“The White Turtle has crossed the sea to the Secluded Palace. He will drift about in the passage of stars, doze off, and eventually come back down to land, taking the form of a new life…”
“Just like a human, then.”
Jusetsu gazed at the glistening waters and thought about the Secluded Palace that lay way off in the distance. She recalled the passage of stars and the glow of the lights that had wafted about inside it. One day, she—and everybody else she knew—would end up there too.
“Is it over?” she then asked, overwhelmed by feelings somewhere in between exhaustion and relief. Visions of Reijo’s face came to mind.
I’m free, Reijo. The Raven Consort is free.
“No, niangniang,” said Tankai, turning around. “For you, this is only the beginning.”
Jusetsu stared intently into his eyes, before moving to stare into Onkei’s. Onkei smiled and nodded back at her. He was thinking the same thing.
As a result of the Raven and the ao god’s battle, the pumice stones that had been covering the water’s surface either shattered or were swept away, allowing boats to leave Je Island and Ko Province’s shores safely once again. The ceaseless flow of sea merchant boats swiftly resumed its rhythm.
Shiki had been tasked with making sure things in both Ko Province and Je Island were back in order and had his hands full with repairing boats and the parts of the port that had been damaged during the eruption. Both the foreign trade director and Ko Province’s provincial governor seemed busy too.
Senri was still not back to full health, so he was being taken care of in the Jo family residence until he made a complete recovery and was able to return to the imperial capital.
Cho, who’d jumped into the sea in an attempt to placate the sea god, had washed up on the shore alive.
“The sea god doesn’t seem very keen on me,” he’d said, straining a smile.
“Far from it. I think the sea god loves you dearly,” Senri had replied, pleased that Cho had made it back unscathed.
Senri also expressed a wish to take Ishiha and Ayura into the Winter Ministry’s care.
“Ishiha and Ayura…? How come?” Jusetsu asked him.
“Somebody asked if I could do so…” he admitted.
“Who?”
“Hakurai.”
When did that happen? Jusetsu wondered. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen Hakurai since the day of the battle—which was strange, considering how severely injured he’d been.
“Where is Hakurai? He was badly hurt, was he not?”
“I believe he is with the sea swallows. They’ve been treating his injuries, at least.”
“Is that so…?”
Hakurai had started out as a sea swallow himself. His own tribe may have been wiped out, but his intention appeared to be to settle down with another sea swallow community, even if it was not the one that he’d grown up in.
Knowing him, he’ll be wandering from street corner to street corner as a fortune teller before too long… Jusetsu thought to herself.
“Hakurai has asked me to bring Ayura up—to teach her what I know. He’d heard that I’d spent some time with her before, albeit only briefly.”
“Oh, I remember that now.”
When Hakurai had declared that he was going to help Jusetsu break Kosho’s barrier and Koshun had locked him away in a room inside the Winter Ministry, Senri had looked after Ayura for a little while.
“He’s figured out how good you are with children,” Jusetsu said. “But why Ishiha too?”
“That was my own idea,” Senri explained. “He has some potential as an oracle. I don’t know if it’s just because he’s from the Hatan clan, but I can see him making a great subordinate at the Winter Ministry one day. He could even become the Winter Minister in the future. Ayura, on the other hand, would be the ritual coordinator.”
“Really?”
“Only if she so wished, of course.” Senri laughed. “She isn’t stupid. Learning is interesting to her. If she were taught properly, she’d pick up a lot of things.”
Jusetsu felt somewhat relieved. The girl would be in safe hands with Senri. For her age, she’d been pushed around a lot for the convenience of the adults around her, so Jusetsu just hoped she’d get the chance to choose her own fate now.
“What are you going to do now, Raven Consort? Can you go back to the imperial capital?” asked Senri.
Jusetsu beamed at him. “I’m not the Raven Consort anymore. In fact, there is no Raven Consort anymore.”
“That’s true.” The smile that came to Senri’s face had a hint of sadness to it. “Let me correct myself, then—what are you planning to do next, Jusetsu?”
“I’ve already decided. I’m going to go back to the imperial capital one more time.”
Senri stared at Jusetsu in silence for a moment. The look in his eyes hinted he was reluctant to let her go.
“I will always keep you in my prayers, wishing that your future will be full of happiness and prosperity,” Senri said.
The look in his eyes was so gentle, it was almost as if he was looking affectionately at a young child.
Then, he smiled.
Once Jusetsu left the Jo family residence, she noticed a star raven perched on the branch of one of the nearby pine trees.
“Owl. Is the Raven well?”
The star raven blinked at her with its dark eyes. After defeating the ao god, the Owl had returned safe and sound. Jusetsu was no longer able to hear the Raven’s voice, and consequently couldn’t know what the Raven was saying either.
Both the Raven and the Owl were to be worshipped at the Seiu Shrine. A depiction of the Owl would likely be added to the mural on the shrine’s wall.
The star raven spread its wings and took flight. Jusetsu watched it go, then started walking again.
Jusetsu descended the slope and began making her way toward the beach. The boat was moored on the sandbank. As it was an inland area, the water was calm and tranquil there. The sunlight sparkled beautifully as it reflected off the ripples on its surface. The vast expanse of water stretching out into the beyond had a deep blue color. Seafowl were chasing after shoals of fish, and the sails of foreign ships fluttered in the wind.
Jusetsu found herself losing track of time as she took in the stunning spectacle before her.
Jusetsu climbed aboard the boat at the harbor of Je Island and sailed back to Ko Province. It was Chitoku’s boat, the same one that had taken her there. Jiujiu was waiting impatiently for the boat’s arrival at Ko Province. When she saw that Jusetsu was aboard, she began weeping profusely, and she wrapped her arms around her as soon as she disembarked. Jusetsu decided to let her sob until she’d gotten it out of her system. Taken aback by the sight, Tankai forced a wry smile. Onkei, on the other hand, stood there beaming fondly at the pair.
Chitoku was planning on heading to the imperial capital, so he allowed Jusetsu and her companions to travel with him. The nearer to the imperial capital they got, the colder the wind became. Undeterred by the chill, Jusetsu didn’t retreat inside the cabin but instead stayed on deck, relishing the scent of the sea breeze.