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Summary[]
Nine years ago, an 8-year-old Iori sits in the corner of a hospital room. Seiichi Samura is next to the room's bed, where Iori's mother Inori lies, and he yells that he had come as soon as he heard. Inori urges him not to be loud and points him to Iori, who had called the hospital. Seiichi hesitantly greets Iori, who ignores him. Inori reminds him she was unlikely to remember him and introduces Seiichi as Iori's father.
She notes due to her condition she would need Seiichi to take care of Iori, prompting Seiichi to oppose the decision, asking if Inori's younger sister was available. Inori states she has no time as she is working for the Kamunabi. Thinking back to his actions in the Seitei War, sweat begins running down Seiichi's face as he grits out that he can't hold Iori with his hands. Iori opposes his view, Seiichi having said the same thing often during the divorce, and urges him to forget the past and look towards the future.
Seiichi then begins to take Iori back to his house, but stops at a dojo where he teaches first. Seiichi introduces Iori to the group of students and notes she will be staying with him for some time, which the students are fine with. Some of them walk near Iori and comment (to Samura's consternation) that Samura is an amazing person, having achieved heroics in the war and taught swordfighting to the police of the city they were in.
Iori shouts back that she doesn't care if her father is a hero, thinking back to her mother's words that Seiichi was too focused on the past and had neglected them. Iori continues and exclaims that he had abandoned his family, guilt arising in Seiichi's eyes. Another recollection reveals Inori had told her daughter that she only had to stay with Seiichi for a little while before she got better. Iori then picks up a bokken, shuts her eyes and charges at Seiichi, but crashes into a wall instead, to her father's concern.
Later, in his house, Seiichi asks why Iori closed her eyes, and Iori replies she has to fight on the same level as the enemy. Mildly surprised at himself being 'the enemy', he comments that she shouldn't try to imitate him given he'd been blind for years and his other senses were inhuman as a result. Iori admits that is impressive but resolves to train even harder to compensate. Later, Inori chastises Seiichi for letting Iori get hurt.
Realising an idea, Iori challenges Seiichi to a cooking contest. Iori is adamant the contest must be fair, leading to her closing her eyes even when cutting food, much to her father's worry. After some guidance, the two end up eating the meals, Seiichi realising his daughter's cooking is sublime. Iori sees Seiichi's satisfaction and rationalises that she wins, and wistfully recalls that she had cooked often with her mother in the past, and she had lots of experience as a result. Seeing Iori's emotions gradually grow more negative, Seiichi proposes another contest; both of them would cook meals and see whose would cheer Inori up the most. Iori agreed.
Over some time, the two continued in their life, making meals, visiting Inori and the dojo and cooking, and their relation grew closer over time. Their contest eventually turned into a collaborative meal given to Inori, Iori commenting it was the 'fruits of a healthy rivalry'. Inori is extremely pleased by the meal, her smile causing her family to grow smiles of their own. Iori states she will make even better meals for when her mother leaves the hospital, and Inori replies she'll have to hurry up in that case.
Sometime later, Inori dies due to her illness.
Seeing Iori sitting morosely on the porch after the funeral, Seiichi frowns as he recalls his last conversation with his ex-wife. While Iori was asleep, Inori revealed she was unlikely to survive for much longer, Seiichi noting she had done amazing to have survived for a year. Inori asks when Seiichi learned to cook, and Seiichi commented he had asked for help from the dojo students. Inori states Seiichi has changed, asking what he thinks of Iori. Seiichi simply replies she laughs like Inori does, and Inori neutrally says she wishes she could have seen Iori grow up.
Mentally apologising for his failure as a father, Seiichi sits down next to Iori and calls for a truce. Iori breaks down in tears and Seiichi puts his hand over her shoulder as he mentally affirms that he will watch over Iori for Inori's sake.
Later, after Iori has gone to bed, Samura walks outside his door, having detected someone enter. The entrant is in fact Yura, who greets Samura politely. Samura threatens Yura not to force him into combat, and Yura calmly replies he is merely here to talk about the future and the sins of the Enchanted Blade wielders; as well as a disaster that will affect the country several years in the future.
Quick References[]
Chapter Notes[]
- Inori, Iori's mother and Seiichi's ex-wife, is introduced.
- The reason for Inori and Seiichi's divorce is revealed: Seiichi had viewed himself as having too much blood on his hands to raise a child, being racked with guilt from his actions in the war. Inori is opposed to this and urges him to look to the future and not focus on the past.
- Inori has fallen ill and is now at the hospital, and so she entrusts Iori to Seiichi for the time being.
- On the way back to his house, Seiichi brings Iori to the dojo where he teaches, and several students praise him in front of Iori.
- Iori is opposed to this, having heard from her mother how her father had been so distant from their family, and attempts to attack him with her eyes shut.
- Iori later challenges Seiichi to a cooking contest, where even after she cooks with her eyes shut (to Seiichi's concern) she makes a delicious meal.
- Iori reveals she had cooked often with her mother and Seiichi decides to challenge Iori to another contest; this time, to see who between the two of them could create a dish that could better cheer up Inori.
- Over the course of some time, the two's relation grows closer. The two visit Inori with a singular meal, their contest having turned into a collaborative effort, and Inori greatly enjoys the meal.
- Not long after, when Iori is asleep, Inori comments that Seiichi has changed over his time raising Iori and expresses her sadness that she won't be able to see Iori grow up. Seiichi maintains that he will fix his mistakes and raise Iori well from now on.
- Inori later dies, one year after Seiichi began taking care of Iori.
- Soon after the funeral, Yura arrives at Samura's house, wanting to talk about the future, the wielders' sins, and a great calamity that will arise sometime in the future.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Author's Comment[]
| Author Comment | |
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Takeru Hokazono |
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