Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Chapter 6. Once Spring Has Come

CHAPTER 6

Once Spring Has Come

Miyo stood in the entryway, nervously on edge.

A lot of time had passed since Kiyoka had rushed out that morning. Though his investigation had taken him to the outskirts of town, far too much time had elapsed since then, so she was anxious.

“Kiyoka…”

“You don’t need to worry so much. Commander Kudou will be fine,” Arata said with a strained smile next to her, but his words did nothing to ease Miyo’s mind.

Moments before, Tadakiyo had come back from going to greet a guest. However, not only had he returned dragging strange people in black cloaks behind him, he’d also revealed that there was a similar captive being held in the basement, causing an uproar inside the mansion.

Miyo knew about the mysterious occurrences taking place in the village, but having heard absolutely nothing about the involvement of enigmatic religious orders and Gift-users, she could make neither heads nor tails of the situation.

“I know that his missions can be dangerous… But fighting against other Gift-users…”

“Come now, Miyo. This is Commander Kudou we’re talking about. If anything, he’d probably have a much easier time dealing with Gift-users than Grotesqueries. Besides, you were on a much more dangerous tightrope yourself.”

“…You’re right.”

Miyo frowned with guilt.

She’d used her Gift to save the man from the village. With the fruits from her training, along with Arata’s assistance, she had been able to make the man regain consciousness at the expense of her own physical condition, but it had been unquestionably dangerous, where one wrong move could’ve led to death.

Her sickly reaction had been only temporary. Now that she was back to normal, she would’ve liked to avoid telling Kiyoka about this, but she knew she couldn’t keep it from him, either.

“Good work, Miyo.”

Finished with locking up the captives in the basement, Tadakiyo called out to greet her.

“Welcome back, Father-in-law.”

“Thanks… Oh, you’re the scion of the Tsuruki Trading firm, yes? The Usubas’ heir, Arata Usuba, is it?”

Arata responded to Tadakiyo’s questioning with a respectful bow.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Arata Usuba.”

“Oh, fine for you to come out as an Usuba, is it?”

“Indeed. Prince Takaihito intends on gradually having us come out into the open.”

“Really. That’s good.”

The conversation broke off abruptly. While listening, Miyo expected Kiyoka to return at any moment, keeping her eyes pointed in the direction of the village, when suddenly, a small gasp escaped from her lips.

“Kiyoka…!”

From far off, she could make out Kiyoka taking long strides down the leaf-covered road. He didn’t look injured at all, but he was dragging something large in his hands.

“Huh?”

“What’s that, I wonder?”

Arata cocked his head beside Miyo, also watching Kiyoka from afar.

Before she knew it, Miyo broke into a dash.

“Kiyoka!”

When she called out to her fianc

é

, walking with his head to the ground, Kiyoka abruptly looked up to see her.

“Miyo.”

“Welcome home, Kiyoka. I’m so glad you’re all right…”

Forgetting herself, she ran up to him and dove into his chest. With her whole body, she reminded herself of her fianc

é

’s warmth and his beating heart.

He enveloped Miyo in his strong arms.

“I’m back. Sorry for worrying you.”

At his comment, the terror she’d suppressed welled up to the surface. Her eyes moistened with relief.

Miyo had put up a brave face, but she’d actually been deathly afraid the whole time. Scared of using her unfamiliar Gift on a stranger and scared that Kiyoka was throwing himself into a dangerous battle.

Knowing that, with one small slipup, she might’ve lost everything.

“A-as long as you’re—you’re safe, Kiyoka, th-that’s…”

She wanted to say “that’s all I can ask for,” but the words got caught in her throat.

Still, her kind fianc

é

understood everything.

“I wasn’t in any danger. Don’t cry.”

Kiyoka lightly patted his hands on Miyo’s back, but the next second, he growled in a low—no, a downright subterranean—tone.

“And? What’re you doing here, Arata Usuba?”

With a composed smile, Arata followed up behind Miyo.

“

Ah-hah-hah

, it’s your fault, you know. Prince Takaihito gave me direct orders to come out here.”

“Prince Takaihito…? I see.”

“That aside, what is that thing you have with you? Bagged yourself quite a large quarry, haven’t you? Did you do some hunting on the way?”

Finally coming back to reality, Miyo slowly shifted her gaze downward and realized what Kiyoka was dragging with him. She immediately jumped backward.

“Wh-what, um, is that a person…?”

It was a giant man, also wrapped in a black cloak. He was so huge that Kiyoka looked like a child next to him. Her fianc

é

had apparently pulled the man the whole way here without stopping to catch his breath.

“You could say it was a hunt. That’s what I was called here to do, after all.”

He casually tossed the colossal figure he was dragging behind him, and it landed on the ground with a dull thud.

The giant man’s forehead was marked with vestigial bumps where his horns had once grown, and fang-like teeth poked out from the corners of his mouth.

But above all else, he was huge. His thick, meaty hands were so big, it looked like they could crush Miyo’s head with a squeeze. She shuddered when she thought what could have happened to Kiyoka while fighting such a massive opponent.

“It looks like fiend possession, then.”

“The evil spirit’s been sealed away. What happened to that villager?”

Miyo exchanged a look with Arata and reluctantly confessed the truth.

“Um…I used my Gift to wake him up.”

“What?”

Kiyoka’s eyes sharpened.

His reaction was so terrifying, Miyo almost squealed with fright. Nevertheless, she managed to stumble through the rest of her explanation.

“I-if he stayed unconscious, he might’ve died, so, um…well…”

“…You used your Gift to get him back in stable condition.”

“Th-that’s right.”

She managed a nod, and then right at that moment—she felt him wrap her up in a strong, almost painful embrace.

“I’m sorry. This is all because I left you to deal with the situation yourself… Please don’t do anything risky like that again, I’m begging you.”

His voice sounded weak. Miyo’s chest tightened.

She didn’t regret her actions, but she did feel she’d acted foolishly after seeing how much they’d worried Kiyoka.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. You did a great job. Thank you.”

Miyo managed to slightly nod her head up and down in Kiyoka’s arms.

As they continued their awkward exchange, they suddenly heard loud, boneheaded complaints come their way.

“Aaaaall right now, you three! Just how long do you plan on staying out here? I’ll catch a cold!”

Kiyoka reluctantly separated himself and released Miyo… Strangely, her whole body felt hot enough to start sweating despite the chill in the air.

I’m so embarrassed.

She had done it again for everyone to see.

“How lovely to see a couple of youngsters not letting the cold air stop them from getting warmed up.

Achoo! Koff !

Whew, it’s cooold out here.”

Tadakiyo sneezed and coughed as he laughed.

Miyo suspected he was making a suggestive remark.

Kiyoka’s irritation at his father came through plain as day.

“Go scurry back inside if you’re so damn cold. That’s what you get for standing out here and gawking at other people.”

“

Hah-hah-hah.

Commander, you can’t expect us to head back without getting a nice long glimpse at such an amusing display.”

“Not you, too.”

As a playful atmosphere descended over them, the four returned inside the villa.

It was late into the evening. Out on the tile-covered balcony attached to Kiyoka’s room on the Kudou villa’s second floor, two figures leaned against the baluster, illuminated in the moonlight.

Kiyoka, who had confronted the Communion’s followers that morning before dealing with the ensuing aftermath, and Arata, who had mainly focused on helping calm down the chaos among the people in the village.

They had been so busy dealing with one thing after another that evening had fallen by the time they got everything under control.

From there, they both decided to share a drink. They each held a cup filled with local sake in their hands.

Despite winter being right around the corner, the evening was curiously warm. And though Kiyoka and Arata normally got along like oil and water, their exchange was pleasant and peaceful thanks to their exhaustion and the modest amount of alcohol.

“I see. So that explains your urgent report.”

Kiyoka went over all the details of the incident once more with Arata beside him.

Everything started with the Gifted Communion. They’d turned this region into their testing grounds, made the villagers undergo experiments, and forcefully possessed people with Grotesqueries to awaken their Gifts.

The Gift-user man from before had claimed it was his job to relay the teachings of the Founder to Kiyoka. This was nothing more than speculation on Kiyoka’s part, but he suspected the Gifted Communion had chosen this region in particular in an attempt to harm his family.

But if that was the case, it raised an entirely different question as to why the Founder wanted to convey his objectives to Kiyoka.

In the end, the string of unnatural phenomena and the eyewitness accounts of suspicious individuals all led back to them.

An investigator from the capital would arrive tomorrow, and more details would come to light as they dug further.

“Yeah… What’s going on in the capital?”

Arata answered Kiyoka’s question about what was happening there.

“The Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit has been roped into hunting down the Gifted Communion, too. The government isn’t stupid, so we’ve already identified some of their potential hideouts.”

This recent event had driven the government’s back against the wall. If things continued like this, the Gifted Communion would eventually become a threat to the whole Empire.

The group’s claims, that they could bestow a power surpassing all human knowledge to anyone, regardless of lineage or circumstances, would definitely attract a large number of people.

“I met with Godou before coming here. Your unit seems to be under the impression that the top brass will have them serve as a counterforce against the Gifted Communion. They could use you back there soon, Commander.”

“You’re right.”

As long as Godou was in charge, Kiyoka knew nothing strange would happen, but his unit could lose morale if he was away for any longer.

Even without Arata’s encouragement, he planned on returning the next day. He had already said as much to his father, and Miyo as well.

Suddenly remembering something, Kiyoka took an object from his breast pocket and tossed it to Arata. Safely catching the item, Arata frowned.

“What is this?”

“A piece of physical evidence my father confiscated.”

A vial filled with fiend blood. Better described as the medium that the Gifted Communion used for bestowing artificial Gifts in their experiments.

“They want to bring about a world of equality… By using nonsense like this.”

Arata’s expression transformed into bitter disgust.

“This ‘Founder’ person must be a Gift-user. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have such a deep understanding of Gifts.”

Gift research, quite obviously, required a well-versed understanding of those abilities themselves. Information about them was essentially a state secret. It wasn’t something the average person would casually get their hands on.

That meant the Founder had to be a Gift-user themselves, or a member of a family who possessed one.

“That would make sense. Do you have any idea who they could be?”

“Not at all. I’ll need to research more when I get back, but… Currently, there are unlikely to be any Gift-users whose whereabouts are unknown. Including those who have gone overseas.”

All Gift-users had a bare minimum amount of their actions supervised

by the government. By now, the state would have looked into the movements of every known Gift-user.

Despite this, Kiyoka still hadn’t received any word about the Founder’s true identity. If that was the case…

Kiyoka quietly mumbled out a name.

“…Naoshi Usui.”

“What?”

“That’s the Founder’s name, apparently. Though it could be fake.”

Arata let out a gasp that rang in Kiyoka’s ears.

His reaction seemed a little strange. When he glanced over beside him, Kiyoka frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

Even under the ephemeral light of the moon, Kiyoka was able to see just how much color had drained from Arata’s face. The hand he’d placed over his mouth, as if to hold back nausea, seemed to tremble slightly, while he stood there dumbfounded, unblinking in shock.

Arata’s calm and collected composure had entirely disappeared.

“Are you sure?”

“Huh?”

“Is that really what he said? That his name…was Naoshi…Naoshi Usui…?”

Inwardly puzzled, Kiyoka nodded.

“Yeah, I definitely remember hearing that name. What about it?”

Arata placed the sake cup in his quivering hands down at his feet and took a deep breath to try calming himself.

Clearly the name rang a bell with him. However, Kiyoka didn’t have an urge to immediately demand an explanation from Arata since he looked so uncharacteristically upset.

“It can’t be—Ah, but that would explain it. That’s why Prince Takaihito…”

Arata mumbled as he panted with short breaths.

“Fill me in on what’s going on.”

“…Yes, I should. Oh, perfect timing.”

Feebly turning his sights on the glass door behind him, Kiyoka saw his gaze land on Miyo, timidly checking in on the pair.

“Um, I’m sorry. For interrupting.”

“We don’t mind.”

Kiyoka had also realized Miyo had come into the room. Though his attention was so captured by Arata’s unusual change, he’d accidentally let her call from the other side of the door go unanswered.

“This topic concerns Miyo as well. I’d like her to hear this, too.”

When he put it like that, all Kiyoka could do was nod his head.

A smile across his pallid face, Arata beckoned Miyo over and sat her down in one of the balcony chairs. She looked up at them quizzically.

“Um. Arata, you look unwell… Maybe you should sit down.”

“Don’t worry about me. How much do you know about this recent incident?”

“Oh, um, not too much, really. But this, um, Gifted Communion? Kiyoka told me about them.”

Kiyoka didn’t know how dangerous the case would end up being, so he’d only given Miyo a partial account.

But since Gift-users were pulling the strings, there was a chance that leaving her in the dark could be even more dangerous. Of course, he still didn’t have the slightest intention of getting her involved any further.

“I see. You always think things through, Commander.”

Arata offered Kiyoka clumsy, uncharacteristic praise.

He stared off into the distance, with a look of vague resignation.

“If what you said is true, Commander… Then all of the blame for everything involving the Gifted Communion lies with the Usuba family.”

“What do you mean?”

“The person who called themselves the Founder of the Gifted Communion is named Naoshi Usui…and the Usuis are one of the Usuba branch families.”

Hearing that made things click for Kiyoka.

The Usubas had been shrouded in mystery until very recently. If the Usuis were one of their branch families, they’d naturally be outside Kiyoka’s area of knowledge.

“The Usuis themselves, however, are no threat. It’s Naoshi Usui himself who is the issue.”

“You know his background?”

“Of course.”

I wish I didn’t

, Arata’s remorseful expression seemed to say.

“As you surmised, Naoshi Usui is a Gift-user. One of the now few who possess the Usuba family’s Gift.”

Breaking off for a moment, he turned to give Miyo a smile.

“He was Miyo’s mother’s—Sumi Saimori’s—prospective marriage partner.”

Both Kiyoka and Miyo stared at him in shock.

The circumstances surrounding the Usubas before Miyo was born came to Kiyoka’s mind.

Arata’s words reminded him that Sumi Usuba had indeed been set to marry another Gift-user inside their family. Whether she herself wished for as much or not, he could not say. At the very least, that was what the head of the Usuba family, Yoshirou Usuba, wanted to do.

There was nothing unusual about Sumi already having a marriage candidate for when she came of age.

Kiyoka could feel the buzz from the alcohol immediately drain away.

“I don’t know too much about this since it happened long before I was born, but Naoshi Usui apparently had feelings for Miyo’s mother beyond their marriage arrangement. He broke away from the family and left for parts unknown right after she was married off to the Saimoris.”

“Broke away?”

“Yes. According to the Usuba family laws, those who are disloyal to the family are met with severe punishment. However, at the time…”

“I get it. At the time, the Usubas didn’t have much power left to do anything. Though actually, I’m sure this Naoshi Usui’s brilliance must have played a part in his escape.”

“You’re right on both counts. He was pursued but never found. Some

members of the family continue to search for him to this very day, but they haven’t obtained any pertinent information as to his whereabouts.”

Kiyoka saw flickers of deep resignation come and go from Arata’s face. He clearly understood the anxiety afflicting him.

The question was, Why had Usui made his move now, of all times?

The Usubas would continue to slowly change from here on out. Instead of being isolated from society, they were going to be able to live openly and with dignity, like Kiyoka and other Gift-users. That was the future that should’ve been waiting for them.

But now that this had happened… If the fact that a person related to the Usubas was aiming to overthrow the government went public, the survival of the entire family would be thrust into jeopardy.

“Does Naoshi Usui hate the Usubas?”

Arata languidly shook his head at Kiyoka’s question. His tone of voice sounded apathetic to anyone who heard it.

“I don’t have the slightest idea about what he’s thinking. He could absolutely hate us, envy us, and desire revenge, but there’s just as much a chance that he doesn’t at all. Though he must have some feelings on the subject, or he wouldn’t be doing all of this, would he?”

Kiyoka didn’t have any words to offer to the despondent Arata.

But if there was one part of this conversation that concerned him, it was that their opponent had the Usubas’ powers—a Gift that could control the minds of others, a Gift that could defeat any other Gift-user. And on top of that, this ability was in the hands of a talented wielder.

Kiyoka thought back to his battle against Arata. It had been night and day compared to fighting the average Gift-user.

To be honest, Naoshi Usui was the greatest threat Kiyoka could imagine.

“Forgive me for my unbecoming attitude.”

“Arata.”

Miyo said his name with a concerned look.

Kiyoka then recalled Arata mentioning that he’d come on Takaihito’s orders. He was sure that otherworldly imperial prince saw a future where Arata and Kiyoka both learned of Naoshi Usui.

Smiling, though with his eyebrows scrunched into a frown, Arata picked up his sake and said…

“I’ll be heading back first. Please enjoy yourselves, you two… Though be sure not to get too cold, now.”

…before slowly leaving the balcony behind.

He looked so much smaller than usual as he departed.

Miyo looked up at the night sky, unsure about what she should do.

The Usuba family. Her mother. She hadn’t forgotten about them, but there was some part of her that thought it was all in the past.

If she considered herself part of the Usuba family, then maybe she should’ve said something to console Arata. Yet she also sensed there wasn’t anything that she

could

say, especially since she was still an outsider.

“Miyo, are you cold?”

“No, I’m okay… Thank you.”

The night was warm, and she was wearing a

haori

overcoat over her kimono, so she was plenty comfortable.

Physically, she was fine, but mentally, Miyo had seen better days. This must have shown on her face, for Kiyoka pulled in the other chair on the balcony and sat down beside her.

“…It’s been a real ordeal, huh.”

An ordeal. She thought that was the perfect way to describe it.

It felt like it was one problem after another. But Miyo didn’t have the power to do anything about it. Her position itself was still up in the air.

“Is there anything that I can do?”

The Usubas considered Miyo one of their own. They looked after Miyo, who had never known normal parents or siblings, Yoshirou treating her like a granddaughter and Arata treating her like a younger sister.

She wanted to do something to help them, but with her hands already full, Miyo had almost nothing to give.

“I don’t really think Arata told you all of that because he wanted you to do something about it.”

“But.”

Kiyoka gently patted Miyo’s head with his wide palm.

“If I were him, I’d just want you to be safe and stay out of trouble. At least that’s how I would feel.”

What an unfair answer.

Miyo wanted everyone

else

to be safe just as much as she wanted to be comfortable herself. That was why she wanted to help, half-baked and grandiose though her wish may have been.

“The Usubas will be fine. I’ll do everything I can to help them, too.”

Kiyoka stopped to consider his next words for a moment. Then he continued carefully.

“…I get that you’re feeling impatient.”

“Hmph!”

“I also understand that you’re working hard to compensate for that. But the fact is, you won’t be able to get what you’re after overnight.”

“…I know.”

Irritation smoldered in her breast. Embarrassed he’d picked up on these feelings so clearly, she placed a hand to her chest.

“Miyo. Anything you can’t do, I’ll handle. I’ll work in your stead and bear your load. Can you agree to that?”

“Kiyoka…”

“Anything that you want to do, I’ll leave in your hands. For the things out of your grasp, I’ll make up for it. That’s how I want to live together with you. Instead of trying to handle things on our own, if we help each other out, compensate for one another, we’ll be able to manage anything that comes our way. Side by side, as husband and wife.”

At first blush, Kiyoka’s words seemed to be simple consolation. But if that was the case, then how could Miyo explain the passion she saw deep in Kiyoka’s eyes as he gazed at her?

Side by side, as husband and wife…

Why did Kiyoka always know exactly what Miyo wanted?

There was a part of me somewhere that felt the need to become a Gift-user and noblewoman worthy of Kiyoka for us to stay together…

She had been impatient to close the gap between them so they could continue forward together, side by side. In other words, she may have tried handling everything on her own.

Miyo herself couldn’t believe how hard she’d strived day in and day out.

“Am I…am I giving you the support you need?”

Hesitant, and unable to ask without wavering slightly, Kiyoka faintly smiled back at Miyo.

“Yes, of course. You became indispensable to me a long time ago. That’s why…”

Slowly, her fianc

é

’s beautiful face, like an artistic masterpiece, drew in close.

Wha—

She didn’t have enough time to process what was happening. The tips of both their noses were close to touching. When Miyo reflexively slammed her eyes shut, she felt something warm and soft brush up against her lips for a brief moment.

Opening her eyes in utter amazement, she was greeted with Kiyoka’s gentle smile, and a faint pink flush on his porcelain cheeks.

“So when spring comes…will you be my wife?”

“I-I will.”

“Thank you.”

I’ll remember this smile in front of me for as long as I live.

As her mind short-circuited, that one thought prevailed.

Miyo had never been more reluctant to leave her room than this morning.

She had woken up just before dawn like usual then agonized endlessly in bed until the sun began to rise.

M-my lips…!

She thought back to the scene over and over again, and each time she did, blood threatened to rush to her head.

She had absolutely no memory of how she’d managed to get back to her own room after that.

The one thing she knew for sure was that she was glad they weren’t both sharing the same bed, as had been originally arranged. If by some chance they had slept in the same bed, she was sure her heart wouldn’t have lasted through the night.

B-but, well, a kiss on the lips, for a betrothed couple…

That was something everyone did… Or so she thought.

Miyo didn’t have any friends her age, so she had no way of knowing for sure. Maybe she would try asking Hazuki about it when she got back. But since merely recalling the situation made her face hot enough to catch fire, she couldn’t fathom how she’d be able to verbally explain everything that had happened.

How in the world am I supposed to face Kiyoka when I see him today?

Miyo buried her face in the pure white pillow as an embarrassed groan unconsciously escaped her lips.

She was agonizing over every minor detail of the encounter, wondering what had compelled Kiyoka to kiss her on the lips in the first place. Besides the fact they were engaged, of course.

Miyo was a mature young woman herself. She understood that placing your lips on someone else’s was what two people did when they shared feelings for each other. Or even going one step further, it was something lovers did to confirm their feelings for each other. Particularly unmarried men and women.

Am I Kiyoka’s lover…? No.

That wasn’t it. She was nothing more than a partner he’d been arranged to marry.

Though really, marrying for love was extremely rare. Many people had arranged marriages, and they either developed feelings for each other or went their separate ways. Love was something that sprouted when two people interacted with each other as an engaged, and eventually married, couple.

If you asked Miyo whether she thought she and Kiyoka had the type of relationship that fostered love, her answer would be no.

When she thought about it like that, her head cooled down slightly.

Then why did Kiyoka…?

She couldn’t imagine if he’d done that on impulse. Kiyoka of all people wouldn’t act so irresponsibly.

He must’ve had a compelling reason to do it.

That’s right, Kiyoka asked me to become his wife. He must have been teaching me what it means to be married.

Despite coming up with this explanation herself, she couldn’t help feeling she was off the mark. But she couldn’t think of any alternatives.

It was embarrassing to get carried away like this. She was truly glad Kiyoka wasn’t there to see her with her head in the clouds.

Miyo heaved a sigh. Slipping out from under the covers, she felt a bit downcast as she got changed and left her room.

Miyo washed her face and headed to the laundry room.

When she went to help out with the laundry as she always did, the housemaids vehemently objected. They had completely taken to treating Miyo as the young mistress of the house. After she pleaded, however, they ultimately allowed her to assist them.

As she kept herself busy handling this and that, the sun rose into full view. It was time for breakfast.

“Oh, Arata. Good morning.”

While heading for the dining room, Miyo encountered Arata, who had stayed at the villa as a guest for the night.

“Good morning, Miyo… I apologize for my unusual behavior last night.”

Though he wore an expression of slight concern, Arata was carrying himself as he normally did.

“No, please… Um, but, if there is anything that I can do—”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

Smiling as he shook his head from side to side, Miyo gulped back the rest of what she was going to say.

“Please save that concern for yourself instead. Like I said yesterday, there’s a chance Naoshi Usui held special feelings for your mother. As

you are Sumi Usuba’s daughter, there’s a chance he might try doing something to you as well.”

Arata then added, “Of course, I’ll do my best to protect you,” trying to play it off as a joke.

Miyo then remembered they had once talked about Arata becoming her bodyguard. Kiyoka had ultimately compromised by inviting Arata to serve as Miyo’s Gift instructor, rather than her bodyguard.

But since he spent many hours teaching Miyo, Arata had ended up as her bodyguard in a roundabout way, too.

According to Arata, Kiyoka was very smart with his money, so this must have all gone according to plan.

“…Okay. I’ll be careful.”

“Please do.”

Arata flashed Miyo his typical smile, but after witnessing how he’d acted last night, she couldn’t help reading him as somewhat distressed. However, Miyo wavered on voicing that observation aloud.

Picking up on Miyo’s uncertainty, Arata smiled dryly.

“In truth, I’d like you to stay home, and I’m sure Commander Kudou feels that way too, so—”

“I’d appreciate not hearing you casually put words in my mouth.”

Miyo suddenly heard a low voice come from behind her, and her heart skipped a beat.

“Oh, good morning, Commander Kudou… You say that I’m putting words in your mouth, but did I say anything untrue?”

“Miyo’s my wife. As long as I’m protecting her, there won’t be a problem.”

“Wife? Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t we, Commander? Has the date for your wedding been set, then?”

“This coming spring. I’ll have this mess cleaned up by then.”

Miyo was caught between the two men sending sparks flying at each other. Her heart throbbed, and her mind went blank. She couldn’t turn to face Kiyoka.

Finding this suspicious, he circled around in front of her.

“Miyo, what’s wrong?”

There was no need to ask. Kiyoka knew full well why she was acting this way.

But seeing his handsome face peering at her from such a close distance instantly made her blush from head to toe; she was in no position to protest.

“K-Kiyoka… G-g-g-ood morning.”

“Right, good morning. Your face is beet red.”

“N-n-no it’s nyo—”

She completely tripped over her own words as she tried to say “not.”

This was so embarrassing that she wanted to drop dead right then and there. If there was a hole nearby, she wanted to crawl into it.

Arata grinned and relished watching Miyo visibly shaken to her core.

“Commander, what did you do to Miyo after I left last night? She’s clearly not her normal self.”

“Nothing.”

Kiyoka bluntly replied.

Hiding her flushed cheeks with both hands, Miyo allowed herself to calm down.

As they were talking, Tadakiyo and Fuyu both entered the dining room and cut their conversation short. Miyo wouldn’t have been able to handle any more prodding questions from Arata, so she inwardly heaved a sigh of relief.

She couldn’t understand how Kiyoka could stay so composed in the first place.

Maybe it’s because he was drinking last night… Did he forget everything because he was drunk?

No, no, no, that was definitely out of the question.

Kiyoka had an absurd tolerance for alcohol and wasn’t the type to lose his memory like that. That was inconceivable.

As she sat down, she stole a glance at the man next to her.

It feels a bit like last night was all just a dream.

Seeing him behaving so normal and unperturbed made her start to think so. Meanwhile…

Feeling mysterious glances from Fuyu while she ate, Miyo finished her breakfast in silence then headed back to her room.

“Miyo.”

“Y-yes?!”

She stopped in her tracks and turned around. When she did, Miyo jumped back in surprise at Kiyoka being closer than she’d expected.

“Eep!”

He pulled her back, throwing her mind into a state of utter chaos. Then Kiyoka went even further, drawing his face close to her ear and whispering to her. Focusing on his breath caressing her eye, she felt her head spinning.

“Miyo. Please don’t forget about yesterday… That was how I feel.”

“Wha…what? Huh?”

How he feels?

That’s what that was? What did he mean by that?

Not only was her mind in complete disarray, but Miyo, who had absolutely no romantic experience to speak of, cocked her head in confusion since she had absolutely no idea what he meant. It seemed Kiyoka was well aware of this himself, too.

“You don’t need to panic. I know you’ll understand someday.”

He smoothly separated his body from hers.

Dumbfounded, Miyo watched him depart from the dining room.

Okay, that should be all my luggage.

It was nearly time for them to depart the villa.

When she checked to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything, she thought back over all the events that had happened during their stay.

Ultimately, things ended up staying unresolved between Fuyu and me…

Since she’d been unable to improve Fuyu’s hostile—though she wanted to believe it wasn’t that severe—attitude, Miyo’s desire to get along with her mother-in-law had come to naught.

It pained her to think that all she’d managed to do was disrupt Kiyoka and Fuyu’s relationship.

Perhaps it would’ve been better if she hadn’t pushed the point, after all.

Her thoughts darkening, she gazed at the change of clothes she had laid out on top of the bed.

I brought it because I thought this was a good occasion to wear it, but…I feel like a fool getting so carried away with myself. And it might just upset Fuyu again, too.

She lightly touched the lovely light purple one-piece dress Hazuki and Miyo had gone out to buy before coming here.

Wanting to show it off to Kiyoka, she had managed to take it out of her bag to wear on the train home, but now she couldn’t summon up the courage to put it on.

As she lost herself in her thoughts, going back and forth about what she should do, there came a sudden knock on the door.

“Yes?”

“It’s Nae. May I come in?”

“Yes, please, enter.”

After Miyo’s reply, Nae quietly opened the door and entered the room.

“Young Mistress, I’ve come to help you prepare for you departure… But it seems you don’t need much help.”

Of course. Miyo usually did everything herself, but she probably should have left this up to the servants.

“M-my apologies.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. In fact, that was just a pretext, if you will…”

“Huh?”

Pretext? For what?

The handmaiden was being evasive, as though she was having difficulty broaching the topic. As she cocked her head, a reproachful and shrill “Excuse me!” assaulted Miyo’s ears.

“Nae, I told you not to say that!”

Appearing from behind the door, her brow furrowed, was Fuyu, done up in yet another gorgeous dress.

“Mother-in-law…?”

“Haven’t I told you to stop calling me that? Must everyone be so insolent with me? Why, no one will listen to any of my orders. It’s awful.”

Fuyu vented her dissatisfaction with an exceptionally cross look on her face.

Since they had barely seen each other outside of meals since the incident the day before, Miyo wondered if she had pent up her dissatisfaction with Miyo in the meantime. And now she had come to let it all out at her?

Fuyu approached Miyo and glared at her as if she were a mosquito, which prompted Miyo to brace herself.

“So you’re returning to the capital? Oh, I’m truly relieved to hear that.”

Just as Miyo had expected, spiteful remarks flew out of Fuyu’s well-shaped lips.

“I am… Um, I sincerely apologize. For everything.”

“Indeed. You gave me quite the headache. Enough that I never want you to come here again.”

“Mistress.”

“Nae. Backstabbers should keep quiet. Honestly, do you believe I don’t know that all of you have taken this girl’s side?”

Fuyu sharply cut off Nae’s attempt to reprimand her mistress.

It was true that all the servants at the villa had started treating Miyo like the young mistress of the house. It was right to call it a betrayal, given Fuyu’s refusal to accept Miyo.

With an indignant snort, Fuyu turned her attention to the one-piece dress spread out on top of the bed.

“Is this yours, then?”

Miyo nodded while her trepidation whirled inside her.

“Y-yes. That’s right…”

“Really? Well, it doesn’t look cheap, at least.”

She had bought it with Hazuki at the department store. While she had Hazuki’s guarantee it was a quality item, Miyo had lost confidence that she could do it justice.

“And what is that irritating look for? It’s so ugly, I can scarcely believe it. Kiyoka may be my son, but even horrible taste has its limits.”

“My apologies.”

Miyo averted her gaze and apologized.

She hadn’t been able to do anything, to change anything. She felt like she no longer had any right to stand up to Fuyu.

All she could do right now was avoid making Fuyu’s already bad impression of her even worse.

Just like when she’d lived with the Saimoris, the only thing Miyo was good for was apologizing. That realization stung more than the fiercest insult. She felt like she was going to cry.

She lowered her eyes so Fuyu wouldn’t see them slowly blurring with tears.

“Hmph, serves you right… Well, that’s what I’d like to say, but I’m sure Tadakiyo will get angry at me and claim I’m bullying you. Don’t start bawling on me.”

“M-my apologies.”

The more she hastily tried to hold them back, the more they overflowed.

I know I can’t let myself cry, but…

Nonstop apologies and breaking into tears. Had anything really changed from her time at her parents’ house?

Just like her unchanged relationship with Fuyu, could it be that even what she thought had changed about herself had actually not changed at all?

The past couldn’t be altered. Fuyu was absolutely right. Since her past had made her who she was today, maybe it was impossible for Miyo to transform herself as well.

It was a feeling of total despair, as if her feet were sinking in bottomless mire.

“That apologizing of yours is quite obnoxious.”

“…!”

“What do you think apologizing like that will do, I wonder? The more you say sorry, the weaker it sounds. Worthless groveling is simply annoying.”

“I, um…”

Fuyu had told her not to apologize.

Miyo hadn’t forgotten being told the same thing earlier. That her apology would sound less sincere. She was repeating the same mistakes yet again.

She was such a hopeless fool.

“I don’t have any sympathy for your past. I can’t stand those annoying apologies of yours, and I don’t plan on accepting someone so rude, and so fit to be a servant, as you.”

Fuyu’s tone was clear and decisive.

Miyo suspected Fuyu’s words stemmed from something inside her—a firm conviction. She had a strength that Miyo lacked.

She should have been franker and more open with Fuyu. It was only because she was so spineless that she had been unable to do so.

“But.”

As she sank deeper into despair and desperately focused her energy into keeping her tears at bay, Miyo heard an unexpected word from Fuyu, who continued making her point.

“You’ve been adamantly fulfilling your duty as Kiyoka’s fianc

é

e, I would say.”

“Huh…?”

Right when Miyo raised her head up in shock, Fuyu loudly snapped her fan open to cover her mouth before turning to look off into the distance.

“Make no mistake, now. You’re ugly, impolite, mangy, gloomy, and uncultured. Not to mention scrawny, and lacking the slightest bit of dignity, pride, or even self-respect. You can’t meet the barest minimum of what it takes to be considered human.”

Fuyu’s string of insults, rattled off in a single breath, left Miyo little time to react. It was just one horrible stab in her heart after another.

“But you didn’t even debate or boast to me about actually possessing supernatural abilities, did you?”

Her quiet voice disappeared before it could reach Miyo’s ears.

Fuyu continued in a shrill high-pitched voice, as if snapping back to her senses.

“But that spirit you have of trying to act on Kiyoka’s behalf, and that

alone

, I suppose I can admit that

maybe

it

might

be worthy of him.

Just barely

, mind you!”

Miyo’s eyes bulged open wide, and she could only manage a flat “Okay” in reply.

Fuyu’s words were so complicated and confusing that she stood blankly, her brain unable to comprehend the essential point behind what she had said…

Fuyu’s cheeks flushed crimson at Miyo’s dull response.

“Enough already! Hold out your hand!”

“Y-yes, ma’am.”

Miyo thrust out both hands, unsure exactly what was going on, and something very light was placed softly in her palm.

It was a charming white lace ribbon.

Miyo’s confusion only grew.

“I wore this when I was a young girl. In other words, it’s cheap, outdated garbage that I’ll never wear again. An absolutely perfect match for you, if I do say so myself!”

“Um, you’re giving this…to me?”

“Absolutely not, of course! It’s garbage, garbage! You love doing servant work, don’t you? Then go throw it away!”

“Yes, but…”

The ribbon was very old, and it seemed to have been attentively cared for. That, and it had such intricately woven lace. It definitely wasn’t cheap.

And since Fuyu had kept this ribbon in impeccable condition over the years, she couldn’t really have thought it was garbage, either.

“Enough!” she said, yet again raising her voice and scowling with a huff at the bewildered Miyo.

“It’s trash! Nothing more. If you absolutely insist on keeping that piece of garbage for yourself, then feel free to abscond with it all you like, but know it should be thrown in the rubbish where it belongs!”

Punctuating her words with another huff, Fuyu kept up her ferocious glare as she departed the room.

The tears welling up in her eyes and the despair that had taken over her heart disappeared completely as Miyo stood there speechless, watching Fuyu leave.

It felt as if a storm had passed through.

“What should I…?”

The ribbon in her hands was garbage, according to Fuyu, but it seemed like anything but to Miyo. She couldn’t imagine throwing it away.

It was Nae, still in the room with her, who answered Miyo’s question.

“I’m terribly sorry, Young Mistress. I believe it would be best to simply accept that ribbon for yourself.”

“You think so?”

“I do. This is nothing but my personal speculation, but I believe the mistress intended that as a present for you.”

From what Miyo had seen during her few days there, it seemed like Nae understood Fuyu the most of all the servants. While Fuyu would never explicitly state as much, Miyo knew that she put a lot of trust in Nae.

If the handmaid was saying that Miyo should keep the ribbon, there was little chance she was wrong, but…

“Are you sure…?”

Miyo was completely at a loss as to whether the word

gift

had ever shown up in anything Fuyu had just told her.

“The mistress appears to have some fondness for you, Young Mistress. That ribbon is proof, as it were, that she acknowledges you…or something to that effect, I’m sure. If you don’t accept it, I think it would only serve to offend her.”

“Mother-in-law…acknowledges me…?”

It was hard to believe after Fuyu had just finished disparaging her so much. Still somewhat dubious, Miyo placed the ribbon on the mirror stand.

“Young Mistress. If you would like, I can tie up your hair with that ribbon after you finish getting dressed.”

“Oh…um, well…”

Nae’s offer was fantastic. The white ribbon would complement the light purple one-piece dress well.

Still, though, was this really okay? The very person she received it from had repeatedly emphasized to her that it was garbage.

Picking up on Miyo’s confusion, Nae smiled faintly.

“While the mistress does have a violent temper and can be harsh toward things she finds displeasing, she is not as mean-hearted down deep as she may appear. It’s simply that her indirect way of acting and speaking stands out.”

“Indirect, huh…”

“I believe the mistress was deeply impressed when you endeavored to save that man from the village yesterday. Though she didn’t say that explicitly herself.”

Miyo thought back to what Fuyu had said moments before.

“But that spirit you have of trying to act on Kiyoka’s behalf, and that

alone

, I suppose I can admit that

maybe

it

might

be worthy of him. Just

barely,

mind you!”

It was quite a difficult comment to parse, but when she’d calmed down and thought it through, Fuyu had really said she was fine acknowledging Miyo for Kiyoka’s sake…or so it sounded.

Wording that was difficult to understand. An unwavering and stubborn personality. Miyo felt a bit like she knew someone who resembled her.

Kiyoka’s and Mother’s personalities seem a bit similar, don’t they?

She couldn’t hold back a small giggle.

Back when Miyo had just arrived at Kiyoka’s house, there had been times he treated her coldly. Indeed, such rumors about his cold behavior were spread far and wide. But he was simply clumsy at expressing himself and was, in fact, a very kind man.

Once she understood that, even his occasional curt mannerisms seemed charming to her.

When she considered Fuyu might be the same way, it lightened her heart just a little.

“Young Mistress. We servants all enjoyed attending to you. Therefore, instead of saying good-bye, I hope you’ll come back again in the future.”

It was still faint, like a tiny seed, but she felt some hope yet.

“Yes, definitely.”

After exchanging bright smiles together, Miyo set about getting ready.

Everyone had already gathered in the entryway hall, except for Miyo.

I-I knew it, this is really nerve-racking after all…

Her first Western outfit. Nae complimented her, saying she “looked absolutely stunning,” but when it came time for the big reveal, she couldn’t calm her pounding heart.

Compared to kimonos, Western clothes were shorter in length, with her feet overly exposed to the breeze, making her both extraordinarily uneasy and embarrassed.

As Miyo fidgeted hesitantly, unable to come out from where she was hiding, she heard a voice from behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Such an elegant standing posture could only belong to Fuyu. She had just arrived at the entry hall herself.

“…I’m just nervous.”

“Oh my, then I suppose I’ll need to tack on ‘cowardly’ to the long list of your endless flaws, won’t I?”

“…”

“So you’re actually wearing it. That ribbon.”

“Oh, um, yes.”

Nae had tied her hair together beautifully.

Neatly combed, only the upper part of the hair on the back of her head was tied up, with the lower half being left to flow behind her, in the so-called lady’s knot. Using the white lace ribbon from Fuyu, of course.

“Well, I suppose it does make you somewhat more presentable. Obvious, really, given it once belonged to me.”

“Thank you very much.”

When Miyo expressed her sincere gratitude to Fuyu, she turned away with a firm “I should certainly hope so!”

Then, using the hand that wasn’t holding her fan, she suddenly pushed Miyo forward.

“Ah…”

By unintentionally showing herself in the entry hall, she drew the eyes of everyone gathered there, and her mind went blank.

“Oh my, Miyo looks just as good in Western clothes, doesn’t she?”

The first thing she heard was slightly flippant praise from Tadakiyo.

Both Kiyoka and Arata are staring at me…

When she shifted her gaze, she saw the men looking her way. Miyo’s feet naturally carried her in their direction.

Between the two of them, Arata was the first to speak.

“Miyo. That outfit of yours is absolutely marvelous. Beautiful and charming. I can hardly take my eyes off you.”

“Thank you…”

Her cheeks were on fire. Unconsciously, she fidgeted with her hands, locking her fingers together before quickly untangling them again.

Restlessly shifting her eyes to avoid looking at anyone, she met Kiyoka’s own. When they did, he smiled softly.

“Um, Kiyoka. Wh-what do you…think…?”

“Right. You look great. Very cute.”

The joy, and slight surprise, she felt at his remark made her cheeks grow hotter. She covered her mouth with her hands as it naturally broke into a smile.

C-cute… He called me cute…

She never would’ve thought Kiyoka would tell her something like that.

While she expected him to compliment her, she never expected him to use such a word to do so. It made her so very, very happy.

This must have been what it felt like when people described themselves as walking on air.

“Well now, I never thought I’d hear my straitlaced-to-the-very-core

son call someone cute… Fuyu, my dear, there’s no choice but to accept their arrangement now.”

“Don’t ask me. Why, I don’t ever recall raising my son into the type of man who’d compliment women with such an unbecoming grin on his face. A deplorable look for a son of the Empire, truly.”

The hushed conversation about them never reached the betrothed couple’s ears.

Afterward, once they’d finished exchanging formal good-byes, Tadakiyo had some final parting words for each of them.

“Kiyoka, be sure to invite us to the wedding. Fuyu and I will go together.”

“If I feel like it.”

“And you, Usaba boy. You never got a chance to relax, did you? Feel free to swing by again sometime, do some sightseeing.”

“That’s very true. Maybe I will come to enjoy your hot springs, then.”

“Miyo. Take care of Kiyoka for me.”

“I will.”

Tadakiyo shouted, “Be sure to keep healthy,” as they all got into the automobile, and Miyo heard Kiyoka quietly respond, “You’re the one who needs to hear that.”

Then, sent off by Tadakiyo dramatically waving his hand good-bye, Miyo, Kiyoka, and Arata made their way back to the capital.