Before her body gradually began to heat up, Hebe pulled back her tail.
71 The Problem Surfaces
Miss A-Long slept for two days and one night.
At first, Hebe thought something had gone wrong with her, so she went over and beat up Shuten-dōji again.
But it seemed that Shuten-dōji's alcoholic aura had accelerated Miss A-Long's transformation into a dragon... Thinking about it now, the reason Yamata no Orochi of later eastern legends had been killed by Susanoo after getting drunk was probably its fondness for fine wine.
Shuten-dōji also bore the alias "Ibuki-dōji," which directly referred to Mount Ibuki Great Myojin.
Mount Ibuki Great Myojin was Yamata no Orochi's divine name.
The reason Shuten-dōji could be linked to Yamata no Orochi was rather hard to take—both had drowned themselves in alcohol and gotten their heads cut off.
It sounded like Zobayan and Kobe being considered the same person just because they had died the same way.
Perhaps for that very reason, Shuten-dōji's alcoholic aura could help a great serpent on the verge of becoming a dragon grow.
After learning this secret, Hebe went to see Shuten-dōji even more often.
Shuten-dōji readily lent out the Oni Host's fine liquor. In the Oni King's eyes, Mount Ōe's environment would eventually and imperceptibly change this Heavenly Fox.
And clearly, wallowing in drink was the beginning of that fall and regression.
Shuten-dōji's hopes were doomed to fail before they even began—because Hebe's second tail had already fully grown out.
The first tail represented strength; the second represented foxfire.
The azure flames that had erupted when the Demon King's Mark was fully unleashed in the previous Lostbelt had left a deep impression on Hebe, so her foxfire took on a similar appearance.
It was not particularly suited for burning enemies. Instead, it covered her body's surface and blocked adverse external influences.
Mount Ōe's environmental influence had already been negligible to Hebe. When the foxfire rose, even that faint influence vanished.
In just two days, more than half of Shuten-dōji's private stock of fine liquor had disappeared.
"Foxy, this is Mount Ōe!" Miss A-Long was somewhat excited.
Hebe nodded and casually smacked away Miss A-Long's black hand reaching for her tail.
This was the true inner side of Mount Ōe.
The Oni Host had once held banquets here, slaughtering one another and fighting duels during those feasts. The victors enjoyed wine and honor, while the defeated were trampled and devoured by their companions.
But after Hebe and the others took up temporary residence here, the Oni Host fled in panic.
The weak were lowly and the strong arrogant. Hebe had crippled both Oni Kings, proving that she was now the strongest one with the biggest fist.
Hebe brought Miss A-Long to Mount Ōe's central courtyard. Here, the top of a mountain had been flattened away, leaving a raised stone platform on the ground—this was where Shuten-dōji drank herself into a stupor day and night, and where the ruler of Mount Ōe issued orders.
Seeing Hebe and Miss A-Long arrive together, Shuten-dōji quickly understood what had happened.
The Oni King sighed without concealing it. "My, my... So Miss Tamamo asked for my wine for Miss A-Long's sake. That truly makes me jealous."
Miss A-Long clenched her fist and waved it before Shuten-dōji.
"Hey! Do you want to compare fists with A-Long?"
Though Shuten-dōji's face was still pale, she was not afraid of Miss A-Long.
Ultimately, Miss A-Long had not yet completed her true transformation into a dragon. Between her and Shuten-dōji, who likewise possessed the power of a dragon god, there was still a difference in rank.
"What fun is there in all this fighting and killing?"
Shuten-dōji's crimson eyes glanced toward Hebe. The wine bowl in her hand swayed slightly, clear liquor swirling within before pouring into the Oni King's mouth.
"Besides, I already lost to Miss Tamamo... Hehe, I even lost Ibaraki's share along with my own." Shuten-dōji smiled. "It was my first time seeing that child Ibaraki cry so freely. It will probably take some time for her limbs to grow back. Still, I think that even after Ibaraki's arms and legs grow back, she will behave herself much better from now on."
"After all, Mount Ōe expanded far too quickly. Even if it had not drawn a powerful figure like Miss Tamamo here, it would surely have incurred the wrath of the gods and Buddhas above. Hehe, when that happened, how many oni would have survived?"
"As they say, 'A loss may turn out to be a blessing'... Wouldn't you agree?"
Hebe's long brows twitched upward slightly.
Judging by that saying, could Shuten really have come from Cathay?
No, that was not important. Rather, Shuten-dōji's earlier words seemed to carry another meaning.
"You insist on advancing the plan for humans and oni to live together?" Hebe broke the silence and suddenly asked.
The wine bowl at Shuten-dōji's lips paused slightly. She gave Hebe a surprised look, then smiled and shook her head.
"There really is no hiding it from you. That's right, no matter what happens, I will not stop this plan, because..."
"I shall explain."
A tapping sound came from nearby.
Ibaraki-dōji hobbled out of the room on a cane.
Hebe had destroyed her limbs more thoroughly. Even after two days, Ibaraki-dōji still had not regrown complete arms and legs.
At that moment, Ibaraki-dōji had wooden poles tied to her stumps and walked as though she were on stilts.
The small Oni King slowly stopped before Shuten-dōji. "That's right. It is because Shuten and I foresaw the Oni Host's approaching end—if we had not encountered you, we would sooner or later have been subjugated by powerful humans. After Shuten and I died, the remaining Oni Host would inevitably be slaughtered, while the oni left behind would die miserably as the environment changed... That's right. Not a single oni could escape."
Hebe smiled with amusement. In her view, the complete extinction of the Oni Host would be the best possible outcome.
Ibaraki did not dare look up at Hebe, so she did not see the smile that irritated her so much.
"I know the Oni Host has no right to beg for mercy, but who ever said the Oni Host could not save itself?" Ibaraki spoke with unusual clarity. "Thus, I arranged for oni and humans to live together in order to preserve the Oni Host's bloodline. Though they may be impure compared to us, it is still a form of continuation."
Without raising her head, Ibaraki-dōji stiffened her neck and spoke bluntly. "That is how it is. At first, I sent my subordinates to use wine, meat, and rice to persuade those commoners to settle in Mount Ōe willingly. But after word spread, more and more commoners wanted to live alongside the Oni Host—more and more! Hmph, even if you had said nothing, I would have sent all these people away. How many oni do you think there are?"
"Oh? So according to you, I wronged you?" Hebe narrowed her eyes at Ibaraki-dōji.
Ibaraki-dōji shrank her head back in fright, lost her balance, and fell beside Shuten-dōji.
"All right, all right, Miss Tamamo. Don't make things difficult for Ibaraki. At the end of the day, she is only a child." Shuten-dōji smiled. "And now, you may leave Mount Ōe at any time and head for Heian-kyō."
Shuten-dōji's gaze shifted, settling on Miss A-Long behind Hebe.
"Do you also intend to bring this Miss A-Long into Heian-kyō? Forgive my bluntness, but that would not be a wise decision."
The problem that had always lain hidden between Hebe and A-Long was finally laid bare by the Oni King with a single pointed remark.
72 Farewell After Farewell
Miss A-Long could not enter Heian-kyō.
Hebe had known that long ago.
Scar Father would not allow a "beast" to enter humanity's domain, much less a human society that had never tolerated "Non-humans"—whether Miss A-Long had become a dragon or not made no difference.
So from the very beginning, the end point Hebe had arranged for Miss A-Long's journey was outside Heian-kyō.
As long as Miss A-Long followed Hebe's arrangements, nothing would go wrong. She could maneuver through the gaps between the two rulers' struggle for power, successfully become a dragon, and even be worshipped by the world.
It was certainly a bright and glorious future, but would Miss A-Long really be a yokai who obediently followed arrangements?
A trace of worry suddenly rose in Hebe's heart. She knew the answer.
"Miss A-Long." Hebe suddenly took A-Long's hand. "Can you listen to me properly?"
"I can." Miss A-Long answered.
Mount Ōe was driving out the humans who had not yet been assimilated, but Hebe and Miss A-Long remained there because Miss A-Long's transformation into a dragon had reached a crucial point.
Among Cathay's descriptions of dragons was a saying: "Without a foot-long branch, a dragon cannot ascend to heaven."
That foot-long branch referred to a Dragon Horn. For dragonkind, horns were symbols of authority, crowns that displayed the level of one's life, and sources of wisdom and strength.
This transformation of Miss A-Long's would bring forth Dragon Horns—and once she completed this step, she would completely shed her identity as a snake and enter the ranks of dragonkind.
Starting four days ago, Miss A-Long had returned to her original form. She hung listlessly from the room's crossbeam, like a rope soaked through with water.
Melancholy, sorrow. These emotions spread and grew through A-Long's heart like weeds.
She was not worried about whether she could become a dragon. She was worried that Hebe was about to leave her.
She was unhappy, terribly unhappy.
The paper sliding door moved aside, and a small figure stood outside.
It was Shuten-dōji.
The Oni King's face was still somewhat pale. She smiled at Miss A-Long, then sat cross-legged on the ground.
A-Long watched Shuten-dōji warily, but strangely enough, she did not dislike Shuten. She could even sense a familiar feeling from her.
"Hehe, there is no need to be so guarded around me." The Oni King drank alone outside the door. "After all, I would be quite pleased to see you drag that noble Heavenly Fox lady down into this floating world."
"What... world?" The great serpent flicked out her tongue.
Shuten-dōji narrowed her eyes and did not discuss that question with A-Long.
"Don't you want Miss Tamamo to stay with you forever?" Shuten-dōji said softly. "Don't you want to possess her completely, coil around her, devour every inch of her flesh and blood, and make her unable to leave you ever again?"
"Don't you want that?"
"We both know that dragons are powerful and greedy creatures. They never allow their treasures to be shared with others." Shuten-dōji spoke quietly. "For someone like the Heavenly Fox, can you truly accept letting her become a pearl in someone else's palm?"
A-Long did not reply.
Shuten-dōji continued speaking to herself.
"My divine wine can delay the time it takes for you to grow Dragon Horns." Shuten-dōji finally drained the wine in her cup and rose unhurriedly. "During that time, Miss A-Long, use every possible means to keep that Heavenly Fox by your side... Once she goes to Heian-kyō, both my plan and your wish will be wasted."
She slowly tipped her gourd, pouring clear wine from it.
There was none of the imagined intense aroma of alcohol, nor any bizarre illusion. Only clear liquid gently swayed within the bowl.
Shuten-dōji placed the bowl filled with wine inside the room, then left with a soft laugh.
The great serpent coiled along the ceiling stared at the cup and slowly closed her eyes.
The wine bowl overturned.
That night, moonlight flowed like water through the courtyard. Hebe saw Miss A-Long standing by the window, gazing at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.
"Are you leaving?" she asked. "A-Long still didn't protect Foxy properly."
"No, it has nothing to do with you." Hebe walked over and took her hand. "There are things I have to do."
Hebe had already prepared many explanations.
But A-Long said nothing.
"Mhm, A-Long knows. Foxy has to do something very important. But A-Long is still so sad."
Miss A-Long desperately wiped away her tears.
She did not know what the fox had to do. She only knew that Hebe was going to part from her.
But Miss A-Long was very smart and very considerate. She would absolutely not cause trouble for anyone.
Hebe took a deep breath.
She rose onto her toes and wiped the tears from Miss A-Long's face.
"Everything will be all right, Miss A-Long. I promise you, everything will be all right."
Hebe softly told Miss A-Long, "Return to the mountains of Takachiho and wait for me there—when the mountain flowers bloom, I will return."
She tore off a tuft of fur from the tip of her tail, tied it with red thread, and handed it to Miss A-Long.
"Keep it. Seeing it will be like seeing me."
So said the green-eyed girl.
"A-Long has a gift for Foxy too!"
She rummaged around on herself and pulled out three somewhat shriveled berries.
A-Long still remembered Hebe saying that she did not like eating frogs, nor did she like eating mice. She remembered it firmly, so she had brought the most delicious berries from the mountains of Takachiho.
She had originally intended to share them with Hebe along the way, but there had never been time.
Miss A-Long looked at those berries and felt even sadder.
Before you continue