aimed his wind cane that started shining and with the tip pierced Wales chest.

“D-damn you…'Reconquista'…”

Suddenly blood gushed out of Wales mouth. Louise screamed.

Wardes muttered while piercing his shining cane deeper into Wales chest.

”The third, is your damned life, Wales.”

With that, Wales fell to the ground.

“A noble! Aren’t you an Albinion noble as well! Wardes!”

Louise shouted, while trembling. Wardes was a traitor.

“That’s right. I am really a member of Albion's noble fraction ‘Reconquista’”

Wardes said in a cold, emotionless voice.

“Why! Why, would you, Tristain nobility, do such thing?”

“We are the first heralds of Halkeginia’s future – a union of nobles that has no national borders. We are borderless.”

Wardes raised the cane again.

“Halkeginia will be reunited into one by our hands, we will restore the Founder Brimir's ‘Sacred Land’ once again.”

“Before, you were not like this before. What changed you so much? Wardes...”

“Years, accidents and destiny. Though it changed me whom you knew, but it didn’t change my nature that you are talking about. And you are talking too much.”

Louise tried to duck, when Wardes moved the cane, however Wardes spell still easily hit her, throwing her to the floor.

“Help...“

Louise’s face turned pale. She tried to stand up, but her legs stopped obeying her.

Wardes threw back his head.

“For this! For this you rejected my offer to rule the world together!”

He started to cast another wind spell. "Breaking Wind". And Louise was blown away like piece of paper.

“No…Help…”

“Even the smallest bird can’t hear you, it seems like you will have to bow your head in defeat, huh, Louise?

Louise was thrown into the wall, and left lying on the floor, groaning in pain. Tears started rolling down her face.

She still asked for the help of her familiar, that wasn’t there.

“Help me…please…”

Louise repeated the words like chanting a spell. Enjoying himself, Wardes slowly started chanting.

“Lightning Cloud”

“It is regrettable… That your life will be taken by this hand…”

If even Saito’s arm was scorched by this blitz spell, there was no chance of survival if she was hit by it directly.

From shock her breath was rough and her whole body was in pain. Louise, scared like a child, cried

“Saito! Help!”

At that moment Wardes finished the spell and lowered his cane aiming towards Louise and….

The wall of the chapel collapsed with a roaring sound, and a strong gust of wind blew in from the outside.

<center>* * *</center>

“Damn you…”　

Wardes muttered.

After breaking the wall, Saito jumped in and with Derflinger in his hand stopped Wardes' cane.

"You…" Saito hit the sword sidewise. Wardes dodged it by jumping back.

Accidentally, Saito saw Louise with the corner of his eye.

After screaming her last words Louise fainted and hadn't moved since.

With raging anger in his eyes, Saito glared at Wardes. Lust for killing was boiling in his body. Saito groaned while biting his lip hard.

“Unforgivable!”

“Why are you here, Gandálfr?”

Wardes asked with a cruel smile on his lips.

Not answering, Saito angrily swung the sword. However, the sword only crushed the floor. Wardes flew up high into the air, successfully dodging the attack.

“That’s right, you must have sensed that your master was in danger.”

Wardes crossed his hands while floating next to the Founder Brimir's portrait. Looking confident and self-sure.

“You betrayed Louise!”

Saito shouted, while thrusting the sword forwards. Yet, Wardes flew up, dodged it and landed gracefully on the floor. He moved around like a feather.

“For the goal, you can’t be selective with the means.”

"Louise believed in you! You were her fiancée… She yearned for you when she was young…”

“Such selfish belief.”

Wardes dodged the sword while floating. Then he swung the cane and fired another spell. Though Saito tried to hold it down with the sword, the spell "Breaking Wind", blew Saito away.

Saito groaned in pain, when he hit the wall. His injured left arm was aching. And because of his aching arm, Saito could not move as freely as usual.

“That’s it? Gandálfr. Your movements are too slow. At least try and make it entertaining.”

A cruel smile floated on Wardes lips.

At that moment, Derflinger shouted.

“I remembered!”

“What are you talking about, at time like this!”

“Right…Gandálfr!”

“What!”

“No, from my older times, the hand that held me. Gandálfr. But I forgot. It was 600 years ago, old times.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

Wardes released "Breaking Wind" again. Saito tried to dodge it but was captured in and blown away again.

”It’s so nostalgic. I could cry. Right, no, that’s what I was missing. My partner – that ‘Gandálfr’!”

“Scamp it!” <-What...? ~Dan-> <-Most of the time [http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%81%84%E3%81%84%E5%8A%A0%E6%B8%9B%E3%81%AB%20/UTF-8/?ref=sa[this]] is translated as "Enough already!" or "Cut it out!" Looks like someone was using Fujitsu Atlas ;) ~ansaris->

“I’m glad! Now no one can disregard me! I will show how cool I am!”

Derflinger shouted as his blade started to shine.

Saito was taken aback for a moment and watched Derflinger in amazement.

“Derf? Yes?”

Wardes recited "Breaking Wind" again.

Raging wind flew out aiming at Saito. Saito put out the shining Derflinger in front of himself.

“It’s useless! A sword cannot stop it!” Wardes shouted.
Yet, the wind, instead of blowing Saito away, was sucked into Derflinger's blade.

And…

The light coming out of Derflinger intensified.

“Derf? You…”

“This is my true form! Partner! No, I forgot it! My tired body changed itself! Anyhow, it’s a pretty interesting story, partner!”

“Make it short!”

“Impatient. I forgot. But, don’t worry, partner. I suck in all magic around me! That’s me, Gandálfr’s left hand – Derflinger!”

Wardes watched with interest at the sword that Saito was holding.

“Indeed… You are not an ordinary sword. I should have noticed that when you reduced my "Lightning Cloud”.

Still, Wardes did not loose his confidence.

He smiled thinly, when setting out the cane.

“Now, then, let's get serious, shall we? It is time to teach you why this magic is called the strongest.”

Though Saito jumped at him, Wardes dodged it like an acrobat and uttered the spell.

“Ubiquitous Dell Wind…”

When the spell was completed, Wardes' body suddenly doubled.

One… Two… Three… Four… Wardes' doubles, together with the real body, surrounded Saito.

“Doubles!”

“It is not only "Double". It’s "Ubiquitous Wind", uneven distribution… The wind is unevenly distributed. The place where it blows, is not a matter of appearance, but it has a substantial power too.”

One of Wardes' doubles, suddenly pulled a white mask from the cloak and wore it.

Saito's body trembled. He was shivering with anger and fear. The masked man was Wardes! The man who was standing next to Fouquet… The one who hit Saito with a blitz was none other than Wardes!

“Masked man… You… Then it must be you who helped Fouquet to escape too. What a treacherous and handful spell. You can appear anywhere.”

“Indeed. More so, each one has the power of the original. I told you, right? ‘Wind’ is unevenly distributed!”

One of the Wardes jumped on Saito, while the other uttered the spell, making the cane shine.

"Air Needle", same spell, that pierced Wales' heart before.

“The cane is surrounded by a magical whirlpool, so the sword cannot suck it in!”

The cane was shaking as the whirlpool was rotating around it forming a blade, of which tip was aimed at Saito’s body during the attack.

It was blocked by Derflinger, however, the impact of the blow still hit Saito’s injured hand and he fell down.

Wardes laughed.

“Not bad for a commoner. After all you are the legendary Gandálfr. However, this is where it ends. You are no match for my "Ubiquitous Wind" spell!"

Gradually, Wardeses surrounded the fallen Saito.

“Hey, legendary sword! The one that ‘Gandálfr’ used! Derf!”

“That’s what I am. What is it?”

“If you are so legendary, then do something or else we will be killed.”

“Well, I am shining and sucking in enemies' magic, am I not?”

“No, not that, something more? Like some special attack? Like blowing the enemy away with a single hit…”

“What? I’m just a sword.”

One of the Wardes flew up and tried to hit Saito with his cane.

Saito jumped up, defending his body with his sword and dodging the attack.

“Useless! What kind of legend is this!”

“But not to this extent!”

Wardeses kept on attacking violently. However, because Saito's back is supported by the wall, only three of them could attack at the same time. Somehow he managed to block all of their attacks.

“This way I will be defeated! And killed!”

“Good grief, my deepest sympathy!”

Meanwhile… 15 feet from the place where Saito was fighting, Louise woke up. When Louise saw Saito fighting hard, her face was momentarily blank with surprise, but then she grasped her wand.

“Run away while you can! Idiot!”　

Saito shouted, but Louise didn’t stop. The spell was uttered and the wand was aimed. She chanted the ‘Fire Ball’ spell. This spell aimed at Wardes exploded hitting the floor beneath him.

Boom! With that loud sound Wardes disappeared. While Louise watched amazed.　

“Eh? Disappeared? Because of my magic?”

The remaining Wardes tried to jump on Louise.

“Run away!” Saito shouted, but Louise stubbornly started to chant the same spell again. But Louise was blown away by Wardes' cane this time.

Saito stared with astonishment.

He started shaking with anger. When Louise’s body hit the wall right before his eyes, a beast-like roar escaped his mouth.

“How dare you to do that to Louise…”

Once Louise's body was blown off again, the remaining Wardes clones concentrated on Saito trying to press him further. However, Saito's movement gradually increased speed.

All of the Wardes' breathing became irregular and rough. Still, even now, their expression didn't change.

While blocking the sword, Wardes asked.

“Why did you came back to die? To risk your life for Louise who despises you? Can’t understand how a commoner’s mind works!”

Saito shouted while swinging the sword.

“Then why did you, damned one, try to kill Louise! You were her fiancée!”

“Hahaha, you are still in love with Louise? A servants hopeless love for his master! That’s really funny! That arrogant Louise, will never turn to you! Mere compassion mistaken for love! Fool!”

“So what if I fell in love!”

Saito shouted while biting down his lips.

“However…”

“However, what?”

“It is beating!”

“What?”

A puzzled expression floated on Wardes' face.

“Aah! When seeing that face, my heart is beating faster! This reason is good enough for me! Therefore I will defend Louise!”

Saito screamed.

[[Image:ZnT02-247.jpg|thumb]]

Runes started shining.　

Matching this light, Derflinger also shines brighter.
　
“Good! That’s good partner! Right! That’s the key! I remembered! I know the source of Gandálfr’s power! Good partner!”

Finally Saito’s sword cut down another Wardes.

“Wha?”

Wardes grimaced in an unbearable pain.

“Gandálfr's source of power is feelings! Anger! Sadness! Love! Pleasure! Anything is good! And now you seem to be really shaken, my Gandálfr!”

Saito rounded up the sword. Because of it’s terrible speed, Wardes was not able to react to the sword in time, and disappeared.

“D-damn you…”

Only three remained now.

‘Do not forget! You are fighting me! You can’t surpass my means!”

Saito flew high up into the air, holding his sword. Wardes also flew.

“The air is my element… Do not forget! Gandálfr!”

Each of the Wardes’ canes were aimed at Saito. But Saito brandished Derflinger like a pinwheel.

Derflinger shouted.

“That’s the way to fight, Gandálfr! Swing me in the rhythm of your heart!”

The next moment, all three Wardes were torn up in the blink of an eye.

Saito landed.

With ‘'Uneven distribution’ defeated, the remaining real Wardes body, fell down on the floor. <-The spell name changed...which to use? This one makes more sense. ~Dan->

His cut off left arm, landed there after a few seconds.

Saito also landed on the ground, but he stumbled and had to support himself with his knee. His tiredness had reached a critical limit.　

Wardes stood up staggering and stared at Saito.

“Damn… This ‘Flash’ really defeated me…”

Saito tried to stand up and run up to him, but his body stopped obeying him.

“Ku…”

“Aah, partner. Don’t act foolishly now – Gandálfr cannot move after wasting his energy. That’s because this familiar was created to defend his master while the master chants the spell.”

Derflinger explained.

Wardes gripped his cane with his remaining right hand, and floated upwards.

“Oh dear, it seems that I managed to accomplish only one of the goals. Anyways, now you are mine ‘Gandálfr’ – a large army will soon burst in. Hey! Can you hear the sound of horse's hoof and dragon’s wings!”

Indeed, one could hear the noise of cannons and sounds of fire magic explosions on the outside. And the roaring voices of nobles and soldiers mixed up in a battle.

“You and your foolish master will be turned to ashes! Gandálfr!”

Throwing these last parting words, Wardes disappeared through the hole in the wall.

Saito, who used Derflinger as a crutch for support, stumblingly walked up to Louise.

“Louise!”　

Saito shook Louise trying to wake her up. But Louise didn't wake up. Saito put his ear to Louise’s chest in panic.

Thump, thump, thump…

Saito, hearing the faint heartbeat, breathed out a sigh of relief. Louise was worn-out. Her mantle was torn, and her knees and cheek bruised.

And there must be more bruises under the clothes, too.

Louise’s hand was grasping her chest. Her breast pocket button came off, and one could see Henreitta’s letter peeping out from the inside. It seems, that even unconscious, Louise was still protecting the letter.

Really, I am so glad you are alive. I came just in time.

Saito thought.

“But partner… What do we do now? The Eagle already left the port…”

That’s right. To save Louise, Saito jumped down from the departing Eagle's deck.

“Eh?”

“Eh? Really. Can you hear the shouts outside? What do you think Wales' men would think seeing his body lying on the floor? They would think we are traitors for sure.”

Indeed, explosions and battle roars were getting closer and closer to the walls. It was only a matter of time before they would come bursting in here.　

Saito quietly laid Louise on the chair.

And then stood up before her, standing guard.

“What are you doing?”

“Defending Louise.”

When Saito said this, Derflinger trembled while twitching.

“Ha. Other than that. I understand. Partner Gandálfr, it was nice to know you and this noble girl, your master, partner.”

“Stop joking around.”

“Hm?”

“Louise and I, we will both survive.”

“Were you listening to the king’s speech. There are 50 000 enemies.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Saito with his last remaining strength, grasped the sword. Even 50 000, even 100 000 he felt like he could win. Today he could defeat any mage, even if Saito was extremely tired.

Derflinger’s shook became louder and louder.

That’s right! That’s the way I like it. Who cares about 50 000. Let them come to us!”

And Saito, holding Derflinger, stared at the entrance of the chapel.

They waited, for sooner or later an enemy to come…

But then…

The ground, near the place where Louise was laid, rose up.

“What?”

Saito watched the ground.

“Is it an enemy? Digging under?”

He lowered the sword towards the hole, out of which a brown animal soon pooped it’s head.

“Aaaaaaaan?”

And then that brown animal started groping Louise’s body that was lying near sides.

“You… you are the huge mole Verdandi! Guiche’s familiar!”

Saito shouted, and soon enough from the same hole that Verdandi came out, Guiches face appeared.

Hey! Verdandi! You can dig a hole anywhere! Good boy! Gu….”

Guiche turned his soil smeared face from Saito and noticed Louise lying nearby, then said pretending not to know.

“Ha! You! You are here!”

“W-what are you doing here!”

Saito shouted.

"Not that. After winning the battle against Fouquet the Crumbling Earth, after a short break we decided to follow you. It is our duty, as princess Henrietta’s honor depends on it, right?”

“But this place is in the sky! How did you get here!”

Then, near Guiche, Kirche’s face popped out.

“Tabitha's Sylphid.”

“Kirche!”

“We reached Albion successfully, yet because it is a foreign country we didn’t know where to go. But then, Verdandi started digging a hole all of sudden, so we followed him..”

Meanwhile the huge mole was pressing his nose to the ‘Ruby of water’ that was shining on Louise’s finger. Guiche nodded.

“Indeed. He followed the smell of the ruby, and started digging a tunnel to here. My cute Verdandi, because of his love for jewels he was able to follow from La Rochelle and dug a hole to get here.

Saito opened his mouth in amazement. He surely, never planned to be saved by a mole.

“Are you alright? I almost captured Fouquet again, but she made a narrow escape. That woman, though being a mage, surely does run away a lot. By the way, darling, what are you doing here?”

Asked Kirche while wiping off the dirt from her face with a handkerchief.

Saito laughed nerviously.

“Ha, ha, haha…”

“Dear? Is something wrong dear?”

“We’ll talk about it later! Because the enemy will burst in soon! Let’s run away!”

“Running away, and the mission? What about Viscount Wardes?”

“We have the letter! Wardes was a traitor! Return back now!”

“What? Well I do not understand it, but it seems everything ended already.”

Kirche said in nonchalant voice.

With Louise in his arms, Saito slowly made his way through the hole. But then he remembered something, left Louise in Guiche’s care and hurried back to Wales in the chapel.

However, Wales had already died.

Saito shut his eyes and silently said his prayers.

“Hey! What are you doing there! Come back quickly!”

Guiche called Saito back.

Saito looked at Wales' body. He looked for some keepsake to give to Henrietta. He noticed a big ruby on his finger.

The ruby belonged to Albion’s royal family.

Saito removed it from the finger and put it in his pocket.

“Brave prince… You won’t be forgotten.”

Saito muttered.

“I swear to you that I will also defend the things I believe in.”

Saito said bowing down, and ran back to the hole.

The same moment when Saito dove in the hole, the noble soldiers and mages broke through the door and jumped into the chapel.

<center>* * *</center>

The tunnel which Verdandi dug, ran right under the Albion’s continent.

So the moment when Saito got out of the hole, there was nothing but cloud beneath, yet Sylphid successfully caught all four falling people and a mole.

The mole that the wind dragon captured with its mouth, let out protesting cry.

“Please try to endure it, my cute Verdandi. Bear with it until we get off in Tristain again.”

With powerful wing strokes, the wind dragon broke through the surrounding cloud and changed direction to the Magical Academy.

Saito, with Louise in his arms, looked up at the continent of Albion.

Clouded and empty, blue inside, the Albion continent disappeared. Though it was a short stay here, Saito has various things to remember, as the white country faded from view.

Saito watched Louise lying in his arms. Her white cheeks were dirty with blood and soil, yet even in this state, one could see her aristocratic features. There were two stripes from her eyes down her cheeks left by her tears.

Saito wiped Louise’s face with his sleeve. He could not bear to see the face of his pretty master dirty.

Louise was still unconscious from the shock. Looking at Louise’s face was somehow painful to Saito. “Dear Louise. Louise. My Louise…”

Beat beat, his heart was beating loudly.

Now Saito looked only at Louise’s face pressed gently to his chest.

<center>* * *</center>

Meanwhile, Louise was absent-mindedly wandering in dream.

The dream in la Vallière’s place, in her hometown.

A pond in a forgotten courtyard…

There a small boat was floating… Here Louise was lying down when facing difficulties. Louise always hid herself and slept here. Her world that no one else intruded in. Her secret place…

Louise’s heart was in pain.

But Wardes didn’t come here anymore. Gentle viscount Wardes, her childhood noble crush, her fiancée of marriage arranged by their fathers' mutual agreement…

Young Louise softly sobbed, there was no Wardes who would take her from her secret place anymore. He was a dirty betrayer that murdered the courageous prince, those kind hands belonged to a murderer…

Louise cried in her shallop.

But then, someone came.

“Is that you, Viscount?”

Louise asked in her dream. But she shook her head at once. No, the viscount didn’t come here anymore. Then, who?

It was Saito. The sword was hanging on his back, when he without hesitation about getting wet stepped into the pond and approached Louise’s shallop.

Louise's heart throbbed.

Saito picked up Louise out of the shallop and held her in his arms.

“Have you been crying?”

Saito asked. Louise nodded childishly in her dream.

“Stop crying. Louise. My Louise.”

Louise tried to get angry. This familiar, how dare he call me ‘My Louise’. But when she opened her mouth to scold him, her lips were closed again with a kiss. Though she wriggled in rage at first, the strength soon left her body.

Louise woke up on a wind dragon's back, in Saito’s arms.

Louise became aware that she was held in Saito’s arms. They were sitting near the wind-dragon’s tail, and Saito sat there embracing her. She stared at Saito’s face from the side, seems like he didn’t notice that she was awake.

Kirche, Tabitha, Guiche – all three of them, were sitting on the front of the wind dragon’s back.

The wind was blowing against her cheeks.

“Aah, this isn’t a dream."

Then…

"I survived.”

Louise’s mind was filled with feverish thoughts.

She was almost killed by that traitor Wardes, but then Saito jumped in. Then I fainted. Then I woke up again and chanted some magic.
　
After that, though, I lost consciousness… maybe Saito won again.

But only we survived, maybe the royal army was still defeated.

Wales died as well.

The happiness of surviving mixed with sadness almost made Louise cry.

However, not wanting to cry in front of Saito, Louise closed her eyes.

She was also ashamed to say thank you. Though she could not understand why, she was comfortable with Kirche, Tabitha, Guiche – with all of them. But thanking Saito before everyone felt really embarrassing. Therefore, Louise decided to pretend she's sleeping.

Nevertheless. Louise still secretly watched him from the corner of her half-closed eyes.

Saito looked into her eyes. He looked directly at her.

These eyes made Louise recall her last dream.

The air dragon increased speed.

Strong wind hits her cheeks.

But this wind felt pleasant.

This wind and Saito’s burning gaze, aah, Louise couldn’t hide her feelings.

Her mind was in turmoil…

Traitor Wardes.

Crown prince’s death…

Noble union’s ‘Reconquista’ victory…

Report to the Princess…

For various reasons, and yet Louise felt sorry for them all, right now all Louise’s thoughts were blown away by the wind.

After nearly escaping death, she wanted to savour the feeling of life for a while.

Like that, savouring the feeling of life without limits, while pretending to sleep…　

Saito’s face moved closer.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Saito's lips overlapped Louise’s.

Louise instinctively lifted her hand to push him away…but returned it back to her chest instead.

Strong wind hit Louise's cheeks, as Sylphid flew through the sky.

Something warm filled her heart, a heart that was wounded by sad events was healed.

Some time ago she was struggling violently against the feeling in her dream.

But at least for now…

The pleasant wind blows from a different world…

Resting her cheek against his chest, she silently fell asleep.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter8_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 8]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter1_%7EPreview%7E|Volume 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume2 Chapter8 - MTL

2009-02-14T17:09:05Z

Stealth:

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Eight: The Eve Before the Final Battle in Newcastle===

The warship named Eagle took Saito to the ragged coastline of Albion. It took three hours of traveling and they already could see the cape.

A big castle was standing on the very edge of the cape.

Wales explained to Saito, who was standing on the front deck, that it was the castle of Newcastle. However, the Eagle did not head straight to Newcastle, but sailed downwards the coast.

"Why are we going downwards?"

Wales pointed at the sky behind the castle where a huge ship was floating. However, it could not see their ship which was hiding on the other side of the cloud.

"Warship of rebels."

It could be described only as a huge ship - it was twice as long as the Eagle with an incredible number of sails, and it seemed like it was aiming for Newcastle port. With no warning it opened fire aiming at the castle. The first cannonball crushed into the wall and a small fire could be seen. The shockwave from impact could be felt on the deck of the Eagle.

"This ship named "Royal Sovereign" once belong to the fleet of our country. Yet, when rebels took control over it, they changed the name to "Lexington". It was named in an honor of the battlefield where those guys snatched the first victory from us."

Wales said with a smile. You could see a hole


"This warship keeps a constant blockade of Newcastle from the sky. It shoots at the castle from time to time, not in order to do some damage, but just to annoy us."

Saito looked through the cloud at the warship. There were a lot of cannons on each side, and a dragon was painted on the surface of the ship.

"It has 108 cannons and really looks like a firebreathing dragon at times. the whole rebellion started from this ship. We can't match it so its better to sail through this cloud and keep unseen. We can reach Newcastle from the other side, as there is a secret port that only we know."

<center>* * *</center>

It suddenly became pitch-dark when ship went under the continent, as the sun could not shine because of it, besides they were still surrounded by cloud. They couldn't see a thing. Wales explained that rebels never went under the continent because traveling such a way was dangerous. Cold, damp and chilly air hit Saito's cheeks.

"We mostly use light measurements and magic for navigation as there is no real navigation building in royal air force."

Wales laughed, the noble that does not know the sky is not an intelligent person.

They sailed for a while, and then the magic was casted and you could see a hole 300 meters in diameter. The sight was breathtaking.

"Stop here for now."

"Aye Aye sir, stop here!"
　
Wales order has been given to the crew that was still very energetic and lively. They sails were taken off and the Eagle started to drift right under the hole.

"Slowly increase the speed."

"Aye Aye sir, slowly increase the speed!"

The Eagle, also named Marie Galante <--(Wait, wasn't this the other ship before they met the "pirates"? ~Dan)-->, started slowly heading towards the black hole.

Wardes nodded.

"You are definitely not pirates, Your Highness."

"We are most definitely not the pirates, Viscount." <--(I added the "not" in here, does the prince say they are or aren't pirates? ~Dan)-->

<center>* * *</center>

　
Light could be seen inside the hole and that's where the Eagle headed to.

The warship had arrived at a secret port of Newcastle. Inside the huge limestone cave were covered with white moss. Many people were waiting on the quay. The ropes were thrown to the sailors to tie down the Eagle. And finally the wooden gangway was attached.

Wales hurried up Louise and the others to go down the gangway.
　
A tall and aged mage approached them.

"Ha ha, wonderful military results, right, Your Highness?"

The old mage seems to appear out of nothing before the Eagle.

"I am happy, Paris. Sulfur it is, sulfur"

When Wales shouted so, around him gathered cheering soldiers.

"Ooh! Sulfur! This is for the honor of our guardianship!"

The old mage began to cry as he was aging.

"I served for sixty years for the previous king... There won't be such happy days again, Your Highness. After the revolt happened it all turned into sorrow... Even with sulfur we won't make it..."

Wales laughed with a smile.

"Even if we'll be defeated, we'll show the revolters the royal family's courage and honor. "

"Death in a glory. My old bones are trembling with excitement. I was reported that rebels are going to attack the castle tomorrow. It's really all or nothing now, Your Highness."

"With our last breath we'll put their solders to shame!"

Wales and the others were laughing at an ease from the bottoms of their hearts . Louise became worried after hearing the word defeat. In other words, they will die. Aren't these people scared of death?

"And who are these people?"

The old mage, who was named Paris, asked Wales after seeing Louise.

"This is an ambassador from Tristain. She came for important kingdom business."

Paris was surprised for the moment, what would the ambassador from another kingdom be searching for in these ruins?　But soon a smile returned to his face.

"So you are an ambassador. Paris Chamberlain is at your service madam. It's nice that you came all the way to the Albion. Though it might not be much, we will have a small feast tonight. By all means - please come."

<center>* * *</center>

Louise and the others followed Wales to his room. The prince's room was suited behind the kitchen room and it was rather ordinary looking.

A wooden bed, table and a pair of chairs. Also a painting on the wall that illustrated a battle scene.

The prince sat on the chair and opened the drawing. There was a little jewelry box. The prince took the necklace off his neck.

A small key was put into the lock of the little box. Wales opened it. Henrietta's portrait was lying in there.
[[Image:ZnT02-201.jpg|thumb|Louise received the letter while deeply bowing.]]

Wales, who had noticed Louise looking at the box, said embarrassed.

"Strongbox."

There was one letter inside. It seemed to be from the princess too. Wales took it out with love and read. That letter looked older than it should from constant reading.

After reading it Wales gently folded it and put it into an envelope. Then he handed it to Louise.

"This is the letter I got from the princess. I am returning it as well."

"Thank you."

Louise received the letter while deeply bowing.

"The Eagle will take you back to Tristain tomorrow, as we won't be using it in the battle."

Louise opened her mouth decisively after looking for some time at the letter.

"But, Your Highness... What did you have in mind when you said being defeated with glory?"

Louse asked with hesitation. Wales answered it very easily.

"It is so. My army has 300 men while the enemy force has 50000. There is no possibility to win. So let us at least die in glory.

Louise looked down.

"Your Highness, do you also mean yourself when you talk about dying in battle?"

"Of course. I will die as well."

Saito, who had been looking at the communication from the side, sighed. The prince being so little worried by death tomorrow made it all so confusing. It seemed that it was not reality but an event from a play.

Louise shoulders dropped when she bowed deeply to Wales. She had more things to say though.

"Your Highness... Forgive my impoliteness, but there are a few more things I have to say."

"What do you want to say?"

"What is the content of the letter?"

"Louise."

Saito protested. Indeed the content of the letter was a personal thing after all. But Louise after asking Wales looked up in a determined way.

"When princess gave me the task she looked like she was worrying about her lover. And in the box there was a portrait of the princess, and seeing the gloomy face after you kissed and read the letter... Are you and the princess..."

Wales smiled. He guessed what Louise wanted to say.

"Do you want to say that cousin Henrietta and I have a love relationship?"

Louise nodded.

"It seems so. Forgive a surprising impoliteness. If so, the content of this letter is..."

After putting his hand to his forehead, and doing the gesture that worried for a moment about what to say and what to not, Wales said.

"The love letter. Just like you guessed it. Foolishly, if this love letter is passed to the imperial household of Germania as Henrietta informed by letter, it might become a great threat. In the letter she is swearing eternal love for me in the name of Founder Brimir. If it is like an oath when marrying, love sworn in the name of the founder . If this letter is exposed under the daylight, she will be accused for committing the crime of bigamy. The emperor in Germania is sure to break off the engagement with the princess who violated rules. Then, there would be no alliance. Tristain might get political ignoration from other countries noble families."

"So princess and Your Highness had a love affair?"

"It's a long story."

Louise said to Wales in a feverish tone.

"Your Highness, return! Return to Tristain!"

Wardes abruptly put his hand on Louise's shoulder. However, this did not stop Louise.

"I beg you! Please, come to Tristain with us!"

"It cannot be done. "

Wales said with a laugh.

"Your Highness I disagree. The princess would not agree as well! Didn't it say so in the letter? I know the princess from our childhood days, I know her ways of thinking well. The princess does not deserve the people she loves!<--What does this mean? ~Dan--> Your Highness, you didn't say that, but I am sure the princess told you to run away as well!"

Wales shook his head.

"There is not such line written. "

"Your Highness!"

Louise kept on pressing Wales.

"I am from a royal family. I am not lying. There is no telling by the princess for me to run away in the letter, I swear it with my honor."

Wales said as if he was in pain. Seems like Louise's words hit him.

"Henrietta is a princess. She has to give priority to the country rather than me."

Louise understood what Wales meant with that. Even if Wales likes Henrietta, it would never be supported by other nobles in his situation.

Wales tapped Louise's shoulder.

"You are a honest girl, Vallière. You have honest, clear and kind eyes."

Louise looked down lonesome.

"But let me give you some advice. It's not too good for an ambassador to be honest like that."

Wales smiled with an attractive smile.

"However, you are a perfect ambassador to a ruined country like ours. Because the government that will be destroyed tomorrow is more honest than anyone. Since it doesn't have anything to defend besides the honor."

After that he pulled something out of his pocket. From the shape and running arrow it seemed to be a clock.

"Ahhaha, time came for our little party. Since you are last guests of our kingdom, I would like you to attend it as well."

Saito and Louise went out of the room. Wardes stayed behind, and bowed to Wales.

"Oh do you have some more business, Viscount?"

"There is one favor I would like to ask, Milord."

"Ask."

Wardes whispered into the ear of Wales, who smiled.

"Ah such a lovely request, it will be my pleasure."

<center>* * *</center>

The party was held in the hall in the castle. The king of Albion, James I, sat in the throne, and nobles and vassals who had gathered through narrowed eyes.

Though tomorrow everyone will die, it was quite a feast still. And the table was filled with various treats.

Saito and the others were watching this colorful party while standing in the corner of the hall.

"They put all the troubles of tomorrow behind and are trying to enjoy the present."

Wardes nodded in response to Saito's words.

"Yes, they behave joyfully."

When Prince Wales showed up, there was some enthusiastic sights between ladies. Seems like he was popular not only as a prince but as a handsome man as well. When he approached the throne, people started whispering.

James I tried to stand up straight and come to greet him, but because of his old age he staggered and almost fell down.

Some laughter could be heard from the hall.

"Your Majesty! Its too early to fall!"

"Indeed! Save that for tomorrow!"

James I wasn't insulted by such comments, and smiled.

"Don't worry, its just me legs were numb from sitting for so long."

Wales came closer and supported the king's body with his. There were a few more chuckles.

"You. I will tell all of you brave and loyal vassals, that tomorrow 'Reconquista' is planning to attack our Newcastle with their full force. You followed and fought bravely for this incapable old king, however tomorrow won't be a battle. It is likely to be a one-sided slaughter. Let's endure it and show our bravery for one last time."

The king coughed loudly, after that he continued talking.

"But it might be asking too much for all you to die. Thus tomorrow morning the warship Eagle will take all women and children and the ones who chose to leave to a safer place further from this forsaken continent."

However, no one answered. One noble loudly informed the king.

"You Majesty! We are waiting for the order! [Full army! Full army! Full army!] since our hearing is so bad tonight I doubt we will be able to hear any other orders!"

All people nodded.

"Yeah! What would others say if we were to run away?"

"It's too late to retreat, Your Majesty"

"It's alright! We will continue to serve the king like we did years before! Tonight is a good night! The founder has blessed us with a wonderful moon and warm night! Let's enjoy drinking and dancing for tonight!"

With this everyone returned to the fest. The three guests from Tristain attracted a lot of attention.The nobles didn't seem to be sad or worried, they playfully kept on joking and offering wine or food to the guests.

"Ambassador! Try this wine! Tell us which country's wine is better!"

"Here! Try this! It's Albion's special - chicken with honey, will make you healthy and strong for sure!"

Albion kept on having fun! Even in the end.

Saito became melancholic. The people who acted joyfully at the face of death looked more sad than brave. Louise seemed to have felt it more. She couldn't endure the atmosphere, shook her head and ran out of the hall.

For a moment Saito wanted to follow her, but urged Wardes to go instead.

Wardes nodded and went after her. Saito crouched on the floor and sighed.

Wales saw Saito acting this way and came to him from the center of the hall.

"This boy is Miss Vallière's familiar. However, it is very unusual for a person to be a familiar. Tristain is really an unusual country."

Wales laughed while saying so.

"It is unusual in Tristain as well. "

Saito said tiredly.

"Feeling down?"

Anxiously, Wales looked into Saito's face. Saito still felt pain in his arm and seeing people preparing for their death was depressing as well.
　
Saito stood up and asked Wales.

"Sorry for impoliteness... But aren't you scared?"

"Scared?"

Wales looked blankly at Saito.

"Arent you scared to die?"

Wales laughed after hearing Saito's words.

"You are worried about us! Us! What a nice boy you are!"

"No, it's just that it is scary for me. I could not laugh the way you do if I were to know that I would die tomorrow."

"I am scared. There is no person who would not be scared to die. It doesn't matter if you are a noble or commoner."

"Then why?"

"It is because I have something to defend. Something that makes me to forget the coldness of the grave."

"What do you defend? Honor? Fame? Those are a foolish things to die for."

Saito said with louder voice.

Wales answered with distant eyes.

"Aristocrat fraction 'Reconquista' is our enemy that tries to unite Halkeginia. It hangs to the 'sacred ground' ideal. Its good that people have ideals as that. But, it shouldn't be united with force and blood. All countries will be ruined."

"However, is there no winning chance any longer? What's the point to die in here? Maybe you can find other means to defeat them later..."

"No, we should at least show off at least a glimpse of courage and honor to other nobles with it even if is not possible to win, we can show that Halkeginia's royal families are not a weak enemy. Even though they do not seem to throw away the ambitions of 'Union' and 'Recovery of the sacred ground' anytime soon."

"Why?"

Saito said. Saito who grew up in modern Japan could not understand why one would show one's courage in such way.

Wales declared decisively.

"Why? Easily, it is our obligation. The obligation of those born in the royal family. The obligation imposed on the royal family to defend the kingdom to the very end."

Saito did not understand. However, because Wales has the person whom he loves, and who loves Wales as well. Isn't surviving for that person also an obligation? He thought in such a way.

"The princess of Tristain loves you. Did you forgot her letter?"

After Saito's words, Wales smiled recalling it.

"Because of love, sometimes it is necessary to pretend not to know. Because of love, sometimes it is necessary to leave. It will only give an excuse for others to invade Tristain."

"But, but..."

Saito hesitated. Wales's decision won't be changed. Wales gripped Saito's shoulder and looked straight into his eyes.

"Since it is cleared, don't tell this to Henrietta. No need to worry her pretty face with unnecessary worries. She is like a pretty flower. Don't you think so too?"

Saito nodded. She indeed is a beautiful princess. I don't want to see her face sad or worried as well.

But, Wales won't change his decision because of that.

That's what Wales' eyes said.

"Just tell her that Wales fought bravely and died bravely. That will be enough."

Wales returned to the center of the hall after saying that.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito left the feast, but since he felt lost, he asked the waiter where his room was.

After he explained where his room was, someone tapped his shoulder from behind. Saito saw Wardes when he turned around.

"I have to tell you one thing."

Wardes said in a stony voice.

"And that would be?"

"Louise and me will hold a wedding here tomorrow."

Saito's body has froze. He wasn't able to understand the meaning of the words for the moment.

"A-at such time? Why?"

"Because we want to ask that brave Crown Prince Wales to act as go-between of our marriage. The Crown Prince pleasantly agreed. We will hold a ceremony before the decisive battle."

Saito became silent, and nodded.

"Will you come?"

Wardes asked. Saito shook his head.

"Then you can leave at once with a ship tomorrow. Louise and I will return with a griffon."

"But isn't too long distance for this flight?"

Saito, because he was confused, asked rather a trivial question.

"Only if you would fly fast without resting."

Wardes answered.

"Well then, I need to go now."

"A-alright."

Saito's shoulders dropped.

Though he knew that this would come eventually, he still had this very lonely feeling.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito was walking in a pitch-dark passage with a candlestick.

The moon was shining through an opened window on the way of the passage. There was a girl who walked alone in the moonlight.

She had long blond-pink hair... Tears that looked like pearls was falling down her white cheek. Saito looked quietly admiring for a while such beautiful but sad face.

Louse turned around and noticed Saito, who was standing there with a candle. Her eyes were wet even though she wiped them.

Louise's face became sad once again. When Saito walked up to her, she leaned into his body, as if losing all her strength.

"You are crying, why..."

Louise didn't answer but pressed her face into Saito's chest.

Saito embraced her firmly.

Saito at first was puzzled by Louise clinging on him. He wasn't used to these kind of things. However, she sobbed like a girl, and it felt like Louise clung to him very dearly. Louise was hurt and he felt sorry for her. However, what does this mean?

''Probably Louise clung to me because I was here by chance. Like a girl clinging to a stuffed animal. It is not me but Wardes that is really important to her.''

However, Saito did not say anything, and patted Louise's head in an awkward way with his hand. Louise's head seemed so small and fit in his palm.
[[Image:ZnT02-217.jpg|thumb|]]

Louise said while crying.

"No... Those people... Why, why did they chose to die? Even though there is the princess... Even if Wales loves her... Why does Crown Prince Wales chose death?"

"He said that the purpose is to defend the important one. "

"What is more important in this world than the person you love?"

"I don't understand the prince's way of thinking either."

"I will persuade! I will persuade him again!"

"Don't."

"Why?"

"Because, you are here to deliver the princess' letter. This is your only mission."

Louise muttered while tears kept on streaming down her cheeks.

"...I want to return soon. I want to return back to Tristain. I dislike this country. These foolish people and unreasonable prince that leaves everything."

Though Louise sometimes acts tough she is still a girl. Louise cannot understand the world of Wales. But Saito understood her as he thought the same way as well.

Louise, as if suddenly remembering, took something out of her pocket.

"Put out your left arm." Louise said.

"What?"

"Just do it."

Saito presented his left arm as he was told. It was a can that Louise took out. She scooped inside with her finger and took some sticky medicine, that had a funny smell to it.

"I got it from the person in the castle a little while ago. This magical water medicine is very effective against burns. I could get only this medicine. But it should be alright."

Louise muttered while she was lubricating Saito's arm with it.

''I never thought she could be so gentle. But I should not become dependent on this gentleness too much as it will be gone soon.''

Saito shook his head and pushed Louise away from him. Louise looked up at Saito's face surprised.

Saito had an painful expression on his face.

After seeing such Saito's face, Louise bit her lip.

"...Why such face. Did something happen?"

"It's nothing."

"I understand. As soon as we return back, I will search for a way to send you back to your world."

Louise said while hesitating. Apparently, she misunderstood it. However, Saito thought it was good to let it be this way.

"...It's alright even if you don't help."

"What?"

"I mean you will marry soon, so you shouldn't bother about searching for a way to send me back."

"What? Don't tell me you are worrying about that? You're still thinking about words I said in the La Rochelle hotel? Indeed, I said 'marry' at that time... But, but I wasn't serious about it."

Louise turned her face away from Saito.

"It is not possible to marry yet. I am still not a splendid mage... And I haven't found a way to send you back either..."

Saito thought.

Indeed, Louise might not marry because she feels responsible for me. And because of that she won't be able to marry until I find my way home. But Saito thought that it was not fair for Louise. I do not think this is fair for this dazzling, beautiful, nice and gentle Louise.

"It's alright. I will look for the way to return alone. Therefore, you must marry."

"What a selfish thing to say, you are my familiar! Defend me till we can find a way to send you back!"

Louise said and intensly stared at Saito.

"I cannot defend you."

Saito's shoulders dropped down lonely when he said it.

"Remember what happened."

The spectacle of the travel revived in Saito's head. When they started shooting the arrows, he was saved by Wardes. He was defeated in the duel with Wardes. When they were attacked by a man in a white mask, he could not save Louise.

''It is always Wardes saving you. I was not able to do a thing but stand and watch.''

"I am not a strong mage like the Viscount. I am just a normal person, even if they say I am a legendary familiar 'Gandálfr'. I don't know how to fight. All I can do is just swing a sword around recklessly. I cannot protect you."

Louise palm hit Saito's cheek.

"Coward!"

Saito said without changing his expression.

"Let's separate from here Louise. You return with the viscount by griffon while I will return with the Eagle. When I return I will look for the way to return to my world. I am indebted to you as the things are already."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Idiot!"

Louise shouted. Tears started running from her eyes again. Still, Saito didn't answer. He just watched Louise tremble.

"I hate you! I hate you!"

Saito muttered while veiling his eyes.

"I know."

Louise turned on her heels and ran down the dark passage. Saito patted his cheek. The place where it was hit still ached and made him feel very sad.

"Good-bye, Louise."

Saito said in a small voice. Though he thought that he would not cry, tears were streaming down and did not stop.

"Good-bye, my gentle and lovely master."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 7]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 9]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume2 Chapter8 - MTL

2009-02-14T17:00:48Z

Stealth:

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Eight: The Eve Before the Final Battle in Newcastle===

The warship named Eagle took Saito to the ragged coastline of Albion. It took three hours of traveling and they already could see the cape.

A big castle was standing on the very edge of the cape.

Wales explained to Saito, who was standing on the front deck, that it was the castle of Newcastle. However, the Eagle did not head straight to Newcastle, but sailed downwards the coast.

"Why are we going downwards?"

Wales pointed at the sky behind the castle where a huge ship was floating. However, it could not see their ship which was hiding on the other side of the cloud.

"Warship of rebels."

It could be described only as a huge ship - it was twice as long as the Eagle with an incredible number of sails, and it seemed like it was aiming for Newcastle port. With no warning it opened fire aiming at the castle. The first cannonball crushed into the wall and a small fire could be seen. The shockwave from impact could be felt on the deck of the Eagle.

"This ship named "Royal Sovereign" once belong to the fleet of our country. Yet, when rebels took control over it, they changed the name to "Lexington". It was named in an honor of the battlefield where those guys snatched the first victory from us."

Wales said with a smile. You could see a hole


"This warship keeps a constant blockade of Newcastle from the sky. It shoots at the castle from time to time, not in order to do some damage, but just to annoy us."

Saito looked through the cloud at the warship. There were a lot of cannons on each side, and a dragon was painted on the surface of the ship.

"It has 108 cannons and really looks like a firebreathing dragon at times. the whole rebellion started from this ship. We can't match it so its better to sail through this cloud and keep unseen. We can reach Newcastle from the other side, as there is a secret port that only we know."

<center>* * *</center>

It suddenly became pitch-dark when ship went under the continent, as the sun could not shine because of it, besides they were still surrounded by cloud. They couldn't see a thing. Wales explained that rebels never went under the continent because traveling such a way was dangerous. Cold, damp and chilly air hit Saito's cheeks.

"We mostly use light measurements and magic for navigation as there is no real navigation building in royal air force."

Wales laughed, the noble that does not know the sky is not an intelligent person.

They sailed for a while, and then the magic was casted and you could see a hole 300 meters in diameter. The sight was breathtaking.

"Stop here for now."

"Aye Aye sir, stop here!"
　
Wales order has been given to the crew that was still very energetic and lively. They sails were taken off and the Eagle started to drift right under the hole.

"Slowly increase the speed."

"Aye Aye sir, slowly increase the speed!"

The Eagle, also named Marie Galante <--(Wait, wasn't this the other ship before they met the "pirates"? ~Dan)-->, started slowly heading towards the black hole.

Wardes nodded.

"You are definitely not pirates, Your Highness."

"We are most definitely not the pirates, Viscount." <--(I added the "not" in here, does the prince say they are or aren't pirates? ~Dan)-->

<center>* * *</center>

　
Light could be seen inside the hole and that's where the Eagle headed to.

The warship had arrived at a secret port of Newcastle. Inside the huge limestone cave were covered with white moss. Many people were waiting on the quay. The ropes were thrown to the sailors to tie down the Eagle. And finally the wooden gangway was attached.

Wales hurried up Louise and the others to go down the gangway.
　
A tall and aged mage approached them.

"Ha ha, wonderful military results, right, Your Highness?"

The old mage seems to appear out of nothing before the Eagle.

"I am happy, Paris. Sulfur it is, sulfur"

When Wales shouted so, around him gathered cheering soldiers.

"Ooh! Sulfur! This is for the honor of our guardianship!"

The old mage began to cry as he was aging.

"I served for sixty years for the previous king... There won't be such happy days again, Your Highness. After the revolt happened it all turned into sorrow... Even with sulfur we won't make it..."

Wales laughed with a smile.

"Even if we'll be defeated, we'll show the revolters the royal family's courage and honor. "

"Death in a glory. My old bones are trembling with excitement. I was reported that rebels are going to attack the castle tomorrow. It's really all or nothing now, Your Highness."

"With our last breath we'll put their solders to shame!"

Wales and the others were laughing at an ease from the bottoms of their hearts . Louise became worried after hearing the word defeat. In other words, they will die. Aren't these people scared of death?

"And who are these people?"

The old mage, who was named Paris, asked Wales after seeing Louise.

"This is an ambassador from Tristain. She came for important kingdom business."

Paris was surprised for the moment, what would the ambassador from another kingdom be searching for in these ruins?　But soon a smile returned to his face.

"So you are an ambassador. Paris Chamberlain is at your service madam. It's nice that you came all the way to the Albion. Though it might not be much, we will have a small feast tonight. By all means - please come."

<center>* * *</center>

Louise and the others followed Wales to his room. The prince's room was suited behind the kitchen room and it was rather ordinary looking.

A wooden bed, table and a pair of chairs. Also a painting on the wall that illustrated a battle scene.

The prince sat on the chair and opened the drawing. There was a little jewelry box. The prince took the necklace off his neck.

A small key was put into the lock of the little box. Wales opened it. Henrietta's portrait was lying in there.
[[Image:ZnT02-201.jpg|thumb|Louise received the letter while deeply bowing.]]

Wales, who had noticed Louise looking at the box, said embarrassed.

"Strongbox."

There was one letter inside. It seemed to be from the princess too. Wales took it out with love and read. That letter looked older than it should from constant reading.

After reading it Wales gently folded it and put it into an envelope. Then he handed it to Louise.

"This is the letter I got from the princess. I am returning it as well."

"Thank you."

Louise received the letter while deeply bowing.

"The Eagle will take you back to Tristain tomorrow, as we won't be using it in the battle."

Louise opened her mouth decisively after looking for some time at the letter.

"But, Your Highness... What did you have in mind when you said being defeated with glory?"

Louse asked with hesitation. Wales answered it very easily.

"It is so. My army has 300 men while the enemy force has 50000. There is no possibility to win. So let us at least die in glory.

Louise looked down.

"Your Highness, do you also mean yourself when you talk about dying in battle?"

"Of course. I will die as well."

Saito, who had been looking at the communication from the side, sighed. The prince being so little worried by death tomorrow made it all so confusing. It seemed that it was not reality but an event from a play.

Louise shoulders dropped when she bowed deeply to Wales. She had more things to say though.

"Your Highness... Forgive my impoliteness, but there are a few more things I have to say."

"What do you want to say?"

"What is the content of the letter?"

"Louise."

Saito protested. Indeed the content of the letter was a personal thing after all. But Louise after asking Wales looked up in a determined way.

"When princess gave me the task she looked like she was worrying about her lover. And in the box there was a portrait of the princess, and seeing the gloomy face after you kissed and read the letter... Are you and the princess..."

Wales smiled. He guessed what Louise wanted to say.

"Do you want to say that cousin Henrietta and I have a love relationship?"

Louise nodded.

"It seems so. Forgive a surprising impoliteness. If so, the content of this letter is..."

After putting his hand to his forehead, and doing the gesture that worried for a moment about what to say and what to not, Wales said.

"The love letter. Just like you guessed it. Foolishly, if this love letter is passed to the imperial household of Germania as Henrietta informed by letter, it might become a great threat. In the letter she is swearing eternal love for me in the name of Founder Brimir. If it is like an oath when marrying, love sworn in the name of the founder . If this letter is exposed under the daylight, she will be accused for committing the crime of bigamy. The emperor in Germania is sure to break off the engagement with the princess who violated rules. Then, there would be no alliance. Tristain might get political ignoration from other countries noble families."

"So princess and Your Highness had a love affair?"

"It's a long story."

Louise said to Wales in a feverish tone.

"Your Highness, return! Return to Tristain!"

Wardes abruptly put his hand on Louise's shoulder. However, this did not stop Louise.

"I beg you! Please, come to Tristain with us!"

"It cannot be done. "

Wales said with a laugh.

"Your Highness I disagree. The princess would not agree as well! Didn't it say so in the letter? I know the princess from our childhood days, I know her ways of thinking well. The princess does not deserve the people she loves!<--What does this mean? ~Dan--> Your Highness, you didn't say that, but I am sure the princess told you to run away as well!"

Wales shook his head.

"There is not such line written. "

"Your Highness!"

Louise kept on pressing Wales.

"I am from a royal family. I am not lying. There is no telling by the princess for me to run away in the letter, I swear it with my honor."

Wales said as if he was in pain. Seems like Louise's words hit him.

"Henrietta is a princess. She has to give priority to the country rather than me."

Louise understood what Wales meant with that. Even if Wales likes Henrietta, it would never be supported by other nobles in his situation.

Wales tapped Louise's shoulder.

"You are a honest girl, Vallière. You have honest, clear and kind eyes."

Louise looked down lonesome.

"But let me give you some advice. It's not too good for an ambassador to be honest like that."

Wales smiled with an attractive smile.

"However, you are a perfect ambassador to a ruined country like ours. Because the government that will be destroyed tomorrow is more honest than anyone. Since it doesn't have anything to defend besides the honor."

After that he pulled something out of his pocket. From the shape and running arrow it seemed to be a clock.

"Ahhaha, time came for our little party. Since you are last guests of our kingdom, I would like you to attend it as well."

Saito and Louise went out of the room. Wardes stayed behind, and bowed to Wales.

"Oh do you have some more business, Viscount?"

"There is one favor I would like to ask, Milord."

"Ask."

Wardes whispered into the ear of Wales, who smiled.

"Ah such a lovely request, it will be my pleasure."

<center>* * *</center>

The party was held in the hall in the castle. The king of Albion, James I, sat in the throne, and nobles and vassals who had gathered through narrowed eyes.

Though tomorrow everyone will die, it was quite a feast still. And the table was filled with various treats.

Saito and the others were watching this colorful party while standing in the corner of the hall.

"They put all the troubles of tomorrow behind and are trying to enjoy the present."

Wardes nodded in response to Saito's words.

"Yes, they behave joyfully."

When Prince Wales showed up, there was some enthusiastic sights between ladies. Seems like he was popular not only as a prince but as a handsome man as well. When he approached the throne, people started whispering.

James I tried to stand up straight and come to greet him, but because of his old age he staggered and almost fell down.

Some laughter could be heard from the hall.

"Your Majesty! Its too early to fall!"

"Indeed! Save that for tomorrow!"

James I wasn't insulted by such comments, and smiled.

"Don't worry, its just me legs were numb from sitting for so long."

Wales came closer and supported the king's body with his. There were a few more chuckles.

"You. I will tell all of you brave and loyal vassals, that tomorrow 'Reconquista' is planning to attack our Newcastle with their full force. You followed and fought bravely for this incapable old king, however tomorrow won't be a battle. It is likely to be a one-sided slaughter. Let's endure it and show our bravery for one last time."

The king coughed loudly, after that he continued talking.

"But it might be asking too much for all you to die. Thus tomorrow morning the warship Eagle will take all women and children and the ones who chose to leave to a safer place further from this forsaken continent."

However, no one answered. One noble loudly informed the king.

"You Majesty! We are waiting for the order! [Full army! Full army! Full army!] since our hearing is so bad tonight I doubt we will be able to hear any other orders!"

All people nodded.

"Yeah! What would others say if we were to run away?"

"It's too late to retreat, Your Majesty"

"It's alright! We will continue to serve the king like we did years before! Tonight is a good night! The founder has blessed us with a wonderful moon and warm night! Let's enjoy drinking and dancing for tonight!"

With this everyone returned to the fest. The three guests from Tristain attracted a lot of attention.The nobles didn't seem to be sad or worried, they playfully kept on joking and offering wine or food to the guests.

"Ambassador! Try this wine! Tell us which country's wine is better!"

"Here! Try this! It's Albion's special - chicken with honey, will make you healthy and strong for sure!"

Albion kept on having fun! Even in the end.

Saito became melancholic. The people who acted joyfully at the face of death looked more sad than brave. Louise seemed to have felt it more. She couldn't endure the atmosphere, shook her head and ran out of the hall.

For a moment Saito wanted to follow her, but urged Wardes to go instead.

Wardes nodded and went after her. Saito crouched on the floor and sighed.

Wales saw Saito acting this way and came to him from the center of the hall.

"This boy is Miss Vallière's familiar. However, it is very unusual for a person to be a familiar. Tristain is really an unusual country."

Wales laughed while saying so.

"It is unusual in Tristain as well. "

Saito said tiredly.

"Feeling down?"

Anxiously, Wales looked into Saito's face. Saito still felt pain in his arm and seeing people preparing for their death was depressing as well.
　
Saito stood up and asked Wales.

"Sorry for impoliteness... But aren't you scared?"

"Scared?"

Wales looked blankly at Saito.

"Arent you scared to die?"

Wales laughed after hearing Saito's words.

"You are worried about us! Us! What a nice boy you are!"

"No, it's just that it is scary for me. I could not laugh the way you do if I were to know that I would die tomorrow."

"I am scared. There is no person who would not be scared to die. It doesn't matter if you are a noble or commoner."

"Then why?"

"It is because I have something to defend. Something that makes me to forget the coldness of the grave."

"What do you defend? Honor? Fame? Those are a foolish things to die for."

Saito said with louder voice.

Wales answered with distant eyes.

"Aristocrat fraction 'Reconquista' is our enemy that tries to unite Halkeginia. It hangs to the 'sacred ground' ideal. Its good that people have ideals as that. But, it shouldn't be united with force and blood. All countries will be ruined."

"However, is there no winning chance any longer? What's the point to die in here? Maybe you can find other means to defeat them later..."

"No, we should at least show off at least a glimpse of courage and honor to other nobles with it even if is not possible to win, we can show that Halkeginia's royal families are not a weak enemy. Even though they do not seem to throw away the ambitions of 'Union' and 'Recovery of the sacred ground' anytime soon."

"Why?"

Saito said. Saito who grew up in modern Japan could not understand why one would show one's courage in such way.

Wales declared decisively.

"Why? Easily, it is our obligation. The obligation of those born in the royal family. The obligation imposed on the royal family to defend the kingdom to the very end."

Saito did not understand. However, because Wales has the person whom he loves, and who loves Wales as well. Isn't surviving for that person also an obligation? He thought in such a way.

"The princess of Tristain loves you. Did you forgot her letter?"

After Saito's words, Wales smiled recalling it.

"Because of love, sometimes it is necessary to pretend not to know. Because of love, sometimes it is necessary to leave. It will only give an excuse for others to invade Tristain."

"But, but..."

Saito hesitated. Wales's decision won't be changed. Wales gripped Saito's shoulder and looked straight into his eyes.

"Since it is cleared, don't tell this to Henrietta. No need to worry her pretty face with unnecessary worries. She is like a pretty flower. Don't you think so too?"

Saito nodded. She indeed is a beautiful princess. I don't want to see her face sad or worried as well.

But, Wales won't change his decision because of that.

That's what Wales' eyes said.

"Just tell her that Wales fought bravely and died bravely. That will be enough."

Wales returned to the center of the hall after saying that.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito left the feast, but since he felt lost, he asked the waiter where his room was.

After he explained where his room was, someone tapped his shoulder from behind. Saito saw Wardes when he turned around.

"I have to tell you one thing."

Wardes said in a stony voice.

"And that would be?"

"Louise and me will hold a wedding here tomorrow."

Saito's body has froze. He wasn't able to understand the meaning of the words for the moment.

"A-at such time? Why?"

"Because we want to ask that brave Crown Prince Wales to act as go-between of our marriage. The Crown Prince pleasantly agreed. We will hold a ceremony before the decisive battle."

Saito became silent, and nodded.

"Will you come?"

Wardes asked. Saito shook his head.

"Then you can leave at once with a ship tomorrow. Louise and I will return with a griffon."

"But isn't too long distance for this flight?"

Saito, because he was confused, asked rather a trivial question.

"Only if you would fly fast without resting."

Wardes answered.

"Well then, I need to go now."

"A-alright."

Saito's shoulders dropped.

Though he knew that this would come eventually, he still had this very lonely feeling.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito was walking in a pitch-dark passage with a candlestick.

The moon was shining through an opened window on the way of the passage. There was a girl who walked alone in the moonlight.

She had long blond-pink hair... Tears that looked like pearls was falling down her white cheek. Saito looked quietly admiring for a while such beautiful but sad face.

Louse turned around and noticed Saito, who was standing there with a candle. Her eyes were wet even though she wiped them.

Louise's face became sad once again. When Saito walked up to her, she leaned into his body, as if losing all her strength.

"You are crying, why..."

Louise didn't answer but pressed her face into Saito's chest.

Saito embraced her firmly.

Saito at first was puzzled by Louise clinging on him. He wasn't used to these kind of things. However, she sobbed like a girl, and it felt like Louise clung to him very dearly. Louise was hurt and he felt sorry for her. However, what does this mean?

''Probably Louise clung to me because I was here by chance. Like a girl clinging to a stuffed animal. It is not me but Wardes that is really important to her.''

However, Saito did not say anything, and patted Louise's head in an awkward way with his hand. Louise's head seemed so small and fit in his palm.
[[Image:ZnT02-217.jpg|thumb|]]

Louise said while crying.

"No... Those people... Why, why did they chose to die? Even though there is the princess... Even if Wales loves her... Why does Crown Prince Wales chose death?"

"He said that the purpose is to defend the important one. "

"What is more important in this world than the person you love?"

"I don't understand the prince's way of thinking either."

"I will persuade! I will persuade him again!"

"Don't."

"Why?"

"Because, you are here to deliver the princess' letter. This is your only mission."

Louise muttered while tears kept on streaming down her cheeks.

"...I want to return soon. I want to return back to Tristain. I dislike this country. These foolish people and unreasonable prince that leaves everything."

Though Louise sometimes acts tough she is still a girl. Louise cannot understand the world of Wales. But Saito understood her as he thought the same way as well.
　
Louise, as if suddenly remembering, took something out of her pocket.

"Put out your left arm." Louise said.

"What?"

"Just do it."

Saito presented his left arm as he was told. It was a can that Louise took out. She scooped inside with her finger and took some sticky medicine, that had a funny smell to it.

"I got it from the person in the castle a little while ago. This magical water medicine is very effective against burns. I could get only this medicine. But it should be alright."

Louise muttered while she was lubricating Saito's arm with it.

''I never thought she could be so gentle. But I should not become dependent on this gentleness too much as it will be gone soon.''

Saito shook his head and pushed Louise away from him. Louise looked up at Saito's face surprised.

Saito had an painful expression on his face.

After seeing such Saito's face, Louise bit her lip.

"...Why such face. Did something happen?"

"It's nothing."

"I understand. As soon as we return back, I will search for a way to send you back to your world."

Louise said while hesitating. Apparently, she misunderstood it. However, Saito thought it was good to let it be this way.

"...It's alright even if you don't help."

"What?"

"I mean you will marry soon, so you shouldn't bother about searching for a way to send me back."

"What? Don't tell me you are worrying about that? You're still thinking about words I said in the La Rochelle hotel? Indeed, I said 'marry' at that time... But, but I wasn't serious about it."

Louise turned her face away from Saito.

"It is not possible to marry yet. I am still not splendid mage... And I haven't found a way to send you back either..."

Saito thought.

Indeed, Louise might not marry because she feels responsible for me. And because of that she won't be able to marry until I find my way home. But Saito thought that it was not fair for Louise. I do not think this is fair for this dazzling, beautiful, nice and gentle Louise.

"It's alright. I will look for the way to return alone. Therefore, you must marry."

"What a selfish thing to say, you are my familiar! Defend me till we can find a way to send you back!"

Louise said and intensly stared at Saito.

"I cannot defend you."

Saito's shoulders dropped down lonely when he said it.

"Remember what happened."

The spectacle of the travel revived in Saito's head. When they started shooting the arrows, he was saved by Wardes. He was defeated in the duel with Wardes. When they were attacked by a man in a white mask, he could not save Louise.

''It is always Wardes saving you. I was not able to do a thing but stand and watch.''

"I am not a strong mage like the Viscount. I am just a normal person, even if they say I am a legendary familiar 'Gandálfr'. I don't know how to fight. All I can do is just swing a sword around recklessly. I cannot protect you."

Louise palm hit Saito's cheek.

"Coward!"

Saito said without changing his expression.

"Let's separate from here Louise. You return with the viscount by griffon while I will return with the Eagle. When I return I will look for the way to return to my world. I am indebted to you as the things are already."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Idiot!"

Louise shouted. Tears started running from her eyes again. Still, Saito didn't answer. He just watched Louise tremble.

"I hate you! I hate you!"

Saito muttered while veiling his eyes.

"I know."

Louise turned on her heels and ran down the dark passage. Saito patted his cheek. The place where it was hit still ached and made him feel very sad.

"Good-bye, Louise."

Saito said in a small voice. Though he thought that he would not cry, tears were streaming down and did not stop.

"Good-bye, my gentle and lovely master."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 7]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 9]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story2 Chapter5

2007-06-26T21:32:46Z

Stealth: a spelling mistake and some missing articles

Chapter 8: The Staff Of Destruction

The next morning…

At the Tristain Academy of Magic, there was much commotion from last night's events, just as though a wasp’s nest had been stirred.

Why? Because the Staff of Destruction had been stolen.

And it was brazenly stolen by using an Earth Golem to break through the wall of the vault.

The teachers of the Academy of Magic gathered inside the vault were speechless when they saw the gaping hole in the wall.

The inscription on the wall etched by Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt said it all:
[I have acquired the Staff of Destruction. Fouquet the Dirt Crumb]

At this point in time, all the teachers at the academy could do was gripe and whine
“It’s that thief that has looted the nobles clean, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt! How daring of him (1) to target the academy!“
“What were the guards doing?”
“Even if the guards are around, they’re useless! They’re only peasants! Speaking of which, which noble was supposed to be on duty last night?”

Miss Chevreuse felt anxious. She was supposed to be on duty last night. “But who would steal from the academy?” she thought while sleeping soundly in her own room instead of being next to the vault door like all nobles on watch duty must do.

One of the teachers immediately pointed out and said, “Miss Chevreuse! You were supposed to be on duty last night! Am I right?”

Miss Chevreuse broke into tears and said, ”I’m very sorry… Very sorry…”
“Even if you cried your heart out, would it come back? Or are you going to pay for it?”
“But…but I just finished paying for my house.” Miss Chevreuse knelt down on the floor and wept.

Just then, Old Osman arrived. “Erm….This is not best time to be hard on ladies, right?”
The fellow teacher who reprimanded Miss Chevreuse retorted, “But Osman, Miss Chevreuse failed in her duty! She was sleeping soundly in her bed when she was supposed to be on watch!”

Old Osman gently stroke his long beard while looking at the very shaken and stirred teacher.
“Erm… What’s your name again?”
“It’s Gimli! Have you forgotten?”
“Oh, right! Gimli! Well, Mr. Gimli, don’t get angry. Honestly speaking, how many of you here can say that you’re always vigilant throughout your tour of duty?” Old Osman replied.
The teachers looked at each other and hung their heads in shame.
There was silence.

“Well, that’s the situation that we’re in now. Talking about responsibility, I think all of us, including myself, have to be held accountable for this incident. Why do we think that a thief could never infiltrate the academy? Is it because of the number of magicians we have in the academy here that gives us the assurance that we won’t be attacked? This type of thinking is wrong from the start.”

Old Osman gazed at the hole in the wall and continued saying, “It’s our complacency that has gave Fouquet the courage to trespass, and steal the Staff of Destruction. We’re all at fault.”

Miss Chevreuse looked upon Old Osman with gratitude and said, “Oh! Osman, Mr. Osman! Thank you for your benevolence. From now on I’ll look upon you as though you’re my father.”
“Well, that… Hehe… Miss…” Old Osman started to stroke Miss Chevreuse’s bottom.
“If that’s ok with you…. It’s up to the headmaster then.”

Old Osman, not wanting to put the blame on anybody, decided that was the best way to loosen the uptight atmosphere. After that he proceeded to clear his throat, with everybody remaining solemn waiting for him to speak.

“Well then, who were the ones who witnessed the theft?” Osman asked.

“It was these three.” said Mr. Colbert while pointing to the three people behind him.
It was Louise, Kirche and Tabitha. Saito was also present but due to the fact that he’s a familiar, he wasn't counted as a “person”.

“Oh… It’s you guys…” Osman said as he looked at Saito with great interest.
Saito did not know why he was being stared at, but remained courteous nonetheless.

“Please tell us about the event in depth.”

Louise stepped forward and described what she saw “Mm… A great clay golem appeared and broke the wall. The hooded magician standing on its shoulder went in and took something……
I think it most probably was the Staff of Destruction...... After that the hooded magician rode on the golem and escaped beyond the city walls…… The golem in the end, become a big lump of earth.”

“After that, what happened?”

”Later, all we saw was a lump of earth, with no sign of the hooded magician.”

“So… that is what happened…” Osman said while stroking his beard.

“Even though we wanted to carry on the chase, but without any leads we couldn't. So…”

At this point in time Old Osman suddenly remembered a question to ask Mr. Colbert, ”Ah, Where is Miss Longueville?”

“I’m not sure; I haven’t seen her since morning.”

“Where could she have gone to during these trying times?”

“That’s right, where could she be?"

In the midst of those mutterings, Miss Longueville finally appeared.

“Miss Longueville! Where have you been? Something terrible has happened!” said Mr. Colbert anxiously

Miss Longueville spoke to Old Osman in a very cool and calm manner. “I’m extremely sorry to be late! I was doing some investigations. So…”

“Investigations?”

“Yes. When I woke up this morning; there was already a lot of commotion happening. When I went to the vault, I saw the inscription on the wall made by Fouquet. I knew that the thief infamous throughout the land had struck again. Therefore, I immediately started investigations.”

“You’re really very efficient, Miss Longueville.” Mr. Colbert then asked again in an urgent manner, “In the end, did you find out anything?”

“Yes, I have gotten hold of the whereabouts of Fouquet.”

“What!?” Mr. Colbert spoke with amazement. “Where did you get this information from? Miss Longueville.”

“According to the commoners around the area, they saw what seemed to be like a person wearing a black hooded cloak entering an abandoned house in the nearby forest. I think that the person is most probably Fouquet and that abandoned house is most probably his hideout.”

Louise upon hearing that exclaimed; “A black hooded cloak? That must be Fouquet unmistakably!”

Old Osman too got psyched up and asked Miss Longueville; “How far is it from here?”

“By foot it takes half a day, by horse it should only take four hours.”

“We must report this to the Imperial Court right away! We must seek reinforcements from the imperial army!” Mr. Colbert shouted yet again.

Old Osman shook his head, stared at Colbert and with a vigor unfitting for an old man and shouted; “You fool! By the time we report this to the imperial court, Fouquet will have gotten away Scott free! Besides, if we can’t even handle such a small problem on our own, we’re not fit to be called nobles! Since the staff was stolen from the academy, then it’s the academy’s responsibility to get back the staff ourselves!”

Miss Longueville smiled, as though she was waiting for this answer all along.

Old Osman coughed for a while, and then started recruiting volunteers. “Now, we’re going to organize a search team to find Fouquet. Those willing to join, please rise up your wands.”

All of the nobles looked at each other awkwardly; no one raised their wands.

“No one? That’s peculiar; No one wants to be known as the hero who caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?”

Louise was among those who lowered their heads but she decided to rise up her wand.

“Miss Françoise!” Miss Chevreuse exclaimed in surprise. “You mustn’t do this! You’re still a student! Please leave this to the teachers!”

“But none of you are willing to help…” Louise muttered.

Saito looked at Louise with his mouth wide open. The rather serious look on Louise coupled with her gently biting her lips looked so stunning that it had captivated Saito.

Seeing Louise had raised her wand, Kirche too raised her wand, with a little reluctance though.

Mr. Colbert even more surprised, exclaimed; “Miss Zerbst! Aren’t you a student too?”

Kirche replied nonchalantly, ”Well, I simply cannot lose to the Vallière family.”

Seeing Kirche raising her wand, Tabitha did the same.

“Tabitha! You need not do this! This does not concern you at all!” Kirche said.

Tabitha just answered, ”I’m worried.”

Feeling touched, Kirche looked at Tabitha with gratitude.

Louise at the same time also muttered ”Thank you… Tabitha.”

Seeing the three of them, Old Osman laughed and said; “Well then, it’s all up to you three now.”

“Sir! Headmaster Osman! I strongly object! We must not put the life of a student in danger!”

“Well, would you then go in their stead, Miss Chevreuse?”

“Ah... Erm… Well… I’m not feeling very well recently, so…”

“They have seen Fouquet before plus, even though Miss Tabitha here is very young, I have heard that she has already been conferred the title of chevalier (2) , am I right?”

Tabitha did not answer and just stood quietly.

All the teachers looked at Tabitha in astonishment.

“Is that true, Tabitha?” asked Kirche in similar astonishment.

Even though chevalier is the lowest title that the Imperial family can confer to a person, Kirche was still amazed that Tabitha could attain it at such a young age. If it’s a title of “Baron” or even “Marquis”, the titles could be obtained by purchasing large amounts of land. However for a person to be called a chevalier, the only way is to render great service for the country. It’s a title that can only be conferred by merit.

Once again, there was great commotion inside the vault.

Old Osman went on and looked on Kirche and said; ”Miss Zerbst from Germania comes from a family of distinguished war heroes, and she herself has a very strong background in fire magic."

Kirche flicked her hair with confidence.

Louise, thinking that it was time for her to be praised too, stood upright cutely.

Old Osman was now in a pinch. There was almost nothing to praise about Louise…

“Ahem!” Clearing his throat, Osman veered his sight clear of Louise and said; ”That... Miss Vallière comes from the prestigious Vallière Family, a family renowned for their magicians. And… She’ll be a promising magician in the future… and as for her familiar…”

Placing his gaze on Saito, Osman continued saying; ”Even though he’s a commoner, he has defeated General Gramont’s son, Guiche de Gramont in battle. Old Osman thought to himself: And if he really is the legendary Gandálfr…

Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt should not be a match for him.

Mr. Colbert also enthusiastically added; “Yes! Yes! Because he is the legendary Gand…”

Old Osman hastily covered Mr. Colbert’s mouth before he could finish his sentence. “A.. Hahaha… He’s talking nonsense! Haha!...”

Then there was slience again.

Then Headmaster Osman in a solemn tone spoke; “If anyone thinks that he’s more capable than the mentioned three, please step forward.”

No one stepped forward.

Therefore Old Osman turned to the group of four and said; ”The academy awaits the capture of Fouquet then!”

Louise, Kirche and Tabitha stood to attention and said, ”We swear upon our wands to capture Fouquet!”

After that they pulled the edges of their skirts and made a curtsy. Saito also hastily followed. As he wasn't wearing a skirt, he pulled the end of his jacket.

“Well then, ready the carriage, and set off right away. You must conserve your energy before you reach your destination.”

“Miss Longueville, could you go with them, too?”

“Yes, Headmaster Old Osman.”

“I had wanted to go with them as well.” Miss Longueville said.

So under the lead of Miss Longueville, the four quickly set off.

Even though it’s considered a carriage, in actual fact it was just a cart with wooden planks attached as seat. The good thing about it though was that if they were to be attacked, they could jump out of the carriage right way.

Miss Longueville was in charge of driving the carriage.

Kirche asked the silent Longueville who was concentrating on the reins, “Miss Longueville, this type of job could be done by a commoner. Why do you have to do it yourself?”

Miss Longueville smiled and answered; “It’s all right. I’m not a noble anyway.”

Kirche paused for a while, and asked again, “But aren’t you Headmaster Osman’s secretary?”

“Yes, I am. But Old Osman isn’t a person who is concerned by a person’s status when looking for help. Whether is he’s a noble or commoner.”

“If it’s possible, tell me in depth how you lost your status, please.”

But Miss Longueville just smiled at Kirche. It seemed like she did not want to speak anymore.

“Just tell me please, even if it’s just a little.” Kirche pestered as she began leaning closer to Miss Longueville. Just then she felt someone grabbing her shoulder. It was Louise. Kirche then turned around and said; “What is it that you want, Vallière?”

“Forget it. Stop raking up someone’s past.”

“Humph, I’m bored, that’s why I needed some one to talk to”. Kirche replied while placing her hands behind her head and laying against the side of the carriage.

“I do not know if this applies to your country, but in Tristain, it’s a shameful act to force someone to reveal something that he or she does not want to say.”

Kirche did not answer her. She got up and sat in a cross legged position and began saying; “It’s all because of your headstrongness that got me into this mess. Capturing Fouquet…”

Louise gave an angry stare at Kirche, “What do you mean by that? Didn’t you volunteer yourself in?”

“If you had come alone, wouldn’t Saito be in danger, too? Am I right, Louise the Zero?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Anyways, if that large golem appeared again, you’d surely run to the back and let Saito do all the fighting, right?"

“Who would run away? I would use my magic for you to see!”

“You, using magic? What a joke!”

The two started bickering again. Tabitha continued reading her book.

“That’s enough! Would you both please stop it?” Saito interrupted.

Kirche did a gesture and said, “Humph, I’ll stop. I’m not in the fault anyways.”

Louise bit her lips.

“Well then darling, this is for you.” Kirche looked at Saito seductively, and then placed in his arms the sword that she had bought for him.

“Wow! Thanks!” Saito said while taking the sword.

“I won that time round, you do you have something to say? Louise the Zero?”

Louise stared at the both of them and kept quiet.

Suddenly, it turned dark. The carriage had entered into the forest. The darkness and the weird smell present in the forest sent shivers to their spines.

“We’ll have to walk from here onwards.” Miss Longueville said. The group then disembarked from the carriage, and proceed to the small path into the forest.

“I’m afraid of the dark and don’t like the feeling around here…” Kirche said while wrapping her arms around Saito’s.

“Could you not keep so close to me?”

“But I’m afraid!” Kirche said with exaggerated reaction. Anyone could tell that she was lying…

Saito, worried about Louise, glanced at her. “Humph” Louise turned her head away.

The group reached a clearing in the forest. It was roughly the size of the Vestri Court and in the middle was the abandoned house. The house was made of wood with a corroded stove. Next to it was a completely rundown warehouse.

The group hid behind the bushes and observed the house.

Miss Longueville pointed to the house and said, “From the information I’ve gathered, that should be the place.”

“Looks like no one’s inside. Is Fouquet really hiding in there?”

The group started discussing. The group used sticks to draw on the ground their battle plan. They all agreed that ambushing him was the best way. All the better if he was sleeping.

Firstly, they’d need to scout around the house and know what is going inside. After that if Fouquet is inside the scout will need to draw him outside, because there is not enough earth inside the house for him to create an earth golem. Once he’s outside, the rest would all use their magic against him without letting him have a chance to create his golem.

“So who is going to lure him out?” Saito asked.

Tabitha replied, “The one with the best reflexes.”

All stared at Saito.

“Me?” Saito sighed. He drew out the sword that Kirche gave to him.

The runes on his left hand started glowing. At the same time Saito felt his body becoming as light as a feather.

Saito moved closer to the house and peered through the window in the house. There was only one room in the whole house, with a table and a reclining chair that were both covered in dust. There was also a bottle of wine on the table and in one corner of the room there was firewood.

There was no one inside and there did not seem to be any place to hide inside the house either.

Had he already left this place?

But their opponent is Fouquet, a triangle mage. So he may still be hiding inside even though there did not seem to be a hiding place inside.

So Saito decided to call everyone over.

Saito used his hand to make an “X” sign on top of his head, a sign that means the house is empty.

The rest of the group who were hiding carefully approached to the house.

“There’s no one inside”, Saito said while pointing at the window.

Tabitha waved her staff at near the door and muttered, “There’s no trap.” She then opened the door and went inside the house.

Kirche and Saito followed suit and entered the house.

Louise told the rest she would stand guard and stayed behind.

Miss Longueville said that she would investigate the area around forest and disappeared.

Saito’s group went into the house and started to look for any clues to Fouquet whereabouts.

Then, Tabitha found inside a box... The Staff of Destruction.

“The Staff of Destruction.” Tabitha said while waving it around.

“Isn’t this too easy?” Kirche exclaimed.

Saito looked at the Staff of Destruction and said with astonishment, “Kirche, is this really the Staff of Destruction?”

Kirche nodded and said, “Unmistaken-ably, I saw it once during my tour of the treasure vault.

Saito brought the staff closer and examined it closely. “If I’m not wrong this is a …”

Just then, Louise who was standing guard outside gave a chilling shriek. “Ahhhh!!!”’

“What happened, Louise?!”

Just as everyone looked outside the house, a loud sound could be heard. Crack!
Suddenly the house was without a roof and everyone looked up.

In place of the roof was a giant earth golem

“It’s an earth golem!” Kirche screamed.

Tabitha was the first to react. Waving her staff, she stared chanting her magical inscriptions. A whirlwind appeared out of her staff and struck the golem.

After the whirlwind disappeared, the golem remained unscathed.

Following Tabitha, Kirche took out her wand hidden in her cleavage and started chanting.

A fireball shot out of her wand and engulfed the golem. Even though the whole golem was on fire, it did not seem to be affected by the fire at all.

“It’s too tough for the few of us!” Kirche shouted.

“Retreat”, Tabitha said softly.

Kirche and Tabitha went different ways and ran out of the house.

Meanwhile, Saito was looking for Louise.

“Over there!”

Louise stood behind the golem, chanted something and pointed her wand towards the golem.

Something exploded on the surface of the golem. It was Louise’s magic! The golem realizing this turned around and faced Louise.

Saito, standing near the door of the house 20 meters away from Louise, shouted, “Run! Louise!”

Louise refused and said, “No! If I subdue this, no one will ever call me Louise the Zero ever again.” Louise appeared to be very serious. The golem tilted its head, pondering whether to deal with Louise or Kirche and Tabitha who were escaping.

“Look at the size difference between you and the golem! You can’t possibly win!”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

“It’s too hard! It’s impossible!”

Louise stared at Saito and said, “Haven’t you said this before?”

“What?”

“When you were badly beaten by Guiche’s Valkyries, you kept standing up and said, when you did not want to lower your head, you never will.”

“Yes... I did say that… but…”

“I also feel the same way. Even though I cannot accomplish anything, but this is a matter of pride. If I run away now, people will say ‘because she’s Louise the Zero, that’s why she ran away.’ “

“Does it matter? Let people say whatever they want!”

“But I’m a noble. Nobles are people that can use magic.” Louise tightened her grip on her wand.

“And nobles never turn their backs on their enemies.”

The golem decided that it would deal with Louise first; it raised its leg, preparing to squash Louise.

Louise raised her wand towards the golem and started chanting again…

But it had no effect on the golem at all. Even though Louise used ‘fireball’, but it failed.

A small explosion occurred on the golem’s chest and small fragments of earth fell out from the golem’s chest. The golem was not affected by the attack at all.

Saito grabbed his sword and dashed towards Louise.

Louise saw the golem’s foot getting nearer and nearer. She closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

At this instant, Saito approached her at the speed of a whirlwind, grabbed her and rolled away from the golem’s stomp.

“Do you really wish to die?” Saito gave a slap on Louise’s face. Pak! Louise looked at Saito, stunned.

“To hell with your noble’s pride! Once you die, nothing really matters anymore! Idiot!”

Tears began to flow out of Louise’s eyes like a waterfall.

“Please don’t cry!”

“But… but I cannot take this lying down…I’m always being treated like a fool by others…”

Looking at the crying Louise, Saito felt hapless.

Being constantly called “Zero”, being treated like an idiot, no one could take that lying down. He recalled his fight with Guiche. Louise cried that time, too. Even though Louise is stubborn and haughty, in reality she actually hates fighting and she’s not good at it either.

She’s only a girl… Louise’s beautiful face was now covered in tears, just like a crying child.

But this was not the time to console her. Saito turned his head over and saw the golem raising its fists, ready to pound on them.

“Can’t you even console me a little?” Louise protested as Saito carried her and escaped.
The golem chased after them, even though the golem was nowhere near agile, its speed was still on par with Saito.

Tabitha's Wind Dragon landed in front of Saito to help in their escape.

“Get on.” Tabitha said.

Saito placed Louise on the dragon’s back.

“You too, quickly!” Tabitha said to Saito with urgency unlike her normal self.

But Saito did not get on, instead he ran towards the golem.

“Saito!” Louise shouted.

“Fly away now!” Saito shouted.

Tabitha stared at Saito emotionlessly for a while, and was forced to make Sylphid fly up as the golem was approaching them.

Bang!

The golem’s fist smashed onto the place Saito stood on. Just in the nick of time, Saito jumped and evaded the blow. The golem removed its fist from the ground and a crater a meter wide was formed.

Saito mumbled to himself, ”Don’t cry if you can’t take it lying down. Stupid! This really makes me feel like doing something for you!” Saito faced the golem and said, “You better not look down on me! You’re just a lump of earth!”

He grabbed hold on his sword and said, “I’m Louise’s familiar!”

“Saito!” Louise attempted to jump down from Sylphid which was in mid air, but was grabbed by Tabitha.

“Please save Saito!” Louise pleaded.

Tabitha shook her head.

“Impossible to get near.”

Whenever Sylphid tried to get near, the golem would try to attack it. So Tabitha was not able to get near Saito at all.

“Saito!” Louise shouted again.

Louise saw Saito wielding his sword in a stand off against the golem.

The golem moved and gave a punch. The fist turned into steel halfway through. (3)

Saito seeing this used his sword to block the attack.

Pang! The sword broke from the hilt upon impact.

Saito was stunned. Was this sword really made by Germanian alchemist Lord Shupei? It’s totally useless!

Without a weapon, all Saito could do was evade the golem’s attack.

Seeing Saito in a pinch, Louise was desperate. Wasn’t there anyway to help him? Just then, Louise noticed the “Staff of Destruction” held by Tabitha.

“Tabitha! Pass that to me!”

She nodded and passed the Staff of Destruction of Louise.

The Staff of Destruction had an unusual shape that Louise had never seen before.

But since Louise’s magic did not work, all she could depend on now was the Staff of Destruction.

Louise closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening her eyes again she said, “Tabitha! Use levitation on me.” And jumped off the Sylphid’s back. Tabitha hastily casted “Levitation” on Louise.

Under the effect of the spell, Louise slowly descended and facing Saito and the golem, waved the Staff of Destruction.

Nothing happened at all. There was no response from the Staff of Destruction.

“Is this really a magical staff?” Louise shouted urgently.

Were there any special requirements in order to activate it?

Saito looked at the descending Louise and was shocked. Why did she come back? It would have been better for her to stay on the dragon!

At the same time, Saito saw the Staff of Destruction that Louise was holding.

Looks like Louise did not know how to use the staff and she was just waving it around…

Saito rushed towards Louise.

If we could use this, maybe we could defeat the golem!

“Saito!” Louise shouted to Saito who was running towards her.

Saito grabbed the Staff of Destruction away from Louise.

“I don’t know how to use this!”

“It’s to be used like this!”

Saito grabbed hold of the Staff of Destruction, took out the arming handle, opened the rear cover and pulled out and extended the inner tube out.

…Why do I know how to do this?

But now this is not the time to think.

He pulled up the telescope sight on the inner tube and aimed.

Seeing his proficiency in handling the Staff of Destruction, Louise was too shocked to say anything.

Saito placed the Staff of Destruction on his shoulder and pointed the front of the staff towards the golem.[[Image:Znt B1 C8 01.JPG|thumb|''Saito placed the Staff of Destruction on his shoulder and pointed the front of the staff towards the golem.'']]

Due to the short distance between him and the golem, Saito decided to aim directly at the golem.

As the distance was very close, the arming range (4) might not be reached and therefore even if hit directly, it might not explode.

Forget about that, just try it! Saito thought while shouting at Louise, “Don’t stand at the back of the staff, there will be a back blast!”

Louise hurriedly moved out of the way.

The golem approached closer and closer to Saito.

Saito released the safety lever and fired the weapon.

Following which, a loud sound came from the staff and a projectile with wings flew towards the golem.

A huge explosion occurred once the projectile came into contact with the golem.

Saito instinctively closed his eyes.

A deafening roar occurred and the upper body of the golem crumbled and flew out in all directions, causing a rain of earth.

Saito slowly opened his eyes.

As the smoke from the explosion cleared, only the lower body of the golem was left standing.

What was left of the golem took one last step forward and knelt down. It finally stopped moving.

Then slowly from the waist, what was left of the golem crumbled… and returned into what it originally was – earth.

Just like last time, the golem was reduced into a lump of earth.

Louise, who witnessed everything, felt her legs weakened and sat on the floor.

Kirche, who was hiding near the bushes, came running out.

Saito finally gave a sigh of relief.

Kirche hugged Saito and said, “Saito, My darling! You did it!”

Sylphid, who was carrying Tabitha, descended. Tabitha looked at the lump of earth and asked, “Where is Miss Longueville?”

Just then everyone realized that Miss Longueville was missing.

Just then Miss Longueville came out from the forest.

“Miss Longueville! Did you find out where Fouquet was controlling the golem from?” Kirche asked.

Miss Longueville shook her head.

The four of them started searching the lump of earth for clues. Saito looked at them, and then looked at the Staff of Destruction, thinking to himself: Why did this thing appear in this world?

Just as he was thinking, Miss Longueville took the Staff of Destruction away from Saito.

“Miss Longueville?” said the puzzled Saito.

Miss Longueville widened the distance between the group and then said, “Great job, people!”

“Miss Longueville!” Kirche shouted. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Louise stared at Miss Longueville, too shocked to say anything.

“The one controlling the golem was me all along.”

“What? That means… You’re…”

Miss Longueville removed her glasses, her once gentle expression had changed into one full of killing intent.

“Yes, I am Fouquet of the crumbling earth. The Staff of Destruction is really powerful; it actually can defeat my golem in just one hit!”

Fouquet held the Staff of Destruction on her shoulders like Saito did just now.

Tabitha waved her staff and began chanting.

“All of you don’t move! I have the Staff of Destruction pointed towards you. Drop your wands now.”

They had no choice but to obey. Without their wands, they could not cast any magic.

“Mr. agile familiar, please drop your broken sword too. You’re a threat to me if you’re holding a weapon.”

Saito obeyed her orders and dropped the sword.

“Why?” Louise asked angrily.

“Hmm… I’d better explain to you all in order for you all to rest in peace.” Fouquet said with a coquettish smile on her face.

“I had gotten hold of the Staff of Destruction, but I did not know how to use it.”

“The way to use it?”

“Yes. No matter how I waved the staff or applied my magic on it, there was no response at all. That made me frustrated. After all, if I do not know how to use it, it would be just as useful as a decorative item. Wouldn’t it?”

Louise wanted to dash out towards Fouquet, but was stopped by Saito.

“Saito!”

“Let her finish.”

“How considerate of you, Mr. Familiar. Then I would continue. Since I did not how to use it, the only way was to let other people show me how to use it.”

“So therefore you brought us here.”

“If it’s the students from the academy, there may be a chance that someone knows how to use the staff.”

“If none of us knew how to use the Staff of Destruction, what would you do?”

“If that was the case, you all would be squashed flat by my golem. After that I would bring the next group of students here. But thanks to you, I finally know how to use the Staff of Destruction.”

Fouquet smiled and said, “Even though the time spent with you all was short, I’m really happy. Goodbye.”

Kirche feeling hopeless, closed her eyes.

Tabitha and Louise closed their eyes, too.

But Saito did not.

“You’re really brave.”

“Well, actually it’s not bravery.” Saito replied.

Fouquet pressed the trigger as Saito had done before.

But the magic that happened before did not happen again.

“Huh? Why?” Fouquet pressed the trigger again.

“It has only one shot; it won’t be able to fire again.”

“What you mean one shot?” Fouquet shouted deliriously.

“Even if I explained, you would not be able to understand. That is not a magical staff from your world.”

“What did you say?” Fouquet dropped the Staff of Destruction and took out her own wand.

Saito moving as fast as lightening, delivered a blow to Fouquet’s stomach with the hilt of his sword.

“That is a weapon from my world. Hmm… To be precise, it’s called an M72 rocket launcher (5).”

Fouquet fell onto the ground.

Saito then picked up the Staff of Destruction.

“Saito?” Louise and the other two all stared at Saito.

Saito answered, “We’ve caught Fouquet and retrieved the Staff of Destruction.”

Louise, Kirche and Tabitha looked at each other, and then ran towards Saito.

Saito, with mixed feelings, hugged the three of them together.

***

Inside the headmaster’s office, Headmaster Osman listened to the group’s account of what happened.

“Hmm… Miss Longueville is Fouquet of the Crumbling earth… Because she’s such a beauty so I did not think twice about hiring her as my secretary.”

“How did you go about hiring her?” Mr. Colbert who was also present asked.

“In a tavern. I was a customer while she was a waitress there. Then I slowly caressed her from her hands down to her butt…”

“Then what happened?” Mr. Colbert asked again.

Headmaster Osman embarrassingly confessed, “Because she wasn’t angry at all after what I did, I asked her whether she wanted to become my sectary or not.”

“Why?” The bewildered Mr. Colbert continued asking.

“Anyways!” Headmaster Osman cried out using vigor unfitting for an old man.

Osman started coughing. And said sedately, “And she could use magic, too.”

“Yeah, magic that could kill.” Mr. Colbert mumbled to himself.

Headmaster Osman coughed again then told Mr. Colbert in a prudent manner, “Come to think of it, the reason that Fouquet allowed me to touch her all over the place in the tavern, served me wine happily, and praised that I was handsome was to infiltrate the academy. All the praises that she said that I was handsome and admired me were most probably all just lies…”

Mr. Colbert upon hearing that immediately remembered that he was also bewitched by Fouquet once, and had revealed the weakness of the vault walls to her.

Mr. Colbert decided that he would keep this secret with him to his grave.

“Yes. Beautiful women are deadly magicians.”

“I couldn’t agree more with you, Colbert.”

Saito, Louise, Kirche and Tabitha stared blankly at the two.

Realizing that the students had given them the cold stare, the embarrassed Osman cleared his throat and regained his solemn composure.

“A job well done for all of you, you have returned the Staff of Destruction and captured Fouquet.”

The three besides Saito acknowledged proudly.

“Fouquet will be handed over to the town guards, and the Staff of Destruction will be returned back to the treasure vault. Finally the case is closed.”

Gently caressing each of the trio's heads, Osman said, “I have requested the imperial court to confer upon you the title of chevalier, I believe that we should have news of it soon. And since Tabitha already has the title of chevalier, I have requested that she be given the elven medallion.”

The trio’s faces brightened up upon hearing the news.

“Really?” Kirche said astoundingly.

“Yes. You have done more than enough to deserve this title. Haven’t you?”

Louise gazed at Saito who was listless since they entered the office.

“Headmaster Osman, Saito… won’t get anything?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. Because he’s not a noble…”

Saito replied, “I don’t need anything.”
Headmaster Osman gently clapped his hands and said, ”I almost forgot, Tonight’s Forego (6) ball will resume as planned since we have gotten back the Staff of Destruction.

Kirsche’s face brightened up. “That’s right. Let’s forget about Fouquet and dance all night long!”

“The main attraction of the ball will be you three. Go get ready and dress up!”

The three bowed, then left through the door.

Louise looked at Saito and stopped.

“You go first.” Saito told Louise.

Even though Louise was worried, she still nodded and left the room.

Osman turned to Saito and said, “You have something to ask me?”

Saito nodded.

“Please ask. I’ll try to answer your question to the best of my abilities. Even though I couldn’t confer you a title, this is the least I can do to show my appreciation.”

After he finished saying that, he asked Mr. Colbert to leave the room. Mr. Colbert, who was waiting for Saito to speak, showed displeasure while exiting the room.

After Mr. Colbert left, Saito said, “That, the Staff of Destruction was originally from my world.”

Osman’s eyes gleamed. “Originally from your world?”

“I’m not from this world.”

“Is it true?”

“It’s true. I was transported to this world due to Louise’s summoning.”

“I see. If that’s the case…” Osman squinted his eyes.

“The Staff of Destruction was a weapon from my world. Who was the person who brought it to this world?”

Osman sighed and said, ”The one who gave the Staff of Destruction was my savior.”

“Where is the person now? That person is definitely from the same world as me.”

“He died. That was over thirty years ago…”

“What did you say?”

“Thirty years ago, while I was strolling inside the forest, I was attacked by a two headed dragon. The one who saved me was the owner of the Staff of Destruction. He used another Staff of Destruction to kill the two headed dragon and then collapsed. He was already injured at that time. I transported him to the academy and treated his wounds. But to no avail…”

“And he died?”

Headmaster Osman nodded.

“I buried the Staff of Destruction that he had used to save me along with him in his grave, the other one I named the Staff of Destruction and kept it inside the vault in order to commemorate my savior…”

Osman gazed far away and said, ”While he was resting on the bed till the day he died, he kept saying repeatedly ‘Where is this place? I want to go back to my world.’ I guess that he must be from the same world as yours.”

“Who was the one who brought him to this world then?”

“I don’t know. Right till the end, I still had no idea how he ended up here.”

“Damn it! Just when I thought that I had a clue.” Saito lamented. The clue had led him into a dead end. Osman’s savior was most probably a soldier of his own country. But how did he end up in this world? Even though Saito wanted to know badly, there was no way to know anymore.

Osman held Saito’s left hand, ”The runes on your hand…”

“Oh yes. I wanted to ask about that, too. Once the runes glow, I can use any weapon proficiently. Not just swords, even the weapons from my world too…”

Osman pondered for a moment and said, “… That I know. That is the runes of “Gandálfr”, the legendary familiar.”

“The runes of the legendary familiar?”

“Yes. Gandálfr was a legendary familiar whom could use any weapon at will. That is most likely the reason that you could use the Staff of Destruction.”

Saito was confused. “… Then, why am I the legendary familiar?”

“I don’t know.” Osman quickly replied.

“I’m sorry. But there is a possibility that the runes of Gandálfr are related to you being transported to this world.”

“Haiz…” Saito sighed.

Saito thought that he could get the answers that he wanted from the headmaster, but apparently he did not know much either…

“I’m sorry that I could not be of much help. I’ll always be on your side, Gandálfr!” Osman hugged Saito. “I must thank you once again for bringing back the possession of my benefactor.”

“It’s all right…” Saito said tiredly.

“I tried to find out for you how you arrived in this world but…”

“But what?”

“But I could not find anything, please do not be dismayed. You’ll get used to this world as time goes by. Maybe then you could find a wife here too…”

Saito sighed again. The clue to return to his original world slipped through his fingers just like that.

On top of Alvíss Dining Hall, there is a great hall. That is where the ball was being held. Saito leaned on the railings of the balcony and looked at the grand reception.

The students and teachers who were dressed grandly gathered around tables filled with exquisite food and chatted amongst themselves. Saito arrived there through a flight of stairs leading up to the balcony. Seeing them, Saito felt that he would not fit in at all and therefore, decided not to enter.

Next to Saito were some food and a bottle of wine that Siesta had brought for him earlier. Saito poured for himself a glass of wine and then drank it.

“Eh, haven’t you got a drop too much?” said Derflinger which was leaning on the balcony worryingly. As the sword that Kirche gave to Saito broke during the ordeal, Saito brought Derflinger for protection. As usual it had a rotten tongue but it still had a happy go lucky personality so having him for company still has its merits.

“You’re noisy. To think that I had found the way to go back home, in the end it’s just a dream… can’t I drink to drive away my sorrow?”

Just before the ball started Kirche, who was beautifully dressed in an evening gown was accompanying Saito. But as soon as the ball started she was no where to be seen.

Saito had no choice but to use Derflinger as a companion to drive away boredom.

In the middle of the dance floor, Kirche was surrounded by a group of young males, talking and laughing. Even though Kirche promised to dance with him, it would be quite some time before Saito had his chance.

Tabitha dressed in a black gown feasted away on the sumptuous food on the table.

Looks like everyone is enjoying the dance to the fullest…

The doors to the great hall opened and Louise appeared.

The guards at the door notified everyone on Louise’s arrival. "The daughter of Duke Vallière, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de la Vallière arrives!”

Saito held his breath. Louise was dressed in a white evening gown with her long, strawberry blonde hair tied up into a pony tail. Her hands were covered by pure white gloves which adorned her grandeur. Her petite face along with her low cut evening gown made her sparkle like a gem.

After confirming that the guest had arrived, the musicians started playing music that was extremely soothing to the ears. All around Louise were males that were captivated by Louise’s beauty asking for a dance with her. Before this, no one ever realized Louise’s beauty and only thought of her as “Louise the Zero.” Now, the same group of males was trying to win her heart.

The nobles started dancing gracefully on the dance floor. Louise turned down everyone’s invitation for a dance, saw Saito on the balcony and headed over. Louise stood in front of the slightly drunk Saito and placed her arms on her waist and said, “Looks like you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Not really…” Saito moved his gaze away from the dazzling Louise, thinking to himself that luckily he had drank some wine, so Louise would not realize that he was blushing.

Derflinger looked at Louise and said, ”Haha. Clothes really make the man!”

“None of your business.” Louise stared at the sword and crossed her arms.

“Aren’t you going to dance?” Saito asked while avoiding Louise’s gaze.
“I have no dance partner.” Louise replied.

“Didn’t a lot of people ask you for a dance just now?” Saito asked.

Louise did not answer and extended her hand.

“Huh?”

“Even though you’re just a familiar, I could make an exception.” The blushing Louise said while avoiding Saito’s gaze.

“Don’t you mean ‘Could I have this dance?’?” Saito said while trying to avoid Louise’s gaze too.

After a moment of slience, Louise sighed and said, “Only for today!” Louise then held the ends of her dress and made a curtsy. “May I have a dance, sir?”

These actions made the bashful Louise look even more cute and alluring than ever before.

Saito, trembling held Louise’s hands and together, they walked towards the dance floor.

“I have never danced before.” Saito said.

“Just follow my rhythm.” Louise said, and then gently held onto Saito’s hand. Saito imitated Louise’s actions and followed to her rhythm. Louise did not seem to mind Saito’s stiff actions at all and concentrated on dancing and then said, “Saito, I believe you now.”
[[Image:Znt B1 C8 02.JPG|thumb|''"Saito, I believe you now."'']]

“What?”

“…You said that you were from another world.” Louise replied while dancing with grace.

“Huh? Didn’t you believe me already before that?”

“I originally only took what you said with a pinch of salt… but the Staff of Destruction… It’s a weapon from your world isn’t it? When I saw that, all I could do was to believe.” Louise lowered her head and asked, “Do you wish to go back?”

“Yes. I want to go back, but since there’s no way to go back yet, I’ll have to get used to life here for a while.”

“You’re right…” Louise muttered to herself then continued dancing.

After that, Louise who was still blushing and did not dare look at Saito abruptly said “Thank You.” Hearing that, Saito was puzzled. Why is she acting so funny today?

“Well… Didn’t you save me when I was almost squashed flat by Fouquet’s golem?” Louise replied.

The musicians played an even more soothing tune. Slowly bit by bit, Saito was cheering up. Someday… I will be able to finally return back home… but being here isn’t really that bad either.

Louise is really very dainty today, I should be satisfied.

“You’re welcome. That’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m your familiar.”

Louise smiled.

Derflinger which was still leaning on the balcony looked at the both of them and said to himself, ”Unbelievable!”

The twin moons in the sky shone onto the dance floor, and along with the candle lights, created a romantic atmosphere on the dance floor.

“Partner! You amaze me!”

Looking at his partner dancing with his master, Derflinger said, “A familiar dancing with his master, that’s the first time I’ve seen this happening!”