…..Finally, Jin’s ‘Bakuya’ rang out.
Along with a gentle wind, two people appeared. One of them was Ran Shuuei. The other one was—–
Shusui smiled, and looked at Shuurei, who was playing the erhu. A familiar sound. Madame’s sound.
When she saw Shuurei’s face, she felt everything had blown away. Warm feelings welled up within her.
“……….It’s been a long time, Shuurei-sama.”
Shuurei let go the erhu, and ran towards her. Her face crumpled up.
“Shusui!!”
Shusui burst out grinning at Shuurei, who had flown at her while crying.

****

The head of the Hyou clan returned to his room without incident when Shuurei had tossed aside the erhu.
While Shusui was treating her wounds, bathing, and eating, Shuurei suddenly noticed some changes, and opened the latticed shutters. Then her eyes widened. The snow which had been falling so much was now at the level of a light snowfall.
“The snow….. has mostly stopped. Also, the warmth has also returned a bit. This—”
“I’ve heard that things stabilize when there are many magicians and priestesses in the main clan…..”
It was too drastic. Riou looked at Shusui. Could it be? Shusui nodded, as if putting her chin down.
“……it seems that it’s half already like that because I’ve left the Prison of Time.”
“Then, as we thought, the ‘Prison of Time’—”
“……Yes. Originally, it looks like it was a place used for that purpose. However, because it’s been used in a strange way for some hundreds of years, it’s become fairly twisted…”
She thought of Ruka, who had come only once to the Prison of Time.
It had been as if those cold eyes were asking her how much resolve she had.
She now understood the meaning of that.
Seeing that Shusui had calmed, Shuurei gave a summary of what had happened. As well as the locust plague, and how maybe there was a way to exterminate them in the temples on the other side of the sealed ‘passages.’ After Shusui had finished listening to this, she nodded.
“Then first of all, we’ll confirm with the temples whether there is an extermination method or not. Shuurei-sama, I will open some ‘passages.’ Opening all of them is impossibly….. but probably, with a few, we can do something.”
“…..Can you do it?”
Riou asked this, surprised. In normal times, many magicians and priestesses used the ‘passages.’ However, since that was like opening an unlocked door, they didn’t need much power to do it. However, now Ruka had locked them strongly. With a strength such that even Uu Uu had his hands full opening one.
“Yes. Probably…. Now I can do it, I think. However, since only the High Priestess can open all of the ‘passages,’ next I must see Ruka-sama.”
Shuurei reacted with surprised. Then, she righted her posture, and turned once again to Shusui.
“Shusui—-regarding that, I have a request.”
“I know. Ruka-sama’s location is—”
“No, I don’t want you only to see Ruka-hime’s location with your ‘clairvoyance.’ If you can, I wish for you to immediately take the place of Ruka-hime on the throne of the High Priestess. Though this might be convenient circumstances for us, if the High Priestess is replaced, we can talk directly to you, not to Ruka0hime. About the locusts, and the ‘passages’ as well.— We can get by without having the final decision making authority controlled by Ruka-hime’s judgments.”
In the Hyou clan, whatever they tried to do was in the end, blocked by ‘Hyou Ruka.’ Probably, Ruka would not easily accept Shuurei and Riou’s words. —Then, it would be better for them to change High Priestesses. From the time she had heard that Ruka’s power was waning, Shuurei had thought about this. If it was Shusui…
“But, that’s not why I had General Ran go. Supernatural powers, the High Priestess, all of that is second place. I’m not bargaining. Even if you refuse, I won’t mind. But, I’d like you to think about it.”
“….Shuurei-sama….I also returned intending to see Ruka-sama one more time.”
Shusui answered this, with eyes full of determination, while looking down on her arms, which had become somewhat thin.
Shuurei realized that even she hadn’t said anything, Shusui had already had that determination.
It was heavy, but if she endured it, she could change something, in that place.
…..However, something was bothering her. Perhaps it was because Shusui had not clearly said yes or no. When that happened, most of the time, it was because Shusui was hiding something from Shuurei.—
“…Shusui, Riou-kun.when does the High Priestess change? Is there retirement?”
Riou averted his eyes with a startled face. Shusui conveyed her the facts.
“There are not two High Priestesses at once. The change…… happens only when the High Priestess dies.”
When she realized this, Shuurei grabbed Shusui’s arms. Shusui’s face, which was hiding something from Shuurei, and seemed decided.
“Shusui, I said that thinking that it would be easier to change High Priestesses than change Ruka-hime, wit hthe excuse that we don’t have any time, but if you would be burdened by something because of that, I don’t wish for that to happen. Then, I’ll choose stubbornly persuading Ruka-hime and changing her, no matter what.”
Riou lowered his eyes, sensing that she had seen that he had been wondering earlier whether killing his aunt would be the fastest way. Even now, that idea was still somewhat there in a corner, and that was why he kept silent. However, so that was Shuurei’s response to that, even though she had been with Riou.
Shusui’s face was happy, and like she had lost. Shuurei truly wouldn’t allow the easy way out. However.
“…Shuurei-sama, I cannot answer you. This time alone, allow me to do as I wish.”
Shuurei and Shusui looked at each other. Suddenly, they realized, Shiba Jin had abruptly disappeared.
Shusui had not yet used her ‘clairvoyance,’ so she had not ‘seen’ where Ruka was either. But—-
“…..Riou-kun, it can’t be that no one in the Hyou clan knows where Ruka-hime is. People very close to her know. It can’t be that she does everything herself, so there are definitely some people waiting on her.”
“Eh? Yes. But, I don’t know where they are….”
Jin was extremely well-versed in the matters of the Hyou clan. They did not know whether Hien-hime had sent detailed writings regarding the Hyou clan, in addition to about the locusts. However, there was a possibility that Jin already—-No, possibly from the beginning, had known where Ruka was. He had only been biding his time up till now.
Shuurei bit her lips. If her suspicions were correct.
“–Shusui, I have one more request. After you open the ‘passages’ to the temples which possibly have information about extermination, there’s a place where I’d like you to go to with General Ran. Riou-kun and I will handle things here.”

After Shuurei and Riou had seen Shusui and Shuuei off, they stood before the magic circle traced in geometric patterns of light which was beginning to open, in the room known as the ‘passage room.’
This was the duty of the Director of the Department of the Cave of the Immortals, and that of the a Censorate Inspector.
Riou touched one of the circles of the ‘passages’ and spoke softly.
“This is Hyou Riou, the Director. I have some questions for the head of the Great Temple concerning the locust plague.”
Even among the shrines and temples associated with the Hyou clan, this Great Temple put a fair amount of effort into measures against the locusts. They also frequently came to the research center and conducted research there. —He and Shuurei had thoroughly compared the handwriting in that pamphlet with the index, and the result was……. as expected it was the Grand Temple.
After awhile, he heard a voice from the ‘passage.’ The calm, hoarse voice of an elderly man.
“….Well, well, have I heard something at last from the ‘passage?’ What in the world has happened at the main house…? Or so I’d like to ask,—— But first I’ll answer your question. What is it?”
“It is about the extermination of the locusts. I would like to ask whether it is possible to artificially drive locusts which have already broken out in large numbers, and have begun to fly in groups into a state of destruction. —-For example, through a contagious disease, like on Kage Island.”
A silence feel, as if the man had been surprised. It was as if he had not expected them to know this.
The answer was concise.
“—There is.”
‘However,’ he continued.
“Currently, we cannot act. —As long as there are no orders from Ruka-sama.”

****

When Ou Ki had finally finished looking over all of the documents, he put is brush aside. When he looked outside, it was already the middle of the night. Ouyou Gyoku had already set out for Heki Province before Ou Ki, leading the elite of the Plume Forest Army. Now that he had cleared up all of his work, Ou Ki could also set out tomorrow morning.
(…..Now then, what shall I do?….)
Ou Ki looked in the direction of the Department of the Cave of the Immortals. Before, Uu Uu-dono had requested that if he had time, to play the guqin. [See notes for more info] When the opportunity had come, he had played it in his mansion several times, but recently it had been not at all the occasion for that. However, he hadn’t been diverting himself from his work; in a corner of his mind, something was bothering him. Uu Uu-dono was not a person who said things on a whim, and most importantly….. Since then he had not seen Uu Uu-dono.
The atmosphere was strange. He couldn’t say how, but it wasn’t a very good feeling.
At times like this, he felt an urge to play the guqin, even if he had not been asked to. Ou Ki went out into the garden in the middle of the night, and made the preparations himself. However, having said that, there were only three things. A small table for the guqin, a chair, and after that, the guqin. Unlike the zheng [note: another Chinese zither; also known as the guzhen], it was better for the guqin to be of a size that could be easily carried.
He did not add a candlestick. The lanterns in the garden were lit, and there was also the light of the moon and the stars. With Ou Ki’s skill, it wasn’t necessary for him to see his hands. The preparations were at and end with that. After he carefully tuned the guqin, he first began to play a short piece to practice. Then, when he had finished the second piece, he suddenly stopped his fingers.
“I cannot approve of you walking out in the small hours of the night alone like this, your highness.”

Definitely, he was hesitating about what to do.
When he had come out from the balcony, he had thought to call out, but had failed to. After that, he had ended up drawing back, and then he was even more at a loss for what to do next. However, before he could think about it, Ou Ki had come out into the garden. After he begun to steadily prepare for something, he took out the qin. He had not known that Ou Ki played the qin—not only that, the rare guqin. While he was still hesitating, the sound of the qin began to flow.
Serene, though not variegated, the sound was entirely clear and pure.
Why did Ryuuki find this sound familiar? He sensed that in the distant past, he had heard it somewhere.
Ryuuki realized that when the second piece was halfway through, his feet had led him to the sound of the qin. At being flatly told of Ou Ki’s disapproval, Ryuuki ducked his head. Even so, he hung on.
“Could….we listen a bit?”
One of Ou Ki’s brows leaped, though it might have been closer to an expression of shock.
After awhile, Ou Ki told him it was fine.
“If it pleases you. The chair is necessary to my playing, so I cannot offer it to you, though.”
“……..aren’t you angry? …… And are you free now?”
“It was I who said that I would not mind if anyone came to see me anytime, as long as they had some business. Even your highness. If you have some business, then you may stay. If not, you should return.”
After a beat of silence, Ryuuki nodded and approached Ou Ki. Since there was no chair, he sat down directly on the earth nearby. At this time, Ou Ki did not get angry about etiquette.
Once again, the sounds of the tuning of the qin began to waver, high and low.
A mysterious sound, which his ears were accustomed to. Ryuuki closed his eyes, as if her were being tempted by the sound.
A strange feeling took hold of him. Familiar. Within his heart, there was a ripple.
Long ago, he had heard this sound. Someone had let Ryuuki hear it.
(…..That can’t be)
The only one who had been at Ryuuki’s side was his brother Seien. There had been no one else.
…..That should have been correct. Even so, that sound had quietly soothed Ryuuki’s heart.
While he was still half-dreaming, the piece ended. The echoes of the sound spread, but the next piece didn’t begin.
When he looked, he saw that he was conscientiously tuning it.
“…..You tune it every piece?”
“Yes. Because the sound goes more or less out of tune.”
Ryuuki’s inborn curiosity was piqued, and he got up and went around the qin table.
“Is that the guqin used in ancient music? Maybe it’s because there are hardly any players, but this is the first time we’ve seen one up close. It’s rather different from the zheng. It doesn’t have any bridges. Does it also have seven strings?”
For some reason, Ou Ki was silent. Ryuuki clapped his hand over his mouth.
“……Was that unkingly?!”
“It’s not that, it’s because you said exactly the same thing you did long ago.”
Ryuuki was surprised by this unexpected answer. Long ago?
“Ehhh? We’ve heard your guqin playing before?”
Ou Ki’s hand, which had been tuning the guqin, stopped. Then, he did not answer the question.
“…..Would you like to try playing it?”
“Is it alright?”
“I’ll teach you. Beginning with tuning.”
Ryuuki flinched. —Beginning from the tuning?!
(He’s not only going to make me pluck the strings properly, but starting from the tuning?!)
However, shot through by Ou Ki’s piercing gaze, like a hawk whose prey was running away, he gave up easily.
“………Thank you.”
Ou Ki made him sit in the chair he had been sitting in.
“Actually, I will start from how to put the strings on— No, I’d like to show you beginning from how to make the guqin.”
“…..Wha? How to make it?”
“Yes. If there were time, I would then like to go and find a good paulownia tree. The qin is something one must carve oneself. I, too, make this qin. That is the true way of playing the qin. Up until a little in the past, it was normal for qin players to construct their qins according to their preferences. Using a qin made by someone else was heresy.”
He had begun with a lecture of the history of qin playing, not tuning. What was that all about?
However, he could not imagine at all Ou Ki himself going into the wilds to find a paulownia tree, then finely carving it and making a qin. However, certainly the small palownia qin sitting prominently before his eyes had been carefully maintained. It was a beautiful, well used qin.
“First, correct the sound of the seventh position on the fifth string [note: there's something I was unable to find the translation of here. Help appreciated], and next, the tuning of the seventh string–”
He listened carefully, and in the order that Ou Ki said, tuned the pitch, from the first string to the seventh.
“That is the tuning for playing traditional qin pieces. Now, for playing, there are thirteen marks lined up here. Those are the markers known as ‘ki.’ From the first ki to the thirteenth ki. When you press on the strings with your left hand, they will become a reference. The guqin is played with the left hand pressing on the strings, and the right hand plucking them.”
Since the qin had no bridges like the zheng did, in place of that, on it were thirteen dotlike marks.
“The resting position is between the fourth and fifth ki. Normally, you only look at your left hand. The right hand plucks the strings by sense.”
“Sense?!”
“You don’t pluck the strings while seeing with your eyes, you know the position by touch. That’s why you don’t look at the plucking right hand. Only look at the pressing left hand. Since there is no score, please also remember the music by ear and sense.”
Intuition again. He sensed that long ago, Sou Taifu had also said something like that to him. ‘Don’t watch your opponent’s movements with your eyes. Remember it somehow with your body and sense.’….. He now felt that Ou Ki also actually had a haphazard personality.
Since Ryuuki was quick on the uptake, and his sense of sound wasn’t bad either, when he had gotten used to using fingers he usually didn’t use, he was quick to get the knack of it. Although he was awkward, when he had slowly finished playing an easy piece, Ou Ki clapped.
Ryuuki was happy that he had been clapped for even though he knew it was bad.
“….Ou Ki-dono.”
Ryuuki’s hands closed tightly into fists. Within his mind, thoughts which he had not felt up till now suddenly came welling up.
Before he realized it, Ryuuki had let spill the words.
“……are we no good for this, Ou Ki-dono? No matter what?”
In the midst of the moonlight and the faint light of the lanterns, Ou Ki looked at Ryuuki. It was a quiet gaze. Then, he did nothing more or less than this.
Ryuuki realized that with such words, Ou Ki’s heart would not be moved even a tiny bit.
After a long, long silence, Ou Ki closed his eyes.
“…..Is there anything that you hate? Your highness.”
“……Something we hate…..?”
“I’ll say it in another way. I believe that you must have been sitting on the throne for the sake of what you like.”
While standing right in front of Ryuuki with the qin table between them, Ou Ki once again tuned the qin.
“….I am not especially saying this sarcastically. To rise to the throne for the sake of someone or something is not all a bad thing. Indeed……it is far better than becoming king for one’s own sake.”
He tuned the strings, and a beautiful sound rang out. For some reason, Ryuuki suddenly wondered whether the person those last words had been about had been his late father—King Senka.
Ou Ki, still standing like that, slowly began to play the qin.
“Probably, for the sake of the people important to you, not only Kou Shuurei, but Kou Shouka, who has watched over you, Ran Shuuei, Li Kouyuu, Officer Shi…. I think at your core are probably the feelings of wishing to exist for the sake of protecting those important to you, who you don’t want to lose, and for the sake of the wishes of the people you like.”
It was as he said. And, Ryuuki did not think that that he was wrong to do so.
However, now he definitely was mistaken about something. Since the more he advanced, the more mistaken he would be, and he would be criticized by someone for something, he had entirely stopped his own movement. That was why, even if Ryuuki did not think he was mistaken, he could not speak. Ryuuki’s chin slightly shook.
Ou Ki pretended not to see this, and continued to pluck at the qin. It was a gentle sound, with the calm of a forest night.
“……However, your highness, I am different.”
The night breeze murmured through the trees, and the flames of the far lanterns wavered.
“I have come this far for the sake of that which I hate.”
“…..The things you hate?”
Ou Ki plucked the qin hard, making it give out a large twang.
“—–I hated your father.”
That sound descended at those final words, which could not fail to be noticed, as if to erase them. However, they were carried unmistakably to the ears of Ryuuki, who was skilled in the martial arts, and Ou Ki also knew this. Yes, he had done this so they would reach Ryuuki’s ears alone.
Ryuuki’s eyes widened. He realized, that now and in the past, there had been no one who had said they hated his father.
The previous king, Senka. Called the bloody hegemon, a hero praised as the second coming of King Sou Gen. The father his elder brother Seien had also revered.
Ou Ki’s fingers plucked the strings. Those sounds, one after the other, rode away on the night wind and were carried off somewhere.
“I hated him. Without turning a glance to the weak, he massacred each and every person in his way, and made all kneel before his absolute power. I could not acknowledge that person…… I did not want to acknowledge him. I have come this far, not, like you, to protect the people I love, but to do battle with what I hate, and to change it.”
He had heard something from General Sou. That one of the generals who had fought against his father up till the end, had been Ou Ki. It was as he had said.
“There is a mountain of things that I hate. War and famine and disease…..wherever I would go, there would be piles of corpses, and as that was ‘normal,’ I hated that kind of ‘normal.’ I wanted to change it. On my estates, I hired many people, even if it was not much, and had them create crops that were strong against bad harvests, and ran around helping the impoverished. The national exam system was not yet in place as well, so many nobles and officials were uneducated. They would every day only write strange, meaningless poems, and indulge in decadent banquets…… Perhaps they knew. That soon something terrible would come. The day of their destruction was coming. Even though they knew this, they continued to turn their eyes from all that was real and destroyed themselves.”
Like fruit before it fell rotting. The bizarrely sweet smell of decay, though it was about to fall already.
“….At that time, I was younger than you, powerless…. Even so, I was pained by how nothing would happen unless the nobles and officials above changed. It is because of that that I guide the youth of the provincial nobility, and send them into the official world….. However, at that time, I was powerless, so I could changed nothing. Finally, Prince Senka stood up. He expected nothing from the nobles or the officials. He decided to massacre the vassals of his clan. He did not change his father, but chose to mercilessly make a clean sweep of him….. Even after he ascended to the throne, he did not change his way of doing things. You, too, know that well.”
Ryuuki averted his eyes. That was correct. Out of his five elder brothers, leaving out Seien, who had been exiled, Ryuuki now had no blood relatives. Some had been assassinated during the struggle between the princes, and finally, in the end they had all been executed on his father’s orders. The remaining princes, the consorts, the clan members as well. The nobles and officials who participated as well. Not a single one was left.
At that time, although Ryuuki had known about that, he had not really felt anything. From the beginning, he had not liked his elder brothers or the consorts, so he did not think of going to plead for them either. Even when he heard that they had been executed, he could only think those events like things happening in a far off world, unrelated to himself. He had not thought, either, that his father’s way of doing things was mistaken. Probably that was all he had done. He had not even felt pity.
Suddenly, Ryuuki felt chilled by the thought of his past self. For the first time, he could see that his teenage self, which had felt nothing at all, despite the fact that his father had executed his elder brothers and step-mothers one after the other, was unusual.
“…….you’re saying, that…..father….was mistaken?”
He knew that even if he asked such a thing at such a late date, there was no meaning to it. It was a meaningless conversation.
The fingers, which had been plucking Ou Ki’s qin, stopped. The fragments of the piece disappeared into the shadows of the night.
“…..What I could not do, was accomplished by that person and Prime Minister Shou. A tremendous amount of blood flowed, many people died. Everyone said ‘there’s no other way.’ That there wasn’t any other way to end the war. However, it’s strange, but King Senka and Prime Minister Shou themselves where the only ones who did not say those words, even once…… If they had said them, even once, I would have been able to say they were wrong fairly and squarely.”
He would have been able to denounce him, saying that there were different methods, no matter how much whitewashing there was.
However, up till the very end, he had made no excuses. Don’t expect things of me. [note: sort of quoting Senka here.] He always laughed sarcastically, lived as he liked, and then died. After, you do as you like. Such were the words he left behind.
He was not a commendable man who thought himself mistaken. However, he didn’t really think he was correct either. He had only chosen that way of doing things out of many. And then, what about the result of that?
“….I acknowledge this. He employed many talented personnel, not taking their rank into consideration, started the national exam system, opened wide the gates, fostered people…… the country became much more prosperous than it was before. Most importantly—-he put an end to the long, muddy war. I cannot say that how those two, who did what I could not, did things….was mistaken. Not yet.”
He couldn’t say they were wrong. But, he could not acknowledge them. There were other methods. Perhaps, that was why he had flown here up till now, to stake his life on proving that. That was what Ou Ki thought from time to time.
“…..I have come this far because of the things I hated. I have not thought at all that it was for the things I ‘like,’ unlike you. I have also not even once thought of trying to make the people’s, or someone else’s wishes come true, or that that is the role of the government. That would simply be gratification of my ego.”
“….Eh?”
“…….Your highness, please think of this as the last and only time I will speak of these things to you. —-At the very leat, I have come here thinking that government means not fulfilling the ‘wishes’ of the ministers and people one after the other, but rather decreasing ‘the things the people hate.’ Preparing measures against starvation, drought, flooding, epidemics, and other natural disasters; getting rid of prejudice, discrimination, corruption, and baseless superstitions…..Since there is a mountain of ‘hateful things’ which must be lessened, I am not at all at a loss as for what I should do. Whether it be correct or mistaken, governing must be carried out. If one doesn’t concern oneself about the judgments of others, then there will be no fretting over whether one is hated or loved by the ministers and people for one’s deeds.”
Ryuuki’s bangs faintly shook.
The first thing Ou Ki had asked was whether he had anything he hated.
That was what he meant.
“I do not do this work because I ‘like’ governance. That is true of Ki Kouki and Son Ryouou as well….. And probably, Official Kou as well.”
Ryuuki started. Ou Ki had said Official Kou. He sensed it had been the first time he had heard Shuurei called that.
“She also probably did not set out to become an official out of a vague ‘liking’ for being one. Since liking is a feeling which changes easily, she would not have made it this far on that. That is true of all work. Being able to continue, even when it’s painful, can only happen if there is a reason beyond that. Even for the sake of being able to eat, or to support a family suffices. There being a sight which one doesn’t wish to see twice, or feelings which one doesn’t wish to have again. A world one wants to see….. Such things as that.”
Shuurei had said to Ryuuki, the first time they had met. That she didn’t want to feel that way again twice.
“There are lots of things that can be done somehow, with the power of humans.”
That’s why I wanted to become an official, she said.
That ‘wish’ which Ryuuki himself had given to her, as easily as throwing feed, then all to easily taken away.
His words were strong, but in contrast, mysteriously they did not seem to be said in a severe way. They were only quiet. Ou Ki plucked the qin with his nails. For some reason, what he had chosen was a gentle melody, like a soothing children’s lullaby. Though, he felt that somewhere, sometime he had heard it. He couldn’t recall.
“…..I do not think that you have been blessed by fortune, your highness, and I cannot say that it is a mistake to sit upon the throne for the sake of the people you love. That is also one way of doing things…. At the very least, unlike me, you will avoid committing the folly of finding that you are losing the ones you love, one by one, while locked in mortal combat against what you hate.”
When he raised his head, as if to listen again, surprised by those last words, he ran into Ou Ki’s deep gaze.
“…..However, I do not regret it. Though I am plagued by doubts, even so, it is the path I have decided to walk. I do not think I am wrong. That is exactly why, your highness, I cannot believe.”
Ou Ki’s eyes looked straight at Ryuuki.
“I, who have come this this far for the sake of what I hate, cannot believe in you, who is on the the throne for the sake of what you love, or your way of doing things. You put off dealing with what you do not like, neglect it. As you have done always with us at the Chancellery. …..Your highness, during the time when you ignored us, we were there. I was at your side, as one of your ministers, to serve you. …. Always.”
Although he existed, although he spoke, he was treated as if he were not there. Hal of the world.
How dangerous was that?
“When the ones who you love change, then you also change, and if you lose them, you fall into a deep despair. Though tomorrow, and and the day after that, the world will continue on, at those times, you cannot be the same self you were yesterday. Like that time with Prince Seien. You do not have the strength, unlike your father, to attend court calmly, with the same face he wore the day before. Because of your gentleness.”
Ryuuki could not say a single word in reply.
His reason for saying he didn’t want to be king and shutting himself up in the Inner Palace had really been because of his brother. Come to think of it, it was as if he hadn’t changed at all from that time. The allowing of women to be officials, and him avoiding marriage as well, had been for the sake of the girl he loved. When he had gone to Ran Province, also, his reason had been ‘to bring Shuuei back.’
Ou Ki had always criticized all of that, and opposed it. However, Ryuuki had not listened to him on a single one of those things.
Yes, Ryuuki was bad at dealing with Ou Ki. Perhaps it was because he had known that his strictness had nothing at all of love in it really. He conveyed to Ryuuki that it was simply only one of his duties, and he did not think it pleasant to see Ryuuki. So Ryuuki also came to wish to avoid Ou Ki, and ended up not properly listening to what he said.
“You are the king. You reign over this vast country, you carry the weight of the people upon your shoulders. Even one of your mistakes may invite disaster….. At that time, it will be too late for regrets.” [note: this is a quote from the past. Who was this anyhow? Shuurei?]
However, Ou Ki was different. Even if he did not like Ryuuki, he always, leaving out personal feelings, faced him head-on, and at necessary times gave him necessary advice. He carried out his own ‘work’ sincerely. It was Ryuuki who chose people based on his likes and dislikes, and had ruined it all. Now, all of that had simply rebounded on him.
“I do not think that you, or your way of thinking is evil. It is only because I am completely incompatible with them. If you live for the sake of those you love, then the world will always be comfortable. It is only natural, also, that you do not want to think about what you hate as much as possible. However, this court, and the king cannot be like that. Those are my principles, my way of living. In the future, also, I do not intend to deviate from that….. That is my answer, to your question of whether it is hopeless with you.”
Ryuuki’s face twisted.
It is no good with you. There could be no expression of thought clearer than that.
“Your highness, there is a world that I wish to see. There are things I must do, while the relics of King Senka and Shou Taishi’s age still remain. There is something left, which can only be done now….. However, for you, it is completely impossible. Though you are now making a face as though this is the worst time in your life, of what I have known, this is now the most decent, good age. Even so, it is too heavy for you. It can’t be helped. The throne is a cold, merciless, solitary place. Despite this, you are the one most unable to withstand such solitude. You still have not yet found a reason that would allow you to tolerate it…… Am I wrong?”
“………”
“If it is painful, now it will be alright if you run away.”
Ou Ki said this quietly. Those words which up till now, had not been said even once.
Ryuuki’s eyes opened wide. With a hoarse voice, he blankly repeated.
“…..alright, to run, away….?
“Yes. From here on—-especially when I am absent from court, the time to come shall be the most difficult you have ever faced up till now, and everything shall come down heavily on you. Honestly, I do not think you will be able to bear it, so I will not tell you any longer to endure. If you feel that it is hopeless, that there is nothing to be done, you should run off far away, like that time you went to Ran Province….. Only, that will be the last time. Unlike that time, please know that the day you return to the throne again will not come.”
At this moment, Ryuuki’s chest was filled with violent emotions, which he could not express.
That hot mass welling up within him resembled anger, however, it was also mixed with anguish, sadness, wretchedness, as if they were all swirling within his body like a whirlpool. It hurt even more than whatever criticisms, denunciations, or harsh words which he had been met with before. He had not thought that such feelings, strong enough to darken his vision, would come bursting up within him when he was told he could run away, that he didn’t need to try hard anymore. Truly, Ou Ki had realized that he was done for. No matter what he said, it would be useless, he would not go back. He had said that he would not expect anything from Ryuuki ever again.
At that second, he understood, in the depths of his heart, that there not even a million-to-one chance of holding back Ou Ki.
He realized that he was crying. One after another, hot tears spilled, as if being squeezed out, and he could not stop them. Even if he tried to suppress it, he gradually began to sob, as though he were a child.
Suddenly, he realized something. Could Shuurei, also, have had such thoughts? That night, when Ryuuki had asked her to stop being an official—which was the same as telling her ‘you don’t need to be an official, with what thoughts had she said ‘alright’? With what feelings had she smiled at Ryuuki?
After a stunned silence, before his eyes a white handkerchief had been proffered.
When he took the handkerchief, it wasn’t made of silk or anything like that, but out of white cotton, the sort which could be bought anywhere. Ryuuki realized that although Ou Ki was dressed properly and neatly, the material of his official robes, the jewelry on his ears and fingers, was not of a high price. It was only at this late date that he had come to pay attention to Ou Ki. Yes, because he had only looked at the people he liked.
Always, Ryuuki had been too late. For everything, when he realized it.
“………A person such as yourself…..is weeping before me. I am even more impressed.”
“So,sorry….. we didn’t intend to cry like this.”
Ryuuki swallowed his next words. Even if he was so lost that he didn’t know what mistakes he was making, he knew this alone. Saying that he would listen to him from now on would not change Ou Ki’s heart a bit. That would only mean that the person he listened to would have changed from Shuurei, to Kouyuu, to Yuushun, and then to Ou Ki. That attitude itself had probably been the biggest reason that he had turned his back on Ryuuki. Then, Ryuuki now had no words other than that. Ou Ki probably knew that as well. That was exactly why he had quietly told him ‘it’s no good with you anymore.’ As the simple truth. That time had run out.
He sensed that Ou Ki was taking care of the qin which Ryuuki’s tears had splattered. He sighed.
“…..You truly haven’t changed. Excuse me for saying this, but even now I find it mysterious how from those two parents, a prince like you could have been born.”
While he was wiping his face with the handkerchief, there came the beautiful sound of the quin. Though it was a tune he did not know at all, for some reason he felt as though he had heard it sometime, somewhere. In the distant past. When his brother had suddenly disappeared from the palace, and he had not yet met Shouka. A blank space of a year, when he had roamed the Inner Palace alone.
There had been a time when he had slept alone, hearing from somewhere, a lullaby played on the qin.
(That was…)
Could that qin playing have been….?
When Ryuuki’s sobs stopped, the piece stopped as well. It was not a proper composition, but piece akin to an improvisation, made so that it could be stopped at any point.
“…….Please return soon, your highness. The night has already begun to lighten. In some time, when it becomes light, I will set off for Kou Province. Since time is short, I will go without any formalities….. This will probably be the last time. Farewell, your highness. The next time we meet—-”
Ou Ki cut off his words there, and did not continue to speak. However, Ryuuki also had a premonition. The next time they met, everything would have probably changed entirely, for both of them. For both Ryuuki and Ou Ki, something that which had continued in form alone would come to an end. Perhaps this was the last time that they would meet and talk like this.
He wanted to sit in that chair for eternity. However, Ryuuki got up from it heavily.
The night had very vaguely become thinner. The eastern sky was lightening from darkness into indigo. When he saw that, his final words spilled from his lips.
“…..Ou Ki-dono, we entrust Kou Province to you. Please save them….”
Finally, he looked one more time at Ou Ki’s face. Straight on. He now realized that the times he had looked at Ou Ki full in the face had been so few they could be countered.
A peculiar silence fell. No, Ou Ki was looking at Ryuuki with a peculiar gaze. Perhaps the king had visited Ou Ki’s manor not for the conversation they had had up till now, but truly only for those two sentences. Kou Shouka had said that if he mended his flaws, that he would be a better king than Ou Ki. Ou Ki closed his eyes, and put his two hands together and bowed his head. A bow to the king.
“—-As you will, your highness.”
Ryuuki nodded, and with his face still blank, he turned around and left.
After watching the king leave until he could no longer see his form, Ou Ki breathed in deeply. The cold, clear, sweet air of the time before daybreak filled his lungs.
The unpleasant, stagnant atmosphere he had felt at the beginning had disappeared off somewhere.

Notes:
Kagura (神楽): Usually in Japanese the word denotes an ancient style of theater performed in shrines where accompanied by music, dancers re-enact scenes from Japanese mythology, such as the tale of the defeat of Yamato-no-Orochi. Here I’m guessing the author meant ‘divine music’ or something of the sort, but I switched to instrument. (In general there is a confusing synecdoche between instruments, music, a person’s personal style of playing a specific instrument which I might have made hash of in that passage).

The guqin is a Chinese classical instrument, sort of like a zither. See here for more information. The gu in guqin means ‘old,’ and the qin part refers to the instrument. In Japanese, the author refers to it as 琴の琴 (which seems to be a Japanese word for it). 琴 itself in Japanese refers normally to the Japanese instrument known as the koto. In any case, because the text above makes a distinction between Ou Ki’s instrument and the normal 琴, I translate instances of 琴の琴 as guqin and 琴 as qin, when it makes sense to do so.

The guzheng (or zheng) is yet another Chinese instrument. It’s much larger than a qin. As Ryuuki notes, it has bridges.

Just what is 沃音? I am unable to figure this out. Is it a misprint of 泛? Therefore, I leave it as ‘sound.’

Commentary:

Okay, I guess I can stop complaining now about Ou Ki being an underdeveloped character or us having no idea what motivates him. XD More seriously, though, this has my vote for favorite scene in the book. Also, this chapter cured me of any wish I might have to play the guqin. An instrument you have to tune after playing a single song?! And for goodness sakes, Ou Ki sure is thorough about his teaching. Not only how to play it, but how to make it?! I suppose this is like uh an obvious metaphor; Ryuuki is going to have to go out in the woods, cut down his own damn tree to make an instrument, and then carve it himself.

I had never really been ‘waiting’ or anything for someone to tell Ryuuki they hated Senka, but it’s an interesting (and weirdly satisfying) moment. Ryuuki never really seems to think of his father’s reign, or ponder the effects that it might have had upon the nation or upon the psyches of the people. The author before (like in the first book) would tell us that Senka is blah blah blah a bloody tyrant, but we didn’t learn that much about what this really consisted of until post-book 10. Ou Ki comes off as weirdly broad-minded and modest for a man aiming to make himself emperor. (In a way, we can also say that Senka was broad-minded.)

Also interesting is Ou Ki’s interpretation of Senka’s reasons for ruling: for his own sake. This of course is Ou Ki’s interpretation, but it doesn’t jibe with earlier characterizations of Senka becoming apathetic after Ki-hime’s death. We really need to have more exploration of Senka’s true character, I think. I suspect that since most of the stuff with Ruka and the Hyou clan has been cleared up, next volume we’ll be free to explore the government side of the past.

I suppose one of Ou Ki’s strengths is that he’ll keep on going no matter how much he has lost. And how much more will Ou Ki lose? It’s not really obvious from what I’ve translated so far, but Ou Ki does care for Yuushun, and Yuushun is on the ‘top ten most likely to kick the bucket’ list. Ryouou has pretty much stated his willingness to die for Ou Ki. Already because of Ou Ki’s unexplained refusal to reveal himself to Riou, he practically doesn’t have a grandchild.

Senka and Ruka are often compared, but Ruka’s less admirable acts are characterized as her doing it out of necessity, for a greater good, with her highest aim being aiding the weak and those in need of her protection, and Ruka strikes a pathetic figure in some ways, abandoned and rejected by all those she loved. Whereas Senka has many retainers and generals, and at least here is characterized as ruling that way because he wishes to, not because he must. That makes Senka’s deeds harder to stomach. We need more gaidens with Senka.

As for Ryuuki: Ou Ki’s gentle evisceration of his rule, because it lacks rancor, is devastating. It actually really speaks poorly of Ryuuki that he will only listen to someone who likes him, and avoids criticizing him. This is one of the reasons Ryuuki took so readily to Yuushun, because Yuushun declined to ever criticize or oppose his plans, even when they were mistaken.

In a way, this scene kind of represents a realization that the conclusion of volume one was inadequate, that someone cannot be blackmailed into becoming king, or become king simply to please the person they’re in love with. Actually, in dramatic terms, the first volume would have been better if Ryuuki had truly had the option of leaving, and instead chosen to remain king. Now, in the last few volumes, Ryuuki has been given a real choice, first by Ruka, and now by Ou Ki. The first time, he refused Ruka, but probably obvious distrust towards Ruka played a role there, and his failings then seemed mostly inwards, as opposed to concrete instances of misrule. Now, Ryuuki’s inadequacies as king have manifested outwardly, and are obvious to the entire nation, and Ryuuki at this late date probably respects Ou Ki, and has been told that he may leave, the words he longed to hear at the beginning of the series.

Last chapter up next: I’m also going to do it in one shot, although it is sort of long for that. It’s set back in the Hyou clan and cleans up volume 16. Most of your questions will still be…. unanswered. XD

He heard from somewhere a small sniffling cry, like a sob.
Though strained, it was a very small sob. The fan fluttered.
Shuuei knew that voice. Tired, pained, sad. Though she walked forward with all of her strength while looking back, she though it was already hopeless. Her chest was tired. She felt compelled to scream. Already, she was disappearing. She thought it would be okay to disappear. Please wait, just a little more.
Because she could go on a little more.
“—Shusui-dono!”
Because he yelled this loudly, he realized that this was the first time he had called out to her with his voice since coming here. This he regretted.
It would have been better for him to call her name, as it didn’t matter whether it was useless or not.
The voice gave out.
After a moment of blankness, which might have been short or long, Shuuei fell as though he had been thrown somewhere. “Kanshou” at his hip shook yet more greatly. Even Shuuei could see that the type of darkness lurking here was entirely different from the darkness up until the Hundred Corridors. He thought he might have heard a sound the instant he was thrown. It was an unpleasant, meltingly thick darkness, which felt like something was burrowing into every pore of his body. There was a feeling of hatred and oppression which made it hard to breathe, he felt unpleasantly dizzy, as if anemic, and his ears rang. Sweat broke out throughout his body.
She had been in a place like this. For so long.
He took a defensive posture and sprung up, and sought Shusui first. The space, which was wide enough to make him think of the throne room, was dyed with a weirdly beautiful pale blue light. In the midst of this, there was Shusui, who lay collapsed like a plucked flower, and a tall man. He was gazing slightly at Shusui. Then, with an elegant gesture unsuited to the setting, he drew a sword. His goal was that slender neck. He was trying to cut off her head.
Shuuei ran and was at a distance of about ten paces.
At once he shortened his steps. This was a type of footwork he rarely used, even against Jin.
He knew that ‘Kanshou’ at his hip was spreading heat. However, Shuui ignored it. He sensed that once he drew it, even against someone who was not Shusui, something would end. He drew the familiar ‘Iris’ sword, and slid in the gap. He parried the man’s sword right before it struck, and repelled the blow.
Rather than being surprised, the man lightly drew his brows together. His reaction slightly resembled that of a child who was cross that his playing had been interrupted by an interloper.
Shuuei continued to strike, with dazzling swordplay, and in the blink of an eye, he drew the man away from Shusui. For him to be able to receive the strike of Shuuei’s sword was magnificent, but his skill did not exceed Shuuei’s, and his strength was about the same as Seiran’s. Though of course he was strong, he was no match for Shuuei when he was serious. It seemed the man also realized this. His face became more and more sulky, and, with a dancelike gesture, he put a distance between himself and Shuuei.
Shuuei also drew back his sword for a moment, and finally looked at the man’s face properly. He was slightly older than SHuuei. He sensed that he was not an assassin like the ‘Assassin Dolls,’ and somehow, also that he was not a man of the Hyou clan. He had catlike eyes, long flowing waves of hair, and elegantly beautiful features, but a somewhat decadent, languid atmosphere floated around him.
It was a man he had never seen before. Yet, he also felt that his features resembled those of someone he knew.
“…..You have a good arm, Ran Shuuei. Magnificent. I praise you.”
Ruka descended lightly. She fixed her eyes on the man, and her red lips relaxed. It was a sublime smile. It wasn’t ironic or anything like that, it was an ill will strong enough to make one wonder how she could smile so alluringly out of anger.
“….I had thought you would come, but you are after Shusui here? You’re a tactician who takes a lot of care to be sure. Ran Shuuei, cut off his head right now. With that, half of my problems will be cleared up.”
“Huh?!”
The man looked in turn at Shusui, Shuuei, and Ruka, and his expression suddenly changed.
He narrowed his cat-like eyes and grinned.
“What a mean thing you’ve said. I have no chance of winning against Ran Shuuei. Too bad. I’m going home.”
Those were the first words the man had spoken.
Tossing these words, the man turned on his heel and disappeared, as if melting into the blue darkness. This departure was so ambiguous that Shuuei was unable to discern whether he had used some spell, or whether there was a path there.
Ruka clicked her tonge.
“…..It can’t be helped. At least I was able to confirm it. With this…..I’ve figured it out.”
Shuuei did not ask about this, or ask her what he man’s name was. She probably wouldn’t tell him.
“….I thank you for bringing me here. ……Then?”
Shuuei turned again towards Ruka. He stood with his back to Shusui, as if to protect her.
Ruka did not look at Shuuei, but at Shusui, who was behind him lying there unmoving. With a cold, expressionless gaze. HOwever, she also seemed to be cooly observing her.
“….I have also used up too much power because of you. Time is up….. Ran Shuuei, I shall give you a piece of advice. Do not think of taking Shusui back with you. You should quickly kill her with ‘Kanshou.’”
“Wha—”
“With Shusui in that condition, she will sooner or later be possessed by some evil thing. The women of the Hyou clan make the best vessels. Things which normally can only move a dead person may fall upon her while living. Her life force will be eaten from the inside, and then she will kill whatever humans are around her, and eat them up….. Make things easier for her.”
Then, Ruka disappeared like a wisp of cloud.

Within the place that had returned to an almost frightening quiet now that no one was around, Shuuei turned back towards Shusui. When he propped up Shusui, who had been thrown aside like a plucked flower, her white arms dropped down like those of a doll. She had a heartbeat, and although her body temperature was low, it was there. He wiped the dirt off her face with a handkerchief, ordered the hair at her forehead, and put a hand to her cool, egg-shaped cheek. He gently shook her.
“….Shusui=dono….I came to get you. Please wake up.”
When he drew her small head to his chest and whispered that, her eyes opened.
When Shuuei looked down, his face then twisted. She blinked, terribly slowly.
That gaze which was always looking far off was no longer there.
She no longer saw anything at all, although everything else was left there.
Her heart alone was not there.
“Shusui-dono….”
Without needing Ruka to tell him, he had realized that although Shusui was sleeping, it wasn’t only that she had lost consciousness. He had known that since he had heard that sobbing cry.
Shuuei nestled his face upon Shusui’s small head, and his face crumpled.
When he tightly embraced that body which was like a cut flower, tears flowed.
He hadn’t been in time. He was always like this.
“Let’s go back together, Shusui-dono….. Then, we’ll always, always be together.”
Shusui’s eyes blinked like a dolls—–then transformed.
Her eyes glowed red like a snake’s iris. ‘Kanshou’ grew warm, and shone.
Along with a scream which was not that of a humans, Shusui thrust aside Shuuei with incredible strength, and ran away.
At the same time, she drew out the ‘Iris’ sword.
Shuuei jumped back, and remembered what Ruka had said before——She would be possessed by something bad.
“Kanshou” gave off heat as if it were waiting to be drawn. An exorcising sword. Probably, if he drew it, it would finally go to kill Shusui by itself. Shusui had his other sword, the ‘Iris’ one already.
He saw that Shusui was blinking. Perhaps reflexively, a line of tears was flowing down from her eyes.
In that instant, Shuuei stopped both running away and trying to hold her down.
In his mind, he saw Ryuuki’s face. Perhaps it was that it was only in that second when he thought of the king did his unconsciousness thought that he needed to return move, and although he had no intention of doing so, his body reacted on its own. Without thinking, he defended himself, and fell to the ground. He put forth much effort in order to not take a defensive stance.
Shusui bore down on him, and without any hesitation, thrust with the sword.
(I’m sorry, your majesty—)
Even so, there was only this.
The sword thrust, and there was a dull sound.

….Shuuei blinked and looked at Shusui.
The sword point had simply scraped the ground above his shoulder.
Shusui stayed in that position, and did not budge at all. Her long hair flowed down, and softly fell onto Shuuei’s chest. Shuuei wrapped a tuft of her hair around his finger, and softly pulled.
“….Shusui-dono?”
Shusui’s eyes wavered greatly once.
While tears flowed from her eyes, Shusui looked straight at Shuuei.
“……why didn’t you avoid it?”
At that time, Shuuei felt as though he had been struck by lighting. —-Could it be?
Shuuei reached out with both of his armys, touched Shusui’s cheek, and drew her towards him. When he gazed into her eyes, they were those damp eyes which could say nothing, clouded by loneliness. The eyes which Shuuei had been pursuing without realizing it.
He was at a loss for what to say.
Shuuei then said something, which, though it was foolish, though it would make his reputation as a ladies’ man weep—but was the completely genuine truth.
“….Because it’s my unshakeable principle to surrender unconditionally to a crying woman, even if it gets me killed.”
Shusui took her hand off of the hilt of the ‘Iris’ sword.
Shuuei closes his eyes, thinking he might be slapped, and on his cheek, there came a small sound. He had been slapped, but it was a very gentle slap.
“…..After this, I’ll slap you again….. You have no consciousness of what the ‘Flower” is……Won’t his majesty cry again? ….. But……Thank you…..Um….um….may I ask you something?”
Shuuei smiled, and gently embraced Shusui. Shusui did not resist. He thought this would do. He wiped her tears with his finger, and in his prized sensual voice, whispered softly into her ear.
“…..Yes, anything. What is it?”
“……..Do you have…..something to eat and water?”
Shusui’s stomach growled.

****

It had been at the time when that darkness reached a hand to the last fragment.
A warm breeze wrapped around Shusui. As if to console and embrace her.
“I’ve always been here for you.”
…..Who? Who would have said those words to me?
A familiar scent rode on the wind and tickled her nose. The scent of sandalwood. Shusui’s favorite scent. And along with that, something like awakening static electricity was delivered to Shusui’s chest.
Someone’s voice was calling Shusui.
“I’ve come to get you, Shusui-dono.”
(……come to get?)
Not someone else….but me?
“I’m sorry for being late…. let’s go back.”
When she realized whose was that clear voice.
—Shusui’s eyes widened.
(Wait, wait, can it be Ran Shuuei? Eh? No way?! Why’s he here?! Why that mosquito larva man who’s always popping up somewhere! Hey, how’d he get to the Hyou clan?!)
For Shusui, who had for long years crossed swords with him on the battle lines of the Inner Palace, the name Ran Shuuei suddenly jump started her head, and the reaction to that was sufficient to turn the screw. Every time that man had appeared, Shusui didn’t have a chance to rest. Definitely something was going to happen. I’ve got to think, she thought.
The question—Eh, right now, when is it, and where am I, and what have I been doing?!
Answer: Dying in the Prison of Time. She felt that it had already been a hundred years.
An interval.
Her fingers moved. Wait a second. Wait, you stupid general of the guards.
(No! An ordinary person, not even of the Hyou clan, seriously plans to enter the ‘Prison of Time’?! Isn’t he deciding to die! Even though I’m like this, what is he thinking, that man! Urgh, but that man might do this kind of stupid thing without thinking. A, but it’s okay, since he has no supernatural powers, he shouldn’t be able to open the ‘door’ on the lowest level. … But, wasn’t there a route that anyone could enter for rescuing someone or escaping? Umm, if I recall correctly… the great maze….)
Silence. Normally it was impossible. But, if it was that man, he might be able to do it.
The darkness grew slightly lighter, but Shusui did not notice it.
(…Wait….he doesn’t have a ‘map.’…. It had been sealed for about a hundred years, so even if he had one, a map from a hundred years back wouldn’t be useful. It’s a limestone cave, so the water changes the forms of the stone. Even so, how does he plan to get here?　Fighting with both hands empty? What, is he really a general?! I can’t tell at all whether he’s smart or stupid!)
Going on the adventure of entering the great natural maze of the limestone cave without any clues, empty-handed, as an ordinary person.
It could only be seen as either a death wish or stupidity.
Shusui searched for the supernatural powers which had been tightly sealed somewhere inside of herself. She sought the ‘eye,’ which had been sealed deep inside, in a location she had no clue of, with the kind of incredible strength people have in emergency situations. The ‘box’ the ‘eye’ was in had been locked, but Shusui, who was under great strain, tore it apart as if it were wrapping paper. She opened her ‘Thousand League Eye’ [note: typically I translate this as 'clairvoyance, but it makes more sense in the context here], and felt something odd. It felt a little different from normal, but she could “see” unhindered.
When she opened her field of vision in all directions, she was immediately drawn to something dazzlingly red.
(………………….General Ran! He really did come here….”
He was plunging through the limestone cave at a frightening speed. Although he was complaining to the bats, he was breaking through whatever barriers there were one after another, at a speed even the ‘Assassin Dolls’ would be incapable of. Though Shusui had though that he was strong at the level she had seen him at up till now—this was incredible. Even if Shusui went all out at him, his strength was such that he could pin her down as easily as taking candy from a baby.
She had never seen the expression that Shuuei had on his face before. When he had gone straight to help the king at Nine Colors Cove, his attitude there had made her look at him in a somewhat new light, but now his face was even more stern than it had been then. A desperate face.
For some reason, he was really going straight in the direction that Shusui was. Directly.
“I’ve come to get you, Shusui-dono.”
Let’s go back—
That was her limit. She did not notice what kind of face Shuuei had as he went towards her, right before she ran out of power and closed her ‘Thousand League Eye.’
Since she had opened the ‘Thousand League Eye,’ her mental and physical power hit bottom at once.
She knew that that something which had been far off was once again crawling towards her, as if it had seen through this.
Shuusi tried to smile, with her body which could not even move a single finger. She hadn’t smiled in such a long time that her cheeks wouldn’t move.
(Ran Shuuei…. you’re coming here quickly, but……. you didn’t think at all about how to return…..)
It was so stupid she smiled. Ran Shuuei definitely was not thinking of the ‘return.’
No, even if he had considered it, it would be meaningless. There was only way of ‘returning safely’ from here. However, Shuuei could not do that….and probably he knew this. Even so, he had entered.
He was thinking only of going to Shusui, not turning an eye to anything else.
…..There had been no one who had offered everything for Shusui’s sake like this, even temporarily. Because the people important to her always had someone else who was their number one person in the world, Shusui had never been number one to them.
“I’ve always been here for you.”
She felt something climbing out from all of the pores of her body. Though she had expended incredible emergency strength, that didn’t change the fact that it would be only a little more time before Shusui became ‘empty.’ When the last fragment would be eaten up, she would disappear all too soon, and the evil spirits crouching and waiting in the darkness would enter her one after the other.
Shusui closed her eyes…. That ‘despair’ too, might also have been a demon.
(….If General Ran…. can leave here safely…..that’s the only thing…..I can’t let him be killed….The king….will cry….)
When she though of the lonely king, whom she had not been able to see for a long time, some tears came out of her eyes. Shusui could not let one of the ‘Flowers’ die here for her sake. Also, she had realized another thing.
(General ran could not have come here to the Hyou clan for my sake alone….Shuurei-sama….in the Hyou clan)
They were taking over the empty ‘places’ within Shusui, and together trying to eat her up.
Shusui closed her eyes. At that time, her heart, which had weakened until it could be possessed by demons, came to a decision.
….From somewhere, she could hear the familiar sound of an erhu.

****

“…..Really….why are you asking if I have food, Shusui-dono…”
He didn’t want to know that the reason why she had allowed him to embrace her was simply and bluntly, that ‘she was hungry so she had no strength.’ Since Shuuei had become the pursuer, he had begun to understand the king’s various feelings towards Shuurei-dono. Before, he had laughed because it was amusing, but now he truly apologized for it.
He removed his cloak and spread it on the cold rock surface for Shusui’s sake, as she couldn’t move from that place, and set her upon it. He considered leaning her against him, but he put her legs in order and had her sit down.
“I’m sorry. I’m truly tired….. Ah, dried rice…. how nostalgic.”
Tired? Shuuei, who had prepared himself with emergency rations, even if it was only a small amount, since he was, after all, a military officer, took those out for Shusui, and gave her water which he had poured in a bamboo tube on the way.
Shusui slowly, little by little, chewed the dried rice, and her face seemed happy. Since these were military rations, they were all dried food, which though nutritious, had little taste or moisture, and although they didn’t taste good, she looked as though she found them delicious. That was totally different from the empty, doll-like face she had had earlier. Each and every one of her gestures and expressions, down to her fingers, drew him in. It was unfortunate he had to tear his eyes away, his fingertips were twitching.
He did not wish to speak of such unromantic things, but it couldn’t be helped.
“….Shusui-dono, what happened? I really was…..prepared.”
While slowly drinking water, Shusui was at a loss for an answer. What had happened.
“…..It’s hard to put into words…. Um…..If were to try saying it…. up until now I was doing something like whack-a-mole. [note]…..?”
“………..Wha?”
“It’s like I was hitting, running from, chasing away, and silencing things that were attacking me from all sides?…. I did something bad to you. That was the last of them. It was incredibly stubborn.”
“???? Um….”
Shuuei didn’t understand this at all, but figured it was something like while he had been running through the limestone cave with the bats, Shusui had for a long time somewhere been engaged in mortal combat with a strange army of moles. She had beaten the evil moles, and then, at the last moment…… she had returned.
Shuuei, who had propped her up, knew….. he had truly been ready to face how Shusui had been at that time. No matter what condition she was in, he had intended to return with her, and look after her for the rest of her life. However, she had defeated the king of the moles, and a half-step after that, she had returned. That couldn’t have been, as Shusui said, an easy task. Shuuei took Shusui’s hand. Her slender hand easily fit in Shuuei’s.
He asked only the most important thing.
“….Are you alright now?”
Shusui gazed at the hand she had always brushed off.
There were numerous scenes she had seen.
“…Shusui-dono…I’ve come to get you. Please get up.”
Really, she had thought that if Shuuei had drawn ‘Kanshou,’….. that would have been alright too. Then, in that one second, everything would be cleared up. When Shusui had tried to exorcise that last mole—- that bothersome snake-like spirit, from within herself, it had run wild, stolen her body, and attacked Shuuei.
She had though he would draw ‘Kanshou.’ It couldn’t be helped. However, Shuuei didn’t. When she realized that he really wasn’t going to draw it, up till the end, and even more, that he had thrown away even all intention of fighting, she thought she really would kill him.
…..She had been in time.
“Yes, it’s alright now….. But, why didn’t you run away, even a little bit?! If I hadn’t been in time, you really would have died. What’s with this unconditional surrender to a woman’s tears?!”
“In time? …. Um, that may be so too…. but it was because I decided something.”
“What?!”
“I decided that since I’ve always run away from you, I would absolutely no run away anymore. Putting aside coming to help you, and then killing you would be no joking matter. Since you were crying, I wanted to be with you this time, and embrace you properly, but if I were to suddenly change to running away because you were trying to kill me, that would be uncool.”
Shusui blinked her eyes.
Possibly, at that time Shuuei might have realized that Shusui was thinking ‘it’s okay if I die.’ He tossed his sword aside, saying ‘don’t mess around, this is no joke,’ and waited.
For her not to kill Shuuei, she had no choice but to toss away even that last membrane of negative thought–’if it comes to that, it’s okay if I die’— somewhere inside of her. She remembered that snake…..Possibly, that most persistent demon had been of the species which nourished itself on that feeling.
Up till the very end, Shuuei had not allowed even an opening for her to keep that feeling of ‘it’s okay even if I die.’ Certainly, when she felt weak-spirited from time to time, Shuuei had changed this for her. Though he himself probably didn’t realize it at all, in the end, Shuuei might have saved both of them together.
Even so, Shusui, because of some feelings she didn’t quite understand, slapped Shuuei’s cheek lightly.
“……..Um, that little slap now?”
“I felt like it. But, yes, because you did all of these stupid things, I couldn’t fall into despair, and since I fought to the death, I was able to come back….. So it may be thanks to you that I’m able to be here.”
Suddenly, she remembered her time in the inner palace. For some reason, she felt that during that period as well, things had been that way.
“—–Then, General Ran, before we leave here, please tell me everything, including why you’ve come to the Hyou clan. About what you’ve been doing before coming here to meet me.”

…..After hearing what Shuuei said, Shusui closed her eyes for a long time.
“…..I understand. My ‘clairvoyance’ is necessary to know where ‘Mother’ is.”
“…..Shusui-dono.”
Shusui smiled a bit at Shuuei, who was glaring at her.
“I’m not being sarcastic. Let’s go right now. It’s necessary for everything. —-I also must see ‘Mother.’ Even a minute faster. I must see her—-especially now. ”
Then, she cut off her words.
“First, where Shuurei-sama and the others are…. They’re waiting.”
Shusui closed her eyes. A gentle wind arose and wrapped around them.
Suddenly, Shuuei realized something. The heavy, unpleasant atmosphere which had pervaded that place ever since he came there had suddenly been swept away. That power—–
Finally, he heard her voice.
“Come to think of it, did I say this? Thank you for coming to get me. But….I cannot be with you always. Because the place I return to—–has already been decided.”

Notes:

Whack-a-mole: For non-Americans, it’s this kind of game. The Japanese is pretty much the same ‘mole-whacking.’ It’s somewhat of an inappropriate term (an arcade game… yeah, they had THAT in ancient China) to use for an pseudo-ancient-Chinese setting, but I gotta translate what’s there in the text.

Commentary:

Uh, who was that Unnamed Man? I’m sure we all have our guesses. Anyway, whoever he is, he is definitely someone who Shuuei hasn’t seen before, but knows who Shuuei is. Amusingly, I thought there would be a big showdown, but actually, he ran away easily. People have no gumption these days! Is Shuuei really THAT much stronger than Seiran’s level now? (For those of us with a shounen manga mindset, we now know for sure that Shuuei is stronger than Seiran.)

[Oh well, who am I kidding? It's Sakujun. It obviously can't be Anju, because Shuuei definitely knows what Anju looks like.]

Hmm…. Shusui is rather tsundere. Ahaha, she and Ruka have something in common. How many times did she slap Shuuei in this scene? How many times does someone usually get slapped after going through mortal danger to save another person’s life?!

It’s also interesting how the author doesn’t really make Shusui suddenly fall in love with Shuuei, but that she’s able to overcome the demonic possession by thinking that Shuuei cannot die for her sake, because Ryuuki would be in trouble if he died. More than this scene being a ‘happy ending,’ it seems sort of like the beginning of something (with the promise of even more complications to come.) The author sort of had to begin building a basis for a relationship on Shusui’s side, so it’s like she’s begun to see something in him here.

Next chapter: I’m going to do all of chapter 5 in one shot. It’s mostly set in the capital. (Though some of the first scenes are still at the Hyou clan, dealing w/ the aftermath of ch 4) This might take awhile (though probably ch 6 will also take awhile).

There was something crouching in a corner of the darkness.
She realized that she had been dragged back here after countless failed attempts at escaping from the prison. When she was helplessly and was being brainwashed once again, she had noticed it was there in a dim corner where light did not reach.
From that time, it had always been following Shusui. It was patiently crouched in the corner, as if melting into the darkness. When Shusui tried to escape, it followed her. It maintained a reasonable distance, but it was exact. It continued to look at Shusui. Thus, though she had fallen into the most frightening place she had been in up till now, although there were no shackles or bars, she had realized that it was lurking in a corner. Although she could only see darkness, she felt she knew why it was there.
(….Ah, but, if only once….)
She had only been able to forget its existence when Ruka had come.
That person who had not even once tried to meet Shusui, with her shining, divine, fearsome, cold gaze.
…..Had that been a dream?
The fire-like mass that Ruka had passed to her with her mouth had already stopped acting up… instead, it had made Shusui’s innards feel slow and liquid. ‘Shusui’ was flowing out from the tips of her fingers.
That too might be only one of the thousands of bad dreams she had had in the prison.
(‘Mother’….)
Shusui did not know either whether she was crying or not.
Not one of the words which Shusui had squeezed out her courage to say could move Ruka.
It was alright if she was alone. Alright even if she wasn’t someone’s number one. But…. for what reason had she thought this? For what reason had she endured all blows, and even loneliness?
She no longer could remember why she had come back here.
(Already——….)
At that time, the thing which had been patiently waiting for Shusui to weaken moved.
Although it had been crouching in that dim corner for a long time, she knew it was sidling up to her. When it neared Shusui’s side, it touched the edge of the melting ‘Shusui.’ It tore at it, and munched.
It was tearing at and eating Shusui, who was flowing away, bit by bit, from the edge.
Some streams of tears flowed down Shusui’s cheeks–if she still had cheeks. She wanted to sob, but probably, she couldn’t. Because she no longer had enough strength to. She no longer had anything.
Shusui no longer had anything.
Sometime, Shusui had truly realized what that thing which had always been following after was. Despite this, she had pretended not to know. Because she could not acknowledge it. She didn’t want to. She knew that she was not strong. But, she wasn’t that weak. She wanted to believe that. The thing which had appeared sometime, crouched in the darkness, and followed Shusui like a shadow.
—Despair.
She hadn’t wanted to recognize that somewhere in her heart there was still a fearful feeling which looked back and said ‘maybe it’s impossible.’ Even though she had returned thinking that she would fight properly, even if she was alone, for Shouka-sama’s sake, for Shuurei-sama’s sake, for his majesty’s sake—for her important people.
She hadn’t wanted to acknowledge this self which couldn’t do its best for the people she loved.
She had thought that at this level she could change Ruka-sama—and the Hyou clan. It was only to be expected that Ruka-sama had ignored her, thrown her into jail, and not come even once to see her.
(Why is my heart this weak?)
Why were Shuurei-sama, Shouka-sama, and Madame so different? Always, weakness followed her.
Shusui was always never able to do things well at important times. Now as well.
Following that, ‘despair’ had come to Shusui, and was ripping and eating away at her.
Little by little, she was becoming smaller. If she was all eaten up, that would be the end of ‘Shusui.’ The ‘heart’ that Madame and Shouka-sama had given her. Her own self, which she had desperately protected even when alone, was this time nowhere to be found. Even if her body was alive, she would continue to vaguely exist together with ‘despair’ here forever.
Shusui could only feel this with her tears flowing.
No matter how much she had been brainwashed, she had resisted it. Although she had been bound to this prison, she had been able to escape countless times.
However, now, what had captured Shusui and was eating at her, was none other than….. her own despair.
“Pitiful Shusui. In the end, the tiny ‘Shusui’ which you have protected, running from here in fear, is not necessary to anyone other than yourself. You should return to being a doll. Then you can be at ease. You will no longer feel anything. Powerlessness, despair, sadness, isolation—even incomparably quiet loneliness.”
Despair touched that final fragment, which had become so small.
Her eyelashes fluttered. Her last tears fell.
Her screw, which she had screwed in with all of her might after she had run away. Shouka-sama, Madame, Shuurei-sama, and the king had from time to time helped her wind it. Because she was able to believe she could live, she tried hard, even on her own, to screw it in.
However, no longer—-
Kachin–the screw made its final clink.

“I’ve always been here for you.”
……in that last instant, she felt as if a warm southern wind from somewhere was stroking her cheek.

****
A freezing wind touched the tip of his nose, and carried a strangely sour odor. Shuuei opened his eyes at the cold. For awhile, he could not remember why he was out cold.
“Huh….?”
It was dim, but not pitch dark. Though it really was dark, it seemed that somewhere there was a source of light. The dimness was at a level where if Shuuei, who had good night vision, took awhile to get used to it, he could see what was around him. This darkness which seemed somehow faintly blue reminded him of the time before daybreak.
While he was letting his eyes get used to the dark, he quickly confirmed he was alright. He had no injuries. uring that time, he remembered that he had been handed an umbrella by a mysterious beauty, and then fallen down somewhere.
“….There definitely weren’t any wells or holes…. what kind of ‘close route’ is this?…..”
First, he checked his sword, and then after that, when he casually touched “Kanshou,” he was surprised. It was faintly warm, and in the dimness, it seemed to be letting of light, very weakly. Clearly, there seemed to be something different about it from before he met that priestess. Yes—-it was like it had been sleeping, but had now slightly opened its eyes.
He recalled the priestess’s words.
“Make things easier for that young woman already….”
Awaken only for that one strike, the priestess had said, while looking at “Kanshou.”
Shuuei’s brows jumped together. He violently removed his hand from “Kanshou”‘s hilt.
Easier?
“….Don’t joke around. I didn’t come here to do that.”
When he searched for the fan in his breast pocket, there was the smell of sandalwood which he was already familiar with.
Even in the midst of the ladies in waiting chosen only from among the beautiful, cultivated daughters of good houses, Shusui stood out.
Though she should have have been unhindered, lacking nothing, she alone was always looking somewhere far off.
He had seen her room only once, the first time he met her. Even now he could recall it. There were only the minimum furnishings necessary to a lady-in-waiting, and there were no personal luxuries either. Even in the modest flower vase, there was only a single stalk of camellia. He had always thought that she had cut it herself.
It was as if, rather than out of modesty, it was because she felt that even that one flower for herself was inexcusable.
In everything, she was somewhere like that. That was in all ways the opposite of his sister-in-law, who was always smiling like the sun…. Perhaps that was why he had become interested in her.
He felt that she might leave that empty room anytime, like a discarded husk of an insect, and disappear somewhere like the wind. When he met her again after the National Exam, that was unchanged, and it bothered him, so he paid attention to her, and found that sometimes she left the Inner Palace. In the middle of the night, she would disappear alone into the darkness sometimes, and she would also suddenly be writing her resignation. When she was vaguely looking at a blade, not a flower, in front of a flowering tree, he was disturbed.
He realized sometime that that gaze which was always looking into the distance was not love.
She wished to be there, but this was not the place she should truly be—-that seemed to be it. Then, probably, she had been unable to find the place she wished to go, or a place it was alright for her to be in, and that was why she stayed alone in the Inner Palace. It was as if she were like the single camellia branch he had seen at the beginning. Reservedly standing in the corner of a luxurious room.
Only in those few months when Shuurei had been a consort had been almost unrecognizably happy. Even after Shuurei had left, as the head lady-in-waiting to the king, her face had become more happy and comfortable than before.
Then, because of the hypnosis of the Hyou clan, she could no longer stay in the Inner Palace, and had disappeared.
You were raised in happiness. That was what she had said, smiling, when they had met. Because I have nothing, she had said.
“Happiness is frightening. Because I had never been told that I should be happy. Even now, it’s frightening. Shall ‘I’ be allowed the happiness of loving someone…..? If this is a dream, when I awaken, I won’t be able to live anymore.” [see note]
At that time, Shuuei, who had grown up happily, having everything, except for his unrequited love, had not been able to understand her at all.
But now at this late date, he heard it as:
….I want to be happy.
Shuuei smiled, slightly bitterly. He had made countless mistakes, pretended not to know, and had ended up taking the long route.
She might be disappointed that it wasn’t Shouka-sama…… That was alright. He wouldn’t be hurt now.
“I came to get you, Shusui-dono.”
He knew that although she appeared tough, she was really fragile, and she didn’t really like to be alone. Shuurei-dono appeared to be sentimental, but actually she was fairly rationalistic; however, Shusui-dono was the opposite, it was dangerous if she alone. Although she was older, at times she seemed to be younger than Shuuei. No matter how many times she turned back, she would still hesitantly look forward.
“I’m sorry for being late….Let’s go back.”
If he were asked ‘go back where?’ with those eyes that could not say anything. He had prepared an answer.
…At that time, Shusui’s fan made a fluttering noise, like static electricity.
The noises scattered in the dimness like fireworks. He recalled the priestess’s words.
The previous gentleman only had ‘love’ and ‘guts.’ He was very rushed. In comparison to him, you’re strong, and have love, the strong luck of the Ran clan, something to guide you in your chest pocket, the daring and optimism to trust me, and a friend who has the ‘Bakuya’ to your ‘Kanshou.’
A guide in his chest pocket….. What he had in his chest was that fan.
When he looked around in the dimness with eyes sufficiently used to it, he saw that although it appeared to be a cave, it wasn’t natural, but appeared to be made by human hands. The atmosphere was sour, but not stagnant, and there was a breeze going through it, at times. If he listened carefully, he could hear faintly the noise of water, and something like rain. Then, from the inside, there was an unusual coldness floating in the air. Possibly it was connected with a limestone cave. [note: see notes]
When he turned his face around and disciplined his eyes, the familiar red umbrella was lying at a slight distance. While Shuuei was going to pick up the umbrella, he found a human skeleton lying haphazardly against the opposite rock wall. It appeared that the person had been tired, gone to sleep, and died like that. That meant that at this point in time, he was in a place where people got lost and died. He muttered a short Ran Province funeral dirge.
(…..However, it’s not very cold for a place connected to a limestone cave….)
It was when he casually picked up the red umbrella. A warm wind floated around Shuuei.
Shuuei knew this wind well. It was the white southern breeze of Ran Province, which appeared at the end of the rainy season, bringing tidings of the coming of summer.
“With that warm wind from the south of the ‘outside’ carrying you…. help her.”
Could it be that thanks to the southern wind surrounding him, that he didn’t feel the coldness at all?
The fan made more fluttering noises. Definitely, somehow or other, it was showing the way. A guide.
Entering a limestone cave without a map and proceeding was plainly suicidal conduct. However, Shuuei began to walk. “Kanshou,” which he was wearing on his hip, was growing warm. Shuuei ignored this heat. Coldly.
“Make things easier for that young woman already.”
He had come to pick her up. Not to bring an end to her as the priestess had said. Even if he had to drag her… no matter what state she was in, he would return together with her. For that was why Shuuei had come.

She sensed that something had touched the net around the Prison of Time.
Ruka’s eyelids slightly wavered. She raised her eyelashes, and sought with only her eyes Rikka, who was waiting upon her.
….She was not there. That might have been better. Recently, Rikka disliked it that Ruka was even separating her soul. If she calculated how long it had been since she had gone to see Shusui, soon it would be the time when it would be clear whether ‘Shusui’ would completely vanish or not. If Shusui had become completely ‘empty’ in the Prison of Time, then she wished to quickly enter her body. If she didn’t do that, in the Prison of Time, bad things loitered, due to the many corpses there. An empty living body was the best prey for the spirits who gathered there. And there was one more thing.
“…..Finally it has gotten caught in the net. If it should go to Shusui….”
Ruka closed her eyes. Before, she could separate her soul from her body as easily as drinking water, but now if she did not concentrate, she couldn’t do it. Finally, she threw off her body, and her soul flew to the Prison of Time in the form of a girl.

****

Shuurei, who was pouring hurriedly over the new materials of the past ten years relating to locusts, stopped turning a book’s pages. This was the lowest level of the library Riou had ever been in. Although it wasn’t that there was nothing, in those ten years, there hadn’t been much advancement. Furthermore, it hadn’t reached to the level of extermination.
(….That’s so, it seems…. If it were easily findable, we’d already be doing it)
Because they were looking around at a relatively low level, there were books from some hundreds of years before. Shuurei found a thin, old looking booklet in the inside of a shelf for books about locusts. When she wiped of the dust, “The Grasshoppers of Kage Island” was written on it in feminine script. Shuurei turned her head at this name of an island which she had never heard of.
“…Jin-san, do you know of ‘Kage Island’?”
“Kage Island? Yeah. It’s an uninhabited island east of Kou Province. It’s small and there’s nothing on it, and since it’s uninhabited, it’s only natural that people don’t know about it. It’s around the size that you could go fishing there and return.”
Why had the person who wrote the book researched locusts on an uninhabited island? There hadn’t been any damage there.
(Ah, well, if normally no one does research there, then in a way, that might mean that something that can’t easily be found out is written there…)
She lightly began to read it for awhile.
Shuuei’s eyes became like dinner plates. She read it once over, tilted her head, and then raised it.
“Jin-san……….Riou-kun….take a look at this.”
Jin and Riou’s reactions were the exact opposite. Jin put a hand to his jaw, and his brows drew together.
“……..Hmmm. The subtitle is ‘The Grasshoppers of Kage Island: Their Mysterious Mass Death”…..”
Jin carefully paged through the musty booklet.
“Definitely, if we check the records, it looks like there was a small locust swarm. It’s an uninhabited island, so it seems no one noticed it, though. Some guys who went there sometimes to fish took note of the unusual event and recorded it….”
“After a long rain and continuous thick fog, they went to try fishing there, and they found a large quantity of grasshopper corpses. Also, as for the way of death, it’s a mystery: they had climbed up on the grasses, weighing them down, and had died while facing upwards. ”
For some reason, there were a large amount of grasshopper corpses, which had climbed the grass, and at the top, facing upwards, had died.
…..Simply imagining it made for a eerie spectacle.
“Truly an odd death. It’s so strange it seems like a curse…. What’s for sure if we look at what’s written here is that it was only the grasshoppers who died within those few days, and otherwise, the plants and small insects were as usual. That way of death also wasn’t that they had destroyed themselves after swarming too much, and since everything else was fine, I don’t think there was a poisonous spring….”
Jin crossed his arms, and narrowed his eye.
“…..I know what you want to say. But, with only that, we don’t know the cause. If it turns out that at that time there were numerous natural causes which when combined accidentally acted only on the locusts or something like that, we’ll have to throw up our hands.”
“That might be so. Hmm, but this makes me remember something for some reason.”
It was at time that Riou muttered while reading the pamphlet, with a pale face, staring at the pages.
“….An epidemic.”
“Eh?”
“A disease. —Probably, it only strikes locusts.”
After a moment, both Jin and Shuurei’s expressions changed.
“Riou-kun….so you’re saying that the cause of the strange deaths of the locusts could be illness?”
While she said this, Shuurei was also satisfied. Yes, that ‘mass strange death,’ spreading in a group and occurring suddenly one day, come to think of it, certainly resembled the epidemic in Sa Province. Then the insects would have become sick.
“…..That’s probably it. The Hyou clan and the Department of the Cave of the Immortals gather information from everywhere all the time. I hear from Ren….my friend that there was a disease that only grasshoppers and locusts get.”
“Ren,” who Ruka had used and thrown away, had spoken of the various researches he had done into epidemics.
“A disease that only strikes locusts……!”
If that was so, then there would be no damage to other animals.
Also, Shuurei knew well from her time in Sa Province that with epidemics, the larger the group, the higher the infection rate. There was no group as dense as a locust swarm. It was convincing that they’d all die in a couple of days.
—–If they could cause that artificially.
“Riou, can it be done?”
“Uu Uu….said to open all of the doors of the Hyou clan. There’s a possibility that it’s being researched as part of the response to locust plagues. Because there hasn’t been a locust outbreak here for some decades, I don’t know how much the temples have advanced in their measures against locusts—However, there may be a possibility. But.”
“How would we know that?”
“….By contacting the temples….As I thought, we need my aunt’s power.”
Jin scratched his head, and Shuurei also bit her lips. No matter where, they ran into the wall of Ruka. But, something was bothering her. There had been something that always been bothering her. That thing which she had placed in a corner of her mind.
The last words that Riou [Sr] had said.
“If you want to do something about the locusts….then you should find Shusui.”
Shuurei blinked once, and then looked steadily at Riou.
“……Riou-kun, is what we need really Ruka-hime’s power?”
“Eh? Yes….it’s impossible without my aunt. Without the High Priestess.”
“Yes. What we need is no Ruka-hime, but the power of the High Priestess, isn’t that right?”
“Ehhh?”
“Riou-kun, you father said it. If you want to do something about the locust, find Shusui. That might not mean finding Shusui in order to find Ruka-hime. Perhaps it’s that while looking at the snow that shouldn’t have been falling, he realized that Ruka-hime can’t do it anymore. Meaning that Ruka-hime no longer even has the power needed to open a ‘passage.’ So then, incredible power would be necessary, right?”
Waning supernatural power. Yes, it was proof that her former power was no longer there.
“……Definitely, Uu Uu now as well was hard pressed to open a single passage.”
Perhaps Uu Uu in the past could have opened all the doors like Ruka. However—-yes, his powers had waned. Ruka had supplemented hers by changing bodies, but now she had no power to spare. Then.
Definitely, it was possible that now it wasn’t that Ruka didn’t open the ‘passages,’ but that she really couldn’t open them.
“But, your father said ‘If you want to do something about the locusts….then you should find Shusui.” In other words—Shusui may be able to become the next High Priestess. Or at least, she may have enough power.— There’s a possibility that Shusui may be able to open all of the ‘passages’ alone.”
If she opened the ‘passages,’ then they would be able to make contact with the temples. —Then, if she became the High Priestess, she should be able to take command in everything concerning the locusts. Without going through Ruka.
“…..No, but I never heard that Shusui had that kind of power. At first she was ‘powerless,’ but even though she later gained supernatural powers, it was only ‘clairvoyance…”
No, said Jin, while stroking his chin.
“…..If I remember right, didn’t Hyou Eiki, who was the candidate to be the next High Priestess, only have the power of ‘foresight’?”
Shuurei and Riou both looked at Jin suspiciously. Really, he was knowledgeable about everything.
“…..I don’t want to interrupt, but definitely, when I went to Sa Province, I also only heard about ‘foresight.’ Riou-kun, how do they decide who becomes High Priestess?”
“Th..that’s based on the strength of supernatural power—”
Riou was in turmoil. Since he was ‘powerless,’ he had been indifferent to everything relating to priestesses or the High Priestess. Because of his aunt, he had simply thought that the High Priestess was born having something like that from the beginning.
“By the way, Riou-kun, recently I said to Ruka-hime ‘I’m coming to see you,’ but…….I feel like that was said to me. Even now I feel like she was telling me to come to her.”
She had forcibly awakened drowsing Shuurei, and when her mental and physical energy had been restored, she had returned to being a ‘Censorate Inspector.’ There was a chance that someone had from the court to seal Ruka’s mouth—she glanced at Jin—by killing her. Even if she had called Shuurei to be a pawn for the purpose of preventing that, that would be meaningless if she did not tell her where she was.
If they didn’t know where she was, Shuurei and the others had no choice but to rely on Shusui’s ‘clairvoyance.’ Ruka should have known that. Yes, they needed Shusui.
Then, Ruka truly wanted to use Shuurei to…..
—Could it be that it was to bring Shusui to her?
“My aunt help Shusui? That can’t be. Wasn’t it my aunt who put her there?”
“Maybe it’s a little different than helping her. Hmmm, how can I say it…..Yes, I feel like she’s waiting for her to come out. If you can come, then come, if you can get out, then come out. I have a feeling that that’s one of the things she’s moving us to do. However I look at it, unless we have Shusui’s power, we can’t go to Ruka-hime.”
While speaking, she had hardened within her head some very vague things.
“….I know that Ruka-hime is an extremely intelligent person. Right now, I as well am probably being made to act by her. I don’t think she’s someone who does things without considering them. Regarding Shusui as well. Then, perhaps there is something more than we think to her putting Shusui in the ‘Prison of Time.’ What Ruka-hime is doing—is probably something very important to the Hyou clan.”
“Yes, it’s as you say.”
There was the voice of some other woman. When she turned, there was a priestess dressed in ancient clothes standing there. Perhaps it was because it was snowing that she had a red umbrella, and for some reason, she was holding an erhu.
“Bakuya” rang out once.

****

He was doubting whether it was really true that this was the closest route, but the red umbrella quickly came in handy.
“….Even in a cave, rain is falling….”
Right after he entered the limestone cave, Shuuei obediently decided to use the red umbrella. For some reason, water was incessantly flowing from the surface of the limestone, so his feet were mostly soaked in water. Also, cold droplets were dripping from above his head, like an ice rain. If he didn’t have that umbrella, he would now have been all wet and died from the cold. A vast quantity of bats were flying around, and though that made it seem like a fantasy haunted house, Shuuei didn’t complain, as it was he who was trespassing in the bats’ home.
In the cave, there was still a road which seemed to have been constructed by humans, but once he had entered the limestone cave, there was nothing like a road. Shuuei only loyally followed the fan, and walked silently. The stalagmites chaotically thrust upwards, and although they were in the way, since there was a gap he could get through in the upper part of the rock face, he climbed up the stone surface and squeezed through. While during that, he got fairly wet even though he had the umbrella.
“Well, they say ‘a good-looking man like water was dripping onto him’ [see translator's notes]….but that means when there’s around the level of a drizzle, the dampness makes a man’s charm come out, but now that I’m like a wet rat, probably Seiran would bully me afterwards…”
Muttering, he advanced into the interior, where some ancient corpses lay, and he saw many which had been pulled apart by the water. Because there was so much water, many of them had become grave wax, [see note] and he had passed several bodies, Shuuei decided to share some for making a candle. Because of this, he was able to make a torch partway through. As expected, here he wanted fire too. In other words, at base Shuuei was a military officer. An excellent one.
(However, it’s only natural that “Kanshou” has always been ringing ever since I entered the limestone cave….)
It would be stranger if there were nothing at all in this eerie limestone cave. Shuuei noticed that all of his hair was standing on end, and the deeper he went in, the darker it became. Even the white stalactites looked creepy. AT the time, he felt countless mysterious presences creeping up towards him from various directions. Perhaps it was because he had “Kanshou” that they stopped approaching after a certain distance, and regarding that, he was grateful from the bottom of his heart to the exorcising sword. He noticed that within this coldness, he was having trouble breathing, and he was tense enough so that he needed to wipe off his cold sweat.
It was when he was once again wiping off the sweat traveling down his jaw.
The presences of the spirits retreated like a wave.
“Kanshou” quietly rang once. Then, a woman’s voice, which he had heard at Nine Colors Cove echoed.
“Although you are of the direct line of the Ran clan, you are an ordinary person, so for you to have come in such a short time to the Hundred Corridors….”
Shuuei put his hand to the hilt of his sword, and slowly turned around. There was a transparent separated soul.
Ebon black hair and blood red lips, snowy skin. The beautiful form of a maiden floated there. For Shuuei, it was the first time he had seen that form, because at Nine Colors Cove she had possessed the body of Shusui.
“…Hyou Ruka-dono. Am I to receive the great favor of you guiding me to where Shusui-dono’s location?”
He wondered whether she would arrogantly scoff, but Ruka looked at the red umbrella with a slightly stiff face, and then next looked at Shuuei.
It was as if she was remembering something in the past she did not wish to recall. That was what her face was like.
“You’ve done well to have entered this path. I ended up stopping along the way here. So you also have ‘Kanshou’?…. Then, I’ve changed my mind. As you have said, I’ll show you the way.”
Shuuei’s brows leaped up. The priestess before was one matter, but this was Hyou Ruka. He had no reason to believe her. “….Your reason? It is strange that you were the one who shut her up there, yet you are going to guide me there, when I am going to hep her.”
“I have a motive. However, the Prison of Time is a special prison. If those who can leave leave, then it does not bother me, and if they cannot, they will die. That is the nature of the prison. The corpses you saw were what became of the people who could not escape. I’ll say this, this is not yet the Prison of Time.
“Eh, you’re kidding?! It’s not?! But she said it was the closest route!!”
Ruka’s elegant brows rose slightly. It was as if she wished to ask who had said that, but did not wish to ask.
“…..It wasn’t a lie. This is the sole route that an ordinary person like you can take to reach the Prison of Time. The most troublesome thing might be the long maze, but if one considers that that way you can reach the lowest level directly, it’s the closest route. Firstly, in the Prison of Time there are not these small evil nature spirits. Before you reach the lowest level where Shusui is, someone like you may already driven mad.”
Shuuei glared at the coldly smiling Ruka. It was his principle to be gentle to all women, but when it came to the woman he was in love with (for real), it was a different story. Riou had said that Ruka might intend to force Shusui into becoming an invalid, and make her her next body.
Ruka grinned, as if guessing what Shuuei was thinking.
“Heh heh, yes, if Shusui becomes ‘empty,’ then I intend to make good use of her. However, if her head is cut off, I cannot do that. I’ll make this short. Something was caught in the net that I spread out. Some rabble are going to the Prison of Time to slice off Shusui’s head and put an end to her.”
“—-Cut off Shusui’s head?!”
“If her head is cut off, I can’t use her body either. Right now I am in soul form, so I have no phsyical power. I was wondering what to do, but of course you can protect Shusui’s neck. That was why I said I would guide you. Now, what will you do?”
Shuuei looked at Ruka with a stern face. Just as Shuurei had said, she was truly a woman of great wit.
“…..So by caught in the net, you meant that you were using Shusui as bait.”
“……Now then. Hehehe. Shusui is not really the only one I’m using as scattered bait, so don’t get angry. Hmm?”
Implicitly, it was the same as saying she was also making use of Shuurei and the others. He was not at all happy about that. Also, Shuurei and Shuuei both still did not know Ruka’s intentions. Probably they were still in the palm of her hand.
Then, definitely Ruka was not lying. Since she was going to where Shusui was while ‘without physical power,’ the person who had tripped the alarm was a higher priority to her than protecting Shusui. She could be interpreted as practically saying ‘if her head falls off, then there’s nothing to be done about that.’
“….However, you clearly stated you intended to use Shusui-dono’s body.”
“I said that. It’s precious. especially now. If I can preserve it, I wish to do that.”
“I’m not a panda! You stop along the way, find “Kanshou” hanging there and me, say come and I’ll guide you, have me protect Shusui-dono, and then if that goes well, you’re going to take over her body.”
“That’s why if you don’t want to come, then fine. Only, Shusui’s head will fall off.”
It was as she said. She had calculated that even if he knew this, Shuuei could only agree to her plan. That was Hyou Ruka. The empress who had opposed King Senka and Shou Taishi. She….resembled Shuurei.
It might be a lie. But this time, he didn’t think it was a lie. Ruka might be lying magnificently. However, if she had wanted to make Shuuei fall into a trap, only to prevent him from going to Shusui, he didn’t think she would have flown here. Snow which shouldn’t have been falling was falling. That meant her power was weakening now.
She was taking some time doing this because there was something she needed to do, despite that. And that wasn’t something having to do with Shuuei or Shusui. He knew this upon seeing Ruka’s stern face.
(….Riou-kun said that something had happened within the Hyou clan….)
The elder Riou had said that there were some people messing with the Hyou clan. Something had happened.
Then, she would definitely guide Shuuei to where Shusui was. There was only one answer.
“—I will go. Because I came to find Shusui-dono.”
Ruka’s silken hair waved. She looked down and muttered like a girl.
“….Hmph. Men do was they please. You don’t wonder whether she might be happier as an invalid. …. Well then. Then I will guide you. After you pass the Hundred Corridors ahead, the Jade Sound Waterfall—-”
Ruka’s elegant brows drew together.
“….This is bad, it’s faster than I thought it would be. He’s already at the lowest level of the Prison of Time. It can’t be helped…. Fly there directly. I’ll let you use this red umbrella.”
“Huh? Fly?”
“It’s conservation of resources. When I was young, they used them up like hot water. It would have been better if they had conserved them like Uu Uu did. The ‘wind’ of the Ran clan makes things convenient. There’s still a bit left in this red umbrella….Hmm, it’ll do somehow.”
…..Shuuei felt as though he was watching Shuurei doing the household accounts.
Ruka’s fingers touched the red umbrella. As if to show respect. Her eyelashes lowered.
Then, the southern breeze of Ran Province blew through the freezing limestone cave. Wrapped in the middle of this, Shuuei suddenly noticed something.
Since Ruka had come, the wriggling presences of the spirits and evil beings had stayed far away and not tried to come close even once.
…..Regarding Ruka, he had many things he wished to say and many complaints.
However, certainly she was the High Priestess who protected this land with hr great power. She knew more than anyone else what would happen if she were not there. That was perhaps why she could not run away. No matter what twisted forms that too, no matter what sacrifices she made.
Then, definitely it was she, in a certain sense, who was a true High Priestess, perhaps.

Notes:
The quote from Shusui: I haven’t checked, but this quote is probably from volume eleven. BTW, Ruby showed me a (Chinese) interview (from when the author went to Taiwan) where the author had said that after volume eight she planned out the entire storyline up till the end. If so, I’m not surprised that things are much less ad hoc than they were at the beginning and we get stuff like quotes from five or six volumes ago. XD

Limestone caves: the author is distinguishing between a plain old cave (洞窟) and a limestone cave （鍾乳洞). The latter means the sort that is dripping with water and has stalactites and stalagmites.

About that expression: that part in quotes is an expression in Japanese which pretty much means ‘tremendously handsome man.’ I didn’t research too deeply into the matter, but probably Shuuei is correct about where it comes from.

Grave wax: This is for real, BTW. More technically, it’s called adipocere.

Commentary:

Shusui continues to suffer. Everyone in the Hyou clan continues to need therapy. And then the author finally does some character development in regards to Shuuei and Shusui’s relationship, which sort of echoes the stuff Jyuusan-hime was thinking last book. Shuuei understands Shusui much more than I had expected him to, which is fairly impressive given how much he doesn’t know about her. (As in, as far as I know, Shuuei knows nothing about the whole Bara-hime thing)

Re: the locusts. Well, that was kind of out of left field. More confusing is the conversation about magical powers. Since the author never bothered to do much work with developing the supernatural aspects, it sort of begins to beg the question of just what can the priestesses and magicians do? If Shunki is considered low level, and Eiki’s foresight not really that impressive, does that mean that Uu Uu and Ruka can do all of these things? Ruka has been shown to control the weather, possess people, travel astrally (separating her soul from her body and sending it somewhere; Uu Uu also did this), summon lightning to heal people, possess a mouse (or transform into one?), and other things which I’m probably forgetting. (Shusui has the power of clairvoyance, but it’s never concretely examined what this consists of; in any event, the 離魂 (separating of the soul) thing that Ruka and Uu Uu do seems to pretty much do the same thing) All of the people with supernatural powers appear able to teleport with the aid of the ‘passages.’ So why do some people seem to have just one power, whereas in other cases magic seems to be a general usage kind of thing? (BTW, in the text it isn’t 魔法 (magic), but 神力 (divine/supernatural power), and the practitioners seem to be 巫女 (priestesses) if they are female or 術者 (I translate it as magician, but it really is ‘practitioner’ in a general sense) if they are male. However in the context of the series, it’s sort of meaningless to call them ‘practitioners,’ so I translate it as magician. But, typically the Japanese word for magician is 魔術師.

The plot thickens. Not as much to say, except I lol’d at Ruka’s irritation at having to use up an umbrella, and yeah, everything does seem to be proceeding mostly within Ruka’s predictions. Here the protagonist characters are caught up in a drama in which they don’t really seem to be the protagonists, which is in a way fairly refreshing, though at times sort of making you wonder ‘eh, so what’s really important is what Ruka’s doing? But we don’t get to see what this is?’

Anyway, this will continue on in the second half of this chapter.

Shuuei went in the direction Riou had indicated.
Large flakes of fleecy snow were falling soundlessly and steadily from the slightly cloudy sky. According to his internal clock, it should have been sometime between morning and noon, but the sky was somewhat dark, as though it were in the afternoon.
Jin had often gone off somewhere unknown, but while Jin was with Shuurei, Shuuei also had searched within the house of the Hyou. Rather than the ‘house’ of the Hyou clan, it was rather more correct to say ‘domain.’ However.
“…..This is totally different from the Ran clan’s house….. So that’s why Jin was also even now wandering around.”
Perhaps because there was no fear of attack, there were no large castle walls as there often were in Kiyou or in the provincial capitals. Rather than being enclosed, the broad alpine mountains were thoroughly dotted with palaces and towers. Seeing that there was rice and milk at breakfast, it seemed that there were also villages and fields and farms. The vast palace in the ancient style which they had based themselves at was also merely only one of the palaces, for the usage of guests and refugees.
If it had been cut up by avenues like Kiyou and ordered into sections like a go board, then someone could mostly guess, but if they were here there were various facilities scattered among numerous mountains. This was part of the Banri mountain rainge, and the slopes of the mountains and the ups and downs there were rather steep. It seemed that Riou, whose house this was, hadn’t noticed it, but even though it was maintained by the power of the high priestess so that it was at a level allowing humans to live there, the air was very thin, as the altitude was high. If they hadn’t been used to the heights of Nine Colors Cove in Ran Province, both Shuuei and Jin might have gotten altitude sickness.
“….If Kouyuu were to come here, he’d reaaaaaally be useless….”
He would have only been able to choose two things in life, sleep because of altitude sickness, or get lost in the snowy mountains and die.
He walked on the animal path he had been told of, and when he turned back, even the footprints he had just made were already being covered in snow, and gradually, but certainly, they were disappearing. Just to make sure, from time to time he would look at the red strips of cloth which had been tied to the end of tree branches. Shuuei realized that the pure white color of the snow had sometime begun to make his sense of proper direction and distance strange.
After thinking for awhile, Shuuei came to a conclusion.
Shuuei raised his speed at once. He had decided to put arriving at his destination before the road was completely covered in snow first. His signs were the river and the animal path. The sealed ground started halfway up the mountain, he had been told.
(…….If I don’t know the way back, I’ll take shelter in the jail or in a mountain hut. Since I have ‘Kanshou,’ Jin and the others will come for us. Okay, that’ll be fine. —Snowy mountains, a mountain hut, taking shelter with Shusui?…. …… …. Jin, it’s okay if you’re a little late coming to get me)
Ran Shuuei was a man who was extremely optimistic, no matter what kind of time it was.
He continued to single out the normally unfindable animal path, and in the midst of the snow single-mindedly aimed at the middle of the mountain.
(But Riou-kun only said that this area had been sealed, and he didn’t know the location of the jail…. Come to think of it, of course I don’t feel any presence of humans, but there aren’t traces of humans having come through here recently….Aren’t there people to bring food every day?! There isn’t anything like a building—-)
At that time, ‘something’ on the incline ahead pulled at his consciousness. When he unthinkingly turned his head at it, there was a large tree with a straw rope wrapped around it. It looked like the plaited stips of paper hanging from it had drawn his attention. [see note] Stepping in the snow, he approached the giant tree, and then, it was while he was walking around it that he stepped over something.
“Kanshou,” which he was wearing, made a sound like a bell ringing, and shook. It felt more like the noise was coming from inside his head than he was actually hearing it with his ears.
(….Uh, Uu Uu-sama said something like it rings when it senses a strange presence…..?)
He turned back towards the animal path and the stream. If he took those, he would probably arrive at the place Riou had spoken of. If he left the animal trail, and relied on his instincts to go within the pathless snowy mountain, even Shuuei would probably get lost. He didn’t know the area.
(……Ah well, even if I get lost, if I have ‘Kanshou,’ then Jin will probably come and find me.)
Shuuei easily abandoned the animal trail, and walked past the ‘sacred tree’ towards the interior.
When he was in trouble, he would rely on Jin. That had been his habit since long ago, and although Shuuei had simply made a lot of trouble for Jin, the only one who didn’t realize this was Shuuei himself.
Anyway, when he held ‘Kanshou’ in his right hand and tried walking in a likely direction, he noticed the intensity of the sword’s vibrations would get stronger or weaker. He felt as though something was crawling down his back.
If he were to put it in plain words, it was a ‘feeling something bad was going to happen.’ When Riou had said ‘I had a bad feeling, so I didn’t want to go there,’ he probably meant this place. The more he went in the direction of the stronger vibrations, the more the bad feeling increased.
“……Ha….the Grand General would say ‘you can’t catch a tiger cub unless you enter the tiger’s den.’”
Shuuei slowly stepped towards the presence, which felt like many things tightly wound together. When he tried unsheathing ‘Kanshou’ a little bit, he sensed that the presence was being cut, as easily as spider thread.
“…………………………something was cut….. Now something’s wrapping around me.”
Although he had thought when he was a child ‘it would be nice to be able to see things,’ now he sincerely thought that it was good that he couldn’t. When he struck the guard of the sword and made it ring out, he discovered that the unpleasant presence dissipated. As he wandered around the mountain alone, sword ringing, he gradually became dejected.
“If it turns out that this is the shrine of some strange spirit which has nothing to do with Shusui-dono, I’m going to want to cry, even if I can’t….”
It was when he was muttering this to himself, that he heard someone chuckling.
When Shuuei slowly raised his head, a slight distance away, there was young woman wearing the clothes of a priestess, and holding a dazzling red umbrella, who was laughing while looking at Shuuei, her sleeve hiding her mouth. Though the colored umbrella was hiding half of her face, even then, one could see even with one glance that her countenance was as lovely as a flower. Though she was of an age where one was hard pressed to say whether she was best described as a beautiful girl or a beautiful woman, the fact that her beauty was like spreading fragrance did not change.
Shuuei turned the smile he set aside especially for woman to her. It could be used for ghosts too, if they were female.
“I’m pleased to be able to meet such a beautiful priestess like you in these snowy mountains.”
“Skillful. Sorry for laughing. I was thinking ‘that gentleman is talking to himself so amusingly.’”
When she let her umbrella sway slightly, the snow which had gathered on the red umbrella fell off. That gesture was of an elegance exceeding that of a young lady of gentle birth, and the beauty of the small face which did not completely appear from within the umbrella was astonishing.
When she walked, her straw sandals made sounds as they stepped on the snow. Shuuei’s brows slightly rose.
(…..Isn’t that…..a ghost or a spirit…?)
When he looked at ‘Kanshou,’ it had changed suddenly from earlier, and its ringing had completely subsided.
Looking at Shuuei, the priestess then laughed again.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a gentleman of the Ran clan. ….. A nostalgic face. As always, men from that place are all ladies men, and daring, though sharp, missing a few screws somewhere, and weak to women?”
“….Eh?”
“Did you come to get Shusui?”
Characteristically, Shusui’s face changed.
“….Yes.”
The priestess twirled her red umbrella in a strangely childish way while smiling.
“Ah. Then follow me. One who has come for that reason.”
He was concerned that it was as if in the falling snow, he was being tricked by some beautiful transforming fox. Maybe it wasn’t a mistake, also. She had feet, and when she walked on the snow, there was a noise. “Kanshou” was as meek as a kitten, and there was a beautiful, pale woman with a red umbrella, dressed in the ancient robes of a priestess, who had suddenly appeared in the snowy mountains. She knew Shusui’s name, and had said she would guide him. …. No matter how he thought about it, it was all thoroughly strange.
That was why Shuuei stopped being suspicious. If he went to the strangest place, that would probably be the shortest route.
“Then, thank you. It’s cold, so by the shortest route possible. I’m not worried about how dangerous it will be.”
“….Before as well, there was a gentleman who came to get someone who said that. Follow me. I can’t let you in under this umbrella though. Sorry.”
There was the sound of her footsteps crunching on the snow. Shuuei was in shock as he followed after her.
“Wait a bit. Another man has gotten here before me and came to help Shusui?!”
“No. This happened before…. Much earlier, there was another girl who had been put in there.”
“Eh? So, if you said it hasn’t been used for awhile—— …..! Could it be that you’re the ghost of the girl who died in the prison?! When the man came to help her, it was already too late?”
“That’s completely wrong. That girl is still living even now. She returned with the gentleman who came to find her. I don’t kill arbitrarily. Really, are your wits sharp or dull?…. Truly, you are a gentleman of the Ran clan.”
“Wh,what?…. Ah, so there are people who have gotten out of the ‘Prison of Time’ safely.”
Riou had said many intimidating things, so Shuuei had honestly come here more than half resolved in many ways.
The red umbrella which had been twirling temperamentally, at this time only, stopped sadly.
“…….’Prison’…. Yes, now it is only a ‘prison.’ Sometime, also, the Hyou clan itself became the same way. Truly, it wasn’t constructed for that reason….. Why can I no longer give….. At the most, I can guide those who have come to meet others. But, as long as there are those who come to get others… it’s alright.”
The umbrella, shook slightly, and the beautiful face began to smile at Shuuei.
“…. Especially, you have stronger luck than the previous gentleman. It’s rare for the gentlemen who come here to be completely outfitted. And the blood of the Ran clan. As always, the men of that house are born with an excess of good luck.”
Shuuei’s eyes went into points…… This outfit, in which he had flown here not even preparing snow shoes?
“….Completely outfitted…. But I only have this ‘Kanshou.’”
“The previous gentleman only had ‘love’ and ‘guts.’ It’s also rare for a gentleman to come running here without anything prepared and empty handed. He was very rushed. In comparison to him, you’re strong, and have love, the strong luck of the Ran clan, something to guide you in your chest pocket, the daring and optimism to trust me, and a friend who has ‘Bakuya’ with you. About the only thing you don’t have is ‘guts.’ But if you did, that would be the best.”
As people had been recently saying to Shuuei that he was ‘gutless’ a lot, he got irritated and threw out his chest.
“No, I have it! I have guts. It’s natural. Because even if I’ve been disinherited, I’m still a man of the Ran clan!”
“Ah? So you’ve said. Then, will you strive on even if it costs you your life?”
“…Eh?”
The priestess turned her entire body. She rested her eyes upon ‘Kanshou’ with a penetrating gaze and cool stateliness.
“‘Kanshou’…..did you hear that? It seems he has guts. Then it will be fine. If he’s come here calmly, then this gentleman of the Ran clan won’t curl up and die if you suck up some of his life energy. He’s still inexperienced, but…. For a gentleman of these times, he’s very good. For a little while, recognize him as your temporary master. ‘Kanshou,’ alright, awaken, just for that one swing…. Then, make things easier for that young woman….”
She muttered this with far-away eyes. The beautiful countenance whiter than snow was shadowed by a melancholy resembling deep sadness. Then, instantly ‘Kanshou,’ which had not made a sound up to then, was enrobed in heat, as if answering.
The priestess made her melancholy eyes sadly smile, and soundlessly held out her dazzling red umbrella to Shuuei.
“I’ll give this to you. Gentleman of the Ran clan from ‘outside,’…. thank you…. for coming to get Shusui…. The southern wind which foretells summer, the sweet, cool waters….. how nostalgic, the wind of Nine Colors Cove. So you have continued to keep the promise of the far-off past. It’s alright… if that’s so, then it won’t all come to nothing because of one person’s spite. If someone works hard, then definitely something good will happen.”
It was like a child’s lullaby, that songlike gentle whisper. Shuuei was dizzy, and rubbed the place between his eyebrows.
He noticed that he was holding the red umbrella.
The flower-like form clad in the ancient garments of a priestess smiled enchantingly, bewitchingly.
Shuuei desperately shook his head to try to clear it of the fog.
“…..I didn’t, ask…..your…..name. I am Ran Shuuei. And you?”
“A good name. I am, well….a long time ago, I was known as ——– it seems….”
The priestess’s slender white fingertips struck Shuuei’s chest lightly.
Although he hadn’t been pushed away strongly, Shuuei tottered back a few steps. No, he thought he would step back. Behind him should have only been the snowy path where he had been walking. However. There was nothing there.
His feet literally touched air. He felt a second of an odd floating sensation he had never felt before.
“——-Eh?”
Suddenly, he entered ‘someplace.’ No, he fell. As if he had truly gotten caught in a well buried by the snow, the scenery around him suddenly turned to blackness, and his body fell as though he were being shot somewhere.
“Ehhh—-?!”
As if pursuing the falling Shuuei, who was still holding the preferred red umbrella, the voice of the priestess fell from above.
“As you wished, this is the closest route. Here’s the red umbrella, and do your best. With that warm wind from the south of the ‘outside’ carrying you…. help her.”

****

Ruka’s eyes opened while she was sitting on her throne. She wearily rested her head on her hands.
“…..Someone has entered the ‘prison of time.’”
The priestess waiting upon her was relieved that Ruka had awakened, but then lost all color in her face at those words.
“Does that mean that there is some foolish person helping Shusui? Then, the ‘Assassin Dolls’–”
“It’s fine, Rikka. Let it go. Even if the “Assassin Dolls” are sent, they’d only get lost in the ‘Prison of Time’ and die.”
“But, Ruka-sama.”
“I said to leave Shusui be. —It’s fine already. I have a reason for letting Shusui live. However, before then, everything will be over.”
For a moment, the gaze of the young priestess known as Rikka wavered, as if with complicated emotions. Relief and joy that Ruka had finally become indifferent to Shusui, dark exaltation, and at the same time, in regards to Ruka saying that it was not necessary to finish her, a touch of unease resembling doubt, and jealousy. However, these all had as their root her absolute devotion to Ruka, her reverence, and her adoration.
Although she had hardly ever encountered Shusui, at the same time she brought about a strange feeling of jealousy within her. Rikka had originally been a girl who had taken refuge at one of the Hyou clan’s shrines ‘outside,’ and was not of the Hyou clan. That was why she was of course without supernatural powers, and from the beginning, Ruka had not asked that of her. However, Shusui was a proper member of the Hyou clan, and though at the start had been ‘powerless,’ she had later manifested supernatural powers, and despite this, she had run away to the ‘outside,’ finally, after twenty years, casually returned, and then continued to say she wanted to be allowed to meet Ruka–Rikka could not forgive all of that. Her envy and dislike traveled towards Shusui, who had returned with all that Rikka could never have, no matter how much she might wish for them. Unexpectedly, Ruka remembered the far off past. Her actual father….. who had envied the vast supernatural power that Ruka was born with, despised her, and knowing that he could not steal it, used all methods available to seal it, imprisoned, and then poisoned her.
Even now, she had never felt so wretched as then.
…..It was already something of the far off past, over eighty years ago.
“…..But, if by any chance Shusui should escape….”
“Shusui escape from the ‘prison of time’?”
Ruka laughed within her throat. When she laughed…. her breath stopped. Even with the still young body of this priestess, even a single blink of an eye was becoming every day more troublesome.
“Rikka. You do not understand the ‘Prison of Time,’ or the true meaning of its existence since ancient days, although that has been twisted for a long time. If Shusui dies there, that will be fine as well. If she leaves—- I wish for that too.”
After saying this dryly, she coughed. Rikka flusteredly patted Ruka’s back.
She was faintly sensing something.
“Ruka-sama…. is it that you intend to make Shusui your next body?”
“If she becomes an invalid. Because I must still face that fool who is destroying the holy artifacts. How pathetic. If I had my original body, and the powers of my youth, one or two sacred objects breaking would be like nothing…..However, in these eighty years, nearly everything…. has been used up. It’s empty.”
Ruka smiled self-derisively.
The snow which should not have been falling was falling.
Up until now, she had not thought that her own power was waning. Perhaps she had been too overconfident.
“Ruka-sama…. what is it? I had heard that the mirror that was broken in Nine Colors Cove was not the real sacred mirror.”
“That’s right. However, after that, a fool broke the ‘real thing,’ it seems.”
Rikka, who was pouring hot water, crumpled her face as though she were about to cry.
As Rikka had said, the mirror the ‘Black Wolf’ had broken in Nine Colors cove was a mirror used for separating the soul, not a sacred mirror or much of anything. The ‘Black Wolf’ had broken it knowing that, in the course of the back-and-forth to weigh how far he would go for the king and his daughter and whether his ability was what it had been in the past. They both knew full well that this was akin to a declaration of war.
She had finally noticed that something was strange through the long rain. The way the report that the mirror was broken had been late had been damaging.
“….That’s what I’ve guessed. For me to be tricked like this, and be on the defensive up to now…… magnificent. Without even moving a finger, he’s driven me and the Hyou clan into a corner. To think that in this age like lukewarm water, than a man so willing to stop at nothing was born. I had looked down on him because he was young. If this were two decades ago, I’d have him be my lover. Really…. with age the workings of my head have become rusty.”
After her nemesis Senka had passed….. perhaps she had let her guard down. There was no way that there could be an opponent above Senka and Shou Yousen. [Note: that is, Shou Taishi. Yousen is Shou Taishi's personal name] Thinking that, perhaps she had taken him lightly. That the day that she would be made use of by a youngster not even knowing war would come.
She felt the flow of time. And then how she had…. certainly, aged.
“However…….I will not go yet.”
She knew that her power was flowing away with the vigor of a muddy stream. Ruka’s life, though.
‘My hime-sama.”
She heard a soft, twilight-colored voice from the far-off past.
The royal clan and the Hyou clan were like two sides of a coin. If one were missing, the other could not exist. Now that the sacred objects had been broken, she was ironically aware of how this was also true of the high priestess of the Hyou clan and the vice-director of the Cave of the Immortals.
If Ruka died of exhaustion here….. Uu Uu would also die. Now, the power which Ruka was controlling was all flowing to Uu Uu. Uu Uu no longer had the life power to even support that.
Ruka was annoyed at herself for thinking about this so carefully.
(……It’s not especially for Uu Uu’s sake. This is because it’s my—the Hyou clan’s role.)
She knew that like Ruka, Uu Uu was using his entire life force to hold down the door. The sacred objects and sacred grounds were like “keys.” Unless all were broken, it wouldn’t open, but if one or two were broken, it would open to that extent, and there would be a gap. Thus, with only one or two broken, Ran Province was flooded, and Heki Province had earthquakes.
Politics belonged to the ‘outside’ humans. In return, divine matters were administered by the Hyou clan.
That was the ancient contract.
….The snow which should not have been falling fell.
Until the final duty which she had to fulfill was over. As she had up till now, she would use whatever means necessary.
“…….Hah, the opponent is a clever fox, and will the way his first move is easy to read be the thing that saves us? Kou Shuurei is also moving as I have predicted. Then, the final roll of the dice …. it will be decided by who rolls, and how. Until then, I must remain here…. Why are you crying, Rikka?”
Rikka was drying.
“If I were a daughter of the Hyou clan, if I had supernatural powers…. I would give you this body right away.”
That straightforward awe and adoration, which she made no attempt at hiding…. made Ruka remember the distant past. A glance forgotten for a long, long time. What Ruka had protected.
“My hime-sama…..
A familiar voice from the far, far past. Even a memory which was buried….which she hadn’t tried to recall was awakening within her.
“…Rikka, do you know when the ‘Prison of Time’ was last opened?”
“No….but I had heard…. it was nearly a hundred years ago.”
“Correctly speaking…. it was eighty years back.”
There was a boy around five who had fallen splendidly, along with a foolish scream, while holding a red umbrella. Uu Uu.
While looking as if he were about to cry, he looked around in the darkness, and when he went straight to find Ruka, shone like the sun.
“Ah, there you are, hime-sama! Ever since you disappeared, I’ve been searching for you. Then I noticed I was lost, and I met a woman with a red umbrella…. She said ‘Hmm, a gentleman with only ‘love’ and ‘guts’. I’ll give you this umbrella. Although I had been told I shouldn’t take candy from strangers….—I’ve come to meet you. Let’s go back, hime-sama. Together with me.”
Let’s go back.
“The last one who was imprisoned there…..was me.”

Notes: The tree: this is the type of rope tied around the tree. These are the Paper strips Not very authentic, as this is Shintoist symbology rather than whatever I guess the Chinese equivalent would be. In general the supernaturalism of Saiunkoku feels way too Japanese to me.

Increasingly I don’t like translating ‘hime-sama’ as ‘princess.’ It’s not really technically correct anyway, as princess in Japanese really is 王女. (or in the case of an imperial princess 公主). I think I might go back and translate it as ‘my lady’ or simple leave it as ‘hime-sama.’ But then for the sake of consistency I would have to go back and re-translate all the previous appearances of the words. -_- Aw screw it, I’ll go back and change it later.

Commentary:
BTW, around a hundred pages are left. This section brings us up to around pg 150.

This part was short, because I try to divide the chapters by scenes, and the logical breaking point was here.

So we finally figure out what happened to Shuuei, and we meet a mysterious figure. Anyway though, the most interesting part for me was the revelation that in the past Ruka had been stuck in the ‘Prison of Time’ and that Uu Uu had gone to find her. XD When they were little kids.

Anyway, Ruka seems a bit…. tsundere here. ‘I’m not giving him energy because I like him! It’s uh…because…’

Also, as I was discussing with Gwinna in the comments earlier, the current age in Saiunkoku is rather soft. No wonder Ruka says it’s like lukewarm water. However, I’ve got to say that well, as unpleasant as the past of Saiunkoku was to live in, it actually sounds more interesting. Hence my desire for more Gaidens set in the past, haha.

Next chapter: More fun and games at the Hyou clan.

Notes: Horse-headed and cow-headed demons are the traditional guardians of the Buddhist hell.

On sendan: Sendan is actually a real tree, although I couldn’t find any references to ‘southern sendan’ when I tried to research it. Anyway, for more information about the plant, Melia azedarach, see here. I opted to simply romanize here for reasons which are too tedious to go into.

Commentary:
Hmm, in this section, what happens mainly is exposition about a bunch of people who aren’t even there (Ou Ki, Hien, Kouki). Not that I’m complaining, but if that’s the important part, then why are we even watching this? I know I’d at least like to see what Kouki is doing (heck, even Seiga). Anyway, so we finally find out about Hien-hime. I’m still guessing she died somehow. How, though, no one has conveniently explained.

There’s something about the Ou clan which is sort of different, it seems… however, as usual, even though this has been hinted at since volume ten or so, no one seems to wish to say it where the reader can see it. -_- Since it seems to be uh, common knowledge rather than some kind of secret, maybe someone could say it sometime?

Anyway, another interesting thing which occurs here is how Shuurei has changed as an official since volume eight. (As in the part about not worrying because all of the high officials are working to deal with the locusts) This is kind of an shift in the setting, that now things are not being moved by one person, but by the efforts of many. Before Shuurei was always doing everything by herself, but now it seems that she’s into singing Kouki’s praises and talking about how the other high officials are so dependable. Hmm, and Shuurei is conscious that this might harm Ryuuki’s status as king, but well, can’t be helped. Most of the time Shuurei thinks as though Ryuuki doesn’t even exist, and he isn’t really relevant to what she thinks of as the important functioning of the government.

Also, we learn that Shuurei’s grudge against the noble faction is pretty dumb. Damn, Shuurei is just looking stupider and stupider for not bothering to get a more sophisticated understand of well…. recent history.

Oh boy, so Riou Jr. (to probably his everlasting benefit) takes after his grandfather, rather than his father. XD

And oh mannn, Riou thought that Ruka committed incest with Riou Sr.?!?! 0_________o To even entertain the thought is incredibly disturbing.

This is over half of the book, BTW.

Next time: we go and see what Shuuei is doing.

While Ryouou looked at the direction in which Anju had vanished, he let smoke waft away. Ou Ki did not look.
“….Hey, Ou Ki.”
He sensed that Ou Ki was surprised. It seemed he had guessed that he was angry. That was spot-on.
Ryouou got in close to Ou Ki, so fast that his movement seemed instantaneous, and without saying anything, let fall his fist on Ou Ki’s head. This merciless strike burst, and Ou Ki saw sparks in his eyes. He hadn’t thought, having passed fifty, that he would end up being punched by someone. Put into an ill temper, Ou Ki raged at Ryouou:
“You’re hitting me even though I outrank you?! What would you do if my brains came out of my head and I left this world?!”
“Shut up, you fool! Even though Jin’s not guarding you, you’re letting your guard down. If I hadn’t come, you’d really have left this world. You bastard, wake up! If you upped and died on me, that’d be a problem!”
“I, I know!”
“Yeah right! You sent Jin to the Hyou clan! I can’t protect you twenty-four-seven like the old days. If I were to stop being Secretary of the Military, though, that would be another story. Even though I had been able to relax because Jin was protecting you.”
“The only one who could go was Jin. Also, only Jin could do it.—- And now is the only time.”
Ryouou opened his mouth while looking at the fallen leaves.
“…Before Anju said that Ruka is useless. And you said, there’s only now. —–Did you send Jin to the Hyou clan for that reason?”
He hadn’t let that go past silently. Quietly, he confirmed it. Let it go, only at a time like this.
“….Yes.”
“Really? I get it…. I get it.”
Ryouou said only that. In place of not saying it, he warned Ou Ki ‘I’m going to smoke,’ and once more packed tobacco into his pipe. Ou Ki did not forbid him to smoke as he usually did. There was the sound of a flint striking.
“….Fine, then. However, Ou Ki….. someday, Anju will kill you.”
No. He had a feeling that it wasn’t ‘someday,’ but that very soon that time would come.
Anju had countless times flown away from Ou Ki, but each time, he had come back. Though he said he hated Ou Ki, he would work for him. And, from time to time, try to kill him. Ryouou did not understand this at all.
“You have a reason for placing Anju at your side. Only…. yes….doesn’t he have a different way of thinking from you?”
After the silence, he had opened his mouth. The blows of the wind caused the beautiful hoops in his ears to shake, and made a pleasant jangling sound.
“Definitely, no matter what, Kouki would never betray me, but Anju is different. However, if he were to someday kill me, then probably—-”
Somewhere, there was the sound of a bird beating its wings.
A sudden gale blew, and the top of the large tree swayed.
Suddenly struck by this, Ryouou was absorbed in the tree and the bird for a second. It was a large white bird.
Although Ryouou had missed out on hearing Ou Ki’s words, he did not ask him again. It would have been fine if it was something he would have been happy to hear, but if not, that would be unpleasant. Ou Ki never took back his words, also.
He could hear the sounds of the footsteps of the guards coming from far off. Probably they were coming because Kouki was worried.
Ou Ki’s face transformed, from relaxedness when dealing with an old friend, to his usual face of a high official.
Sometimes Ryouou wondered whether the way he was living in this castle, along with Ou Ki, was happening in someone’s dream.
He and Ou Ki had both survived that battle, and at that time, he had not imagined that they would be past fifty.
“Come to think of it, the years have passed. For both of us.”
“….Yes. Living this long. Howver I look at it, I want to see a good world. From here on out, we’ll see whether what Hien did—-was wasted or not.”
At the name of Hien, Ryouou narrowed his eyes, and gazed at Ou Ki’s slightly tired profile.
There was something he wished for, even enough to part with his beloved only daughter.
And it was not only Ou Ki. Everyone had so, and now, was here.
Looking at some far off future, more than what they loved.
….That to, would very soon be at an end. Ryouou hoped that it would end well. With the least amount of damage possible.
“When you said you’d go yourself, I remembered that o-jou-chan around that time with Sa Province. Influenced by her? If that o-jou-chan in the Censorate was here now, she’d be the first to say she would.”
Ou Ki did not confirm those words, but did no deny them either.
Too bad, Ryouou muttered.

….Even after Ou Ki had left that place along with a guard, Ryouou idled around there. He blew smoke, and then looked at one of the trees. There was a man there, who had, like Ryouou had flown to OU Ki, come to protect Ou Ki. Although both Anju and Ou Ki hadn’t noticed this.
“….How about coming out? Actually, that was splendid, but at this distance, I’m better. I heard about you from Jin. Even if you hide, it’s meaningless….. Show your face and let me thank you, Kou Shouka.”

****

Kouyuu quickly went every day to the Shoukei Palace located in a part of the Inner Palace.
The Shoukei Palace was the palace where the Censorate had chosen as the site of Yuri-hime’s confinement, and even after Shouka had sworn his allegiance, Ki Kouki had not released her from being the Kou clan hostage. Shouka and Yuri had also decided for the time being not to get her out by force. Though Kouyuu was also under suspension, he could go to the Shoukei palace if he used the pretext of looking after his adoptive mother. With Seiran, Suou, and Jyuusan-hime’s help, it was also easy to gather information about the court, and after Shuuei had gone to the Hyou clan, Kouyuu had been concentrating nearly every day on gathering various pieces of information, using the Shoukei Palace as a base.
“Ah, there you are, Kouyuu-san. Brought you today’s record of the morning court session.”
When he entered the usual room, Suou and Seiran raised their heads. It seemed that today Kouyuu was the last.
“Thanks, that helps. First let me see it.”
Observing the meetings was also one of the Censorate’s duties. Suou, as a censor, could freely look at the records of the court meetings. Making use of that, Kouyuu and Seiran looked through the court record every day. Today, also, when he picked up the record and skimmed it, as expected, it was mostly Ou Ki and Son Ryouou who made the meeting advance.
“What’s this, Ou Ki-san and the Military Secretary got all the good parts.- After that, Prime Minister Tei. Anyway, today the king was especially bad. What he said, was pretty much ‘leave it to Prime Minister Tei,’ eh?”
“….It’s because the right to command the military was given completely to Ou Ki-dono. There’s nothing to be done. Ever since the king directly ceded all authority concerning the locust plague to Ou Ki, I had thought this would probably happen. If he had given all authority dealing with the locust problem not to Ou Ki-dono, but to Yuushun-sama, then I think the story would be different….”
“Eh? Ah, really? Then it’s cause then Ou Ki-san would be under Prime Minister Tei?”
In that case, Yuushun would continue to hold the final authority, and temporarily lend Ou Ki the right to command the military. He wouldn’t be able to hold the right to totally command the army. Simply by that alone, the impression it would leave would be fairly different. It couldn’t be helped. It was said that interpersonal negotiations were a matter of experience. However, Ryuuki had spent his childhood without hardly ever meeting people, and after that, Kouyuu had ended up directing everything.
“Even the Kou clan can’t do something about the locusts?”
“…..Looks like it. Yuri-san also said that only against locusts was it impossible to do anything. Up until now, it looks like the Ki clan, the top-ranking retainers of the Kou clan, handled matters relating to locusts…. I don’t know much about the Ki clan myself. Also, the last time locusts came to Kou Province was several decades ago. Shouka-sama and the others don’t have any experience either. We can only rely on the Censorate and Ou Ki-dono. Shouka-sama must have also told that to the clan….. Though, with that, Ou Ki-sama’s stock has skyrocketed.”
At those last words, Seiran’s brows narrowed tightly. Kouyuu rested his eyes on another point in the meeting.
“… Kei Na-sama is dead?! The acting Heki Province governor is Undersecretary Ouyou….. Yuushun was the one who nominated him?”
Kouyuu lowered his eyes as though deliberating for awhile, and looked at Ouyou Gyoku’s name.
“….. Thank goodness Yuushun-sama appointed Undersecretary Ouyou as Heki Province governor. If he didn’t, that person would sooner or later hand in his resignation to his majesty and return to Heki Province. Undersecretary Ouyou…… Suou, what about that other matter regarding the Heki Clan that I asked you about?”
Suou had a fair amount of liking for Kouyuu, because he called him by his proper name. He opened another scroll.
“Yes, I’ve mostly researched it. As you expected, from this summer, the Heki Clan officials have quit. But there are still a few left.”
With only that, Seiran had already seen something. He glanced at Kouyuu, and muttered ‘as I thought.’
“I checked using my connections with the former supernumerary officials— Looks like from this summer, the Heki Clan put out a feeler about leaving the court and watching things. But because Undersecretary Ouyou, and the son of the leader, Heki Hakumei, didn’t move, most of them were confused and didn’t do anything. But– what’s with that? Is there some odd reason?”
‘Yes. It’s clearly strange. All over.”
Seiran narrowed his eyes, and his face said that even though he was replying to Suou, he was thinking about something else.
“The Heki Clan is like Tantan-kun now. — They aren’t that shrewd of a clan.”
“You really haven’t changed!”
Kouyuu moved his glance from left to right. Actually, Kouyuu had also ended up thinking the same thing.
“They say too much, I’d like to say, but anyway, that’s how it is. The Heki clan is usually a clan which keeps aloof from politics. They’re also really awful at political bargaining. In spite of this, for them to give a political order like immediately having their officials quit and observing the situation when they saw the king’s reputation quickly in the summer…. that’s too uncharacteristic. Mostly, I can’t imagine the Heki clan gathering detailed information on the king and the court, and they don’t have officials with those kinds of positions.”
Though the Heki clan and their retainers monopolized the positions related to the arts and ceremonies, in the political center there was only about Undersecretary Ouyou and Hakumei in Civil Administration. He had noticed that there had been something strange about Heki Hakumei since that summer. Probably the order to return had come to both of them.
“Naturally, I also thought there was something strange about Undersecretary Ouyou. Someone had been giving information about the court to the Heki clan. Maybe strings are being pulled from behind the scenes. That’s why even if they had to disobey the Heki clan, their lords, they stayed.”
“Ah, um, so it’s like the same as the time with the Kou officials? There’s some guy who leaked information, and was trying to get the Heki officials to return home? So the Kou clan easily had all of them stop attending court and they all were fired, but the Heki clan didn’t fall for that? …..Then isn’t the Kou clan dumber?”
Kouyuu couldn’t speak. With Seiran’s glance of ice, he seemed to be becoming full of holes. Reallly Shin Suou had mercilessly, bluntly, and directly hit on all of the weak points.
“Ah, er, in other words, today even in that sense, it’s helpful that Yuushun-sama appointed Undersecretary Ouyou as governor….. With the current conditions, the only thing that could hold Undersecretary Ouyou back is being Heki Province governor.”
If Undersecretary Ouyou had then handed in his resignation, the Heki officials who had been wavering up till now because he hadn’t moved might all go to Heki Province en masse. Although there were hardly any Heki officials who were involved with the central axis of government, the problem was that it would mean that the Heki clan has abandoned the king and left. If that had happened around the same time as the matter with the Kou clan, then it would have been a great shock. Kouyuu was sincerely grateful to Undersecretary Ouyou and Heki Hakumei.
Seiran put a hand to his jaw. If the Eight Houses of Color were to soon withdraw, then that would mean collapse.
“The Ran clan, the Kou clan, and next the Heki clan…. And the timing is magnificent….. There’s an outstandingly clever fox.”
“….Seiran, I’m more worried about the remaining three houses. Whether it’s by accident, or planned,…. three unpleasant houses are left. Especially the Kou [Yellow] clan. When I look at the court record, recently Secretary Kou has hardly every spoken.”
Seiran looked at Kouyuu’s profile….. Finally it seemed as though his normal brain, which had caused him to be called ‘the first talent of the court’ had returned. If Reishin wasn’t there, then Kouyuu was unmistakeably of preeminent excellence.
“The Kou [yellow] clan, unlike the Heki clan, usually are monitoring the movements at court. The information network of the Kou clan is top rate, even among the Eight Clans. Currently, how they eeriely quiet, even under the current conditions, is worrying me. It’s as if this is within their expectations.”
Suou tilted his head. If the two military Haku and Koku clans got out of control, it would be bad, but he did not know much about the Kou clan.
“What do you mean three unpleasant houses? The Koku and Haku clans, alright, but the Kou clan control the merchants, right?”
“…Yes. But the Kou clan have a special nickname. For example, the Koku and Haku clans are ‘warriors.’”
Kou Province was known as the capital of merchants, and it was where the All Merchants’ Union had started. Although it was the smallest of the provinces, along with Heki Province, because it was a strategic point where brigades of merchants from all of the provinces were continuously meeting, its economic power rivaled that of Kiyou. Skilled merchants gathered, and great amounts of money and people moved around the land. The ones who managed all of that were the Kou clan. However, they also had another face.
“—-The other name of the Kou clan is ‘war merchants.’”
‘War merchants’, who appeared selling weapons at places where there was the scent of war. That was the true form of the Kou clan. In times of war, the Kou clan would quickly transform into sellers of information, and that was the meaning of them remaining silent up till now.
“Since the Kou clan has taken relatively quick steps, perhaps someone from the court has contacted them behind the scenes.”

After Suou had returned to his work at the Censorate, Seiran looked at Kouyuu, his arms crossed.
“….Kouyuu-dono, you had said earlier that he had helped, but what do you think of Prime Minister Tei?”
Kouyuu closed his left eye, and looked at Seiran with his right one. It seemed that Seiran had already entered Yuushun into his list of ‘clever foxes’ that he was glaring at. That was understandable. Kouyuu carefully, and honestly answered.
“His work as prime minister is perfect. That’s for sure.”
“For whose sake? Is it for the king’s sake?”
“…….What can it be? I’ve been thinking about this from the start. If you do that, there are some strange things.”
Kouyuu stroked the orb carved with the ‘iris.’ There was something he could do in place of the king.
“I’ve thought of some things…… When the opportunity comes, I intend to go and see Yuushun-sama.”

****

“….Son Ryouou-dono, up until this moment, I had snorted and laughed at the old story that you had in your younger years fought against King Senka, General Shiba, and General Sou at the same time, and crossed swords with them equally. I apologize for not believing. I hadn’t thought that the ‘Sword Sage’ of the Son clan, retainers to the Koku clan, who had been missing for some decades, would be working as a civil official in a place like this.”
After Ryouou had called out to him, there had been a pause. A presence was slowly, soundlessly seeping from the grove of trees, as if dye were spreading through a pure white fabric. Ryouou looked away sulkily at those last words.
“Wha? What’s this ‘Sword Sage’? I’m a mere ordinary commoner. I have noooo relation to the Koku clan’s Son clan.”
“If you were a mere ordinary commoner, there is no way you could have sensed my presence. I had intended to go back home secretly.”
Ryouou gazed at Shouka, who had appeared from the grove. He had heard he was the current ‘Black Wolf,’ but he was surprised to see this with his own eyes. It was because he had seen him always lazing around in the archives.
(…..Though, I think it would be easier for Ou Ki also if Kouki and Anju were also that lazy…..)
For some reason or another, in that generation, there were many twisted people who were hiding many things, not just one or two eccentricities…. Perhaps it was that they had been born in a gap between eras. It had been an age where during the turnings of the tide, many things which it would have been better not to see were thrust before one’s eyes mercilessly. Ryouou had already been an adult. However, Shouka and Anju had been children. It was totally different.
“Let’s both forget about what we’ve seen here. I promise you that, lord of the Kou clan….. Why did you come here?”
“….The same reason as you, Secretary Son. I was worried about Ou Ki-dono, so I came to find him.”
Shouka looked at the direction in which Ou Ki had left with a complicated expression on his face. It was as if he was seeing through Ou Ki and trying to bring back memories of someone else. Ryouou though that, come to think of it, perhaps Shouka had never spoken to Ou Ki. Normally, Ou Ki was being guarded by someone, and so there was nearly no opportunity for the likes of the master of the archives to get near him. Even if he had wanted to speak to him, gazing at him from afar was the best he could do. For the head of the Kou clan, that was another matter.
“Right now they don’t look like each other. Ou Ki’s older sister was a beauty. Up until his twenties, there was a slight resemblance, though. —Hey, Kou Shouka. Why did you kneel to that kid?”
Shouka turned towards Ryouou with a start.
“You dislike it that I have presented his highness Ryuuki with the seal and loyalty of the Kou clan?”
“Rather than that, I simply find it mysterious. You must have also realized. That boy still isn’t even king. —-Then I’d like to ask the reverse. So, why won’t Ou Ki do?”
What happened here would be totally forgotten. That was why Shouka also decided to tell him.
“….then, I will also answer honestly. I did not kneel to Ryuuki-sama thinking that he was suitable as king. That may be the nature of the Kou clan. I kneeled to Ryuuki-sama because I wished to. We hardly ever kneel to anyone. So, up until those few opportunities, we don’t make calculations of profit or loss. For the Kou clan, love and loyalty are the same. Before matters of fitness as king, etc., I believed that I needed to protect him, and though that alone I find that there is value in serving Ryuuki-sama.”
Ryouou looked down on Shouka as if the scales had fallen from his eyes. So that was it. He felt that he understood the inexplicable actions of the Kou clan, which had up till this moment been a mystery to him. Ryouou smiled in amusement.
“…Hmmm? That’s cool. I don’t hate it. Especially leaving out profit and loss. But protecting, exactly what is that? You said that whether he’s got what it takes to be king doesn’t matter to you. Are you saying you intend to protect Ryuuki-sama’s throne to the end, even if he’s a foolish king? Or Ryuuki-sama?”
Ryouou’s questions were sharp, merciless, and hit at the heart of the matter. Magnificently. He could appropriately parry them, but after thinking a bit, he decided to answer honestly. After this, Shouka would see how far Ou Ki and Son Ryouou were going to go, and so would Ryouou as well. Both of them were only putting this into words.
“….Ryuuki-sama. Anyway, now.”
“Now?”
“Ou Ki-dono may be able to act much better as king. That I acknowledge. He is popular, has experience, and a strong will. He’s also always thinking of this country. Looking at Ryuuki-sama, he probably can’t help but feel impatient. If it’s now, then probably there will be the least amount of damage. That I also know. I will be Ryuuki-sama’s ally until the end, but what I want to protect is him, and not his throne. But—”
Shouka tilted his head, and looked at Ryouou with a puzzled gaze. It was as if he was trying for the first time to grasp something vague within himself. Finally, it wouldn’t take form. However, Shouka put what he had always been thinking deep within his unconscious mind to words probably for the first time.
“….But, if the time when Ryuuki-sama can find what he lacks comes, I have a feeling that Ryuuki-sama will be a better king than Ou Ki-dono…. Whether that day will come, or whether it will be in time, is another matter.”
Son Ryouou’s gaze suddenly became hard, as if it were filled with killing intent.
“….Oho? That young master more suitable than Ou Ki? How? Tell me!”
“No, as for ‘how,’ right now he’s not, so I have no way of saying it? It’s about at the level of a suspicion.”
“This guy. What’s this playing the fool? Interesting. I’ve taken a liking to you, so become our ally!”
“Wha?! There’s no coherence to this person at all! Didn’t I say it was impossible?”
It was annoying. However, frankly, although they were enemies now, he had come to like him also. Whether it was among the noble or national exam factions, among the civil or military officials, Son Ryouou was respected and liked.
“Hmph, if Anju was here, he’d kill you, no questions asked.”
“With you, it is different, but if I am up against Ryou Anju, I’m the stronger one, so I’ll be fine.”
“—-Ah, I’m relieved. Protect the king. Like you came flying in straight away to protect Ou Ki, we don’t want to kill that young king. As you were worrying, if Ou Ki were to die now, that would be irrevocable. War would break out in this country. Guys who worship Ou Ki are scattered throughout the country, and they’ve started to take up important positions in every place. I’m not joking. But war isn’t our real aim. We’ll make him step down. Until then, protect the young master. ”
That was what he declared.
Shouka’s thin eyes, while bringing about an uneasy presence, then opened.
“……so you’ve said.”
“Yes. And it was I who said it. Not Ou Ki, don’t forget.”
Ryouou turned over his pipe with a flowingly elegant gesture, and let the ash fall.
“….I’ve always wanted to see Ou Ki’s country. When I close my eyes, I can see what kind of land it would be, fresh and clear. But have you wished to see Ryuuki-sama’s country? Can you imagine it?”
“———–”
Shouka could not say anything. Even at this most crucial of times. That in itself was an answer. Ryouou smiled.
“We waited. Isn’t that right? The one who wasted a lot of time for his own sake, and then betrayed all expectations, was that boy. The locusts are only one item on the tab. From here on out, many more will come. Does that young master have the resolve to pay every single one of them, and lead the way to a country greater than Ou Ki’s? I’ll say this, if he runs away this time because he’s suffering like he did to Ran Province before, —–It’ll be the end.”
Before Shouka could say anything, Ryouou’s expression softened.
“….I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to protect Ou Ki. That someone like you is on that side, is a great help.”
Although gentle, it was a sudden severing blow. In other words, the conversation was at an end.
Both of them understood this.
Although it had gone on and on, the fleeting—- and also artificial time of peace was at an end.
…….Very soon, the curtain would rise, on either a beginning, or an ending.

Notes:
Anju and his ‘price’: This is a very confusing passage, and I apologize in advance if I have made any errors. It’s kind of logically confusing, anyway.

Commentary:
Just to start things off at the bat, I am as clueless regarding Ryou Anju’s behavior in this scene as most of you. XD (Well, I have no idea if you guys are reading these commentaries) Actually, because Ryou Anju appears in the later books, and because he doesn’t appear in that many scenes, I’ve actually managed to translate most of the important scenes in which he appears, so if you read my translations, you should have a fair grasp on how he’s appeared in the books so far. Anyway, I shall be very cross if the author doesn’t go some ways towards explaining what the heck Anju is up to in the next book. Also, that is one murderous duckling, just saying.

Ou Ki is also very inexplicable here. Why he keeps around someone who keeps trying to kill him is vastly mysterious. I understand Ryouou’s smackdown of Ou Ki though. XDDDD

Well, this is the extent of Seiran’s actions in this book. Suou and mostly Kouyuu’s as well (there is like a very short scene late where he starts to meet Yuushun). This scene was thankfully easy to translate, but was mostly expositionary and serves to clarify what Riou Sr. said earlier. It seems like Seiran has already decided that Yuushun is untrustworthy, but Kouyuu is keeping an open mind.

If I were the Kou (Yellow), Haku, and Koku clans I sure would be causing trouble also, because they’ve all totally gotten shafted as far as spotlight in the story goes. Haku and Kou (Yellow) province have been entirely ignored, and all of the clans have only had one member show up, who really doesn’t do much in the story. The Haku and Koku clans have been sadly ignored, probably as a result of Saiunkoku being at peace (up till now) and this being a story emphasizing the civil, as opposed to the military side of the government. (Also, the tourism bureaus of these three provinces are probably upset because the story is hardly ever set there, except for parts of Eigetsu’s past, which paint Koku Province in a bad light, as some kind of cannibalistic impoverished hellhole filled with violence)

As for Shouka’s conversation with Ryouou, one could say that it’s kind of a problem for a king when your strongest ally doesn’t even think you’re suitable for the post. Anyway, this was one of the best scenes in the book, though. (Though IMHO the best scene is yet to come) I’m developing a liking for Son Ryouou, which makes me sort of nervous, because I kind of suspect that he’s not going to make it to the end, especially since he’s adopted the role of Defender of Ou Ki. (A job made harder by Ou Ki’s somewhat questionable survival skills)

So we do get the confirmation here that Ryouou (and probably Ou Ki) are not particularly seeking Ryuuki’s life, only his throne. Actually, if I were Ryuuki, I think I’d get outta town before Anju decided to try assassinating me, given that he seems to be so murderous he’s prone to strangling his boss. (I mean, most of us have days where we want to strangle our bosses, but we don’t actually do it, ahahaha)

The amount of tension in that place’s atmosphere increased.
Already reports had come that the harvests in Heki Province, the origin of the outbreak, had been generally completely destroyed throughout the area. If they did not do something, that winter, it could be seen that deaths from starvation would exceed those from the earthquake.
Of course, it was the same in Kou Province. The people of Kou Province, especially, where the flying locusts, like a black storm, had eaten up all of their harvest, not leaving a single stalk, would not agree to release their remaining stores to the other provinces. Shi Province as well, for though now the grasshoppers were flowing towards Kou Province because of the direction of the wind, it was only a matter of time before the direction changed.
However, Ouyou Gyoku needed to say it anyway.
“In Heki Province, the site of the outbreak of the locust plague, there was no time to deal with it, but there is a possibility that Kou Province and Shi Province have preserved some supplies. Especially considering Kou Province’s production, of which even a tenth is equal to several year’s worth of Heki Province’s. —However, even in that case, do you think that Kou Province has any intention of sending food supplies to Heki Province? What about Shi Province? Supposing that the Kou Province governor replies that they have no extra supplies, I would like to clearly ask here and now, what position the central government will take with regards to Heki Province.”
Ouyou Gyoku said this dispassionately, but word by word, his speech echoed clearly around the place.
“Before, Secretary Son said he would go and support the people. Until when will that be?”
When it became winter, the locusts would hibernate to survive the cold. But, in Heki Province, there were no food supplies which would allow the people to survive the winter. Since the warehouses of grain for the annual tribute had been invaded from the cracks, the doors were opened, the swarms of grasshoppers would strike and put an end to them, even next year’s seeds for planting had been eaten up. Now that Kei Na had died, if Ouyou Gyoku did not snatch something here, then the people of Heki province would only fall dead one after each other like withered trees that winter.
Ouyou Gyoku looked around the place with strong eyes, which he had never had before. Everything had fallen onto his shoulders.
—He could not back down.
“Enduring is fine. If you say to support them, then I shall do that, even at the cost of my life. However, that is if there is a guarantee that if I wait aid will come from the central government. Thus, until I receive clear evidence, rather than empty promises, I have no intention of moving from this spot. I’ll say this in advance, please do not give ridiculous after-the-fact answers like ‘it depends on Kou Province,’ or ‘it depends on the locusts.’ What I am asking is, what measures does the court intend to take. Right here, right now, I would like to ask this.”
It was a question which mercilessly struck to the heart of the matter, without allowing a single escape route.
Ouyou Gyoku glanced around the place, and then finally, for an instant, looked at the king. With emotionless, inorganic eyes.
Ryuuki’s vision violently wavered. What he was truly waiting for, was not the answer of the court. He felt that everything was packed into that instant. In spite of his, however, Ryuuki could find no answer. Not a single one. It was as if he was wandering in a thick fog, where he could not see a few steps in front of him. It was to the point that he could no longer recall how up till now how he had easily given responses.
Yuushun waited only a half second longer than Ouyou Gyoku, and his glanced moved to the king. However, within that half second, the painfully heavy silence hung more thickly over the place, like a fog. Then, someone’s finger tapped at a desk.
“—I’ll do something, Ouyou Gyoku. That is my duty.”
Not somberly, not patronizingly, as if it were only one of the usual decisions. That tone, dispassionate, without much feeling, always sounded cold and unapproachable. However, with that one sentence, the heavy mass which had sunk into that place, was felt to have become lighter. Ou Ki once again spoke to Ouyou Gyoku, whose elegant brows had not relaxed.
“Before, the king entrusted the measures against the locust plague to me. Probably, I am the one who should be responding to our question.”
“….You said that you would do something.”
Ouyou Gyoku cautiously repeated this. He might have said this in a harder voice than was necessary, so as not to let down his guard before hearing the answer. However, Ou Ki would not lightly make some rash promise.
OU Ki nodded with an almost curt gesture, as if lowering his chin.
“Although Heki Province wasn’t in time, probably in Kou Province and Shi Province, the locust plague—although it is a battle with time—will not result in total destruction. At least, this year. Also, when it truly becomes inter, the grasshoppers will hibernate. The struggle is, up till then, how much of the harvest can be saved? For that reason, now, Sai Rin, the wife of the prime minister, is collaborating with the Bureau of Public Works night and day.”
“Wha?! The Bureau of Public Works? Hey, wait a sec, you drunkard Secretary! I didn’t hear anything about this?!”
Ouyou Gyoku’s eyebrows bristled with rage, and Secretary Kan eyes darted from left to right, as if he was uncomfortable sitting there.
“Undersecretary Ouyou, it was I who silenced Secretary Kan. One can’t say that you were completely calm about what was happening in Heki Province, and the more you knew, the more you would have lost composure. The impatience of those above directly fans unease. If you were to drive the officials in the Public Works Bureau more than necessary, it would become a problem. I told them not to tell you. However, now that you have become the governor of Heki Province, it is of course another story.”
“~~~~~~~~~~~~”
To be explained this in a logical manner was outlandishly irritating. He wished to fly into a rage, but he was by nature a logical sort of person, so although he wished to get angry, he couldn’t. He didn’t make any noises either. That he hadn’t at all seen that his superior, who was largely terrible at keeping secrets though his simplicity, was ‘hiding something’ was in itself a sign that his mind had gone sufficiently strange.
“I still don’t know to what extent the damage in Kou Province can be suppressed. However, no matter how much it is, I guarantee that there will be supplies for Heki Province. ….. Also, probably Kei Na has made some preparations somewhere.”
“Eh?!”
Son Ryouou began to grin, his arms folded, at Ouyou Gyoku’s cry of utter surprise.
“Yep. Calm down a little, Tama-chan. The governor of Heki Province was Kei Na. He was a weird old guy, but not just any old guy. He was a first rate politician. The vice-governor is still young, and he’s been seeing unexpected disasters over and over, and then the dependable Kei Na suddenly died. His mind must be already all mixed up. When I was governor of Ran Province, Ou Ki stubbornly told me to make them. Probably Kei Na also made them somewhere. Also, Censorate inspectors also were made to check on them on periodically during their patrols, and give guidance in maintenance, right? Kouki.”
“Ah, yes…. That was one of the important points when I became the head of the Censorate after Ou Ki-sama…dono. I had them perform checks periodically, replace them, and construct them step-by-step….”
Unusually, Kouki muddled the ends of his words, and glanced at Ou Ki in a troubled way, if only slightly. It was only regarding Ou Ki that Kouki’s usual insolent, cold-blooded attitude vanished. This time, Son Ryouou also stroked his jaw, making the same face.
“…Ou Ki, even if that thing’s like usual, will it be useful against the grasshoppers?”
At this suspicious whisper, Ou Ki irritatedly scratched at his temple. He averted his gaze slightly.
“…….No, honestly, I don’t know.”
“Wha?! You don’t know-?!”
“It was prepared some decades ago once, but at that time, a locust plague had not broken out. This time, to what extent it’s actually effective will be proven for the first time…. However, it should work. I went around to the south, and I confirmed it with my own eyes…… and there’s also corroboration from a separate source of information…..”
At those last words, his expression clouded slightly, but those who noticed it could be counted on the fingers of one hand. ‘”Regarding that, you should receive an explanation from the Censorate later. Anyway, even if Kei Nai made preparations, it must have been only at the level for addressing an emergency on a temporary basis. Aid from the central government is necessary. Since food supplies and materials from various areas were gathered in the public storehouses during the embargo, they’ll be sent out as aid.”
“……Probably it can’t only be to Heki Province?”
At Ouyou Gyoku’s gloomy voice, Ou Ki nodded straightfowardly.
“That’s right. Considering the current conditions, while sending them to Heki Province should be the top priority, it can’t only be to Heki Province. Because of the Kou clan’s embargo, the winter food supplies that would allow Koku Province and Haku Province to get through the winter are still blocked. The central government must move to send aid to the northern provinces, like it is sending aid to Heki Province. Since it is projected that Shi and Kou Provinces will receive great damage from the locust plague, the northern two provinces’ share must be for the time being dug up from the public granaries. The supplies for the armies sent to aid Heki and Kou Provinces must also come out of the public granaries, and thus, even if they use them conservatively…….As you are worrying, in no time at all, they will be empty.”
Although a wave of unease and disturbance rippled over the faces of the ministers, they could see it clearly.
While gazing upon this, Ou Ki rubbed at his temples lightly, with a blandly composed face.
“However, I will say that I have given considerations to numerous other possibilities. Because it would be troublesome if I were to raise strange expectations, I will not clearly explain them.　Because I, and probably also Prime Minister Tei, am thinking, other people may be influenced. The public granaries are not a safety net, but should be thought of as only a single recourse. There are other plans. Because I understand that Undersecretary Ouyou is uneasy, as the governor of Heki Province, afterwards he should ask the Prime Minister.”
As he was then the target of a whole wave of astonished gazes, Yuushun smiled wryly.
“…Ou Ki-dono…. you have already stirred up a sufficient amount of expectations. …. even though I still am not yet sure.”
“It can’t be helped. I didn’t intend to speak of this either…. Everyone, it seems you are shrinking like turtles more than necessary. That’s not good. If you do not more or less wipe away the inward facing thoughts and uneasy of this place, when I am not here, some lot who are unwilling to open the public granaries may emerge.”
At those last words, his deputy Ryou Anju reacted as if struck.
“…Ou Ki-sama! That is still—”
“Listen.”
Ou Ki cut him off short.
“I ask the high officials here to not mistake miserliness for prudence at this time of emergency. Beginning with the prime minister and myself, the high officials of all of the departments intend to do their utmost, and for that reason are acting. This is not yet the worst possible situation. It will be alright. I promise.”
Ou Ki had up till now hardly ever said ‘it will be alright,’ so because of that, those words rang out with a deep trustworthiness. The spreading unease calmed down.
“The public granaries cannot be opened at random. To say it in another way, I would like people to think that when the prime minister and the other high officials say to open it, it is because it is necessary. Aid to the northern provinces, relief to Heki Province, and the measures against the locust plague, they are all the duty of the court. Responding to all of that is our work. ‘We can’t,’ is not an answer to a single one of them. That does not exist. We must do it all. Food relief to Heki Province is one of those things, naturally.”
Ou Ki looked straight at Ouyou Gyoku.
“The matter of the locust plague has been entrusted to me. When I said I would do something, that was not a lie. That is my duty. Definitely, I will send relief in earnest. Before it is winter. Sufficient supplies, also. Until then, it will be alright. I entrust Heki Province to you.”
Ouyou Gyoku bit his lips. Until winter. Perhaps he truly should have been satisfied with that reply. It wasn’t an ambiguous answer, but one clearly punctuated with a time period. Before winter.
Then there was probably, within Ou Ki’s breast, some way of managing this. However.
“….I know that this is impudent, but I will speak again. This time, the heart of the matter is Kou Province, I believe. Depending on how the locust plague there is dealt with, negotiations with the Kou provincial government and the Kou clan merchants should change. The food aid to Heki Province probably also will greatly be determined by that. The locst plague has been entrusted to Ou Ki-dono. He is considering, I think, who to send to Kou Province. It will be up to that person. If he says to hold on until winter, I shall carry that out with all of my energy. However, I would like to ask, finally, who is it that you intend to send to Kou Province.”
There were some slight murmurs. Yuushun also suppressed a smile behind his feather fan. It was the same as saying if his intention was to send some mediocrity, he would stop what he was doing. In terms of age, experience, and ability, Ouyou Gyoku could not be compared to Ou Ki. There had been no young official who had the courage and will to keep facing off with Ou Ki head on.
Ou Ki did not become displeased, rather, he smiled as though he were in front of a national treasure.
“Your fears are just. The situation will greatly change depending on who is sent to Kou Province. It is natural for you to wish to know who is going. —–By the way, didn’t I say earlier ‘while I am not here’?”
After a second, Ouyou Gyoku’s eyes widened.
“….Could it be?”
“Yes. — I will go to Kou Province.”
A great uproar arose. Anju’s eyebrows knit together crossly. Ryuuki also raised his face as though he had been struck. That meant that Ou Ki would be absent from the capital for awhile.
“The disposal of the locust plague has been entrusted to me. I shall go in haste to Kou Province, and take command of everything regarding the locusts. As soon as I have prepared, I will set out for Kou Province. This will be the last time I come to the morning audience. After this, I will concentrate on my preparations for the journey. If there are any people who have business with me, they may visit at any time. I will give them as much time as I can. During my absence, my deputy Ryou Anju will preside upon all of the business of the Chancellery in my stead. I had said before that Ryou Anju could not be send to Heki Province for this reason.”
It was clear in one glance from Ryou Anju’s face, which looked as though he was tasting something unpleasant, that he was not completely satisfied, but even so, as if to show deference to OU Ki, he reluctantly nodded. Strangely childishly. Kan Hishou of the Public Works Bureau thought this was slightly unexpected. He had thought that he would be pleased to be liberated from his particular superior Ou Ki.
“Gentlemen, there is a mountain of many problems. Prime Minister Tei is young, but even I do not deny that he has resourcefulness and decision-making ability worthy of the responsibilities entrusted to him. When the situation is desperate, if the prime minister had decided something would be the best route, take care not to make light of it.—Then, while I am not here, I entrust the court to you.”
Everyone in that place felt as if their spines straightened at those last heavy, quiet words.
Undersecretary Kei gave Ou Ki a small bow full of respect, but when he looked around, it was not rare to see other officials bowing their heads. Considering Ou Ki’s rank and lineage, that was not especially strange— But suddenly, his back felt strangely cold. Something was out of place, he felt.
(Ou Ki-dono’s words now)
Wasn’t the one whose place it truly was to say to the ministers ‘I entrust the court to you,’ the occupant of the throne?
In response, many of the high officials had returned the courtesy. To Ou Ki With Undersecretary Kei, it was a bow showing both respect and encouragement for his journey, and no matter who else it was, he would have bowed his head with the same feelings, but really, what about the other officials? As expected, Yuushun and the secretaries of the Six Bureaus had not bowed, but rather than that being a solace, it in fact was occasion for unease. Were only they left now? It could be seen as that.
He looked at the king. The king was looking down, with a face as though he had been left behind, and completely out of the picture.
Undersecretary Kei realized something. He had said ‘I entrust the court to you,” but he had not said ‘I entrust the king to you.”

Notes:
Kyonshi: as discussed earlier, kyonshi are Chinese ‘vampires,’ although they’re really more like zombies or ghouls.

Ouyou Gyoku’s personal name is written as 玉, but in Japanese can also be read ‘tama.’ (Gyoku is the Chinese reading, tama the Japanese reading) Frankly, this kind of thing annoys me, because they’re supposed to be speaking something like Chinese, right? It throws me out of the story.

Commentary: I split this chapter into two parts, but it should be somewhat shorter than the last chapter. Well, with this I am ninety pages in. This took a long time to translate, because of all the exposition. Basically, the more people are talking, the more complex the exposition, the longer it takes. Actually, what REALLY makes it take longer though, is more idioms. If the narration and dialogue stuck to the concrete more, it wouldn’t take so long. :P

So finally, the court scene! Not that I don’t enjoy the endless dysfunction of the Hyou clan, but at this point, the court has more mysteries. (Yes, the court is more mysterious than a palace full of magic and ancient secrets) Actually scenes like this are one of the reasons I read Saiunkoku. I enjoy it mostly for the politics, intrigue, ensemble stuff, the influence of the past events, etc. Many of the topics and ideas, and sorts of characterization in this chapter are actually…. sort of out of the ‘shoujo novel’ (no, BTW, Saiunkoku is NOT ‘jousei.’ It says on the cover that it’s a shoujo novel)

The introduction of Kei Na is kind of odd, especially since we haven’t heard of him before. And I’m guessing that either he’s not dead (given that he seems to have a record of surprising non-deadness, it’s plausible), or this is a prelude to him appearing in a gaiden set in the past. Well, two more governors were introduced in this volume. Perhaps next volume we’ll get the rest of them.

I guess the three viewpoints from which this segment proceeds are Ouyou Gyoku, Kei Yuuri, and Son Ryouou. Interesting that the author didn’t try using other characters for this. It’s also interesting that these three characters are fairly unconnected to Shuurei, as well as to Ryuuki. Ryuuki doesn’t have much of a relationship with Ouyou Gyoku or Kei Yuuri, and this in itself does rather point to a problem. As for Son Ryouou, he’s obviously on the other side (being Ou Ki’s BFF and all).

In general nothing much changes for Ryuuki in this chapter, except that he becomes even more pathetic. I didn’t think it was possible, but the author is as always full of surprises. I don’t know what she’s trying to do here.

BTW, I am amused by Yuushun’s flaw as an official. XD He is tooo awwweeesome. Yeah, that’s one way to answer that annoying ‘what is your biggest flaw?’ question in job interviews. ‘I am too excellent, and some people have a problem with that.’ XD

Ouyou Gyoku has finally justified his large following in the Japanese fandom (Yes, BTW, he’s actually quite popular there). Though I thought he was going to ask for a unicorn to ride around on next.

Son Ryouou’s total ‘I am a totally awesome oyaji amirite?’ schtick is amusing, because he’s so self-conscious about it. (Though one must imagine that his speeches about how he is such an amazing old guy do get kind of tiresome. Indeed, at times Ou Ki seems to feel that way.) Also, note his pep talk/admonition to Ouyou Gyoku (and You Shuu); Ou Ki and co. seem to take care to worry about the next generation of officials.

Also, before you ask, yes, it is intentionally confusing what Ou Ki is talking about in the latter part. As I try to avoid excessively spoiling people within the translations, let us leave it at that.

While Shuurei was standing still, even though Shuuei had vanished into the distance, Jin tapped her head.
“O-jou-chan, maybe it’s no use tell you not to worry, but this alone I’ll say for sure. Of the four brothers of the Ran clan, the one with the best luck is Shuuei. He’s an optimist, so basically he can’t consider the bad side of things. Probably that draws luck to him. Always, he manages to pull through somehow. That’s why I left it to him. This way, no matter what state Shusui is in…. Shuuei might be able to do something. To put it another way, if Shuuei can’t do anything, then none of us will be able to either.”
Shuurei smiled. It was half forced, but also half certain.
“Yes…”
“Then, shall we be off too?”
“Eh? Go?”
Unlike Shuurei, who repeated this foolishly, Riou looked at Jin warily.
“….You asked ‘can we split into two groups?’ from the beginning.”
“Yeah. While we leave things to Shuuei, there’s a place I want you to show me to…. Even if you weren’t so wary, I’ll still keep my promises with o-jou-chan and Shuuei. It’s not especially that it would be bad for me if Shuuei were here. I just don’t want to waste time. I think it’s better than waiting here doing nothing.”
“…What place?”
“The research center where they say documents and research have been archived since the time of the founder, Sou Youki. Also called the Tower of the Hermit.”
Both Riou and Shuurei’s eyes widened.
“Didn’t I say that I had also been given orders about the locusts? I heard that the basement level can only be opened by an upper-level priestess, but I’m fine with going as far as we can go. I want to confirm in the materials about locusts.”
“Ehhh? Then we really aren’t free to sit around! Of course, I’m going too!”
Riou had also thought that, but now he thought it inherently suspicious.
Jin knew far too much about the Hyou clan.
The existence of the Hyou clan’s research center itself was not especially a secret. According to Ruka’s basic policies, if needed, ‘outside’ people would also be allowed to stay in the famous grand library. However, that had happened before Riou was born.
Now, only very rarely did “outside” people visit the Hyou clan. One could say that it was nearly impossible to know the details about it. In the Department of the Cave of the Immortals, there was the basic information, but if you weren’t an official of a sufficient level, you couldn’t see it, and also, you needed the permission of the chief official, Riou, or Uu Uu, to browse.
“….How do you know so much about the Hyou clan? Even though it seems as though your mother was someone of the Hyou clan, this must be the first time you’ve come here.”
“Huh? This has nothing to do with my mother. I’ve never met her either. Before I came here, certainly I did look up some information, but mostly….I asked someone who knew.”
“Someone who knew? The knowledge of the inner workings of the Hyou clan?”
Jin stroked his jaw, as if he were puzzled.
“….I can’t say it yet. Only, it’s someone connected to you.”
“Me? ….There’s no one I know ‘outside.’ Before I went to Sa Province last year, I had never left the Hyou clan.”
“…..Well, right now that’s enough. What will we do? Will you show me there? If you don’t decide quickly—it looks like some troublesome guests will come.”
While Jin drew ‘Bakuya,’ he lightly picked Shuurei up with one arm and threw her behind his back. Small blades clicked against the corridor where she had been only a half-second before. Shuurei looked at that, while she was being carried by Jin, and then looked up into the sky. The black clothed people were familiar, the “Assassin dolls” who had worn the form of Jin to kill Shuurei.
“Eeeyyaa, they’ve come!!! Jin-san, that’s them! Thanks for guarding me!”
“Yes, yes, understood. Mm, this reaction to being ‘protected’ is refreshing. Hotaru would come flying towards them, saying ‘Don’t underestimate me! Yah, come and get me!’”
Jin flew into the garden. There was the sound of snow crunching. The continually falling snow had begun to fall hard, and showed no signs of stopping. When it hit her cheek, it melted, and flowed down like tears.
Although the high peaks around them were covered with snow, yesterday it had only been at the level of a passing breeze from the mountains bringing a slight bit of snow, and in the gardens there had been only red leaves. But in an instant, it had turned into a winter landscape.
(…This is evidence Ruka-san’s power is weakening…)
The maiden who had continued to protect the Hyou clan alone.
There was no time. Shuurei suddenly sensed that. For Ruka, it was already…
Even though she had had to expend precious power and time, that lofty maiden had come to visit Shuurei.
She was a beautiful, dignified, intelligent person. She couldn’t have come simply because she wished to see Shuurei. Nor was it for her own safety. There was something more than that. She couldn’t help thinking that.
Ruka was—-waiting for something. Before the important things she was supporting collapsed completely. The reason which had led Ruka into shaking awaking the drowsing Shuurei, and healed her.
“What is your real goal? You’re obeying someone, not doing this on Father or Aunt’s orders.”
Riou was unsure of whether to pull the short sword he kept for self defense, and then stopped. Against several “Assassin Dolls,” it was better to concentrate on running away. It was wiser to leave the fighting to Jin and make a break for it.
“Damn….letting us move around as we please is a problem for ‘someone’? Don’t mess around. This is our house! ….Wha?”
Jin had suddenly thrown Shuurei towards Riou. Both Riou and Shuurei were astounded.
“Argh! It’s cold! Hey, wait sec, Jin-san?! I’m not a ball!–”
“Sorry, o-jou-chan, These guys are bothersome, so I’m going to clean them up. Riou, look after her.”
Riou was yelled at Jin while flusteredly supporting Shuurei with both arms.
“—Don’t kill them! They’re also people of the Hyou clan.”
Jin smiled slightly, as though relaxing one cheek.
“…Got it. I’ll just knock them cold for awhile. Wait over there.”
They might have had skill as assassins, but to show their forms meant they were no match for Jin. He tried seek refuge under a tree in the garden which didn’t have too much snow on it while embracing Shuurei, but Shuurei pulled his sleeve with all of her might while putting a hand to her forehead.
“Riou-kun, I’m asking you too, so please show me to the library! Although Jin is pretty suspicious, it can’t be helped now. Or is it that if Jin learns about the locusts it’ll be a problem?”
“No…”
Certainly, although it bothered him that Jin was suspiciously well-versed in the affairs of the Hyou clan, he had no objection to him finding out about the locusts. From the beginning, Riou himself had intended to go straight to the research building after he left his father’s room. It was only because Jin had said to go there before that that he had begun to have strange suspicions.
“…..I don’t think so. The great library is not really a secret place, and as Jin said, the top-secret information can’t be accessed except by an upper level priestess. I can’t enter either. On the other hand, even we could read those secret things, right now my aunt has sealed everything, so we would be unable to take them out.”
“Then it’s decided, let’s go. It’s a place that you and I have got to go, as soon as possible. Also, it was that way from the start, and however you look at it, it doesn’t look like we can go without Jin.”
That was right. Ran Shuuei had left Jin, foreseeing that this might happen. Riou had some skill, but it wasn’t enough to be able to fight against an accomplished assassin. Since it would be bothersome for Jin if Riou and Shuurei weren’t there, he would probably protect them, and truly, there was nothing to complain about in his strength. If he weren’t there, they would be in trouble.
“….I see. I’ll go. The necessity of researching to what extent we can do something about the locusts is absolute. It’s alright if we go…. but what did Shiba Jin really come to do? You and my aunt….might be one of his goals, but it can’t be that alone. Doesn’t it look like he knew about the locusts in the first place, and then came here for that?”
Shuurei had also thought for a long time about why Jin knew so much about the Hyou clan, his reasons for coming there, and what he was doing when he would sometimes disappear alone. Actually, she might have guessed one of them. However, it was truly a bizarre idea, so Shuurei had decided not to say it and keep it to herself.
“Hey, you two. It’s over.”
When Shuurei poked her head out from the shrubbery, the assassins had been tied up and placed on the side of the corridor. Also, he had chosen a spot where the snow wouldn’t gather. A conscientious person.
“….Then? Have you come to a conclusion? Are you going to show me to the library?”
Shuurei and Riou looked at each other for a second, and then both nodded.
“We’ll go.”
“We’ll go. Because if you’re not a person of the Hyou clan, or someone who has come with my aunt’s permission, you can’t enter.”
Suddenly, ‘Bakuya,’ which Jin was holding, rang. It shook a little bit from that noise like a bell ringing.
Riou stared at it.
“….it is resonating with ‘Kanshou.’ It looks like Ran Shuuei… has entered the ‘Prison of Time.’ But for it to ring like that….it isn’t an ordinary jail?…. There must be some strong spell placed on it. ….But if we only worry here, we’ll waste time. —- Let’s go, I’ll show you there.
Riou stepped with a crunch on the gathering snow, and turned on his heel. There was the sound of snow falling from the red leaves.
When he looked up into the sky, the snow hit his face in tiny grains. Riou had no memory of this kind of great snow out of season. This place was always serene, mysteriously elegant, and although sometimes cold, beautiful.
(…..Aunt)
He felt for the first time he had understood what his aunt was protecting. This protection which he had accepted as natural.
If his aunt were not there, he would not even be able to live properly in this coldly beautiful hometown.
Possibly, within the clan, perhaps Riou had understood this the least. His aunt’s grandeur, and the value of what she was protecting. Why did the clan obey his aunt unconditionally? Perhaps it was Riou who had not understood, that it was not Ruka’s great power, but that she, no matter in how twisted a way, protected the Hyou clan, and accepted those who had no place in the ‘outside’ world.
The power of his aunt, who had formerly wielded it so thoroughly, was now truly weakening. He now realized at this late time, that he had never thought that such a day would come.
Something would end.
(Before that….to my aunt…to that person, I)
—He had to meet her.
Up till now, Riou had not even once wished to meet his aunt. She had reigned, arrogantly, self-satisfiedly, naturally not doubting her own righteousness, like a queen of ice. She had accomplished many things, but she had also calmly thrown Ren away. That was why Riou did not even have any expectations of love or kindness from his aunt. His aunt had never had any expectations of Riou, who was a ‘man’ and had no supernatural powers, and thus she did not even treat him as an individual personality. He was only the child of her younger brother.
Definitely, he did not love her. There were many aspects of her which he could not acknowledge, or thought warped. Even so, that was not all that was there, so he needed to know. For his own sake.
Before the end came, despite his aunt protecting it.
“Riou-kun?”
At her voice, Riou slowly turned his glance from the melting snow to Shuurei.
….If something within him had changed, it was definitely not because he had gone ‘outside.’
It was because ‘outside,’ he had met Uu Uu, the king, Yuushun, Ou Ki– and this woman, had come across many ways of ideas and minds, and then sometime, within his mind, he had begun to think.
(….it’s probably the same with Shusui.)
A former “Assassin Doll” whose strings had been cut. While undoing the brainwashing over and over, and escaping, she was a ‘doll’ who had returned by her own will to the Hyou clan. That was not a strange thing.
She had spent twenty years ‘outside.’ Shusui had found out what was important to her, and then chosen.
(To return to this Hyou clan)
She had become a human being rather than a doll.
Riou pulled his coat which had been blown aside by the snowy winds around himself, and nodded.
“…let’s go. To the treasured place of research of the Hyou clan–the Tower of the Hermit.”

****

….A familiar, though long absent presence pushed towards her like a tidal wave.
Before, that power was so frightening, she could but only shiver and flinch before it.
Perhaps because she had been imprisoned for so long, that even the nerves which allowed her to feel fear had been paralyzed.
Within the darkness, Shusui slowly opened her eyes.
An enchanting beauty, inspiring fear and awe, shining to the point of seeming divine. A beautiful young lady.
Shusui smiled. She thought this time this might be a dream or illusion, as always. For her to be able to smile at ‘mother,’ should have been impossible. But, if it was a dream it would be alright. She whispered, in a hoarse, but certain voice.
“…..Finally, I am able to see you. ‘Mother.’”
Ruka looked down at Shusui with a cold gaze. From the ends of her hair, to the tips of her eyelashes. Thoroughly.
It was as if she was trying not to miss a single change within Shusui.
“‘Mother,’…. Sorry, ‘Mother.’ I saw the ‘outside’ world, and found many important things….found many things I wanted to protect….. Even if no one…..needs me…..I don’t mind. To me, they are, irreplaceable, beloved people, so it makes no difference.”
There was not a smidgen of change in Ruka’s expressionless face, but she had a sense that the cool atmosphere wavered. Ah, it must be a dream, though Shusui. Because, ther ewas no way that ‘Mother’ would have even the slightest reaction to her words. Even so, Shusui brokenly strung words together.
“I’ve come back…to protect….important things. I won’t run away, a second time…. From the Hyou clan…or from ‘Mother’… I definitely….definitely won’t run away.”
Suddenly, hot tears ran from Shusui’s eyes.
There had always been something she had regretted.
Twenty happy years. But sometimes, she had remembered the beautiful palace in the sky. The sacred wood, enfolded in obscure calm. The pale silver outside world, sealed by snow nearly year round. The deep fog and the cry of the cuckoo. The great lake, and the color of the sunset, enough to draw out tears.
Even though she had passed much time there as an “Assassin Doll,’ whose emotions had been sealed, not seeing anything, not thinking of anything, it had been a hidden palace beautiful enough to brand itself upon her eyes and soul.
Although she had journeyed all over with Shouka, the lady, and Hokuto, no place had left itself in her heart as much as this one.
She had left, and then returned, and then Shusui had realized something. She had made a long, long round-about journey these twenty years.
Despite how she had been treated, even though her memories were not very pleasant.
“This is…my…home. I’m sorry, for running away, that time… ‘Mother.’ I won’t run away again… no matter how hard it is.”
Ruka looked down on Shusui with a cold gaze.
An absolute will, which would not waver in the slightest, no matter what anyone said.
….Of course. Ruka was the empress who had ruled over the Hyou clan for eighty years through her vast supernatural power, while Shusui was originally a ‘powerless’ “Assassin Doll.” She had run away for twenty hears, so her time within the Hyou clan had been short. Even so.
“I will…fight with you, ‘Mother.’ To change things.”
“What foolishness. At least get out of this jail before you prattle about that.”
She suddenly sensed that Ruka’s scornful voice had fallen. Perhaps she was just hearing things.
“….However, you have been in this “Prison of Time” for over a thousand koku [note: ancient unit of time, equivalent to about 1/100th of a day]”
Ruka’s transparent fingertips tilted up Shusui’s small jaw.
“If you can do it, then try doing it with your all. You don’t have much time, though.”
Ruka’s vermilion lips touched Shusui’s.
She could feel her sweet breath flowing.
She felt the instant their lips touched, something—some hot mass like a bonfire, was blown into her, went down her throat, was forced into the bottom of her stomach.
In the next second, Shusui screamed. Or she intended to, but her voice wouldn’t come out. She was writhing in too much pain. It was as if a ball of fire was crashing around in her body, and her insides were going to burn up. She felt as if even her flowing tears were burning her cheeks, as though they were molten lava.
After looking down upon her with a cool glance, the presence of Ruka vanished.
“————–”

There was no one to hear Shusui’s voiceless screams.

Notes:
BTW, it should be noted that Riou doesn’t know whether anyone he knows has been thrown into the Prison of Time, but that doesn’t mean he’s correct that he doesn’t know anyone who’s entered it. [Sorry, this is to avoid later confusion]

Usually Shuuei refers to Shusui as “Shusui-dono.” Jin doesn’t use any honorific with her at all; he’s generally an informal kind of guy.

Commentary:
After the lengthy character exposition in the first part, now we have some more action. Not that it is very significant action, most of it, though. I think the problem is that the main point of interest in the Shuurei-Shiba Jin-Riou Jr group is the revelation of Riou’s parentage, but that is kind of disconnected from the action, and also, because the reader knows, or has guessed too much more than Shuurei. The stuff about Shuuei trying to find Shusui is more interesting, but that doesn’t really advance in this part. I guess the most interesting part here is Riou Jr sort of realizing he doesn’t really get his aunt. Also, more dysfunction in the Hyou clan. Shusui is apologizing for running away when she was like living as a brainwashed assassin as a seven or eight year old. 0_o

Anyway, next chapter we go back to Kiyou.

Shuurei opened her eyes.
She saw an old-fashioned ceiling, illuminated fully by pale blue moonlight. For awhile, Shuurei could not recall where this was that she was lying upwards sleeping, or what she had been doing up till now.
A one-eyed man entered her field of vision.
“Oh, are you up, o-jou-chan?”
“……—-! Gyaaaaah!”
Shuurei suddenly remembered that an assassin taking Jin’s form had led her out and tried to kill her, so she reflexively screamed and tried to run away. In a flash, her leg got caught in the bedding and she ended up rolling out of the bed and falling down, where she whacked her forehead against the floor. She also soundly hit her nose, so tears came out of her eyes.
“Ouch! Dam… You did that quickly, didn’t you, Jin-san!!”
“…No, I didn’t do a thing. What’s with the framing?”
Shuurei quickly looked around the room. … It was the room which Riou had originally prepared for her. Her memory was still somewhat disordered, but she remembered she had been in the room of the white coffins with Ruka.
Warily, she looked at Jin. No, in the first place, was this the real Jin? If this was also a strange spell, what would she do?
(Uhhhh, Uhhh, there must be some way of figuring that out—-Ah! ‘Bakuya’!)
They had said that an unskilled spell-caster couldn’t reproduce it, even in an illusion. Shuurei glared at Jin. Although she was glaring at him magnificently, as she was glaring hunched over, hiding in the bed, perhaps her appearance lacked some dignity. That that was better than being killed. She wouldn’t let anyone say that was a bit pathetic.
“Jin-san!! Please show me ‘Bakuya’! Ah, it’s not there?! You don’t have it?!”
“….No, it’s here. Look.”
Acting on the basic principle that one shouldn’t contradict mad people, Jin quickly unsheathed ‘Bakuya’ from behind his back and showed it to her. Shuurei recalled that, come to think of it, while General Ran had worn his sword on his hip, Jin had put his on his back. In both cases, that fit their versatile ‘really half-way size.’ The “Bakuya” which he held out to her looked like the real one.
(So then is he the real one?!)
Even so, Shuurei did not come out of the shadow of the bed. The memory of her talk with Ruka was gradually returning to her.
—There was an assassin sent by someone at court. First she would try a direct approach.
“Jin-san…. I didn’t ask your reason for coming to the Hyou clan. Did you come here to kill me?
She could see Jin smiling with one eye in the pale moonlight.
“…This time, it looks like it’d be good for me to answer. —No, I didn’t.”
Of course, there was no evidence at all that this wasn’t a lie. No, rather, what should she make of the way he easily agreed? However, Jin had not killed Shuurei up till now, and especially now, he could do it easily. At the very least, it was clear that he was different from the “Assassin Dolls” who had lured Shuurei out and tried to kill her without any hesistation.
Though Jin sometimes disappeared within the Hyou clan’s palace, he always came back, and he had often looked after Shuurei. Rather than targeting Shuurei, it seemed to be more like— although this was a strange way of putting it—he had made Shuurei his ‘base.’
“If you want me to get out of your sight, I’ll start going, then?”
Having said that, it seemed Jin was, as he said, going to leave right away. But Shuurei stopped him.
“—Wait a second, please!”
“You’ve changed your tune, o-jou-chan. …… So?”
“Umm. well, please… please give me a guarantee. Now and here.”
Jin smiled bemusedly and crossed his arms. With those words, it seemed he had clearly seen through Shuurei’s thoughts. As she had thought, Jin was incredibly clever. She felt this only very slightly, but probably more than General Ran. Even if their intelligence was the same, she felt the difference was in whether they used it or not. She suspected that Jyuusan-hime was the same, and possibly because those siblings had faith in their skills, or for whatever reason, both of them were the sort who would stake everything on a special attack which might get them killed.
“A guarantee, huh. I see. All right, let’s see. Up till what point do you want a guarantee?”
“—A guarantee that you won’t kill me until I can meet Ruka-hime once more. Also, if you can, please protect me up till that point. Until I meet Ruka-hime, please guarantee my life.”
Jin smiled. She probably wasn’t just imagining that there was the slightest strain in that smile.
“O-jou-chan, you really are smart. You proposed that knowing that I would definitely agree, right?”
“……Please say that clearly.”
“Ah, I got it. I’ll guarantee that. I’ll protect you, o-jou-chan, until you meet Ruka. Up until then, I definitely won’t kill you, and I won’t let anyone else kill you. I promise. So, come out.”
Jin grinned at Shuurei, who had truly poked her head out of the bed obediently after several seconds.
“Hmmm, so you believe my words? Even though you suspected me?”
“I believe you. General Ran said that you would definitely never break your word….—And, Jin-san, probably you came this far to meet Ruka-hime. But you don’t know where she is. You’re thinking that if I’m here, you’ll be more likely to see her quickly. That’s why from the beginning, you looked after me, and even if you went wandering out, you came back. Because I was the one most likely to come in contact wit Ruka-hime. So, until I meet Ruka-hime, just as I’ve said, you’ll stick with me, and diligently protect me, I think.”
Jin continued to smile, and did not deny her words. However, he carefully did not affirm them either.
“Hmm? Aren’t you going to ask? Why I’ve come here to meet Ruka?”
“…I’m not going to ask now, so Jin-san, don’t ask me either, please.”
“Even though you were so lost before, why is it that you are so concerned with seeing Ruka quickly? You said until I can meet Ruka once more. Could it be Ruka came to see you?”
This time Shuurei shut her mouth like a clam. If Jin was really the assassin that Ruka had implied had come from the court to seal her mouth, then Shuurei would have to, in the end—protect Ruka from him. However, if the contents of her conversation with Ruka were revealed, Jin would perhaps disappear. If she messed things up, then he might suddenly go “hehehehe, o-jou-chan….. so you’ve figured it out?” and strike her down.
“….O-jou-chan…. you must be imagining something strange.”
“I’m not! I don’t know anything, so please don’t ask me anything!”
“…..”
“……. But… I didn’t ask you anything now.”
Shuurei realized this herself, but she wasn’t at all cut out for keeping her mouth shut and hiding things. In contrast, Jin was fairly sharp. That was why especially, keeping silent was best—-in other words, she could only keep silent. If she seemed to ‘know something,’ then he could still drag it out of her. It seemed that Jin saw this, so he shrugged his shoulders and easily withdrew.
“…Hmph, so you’ve heard something from Ruka? Is it that you don’t want to be grilled about that? Well, alright. Since we both have things we don’t want to be questioned about, let’s try to seal the deal without delving into them?”
Shuurei climbed down from the bed as if crawling, and then put a hand to her spinning head. She sighed deeply.
“Thank goodness…. I’ve secured a guard…. With this, it may be a little better.”
“Better?! Hey, o-jou-chan, no way. I can’t let what you’ve said now pass. I’m saying this about myself, but you can feel some pride in having ‘Shiba Jin’ for your guard. Even though he’s not a cheap sword you can buy for money, the head of the Ran clan cooling kicked him out. [note: this is kind of confusing, because we still don't understand the circumstances behind Jin's parting with the Ran clan.] You should be more grateful.”
“…But didn’t you say that you weren’t ‘Shiba Jin’ of the Shiba clan that is the chief among the Ran clan retainers?”
“Hah. Even though I didn’t ask you right before. Ah well. Then, can I come closer?”
Shuurei flusteredly nodded, and Jin, who had dutifully not moved a step, came to the bed with large strides.
“Then, shall we start exchanging information? What happened when I wasn’t here? From that scream earlier, it seems that somehow ‘someone’ with my face was after your life.”
“….Yes. Somehow, I was lured into the middle of a squad of the ‘Assassin Dolls.’
Shuurei briefly explained what had happened after she had been lured out by the ‘Assassin Doll’ taking the form of Jin, up until she met Ruka. While explaining this, Shuurei gradually ordered her confused memory.
“….The ‘Assassin Dolls,’ o-jou-chan? So thinks are even more stirred up than I thought…”
Shuuei looked up at Jin’s fearless face. ….She had thought something from before.
“…Jin-san, before, you had leaked out some information to me. Probably, on purpose.”
“Hmm? So you noticed? Hahaha, well now.”
“….Why was that?”
Jin soundlessly smiled. Although he was smiling, there was a shadow somewhere, and she had never seen him smile broadly and guilelessly, like Ensei. But this time, he seemed to be more sad than usual.
“….Why is that? I have many reasons. But, maybe I thought ‘if it’s o-jou-chan, she may…’”
“Eh?”
“Maybe, you might be able to find the ‘method to make everything turn out well.’”
Shuurei remembered the first time she had met him in Kiyou.”
“….You said that before.”
“Yeah. It would be great if that happened, right?”
Those were words that Shuurei herself totally did not expect. She realized that they were unexpectedly coming from his mouth.
“Is there a person you want me to stop?”
Jin swallowed his breath, and then smiled bitterly. He recalled how before the “Black Wolf” had asked him ‘why are you doing this, if you have doubts?’ Really, they were parent and child. They resembled each other in how they would strike at the weakest point.
“………Well now. Actually, I myself don’t know.”
While Jin ruffled his long bags, he lowered his single eye, and quietly sighed.
“…..I’ve come this far while always thinking about whether it would be better to stop him, or not. [note: actually, no gender is given here, but probably this is a 'him.' If I'm wrong, I'll have to go back later and change it.] I’m still hesitating. I still don’t know what’s right. And so maybe that’s why I let it come out to you, o-jou-chan….. Maybe if I can’t do it, you might stop him.”
She did not ask who. Because even if she did, probably he wouldn’t answer now.
“Even so, Shuuei really is an idiot….. Never mind about Riou, but is there an idiot who would leave you here alone, o-jou-chan, under these conditions, and go running off somewhere? If I hadn’t slipped in, missing them, what would have happened? The way that guy goes to extremes is sad, though.”
“…..mmm? You say you missed them, so in missing them you came back?”
“Yes. The two of them were running out pale in the face, so I thought you might have been kidnapped, o-jou-chan. And then right after, I felt an incredible presence floating around near the room, so I waited a bit and came in, and I found you passed out and carried you to the bed. Well, anyway, when you’re ready, let’s go.”
Of course, Shuurei also had to find Ruka, and then meet her, but she was worried about Riou and Shuuei, who had set out because of the locusts. It was more urgent to deal with the locust plague. And measures against the locusts were the duty of the Censorate.
As if guessing this, Jin put a large hand on Shuurei’s head.
“Not to Ruka’s. First let’s go to Riou and Shuuei. I have something to do also. It can’t be helped. Although I don’t want to play it, I’ll show one of my cards. —-I was also given orders concerning the locust plague.”
“———-Eh?! You knew!? But, but…”
No, but General Ran had said he received information from Suou. Though right now when she thought about it she wanted to strangle Suou, while he had been traveling with her in Kou Province, Suou had known of the warning hints of the locusts. Probably, he had unmistakably sent Chief Ki reports throughout the journey .
(Wait. For Jin to know this, has Tantan’s report, the top secret information of the Censorate, been leaked to some ‘high official’? Gyah, why didn’t I notice? When I think about it, in the Jyuusan-hime assassination case, and when I was attacked with Seiga, wasn’t it that because the information of the Censorate was leaked out, they got there ahead of us?!)
Up till now, she had thought there couldn’t have been any leakage. No, maybe she had wanted to think that. If that big of a secret had gotten out—then it could only be Ki Kouki or Riku Seiga. Was that so? An entirely different possibility floated into her mind unbidden, but it was such a crazy possibility that she immediately dismissed it herself. There was no way that could be…..probably.
“Um….you said you had received orders.”
“Did I? If you’re ready, let’s go. Since they don’t know where Ruka is either, they probably went to his dad, Riou. That’s why they went leaving you all alone, knowing of the danger.”
“Ah….Yes, they said that. They didn’t want to let me meet him, so they left me here.”
“Well….I respect Riou’s effort, but he’s probably on a fool’s errand. With Riou [Sr.], it’s more of a waste of time than talking to Ruka.”
It was pathetic that she was asking Jin something like this, but since she thought continuing not to know was more shameful, she found the courage to ask. It was more pathetic not to be able to follow the conversation.
“Sorry, but Riou-kun went off in a state without telling me any details. Why is it that Riou-kun jumped when he heard about the locusts? The Hyou clan is a priestly house.”
Jin did not make fun of her. If it had been Seiga, he probably would have sneered at her magnificently.
“Yeah. No, your not knowing can’t be helped. For a long time, they’ haven’t come out to do anything but religious matters….Do you remember what I said before? That the duty of the Hyou clan suited you well, o-jou-chan.”
“Ah, um, certainly, that in times of battle or disasters, they came out and brought aid to….Disasters. Ahhh—?!”
“Yes. The Hyou clan was originally founded by the first generation head, Sou Youki, with the goal of aiding the weak. The cult of the Hyou clan during the previous period of great disaster [note: referring to the years of chaos before King Senka, during which Bara-hime was captured], was based on how the Hyou clan were the only ones to aid the people who had met with disaster in the fires of war, without asking for any reward. The previous clan head, the ‘miracle child’ appeared, and with his astounding healing power, in one burst the belief spread up to the nobility, so gradually he began to request money and power, it seems, though….. Anyway, the Hyou clan should be seen as number one in terms of gathering research and knowledge, on everything from medicine to disaster measures. Their principle is ‘to protect the people without fighting.’”
Shuurei’s face changed color instantly, and she clenched a fist tightly.
“Then, if that’s so, regarding the locusts too?…”
“Yes. There’s a possibility that they have knowledge and means not even possessed by the court or anywhere ‘outside.’ Also, the Hyou clan has been separated from the ‘outside,’ and has always been aloof from the chaos of war. In other words, unlike the ‘outside,’ important documents and research are not scattered by war and internal strife. Up until now, what’s been gathered over a thousand years should be left here. If we can make the Hyou clan move….perhaps we can stop the damage on a different scale.”
“—-Those negotiations are exactly what the duty of an inspector is! I’ve got to chase after him now! Really, why did Riou-kun leave me here? It makes no sense! Shoes, shoes!”
Shuurei immediately jumped down from the bed. When she had gotten down, she jumped, feeling the extreme coldness of the floor.
“Gyaaaa, it’s cold!!…. Eh? Was this room that cold?!”
While stuffing one foot into a shoe, Shuurei rubbed her arms. When she went barefoot near the bed, cold crept up through her legs, like a snake. Up until yesterday, she had not noticed this at all. It was like she had gone from autumn to the depth of winter in a flash.
“….Come to think of it…. that’s right. The temperature is much lower than it was before.”
Now that Shuurei had told him, Jin made a face as if he had finally realized it also. When he breathed out, it was white.
“It seems winter has come close all of a sudden….. Ooooh, I’ll go wearing some layers of clothes….”
“No….. this is strange. I told you before. This is a hidden palace right in the middle of the Banri mountain range, where humans still haven’t set foot. It’s inherently not a place where humans can live. All around us, it’s always deep winter, and it’s an alpine area covered with snow higher than my height. There’s no reason it would be suddenly getting cold like this at this point.
“…..Wha? The Banri mountain range…..this is in the middle of the Banri mountain range?! Those sacred mountains which no one since King Sou Gen has been able to pass, whose height itself is unknown?”
“….didn’t I tell you? Yes. It’s even more north than Haku Province and Koku province, which are the most northern tundra zones. So, the court can’t invade here. I say inviade, but there’s nothing to invade. You can’t live here.”
“Why did they deliberately build a house here? Isn’t it incredibly inconvenient? Ah, because it was cheap?!”
“….No— I don’t think it has anything to do with land costs or convenience. Seems that it’s probably that the first priestess Sou Youki made an agreement with her elder brother, King Sou Gen. I don’t know the details myself. Anyway, the temperature really is strange. Didn’t Riou say that the high priestess’s power maintains it so that humans can live here? She said she wanted your body, so maybe—Ruka’s power is waning….. From the beginning, there’s no precedent of someone being high priestess until her eighties. Because before that, they would replace her……”
Shuurei looked up at Jin after she had fastened the coat in front of her. Her breath had frozen white.
“…The next priestess is?”
“There isn’t one. Hyou Eiki had been the successor, but she ran off to the ‘outside,’ and so that seat has always been empty.”
Shuurei was shocked to hear the name of Eiki, who had helped her in the Sa clan. But come to think of it, the surname of that person had been Hyou.
“Eh, Eiki-san had been the successor? Ah, but Shunki-san also has supernatural powers….”
“…… it’s probably impossible, at any rate. If her power is at the level where Eiki can hide it, that means her power isn’t as great as Eiki’s. I heard that only having a little power is out of the question. And it looks like powers alone are also no good.”
Shuurei was thoroughly impressed by the volume of information he had answered with, as easily as an echo returning.
“…..Jin-san, you really are well-versed….”
“No, that you’re a censor and don’t know this level of information shows a lack of study. Especially since you’re in the Censorate, where you have free access to all the top secret info. If you had been interested and searched, about that much information should have dripped out easily, right?”
Hit in a weak sot, Shuurei couldn’t even groan. She couldn’t say anything in return. She had to study more.
—Ruka had said that she had to live on, no matter how.
Shuurei, who had glimpsed her past knew well that she did not use and destroy the bodies of the priestesses merely because she wanted to live and continue to maintain her immense power.
“….If Ruka-hime is no longer alive….then the Hyou clan will…?”
“…………Well now. The ones to decide that will be the Hyou clan. Not us.”

*****

Though it was dawn, the temperature had quickly fallen, and snow had begun to fall heavily.
The beautifully ordered garden was dyed white in a flash.
Riou narrowed his eyes, and gazed at the fleecy snow which had quickly begun to fall.
“–Father!!”
His son Riou came rushing in, as if he had kicked down the ‘door.’ Following him another person came rolling after, a youth whom he did not know. It seemed that this was the first time he had gone through a ‘door,’ and he was looking around his surroundings to clear his eyes.
“Wah?! How’d we suddenly come out here, Riou-kun?! I’d often up till now tried to open that door while looking for Shusui-dono, but it never would open?! Actually even though I tried to break it open, it wouldn’t break. But even if I opened it, it definitely never could open into this huge mansion?!”
“What’s with trying to break over people’s doors without permission! This is something like a ‘passage’ in the shape of a door—- Father shuts himself in here, so it’s been made so that strange people can’t come in here.”
“Strange people?! Hey, is that your father, Riou-kun?! Why is he so young, and that face?! Isn’t he an old man?! If you had told me, for sure I would have come with my hair and clothes perfect!!”
“Why are acting like he’s a rival?! Enough already, you be quiet for awhile!!”
Wasn’t this embarrassing?! Riou left Shuuei muttering complaints, and ran up to his father. His father was looking over at Riou and Shuuei. Riou was feeling embarrassed enough for his face to burst into flames. Now and in the past, he had never played out this kind of comedy performance in front of his father.
“So, sorry for making noise.”
“Have you made a friend from ‘outside,’ Riou? This type of man is hardly ever found in the Hyou clan.”
Friend?! He was mistaken, but Riou wasn’t sure whether he should say that.
Riou [Sr.] looked carefully at the face of Shuuei, who had come near them.
“…The blood of the Ran clan is thick—-Someone of the direct line? That’s unusual. For a man of the direct line of the houses of color to come to this Hyou clan. Although often unmarried girls are sent here.
He had hit the bulls-eye by only seeing his face, and Shuuei flinched. However, really, if you took out the silver hair, he could only appear to be around his age.
“I am…. Ran Shuuei. Pleased to meet you, Riou-dono.”
As if Riou had lost all interest in Shuuei the moment he answered, he immediately turned his gaze towards his son.
“….Well? Did you bring me breakfast, Riou? Is it that time already?”
Shuuei was surprised. Really, he was like an elderly man. Inwardly, a strange feeling of superiority returned to Shuuei.
“No!!! I came because I have something to talk to you about, father.”
“It’s impossible.”
“I haven’t said anything yet!”
“Even if you didn’t say anything, I can guess.”
Riou [Sr.] sighed languidly. His silver hair swung and he opened a fan.
“….Uu Uu said something to you?”
“Yes, he did. So I’m asking you to please listen to me. ”
Riou [Jr.] clenched his fist, and looked into his father’s dark, void-like, completely emotionless eyes.
“There is an outbreak of locusts. Uu Uu requests that all the gates of the Hyou clan be opened. He said, open every one of them.”
“….And so what?”
“Please order the all of the Hyou clan temples to open all of their gates, and give instructions on relief to the nine clans! Please cooperate with the court, and release all of the information dealing with combating locusts plagues. Even by the danger standards of the Hyou clan, a locust plague is classed as a top level disaster. Even now—if it is right after the plague has started, we may still have some time. The damage can be stopped and kept to a minimum. Although I have no authority in the Hyou clan, you, father, are the head of the clan. The temples should all follow you. That’s what, father!!”
“…I told you, Riou. It’s impossible.”
While leaning his elbows on his long chair, Riou shrugged his shoulders, as if it were incredibly difficult.
“This Hyou clan is ruled by women. They will only obey the orders of the high priestess, who has the power. The one who has total control of the Hyou clan, the magicians, priestesses, “assassin dolls,” and the rest, is my elder sister. Although I have a degree of freedom, it isn’t to the extent that I can overturn my elder sister’s orders. It looks like you’ve been come back here after you were infected by the “outside.” This Hyou clan is a place where men don’t have any decision-making authority.”
“……”
Certainly, what his father said was the reality. Although his father was the clan head, up till now he had been largely indifferent ot clan matters, and he never engaged in anything. He knew that all important matters were decided by his aunt Ruka. Especially since the previous head had been a ‘man,’ had lost the political struggle with the court, the reputation of the Hyou clan had fallen into the gutter, and in the end, he had been purged by Ruka. He had also faintly sensed that the clan thought that if a man was in charge, the Hyou clan would decline. Although his father had been tacitly acknowledged as clan head, that was because he ‘did nothing.’ Everyone knew that he was simply there, and actual authority was in the hands of his aunt. That was why he felt secure. But, now.
“But…. even so, father, you’re the head of the clan?! In order of precedence, aren’t you the same as aunt?”
“The problem is, Riou, that the clan doesn’t think that. Incidentally, I myself don’t.”
For a thousand years, nothing at changed. They hadn’t tried to make it change either. It had been the clan itself, he realized, which had left everything to the priestesses of the clan. Yes, and Riou [Jr.] himself as well.
“Then, then please tell me where my aunt is! I will go—”
“You?”
Riou gazed at his his son carefully. Truly, he was totally different from how he was before. His son had been obedient like a doll, done whatever Ruka told him, and was, like many of the men in the Hyou clan, quiet and calm.
“If it can only be aunt, then I will go to where she is. If she hears about the locusts–”
“No, I think she knows.”
With a fan in his hand, Riou looked towards the snow falling and gathering.
“….She, knows?!”
“She should know. If something out of the ordinary happens, whether it be temperature, climate, changes in the land, epidemics, the harvests…. the temples will contact her. It’s possible to make predictions using astronomy also. I think that since it’s especially easy to know the locusts are coming by the change of the color of the grasshoppers, she should already know.”
“Sh,she knows, but Aunt isn’t doing anything?”
“She probably can’t. Don’t you think it’s strange that Uu Uu also can’t do something? Right now, it’s out of the question for my sister and Uu Uu as well. Probably she doesn’t have enough leeway to issue orders to the temples.”
“Wh-what do you mean?….”
Riou’s face froze. He had thought that something had happened within the Hyou clan, but—
“…It would be troublesome to explain. I’ll summarize the portents which came out before on the astrological charts and the eight trigrams, so listen to me. With that, you should be able to figure out most of it. Firstly, in Ran Province, quite awhile before, the trigram of water appeared. According to the information which came in before contact was cut off, from summer, heavy rain has continued to fall in here.”
The color of Shuuei’s face changed. In Ran Province, the ‘capital of water,’ long rains and flooding were directly linked.
“The locust plague will be in Heki Province. The trigram of earth appeared. Probably the grasshoppers were only lured out a little bit more quickly by the trigram of earth. What the trigram of earth in Heki province means, is the earthquake. Around now, there have been many earthquakes, so great damage has occurred.”
“….Father—-”
“In Sa Province, the star of the Hyou clan has fallen. It seems something unfortunate has happened to Eiki. For generations, in Sa province, their luck with human relations has never been good. For awhile, this was suppressed by Eiki marrying into the clan, and for awhile there was peace. That was in Sa Enjun’s era. But the star has fallen, and the peace has collapsed. The Sa clan is for the time being paralyzed with internal troubles.”
Shuuei was astonished. Certainly, Shuuei had also studied astrology as an academic subject, but he hadn’t done it seriously at all. But when it was laid out logically like that, it really seemed to be so.
“The wind and earth trigrams of Kou [Red] province are as usual for this time period. In autumn the wind and earth trigrams intensify, so the harvest is large. However, this year, that’s the worst thing that could happen. The grasshoppers will flow with the wind from Heki Province towards Kou Province. The misfortune of Heki Province will ride upon the trigram of the wind, and with the grasshoppers, flow into Kou Province. Not all of it may be destroyed, but around that level. After that, it’s up to their luck with people. The result will depend on who goes to Kou Province.”
Riou continued listlessly.
“In Kou [Yellow] Province, an incident has occurred because of the trigram of metal. The flooding in Ran Province, the earthquakes in Heki Province, the failed harvest in Kou Province…. because of all of these after effects, prices have skyrocketed, and premonitions of an economic crash have come out. In order to avoid this, it seems the trigram of metal has intensified. If the metal in Kou Province, the commercial capital, is too strong, then that won’t be good at all. It will turn to the metal of weapons, and invade two northern provinces. From the beginning, there was more metal than normal in the star chart of the Kou [Yellow] clan head….”
Shuuei characteristically saw what he was trying to say, and turned pale. The metal of weapons flowing into the two military clans of the northern provinces, the Haku and Kou clans, that was only too easy to understand. In the first place, the other name of the Kou clan was—
“Father…. are you saying that someone has deliberately engineered this?”
Shuuei turned towards Riou [Jr]‘s hard voice. Riou looked at Shuuei.
“I also read the stars for the king in the beginning of summer. But none of that came out. At the very least, during that time, we were entering the summer constellations. But there were no omens of flooding or long rains in the astrological position of Ran Province. That’s why, when I heard that one of you had broken the sacred mirror in Nine Colors Cove, I was angry, but on the other hand, I thought it was strange.”
“In other words…..the unusually long rains are because the sacred mirror was broken?”
Shuuei, who had Ryuuren for a younger brother, did not burst out laughing. The memory of the bizarre heavy rain in Nine Colors Cove was still fresh for him.
“…..Yeah. But, probably that was a misinterpretation in the first place. According to what you said, my aunt sent her soul to Nine Colors Cove. At that time a mirror was definitely broken. But, if that wasn’t the sacred object of Houkyou mountain? [Treasure mirror mountain] If we think about it, she really didn’t need to use the sacred object of Houkyou Mountain to send her soul there.”
If he put the reports on that time together, the one had confronted his aunt had probably been the “Black Wolf.” Both his aunt and the “Black Wolf” were skilled at tactical maneuvers. It made more sense that both of them had known that only an ordinary mirror had been broken.
“But, after that there was a huge downpour… that definitely wasn’t normal?”
“No, there’s also another explanation for that. But I’ll skip that.”
Uu Uu had said that the ‘god of rain’ had entered Shuurei. And also that it had weakened. Even in Kiyou, that had been so, and probably that heavy rain was the god of rain trying to protect Shuurei. It wasn’t because the mirror had been broken.
“At that time, the heavy rain was only temporary, and the rain ‘let up’ because of Ran Ryuuren’s flute, right? Then, the nature of this unending rain now is different. The real sacred mirror was intact…. Up till then.”
“….Then.”
“Yes, a mirror was broken a second time. After you descended the mountain, the real one was broken. Someone deliberately broke it. Then, a request to make a divine mirror came to the Department of the Cave of the Immortals. An unusually long rain started. That fits. I’m sorry for thinking that you broke it, and getting mad at you.”
“‘Someone,’ you say, so who was it?”
Riou [Jr] looked down and moved his head. Yes, the problem was, who had done it?
“…Father, if disasters come out in astrology readings and fortunetelling, then Uu Uu and my aunt should have already read them, and taken measures against them. Now, the two of them have not come out—Is that because there was something ‘not foreseen’ by their star readings? Very rarely, there are people who can move the heavens. People like comets, unpredictable factors. Is it that, deliberately, behind the scenes, someone is…pulling strings?”
“Ah, yes, it looks like there’s some rabble who are messing with the Hyou clan quite a bit. Uu Uu and my elder sister are now desperately suppressing them. If the sacred objects in the other areas are broken, everything will fall to those two, who protect the key point, Kiyou, and the Hyou clan. I’ve said it already, but because those two are suppressing the floods in Ran Province and the earthquakes in Heki province, using their entire life force, the damage has been kept to the very minimum. Although you said that the locust plague was in the first class of disasters, for the Hyou clan, now is a special state of emergency outranking that. The priestesses and the magicians are largely absent from the main house because they have flown out to the provinces to protect the remaining sacred objects. Eiki, who was the only one who could have acted in my elder sister’s place, has been struck down in advance. They prepared well. Right now, my elder sister has no time to spare for the grasshoppers.”
“Wait…please wait, father—So you’re saying, we should leave the locust plague alone—”
Riou’s emotionless eyes looked upon his son, who was desperately struggling.
“….How odd, Riou. Last year, even though you knew about the epidemic in Sa Province’s Sekie Village far in advance of the court or the Sa Province provincial government, you didn’t especially let them know or do anything about it. Even though you didn’t do anything then, why are you worrying now so much?”
Riou [Jr] flinched. He knew that Shuuei was staring at him in shock. Yes, certainly he had heard of the news from the Hyou clan’s temple. So, Riou also infiltrated Sekie Village before Kou Shuurei. Ren as well knew of the omens of the disease, which was why he was able to use the disease to incite the populace. At that time, Riou indeed had done nothing…. He had not felt anything.
“If you leave the locust plague alone, it will naturally come to an end. Yes, if ten years pass. Ten years is hardly anything. It’s not something to worry about. The population will only be reduced by half. If that happens, it won’t really be your fault.”
“—Father!! No, that’s not right. That is definitely not true!”
Riou’s face twisted as he screamed this.
He remembered how Shuurei had come flying to Sekie Village with doctors and medical books. Probably, Riou had understood from the time that Shuuran had cried, saying ‘Thank you for not abandoning us.’
That was the reason that Riou had opposed his aunt and his father, and ended up helping Shuurei at Sekie Village.
Riou had thought that since, in the Hyou clan, he was a man and ‘without powers,’ that he was a worthless human being, and so did nothing. But, even if he did not possess supernatural powers, he could be of use. He had begun to realize from that time that people could do something for people.
“Uu Uu– Uu Uu said. That having supernatural powers is not the proof one is of the Hyou clan. Also, it is not the reason that the Hyou clan has taken hold among the people, or is trusted. Although both you and I, father, do not have supernatural powers, that doesn’t mean that we can’t do anything. I—I became the Director of the Department of the Cave of the Immortals, and then I have seen many things in the ‘outside’ world, with Uu Uu, even if for only half a year. If you say that’s being infected, then I don’t mind. If Uu Uu told me to open all of the gates, that was cause he thought I could do it. The magicians have their duty. But, the work of the Hyou clan also belongs to us ‘powerless.’ There is something we can do. Uu Uu told me this many times. I am the Director, father. As a person of the Hyou clan, I have responsibilities which I must fulfill ‘outside.’ If Uu Uu and my aunt cannot act, and you don’t feel like doing anything, then I will do it. Supernatural powers aren’t necessary to deal with the locusts. Even a single order is fine. Extending a hand to anyone who asks for help is indeed the proof that the Hyou clan is the Hyou clan. That is the meaning of its existence. Father— Give me the seat of the head of the clan. Then, I will go and see my aunt!”
In the next second, Shuuei’s sword was at Riou’s [Sr] throat.
“—You’ll tell us where Shusui-dono is too. Even if we have to use force.”
Riou glanced at the white blade at his neck, and then looked at the ‘door.’
There was the noice of someone knocking on it. Riou [Jr] turned in surprise, and there came the figure of Shiba Jin, who had been tapping it. For some reason, he was carrying Shuurei on his back.
“Ah, Jin!! Where were you up till now! What have you done to Shuurei-dono!?”
“I didn’t do anything. I only carried her since running would be slow. Hey, o-jou-chan, can you stand?”
“You say slow, but Jin-san, you’re too fast!”
Riou[Jr] was relieved from the bottom of his heart to see that Shuurei was as usual. He had wondered, since they had gone out leaving her alone— and since he had realized that the white mouse was his aunt, whether Shuurei intended to confront her. While he had prioritized going to his father, somewhere in his heart he was always worrying, but it seemed as though she was unharmed.
“….How did you know we were here? And up until the ‘door.’ That ‘door’ should be unopenable to anyone not of the Hyou clan.”
Jin swung ‘Bakuya,’ which he was holding, and he and Shuurei exchanged glances.
“No, we went in the direction in which this was making a noise. It and ‘Kanshou’ were calling each other.”
“If the sword is making a noise, usually a door is open, though.”
The two swords, which had formerly been forged and presented to the emperor by people of the Hyou clan. Was it that the door was open because the Hyou clan had forged it, or because they had been calling each other? The twin swords had more mysterious points than they had thought.
“Hey, o-jou-chan, you’re an official. Work, work.”
The words ‘official’ and ‘work’ worked like magic. Shuurei deliberately coughed to clear her throat.
“I have something to say to you. Although this is an interruption. Ah, I apologize for my rudeness in troubling you without introducing myself. We meet for the first time. You must be the head of the Hyou clan.”
Shuurei looked staright at the silver-haired man whom Shuuei was pointing a blade at.
“I am Kou Shuurei—–Eh?!”
Shuurei was speechless upon seeing Riou’s [Sr] face properly for the first time.
It was not really because he was extremely young, or because he was handsome.
It was because she had seen that face before.
(This person…. was the one I had met in court last winter……?!)
Yes, when she had come to the New Year’s Audience as the governor of Sa Province, she had run into this person at court.
At that time, because her father had steopped in, nothing had happened, though—
(That person was the head of the Hyou clan?!)
When she had been swallowed into those eyes like an eternal void, Shuurei had been unable to move. Her heart fluttered.
At that time also, she had felt it. That person was—-scary. Although he was looking at her, he didn’t see her at all. Although she had definitely been standing right in front of his eyes, she felt as though in this world that ‘Kou Shuurei’ did not exist. No—To this person, ‘she’ was ‘not there.’
He thought she was someone who should not exist.
She felt that within her heart something was scrunching up a little. That was a feeling from the long ago past.
The time when she had thought that her mother had died in her place. The unpardonable guilt of living in her place. That fluttering feeling. Why had it been drawn out before this person?
“O-jou-chan? What’s wrong, get yourself together.”
“….I am Kou Shuurei. I work as an inspecting censor….at the court.”
Riou only blinked listlessly. He did not even bother to respond.
“If there are any means by which we can keep the damage due to the locust at ta minimum, please work with us. Also, I would like to know where Shusui, who should have returned by how, is, and also where Ruka-hime is.”
After three beats of silence, Riou muttered.
“…..If you die right away, I’ll tell you.”
Riou[Jr] got before Shuurei, as if to protect her.
“Father!!!”
“Becaue she made you live, I have lost someone important to me. Even though….I have always looked for her, waited, and waited….. The one I have been waiting for, is not you.”
While she listened to that whispering voice, for some reason, tears spilled from Shuurei’s eyes.
Somewhere in her heart, someone was crying. That was the sobbing of her young self, when she had learned that her mother was no longer anywhere in this world. Like this person—-she had every day wept in secret, because her mother had died for her. It was as if yesterday’s events had unrolled within her, and she had trouble breathing. No, for this person it might still be like yesterday. As if a wound which would never heal had been grazed.
While watching those tears, Riou muttered curtly, sadly.
“Even so, if she made you live…then alright. I will wait a little bit more. Not for your sake, for the sake of the person I loved. Perhaps it is only for that, that I have been given such a long life.”
…..Shuurei felt that she knew who this ‘someone’ that this person was seeing was.
Then, those words mysteriously seeped into Shuurei, who had always felt a sense of guilt for living, even now, within her heart.
If it’s only a bit long, then fine.
“I’m sorry….”
If it were her father or Seiran, she definitely could never say those words.
If it were only a bit longer, then fine. It was alright that she was alive.
“Forgive me, for only a bit longer.”
For living.
That was probably not towards him, but perhaps what she wanted to say to her mother, who had given her life.
Then finally, Shuurei knew that she wished to live.
Even if it couldn’t be help. If she could live, then she wanted to live.
Riou [Sr] made a face as though he were seeing Shuurei for the first time. The eyes, which seemed to be seeing, but were not. For the first time, it seemed as though Shuurei were reflected in those pitch black eyes.
Riou moved his gaze away from Shuurei.
“…Riou.”
“Yes.”
“Even if you become the head of the clan, nothing will change. … At least not yet. The clan will obey only the orders of my sister—the high priestess. If you want to do something about the locusts,…. you should find Shusui.”
Riou was confused.
“Shusui?”
“….Even I don’t know where my elder sister is. Because that doesn’t interest me. With Shusui’s ‘clairvoyance,’ you might be able to ‘see’ the location of my elder sister. Now, in this hidden palace, there are hardly any magicians or priestesses with supernatural powers. However….she might be able to open a path. If it’s not too late.”
This time, Shuuei at last drew his sword.
“Where is Shusui-dono? If it’s too late—”
“In ‘The Prison of Time’……Those who are put in there, mostly without exception go mad, and become invalids. My elder sister’s body can no longer be sustained. Perhaps she intends to forcibly extinguish ‘Shusui’ for her next body.”

*****

The unseasonable snow began to cover the garden, like a pure white blanket.
“Forgive me, for only a bit longer.”
The daughter the person he loved, had loved.
Even so, if she made you live…then alright. I will wait a little bit more.
Riou did not really understand why he had said something like that to that girl.
Even though he had been living these twenty years since separating from “Bara-hime,” only wishing to see her.
Riou, from the time of his birth, who had been like a doll who had renounced talking, eating, and living, had ‘begun to live’ from the instant he accidentally caught a glimpse of the captured “Bara-hime.”
From that time, Riou had become Riou.
He had desperately learned how to speak, how to move his limbs, and how to play the erhu to comfort her.
He could feel that in this life that was long for a human….too long, was alright if lived for her sake.
He had intended to loosen her chains when his life was at an end, even in exchange for this world. Even if no one else could co it, Riou could. He had thought that he had been born for that purpose.
Riou’s entire being was for her sake.
No matter how her form changed, when he saw those unchanging eyes like a flash of lightning, he fell in love countless times. Riou suddenly touched his own pale white cheek. His fingertips were damppened with clear, cold drops.
Trails of tears flowed. Those were the first tears Riou had cried in his life.
Riou’s face crumpled, and he gave a tearful laugh.
“….My princess… only you have always made me a human being….”
Though he had lost “Bara-hime” twenty years ago, he had never once tried to cry.
….Perhaps he had finally realized that he had lost her.
That precious person, who he had loved, then mourned the loss of, then finally could never have. Even so, this obsessive love, miserable feelings. Always, she alone had given Riou feelings, returned him to humanity.
“Despite that, I…. love you.”
For fifty years, he had been at her side. He had not known that for twenty years, she had exchanged her life for her daughter’s, and was now no longer in this world. Compared to her, even Riou could only stay with her for a span slightly longer than that of a normal human’s. He had not thought that the day when he would slip by her, who was like eternity, in this form, would come. He could wait, or continue to search fruitlessly for her. But even if he continued to search for her, she was no longer anywhere….. No longer anywhere.
In this year since he had learned that she did not exist in this world, he had been thinking.
She had not returned to the heavens. She had stayed on the earth, and chosen to live like an ordinary human with a mere mortal man. Even so, this time as a human, not even ten years, was a short instant.
She had borne a daughter knowing her life would be short, and slept in return for giving her daughter a slightly longer lifespan.
The next time she awakened, both Shouka and her daughter, would no longer be in this world. When she had chosen to sleep in return for her daughter’s life, she had also announced an eternal parting with both her beloved daughter and Shouka. She had accepted the many things which one could naturally not avoid in human life, love, sadness, death, and even separation.
Riou could not understand that choice. Perhaps it was because he could not understand, that it was hopeless.
That was exactly the opposite of the fifty years she had spent with Riou, where yesterday and today were no different, and the love sealed like a circle. Perhaps she had always seen that loving that which does not change is the same as loving one’s own reflection in a mirror. There was actually no difference between his elder sister’s attachement to Riou, and Riou’s love for “Bara-hime.” Then that prisoner had also condemned it as ‘only a slight gap,’ and the arrogance of Riou, who put his own wishes first.
Even so, for fifty years, she had been at Riou’s side. While the people other humans around her aged and died quickly, she alone, with a face as though she did not know that, stayed with him without changing. If he played the erhu, she would listen. Becaue there had been those fifty years, he could live in those twenty years without her.
“I’m sorry.
The girl who was “Bara-hime,” and not “Bara-hime.” If it had been earlier, he taken her back even if he had to kill her. Kou Shouka, and even Riou himself believed this undoubtingly. That was why even though he knew Riou [Jr] had brought her, he did not go to see her. That was because he thought that if he didn’t even see her, he wouldn’t kill her either. Yes, he didn’t see her because he didn’t want to kill her.
The daughter the person he loved had loved. Her wishes, the time left.
Oho, Riou, have you grown a bit too?
Even though it would have been fine if he hadn’t noticed that that girl, and her continuing to exist, was what his beloved person wished. Perhaps, unlike those fifty years in which nothing changed, those twenty years after she had left had changed Riou just a little bit. Then, Riou [Jr] has totally changed after he had left for the ‘outside.’
“—Father!! No, that’s not right. That is definitely not true!”
He was not unaging and long-lived like him, nor was it that he had supernatural powers like his elder sister.
In spite of this, within the clan where it was as if for a long time, time had stopped, Riou[Jr] alone was trying to change it. After only a hear, his living gaze was totally different. Unexpectedly, he recalled that girl.
“I have come to this Hyou clan to marry you, for the sake of changing it. —-Things will change.”
The snow fell and gathered soundlessly. When he breathed out, it was white.
The temperature had quickly fallen. An unseasonal snow, falling on the red leaves.
The great power which had continued to protect the Hyou clan, was quickly waning.
“….elder sister, will your life also soon be at an end?…”
The high priestess who had supported the Hyou clan alone, for a length of eighty years.
While everyone else had abandoned the Hyou clan and gone ‘outside,’ she could not abandon it, and continued to chip away her body and soul for the Hyou clan. Without pursuing Uu Uu, who did not return, she had chosen the Hyou clan naturally.
Riou had no interest in or love for his elder sister. However, there were things he understood about her. Just as Riou had not unfastened “Bara-hime”‘s chains, his elder sister had chosen to bind her brother with the chain known as ‘the head of the Hyou clan’ and not allowed him to leave her side. While everyone else had left his elder sister, one after the other, solely because they were tied together by blood, she had become abnormally attached to Riou, and thus was slightly able to preserve her mental equilibrium. At the very least, when Uu Uu had been at her side, she had not been attached to Riou in this way. Probably, his elder sister’s mind had begun to break down from that point.
Riou’s emotions were terribly weak, and except for very few exceptions, he had no interest or attachement to people. That was also a way of protecting himself. If he let emotions in, he would not be able to properly live his long life.
But, his elder sister had been unable to even abandon a single ‘white child.’ For the sake of the family, for the sake of the Hyou clan, she had chosen to become the high priestess, and lived for eighty years. That pride alone sustained his elder sister. But her great supernatural powers and isolation, little by little began to eat away at his elder sister’s mind and pride, and gradually she had arrived upon the same path as their foolish father.
She had only been able to self-centeredly, intrusively, complacently pour her love onto her brother tied to her by blood. She clung to the ties of blood, which were unerasable. That was the same as if she loved a doll, like she were loving someone. Since Riou had no duty to love such an elde sister, and he did not have enough interest to respond to her properly, he ignored her as though she did not exist. It was mutual.
…But, Riou had done but two things for his elder sister’s sake.
He showed respect, not to the elder sister called Ruka, but to the high priestess who had never once run away.
Then, soon there would be an ending.
“….Even if she changes bodies, she can no longer go on….”
In these past few years, the time of his elder sister’s ‘bodies’ had become shorter.
Ruka was not unaging and long-lived like Riou. Her original body was already past eighty, at it should have aged appropriately. However, in these past ten years, even Riou had not seen her true body. For a long time, she had separated her soul, and stayed as a beautiful maiden. Her long solitude, and her excessive supernatural power. That, and her over-eighty years, were mercilessly eating away at his elder sister’s remaining sanity.
Perhaps it wasn’t that she didn’t return to her original body, but that she no longer could.
And then there was still Uu Uu.
….From time to time, Riou had wondered for whose sake Uu Uu had lived on till this age.
“My princess”
Uu Uu had always called his elder sister that. In a voice the color of twilight, with a gentle smile.
Without noticing, Riou copied him, and began to call Bara-hime that. His beloved person
Finally, Riou [Jr]‘s words reawakened within him again.
Extending a hand to anyone who asks for help is indeed the proof that the Hyou clan is the Hyou clan. That is the meaning of its existence.
….Those words were exactly the same as those spoken long ago, by his strong, beautiful sister.
He had never thought that the day when his own son would speak those words would come.
Riou slightly closed his eyes, and then turned his back to the garden in which the snow was falling.

Notes:
I got lazy and decided to leave ‘o-jou-chan’ in, because I haven’t really decided how to best translate it. (Missy? Young miss? Need to decide…)

Eight Trigrams: These are diagrams from Taoist cosmology. See here for more information.

In this chapter there are two things that read the same in English, while being obviously different things in Japanese. Riou and his father both have the same name, but in Japanese you can tell the difference because it’s written in katakana. I simply write Jr and Sr to distinguish the two when I think it’s unclear from the context.

Kou [Red] and Kou [Yellow] are another headache. I don’t really agree with the English translation’s practice of Kou–>Hong. It is less disruptive, if you must do that, to translate Kou [Yellow]–>Huang, because it’s used much less. Anyhow, it actually is possible to translate all of the names of the characters, place names, and proper names into Chinese. If you go in, you had might as well go all in, I think.

Commentary: This chapter starts right after the last book ended. (BTW, this gets us up to pg 50)

Man, all of this hedging and negotiating that Jin and Shuurei do is so tedious to translate, especially because it’s repetitive (and also, when you’ve already finished the book, you already know what ~big secret~ it is that Jin will impart). I think the reason it’s tiring to read is that it’s not really clear why it is so important for Jin to hide things from Shuurei, as Ruka is in communication with Shuurei and knows most of what Jin eventually tells them anyhow.

Anyhow, the part about the leakage of Censorate information is confusing. Killing Shuurei is one thing, but nearly killing Seiga is another. It simply seems stupid, whoever came up with the bright idea to send the mindless Assassin Dolls after her, as they seem unable to shoot straight. Actually, the Assassin Dolls really appear to be a very ineffective organization. Maybe it pays to have mindful assassins, rather than a bunch of brainwashed drones. On the other hand, why do they need to brainwash them anyway, given that the members of the Hyou clan seem willing to do whatever deeds Ruka tells them to do, no matter how morally dubious?

Also, the author kind of does deal with Shuurei’s irritating ignorance of the conditions of the clans of Saiunkoku. On the other hand, it really makes Shuurei look like an idiot. XD If you’re an investigator of official malfeasance, this is EXACTLY the sort of stuff you must know. -_- Shuurei could have figured out that the man she met earlier was the head of the Hyou clan, because he was wearing the crest of the head of the Hyou clan! I think we’ve moved towards the reader thinking that Shuurei is oddly ignorant to the author and the other character going ‘lol, Shuurei is oddly arrogant,’ which is an improvement, but can she finally read a book or something?

On the whole mirror thing: sounds kind of retconnish, but anyway, I suppose Shouka and Ruka are not only skilled in tactics, but also dramatics.

This chapter gives us more insight into Riou Sr. (Well, Riou Jr. too). Riou Sr. is more understandable, and seems less useless than he was before, but what strikes me is how selfish he is, in that he is overwhelmingly concerned with his own needs, and indifferent to those of others. For all her flaws, at least Ruka saved her clan and helped many people (before she started going off the rails). Well, I may not find Riou Sr. very likable, but no one can say that his character is difficult to understand now.

Speaking of Ruka, BTW, Ruka and Uu Uu are not on speaking terms… wait, the two most powerful people (in reality, as opposed to on paper) in the clan never communicate. I see what one of the problems with the Hyou clan as an organization might be! (Also, Riou Sr., don’t go plagiarizing other people’s moves. That’s not how a true player operates.) Anyway, it seems to me that Riou Sr. could have easily resolved his sister problems by playing matchmaker and convincing Ruka and Uu Uu to make up, but that would require him to give a damn about anything other than himself.

Prologue
Chapter 1: Snow which should not be falling
Chapter 2: The shaken capital
Chapter 3: The priestess with the red umbrella
Chapter 4: Chains of azure darkness
Chapter 5: The night in which the guqin echoes
Chapter 6: When all of the gates open
Epilogue [note: I may change some of the translations of the names of the chapters, as I reread the novel and further consider matters; as a whole, this is true for all of the translations as well. XD ]

Prologue

Within the darkness, something resembling a white cloud dimly rose. The image finally cohered, and became the figure of a beautiful young woman. Riou [note: Riou Sr.], who had been napping, languidly raised his silver eyelashes.

Even Riou, who was usually indifferent to everything, was truly astonished at the girl’s appearance. No matter how many times, she wouldn’t give up. After the girl had returned all alone to the Hyou clan, she had plotted at escape from her prison countless times, and then had been thrown into the “Prison of Time.” He hadn’t thought that would still have enough power, despite all of this, to separate her soul from her body.

It would have been alright to ignore her, but he decided to show some respect for that willpower.

“Have you escaped again, Shusui? You probably know that you can’t run away.”

When Shusui caught sight of Riou, she approached his side on with unsteady steps, and then crumpled, staggering. It was as if the real Shusui were there. He smelled the scent of medicinal herbs. It was like the real thing, even up to that. They must have been drugging her in order to brainwash her again. Even so.

“….Riou-sama….. Please…. let me… see ‘Mother’…. Where is she?”

Her gaze was strong, like the hopeful breaking of dawn. One wouldn’t have thought it possible of the girl that Riou had met before, when she was shivering in Shouka’s shadow.
That was because what Riou remembered of Shusui was that she had been Bara-hime’s last serving-maid.

Shusui’s role had been only to dispassionately look after the imprisoned Bara-hime and guard her. She had only been a beautiful moving ‘Assassin Doll,’ who could only do exactly what she had been told to do.
However, she had cut her strings, run away from the puppeteer and become a human being.
She had run and run and run, and now that she had returned, she continued to refuse to return to being a doll.
No matter how many times she was brainwashed, she would not throw away ‘Shusui.’ If she found any gap, she would escape her prison.
Even if she were to escape, there would still be subconscious directives left. Though no matter what she did, it was hopeless, still she would not give up.
“Why did you return? Shusui. If you hate it that much, you’d be better off dead. You probably knew that this would happen. You’ll be drugged, brainwashed, and then return to being a cute doll. The small ‘Shusui,’ which you’ve desperately preserved will be crumpled up like a ball of paper. It would have been better for you to have always been hidden in Kiyou by Shouka and Shou Yousen, shivering like a threatened bird.”
Shusui’s jaw shivered, but she looked hard up at Riou. With a strong gaze, she brokenly repeated.
“….’Mother’….let me see her…”
The Shusui of old had been like a beautiful female doll. A face so lovely one would not grow tired of looking upon it. She would listen to orders, and not defy a single one of them. She had been the finest ‘ornament,’ as if someone had painstakingly crafted her.
The present Shusui was unsightly. There was the smell of multiple medicinal herbs, which made his nose wrinkle, mixed with sweat. Blood dripped from her, from wounds throughout her body, her long hair stuck to her sweat-stained face, and her breath racked her entire body. Her face, which had formerly expressed only tranquility, was now twisted with anguish. She was not in the slightest beautiful.
However, she was impressive. She drew the eye, as if to show that her ‘self’ was there. Her eyes were alive.
Suddenly, Riou remembered something. Once, there had been a girl with the same eyes.
But, that too was over.
Riou stretched out his white fingertips, and lightly lifted up Shusui’s chin. It was very rarely that a separated soul could be touched, and this time was one of those occasions. Shusui’s skin was flushed and warm.
The heat of a living person. The eyes of a living person. A will that the former Shusui had not possessed.
“…You have certainly become human, adorable Shusui. Unsightly, but the most beautiful you have ever been. You’ve worked hard up till now. Now, go to sleep.”
Shusui gritted her teeth, and shook her head.
“….No….”
“You won’t die. You’ll only return to what you were before. Even if ‘Shusui’ is no more, no one will really be troubled.”
No one will be troubled….
With a soft voice, as soothing as a lullaby, he struck at Shusui’s weakest point. No one would be troubled. It was as he said. There were people who had cherished Shusui, and who needed her. But she was not a unique, irreplaceable person to them. There was no one who would drop everything and come running after her.
No one.
Without her noticing, tear drops fell from the corners of Shusui’s eyes. It was strange. Why did her heart hurt so much? She had acknowledged this a hundred times. Simply being liked by others had made her happy. She was fine if others only told her it was alright to stay there. She had been happy just being able to do something for the people she loved. That was true.
Despite this, why did Riou-sama’s words hurt her heart?
(Please…..don’t confuse me….I…I—)
She had already decided to no longer run away. She had decided to fight. Even all alone.
For her own destiny. For this house. For ‘Mother.’
Even though she had returned for the sake of these things.
Riou’s fingertips picked up a tear which had run down her jawline.
“Pitiful Shusui. In the end, the tiny ‘Shusui’ which you have protected, running from here in fear, is not necessary to anyone other than yourself. You should return to being a doll. Then, you will no longer cry. Once people have opened their hearts to someone, they can no longer live alone. However, you are alone.”
Riou’s words weakened Shusui’s heart more than any drug, torture, or spell.
All of Shusui’s determination and will shattered, and began to flow away.
—Because that was the truth.
“Sleep, my adorable doll. You have been dreaming. A happy dream. But in the end, it is only a dream. When you awaken, you will have returned to reality. To this house. Even if you dream the same dream, it will already never come true. You should return to being a doll, and forget everything. Then you can be at ease. You will no longer feel anything. Powerlessness, despair, sadness, isolation—even incomparably quiet loneliness.”
In that past, someone had said to her, ‘could I be allowed to have the happiness of loving someone?’
“If this is a dream, when I awaken, I will no longer be able to live.”
Her flowing tears blurred her vision. She was lonely, and her heart hurt. Though she had been the one who had wished that Jyuusan-hime enter the inner palace, when she had heard that she had really become the chief lady-in-waiting, she had felt lonely. Although she knew that this was really not the case, somewhere in her heart a voice said that she had been replaced.
Shusui, who had becme a human, had known the warmth of the heart. She could no longer live without it. Shusui had not known how the emotion known as loneliness could weaken humans. Even her tough mental strength, which had overcome countless brainwashings, and let her leave the prison, had become as fragile as sand.
(Someone)
She was okay with not being someone’s number one. But, she wanted someone to call her name. The name of her ‘self’ which Shusui had protected, with all of her might. If she had that, she could fight, even alone. Fight properly.
….But, there was no one.
In a blink, her soul returned back to her body.

….Finally, in the depths of her far off memory, she felt she heard someone’s voice.
“I’ve always been here for you.”

****
The Kou Province Government Offices [note: Kou here is red]

In a corner of the office complex, a lone man was looking up into the sky. His age could not be immediately told.
Suddenly there was the noise of someone running in, and the man groaned and gazed up into the heavens.
“—Governor Ryuu!! I find you’re not in the governor’s office, and you’ve gone out and are in this kind of place?”
“It’s a break, I’m taking a break. If I’m always cooped up, I can’t breathe freely. About this much is okay, isn’t it?”
The Kou Province governor, Ryuu Shibi looked at his scolding second-in-command, who had an obnoxious superficial politeness, and grinned.
“Noooo, Jun Iku, you’re making such a scary face. At this damned busy time, if you can’t smile, you can’t do anything.”
The vice-governor, who was around the same age as Shibi–Jun Iku gave Shibi a dirty look. He thought the way he didn’t let his way of speaking slip when shouting at someone was a result of his good upbringing, unlike Shibi, who had formerly been a low-ranking soldier.
“Please stop speaking that way. It’s disturbing. It sets a bad example for your subordinates. You yourself, sir, are already over fifty years of age, so indeed, please be aware of your behavior.”
“….You really are outspoken, aren’t you? Even though you’ve been my second-in-command for years, I’m still not used to it.”
While Shibi was reluctantly returning to being the ‘middle-aged governor,’ he stared at Jun Iku. Shibi took care of his looks, so he was confident he appeared younger than his years, but it irritated him that although his second officer was also a middle-aged man, he wasn’t like a retiree, but was looking pretty good. This annoyed Shibi, who took a lot of effort.
“…So? What is your reason for making that kind of face? ….I can guess, though.”
“Throughout Heki Province, the crops have been nearly all destroyed due to the locust plague. At the same time, there have been frequent occurrences of earthquakes in Heki Province, and so lines of transport have collapsed in various places, so that one could say it’s become like a land island. Over a thousand people have died from the earthquakes. Even more have been wounded. If there is no food aid from Kou Province, it has been calculated that in the winter some thousands of people will die.”
Shibi’s hand, which had been ruffling his bangs, stopped.
“The locusts have gone northward along Tenzan River, and at this point in time about 30% of Kou Province’s crops have been destroyed. The damage is spreading at a speed greater than predicted. In less than a month, the entire grain producing region will collapse. From below, the reports have come that Kou Province does not have any supplies to give Heki Province.”
Shibi closed his eyes. That was mostly within the bounds of the forecasts. However, the speed of the locusts was too fast. He had immediately ordered measures to be taken after receiving a report from an inspector named Shin Suou, but the provincial officials were flustered by the locust plague, which had not occurred there for some decades, and they could not proceed skillfully. A lot of the provincial officials were big-headed national exam graduates, and they were really awful at negotiating, so they were thoroughly mocked by the local officials in the towns. Damn, if their time hadn’t been taken up by the Kou clan’s embargo—Shibi made a noise in his throat, as though he were gulping down a rage strong enough to cloud his eyes. …. At this late date, even if he were to say something, there was no helping matters.
But, was it that there were no rations to give to Heki Province?
“….The merchants of the Kou clan probably have some supplies stored. From the beginning, because of the Kou clan’s embargo, mountains of excess supplies have been left in Kou Province. The head of the clan has also changed. We’ll make them open up what’s left over. Also, Ran Province should be unharmed. The direction of the wind is against them, so the grasshoppers won’t be able to cross the mountains. The Ran clan merchants may be hiding the numbers, but over there, the size of the harvest follows that of Kou Province. They must have mountains of wheat and grains, and supplies stored there. Kyou Bunchuu can squeeze that out of that damned Ran clan in negotiations. That’s why the previous king and Prime Minister Shou made him Ran province governor.”
“….Yes. Certainly, the grasshoppers cannot cross the mountains. From this summer, for some reason it’s been raining continuously.”
“….A long spell of rain? Hey, wait.”
Shibi’s eyes slowly opened wide. Then, they narrowed crookedly. Ran Province, called the capital of water and salt. Beauty sometimes was joined with disaster. As if to affirm this, Jun Iku lowered his eyes.
“…The water level in the rivers has increased, and floods have occurred throughout Ran Province. Near the sea, the crops have been destroyed by salt. Inland, beginning with the largest salt lake, Ryuuga, the salt lakes, both large and small, have also overflowed, so due to the salt damage and flooding, the yield will be less than half of a normal year’s. Governor Kyou is taking measures to keep the chaos to a minimum, but if he weren’t there, they probably would have already called for assistance from the capital. … I do not think that Ran Province has extra rations to distribute to other provinces.
That was to say, then, the second largest granary could not be relied on.
“….The Kou clan merchants were reluctant, saying that we should keep the extra supplies of Kou Province, and not release them to the other provinces. Following them, the provincial officials are also of the same opinion.— The reason is that the chances of a great famine occurring next year, or the year after that, are high.”
His deputy calmly related how once a locust plague had broken out once, it would often reoccur for several years afterward.
“…Both the Kou clan merchants and the provincial officials report that if we release the supplies to the other provinces at this current stage, after next year, there will not be any rations left to divide among the people of Kou Province, so because of that possibility, the food should be stored. They say that locusts will destroy themselves if they cannot maintain their swarm, so until then, we must endure for several years.”
“…..Should endure, they say?”
Shibi wanted some tobacco. Yuzu tea would also be good. When he was young, he had, in the folly of youth, turned to using strange drugs a bit, but now he had switched to tobacco and yuzu tea. But since there weren’t any now, it couldn’t be helped. While he thought that, his deputy offered him his pipe. This deputy really could annoy him. Shibi packed the pipe.
Following the trailing smoke, he could see the beautiful autumn sky.
They had said, hold on for several years, until the locusts naturally destroyed themselves?
“….While we’re enduring, how many dead will there be? You, you’ve come out with the numbers, right?”
His deputy, after a brief silence, gave out the numbers, one by one, as if he were dividing them off.
“In the worst case scenario, the number of dead in the entire country is a hundred thousand. After three years, it has been calculated that the population will decrease by half, and one in two people in the country will die. However, if at this stage in time we conceal the supplies and food of Kou Province, in Kou Province alone, 80% of the population will survive.”
He said conceal, not preserve. Yes, conceal was correct. If he had used ridiculous words like ‘preserve,’ he would have sent him flying. His deputy was always realistic, never embellishing. That was why, even now, Shibi did not fire him.
“By half? Then, if from this point in time Kou Province’s supplies are sent to the other provinces, beginning with Heki Province?”
“They will make it through this year. However, already next year’s harvest is forecast to be zero. Even if seedlings and crops grow, the chances that the locusts will break out and totally destroy them are high, and it is thought that a vast quantity of people from every province will flood in seeking food, and many people will die as a result of starvation and fighting. In that case, although the total population will still decrease by half, Kou Province’s population will decrease by 70%. That was why the Kou clan merchants and the provincial officials said ‘hide the food.’”
That meant ‘ignore the other provinces.’ Shibi looked up at the sky and sucked in his breath. He did not fly into a rage at his deputy. He had come to relay this to him himself, without pushing this unpleasant task on an underling. His deputy, who was always cool and collected, had come flying there sweating. The vice-governor was a middle aged man, compassionate, one of the few people with backbone. That was why he had selected him and placed him at his side. It wasn’t especially that he had decided that because of his face. Yeah.

No matter how unbearable it was, he had come to accurately report the facts to him, with only his face calm. The facts.
If those were the facts, then the following decision would be Shibi’s duty, as governor. It was too heavy, enough to make one cry.
When he saw tobacco smoke wavering like a living thing, a certain scene from his days as a boy soldier played before him.
On a battlefield full of broken corpses, Shibi was sitting half stunned at the root of a tree.
He thought that at his side, the fire was crackling, but it was someone lighting his pipe with the fire from the burning corpses.
“….Tobacco lit from a burning corpse tastes the worst and makes me want to cry. But, because of that, I can remember the guys I killed, and the troops I let die, every time I smoke. It’s become a substitute for incense.
His gesture of holding the pipestem in his mouth, as he mumbled odd complaints on a battlefield littered with corpses, was ridiculously stylish.
Finally, Shibi watched the smoke wafting away, and looked up into the sky.
The sky which he had been looking up into for some days was a clear deep blue, and a white bird was flying, making a circle. The corners of Shibi’s eyes blurred. His breath caught in his throat. –The war was over.
“Aah, this is the end of the war. —Welcome, to a world just a little better than the very worst.”
The man smiled calmly, while chewing at his pipe.
How easy those times had been. All matters, good and evil as well, had totally simple, there were only two choices, live or die. There was no thinking or worrying for the purpose of living.
That was very easy. No need to think. No need to worry. The same as an animal. The ease of not being human.
This heaviness now, was like the weight of feeling his humanity. If he threw that away, that was the end. A world without war was a hundred times more difficult to live in. That was obvious. Because everone had held on, there could be a world better than the very worst situation.
Shibi let the tobacco burn. Ever since then, when he smoked outside, it had become his habit to watch nature and look up into the sky. And then the blue sky, and the white bird were to be expected. It was as always, this world which was only a little better than the very worst. However, very soon, the capital of Kou Province, Godou, would be buried in the black cloud of the army of locusts.
Shibi composed the pieces of information one by one in his head. The cards which he had, and the hidden cards which someone else must have been hiding.
“….Hey, Jun Iku, you’re having them dig holes? And then you checked to see how many dry wells there are?”
The color of his deputy Jun Iku’s face changed. After taking some breaths, he nodded as coolly as he could.
“….I gave those orders. Because I am…..the vice governor, who must protect Kou Province. If you wish to fire me, please do so.”
Shibi’s eyes then narrowed. He breathed out smoke. Turning his wrist, he let the ashes fall from his pipe.
“I know that you mock me, for becoming an official through the exam, and being a former low ranking soldier. I passed when I was older, and my grades weren’t thaaat great. You thought I couldn’t make the decision? But, it’s not for you to take responsibility. Your orders are the same as my orders. I’ll take all responsibility. –Before the grasshoppers come, bury all of the food stores in the holes. Fill up the dry wells with the food, and nail them down with iron. —Hide them.”
The pure white bird flew away into the
[[]]
Shibi turned his back on the white bird. Having done that, he did not turn back a second time.
“–After that, it’s up to the central government.”

Notes:
Ryuu Shibi appears in Unmei no Deai no Yoru. Someone else is translating this story, so I’m not bothering to do anything it. Also, I never translate stories when they appear in the magazine, because typically the author alters them from their magazine form. I suspect that is why the author has been sitting on the other story that hasn’t been published in book form and not including it in the gaiden compilations. (Given that Riou Sr. and Sakujun appear in that story, I’m especially projecting that it’s going to have edits, ha). Anyway, if the person translating Unmei no Deai no Yoru hasn’t finishing it by the time get to the next scene Ryuu Shibi appears in, I’ll do a short summary of his role in that short story. (It’s a major role, BTW. Without spoiling things, let us just say that Ryuu Shibi is sort of a member of the Nightmare Exam group)

A note about the way Ryuu Shibi speaks: When he’s not speaking like a normal, slightly rough middle aged man, he speaks in onee-kotoba, which is a style of speech popular among some gay men in Japan. The best reference I could find in English That’s what Jun Iku was talking about.

Speaking of the vice-governor, Jun Iku’s name is the same of a notable historical figure of the Three Kingdoms period; in Chinese, Xun Yu. He was one of Cao Cao’s advisors, but met an unfortunate end. (At least according to legend. Historically, it was probably different). Anyway, the Three Kingdom’s period is the only period of Chinese history I know anything about, because I’m a huge fan of a comic called “The Ravages of Time,” which is a retelling of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. [I especially like Xun Yu in there.] You Shuu, BTW, is also another historical figure from that period, in Chinese, Yang Xiu. Interestingly, both of these personages were members of the kingdom of Wei. What significance this has, I’m not sure.

Commentary: Ryuu Shibi! Sorry, I wanted to see him come back after Yuushun mentioned him in the last book. Anyhow, looks like Saiunkoku is uhhhh in a bad state, and Ryuu Shibi is essentially saying the central government is going to have to take care of Heki Province themselves, since all of a sudden the crops in Ran Province have failed.

IMHO the person who Ryuu Shibi is probably remembering from his soldier days is Son Ryouou (given the pipe smoking, which Ryuu Shibi seems to have picked up. As to how people can be smoking in ancient China when tobacco is a new world plant, I don’t know). I’m hoping down the road this is all going to start leading to flashbacks of the time before Senka took the throne. This novel makes me especially curious about this.