The mountain which pinnacle pierced the Sea of Clouds looked more majestic when viewed from below. People in the central city of Bai used to marvel at its towering peaks, pride overflowing their hearts as the righteous king ruled above. But now, their eyes beseeched more than the beauty of the mountain but the answer to their supplications.

Not long after the one hundred thousand people mysteriously died from all over Shun, youma which were only encountered at the far-off coasts began their rampage in the kingdom. Every day was a nightmare and memories of the distant past came rushing into their heads. Shunki was doing his best to reassure them, but only the shallowest of their concerns were assuaged. They want the horrors to stop. The raging death curse must be put to end, with or without a king.

Organizing an interim court was a tough undertaking. As the Taiho, he had to lead the Rikkan and their subordinates. For the moment, he had to take under his wing even those whom he had seen askance thinking that he was going to need every capable man that he could gather. Of course, nervous whispering did not escape his ears.

The people's hearts were in so much confusion and maintaining his composure helped both the citizens and himself. Shunki, however, did not know how much longer he had to endure. Without the Royal Shun, he had to dispatch the army at the eight provinces, not to mention around the Water Mirage Palace, Mizushinkirou (水蜃気楼) and brace himself for the bloodbath that might occur, either among other men or the youma. The worse unfortunately was yet to come.

Two weeks ago, Shunki combed the eight provinces to assemble the best doctors that the kingdom has to research about the mysterious deaths. He had a strong feeling that it has something to do with an unkown disease. There were distinct patterns about the remains of the citizens.

He could not stand to see so much suffering and blood, so the only plan left was to call the experts. Until now, however, no solid report has been sent to him. The course of events was not getting any better, and he had to find the king soon or Shun would be devoid of life. Surely, this time after the late Ko-ou, was the living nightmare of the land.

Seeking the help of neighboring kingdoms must be the best decision that Shunki could do, but his intuition dictated him otherwise. If really a sickness was on the spread carried by the refugees, it would cause panic to the people and therefore might result to graver bedlam. But he did send courtier bearing the warning about the highly possible situation.

The Royal En and the Royal Kei responded to his letter two days ago saying that they would cooperate with the measures being developed by the kingdom of Shun. With this, the Taiho had to smile. At least, he had a couple of trustworthy monarchs supporting him. Death tolls were rising every passing day and the paranoia was certainly spreading. As he went into his rounds around the whole land, there were less people in the areas where the recurrent deaths occurred. The people had evacuated for good. Uneasiness growing into deep anxiety welled inside him as the aura of the next king never seemed to be coming from anywhere in Shun. Questions gather up like the piles of problems he already had on his shoulders. In a great deal, he truly needed his better half. He had to find him soon.

Shinkai raised her head as she heard loud rustling through the window she was sitting by. She placed down her grinder on the ceramic bowl and peered to the rich greenery of her backyard. A short figure wearing soft lilac kimono bobbed from behind a bush. Her brown hair flowed down her shoulders as she inclined her head in an amused fashion. She was about ten to eleven years old with round hazelnut eyes. Shinkai felt her jaw drop as the little girl pushed herself up towards the sill of her window.

"Hello, Shinshin!"

Her eyes fell down on the child and a slight curve emerged from her face. Shinkai pulled her up and made her sit beside her.

"So Karin, how did you manage to get in this time?"

"Not telling…" Karin answered with a big smile.

Shinkai sighed with a wider grin now. Karin like Kaide was an important person to her. She was like her tiny apprentice as she could learn faster than any other kids in the village. Every fourth day, she would come sneaking around her yard to get another set of skills to hone. Karin was the daughter of the leader of the village. Shinkai met her when she had cured her from a deep wound infection when she cut herself with a rusty dagger of her father's. After knowing how she helped her, Karin would not let her alone. For that, she felt very happy.

"Alright, I'll figure it out eventually." Shinkai announced out loud with a wink. Karin laughed. She jumped from her seat and pulled something out of her obi belt. It was a slender box with intricate carvings.

Shinkai gaped at her as the little girl gently tugged her hand and placed the box on her palm.

"My birthday gift for you, Shinshin."

"Birthday gift? But…" Shinkai threw her an inquisitive look. Karin simply smiled.

"We may not know your real birthday and maybe even the rest of your past before coming to live with us here in Kei. But from now on, you can begin a new life here…and also a new date for your birthday. A brand new place brings a new wave of chances, won't you agree?"

Shinkai turned around as tears fell from her eyes. They don't know anything and yet…I tried to kill them…it was my mission, and yet…

Karin noticed this and grabbed a chair for Shinkai. "Come on, open it."

Covered in soft pearly silk embroidered with flush sakura blossoms was a delicately ornamented hair stick. It was polished from the finest silver and gold with decorative irises made of deep lapis lazuli and aquamarine stones at the end. Small teardrops of emerald dangle with the bejeweled flowers. Shinkai did not know where to begin to adore the accessory. She just gave Karin knitting eyebrows. The little girl giggled and reached for the hair stick. Then she tried to fix her hair with it.

"The townspeople are very thankful that they have you here in You, especially in this southernmost town of Sui. We don't blame the queen much though. It is understandable."

"No, it is a grave mistake." Shinkai rattled her with a stern voice.

"What is?"

"The Queen must have an equal eye for everyone. Not because You province has not yet been supporting the kingdom due to the damage caused by the previous wars and youma attacks that she would not mind us going to desolation."

"Shinkai, do you plan to go to Gyouten?"

"I just might. It's a three-month journey, though, and I don't want the people here to be helpless when I am gone." Shinkai pushed herself up and leaned on the windowsill. It was nearing dusk soon, and the cicadas were starting to chirp.

"You have to live a life, too, Shinkai. Seirou, the only scholar of our town is very fond of you. He wanted to talk with you more but he could not get the chance."

"Karin," Shinkai gave the little girl a faceless mask and touched her shoulder gently. "I'm walking you home."

Ж

"So what did she say?" Seirou placed the thick civil record books on the polished paulownia wood. His handsome face was bright, with cool brown eyes darting gracefully across the space towards the frowning girl at the nearby desk. Karin sighed and twirled the vibrant plums inside the fruit bowl.

"She sent me through the door when I mentioned your name."

Seirou paused for a while and then let out a soft chuckle. His expression did not even dim even slightly. Karin pouted and threw him a book. The scholar caught it in one hand and placed the skin-bound pages neatly in the shelf. He then took a seat near the window and gazed at the early morning sky laden with light autumn clouds. A slightly morose expression now emerged from his face. Karin had to sigh.

"If I were you, I would go straight to her and confess."

"I don't want to push her to notice my feelings…She is hardcore, you know."

Karin walked to him and gave him a playful knock on the head. "Shinshin really fits to be your wife…so stop being so apprehensive when you haven't tried yet."

"Karin, no matter how strong my feelings are I want them to appeal to her naturally. I am contented if you will respect her as individual who also has her own convictions."

"I hate it when you are talking like a scholar."

"It's because I am." He smiled.

Karin crossed her arms and rested her chin on the window sill. Seirou leaned his back on the wall and waited for her to speak.

"Shinshin…she really has been bearing something heavy in her heart. I am not so sure but I think she is restraining herself from us because of that."

Seirou was quiet hearing these words. None of the villagers really would know. But he did. He was there when it all happened. It was because Seirou, before being adopted by a minister in Kei and becoming a scholar, came from the same land as Shinkai. He knew her longer than anyone else in You.

"Don't worry…Shinkai is as good and gentle as we knew of her since the beginning."

"I strongly believe so, too."

Seirou sighed in relief as he saw Karin's expression lighten up. It was true that he has really liked Shinkai since they were little children back in the southern kingdom of Shun, but she was of higher status, and he was just a lowly son of a farmer. He followed her when she ran away until she became one of the developers of the "project". Seirou never knew what it was, but Shinkai definitely regretted deeply about its endpoint. She never showed up when he told her to see him again just like what they did every other night. The next thing he knew, she was gone. Fate might have dictated that they should both land in Kei as the Royal Shun fell. One thing was clear to him for sure though - the reported mysterious deaths of the refugees from the far southeastern kingdom were because of the "project".