Owari no Seraph – Ichinose Guren, 16-sai no Catastrophe v6c1

Title: Humiliation and Determination

Disclaimer: This is a fan-made translation from Chinese translations! Please go easy and enlighten us on any mistakes or deviations from the original light novel. All credit goes to the original author and illustrators. - Hyaka and Kuro Shion

Warning: This chapter contains some potentially distressful scenes. Also, please prepare some tissue packs beside just in case.—————————————————————————————

2 October.

Guren Ichinose was being brought to the penitentiary.

The same one his father was being held in. Seeing his son enter the prison, father seemed rather lethargic.

“…..Why are you, coming here?”

Guren looked at his father– Sakae Ichinose’s face.

He did not resemble his father that much.

Gentle eyes, milky skin. A stoic personality.

Father had always been gentle with Guren as he showered him with praises.

He said Guren was like his late mother; very strong-willed.

Therefore, you will definitely become a better Head of the Ichinose House compared to me.

He longed for the father who wasn’t competitive and was carefree and calm no matter what happened.

However, the present father was sapped of energy. His hair was dishevelled and he looked unsightly. His white hair was also very obvious. Dark circles adorned his eyes making him look quite a bit older than usual.

Even though Guren could not remember his father’s exact age at this point in time, he was sure that father was not this old when they last met at Nagoya.

Guren asked.

“…..You were interrogated?”

Father gave a gentle smile.

“No, I lack sleep. That’s all.”

“….”

“Rather than this, Guren, the things about you. Why are you here?”

“……”

“Is it because of me? Because I dragged you down.”

“This is not father’s mistake.”

“But Guren.”

“It’s alright. I was not interrogated. Still alright.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then, why are you here?”

Hearing this, he frowned.

Why come here?

He was here to look at father.

He was here to meet father.

Kureto allowed.

“…..”

Before the execution, they could meet once. Hiragi-sama graciously granted that.

To have a chance to come here and meet father was hard to come by.

His hands were shaking. It seemed as if he was even a little careless, he might be swallowed  by flames of fury. Because the Oni in his body was already prepared to exploit this. Therefore, he tried hard not to let his emotions swell. However, depiste this,

“…….Father, I’m sorry.”

His voice was shaking despite all.

Father replied him calmly, as usual.

“What.”

“I could not…..save father.”

“Then I’ll be executed?”

“Yeah.”

“So it’s like this.”

“This is all my fault.”

But father smiled.

“This is not your fault.”

“But.”

Father interrupted his words and placed his hand on Guren’s head. Just like when he was a child, caressing his head. As he was already taller than father, he did not look up like he used to when he was a child.

He lowered his head.

“I’m sorry, father.”

He said. Father smiled again.

“Don’t cry, idiot.”      

“But.”

“You have done well. I’m lucky to have a son like you, I feel happy.”    [note: OMG IM CRYING]

“…….”

Tears streamed down incessantly; they could not be stopped no matter what. He fell silent as he thought about his shameful weakness.

Father said.

“Well then, if I died, will the other subordinates will be rescued?”

Guren nodded.

“Yeah. I negotiated.”

To top it off, Mahiru gave him an unknown with Asuramaru residing in it. This should be a major reaping from the war. Asuramaru had this possibility of being able to substantially increase the natural capacity of weapons with a slight bit of investigation.

Kureto rewarded him for this. Initially it was for the execution date of his father and subordinates to be adjourned.

However, it was overturned.

During the meeting of the higher-ups of , the execution of Sakae Ichinose was decided.

The members of the meeting of the higher-ups included the Head of the Hiragi House, Tenri Hiragi and his nine cadres.

These nine cadres consisted the remaining nine Heads excluding the Ichinose House.

Nii House, Sangu House, Shijin House,

Goshi House, Rikudo House, Shichikai House,

Hakke House, Kuki House, Jujo House.           

[note: I cannot be sure if this is the right translation for the various houses.]

Mito’s father and Goshi’s father should be among them.

The decision to execute Sakae Ichinose was unanimous.

The reason was heinous.

They all agreed that by bringing back the vampire and Asuramaru, this reaping by Guren Ichinose, who swore his loyalty to Kureto Hiragi, might increase the number of followers of .

Therefore, for balance, the execution of the Head of the Ichinose House, Sakae Ichinose was decided to reinforce their position. They arrived at this conclusion.

The minutes of this meeting was heard from Goshi and Mito, so it probably was pretty accurate.

In other words, killing Sakae was an act to guard against Guren who flaunted his skills so arrogantly.

As such, Guren Ichinose, who could not even prevent the death of his father, would live up to his reputation as a loyal slave to the Hiragi House.

“Hey, father.”

Guren asked.

Father answered as he caressed his head.

“Why?”

“We, what are we living for?”

“…..”

“If this continues, we’ll remain slaves. No matter how hard we try, things will never move the way we want to them to.”

Father replied.

“Everyone wants to overturn their current situation. But it is due to the difference in skill level, things ended up this way.”

“But, thanks to the selfishness of those bastards, father is going to be killed.”

“Yeah, that’s right. If I am unhappy because of that, then, perhaps, there will be no point in living. However, do I look like I am unhappy?”

Guren looked up. Father was smiling calmly. As usual.

Looking at such a father, he frowned and said.

“Father is always smiling. I don’t understand.”

“Because I am happy. I have always felt happiness.”

“Liar.”

“Really.”

“Where’s the happiness? To have all these rotten things being thrown at us, only to be killed alas.”

Despite so, father smiled gently and patted his head.

“But you can live on. After my death, you will be the Head of the Ichinose House. If it is you, no one will protest. I feel satisfied as this.”

Father seemed to be really happy at this as he looked at Guren with no hesitation present in his eyes.

Hearing that.

“…..”

Guren felt bitter pain well up in his heart. His tears were threatening to spill over again,

“…..I, was unable to be like father.”

“You can do it.”

“But I”

Father interrupted.

“If it is you, then anything can be achieved. Therefore, continue doing what you feel is right.”

Just then, a voice rang out from the outside.

“Oi, you guys, get out. It is time to execute Sakae Ichinose.”

This sentence did not even sound like it was the reality. However, these words would morph into reality instantly. Father was going to be executed.

The prison doors were opened. A few unknown men rushed in.

Father couldn’t care less about these men as he gave Guren a tight hug.

“It’s time to say our goodbyes, Guren.”  

Guren replied with a soft, shaking voice.

“No.”

“This is the end. Let us smile as we part.”  

“I don’t want.”

“Thank you Guren. For being my son after coming into this world.”

“I don’t want, this.”

However, father was being grabbed by the men and was shackled.

He could not stop all these from happening. If he tried to intervene, the execution of hundreds of his subordinates would follow next. Therefore, he had no power to stop this.

This was, farewell. They would not be able to see each other again.

“Damn, why, what exactly, should I do….”

Guren muttered as his father spoke.

“Smile, Guren. From today onwards, you will be leading !”

Father shouted.

Guren looked up.

Father was going to be taken out of the prison.

Looking at father who was being taken away, he let out something which he had never said before. Something which he should have said countless times, countless time before–

“FATHER!”

“…….”

“I, I also feel proud entering this world as father’s child!!”  

Hearing this, father smiled from the bottom of his heart.

Then, he was being led out of the prison. The execution ground was outside. Father would be killed there.

Guren could not watch his father’s execution. His body was devoid of energy; he was temporarily unable to move.

He sat on the prison bed his father used to lie on, unmovingly tolerating the flow of time.

Tolerating his father’s execution.

Tolerating the various hurdles life tossed at him.   

Just then, not knowing how much time had passed, someone called out to him again.

“Oi Guren.”

Looking up, Kureto Hiragi was standing outside of the prison.

Kureto looked at him and said.

“It’s already, over.”

He meant that father had already been executed. This bastard delivered this message emotionlessly.

Guren gave a thin smile and replied.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Yeah, satisfied.”

“Then go away.”

“Yeah.”

Kureto nodded and prepared to leave. But he stopped midway and said.

“One last thing, I was pleased with what you brought back. Therefore, I opposed the execution. My father was the one who made the final decision.”

Guren looked at Kureto and said.

“Eh, so it’s like this.”

“I repaid what you brought back.”

“So you want me to thank you?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“…..What are you joking about?”

Hearing Guren softly complaining, Kureto looked at him with a little bit of pity.

“Well, I understand your feelings.”

He no longer wanted to reply. This bastard– being born to the Hiragi House, couldn’t possibly understand any of this.

However, Kureto continued.

“Your friends are gathering here. I’ll let them console you.”

“Ha? What was that. Are you being gentle with me? What kind of wind is blowing today?”

Kureto replied.

“From today onwards, you will be the Head of the Ichinose House. You will be called by my father. I want you to understand your position before that happens.”

“The slave of the Hiragi House?”

However, Kureto shook his head.

“No. You are my subordinate.”

Hearing that, Guren looked at Kureto.

Kureto said something about understanding his position before meeting the Head of the Hiragi House, Tenri Hiragi.

It sounded like he must prioritize Kureto’s commands first before that of Tenri Hiragi’s.

Guren continued to look at Kureto and said.

“What is this about?”

“It is what it sounds like literally.”

“You might be suspected of rebellion.”

“No. Or is it that you will discuss this in detail with someone?”

“So what if I did?”

“You will be executed too.”

Kureto said.

But this was a leak of his own weakness. His objectives were unclear. This could be a trap too.

A trap to determine if Guren, who would become the Head of the Ichinose House, had any intention of rebelling.

Therefore, Guren stared at Kureto and said.

“Kureto.”

“Hmm?”

“Just now, you said you opposed father’s execution.”

“Yeah.”

“I will thank you for this only.”

Guren said.

“Your gratitude is only natural.”

Kureto nodded and left.

Guren sat in the prison for sometime. Walking out from this prison meant facing a different world.

He would be leading and all the followers, becoming the Head of the Ichinose House.

The stress was abnormally oppressive. He could not believe that he would be able to immediately emulate his father.

Yet,

“No choice but to do it….”

As he said this, he stood up.

Because his father placed his hope on him. Because he still wanted to be praised by father. Because he wanted father to feel proud the next time they meet again.  [note: OH MY TEARSS T___T]

He stood up, walked out of the prison. After that, he looked buildings and took a step forward.

It had became somewhat of a congregation point outside. As if intending to surround something, people of were looking at the centre of the open space.

The cameras around were placed strategically, as if transmitting the whole scene to those outside.

A body laid in the centre of the open space.

Father’s– Sakae Ichinose’s body.

His severed head laid on the ground beside.

It looked like no one bothered to clean the corpse up. Perhaps, this was Guren’s business. This would be filmed by the cameras too- the absolute power of the Hiragi House and the weakness and servility of the Ichinose House. It would be delivered to the followers.

“…..”

Suddenly, a voice rang out beside his ear.

No, perhaps it was a voice from his heart.

The Oni’s voice.

The Oni in Guren’s demonic weapon, .

“….”

Guren did not respond. However, it seemed like Noya was very noisy.

Noya said as he gave Guren power.

Enormous power.

Enough power to allow his fury to diffuse immediately.

If this power went berserk, he could at least kill those bastards who came to watch this cruel joke unfold.

If massacre could relieve this anger, handing his body over to wrath seemed like a rather good choice.

“…..”

But Guren did not move. Not listening to Noya’s bait.

Just then, the phone in his pocket started to vibrate. Fishing out his phone, an unknown number was shown on the screen.

He answered the call.

His friends’ voices rang out from the other end.

It was Shinya Hiragi’s voice.

[GUREN! You don’t have to do such a thing. We’ll clean it up. You don’t move.]

Mito’s voice could be heard a little further back. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

[Guren, are you alright?!]

Goshi’s voice was present too.

[We’ll get there as soon as possible. You wait for a while!]

From the camera, those guys were watching too.

That meant that Shigure and Sayuri were watching as well.

The followers of watched the whole scene unfold.

In front of them, he could not do something unbecoming.

Therefore, Guren said.

“Shinya.”

[Just five minutes. We’ll get there immediately.]

“I’m alright. There’s no need to come.”

[Impossible. Guren, we are now….]

But Guren interrupted and said.

“You guys can give me a proper consolation later. Let’s have a game.”

[OII!]

Guren ended the call.

And switched his phone off.

After that, he stood ramrod straight.

And looked at the centre of the open space.

Subsequently, he walked forward with mettle showing that he, from that day onwards, would be the one shouldering the Ichinose House.

His expression did not distort.

He hid his weakness.

No matter what kind of situation he had been put in, he swore to respond with calmness and stoicism just like father.

Guren approached his father’s body.

Once he approached, hatred, once again, surfaced from despair, fear and melancholy. The flames of indignation reignited. The weakness and intention to run away welled up.

Despite all, he suppressed everything.

“…..It’s alright, father.”

He said.

“It’s alright. I’ll do it. I’ll become the good boy father had expected me to. Therefore, please look on.”

He muttered as he picked up father’s severed head and cradled it near his chest.  [note: OH MY TEARSS AGAINNN]

After that, he carried the headless body.

At that moment, he lent a bit of the Oni’s power.

Noya enhanced his body’s abilities.

If not for Noya, he would probably be discouraged and would not be able to move father’s body.

The onlookers who were looking at Guren were totally silent. They only swallowed at the sight. They quietly watched the Ichinose dreg who was moving his father’s body.

After this, there were some things to be done right? He had no choice but to live a structured life right? Guren always felt that he saw the answer that day.

The position he was standing at and what he must protect.

And on that day, amidst this humiliation,

Guren Ichinose became the Head of the Ichinose House.

Translator’s Comments:

K.Shion: As I typed, the words started to become blurred. Thank god I have a keyboard cover or the my tears’ gonna seep into the keyboards. The amount of tears is no joke. WTF they killed Sakae out of jealousy D:< Kureto being able to understand someone’s feelings is like the Joke of the Year 2016.

On a side note: Listening to Akiko Shikata while translating this made this 10X sadder than it already is. T____T

Tags: tears so many tears feels owari no seraph owari no suffering owari no serafu owasera guren ichinose ichinose guren shinya hiragi hiiragi shinya norito goshi mito jujo kureto hiragi

Chapter end