“…I don’t know how to apologize to you. Your father’s death, your mother’s hardship, your sister’s loss of vision… It was all because of my selfish wishes.”
Ryuuga faced Raiha and Ujiyasu in the reception room, and quietly listened.
Ujiyasu spoke of this guilt while being glared at, and continued apologizing.
“I understand I committed a sin, but I could not stand and watch as my daughter suffered and was near death in a hospital. My wife and I wanted to save her. But…”
“My father died because of it. He loved his children like you, and extinguished his life to protect them.”
Ryuuga understood Ujiyasu and his wife not wanting to abandon Raiha as she died.
She was the daughter of the noted Utsusemi family. It was easy to imagine people with connections to the family constantly saying everything had to be done to save her.
But his love for his daughter and the sin he committed led to another parent who loved his children losing his life… Said Ryuuga, and Ujiyasu responded.
“You’re right. Your father died because of my transgression. Not only was my daughter’s honor hurt because she was experimented on like an animal, but she will have to carry a burden of guilt her whole life. And I caused a lot of sadness. I have not forgotten my guilt towards them during these five years. But…”
“You couldn’t do anything. You yielded to pressure from the Yamato government, and couldn’t do anything that could tie you to the incident. And even now, you won’t publicly accept your crime.”
“…”
Ujiyasu went quiet and faced down.
It was not his intention to not compensate the people affected by the tragedy he created.
The country put pressure on the Utsusemi family, so it was not revealed that it was involved in that incident, and that the Yamato government treated Raiha as a lab rat and it resulted in her rampaging.
But that did not make him innocent.
In fact, realizing this made Ujiyasu feel more guilty, and he groaned with regret as he faced down.
“…A lot of people got hurt. Many people’s lives were changed for the worse, and many suffered tragedies that can never be fixed. Still, I did nothing. Not compensation or support.”
“…”
“I have considered announcing my guilt and turning my sword on myself many times, but I could not do it. A lot of people suffered because of me, and my daughter was forced to blame herself, and although I was painfully aware of all that… I could do nothing.”
“Father…”
Ujiyasu was bound by his past sins and his position, and wondered many times what he should do.
He tried to find a way to compensate them, but it was not allowed. Yamato’s policy was that he had to make up for his past sins with his position, sealing his movements.
“It was only to a small number of people, but even though this secret leaked abroad, my circumstances remain the same. I cannot reveal my transgressions in my country.”
“…The country would be in chaos if the secret being held by the influential Utsusemi family was revealed. That would make it easier for Koumaru to plot. I don’t want that to happen.”
Ryuuga threw words at Ujiyasu that could be both condemnation or comfort.
He raised his head, and responded.
“How… should I compensate you? I intend to help your mother and restore the castle damaged by the mad loong incident. But… I am only doing what should have been done five years ago. I don’t think that will do.”
Ryuuga and Ujiyasu faced each other, and Ujiyasu spoke with a pleading expression.
“Ryuuga… what do you want? How should I compensate you?”
His daughter, his family, a lot of people’s destinies continued to be involved in his sin, and his pained groan echoed in that room.
He seemed weak to the point where one would not think he was the head of one of the leading families in Yamato, but Raiha spoke before Ryuuga could respond.
“Father… Don’t ask Ryuuga for an answer to that. That is nothing more than running away.”
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Ujiyasu spoke with a pleasing expression.
Pleading*