Snowy Path (雪の路, Yuki no Michi?) is the first chapter of Volume 6 of the My Happy Marriage series.
Summary[]
In the early morning, as Miyo heads to the Imperial Army headquarters, she notices that she's the only person walking outside. After arrival, she hides behind a building and watches three soldiers on patrol. She intends to use Dream-Sight to put them to sleep before rushing through the gate. Just then, a boy, around ten years old and bearing a resemblance to Kiyoka, appears and urges her not to proceed due to the danger. Miyo recalls Arata's teachings about powerful technique users being able to create familiars that are indistinguishable from real beings. The boy confirms he is Kiyoka's familiar. Despite his pleas, Miyo insists on going. A soldier approaches, telling her that ordinary citizens should leave immediately. When she is about to reveal her identity, the boy pulls her away and lectures her on how rash her actions are. He advises her to find assistance or better understand the enemy before acting, and suggests her to visit the Usuba estate. Feeling ashamed of her impulsiveness, she slaps herself, surprising the boy.
Yoshirou welcomes them inside the Usuba estate and jokingly asks if the boy is Kiyoka's illegitimate son, which the boy vehemently denies. Miyo recounts the recent events to Yoshirou, who listens patiently and offers her comfort. Taking responsibility as the head of the Usuba family, he apologizes to her for Arata and Usui's actions. He then shares the backstory of Usui, revealing the love between him and her mother and how tragedy befell them. Miyo realizes that if not for the Emperor's treacherous plot, Usui would still have been by Sumi's side. She thanks Yoshirou for helping her gain a deeper understanding of Usui. Yoshirou suggests her explore the records and notes related to the previous Dream-Sight Mediums in the estate, which could help Miyo with her Gift. When asked how long they will stay, the boy advises two or three days at most if she wants to make a difference.
In the bedroom, Miyo comes up with the idea to call the boy "Kiyo". At first taken aback and blushing, he eventually accepts the nickname. A servant brings lunch to them. Kiyo, who doesn't eat, expresses that his master would feel more at ease if she eats well. Afterwards, Miyo and Kiyo head to a warehouse where they select a batch of materials related to Dream-Sight and retire to a room to peruse the contents. However, the documents are quite old, written in cursive kana script and an unfamiliar syntax. Miyo is unable to comprehend the texts due to her limited education. Kiyo explains to her the instructions on the usage of her Gift. As she listens, she recalls Arata's teachings and realizes that he must have dedicated years to studying these materials, awaiting the appearance of a Dream-Sight Medium to protect. Kiyo also discovers information about Opinokinesis, indicating limitations on its duration and range of use. Miyo ponders when Arata began his betrayal, considering that he must have been aware of these weaknesses for quite some time.
After dinner, Miyo expresses her gratitude to Yoshirou for the arrangements that have brought her comfort. She reflects on how, compared to her earlier anxiety, her heart is now at peace because she found a family with whom she can share her worries. A bath is prepared for Miyo, and she invites Kiyo to join her. He declines in an exaggerated manner, leaving Miyo perplexed. When she insists, Yoshirou intervenes and advises her to let Kiyo be. While soaking in the bath, Miyo contemplates the struggles faced by previous Dream-Sight Mediums, as she has read about in the notes. After her bath, she leads Kiyo to her room. Despite his initial resistance, he eventually agrees to share her bed. As Miyo struggles to fall asleep, consumed by worries about Kiyoka's safety, she impulsively hugs Kiyo tightly. At first, he protests, but he eventually relents, allowing Miyo to drift off to sleep.
In the frigid dungeon cell, Kiyoka blushes from embarrassment due to Miyo's unexpectedly bold actions. He also feels guilty as she remains oblivious to his actions. Before his arrest, Takaihito had shared the revelation that Kiyoka and Miyo would soon face difficult challenges. He believes that Kiyoka must first find himself in dire straits to enable Miyo's Dream-Sight power to fully mature. Miyo, being the only one who could move Usui through her words, will need to employ Dream-Sight to confront him. Takaihito intends to test whether Miyo responds to the crisis with bravery or succumbs to fear by fleeing or hiding, which Kiyoka suspects might have been her reaction in the past, but he believes she has changed. Following Takaihito's policy, he kept the truth from her. Now, within the confines of his cell, Kiyoka reconnects with the senses of his familiar. Feeling the touch of Miyo's embrace, he becomes determined to provide unwavering support for her.
In a dream, Miyo finds herself in an unfamiliar, misty place with a stone staircase before her. Lanterns on the sides of the stairs light up in sequence. Kiyoka appears, and they ascend together. At the top of the stairs, Sumi and several other figures materialize. Sumi apologizes for burdening Miyo with pain and karma and she, along with the Usubas, will help her. At that moment, Miyo feels the power within her burn hot and her brain becomes cold. The mist clears up and her mind is filled with a rush of the past, present, and future. She sees a young Sumi introducing herself to Usui, who tells her to leave him alone. In another moment, Usui hurts someone who was rude to Sumi. Miyo also witnesses Sumi expressing her dream of the Usubas living freely, and Usui promising to always be with her. When Miyo hears Sumi telling Usui about her decision to marry into the Saimori family, she snaps back to reality and cries. Sumi and the other figures have vanished, and the lanterns had extinguished. She turns to Kiyoka and reassures him that she will come to him soon.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Miyo Saimori
- Kiyo
- Yoshirou Usuba
- Kiyoka Kudou
- Takaihito (flashback)
- Sumi Usuba (dream)
- Usui Usui (dream)
Mentioned characters[]
Chapter Notes[]
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