Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Maze, Prologue

strong and  urgent. At one second, it blew powerfully up the crags into the sky, and at the next, it scraped the edges of  the cliff walls downward, curling into a gusty whirlwind. Even the sky was looking murky. Since there was  only a thin layer of clouds, they didn't know why it gave off such an oppressive feeling.
    "Is this some sort of omen?"
    Teiei tilted her head to contemplate the question Youka had brought up.
    "It shouldn't be. This morning's Eight Diagrams divination symbol didn't show that anything would  occur. Come on, let's hurry and draw water out and then get back."
    "Yes."
    Youka tossed the bucket that was in her hands into the spring water.
    This pool of spring water is called "Kaidou Spring." The spring water gushes endlessly from the base  of the crags, and a great sea paulownia (kaidou) tree covers the tops of the crags around the pool.
    Of course, the spring water of Houro Palace doesn't come from just this one pool. No one has been  silly enough to count how many springs there are in all, but the number is many, so it follows that they had  to name every spring lest they confuse them.
    On Mt. Hou, there are no differences in the seasons. Flowers can bloom throughout the year. For  instance, right then there were a few little fluffy white sea paulownia flowers floating on the surface of the  spring. Because the fragrance of the flowers had permeated the water, though it was not known when it  started, the wooden water bucket also gave off the scent of the sea paulownia flower.
    The scented water in the bucket is for an offering at Taishin Shrine in Houro Palace for the patron  goddess of Mt. Hou--it is used for washing the wooden image of Oufujin.
    Youka pushed aside the flowers as she filled the bucket with water, and then she turned around and  prepared to walk in the direction of Taishin Shrine. At this time, Teiei smiled and called out to her.
    "Where are you going?"
    "Hm? I'm going to help Oufu..."
    Teiei laughed.
    "The shrine isn't in that direction! Don't you remember which way to walk yet?"
    Youka looked at the three diverging paths and her face could not help turning red.
    "I've really gotten the direction wrong."
    The rocks and the countlessly diverging paths made Mt. Hou into an absolute maze.
    The only ones who can master all the routes are those who live on Mt. Hou. Only the nyosen who live  here can choose the right route in the spider-web-like paths, in order to get to the side of a clear river to wash  clothes, to a waterfall to bathe, or to a pure spring to draw water. The area wasn't big, whether she wanted to  reach the grasslands, flower gardens, and vegetable gardens, all splashed with sunlight, or she wanted to visit  the little palaces sprinkled around Mt. Hou. However, for Youka, who was a new nyosen, she still needed a  bit of time to get around.
    "Why are the paths here so complicated...?"
    Hearing Youka sighing like this, Teiei smiled.
    "It's there to protect the Mt. Hou Kou! Just endure it for a little bit."
    The land is shaped like a maze in order to prevent intrusion by outsiders.
    Regular people or animals would not be able to make their way up the rocks. And although youju  possess the ability to do so, they are generally not allowed into Houro Palace with only a few exceptions.
    Also, the paths through the strange rocks are very narrow, so those that come to visit must leave their mounts  at the base and walk up to Houro Palace alone.
    As soon as one steps onto the small paths, they will notice the interlocking grid, just like a labyrinth.
    The enormous crags will block your lines of sight. And amongst the rocks that are covered by the  damp green moss, the elaborate stone slabs on the small paths have formed innumerable diverging roads and  tunnels that cause people to lose their sense of direction in the blink of an eye.
    Only those familiar with Houro Palace are able to find their way and arrive at that place, unique in this  world, a high terrace full of plants and trees.
    "So that's how it is."
    Hidden in the deepest part of the maze is the Shashinboku, and on this tree, the fruit of the kirin grow.
    In this world, whether human, beast, or any other living thing, they all grow in fruits on white trees.
    However, the only fruits that bear kirin grow on the Shashinboku on Mt. Hou.
    Mt. Hou is the holy land where kirin are born. Houro Palace and the nyosen in it all exist for the sake
    of the kirin. The kirin are the masters of Mt. Hou,