"I have no hope of recovery, Brother."
Uttering this sentence of judgment upon herself, Mitsuba's tone was as calm as her expression at this moment.
As if the person who was about to die in her words was not herself, but someone else.
"The friend I mentioned to you earlier is a physician of exceptional skill. These past few years, she has been working hard for my illness.
I am truly grateful to her, but from her reactions I can also perceive that this illness cannot be cured... just like Mother was back then.
You couldn't save Mother back then, so naturally you cannot save me now.
Therefore, rather than speaking of it and causing you and Brother Michikatsu to worry, it would be better not to say anything, wouldn't it?"
"That's not how it is, Mitsuba..."
Hearing Mitsuba's words, Yoriichi subconsciously shook his head.
No, it shouldn't be like this... Mitsuba... something is not right...
"Don't worry, I have already made proper arrangements for the Tsugikuni family matters."
Not paying attention to Yoriichi's reaction at this moment, Mitsuba calmly continued:
"After all, our Tsugikuni family is a lineage that has been passed down for hundreds of years. Even if we are now in decline, we still have several loyal hereditary vassals.
I have tested their character multiple times over these years—they are all trustworthy people.
I have already informed them of my physical condition in advance.
After I die, they will together assist Brother Michikatsu's young child through this turbulent period, and absolutely will not cause trouble for you and Brother Michikatsu..."
"That's not it!"
His thoughts suddenly somewhat chaotic, interrupting Mitsuba with a volume close to a shout, Yoriichi looked at his sister before him—who was clearly already half her body in the coffin, yet still calmly arranging affairs for the Tsugikuni family, making people worry not at all about her—and forced himself to calm down.
"Mitsuba! I don't want to talk about these things with you... what I want to say is..."
Yes, it shouldn't be like this.
This is wrong.
Tsugikuni Mitsuba, his sister, she... she shouldn't be this calm.
How can a normal person be so calm at a time like this?
How can a normal person appear so completely indifferent to her own death?
Has his sister always been this kind of personality?
This is not right, truly not right...
Suddenly stepping forward and tightly grasping Mitsuba's arms, Yoriichi squatted halfway down. He looked up at his sister's face—calm with a hint of confusion—and said word by word, with utmost seriousness:
"Mitsuba, do you know that you are dying, dying very soon? Do you understand this?"
"Mm, I understand."
Looking down at Yoriichi, Mitsuba was first stunned, then nodded and replied:
"Brother Yoriichi, I am very clear about this."
"Then why do you still..."
"Because people always die. This is no big deal. I am merely a bit earlier, that's all."
Looking directly into Yoriichi's gradually dilating pupils, Mitsuba once again used that calm tone to comfort him:
"You need not worry about me. As the daughter of the Tsugikuni family, I have already fulfilled my own duties.
I think, when I go down and meet Father and Mother, they will surely be proud of me..."
Looking at Mitsuba who spoke these words with disbelief, looking at her expression that was as always carrying a faint smile, Yoriichi tremblingly released his hands.
He subconsciously retreated two steps, his body losing balance and falling to sit on the ground.
But even so, his gaze did not move away from Mitsuba before him.
He just looked at her like this, shaking his head slightly, and in those clear eyes, tears gradually overflowed.
"That's not how it is..."
The girl before him... was his sister?
"Brother Yoriichi?"
"That's not how it is..."
His sister shouldn't be like this.
He remembered. The Mitsuba in his memory was not at all like this.
Mitsuba could cry and laugh, was lively and cheerful. She loved to play since she was young, was a rule-breaking character since childhood, always secretly running to that small room to find him behind Father's back...
If it were Mitsuba, she should be crying now. She would surely throw herself into his arms, loudly crying out her fear of death, crying for him to quickly think of a way to save her.
She would absolutely not be like now, expressionlessly narrating her own death while remaining unmoved.
Absolutely not...
So, why was it like this?
Where did something go wrong?
Why had his sister suddenly become like this?
"Brother Yoriichi, are you feeling sad for me?"
By her ear, Mitsuba's voice sounded once again.
As if seeing through Yoriichi's inner thoughts at this moment, Mitsuba finally stood up from her seat.
Her movements were very slow, her left leg almost unable to move, her entire body swaying unsteadily, as if with one careless moment she would fall to the ground.
However, it was with this body that had become extremely weak that she walked step by step to Yoriichi's front.
Then, under his gaze of extreme shock, she slowly squatted down, and finally used her only still-functional right arm to gently embrace him.
"You need not be like this. I am not broken. I am very normal. I have merely... accepted my own fate.
Brother Yoriichi, do you know? Death is actually not such a terrifying thing. As long as we can accept it calmly... death will not threaten our hearts."
"Mitsuba..."
Listening to these words she spoke by his ear, feeling her light weight pressing upon him, Yoriichi's vision gradually blurred.
He felt as if something warm was continuously sliding down his cheeks.
A tearing pain came from his chest. Yoriichi remembered this feeling—when he saw Uta killed by a demon, his heart had also felt this way.
"Brother Yoriichi, I do not mean to blame anyone. Therefore, you also need not feel any guilt or sadness for me.
Everything is the arrangement of fate. I was long destined to pass away early, that is all.
I am merely grateful that I could still see you one last time before death truly arrives, fulfilling my promise to my friend.
I had previously thought that this time I might not be able to wait for your return..."
Slowly releasing Yoriichi, Mitsuba looked at her brother's face already covered in tears, and said with a gentle smile:
"I earnestly request that you, at least before I depart, do not tell Brother Michikatsu about my matters. Is that acceptable?
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