Flower Spelling - Chapter 8
Chapter 8 – Sprout
September of the first year of Bunkyu.
The Choshu domain’s upper residence in Edo was rapidly in a state of hysteria. This was due to the impending arrival of the feudal lord, Mori Yoshichika, in Edo. Takasugi and the rest of the clan have been preoccupied with preparations and rarely talk to each other these days, even Kusaka’s private lessons have been off for days in a row.
And then one day.
In the early hours of the morning, before dawn, Sogetsu was awakened by the sound of a thumping door.
“Sogetsu, are you awake? It’s me, Kusaka.”
“Mr. Kusaka?”
When Sogetsu, who was momentarily alert, opened the door, she asked, “What are you doing here at this hour?”
“‘?Idiot, look at what you’re wearing!”
As soon as he caught a glimpse of her, he turned his head back.
To the puzzled Sogetsu, he remarked, “Who comes out in their nightgown? Go and put something on, anything is fine!”
“Ah.”
When told, Sogetsu hurriedly withdrew to the back of the room.
Perhaps it’s the fact that the Tatsumi Residence was dominated by women that causes her sense to be so out of place. After hooking a piece of layer on her, Kusaka finally looked at her. Earlier she hadn’t noticed, but on closer inspection, he was dressed as if he were going on a journey.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t have time to go into detail. All of a sudden I have to go to Kyo, so I am unable to watch you study. Pardon me for throwing you off halfway, but don’t worry, I’ve arranged with Mr. Katsura for you to attend lectures at Yubikan while I’m away. And here’s the book I was telling you about. The content is not that complicated, so I suppose you should be able to read it too. I won’t be in contact with you for a while, be sure to take care.”
He spoke so swiftly that before Sogetsu could say anything, he had turned himself around and headed off.
“Oh, wait, Mr. Kusaka!”
On reflex, she went after him and then recalled that she was still in her nightgown. Hastening to change her clothes, she thought of visiting Takasugi’s tenement and told him about Kusaka, and he said he would chase after him too.
“That guy, he didn’t even discuss it with me.”
“Does Mr. Takasugi know where Mr. Kusaka is heading to?”
“… You are aware that the shogunate has now agreed to the surrender of the princess as part of its measures to unite the armed forces?”
“Yes, I learned it from Mr. Kusaka. Even Choshu supported it and cooperated with it, right?”
“Yes. However, this would be unbearable for the expulsionists. To prevent the surrender, Kusaka intends to wait for the feudal lord on his way to work and appeal directly to him.”
“… Eh!?”
?
Sogetsu and Takasugi were riding through the streets of Edo as the sky began to whiten. The streets were still devoid of people, and solely the sound of the horses’ hooves could be distinctly audible. Sogetsu, who had never seen or ridden a horse before, could scarcely hold on to its mane to retain from toppling off.
After passing through the samurai residences and the intricate urban area, they were in sight of Kusaka on the seafront road before the Shinagawa inn.
“Jitsuho!” Takasugi called Kusaka by his nickname.
As he neared, hardly slowing down, he pulled on the reins in front of Kusaka’s astonished eyes and leaped off his horse with a flutter. Sogetsu dismounted halfway and followed, staggering.
“Takasugi! And even Sogetsu… Why are you both here?”
“Why am I here? That is my line, you fool. You’re always making all the decisions on your own!”
“Nobuo, I’m sorry, I meant to inform you later.”
“Are you planning to appeal directly to the Lord…?”
“It’s the only way for me now. Fortunately, Mr. Sufu was on the same page.”
“Even Mr. Sufu?”
“Yeah. I will join him later. I’m sure that if we both speak out about the need to expel the barbarians, the Lord will understand. No matter how badly I will be punished, I will not regret it.” Kusaka expressed firmly.
Takasugi recognized there was no use in endeavoring to stop him when he witnessed that expression in his eyes, and he exhaled heavily as if he had given up.
“Alright. I understand your decision. I will do what I can do.”
Kusaka nodded back emphatically.
Then he turned to Sogetsu, “Thank you, too, for coming all this way to for me. Take care of yourself.”
“Yes…”
?Mr. Kusaka too.
Something didn’t feel right about saying that, so all she could do was simply give a nod.
There was an atmosphere there that she should not have interfered when she herself was not adequately knowledgeable with the particular circumstances.
However, Sogetsu was too absorbed in her own thoughts to realize it.
That the era had begun to shift, gradually but unquestionably. And this was only the first phase.
With a fixed expression on his face, Takasugi watched Kusaka’s figure as he departed.
T/N:
Nobuo – Probably Takasugi’s nickname too or his alias. Samurai tend to have several alias back then. I didn’t manage to find any information on the name based on historical facts