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ANGELINA and company had departed for Mt. Jinlong ten days ago.
“Lina!” Ryuho cried. “Look over here! Those birds are huge!”
Angelina looked outside the carriage, which had arrived before Mt. Jinlong. A large pair of avian statues stood atop the shanmen.
“Wow, that’s amazing!” Angelina cried out in astonishment.
A large number of female daoshi were waiting for Angelina’s group. The people carrying luggage, holding up the palanquin, and standing guard with bows were all women. It reassured Angelina to see so many strong, dignified women coming out to meet her.
Due to Mt. Jinlong’s high elevation, a chill pervaded the air even during summer. The mountain had a rugged surface, its holy site lying beyond the shanmen. Yuen and his men would set up camp before the entrance to await Angelina’s return.
A grandiose palanquin was placed before the shanmen. Cloths of five different colors hung from its sides, and bells were attached to its four corners. Finally, a gold-colored statue of a Garuda stood at the center of its roof.
“Please come this way, Princess Angelina and her divine guardian beast,” a daoshi instructed.
When Angelina and Ryuho boarded the palanquin, a group of daoshi lifted it. The golden bells decorating its sides rang out sonorously.
Weather conditions on the mountain were liable to change at any moment. Currently, a damp wind blew through the air. Before the weather could take a turn for the worse, the daoshi carried the palanquin towards the peak as fast as possible.
Since boulders covered the mountain’s surface, many of the alpine plants were small and subdued. The branches of trees flowed in a single, fixed direction, perhaps due to the strong wind.
Artificial red flowers lined the side of the road to direct travelers towards the mausoleum. Due to exposure to the elements, the older flowers had faded in color. The contrast between old and vibrant flowers encouraged one to dwell upon the impermanence of the material world.
“Look, Ryuho, it’s a path of flowers!” Angelina pointed to them.
Ryuho yawned. “Yeah, but there aren’t too many real flowers.”
Mt. Jinlong differed from what Angelina had imagined. She’d pictured a warm mountain where Vinkas sang while surrounded by animals and ornamental plants. On the contrary, only the occasional cries of animals echoed within the drab scenery. The thin air due to the high elevation made it difficult to breathe. To make matters worse, the abundant fog chilled Angelina’s skin.
This feels kind of lonely, she thought, unconsciously leaning against Ryuho. Feeling his warm fur, she breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing Ryuho’s with me. I probably would’ve been scared on my own.
After noticing Angelina’s unease, Ryuho nuzzled his cheek against hers without saying anything. In response, Angelina ran her hands through his fur. That put him in a good mood. A deep purr rumbled in his throat. Watching them warmed the hearts of the daoshi.
Partway up the mountain, a large river cut across their path. Fortunately, a broad, wooden bridge spanned the river.
“Wow, there’s steam rising from the water!” Angelina cried out in surprise.
“Several natural hot springs bubble up from inside Mt. Jinlong,” a daoshi explained. “The hot water flows into the river. Our mausoleum at the peak has a spring of its own, which devotees visit to wash away the impurities of the material world. Some people even bring the water home with them, as it supposedly settles the stomach.”
“That’s amazing.”
As Angelina listened, the palanquin crossed the bridge. Before long, they arrived at the Starlight Mausoleum, which stood near the peak of Mt. Jinlong. After the daoshi led Angelina and Ryuho inside, the matriarch headed the tour. She was a stout woman with kinky, jet-black hair that she tied into a bun. She seemed much younger than the patriarch of the Heavenly Sovereign Mausoleum. Perhaps living on Mt. Jinlong required a certain level of stamina. In any case, she had suntanned skin, and her eyes shone with an ambitious sparkle.
Like the Heavenly Sovereign Mausoleum, this ceiling also boasted a depiction of the northern night sky. Gold had been embedded into the oriental blue ceiling to represent stars. Compared to the palace mausoleum, this temple was far more compact. Nevertheless, its paintings and engravings were delicate. One could feel the history radiating from this building.
“This is the Starlight Mausoleum,” the matriarch said. “According to legend, the founder of Jinlong was the Heavenly Sovereign’s son. This mountaintop is where he first manifested on Earth. He descended from the divine realm upon the back of the Golden Dragon to rule the surface. A great number of holy beasts accompanied him, including the Garuda.”
As the empire expanded, the people migrated to more comfortable places to live. Meanwhile, the Garuda stayed to protect Mt. Jinlong.
And so, the Solar Audience Ceremony began. Angelina presented the mausoleum with gold, silver, and other gemstones. She also presented them with expensive dyeing materials, such as dayflowers, safflowers, purple clams, and Golden Dragon Tree fruit.
“Hail to Kyril Xin Lei—my older brother, son of the emperor, and blood of the imperial line,” Angelina said. “His ascension ceremony has ended without incident, and he has been declared the crown prince. May the light of the North Star guide the young dragon.”
In response to Angelina’s words, the North Star on the ceiling twinkled. Quiet voices of amazement rose from the daoshi. Until now, none of the makeshift stars had ever shone with light. That said, the glow of the North Star was an auspicious sign. Everyone who bore witness to this miracle foresaw a bright future for Kyril.
Thus, the Solar Audience Ceremony ended without incident. Afterwards, Angelina and Ryuho were shown to the Vinkas’ living quarters. The girls’ singing echoed alongside the sound of their looms. Angelina’s expensive garments—which she wore even now—had been woven here.
Raindrops pattered outside the mausoleum. Since a hot spring ran throughout the entire one-story building, it was warm despite being on a highly elevated mountain. This opulent building existed to raise the Vinkas in comfort even while separated from their families. In exchange for their loneliness and premature freedom, they were at least given luxury.
Angelina and Ryuho were led into the great hall. The Kalavinka, her subordinate Vinkas, and the daoshi had all gathered there for a welcoming banquet.
As Angelina and Ryuho took their places at the seats of honor, the Vinkas began singing and dancing. This performance differed from the one at the palace. Today, they wore light pink robes of silk gauze embroidered with swallowtail butterflies. They also wore decorative wings reminiscent of butterflies. A felt rug resembling a grassy plain was spread out on the floor beneath their bare feet.
Incense smoke wavered back and forth in the dimly lit hall. Whenever the smoke touched Angelina’s dress, it sparkled before disappearing—a most phantasmal sight.
Ryuho covered his nose and opened his mouth in a flehmen response. “This place stinks!”
“The smoke might be too pungent for you,” Angelina said. “Maybe this will help a little.” She hung her coat on Ryuho’s muzzle.
“Yeah, only a little!” he yelled, burying his nose in Angelina’s back.
The candlelight flickered, creating somewhat eerie shadows. Unlike outside, the music reverberated against the walls. Likewise, the vibrations from the dancing drummed across the floor. Finally, the tinkling of gold bells filled the air.
Watching the beautiful Vinkas twirling around struck Angelina with a dizzy spell. Have I been swept away into a dream world? she wondered. The vibrations caused by dancing rocked her from her backside upwards. As a result, she could almost imagine herself dancing alongside the Vinkas. Incense smoke mingled with the precious, already thin air, causing Angelina’s still dizzy mind to go blank.
“Lina?” Ryuho asked.
However, she was so entranced by the Vinkas that she couldn’t hear him.
“Lina!” Ryuho called out again, pressing his nose into her.
Angelina jerked awake and inhaled a deep breath. The dance was so magnificent she’d forgotten to breathe. Now alert, she looked at Ryuho and smiled.
At that moment, a bolt of lightning streaked past the windows, and a violent clap of thunder followed. Ryuho embraced Angelina, who clung to him with all her might. Even so, the Vinkas didn’t stop dancing. No matter how loudly the thunder roared, they would continue their performance until its end. Despite their divine beauty, their figures also engendered a sense of vague apprehension.
When the welcome banquet ended, the thunderstorm began in earnest. Angelina had intended to descend the mountain after finishing the ceremony and attending the banquet. However, that wouldn’t be possible right now.
Angelina and Ryuho looked up at the sky absentmindedly. She was having trouble collecting her thoughts as the music from the great hall still rang in her ears. All the while, the rain continued to pour.
“This looks like a heavy shower,” the matriarch said. “Please stay here until the rain clears up. We’ll inform the people waiting at the foot of the mountain of the situation.”
Angelina nodded. She couldn’t order the daoshi—all women—to carry the palanquin in this rain.
“We have a hot spring in this mausoleum,” the matriarch continued. “Please make yourself at home. Ladies, do you mind showing the Polaris Princess and her divine guardian beast to their room?”
By the matriarch’s orders, several daoshi led Angelina and Ryuho to their room. Incense was burning here as well. The sweet fragrance caused Angelina’s head to spin. If she inhaled the fumes for too long, she probably wouldn’t be able to think straight. To keep her head clear, she placed the incense burner outside.
A red Garuda was painted on the blue wall, and a geometrical snake was woven into the thick, luxury carpet. This magnificent room was reserved for special guests. The furniture rivaled the pieces in the North Star Palace, and decadent confections had been set out as well. Angelina finally understood why the Kalavinka hadn’t shown any interest in the palace desserts. Such delicacies weren’t uncommon here.
The clothes set out for Angelina were all extravagant garments woven from silkworm. Since Mt. Jinlong produced silkworm thread, this was their privilege. However, the designs differed from Angelina’s dress. These were the clothes of Vinkas. When Angelina changed into one such outfit, the daoshi cried out in delight.
“You look so beautiful! I could mistake you for a Vinka!”
Angelina found the outfit difficult to move in and somewhat restrictive. Yet, at the same time, the novel garments caused her heart to leap with excitement.
“This is amazing!” she squealed. “Right, Ryuho?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“If I could live here, I might never want to go home!”
Ryuho frowned. “Wait, do you actually want to live here?”
If someone had offered to let Angelina live in such a wonderful room a year ago, she would have jumped at the opportunity. However, she now had a home that she wished to return to. She shook her head lightly.
“Nope!” she replied in a firm tone. “This place is amazing, but I like our home the best!”
Ryuho let out a soft whine, nuzzling his face against Angelina. “And I like being by your side.”
In response, Angelina mussed his fur. “Yeah, I like being with you, too!”