“Kujou Fuyuki, explain yourself,” a Kujou clan elder asked calmly, his eyes narrowing into slits.

The woman had committed a great sin.

To hide such a matter for so many years, if she remained unpunished, then the clan would really be damned.

“…”

The woman did not respond. She merely hugged her trembling child tightly, hiding her away from those angry men.

“Why did you hide this from us?” The clan head asked tiredly. He rubbed his wrinkled temple with his hand, sighing. The girl was someone he had personally raised, so he was feeling quite sorrowful. He did not want to persecute her.

The woman raised her eyes to gaze at the elderly man intently. “This child has done nothing wrong. Please spare her. I beg you… Grandfather.”

Hearing her mother address the man. The girl in her arms raised her face to look, her eyes gleaming with confusion and disorder. The moment she raised her head, though, an extremely noticeable birthmark could be seen on her neck, resembling a gash. It looked as if someone had slashed her neck.

“…!”

“That birthmark…!” Someone gasped.

“So the curse… it has manifested…” The Head sighed once again. He could remember the events which had transpired back then.

Back then, the Maihime had taken her own life, slicing her neck on the very same spot and angle as the birthmark on the girl’s neck. Those who had been present in the situation at that time would immediately be able to recognise the wound-like birthmark.

“!” The woman, noticing the gravity of the situation, hurriedly took the girl into her arms and squeezed her tightly. “Please, she is innocent!”

“I’m sorry, Fuyuki, but she must not—“ The Head swallowed his words. He simply could not bear to finish his sentence.

“Grandfather, I beg you—!”

“Such a thick demonic aura. She is a monster, indeed,” an elder remarked.

“She must die!” Another says. “Monster!”

The woman, Fuyuki, glared at the heartless people, “To think of killing such a small child, the monsters here are all of you!” She covered the little girl’s ears so that she would not hear any more of the malicious remarks, but the girl somehow knew that the people around her did not want her around.

“M-mother…” she whimpered, clinging closer to the older woman.

“Enough!” The clan head yelled loudly, trying to restore the order in the room. “I’m sorry, Fuyuki, but that child… she is cursed. She has borne the curse which your mother has inflicted to us all. And for that, she must be… kept away.”

“Grandfather!” Fuyuki shouted desperately.

“Rest reassured. I will try to find a way to lift this curse. But for now, that child… shall be banished to the Secluded Manor. I am truly sorry, Fuyuki,” the Head spoke firmly, but softened at the end.

“This is the price we have to pay.”

“…” Fuyuki swallowed her grievances. To be exiled was perhaps her granduncle’s biggest show of mercy.

“Head! We must kill that thing before it brings us ruin!” An elder hastily ran his mouth. The child was an abomination; a stain to their clan. To make matters worse, she was a descendant of that woman who had long became a taboo to the clan.

“Silence!” The Head viciously glared at the elder. “I will not tolerate any more mentions of killing anyone and that is final!”

With the Head’s words, no one could utter any disagreements. According to the clan rules, his words were the law. They could only silently bear their grudges.

However—

Just because the Clan Head had said so, it does not mean that there was nobody among the elders who were not thinking of sending assassins to kill the child.

For the honour of the clan, these elders could do anything.

And that child—the biggest shame of all—must be removed.