Led by several of Taro's friends, Yae Sakura entered the room. Though it was not large, it was far from shabby. Compared to the real Edo Shogunate era of Eastern Island, Inazuma's people were still much better off.
Soon, she saw Taro, whom the others had called "possessed." And indeed, something was clearly wrong with the young man.
His eyes were vacant, though they sometimes showed traces of pain. He had not gone mad, at least. Even when he saw people enter, he merely glanced at them before ignoring them.
He sat on the floor with his hair in a mess...
He looked as though he were already dead, even if he was still physically alive.
Yae Sakura could not see even a trace of the cheerfulness the others had described. There was only hollow gloom. More importantly, she did not see a Vision on him.
Had it been confiscated by the Shogunate? That was probably it...
"Taro, Taro, we're here."
"Taro, we brought Lady Shrine Maiden. With her here, you'll surely recover soon."
Several people gathered around Taro. The young woman in particular looked at him with a pained expression. It seemed... she liked this warrior.
Seeing him in such a state, her heartache was easy to understand. No wonder she had been so anxious to bring Yae Sakura here earlier.
Yet despite their words, Taro only gave them an empty glance and said nothing.
"Lady Shrine Maiden, Taro is in your hands!"
Seeing Taro like this, they were helpless and could only look pleadingly at Yae Sakura.
"I'll do what I can. If he truly is possessed..."
Yae Sakura made no promises, because she felt... this person might not be possessed, despite looking no different from someone who was.
Taro's friends voluntarily left the room. It was probably