After that day, Shiraishi felt that his relationship with Ruri had been getting strange.

Although on the surface it is no different from usual, when it is time to hand the note, it is still the note, and the night is still training as usual, but the glass seems to have changed again to the same as when she first met, silent and cold, and rarely speaks.

And so it went for a few days.

Shiraishi went to school as usual that day, but when the first class was about to start, Shiraishi noticed that Ayane on his left had not arrived.

Shiraishi found this very strange.

Ayane, as a member of the wealthy Hyuga family, although her status is definitely inferior to that of the clan, she also maintains the behavioral norms that a wealthy family should have, and it is impossible to skip class and be late.

It wasn't until the end of the first class that there was a sound of footsteps outside the door.

It was a girl with straight black hair, waist-length hair.

Ayane stood alone in the doorway, not saying a word, biting her lip as if she was about to bite it, and an atmosphere of sadness and despair enveloped her.

What's even stranger is that there is a white ribbon tied around Ayane's forehead, so that it doesn't look ugly, but it always feels like the sudden change is a little too abrupt.

Before that, Ayane would not wear such a sensational ribbon ornament on her forehead.

The head teacher, Mr. Fujimura, glanced at Ayane, and originally wanted to reprimand Ayane, but when he noticed the deep despair and sadness in Ayane's body, he sighed softly, as if he knew something, and said flatly: "Come in, remember not to be late next time." ”

Ayane nodded, and under the strange and puzzled gazes of everyone, she walked to her seat and sat down.

"Shira, Shiraishi-kun, good morning."

Ayane tried to greet Shiraishi as usual, but ended up smiling reluctantly, and tears flowed as if she couldn't stop it.

Then, without waiting for Shiraishi to respond, he buried his head on the table, as if it was a shame to be seen like this, and would be ridiculed and despised.

And it did happen, and the rest of the students looked at her with strange eyes, whispering, pointing, and as if they knew something.

But the students who don't know the truth are actually just curious and worried about Ayane.

Shiraishi's face was full of question marks, and he didn't ask.

Ruri looked over Shiraishi and glanced at Ayane, but didn't speak.

- Ruri, do you know what happened to Ayane?

Because the relationship has gone further, the 'classmate' suffix has been removed.

Hand the note with this question written on it to Ruri.

is also a wealthy family, Liuli must know something.

- What else could it be, of course, the 'fine' tradition of the Hyuga clan.

The word excellent is put in quotation marks, and it is obvious that Liuli's sentence is full of mockery.

The 'fine' tradition of the Hyuga clan?

Shiraishi didn't know what it was, but Ayane's becoming like this must have something to do with the 'fine' tradition of the Hyuga clan.

What exactly?

I really couldn't think of anything to do, so Shiraishi gave up.

At noon, Shiraishi and Ruri were eating a bento together.

"Now, Ruri, what is the tradition of the Hyuga clan you are talking about?"

Shiraishi, who still couldn't help his curiosity, asked this kind of question.

Ruri was silent for a moment and replied, "This matter is not a secret among the ninja clan, and the middle ninja and the upper ninja in the village have basically heard of it. The Hyuga clan has had a tradition that is difficult to accept since ancient times. That is the difference between a clan and a branch. ”

"Is there a problem with the distinction between the clan and the branch family?"

"The division must bear the duties and obligations of protecting the clan."

"That's normal, too."

Shiraishi couldn't understand.

The low status of protection and the high status are not very fair, but this is a solid 'social' structure.

Society is hierarchical and hierarchical.

Therefore, in Shiraishi's eyes, it is a normal development trend for the people of the Hyuga family to protect the people of the Hyuga family.

"If that's all there is to it, it's not unusual. But in order to let the family protect the clan wholeheartedly, and in order to prevent the blood of the Hyuga clan from spreading, there is a fate to control the family. ”

"Control?"

Shiraishi was taken aback.

"That's right, control, control in the truest sense of the word." Liuli glanced at Bai Shi and said solemnly: "For the safety of the Zong family, the Zong family must take the initiative to bear a curse mark called 'Caged Bird', which means that the Zong family holds the power of life and death of the Zong family. Once the person who separates the family has a bad intention, or fails to fulfill the obligations and responsibilities that the family should fulfill, the clan can use the curse mark to instantly execute the person who has the curse seal. ”

“……”

In other words, Ayane is ...... now Life and death have been in the hands of an outsider. If Ayane is dissatisfied with the people of the clan and has murderous intent, the people of the clan have the right to beat and scold Ayane, or even execute her. ”

Shiraishi thought of something and said, "So, is the location of the curse mark in ......?"

"That's right, the curse mark that was planted is on Ayane's forehead. That's why Ayane blocked it with a cloth tape. Whether it is righteousness or nominal protection of the clan, saying that it is the meaning of the existence of the family, and that spell mark is a genuine 'slave' mark. ”

Shiraishi was silent.

There was a voice in his heart that kept telling him that Konoha was a terrorist organization, and it was normal for this kind of thing to happen in a terrorist organization.

Although repulsive, Shiraishi found that he could not do anything.

This is called the helplessness and compromise of reality.

For Ayane, having a mark of 'slave' engraved on her forehead is more cruel than killing her directly.

Really, what a terrible time this is!

If this kind of thing appeared in a dark corner, Shiraishi could reluctantly accept it, but the rules of the Hyuga clan turned out to be public.

What does it mean to keep the other half of your clan openly in captivity as 'slaves' without any cover-up?

From here, Shiraishi looked at Konoha Shadow Rock, which was carved with the three Hokage sculptures of Konoha on it, symbolizing the great achievements of the three of them.

Especially the first Hokage and the second Hokage brothers, they are known by the world as the ones who ended the troubled times of the Warring States.

And after that?

The war continues.

There is no difference from the Warring States period, and children will still be sent to the battlefield.

Nothing seems to have changed.

The only thing that changed was the formation of larger villages from the ninja tribe and the establishment of the system of one country and one village.

Shiraishi suddenly felt that Shadow Rock's existence was full of irony.

The so-called family, if it is only to this extent, then, from the beginning, the tradition of the Hyuga clan is incompatible with Konoha.

It stands to reason that such a ninja clan should not be allowed to join the Konoha Ninja Village, which is dominated by the 'Will of Fire'.

The tradition of this clan is the best interpretation of the negation of the 'will of fire'.

Even their own people can't cherish it, can they trust such a family to have the belief that they will love the whole village?

Shiraishi put a big question mark on this issue.

Finally sighed and said nothing.

Growing up with Ruri these days, he almost forgot that he was a 'heretic' to this village, and that he would become a 'traitor' sooner or later.

But the peaceful life makes him forget his identity as a 'traitor', and he can't help but want to fit into the village.

Thinking of this, Shiraishi broke out in a cold sweat behind his back.

Ease is deplorable.

From the very beginning, he didn't have the slightest resigned mentality to Konoha.

He was grateful to Konoha for teaching him ninja knowledge, but only for that kind of teaching.