KANA 14

 

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The Fierce Saintess

episode 14

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

*****

「Now then, these two are in the way, so let us move them quickly. Here, you men, lend a hand.」

Having seen off the lord and his party, Princess Kana spoke those words and ordered the soldiers to lift Clutchfield’s sister and niece—bound tightly with rope—onto Kaou’s back.

In truth, the soldiers, who had been ordered by the lord to throw the pair into the dungeon, had been hesitating to lay hands on the glaring Duchess Dowager and her daughter. Unable to stand watching their predicament any longer, the princess had decided to lend them a hand.

Dissatisfied with such treatment, the two women instantly began squirming and wriggling like caterpillars in a display of resistance, but—

「I could always carry you dangling underneath, you know?」

At the princess’s words, they froze, suddenly falling completely docile. Though, judging by the muffled, inarticulate sounds coming from their mouths, they had certainly not stopped complaining. However, the real problem was not their defiance but the white fox, whose face clearly wore an expression of intense disgust at having such cargo loaded onto his back.

「Now, Kaou. Do not look so displeased. It is only for a brief moment.」

Soothe as she might Kaou—whose fur bristled and whose tail puffed up to twice its size, making no attempt to conceal his anger—Princess Kana asked a soldier to guide them down to the cell.

The cell lay down a flight of stairs behind the mansion, past a heavy iron door. Partitioned by iron bars, the stone floor of the six-tatami-sized space was chillingly cold, but bedding had been provided, and behind a folding screen stood a seated hibako box-toilet.

Judging that even spoiled women could survive a single night in such conditions, Princess Kana turned to the fox.

「Kaou, thank you for your trouble. You may now—」

Before she could even finish telling him he could unload them, Kaou flicked his tail with a sharp whoosh, sweeping the burden right off his back.

Thuds and groans echoed through the cell. Yet, seeing the white fox draw close to her with an expression of pure relief, the princess could not find it in her heart to scold him. As she stroked his back appreciatively, the white fox lamented:

「Those women reek so foully, my nose may very well have gone crooked from the stench.」

He snorted repeatedly, trying to expel the lingering odor from deep within his nostrils. The soldiers accompanying them could not help but burst into laughter at his complaint.

Indeed, the princess had noticed the smell as well—a heavy mixture of incense, face powder, and body odor. The incense in particular was overpowering, making it unbearable for a fox's sensitive and delicate sense of smell.

「My... I am truly sorry for putting you through that.」

While stroking Kaou’s back, Princess Kana chanted a purification mantra for him. Meanwhile, the two women, having been so blatantly called foul-smelling, flushed bright red and glared at them, once again making muffled noises behind their gags. Seeing this, the princess turned to the guards.

「It will be a nuisance if they grow noisy again, so leave their mouths covered and only free their hands. The lady or lord Clutchfield will deal with them eventually, so leave them be until then.」

She issued these orders to the soldiers, who were still covering their mouths to suppress their laughter, and then departed from the cell. As a precaution, she asked one of the accompanying soldiers to pass a message to Belinda, the mistress of the mansion, while making sure to emphasize that the lady had no need to go down to the dungeon herself.

(Now then, before Burley and the others return, I should decide on a method for purification. Ame-no-Habaya would certainly be far too powerful, so perhaps a purification mantra, or perhaps a Harae-kotoba...)

While she was weighing various options, Burley and his men returned alongside the lord, who was in high spirits after successfully retrieving what he had sought. Henry was the only one missing, having gone to the storehouse to unload the recovered supplies, and it was said he would take a little longer to return.

They decided to set out as soon as Henry returned. However, after being subjected to yet another round of near-prostrating gratitude from the lord, as well as a tearful farewell from his wife and son—who begged them to visit again—a considerable amount of time passed before they could actually depart.

「Kyuukyuu Nyoritsuryou, Shinchi Sendou.」

Before the gates of the lord’s mansion, Princess Kana breathed upon a paper bird-shaped shikigami and issued her command. The paper bird floated gently into the air, executed a single spin, and shot straight toward their destination. Because it flickered with a red light at intervals, there was no danger of losing sight of it.

Taking off right behind it were Kaou carrying the princess and Suou carrying the members of the subjugation unit.

Cheers erupted from the townspeople below who caught sight of them, though their figures quickly shrank into the distance.

Yet the residents of Clutchfield, led by their lord, did not stop watching until the Saintess and her party became tiny specks and finally vanished completely from view.

Riding atop the white foxes bounding gracefully through the sky in pursuit of the small guiding shikigami, the members of the subjugation unit—having apparently grown accustomed to the flight—were conversing pleasantly. None of them were clinging on for dear life like yesterday; earlier, some had even possessed the composure to wave back at the cheering townspeople.

Amidst this harmonious atmosphere, they soon arrived at the first miasma pool. High in the air above it, the guiding shikigami spun continuously, nimbly dodging bird-type magic beasts.

Instantly, a whirlwind laced with ice swept through the magic beasts, freezing and tearing apart everything flying in the area. With no obstacles left to hinder its flight, the shikigami glided smoothly into the princess's outstretched hand. Whispering a word of praise, she tucked it into her robes, then turned her gaze to the miasma pool spreading below.

Looking down, the pool was indeed smaller than the one from yesterday, appearing about one-tenth the size. However, numerous magic beasts prowled around its perimeter, and still more were in the process of being spawned.

「For now, we must first eliminate the magic beasts in the surrounding area.」

「Saintess-sama, if it is only this much, please leave it to us.」

At Burley’s request, Princess Kana—who had been wanting to see their true capabilities—agreed to let them handle the situation.

She watched from above while remaining atop Kaou. Suou, who had naturally joined them in the form of a young warrior wearing Kogitsunemaru at his waist, brought the elite subjugation unit to twenty-one members. Their fighting prowess was nothing short of spectacular.

Chief among them was Burley, who effortlessly swung a longsword as tall as himself, mowing down the magic beasts one after another.

「So the wielder of the longsword I saw yesterday was Burley after all!」

The royal mage Henry was freely spinning an orb that emitted lightning-like flashes in every direction. Its movements seemed to attack enemies while simultaneously shielding allies.

(An orb combining offense and defense... how intriguing.)

On rare occasions, bird-type magic beasts flew up toward the princess, but Kaou froze every single one of them, sending them crashing down to the ground without any trouble.

In the end, within about half an hour, the area was mostly cleared.

Looking at the miasma pool once more, Princess Kana felt that using Ame-no-Habaya was unnecessary. Curious to test various methods, she decided to attempt purification using the Koumyou Mantra this time.

「Kaou, will you assist me once again?」

「Most certainly!」

「Then I shall chant the mantra, so carry it upon your mist and envelope the miasma pool. I will chant it seven times in total, and I would like you to gradually freeze the mist as I do so. Is that possible?」

「Leave it to me!」

「I leave it in your hands then,」 Princess Kana said. She clapped her hands together once before forming a mudra seal and beginning to chant the mantra. As if dancing in rhythm with her voice, Kaou moved his front paws rhythmically.

「On Abokya Beiroshanou Makabodara Manihandoma Jinbara Harabaritaya Un, On Abokya Beiroshanou...」

A mist imbued with the power of the mantra surrounded the miasma pool, wrapping around it like a shroud. As the number of recitations progressed, the mist transformed into tiny ice granules, growing steadily larger with each repetition. By the time she finished the seventh chant, the miasma pool was entirely encased in a giant block of ice.

Then, responding to the princess's final words, 「Harabaritaya Un!」, the frozen mass released a dazzling flash of light. When the light eventually subsided, only a large pool of water remained. Prompted by the crisp clap of her hands, a refreshing breeze swept across the surface of the water, announcing the success of the purification.

「It seems to have worked well.」

Gradually, the water sank into the earth, until finally, from the center, a jar emerged with half of its body exposed.

(Just as I thought.)

Signaling for the subjugation unit to follow, she approached the jar. It was far smaller than yesterday's, small enough for a child to hold, but when she peeked inside, it indeed contained the severed head of a magic beast. Though it resembled a dog, it possessed a horn upon its forehead and ominous, sinister fangs.

「Saintess-sama, is this... the head of a Horn Wolf? But why would such a thing...」

Burley furrowed his brow upon seeing the contents of the jar, prompting the princess to respond.

「It is curse craft. My homeland possesses a similar technique—a forbidden spell, no less. Moreover, there was one in the miasma pool we purified yesterday as well, though that one was far larger. In my estimation, this is the true cause of the current crisis.」

「「「...」」」

「Most likely, if left alone without proper purification, it would simply give rise to a new miasma pool.」

Hearing these words, Henry—who had been involved in purification efforts numerous times over the past two years—reacted immediately.

「Then... the reason new pools kept appearing soon after being purified was because these were buried here? But who in the world would do such a thing...?」

「I do not know yet. However, it is certain that whoever made and buried these harbors ill intent toward this kingdom.」

As Princess Kana spoke, the members of the subjugation unit glared silently at the jar. Some trembled with tightly gritted teeth out of rage, while others clenched their fists tightly.

They were undoubtedly reflecting on their past battles and the countless people who had been wounded or sacrificed along the way.

「Leaving it like this is dangerous, so I shall seal it.」

Saying so, she produced several paper talismans inscribed with the kanji for 'Seal'. She clapped her hands once, then began walking slowly around the jar while chanting the Bishamonten Mantra.

「On Beishira Mandaya Sowaka, On Beishira Mandaya Sowaka...」

As she chanted, she applied two talismans at a time onto the jar so that they crossed diagonally. Two talismans were placed with each recitation; as she began the sixth chant, Suou and Kaou lifted the jar, allowing her to place two on its base, and on the seventh chant, she sealed the top like a lid.

When the princess clapped her hands once more, a brief screech echoed from within the jar, followed by a black, haze-like mist writhing outward. It swirled above the jar for a moment before dispersing into thin air and vanishing. Only then did everyone realize that the seal was complete.

「Well, normally it would be best to purify an item like this completely, but we ought to bring at least one back to show Shaira and Aldridge. Now, as for where to store it...」

「Naturally, I shall carry it in my Magic Box—」

「No, your box contains a great deal of food, so I am somewhat reluctant to store something with unknown side effects alongside it. Therefore, if it is usable, I shall try the item known as the Wonder Box in my Status...」

Saying this, Princess Kana retrieved the box to examine it. In truth, she had secretly hoped it would be something like a Magic Box. What appeared, however, was a beautiful box about the size of a stationery chest, decorated with intricate mother-of-pearl inlay. Even upon opening the top lid, there were no partitions or spatial openings inside.

「It is merely a small box...」

Seeing Princess Kana so overtly disappointed, Henry tried to be considerate and suggested:

「If you command it to enter the box, perhaps something might happen.」

Taking his advice, the princess commanded, 「Enter!」 At once, with a soft pop, the jar vanished, and with a clinking sound, a picture card resembling a karuta card appeared inside the box. Inscribed upon the card were the words: 'Evil Jar (Sealed) 1'.

「Oh! It worked! Henry, you have my thanks.」

Saying that it truly was a Wonder Box, she closed the lid and shook it merrily with a joyful expression. The others watched her with warm smiles, but noticing their gazes, she hastily tucked the box away.

「It has taken longer than I anticipated. We must hurry to the remaining two. I wish to rendezvous with William and his group before the day is out.」

As she climbed onto Kaou’s back while saying this, Burley and the others did not miss the faint blush tinting the tips of her ears.

***

Over the past two days, even while traveling on horseback, William had been pondering what kind of king he ought to become—or whether he was even capable of becoming one at all.

Because William had been relatively exceptional since childhood, his grandfather, the late king, had high expectations for him. He personally selected tutors for him and chose four candidates to serve as his close aides—figures equivalent to Beaton and Aldridge for his father.

If possible, he wanted to discuss matters with them immediately, but for over a year, each of them had been frantically dealing with magic beast incursions in their own territories, making it impossible to even meet face-to-face.

He had even wondered if he should thoroughly serve the Saintess as her 'pawn,' and had tried acting accordingly, only to end up with the pitiful result of receiving a baffled look from the Saintess herself.

Recalling Princess Kana's face at that moment, he let out a sigh.

「Your Highness, are you tired? Let us take a short break soon.」

Beaton, riding alongside him, called out. He had likely taken the sigh as a sign of fatigue. Though William felt he could still keep going, he reconsidered, knowing that adequate rest was necessary for both men and horses, and decided to take a half-hour break.

While quenching his thirst with water from his canteen, he asked Beaton:

「How much farther until we reach Dawkins' capital?」

「Roughly two hours, I believe.」

「Then we shall arrive before sunset. If possible, I would like to avoid arriving later than the Saintess and her party.」

「Surely that will not be the case.」

Even as he spoke, Beaton recalled the astonishing speed of the divine beasts when he saw them off yesterday. At that pace, they had likely arrived at their destination, Clutchfield, within the day. However, William's group had also been riding non-stop, even cutting into their nighttime rest. Furthermore, whether by good fortune or chance, they had not encountered a single miasma pool along the way, so he did not think they would fall behind.

Afterward, as scheduled, they arrived at the lord's capital just as the sun began to set. In this kingdom, all major cities, including the royal capital, were built with surrounding moats and walls for emergencies, and Dawkins was no exception, encircled by sturdy ramparts. Upon passing through the city gate with its portcullis, they were met by the local lord, Hilo Dawkins, who had been waiting with his subordinates, likely alerted in advance by the sentries.

「Welcome, members of the subjugation unit, and Your Highness Prince William. Words cannot express how deeply I, Hilo, appreciate your rushing to the aid of my territory in its time of need.」

Setting aside his polite and bowing greeting, his lavishly dressed appearance could not, by any stretch of the imagination, belong to a lord frantically working to save a territory currently suffering catastrophic damage from magic beasts.

「Count Dawkins. Looking at the territory, including the road here, there appears to be no sign of the severe damage described in your dispatch. What is the meaning of this? We treated your report as an urgent emergency and rode night and day without rest to get here. And what is with that outfit? Are you planning to host a ball?」

When Beaton questioned him reproachfully, Hilo replied:

「Things have finally calmed down a little, but until just a few days ago, it was truly a dreadful state of affairs! Fortunately, the soldiers of my territory are all exceptionally talented, so we were somehow able to bring it under control.」

As he spoke, he peered behind the prince and Beaton, but failed to find what he was looking for. Tilting his head slightly, he continued:

「Furthermore, I thought perhaps the summoned Saintess would be accompanying you this time. Believing I should not present an unsightly appearance before her, I took the liberty of changing into suitable attire. By the way, has the Saintess not arrived?」

To Dawkins, who remarked that the Saintess summoning ritual should have been completed days ago, Beaton answered with exasperation.

「The Saintess said she had a few minor matters to settle first. She will head here once those are dealt with.」

Upon hearing those words, Dawkins wore an overtly disappointed look. Moreover, without making any attempt to disguise it, he complained:

「Prioritizing other matters while the damage to my territory spreads with every passing moment? I cannot imagine what could possibly be more important, but if that is the Saintess's decision, then I suppose it cannot be helped... Still, Your Highness, to permit such selfishness... No matter if she is an otherworldly person unaccustomed to our ways, coddling her too much seems... Ah, forgive me. My words went too far. I ask for your pardon.」

With those words, William realized that Dawkins was yet another one of those who 'worshiped the Saintess summoned from another world with reverence on the surface, while looking down on her as a mere outsider underneath.'

Most of them viewed the Saintess as a convenient, disposable tool. They liked to believe that they possessed the right to use that tool, and moreover, that they were more capable of wielding it than anyone else.

(Against that Saintess, such notions will not hold a shred of water...)

William almost felt pity for the obliviously overdressed man standing before him. After all, even a slight stretch of the imagination made it abundantly clear that whatever unfolded after Princess Kana arrived would be utterly unbearable for him.

*****

Kana-hime jutsu in this chapter, not sure if it's accurate

.

1. Shikigami Navigation & Guidance

• Incantation: 「急急如律令、進地先導」 (Kyuukyuu Nyoritsuryou, Shinchi Sendou)

• "Kyuukyuu Nyoritsuryou" is a classic Taoist/Onmyoudou command meaning "Act with urgency, by order of the law!"

2. Mass Purification via the Mantra of Light (Koumyou Mantra)

• Incantation: 「オン アボキャ ベイロシャノウ マカボダラ マニハンドマ ジンバラ ハラバリタヤ ウン」 (On Abokya Beiroshanou Makabodara Manihandoma Jinbara Harabaritaya Un)

• Koumyou Mantra (a powerful Buddhist mantra associated with Vairocana, the cosmic Buddha of light).

3. Curse Sealing via the Bishamonten Mantra & Talismans

• Incantation: 「オン ベイシラ マンダヤ ソワカ」 (On Beishira Mandaya Sowaka)

• Bishamonten's mantra (the heavenly guardian deity of protection and victory against evil).

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