03.
Spring break.
It was the starting signal of garden parties.
When the cherry blossom petals begin to bloom, invitations are sent out. The people bringing up topics such as, “the cherry blossoms of that garden are wonderful, aren’t they?” while waiting for invitations also increase.
A tea party overflowing with so much originality or an evening banquet? There were also clans grumbling anxiously.
The Sagara clan owns a vast traditional Japanese landscape garden, however there are no cherry blossom trees, only plum trees.
It’s nice that the clan is putting the motto shitsujitsugouken (lit. fortitude and vigour) into practice, but I can only feel relieved at this moment.
As for invitations to garden parties, they are almost solely for my grandparents, parents and older siblings. Rarely anything comes for me.
Even if they come, they are either acquaintances from Shinonome Academy or from someone with ulterior motives.
Those with ulterior motives are immediately discarded and the acquaintances from Shinonome Academy are thoroughly investigated before they are answered.
I have just finished studying for this spring break and now training at the dojo entirely.
There were clans in the setting of 『Seventh Heaven』.
You will know which are the distinguished families by their surname, it was that kind of mentality.
They are divided into six—— 神(god)・皇(sovereign)・天(heaven)・地(earth)・外(outside)・他(others).
The division of the surnames has ancient and honorable origin that dates back to the descent to earth of Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the grandson of sun goddess Amaterasu.
神(god) is literally the inhabitants of heaven (divine clan;神族). In order words, children of God who descended from the heavens down to earth.
皇(sovereign) are the family names granted by the Emperor of Japan during the fall of the imperial family (royal clan;皇族) to his retainers.
天(heaven) are called the heavenly clans (天族), the descendants of the gods who accompanied Ninigi-no-Mikoto.
地 (earth) are the influential and powerful families called earth clan(地族) who existed on this earth before the descent of Ninigi-no-Mikoto.
外 (outside) are from other countries(外つ国), in other words, the descendants of foreigners who crossed over from continental Asia and Korean Peninsula.
他 (others) are the family names given after the Meiji era. These “others” called the leaf clans(葉族) represents the branch families bestowed different surnames from their main branches, but there’s no clear distinction because they are bundled with the main house.
This leaf clan was a setting established in the game but at the end of the day, these classifications ended up completely making the setting collapse.
The people referred as prestigious families were those with surnames that belong to the 4 clans – divine, sovereign, heaven and earth. Among them, which clan is higher than the other is vague.
However, what was understood clearly, was that they were clans which hold high status wherein the direct descent had continued for a long time.
Going by this setting, our Sagara clan is a noble family of higher rank—- the cream of the crop aside from the royalty and the divine clan.
During that time, the clan head was never taken in from the branch family even once.
The Sagara clan is a fertile clan so it’s seldom that only 5 children are born in one generation. There are around 16 children during a numerous period but they are all from the legal wife. It seems like the clan heads do not keep concubines.
How much lovey-dovey are you…or rather, it’s too harsh for the wife! That was my impression when I learned about the clan for my education.
Even if there’s difference in social status, there’s also a way to marry using the loophole of adopting a heir, right? Well, there are 16 children.
Sagara husband-candidates are covetous targets from the fact that if you marry into the Sagara clan, you’ll be taken good care of and will never be cheated on.
By the way, in the case of Sagara daughters, wife-candidates are extremely popular because there’s even more of a profitable feeling.
Both male and female Sagaras are able to produce at least 3 children with their fertile lineage. It seems they are also blessed by the God of Fortune. To sum up, there’s a myth that the person who marries a Sagara daughter will prosper.
Of course, this has a condition.
If you have an affair, it will end there.
From there, the husband’s family will single-mindedly fall.
If you apply for an engagement out of self-interest without getting affected by that, you’ll just be turned away at the door.
It is because of this that engagement proposals come for me even though I am not yet of age.
It’s easy to understand when speaking of the fact that they only receive training for earning wealth.
They receive training on the broad knowledge of martial arts to protect themselves but in addition to that, they are also given the suitable education to develop their respective abilities.
In the old days, they were knowledge concerning civil engineering such as the means of flood control. weaving goods that easily become high-priced commodities, or the art of making tea.
It was a period where they say it was unnecessary for a woman to study, however, the fact that they were still given some level of education is amazing.
In my case, it’s painting.
It’s Yuzen designs.
In the previous life, I liked painting flowers and trees on the background of the thin books my friend published independently.
I drew flowers on the sketchbook I was given during my hand rehabilitation while feeling nostalgic. When my mother saw that drawing, she said she wanted a kimono with the same design and from there, my father and grandfather made various arrangements.
Nowadays, I’m starting to become a Yuzen artist little by little.
Sagara Mizuhime has no setting like this so I’m a little agitated about what will happen from now on.
Well, of course, The Incident itself was not in the setting of the game so I’m hesitating over what’s the best course of action.
There’s no need to move according to the game.
I live my life while thinking so.
Martial arts grounds inside the Sagara clan’s territory.
It is the nature of a member of Sagara clan to train if there’s time for the sake of tempering oneself.
Along these lines, I am also in the middle of training right now for a change of pace.
I think my body completely became dull during hospitalization so after getting discharged, I came to the dojo and was aghast.
It was inevitable since my right thighbone and right upper arm have compound fractures, as well as various other simple bone fractures and fissures and damaged internal organs.
My survival in itself is a miracle so the rehabilitating doctor also told me not to blame myself.
However it couldn’t be helped if I felt a sense of discomfort because my previous senses could not become familiar with my own situation, like not being able to bend my knees to sit in seiza.
That reminds me, I lived my daily life on the bed or a chair at the hospital.
I did not notice the warring pain and discomfort but it should be the case.
After easing my joints and muscles through careful calisthenics, I reached the point where I could sit in seiza.
I decided to clear them one by one. As I did that, I was praised by adults for being very persevering and rational compared to children my age, but that was only natural.
My body hadn’t yet caught up with fast motions corresponding to the opponent’s movements.
I was told that my basic stamina and physical strength were recovering faster than normal, but it was vexing when things didn’t go as I expected.
At present, it’s a salvation that I’m improving even little by little.
I rotated my whole body while breathing loosely.
Smoothly, powerfully.
I finished a series of movements and controlled my breathing.
“Amazing. Those were beautiful movements, Mizuhime.”
When I exhaled in relief, I heard a voice from behind.
“Shippuu. You’ve come?”
Okabe Shippuu, a childhood friend of the same age, was leaning on the wall, looking at my direction while smiling.
“Yeah. In the main building, Yakumo-sama told me you were in the dojo.”
The Okabe clan served as the attendants of the Sagara clan for generations.
They are in the same Earth Clan. It seems like they were the Sagara’s first vassal and were taught generations after generations to always serve the Sagara clan.
By all rights, Shippuu should have been assigned to Yakumo’s side.
Because Yakumo somehow became 5 years older, Shippuu was attached to me.
During that time two years ago, Shippuu caught a cold that worsen into pneumonia so he had to be absent for school. He was not with me.
You wouldn’t meet such experience if I was with you, he seemed to regret it, so he came to the hospital each and everyday.
Okabe is a clan which produces a lot of civil officers, but there’s no lack of military officers either.
The person who will personally serve a Sagara must excel in both literary and martial arts, and Shippuu is especially superior.
I was surprised that he worked hard to that extent with the resolution of not letting me get hurt ever again.
“So Aniue had returned? Recently, he’s learning Father’s work in the company so I haven’t met him.
As I said so while sulking a little, Shippuu made his gaze wander as if he was troubled.
“Hmm?”
“Yakumo-sama, just passed by me and left…”
He reported apologetically while hanging his head dejectedly.
He looked like a big dog this way.
“I’m sorry.”
“But I’m the only one who met him. You didn’t get to meet him, Mizuhime…”
He’s 10cm taller than me and I’m 170cm already, but seeing the taller and larger Shippuu dejectedly dropping his shoulders is somehow adorable.
Touching his soft, curly hair feels very good.
It became a habit when I touched it once so I pat him quite often.
“It’s not your fault, Shippuu. If I want to meet Aniue, I can just e-mail him.”
“Yeah.”
I thought he’ll hate it but Shippuu seems to also like being patted, his mood is wonderfully good.
If he’s a real dog, his tail would be wagging back and forth.
“So? Did you need something?”
When I asked that, he laughed, looking a little embarrassed.
“Ariwara and Tachibana asked me if you would like to go out for a change of pace.”
“Ariwara and Tachibana?”
I was puzzled at the familiar names.
Both Ariwara Shizuki and Tachibana Homare belonged to prestigious families that descended from royalty.
Ariwara and Tachibana of the Royal Clan, I and Shippuu of the Earth Clan, Suwa and Ookami of the Divine Clan, and Sugawara Chikage of the Heavenly Clan——–together we are called the academy’s Seven Knights.
Ariwara and Tachibana are close to Shippuu, it seems like they are often placed in the same class.
I was in the same class with the two of them some time in grade school, but we never had enough conversations to become that intimate.
Therefore I am surprised to suddenly get invited today.
“Why did those two invite me, Shippuu?”
Shippuu let his gaze wander awkwardly.
“And that was me?”
“No, it’s fine.”
I understand the feeling.
Adults unexpectedly understand whose son from which house is friends with whom, but they’re just for appearances.
Suwa clan holds businesses that spans extensively, but I heard that after the incident two years ago, their complicated relationship with the Sagaras casted shadows over their achievements.
Suwa Iori’s parents will notice the cause in due time.
At that moment, whether or not they will cut loose the branch family will become the key to their rebuilding.
Leaving that aside, there was the matter about Ariwara and Tachibana.
“You’ve judged that they are safe, haven’t you, Shippuu?”
I only wanted to ask one point.
Normally, it’s an inconceivable way of thinking but it can’t be helped in this case.
“Yeah. Ah, but, they said they want you to tutor them about the lessons.”
He nodded surely once, but he pondered doubtfully after that and then worriedly informed me.
“I think helping them with the lessons sounds nice. But I hope it’s on the subjects I’m good at.”
“Got it. Then it’s settled.”
Shippuu declared while nodding happily.
“Please tell them to inform me the location and time, including the meeting place. And tell them that I’m not really good with crowds, too.”
“Yeah. I’ll tell them. I won’t make you force yourself, Mizuhime. I promise you that.”
Footnotes:
1. Kobudo – ancient martial arts
2. Kata (形, or more traditionally, 型) (literally: “form”) describes detailed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs.
Some more notes~
The clans are basically divided into groups based on the origin of their family names. We have 4 at the top (no particular order) – divine, royal, heaven, earth. The remaining 2 are so-so. Like every cliche otome game, Heroine Toujou Rin is under leaf clan.
Sagara 相良
Ariwara 在原
Suwa 諏訪
Sugawara 菅原
TIMELINE:
The Kidnapping Incident – happened 1st year middle school
Return to school (in men’s uniform) – start of 2nd year middle school
Start of the story (chapter 1) – graduation from middle school (2 years after The Incident)