I sighed as I walked back to the residence. The cool afternoon air wrapped around me, but my mind was consumed by what had just happened at the meeting.

Change was imminent, and the weight of responsibility loomed over my shoulders like a dark cloud. As I crossed the threshold, the house greeted me with its familiar silence, yet the echo of the conversations still lingered in my thoughts.

Ei remained quiet until I reached my room.

“You know, I never thought I would regret my decisions,”
she suddenly remarked, her voice sounding more human than I had ever heard before.

I stayed silent for a moment, surprised by her sincerity.

“I see. Life takes many turns, don’t you think?”
I said with a small smile as I removed my kimono. The soft folds of fabric fell to the floor, leaving me with the feeling that I was shedding not only my clothes, but also a part of myself—one that had made decisions driven by fear and uncertainty.

I headed to the bathroom, filling the tub with hot water.

Bubbles began to form, and as I watched the water ripple, I felt a small part of the tension inside me dissolve. However, the calm was interrupted by Ei’s voice, which, though intangible, felt very present.

“Right… anyway, the Tenryou Commission will be coming tomorrow,”
she announced, as if there were no gravity to her words.

I froze, one foot in the tub and the other still outside. A chill ran through my body as my thoughts rebooted like a system that had just crashed. Eventually, I managed to let out a small sound.

“What?”
slipped from my lips, though my mind was racing a thousand miles an hour.

“Just as you heard. The Tenryou Commission and its leader will be coming tomorrow,”
she clarified, paying no mind to my obvious surprise.

My eyes widened. I should have expected this, but actually facing it felt overwhelming. I let out a heavy sigh and sank into the bathtub, submerging myself in the hot water and letting the bubbles wrap around my worries for a moment.

“Blurb brub bru bru bruur… (God, Ei, stop springing things on me out of nowhere),”
I tried to say, but the water drowned out my words.

Ei fell silent for a moment before letting out a—

“Hehe,”

—as if she were trying to hold back laughter at my reaction. Her teasing was almost palpable, even across the distance between us.

“Hehe?! One of these days you’re going to give me a heart attack!”
I shot back, a mix of irritation and amusement in my voice. I couldn’t help it—sometimes it felt like Ei enjoyed my reactions a little too much.

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad. Life is full of surprises, and you’ll have to learn to deal with them. The Tenryou Commission isn’t an enemy—at least, not right now,”
Ei explained, trying to calm me down. But her light tone did little to ease the unease twisting in my stomach.

“Not an enemy? It’s their leader, Ei. This isn’t just a meeting; it’s about fixing what was broken, and I have no idea how I’m going to do that,”
I said, feeling overwhelmed.

Ei’s voice grew more serious.

“Remember, this is a necessary step. If you truly wish to restore peace, you must face your fears and do your best. Trust your instincts and what we’ve discussed.”

I nodded, even though the fear was still there. I filled my lungs with air, inhaling the scent of the bath oils I had poured in earlier.

“You’re right,” I said, trying to convince myself. “I can’t let fear paralyze me. Tomorrow is a new opportunity to prove that I’m willing to do the right thing.”

After a while in the water, I stood up, the warmth still clinging to my skin. I dried off and put on a lighter kimono—one that made me feel a bit more confident. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and tried to see the Shogun everyone expected. I knew I had to leave my doubts behind and become the leader Inazuma needed.

Before going to bed, I sat on the edge of the mattress and closed my eyes, letting my thoughts flow.

“Tomorrow will be a great day,” I thought, feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement in my chest. “I have to get this right.”

The night stretched on as I struggled to find sleep. The meeting the next day was inevitable, and though I was ready to face it, I couldn’t help wondering whether I could truly make a difference. Would my remorse and my desire for change be enough to mend Inazuma’s fractures?

At last, as the first ray of daylight peeked through the window, I drifted into sleep—a world where everything felt simpler. There, decisions were made without the weight of consequences, and eternity was not a prison, but a blank canvas. Yet upon waking, I knew I would have to face reality and become the leader these people needed.