母親(ははおや)が病死(びょうし)し、精神(せいしん)的に追い詰められた(おいつめられた)弟の直治(なおじ)も自殺(じさつ)した

Eventually, Kazuko's sole support, her noble and beautiful mother, quietly leaves this world due to illness. Her mother's death signified the end of the era of Japan's 'last beautiful aristocrats.' Furthermore, the tragedy compounded as her younger brother Naoji, completely cornered mentally, took his own life. Kazuko was left alone in the mountain villa.