"Mitsuba!"
The sudden shout in her ear instantly jolted Mitsuba awake from that transparent world.
The bamboo sword fell from her hand, the transparency in her eyes receding like a tide. Mitsuba's eyes snapped open as she collapsed to sit on the ground.
Before she could react to what had happened, she saw a woman rush forward and tightly embrace her, anxiously asking:
"Mitsuba, are you alright? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
As her consciousness gradually returned, Mitsuba recognized the beautiful woman holding her.
This was her mother, Juna—a woman who deeply loved her children, beautiful and gentle.
"Mother? Why are you here? I just..."
Her heart beat uncontrollably, her back already soaked with sweat. Mitsuba tried hard to recall what had just happened.
She remembered that after both Brother Michikatsu and Brother Yoriichi had left, she picked up the bamboo sword that Brother Yoriichi had dropped, trying to imitate the sword moves he had performed earlier.
And then, and then she seemed to have entered a... transparent world?
In that world, everything was transparent—whether herself or others, everything was clearly visible to her eyes.
Incredible...
Can humans actually do such things?
Unaware of her daughter's wandering thoughts, Juna simply held Mitsuba tightly, speaking with a voice trembling with tears after the fright:
"Silly girl, Mother waited half the day for you to bring your two brothers to eat, so I thought I'd come find you...
But I couldn't find your two brothers; instead, I saw you alone here swinging a bamboo sword endlessly, no matter how much Mother called out, you wouldn't wake up.
You foolish girl, do you know you nearly scared Mother to death just now..."
"I'm sorry, Mother, I was just..."
Mitsuba wanted to explain, but the words reached her lips without knowing how to speak them.
What should she say?
Say that she suddenly entered a transparent world while swinging her sword, and because she was too immersed in it, she didn't notice her mother's calls?
Would anyone believe such words? Would she really not be considered mad?
"Alright, it's fine as long as you're okay, let's not talk about this for now..."
Fortunately, Juna didn't press further. She wiped her moist eyes, finally releasing Mitsuba, then turned to look at the sword instructor still unconscious on the ground nearby, her face full of worry as she asked:
"Mitsuba, tell Mother, what exactly happened here just now?
Who injured the sword instructor like this? And where did your two brothers run off to?"
"Brothers they..."
"..."
From this day forward, the matter of Brother Yoriichi possessing "supernatural power" gradually spread throughout the entire Tsugikuni family.
After learning about this from the sword instructor upon his waking, and carefully confirming his injuries, in just one night, Father's attitude toward Yoriichi underwent a heaven-earth reversal.
Brother Yoriichi was no longer the embodiment of ill omen in his eyes, but the "Child of God" destined to lead the Tsugikuni family to glory!
Tsugikuni Yoriichi was a child bestowed upon the Tsugikuni family by the gods!
Father had developed the intention to change the heir to Brother Yoriichi.
And the child who would be sent to a temple to become a monk at age ten became Brother Michikatsu, who Father had once placed high hopes upon.
Such a devastating gap between expectation and reality struck a heavy blow, causing Brother Michikatsu to collapse from then on.
He no longer rose early, no longer went to practice swordsmanship, was indifferent to Father's rebukes, unresponsive to Mother's care, and completely unmoved by the servants' gossip.
He was indeed still alive, yet as if he had lost his soul.
Mitsuba had always known in her heart that Brother Michikatsu was actually a very hardworking person.
He had talent, he had patience, and could desperately strive to achieve his goals regardless of how many setbacks he encountered in the process.
But all this was premised on Brother Michikatsu believing he could achieve that goal.
That morning, the few sword moves Yoriichi casually displayed, that lightning-like speed, those eyes that could see through everything—all deeply shocked and destroyed the originally firm heart of Michikatsu.
Just one glance made Michikatsu completely realize the chasm between true genius and ordinary people—a gap that no matter how hard he tried, he could never cross.
That was a peak he could never reach in his entire life.
His once proud samurai dream was thus completely shattered by Yoriichi's casual swing...
As a younger sister, Mitsuba knew that this was precisely when she needed to play her role, counsel her two brothers, and repair the relationship between them.
After all, she was "Mitsuba"—this name given to her by Mother Juna herself contained Mother's hopes for her.
However, Mitsuba couldn't do this.
Because while Michikatsu was sinking into depression, she also learned news that was enough to make her despair.
Her father had arranged a marriage for her.
The other party was a daimyo from a neighboring country whom Mitsuba had once met at a banquet.
He was an old man nearly fifty years old, old enough to be her grandfather, with a big belly and a face full of flesh.
It was said that his original wife had just passed away recently, and he happened to have the intention of remarrying. To form a marriage alliance with him, Father had immediately betrothed her to him on the spot.
Father said this was a well-matched union.
When she learned this news, Mitsuba first felt shocked, then boundless fear.
It wasn't that she had never thought about the day she would marry; she just never imagined that her father could really care so little as to betroth his daughter to an old man even older than himself?
Of course, Father didn't mean for her to marry right away; for now, everything was still just a verbal agreement.
After all, she was still so young now. The Tsugikuni family would continue to raise her, and only after a few more years, when she reached a suitable age for marriage, would this betrothal be formally fulfilled.
But regardless, Mitsuba's future had already been decided.
In the not-too-distant future, she would be sent away from this home, sent to a completely unfamiliar environment, and then spend the rest of her life in loneliness and despair accompanying an old man who might die at any moment.
Just thinking of this future made Mitsuba tremble with fear.
She tried to persuade Father to change this decision, but what she ultimately received in return was a resounding slap from Father and these words—
"You are a woman of the Tsugikuni family! Devoting yourself to the Tsugikuni family is the mission you were born with!"
She had also thought of seeking Mother's help, but at this time, Mother was constantly arguing with Father all day long because of the two brothers' matters, and her health was deteriorating daily, completely unable to attend to her affairs...
Time slowly moved forward.
Until half a year later, this Tsugikuni family, already full of cracks and teetering on the brink, finally welcomed the moment that would change everyone's fate—
Mother Juna passed away from illness.