Kaze no Stigma:Volume3 Chapter 2

Status: Incomplete

10% completed (estimated)

   

Chapter 2 Small Client

Let’s go a few hours back in time.

“Seeii!”

With a sharp exclamation, Ayano swung Enraiha down. The divine sword granted by the king of the flame spirits to conquer the devil, burned and exorcized in a single stroke the revengeful ghost hunting the construction site.

“.............fuuu”

Confirming the ghost’s annihilation, Ayano restored Enraiha back to its scabbard – her own body. Immediately, from behind a vapid sound can be heard:

Bu, bu, bu

“.................!”

Looking over the shoulder at the sad sight, sproing, she faced the source of the noise with a villainous discernment. That gaze, with no exaggeration, contains several times more killing intent than when facing the vengeful ghost.

Basking in those murderous eyes, Kazuma finally stopped the act – clapping hands – giving such a dull sound. But as evidence he wasn’t particularly sorry, his predatory, his predatory smile didn’t disappear.

“.................”

With a challenging look that could kill people by sight, Ayano stared at Kazuma very long. The usually sloppy facial expression. A slack attitude from which you couldn’t feel a trace of tension. That was acceptable. Even if he appears relaxed, it’s impossible for this man to be less than prepared before a battle.

But even so, around his head, or to be more accurate, from around his jaw and lower, there was a thing, as one would expect, she cannot stomach. The width of Kazuma's body increased by 20%. Nor did he get fat, much less put on muscle. He was bundling up in layers of clothes.

At the topmost he was wearing a fluffy down jacket. Stuffed with lots and lots of feathers. He seemed to be extremely warm. Also, how many extra clothes is he wearing underneath to appear to have doubled the thickness of his arms? Furthermore, a scarf is rolled around his head; he wears gloves – the origin of those dull applause.

No matter how you look at it, it’s a flawless winter-sports-watching-look.

If he were to hold a warmed canned coffee in his hand, before killing the vengeful ghost, Ayano would have tried to decapitate Kazuma first.

Ayano focused that thorny glance on Kazuma. The reason he was standing in this place was because he was supposed to act as Ayano’s guard. To conclude, it wasn’t to watch other people’s fight from a safe place, with an appearance that would slow down his movement.

Despite it, this man is –

“Just by standing there distractedly, to be given money, what a good social position, huh?”

Sarcasm with all her might. But naturally, that degree of scorn doesn’t get through Kazuma’s thick skin.

"I agree. The suzerain favors me so!”

Toward Kazuma's frivolous, sneering response, Ayano felt a fairly serious killing intent. She shouted, leaving anger take it’s natural course.

“I’m sick of it! Why does Father hires you for this kind of job!?”

“Don’t ask me that”

Certainly, so far, Juugo never allowed Ayano to take a job unassisted. But, the duty of being an escort held so far by the practitioners of the branch families nowadays was entrusted to Kazuma alone.

Of course, he was being paid.

No matter how nasty his personality was, Kazuma is top class practitioner. His remuneration is by no means inexpensive. In spite of this, Juugo, even on these trifling ghost extermination jobs, obstinately continues to employ Kazuma. On jobs like there, Kazuma literally doesn’t lift a finger. Ayano does all the work by herself. This man stands before her eyes for the sake of profit.

You’re just a pimp!

Irritating but inevitable, Ayano decided to allow herself a modest recreation. Staring at that hateful, frivolously laughing man, she says in a tone that allows no objection:

“I’m hungry. We’re going to dinner”

Kazuma scowled slightly.

“Do you want to extort money from me again?”

“Why are you complaining? There’re easy money at best”

“That’s different. If I were to name it, my job is like insurance. There is no need to move until an opponent you cannot manage alone appears.”

In reply to Kazuma’s solemn exposition, Ayano sternly trusted her finger in front of him.

“In case of insurance, isn’t there supposed to be a refund?”

“If he were to refund every time, the insurance man would immediately go bankrupt”

“You’re safe. Because you still make a lot of profit”

Obstinately, Ayano strongly insisted. Even Kazuma became generous after securing such a comfortable job and wasn’t in the mood to unconditionally refuse her. Even his rebuttal lost their usual severity, containing sweetness similar in some respects to a pre-established harmony.

“Well, fine. If it’s just food”

In the end Kazuma gave in. Ayano stiffened her mouth already turning into a broad smile, proudly nodding.

“Very well. Let’s go then. Yukari told me about a delicious French restaurant”

“...........French, huh?”

Kazuma calmly drew Ayano’s attention, who already started walking.

“Whether it’s French of ethnic it doesn’t matter but will they let us in, dressed like this?”

Ayano turned around, twitching her eyebrows. Her attire was the usual school uniform. Because this suit is an important ceremonial dress, it said everything is OK, a mighty item.

But Kazuma –

“Why don’t you dress properly?”

“Fool”

With a single word Kazuma cut down and thrown away Ayano’s criticism.

“Why do I have to dress up in the exorcism business?”

“That wouldn’t be too bad. Perhaps you will become better looking”

“Leave me alone. It can’t be helped if my partner is not worthy enough to dress up for, right?”

It goes without saying but those words can’t help but incur Ayano’s displeasure. Arching her eyebrows in anger she commands:

“Do you hear me? From now on, during the job wear a necktie. Do you understand?”

“I refuse” Kazuma answered instantly.

That quick reaction clearly denoted that there is no place for negotiation.

“What a cheap skate!”

“Do you think that’s where the problem is?”

During this vigorous match full of boos and irony the couple walked to the station. Although the ambiance was stormy, those two’s back and forth argument, not wanting to be separated, snuggling as close as they like, looked like nothing else but some sort of matrimonial quarrel – maybe.

Eventually both were admitted in, even without neckties, settling down after searching for the most expensive (this is essential) restaurant.

“Well, something like this”

“Don’t <<something like this>> me! You always order the most expensive thing on the menu! Do you bear some grudge against me?”

Ayano bent her head slightly to one side and gazed at Kazuma with a completely curios look.

“ – Eh, you thought I didn’t?”

Being treated by Kazuma to dinner, as a matter of fact, this is not the first time. Or perhaps I should say, it already became an after work custom.

Harassment for the sake of diminishing, even if just a little, Kazuma’s profits obtained without working at all. Ayano explained her actions like this and she herself truly believed so – at the very least, at a superficial level.

“Before I met you I didn’t know”

Hands joined before her chest, like a dreaming maiden, Ayano whispered with a voice shaking with delight.

"The meal other people treat me to could be so delicious.”

Ecstatically and with eyes closed, she is looking forward to Kazuma’s reaction. However, the severe retort she certainly believed would come, no matter how much time passes, doesn’t appear. She opens her eyes, looking at Kazuma. The man sitting in front of her turned an absentminded gaze outside the window.

He didn’t hear a word from Ayano’s provocation.

“What are you looking at?”

“Hmmm? Ah......”

Brought back by Ayano’s voice Kazuma’s eyes barely return to her.

“Nothing”

“...............hmm”

to be continued