"…!"
At those words from Raiha, both Ryuga and Ujiyasu turned toward her, their faces etched with surprise.
Giving a small nod, Raiha continued to express her resolve to her father.
"What we have done cannot be erased. Our guilt is a burden we must carry for the rest of our lives. That is exactly why we must think desperately for ourselves about how to make amends. Simply performing a penance dictated by someone else isn't true redemption."
"……"
"…I was just like you, Father. There was a time when I looked to Ryuga-san to tell me how to make things right. But he scolded me, and through that, I was able to find a path to live for the sake of atonement."
"Raiha…"
Stunned by his daughter’s words and her determination to face her own sins, Ujiyasu could only murmur her name.
Staring into her father’s bewildered face, Raiha spoke from the depths of her heart.
"The guilt and the responsibility do not belong to you alone, Father. Let the entire House of Utsusemi shoulder them together as we search for a way to atone. I believe that is what it means to make amends in the truest sense."
"…You’re right. It’s as you say. Merely following instructions for a prescribed act of penance is not the same as truly atoning for one's crimes."
Fulfilling Ryuga’s wishes was not enough, nor was simply throwing his own life away. Facing his past, acknowledging his sins, and then searching for a way to make things right—that was the first real step toward redemption.
Admonished by his daughter for his shallow approach, Ujiyasu turned back to Ryuga. The young swordsman let out a soft breath before speaking.
"…Everything I wanted to say has already been said by your daughter. I have nothing left to add."
"…Thank you, Ryuga-kun."
"I’ve done nothing to earn your thanks, and I haven't said I forgive you. I am merely allowing time to see if your heart for atonement is genuine."
Though his tone was cold and distancing, Ryuga could no longer fully hide the underlying kindness in his voice. Feeling grateful for the opportunity he had been granted, Ujiyasu posed one final question.
"I know you dislike being questioned, but please, let me ask one thing. Why… why did you save my daughter? Knowing the whole truth, why did you go so far…?"
Ryuga’s eyes narrowed slightly at the question. He let out a sigh and looked inward, choosing to answer rather than rejecting the inquiry as he usually would.
"…Until I came to this academy, my heart was a whirlpool of revenge and hatred. If the person I was back then had learned the truth, I wouldn't have gone to save your daughter. I likely would have killed her with my own hands."
"…Then why did things change?"
"A friend I met here changed me. He made me remember the reason my father entrusted me with this katana."
As if boasting of the friend who possessed such an upright heart, Ryuga stood tall before Ujiyasu.
"My friend is a man who is straightforward to a fault. He calls someone like me his partner and trusts me from the bottom of his heart. When I decided I wanted to live up to that trust, I remembered the day I received Ryuo-ga from my father—the day I vowed to become a man worthy of this blade."
Ryuga closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on the day he was gifted the sword. He had sworn to become a swordsman who protected people and cut down evil and sorrow. Reaffirming that past vow, he opened his eyes and looked directly at Ujiyasu.
"Meeting my friend changed my heart. And that change isn't limited to me; it continues to ripple outward like a great wave, altering the destinies of everyone it touches."
"Are you saying Raiha was saved because she was caught in that swell of destiny?"
"Yes. And now your daughter, whom I saved after being saved by my friend, is supporting your wavering heart. Now that you’ve found the strength to stand, you will surely go on to change the destinies of even more people."
The first step had likely been a very small one—nothing more than a slight shift in the heart of a single person named Ryuga. However, the actions he took had changed the fates of Raiha, Setsuna, and Sakura. And now, those ripples were reaching the heads of the Three Great Houses, the men who held the future of Yamato in their hands.
"Destiny can be changed, so long as you have a friend by your side whom you can trust with your whole heart. You surely have friends like that, too. If you do, then you can shake off your hesitation."
"Yes… you’re right. An encounter can change destiny… Ryuga-kun, you have truly learned so much. You’ve become quite strong."
"I am a weak human being. That is exactly why I strive to be strong. My goal now is to become a truly powerful person who can live up to my friend's trust."
Hatred and anger are not easily cast aside, but Ryuga was moving forward while carrying them on his back. It was a path far more difficult and painful than simply abandoning everything. Even so, he had chosen it—to become a strong man in the truest sense.
"Then I cannot afford to falter either," Ujiyasu said. "I must do my utmost to live up to your trust. That is the atonement and the duty required of an adult who has committed such a grave error."
"…To be honest, a part of me still hesitates to say these words to you. However… I believe in you. I believe that you will find the correct path from here on."
The day of a complete reconciliation was still far off, but it was no longer impossible. The two men stared silently at one another for a long moment before finally exchanging words of closure, putting a temporary end to their long-standing feud.
"I am glad I spoke with you. Now I can finally move forward."
"I feel the same way. Ryuga-kun, I am glad we talked."
Without animosity or further turmoil, Ryuga and Ujiyasu concluded the discussion that settled their shared past. Watching the scene unfold from their hiding spot, Yugo and the others let out sighs of relief and exchanged quiet words of comfort.