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At seventeen or eighteen, Wakako would blush, grow flustered, and shrink away like a mimosa, closing herself off and refusing to open up. By twenty-three, she still felt those emotions, but she had learned to bury them deep within, keeping them hidden beneath a calm exterior. The Saionji clan, where she had grown up, was renowned for its rigid rules…

The first time Miki gave that order many years ago, it wasn’t because of anything specific, nor was there any particular reason. It was an ordinary day, neither windy nor rainy, nor particularly sunny. Miki was sitting in the small courtyard as usual, playing the seventeen-stringed zither. She turned to Wakako, as if it were the most natural thing in…

The doctor explained many things to Wakako, saying that the poison she was afflicted with likely came from an extremely toxic plant. The venom would spread from the wound, creeping towards her heart… Because she had swung her sword after being injured, the rate of its spread had accelerated. There was no hope for treatment. She probably had two or…

Mios wasn’t entirely unprepared for gunpowder. For instance, during the earlier council between the Queen and the generals, they had deliberated on methods to counter fire attacks. The royal palace was always known for its elegance, with all manner of flowers, plants, and trees planted throughout its grounds. The nobles, influenced by this aesthetic, filled their own estates with greenery….

That night, there were no stars, no moon, just an impenetrable darkness. The flowers outside the house stood still, but their leaves rustled slightly, as if a breeze stirred, yet there was no wind.  Perhaps it was just her imagination. In truth, Wakako hadn’t sensed anyone’s presence. She had simply smelled something different. There was something outside the courtyard. As…