Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact]

Chapter 09. A little clue

Chapter 09.
A little clue

9 years ago...

Kamisato Kayo passed away following Ayaka and Kazuha's first meeting during the next winter. The doctors and servants had mentioned that she got slightly better in the middle of the year. Everyone believed that this had been thanks to the visits that her young daughter had begun to pay her. In these, the young Kamisato told her about all the new things she was learning, everything that happened in her day-to-day life, and how excited and happy Kazuha's visits made her. Ayaka used to sit by her bed and talk to her long and hard until her mother's exhaustion forced her to rest, even if she didn't want to.

Some thought these were good signs and even began to hope for a possible recovery; among them, Ayaka herself.

However, in the end, Mrs. Kamisato had only managed to gain enough strength to resist a little longer. As the weather turned colder during the fall, her health slowly declined again; at that point, Ayaka was no longer allowed to disturb her. And her body, by then too exhausted and eaten away by the disease, finally gave up.

People from all corners of Inazuma showed up at the Kamisato Estate to pay their respects to the commissioner and his family. Representatives of the vassal clans of the Kamisato attended, the commissioners Hiiragi and Kujou in person, as well as their children, and even a group of priestesses from the Narukami Grand Shrine, representing the High Priestess, to offer a solemn prayer for the rest of Mrs. Kamisato.

And among these attendees, of course, were Kazuha and his uncle.

However, rather than offer comfort to the mourners, Kaedehara Naruhito was more concerned with appearances, being on Kamisato Ayato's good side, and perhaps even seeing if he could somehow take advantage of these moments of possible weakness in the young lord. Sure, he never openly told Kazuha any of those things. Still, even then, the Kaedehara boy was well aware that his uncle's intentions weren't entirely empathetic.

But Kazuha had something far more important on his mind right now than his family's hidden purposes. So while his uncle went to rub shoulders with the commissioners and other prestigious attendees at the wake, Kazuha sneaked off to find Ayaka. He was surprised, and at the same time worried, not seeing her next to her brother in the main hall. He fully understood the desire not to be surrounded by so many people overwhelming her at such a difficult time. However, he wasn't sure if being alone would be much better...

The Kamisato Estate had been wholly plunged into a heavy and sad air, but especially in anguished silence. Kazuha walked the lonely halls of the residence, hearing only the sound of his own feet against the wooden floor and nothing else. If he didn't know that many people were gathered in the other wing, he would have assumed that he was the only one there.

It was a particularly cold day. The sky was completely closed, and snow had begun to fall during the afternoon, filling the courtyard with an almost uniform layer of white. And it was right there that Kazuha finally spotted her, away from the room, sitting on the same rock where she had found him some time ago. But the scenario was totally different this time. The branches of the beautiful cherry trees were now bare, without any leaves on them. They were still at least two months away from being covered in beautiful pink flowers again, and perhaps then that place could be filled with hope once more. But for now, all that was perceived was mere melancholy and pain.

Kazuha stepped forward, his feet clicking a little as they pressed against the snow. Ayaka had her back to him and had her head down. She wore an entirely black outfit, similar to what he wore, and her hair was wholly collected. As it used to happen when he found her studying, she didn't seem to notice his presence as he walked towards her. But of course, that was a very, very different situation...