“I think our only option is to go to the port in Ko Province and wait there until the boats are able to sail again,” said Tankai. Since the shores of Ko Province were opposite those of Je Island, that was where boats to Je Island set sail from.
“I’m sure it’ll be busy there…”
Onkei’s expression clouded over. “It’s going to be packed with stranded merchants…”
“That’s a good point.”
“There’s been an eruption, though. Won’t they all have fled?” said Jiujiu. She had a worried look as she held Shinshin.
“This is an underwater volcano we’re talking about,” Tankai said, cocking his head to one side. “It’s not like when a volcano erupts on the mainland. All the sea merchants and fishermen want to get back out to sea as soon as the eruption settles. That’s the trade they’re in, after all.”
As such, they’d likely be waiting at the port—not that there weren’t some who’d try to make a run for it, of course.
“The port will be even more crowded with those who want to wait and those who want to flee lingering there,” Jusetsu muttered.
Onkei nodded.
“Ko Province has a local militia, so their soldiers should be keeping things in check. I doubt the situation is bad enough to warrant the central army being dispatched,” said Tankai. “Unless the chaos gets out of hand, that is.”
Unless the chaos gets out of hand.
I can only hope it doesn’t come to that, Jusetsu lamented as she gazed ahead at the sky above.
When the boat reached the port of Ko Province, they discovered that it was—as anticipated—overrun with people. The area was extremely noisy and filled with angry shouts, crying children, the footsteps of people hurrying to ships, and the clattering of carts passing through. Looking out to sea from the boat, the volcanic smoke in the air was impossible to miss. It was billowing up like a cloud and carried a strange smell with it.
Jusetsu left Jiujiu and the birds on board for the time being and disembarked. A man who appeared to be some sort of public functionary for the port rushed over to her.
“You arrived quickly…” he began.
Jusetsu’s party’s boat had a flag with blue tassels on it flying at its bow. That was a sign that those on board were vassals working under the direct authority of the emperor, and this man seemed to think they were emissaries from the imperial capital as a result.
Leaving the military officers who Koshun assigned to her to dispel the misunderstanding, Jusetsu went for a walk around the area.
Although the eruption was happening far out at sea, the ensuing smoke and stench was still making its way here—and its ash was falling down on the land as well. The shore was covered in what looked like blackened stones.
Jusetsu picked one of the fallen stones up to find it had holes of all sizes in it. When she gave it a light squeeze, it crumbled in her hands.
“These stones must have been spouted out by the eruption,” said Tankai as he picked one up and crushed it himself.
One of the military officers caught up to them. “It sounds like the volcano erupted five days ago.”
“Five days ago, and it still hasn’t settled?”
Jusetsu had no idea how long eruptions tended to last.
“Some volcanic eruptions are over in a day, while others continue for three or four months.”
“Is that right?”
It seemed like there was a fair amount of variation, but how long would this one last?
“I hope this eruption doesn’t go on for too long.”
“At any rate, no boats are able to leave the port…”
The military officer—Sai—then frowned and glanced at the volcanic smoke. In contrast to his sturdy build, he had a gentle face and an affable personality. His friendly character was reflected in his facial expressions too.
Conversely, the other military officer with her, So, possessed not only an imposing physique but a stern face—the sort of physical attributes that one would expect from someone in his line of work.
“The Raven Consort’s fame has reached Ko Province as well,” Sai said. “The public functionary is extremely grateful that you’ve blessed the region with your presence.”
“What?” Jusetsu stared at him. “What did you tell him?”
“I haven’t told him anything. He just seemed under the impression that you were going to quell the eruption, so I went along with it. I thought it’d make things easier for you.”
“Wha—?”
“Was that wrong of me?” he asked.
Jusetsu paused. I suppose not.
If the volcano was erupting because the sea god at the Palace of Paradise was enraged at the ao god, then defeating the ao god would allay that anger. That being the case, one could say that Jusetsu had come to quell the volcano—albeit indirectly. That cover needed to be relayed to Koshun so that everyone’s stories were in alignment.
“The governor of Ko Province has asked that you take your rest at his home. Staying there while you are in the area seems like a good idea—and from my perspective as your bodyguard as well.”
“All right…”
Jusetsu gazed at the smoke coming from the eruption, then raised her hand in Sai’s direction to get his attention.
“I want you to tell the governor and the public functionary something. My job is to be a ritual coordinator, and I’ve been sent here by the emperor to quell the eruption.”
Sai blinked in confusion, but soon accepted her instructions. “Understood,” he responded, and placed his hands in front of one another in a sign of respect. He didn’t seem particularly quick on the uptake.
It wouldn’t be wise to make the Raven Consort walk around on her own. Jusetsu was planning on stopping the eruption, but that wasn’t because it was her duty as the Raven Consort to do so—nor because she was a living descendant of the previous imperial dynasty. All the credit for the scheme had to go to Koshun.
What if this fails…?
If that happened, Jusetsu would have to shoulder the blame, and that would be all there was to it.
However, she had no intention of letting that happen.
Back among the hustle and bustle of the harbor, Jusetsu followed the military officer’s lead. An exasperated sea merchant was lashing out at a public functionary while others were attempting to placate him. Complaining to the functionaries wasn’t going to make the eruption stop, and everyone was well aware of that, but the people simply didn’t have anywhere else to direct their anger.