The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

that the other kingdoms should be available to intercede and open their warehouses. I hadn't known there were these sins with instantaneous punishments, or about customs of non-intervention. So maybe I'm approaching the subject too simple-mindedly."
    "Youko," Rokuta said, half in amazement, "you sure do come up with some interesting ideas."
    "Well, it's not really my idea. It's something people in that other world thought up. It didn't exist when you were living there."
    "Huh."
    Youko said to Shouryuu, "If nobody's done it before, then I want to give it a shot. See how it flies. Can't we petition the other kingdoms and ask for their assistance?"
    "Are you asking me or telling me?"
    "I'd be happy to try, but as the new girl on the block, I don't think the other rulers will give me so much as a backward glance."
    Shouryuu mulled things over for a while. Finally he said, "Everybody's so eager to put us up on this pedestal as the 'great power.' Now it's Tai. Not long ago it was Kei. And now that Kei is finding her feet, Kou is crumbling. To make matters worse, storm clouds are gathering over Ryuu as well. One after the other, En's neighbors have succumbed, falling against us like so many dominoes. I'm not omnipotent, you know. Our storehouses are not inexhaustible. And you want me to shoulder this as well?"
    Rokuta turned to the exasperated Shouryuu with a surprised look. "What's this? You never noticed before what's going on here?"
    "What?"
    Rokuta grinned. "It's because you're the Angel of Death."
    Shouryuu frowned at him fiercely. "I'm making my best effort, working as hard as I can, and this is the thanks I get? All right, we'll search for Taiki. I might as well be the one leading the charge."
    "Thank you." Youko smiled broadly and bowed her head. "Sometime in the future I promise to repay all the debts I have amassed."
    "Those are the terms I should be stating."
    "But of course," Youko laughed. "For as long as the Royal En shall live, and until the day En itself descends into chaos, I promise to make Kei all that Kei can be. Set you mind at ease. You can trust me on this."

Chapter 26
    A round dinnertime, Youko went to see Risai and inform her that they'd decided to look for Taiki.
    "I don't know how much help we'll be able to expect from the other kingdoms, or what kind of search we can mount for Taiki until we actually start sounding them out. For the time being, it is a very small step. But at least we're moving forward."
    Risai couldn't find the words to express her gratitude. Youko gave her a smile and hurried out of the parlor. The balance of the time she was devoting to Tai would have to be made up by burning the midnight oil.
    "I don't know how to thank her," Risai said to herself.
    "It's great, isn't it?" a voice called out. Keikei came into the parlor to tend to his "butler" duties. "If they can get the other rulers from the other kingdoms to pitch in, we'll find him for sure."
    "Yes. For sure," echoed Suzu.
    Risai could only nod in amazement. Compared to the six years she had battled constantly with despair, with no sign of redemption in sight, new vistas were opening before her eyes.
    The salvation of Tai had begun. Such was the joy in her heart that she couldn't fall asleep that night. Lying on her bed, turning Youko's words over in her mind, her joy turned to anxiety halfway through the night.
    What if they couldn't find Taiki, despite their efforts? The strong possibility that they would was deeply reassuring. Yet those feelings just as easily turned to hopelessness, and then to fear. It wasn't that she doubted Youko in the slightest. Her life had, for far too long, turned in directions not of her choosing. Her expectations had been dashed, her hopes ruined. And she knew of nothing that would suggest otherwise this time around.
    How likely was the happy promise of Taiki returning unharmed? Even if he managed to be found, no end of harm could befall him in the meantime.
    Once she started thinking along those lines, her worries made sleep impossible.
    Unable to bear the pain bearing down on her chest, with a great deal of effort, Risai struggled out of bed. Her condition had improved enough that Suzu no longer kept an all-night vigil by her bedside, and retired to her own quarters. Suzu wouldn't be there to assist her, but neither would she be there to castigate her for leaving her bed.
    Risai made her way along, using the walls and furniture to support her infirmed body, and finally found her way to