The wind stirred the trees in the garden, a gentle, persistent motion that seemed to carry the season itself. New green season. The cherry blossoms had already fallen. Leaves of vivid jade swayed in the soft sunlight, catching the light as they moved, releasing it again in a rhythm that felt almost like breathing. Sayo walked the inner corridor, her footsteps quiet against the wooden floor. In her hands, a basket. Inside it, medicinal herbs—a gift from Koto of the Kusanagi-dō. She held it carefully, as though the contents were precious beyond measure. *A cold has been spreading lately.* She gazed down at the basket, her fingers brushing the dried leaves within. She had decided to brew a decoction for the attendants. Otake's complexion had grown pale. Oyuki had been coughing, small, delicate sounds that echoed through the corridors at night. Since the incident with that herbal bath, the attendants' attitudes toward her had shifted. They had begun to rely on her. To confide in her