Today was another boring day as I was still tied to this suffocating small clan house.
Though, what deters me from further boredom was either watching the samurai do training or watch the samurai's father doing rock bonsai through the window.
Nonetheless everything still feels boring...
Hmm? What the... Oh. So that's what the samurai's father looks like... But who... is he talking to...
- Wanderer
***
I feel as though I have been walking for a long while within this vast expanse of a seemingly familiar corridor.
Suddenly my footsteps halted as I stare upon a certain room.
There I saw a silhouette of two people having a conversation.
Yet when I entered, only the shadow of one person remained.
Soon I heard a sound from nearby, somebody was raising their voice. "I'm sorry but I just don't understand!"
'But... Who was it...?'
"Kazuha, have you forgotten our promise?"
'Ah... of course how could I forget, this is a conversation that I once had with my father.'
Once again, I heard a voice nearby and to my surprise it was myself that was in truth, speaking. "You really want to give it all up? But... but even if we're having a rough time. You still have me by your side!"
I then stared intently at my father's broad back, a back that seemed to be able to carry any mountain.
That... I used to firmly believe so when I was younger.
"..."
"Can't I be of any help?"
"..."
Seeing that my father was unmoved, I thus proceeded to say my honest thoughts. "When you were my age you were already helping grandfather out! Am I so incompetent that I'm a disappointment to you? Or...-"
"Kazuha!" Father had now finally turned to me, his demeanor present with signs of age and weary.
The once broad back that used to face me was no more, what replaced it was the look of a weary traveler looking for a place to finally settle at.
"!..." My eyes then widened at the sudden yell that was oddly unbecoming of my Father....
'I wonder... what could've stirred him so?'
As if noticing my discomfort, my father immediately calmed himself and decided to explain things to me in a more gentle yet serious tone.
"Haa... Now you're blaming yourself for all of this... That's why I have failed as your father."
"...."
"The Kaedehara Clan has been paying the price for our past mistakes ever since your great-grandfather's generation. To this day, we have never fully recovered from it."
"..." I could only forcefully restrain myself from voicing out my remaining thoughts as I could feel my hand clenching down on my own scarf.
"Though we are a family of bladesmiths, you don't have to devote your life to the family craft"
"Ah....but-"
"If a wounded animal wants to escape from a trap, it has to sacrifice the hind leg that was caught."
"...." Deep down, I understood. I firmly understood every word but even so, I couldn't help but felt that all of this was just... 'Unfair...' as I firmly clenched further on my own scarf.
"You might think of this as a loss, but staying in the trap has far more deadly consequences."
As I could no longer bear the weight if these heavy feelings I decided to lash out. "I get your point father but even so-!"
"Enough now, Kazuha. As the head of the family, I failed to revitalize our clan."
But it seems all of my words were fully countered by my father, his point I cannot dare refute.
"Father...."
"You never blamed me for not giving you the life promised to you by our heritage, and I'm grateful enough for that."
Father then proceeded to lightly smile as if he felt unshackled....
'How... could he smile like that?' I questioned that expression deeply to the point that I even wondered if I would ever understand it one day.
"..." I had no choice but to continue in remaining silent as I await his next words.
"All these generations of suffering... let's end them today."
Shock filled my body as I failed to understand the meaning behind those words...
But why is it... 'Why did it felt like a farewell...?'
As if wanting to hide his very expression, my Father once again turned his back to me as he slowly continued his heavy words.
"From now on, live your life with no burdens."
'But... how... Father...?' A conflicted expression soon escaped from my face as my Father's advice ringed within my head.
After noticing my sudden change of expression however, my Father then seemed to have misunderstood the signs of my current demeanor.
As while my Father was facing the mirror in the room that was fully reflecting my figure, he continued his words.
"Don't worry... I'll carry the blame for abandoning our family business"
Those words brought me out my daze as I quickly shot a look towards my Father's figure.
Hurriedly, I stammered as I proceeded to say my next words. "Father, please don't... You should not be to blame for not upholding our family name."
"...." Despite my pleas, Father chose to remain silent.
Was it an act of intransigence or had Father lost all will to converse with me?
That question continued to broil within my mind for which I have no clue what the answer to it was.
"..."
"...Even if that day comes, let me share the burden with you." I then looked straight at Father's back an unconscious forced smile dawned on my face as I proceeded to sincerely say my promise.
"Kazuha..."
"...Let's just wait and see. Sooner or later, I will have to lead the Kaedehara Clan." My mouth then once more began to move by itself as I said the words I had once did many years ago.
"....When the time comes, I'll deal with all our problems." Giving my respects to Father, I soon said my piece and left the room.
-----------------------------------------
AN: This part is mostly an excerpt from the in-game event called [Summertime Odyssey: As the courtyard in spring once appeared.]
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