June 30, 2016

Kasane [Chapter 75 - In the Midst of a Rainy Night ①]


Walking out the rain with Kasane to the car, Kingo says, “Just now, you said, ‘using the lipstick in order to exist in this world’. Izana-san is also the same at that time..but, THE THING IS that person isn’t allowed to BE BORN INTO THIS WORLD.” Getting into the car, Kasane asks about that ‘BE BORN INTO THIS WORLD..?’

Inside the car, Kingo says that’s right. “There is a social custom in the place where Izana-san was born and that is, ‘an ugly child born on the 43rd year of the sexagenary cycle [1966; year of the fire horse, renowned for disasters and the birth of women destined to kill their husbands. Source: Tangorin] has to be killed’...

...Even if it is already at the decade of a century, that kind of horrifying but true thing exists. So, she basically should have been killed when she was born. But the person who helped Izana’s mother in giving birth saved her. That person is an outsider who came there to get married...

...In order to retain Izana-san’s life, she claimed, ‘The baby that was born is already dead’. Then, she secretly brought her up while hiding her from the villagers.” Kasane is speechless that Kingo says that it’s quite inconceivable, right. Kasane asks how come he knows of her mother’s past.
Kingo says that it is because they are from the same village. “The person who brought up Izana-san had also once taken care of me for a period of time. She let me see Isana-san and told me everything. But, hiding her from others and secretly raising her up is not at all such a simple thing...

...Aside from her foster mother, Izana has never seen anyone. She is separated from society. Even if she is at the sensitive stage of more than ten years old, she also can only spend time by staying at home in that cabin located at the deepest mountain. *scene of Izana wearing a yukata with books around and a flashlight for light.*...

...For many years, she is always tormented by the fact of “because you are ugly so you shouldn’t live” but, the power of the ‘lipstick’ caused that person’s fate to have an earthshaking change.” There is a scene of Izana reaching out to some red powder and puts it on her lips then she became beautiful.

[<- that is the original form of the lipstick that Izana found, iirc, deep in a river where the murdered babies are buried. It is supposedly the power of the Red Witch. She first became aware of the power when she tried to save her dying adopted mother. That is from the novel about Izana.]
“Izana-san stole the face of Namino, a young beautiful girl from the same village.” [<- They are of the same age. At this time, while plotting, learned of the ‘lipstick’s limitation – time limit regarding the exchange. Later on, due to ‘mistaken identity’, Izana had sex with Namino’s boyfriend, Kaido Nagi, whom Izana also loves.

Nagi is a researcher and it is through him Izana learned about the red powder. Izana had sent Nagi away before she accomplishes her revenge plot.] “She killed all who thought that she is a person who shouldn’t exist in this world. She left after burning the village.” [<- she killed them by poisoning the water. There is a custom after some festival about the Red Witch, they are to have a toast/drink. She warned Kingo not to drink.

At that time, Namino is the actress of the Shinto festival’s play/kagura. Everyone is mesmerized over ‘Namino’/Izana’s performance which Izana copied by just watching Namino practice. Afterwards, Kingo’s father tried to rape ‘Namino’ but she was saved by Kingo -> unintentionally kill by hitting him with something. Kingo is still confused knowing the this isn’t the same Namino]
“That is called as the Akeiwa incident that caused a sensation at that time in the news. Of course, the culprit was never found. Altogether, 14 people were killed. I’m the only survivor of that incident.” [<- then he got adopted by the Habuta-s] Kasane asks if he watched his own family being killed. With a slight smirk, Kingo says that even if he has blood relations with those people, but they are also guilty and deserves to be punished.

“I didn’t realize how happy I can be to be able to leave that family. To me, Izana-san is a benefactor who opened up a brand new road for me. *Kasane quietly watches Kingo* But, even if she escaped out of the village.. it isn’t considered ‘birth’. *scene of Izana carrying her bags while walking in the snow* Because she had killed Namino whom she exchanged face with. [<- that’s the first step to the revenge]...

...The lipstick’s effect can be maintained at most for just five days. Although this is also a magnificent life’s journey..but for you, the story afterwards is perhaps more important. Not as the ugly woman unknown to anyone, but how she became ‘Fuchi Sugeyo’ the actress--”
Flashback: At a park, Izana sat on the bench while quietly observing the women passing by. She stood up and thought that this place called ‘street’ that unexpectedly have so many beautiful women.. “But even if it is like that, I already don’t have anyone to depend on nor to talk with. I totally do not have the opportunity to set things in motion..” She looked at the small bottle containing the red powder.

Soon, she is walking some quiet road. She can no longer move and like this, she’ll only just die on the street.. “If I cannot become ‘someone else’ then I couldn’t attain things, whether it is money or family... I can only take along this ugly face that people despised and scorned then die..

...*held face* it wasn’t easy to escape out from that damned place.. *then, she saw a beautiful girl running in front of her.* That is the most beautiful creature that I have ever since until now. Like a moth attracted to light, I cannot help but chase after her.” Izana stood up and picked up her bag. She ran and followed that beautiful girl. She saw the girl go upstairs. Catching her breath, she saw the sign on the building, ‘theater’.
On the billboard, a poster about the Little Mermaid play is displayed. She went in the building. A cashier is about to welcome Izana but upon seeing her closely, he asked if she is a bum. The cashier apologized for right now, he still hasn’t eaten and he doesn’t have anything to give her.. Izana exclaimed that it isn’t that.

After a bit of hesitation, she tossed some coins on the table. The cashier is puzzled then asked if she is a customer. He scratched his head and said that this money aren’t enough and they’re quite filthy but..about that, ah..forget it.. He says that anyway, it isn’t the official thing..so just this once! He told her to get in for it has already started. Izana thanked him.

Inside, Izana is mesmerized upon seeing the floating lit jellyfishes at the stage. Someone narrated, “From the ocean’s shore, swim to the very deepest place where the water color becomes azure like the loveliest cornflower, clear like glass, pure and clean. *on the stage, there is a mermaid sleeping on a shell*...
...Altogether, there are six princesses. *Izana looked tense as the mermaid sat up* And among them, the youngest princess is the most beautiful one.” Narration: “That is the meeting of Izana-san and Fuchi Sugeyo-- Furthermore.. *Izana watched the play when the mermaid met the prince to the point where she couldn’t kill him and the play ended* it is also her meeting with the stage and play.”

Izana’s heart is beating fast. She thought that it is like the kagura at Akeiwa.. “Obviously it is merely a fabricated world but my hunger..and fatigue..I’ve forgot about them as they went up to cloud nine..” Then, someone called out to her. It is the janitress telling her to quickly leave for the other customers had already left.. Standing up, Izana apologizes but suddenly fainted. She can only hear the janitress calling out to her.

Later on, Izana is lying down a futon. She groaned and wondered where she is. She thought that just now, it seems that she is watching ‘Little Mermaid’.. “Ah, that’s right. *suddenly sat up* that beautiful girl..!!” Izana is surprised to hear someone screamed in surprise. She turned around to see the beautiful girl apologizing to her for she was a bit startled when Izana suddenly sat up..
Comment: So, we now meet the real Sugeyo. She seems to be the timid type to be suddenly surprised by Izana sitting up and even apologizing for it. Apparently, Izana had really stained her hands with blood that it really pales in comparison to Kasane who was hesitant about such things.

Regarding that superstition in Akeiwa, the fact is, Izana is the product of rape. It seems that there is some tradition of some sort, from what I can understand wherein men from certain families would sneak in other houses and rape their women. And use some superstition as a reason for killing the babies.

When dying, her adopted mother told her the truth which made Izana angry. The final straw was when she learned from Kingo after it was hinted by Namino, that her adopted mother was ‘cast out’ from the town and suffered indirectly because of her. I forgot how they knew Izana is around and if they knew, why they didn’t bother with her. ^^;

Anyway, I think she’ll meet up with Nagi later on which might lead to Kingo’s ‘sin’. Interestingly enough, Nagi’s surname is the same with Atae. I guess with that experience, Izana had become cunning and clever as she tries to find her next victim. As fate will have it, Sugeyo just pass by in front of her and that lead to the theater, her future career.

Based on the play, I guess Izana is the sea witch here who is going to do some ‘exchange’. ^^; Interestingly, I guess the mothers had ‘switched’ with the daughters. When Izana was young, she was secluded but now, it was Nogiku. Both are out for revenge and had killed people. Before, Sugeyo is ‘used’ by someone who wasn’t supposed to exit whereas now, Kasane is ‘using’ someone who ‘doesn’t exist’. Scans by RAD汉化组

Quote of the day:
Survivors aren't always the strongest; sometimes they're the smartest, but more often simply the luckiest. ~ Carrie Ryan, The Dark and Hollow Places

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the summary, it was great. I read the novel, too (translated in Chinese by fan online, used google translate to English to read) and loved it. There were some words I didn't get from the novel website and weren't translated properly but your summary cleared that up (so thanks a lot for that too!). Also, I agree with what you said before, that the mothers and daughters do share a connection in terms of roles, with izana/nogakiu and the others. This story is so exciting! I've been dying to know more of kasanes mom and the real sugeyo fuchi! Thanks again so much for this summary!!! Sorry again about the other post (asking when u would update, I felt kinda rude...)
    What do u think will happen in the next chapter? How will the real sugeyo and izana interact and how with the deal (of the lipstick) be established?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading and the comment ^-^

      Lol, I did that too. Too lazy to read it in detail and it was very long ^^;;

      =)

      Don't mind. It took a bit of time since I was speed reading the novel. ^^; I think it was necessary in order to know some scenes in this chapter. Then, the other regular series came out so.. ^^;;

      Ah...the next chapter is already out so I cannot really make a guess about it since I've seen it ^^; There are actually two more summaries to do for this series. That question will be answered in both 76 and 77. ^^

      Hope you'll continue to read and comment. Thank you ^^

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