In the current town, only Mitsuba still knew of Michikatsu's identity as a demon.
And just like Mitsuba, Michikatsu also used the excuse of "suffering from a strange illness" to explain why he couldn't walk under sunlight.
Even to Amei—who was currently living under the same roof with him—Michikatsu explained it this way as well.
Yes, that's right.
Following Mitsuba's previous condition, Michikatsu was indeed currently living together with Amei.
Fortunately, the old man from the Centenarian Dojo provided Amei with a small residence with multiple rooms, which meant Michikatsu didn't have to sleep in the same room as Amei at night.
But the two of them did indeed live in the same residence.
These days, as a demon, Michikatsu had to lie in bed every night pretending to be asleep.
Then before dawn, he would get up, take the bento that Amei had prepared for him early in the morning, and set off on the road to the dojo—finding ways to dispose of this bento along the way.
After instructing those children at the dojo until evening when the sun set, he would return under the cover of darkness, chat with Amei, and end his busy yet fulfilling day.
Besides this, on occasional days when he didn't need to go to the dojo, Michikatsu would basically stay at the residence, accompanying Amei in cleaning up and tidying the household.
Or at Amei's request, he would go to the dojo with her at noon to prepare lunch for those children, then somehow get entangled by these children until evening before returning home...
It always felt like this was practically like a real married couple...
[An ordinary married life, huh...]
No matter how he thought about it, Michikatsu couldn't imagine that something he had never experienced during his first marriage would actually be experienced by him at over a hundred years old, under these circumstances...
The tranquil life in this town was almost intoxicating. Even with Michikatsu's disposition, after living here for so many days, he couldn't help but develop a sliver of hope: "Perhaps I could just continue living here like this."
However, every time such thoughts emerged in Michikatsu's heart, that fiery-red figure branded into his memory would surface accordingly.
Yoriichi.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
His younger brother by blood was like an eternal curse—every time Michikatsu unconsciously wanted to forget him, he would suddenly emerge from the depths of his memory.
Then with that face almost identical to his own, with those eyes that seemed to disdain everything, he would stare at him dead-on, manipulating him.
It was these eyes that had propelled Michikatsu forward continuously for nearly a hundred years, never allowing him a moment's rest.
He even still felt regret to this day.
Regret that on that night in Osaka Castle over forty years ago, it wasn't him who encountered Yoriichi, but Mitsuba.
Regret that he never had another opportunity to exchange blows with Yoriichi before his passing.
Yes, Yoriichi was dead.
Not dying in a contest of swordsmanship, but perishing under his younger sister's elaborate scheme.
This man who was the Child of God died so aggrieved and ordinarily.
Without even having time to display his true power to him once more, to display that swordsmanship that could be called miraculous...
With the goal he pursued his entire life passing away so hastily, what meaning was there in his continued diligent research of swordsmanship to this day?
[Elder brother is simply being stubborn with himself.]
If it were Mitsuba, she would certainly mock him like this, wouldn't she?
Michikatsu thought in his heart.
This was also what his younger sister had always wanted to tell him.
He didn't know when it started, but Michikatsu's pursuit of Yoriichi gradually became his "being stubborn with himself."
Clearly no one was comparing the two brothers anymore, clearly no one cared about their superiority or inferiority anymore, clearly Yoriichi had been dead for over forty years...
Yet he still regarded Yoriichi day after day, year after year as the target he must surpass, striving with all his might to catch up...
Yes, and then what after catching up?
What should he do then?
Go find another target to pursue?
[How pitiful, elder brother.]
Only at this point in time did Michikatsu finally completely comprehend the true meaning behind Mitsuba's mockery toward him back then.
A heart without true self—unable to live without pursuing something...
How pitiful indeed, Tsugikuni Michikatsu.
"Big Brother Michikatsu! See you tomorrow!"
"Goodbye! Brother-in-law!"
"Ah, see you tomorrow..."
At dusk, Michikatsu sat properly in the dojo, watching child after child wave goodbye to him.
[The self, huh...]
Michikatsu lowered his head in contemplation.
[But what exactly is the true self?]
"Life is like a long walk through fog—those within it can never see clearly ahead, and can only focus on that small step beneath their feet.
So, when feeling lost and unable to see the direction, why not try temporarily stopping your steps.
Listen well to the voice within your own heart, let it lead us to continue forward—perhaps there will be different gains, isn't that so?"
At some unknown time, the old centenarian in the courtyard had already hobbled over to Michikatsu with his walking stick.
He sat down beside Michikatsu, those wise eyes seeming to have already seen through the confusion in Michikatsu's heart.
"Senior..."
"Of course, not those directions that make you feel pain, but those that make you feel relaxed and comfortable."
Raising that withered hand, pointing to the position of Michikatsu's heart, the old centenarian said with a smile:
"After all, you still have a long time ahead. Occasionally putting down the path you came from behind you, trying to step onto a completely different forward path from the past—is also completely in time, isn't it?"
These words struck like thunder through his ears. Michikatsu stared directly into the wise eyes of the elder before him, momentarily stunned in place.
After a long while, he straightened his posture and bowed deeply to the elder before him.
"Thank you for your guidance, senior."
"..."
"It's the fireworks festival once again..."
Night fell, and the colorful lanterns hanging along both sides of the street were like streams of light, illuminating the bustling crowds below below.
Rarely having changed into a kimono, walking along this street filled with noise and hawking, Mitsuba shook the rattle-drum in her hand and sighed with lowered eyes.
"Every year on this day, it gets annoyingly noisy..."
"Eh—"
Beside her, Sumire—who had also changed into a butterfly-print kimono—covered her mouth and laughed:
"But I clearly remember that when you first came to this town, you actually really liked the fireworks festival..."
"Even good things become tiresome when experienced too many times... Speaking of which, where are Keizo and his family?
Didn't we agree to meet them somewhere around here?"
One certainly couldn't come to the fireworks festival alone.
If you were a couple or married, naturally you would come with your other half; if not, you had to arrange to come with friends and family.
And Mitsuba belonged to the latter.
As one of the two famous "older unmarried women" in the town along with Sumire, in previous years' fireworks festivals, Mitsuba would come together with Sumire.
And ever since Keizo—who lost his wife two years prior—also moved to this town, the three of them—similarly without partners or much family—tacitly formed a "singles alliance" to come to the fireworks festival together.
This year was naturally no different.