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THE second day of Angelina’s visit to the Starlight Mausoleum came. Though the downpour ceased in a single night, it continued raining a reasonable amount the next day. Angelina had slept beneath a soft, feather quilt. In the morning, she woke to the sound of the Vinkas’ singing. Next, she enjoyed the hot spring and an extravagant meal. In the afternoon, she played with the Vinkas she’d become friends with at the Heavenly Sovereign Mausoleum. Life on Mt. Jinlong couldn’t have been more paradisal.
To kill time while waiting for the rain to stop, Angelina observed the daily lives of the Vinkas. Their etiquette, divination methods, and song and dance rehearsals were all novel to her.
“This is the weaving room,” a daoshi explained.
The silkworm threads worn by Angelina and others were produced on Mt. Jinlong. Because silkworms only lived on this mountain, the women raised them here and harvested their threads to weave fabrics.
“Former Vinkas sing while weaving,” the daoshi continued. “This amplifies the magic already contained within silkworm threads, creating the rarest of all textiles.”
The sounds of singing and weaving combined into a sublime harmony.
“Robes are created in their entirety here,” the daoshi concluded. “Not just the fabric but also the dyeing and embroidery.”
Fabrics created at the Starlight Museum boasted the highest quality designs and craftsmanship. Accordingly, they were sold at a premium, regardless of whether silkworm thread had been used. The fabrics were also a source of revenue for the Heavenly Sovereign Temple.
The former Vinkas continued singing while weaving, the lyrics telling the stories of their embroideries. Beautiful fabric surrounded Angelina, and watching the women work with such joy mesmerized her.
Even better, ancient books filled the mausoleum’s library. Those texts delighted Angelina as well. They retained indigenous myths and legends differing from the history books at the North Star Palace. Altogether, the mausoleum was such an exciting place that Angelina no longer wished to return home.
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“SOMETHING’S off here,” Ryuho said.
He was the first to grow suspicious during their third morning at the mausoleum. Though mist still shrouded the mountain, it wasn’t so thick that they couldn’t descend.
Even so, the matriarch wouldn’t allow them to leave. “It’s still too dangerous,” she said. “Those of us who live on the mountain know best. This mist is actually clouds producing heavy rainfall below. Descending would be impossible right now.”
Neither Angelina nor Ryuho could argue with her explanation. At the same time, the daoshi returning to the mausoleum from below weren’t the slightest bit wet.
“Is it not actually raining?” Angelina asked.
“Doesn’t seem to be,” Ryuho answered.
The next day, he predictably ran out of patience.
“At this rate, we won’t be able to go home until the mist clears!” he shouted.
Angelina felt uneasy. She was also worried about Yuen and the others, who were waiting at the foot of the mountain. And so, she finally confronted the matriarch. Today marked her fifth morning at the mausoleum. Though the sky was cloudy, the chances of rain seemed low.
“We can go home today, right?” Angelina asked, a note of anxiety in her voice.
The matriarch frowned apologetically. “It’s still cloudy…”
“When will we be able to go home then?”
“Let’s see…” Here, the matriarch’s gaze shifted up and to the right in contemplation. “Shall we divine when you can descend the mountain? Perhaps there’s some meaning behind this long spell of mist.”
When the matriarch grinned at her, Angelina gulped in surprise. “What meaning could there be…?”
“Well, now, why don’t we perform a divination to be certain? You—the Polaris Princess—have been stranded at a holy site. Perhaps the Heavenly Sovereign has a message for you.” Seeing Angelina’s face stiffen, the matriarch burst into laughter. “Aha! Please excuse my little joke. I merely said that to lighten the mood since you looked so worried. In any case, the Kalavinka’s divinations are beautiful. Why don’t you come to have a look as part of your sightseeing?”
“You’re a liar!” Ryuho barked. “I hate you!”
The matriarch jumped back in alarm. “Oh my! I’m not your enemy, Master Flame Tiger. This will be an incredibly valuable lesson for the Polaris Princess. And since this mountain is forbidden to men, it will also be a great story to tell Prince Kyril, no?”
Honestly, the matriarch didn’t care what an animal had to say, but she rattled off a series of excuses nonetheless. Ryuho’s ears pinned back, and he growled at her.
“Princess!” the matriarch cried, turning to Angelina for help. “Please calm your guardian beast down!”
Angelina sighed softly. I feel the same as Ryuho, she thought. I don’t like this matriarch, but since I’m stranded here, I can’t cause any problems.
She’d come here as a representative of the royal family. Moreover, this was the ascension ceremony’s final ritual. She wanted to finish it without incident. Thus, she hugged Ryuho’s head tightly and pressed her lips against one of his round ears. “Thanks,” she whispered. “Just be patient for a little while longer.”
These words satisfied Ryuho, allaying his anger. “If you say so, I can keep holding out!”
When Ryuho stopped growling, the matriarch laughed foolishly, still showing some hesitation. Without giving Angelina any say in the matter, the woman led her to the divination room. Inside, the impassive Kalavinka waited for them with her Garuda perched on her shoulder. Many vases containing artificial flowers of various colors lined the wall. Also, a carpet depicting a serpent had been spread out in the middle of the room. Finally, incense smoke smoldered within the confined quarters, seeping into Angelina’s change of clothes.
“Lady Kalavinka,” the matriarch said. “Please divine the Polaris Princess’s future.”
After responding with a placid nod, the Kalavinka selected a few artificial flowers from a vase and placed them in a basket. Then, she stepped on the serpent depicted on the carpet.
The matriarch handed Angelina a flat, porcelain plate with a red Garuda depicted on it. “Carry this plate over to the Kalavinka.”
As instructed, Angelina walked over to the high priestess.
“Purity and fortune,” the Kalavinka mumbled, her eyes downturned.
The Garuda selected a blue flower from the Kalavinka’s basket and placed it on Angelina’s white plate.
“Incredible!” the matriarch cried. “I expected no less from the Polaris Princess! Receiving a blue flower from a Garuda is proof you’re a Vinka!”
The Kalavinka opened her mouth to say something, but at the last moment, she swallowed back her words. “…Purity and fortune,” she muttered while sighing in resignation. At the same time, the Garuda beat its wings.
“Huh?!” Angelina cried out. “But I—”
“We now know the meaning behind you being stranded here!” the matriarch interrupted. “You’re meant to take the Vinka exam!”
“I can’t become a Vinka.”
Despite Angelina’s refusal, the matriarch wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Forgive me, Polaris Princess, but that’s for the Garuda to decide. Respectfully, this matter cannot be determined by us mere mortals.”
Ryuho took up a position between Angelina and the matriarch. “Don’t get any closer!”
As a large tiger stuck its face in front of her, the matriarch let out a shrill cry. After collecting herself, she then cleared her throat. “If you keep refusing to take the exam, the mist might not clear up.” The matriarch spoke with careful consideration, her expression grave. “That would cause serious trouble for the people waiting at the foot of the mountain.”
Angelina had planned to descend the mountain after one day. However, this morning marked her fifth day here. At this point, the soldiers’ food reserves might have been exhausted.
“Even so, I cannot force you or your guardian beast to do anything,” the matriarch continued. “This is quite the dilemma.”
When the matriarch exhaled a long, loud sigh, Angelina trembled. Though she hadn’t said it out loud, the woman’s exasperated sigh had accused Angelina of being selfish. The princess knew this. She’d heard similar sighs countless times.
Does she think I’m a problem child…? Angelina wondered.
Her chest ached. She didn’t want anyone to be disgusted with her. Similarly, she couldn’t bear the thought of being abandoned. Fear rooted in her past lives now caused her head to spin.
“Pull yourself together, Lina!” Ryuho barked. “You don’t have to worry about this old hag! I’m here with you, remember?!”
Angelina gasped. That’s right, she thought. What do I care if this woman doesn’t like me? Also, it seemed like the Kalavinka stopped short of saying something. I don’t know what’s going on here exactly, but I need to fight back!
Angelina squeezed her eyes shut for just a moment. She shook her head, inhaled a deep lungful of air, and let out a slow breath. After counting mentally to calm her racing heart, she finally lifted her head. “I’ll give the mist another day to clear up,” she responded, her azure eyes sparkling fiercely.
The matriarch swore under her breath. “But wouldn’t you feel sorry for the soldiers if they caught a cold?”
“There’s no need to worry, Mish Daoshi,” Angelina said with a smile, playing up her childish speech. “Jinlongian sholdiers are very shtrong! They should be okay for one more night!”
“Even so–”
“Like I shaid, Fodder’s sholdiers are very shtrong. Do you not trusht them?”
When Angelina cocked her head, the matriarch found herself at a loss for words. It felt as though the girl were asking, “Are you belittling the might of the emperor?” At the same time, it was a simple question from a young, naïve girl. Though the matriarch didn’t sense any deep meaning behind the question, she still hesitated. Considering her position, she could by no means say, “No, I don’t trust the emperor’s soldiers.”
“…I-In that case, please give the mist another day to clear up,” the matriarch said.
She left the chamber.