Chapter 4 : Leaving For Good

The storm stopped in the morning, leaving a pile of fallen leaves on the streets. All diligent inn attendants rushed outside before sunrise arrived to clean the front porches. As they worked, they happily exchanged morning greetings and chatted amicably.

Midori woke up with a huge yawn. She performed a few stretches to ease her sore muscles after a long walk the previous day.

"And good morning to you too, little bean," she poked at her stomach playfully.

Midori washed her face and changed her kimono into a traveling wear. It was another of her creative creations, but it was at least fresh and clean.

When she walked down the stairs, she was greeted by the inn owner and his daughter, who were already working diligently in the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"Good morning, esteemed guest!" The owner smiled at her. "Did you sleep well last night? The storm was rather strong."

Midori returned his smile.

"Yes, indeed."

She took a deep breath and the heavenly smell of warm breakfast entered her nasal passage.

"Oh, it smells so good," she praised. "What are we having this morning?"

"This morning, Yukie cooked all the dishes," the owner nudged his shy daughter, who turned slightly pink in the cheeks. "Dear guest, please come and taste some. I am sure that you won't regret it."

Midori sat at the dining table and faced a humble, but delicious breakfast spread. There was a plate of riceballs with seaweed and salt, a bowl of miso soup, and a bowl of pickled vegetables.

"I… I put dried shrimps in the riceballs," Yukie stuttered. "I hope that you like it."

Midori took a bite of the riceball and moaned as if she had never tasted anything better.

"Soooo delicious. Oh, gosh. Yukie, you should work as a cook!"

"Hehehe…" Yukie scratched her head, an embarrassed but happy smile spreading on her face. "I am trying my best to be better at cooking."

After breakfast, Midori was ready to leave.

As she stood in front of Hanakoi Ryokan, she took a deep breath and checked the amount of money she had left. Minus the seventy sen she paid the inn owner the previous day, she now had exactly one yen. It was the price of one third-class ticket to Tokyo.

Once she arrived in Tokyo, she was going to be completely penniless. It was a daring gamble, but it was all she could do to secure a future for herself and her child.

"One third-class ticket to Tokyo, please," Midori said to the middle-aged man who manned the ticket counter. The man shoved his glasses up his nose and stared at Midori.

Midori shoved the one yen across the table with a curt smile. The man then slid the small, rectangular train ticket in Midori's direction.

"Thank you."

While she was waiting for her train to arrive, Midori unwittingly attracted more attention to herself. Women did not typically travel alone in Tsukigata Town, especially not someone who wore a tattered kimono and old sandals like her.

With one bundle of belongings in each hand, Midori tried her best to ignore her surroundings. People never changed, she thought to herself. She did not beg for money from anyone, but they insisted on ostracizing and looking down on her.

The travel from Tsukigata to Tokyo took almost half a day. When she arrived at the Tokyo Train Station, she had no other choice but to walk to her destination.

The wooden sandals had grown brittle from the constant walking. Before long, they snapped and Midori almost fell on the road.

"Oooh, little lady!"

Midori looked up and saw a cart driver waving at her. He was probably around thirty years old.

"Do you need any help?"

"Yes," Midori answered. "Mister, I need to get to Oshima Town. Do you know how I can get there as fast as possible?"

"Oshima Town? What a coincidence. If you can wait half an hour, I have to deliver some goods to Oshima Prefecture. I can drop you there if you want."

"Perfect! Thank you, Mister, I will wait."

Midori sat in the passenger seat of the cart while she ate a few riceballs that Yukie kindly packed for her in the morning.

"Mister, do you want some?" she offered.

"Oooh, riceballs!"

The man grinned at her.

"I have some noodles here. Do you want to split them?"

"Sure!"

She was dying to have some noodles. Although the noodles were rather bland compared to the cup noodles she loved to eat in her original world, she savored them with relish.

Luckily, the cart driver also had two jugs of fresh water. He gladly gave Midori one jug, which Midori accepted full of gratitude.

The travel to Oshima Town took another hour, and then fifteen more minutes until they reached Midori's destination. 

The cart driver's furrowed brows expressed his concern as he turned the cart away from the main road and onto a narrow dirt path. There was nothing but a vast expanse of rice plantations in every direction.

The green fields stretched out as far as the eye could see, like a sea of emerald waves. The rice plants were tall and slender, their delicate stalks swaying gently in the breeze. The air was filled with the sweet scent of ripening grain.

Midori felt a sense of peace and tranquility as she gazed at the rice plantations. The beauty of the natural landscape was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city that they had just left behind.

The cart driver's eyes widened in astonishment as he spotted a lavish mansion on the horizon. It was at least two or three times the size of the Koishikawa family's residence. Once they got closer, he was able to make out its opulence and grandeur.

The mansion, a graceful fusion of Eastern and Western architectural styles, stood majestically amidst a lush garden, its manicured lawns and towering trees providing a verdant backdrop for its elegant form. The façade, a blend of white marble and intricately carved columns, was reminiscent of the grandeur of classical Western architecture. Yet, the large arched windows with stained glass panes, and the red clay tile roof with its row of protruding chimneys, added a touch of Eastern charm.

The mansion's design was a testament to its owner's exquisite taste and cosmopolitan outlook. It was a perfect embodiment of the East-meets-West spirit of the Meiji era, a time when Japan was eagerly embracing Western influences while still cherishing its own cultural traditions.

Despite her knowledge of the original host's wealthy lineage and lavish abode, Midori couldn't help but emit a soft whistle of astonishment at the sight of the mansion.

The cart driver was more than stunned by the mansion's magnificence had delivered goods to many wealthy families in the city, but their homes were nothing compared to this mansion. He wondered who could possibly live in such a place.

His eyes were drawn to a polished wooden name tag that hung at the gate as they rode past.

"House Of The Takigawa Family".

The Takigawa Family???

The man gulped as he stared at Midori.

"Miss, are you somehow related to the Takigawas?" he asked in disbelief.

Midori merely smiled in response but did not give a reply to that question.

"Thank you for your help, Mister. I will take my leave now."

Midori retrieved her two bundles of belongings and alighted from the cart with a graceful leap. The man watched in admiration as she strode confidently towards the mansion's grand entrance. Perhaps she was the new maid for the esteemed family, he mused, before shrugging and driving away.

Once she stood before the imposing doorway, Midori took a deep breath to calm her fluttering nerves. Then, with a steady hand, she knocked three times.