The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

With such merciless winters? If I was Tentei, I would have at least created kingdoms with more pleasant climates. The winters not too cold, the summers not too dry. A world like that."
    "Huh," was Enho's only response.
    "If the people were starving, I would send them manna. When a cruel pretender rose up, I would strike him down. Why isn't Heaven more like that?"
    "It does make you wonder."
    "But why? It's said that the right to rule their kingdoms is granted by Heaven to kings according to the Way of Compassion. If so, then why would it be a sin to dispatch soldiers also in the name of compassion? It was Heaven that sat Gyousou-sama on the throne. Didn't Tentei make Gyousou-sama king and promote him to the throne? So why doesn't Heaven protect him?"
    Enho didn't answer.
    "Does Tentei really exist? If He exists, then why won't He save Tai? Why won't he listen to the prayer of the Tai people, even as they drown in their own blood? Are you saying that their prayers somehow aren't enough? Or perhaps that Heaven wishes Tai to be destroyed?"
    "Risai-dono--"
    "If Tentei doesn't exist, that's fine too. A God who doesn't deign to save his own creations has no business existing. But if there is no God, then why can't the soldiers of one kingdom trespass the borders of another? Who is it punishing that sin? If some person is making those judgments and passing those sentences, they why doesn't that same person pass that same sentence upon Asen?"
    Enho warmly covered her cold, quivering hand with his own. "I understand how you feel. You musn't allow your passions to sap your own strength."
    Risai took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm sorry. I got myself into a bit of a tizzy there."
    "I do understand where you're coming from. After all is said and done, we are left to live out our lives under the Providence of Heaven. For as long as that holds true, we are condemned to this irrational state, the logic of which we cannot control."
    "Yes."
    "However, this is the world of men and women. Pay no mind to the business of Heaven. Instead, find a way to live within whatever Providence dictates. That is the end to which the Royal Kei is devoting her heart and mind."
    "Yes. I apologize."
    "You need not worry about it. Nobody is casting Tai aside."
    Risai nodded. The cruel light of the Moon shone down on the World Below.

Chapter 27
    " Y o," said Rokuta, sauntering into the Seishin. Ten days had passed since he and Shouryuu had returned to En.
    "Another visit out of the blue." You didn't seem to have any problems finding your way here, she didn't need to add.
    Rokuta grinned. "Well, I've been here before. Anyway, my hair mostly does the talking for me. Nobody has to ask who I am. Except that I don't seem to have gotten through to that man of yours at the front gate. Gaishi was it? I'd appreciate you clueing him in for me."
    Youko sighed. "You do have a habit of popping in without much notice."
    "Hey, I consider that a virtue. Speaking of which, you need to get packed and ready to go. Snap, snap."
    "Ready to go?"
    "Sure. I've been doing diplomacy. Kyou, Han, Sai, Ren, and Sou are on board. Including En and Kei, that comes to seven kingdoms. Hou and Kou currently have vacant thrones, so I didn't include them. And Ryuu and Shun didn't respond favorably."
    Youko rose from her chair. "Five more kingdoms."
    "At any rate, we'll do the most we can with the help we've got and send search parties to China and Yamato. Sou is on good relations with Kyou and Sai. They'll take on China. We, together with Han and Ren, will handle Yamato. We're arranging for the Taiho from Han and Ren to come to En. As far as Kei's role is concerned, I didn't think it advisable to lay any more burdens on the Kei national treasury. I hope you don't mind."
    "No problem. En is perfectly equipped for the job."
    "All right then," Rokuta grinned. "Despite this being on such short order, we can count an august official from Ren among our number. He's currently arranging his schedule, but considering the long distance he has to come, he's likely to be delayed a bit. In the meantime, there's someplace we both need to go."
    "Go? Where to?"
    "Mt. Hou," Rokuta replied.
    "Mt. Hou?"
    Mt. Hou was located in the Yellow Sea in the very middle of the world, the holy place where the kirin were born. Youko had only been there once. Shortly after ascending to the throne, she traveled there to receive her Divine Dispensation.
    "What are we supposed to accomplish on Mt. Hou?" Youko wondered