It was noon in Takanogawa Village.
On the sparsely populated road, a slightly hunched old man was slowly pulling a wooden cart covered with a black tarp.
The green haori he wore, now quite tattered after enduring a great battle, had not been discarded.
Instead, Elder Moriki had carefully washed away the bloodstains and marks of combat.
After all, to him, this haori carried far too much emotion and significance.
Pulling the cart, Elder Moriki moved at a leisurely pace.
Along the way, many villagers greeted him warmly—not for any particular reason, but simply because half the land in Takanogawa Village belonged to the Moriki family.
Though now, the family consisted of only him alone...
Well, who would have thought that this ragged-looking old man pulling a cart was actually the wealthiest man in Takanogawa Village?
Creak, creak, creak!
The wooden wheels let out a harsh screech with every step the old man took.
Soon, Elder Moriki arrived in front of an apothecary.
He looked up at the signboard that read "Butterfly Medicine House."
Inside the shop, the owner—a refined middle-aged pharmacist—was meticulously preparing medicine.
Upon hearing the sound of cart wheels outside, the pharmacist seemed to recall something and quickly set down his work.
He retrieved a large bundle of pre-prepared herbs from the medicine cabinet behind him before hurrying out.
"Moriki-san, it really is you! Did your journey go smoothly?" the pharmacist asked with a smile, holding the bundle.
Elder Moriki smiled in return. "Ran into a bit of trouble along the way, but nothing serious. It went well overall. It seems you've already prepared what I needed, Yakushin."
The pharmacist, Yakushin Kocho, shook his head sheepishly.
"Actually, I didn't prepare this. It was Ryukawa-san who asked me to get it ready beforehand."
"Oh? Is that so? That child is too thoughtful." Elder Moriki sighed as he accepted the bundle from Yakushin.
The rich aroma of medicinal herbs immediately filled his nostrils, invigorating his spirits.
"As reliable as ever, Yakushin."
"You flatter me."
Just as the two exchanged pleasantries, a woman in a kimono carrying a basket of groceries approached from the street behind them.
"Ah, Moriki-san! You're back?"
Elder Moriki turned. "Ah, Yuki! Just finished shopping?"
Yuki Kocho, Yakushin wife, first bowed respectfully to Elder Moriki before warmly inviting him to join them for lunch.
Naturally, the old man politely declined.
Behind Yuki trailed two figures—one taller, one shorter—both dressed in floral-patterned kimonos. The two girls, having inherited their parents' good looks, were both strikingly lovely.
"It's been so long. Kanae has grown even more well-mannered, and Shinobu-chan has gotten taller."
Upon being praised by their elder, Kanae Kocho and Shinobu Kocho naturally bowed in gratitude.
However, compared to her gentle older sister, eight-year-old Shinobu was far more lively and impulsive.
After thanking Elder Moriki, her large violet eyes immediately wandered curiously toward the cart he was pulling.
While Elder Moriki was chatting with the Kocho couple, Shinobu crept over to the cart.
She soon noticed a slight movement beneath the tarp covering it, as if something was stirring underneath.
A child curiosity knows no bounds.
Eager to discover what lay beneath the tarp, Shinobu reached out without hesitation, her small hand poised to lift the covering.
Elder Moriki saw Shinobu actions clearly but, for some reason, chose not to stop her.
Instead, he continued discussing recent happenings in Takinogawa Village with the Kocho couple.
"What could be under here?" Shinobu muttered to herself as she pinched the edge of the tarp.
Suddenly—in the blink of an eye—a large, indistinct shape burst from beneath the tarp, lunging out with a wide-open mouth and letting out sharp barks.
"Woof! Woof-woof!"
"Ahhhhhh!!"
The sudden bark sent Shinobu tumbling onto her backside, her startled cry drawing the attention of the nearby adults.
"Shinobu!" Kanae was the first to react, rushing to help the frightened child up from the ground.
The others quickly realized what had happened.
There, on the cart, stood a small black-and-white Shiba Inu with glossy fur and bright, alert eyes, its tail wagging as it barked at Shinobu.
Yakushin sighed in relief—it was just a little dog.
Still, he sternly scolded his youngest daughter for rummaging through others' belongings without permission, insisting she apologize to Elder Moriki.
The elder, of course, took no offense.
In fact, he had deliberately not warned her, wanting to give the impulsive girl a little scare.
As a frequent visitor to Kocho clinic, he knew Shinobu was a lively child, quite unlike her older sister Kanae, though sometimes a bit too mischievous.
After bidding farewell to the Kocho family, Elder Moriki continued pulling his cart along the main road, the little Shiba Inu, Maru-ni, trotting behind with a wagging tail.
After turning at two crossroads and passing through a dense bamboo grove, he finally arrived home.
Deep within the bamboo forest stood an old, unassuming estate.
Two large lanterns hung beside the gate, where a figure had been waiting for some time.
Dressed in a green kimono adorned with bamboo leaf patterns, her brown hair tied up simply with two bamboo hairpins, the girl had delicate, youthful features that belied the maturity and composure in her expression.
"Mitsuyo-sama, welcome back. You must be tired" the girl said with a formal bow.
Elder Moriki sighed slightly.
"Chinatsu, I've told you there's no need to be so formal. The estate has been well taken care of thanks to you—you've worked hard too."
Ryukawa Chinatsu, the orphan Elder Moriki had taken in five years ago, was only fourteen now.
Yet she single-handedly managed the entire Moriki family affairs.
In those five years, she had transformed the dwindling household—once consisting only of the elder—into one of the wealthiest families in Takinogawa Village and even the northern Toshima District.
The vast Moriki residence housed only Ryukawa Chinatsu and a few hired servants responsible for cleaning and cooking.
In fact, before Ryukawa Chinatsu took over the Moriki family business, the entire estate had only two inhabitants—Elder Moriki and herself.
Declining the servants' offer to pull the cart, Elder Moriki personally wheeled it into the mansion.
Ryukawa Chinatsu led the way with a small lantern, though the usually unflappable woman kept glancing back at the adorable Shiba inu.
Well, perhaps no girl could resist such fluffy cuteness.
The trio avoided the other servants and soon arrived at a prepared room.
Upon opening the door, they were immediately enveloped by thick darkness, with Ryukawa lantern being the sole source of light.
Without haste, she flipped a switch—whoosh!
The darkness instantly dissipated as overhead bulbs bathed the entire room in orange-red illumination.
Elder Moriki now turned to face the tarp-covered cart, while the excited shiba inu Maru-ni barked eagerly beneath it.
His master was about to awaken.