February 13, 2018

Kasane [Chapter 111 - Witch's Conclusion]


Everyone watches as Yoi runs away. Wet from the rain, Yoi quickly opens the door to her shack. She falls down in front of the altar inside. She says, “...I always prayed...prayed for this piece of land... to have abundant greenery on spring, fertile trees on autumn, harmless [natural] disasters, favorable weather [for crops]...

...Wishing for the land below to flourish-- I, and also mine own mother, mine own mother’s mother, as well as the previous ancestors... ages and ages [we] have devoted [ourselves]... In the endeth, why!?”
As tears fall, Yoi cries, “...those people have already forgotten the gods’ decree. Because of outward appearance, not only did they insult me, they even threw rocks at me. *stands up* In the endeth, why... *hits away the offering objects on the altar table.*...

...ha...haha *sitting on the floor* This body will soon become old and [I] will still be all alone. If the mountain’s miko is doomed to perish... *horns appeared on her head* then, let everything in this land end together with me!!”
Teary Yoi turns around and laughs. Kingo looks tense for that expression reminded him of Izana when she burned down the village before. Yoshio asks him what the matter is. Kingo nervously says no, it’s nothing.

He wonders, “Why!? Since yesterday, Igarashi’s acting is always right on the dot. How can she suddenly be like this... to be able show boldness [daring] in this role of an ugly witch?” Saki quietly watches on. There is a scene of Yoi pointing outwards as locusts fly towards the village.
Narration: “Afterwards, the village’s fields would be invaded by pests. They had turned the fields into wastelands. Because there is not a single drop of fallen rain, the wells had dried up. *Yoi holds up a fan and fire appears on top of it*...

...Every night, there will be a house that will be suddenly combust for some unknown cause. And, it will burn until nothing is left. *the villages hold up their sharp farming tools as weapons*...

...Eventually, the villagers concluded that the disaster that has descended upon them was caused by the mountain’s miko, ‘Yoi’. Hence, they plan to set the mountain on fire with hopes that it will lure Yoi out. Afterwards, they’ll kill her--”
Before they pass the torii, Ake holds out her hands and tells the villagers to please stop!! The villagers tell her to move aside. Ake asks them to let her talk with Yoi first.

Narration: “Having pity towards Yoi who is also a miko, Ake wanted to at least save Yoi’s life. It would be good to just drive Yoi away. Hence, Ake treaded into the mountain forest.” Holding a lantern, Ake arrives at the shack. Yoi peeks out of the door.
Ake tells Yoi that right now, the villages are carrying fire as they wait at the mountain entrance. “They want to set the mountain on fire. If thou art conscious about thy physical body, then repent and mend thy ways right now.” Yoi asks, “Repent and mend my ways?”

Kingo looks tense. The others are whispering if it is okay since in the next scene, Ake will hold out the mirror and illuminate it on Yoi. “That is one scene that was never successfully done.”
Yoi approaches tense Ake and says, “I shouldst be the one declaring those words. I am already the incarnated forebears’ spirit (gods) whom thee people has forgotten.” Saki thinks that she should illuminate the mirror on Yoi but...

She recalls Iku telling her that even if she doesn’t want to watch, she absolutely shouldn’t turn away, properly watch her [Iku]. This made Ake hold up the mirror and shout, “Behold!! Your...your face has already...changed into an extremely woeful demon...”
As Yoi holds up her hands, Saki thinks that what is illuminated on the mirror is a crying and hard-pressed woman who is extremely shameful due to her appearance-- Saki looks up from the mirror and thinks, “—Wrong, *sees Yoi looking furious and demonic as tears form on her eyes; everyone look tense* It’s a ‘demon’...

...A demon that was born from shame. She didn’t hate just one single person, rather everything in the world. Being illuminated by the mirror caused her to gnash her teeth [in anger]...

...Pitiful, appalling and hard to restrain— ‘wrath’. I really understand... that kind of feeling. *tears fall down her eyes* From one side of the mirror that was illuminated on, you turned into me, an orphaned demon (spirit)--”
Saki closes her eyes and calls out Kingo. Kingo is startled. Saki says that she already cannot act out ‘Ake’ anymore. “Sorry. I’m...giving up on this role.” Kingo look stunned. Later on, Saki is still sitting on the stage. Iku approaches her.

Iku says that right now, Yoshio is comforting Kingo. “The backstage crew is also in chaos... *Saki keeps quiet* Let me say, Saki-san...no, ‘who’ are you right now?” Saki says, “I...I’m...just...a monster...*tears fall* who walked into a dead end...”
Narration: “Whether it is me, or it is someone else, it is impossible to use one’s naked eye to look at one’s real appearance and demeanor. –Furthermore, it is also always impossible to accomplish in one’s lifetime until death...

...One can just rely on the mirror’s image and other person’s gaze to imagine one’s own self. *crying Iku hugs Saki* --we are within the dark stage’s [theatrical] blackout.” [<-change scene with lights out]
Comment: And, the one whom Kingo belittled turned out to be the biggest obstacle to his goal. Iku had always been concerned about Kasane that she has been always watching her. And, she used all that to show Kasane what she had become. That is probably the Kasane that Nogiku saw. And it made Kasane quit the role.

Iku played the role so well, it even reminded Kingo of that scene which he always wanted to see – Izana laughing while the village is burning. Iku had captured the feelings of both Kasane and Izana. The breakthrough was indeed experiencing what it is like to be ugly then compile together her observations of Kasane along with how others treat/view Kasane.

Not only Kasane and Kingo who were related to this story, Iku even managed to impress everyone else. They never finished that scene so it is only now when they knew how Iku would act in that scene. Though I’m curious how it should be originally. Was Iku supposes to be like a ‘demon’ but then, Saki has a different interpretation of it. Maybe, Iku’s acting was really too amazing that they are all stunned?

So, why would Saki/Kasane want to quit? Maybe, she is no longer interested in using someone’s face or persona. She doesn’t want to become a ‘demon’ that lost itself in wrath. Or, she couldn’t act as Saki anymore and pretend everything is okay.

Since she is in a ‘dead end’ which could mean no future, is she back to ‘giving up her life’ but this time around, in Nogiku’s hands instead of suicide? Scans by 网易汉化

Quote of the day:
Life is like a mirror, whatever you do reflect......your actions determine your personality. ~ Harriwan H. Mahdi

4 comments:

  1. This story is such a roller coaster!

    Thank you a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for the translation!
    Maybe in the next scene Kasane has to kill the demon and killing her would be like killing herself (due to Iku's perfect performance) maybe that's why she can't go on.

    ReplyDelete