Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Maze, Chapter 7

Youka. "Tomorrow Madam Risai and Sir Gyousou are going out to the  Yellow Sea to look for sugu."
    Youka raised her eyebrows. "And?"
    "...And I would like to go with them... I can't go, can I?"
    When Risai invited Taiki, he had told her that the nyosen might not allow him to go.

    Youka exchanged glances with Teiei, who was standing in the corner of the room, and then sighed  and said, "All right, since you don't usually ask us for anything. Just please do your best to be careful. Don't  get hurt or we'll be very worried."
    A wide grin spread across Taiki's face. "Okay!"
    - - - - -
    The darkness was still draped over the sky though daybreak was approaching. Taiki rushed over from  Hoto Palace to Risai's tent without stopping.
    The surroundings were so hazy that human shapes were hard to make out, but the camp area had  been illuminated by torches.
    "Madam Risai!"
    "Kou."
    Taiki saw that Gyousou had already put on his armor and was standing with Keito, waiting for him to  arrive. Risai was just placing a saddle onto Hien's back, and it was the first time that Taiki had seen her in  armor. She turned her head and looked at the nyosen following Taiki and nodded.
    "Are we ready to set off?"
    Risai smiled. "Almost."
    "Am I riding with you on Hien?"
    "That's right."
    Teiei, who had chased behind Taiki, bowed deeply. "There are none who can replace Taiki's person,  so Madam Risai and Sir Gyousou, I please ask that you must take care of him, no matter what."
    Risai and Gyousou returned the bow.
    "We earnestly believe in both of your abilities, so the danger shouldn't be too great that Taiki is with  you. However, please be sure that you return him before noon."
    "Certainly."
    Teiei nodded, and then noticed that only a tenba and a sugu were ready with saddles.
    "Are you not bringing any attendants with you?"
    "If we bring attendants on horses, I'm afraid that we would not be able to make it back by noon," said  Risai difficultly. Teiei creased her brow.
    The Yellow Sea is quite a dangerous place, and though it protects the Five Mountains, countless  numbers of youma reside there. Youju will obediently listen to their masters as soon as they are subdued, but  they are originally born wild, so they are dangerous and will attack people.
    Besides youma and youju, there are countless other hazards hidden in the Yellow Sea, such as  quicksand, swamps full of poisonous vapors, boulders falling off the mountain, and the like.
    "Can the both of you guarantee that you will bring the Kou back without the slightest injury?"
    Risai nodded her head solidly. "We will definitely make sure he does not get injured in the least."

    "It's too bad we can't come with you. The nyosen need the permission of Genkun to leave the Five  Mountains. I know it's very dangerous there, so please consider the Kou's safety first while you're hunting.
    He must not come into contact with blood. This I ask of you."
    "Yes... Of course." A labored expression floated onto Risai's face. Teiei ignored it and continued  speaking.
    "If you really must kill a youma, one of you please take the Kou away first...even if it means  abandoning the other person."
    "Teiei..." Afraid that Teiei would keep talking, Taiki gently tugged at the bottom of Teiei's dress.
    "We are not setting off on a sightseeing excursion," said Gyousou with a stern look upon his face.
    "The main purpose of this trip to the edge of the Yellow Sea is to hunt for youju. Thus, I cannot guarantee  you that it won't be dangerous. However, we are most confident that we can protect the Kou, so that is why  we have invited him to come with us. For you to give us these instructed again and again, I must say that the  nyosen of Mt. Hou are being a bit too discourteous."
    Teiei looked unwaveringly at Gyousou. "...You are really full of self-confidence... I suppose that it  would be useless to say anymore..."
    Gyousou fearless looked back at Teiei, the unyielding glimmer in his eyes becoming more intense. "I  must please ask the nyosen not to worry. The Kou is the Kirin of our Tai Kingdom. Protecting the safety of  the Kou is the absolute responsibility of the people of Tai Kingdom. Can the nyosen accept what I have  said?"
    The two looked at each other for a moment, until Teiei looked away briefly.
    "What you've said does make sense... Then that is all I ask of you."
    "Of course."
    When Teiei turned to make her way back to the palace, Gyousou grasped his sugu's reins and said,  "The