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

to feel that sitting in the chair was very  bothersome.
    He only had to stay until noon before he could return to the palace, but the length of time that he had  to sit was too long.
    "Can I walk around outside?"
    As soon as they heard Taiki ask this, the nyosen on the platform twittered with joy, because they had  also felt bored.
    "Of course you can," replied Youka with a big smile on her face.
    "Were you all just waiting for me to ask this?"
    "Not completely," said Youka as she laughed. "However, I can't say that it hasn't been a little  annoying, because, since this morning, we've already seen Pumpkin Daibu's face six times."
    Though the nyosen tried to suppress their laughter, they were unable to hold it in and began laughing.
    Among those who have offered incense, some will do it several times a day. And of those people, the  first person to enter the palace and perform the rite on the first day had come every day and offered incense  at least ten times before Taiki returned to Houro Palace. That man looked like a daibu from some kingdom,  and his face was round and red, like a pumpkin, so they privately gave him the nickname, "Pumpkin Daibu."
    "Will it be dangerous for me to go outside?"
    Teiei smiled and said, "We'll all be by your side. With this many people, you shouldn't worry. Even if  we did encounter someone up to no good, you can believe that the people in the vicinity will not stand idly  by. They will definitely help you out, because everyone wants you to see their best side."
    Ten foolish people who had tried to sneak into Houro Palace had already been expelled from Mt.  Hou, but none of the nyosen intended to inform Taiki of such a thing.
    "I see..."
    "When the time comes, a lot of people will surround you and want to greet you, but that would be  better than sitting here as if you were doing penance, right? I think for sure that there will be those who are  too impatient to wait for a ruler to be chosen, and I'm afraid that you'll eventually you'll be scared by all the  flattering."
    "Then...what do I say to them?"

    "If you find the ruler, then you follow the ancient customs and bow before him..."
    "And then I vow never to abandon him, never to disobey his royal command, and pledge my loyalty  to him?"
    Teiei nodded. "Correct."
    "What if they're not the ruler?"
    "Since it's the summer solstice right now, it's tradition to say, I wish you well from the solstice until  the equinox, or you could say, I wish you well from the equinox until the solstice."
    "So I just wish them well until the next Ankou Day."
    "Yes."
    "What if I can't figure it out and I mess up?"
    Teiei smiled and comforted Taiki. "Don't worry. That won't happen."
    "Will Sanshi come with me?"
    "Sanshi will hide herself nearby. However, you must not call her out when we're amongst the big  crowds. If you do that, she'll frighten the horses and kiju."
    - - - - -
    The nyosen on the platform surrounded Taiki, and they all walked towards the outside of the palace.
    The nyosen that were not on the platform could only look on with envy, since it was their responsibility to  stay in the palace for the whole day and look after the people offering incense, as well as handle the various  problems of those who had climbed the mountain.
    To those who want to become the ruler, it could be said that the mountain-climbing season is a  magnificent ceremony. For the nyosen, it could also be counted as an amusing activity.
    Extremely few regret becoming a nyosen, but living such a long time still makes some of them  weary. Over the summer solstice, the nyosen spend a lot of time on their appearances, though it wasn't done  to convey their dignity. The nyosen teased the men who had climbed the mountain with their affection for  fun. While this went on, the playing would sometimes become serious, and it's not unheard of for a nyosen to  descend the mountain with a man.
    It had not been easy for Taiki to leave the palace, so it was unfortunate that the first person that came  to greet him was the aforementioned Pumpkin Daibu. He must have set up his camp near Hoto Palace, so  that when Taiki and his group came out of the palace, he could immediately hurry to him with the utmost  speed.
    It sounded like something heavy had been dropped onto the ground when he kneeled down, and he  hit his forehead upon the ground probably because he used too much force as he was preparing to bow. The  nyosen tried with all their strength to keep