The Fierce Saintess

Episode 46: Joukyou 4 (1687) – Genroku 3 (1690) - Part 1

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*****

「Oh, Kana. Have you come again?」

It was only just the other day that Chino returned to her own room from the chamber set up for childbirth. Though Princess Kana had been able to catch a glimpse of her face right after the delivery, she had been unable to meet her ever since. Overjoyed to finally be able to see her mother and baby sister, she was now visiting every single day.

「Mother, just for a moment.」

「Aki is sleeping. Keep your voice down.」

The child born last month was a girl, and had been named Aki.

Perhaps thanks to Princess Kana's daily prayers, the delivery had been extraordinarily smooth and safe. Aside from crying loudly when a grand bolt of lightning struck the mountain behind the estate right after she was born—startled by the noise—there were no issues whatsoever, and she was growing healthy and strong day by day.

「My... No matter how often I look at her, Aki is so darling...」

Princess Aki was sleeping in a woven bassinet (*ejiko*), her mouth slightly open. Her little hands peeking out from between the cloths were tightly clenched into fists, carrying that sweet, milky scent unique to babies.

Though her face had looked red and wrinkled right after birth, thanks to the abundant milk she received every day, her features had rounded out, and her plump, rosy cheeks looked as though they might pop with a gentle poke.

「Ah, that reminds me, Mother. I embroidered this after Natsume taught me how to sew.」

Princess Kana pulled an item from her sleeve and bashfully presented it. It was a summer garment for newborns, stitched with a basket-weave (*kagome*) pattern on the back using pale pink thread as a protective talisman (*senamori*).

「Did you sew this yourself, Kana? Truly, it is remarkably well made.」

Chino spread it out in admiration.

「I am sure you have already prepared plenty, Mother, but I wanted to do something for Aki as well.」

As Chino looked back and forth between her bashfully speaking yet secretly proud daughter and the protective embroidery on the back of the garment, she offered a warm smile.

「By the time she wears this, Aki will probably be able to roll over on her own. I shall look forward to seeing it.」

Two months later (July).

「So, Kana. Exactly what did you imbue into this, and how, for it to turn out like this?」

Chino pointed toward Aki, who was lying on her stomach, happily wriggling her body. On her back was the basket-weave pattern Princess Kana had embroidered—and surrounding Aki were dozens of insects turned upside down, rolling on the floor.

A few were still twitching faintly, but the vast majority were stone dead.

「...Er, well, this is likely because Aki is using her divine power to...」

Princess Kana, having a very good idea of what was actually happening, desperately wanted to gloss over it, but there was no way such a trick would work on Chino.

「This does not happen with any other baby garments.」

Fixed with a glare that practically demanded an immediate explanation, the princess had no choice but to confess.

「Well... while embroidering the basket-weave pattern to ward off evil, I also added a small spell in white thread to exterminate pests so she would not be bitten by mosquitoes or horseflies...」

「You did *what*?!」

Though Chino wore an exasperated look, she did not seem truly angry. Relieved, Princess Kana's tongue loosened slightly.

「Yes! I came up with the idea after seeing Old Man Jirō's lightning-quick technique. Mother, have you ever seen Old Man Jirō swat a fly? With just a single 'swish' of his hand towel, the fly drops dead on the spot! It is a true one-hit kill! So, inspired by his swift skill, I embroidered the characters for 'Strike and Swat Bugs' in tiny, inconspicuous thread...」

Even as she spoke, a cicada flew in from somewhere, heading straight for Princess Aki. But the moment it came within a foot of her, a loud 'zap!' echoed, followed by a single frantic 'bzz!' as the cicada dropped flat onto the floorboards, completely motionless.

What was more, when Princess Aki showed interest and reached out a hand toward it, the insect slid away across the floor while remaining flat on its back, as if fleeing from her tiny fingers.

Chino watched Princess Aki slap the floor while babbling 'Au, au!', trying in vain to catch the bug. Letting out a resigned sigh, Chino said,

「Alright, I understand. In any case, Kana, please embroider this same spell onto these garments as well. After all, keeping Aki safe from insect bites is hardly a bad thing.」

With those words, she held out three more baby garments. Princess Kana was stunned. She had never expected to be tasked with extra embroidery.

(And three of them at that! It might have been better if she had just scolded me instead!)

Watching her daughter accept the clothes with a woeful expression, Chino suppressed a laugh and added that she needed at least one finished by the end of the day.

Needless to say, Princess Kana's face turned even more miserable.

September.

「Princess! Now I can hold hands with you too!」

Suou came huffing and puffing into the room, clad in a white robe, scarlet *hakama*, and a *kariginu* hunting garment of the same color. Five months behind Kaou, he had finally learned how to transform into human form. However...

「Oh my, look at how adorable you are too!」

Princess Kana was not the only one delighted by his new appearance. Saki and Natsume eagerly ran off to borrow old clothes that belonged to her elder brother, Yasumasa, and began dressing Suou up in all sorts of outfits.

Furthermore, Yasumasa's maidservants—who had brought the clothes over—for some reason held garments that Princess Kana used to wear when she was younger and began dressing Kaou up as well, causing an even greater uproar.

As a result, Suou was forced to spend over two hours repeatedly putting on and taking off clothes. Now completely exhausted, he grumbled while gulping down his snack of *kuzumochi*.

「Kaou... how on earth can you stay so unfazed by this?」

「Hmph. Giving up over something so trivial? Heh, you still have a long way to go, Suou.」

「What are you talking about?! That was harder than training under Lord Kōmokuten! I was a fool to ever envy you, even for a moment...」

He held up his empty dish, motioning Saki for seconds, while continuing his complaints uninterrupted. Just then—

「Ho! We have a rather cute little warrior here today.」

Old Man Jirō entered the room. He had likely intended to share snack time with the fox pups, holding a tray bearing *kuzumochi* and teacups.

「Old Man Jirō, listen to this!」

Suou started to complain all over again, but when Old Man Jirō asked if he would like to swing a sword now that he was dressed like a young warrior, Suou's previous discontent vanished in an instant. His eyes sparkled as he practically leaped at the old man.

「Will you teach me swordsmanship?!」

「Indeed. If you do not mind learning from an old man like me, I would be glad to train you.」

「Then can I become like Lord Tsukahara Bokuden?!」

「If you train with total dedication, most certainly.」

Tsukahara Bokuden was acclaimed as a sword saint and frequently featured as the hero of popular stories, making him Suou's absolute favorite swordsman. Upon hearing that he could become like him, an eager Suou rushed off to ask Natsume if there were any training clothes available.

When he nagged her for wooden practice swords, she mentioned they might be kept at the dojo, prompting him to drag Kurogane along to the training hall. When he returned, he was beaming with satisfaction, holding two short wooden swords in hand.

「Secret Art: One-Strike Blade!」

He shouted as he swung the wooden swords around wildly. In the end, after he shredded two paper sliding doors, the wooden swords were confiscated by the princess, who sternly forbade any sword usage indoors, bringing an end to the chaos for the day.

Starting the next day, Suou's training sessions were set to take place before Princess Kana's daily practice and after snack time. Under Old Man Jirō's guidance, he began learning everything from how to grip a sword to proper stances and swinging techniques.

Naturally, while Old Man Jirō was focused on supervising Princess Kana's practice, Kurogane was tasked with sparring with Suou. Moreover, it was full-contact training right from the start.

This proved surprisingly tough. Although Suou's technical skill was crude and his physical strength was modest, his body was light, and he attacked by leaping and darting through the air, making him quite a handful. Thanks to this, it served as excellent, high-focus training for Kurogane as well. Still...

(Doing this every day might actually be a bit too intense...)

As he dodged Suou's aerial strikes from above, Kurogane made a firm mental note to ask Shutetsu to trade places with him every now and then.

Jōkyō 5 (1688) (Princess Kana, aged 10).

「Princess! During my recent training, Lady Datsue-ba taught me a super convenient technique! Please watch!」

Kaou announced proudly, puffing out his chest as he explained that using it would make changing clothes infinitely easier. Curious about such a convenient spell, the princess decided to watch along with Saki and Natsume.

「Strip!」

Kaou's cute voice rang out, and with a soft 'poof!', the technique activated. As a result—

「Oh my!」「Goodness gracious!」

To be sure, the clothes Kaou had been wearing just a moment before were neatly cast off right beside him, but his undergarments and even his *tabi* socks were stacked right on top of them. Naturally, Kaou was completely stark naked. Saki rushed over to dress him in an undergarment, but Kaou seemed unable to comprehend what had just happened, remaining frozen with a bewildered look on his face.

「Ah... Kaou. I think it would be best to use that spell only when you are about to take a bath.」

Though she wanted to laugh, Princess Kana thoughtfully spoke up to spare Kaou's feelings. Meanwhile, a short distance away, Suou was rolling on the ground in fits of laughter, gasping for air as he pointed at Kaou while wheezing 'Hee-hee!'.

Naturally, when Kaou returned to his senses and noticed, he glared daggers at Suou. And then—

「Strip!」

「Gyaaah!!」

Natsume giggled heartily as she moved over to dress the now-bare Suou in his undergarments.

Genroku 2 (1689) (Princess Kana, aged 11).

(His training seems to be taking quite a long time this time.)

Seven days had already passed since Suou left for his spiritual training. Just as the princess was thinking he ought to be returning soon...

「I have returned!」

Stepping proudly into Princess Kana's room was a divine fox messenger roughly the same size as her father Yasutomi's spirit foxes, Fūka and Ruka.

「......Who might you be?」

「Eh?! Princess, it's me, Suou! You couldn't have forgotten me...」

「Eh? Ah, Suou?! No, indeed, that crest pattern on your forehead is certainly yours. You have changed so much that I simply did not recognize you at first. Forgive me.」

Although the fox pups had been growing bit by bit, they had still been far smaller compared to the divine messengers serving her father and brother. So when he suddenly appeared fully grown, the unfamiliar appearance created a sense of estrangement, making it difficult to feel pure joy over his growth right away.

「Still, you truly have grown large.」

As she looked at him intently in wonder, she reached out her hand toward his back, but even the texture of his fur felt somewhat different, filling her with a tinge of loneliness.

Watching this scene closely, Kaou trotted over to stand in front of the princess, plopped down onto her lap, and looked up at Suou with a smug grin.

An annoyed Suou thought he would do the same, but the moment he placed one paw on her lap, he understood the meaning behind Kaou's smirk. Having grown so large, he realized he could no longer fit on her lap. The shock left him standing with his jaw hanging open.

「Indeed. At this size, sitting on my lap is out of the question.」

Princess Kana's words dealt the final blow.

「No way...」

That crestfallen expression was uniquely Suou's. Finding a trait that remained unchanged despite his growth made the princess genuinely happy. However, knowing she shouldn't laugh at his dismay, she composed a serious expression and said,

「Do not grieve so. Here, lie down beside me and rest your head on my lap like this.」

Prompted by her words, Suou lowered his body to the floor and placed just his head on her lap. As she gently stroked his head, his mood finally brightened, and he narrowed his eyes in pure contentment.

(Ah... Even after growing so large, my little foxes are still so utterly adorable...)

Ten days later, it was Kaou's turn to return from his training, having grown just as large.

Having already experienced Suou's transformation, the princess was not as startled, but seeing them both grow big in such rapid succession made her miss the feeling of them sitting on her lap just a short while ago. She felt more than a little lonely.

(Could this be what they call a growth spurt? I wonder if Matsuba and Kaede went through a phase like this too... I shall ask Brother about it next time.)

「Hmph. Now you can't be cradled in her arms either.」

「Hmph! I can use transformation magic to grow even bigger! Princess, please ride on my back!」

Kaou demonstrated by expanding another two sizes larger than before, offering his back to the princess.

「Ah, that's unfair! I was just about to tell her to ride on my back!」

「First come, first served!」

「Are you truly certain it is safe for me to ride?」

「Most definitely!!」

As Princess Kana timidly straddled his back...

「Here we go!」

Kaou glided smoothly up into the sky. It was not fast—rather, a gentle glide—and for that, she was immensely grateful.

「What a wonderful view.」

She had always hoped that one day she might ride on the back of a divine messenger, just like her father did. Now, that wish had come true.

(Kaou always senses what I wish for. I am truly grateful to him.)

「Kaou, thank you.」

From atop Kaou's back as he blushed bashfully, she could see a sulking Suou pestering Old Man Jirō down on the ground. Before she could even think that it might be time to descend, the ground drew closer. Suou, noticing their descent, came bounding over.

(This is how things gradually change over time. Yet some things remain unchanged, and surely both are precious in their own way. Will I change as well one day? When that time comes, I hope to change for the better...)

Three months later.

「Princess, please ride on my back as well!」

Suou claimed he had learned to make himself larger using transformation, but his size was downright extraordinary. His height nearly reached the ceiling, and his back was wide enough to easily cover three tatami mats.

「Suou... Is this not a bit too large?」

「Bigger is not always better. Do you not know the meaning of moderation?」

「What are you talking about?! Have you never heard that bigger is better?!」

For the time being, Princess Kana invited Saki, Natsume, Old Man Jirō, and Kurogane to join her, and everyone sat together on his back. Even so, there was still plenty of room left over, but there was nothing more to be done. Except for Kaou, everyone clung tightly to Suou's fur to keep from falling off.

「All right, Suou. We are ready, but please take it slowly.」

「Understood!」

No sooner had he spoken than he took off with a sharp 'whoosh!'. Princess Kana clung on for dear life to keep from being thrown backward by the acceleration. She could hear Old Man Jirō laughing merrily, but other than that, there was only the sound of wind rushing past her ears, leaving her with no leeway to even look around.

By the time they finally touched down on the ground, she was so relieved she nearly collapsed to her knees. In fact, Saki had already slumped onto the floor, and both Natsume and Kurogane looked pale. Only Old Man Jirō seemed to have enjoyed the ride, beaming with a bright smile.

「How was it?!」

When faced with Suou, who practically begged for praise, the princess couldn't bring herself to say how terrifying it had been. At that moment, Kaou delivered a quick slap to Suou's snout.

「That was far too fast! The princess explicitly told you to go slowly!」

Kaou began scolding him furiously, asking if his ears were just for show or if the ears were on the wrong end of his head, which brought a smile back to Princess Kana's face.

「Do not be so angry with him. It was a bit too fast for me, but it seems to have been just right for Old Man Jirō.」

Even as she spoke, she secretly whispered, 「Tomorrow's snack shall be whatever you like best, Kaou,」 to which he replied, 「I would love chilled sweet sake with rice-flour dumplings.」

Striking secret deals like this, Princess Kana had not the slightest doubt that these days—changing yet remaining unchanged—would continue forever.

Genroku 3 (1690) (Princess Kana, aged 12).

With the arrival of December, a somewhat restless atmosphere hung over the capital city of Kyoto. Snow fell quite frequently even from early in the season, and it was so bitterly cold that everyone spoke in unison of its severity.

And then came the ninth day.

That day, a strong wind blew from early morning, and Princess Kana was training hard while wearing an extra layer of clothing.

When the sound was first heard, it was merely a faint noise echoing from far away. However, as time passed, the sound grew louder and louder, casting a cloud of anxiety over the entire estate.

It was ringing so frantically that one might think evening alarm bells warning of a fire were sounding throughout the entire capital. And in the midst of it all, bird-shaped paper formulas (*shikigami*) flew into Princess Kana's room, one after another...