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Three States of RevengeAuthor: Kikuchi Kan
| Original Title | 仇討三態 |
|---|---|
| Author | 菊池 寛 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the serene mountains of Echizen, a monk named Inen grapples with his past as a vengeful samurai when he recognizes his father’s killer among the temple’s disciples. Though years of monastic discipline urge forgiveness, the encounter reignites buried fury, testing his resolve to transcend violence. Meanwhile, two brothers endure public scorn after their decade-long quest for justice ends in bitter failure, overshadowed by another family’s celebrated revenge. Their anguish deepens as society mocks their unmet oath, until a fleeting moment of shared sorrow with a triumphant avenger reveals the hollow cost of such obsessions. Decades later, a cook’s drunken boasts unravel when a young maid, driven by her mother’s dying wish, strikes him down—her act of filial piety lauded as heroic, yet shadowed by doubts of mistaken identity. Across generations, these intertwined tales unravel the futility of vengeance and the fragile peace sought by those haunted by duty and loss. |
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