Kamisato Estate.
It was the middle of winter, and the New Year was approaching.
Because of the ongoing war, this year's New Year lacked the usual festive atmosphere.
There were no more children laughing and playing in the streets. Instead, the whistling cold wind battered the windows, making people shiver.
"But my brother said he would be able to end this war soon, so it won't be long before I can see smiles on people's faces again,"
Kamisato Ayaka thought to herself as she sat by the fireplace, sewing a piece of clothing with needle and thread.
This year, Kamisato Ayaka had just turned eighteen and was in the prime of her youth. However, due to Yilan's careful care over the years, her expressions and demeanor were even more charming and mature than those of her peers.
At this moment, she sat there, wearing a pure white mink coat embroidered with cherry blossom petals. Her features were exquisite, her eyebrows and eyes picturesque, radiating breathtaking beauty.
"I have to make one for my brother… and then, I have to make one for our child…" Ayaka whispered to herself.
"If I work harder next year, surely I'll be able to have a child with him. I wonder if it will be a boy or a girl… Maybe I should have one of each… I just hope I can do well."
Ayaka kept repeating these thoughts, her cheeks slightly flushed.
In Inazuma, before marriage, young women from noble clans would traditionally undergo "bride training," under the guidance of their elders — learning how to serve their husbands, manage the household, cook, apply makeup, and sew.
However, Ayaka had been too impulsive at the time and had thrown herself straight into her brother's arms without undergoing any of the proper training.
Thinking back to that night, her heart trembled with both shame and sweetness. She didn't know where she had summoned the courage to say such shameless words.
In truth, after being pinned down onto the bed by her brother, she had been completely overwhelmed — her body stiff, her mind blank — only able to cooperate passively.
"Ah— that hurts!"
Snapped back to reality, Ayaka gasped softly. Lost in her thoughts, she had pricked her finger with the needle, and a small bead of blood seeped out.
She placed her thumb into her mouth and sucked on it gently. At that moment, a sudden loud noise echoed from outside the house.
For some reason, a bad premonition rose sharply in Ayaka's heart.
Soon after, Thoma, flanked by a group of Kamisato Estate guards, rushed into the living room, looking utterly disheveled.
This would have been considered extremely rude under normal circumstances, but at that moment, Kamisato Ayaka didn't bother to rebuke him.
Thoma's clothes were torn, his body covered with wounds — many still bleeding. Dirt, blood, and grime clung to him, making his appearance wretched and alarming.
But most importantly—
"Where is my brother?" Ayaka asked urgently before Thoma could even open his mouth. "Didn't my brother go to Watatsumi Island with you to negotiate? Why have you returned alone?"
"Master… Master Kamisato…"
Thoma's voice broke with sobs. He fell to his knees with a loud bang, almost smashing his forehead against the floor.
"Tell me quickly! What happened to my brother?!"
Pressed by Ayaka's increasingly frantic questioning, Thoma finally lifted his tear-streaked face and choked out:
"After Master and I arrived at Watatsumi Island, we were ambushed by radical factions. In order to protect us, Master faced the enemies alone…"
"Master Kamisato fought with everything he had but was ultimately overwhelmed by the enemy's siege. He… he died there, at the hands of Yilan of Watatsumi Island!"
Clang—
The needle and thread slipped from Kamisato Ayaka's fingers, falling to the ground.
Her ice-blue eyes lost all focus, staring blankly ahead.
"Brother…"
Memories of the past ten years she had shared with him flashed through Ayaka's mind like a broken reel of film.
—
"From today onwards, Kamisato Ayaka will be raised by me. Who would dare oppose this?"
The brave young man had stood before her like the most perfect knight, shielding her from all the malice in the world.
—
"Lately I've been busy and haven't had time for disaster relief. Linghua, can you help me?"
That had been the happiest day of her life — not because she had received her Vision, but because she was finally able to stand by his side.
—
The fireworks they had watched together during the festival were the most beautiful sights she had ever seen.
As long as her brother was there, even the harshest training had never seemed difficult.
Such a strong brother…
Such a gentle brother…
For a brief moment, Kamisato Ayaka desperately wished that Thoma would suddenly burst out laughing, and that her brother would jump out from behind a pillar shouting "Prank successful!" just like he had done when they were younger.
She even fantasized about weaving herself into such a dream — staying there forever.
But… reality would not allow it.
Ayaka's gaze gradually focused again, but her once ice-blue eyes were now darkened into a near black-gray hue.
"Don't worry, Ayaka. The war will soon end. When it does, we'll go watch the fireworks together—"
Those had been her brother's last words to her.
"Then… let's end this war, brother. After that, we'll watch the fireworks together."
[At 25 years old, in January, due to the "death" of the clan head Kamisato Ayato, the Kamisato Clan, traditionally neutral, officially joined the war against Watatsumi Island.]
[However, no one knows that Kamisato Ayato, using the alias "Yilan," did not truly die. The one who perished was merely an assassin arranged by you.]
[In this war, countless people have died because of your plan. But it doesn't matter — your end is near too. Soon, you will descend into hell to join them.]
[Meanwhile, on Watatsumi Island, you declared your marriage to Sangonomiya Kokomi in an aggressive and forceful manner. At the same time, you imprisoned all conservative officials who had faithfully served their roles.]
[Following that, you issued a declaration of total war against the Shogunate, enacting strict wartime rationing laws across Watatsumi Island.]
[You seized all food from the island's people, leaving them barely enough to survive while funneling the rest to the army.]
[Your actions stirred immense resentment among Watatsumi's population. Across the island, hatred for you swelled.]
[Meanwhile, in preparation for the war against the Shogunate, you personally assassinated the current heads of the Tenryou Commission and the Kanjou Commission.]
[Due to your actions, the Shogunate was thrown into chaos. Forced to loot food and supplies from the commoners, public anger against the Shogunate also erupted.]
[Of course, the Shogunate refused to admit any fault, blaming you entirely, branding you the true cause of Inazuma's suffering.]
[The whole of Inazuma groaned under the weight of war — and all hatred, all suffering, was pinned upon you alone.]
[Tonight, is your wedding night with Sangonomiya Kokomi.]
One second ago, Yilan was reading the simulator, reflecting on the long journey that had brought him here.
The next second, when he saw the prompt that he and Kokomi were about to have their wedding night, he coughed violently:
"Ahem… System, consume negative energy points! I want to activate the 'body sensing' mode!"