Rebirth and Resolve

Under the cover of night, a spectral ambiance unfolds, adorned by the soft tranquil glow of a slender crescent moon hanging above, raindrops descending from the sky, painting the world with a gentle shower. The clouds above rumble with the distant sounds of purple thunder clad with electro-energy, adding an element of grandeur to the scene. As the wind howls through the landscape rustling the leaves that gracefully flutter in the air.

Amidst this moment a cute baby inside a traditional deluxe estate on the second floor in his own room gazes through the window, pondering about his past life and reminiscing about the events of the past year since he was born. Within the depths of that pair of eyes, deep and dark like polished onyx irises with a tinge of grey on the sclera, a glimmer of wisdom beyond his years resides, as he contemplates.

(how strange...no matter how many times I look at this, I can't help but feel as if I'm forgetting something.)

The bizarre repetitive feeling is throwing him off as if it's trying to kill him with too much curiosity. The past months were perplexing for him as the myriad of events happen at a fast yet slow pace, trying to act like a proper baby was too humiliating for him and there were a few slip-ups but it was covered by a slight misunderstanding, so he had some breathing room to spare.

Koshin Tatsuya, such is the name he was given according to what his mother and nanny in this world call him, letting out a sigh he looks at the scenery again as he tries to think of an answer.

(blossomed sakura trees and japanese-style architecture which means it's already 100% i'm in japan furthermore okaa-sama speaks in a Kanto dialect and accent while oba-san sometimes speaks osaka-ben in addition to having a kansai accent yet she still frequently speaks in a Kanto dialect. I could be in the suburbs or outskirts in Tokyo or Osaka instead of the main city given the materials in the living room, the scenery outside, and the rural feeling also there are no modern-day gadgets, wifi, or any form of 21st-century exclusive technology...)

Time passes as Tatsuya attempts to figure things out slowly down to every bit of information he currently has—

(No! even electricity is missing in the house and we only have candles, lamps, and lanterns as a source of lighting, I know we aren't poor enough to the point that we can't afford such basic necessities with the number of antique-looking things in the house and the ornaments and jewels that okaa-sama wears, so it can't be too far back in the Kamakura period so from the looks of things, it means I could either be in the Edo period or Meiji period, or maybe even worst the Sengoku period.)

Things were already not looking good for Tatsuya as one problem after another bombarded his head in a straightforward manner. Letting out an even deeper sigh he finally moves on and ponders the next problem that will take more hours which is his own self.

(It's already 100% sure that I'm downright no longer even normal, whenever I fall asleep I don't dream nor do I fall unconscious, or in other words, my mind is always awake even though my body is technically in a state of sleep, in spite of the fact that only a year has passed since I was born personally speaking it already felt like 3 long years! a thing to also consider is it's intertwined with another feeling that a day is only 24 minutes instead of 24 hours. I'm amazed I could keep my sanity at this point when back then I'm already stressing out when I can't sleep whenever I get to bed after skipping a day of sleep)

Tatsuya doesn't know if he should consider such a thing a blessing or a curse but he's leaning more towards the latter than the former given what's happening to him, but he still hopes he finds more applications and situations it could be beneficial.

(I only know and am aware of the feeling of my body without experiencing it or living it but I'm not like a ghost exactly either since I can't leave this body.)

Tatsuya's eyes went wide as his jaws drop down onto the floor after reaching a defining conclusion.

(Mind over body...It's SEMI SPIRITUALITY!)

Tatsuya was supposed to be delighted when he manages to get the right answer but unfortunately, it only caused his thoughts to spiral downward and his imagination to go wild as his tranquil and melancholic emotions were overtaken by sheer paranoia.

(aHa! I totally knew it!!! this thing is too good to be true after all, maybe I'm some sort of government, secret society, or alien experiment since they haven't taken me outside just once for the whole year instead they completely isolated me in the house where I'll be raised by okaa-sama to be loyal and when I grow up they'll use the hell out of me as some sort of weapon for the 'greater good'. Ahhhh!!!! oh no! oh boy! oh crap! how in the RNGesus did I get myself into this?!)

Whilst Tatsuya is immersed in such thoughts the door in his room opened in a horizontal push as a beautiful woman in a yukata entered the room.

"Ara, it seems you're still up this late at night Tatsu-tan," she says

(Correction! I'd always have been up since I was born.)

Slightly surprised by the arrival of someone he turns his head and saw his 'mother' smiling at him.

Smooth and silky long black hair in a hime cut, a perfectly symmetrical face along with a pair of captivating eyes with polished onyx black irises, radiating a tranquil and soothing aura.

She is known by the general public as "Hanamizaka's Wallflower" and known by the upper classes as "Yamato Nadeshiko" which translates as the pure epitome of the idealized Inazuman beauty, to the point of surpassing both the Shogun and current Head Shrine Maiden.

It was none other than Tatsuya's mother, Koshin Naori.

"Konbanwa(Good evening), okaa-sama"

***

[Naori POV]

- Koshin Estate, Office Room -

*humming sounds*

This year has truly been fruitful for our company, with our sales and profit margins experiencing a remarkable surge in recent months. The anticipation for the upcoming lantern rite in Liyue adds an extra mountain of mora to my coffers, even though the Tianquang increased import tax to limit foreign trade, it is gratifying to know that numerous parcels from various companies, most notably the Naganohara Fireworks and Yae Publishing House, are still making their way from Inazuma to Liyue.

Still! Shinsuke-san you greedy bastard!!! I really hoped you die! get impeached! Or more preferably could you just simply step down as the Kanjou commissioner and transfer the right of the position from the Hiiragi clan to our more competent and accomplished Koshin clan for the greater good!

In a normal situation, you're supposed to lower export tax to offset the decision of the Tianquang in order to reduce product prices and drive higher sale volume but no! That bastard used his authority to pocket more mora for himself at the expense of the customers by raising the export tax from 10% to 19% and based on the intel given by the Shuumatsuba through Kayo-chan yesterday during our tea party, She said they suspected(100%) that he hid most of the money through the Fatui!

Now my plans of expanding Komaniya Express on all seven nations have been halted because of that snake but what's really concerning is Shogun-sama simply let him get away with it during the trial, although he was declared guilty of Misuse and Misconduct of authority by the Shogun, she only gave them an amercement and also the Tenryou commission managed to sneak in charges just about 15% of the total fine amount under the pretext of processing and administrative fees.

He was supposed to be charged with TREASON!!! It was treason in broad daylight I tell you!!! But the information about the collusion with the Fatui wasn't even mentioned in the trial.

How come Shogun-sama doesn't have any idea what's really happening? Even if she stays in Tenshukaku most of the time she shouldn't be this ignorant as if she's isolated in a different world.

I have to call Hidemitsu-san tomorrow to know what's happening in the palace.

Ohh just how stressful this is!!! I can't even celebrate my recent success and continue my plan because of that snake.

Just why am I supposed to be here anyways?

If I wasn't blinded by my grief after danna-sama's(Husband) body dispersed leaving me alone, sad, and pregnant along with the news of Onii-chan's death the very next day, I won't have had to come back to the clan to take over as the Matriarch.

I was supposed to take my time to heal by coming back to Sumeru just doing simple research and being with Tatsuya-tan to pass the day but suddenly the clan elders summoned me immediately before I even start to pack my belongings.

I vehemently refused to be a matriarch with all my might during that time but they basically guilt-tripped me on simply stating the situation of the clan with the reason being to avoid a power vacuum and internal strife claiming that it was onii-chan's 'will' that I take over as the head, with Jiji(old codger) putting the final nail in the coffin saying in a very clear tone, "All of the main and branch families are counting on you, now that you have a child of your own, surely you deeply understand what's truly at stake here, we all have seen you grown up from a young girl to a beautiful and bright woman, with a genius like you managing our clan everyone will be at ease and follow you dutifully as long as you do what's in the best interest of the clan especially now that Inazuma is going through a huge political upheaval."

Oh, just how far did this country have fallen? All of the Tri-Commission is a complete mess and the public has completely no idea what's truly going on thinking it's all peaceful.

The Kanjou Commission is led by an evil snake, while the Tenryou Commission is in an internal power struggle, and lastly the more peaceful yet problematic Yashiro Commission who hasn't recovered yet from the Tatarasuna and Raiden Gokaden incident.

The Kamisato family is taking a huge toll during this time of chaos with lots of clans seeking to take their position for themselves and it's already affecting the health of both Kayo-chan and her husband, I can only imagine the struggles their children will have to face because of this, even if Ayato-chan is a promising talented kid I really can't see him going through all the possible problems in the future unscathed.

Hmm...speaking of children I think i'd like to see how is my little munchkin doing right now after all I'll have to say goodbye and return to our headquarters in Ritou in about exactly three days from now so it's ok to take a break at the moment.

After neatly arranging all of the documents at my desk I depart from my room to visit Tatsuya in order to destress a little bit before heading back to my own room to rest.

Opening the door I was greeted by a stunning sight of him looking profoundly at the window with an air of mystery and a hazy disposition.

I see... it seems he really has inherited his father's type of presence this early on, no maybe it's somehow mixed with my own.

"Ara, it seems you're still up this late at night Tatsu-tan"

Hearing my voice he turns his head and stared at me then proceeded to greet me politely with his cute face.

"Good evening, okaa-sama"

Ah! mou! With him acting like an adult only ending up accentuating his cuteness I can't help but quickly ran up to him and pick him up to rub my face on his cheek.

"dame! dame! it's too early for you to grow up! let okaa-sama enjoy being with Tatsu-tan for a very long while"

"Please stop it already, Okaa-sama" he complains fiercely but I can't get myself to stop immediately pouring all my affection on him.

Feeling satisfied with the stress out of my head I brought back my blank expression as I question him.

"So what are you thinking so deeply while staying awake this late at night hmm... bedtime already passed you know"

"Nothing. it's just Tatsuya can't sleep" he replies.

"is it now?" hearing that response I was suddenly hit by an idea, "Ahh I know! Okaa-sama will read Tatsu-tan a bedtime story"

Putting down Tatsu-tan back in his own tatami mat, I sprinted all the way to my room and took the book from my shelf "Princess Mina of the Fallen Nation" that I bought from Yae Publishing House, although it might be a little sensitive for him with War as a theme, I'm sure nothing bad would happen and he'll simply understand like always and won't think much of it knowing it's just a story.

After coming back to Tatsu-tan's room I saw him staring at the window yet again for the second time.

"Anyways okaa-sama's bedtime story is about to start. The book is 'Princess Mina of the Fallen Nation' it is the story of The princess who was prophesied to bring destruction witnesses the imminent fall of her nation, and it is at this moment when a wandering warrior descends from the skies, ignorant of the truth. The pair's journey amidst the fires of an ancient warring period are about to begin!"

I pick him up again and placed him on my lap as I narrate the story. With some questions from time to time, I witness his comprehension and critical thinking skills firsthand along with his ability to pick up knowledge at an abnormal rate, in the middle of the story he begins to close his eyes and fall asleep just right about the end.

I lay him down on the mat and covered his body with a blanket watching his peaceful sleeping face with joy.

It's really exciting I can talk to him this early on while other 1-year-old babies at best can manage to remember and say one or two words only, Tatsuya-tan here can already manage to hold a conversation on his own!

Are you seeing this Mikazuki-kun? our child is a genius!

But such a thing can be a double-edged sword, if the elders caught wind of this Tatsu-tan's life would take a drastic change!

No! I will never let him go through the same! sending my baby to the white room this early is just too cruel!

I shiver just recalling all that happened during my childhood years over there but this just strengthened my conviction.

Thinking about it, Tatsu-tan's life has a lot of knife neck between his neck simply being the sole heir of the clan, him being a genius is tolerable but if anyone from clans like the Hiiragi, Takatsukasa, and Kujou finds out about his bloodline being a perfect half Yokai - half Human, I'm afraid it might leak from hostile interest groups like the Fatui and his life would be in even more danger.

Thinking through it all water flows down on my cheeks as I caress his soft head.

"sorry...sorry...I'm really sorry for bringing you into this mess, it's all okaa-sama's fault you ended up having a thorny road in the path of your life, things might start to get rough sooner or later and you might suffer deeply with it but please forgive okaa-sama for it, everything will be for you own good and safety. Okaa-sama will always love you no matter what!"

After kissing his forehead to say goodbye, I left the room full of guilt and resolve.

All for Tatsuya's well-being!