Year of the Boar, Thirteenth Month, Day 20.

 The gods are obviously with me today. Haru let me know earlier that one of the merchants who carried messages for her came by this morning. Apparently, he was not planning on it; he had been heading straight for the north but for some reason known only to the gods, he decided he might make some extra coin if he passed by the House on his way. Haru would never have even known he was here had she not, at the precise moment he arrived, been on her way to the latrines. 

I will offer some significant thanks to the gods later. I feel such a sense of relief. My note to Aoki is on its way and I shall find out what has been going on with the birds and get the intel Kaede seems to want so badly. The solstice will be upon us in two sevendays and then I shall be on my way. I feel guilty for wanting to be away from here but I no longer feel comfortable around Sasanuma and I can hardly tell Kaede that I suspect her lover is up to no good. What possible reason would I have to think that..? All I have is the baseless belief that he has invaded my privacy. Except I do think it. Why I have had this complete change of opinion, I do not know but the  more these thoughts swirl around in my head, the more convinced I am that all is not what it seems.

Is Kaede somehow under Sasanuma's control? He is old enough to be her father, after all. Has he convinced her that she is in love with him so that he can gain control of the House? 

I must stop this. I sound quite ridiculous. I must keep my mind focused or I will end up as paranoid as Yuika and that will not end at all well.