Lamplight swayed, a long scroll spread open, and the land lay there like a painted realm, so lovely in all its splendor. The king lifted his brush, painting upon the world, flinging ink in sweeping strokes. To the north rose the undulating plateau, with a divine peak too vast for one hand to grasp; to the south ran the long jade-belt river, slender and hooked, leaving others to trace its curves and turns. And at the river's end, within the map, valleys encircled the land, lotus bloomed and fell, reflecting the most beautiful sight beneath the heavens!
"Roar! A hundred flowers in full bloom, grand and magnificent! This Lake Capital, this taste of conquest... Truly exquisite!"
After a night of toil, lamplight flickering bright and dim, he no longer remembered where his brush had fallen, only the tiger's roar and the fox's cry. It was not until the next morning that Xolotl woke from deep sleep. He looked toward the table, but the painted scroll was already gone. Recalling last night's painting, his body once again kindled with flame.
"Power and beauty set each other off so well. Nothing stirs the heart more. Eh?! I was reading the kingdom's reports, so how did such a fierce desire arise in me? This is... longing for the whole world?"
At that thought, Xolotl furrowed his brow and fell silent in contemplation. He looked toward last night's incense burner. It had already burned out, even the ashes cleared away. Confusion showed on the king's face. Only after a long while did he let out a long breath and tap his own head.
"Whew! Sitting upon a throne, the temptations one faces are ten times stronger than those of ordinary mortals! If desire muddles the mind..."
Xolotl shook his head and stood. He put