I was also moved. But I was moved because the story was written with a
level of detail that felt both believable and mystical. Language
sucked me in first. Ha, and that's in translation!

Then, there was more to the story besides artful language, and plot.
There was character. There was a first-person POV narrative that
elicited my sympathy without begging for it.

There was a great deal of respect depicted in the voice of the
first-person character -- respect for traditions, for art, for
learning, for others. Even though he was, then, a killing character,
he seemed good at heart. I was moved by the contradiction, and the
duty-fulfillment despite his misgivings.