Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 130

 Princess Tamamo was born as the daughter of the chief of the Saeki White Dog (Shirainu) Tribe in Saeki Land. She had a title that meant a lot more than it seemed at first.

 Even though she was from the Ezo culture, the White Dog Tribe had been under the rule of the Fusō Court for a really long time. This made their ways and customs gradually become more like the Fusō culture, especially among the important people.

 In fact, even Saeki Land's capital and offices looked like those in the central capital, following the Fusō style. Tamamo's clothes, stuff she had, and what she learned were also influenced by Fusō. Although there were slight glimpses of former Ezo customs and designs in the details, that was really all there was to it. If one just looked at how she acted, they couldn't easily tell her apart from a noble girl from the central court.

 But there was something different about Tamamo. She was definitely a princess from the Ezo people. Most princesses from Fusō didn't go outside much, even within their own houses. They didn't want their clothes or shoes to get dirty, and they'd scream if they saw bugs. If there was an animal smell, they'd frown and hide behind screens, which was how the fancy Fusō princesses acted.

 But Tamamo was the opposite. She didn't mind getting out of heavy clothes. She liked wildflowers and wasn't scared of bugs. She could sing loudly and the animals would come close without being scared. Even the bears and their moms would come to her, and monkeys would share their fruits. Birds would sing along with her.

 It was like she was different in a way. Long ago, the chief of the White Dog Tribe's family used to be shrine maiden. They appeased Shizumi-no-kami, the white dog beast-god whom they worshipped. They probably had some kind of special powers, like being able to do things that others couldn't. Over time, their connection to this power faded, especially since they were under Fusō's rule.

 But somehow, Tamamo had that power. For the Chief of the White Dog Tribe, it wasn't a good thing. It was like a curse from the past, a leftover from ancient times. If people found out, it could cause problems, especially since they were getting closer to the central court even though they were originally from Ezo.

 So, they had to keep it a secret. They couldn't let anyone know about Tamamo's special ability. Because it would be a matter that might hinder the future marriage with the central government for the family, which had almost become Fuso by now and they didn't want to upset the central court. Maybe they would have even gotten rid of Tamamo if they didn't care about her. Instead, they warned her in a really harsh way.

 One day, while she was singing in the forest, soldiers from Ezo came. Confused by what was happening, the princess tilted her head in puzzlement, feeling somewhat like a boxed-up treasure.

 In the next moment, the animals that adored the princess were mercilessly taken down, one by one. The splattering of blood left the young girl trembling in terror. If the soldiers hadn't "protected" the princess so carefully, she would have never dared to step foot into the wild again.

 It was probably for the best. Her power wasn't that strong anyway. As long as she stayed inside, her uniqueness wouldn't cause any problems. She could live as a princess without anyone knowing.

 Her father, who was the chief of the tribe and the protector of the land, did it to keep his family and the tribe safe. He did care about her, but Tamamo had a hard time accepting it. The warning must have been really shocking for her. After that, she became quiet, timid, and gloomy, and watched everything carefully, even around her own family. It's like she changed a lot. In the end, Fusō's idea of beauty might have even liked her more this way.

 One day, she found a weak animal while walking in the garden. She realized it wasn't just any animal. But she also knew that this kind of creature didn't belong there.