Yukiya

Yukiya has messy, light brown hair that looks like a dandelion puff, as described by his friend Shigemaru.

He is quite short and, at the start of the series, is not muscular, but grows stronger as the story goes on.

Yukiya looks more like his mother and has no striking features, making him blend in the crowd and not considered handsome by most.

The author says he is, at best, someone who might look cool just for his atmosphere.

In the comics, Yukiya's facial expressions are lively—he can look clueless, sparkle his eyes to be cute, or show scary anger.

People around Yukiya often call him a "fool," and think he's useless.

Instead of being proud or ambitious, he openly admits he has no dreams of reaching for power.

But Yukiya is actually very smart and always thinks ahead for his family.

He purposely acts dumb to avoid standing out and becoming a target in the tough social world of the main house.

He does exactly what Wakamiya asks, understanding the real meaning behind his orders, showing his loyalty and good sense.

Yukiya has great memory, never forgets a face, and can remember very detailed things—he even memorized all the possible outcomes of dice rolls.

He is good at acting harmless with a smile, but deep down he is cunning and sometimes seen as mean, both by himself and others.

Sumio is scared of Yukiya, calling his smile evil and his eyes sharp and cunning.

In a self-parody comic, Yukiya is kicked out by his father, worried he will become a "neet," and forced to work in Wakamiya's bakery.

Yukiya is the only one among his siblings with a different birth mother.

His birth mother is Fuyuki, the northern family's second daughter, but he was raised by Azusa, who was close to Fuyuki like a sister.

Because of past events, like relatives trying to use him to get close to the head family and rumors about possibly making him head instead of his brother Yukima, Yukiya started to hide his true self.

He hated being seen as just another member of the north family and chose to call himself "Yukiya of Taruhi," hiding his noble status.

His father Yukimasa never protected the family or stood up to anyone, so Yukiya decided to protect his family himself by pretending to have no ambition or ability.

All of Yukiya's family, except his father, understands why he acts this way, and they live together happily.

His complicated feelings about his parents and his position in the family make Yukiya want to protect those he loves.

Yukiya has hidden strength, both physical and mental.

He acts bumbling on purpose, but in truth he is clever, has excellent memory, is observant, and picks up on people's intentions.

Yukiya can quickly adapt to new situations and carries out difficult tasks.

He also becomes physically stronger as the story goes on.

When required, Yukiya can be very forceful in protecting those he cares about, and he is able to take on the burden of others' wrongdoings if it means protecting his friends and family.

"I have pledged my loyalty to my brother and to Taruhi Village, you see..."

"Whether I am useless or not, why not find out for yourself?"

"If you're going to die, do it wherever I can't see or hear about it."

"I do not despair. I do not regret. I will not look back on the past."

"To protect those you love, your homeland, yourself, and your pride, you must now simply kill, nothing more."

"And if killing is truly a crime, then I will take all your sins upon myself!"

"Kill. Just kill. Kill without regret! The more you kill, the more righteous you will become!"

From Rural Life to Palace Service

Yukiya hoped to spend his life helping the people in his hometown, Taruhi Village.

However, after some family trouble, he was chosen to serve as Wakamiya's attendant at the palace for one year.

Yukiya didn't want this honorable job but was pushed into it after his father mentioned the name of the elite training school, Keisouin.

Life as Wakamiya's Attendant

At the palace, Yukiya quickly earned a nickname as a fool and was made fun of for his country background.

But Wakamiya recognized Yukiya's true cleverness and wanted him as his official attendant.

Yukiya, at first, refused but later accepted after he realized Wakamiya knew he was pretending to be ignorant.

Throughout the year, Yukiya handled all of Wakamiya's difficult tasks and won his trust.

Facing Danger and Growing

Yukiya was dragged to many places by Wakamiya, including the entertainment district and the Valley, where he had to adapt to new lifestyles and even experience near-death situations.

He learned more about the inner struggles of the palace, like the political fights over who would be the next heir, and witnessed betrayals and acts of violence.

Yukiya used his wits and observations to help solve mysteries, point out attacking archers, and deal with dangerous negotiations.

Standing Up for Himself and His Family

During a meeting about the succession, Yukiya saw his father and brother thrown aside by the head family, and realized the harshness of the main family's politics.

He kept his loyalty hidden but used all his smarts to protect the people he cared about, sometimes putting himself in harm's way.

Despite being called a fool, Yukiya earned important victories and recognition from those in power.

Changes and Further Involvement

Though Yukiya only served as Wakamiya's attendant for about three months, it was a period of growth and crucial events.

He meets many new people, learns about the world outside his village, and discovers both cruelty and friendship among the palace folk.

His actions during this brief time have important effects later in the story.

Wakamiya

Yukiya's master and, at first, a troublesome presence in his life.

Although their first meeting went badly, Wakamiya never treats Yukiya as lesser for being a second son from the countryside.

He quickly notices that Yukiya is actually smart, and relies on him more and more.

Sumio

One of Yukiya's best friends at the palace.

They often work together with Wakamiya, and after becoming friends, Sumio learns to trust Yukiya.

Natsuka

Because of past events in Taruhi, Natsuka recommends Yukiya to serve as Wakamiya's attendant, helping to shape his fate.

Family

• Yukimasa (father): The only one Yukiya is directly related to by blood. Yukimasa is competent but hesitant, causing Yukiya to feel a mix of understanding and frustration.
• Azusa (foster mother): Not related by blood, but the person Yukiya respects most. Was very close to Fuyuki (his birth mother).
• Yukima and Yukichi (brothers): Technically half-brothers, but very close. They hate that Yukiya is called a "fool" more than Yukiya himself. Sometimes feel frustrated that Yukiya puts up emotional walls.

Fuyuki

His birth mother, who had a troubled reputation. Yukiya sees her as a problematic figure, but later stories show she was very smart, much like Yukiya.

• In the comics, Yukiya makes frequent appearances, sometimes even acting as a stand-in for Wakamiya when he's absent.
• Yukiya only worked as Wakamiya's attendant for about three months, but it was a time when he could truly be himself.
• Shiratama is Yukiya's cousin, though they never met directly.
• The author said that Yukiya was almost created as a side character who would be badly injured by the mountain god, but after being given a name, he developed such a strong personality that he became a main character.
• Throughout the series, Yukiya's position changes greatly, but the author says he always stays true to himself, for better or worse. His character is deeply flawed but real.