Bitter Tea (Kazuha x Wanderer) Genshin FanFic

Chapter 23: Lost (3)

Cold winds soon arrived and thus blanketed the whole of Inazuma with snow and ice, signaling that winter had finally come.

Its pristine white glare covered the land as the last remaining maple leaves in the Kaedehara clan house withered and fall thus revealing the stark bare branches of the once bountiful tree.

With that, the hustle and bustle of the Kaedehara clan house was far different from its once was festive atmosphere thus leaving no one to sweep the fallen leaves in the courtyard.

A sense of loss and gloom was utmost present when the news came so late, so much so that it became quite a shock to the servants and most of all to their young master that was away for a while.

"The master left so soon..."

"What will become of the Kaedehara clan now...."

At a loss for words, the servants didn't know what to do and specially didn't know what to say to the young master that had just return after hearing of the late news.

"... We shall hold a funeral for my deceased father... and the rest... I'll come up with a solution."

With their young master's unwavering voice and resolute eyes, the servants quickly snapped out of their daze and thus started to prepare what needs to be done for the funeral, just as the young master had ordered.

Yet, they couldn't see the young samurai's tear scarred eyes hiding beneath that layer of resoluteness.

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After a modest funeral was held, the young master of the Kaedehara clan distributed what's left of the clan's properties.

Thus this continued on until the young master slowly dismissed the remaining servants and gave them a severance fee along with various letters of recommendation.

"But Master... are you sure? We are the only servants left... After we're gone, who's going to..."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"...Master... your mother died early, and now that your father has left you... You're all that remains of this clan now..."

"Yes, that is the burden that I must carry. Please, do take care of yourselves."

""...Please take care as well... our young master.""

With a smile, the young samurai bade farewell to the once was servants of the clan.

Going back inside the now empty Kaedehara clan house, the young samurai walked slowly as if savoring the bitter, happy, sad and unforgettable memories left to the hands of time.

The laughter, smiles and tears were nothing but echoes in this empty place now devoid of its furniture and people.

Now in the inner most room of this house, the young samurai entered a familiar office.

"Father..." The young samurai then called out.

Perhaps it was an unconscious remark due in reminiscing of the times he casually strolled inside this office when he was young and that one time when he and his father had an argument.

Or perhaps he simply wished for someone to answer back.

Yet only silence and stillness answered his call.

A slightly disappointed sigh escaped the young samurai's lips as he continued his words despite himself. "Haa... Father, the Kaedehara clan had now ultimately disbanded in my hands."

As if having a conversation between father and son, the young samurai then continued to talk about the recent events that transpired.

He then proceeded to talk about how much it was a shock to him when he heard the news of his own father's death and how he had dismissed the remaining servants, with letters of recommendation and severance pay of course.

After saying his piece, no words were now left to be said as silence once again enveloped the already still office.

The young samurai then got up and walked through the long halls once more and soon arrived at the courtyard.

A brief memory of climbing up one of the trees to help a baby bird reach its nest was now but a funny memory.

Especially the time when the servants all flocked around the young samurai when they witnessed him fall from one of the maple tree's branches.

The young samurai kept saying that he was fine but the servants did not believe him as they quickly brought him inside the house to get treated, but really, he was fine as not a single bruise was seen at all.

"Haha... it was indeed a strange memory."

It was definitely odd as falling from that height at that age would've indeed caused him a severe injury, if not, even death.

"I must've been most certainly blessed... as remaining alive is a blessing indeed despite all that has and will transpire..."

With a newfound understanding the young samurai now made his way to the clan's gates so as to leave through it one last time.

"...But as Father had said, I should not let life imprison me."

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AN:^^;