The pale pink and soft grey of the morning sky just barely touched the east, but already things were happening at the Ishi house.
The staff, who had worked there for a long time, moved quietly. Their faces showed both their duty and their sadness about leaving.
Every slow movement showed that change was coming. They gathered their things, and their footsteps made soft sounds on the shiny wooden floors.
No one said goodbye, but everyone felt it. They didn't want to break their long connection with the Ishi family.
Some felt sad about leaving their familiar routines and safe jobs. The idea of finding new lives after so many years felt difficult. Others had a small bit of excitement about what might happen next.
Upstairs, the dimly lit rooms felt full of deep sadness. Lady Miyashi was still very sad about what had recently happened.
She sat by the window, looking at the cloudy sky. Her face looked as grey as the clouds outside. The heavy clouds seemed to make her sadness even stronger, each grey swirl reminding her of happy times that were gone.
A soft, worried sigh came from her lips. "What bad things will happen to us now?" she whispered, barely touching a teacup that had gone cold. She was lost in her sadness.
"Oh, my dear Shiro," she continued, her voice full of pain, "I can't bear that you have to go through such a hard time."
"Your mother feels this so deeply..." Her face trembled with sadness.
Across the room, Shiro was folding clothes. He spoke gently to comfort her.
"Mother, none of this is your fault... you don't need to apologize." His calm voice had a quiet strength, protecting her from their shared sadness.
He stopped for a moment, looking far away, thinking about how their lives had changed.
"Now that things are different for us..." he began, his voice shaking a little, showing his hidden emotions, "...we have to find a way to get through this."
His words felt heavy with the unspoken truth of their situation. Without their father, who was like their anchor, they were lost and weak in a dangerous and uncertain world.
His father's job seemed simple – he was a respected professor who traveled around helping people.
But it had been important. He often stayed with people for a long time to help them heal and guide them.
However, who he helped was a secret, even from his own family.
"My son..." Lady Miyashi sighed again, her sadness clear. She hugged Shiro tightly, showing her deep worry without saying anything.
"Why don't you ask me questions? Why don't you complain?" she cried softly into his shoulder, holding him tighter.
"Your father was a good man, even if you didn't always see it... he was important... and yet..." Her sad words stopped, because she was too emotional to continue.
Shiro gently hugged her back. "I'm sure Father had his reasons, Mother. Besides, you know I've never cared about getting money or things."
His words were meant to comfort her and make her feel lees worried about all the situation.
"Even so..." she murmured, pulling away, her eyes full of tears, "...it won't be easy to have his name now. When people find out... you'll be watched closely, always compared... Oh, my poor child!" She hugged him tightly again, almost making it hard for him to breathe.
Shiro gently made some space between them.
"I'll be okay, Mother," he reassured her, his voice steady even though she was holding him tightly.
"Now, more than ever, it's time for me to go out and learn about the world myself, to understand things on my own. And if I can, I will try to use what I've learned to help others."
As the staff were almost ready to leave, many visitors started arriving. They came to say they were sorry for the family's loss and to share how the Ishi family had affected their lives. The constant stream of people made Shiro even more worried about his sad mother.
Finally, a servant who was still there brought new.
A very elegant and unusual-looking gentleman was waiting at the entrance.
This man seemed important. His clothes were made of the best materials, suggesting he came from far away, not from Ryozan.
Shiro thought he was probably someone important from the Concordat Empire.
The young man was thin and a little taller than most people, with delicate features and thin glasses. He was carrying a stack of official papers and looked very confident.
Shiro's mind raced. This must be about his father, maybe some unfinished business with the empire. He had no idea what kind of business that could be.
As he was thinking, the young man spoke.
"If it's not too much trouble," his voice was firm but polite, "may I come in? I'm sure you have many questions, but I'm here for his roya... for my Lord to talk about some very important things concerning your father." He finished with a forced smile.
"Yes, please, come in," Shiro replied, feeling confused. What problems could his father have had with someone so important? He hoped they could solve them quickly.