Kaze no Stigma

Volume 3, Chapter 2 - Small Client

Part 1

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 haunting 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 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 below, there was a thing, as one would expect, she cannot stomach. The width of Kazuma's body increased by 20%. He did not 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, letting anger take it’s natural course.

“I’m sick of it! Why does Father hire 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 a 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 these, 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? They’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 threw 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 cheapskate!”

“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 > 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 curious 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”

"Sorry to keep you waiting" For a short while the same quarrel-like unromantic conversation continued. The waiter appeared carrying champagne.

"....ufuu ♥"

Ayano attentively watched the champagne poured into her glass, making satisfied sounds, with a smile on her face. She took the glass in one hand.

"Well then, let's celebrate another job successfully finished - "

The moment she put up her glass for the toast, Kazuma abruptly stood up.

"Kazuma?"

"I'm sorry but I have urgent business. I'll take care of the bill, so don't worry."

With those words, without looking at Ayano, he took the receipt and walked away.

"Eh...wait..."

Ayano stared in a daze at Kazuma, paying by the register. And just like that, without any sort of greeting, Kazuma left the store and disappeared in the middle of the crowd.

"What's the matter with you..."

At that time Ayano finally calmed down. The simmering anger made her body tremble.

"What are you trying to say......!"

Because this was a public place she barely managed to keep her voice down. In that state, that violent emotion that filled her insides was demanding an outlet to get angry at.

The slender fingertips supporting the legs of the champagne glass broke it with a sinister sound.

Part 2

After leaving the restaurant, with a manner of walking that showed no hesitation, Kazuma had his eyes upon the back street. After walking several minutes, finding a slightly empty space and stopping there, he looked up at the sky.

"Well then - what are you going to do?"

Facing the empty space, quietly, Kazuma asked -

"Will you come out by yourself? Or else - be dragged out?"

The answer was a blow. The light ball that suddenly appeared came flying at high speed, aiming at Kazuma's head.

That oblique attack from the sky, Kazuma dodged it, nimbly swaying back. The light ball flying before his eyes suddenly altered its angle and started climbing just before it crashed into the ground.

A second dive.

But this time, with no dodging involved, its aim was off.

"Good grief!"

The light ball flies around Kazuma as it pleases. The irregular high speed maneuver disregarding the laws of inertia, perfectly exceeds humans' perception capacity.

By using his eyes alone, Kazuma can only perceive the light ball's movement as a line not a point.

But -

Lightly, his right hand stretched horizontally. As it, just by doing that he can take something which has been placed there, a relaxed, natural movement.

And yet, when the light track blended with his fingertips, as if it was something they mutually agreed upon - Kazuma's hand seized the light ball. And without change grasped it tightly.

"It huts, it hurts, it huuuuuurts!!"

The high pitch shrill that gushed out of the light ball jolted his brain.

Simultaneously the light faded and the real figure hidden inside materialized. It had a human pattern. However, it's height was less than twenty centimeters. Incidentally, the ears were slightly sharp and transparent wings were growing from its back.

Looking hard at the thing held in his hand, Kazuma murmured, looking bored.

"What, it was a bug?"

"Wrong! Bug is wrong!!"

From inside Kazuma's palm, that thing was wiggling and struggling.

It was belonging to the species referred to as pixies. Living inside forests, mischievous but cute fairies. They rarely ventured into human communities but as he unfortunately knew, not never.

It happened at the end of the last year. Together with Ayano, during the job at the school she was attending, it was the first time he was around something called "a fairy's prank".

Although he was the only whose good fortune wasn't damaged, the memory of that one night's stupid fooling around was still fresh.

"So, what do you want?" asked Kazuma with apathetic words.

If the pixie were to say this is just "a greeting because of a chance meeting" he was seriously determined to crush it.

"You see, you see, I have a request, Contractor-sama."

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem this fairy just happened to pass by. However, the response was meaningful. Because he was called by a name it wasn't supposed to know.

"Does this mean that instead of greeting the party you want to ask a favor from, you start the attack?"

Cross-examined, visibly looked down upon, while innocently laughing, the fairy answered.

"Ah, that - that was a play for the sake of an impressive stage-entry? Something like that - ouuuuch!?"

"Ha - ha - ha"

With a dry laughter, Kazuma grasps the fairy, considerably inserting more force. He said with perfectly serious tone:

"Die at once!"

"Auuuu...it huuurts, I'm really going to die!"

With sober eyes. Kazuma looked at the struggling fairy. - Of course, without reducing the strength.

Observing the way the fairy's movements were becoming slughish, when it's breath became faint, he opened his palm. With no energy to flap it's wings, the fairy fell to the ground with a flop. After several seconds -

"Auuuuu.....how cruel....Gyaaaa!"

Kazuma lightly placed his foot above the fairy who got up at last.

While feeling a frail resistance from the sole of his foot, he fired the next question.

"Well then, question number two. Where did you find out about me?"

"Aah, how terrible!"

Just like that, the energetic fairy jumped out from underneath the foot. Standing still in front of Kazuma's eyes, glaring at him as if saying "I'm really angry!"

"You don't remember about me?"

"You don't get it."

Waiving his hand quite bothered, flinging off the fairy's complaints and its body, Kazuma asked:

"What did you call me?"

Surely the pixie saw his face during that incident but he doesn't remember telling it he was a Contractor. It wasn't information easy to come by.

"Ah - that? I heard it from the head of our village", answered the fairy as a matter of course. Laying on its back with legs outstretched, it continued with a triumphant air.

"And so, it's been decided that only Contractor-sama can rescue our family from crisis. I was sent because I was a close acquaintance."

"............that so?"

close acquaintance - who are you talking about?

Although harboring that that sort of feeling, he can't flatly refuse the request of the patriarch of the fairy village. Kazuma pressed forward.

"So, what is that request?"

"This is a major incident!"

Planning to display its anger, the fairy rose slightly higher than Kazuma and talked on and on leaning forward.

"Recently humans have entered the village and stole the family's treasure!"

Contrastive to the excited fairy, Kazuma replied in a sober tone.

"..........Well, that happens often."

"No, it doesn't! Even the patriarch said it is unparalleled in history!"

"That's wrong", Kazuma declared with absolute confidence.

The fairy's village is placed in a slightly different dimension from the material world humans inhabit. Therefore, by physical means it absolutely cannot be reached.

"I don't know whether it is unprecedented or not but it will happen again. No matter how secure barriers will you form, in front of human greed, they are powerless"

For the sake of satisfying one's desire humans conquered all hardships. Even if a dimensional barrier were to block their way, if it is necessary, it will, without exception be smashed.

What's more, they don't pay attention to the damage inflicted on others.

The affirmation of all desires - whether they are good or evil, that is mankind's course of action - Kazuma knew it so.

"Don't be so proud of such a thing......."

"It doesn't mean I am particularly proud of it. I am simply pointing out the truth."

Even because of those eyes obviously filled with blame, Kazuma doesn't falter. Throwing out his chest with dignity, he affirms himself.

"Moving on, the request is to find the treasure, right?"

"Uh-huh. That's right. If we don't have it, our entire existence will be in danger!"

Seeming convinced that the request was already heard, the fairy began dancing, looking glad. While quietly starring at that appearance, Kazuma let out the essential question.

"Will there be a reward?"

The fairy petrified in the middle of her dance. Voiceless, eyes and mouth forming 3 separate O's, it stared at Kazuma. Kazuma also, calmly stared back at her. Not less than one full minute, they stared at each other.

"............errrr.............Contractor-sama..............."

Finally pulling herself together, the fairy asked Kazuma in a cracked voice.

"What?"

"Contractor-sama, you made a contract with the spirits of the wind and became a Contractor, right........?"

"Yes", Kazuma nodded in assent.

"And because of that, well........we, the pixies, are fairies affiliated with the wind, you could say the relatives of wind spirits.........."

"Thank you for especially teaching me such an obvious thing. What of it?"

"So,.........well, as for the proxy of the King of the Spirits on this earth, isn't it natural to help his family in times of crisis, don't you think?"

"...........Ah, I see."

Smiling sweetly, Kazuma kindly extended a hand to the fairy. He softly wrapped his hand around that small body, treating it like fragile glass work.

"Listen up, bug."

"No, hear me out, I'm not a....."

With that firm smile that clung to him like a mask, Kazuma inserted little by little more power in the hand grabbing the fairy.

"Wow - putting one's life on the line for the proof of one's identity, huh? Not what I've hoped for but that way of life can't be evaluated."

"Auuu....fine, something like me, just an insect............."

Yielding to terror, the fairy sold her pride. Kazuma nodded.

"Listen really close, bug. You should know about me that just because I made a contract with the King of Spirits, it doesn't mean I am burdened with some special sort of special duty."

"S-sneaky.........does that mean that you took all the power without any sort of risk?"

"Yeah", Kazuma boldly declared tossing the fairy.

"That's why, if you want to request something from me, start by showing me the stack of cash. I'll listen to your story after that."

Saying those words he turned his back on the thrown out fairy and started walking.

It wasn't a strategy, much less a joke. Kazuma considered this discussion already over.

"Wh - wait a minute!"

The dumbfounded fairy, seeing off his retreating figure, flew before Kazuma in a panic.

"I understand, we'll give you some of our village's treasure."

".........a fairy's treasure?" Kazuma frowned, very suspicious.

"Something like glass beds or pretty stones you picked by the river or insect shells or - "

"The fairy village is not a crow's nest! We have lots of gold and gems, you know!?"

Just by hearing that, Kazuma's facial expression didn't cheer up. Looking up at that fairy with that apathetic face, he casually said:

"How much of those?"

"Uuu, huh....."

"There doesn't seem to be a big amount, huh? If your family is in crisis hand over at least half of everything you own!"

"You'll go that far!?"

"That's the foundation of business, you know", Kazuma heartlessly declared to the whining fairy.

With sulky eyes, she glared at Kazuma.

"........I have to consult the patriarch"

After all, it became like this.

"Please do. And - "

Nodding proudly, Kazuma suddenly changed the topic.

"About the treasure, what is it?"

"Eh?"

"So, the shape, the material, its function or something like that. If you don't tell me about those I can't search for it."

After understanding the meaning of those words, the gloomy, depressed fairy's facial expression began to shine. She shouted with vigor.

"You came around!?"

Answering to the fairy's smiling face, Kazuma also broadly grinned.

"If it's the treasure of the fairy village, I pray it has enough value to satisfy me."

Instantly the fairy remembered that optical illusion-like mouth that seemed to split until ears. Timidly, she asked:

"Say......just for reference, what will you do if it doesn't satisfy you?"

"Annihilation, isn't it obvious?"

".......isn't it obvious..."

Toward the fairy, involuntarily repeating it, Kazuma grinned all the more.

"When that time comes, you will be the last to go. After burning in your memory that the destruction of your family was the result of the rashness of your speech, you can die."

Sizing it in his hand for the third time, Kazuma laughed enjoying himself from the bottom of his heart. If, from that back bat-like wings and a pointed tail were to appear because she was hallucinating, that is definitely not the fairy's responsibility. "Auuuu......."

"Well then......"

Permitting for a while the fairy's scream, Kazuma returned to the topic.

"Enough idle talk, tell me the job details."

"Well, you see.........to call the announcement of my entire family's annihilation idle talk......"

"You're noisy. So, what kind of treasure is it?"

"This kind"

Smoothly escaping Kazuma's hand, the fairy's and his head touched each other. Through the contact portion, the "treasure"'s image poured into Kazuma's brain.

"...........a seed?"

That was the first impression. Unidentified life force, so to speak.

The strong pounding wave, from within the shell, rose ready to burst open.

"What on Earth is this?"

Being asked so, the fairy looked away. After its eyes wondered about for a while, it looked at Kazuma, waiting for an answer, with an upward glance.

"Let me see.......that is something like a trade secret..........no?"

"What sort of business?............well, it doesn't matter."

Although riposting, Kazuma easily allowed the secret. He had no interest in a treasure he can't take hold of and obtained only the necessary information for searching. There's no meaning investigating further.

"Then show me the points the humans invaded through. We'll follow from there."

The wind will certainly remember the treasure's presence. No matter how advanced the enemy's shielding was, Kazuma had confidence he could locate it less than 24 hours.

"Eh? Ah, that's fine. Because we know where it is."

"What? - Ah, so that's the reason."

The answer to the question that came to mind, Kazuma instantly found it by himself. In other words the commission wasn't for a search but for a recovery.

"The place it is this way."

The fairy touched his hear with hers for a second time. Deriving the name of the place from the information flowing in, Kazuma's eyes faintly opened wider.

"........Ah? This is - "

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing. Leaving that aside, bug, are you coming too?"

"Yeah, I'm coming. - By the way, Contractor-sama?"

Resigned but including a faint hope, the fairy looked at Kazuma.

"Do you remember my name?"

"No."

Instant reply. Incidentally he had no guilty feeling about it. The fairy named herself with a sigh.

"It's Tiana. Please treat me favorably, Contractor-sama."

"Stop that. Kazuma is fine."

When Kazuma told her his name, the fairy - Tiana corrected herself, looking glad.

"Please treat me favorably, Kazuma♥."

"Use Kazuma-sama."

"............."

"It's a joke."

".........teh"

Overwhelmed by anger, she pretended to throw kicks from Kazuma's back.

Ei! Ei!! I give up!!!

After the one-two punch, a reversal left hook and then a left, low hit finish stroked Kazuma's phantasm, Tiana finally felt refreshed.

However, she was careless. Kazuma was a Fuujutsushi - within a certain range his perception had no blind spots.

"I saw that."

"Fukyaaa."

The small wind pebble flied together with the cold reply, delivering a hard blow on Tiana's face.

Part 3

"Kazumaaaaa, it's boring ~ "

From inside the improvised wind cage, Tiana's boredom leaked out.

"Hey, Kazumaaaa - fugyuuu!?"

Eliminating reply time, Kazuma shrunk the wing cage, putting screws on Tiana. When her complexion became bluish-purple and the restrains became loose he shortly informed her.

"Shut up."

"Auuuuu...."

Disregarding the fairy's groans, Kazuma shifted his focus outside of the window. The streaming landscape. Because the sun already set, the place of destination supposed to be beyond that point couldn't be seen. Even if that is supposed to be the highest place in Japan.

"A train? Why a train? If it were me, I would fly."

"Then fly. By yourself."

That exchange of words already happened two hours ago.

Even forcibly, about no choosing a different course of action, Kazuma was regretting it vehemently. The fact that the pixies are mischievous creatures it's a universally known legend. But, for most people it seems that they regard that mischief counterbalancing the lovely outward appearance as something charming. They are absolutely wrong.

The pixies pranks are plenty disagreeable. Breaking items that would have lasted a lifetime or changing outcomes to force people into unpleasant situations - they will do them without hesitation. Tiana was no exception.

Opening the running train's door all of a sudden, erasing the window glass where children bent forward to see outside, causing poltergeist phenomena into the driver's seat.

And lastly - it's unknown how she did it, but when she managed a train barrel roll, Kazuma's patience cord was severed. Keeping her in a wind cage, he sealed her entire movement.

Tiana may be complaining but considering this is Kazuma, it's possible to say this is a remarkably generous step. Without speech and attitude, it's possible she has nothing but some residual part of race awareness.

"Kazumaaa, let me out....."

Otsuki ~ Otsuki

Covering Tiana's voice, obstinately begging, the announcer informed about the arrival at the place of destination. Watching Kazuma get up in silence, Tiana's eyes sparkled.

With this, he'll let me out!

But, far from releasing her, he let the wind cage itself behind, got off the train and started walking.

"...........Eh? W-wait!?"

Without response to the frantic voice, calling to halt, the train slowly started to move. From the window Tiana looked at the station platform. In the middle of the scene that started to flow little by little, just once, Kazuma waved his hand.

"........Ah.......Ah......"

It's body shaking with anger, the fairy shouted as far as possible.

"Kazuma, you idiot!"

That scream that couldn't shake the atmosphere reached no one's ears.

Approximately 10 minutes afterwards.

"Kazumaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

From behind a motorcycle sprinting on the dark street, a screaming light ball was approaching. The light ball suddenly stopped right beside Kazuma's face. Maybe because the relative velocity was equal, the figure of the girl growing wings inside the light and even her angry expression could be perceived in detail.

Shifting his attention to her only for a second, he muttered, bored-looking.

"That was unexpectedly quick."

"Why did you do that? Leaving someone behind, how terrible!"

"Well, I hesitated."

It wasn't about whether or not to take someone along.

"Not that sort of indulgent method but whether or not I ought to deal with you before, to eliminate future trouble."

"..............tch!"

Involuntarily, the imagining of "eliminate future trouble" drew Tiana's attention. Thinking about his behavior so far, there is no room for doubt. This man is serious.

"Auuuuuuu~ I won't pull pranks anymore so don't kill me!"

To the lamenting fairy, Kazuma showed a cynical smile.

"Ho - Can you take responsibility for those words? Next time I'll deal with you in a conclusive manner."

a conclusive manner - an abstract expression and yet that meaning was excessively tangible.

Trembling in fear, Tiana nodded soundlessly.

"..........humph"

Faintly slanting his lips, Kazuma twisted the acceleration. Tiana chased in a panic that speeding up bike. Both of them aimed at the destination straight ahead. The vast forest stretching out at the bottom of Japan's highest peak rising in front of them, Mt. Fuji, the Aokigahara Forest.

"Hey, hey."

Even after promising to be a good child, Tiana can't be silent more than one minute. Even humans can be like this at times. Those who can't endure psychological silence.

"Where did you get that vehicle?"

It was a natural question. A more accurate one would be not "where" but "by what means". At any rate it would have been impossible to make preparations for riding on a plot of land he had no plans of visiting.

Kazuma replied simply.

"I borrowed it."

"Borrowed? Really? Maybe there are kind people after all."

Holding no sarcasm, those were sincere, praising words. The superficial comprehension towards human society in addition to humans themselves allowed such misunderstanding.

"Indeed. The society has not yet degraded so."

A brazen declaration. By the way Tiana didn't notice that Kazuma's garments too, subtly changed. As one would expect, he thought the down jacket to be ugly and changed it to a dark gray jacket. Perhaps this is also a borrowed item.

In any case, after nothing but traveling for a dozen of minutes, in the middle of the national highway going through the sea of the trees, Kazuma located a private road, quiet and secluded.

"This way, huh?"

"Yeah."

Abandoning the bike Kazuma jumped over an iron fence pretending to be broken. And then, after several jumps riding the wind, both of them arrived at a slightly elevated hill overlooking a magnificent residence built in the mysterious sea of trees.

"These guys?"

A murmur shaking in delight. The rising urge lifted his lips and a small laughter leaked out.

"I see. So they were these guys..."

".......Errr, I'm afraid to ask but are they your acquaintances?", Tiana timidly asked while flinching at the dangerous, carnivore-like smile.

"No, they're not personal acquaintances."

Kazuma clearly shook his head, while that ferocious smile still clinging to his face.

"But.....since while back I couldn't help but want to crush these guys."

"Wh-What kind of people are they?"

"These guys are..."

"............well, if it were me instead of him, I'd kill you instantly."

"Auuuuuu ~ I don't want to die."

While weeping, Tiana clung to Kazuma.

"Hey! If it's Kazuma, can you search where it went!? Can you!? Please, I'll pay an extra charge."

"Well - calm down."

"I can't calm down!!"

"Listen up! Look this way."

Kazuma turned around Tiana's head with all his might. Somehow he had a feeling its neck-bones made a somewhat thick sound but there is no meaning in paying attention to the head of such random living things like fairies.

"Auuuuuuuu~"

Kazuma quietly but with a sharp voice murmured close to the I-don't-know-why-but-fainting-in-agony fairy's ears.

"Look properly inside the mansion. Do you see?"

The residence was approximately 100 meters away. Furthermore it was night. The things that could be seen with a physical eye were only the outlines of the mansion. But -

"Huh? Isn't it kind of noisy?"

As far as Fuujutsushi and Pixies are concerned, both of them are companions of the wind spirits and reading the information the wind is carrying is easy.

Just as Tiana said, the residence's atmospheric was uproarious. Disturbance and impatience and the mayhem caused by them were transmitted as far as below the two.

"I wonder what happened."

"Well, it doesn't seem they are merely busy. Perhaps the disappearance of the treasure was an unexpected accident for that lot."

"You mean, that it was again stolen by a different someone. Doesn't that mean it will be more difficult to search!?"

Kazuma lightly shrug his shoulders.

"It's not like you'll be troubled if I don't find it personally."

"I'll be troubled!!"

Cruelly brushing away Tiana's half-cries he aimed a daring gaze at the mansion.

"Leaving jokes aside let's take a closer look."

Kazuma lightly kicked the ground. Enveloped by the whirling wind that body smoothly shook off the gravity's restraint. Shortening the distance by 10 meters with each jump, he stopped 20 meters from the mansion and stood still in the air above it. Tiana, running after him asked:

"Won't we be exposed? If we are so close?"

"It's safe", Kazuma assured her.

At any rate, the opponent is the Tsuwabuki Family - a family of Chijutsushis. They don't have techniques for detecting things that aren't connected to the ground.

"Well then - "

Concentrating his consciousness, he searched for useful information. As long as the other party is in a place with air, there is nothing an Enjutsushi can't spy on. Whether it's a distance of 20 meters, obstacles such as roofs and walls, for them it's equal with zero. Setting apart useless information as noise and picking up only the necessary one.

The tuning was immediately over. A little grazed alto was reached Kazuma's ears.

- you haven't captured it yet?

Yes - but we have perfectly caught hold of its presence and now it's only a matter of time.........

Not particularly. However splendid that is, The Grand Festival is tomorrow, do you understand?

"A - Already...."

At the impossible to decipher conversation, Tiana looked slightly doubtful at Kazuma.

"What is The Grand Festival?"

Without answering, Kazuma closed his eyes partly. Feeling the temperature falling below freezing at once, Tiana backed off shivering.

"I see - " with an icy smile etched to his face, Kazuma murmured slightly.

"It was this year, that thing?"

"Th - that thing?" too reckless Tiana asked a second time. But this time there was an answer.

"I said it earlier, didn't I? About that evil sacrificing ceremony. It seems they do it at intervals of approximately 30 years, on the first full moon night of the new year. In short, tomorrow night."

"You're well informed, huh?"

"Because it's a famous ritual."

Kazuma spit out unpleasantly.

"These fellows, far from hiding the use of sacrificing, they take pride in it, instead."

"Hmm - So, there is some connection between that ceremony and the treasure they stole from the pixie village?"

"There must be. As far as the Tsuwabuki are concerned, the ceremony is more important than anything. Because the rite is so close, there's no way they have enough composure to be concerned with unrelated stuff - but I have no idea what they'll use it for."

"That cannot be allowed - "

Silencing Tiana, who started screaming, Kazuma restarted the reconnaissance, this time projecting visual information.

Do hurry. I don' care about means. As the head's representative, you have permission to act freely.

In one of the mansion's rooms, a woman ordered the group of men. Kazuma focused on that woman.

dark - more than anything, that was the impression she made. The hair was oddly long. Darker than darkness itself, that straight glossy hair was falling like a waterfall as far as her knees. A black suit. It seemed a long straight skirt was coiling around her legs, but a deep slit on its left revealed almost all her thigh.

She was approximately in the later half of her twenties. Although amazingly beautiful, she was so bewitching she didn't seem human. From a distance she was a sight for sore eyes, and yet the type you didn't want to get to know. She seemed to be younger than the men surrounding her but there wasn't a single person appearing to look down on her.

All their foreheads were sweating, imploring the woman in a good mood.

If it seems we won't make it in time, we have no choice but to call Mayumi back.

......!!

At those matter of course words, the men were vehemently disturbed.

Kureha-sama, that would be against the Head's intention -

Silence!

That woman everyone called Kureha raised her head triumphantly.

Now that my father is sick, I am the one ruling over Tsuwabuki. Do you complain?

N - no.........we wouldn't......

Aiming a cynical smile at the overpowered, drained in cold sweat men, Kazuma whistles frivolously.

"Scary woman."

But that face suddenly became stiff. Kureha suddenly looked at the ceiling.

"........Ah? Oi, you don't say......"

That severe glance pierced the ceiling, directly grasping him. Although understanding it, that impossible fact halted his thought process. A lethal space was born.

who?

Simultaneously shouting for Kazuma's identity, his body was rapidly drawn to the surface.

"W - wait a second! What the heck is this?"

There's no way his wind was stopped. With a force by far surpassing the dynamic lift the wind produced, something dragged Kazuma to the ground.

What on earth is this!? But first, how did she noticed? Did she changed the dust in the atmosphere in a radar or something?

While Kazuma was confused, Kureha briskly gave direction to those men.

"There's a trespasser in the sky. I'll drop him off here so counter attack! "

"......Y-yes!", the men nodded obediently.

Although not understanding, it seems they put all their trust in Kureha's power. The eyes looking up at the ceiling held not a speck of doubt, storing power, preparing the one finishing blow for the intruder who will fall.

This is pretty bad, huh?, Kazuma whispered at his wit's end while falling.

This was not far from a crisis. Since he doesn't know by what kind of ability he is dragged down, it's impossible to resist. He tried to ease up the speed of the fall with wind, but it had almost no effect.

As if his body's weight was increased ten, no more then a hundred times.

.....that's it!

Kazuma swung downward a wind blade. Just because of that one stroke the field of that invisible power was cut cross-section-ally while the back-lash eased up the speed of the fall. But it was already too late -

Gonn! Gogann!

Smashing down the roof and the ceiling, Kazuma fell into the Tsuwabuki residence. Of course, the wind was doing the smashing, it's not like his life was in danger, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"Don't underestimate us!"

Barely managing to land, he used wind to counterbalance the Chijutsushi's attack coming from every direction. If they were to include one more blow, he would have obliterated everyone here.

"Fugyaaaa!"

But, Tiana's existence, falling on his head at that precise time turned away the chance to attack.

".............."

Without saying anything, Kazuma gripped the fairy from the top of his head and threw it onto the ground.

"Auuuuuuuu~"

"Good grief - "

After looking down on the groaning fairy very annoyed, he turned his eyes to the surroundings.

Because that attack supposed to deliver a certain kill was brushed off, the Chijutsushi peeled their eyes in fright. But, that wasn't all.

"F - fairy......?"

The man's eyes looked intensely at Tiana. Not the questioning look asking why the fairy is here.

Disturbance and surprise - a face that knows more than enough. Seeing that, Kazuma raised his lips. Kicking up a scattered-on-the-floor Tiana and sizing it, he shouted clearly:

"You people, who devastated the fairy village! Know that the sins of blockheads like you will never be forgiven! We won't let you use our treasure for your wicked ceremony. Know that tomorrow evening is the time this family will be ruined!"

Together with that bombastic pronouncement they escaped through the hole opened in the ceiling. Before the dumbfounded, completely played Chijutsushi calmed down, Kazuma's figure disappeared beyond the sea of trees.

"What was that at the end?"

Putting a 10 minutes distance from Tsuwabuki, properly sitting down on tree branches, Tiana asked with a stunned expression. Kazuma answered with a smile:

"A confirmation tentative and the last one, well, I just went with the flow. There's no meaning behind it."

The fairy's existence and Kazuma's words clearly disturbed them. But more then that, the positive proof that the Tsuwabuki family stole the fairy's treasure was obtained.

"Hmmm - So, what will you do next?"

"I'll wait", Kazuma replied simply.

"Only that?"

"From the conversation earlier, it seemed they grasped the treasure's whereabouts. They said they would search for it. There's no need for me to work, right?"

"............."

Without taking action, stealing the opponent's result - even if Tiana thought that was an absolute makeshift method, she kept her silence and her wisdom. One way or another, it seemed she had at least a little learning ability.

"Ku ku ku"

Thinking of something, Kazuma revealed an exceedingly enjoyable chuckle.

"If I keep hidden the fact that the secret treasure has been returned I'd be able to do what I wanted. Taking the moral high ground so to speak. I'll ask nicely so don't return it without a fight, alright?"

"Ku ku ku ku - "

Exactly as stated a while ago, he appears to plan the complete destruction of the Tsuwabuki. That the drifting smell of blood will be filling that dangerous, limitless laughter, Tiana was scared from the marrow of her bones.

Why? Why!?

While frantically plugging her ears, for the first time in her life, she complained to the King of the Wind Spirits.

Why did You make this kind of man Your Contractor!? That was absolutely, absolutely a mistake!

Whether the fairy's bitter soul scream reached the King of the Wind Spirits or not, only the spirit king knew.

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