Kaze no Stigma (風の聖痕, Kaze no Stigma? lit. Stigma of the Wind) is a Japanese light novel series written by Takahiro Yamato and illustrated by Hanamaru Nanto.
3
"Do you know? It seems Kazuma has returned to Japan. What's more, he's become a fuujutsu practitioner."
"What! That incompetent has? It must be dead simple, then, to be a fuujutsu practitioner.
"Nope, 'I'm a dark magician' is what I heard. For him to become a practitioner he'd have to sell his soul to the devil—right?"
"Ah, that's probably true."
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha…"
That day rumors of Kazuma were the talk of the Kannagi main house. Of the elders—the general term for one retired from active service and now overseeing the management of the practitioners—having heard Shinji's report, only one wasn't jokingly spreading around nonsense.
Shinji was currently under probation for the offense of the aforesaid failure in his duty. Tail fin, dorsal fin, belly fins, all were wildly added to the rumor, until it grew to maturity—and not one person tried to stop it.
The source of the rumors, the elders, appeared to be in complete delight. The kind of people called elders—if you accepted the extremely serious exceptions—were basically men of leisure. "Looking important is work," and so on, was the gossip some attacked with.
When there was no work, they would drink tea all day and amuse themselves in talking about various topics. Obviously, they could not resist something interesting to talk about.
They were dancing for joy on the inside upon hearing Shinji's news. The elders, when they passed the verdict of probation on the dejected Shinji, had even something of a skipping type of light gait, while they drank tea and turned back to each other. They haphazardly began talking like this:
"Ohh, did you know…?"
The elders, during this work time, were like different people in energetic activity.
Within the hour there was almost nobody in the huge mansion who had not heard of Kazuma's return to the country. It certainly reached the servants—and then all kinds of people heard about it.
It was, in short, a situation where almost nobody knew the true facts, but it wasn't a big problem for the elders, since If it's interesting, who cares what happens later! was the elders' basic attitude.
And so, news of Kazuma spread—the exact opposite direction Shinji hoped for,
To wit—
"Kazuma's returned as a dark magician."
"Kazuma was secretly murdered; he's buried in the back garden."
"Kazuma clashed with Shinji during work and suddenly killed him."
"Kazuma made a contract with the wind spirits. An evil demon."
The truth was subtly mixed in; but having come this far nobody could really interpret it. Obviously no one feared Kazuma's retribution.
The main family's failure had left all his talent in his mother's womb, like liquid skimmed off the top, had somewhat found a preferable power to take in, it seemed. Nobody laughed at that.
However, there were a small number of exceptions. One of those was the current suzerain, Kannagi Juugo. During supper, in the humorous talk that was being told, there was one item Juugo was interested in.
"Ohhhh? Kazuma chose fuujutsu? Did you know that, Genma?"
Juugo spoke to his cousin sitting next to him. For some reason, as if harboring some ill will, he smiled a hating smile.
"…Oh"
Genma answered in brief. Apparently the rumor had already reached his ears, and he didn't appear disturbed.
However, it was clear he wasn't happy about the rumor either. The saying, like someone chewing up a bitter bug, perfectly described his frown as he gripped a tight fist.
If Kazuma was in front of me, I'd want to strangle him to death. It was that kind of face.
"It's shameful."
"It's not especially shameful." Juugo answered lightly, and then gave a command to a servant. "I would like to hear a detailed account. Call Shinji."
"Certainly."
Shinji went as far as scraping down to the tatami in his prostration. His tension was great; sweat floated on his forehead and his breathing was disordered.
Regarding the Kannagi family, it would be fitting to say that the difference between the main family and the branch family's status was absolute. To even dream of a revolution was foolish.
Tradition, social status—it wasn't a system based on that kind of abstract idea. The thing separating the two was only—only—the overwhelming difference in power.
If all the practitioners of the branch family were to fight, if it was with someone like Juugo or Genma, they would be smashed by the wiggle of a little finger. Because of this hopeless kind of power difference, no thoughts of rebellion were harbored.
You could say it was understandable how Shinji would be under such tension. In front of Juugo, who had something similar to a god's absolute superiority, and having to recount his clumsy failure. This was definitely worse than his original feelings.
"Raise your face. You don't have to humble yourself like that."
Juugo spoke in a friendly manner; but to look into the suzerain's face and speak was far too overwhelming for Shinji. In the end he raised his face, but his eyes still stared towards the tatami as he submitted his report.
"A-and, I now have the privilege of being allowed to give this report."
When Shinji had finished recounting everything, Juugo said "…I see," and was silent for a while.
"…I see."
As if to confirm, he repeated it one more time. He closed his eyes lightly, and reminisced back to when his nephew—to be accurate, the relation was more separated than that, but he used the label since it was too much trouble—had left 4 years ago.
—What a poor child he was.
If he had been born to any but the Kannagi family, he would have been considered a superior child, probably. Excellent intellect, good reflexes too, and he also showed great promise in learning the jutsu. Except for one; only if you excepted the ability to manipulate fire.
However, for the Kannagi family it was certainly the most necessary ability.
No matter what else he was proficient at, someone with no talent for manipulating fire was treated as an incompetent. As a result of that, Kazuma was no longer part of the Kannagi.
Yet— Juugo thought.
Why didn't you ask me for help, Kazuma? There was no need to disown you from the family. If it was me, I would have made a place for you. Whatever Genma said, I wouldn't have cared about the Enjutsu, I would have made use of your talent, yet despite that…
Juugo looked down upon his right leg. That right leg was a thing made of metal and plastic. If that accident hadn't happened, and the "rule of inheritance" hadn't been rushed, maybe Kazuma would be here right now?
However, it was far too late. Kazuma had thrown away the family, the family name, all that was Kannagi, and had left Japan. This was reality. The past a thing that could never be changed.
"…Suzerain?"
That uncertain sounding voice brought Juugo back to reality. Upon looking around, he found everyone in an uncomfortable silence. It wasn't surprising. There were almost none among these who had not tormented Kazuma.
However, the one who had driven Kazuma out was calm. That person—Genma—spoke out, without a single change in his expression.
"Suzerain. Kazuma is already someone without any connection to the Kannagi. There is no need to worry about him."
"Genma, you would, of your own son—"
"I have only one son, Ren."
Genma spoke coolly, interrupting the suzerain's words. Juugo tried to say something else in reply, but disliking unproductive battles, he put other, safer words into his mouth.
"It's fine then. After all, Kazuma has become successful with fuujutsu. Maybe it was best that he left the Kannagi. Or maybe, Hyoue, if he had been entrusted to your place, he would have become skilled and powerful?"
"Perhaps." Sitting at a lower seat, the head of the Fuuga clan answered sullenly.
At that, Genma again cut in with an objection.
"We are afraid, yet Fuujutsu and such, are after all, lower arts. The most they are capable of is acting as assistants to Enjutsu. Even supposing 4 years ago, we knew of Kazuma's talent for Fuujutsu, for us to leave him to people like the Fuuga clan, clearly, we would still have to disinherit him."
Hearing his art publicly insulted, Hyoue twisted his face in humiliation. However, nobody paid any attention to Hyoue nor his face.
For the Kannagi family, who only noticed the value of fighting power, the Fuuga clan, having been given the reconnaissance and battle support duties, were limited to a lower status. Genma's words were not reckless. They weren't anything beyond the normal beliefs of the other Kannagi.
"…We will go no further with this talk. Dinner will become unpleasant."
At Juugo's words, everyone showed clearly relieved expressions on their faces. As if on cue, cheerful talk began, and they rolled around laughing at silly jokes.
Though awkward, the usual dining hall atmosphere returned.
And so, nobody noticed the dark light harbored in Hyoue's eyes. He suppressed the expression on his face, and murmured in a voice so small it did not even reach his own ears.
"I will not forget this disgrace, Genma…"
To be continued...
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