Kaze no Stigma:Volume2 Epilogue
Epilogue
“Become a nun?”
Hearing this term that is rarely present, Kazuma repeats it blankly. He had thought that it was a joke, but Juugo before him looks very serious about it.
“------ What fun is there about it?”
“That is not what this is about!”
Hearing Kazuma’s question, Ayano sitting beside Juugo replies in a rough manner:
“Misao intends to separate herself with the mortal world and uses her entire lifetime to compensate for her sins. That is to say, there is no room for you in her heart anymore, you deserve it.”
Ayano laughs, and seems to be happy from the bottom of her heart. As to why she is so happy------ there is no need to ask at this point of time.
Ignoring the delightful Ayano, Kazuma asks Juugo:
“So, has she left?”
“Not yet, she was here just now to bid her final farewells, if you rush over now, you will probably still make it?”
“You should have said so earlier.”
With that Kazuma stands up immediately, and leaves the room without even turning back.
Juugo quietly walks as Kazuma leaves. This is a natural reaction, and his daughter following behind Kazuma quietly is also within his expectations.
In the empty Japanese room, Juugo seeps his tea leisurely. What he has in mind, no one knows.
“------ Why are you following me?”
Kazuma finds this unbelievable, and questions Ayano who is walking beside him.
Ayano raises her head, her eyes opened wide to stare at Kazuma. Those eyes look as though they are looking at a criminal under custody.
“How can I let you and Misao be together alone. Then you would definitely threaten her, and take her to a motel.”
Kazuma did not reply, but only shrugs his shoulder, walking on his own to the backdoor.
“Misao’s room is not there.”
He ignores the halting voice and opens the door. Misao is there.
“------Kazuma-san.”
Her voice seems a little shocked. But Misao did not shift her eyes away, but stare at Kazuma without turning her eyes away.
“Are you really leaving?”
”Yes------ I have already decided.”
With a solid determination, Misao nods in reply.
“Just praying alone, that will not lessen my sins. So, I have decided to reevaluate myself through training, and find out what I can do to redeem myself.”
“Is it, then good luck.”
He says easily. Misao is so shocked her eyes open wide.
“What’s wrong?”
“No…… Err……”
(The promise------)
On the gradually collapsing Vritra’s head, the promise made to Kazuma. Since she has already decided on the path she wants to take, even though she would never be able to fully keep her promise, but she cannot regret because of it.
So, she had thought about it. If she ever meets Kazuma, she will at least fulfill her promise once------
But, for an introvert girl like Misao, to place “that kind of thing” to her mouth, that would really require courage of her lifetime.
------Besides, there’s an Ayano with a scary look on her face at the back.
Just as Misao is hesitant about it, Kazuma decides that the chat is over.
“Bye.”
He bids farewell and turns around, Misao hurriedly calls out to Kazuma from behind:
“Please…… Please wait a minute!”
“------Hmm?”
I must say it------ Misao bears an incomparable determination, yet the question that pops out from her mouth is completely unrelated.
“Why did you help me? To the extent of having suffered such a heavy injury.”
“I didn’t want to get hurt either.”
Kazuma turns back and looks at Ayano past his shoulder.
“If not for some dumb girl doing dumb stuff, I might have been able to solve everything without a scratch.”
“…………!”
Veins appeared at Ayano’s temple, but, she did not say anything to rebut. Because in comparison to scolding him, she is more interested in the truth.
“Even so, isn’t it much faster to just kill me?”
Misao did not loosen up her questioning. Even though things aren’t going the same way as she expected, but this is also a question she cannot let lying.
Perhaps sensing her determination, Kazuma begins to say with a bitter smile on his face:
“It has been ten years already…… You were still so small then.”
Saying that, Kazuma uses his thumb and index finger to open up a gap of around three centimeters.
Misao complains very politely:
“Erm…… I think that even when I was just born, I am not that small. I am not a dwarf.”
“Don’t mind the minor details. Yup, around that time, just as I was being bullied by those people of the branch clan, you saved me once.”
“…………”
She waited for the explanation to come, but Kazuma doesn’t seem to want to open his mouth again. A silent atmosphere looms around the two.
“……Is that it?”
“Yup.”
Kazuma simply nods in response to that question filled with question marks.
To Misao and Ayano, they will never know, when Kazuma was belittled by everyone around him, during that period where his body and mind are tortured continuously, that only one single time of gentleness, how great a support it was to Kazuma in his heart?
Kazuma will never forget. That trembling voice, that small back, even reminiscing about it now, the image is as clear as though it happened just yesterday.
So, he did not hesitate.
To save Misao------ That is the natural conclusion that doesn’t even require any thought. Because Misao lent him a hand then, that is why he can live up till now.
With that said, there is no way he will say such an embarrassing thing out. Kazuma begins to forcefully end the topic.
He raises his hand to hold Misao’s chin, and lifts her face up. As he slowly moves his face closer, Misao shyly blushes and closes her eyes.
“Hey! Wait a minute!”
Ignoring the noise at the back, their lips touch gently. This shuts one up both effectively and joyfully.
Kazuma shows a cheeky smile, and murmurs lightly to Misao who blushed all the way to her ears:
“Let’s continue next time, I will not let you owe me anything, so just go!”
“------Yes, I will be waiting.”
Misao smiles as she nods.
A sweet promise. Yet, Misao knows very well in her heart, this will never be fulfilled. Kazuma is saying this to a girl whom he may never meet again.
This also implies “I will never forget you”.
It also means to tell this lonely girl who lost her family, being exiled from her clan, that she is not alone.
“Thank you to you all. Kazuma-san, Ayano-sama------ Please take care.”
Misao lowers her head deeply in the end, and then walks out once more. Those steps does not show any sign of doubt, she did not turn back at all, and disappears from the sight of the two. The two watched the leaving shadow silently.
------ But……
“What did you say just now?”
Closing the door, Ayano questions Kazuma immediately. Her eyes staring straight at him.
“Are you bothered by what I said?”
“Of course not! However, if you dare disturb Misao, I will not let you off! Don’t tell me you intend to sneak into a nun’s living quarters?”
Kazuma’s eyes seem a little blurred, he seems to be fantasizing------ thinking about Misao in a nun’s costume.
”That seems not bad too.”
Hearing Kazuma’s mumble to himself, Ayano had a sensitive reaction.
“Ka------zu------ma------!”
A deep low sound sounded off from below the ground, the tight fist trembles due to a dangerous feeling.
A vigorous explosion is at hand.
Ayano still do not know now, why she was so angry. Or where that immature, childish feeling to want to keep Kazuma to herself came from.
Whether she will ever realize what this feeling is------
That is another story.
