Pathway to Japanese Literature

Part 1 When Kotō Ihee entered, the lecture had already begun. The sliding doors between the twenty-mat and ten-mat rooms had been removed, and roughly forty attendees had packed in…… Seated in a corner of the lower seating area, Ihee pushed aside a nearby brazier while quietly surveying his surroundings. The host of this house—Chief Retainer Tsuda Tanomo—was visible alongside senior officials like Hōdō Sazen, Kasaori Kichizaemon, and Kawamura Shōgen. There were elderly men who seemed out of place, as well as young hotheads like Kamiya Jūrōbee, Saitō Magojirō, and Kobayashi Daisuke—men far removed from scholarly pursuits. What made the scene even more unusual was the presence of four or five women in the corner of the lower seating area, listening intently.

This was the Chief Retainer’s house; its twenty-mat room held an elevated platform where the lecturer sat formally just below it, delivering his discourse with a book spread open upon his desk. So this was Yamagata Daini. Ihee rubbed his hands together and stared intently. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties—slight of build with a frame not particularly robust—yet his high, broad forehead, somewhat large lips, and calm, clear eyes that held a profound light unmistakably conveyed resolute willpower. At the same time, there lingered about him an indefinable softness that drew people in……

Ihee floundered a little. His actual character differed considerably from what he had imagined. He had expected a far more combative demeanor brimming with defiant resolve and a fiery orator whose tongue spewed flames, but in reality, the man’s build resembled that of a village schoolmaster, his tone exceedingly gentle—giving the impression of a casual discussion…… Just as Ihee settled into his seat, the lecturer seemed to recall something—

“My apologies for not mentioning this sooner—please make yourselves comfortable.” He raised one hand as he spoke. “This isn’t some particularly difficult lecture.” “If we remain too formal, it’ll only constrain everyone—please move closer to the braziers and relax.” “Though tonight seems bitterly cold again—is the weather always like this in your region?” “As you can see, we’re a mountainous land.”

Tanomo responded in a gentle tone. “When the Eleventh Month arrives, the cold grows severe. The winds blowing straight from Haruna and Akagi—what we call ‘Jōshū winds’ here—are fiercely cold. While we’ve grown accustomed to them, they must trouble you greatly, Master.” “This chill tonight cuts deep,” remarked one of the senior officials.

“It might even snow.” The senior officials too, as if the stiffness in their shoulders had suddenly eased, nodded to one another in relieved agreement. Waiting for the atmosphere in the room to relax, the lecturer quietly resumed his talk…… It was then that Ihee first noticed listeners present in the hallway outside the great hall. The candlelight didn’t reach that far well enough, so he couldn’t make out their individual faces, but they appeared to be youths among the lower-ranking retainers. There were women and lower-ranking retainers of differing statuses…… Whether this was due to the lecturer’s wish or the Chief Retainer’s initiative, in any case, this kind of gathering was an unprecedented and unconventional affair.

“...Now, what we humbly refer to as ‘attaining unity’—”

The lecturer’s eyes quietly swept over the assembly. “It means that all governed by the Way are unified as one.” “There are not two suns in heaven; there exists no earth beyond this earth; the ruler of all people must also be one.” “A loyal retainer does not serve two lords; a chaste woman does not wed two husbands… This is what we call attaining unity.” “The principle governing the realm achieves peace and order only when it thus attains unity—but when the world decays into chaos, this principle crumbles.” “Women abandon chastity, samurai serve two lords without shame, and rank and stipend split from their origin.” “Thus do those who prize fame flock to the former, while those who crave profit follow the latter.” “Fame and profit part ways with base desires, ultimately giving rise to an age of chaos.” “I spoke of rank and stipend splitting from their origin.” “If we liken this to the present era: the current shogunate, as Great Barbarian-Subduing General, unifies the realm and grants stipends to daimyo across the provinces—yet it cannot confer the noble ranks of marquises, counts, and lords… With all due respect, while Your Majesty’s imperial court may bestow such titles, it cannot provide those stipends.” “Even the Great Barbarian-Subduing General comes into existence only after an imperial decree from Your Majesty’s court.” “Even if one wields the authority of a Minamoto clan leader commanding millions of koku, without an imperial decree, the position of Great Barbarian-Subduing General cannot exist.” “When I spoke of splitting rank and stipend from their origin, I was referring to this.” “When the principle governing the realm achieves completeness through unity, yet its foremost tenet already stands fractured thus—fame and profit part ways with base desires, and the corruption of customs and human relations becomes unavoidable.”

At that moment, Ihee clearly saw the lecturer’s eyes emit a phosphorescent light.

Part 1-2

“Ah, it’s finally started coming down.” “...And it’s powder snow.”

“This will pile up.”

The lecture ended at ten o'clock at night; outside had become thickly falling snow.

Having exited the Tsuda residence ahead of everyone else, Kotō Ihee stood at the edge of the nagaya gate’s warrior window eaves, sheltering from the snow as he watched the departing guests…… At the gatefront, people split left and right—some donning raincoats, others holding umbrellas borrowed from the Tsuda household—scattering in varied attire. Then when the stream of figures had finally dwindled, Kurusu Michinoshin arrived, sweeping aside wind-driven snow with his umbrella. “Hey—been waiting for you.” Kotō Ihee emerged from under the eaves as he called out…… Kurusu Michinoshin’s pale face turned back in response, appearing bluish under the faint glow from snow accumulating on the road.

“So you were here?” “I came—it was a promise.” “I waited but couldn’t spot you—thought you’d given up coming.” “Did you hear it from the start?” “From when he told us to huddle by the braziers.” Ihee laughed with a sardonic edge.

“After all, I was bewildered. No sooner do you have chief retainers than foot soldiers, and on top of that, even female guests seated together. The lecturer was being attentive again—telling people to make themselves comfortable and gather round braziers. I don’t know how much of a scholar this teacher called Daini is, but when it comes to winning favor, he’s got remarkable tact.”

“That’s a bad habit.” “You have a tendency to take an excessively cynical view of things.” “That’s going too far—to call it cynical is slander.” “I’m perfectly straightforward and speak without pretense.” “That’s all there is to it.” “My mind’s always neatly made up.” “Even regarding that lecture… Lord Yamagata must be expounding grand political strategies.” “There’s no need for him to fuss over braziers while minding people’s comfort.” “That’s precisely what I mean by your bad habit.”

“There you go again—if you call it a habit, then that’s that. But Michinoshin—” Ihee said, utterly unaware of the significance his next words would carry.

“That Lord Yamagata will be killed.”

Michinoshin turned around with a start.

Ihee maintained a faint smile at the corner of his lips, returning Michinoshin’s gaze with a look that seemed to ask, “What?”…… Though only twenty-five, Michinoshin had earned the trust of the entire domain household as a close attendant who was frequently summoned to the lord’s side. Despite being a retainer bound to provincial duties, he was called to Edo so often that he enjoyed the deep favor of Domain Lord Mino-no-kami Nobukuni.

In contrast, Kotō Ihee—while his family lineage held the status of a domain chief retainer and he bore the foremost name in Ittō-ryū style swordsmanship—had a rather unfavorable reputation within the household. He bore the nickname “Kyokken”—prone to concocting some rationale, proposing unorthodox views, and knowing not how to harmonize with others. In other words, it meant something along the lines of having a twisted navel. From his perspective, he wanted to maintain good relations and had no intention of deliberately proposing unorthodox views. He was the one who wanted nothing to do with such needless rationalizations. Nevertheless, whenever he said anything, it turned into a twisted rationale, and whenever he expressed even a slight opinion of his own, people accused him of proposing unorthodox views.

――Do whatever the hell you want!

Though he thought that, the fact remained that he couldn't stay indifferent.

The friendship binding Michinoshin—who amassed popular trust and rose rapidly—and Ihee—this unlikable, somewhat stiff man—was a strange thing…… Ihee disliked Michinoshin. Michinoshin, too, seemed to regard Ihee and the like as beneath his notice. Yet the two men felt something strangely drawing them together. To give a most telling example, Kotō Ihee had a sister named Sawa. Though she couldn’t be called a striking beauty, her reputation as an accomplished woman was highly regarded within the household. From around the age of sixteen or seventeen, various marriage proposals had been brought to her…… Among them were some that her mother had taken a strong liking to, but Ihee would not consent.

Because I bear responsibility in place of my deceased father. By saying that, he had turned them all down. When, about half a year ago, Michinoshin proposed through Chief Retainer Tsuda Tanomo, he accepted as if he had been waiting for it—meaning Michinoshin and Sawa were now betrothed, and the two would soon become brothers-in-law.

“What are you trying to say?”

Michinoshin said while staring into the other’s eyes.

“Lord Yamagata will be killed,” Ihee declared. “Why... why would Master Yamagata be killed? Who says this will happen?” “If you ask who’ll kill him—it’s Lord Yamagata himself.”

“…” “Yamagata Daini will kill himself.”

1-3 “Ihee, that’s your opinion.”

“This may be my bad habit.” “I may view things through a twisted perspective.” “But Lord Yamagata’s doctrine constitutes the crime of rebellion!” “That’s absurd.”

The snow grew denser. The two men had reached the road where they would part ways to their respective residences…… The utterly silent samurai district, now blanketed by over an inch of snow that had piled up soundlessly, transformed the once-familiar street corners into something resembling an unknown foreign land. ... Michinoshin stopped,

“I acknowledge that Master Yamagata’s theories are novel.” “He addresses many crucial issues that conventional scholars have never broached, and his methods of exposition contain numerous unconventional aspects.” “But Master’s logic should contain not the slightest unreasonable element worthy of criticism.”

“Do you truly believe that? What I’m saying isn’t mere words. Words are things humans have crafted. They can be twisted or disguised however one pleases...but the true intent behind words can’t be hidden. I’ve seen through what Lord Yamagata’s doctrine implies.”

“I’d like to hear that one.” “I hadn’t realized you were a man of such deep erudition as to grasp the core of Lord Yamagata’s doctrine.”

It was clearly mockery. While physical strength was another matter, when it came to such debates, Michinoshin held the upper hand no matter how they unfolded. If it were a theory crafted by a mind like Ihee’s, he had the confidence to destroy it on the spot—whether valid or not.

“No—enough.” Ihee said frustratedly. “……My opinions hold no more value to you than three coins, and I have no desire to convince you.” “Just go home tonight and think it over carefully. Lord Yamagata’s doctrine is dangerous.” “At the very least, it’s terribly dangerous for those of us who prioritize martial arts.” “If you insist I think about it, I’ll give it some thought.” “I don’t find the theory that difficult to grasp, though.” Ihee watched Michinoshi’s eyes with suspicion but eventually carved a faint smile at the corner of his lips again,

“Hey, Michinoshin.”

he said suddenly in a bright voice. "For all your brilliance, you have moments of unbelievable dullness—do you realize that?" "There are various ways people see things." "If you can remain so carefree, consider yourself fortunate." "Have pleasant dreams." Leaping out from under Michinoshin’s umbrella, Ihee ran through the snow in long strides.

The snow that had piled two feet deep overnight was still falling heavily by morning... Upon waking, Ihee—naked—dashed out to the wellside and splashed water vigorously over his robust twenty-six-year-old body from the well bucket. It must still have been early—the shutters of the retainers’ quarters in the rear courtyard remained closed, and Mojya—the dog that usually came bounding out immediately—was nowhere to be seen.

“……Guess I’ll head out!” Vigorously scrubbing his skin with a towel, Ihee gazed at the Onibō mountain range smoldering beneath the snow. The snow-laden bamboo paths, ice-pillared crevices beneath cliffs, and bears stirring in snowdrifts rose before his eyes, tempting his instincts... Which den would the bears emerge from? Which path would they take? From which direction would the deer be driven into which grove? To Ihee, these lay as clear as the lines on his own palm.

“It might not be a bad idea to invite everyone with venison.” “What are you talking to yourself about?” Suddenly called from behind, Ihee struck his head against the well bucket as he turned around.

Sawa laughed from the veranda.

“What’s the big idea shouting all of a sudden? You scared me!” “Must you use such vulgar language again?” His sister cast a warning glance toward the interior.

“Mother has already awakened.”

“It’s your fault for startling me.” “You think just mentioning Mother will make me cave in? I’m not that young anymore.”

“…Ihee.” From over there came the sound of Mother calling. “What are you acting so high and mighty for out there?” “Hurry and put on a kimono and come inside.” “If you catch a cold, I’ll prohibit you from going out.”

“Yes, I’m coming in right now.” Sawa shrugged her shoulders in amusement as she watched her brother hurriedly dash off toward the water outlet.

Ihee liked hunting. Moreover, the land of Kōzuke Kobata was ideal for hunting—when the season came, bears, deer, boars, and monkeys appeared in abundance, while rabbits were been so plentiful even children could hunt them... His late father Izaemon had been fond of hunting, possessed a fine firearm, and from Ihee's early childhood had taken him along to train his body. Therefore, when it came to the hunting grounds within a radius of over ten ri, he knew them far more intimately than any professional hunter.

――Maybe I should head out. When he said that, he naturally meant going out for firearm hunting. However, his mother Kiwa detested hunting. Ever since her husband had once accidentally shot and killed a dog during a hunt at their grounds, she had come to abhor it so deeply that merely hearing the word would make her blanch.

“...What should I say to get permission?”

While putting on his kimono, Ihee contemplated with earnest seriousness, like a boy about to go out to play.

Part 1-4

Around that same time, on the path ascending Onibō Mountain, two men who appeared to be a lord and his retainer were struggling through snow deep enough to submerge their knees. One was Yamagata Daini, who had been lecturing at the Chief Retainer’s residence the previous night. The retainer was a small-statured young man who appeared to be twenty-two or twenty-three; his thin, slightly hunched-forward shoulders and, conversely, his tilted-back head gave a somewhat peculiar impression.

“Tōju… Can you walk?”

Yamagata Daini stopped in his tracks, turned around, and called out while lifting his hat. “We picked a bad day to come. I thought it wouldn’t be like this, so I pushed through Lord Tsuda’s objections to come, but clearly this is too much for you.”

“Your concern honors me too much. I remain in my vigorous years.” “Though my pace inconveniences you, I assure you this journey brings me no hardship.” As he spoke these words and tilted his head upward, the young man’s sightless eyes came into view. The unnatural angle of his neck stemmed from his blindness. “I would urge you to abandon stubbornness and turn back, but having come this far retreat proves impossible.” “Shall we persevere?” “Your kindness weighs too heavily upon me.” The blind youth called Tōju turned toward Daini as he spoke, empty eyes brimming with melancholy… Both his tone and upturned expression might have chilled an unfamiliar observer’s heart like an icy palm clasping their chest. His entire body exuded an indefinable tenacity reminiscent of some viscous mollusk.

The two men proceeded along the path. They must have already climbed twenty chō up the slope. The powdered snow blowing against the north-facing slope showed no sign of relenting, obscuring their field of vision. For now, having it at their backs was manageable, but they couldn’t help but dread the difficulty of descending.

Midway up the slope commonly known as Gongen-daira—as they approached a slightly flatter detour… Tōju suddenly came to a halt. “...Tōju, what’s wrong?”

Daini called out. “People are following us.”

"...People are coming." "It had been weighing on my mind." Tōju tilted his head and held his breath, as though straining to catch distant noises. The wind whistled through barren treetops. Here and there in the woods came the thud of snow clumps falling from branches... yet Daini heard nothing else. "They're following us."

Tōju said in a murmuring voice. “Master, is there no place around here where you can conceal yourself?”

“A little further ahead lies Gongendō.” “That won’t do.” “Please hide yourself deep in the woods or under thicket shade—somewhere they can’t follow your footprints.” “Could they be woodcutters or hunters?”

“No, sir. It is the way of walking etched into my ears. They followed us all the way to Fukaya Station—that same gait I haven’t heard since then.” “Then there must be more than one.”

“They’ve increased in number.” “At that time, there were three.” “There are five now… possibly more.” “Please hurry.”

“But against that many, Tōju alone—”

“Master.”

Tōju’s voice restrained Daini with an inexpressibly sorrowful tone. How he would handle this danger—Daini knew that better than anyone... And so, leaving behind a measure of unease, Daini made his way into the depths of the bare oak grove, taking care to leave as few footprints as possible. Tōju’s intuition proved correct.

Before long, on the road, figures—their raincoats and hats caked with snow—could be seen arriving one after another in urgent haste until seven had gathered…… Upon reaching Gongen-daira, they immediately noticed Tōju standing there facing them. “...It’s Mōmunen.” The man at the front said. The tone of his voice sent a uniform shudder through his companions. The resolve they had brought with them showed in every eye. Yet when named “Blind Demon,” all seven men shuddered—then in the next instant, the foremost one cast off his raincoat and hat.

“They’re nearby. Don’t let them escape.”

No sooner had they shouted "Right!" than everyone immediately discarded their raincoats and hats. Beneath their outerwear, they had properly adjusted the crotch guards of their hakama and secured sweat-stopping sashes—a thorough preparation for combat. Tōju also quietly removed the rain gear.

Both sides said nothing……and for the third time, once again, one of the warriors who had been at the front— “I’ll handle the Blind Demon. Search for Daini!” He charged forward with that shout.

Part Two: One

“Wait. Wait a moment.”

Ihee called out to halt the companions moving ahead. “What is it?” “Prey?”

Saitō Magojirō and Kamiya Jūrōbee came running back together, shouting. It was a path beneath a cliff overgrown with dwarf bamboo, where snow blown by the wind had piled knee-deep—due to the sparse forest of young oak trees on one side and a screen-like cliff pressing close on the other, though not particularly high. Ihee kept the firearm tucked under his left arm as he crouched down, staring intently at something like a hunter tracking animal prints. "What's this, Kotō? A bear? A boar?"

As Magojirō, who had returned, whispered this and peered in, Ihee pointed at the snow and told him to look here.

Bloodstains stained the snow. Following Ihee's pointing finger, they saw where a section of cliff had crumbled. From a thicket of dwarf bamboo, across the path and into the sparse oak grove beyond, the blood trail scattered in droplets... The two who had gone ahead hadn't noticed because driving snow had buried the traces; only after they retraced their steps did the stains catch Ihee's eye. "It's wounded." "And likely big game."

“It’s a bear!” “That may be... but…” The two were already eager, but Ihee seemed troubled by something he couldn’t quite grasp.

They had come to Onibō Mountain for hunting a little past nine o'clock. Ihee, planning to ambush the bear trail in this gorge first, turned left at the mountain entrance. At that moment, through the blizzard’s veil, he glimpsed four or five samurai hurriedly climbing the slope ahead.

_They’re in an awful hurry._ At that moment, Ihee thought. He had naturally assumed they were from the household and dismissed them from his mind, but now, faced with fresh bloodstains before his eyes, the memory of those samurai hurrying up the slope suddenly resurfaced…… Magojirō and Jūrōbee pressed him urgently from beside.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?”

“Let’s hurry and chase it! Which way should we go? Down or up?” “This way—but stay sharp.” Ihee stepped into the sparse forest and said in a low, threatening voice: “A wounded beast is dangerous. It’ll leap at you without warning. Keep quiet.”

The three advanced quietly.

The sparse forest formed a gentle slope, descending toward the north. In the snow that blew and piled up relentlessly, only in one spot remained a depression—the trace of something that had passed through some time before. Kotō Ihee took the lead and followed the trail.

However, they hadn't needed to go even a hundred paces. Where the depressions in the snow ended stood a single old cedar tree. At its base lay a figure collapsed beneath the snow…… Kotō Ihee extinguished the match cord, handed the firearm to Magojirō, and ran toward it. When he lifted the body, it was a young, unfamiliar samurai. "Oh! It's human?" "He's been cut down!" Magojirō and Jūrōbee gasped. Ihee quickly examined the wound. The young samurai had been stabbed in the flank. And he'd already stopped breathing…… At that moment, Magojirō—who had been peering over from behind—shoved Ihee aside as if he'd found something,

“Hey, let me see!” He leaned forward. And he stared intently at the corpse’s face—then suddenly let out a cry.

“Kyūma! It’s Kyūma!” “…You know him?”

“Of course I do. He was a kinshūban at the Edo residence—a man named Osawa Kazuma. He and I once studied swordsmanship together at Master Suzuki Jirōdayū’s dojo—a man counted among the top at the Edo residence.”

“Are you certain?” “It’s strange for members of the Edo residence to come to such a place.” “No—it’s certain.” “It’s definitely Kyūma.” “However, they say a dead face changes—there could be someone else who looks just like him.” Jūrōbee kept pressing the point. At that moment, the image of those samurai from before surfaced once more in Kotō Ihee’s mind—through the blizzard, the figures that had climbed up in such a great hurry... “Hey, Magojirō—let’s check over there.” “What do we do?”

“There’s something up there.” “Hurry.”

Snow swirled up at Ihee's feet. Magojirō and Jūrōbee also started running after it.

Two-Two The three who had returned to the original location pushed through dense thickets of dwarf bamboo, clinging to their roots as they climbed the cliff along a collapsed section.

The top of the cliff was a cedar forest, forming a steep slope that climbed toward Gongendo. Ihee stopped repeatedly, straining his ears for any human voice... but aside from the blizzard's roar, there was no sound.

“Look!” “There’s another one over there...” Jūrōbee’s voice rang out from the rear. About fourteen or fifteen ken to the right of where the three were climbing lay a figure collapsed and covered in snow... The white sweatband cloth vividly struck their eyes.

“You two go check it out.” “I’ll go check up there.”

With those words, Ihee ran up the slope.

The detour around Gongendo was hushed. However, the snow on the road was badly trampled, with bloodstains dripping here and there... Noticing something glinting between the bamboo leaves, he approached to find an unsheathed sword. There was another corpse. To the right, nearly piled atop each other as if pressed into the oak forest, two men lay fallen... Upon approaching and examining their wounds—one in the chest, one in the right flank—each bore a single deep stab thrust.

The wounds were all the same.

A single fatal thrust. Magojirō and Jūrōbee caught up. Both of them turned completely pale... The one who had collapsed on the slope was someone whose name they couldn’t recall, but he was also identified as a retainer of the Edo residence. “Where are the wounds?” “They were struck there.” Magojirō pressed over the heart. Ihee told them to look at the two corpses there. Magojirō let out a strangled groan the moment he saw their faces... They too were Edo retainers—men by the names of Taniguchi Heiroku and Nojima Tadanosuke.

The three split up and searched the vicinity once more. However, whether they were buried in the snow or that was simply all there were, they found nothing else. When they returned exhausted to the Gongendo detour, Magojirō examined the two corpses again. "This is strange... These stab wounds feel familiar. Each one a single thrust, precisely aimed at vital points—no ordinary swordsman could do this." "Anyway, there's no use staying here like this."

Ihee said, “Jūrōbee, you go report this to the magistrate. Then we’ll need hands to transport the corpses. Round up five or six young men and some planks—I’ll stay here with Saitō to keep watch.”

“Well, well... What a fine catch we’ve made.” Jūrōbee departed immediately.

What on earth had happened? Four retainers from the Edo residence had infiltrated the domain only to become corpses in these mountains... Had they killed each other in mutual combat, or had someone slain all four? If the latter—what had become of that perpetrator? Could they still be lurking in these mountains? The blizzard grew increasingly violent, the fierce freezing wind howling as it lashed through the treetops of the oak forest.

“That’s it—I remember now!”

Magojirō suddenly raised his eyes.

“What…?”

“This wound—a single fatal thrust. There’s no one else who could make such a perfect strike.” “It’s him.” “……Who?” “A man named Hasegawa Tōju—also a disciple at Suzuki-sensei’s dojo. He must be twenty-one or twenty-two by now.” “He was blind in both eyes, but his technique was superb.”

“A blind man? A blind man uses a sword?” “Not just uses—no one at Suzuki-sensei’s dojo could fully parry his thrusts... We called him Mōmunen.” “What does ‘Mōmunen’ mean?”

“I don’t know the meaning.” “No one in particular started it—the name just stuck over time…… But seeing these stab wounds now, I can picture him as clear as day.” “Leaning slightly forward, blind eyes turned skyward, short sword held in a high guard... That’s him.” “No one besides Mōmunen can deliver thrusts this precise.”

Magojirō trembled as if he were seeing the very man they called Mōmunen right there before him and drew in a deep breath. "But even if the opponent is that man," he said, "what connection could he have with these four to duel them in a place like this? Even if all four were dispatched by that man—"

“I don’t know.” “I was assigned to the domain last spring and came here.” “There might have been some mistake after that.” “But during my time there, I didn’t have any particularly deep relationship with them.” “What on earth is that man?”

“Is that man Tōju?” “A blind man wields a sword—but is he a samurai or a townsman? Why does he use a sword?”

“That I don’t know either.”

Magojirō shook his head and said.

“Apparently his father was a rōnin. I’d heard he was a biwa teacher by profession but frequented the dojo out of love for swordsmanship. Of course, he showed no ambition to make a living by the sword—apart from that unique thrusting technique of his, he was a good man with a calm temperament and few words.”

“The story and the facts don’t quite line up.” “But with all parties dead, we’ll need to interrogate someone from the Edo residence to find out.” Ihee lifted his snow-caked hat and scanned the road ahead. The blizzard pummeled the barren woods with primal force—shaking treetops, scouring the earth, shearing through all with gray wings as it roared onward.

Amid this blizzard—what had happened? Ihee thought of the man called Mōmunen and pondered the circumstances of the four men who had come to die in these distant mountains.

—What had happened?

Part Two, Chapter Three

Kurusu Michinoshin was reading a summons from Chief Retainer Tsuda Tanomo... He had just finished his midday meal when his mother entered carrying tea.

“Are you going out?”

The mother sat down beside Michinoshin while setting down the tea.

Her name was Sonne. The daughter of a foot soldier group leader within the same clan, she had married into the Kurusu household at sixteen, given birth to Michinoshin at nineteen, and after being widowed at twenty-five, had admirably raised Michinoshin while remaining a widow ever since. They say an eldest son’s face resembles his mother’s—and Michinoshin’s handsome features were likely the very image of hers. Sonne was renowned as a beauty within the Kobata household, yet there lingered in her demeanor a coldness akin to porcelain—a quality she carried in her very nature. ……In both her clipped manner of speech and the faint smile that sometimes played on her lips drifted a sarcastic air that seemed to see through others—an icy detachment that made even her only son, Michinoshin, feel an unbridgeable distance. That now seemed to cast a faint shadow across Michinoshin’s features—too striking for a man’s countenance.

“It was a messenger from the Chief Retainer.”

Michinoshin, while rolling up the document, “It seems I must depart for Edo on urgent official business.” “I would like to make those preparations and depart immediately.”

“Then I shall make the preparations.”

Sonne tried to stand but, “Will this official business take long?” “I cannot tell from this document alone, but is there some matter concerning you, Mother?”

“It’s about Kotō’s daughter, you see.”

Sonne started to say as much but stopped herself. "Well, let's leave that for later," she decided. "Since it can wait until you return."

With that, she stood and left. When they spoke of Kotō’s daughter, they meant his betrothed, Sawa. By the coming spring, they were set to hold the wedding ceremony once their lord returned... Wondering if something had happened to Sawa, Michinoshin—unexpectedly cast into doubt—felt his composure waver slightly.

But even if I asked now, Mother wouldn’t tell me.

With that thought, he remained silent. Having made preparations to depart on his journey accompanied by a single attendant, he visited the Chief Retainer’s residence about half an hour later… He was promptly ushered into the guest room, but just as he entered, Inspector Narumi Daikurō took his leave.

“You’ve taken the trouble to come amidst this snowfall.”

Tanomo received the greeting perfunctorily, as though he had been waiting impatiently, and said,

“Actually, I have a grave duty to entrust to you.” “If it is a task this humble one might fulfill...”

“Lord Yamagata was attacked by ruffians.” “By ruffians…”

Michinoshin briefly recalled Ihee’s face. “This morning, he climbed Onibō Mountain to survey the land.” “Though I advised against it due to the snow, at his insistence on hurrying ahead, he and Lord Tōju went up together.” “Then… at Gongendō, seven men who had been trailing them attacked without a word.”

“And Lord Yamagata?!” “Lord Tōju—though blind—proved himself a peerless swordsman; he cut down four of them on the spot and returned unharmed… But those assailants were our own retainers.” Michinoshin gasped. Again he thought of Ihee—but that suspicion vanished instantly. “They may be our household retainers—” “—but not from our province. They’re Edo mansion men who’ve been tracking Lord Yamagata since leaving Edo.”

“For what purpose would they do such a thing?” “Though those around you may not yet know, through the recommendations of Edo elder Yoshida Genba and myself, we have proposed Lord Yamagata as His Lordship’s honored teacher.” “This invitation to lecture here in our domain was one step in that procedure—but there are those among the Edo senior officials who oppose it.” While bending his corpulent body, Tanomo suddenly lowered his voice and continued. “This opposition isn’t merely about welcoming Lord Yamagata as an honored teacher—it’s rooted in deeper political discord, but…”

“Is it Lord Matsubara?”

Michinoshin boldly declared.

Two factions were in conflict within Lord Mino-no-kami Oda’s household. One faction comprised Edo elder Yoshida Genba and Chief Retainer Tsuda Tanomo along with those belonging to their lineage; the other consisted of Edo official Matsubara Kōndayu, Tsuda Shōzō, elder statesman Tsuwabuki Gen'emon, and their associates... The Yoshida-Tsuda faction could be succinctly termed reformists—discarding old policies and seeking to newly reform domain administration. Matsubara Kōndayu’s faction was the conservative camp, single-mindedly attempting to enforce outdated power politics.

However, yet another complex condition had been added to these two power struggles.

That is— The current lord, Mino-no-kami Nobukuni, was an adopted son, his biological father being Oda Shōshō Nobuyoshi of a high-ranking samurai family. This Nobuyoshi was a man who craved authority; using his position as the lord’s biological father, he sought to manipulate Kobata’s domain administration as he pleased... The Matsubara Kōndayu faction had allied themselves with this Major General Nobuyoshi. Of course, such internal domain conflicts were covert in nature. It was not something anyone could speak of openly. However, Michinoshin had now clearly named his opponent. He had felt that the awaited time had come.

“Exactly. It must be him.” Tanomo nodded.

2-4

“Just now, four bodies were brought from Onibō Mountain.” “Kotō Ihee, who had been out hunting along with Kamiya Jūrōbee and Saitō Magojirō, found them.” “To complicate matters, Magojirō had been stationed in Edo until last spring—he recognized all four dead men.” “Moreover, three of the seven appear to have sustained wounds and gone into hiding.” “If we don’t silence Magojirō and settle this discreetly, it will give them grounds to exploit.”

“Therefore, I would like you to depart for Edo under that pretext.”

“Do you have a strategy?”

“Regarding these seven men coming to our domain—no report was filed with the home province.” “This is our only lead.” “Dispose of the seven men under the pretext of desertion and private feud.”

“That is... a weighty responsibility.”

“We must do so.” “We absolutely must do so.” “I will write a separate letter to Yoshida Genba—negotiate with him on my behalf.” “Lord Matsubara is no straightforward opponent. I doubt he’ll yield easily, but I shall press the matter as decisively as possible.” Having concluded their detailed arrangements, Michinoshin began to rise when—as if suddenly recalling something—he

“And what has Lord Yamagata decided to do? Is he departing already?”

“He was supposed to depart, but I have requested he remain here until this disturbance settles—the fact being that Magojirō seems to have deduced Lord Tōju was the one who eliminated those four men.” “Is he acquainted with him?” “Since they trained at the same swordsmanship dojo in Edo, he apparently recognizes Lord Tōju’s sword techniques… It seems he hasn’t yet realized that Lord Tōju has come to this land accompanying Lord Yamagata, but should he discover that, matters will not end peacefully.” “Therefore, for the time being, I intend to shelter him within this residence.”

Michinoshin pondered for a moment, "How does this proposal sound?" he said while looking into Tanomo's eyes.

“Could you send Magojirō to Edo in my company? If done so, since he alone knows Lord Tōju by sight, I believe it would ensure safety thereafter.”

“That is an excellent plan.” “I’ll make arrangements at once.”

Tanomo immediately made the arrangements.

Together with Saitō Magojirō, who had prepared for the journey and rushed over, Michinoshin left Tanomo’s house a little past two in the afternoon. ...It was not the hour to embark on a journey. The blizzard was raging. But they could not delay a moment longer. Breaking with precedent, they even provided horses for their attendants, and the four riders departed, kicking up snow as they went.

When they turned the corner at the samurai residences and headed off toward the highway exit, Kotō Ihee came around the same corner just as they passed each other. He then entered the Tsuda residence’s entrance and requested an audience with the chief retainer. However, the audience was refused. “The Chief Retainer states that he is currently occupied with pressing matters and unable to spare the time for an audience.” “However, my business is similarly pressing—there are matters I must inquire about regarding the disposition of those stationed in Edo who were slain today on Onibō Mountain.” “At least convey this request now.”

“Given this concerns none other than yourself, were a meeting possible, he would not refuse—but today we must ask you to return home.” “……Then may I ask one thing—” Kotō Ihee said while staring intently at the retainer’s eyes.

“Is Lord Yamagata Daini still staying at your esteemed household?”

“Well… that is—”

“Has Lord Yamagata already departed?”

The retainer averted his eyes from Ihee’s gaze. "He is still... yes, I believe he remains here... or perhaps he has already departed." "I have been preoccupied with my duties and am not aware of that matter."

“...Then there’s nothing to be done.”

Ihee stared once more at the retainer’s eyes, then bowed and stepped outside.

However, after exiting the gate and walking along the nagaya wall for over thirty paces—when he reached the rear of the Tsuda residence—he heard a terrifying human scream and the sound of something tearing apart.

—What was that?

Ihee stopped and listened intently. But now there were no more sounds. Enveloped in swirling snow，the Chief Retainer’s residence stood profoundly still and silent… A gruesome，chest-piercing scream. It had been a sudden sound like boards tearing apart… Was it just my imagination?

Ihee muttered to himself and started walking.

三の一

Kotō Ihee, who had been refused an audience with Tsuda Tanomo, then went to visit Saitō Magojirō. However, Magojirō was not there. “Due to urgent business, he has just now departed for Edo.” “Alone?” “I heard he was with Lord Kurusu, but...”

The person left in charge knew only that much. Kotō Ihee went from there to Kamiya Jūrōbee’s house. He was still a carefree dependent with no responsibilities of his own and had one brother who was considerably younger. When Kotō Ihee peered into the garden from the courtyard side, he was in the midst of crafting an alarmingly large snowman together with his brother, both covered in snow.

“Hey, what’s up?” “Something you need?” “There’s something I need to discuss.” “Could you come out?”

“Alright, I’ll come around from the front right away.”

Jūrōbee adjusted his preparations and came out from the front. Ihee, heading toward his own house together with him, began to speak in a hushed voice. “Jūrōbee, the four who were slain on Onibō Mountain had companions.” “They had companions?” “There were seven in total. Four lay fallen there, but three managed to survive their injuries… They’re at my house now.” Jūrōbee exclaimed “Ah!” and widened his eyes. “About two hours ago, they came quietly through the back entrance.” “Among the three was Momoii Kyūma.”

“That Momoii who was assigned to Edo three years ago?” “That’s right.”

Ihee continued in a hushed voice while scanning the road left and right. “That Kyūma.” “All three are injured.” “The injuries aren’t serious, and since we can’t let word get out, I’m having mother and sister treat them now.”

“Then… what happened to those seven?” “What were they doing in a place like that?” “Who was the one they cut down?”

“Yamagata Daini.”

“What, that Yama…?” “The one who struck wasn’t Daini—it was that Blind Demon Mōnen, just as Magojirō said. The seven had come to Kobata in secret, trailing after him to assassinate Daini for the domain’s sake. They cornered him on Onibō Mountain, but Blind Demon Mōnen cut down four and left three wounded.” “For what purpose? Why kill Yamagata Daini for the domain?” “Through talks between the Edo Chief Retainer, Domain Chief Retainer, and their executives—they’d resolved to welcome Daini as the lord’s guest scholar and involve him in governance... Yet his teachings violate shogunate taboos at many points. Add rumors of subversive plotting, and secret investigations now swirl about him.”

“That is outrageous! Welcoming such a man as the lord’s guest scholar—it’s practically begging for the shogunate’s censure!” “Through discussions between Lord Minor General of the Residence (Nobuaki) and Lord Matsubara the Chamberlain, seven men came to sever this root of calamity… Kyūma insists—killing Daini isn’t just for the domain’s sake. It’s for the peace of the realm.” “Any proper warrior would do likewise—I myself would!”

Jūrōbee thrust out his fist. “Then, have you informed Magojirō?” “Actually, I hear Saitō has departed for Edo.”

“To Edo?” “……For what purpose…?” “I hear he’s with Kurusu, but I believe it’s an urgent envoy regarding the matter of the four corpses.” “From the fact that seven men tried to assassinate Daini, Lord Tsuda undoubtedly intends to take preemptive action toward the Edo residence.” “……I just don’t get it…” Jūrōbee shook his head vigorously and said. “The Chief Retainer is such a good man—they even said someone of his stature was too valuable for a place like Kobata. So why is he so hung up on someone like Daini?” “If Daini were truly the sort of man being secretly investigated by the shogunate, there’s no reason the Chief Retainer wouldn’t realize it, but—”

“Every human has weaknesses.” “Being blinded by money, led astray by women, obsessed with power—even great men have their own weaknesses, you know.”

“Does the Chief Retainer have some weakness like that?” “Kobata may be a small domain, but it is of noble lineage—a direct branch of the Oda clan.” “Holding this domain’s administration in their own hands—that’s not exactly unpleasant for anyone, you know.”

The two were about to turn toward Kotō’s residence. Then, from that direction, kicking up snow, a figure came running as if stumbling.

“Ah! Elder Brother!”

It was his younger sister, Sawa.

3-2

“Sawa? What’s wrong?”

“I was looking for you.” Sawa was pale, her face contorted as if in a spasm, and she was gasping for breath. “As soon as you left, Elder Brother—Lord Doi and Lord Yamaguchi—the two of them—” “What about the two?” “They declared they would kill Lord Yamagata and went out.”

“What about Momoii?” “What about Kyūma?” “Lord Momoii’s leg injury began to pain him, leaving him unable to move; he is currently lying down at home.”

Ihee involuntarily groaned.

—Could it be? When I left Tsuda’s residence earlier, there had been an unusual noise from the backyard—I’d found it suspicious but came here anyway. Could it be… that those two had broken in then? The noise had been fierce. Then it stopped abruptly. If they’d forced their way in at that moment, the sudden silence… Could they have met the same fate as the four at Gongendo?

“Jūrōbee.”

Ihee turned around, “You go home with Sister and watch over Kyūma.” “What about you?” “The two stormed into Tsuda’s residence.” “It might be too late, but I’ll go check.” “Watch over Kyūma. Don’t hand him over to anyone who comes.”

With those words, Ihee kicked off his tabi socks, pressed the umbrella into his sister’s hands, and broke into a run.

Because he thought approaching from the front would be futile, he immediately circled to the rear upon arriving at Tsuda’s residence. The snow fell more and more silently. Whipped by the blustering wind, flurries of powder snow swirling up from the ground wove a gray curtain billowing wildly in every direction.

Ihee leaped onto the stable roof and scrambled up it. Then, lying flat in the accumulated snow, he observed the inner courtyard.

Ahead stood a main house spanning over fifty tsubo. To the left, continuing on, there were an annex and a tea room, and behind them stood a two-story gable-style tower that the master had named “Bōsuirō.”

There was no sign of life anywhere. The intricately designed spring garden lay buried beneath the snow, only the whirling blizzard performing its futile dance... If Daini was anywhere, it would be in that Bōsuirō tower. Having intuited this, Ihee kept watching the situation a while longer before silently sliding down into the estate grounds.

The sound had definitely come from that area. But now everything was buried beneath the snow.

Ihee ran across the garden, now thick with the hues of dusk, along the shadows of the shrubbery—then dashed all at once beneath the earthen eaves of the tea room…… And when he caught his breath there, he heard the plaintive sound of a biwa lute. —Hasegawa Tōju was the Blind Demon.

Ihee realized this. From Magojirō’s account, he had heard that Tōju was skilled at the biwa, and there was no one in this residence who played the biwa. Though certain it was he, Ihee felt himself irresistibly drawn to the melody... A fragment of Bai Juyi’s verse suddenly surfaced in his mind—the great strings rumbling like sudden rain, the small strings plaintive as whispered confidences... If played in turbulent alternation, large and small pearls would fall upon a jade plate... Yet at this moment, the biwa’s notes held no such resplendence. What evoked Bai Juyi’s phrasing was that superfluous technique; the true resonance it produced was something far graver and more immediate. Ihee, who had never cultivated an appreciation for music, could not grasp the technical merits of its rhythm—yet the plaintive notes piercing straight to his heart nearly made him shudder involuntarily.

―Ugh, damn it!

Ihee finally shook his head vigorously and stood up. —What the hell am I doing?

The biwa's music must be signaling Lord Yamagata's whereabouts—Ihee circled along the tea room and emerged at the side of Bōsuirō tower. The sound of the strings was clearly coming from the upper floor of the tower. He approached the sliding door entrance and listened intently for any signs of movement within.

Then, voices of people calling out at the western side gate reached his ears. The number was four or five; they seemed to be trying to carry something out. Ihee darted around to the rear... At the gate entrance, five of Tsuda’s retainers were attempting to carry out an object wrapped in fresh cloth. It must be the corpses of Yamaguchi and Doi. Ihee started to call out but, thinking Lord Yamagata and his retainer took precedence, turned back to his original position... The sound of the biwa had ceased. And low voices of conversation could be heard; one of them was unmistakably Tsuda Tanomo.

―Break in! Just as Ihee was about to reach for the sliding door, the sound of conversation descended from upstairs.

“But to travel night roads in this snow with only the two of you must be most perilous.” “The road to Usui is particularly treacherous.”

It was Tanomo’s voice. “Having traveled this route twice before in past years, I am well acquainted with the way.” “I must apologize for causing you such unexpected trouble.” “Please do not concern yourself.”

“In any case, at least as far as the pass entrance, I’ll have my men…”

The voices faded into the distance down the corridor. ―They would set out on a night journey toward Usui. Ihee clenched his fist tightly.

Three-Three

In a land where dusk fell early, and with a particularly fierce blizzard raging, Yamagata Daini and Tōju departed from the Tsuda residence by the time lights were being lit in the houses.

Tsuda's young retainers were providing escort, three each in front and behind... The wind had somewhat abated, but the powdery snow continued to fall relentlessly. The road from the castle town to Tomioka had spots where the snow had piled knee-deep, and the irrigation ditches and field channels were indistinguishable.

In Tomioka, day completely gave way to night.

The escorting retainers suggested taking lodgings there, but Daini laughed and would not consent. And he sent the six back to Kobata. “Both snow and night journeys are invaluable training tools for one who studies military strategy.” “If we can no longer walk, let’s spend the night under a rock ledge or such.” “How long my forty-two-year-old body will hold out—testing that could prove diverting.” Daini said with a laugh. The master and retainer, now alone, headed toward Itahana along a desolate path shrouded in snow…… Whether they noticed Ihee pursuing them from thirty-six meters behind…… Ihee crossed the Nate River ford ahead, waited, let them pass, and then trailed after them.

He had not intended to abruptly cut down Daini. On the night he first heard Daini’s lecture, he had perceived how its arguments slandered the current order—how, depending on interpretation, they might even seek to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate... Invoking the principle that “there are not two suns in heaven nor two kings on earth,” it contrasted the Imperial Court with the shogunate, constructed a logic of estrangement between Kyoto and Edo under the banner of “splitting rank and stipend from their origin,” and declared this precisely what gave rise to eras of chaos. Kotō Ihee knew he was not well-versed in scholarship. Therefore, he couldn't engage in convoluted arguments. Yet he believed that when reflecting on the numerous upheavals of samurai governance until the Tokugawa clan pacified the realm, the current order had still followed the most natural path—one developed through reason......There had been no few examples of those who failed to achieve their ambitions invoking Kyoto with audacious reverence to direct their arrows at the shogunate, seeking to satisfy their own thirst for glory. But could those who disregarded reason ever succeed? Did they not merely poison the populace and pointlessly shed blood in the end? The Keian Rebellion was such a case, and so was Betsuki Shōzaemon during Jōō. And now, the same thing was about to happen again.

Ihee said to Kurusu Michinoshin, “Lord Yamagata will be killed.” He had said this because he had thought as outlined above. Of course, he had no intention of doing it himself. He had felt that one who espoused such dangerous ideas could not long escape the shogunate’s notice. However, matters had finally come to this juncture. He had now ascertained Lord Yamagata’s true intentions and, if it came to it, had resolved to cut him down with his own hand.

About one and a half ri from Tomioka, when they reached a hamlet called Ono, Yamagata and his retainer abruptly halted on the road... Though illuminated by snow-glow, the night's shroud lay heavy, and with powdery snow falling furtively besides, Ihee only noticed this when the distance between them had narrowed to four or five ken.

―Gah!

Seeing the master and retainer standing in the faint glow, Ihee involuntarily let out a low cry and took a step back. Then, without a moment’s delay, “Do not flee, my lord.” The blind attendant called out. “We saw you trailing us from beyond the Nate River ford and waited knowing it... Here, there will be no interference.” “Now, come at me.” As he spoke, he flipped back his cloak. —Blind Demon Tōju’s single sword stroke: a fatal thrust. He now faced the eerie enemy he had heard about from Magojirō. Though obscured by snow and darkness, the figure—small-statured and emaciated, slightly stooped with sightless eyes tilted upward, hand resting quietly on the hilt of the short sword at his waist—possessed an eeriness that sent involuntary shivers through the observer.

Ihee tried to call out to Daini. First, he wanted to ascertain his true intentions... But the murderous aura emanating from the blind man’s entire body bound Ihee’s nerves as if ten thousand invisible arrows had been loosed—an eerie constriction.

A frog targeted by a snake—undoubtedly, that was how Ihee felt in that moment. His very nerves seemed paralyzed; he couldn’t move his hands, couldn’t even draw breath without struggle.

—No good!

By the time he realized it, his opponent had already closed the distance considerably. And then, a pale right hand—visible even in the night—drew the dagger smoothly, soundlessly.

Part 3-4

Momoii Kyūma was twenty-six years old.

He had originally served as a domain-stationed bookkeeper and lived in the residence adjacent to Kotō’s, but three years prior, he had left for an Edo posting together with his parents and younger brother... Though his temperament was too unyielding for close dealings even with neighbors, he had nevertheless been childhood friends with the Kotō siblings. “It still pains me.”

“Your pain seems to have eased somewhat.” “It would be better to cool it a bit longer.” “They say it helps the flesh heal better that way.”

“No, that’s quite enough.”

On the folding screens encircling the room, the light from the andon lamp glowed crimson... Kyūma, who had drawn the quilt collar up to his chin, suddenly turned his gaze toward the screen—as if to divert himself from the pain. The late Master Iemon had been a man of such tastes—he often summoned itinerant painters and the like, delighting in having them depict various subjects.

"I don't care for formal paintings. A painting is heart. Even unskilled work will do—if it shows the artist's true spirit, I'll treasure it, be it from the cheapest painter alive." He knew well that Master Iemon had often said such things. This folding screen too had been painted by one such itinerant artist—a piece combining Southern School-style landscapes with Northern Song-style flowers and birds, all rendered in literati painting’s blurred ink-wash technique. When completed, even Master Iemon could only offer a wry smile and remain speechless. Particularly on the far left of the six-panel screen, there was water thick with reeds where a single waterfowl flew—yet the bird’s true nature defied determination. Its plumage suggested a wagtail’s, its long legs a moorhen’s, its beak bore an uncanny resemblance to a heron’s…… In their youth, whenever Kyūma and Ihee viewed this screen together, they would point at it and laugh.

“Ah, this brings back memories—that screen.” “What... do you mean?” “This folding screen. We could never figure out what that bird on that end was supposed to be, so Ihee and I often joked about it.”

Sawa, as if remembering too, smiled softly with her hand against her lips. "That’s right. Father apparently disliked hearing about it, so he stored it away in the storage room and never let it be brought out again... Most artists who came to our home would visit two or three more times, but the one who painted this screen—we never heard from them again... I wonder what became of them."

“That was quite some time ago, wasn’t it?”

Kyūma quietly closed his eyes.

He had been in love with Sawa. Since first becoming aware of the world, he had pursued her shadow. Yet he felt shame for his family's low status, shame for his meager talents, shame for his unsightly features. —Someone like me could never reach her.

He had spent those painful days constantly suppressing himself in that manner. When he departed for Edo three years prior, he took more joy in escaping the agony of being near her than in the sorrow of never seeing her again... Yet those three years granted his heart the mercy of forgetting. Though he might occasionally attempt to conjure illusions, he was no longer assailed by that desperate, gnawing anguish.

——That person will marry someone worthy of her. And she will bear children and eventually grow old. Yet in my heart, that person remains. That youth, that beauty, that purity—all endure exactly as they were, untouched by time. This wasn't lingering attachment, he told himself. The woman a man should choose as his one and only wife—no other could ever take her place. This was a man's true love for such a woman, he believed.

He and six comrades had cornered Yamagata Daini at Onibō Mountain’s Gongen Hall but had managed to cut down only four before sustaining wounds themselves. At that moment, he— This was where he would die.

At the very moment he steeled himself,

Sawa was right beside him. He heard the cry of his heart that— Having fled here with Doi Yūjirō and Yamaguchi Tōkichi while wounded was not solely for that reason—it was because they remained determined to assassinate Daini no matter what. Yet he could not definitively say there had been no part of him—in some corner of his heart—that had wanted to die after seeing Sawa. Upon hearing Daini was at the Chief Retainer’s residence, Yamaguchi and Doi rushed out without hesitation—but he, his thigh stab wound throbbing too severely to rise—remained there in futility. He remained there, receiving Sawa’s care.

Ah.

Kyūma involuntarily let out a groan.

“What’s wrong?… Does it hurt?” “No—” Kyūma shook his head, brows tightly knit as chest pain overwhelmed his physical wound. “I was wondering about those two.” “My brother went after them straightaway. Since he hasn’t returned yet, they must still be safe… He shares a special rapport with the Lord Chief Retainer.”

There was a sense of someone returning outside.

It must be Lord Kamiya.

Having thought that, “I will bring your meal right away.” As she said this, Sawa quietly stood up... The mother had gone to the entrance. There, Kamiya Jūrōbee had arrived accompanied by four or five young samurai. All were in full battle attire. Some carried spears. When night fell and her brother still hadn’t returned—Jūrōbee having gone to check on him—for him to come back with five men in such battle-ready attire… Could something have happened to her brother…? Sawa paled.

“Lord Kamiya, my brother…” “He was not at the Chief Retainer’s residence.”

Kamiya Jūrōbee, who had been speaking with her mother, turned his lively eyes toward Sawa and continued. “As I just informed your honorable mother, he was not at the Chief Retainer’s residence.” “However, since Yamagata Daini had set out on a night journey, he has likely gone after him.” “So we intend to follow after them as well.” “I don’t know how those two are faring.” “Understood.”

Jūrōbee said darkly under his breath, “I’m sorry to say… It seems they were counterattacked—since I confirmed they were transported to Sōfukuji Temple along with four corpses.” In that case, my brother must have gone after Daini. Sawa could almost picture it.

“In any case, we will give chase.” “No one else will come here now.” “Please tell Kyūma to rest assured…… Alright, everyone.”

Kamiya Jūrōbee ventured out into the snow with five men. Sawa watched them depart and muttered as if praying to the gods. Please let them make it in time. Please let my brother return unharmed.

Part Four, Chapter One

“Tōju, wait, wait!” Daini’s voice rang out.

“Fire raining down must be prevented.” “However, you must not strike first from our side.”

“But Master, this one is also one of the assassins.” Tōju’s dagger remained poised at Ihee’s chest, unmoving. Yamagata Daini returned with long strides. “I won’t allow it. Sheathe your sword, Tōju.”

“…” “I said sheathe your sword!”

Tōju quietly pulled back his right foot and lowered the dagger he had poised. Yamagata Daini looked intently toward Ihee in the snow-glow. And in a calm yet forceful voice, “Are you from Kobata Domain?”

He called out. Ihee’s body stiffened; his throat dried up, and he could not answer.

“Be that as it may,”

And since there was no answer, Daini continued. “Cease your pursuit. Even should they strike down this Daini alone, they cannot extinguish the righteous path. To be blinded by the domain’s petty infighting and lose sight of the path humanity should tread—how utterly absurd… Go home. I am not a Daini who will be struck down by your hands.”

Having finished speaking, Yamagata Daini urged Tōju onward and departed into the darkness beyond.

Ihee watched their retreating figures for a time but suddenly steeled himself and gave chase... From the moment he had frozen under Tōju's blade, rendered immobile, until Daini's quiet words concluded—in that brief interval, Ihee had been seized by an unfathomable emotion rising from his very foundations. It was an inexplicable convulsion—one he couldn't begin to parse himself.

Tōju’s sword was as splendid as Ihee had long heard. The eerie aura emanating from his stance indeed possessed the power to overwhelm one’s very soul. However, it was not something that could be blocked even if blocked. At least for Ihee, he had ample confidence that he could cross swords on equal terms. But… beyond that abnormal aura, Tōju’s entire being stood upon something far greater—something immovable. A belief unshakable, a will that pierced straight through—utterly disregarding life and death—radiated from his entire being like heat.

The strength of one who casts aside life and death for the sake of the 'Way'! That overwhelmed Kotō Ihee’s very being. The selfless spirit of those who tread the path bound his limbs.

“Lord Yamagata, hey—”

While running, Ihee shouted. Frozen snow crackled crisply underfoot. After chasing some seven or eight chō with feet nearly flying through the air... he caught sight of the figures of master and servant standing still.

“Please wait. Lord Yamagata.”

As Ihee approached, “I would like to inquire about your earlier words. Until our conversation is concluded, I will not resort to violence.”

“Tōju, withdraw.”

With those words, Daini turned around.

“If you have doubts, I will address them.” “However, night grows late and cold bites deep—standing on the road to converse would hardly be suitable.” “Would you care to accompany me to Itabana’s inn?” “That is precisely what I desire.” “Let us go together.” “Without hat or raincoat—snow-caked like this—you must be freezing.” Yamagata Daini looked over Ihee’s snow-cloaked figure anew as he spoke. “Tōju—there should be something in that bag.” “Take it out and lend it to him.”

The blind man unfastened the bag from his back and took out something resembling a padded jacket stuffed with cotton. Yamagata Daini draped it over Kotō Ihee’s shoulders. “This should help you endure the cold somewhat.” “I’ll borrow this.”

Ihee accepted it without protest and nodded... Then, suddenly, he recalled the first time he had attended the lecture at Tsuda’s residence— —Please move closer to the brazier. He remembered Daini’s figure urging the audience with those words. It was a well-rounded, kind consideration, but to Kotō Ihee, it seemed laughable. Even now, in the same way, though theirs was a relationship that had once involved drawn blades, this gesture to alleviate the cold struck him as somehow contrived—a hollow pretense he could not dismiss.

“Go ahead and try whatever you like—I’m not someone to be swayed by such tactics.” Ihee sneered quietly, “I shall serve as your guide.” he said, and started walking ahead of the two. They arrived at the Itabana Inn around ten o’clock at night. The snow, which had once stopped, began to blow fiercely again around that time, so they entered an inn called Matsubaya, and the three removed their straw sandals.

Part 4-2 “Lord Yamagata, earlier you spoke of ‘the righteous path’.” “I did.”

“Are you asserting that the theory expounded in your *Shinron* constitutes ‘the righteous path’?” After bathing at the inn and facing each other in the guest room, Ihee formally straightened his posture and launched into his question—Daini, eyes containing a tranquil light, kept his gaze fixed on the young man’s face as—

“Lord Kotō, have you read my *Shinron*?” “I haven’t read it.” “I’ve only heard your lecture from the other night.” “Even so, that’s sufficient. If you heard that lecture, I doubt there would be any need to ask further questions—”

“No—I must ask.”

Ihee met Daini’s gaze and said, “I believe Lord Yamagata’s theory slanders the shogunate and misleads society under the guise of imperial loyalty. You stated in your *Itoku* theory that splitting rank and stipend into two is the foundation of chaotic times.”

“Wait.” Yamagata Daini quietly restrained him. “There’s no use debating the minor points of the New Treatise here. How about setting aside such arguments and considering the fundamental matters instead?”

“Fundamental matters?” “Let us first examine what we truly are and what this land we stand upon is... Lord Kotō, we are people of Yamato.” “Born in this land called Japan under the Emperor who reigns over ten thousand chariots beneath a single heaven—do you dispute this truth?” “That aligns exactly with Lord Yamagata’s words.” “Then no debate should exist—the *Ryūshi Shinron* I compiled merely lays bare this self-evident truth.” “Men are fools—they neither see nor hear what lies plain before them.” “So long as we are Japanese, it remains self-evident that our national character of one sovereign and myriad people stands immutable.” “Yet this obvious truth has vanished from people’s sight.”

“How has it vanished from sight?” “Take you, for instance.” “Lord Kotō, you are a retainer of Kobata Domain and have been supported by generations of Lord Oda.” “Lord Oda also receives his domain from the shogunate.” “As a samurai of Kobata Domain, you would stake your life when your lord faces crisis.” “And if the shogunate were to raise an army, you would undoubtedly throw yourself into the fray without regard for your life.” “But… supposing something were to occur and the Imperial Court summoned you—would you be prepared to abandon your house, cast aside your life, and answer their call without hesitation?”

“But isn’t that precisely why the Shogunate exists as Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force Against the Barbarians?” “What would you do if that Shogunate were to take up arms against the Imperial Court?” “In historical records, it is not without precedent.” “What would you do if that were to happen?”

“……” “What does the martial way you’ve studied teach?” Yamagata Daini briefly halted his speech and said.

“What Bushido currently teaches is that one must not spare one’s life for the sake of one’s lord.” “You are a retainer of the Oda family who for generations have received their stipends and benefited from their favor.” “Therefore, you must have the resolve to lay down your life for the Oda family.” “If your lord were to raise a rebel army with the shogunate, could you immediately rush to the capital?”

Ihee was at a loss for words. “Lord Kotō?”

Daini continued quietly, even with a smile. “This is not a difficult argument.” “As citizens of Japan，this should be all too clear… Yet you cannot answer immediately—do you understand why you cannot?” “In other words，you too can no longer see what should be obvious.”

At that moment, loud voices exchanging curses rose from downstairs…… And then, following that, came the clattering footsteps of someone bursting into the house—approaching from the hallway toward the stairs. “...Master.”

Tōju, who had been in the corner of the room, quietly drew his short sword closer while rising to one knee—Ihee immediately stood up and,

“I will go and investigate.”

He went out... With a greatsword in his left hand, as he descended the stairs, he unexpectedly encountered Kamiya Jūrōbee. Behind him stood four or five household retainers.

“Ah, Kotō! You’re unharmed?”

“Kamiya! What’s all this commotion?!” “I thought something had happened to you and came chasing after you. What’s wrong with him? Did you kill Daini?” “We’ll discuss that later. Come on, over here.” “So you’re not going to kill him? He’s upstairs, then?”

“I have something to discuss. Let’s go outside.”

“No—let go!”

Jūrōbee took a step back. “It’s true that we came here to back you up.” “But that is secondary—our objective lies with Yamagata Daini.” “To sever the domain’s root of calamity, we must cut him down.”

“I’ve been handling that from the start. Just let me handle it.”

Part 4-3

“Kotō, you’ve been duped.” Jūrōbee’s eyes glinted sharply.

“We came imagining you wounded and collapsed on the snow, yet here you sit settled in an inn’s padded robe—and seem to have abandoned any thought of cutting down Daini… But we won’t withdraw!” “Whether I’ve been tricked is irrelevant—what matters is my thinking has changed.” “Withdraw for now.” “I’ll explain the details later.” “No—we won’t withdraw.” “You’re the one who should withdraw!”

Kamiya Jūrōbee parted the scabbard of his large sword with his left hand.

“Yamagata Daini endangers the domain. We will prevent its calamity before it strikes.” “If you interfere, even you will be shown no mercy.” “Wait! Don’t draw, Kamiya!” Ihee raised his hand and shouted. “What reason do I and you all have to cross swords?” “It was this Kotō who told you that Lord Yamagata is the root of the domain’s calamity.” “And now I say it again.” “Don’t lay a hand on Lord Yamagata.” “Before you kill Lord Yamagata, listen to what I have to say!” “No need.” “There’s no need to listen to the words of you who’ve already turned traitor.” “Let me through, Kotō!”

“I won’t let you pass… Lord Tōju.” Ihee turned back and shouted upstairs. “Take Lord Yamagata and leave. I will handle things here.” “You damn traitor!” Kamiya Jūrōbee roared as he launched a surprise attack. Even faster, Ihee twisted his body and leapt back halfway down the stairs. Jūrōbee made no move to avoid the sword strike descending toward his head—instead, he stomped his feet and charged up the stairs. “I’ll take Kotō. Don’t let Lord Yamagata escape!”

With that shout, he closed in. In response to the voice, while watching the three men behind him rush out to the rear, Kotō Ihee retreated to the front of the room where Daini and his retainer had been. “Lord Yamagata! Lord Tōju!” He called out, but there was no response.

——They managed to escape.

As he thought this, Jūrōbee charged in with a scream. However, the large sword cut through the air and tore the paper door, and Ihee ran toward the rear staircase. I must not let Lord Yamagata fall. However, he could not harm them.

“Wait, Kotō!” With that shout at his back, Ihee slid down the rear staircase, weaving through panicking inn guests, and leapt out to the back. He glimpsed the three men who had circled around to the rear now running toward the main road. Ihee still wore the inn’s padded robe. The hem tangled around his legs while the wide sleeves hampered his movement. Yet he ran furiously and soon caught up to the three men.

“Stop! If you don’t stop, I’ll cut you down!”

Like a fleeing hare, overtaking them and wheeling around, Ihee finally drew his large sword... There was no one unaware of Ihee’s skill. When the blade glinted in the darkness, the three men froze mid-stride. But Jūrōbee and two others came rushing to the spot at once. “Don’t mind him! Cut through!”

Kamiya Jūrōbee shouted.

“Alright then! Come and cut me down!”

Ihee responded while throwing the scabbard he held in his left hand. “For those who won’t understand even when spoken to—I won’t show mercy either.” “But I’ll say just one thing—we were wrong. It can’t be summed up in a single breath.” “I can’t explain it in words, but it was my error to have viewed Lord Yamagata as a rebel.” “From Kobata Domain’s rise and fall, he might indeed become a source of calamity.” “But that isn’t because Lord Yamagata is a rebel.” “I can’t explain that now.” “I myself want to understand it better.”

“No more talk.” “Kotō! As a samurai of Kobata Domain, if you can receive this blade, then try to receive it!”

With a voice that ripped from his throat, Jūrōbee charged in bodily. Ihee barely twisted aside. And when he saw Jūrōbee violently lurching forward—— ——The righteous path. The words fleetingly crossed his mind.

——If there were a summons from the Imperial Court, would you be prepared to abandon home and self and rush to Kyoto immediately? The tone of Daini’s words now revived vividly in his ears. The bushido that had been distorted solely to solidify the shogunate system; the samurai morality that preached loyalty while obscuring the essence of true devotion to the Imperial Court—the true nature of these things was beginning to dawn faintly on Ihee.

“Come at me, Jūrōbee!”

Ihee shouted resolutely.

“I am no longer Kotō Ihee of Kobata Domain.” “I stand upon a greater path—the path a samurai must walk as a samurai.” “None shall pass through here!” “Attack!” “He’s just one man—Ihee! Cut through him!”

Jūrōbee charged, kicking up snow…… In the driving snowfall, a white blade traced an arc, and the kicked-up snow stained the darkness like smoke.

4-4

Kurusu Michinoshin returned from Edo on the seventh day after that... Saitō Magojirō, who had accompanied him, went straight back to his own home, but Michinoshin visited the Tsuda residence still in his travel attire. Tanomo was waiting in the living room.

“You’ve had a hard time of it.” “Unforeseen circumstances arose, delaying my return.” “What sort of unforeseen circumstances…?” “What has become of Master Yamagata?”

After a perfunctory greeting, Michinoshin lowered his voice and said... Though travel fatigue surely weighed on him, something far graver lurked within his pale face. Tanomo knit his brows suspiciously, “Master Yamagata departed immediately afterward.” “Though a bit of trouble did arise regarding that.” “What do you mean?” “Kotō Ihee had an altercation with Kamiya Jūrōbee and four or five young men at the Itahana Inn.” “The details remain unclear.” “Jūrōbee and two young men sustained serious injuries, and Ihee left the scene… But according to the investigation I ordered, it appears Ihee was acting as Master Yamagata’s protector.”

“Ihee... Master Yamagata...” To Michinoshin, these words were as inscrutable as a riddle. On the night he first attended the lecture, Ihee had denounced Daini’s teachings, “Lord Yamagata will be killed before long!” he had said. He had called it a doctrine that endangered the realm. That same Ihee had now reportedly escorted Daini to safety instead. “But surely there must be some mistake?”

“It is not a mistake.” “When Kamiya and his men tried to cut down Master Yamagata, Ihee interfered—that’s how the incident occurred.” “Why matters reached that point, I myself have no grasp of the details whatsoever. But when they gathered rumors from the post town, this is what emerged.” Even as he spoke, Tanomo—impatiently—

“So, what exactly are these ‘unforeseen circumstances’ you mentioned?” “The situation in Edo has become unexpectedly pressing.” Michinoshin leaned forward sharply.

“The shogunate’s investigation into Master Yamagata is spreading like a net’s mesh.” “In academic matters, Lord Matsumiya Shusuzu spearheads the efforts, while the Senior Inspector handles personal affairs from all angles… You may already know this, but there exists a gentleman among the master’s disciples by the name of Fujii Umon-dono.”

“I have heard of his reputation.” “That Lord Umon caused a violent incident in Edo’s Shin-Yoshiwara and was apprehended by the authorities… The reason the shogunate had been unable to lay hands on Lord Daini until now lay in his advocacy of ‘the great principle of revering the Emperor.’ Because this doctrine formed its foundation, they hesitated to act out of deference to Kyoto. However, with Lord Umon’s apprehension over the violent incident, the shogunate resolved to arrest the entire faction.”

“For what reason would Lord Umon’s violent incident bring repercussions upon Master Yamagata?” “They can devise any rationale they wish.” “What matters is securing a pretext to haul Master Yamagata before the magistrate’s office.” “And it appears those arrangements are now in place.”

Michinoshin continued in a hushed voice.

“Chief Retainer, now that matters have reached this point, all is lost.” “All connections with Master Yamagata must be severed.” “Not a moment can be spared.” “If measures are delayed, your position as Chief Retainer will vanish like foam.” “My position?… What does my position matter?”

“In Edo, His Lordship the Major General and Lord Matsubara Kōndayu among others are preparing to rise up. Here, taking preemptive action by having you, Chief Retainer, directly accuse Master Yamagata would be the surefire strategy, I believe.” “Michinoshin, what are you saying?”

Tanomo stared wide-eyed, speechless.

“Are you… are you telling *me* to accuse the Master?”

“That is correct.” “We must strike first against His Lordship the Major General and his faction.” “By doing so, your standing as Chief Retainer will assuredly grow more unshakable from this day onward.”

“Understood.” “Now I see your scheme clearly.”

Tanomo said vacantly.

“I see. The reason you pretended to study under Master Yamagata until now was because the Edo chief retainers and I controlled domain administration.” “You did not study under Master Yamagata—you were merely currying favor with those holding administrative power over the domain.”

“Chief Retainer, I have only ever considered the domain’s welfare.” “I merely wish for your position as Chief Retainer to remain secure.” “Are you suggesting we accuse Master Yamagata to the shogunate for that purpose?” “Would you have us commit such treachery and injustice merely to safeguard the domain and preserve ourselves?… Get out. This very speech defiles me.” “Get out, Michinoshin.”

Michinoshin silently looked up at Tanomo’s eyes... On his pallid face, razor-like eyes emitted a sharp light. He quietly slid from his seat and,

“I deeply apologize for incurring your wrath.”

He said while prostrating himself. “Nevertheless, I must press once more to state my case. No matter what Your Lordship’s intentions may be, the shogunate’s policy has already been decided. There is no doubt that His Lordship the Major General and the Matsubara faction will certainly bring charges against Master Yamagata. In any case, Master Yamagata’s fate is clear. I believe this is a critical moment requiring Your Lordship’s decisive will.”

And Michinoshin withdrew and left.

Part Five: Chapter One

“Psst... psst...”

From the darkness came a voice that seemed hesitant to disturb the surroundings... Ihee halted his steps while vigilantly scanning his surroundings.

“Who’s there? Was it me you called?” “Oh! Just as I thought—Master!” Even as he spoke these words, the one who leaped out from the roadside shadows was his servant Goroji.

“So it was you after all, Master. I’ve been waiting.” “Why were you waiting in a place like this?” “Something terrible has happened while you were away.” “Her Ladyship and the Young Lady are not at the residence.” “The Inspectorate Office has issued orders for your arrest as well, Master.”

“So that’s what caused the calamity after all.” To save Yamagata Daini at the Itahashi inn, he had wounded several men including Kamiya Jūrōbee... Though he had taken great pains to avoid such an outcome, he had ultimately ended up injuring three or four people.

But it wasn't personal resentment—he had done it to save Lord Yamagata. Chief Retainer Tsuda would surely understand. The people who had tried to assassinate Daini, only to be cut down instead by the Blind Demon, knew that Tsuda Tanomo had disposed of them without hesitation. So in this case as well, he had naturally assumed the Chief Retainer would handle the aftermath. Having thought this, he decided it would be better to let things cool down rather than return immediately. At the same time, driven by a desire to delve deeper into Yamagata Daini's teachings, he had spent over twenty days traveling together with him along the Kōshū Road.

Yamagata Daini had returned to his hometown of Shinohara Village in Koma District, Kai Province, to visit family graves. Yet this return also carried a hidden significance—a final parting with the people of his hometown in this life—so he stayed in Shinohara Village for over ten days and even held two or three lectures for local scholars... During their journey along the Kōshū Road and his stay in Shinohara Village, Ihee had been able to hear Daini’s teachings in considerable detail. And as if reborn through this experience—granted a brightened vision that revealed with crystalline clarity how national polity inherently intertwined with its subjects—he took his leave of Daini.

Liberated from the narrow Bushido he had once regarded as the supreme code—a morality meant to stabilize warrior-class rule—he had now found the great and true path and returned with the fierce conviction that “Now, at last, I truly live.” He had trusted that the Chief Retainer would settle matters concerning his mother and sister, and upon returning to the domain, had resolved to devote himself anew to the Chief Retainer’s reforms alongside Kurusu Michinoshin... Yet now, according to his servant’s words, his mother and sister seemed to have gone into hiding from their residence, and the Inspectorate Office had issued a warrant for his arrest as well. What in the world was all this?

“So, how is Mother faring?” “For the time being, I have taken the liberty of hiding Her Ladyship at my family home.” “Your house was in the Hino area, wasn’t it?”

“It is a place called Kawaji on the opposite shore of the Ayukawa River.” “From here, it’s a little over two ri. I shall guide you there at once.” “No—wait… Is that place truly safe?” “Yes, as it lies beyond the domain’s borders, I believe Kobata’s minor officials will not enter.” “Alright, then you go back first.”

Ihee looked up at the night sky and said firmly. “Inform them that I have returned safely and will soon request an audience.” “I shall surely come tomorrow.” “But Master—if you mean to go to the castle town—”

“Don’t worry about me—just don’t forget to relay my message to Mother! Go! The road’s treacherous tonight; mind every step you take.” “But… Master.”

Leaving behind his servant’s anxious voice, Ihee hurried along the road to the castle town.

He considered visiting Michinoshin but reconsidered, deciding he ought to meet with the Chief Retainer first, and headed toward the Tsuda residence via back alleys... Though it was still early evening—around eight o'clock—the rain-laden darkness made it ideal for stealth.

―He could not approach from the front entrance.

He had steeled himself for that. Patches of lingering snow became intermittent guides along the shadowed path. Ihee, attuned to distant voices and the faintest hint of dogs, finally reached the Tsuda estate's rear. From a place he remembered infiltrating once before to surveil Daini, he deftly launched himself into the compound.

5-2 “...Who’s there?” A silhouette swayed faintly against the shoji screen as he approached the window while calling out in a low voice.

It was Tsuda Tanomo’s voice.

Ihee sidled up to the round shoji window while muffling his voice and announced himself once more. “It is Kotō Ihee.” A low gasp of surprise was heard.

“Don’t make a sound. Stay exactly as you are until I clear the area.” Whispering this, Tanomo hurried off but soon returned, slid open the rain shutters in the corridor, and gestured… Ihee dashed over with agility, removed his straw sandals, briskly wiped the grime from his feet, and stepped up.

“...This way. Come in.” Tanomo transferred the flame to a hand lantern and led the way across the corridor to the upper floor of Bōsuiro… It was the very place where, on that night long ago, they had held the farewell banquet for Daini, and even now, the sound of Tōju’s biwa playing remained vividly in Ihee’s ears.

“No, save the greetings.”

After placing a light in the candlestick, Tanomo leaned forward as though he could wait no longer and spoke. “What worries me is Lord Yamagata’s safety.” “Is Lord Yamagata safe and well?”

“Yes, I have safely escorted him to the provincial seat of Kai. Chief Retainer… My injuring of retainers at Itahana was a necessary measure to rescue Lord Yamagata.” “That is understood,” “But why did you resolve to save him?” “By all accounts, were you not among those who once denounced Lord Yamagata as a traitorous rebel?”

“Now that I reflect upon it, it chills me to the bone—but during our journey to Kai and our stay in Shinohara Village, receiving Lord Yamagata’s teachings opened my eyes to many truths… And so—” Ihee straightened his posture. “From now on, after thorough consultation with Michinoshin, I intend to devote myself entirely—however limited my abilities—to serving the Domain Administration Reform.”

“……How should I respond to those words…” Tanomo suddenly lowered his eyes, his vigor drained. “How should I put this… Kotō, you were too late.” “In a short time, everything has changed.”

“Chief Retainer…”

“Lord Yamagata falling into the shogunate’s hands is now only a matter of time. Those opposing my domain reforms have already submitted an indictment to Edo. Everything has collapsed, Kotō.” “What sort of indictment? What grounds could they possibly have for accusing Lord Yamagata?” “They alleged a plot to overthrow the shogunate. On that charge alone, Lord Yamagata would surely mount a defense. But when he lectured in our domain about military strategy—discussing hypothetical plans for attacking Edo Castle and troop deployments around Usui Pass... Naturally, this was during private academic debates among his disciples. Someone recorded those discussions and copied them in detail for the indictment.”

“If it was truly a gathering limited to those who studied under Lord Yamagata, I believe there would be no risk of information leaking out.” “There was one who once studied under him and feigned devotion to Lord Yamagata’s ideals, but in truth acted solely for personal advancement… That individual turned traitor when he deemed the situation unfavorable.”

“Such a person… No—could there truly be anyone among those who have even once listened to Lord Yamagata’s teachings capable of such despicable acts?” “Kotō… Did you come here immediately upon returning?” Tanomo abruptly asked about something else. “Ah, on the way, I encountered a servant and learned my mother’s whereabouts, so I first came here to pay my respects.” “So you haven’t met your mother yet.” “I haven’t met her yet.”

“Actually, Kurusu came to me…” He began to say but, as if his tongue had grown heavy, paused briefly before continuing.

“He came to request the annulment of the engagement between your sister and Michinoshin.” “That is... unexpected.”

Kotō Ihee looked as though he couldn’t believe it. “Is this truly the case? It was Michinoshin who proposed to take Sawa as his bride. Although my mother did not wish for it, I recognized his sincerity and established the engagement, so I do not believe he would now propose breaking it off.”

“Even I, who took on the role of mediator, could not believe such a thing would occur.” “But Kotō… When humans lay bare their hearts, they manifest a fearsome power—regardless of good or evil.”

“What do you mean by that?” “It was Michinoshin who drafted the indictment to deliver Lord Yamagata to the shogunate.”

“........” “He had pretended to study under Lord Yamagata for his own advancement.” “Seeing that my domain administration reforms would succeed, he worked for me.” “But when the situation changed and he learned that the shogunate had begun to exert pressure on Lord Yamagata, he immediately turned his back on me, joined forces with Matsubara Gundai, and sold out the master… The reason he broke off the engagement with your sister lies there.” “Kotō, do you not find this ferocity—the ferocity with which humans bare their hearts—terrifying?”

5-3

Ihee remained silent for a long time.

His mind churned like a muddy torrent, making it difficult to unify his thoughts for some time... He had once held Michinoshin's keen intellect in high regard. Even while feeling discomfort at Michinoshin's scholarly affectations, he had always admired his razor-sharp mind and flawless sense of timing. He's an insufferable bastard. Yet as a man, he must stand out as first-rate. He had believed that. That was precisely why he had promised to send Sawa as his bride, overriding even his mother's objections.

However, he had laid bare his true nature in this manner. Setting aside the broken engagement for now, that his apparent devotion to Yamagata Daini had in truth been nothing but a means for personal advancement was unforgivable. If this were true... If this were indeed true... No! Humans cannot sink to such depravity—there must be limits even to the wickedness the heart conceives. It was impossible for him to have fallen so low. —Perhaps he had some scheme in mind. There must have been some misalignment of intentions between him and the Chief Retainer.

Ihee clung to a thread of hope. "Is Kurusu at his residence?" he asked, raising his face.

“You should abandon this course.”

Tanomo shook his head quietly.

“Even if you meet him, it will achieve nothing.” "Moreover, an arrest warrant has been issued for you." “To remain in Kobata now serves no purpose.” “If Lord Yamagata has revealed a path to you, devote yourself to it… Go forth into the world, and spread the righteous path he preaches to as many as you can.”

“I will meet Kurusu.” “After that, I will act according to your command.”

“It’s akin to stepping into a death trap yourself.” “I won’t die so easily.” “Nor do I fear death... Chief Retainer, I shall seek your will once more.” “Wait.” “If you insist on meeting him, I shall arrange to summon him by letter.” “You should wait at Sōfuku-ji’s gate.” “I will see that Kurusu goes there.” “But will he come?”

"If he doesn't come, it won't be too late to confront him directly. I believe he will come." "Then I leave it in your hands." Ihee departed from Tsuda's estate. Once outside, he realized Priest Baisō of Sōfuku-ji had long been part of Matsubara Gundai's faction... If Michinoshin were to come to Sōfuku-ji now, it would confirm his defection to Matsubara's group. Reaching this conclusion, Ihee understood he needed to resolve himself decisively.

As he approached the temple, he entered the eaves of a teahouse in front of the main gate... An old woman served tea there only during the day, and with no one present at night, it was an ideal spot to avoid both the night wind and prying eyes.

However, he did not need to wait long. When distant footsteps reached his ears, Kotō Ihee peered out cautiously and saw a single lantern light approaching hurriedly... He waited motionless in hiding—and there stood Kurusu Michinoshin himself. What's more, he carried the lantern alone without a single servant in attendance. *Perfect.*

Kotō Ihee nodded, and when his opponent drew near before his eyes, he strode briskly out onto the temple approach.

“Kurusu! I’ve waited long enough!” Suddenly having his path blocked by Kotō Ihee’s words, Michinoshin let out a low gasp and retreated two or three steps.

“……Who’s there? Who’s there?” “What’s with all this shock? It’s me.” “K-Kotō…” “Ihee—I’ve been waiting.” “Then that letter—” As Michinoshin retreated another step, Ihee shouted as if to pin him down.

“Stop. Trying to run is pointless.” “I had you come here because there’s something I want to ask you.” “I won’t let you go until I’ve asked what I need to ask.” “Then come to my house.” “What’s the point of doing this?”

“You know what my current situation is—I won’t keep you long. Well, why don’t you come over here?” “If this is about the marriage proposal, I know nothing of it.”

Michinoshin entered the teahouse with Ihee, desperately trying to regain his footing after lagging behind... Ihee took the lantern, placed it on the bench, and sat facing Michinoshin while “If you don’t know, then who does?” “My mother—she acted alone.” “Was there a reason?”

5-4 “You won’t understand unless I speak of the shame.” Michinoshin suddenly averted his eyes and said: “I’ve never told you this before, but my mother prioritizes my career advancement above all else. She wouldn’t hesitate to destroy herself for it—she’s resolved to do anything necessary.” “Are you saying she claims taking Sawa as your wife would hinder that advancement?”

“To speak plainly—yes.” “Even before this engagement, my mother had been negotiating with Lord Hiraga Junsō—the Edo-based elder councilor—regarding his daughter.” “When those discussions stalled despite my earnest pleas, she reluctantly consented to my arrangement with Lady Sawa…… Yet now, quite recently, Hiraga’s faction has renewed their overtures with renewed insistence.” “For that alone—you would sever ties with Sawa?”

“No—that was simply my mother’s will. I never said I wanted to break it off.” “But you knew about the approach made to Lord Tsuda… Or didn’t you?” “I knew.” “It was my mother’s doing—there was nothing I could change.” “But as for myself, I thought refusal from either the Chief Retainer or you was certain—so I planned to convince her after that.” “And if you failed?” “If you used our refusal as your shield to persuade her, what would you do if she still refused? …Kurusu, but that’s not what I came to ask.”

“……?”

Ihee stared fixedly at his opponent’s eyes,

“Do you still revere Lord Yamagata?” “……What do you mean by that?” “I mean it in every sense—in all possible meanings. One snowy night, on our way back from a lecture, we talked. Do you still revere Lord Yamagata as you did then?” “Of course—Lord Yamagata’s ideals are splendid. However, I now recall—you said back then that Lord Yamagata would be executed. I do think there’s some truth to that statement.”

“My words mean nothing—I want your true heart.” “Tell me your real thoughts.” “You’re no longer as devoted to Lord Yamagata as you once were, are you?” “Even now, Lord Yamagata would never—”

“Hold on, Kurusu.” Ihee raised his hand to interrupt. “I don’t want to hear any damn excuses made just for this moment. You’re learned and resourceful—you might think someone like me could be easily deceived. But the Ihee you’re facing tonight is different. In just over twenty days, I’ve seen all manner of the world’s falsehoods and truths, the duplicity in people’s hearts. Flowery phrases and clever wordplay won’t fool me anymore. Listen—you’re a samurai too. Cast aside trivial pride and pretense—speak your true mind.”

“My… feelings toward Lord Yamagata have not changed in the slightest from before.” “I swear it on my honor as a samurai.” “But Kotō… The shogunate is now preparing the means to arrest Lord Yamagata.” “If we leave him abandoned like this, it will inevitably bring grave repercussions upon the domain.”

“So you filed a complaint against Lord Yamagata with the shogunate?” “Kotō, that’s not true.” “Do you think *I* would do such a thing?” “Speak more clearly!” “Look into my eyes. Look into my eyes and speak plainly!”

“I know not.” “I don’t know who told you such a thing—it’s none of my concern.” “Was it Matsubara Gundai’s faction? Or His Lordship the Major General’s doing?”

“Shut up, shut up, Kurusu!” Ihee abruptly stood up. “Then I ask—what reason did you have for coming here tonight? Baisō Oshō has long known Lord Matsubara is among their conspirators. For what purpose did you steal away to that monk?”

“That…” “You came here unaware it was a forged letter.” “Doesn’t this very act lay bare your true heart?”

“…………” “Kurusu, I will kill you.” A look of terror flashed across Michinoshin’s pallid face… It resembled the expression of a beast driven into a corner. Ihee glared down at that face—as beautiful as a woman’s—with eyes brimming with genuine fury and contempt, yet even so, he hoped that from within Michinoshin’s screams, an unvarnished truth would emerge. “Michinoshin, stand!”

While shouting, he grabbed the hilt of his great sword.

In an instant! Michinoshin twisted his body, kicked the veranda bench toward Ihee, and darted outside like a ball…… Ihee swung his sword at Michinoshin’s back, but it did not reach. So, determined not to let him escape, he gave chase.

Behind them, the knocked-over lantern began to burn fiercely, like a living creature.

Six-One

He was as swift as a weasel.

Bent over and sprinting, Michinoshin had reached the edge of the earthen bridge over the irrigation ditch when his tabi-clad feet slipped on the frozen snow, sending him tumbling down. ——Damn it. From behind him as he tried to scramble to his feet, “Kurusu, don’t move!”

“Don’t move!” Ihee shouted as he charged. Michinoshin, still in the midst of trying to rise, instinctively twisted into a defensive stance—his narrowed eyes, the teeth bared between chapped lips, his breath heaving violently—and Ihee observed this in the faint light of the snow-covered road,

――This was his true nature. Even Kobata’s foremost beauty and the agility hailed as supreme among the Oda clan—peel back one layer, and they were such base, pitiable, contemptible things. Was this the man who was to become my brother-in-law?

Anger, compassion, contempt—various emotions flashed through his mind like lightning. “Stand up, Kurusu! Stand and draw your sword!” “……I won’t.” Michinoshin, panting heavily, let out a hoarse cry like a woman’s. “I refuse—I haven’t the strength to cross blades with you. You know this full well.” “If you’re going to kill me, then kill me as I am.”

“Do you think I won’t cut you down?”

Ihee pressed the gleaming tip of his blade against Michinoshin’s face while—

“You still haven’t realized your own wretchedness, have you? Swollen with petty talent, you sold out Lord Yamagata for your advancement, betrayed Lord Tsuda, abandoned friends, even bartered your engagement… That prim demeanor and those prudent-sounding words might have fooled others into letting you rise smoothly through the ranks. But… how high could you possibly climb? What glory could you ever attain after paying such a price?”

“…………” “Suppose you were to become chief retainer of Kobata Domain—but do you truly believe that attaining the position of a mere twenty-thousand-koku chief retainer is worth such a price, Kurusu?” “…………” “The mere fact that a human being is born is in itself majestic. But if that life strays from truth, it becomes not worth three coins. Cunning and deceit may fool the moment, but through the eye of a hundred years of history, they’ll appear no more convincing than a fox’s disguise. Countless are those who ascend to the ranks of ministers and generals—but how many have left their names in the annals of history? Kurusu, even if you live to a ripe old age, you won’t live a hundred years. Each passing day can never be retrieved, you know. Doing such despicable, filthy things—do you think you can take pride in being born human?”

Michinoshin’s shoulders had at some point shrunk into a frail huddle. He remained seated on the frozen snow, deeply bowed his head, both hands clutching the folds of his hakama trousers into crumpled messes. “I cannot let someone like you live. I’ll cut you down—prepare yourself, Kurusu.”

“……Kill me…” Michinoshin said chokingly.

“I didn’t need you to tell me—I’ve always known my own wretchedness. No matter how much they called me a genius or a great man, I knew my own worth best. Hearing people’s praise pained me. And when I realized my true worth—when I thought my past reputation would turn to vilification—I began feeling I had to become the man they believed me to be… no matter what it took… I felt compelled. Kotō… The only time I could return to being my true self—Kurusu Michinoshin—was when I slept. The rest wasn’t me—it was an entirely different person fashioned from rumors and reputation. For me, it was a painful, burdensome existence—an excruciating life as someone else entirely.”

It was a gut-wrenching voice. Michinoshin covered his face and wept. “Once it’s come to this, I have no choice but to keep up this deception until my disguise is stripped away.” “But someday, it will be brought to light.” “A time will come when it’s exposed.” “When would it come? In what form… That fear was always in my head. Whenever I was alone, I trembled with that terror.” “I sold out Master Yamagata, betrayed Lord Tsuda’s trust—and even you… even Lady Sawa.”

Michinoshin continued to speak as if lashing himself. “As long as I live, I must continue these despicable deeds.” “Kotō… Kill me. That is the mercy of a friend.”

6-2

Amid Michinoshin’s sobbing voice came the sharp *click* of a greatsword being sheathed……and then Kotō Ihee— “That’s all I needed to hear,” he said in a suppressed voice.

he said in a suppressed voice. “I had intended to cut you down—but more than that, I wanted to hear your true feelings. Your words just now have satisfied me… Humans are beings full of weaknesses; everyone commits their own transgressions… But when you realize those weaknesses and faults—that’s when you must awaken and start anew… The world’s reputation amounts to little whether good or bad—it’s worth no more than a passing gust of wind… What matters is living your life fully… Never lose sight of truth’s dwelling place… Kurusu—try again… It’s harder than dying here by my blade… But once you speak your true mind—you’ll find resolve steeling within… Try it—living itself is majesty.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ihee briskly started walking away from there.

As he hurried along the night road, the thoughts crossing his mind were far from simple……Yamagata Daini had come, and departed. How many things must have occurred around that minor event. It could be likened to throwing a stone into a mountain lake’s surface—in an uneventful peaceful life where everything had seemed to occupy its proper place and fulfill its appointed role. Some had blossomed as flowers upon the water’s face, while others had become roots hidden in unseen depths. Fish reveled in tranquil waters, birds sang exultant upon the waves. Yet once a massive boulder was cast into it—some buoyed or sunk to strange fates fled; others were crushed; all scattered into chaotic ruin, their positions lost… What had masqueraded as truth now bared its falsehoods; what lay concealed now stood revealed with terrible clarity. The greater the stone cast down, the more absolute its rippling consequences. Through Yamagata Daini’s coming, countless lives vanished while multitudes saw their destinies transformed. Though Yamagata’s personal stature mattered greatly, this outcome sprang more deeply from the essential truth and worth of the doctrines he taught.

――That's right. Kotō Ihee nodded firmly to himself and thought.

――A great dawn will come. The malevolent spirits wandering lost at predawn crossroads must vanish with dawn's light. The darkness shrouding this land will soon greet its grand morning.

Because it was an unfamiliar path and he was journeying through the dark night, by the time he reached the bank of Ayukawa River, the eastern sky was already beginning to lighten.

After crossing the stream and inquiring his way to Kawaji Village, he quickly found Gorōji’s house…… There it stood within a bamboo grove, surrounded by hills to the north and east. Around the estate stretched a lush orchard, with fields and rice paddies spreading all the way to Ayukawa River’s banks. When he circled around the bamboo grove, he encountered Gorōji emerging from the rear of the property. “Oh, Master!” “I got lost and was delayed a bit.”

“Oh! Thank heavens you’re safe, sir.”

“Is Mother awake?” “Yes—I believe I heard storm shutters being slid open moments ago.” “Allow me to show you the way.” Gorōji crossed before the main house and guided him beyond a sleeve-like podocarpus hedge—separate from family quarters stood what appeared to be a retirement cottage encircled by pines, where Sawa drew water from a bamboo pipe at its flank. “Young Mistress—the Master has arrived.” “Elder Brother…?”

The eyes that turned back clashed heatedly with those of Ihee as he approached. "Elder Brother." "...Sawa." Their eyes pierced through to the very core of each other's hearts. Through their shared blood's warm resonance, they deeply sensed each other—the brother who had completely changed in such a short span of days, and the sister. "Has there been any change in Mother's condition?"

“Yes… She has merely been worried about you, Elder Brother, and has been abstaining from salt all this time.” “I’ve caused you all sorts of trouble.”

Sawa gently pressed her sleeve to her eyes……Gorōji must have informed her. The sound of the bell from the household Buddhist altar could be heard. It was surely Mother informing the spirit of their late father of Ihee’s safety. “What happened to Momoi? And Kyūma?” “And Kyūma?” “Master Kamiya has taken them in… Both of them said such terrible things and made Mother cry.” “There will be even more hardships.”

Ihee said in a voice that seemed choked. “I’ll explain in detail later, but I will no longer be a retainer of the Kobata Domain—I’ll abandon both my stipend and family name.” “From now on, I will work with the entire world as my enemy.” “You and Mother may face even more hardships piling up…… Sawa, but no matter what suffering comes, the pride of living right as this country’s people will remain ours.” “Don’t ever forget this.” “You understand?”

“Yes, I am well aware.” Sawa raised her tearful eyes and looked at her brother. “Ever since we heard that you had been protecting Master Yamagata, both Mother and I had resolved ourselves.” “Please do not worry about us, and work as you wish.”

“I see… I see.” “Oh, so Mother felt that way too? That was my only concern—now I can finally set the weight off my shoulders.” “Let’s go, Sawa. I want to see Mother’s face.” Ihee’s face began to shine vividly.

6-3

Mother was her usual self. She neither spoke words of welcome for his return nor showed any outward relief at his safety. As if receiving a child who had left mere moments earlier, with an attitude wholly unchanged, she immediately led her two children to the dining table. That this would be the last meal the three faced together was fully understood by Mother, Sawa, and Ihee alike. Yet "last" did not mean "the end." It was a "last" for new beginnings—a "last" to part with the old. Peace would likely never again visit this family in its former guise. Thus began their struggle against unceasing hardships. In this light, it was both an ending and what might be called the first meal of a fresh departure.

When the meal ended and Sawa stood to clear the table, Mother Kiwa accompanied Ihee to the Buddhist altar. “Sit here. There is something I must say to you as your mother.”

“Yes.” Ihee sat formally…… Kiwa remained silent for a time, gazing at her child’s face, then spoke in a quiet yet forceful voice. “I know full well what path you will now take…… But earlier, you told Sawa, ‘I will work with the entire world as my enemy.’”

“Yes, I said that.” “That is incorrect. “That is your misunderstanding. “You should know this even without your mother telling you. “The ancestor of the Kobata family is Lord Oda Nobunaga. “Lord Nobunaga was deeply devoted to the Emperor. To rectify the Ashikaga Shogunate’s misrule, he restored the Imperial Court from decline, revived long-lost court rituals, reinstated permanent offices, and showed unmatched loyalty as a samurai ruler… Our family are direct descendants of his line. “You are a vassal of that Oda house. “And though the Tokugawa Shogunate now holds power, with governance centered in Edo—every person in this land still reveres the Emperor as their sovereign. “Not a single soul differs… The world isn’t your enemy—all are allies sharing your cause. “Do you not see this?”

Ihee listened to his mother’s words with near astonishment. “Mother, you have spoken well.” “As you said, my perspective had grown narrow.” Kotō Ihee had become so consumed by conflict that he had nearly turned into a fanatic. “Truly, I shall regard the world not as an enemy but as an ally.” “If these foolish words of mine prove even slightly useful, nothing would bring me greater joy.” “Now… light a lamp before the family altar and take your leave from your father.”

Having said that, Kiwa withdrew from her seat.

When Kotō Ihee saw before him the old family Buddhist altar—handed down through generations and always moved and protected even in emergencies—he felt his body tense solemnly.

He lit the altar lamp, burned incense, rang the bell, and turned—whereupon Mother presented an object wrapped in an old cloth belt. “There are over one hundred twenty ryō of gold here.” “I cannot accept this, Mother. I—” “No—take it without another word.” Mother would not allow refusal. “Thanks to Father’s frugality, I still have some left here.” “If it runs out, tell me anytime.” “I will send you as much as I can manage.”

“But causing trouble for Mother and Sawa would be unforgivable.” “I will manage somehow.” “Sawa and I are women.” “We can earn enough to eat through menial work.” “Gorōji will leave provisions here, so you need not worry about us.” “Take it.” Ihee silently prostrated himself and reverently accepted the gold-wrapped package. Even at their parting, there remained nothing more to say. This was no departure praying for peaceful stability. They could not know whether they would meet again alive. Yet Mother did not shed tears bravely.

“Then, Mother, I pray for your continued health.” “...Do not err in where you meet your end.” “That is all this mother prays for.”

“Gorōji, I leave Mother in your care.” “...Master.”

Gorōji could not say anything more. While looking up at his young master with tear-filled eyes, he could only nod deeply, over and over. Kotō Ihee looked at his mother’s face once more. Mother’s eyes were smiling. Kotō Ihee also smiled. And resolutely stepping outside,

“Sawa, won’t you see me off that far?”

“Yes.”

The younger sister came chasing after him as if springing forward.

6-4

They rounded the bamboo thicket and emerged onto the hilltop.

Over the eastern mountain range, the newly risen morning sun began to shine, casting forth countless rays of light. While crushing the frost that had formed on the path beneath their feet, Kotō Ihee stopped and turned around when they reached the hill's descent. “Well, it’s time to part. Sawa.” “Yes.” “Before we part, I have just one thing to say.”

“............” “Last night, I met Michinoshin.” “Promising that man as your husband was my misjudgment as your brother.” “I can’t explain the details, but last night I meant to cut Michinoshin down.”

Sawa’s face paled. “That guy did something rotten to the core. “He’s a bastard who disgraces the name of samurai. “So I tried to cut him down… but I couldn’t. “That guy is neither a genius nor a wise man. “He’s a weak-willed, pitiable man. “A man who didn’t know the heat of fire until he was burned. “So your brother… forgave him.”

Ihee gently placed his hand on his sister’s shoulder. “That guy did something he can’t even face you for.” “But forget about it now—your brother’s already forgiven him.” “You should forget about it too.”

“......Yes.” “If you understand, that’s enough. Then… I leave Mother in your care.” Sawa looked up at her brother with eyes wide open, brimming with emotion. Kotō Ihee gently tapped his sister’s shoulder, smiled softly, and raised his hand.

“Farewell.” “……Please stay well.”

Kotō Ihee nodded. He nodded once more. Then he waved his right hand grandly and descended the slope with a powerful stride.

His destination lay beyond Hachishio Hot Springs toward the Chichibu Road, then onward to Edo—eastward where the sun rises, ever eastward.

Sawa wiped away her welling tears again and again, watching until her brother’s figure disappeared around the edge of the woods, then quietly turned back toward the house... Just then, a samurai in travel garb came running up the hill from the opposite direction. Upon spotting Sawa, he let out a sharp cry and rushed toward her.

“Lady Sawa.” “............” Sawa turned around and recoiled upon seeing the face of the man who had removed his hat. “......Lord Kurusu.” It was Kurusu Michinoshin. He held the removed hat in his left hand and approached with a pallid face, eyes burning intensely. “Lady Sawa—is Ihee still here?”

“......No.” “Has he already departed?”

“Yes—he just went down that road.” “I see.” Michinoshin abruptly bowed deeply.

“Please forgive me, Lady Sawa—Michinoshin was reborn last night. “I cannot face you or your honorable mother. “For all that has transpired these past days… I can only beg your forgiveness… I have formally resigned. “I have abandoned both my mother and my household. “Henceforth I shall follow Ihee and tend to his straw sandals. “As long as breath remains, I will labor at Ihee’s side. “Please forgive this Michinoshin’s foolish deeds.” “That suffices entirely.”

Sawa also said, her voice trembling. “Even when there was talk of breaking our engagement, I had already resolved that there could be no husband for me other than Lord Kurusu.” “If our engagement had truly been broken, I intended to take my own life before you.” “……Then, will you forgive me?” “Even if whatever may become of your station, I am the wife of the Kurusu household.”

For Michinoshin, those words were more unbearable than being condemned... He hung his head low and held his breath for a moment. “Your words now are the finest parting gift Michinoshin could receive.” “Now I’ve nothing left to fear... I shan’t appear before your honorable mother.” “Please keep yourselves in good health.” “Yes.” “And you too, Lord Kurusu... Please never forget—there will always be one waiting by the Ayukawa’s banks.”

“I will return.” Suppressing what surged up within him, Michinoshin spoke in a choked voice… As she took the man’s fiery eyes into her heart, Sawa secretly murmured to herself.

Now I must lose you twice… Yet your heart will never leave me again. He would return. Those were his final words.

Michinoshin began walking while gazing into Sawa’s eyes. He quickened his pace, but each time he looked back, Sawa’s eyes and his own remained fervently locked…… Eventually, the road sloped downward, and Michinoshin’s figure vanished from sight. Straight along the path Ihee had taken, he too departed eastward, ever eastward. Eastward... ever eastward.

The sun climbed ever higher, and in the pine forest, birds began raising their songs of blessing. The mountains, their peaks crowned with snow beneath a sky cleared to pale green, already faintly heralded the sprouting of spring.