Chapter 1
Yuki's Solitude

In the winding, bustling streets of Kyōto, under the rule of the shōgun, stood a majestic residence, silent testimony to noble rank and abundant wealth. This residence, bathed in the soft hues of tradition and the splendour of the Edo era, was the home of Yuki, the wife of a highly esteemed nobleman in the shōgun's service.

Yuki, delicately beautiful, possessed a charm that transcended the sumptuous finery and finely embroidered kimonos she wore. Her eyes, of a deep black, often reflected a faraway feeling, a mixture of reverie and melancholy. Her husband, a man of duty with a passion for his work, was frequently away, carried off by the demands of his role at the shōgun's side.

The great house, with its silent corridors and ornate rooms, echoed with the constant murmur of servants and courtiers. Yet despite this bustle, a strange stillness reigned there, a stillness that weighed on Yuki's heart. She often walked in the meticulously tended gardens, where the cherry blossoms played with the wind, a solitary dance that seemed to echo her own solitude.

Yuki's days were governed by the rituals of the court, the occasional visits of noble ladies, and koto lessons whose melancholy melodies seemed attuned to her state of mind. She found a certain comfort in these activities, but they were not enough to fill the void left by her husband's absence.

In moments of solitude, Yuki would lose herself in her thoughts, dreaming of distant journeys, of unknown adventures, and of a life filled with passion and feeling. She dreamed of sharing those moments with her husband, but such dreams were soon dispelled by the reality of her daily life, a life made of routines and silence.

Yuki's beauty and wealth aroused envy among the courtiers, but she found no true comfort in any of these superficial relationships. She longed for a deeper connection, a mutual understanding that seemed out of reach in her world of conventions and appearances.

It was against this background of melancholy and isolation that Yuki's destiny took an unexpected turn, marked by the arrival of a mysterious gift from her husband: an old ōgi set, a variant of shōgi, which would soon awaken in her an obsessive interest and reveal secrets hidden in the depths of her soul.