Headman Soga's House – Tatami Room
"You're a descendant of the Tsugami Clan?" Sakura asked, subtly studying Headman Soga.
"Perhaps," Soga sighed wearily. "The handbook isn't very specific about it."
"Then, do you know Seijutsu?" Sakura asked directly, locking eyes with him. "Seijutsu is the hallmark of the Tsugami Clan. Almost all of them could use it."
"Is that so?" A bitter smile touched Soga's lips. "Before I deciphered the handbook, I didn't even know the name 'Seijutsu'."
"How does the handbook describe Seijutsu?" Sakura asked, feeling a flicker of excitement despite herself.
Amidst Sakura's anticipation, Soga quoted, "'Spirit resides in all things; this is Seijutsu.'" He stated the phrase, then simply watched her, saying nothing more.
Sakura waited, expecting him to continue, but Soga remained silent. Her hopeful expression gradually froze.
"That's it?" she asked incredulously.
"That's it."
"Are you sure you're not forgetting something?" Sakura pressed, making a final effort.
"That sentence is written on the very first page of the handbook," Soga explained flatly.
"Alright," Sakura sighed in resignation. "What else does it say?"
"The rest of the contents relate to the matter I wish to ask of you," Soga said. He reached into his robes and pulled out a yellowed, aged booklet, handing it to Sakura.
"This is...?" Sakura asked, accepting the fragile object.
"That is the handbook," Soga confirmed.
"Why didn't you just show me this earlier?" Sakura muttered under her breath, slightly annoyed.
"Heh heh, you never asked me for it," Soga replied, a flicker of amusement crossing his face as he saw Sakura's deflated expression. His mood seemed to lift slightly at her expense.
Shooting the smug-looking Headman an exasperated glance, Sakura carefully began to flip through the ancient handbook.
It contained only a few pages, perhaps a dozen or so in total. The text was written in brush script, but time had faded the ink considerably, making many characters blurred and faint. It looked like it might have been water-damaged at some point too; the paper was brittle and wrinkled almost beyond recognition. Deciphering the contents required guessing based on the few legible characters.
No wonder Headman Soga sounded so uncertain, Sakura realized. He genuinely doesn't know much for sure.
She painstakingly worked through the text, reading and re-reading passages several times. Gradually, she began to piece together the general meaning, though it wasn't quite the information she had hoped for.
Based on the fragmented records, the handbook suggested that the Soga clan were originally Tsugami who had been exiled to this location. The reason for their exile was lost to time. The structure mistakenly identified as a torii was apparently called "Ōkami Shinju"—the Great God/Spirit Tree.
The exiled Soga clan's duty was to protect the Ōkami Shinju, generation after generation, forbidden from ever leaving its vicinity. A curse would befall any who tried to depart permanently.
Eventually, one Soga clan head, yearning to break free from these shackles, destroyed all written records pertaining to their history and duty.
Generations passed. By the time of that clan head's great-grandson, the Soga clan began experiencing widespread infant mortality. The great-grandson investigated and discovered the deaths were linked to the ancient curse.
What the curse was, precisely, he couldn't determine. However, through years of observation, he found it was tied to the Ōkami Shinju. If members of the Soga clan strayed too far from the Ōkami Shinju, they would gradually weaken and die. Conversely, any living thing that remained close to the Ōkami Shinju thrived exceptionally well. The curse, it seemed, specifically targeted only the Soga bloodline.
The great-grandson wished to reveal his findings to the clan, but the elders discovered his intentions and placed him under house arrest. He died imprisoned, never released.
This handbook was his contingency plan. Before his confinement, the great-grandson had desperately learned to read and write, recording the truth of their situation in this booklet, ensuring it was passed down secretly. Even bound by the curse, he didn't want the Soga clan to perish entirely in ignorance.
That was the gist of what Sakura could infer from the tattered handbook. Closing her eyes, she felt a wave of complex emotions. She could almost understand the ancestor who chose to destroy the records. Living in ignorance, even if life was shorter, might seem preferable to being shackled to the Ōkami Shinju, constantly aware that straying too far meant death. At least that way, the crushing weight of the Ōkami Shinju wouldn't dominate their every thought. Choosing ignorance, even if it doomed the clan eventually, offered a form of liberation. The majority of the Soga clan back then must have agreed with that decision.
But human nature often leans towards survival, perhaps even greed for life. Within just a couple of generations, stripped of the memory of that heavy burden, the newer Sogas couldn't comprehend their ancestors' choice. It was an inescapable, tragic cycle. If the great-grandson who wrote this handbook had succeeded in sharing his knowledge openly, perhaps the Soga clan wouldn't have dwindled down to just one old man today.
Sakura opened her eyes, looking down at the yellowed booklet in her hands.
This isn't really what I wanted to know, though. She felt a pang of disappointment. I wanted information about Seijutsu, about the Tsugami Clan... but this is mostly just the history of the Soga family.
The only concrete new pieces of information were the name of the strange torii-like structure—Ōkami Shinju—and that cryptic opening line: "Spirit resides in all things; this is Seijutsu."
What does that even mean? Taken literally, it implied everything has a spirit, or perhaps a god within it. But what did 'spirit' or 'god' (神 - shén) signify here? Sakura doubted it referred to actual deities. If not, then what?
"Ahem."
Headman Soga coughed, breaking into her thoughts. "Now you have seen it. That is the extent of my knowledge. And now, I have a request I hope you can help me with."
"Hm? Please, go ahead," Sakura replied, a sense of unease settling over her. She had a bad feeling she knew what was coming.
"You have read about the curse upon our clan," Soga said, his expression earnest. "I wish to ask you to help us break this curse."
"Urk." Yep, called it. Sakura looked at Soga's frail, aged body. "But... aren't you the only member of the Soga clan left? Unless... you have a wife?"
"Heh heh," Soga chuckled softly, a hint of pride in his eyes. "No, I am not the last. The Lord of Chino Castle, in Ise Town... he is my son. And I have a grandson, who currently resides in Ise Town as well."
"What?!" Sakura stared at the Headman in stunned disbelief.
No wonder the partnership between Ise Town and Red Shoal Island is so ironclad! Ise Town's beef is just rebranded Red Shoal beef! Logically, any merchant could partner with Red Shoal, yet they deal exclusively with Ise Town... So, this is the reason!
"Truthfully," Soga continued, "my son... Tadao... leaving Red Shoal was something of an accident. It was only later that we discovered there was such a vast land beyond our shores. Having seen the wider world, Tadao was unwilling to return. We didn't understand the curse back then. It was only when his health began to drastically decline that he came back, wanting one last look at his homeland. Unexpectedly, upon returning, his illness vanished. But... how can a bird that has known the vastness of the sky be content in a cage? That led to the current situation. Tadao must return here periodically to maintain his health. I hope you will keep this matter confidential."
Sakura nodded slowly, things clicking into place. The urgency to eliminate the Kaiyuki wasn't just about trade; Lord Tadao needed safe passage for his periodic returns. And Soga's fierce protectiveness of the 'torii' – the Ōkami Shinju – made perfect sense now.
"But now..." Soga's voice dropped, heavy with implication. "The Ōkami Shinju has been damaged. Therefore, I believe you should take responsibility for your actions... and help us break this curse." He paused, his gaze distant. "My grandson... Tatsuo... he still doesn't know his true identity, about any of this. I can understand the ancestor who destroyed the records. If it were possible, I too would choose not to know. Bearing this secret... sometimes, death seems like a kinder release."
Sakura fell silent, contemplating his words. Perhaps this was the core of the human condition – the choice between dying in ignorance, free from heavy burdens, or living with painful knowledge. Yet, if there was a chance to live, who wouldn't grasp it? But watching the next generation inherit that same suffering... that must be unbearable. Soga wanted his grandson to live, but couldn't tell him the secret of the curse without burdening him; yet, not telling him meant Tatsuo could unknowingly stray too far and die. An impossible choice.
"Alright," Sakura finally said, meeting Soga's gaze. "I promise you." She added a crucial caveat, "But I cannot guarantee I can actually remove this curse. All I can do is try."
Looking at Headman Soga now, Sakura found he wasn't quite so annoying anymore. He was just an old man, doing everything in his power, in his own flawed way, to protect his son and his grandson.