Original subtitles

A NIKKATSU PRESENTATION

THE TALE OF GENJI

Produced by: Tetsuji Takechi

Based on the Novel by: Murasaki Shikibu Screenplay: Tetsuji Takechi Cinematography: Shizuo Watanabe

Art Direction: Minoru Omori Lighting: Yoshio Unno

Recording: Kazutaka Tanaka Editing: Kaneko Hansaburo

Music: Yuku Shiba

CAST

Kotobuki Hanamoto

Izumi Ashikawa Ruriko Asaoka

Chojuro Hanakawa Takao Nakamura, Koji Wada

Koeda Kawaguchi, Beni Chitose Yoko Yamamoto, Kikuko Hojo

Machiko Tsuki, Minako Kazuki Mayako Yashiro

Misa Kashiwa Botan Kawaguchi

Akira Shigayama Sennojo Shigeyama

Tsusai Sugawara Midori Nishizaki

Hideko Kawaguchi

Directed by: Tetsuji Takechi

Imperial Edict.

I have finally been given the benefits of an Emperor.

I was born as the son to Emperor Kiritsubo, however...

I was once ranked down to a vassal.

Never did I think I would be given these kind of privileges.

The Emperor in front of me, Reizei, is my son.

He was born between myself and the lady in waiting, Fujitsubo.

Everything that has happened so far...

is my fate.

I learned about the hearts of the people and their standards.

Those that capture the hearts of the people

are fit to be a true Emperor.

Perhaps the numerous love affairs of my early days

were for the sake of me learning

the hearts of the people.

He may be the direct bloodline to the Emperor,

but, for someone who once ranked as a vassal,

to be given the title of honorary Retired Emperor is unheard of.

That's right.

During the Ōchō period, there was Yuge Dōkyō,

who managed to achieve something close to this.

Hikaru Genji has settled down with Lady Murasaki now,

but he was quite the philanderer when he was young, isn't it so?

I suppose you need to be experienced in that area

if you want to succeed as a politician.

Shush! Hikaru Genji is heading this way.

Shining Prince, congratulations on your title.

I appreciate it.

- I offer my respects. - I appreciate it.

It's been a while, former Emperor Suzaku.

I now live in solitude.

That title does not suit me anymore.

No, I was also once a mere vassal.

- I congratulate you today. - Oh, thank you for coming.

Thank you for looking after my son, Kashiwagi.

Congratulations.

Oh, Kashiwagi, the Commander of the Gate Guards.

You are so handsome, even men would fall for you.

Your father must be looking forward to your future as well.

No, no.

He's nothing compared to you in your young days.

I don't think so.

Youth cannot be beaten.

Say, Inner Minnister,

do you recall the celebration of autumn leaves for the Emperor Kiritsubo?

At the time, you were still known as Tō no Chūjō.

The two of us performed a dance referred to as 'The Waves of the Blue Ocean'.

Back then, your beauty was everything people were talking about.

That same day, former Emperor Suzaku

had requested that I marry his daughter, the Third Princess.

However, Lady Murasaki was my de facto wife,

and, indeed, I loved her more than anything,

so, I did not feel quite right about it,

but, since it was the former Emperor's personal request, I accepted it.

Moreover, to marry someone from the Imperial Court

was important for someone in my position.

However, the Third Princess' heart was not into it,

and I eventually stopped visiting her.

Third Princess, you shouldn't be out.

You shouldn't behave so shamelessly.

Chamberlain, who is that gentleman?

He's Kashiwagi, the Commander of the Gate Guards.

Why are you looking so startled?

Chamberlain! Chamberlain!

Kashiwagi?

I'm opening the door now.

I'm the only assistant around.

I gave time off to the others.

Thank you. Where is the Third Princess?

She's relaxing in bed.

This way.

Shining Prince, is it you?

Did you win the game?

How is the Third Princess' illness?

The Third Princess is ill?

I wasn't aware of that.

I hardly ever visit her anymore.

I heard it's not a common illness.

There are rumors going around.

- It's not a common illness? - It's not.

I've heard she has morning sickness.

Morning sickness?

That cannot be. I haven't visited her since then...

That's not true.

No, it's true.

You are a deceiving liar.

You lied to me.

You've been possessed by lust.

What are you saying?

My properties and manors...

Even this palace...

They all worked to help you get to where you are now.

You are Lady Rokujō!

Help! Somebody help!

Lady Murasaki has been possessed! Lady Murasaki!

Koremitsu! Is Koremitsu here?

Lady Murasaki! Lady Murasaki!

For the sake of the baby on its way,

please take good care of yourself.

I cannot speak of my feelings for you.

Please read this later.

Hikaru Genji is on his way. Hurry. This way.

I heard you weren't feeling well.

So, how are you?

Oh, chamberlain.

I forgot my fan here the other day.

This one doesn't work too well.

This is Kashiwagi's...

It's a prince.

You're saying this child is my bloodline?

No...

This is Kashiwagi's child.

The eyes, and the nose...

They're exactly like Kashiwagi's.

I've also made the same mistake in the past.

I've gone behind my father's back, the Emperor Kiritsubo,

and had the lady in waiting, Fujitsubo, bear my child.

That child is the current Emperor.

However, I never told any of this to my father.

No, perhaps my father already knew about it all along,

but he still feigned ignorance.

Are my past mistakes...

coming back to haunt me?

The time when I was a child.

I still remember as if it were yesterday.

That time when the lady in waiting, Fujitsubo, visited the palace.

Who is that lady?

She is the lady in waiting, Lady Fujitsubo.

She's the woman who will be the wife of your father, the Emperor.

She looks exactly like your deceased mother,

Lady Kiritsubo.

Your mother was such a beautiful woman.

Your father, the Emperor,

will find happiness again.

Mother...

It's been raining a lot.

Oh, Tō no Chūjō.

Are you studying women's love letters?

I hear you're quite the lady's man, Hikaru Genji.

I'm embarrassed to be caught by my wife's older brother.

You mean Lady Aoi?

My sister is so proud.

I would not want someone like her as a wife.

- I shouldn't have said that. - It's fine.

Thanks to my marriage with Lady Aoi,

I was able to gain your trust and I'm truly grateful.

Oh... You two.

You must be gossiping about women, right?

The best women are the ones from the middle class.

A minister's court lady's life isn't stable enough, anyway.

A regional secretary's daughter

would be the best pick.

That's it, I remember.

The father of the Governor of Kii,

the Iyo Deputy, supposedly got himself a very beautiful wife.

She's too good for an old man like that.

Yes, but regional secretaries make good money,

and that's why beautiful women end up there.

I befriended a prostitute in the capital a few years ago.

The kindness I experienced was something

you can't experience with upper class women.

And regarding girls from the countryside...

Some fathers, who are Manor Daimyos,

spend money on educating their daughters.

I've heard that Akashi no Nyūdō's daughter is quite beautiful.

I wonder where an elegant woman like Yūgao went?

Hikaru Genji.

How about you?

It must be difficult to speak about this in front of your wife's brother.

There is only one ideal woman for me.

She shines brighter than the sun.

- How about this one? - It's such a hot day.

The Shining Prince has arrived.

Oh my, you look awful.

Stop that.

Lady Aoi, you're wearing all those layers on a hot day like this?

Why don't you give it a break?

You all undress the outer layers and cool off.

- No, stop. - Cool off!

What are you saying?

Never mind that.

You have to get ready for your travel.

Oh, that's right.

I will have to wear my robe in this heat.

I heard the Governor of Kii has water running through his property,

and it's cooler there, so I made arrangements for you to stay there.

What? The Governor of Kii?

Is that so?

That must be a coincidence.

Great, let's leave right now.

Koremitsu! Koremitsu! Get ready to depart!

There's a lot of people here.

Those are farmers and villagers coming to complain about the taxes

to the Governor of Kii.

If we don't properly incorporate the ideas of these people,

politics would be no good.

That's the difference between a good leader and a bad one.

Who is that?

It was such a sudden visit, I'm afraid we are unprepared.

On top of that, my father and his women

also had to travel to avoid bad luck, and thus we're so limited.

Oh,

and don't you have to go listen to the demands of the farmers?

No, no!

The people here are in gratitude.

And, to be honest, I'd like to discuss now

my wish of becoming the Governor of Kawachi.

Please put in a good word for me to the Emperor.

I will make a recommendation for you in return for tonight's stay.

Who is that over there in the West Wing?

Yes, that is my father's recent wife and she's new here.

I hear the Shining Prince has arrived here.

Yes, he's known to be beautiful,

so everyone wants to take a look at him.

Is that so?

It's that time of month.

If you don't take a bath now, you won't be able to for four to five days.

Chūjō, you take one now, too.

Yes, I will do as you say.

Will this be all right?

It'll be all right.

It's dark, so she has no clue we're here.

So, she's the wife of the Iyo Deputy, Utsusemi, right?

What a fine woman!

She's considered to be the most beautiful woman from the middle class.

You're well informed.

I made the Guards Commander tell me.

Chūjō. Chūjō.

My goodness, she takes long baths.

Chūjō! Chūjō!

She called for Chūjō.

You too are a "chūjō", a ranking official.

Indeed, I'm a ranking nobleman of a small fortune.

I shall go now.

You'll ruin your robe like that.

You should wear this one instead.

It's best to wear soft fabric when visiting a woman in her room.

And I also think you won't be needing your headgear and belt.

Your "chūjō" is here, as you requested.

You...

I'm Hikaru Genji.

Somebody help!

I've been longing for you, and to meet like this...

We must be bound by fate.

- What are you doing? Stop! - Right now,

Utsusemi is being taken good care of by another "chūjō".

Please forgive me.

I am the wife to another man.

Love doesn't stop because you belong to someone else.

I am Hikaru Genji.

No woman in the palace has ever rejected me.

I don't know anything about what goes on in the palace,

but a woman has a heart.

That's what I want to be cognizant of.

There can't be a difference in a woman,

whether she's from an upper class or lower class.

A woman may have less power,

and I may even succumb to your strength,

but that doesn't mean you'll take my heart.

That would be a huge mistake.

I cannot understand that mistake unless I'm with you.

Please let me go.

I don't seem to understand it.

All the women in my past thought being loved by me was an honor.

But Utsusemi won't show any sign of affection,

even after spending the night with me.

It didn't appear as she was unhappy with the exchanging of our love...

But she always seems to be distracted by something else and lost in her thoughts.

Could that be the intelligence of middle class women?

I would like to see her again and ask her.

It's the first time I've experienced something like this.

The Governor of Kii is away,

and Utsusemi and the Governor of Kii's younger sister, Nokiba no Ogi,

will be together tonight.

I see, that's a wonderful opportunity. I'll sneak in tonight, then.

You're dressed so lightly.

- I'm surprised. - Mother.

You must be bored. Why don't we play some go?

Yes, let's do that.

How's the peeping going?

Well...

That young girl seems debauched.

But she also has a cute and flamboyant air to her.

I lost again.

Mother, there's something wrong with you tonight.

I wonder what you're thinking?

Ten, twenty...

I won by 56 points.

Let's go to bed now, yes?

It's hot tonight, so let's keep it open.

It's not safe that way.

It's fine. Who is going to see us, anyway?

I'm so sweaty.

- Hey, the lights went off. - Well, be careful, then.

I'll go look for Chūjō, too.

These horrible mosquitoes!

Utsusemi... Utsusemi...

The Shining Prince.

I've been visiting Lady Rokujō for a while now.

She is quite older than myself,

however she was one of the most noble women in the capital.

One day, on my way to Rokujō,

I was attracted to a white flower blooming on a fence.

It's a flower without a branch!

Please take it like this.

The house clearly belonged to a prostitute.

My heart longed for Yūgao's home,

however, I decided to rush to Rokujō for the time being.

You have the detrimental habit of thinking too much.

How our age is too far apart,

or what other people may say about us.

They have nothing to do with our love.

But my daughter is of age now.

I'm thinking about having her become a nun in Ise,

and joining her myself.

Then, what would happen to me?

I would be left behind, right?

To fall in love with someone...

is such a painful thing.

This is...

the rights to some properties...

I possess.

Shining Prince, this Rokujō Palace of mine,

and all of my wealth are all yours.

I don't need anything else.

If only you could just love me...

You've been visiting me for three months now,

and yet you won't tell me who you are.

I am not a man of any rank.

I just want to spend time together with you.

That means the world to me.

Even if you don't tell me,

I have a good idea that you are someone

with a bright and shining background.

Just having you love me like this

is enough for me.

This is cow's milk, right?

It's delicious.

What a satisfying way to live your life.

The singing crickets in the walls.

The voices of people next door.

The reading of the scriptures.

Everything here is new and refreshing to me.

You were startled quite a bit by the crows next door.

That's right.

Such noises had nothing to do with my life until now.

- Perhaps... - Shush!

I can hear someone talking.

Things are pretty bad even in the countryside this year.

I really can't do business this way.

That's the next door neighbor.

He's talking to someone on the other side of the wall.

What does he mean by "bad times"?

Oh, goodness!

You don't know?

It's what poor people fear the most.

When that happens, we have nothing to eat.

Bad times, huh?

I'll be sure to remember that.

Everyone's so alive here!

We work in order to live.

Yūgao, let's go look for a happier place and discuss this further.

Right now.

I took Yūgao, who looked reluctant,

to an abandoned summer mansion.

She seemed scared at first, but she warmed up to me.

At that moment,

Yūgao saw something,

and was startled.

I also saw a faint image of a woman.

Why do you pay attention to such low class girls?

How infuriating!

It's frustrating!

Koremitsu! Light! Bring the light!

Right here!

Yūgao!

Yūgao...

I should never have brought you here.

Her black hair fell from the carriage,

and, as I bid farewell to Yūgao who was leaving this world,

I had a bad feeling about what was to come.

However, because of Yūgao,

I learned women have their own will to love.

And through Utsusemi,

I learned that women have the right to choose a man.

The two experiences taught me such things.

And that meant Lady Fujitsubo

should be able to choose a man she desires, too.

Why should choosing someone be a sin?

I lost Yūgao forever.

It wasn't just lust.

As I drew these conclusions, I went to visit Ōmyōbu in her room.

Ōmyōbu!

Is Ōmyōbu there?

Ōmyōbu!

Ōmyōbu...

Ōmyōbu, please listen.

I have to see her.

I can't stand it anymore like this!

Please don't raise your voice.

I don't care!

Ōmyōbu...

Please listen to my request. Just this one time.

I beg you to talk to her and convince her to see me.

Two days from now, Her Majesty Fujitsubo will be visiting her home.

Thank you. Will you help me, then?

Can you promise me that?

Ōmyōbu...

It's not right.

- This is not right. - Lady Fujitsubo.

That this is immoral, I'm well aware of it, too.

But I think we both had to take this path.

You don't think of me as your mother?

My mother... I lost her when I was young.

I have suffered so much all this time.

However...

Because my mother died when I was young, I...

I just miss my mother.

There's nothing else. I just miss her. That's all.

Because of my passionate impulses,

I became ill and collapsed.

In the Spring, as I recovered somewhat,

I visited a saint in the Northern Hills to thank him for divine protection.

This is the entrance gate.

It looks abandoned.

I assume those that are enlightened, live in places just like this.

I'm certain that your illness from last autumn

will completely heal here.

Grandmother, Inuki did something bad.

What seems to be the problem, Inuki?

Nothing, we were going to feed the sparrow and it flew away.

Is that so?

That's why you're upset.

She finally got all her feathers.

Inuki is really mean, isn't she?

Will she get eaten by a crow? I feel awful just thinking about it.

What a kind heart she has. Such an adorable little girl.

You must be Hikaru Genji, am I right?

I am Ama, the Prelate's older sister.

I see. Then, this little girl must be...

Lady Fujitsubo's niece, Murasaki no Ue, isn't it so?

With Murasaki no Ue and her youthfulness,

everything around me came back to life.

But fate still hadn't smiled on me yet.

Lady Fujitsubo gave birth to a prince.

A love child between her and myself.

Did you call for me?

Oh, thank you for coming.

There is something important I have to discuss,

so the Crown Prince should be arriving soon as well.

Have you seen Fujitsubo's child already?

No, I haven't yet.

Really? Then, please have a look at him.

Ōmyōbu, bring the Prince here.

Newborn babies certainly are mysterious creatures.

Perhaps because I've watched you grow myself,

this baby highly resembles of you.

I suppose all little babies are like this.

By the way, I want to listen to your flute playing today.

Please play something to celebrate the Prince's birth.

Did you call for me?

Oh, Crown Prince. Come closer.

I have something to discuss with you.

Excuse me.

Have you met my son already?

The Prince sure looks intelligent.

Oh, Crown Prince.

I would like to offer you my position as the Emperor.

In return, I just need you to make this baby the new Crown Prince.

If you can keep that promise,

I'll offer you the position right away.

This baby of mine

is the most precious thing in my life.

- You understand me, don't you? - I do.

Ōmyōbu...

Ōmyōbu!

On the day of the annual Flower Festival,

I was going to visit Lady Fujitsubo,

however, I found myself heading towards Lady Kokiden's place,

for some unknown reason.

And, as I noticed an open door,

I couldn't contain my curiosity,

and took a look inside.

Who is this? What a creepy presence.

I am here because of fate.

I'll call someone.

I do not fear that.

Princess Oborozukiyo, chief of the Naishi.

Are you coming on to me well aware

that I'm to be the wife of the Crown Prince?

You're the woman destined to be the wife of the next Emperor.

That is exactly why I ask for your love.

So, will you love me?

Shining Prince... Hikaru Genji.

On the day of the Aoi Festival, I was in the spotlight.

I accepted to take part in the procession.

From her carriage,

my wife, Lady Aoi was smiling at me.

However, I had no idea

that there was someone else watching us from the shadows.

A commotion started

with an argument over carriage parking space,

and led to the destruction of Lady Aoi's carriage.

I had no clue this woman in the shadows was shedding tears.

And then, on the day Lady Aoi gave birth...

She seems to be possessed.

I will attempt an exorcism.

I'm in pain...

Who is it?

Who are you?

I'm in pain...

The woman in the carriage... That woman in the carriage...

I'm in pain...

That woman in the carriage.

Carriage?

The resentful spirit of women

is able to wander outside of their bodies.

Lady Aoi! Stay with me.

You thief.

You filthy wife.

Please state the name clearly.

Lady Rokujō...

That woman...

Lady Rokujō!

A baby boy has been born.

Lady Aoi!

Lady Aoi!

Goodness, why are you here so early?

How have you been?

Well... I had an awful dream.

I've been going in and out of sleep.

Goodness, what is this smell? This smell on my clothes?

Perhaps...

it's the smell of poppy?

How strange.

But I haven't burnt any.

- We burnt it last night. - What?

Lady Aoi passed away last night.

What?!

From giving birth and being subjected to a ghost's curse.

A ghost?

Welcome back.

I don't know whether to give my condolences for the loss of Lady Aoi

or to congratulate you for your baby boy.

You've become a woman

while I was away.

You are to become my wife from tonight.

What are you saying? You're like a brother to me.

Lady Murasaki.

I'm unhappy.

I brought you up as I pleased an image of perfection.

If I don't make you my wife tonight,

I will never recover from my unhappiness.

Is this...

the only way...

between a man and a woman?

That's right.

Tying the knot...

There is no other way.

The various changes surrounding my life continued.

My father, Emperor Kiritsubo, had passed away.

I had lost a huge pillar that supported my position.

However, I was driven by love...

Lady Fujitsubo, my father, the Emperor, has passed away.

There's nothing to keep us apart any more.

Please let me do as I please tonight.

I won't allow it! This is wrong.

There is nothing in our way now.

We don't need to hold back anymore.

It was the one mistake I made in my lifetime.

Please let it go.

What bad would happen by repeating it?

My heart is aching.

Are you saying that my heart isn't in pain, too?

Lady Rokujō finally decided to enter nun-hood,

so I went to see her in Nonomiya.

I sent her a sacred branch and asked her to reconsider,

yet she finally abandoned me,

and left to become a nun in Ise with her daughter.

However, the one who abandoned me

was not only Lady Rokujō.

Lady Fujitsubo did as well.

Please wait a little bit.

What is the meaning of this?

For the sake of my late husband,

I am going to become a nun.

That means you're going to abandon me as well.

You're not the only one I'm abandoning.

It's everything in this world.

Shining Prince! What's wrong?

You need to remain calm.

You should send your regards,

and let her go her way.

I distracted myself from the bitter loneliness

with my lust for Oborozukiyo.

And then, one night...

Princess Oborozukiyo, the Emperor came to visit you.

You must be scared in this storm.

I came without notice because I was concerned about you.

This is a man and a woman's clothing.

Hikaru Genji! What is the meaning of this?

Hikaru Genji, you'll be punished for this!

The light in Hikaru Genji is dimming.

He's powerless without his father.

The era of the Minister of the Right is here.

He made a grave error.

Due to my mistake, I will be exiled to Suma.

I'm sure no one will come to visit once I'm gone.

Here are the deeds and rights to the manors and farmlands,

and all the financial documents are stored here.

Please manage them well.

And wait for my return.

Such things have no meaning

if you're not actually here.

Today would be the last day to arrange your hair.

Please come to the mirror.

Appearence isn't necessary for a person who is exiled.

Those tears...

Yes... it's because your reflection in the mirror

will stay with me forever,

and it will help me when I feel lonely.

Such heart warming words.

Shining Prince!

Shining Prince!

Shining Prince! Shining Prince!

Take this.

I will promise to come and get you in Suma.

A place not too far from the ocean

with no clear purpose in Suma.

The days of autumn passed,

and, as it turned to spring,

some people came to pay me a visit.

They were Akashi no Nyūdō and his daughter.

By the way, I want you to take a good look at my property.

It's a lot to look at

when you get to be like me.

We use laborers to make

rice, salt, fish and fabric!

We create things!

We're unlike you, upper class men!

We don't have the fear of being dependent.

And I will do as much as I can...

for my daughter.

I gave her a good education.

But some things require actual experience.

Hikaru Genji,

I've heard you are an expert at hands on education,

so I wanted you to teach some things to my daughter.

She's not like the weak women in the capital.

But that may be her defect.

You look beautiful.

Come, pay your respects to the Shining Prince.

I'm having my daughter learn to play koto.

Play a song to make the Shining Prince feel better.

Well... it's a fine weather today.

Everything is going well, isn't it so?

That's fine. Enough with the koto now.

Why don't you serve him?

Shining Prince.

Human beings need health and stamina.

Eating mostly vegetable,

and clams in the capital

won't help you with your libido.

Now is the season for sea bream. Please eat all you want.

Such delicacies I've never seen before.

When we eat or play,

it does feel somewhat lonely without Hikaru Genji, doesn't it?

That thought just occurred to me.

Do you agree with me?

Yes.

Do you or do you not?

When I die,

I wonder if you'd feel as sad as when he left?

Who are those tears for?

Do you really miss him that badly?

- How is the baby in your womb? - Well...

- He seems to be quite fine. - I see.

I just saw something shine.

I suppose it's a sign of a storm.

Hikaru Genji, the Shining Prince, my son.

My son!

It's my father, the Emperor's voice!

My son!

Shining Prince!

Father!

Father!

Father!

My son.

Why are you in a place like this?

Hurry up and return to the capital.

Father! I've been punished!

In that case,

I have something to tell the Emperor Suzaku.

Lots of lightnings again.

Emperor Suzaku.

Why did you send Hikaru Genji to Suma?

Have you forgotten the promise you made to me?

Emperor Kiritsubo, Genji and my wife...

They cheated on me!

His mistakes should be forgiven.

Even if his acts were indeed wrongdoings.

As you say...

I will have Hikaru Genji return right away.

I should have known better.

Father!

My father, the Emperor!

Father!

My son.

I've granted you your wish.

There will be a messenger from the capital soon.

Father! I don't wish to return to the capital.

For all the mistakes I've committed...

I'd like to throw myself into this sea.

My son.

All mistakes are meant to be forgiven.

You need not waste your life.

Do not lie from here on.

That is what is most important.

Farewell!

Father!

Father!

Shining Prince!

Father!

Shining Prince!

Shining Prince!

Shining Prince!

Shining Prince!

My punishment was forgiven,

and I returned to the capital.

And in the remaining years,

I was able to regain the privileges of a Retired Emperor.

Throughout my life, the quiet Hanachirusato,

the kind Princess Asagao,

the unfortunate Suetsumuhana, and the playful Tamakazura,

I met many other women I felt attracted to.

However,

I was completely satisfied with my life with Lady Murasaki.

And now, as I hold this baby of sin,

must I finally pay for all my transgressions?

Say, Kashiwagi, please let me pour you

some saké.

I'm afraid I don't drink.

It's an auspicious day for the both of us today.

It's a birthday celebration for my son.

Spread your wings for a change.

It's a good thing to fall off the path from time to time.

Here.

Now, take a good look.

This is my son.

Isn't he a cute baby?

He looks just like me.

Oh?

Doesn't he resemble you as well?

No, that can't be.

This is a bad habit of old people.

We get drunk very easily.

That night, Kashiwagi, perhaps from the excessive stress,

passed away.

And then, the Third Princess...

As her condition was worsening,

she mentioned she wanted to see her father.

I'm sorry to cause you trouble.

Please forgive my daughter's shortcomings.

Father, please make me a nun.

You're requesting to become a nun at such a young age.

It must be that

she has been possessed?

No, I'm not possessed at all.

I want to fulfill my own wish.

I do not wish to do what others tell me.

My request to become a nun

is for me to live my own life.

Ever since a certain person passed away,

your heart has been distracted.

If she wishes to become a nun,

how can I stop her, being who I am?

I asked you to take care of her for life,

however, she's basically dead on the inside.

Please forgive her selfish wish.

The view here when the autumn wind blows

is always so beautiful to watch.

The dews on the plants are being swayed.

I may try getting up a bit.

Akashi Consort.

I raised you, the daughter of Lady Akashi, as my daughter,

and had you wed the Crown Prince.

I'm physically weak,

but, unlike me, your mother is so healthy and strong.

You need that kind of bloodline to survive in this world.

It's all because of what you taught me.

I wanted to bring in the blood of the working class

into our stagnant bloodline.

That was one of my wishes.

Everyone has a wish.

I couldn't fulfill all my wishes,

but, thanks to you,

I was able to grant at least one.

I came to see how you're doing.

I'm glad to see you're up.

I've been up for a while.

I've been chatting and I'm somewhat tired now.

Akashi Consort.

You should return to the palace soon, too.

No, I wish to stay

and look after mother for a while.

I'm starting to feel unwell.

Can you please go?

Then, I'll be leaving now.

The autumn wind...

It's so refereshing.

Mother.

Mother!

Akashi Consort...

My hand... hold it firmly...

Your strong...

blood will keep flowing...

Mother...

There's smoke back there.

What? Smoke?

Lady Murasaki has left for the sky.

THE END