Editing Kaze no Stigma:Volume1 Chapter4 (section)

=== Part 2 ===

Kazuma slowly observed the mansion that he had not walked through for four years. Like the exterior, the interior of the mansion did not change at all. It was constructed during the [[Kaze_no_Stigma:Volume1_Translator%27s_Notes#Warring States Period|Warring States Period]], and a mere four years was not enough for any changes.

Kazuma continued behind Juugo, following without speaking as he was taken to Juugo's private room.

“We can talk normally here. What would you like to drink?”

“It doesn't matter. Besides, I'm not thirsty...”

Listening to Kazuma's casual reply, Juugo stared at Kazuma as if searching for something.

“Hm... Don't you trust me?”

“It's not that I suspect you.”

Suddenly, a discordant atmosphere began to fill the room.

After all, there wasn't a single reason for the Kannagi clan to believe Kazuma. Apart from Juugo, everyone believed him to be the murderer.

It was really unbelievable for Kazuma to appear in the home of the enemies pursuing his life.

“Why did you leave the house?”

Juugo broke the silence. More than anything else, this was what he wanted to hear about the most.

“When I heard that you were disowned, you had already left without a single word. Am I that untrustworthy?”

“Ah... Actually, I didn't think of that. At that time, I just wanted to leave the Kannagi clan without delay. Both Otou-san and Okaa-san said that there was no other choice.”

“What did Miyuki say?”
 
This was the first time Juugo heard that Kazuma had seen his mother before leaving home.

“Now that I think about it, I was so foolish. Rather than going to you, I was requested by that woman to apologize... To think, I still believed that my parents cared.”

Kazuma crooked his mouth, ridiculing himself of the past.

Rather than hating Miyuki, it was 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. Juugo's voice barely reached Kazuma, as if it was coming from a 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 Kazuma with a tranquil attitude as if she was completely unaffected. She was showing the same composure that she would when idly chatting.

Although it felt like an eternal silence, in reality, not even a single minute had passed. She finally opened her mouth towards the son that came to her for help.

“Kazuma, your education was very good. Your physical education was also quite above normal. The teacher from the school even praised you!”

“Oka, Okaa-san...”

Miyuki's words crushed Kazuma's hopes. To think that Genma had requested her to do something like...!

"Such a pity. If only you had the talent for Enjutsu, I could have treated you as a worthy son, with deep love and concern."

To do something like... bidding farewell.

Kazuma realized that Miyuki constantly discussed events as if they were in the past, and that for her, everything was over. She accepted her son being disowned as a reality that could not be changed. She didn't need a useless son, and so she didn't hesitate to abandon him.

“Okaa-san...”

Facing her son who was begging for help in a quaking voice, Miyuki smiled and handed him a card.

“There is ten million inside. It's not a lot, but it can still fulfill your life's needs. Don't get sick, and stay alive energetically.”

Those were already words of departure. Kazuma, as if escaping, fled to his room afterwards. The next day, without taking anything, he left home by himself. It seemed like nobody even noticed his departure.

The reason he left Japan was not because of some firm determination to live independently and alone.

He was afraid. Afraid that his parents would become heartless monsters even more terrifying than youma and say "I don't need useless things".

He wanted to hide in a place where they could never find him. Even though he knew that they would not send people after him, his body did not seem to understand, simply running as far as it could.

When he finally arrived at Hong Kong, Kazuma was finally able to unwind for the first time. But back then, he could never had known of the tragedy that was about to take place.





“Ahh, it's probably like that.”

“..................”

Juugo said nothing, merely burying his head in deep thought.  

''This woman always did things her own way... But I can't believe she was this cruel......''

“Oh well, don't be bothered by it. It's all in the past now.”

“...You've become strong, Kazuma.”

Juugo spoke deeply. To think that a simple youth who was a mere pronoun four years ago became an outstanding man that possessed great power and the mental strength to control that power. Juugo felt very happy. 

Though he praised Kazuma from the bottom of his heart for accomplishing this feat, the most important thing right now was to clear Kazuma's name. Everything would begin from now.

“...I can't agree with you.”

“Is it still not enough? Why do you desire power so much?”

Juugo asked, using a somewhat criticizing tone. Contrary to what he had thought, Kazuma did not seem very satisfied with his power.

However, Kazuma had clearly not fallen into some drunken pursuit of power. Instead, he was like a lost and desperate youth trying to find a place to repose.

“Yeah, I did become stronger... and don't cry anymore. But... even if I had to sell my soul to the devil, it wouldn't be a problem, because I absolutely cannot allow myself to remain weak.”

Kazuma said while hiding his head, with two arms encircling his raised knee.

He could still clearly remember that day, when he was crying 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 he went through, no matter how many times he pushed himself to the brink of death, it was impossible to return to that moment. He couldn't save...... her.





''"Why do you desire power so much?"''

Kazuma could not answer that question.

''Is it so you can prevent such tragedies from happening again?''

''Is it so you can protect better this time?''

''No.''

Those kinds of ideas could not satisfy him. She could never return... since she was locked in the bottom of hell.




''"Why do you desire power so much?"''

''(I don't know!)''

There was no reason, no purpose, that he could give. It was simply because he had the ability to command the wind spirits, an ability that would never blossom within the Kannagi family.




''"Why do you desire power so much?"''

"...I wanted to protect..."

Kazuma muttered, as if squeezing out toothpaste. In the end, he still could not say anything, because he still could not overcome it. One day, however, he will surely discover the real meaning of power...




Juugo didn't say anything, merely watching Kazuma quietly.

''("...I wanted to protect...")''

Juugo did not know much about Kazuma's past. All he could do was to imagine what that unfulfilled promise could have meant, and imagine the pain that Kazuma was going through.

“Oh yeah, after this is all over, let's find a day to have a drink together! You can choose the place.”

Even so, Juugo could at least be a listener to his complaints! If Kazuma could spit out all of the unhappiness accumulated within his heart, he just might be able to gain some tranquility. Juugo hoped that he could help his "son" as a "father", even if the result turns out to be insignificant.

“......Hmm...... alright.”

Kazuma hid the scar that was bleeding to this day and gave a gentle smile.