The wind had changed. Walking through the inner quarters of Takagamine Castle, Saya felt it distinctly. The gardens lay bare where the cherry blossoms had fallen. New green leaves caught the light. Somewhere distant, a bird called out. *Something shifted that night.* The night Nobuhiro had drunk the herbal bath. The softness that had dwelt in his eyes then. That memory surfaced in her chest again and again, only to fade. It was dangerous, she thought. She could not be swayed by emotion. She had to live with clarity, with strategy. And yet. Her heart would not obey. "Lady Saya." Otake's voice pulled her back to herself. "Yes?" "What lovely weather we're having today. The laundry will dry beautifully." Otake's smile was gentle, peaceful. Saya nodded. Her relationship with the attendants had shifted unmistakably. The initial wariness had dissolved, replaced by something fragile and new—trust. Small changes. Tiny ones. But for Saya, they held weight. She turned a corner in