Volume 2, Chapter 67 – Old Friend

Volume 2, Chapter 67 - Old Friend

Translator: Silva

The next morning, Shimizu got up with a slight blush, all but forgotten was the dream she had last night.

She was adorned with white clothes as she looked out the window and was greeted by the sight of the warm sun.

“Yoshiko, why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”

“Lady Shimizu, you had taken the medicine last night and seldomly slept in late, I wanted to let you rest some more. Oh, and Miss Kagami visited earlier.”

“Of course, she’s here to seek me out for sword practice, that’s why I asked why you didn’t wake me up,” Shimizu questioned with a huff.

She hurriedly washed her face and finished her preparations before putting on a blue kimono with bamboo and chrysanthemum design, then she headed out to where Lily was.

Just a few days prior, the house was finally repaired, so Lily and Nanako finally moved out. Since it was just a few dozen steps away, it was still equivalent to almost living together, thus Shimizu didn’t urge them to stay.

By the time she arrived at Lily’s house, she only saw Nanako reading a book and practicing writing by herself.

“Sister Shimizu,” Nanako greeted Shimizu politely upon noticing the latter.

“Good morning, Nanako. Where’s your Sister Lily?”

“Ah... about that, Sister Lily is going out, she was going to say goodbye to you early in the morning, but your maid said that you were asleep, so she asked me to pass the words.”

“Going out? Where is Lily going? Could it be that she’s going on an adventure on her own?”

“No, I’ll be worried too if Sister Lily is going out on an adventure. She only told me she had some personal matters to take care of and will be back in a few days’ time. She won’t be entering the deep mountains for adventure, so there won’t be any danger,” Nanako answered while blinking.

“Oh... is that so. By the way, Nanako, are you feeling better now?” ÚpTodated novels on no(v)el()bin(.)com

“Mhm, I’ve already fully recovered, I should be able to go practice at the dojo soon,” Nanako answered with a brilliant smile.

“I see, that’s good,” Shimizu smiled sweetly, “then I’ll be taking my leave first.”

“Just where did Lord Matsuda go? Even if he’s not here, how about Kimura, Kanzaki, and the servants? Even Taro is fine, just where did they all go?”

Lily felt a bit lost as she left the premises and headed to a nearby village to ask around. Matsuda was the feudal lord of this territory, so the villagers should be more or less informed of his whereabouts.

Not long after Lily entered the village, she could hear the hoarse voice of a young man singing a short poem in the farming area ahead.

“Catch myself a loach from a paddy field ‘fore supper~ ‘fore supper”

Then the other villagers, male and female alike, also sang along: ‘fore supper~

That sounded like Kimura’s voice.

Hope reignited in Lily’s heart as she ran with small steps towards the field. And sure enough, it was none other than Kimura. His back was facing the clear sky as he toiled away on the paddy field, singing along with seven or eight other farmers.

“B-brother Kimura!” Feeling emotional, Lily shouted his name.

Kimura froze in that posture for a while before he finally lifted his head to look at Lily. Upon spotting the latter, however, he didn’t view her with the same adoring and happy look on his face. Instead, his face appeared somewhat awkward.

“Miss Kagami?”

Just from observing Kimura’s expression, Lily already had a bad premonition.

As the sun sets in the west, Kimura brings Lily before a grave located at a tranquil, picturesque hillside. It was a grave made with a simple wood tile, but it was clearly being taken good care of.

These words were carved on the old wooden tile that was erected atop the mound, “Lived as One with the Sword, here lies Matsuda Nagahide.”

Soon as she saw that, Lily stopped in her tracks and her uncontrollable sadness spilled out in the form of tears.

Kimura stood beside Lily who was half a head taller than him with an indifferent look and explained, “Dijon had arrived soon after you left. He gave Lord Matsuda a chance and questioned him in respect of his loyalty to the Hojo clan. But who would have thought, Lord Matsuda didn’t even explain and committed seppuku. He must’ve made up his mind already when he let you go...”

After listening to Kimura’s explanation, Lily silently stepped forward and kneeled on the ground, ignoring the fact that the mud would smear her pure white silk dress. She then bowed three times to express her greatest respect for Matsuda Nagahide.

“Uncle Matsuda... you lived as one with the sword and died as a warrior, may your afterlife too be filled with glory and brilliance!”

The teardrops that fell from Lily’s face reflected the ray of the setting sun and shone with a divine halo.