*****

Genroku 5 (1692) Winter Solstice

「Please watch your step, My Lady. The paths are rather muddy due to last night's rain.」

Guided by two maidservants, a young woman of seemingly noble status climbed the mountain trail.

「I am aware. Saki is a worrywart, aren't they.」

The one who made this reply was a girl whose glossy black hair was bound in a traditional *kougaimage* topknot, dressed in a navy-blue pleated *kirihakama* skirt, a scarlet unlined robe (*hitoe*), a purple outer robe (*uwagi*) patterned with cross-in-diamond and quadruple floral crests, and a light crimson court robe (*karaginu*) of the same pattern. On her feet, she wore *tsumakawa*-equipped wooden clogs (*seta*).

Accompanying her on both sides like guards were two white foxes. The fox on her right had a flower-like pattern, while the one on her left had a flame-like pattern, both inscribed in scarlet upon their foreheads.

「Before anything happens to you, Milady, I'll handle it, so you've nothing to worry about.」

An escort around eighteen or nineteen years of age, clad in grey *igahakama* trousers and shin guards (*kyahan*), followed close behind the girl they called Princess, grinning as he spoke.

「Kurogane, I am turning fifteen very soon. Do not treat me like a child of five or six.」

「Indeed. If worst comes to worst, I can act as a stepping stone myself.」

「Even you, Natsume, are saying such things.」

From their casual banter, it was plain to see that despite being master and servants, they shared a remarkably close bond. Walking just a little further until they were nearly at the summit, they purposely veered slightly off the path to the left, revealing the sight they had come looking for.

「Ah, there it is. This is what I wanted to see.」

It was a white wild camellia (*yabutsubaki*) standing roughly six feet tall. Amidst the leafless trees, its glossy green leaves stood proud, bearing numerous white blossoms. Though small and single-petaled, the somewhat tubular flowers looked endearingly as though they were enduring the harsh cold, and their round, plump buds were utterly charming.

「How lovely. There are only red camellias in the estate's garden, so I went out of my way to climb the back mountain like this, but it was well worth the effort.」

At the girl's words, the fox waiting on her right let out a dissatisfied huff.

「I know full well that if I were to ride upon you, we would arrive in an instant, Kaou. But there are certain views that can only be appreciated by climbing up on one's own two feet.」

Hearing those words, the maidservants waiting a short distance away smiled. Though their master, Princess Kana, still retained a youthful innocence, her beauty was just beginning to blossom, and it took little imagination to realize she would soon captivate the hearts of many gentlemen.

「It is just like a picture scroll, isn't it?」

The maidservant called Natsume murmured with a soft sigh. Just at that moment, an unfamiliar crest flashed white beneath the Princess's feet, and they realized that space itself was distorting!

(Blast it, a trap?!)

The escort thought this as he rushed forward, but it was already too late.

「Princess!」

「「My Lady!!」」

『Saki, Natsume, Kuroga...』

The voices calling out to the maidservants faded away into the distance, vanishing along with their blurring forms...

*◇*◇*◇*◇*

「Success!」

「Oh, what a divine appearance...」

「Could this be... a princess from another world?」

「With this, our country is saved as well!」

「The Saintess!」

「Where... am I?」

Princess Kana was entirely at a loss. Only moments before, she should have been admiring the camellias on the back mountain, yet now she found herself in a completely unknown place. To make matters worse, the people surrounding her possessed brown or golden hair, and blue or green eyes.

(So many foreigners... Could this be a foreign land? But the fact that I can understand their words... Could it be Dejima? Even so, how on earth... And furthermore, the patterns on this floor. I have never seen anything like them...)

As she sat bewildered upon the floor, Princess Kana noticed someone kneeling before her. It was a young man with golden hair and blue eyes, attired in gorgeous garments adorned with gold embroidery over white fabric, indicating he was a person of high status.

With a joyful smile, the young man spoke to Princess Kana:

「Welcome, O Saintess.」

*****

Welcome, we have kidnapped you to another world. Now, work for our sake.

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