Yokyu Castle (I)

Miya vividly remembered that scene: the aloof, silver-haired Dog Demon walking slowly toward them, bathed in the morning light; the Miko's usually calm, composed eyes lighting up in an instant; her radiant, captivating smile. In that moment, he felt some corner of his heart shatter silently...

The Dog Demon had an imposing presence. Though he had never spoken a word to Miya or given him so much as an overt glance, his silent condescension made his deep disdain unmistakable. Miya's pride screamed in pain, yet all he could do was quietly retreat. From the moment he had seen the Miko awaken in the water, he had understood that they belonged to different worlds. And so, during their limited time together, he had only wanted to treasure those precious moments. Yet even that small blessing was to be taken away. After a brief, smiling farewell, the Dog Demon took her away without looking back, leaving Miya with nothing but the sight of her slender figure receding into the distance.

She did not understand what she was feeling, but her beating heart was filled with joy.

With a slight lift of her head, she could see his profile. Now that they had met again, the top of her head reached his chest. So much time had passed.

Han did not know how she had come to leave with the Dog Demon.

He had simply stood before her once more and said, "Let's go." Yet to her ears, it had sounded like the words she had waited so long to hear: "I'm here." And so she had chosen to say goodbye to her human friend and walk to his side with a smile. "Yes," she had said.

They brought Lan and Yuno to Yokyu Castle, a city of demons hidden from the human world. Most of the demons who lived apart from humanity in the Western Lands—the Kansai region—resided here. Yokyu Castle was not truly a walled city built on enclosed land as human cities were, but a settlement that demons had gathered to form of their own accord. There were four such great cities, and the one in the Western Lands was Yokyu Castle. Beyond the cities, there were also many demon villages established under the protection of Great Monsters. After all, rather than living side by side in a city, Great Monsters preferred to find homes that suited them better, and they did not mind sheltering the lesser demons nearby.

Yokyu Castle had existed for a long time and had no absolute lord. Toga was the ruler of the Western Lands and held some authority over Yokyu Castle, but even he did not have absolute power there. The true residence of Toga and Sesshomaru's mother was the castle in the Clouds.

The characters for "long-lasting" and "nine" were homophones—their Japanese on-readings were the same, kyou, kyuu. In a sense, the name Yokyu Castle also suggested that nine Great Monsters protected the city, even if they did not necessarily live there.

Once Lan and Yuno had been settled in, Yuno clung reluctantly to Han's legs as she was about to leave. Han crouched, kneeling on one knee to meet the little girl's gaze. Her gentle eyes were full of attachment, and Han softly ruffled her hair.

"We have much more time than humans do," Han said with a smile. "We'll certainly meet again."

"Mm." Yuno nodded obediently, hugged Han one last time, and left with her mother.

Perhaps they would be able to settle down in this city, free from human harassment.

"Well, Sesshomaru." A sultry woman in a deep-blue robe patterned with wisteria leaves stood at the entrance to the Bathhouse, a slender golden pipe held between her fingers. She leisurely exhaled smoke rings that drifted into the air.

"It's been a long time." Sesshomaru nodded in greeting. "This is Yubaba, the owner of the Bathhouse," he told Han.

"Hello. I'm Han," she said politely.

"Oh? A Miko?" Yubaba bent slightly, as though she had only just noticed the girl, and narrowed her eyes to scrutinize her. Casually, she blew a small smoke ring into Han's face.

Han frowned. The smoke was too pungent, so she took a small step back. "Yes."

"Yubaba." Sesshomaru addressed her by name in displeasure, reaching out to steady the girl's young shoulder. "Enough. That will do."

"Yes, yes." Yubaba gave a careless smile and straightened. "I really do despise human women most of all." Shaking her head, she lifted the curtain at the Bathhouse entrance. Her steps paused briefly as she turned to go inside, and she glanced back at the Dog Demon. Just like his father—a demon bewitched by a human woman. How pathetic! At the thought of Toga, the Great Monster who had once ruled the demons of the Western Lands and died for a human woman, Yubaba gritted her teeth in bitter resentment.

"One last warning." Yubaba sneered, and then her cold voice came from inside. "Rumor is spreading through the city that a human Miko has bewitched our future ruler. Everyone must be getting anxious by now."

A cold smile curled Sesshomaru's lips. "Yubaba, those demons may not recognize her, but can't you?" He lowered the hand resting on the girl's shoulder. "Your comfortable life must have dulled all your perception."

"Wait." The richly dressed woman hurried back out. "What do you mean?"

She scrutinized the girl before her, then drew in a sharp breath. "Could she be...?" She looked to Sesshomaru for confirmation.

Sesshomaru nodded lightly.

"Oh dear, how terribly rude of me." Yubaba covered her lips and laughed, as though the cold demon from moments before had been someone else. "I'm Yubaba." She bowed with a smile.

Han stood coldly beside the Dog Demon without answering. She would not forget the woman's disdain and disregard just now.

"I'm truly sorry. Oh my, are you angry, Han?" Yubaba certainly knew when to yield. She promptly bowed her head in apology. "To make amends, I can offer you a bath in the Herbal Clear Spring. It isn't open to the public."

Han was just about to refuse when Sesshomaru spoke. "Go. It wasn't directed at you personally."

"Yes." Han agreed without hesitation. She trusted this aloof yet gentle demon completely. "Will you wait for me, Sesshomaru?"

"Mm." Sesshomaru did not look at her, but his tone was unusually gentle. "I'll be right beside you."

"Yes!" Han nodded happily, breaking into a broad, radiant smile.

"Please follow me." A gold-painted fan appeared in Yubaba's hand, and she lightly covered the smile that had risen unbidden to her lips. "And you, young lord, should enjoy a hot bath as well." She winked at Sesshomaru. "It's very close to the Herbal Clear Spring."

Whichever words had swayed him, the proud, silver-haired Dog Demon deigned to nod.

Passing through one steam-filled room after another and encountering one little demon after another, Yubaba led Han to the end of the corridor.

"Please." Yubaba opened the door and smiled as she ushered the girl into a spacious room.

Han's eyes widened in surprise at a room that was clearly larger than the Bathhouse appeared from outside. They were unmistakably indoors, with wooden walls plainly visible farther away, yet the earth, plants, and trees before her, together with the fresh woodland scent reaching her nose, made her feel as though she stood in a real mountain forest.

"This is..." Han murmured, turning to Yubaba, whose face was full of pride.

Yubaba nodded confidently. "My elder sister Qian and I accomplished it together-the magnificent feat of moving an entire forest."

Han nodded. A demon with such powerful abilities certainly had reason to be proud, especially in the demon world, where the weak were prey to the strong and strength commanded respect. She recalled the countless rooms they had passed along the way, though from outside it had looked like nothing more than a modest bathhouse. Yubaba's power was already plain to see.

By the time they passed through the dense woods, the moon was high overhead. A silver-white crescent hung alone against the dark curtain of night.

"Ah, nothing is more comfortable than a hot spring," Yubaba sighed contentedly.

The hot spring held more than ordinary water and steam; a strange power filled it as well. Reclining in the spring, Han scooped up a handful of warm water, her eyes widening slightly. Blue spiritual energy seemed to flow through the clear, green water.

"Is this... a Spirit Spring?" Han asked in surprise. As its name suggested, a Spirit Spring was a spring of Spiritual Power, and demons and humans alike could draw strength from its waters. Yet its rarity matched its value. At least according to human records, the last Spirit Spring had dried up three hundred years ago.

"Yes," Yubaba answered readily. "My sister and I went to tremendous lengths to move it here and preserve it. We were worried it would dry up, so we also asked Water Woman to alter the original terrain, gathering the water veins here to stabilize it and keep it from being disturbed by earthquakes."

Han nodded. Indeed, unless there was a major earthquake, frequent minor tremors might have little effect on humans, but they could profoundly affect the terrain and the veins beneath the earth.

Seeing that Han understood the effort she had put into this spring, Yubaba smiled. "Mother also planted countless rare medicinal herbs in the mountains, hoping to preserve its spiritual energy for years to come." At that, she sighed softly. "If this spring disappears too, another Spirit Spring probably won't form anywhere in the world for quite some time."

Without realizing it, Han quietly fell asleep in the water. The currents embraced her gently, and blue Spiritual Power poured visibly into her body, surging wildly through her slender frame before quickly settling into docility.

"So she really is." Yubaba smiled in understanding and slowly stepped out of the hot spring.

"Still waiting?" She was not at all surprised to find Sesshomaru outside the room. The silver-haired Dog Demon leaned against the nearby wall with his eyes closed and answered with only a soft grunt.

Yubaba smiled helplessly. Looking at Sesshomaru's face, so like his father's, she seemed to see once more the retreating figure of that bold yet steady Great Monster as he waved a hand and left. Though already gravely wounded, he had still insisted on going to protect his woman—a human.

With a rueful smile, Yubaba left, leaving the Dog Demon waiting quietly.