YATAGARASU
The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
Very well.
In that case, let me tell you...
Kasuke
what your beloved lady has been up to while your eyes were turned.
A letter?
Kasuke
When you return to the Center, please tell His Highness we appreciate his concern.
Certainly. I promise to inform His Highness.
Shall I assist you?
Huh?
Then, you and the Second Lady must be quite close, Kasuke.
I wouldn't dare
Servant of the Eastern House Kasuke
But her ladyship has a good heart.
She even has kind words for hill ravens with no family, like me.
I would do anything for her.
The next time I called on the Eastern House, Kasuke had gone missing.
Most assumed he had grown dissatisfied with his treatment and fled.
And just before that, an intruder caused a stir here.
I saved this letter from the fire in the nick of time.
Wh-What does it say?
"I'd like you to come see me without a word to anyone."
I'll await you on the first moonless night after Tanabata.
Come to the red kimono and—
A red kimono hangs outside the Autumn Hall, not the Spring Hall
Huh?
Asebi, you meant to send that man to me?
You misunderstand, Lady Masuho
I tried to put out a red kimono Right in front of my room
But...
I... I bear the blame
I took the kimono down, never dreaming what it was for.
My lady never meant to cause distress.
She should have had no difficulty foreseeing you would stop her.
That is but more speculation
I see ladies-in-waiting are loyal to a fault.
I hear that Kasuke could not read.
What? Is such a thing possible?
It's hardly unusual, especially among poor, rural hill ravens.
Samomo read your letter aloud to Kasuke and wrote out his reply for him.
You didn't realize? I thought as much.
Thank you for going, Samomo.
How did it go? Did you get an answer?
Thank you
You must be tired. Take it easy today.
Samomo doesn't seem like herself.
I think she found out that I summoned a manservant here.
Samomo won't tell anyone, will she?
Will I need to leave the palace if this becomes public knowledge?
Whatever shall I do,
Princess Fujinami?
Do I have that approximately right, Fujinami?
Her Highness is in ill health.
Even Your Highness has no right to...
Now, let's read one more letter.
That's... the letter I wrote to you
Receiving my first letter from Your Highness
made me so happy that I wrote back right away.
Yes. And I wrote identical letters to all four ladies.
But for some reason, I only received this single reply.
His Highness the Prince
Only the Spring Hall received His Highness's letter?
Ukogi, is that true?
W-Well...
Wait Don't blame Ukogi.
I felt so giddy that I didn't think things through.
You have some nerve, feigning innocence.
Don't tell me you and Hamayu stole those letters together?
I don't think Lady Hamayu was the letter thief.
What do you mean? Hamayu admitted to the theft herself
I believe in Hamayu's innocence as well.
The letters were kept under strict watch.
Messages to Cherry Blossom Palace are stopped at Wisteria Hall,
from which each house's ladies-in-waiting retrieve them.
The system allows no opportunity to take another house's letters.
That goes for all of us, not only Hamayu.
But the letters were in fact—
You said all correspondence is stored in Wisteria Hall, didn't you?
Then, even if we couldn't take it, perhaps...
B-Brother, I...
Forgive me, Brother
I've been a fool.
I merely wished for Lady Asebi to become your consort.
Hiding my letters is a trivial matter.
At least compared to your other crime, Fujinami.
I understand.
I'll speak with Samomo. She won't breathe a word of your manservant to anyone.
But I can't help feeling uneasy.
Samomo loves to chat. What if her tongue slips?
Surely you worry too much.
Samomo knows her duty, and she has a good head on her shoulders.
That's true. No doubt you're right.
Sister, umm...
Forgive me for intruding on you at such a busy time.
You've served me well all this time.
You may have this. Now, leave Cherry Blossom Palace at once.
Is it Lady Asebi?
She isn't the person Your Highness imagines her to be.
Her ladyship—
Enough.
I told you to go. Now, go.
She's trying to ensnare her rivals by underhanded—
I don't want to hear another word from you
Please Please hear me out
Dawn has broken.
Fly away this instant.
A hill raven like you must know how
Be care—
Worry not.
I, Takimoto, shall ensure Your Highness's safety.
I didn't know.
I thought hill ravens could fly whenever they want.
How could I know her kimono would get in the way?
I only wanted her to leave.
Lady Asebi was troubled.
I didn't want to lose Lady Asebi's affection
You share her guilt, Takimoto.
You beheaded Kasuke while he merely ran in panic, branded him a thief,
and then twisted the truth to claim he killed Samomo after falling out with her.
All to shield your mistress.
Samomo's corpse was half human and half in raven shape.
She struggled frantically to fly until the bitter end.
S-Samomo
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry
Oh, poor Princess Fujinami.
You pity her?
You must have realized she harbored special feelings for you,
that she'd hidden my letters to the other ladies for your sake.
I did, and it pained me.
I felt so guilty toward Lady Shiratama and Lady Masuho-no-Susuki.
But Princess Fujinami acted out of affection for me.
I couldn't possibly fault her for it.
And what about Samomo?
Did you never stop to think what Fujinami would do
if you mentioned leaving the palace and begged her for help?
You don't mean...
the Princess misunderstood me?
Oh, how awful
I failed to make myself clear,
but I never dreamed she would do anything so frightful
I bear all the blame.
If only I hadn't presumed on Princess Fujinami's affection.
Please forgive me, Princess Fujinami.
Samono and Kasuke should never have had to die.
What a tragic twist of fate.
I can't prove your malice.
Your Highness, for so long, I've felt drawn to—
But I'm sorry to say I loathe you.
Sister...
Brother...
I've kept you waiting, Sumi.
"Sumi"?
Hey. Face facts already.
Did you forget your old name?
Or did falling off a cliff on your rump knock it out of your head?
You... pasty-faced wimp
L-Lady Hamayu?
Honestly You had me worried sick
So, when did you figure out I was Sumi?
When I sounded out the Southern House.
It turned out my old partner-in-crime had entered the palace as a lady.
I assume you sent me that warning.
Not many people would take my side, after all.
I guess nothing gets past you.
I got a letter from Masuho-no-Susuki.
She wrote that she was harboring you,
and that you'd confessed to stealing letters you never touched.
Why, that—
You didn't shield Fujinami.
You tried to protect her kin in the Western House.
A stain on their reputation would get in the way of my marrying Masuho.
You're too clever by half.
I put my money on Masuho-no-Susuki.
If anyone has what it takes to be your consort, she does.
Well, you have a point.
Then, why did you goad her into giving you the cold shoulder?
You could tell?
Ask for Masuho-no-Susuki's hand again.
Masuho just took holy vows.
It's not too late. I'll talk to her.
Of the Four Houses, only the West can protect you going forward.
You know that, right?
This isn't funny
Your life is on the line
Thank you, Sumi.
I want to change the status quo.
The Empress and the Kin'u have warped imperial relations with the Four Houses.
I want to set them right.
To do that, the Royal House must have neutrality.
For my consort, I need a woman who can do her duty
but who won't tip the power balance of the Four Houses.
I see where you're coming from,
but where will you find a woman like—
Hamayu.
I do not find you particularly special, and I do not love you, either.
That will not change if I marry you.
I will take any number of concubines if the need arises.
Given the right circumstances, I may even abandon you.
But I will not allow you to complain or to become intimate with any other man.
You must stifle yourself and live only for me.
If you are prepared to accept all of that, would you consent to become my wife?
So, that's how it is.
You belong to none of the Four Houses.
I couldn't ask for a more perfect consort.
You don't mind making enemies of all four houses?
I'm counting on it.
Your mother was murdered by—
I know, but it doesn't matter.
I have one condition.
Let me tend to you on your deathbed.
Very well. You have my word.
What was that for? I thought you'd fallen head over heels for me.
I suggest you study up on women's feelings.
Ow.
Damn it. I slipped.
Let's go,
Sumi.
Castle Town Center
See you later.
So, you're going back to Taruhi after all?
Sorry, but I guess the Center just doesn't suit me.
And you're letting him go, Nazukihiko?
I'm grateful to Your Highness.
You saw me for myself, not my birth or breeding.
No one's ever done that before.
I don't deserve your thanks, but I appreciate them.
Well, take care.
I will. You too, Sumio.
We'll meet again someday.
Er, I don't plan on coming back.
My kin'u instinct tells me.
That again?
I might as well ask you while I have the chance.
Why are you so obsessed with the throne?
I've been with you for a year now, watching court power struggles.
They were a total farce.
The court wants Lord Natsuka to succeed, right?
So, why not just let him?
You could get involved in government through Lord Natsuka.
Why risk your life just to become kin'u yourself?
You've got it wrong, Yukiya. He—
Sumio.
I'm saying this because I don't want to let you die
Please give up on the throne.
I'll stay here if you do.
If you become just another court raven, not a golden one,
I'll serve you.
If you take being the kin'u from me, I'll have nothing left.
Then get yourself killed without me.
And out of my sight, if you please.
Nazukihiko, do you see something?
Having finished his service as aide, Yukiya lingers in Taruhi
when a raven lands before him.
New encounters bring new enemies.
Yukiya has yet to learn of the threat creeping toward Yamauchi.
The Taboo Elixir
Next time: "The Taboo Elixir"
YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
Illustration: Natsuki