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

down on a simple bed, Risai immediately got up and draped a coat over her  shoulders. Taiki hurried to stop her.
    "I think it would be better if you laid back down." Taiki gave some water to an attendant inside the  tent. "Today, I helped the nyosen run errands. I brought you some water."
    In order to avoid being impolite, Risai straightened up her appearance a bit and bowed her head,  saying, "Thank you for your concern."
    Under an attendant's arrangement, Taiki sat nearby Risai and looked at her face. "How are your  wounds healing?"
    "Many thanks to you for bringing the Sensui. The pain has already gone away."
    "...Oh, good." Taiki sighed and cocked his head to the side. "I hope they don't leave scars."
    Risai smiled. "Please don't worry. With the additional support of the Sensui, and taking into  consideration that I am a sennin, even if my wounds were more serious, I would still be all right."
    Taiki blinked his eyes. His face was full of bewilderment. "What do you mean? Madam Risai, you're  a sennin?"
    "Even though I'm in a provincial army, I only needed to be a general in order to enter the Immortal  Register and become a sennin. If I didn't do this, then I could not have served the provincial Kou."
    "Why?"
    This time it was Risai's turn to look surprised. "Do you not know? The provincial Kou is not a  human, but an immortal. At the castle of the provincial Kou, if you are not a sennin, you cannot enter or exit.
    The provincial Kou has a very long life, and if those who serve at his side do not also have longevity, then  they would not be of much use."
    "Oh..."
    Risai saw that Taiki's face was still full of confusion and was extremely amazed. She had heard that  this kirin had been raised in Hourai until not too long ago. Could it be that there are no sennin in Hourai?
    "Shinsen do not have a life span."
    "Is that so?"
    Risai sighed softly. "...Kou, you are also a shinsen. Didn't you know that?"
    "I am?"
    "Yes. The ruler inherently holds a position in the Divine Register. When he becomes the ruler, he  will no longer age. Moreover, it is not very easy for him to die. At the very least, he will not die from  disease."

    "So that's how it is."
    "Kirin are also in the Divine Register. Like the ruler, you will not grow old, nor will you become  sick. It is not easy for you to be wounded, nor for you to die. There are also a few illnesses that will only  affect kirin."
    Taiki suddenly opened his eyes wide and thought for a little bit. "Then... will I grow older and  older?"
    "After you become an adult, you will then not continue to age."
    "...I feel like...this is a little strange."
    "The nyosen won't grow old or die of sickness either. I think that they have forgotten to tell you these  things... This is pretty much it."
    "Okay."
    "The sennin support the ruler. Ordinarily, those who serve at the side of the ruler, or the provincial  Kou as well as those who serve at the side of the Kou, they are all sennin."
    "If only the king can live forever, then he can't accomplish much."
    Risai smiled wryly. "I'm not too clear on the reason either. However, sennin won't become old or die  of sickness either, but this is only within the time that they are sennin. The difference between the Immortal  Register and the Divine Register is that one can enter or leave the Immortal Register at any time. One can  decide whether or not they want to be a sennin."
    "If you weren't a sennin, then would you grow old like most other people?"
    "Yes. Hence, very few people will leave the Immortal Register of their own accord. For instance, I  was promoted to general and then entered into the Register, but if I quit or am removed from the position of  general, I must withdraw from the Register. In other words, my place in the Register is granted to me by the  ruler. All the sennin that work under the king are called chisen."
    "Oh..."
    "Aside from this, there are people who voluntarily vow to become sennin, those who are not  appointed by nor serve under a ruler. These sennin are called hisen. For example, the nyosen of Mt. Hou are  considered hisen."
    "So that's how it is..." After Taiki said this, he sighed. "Before, I had asked Teiei about her age, and  she said that she had forgotten it. Maybe she has really already lived so long that she has forgotten her age."
    "Perhaps." Risai smiled slightly. "So, you don't need to worry about my body. Compared to that of a  regular person, I am much stronger.
    "That's