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

foothills of Mt. Hou.
    It wasn't until she saw the scene before her eyes that she completely understood.
    --Taiki must have acted in desperation.
    He may not have had such deep thoughts and emotions, but being pulled along by a great power that  far surpassed his own abilities, Taiki desperately wanted to do what he had set out to do. --It was all because  Gyousou was the king.
    Sanshi walked into the basin, and Taiki turned to look at her. His face was full of a fear that he  couldn't help but show. She smiled at Taiki, and then she made her own body melt into Taiki's shadow.
    If Gyousou was the king, why did Taiki still reveal a fearful expression? Why did it take so long  before he knew that Gyousou was the king? She was full of questions, but since she had already caught up to  Taiki, Sanshi didn't insist on the answers to any of them. This was because, for Sanshi, there was nothing as  important as Taiki in this world.
    - - - - -
    Gyousou and those with him returned to Mt. Hou and saw the pale-faced nyosen gathered in front of  Hoto Palace.
    "Taiki...! Everyone was worried to death!"

    Seeing Gyousou carrying Taiki down from Keito, Youka immediately rushed forward. "What on  earth happened? Why has Sir Gyousou also returned...?"
    Gyousou smiled without replying. The servants at Gyousou's side came together to respond in his  place. "The Kou came to chase back his master!"
    The crowd that had gathered around Hoto Palace began to discuss this one after another, in the end it  became a collective cheering.
    Youka saw Gyousou smiling from ear to ear and also Taiki, whom Gyousou had brought back,  showing a fearful expression.
    "His master... Then..." Youka kneeled upon the ground. "Can it be that there was a revelation?"
    Taiki couldn't answer her. The attendants beside them made sounds of certainty for him. Following  this, they heard even more convincing news.
    "He has already given the oath." This was Sanshi's voice.
    Youka opened her mouth in surprise. She widened her eyes and looked at Teiei. Teiei nodded with a  serious face, and then immediately knelt down. She placed her hands on the ground, and her torso lay  prostrate; the surrounding nyosen saw this and followed in succession. "Congratulations, Lord Gyousou."
    The man whose hand was upon Taiki's shoulder smiled and nodded.
    Not moving from the position she was in, Teiei continued on to say, with a slight quiver in her voice,  "Long live King Tai and Tai Taiho."
    --At this point, Taiki's crime had already become irreversible.
    Gyousou's master and servant residences were very quickly moved into Houro Palace. Gyousou  stayed at Tankei Palace, which was situated closer to the outside.
    The area that Houro Palace occupies is very broad. Since ancient times, it has always been here that  an auspicious day is chosen on which to receive the Tenchoku.
    From now on, the manner in which the nyosen treated Gyousou underwent a complete change. He is  considered the superior of the nyosen, as well as Taiki's master. There was no excuse to be inhospitable to  him.
    A great number of nyosen were dispatched to Tankei Palace in order to serve Gyousou and his  attendants. They took care of each and every need of their daily life, from when they got out of bed until  they went to sleep. It was simply a dramatic change.
    Not long ago, when Gyousou encountered the nyosen, he had to bow. Now, the roles were reversed.
    The nyosen had to give Gyousou complete courtesy. It was no longer necessary for Gyousou to pay any sort  of respect to any of the nyosen; the same applied even if it was the Mt. Hou Kou. At present, if he stepped  outside of Houro Palace, a person who had been his friend of the same generation yesterday, today would  have to prostrate themselves in respect.
    --Gyousou sat at a supreme status.
    - - - - -
    "Congratulations, your majesty." A few days before the chosen auspicious day, Risai had finally  come to offer him praise.
    "Are you able to get out of bed and walk about now?"

    "I am very sorry to have worried you, my lord." Risai bowed and lowered her head, and then faced  Taiki. "Congratulations, Taiho."
    "Thank you..." Taiki showed a lack of energy, which caused Risai to feel a bit astonished.
    "Forgive my rudeness, but might I ask if all is well with the Taiho?"
    The child uneasily forced out a sliver of a smile. "Everything's fine... It's just that being called Taiho  is a little strange..."
    Risai laughed. "I believe that you