"Fuyumi Ono - Juuni Kokki Novel - Sea Of The Wind, Shore Of The Maze" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ono Fuyumi)

Hou--it is used for washing the wooden image of Oufujin.
Youka pushed aside the flowers as she filled the bucket with water, and then she turned around and prepared to walk
in the direction of Taishin Shrine. At this time, Teiei smiled and called out to her.
"Where are you going?"
"Hm? I'm going to help Oufu..."
Teiei laughed.
"The shrine isn't in that direction! Don't you remember which way to walk yet?"
Youka looked at the three diverging paths and her face could not help turning red.
"I've really gotten the direction wrong."
The rocks and the countlessly diverging paths made Mt. Hou into an absolute maze.
The only ones who can master all the routes are those who live on Mt. Hou. Only the nyosen who live here can
choose the right route in the spider-web-like paths, in order to get to the side of a clear river to wash clothes, to a
waterfall to bathe, or to a pure spring to draw water. The area wasn't big, whether she wanted to reach the grasslands,
flower gardens, and vegetable gardens, all splashed with sunlight, or she wanted to visit the little palaces sprinkled
around Mt. Hou. However, for Youka, who was a new nyosen, she still needed a bit of time to get around.
"Why are the paths here so complicated...?"
Hearing Youka sighing like this, Teiei smiled.
"It's there to protect the Mt. Hou Kou! Just endure it for a little bit."
The land is shaped like a maze in order to prevent intrusion by outsiders.
Regular people or animals would not be able to make their way up the rocks. And although youju possess the ability
to do so, they are generally not allowed into Houro Palace with only a few exceptions. Also, the paths through the
strange rocks are very narrow, so those that come to visit must leave their mounts at the base and walk up to Houro
Palace alone.
As soon as one steps onto the small paths, they will notice the interlocking grid, just like a labyrinth. The
enormous crags will block your lines of sight. And amongst the rocks that are covered by the damp green moss, the
elaborate stone slabs on the small paths have formed innumerable diverging roads and tunnels that cause people to
lose their sense of direction in the blink of an eye.
Only those familiar with Houro Palace are able to find their way and arrive at that place, unique in this world, a high
terrace full of plants and trees.
"So that's how it is."
Hidden in the deepest part of the maze is the Shashinboku, and on this tree, the fruit of the kirin grow.
In this world, whether human, beast, or any other living thing, they all grow in fruits on white trees. However, the
only fruits that bear kirin grow on the Shashinboku on Mt. Hou.
Mt. Hou is the holy land where kirin are born. Houro Palace and the nyosen in it all exist for the sake of the kirin. The
kirin are the masters of Mt. Hou, thus they are also called "Mt. Hou Kou."
Teiei nodded her head.
"There is no bigger responsibility than taking care of the kirin, but there is also no greater happiness. When the
Taika hatches, you should also help us take care of him. However, you must be very careful."
Teiei's words made Youka's eyes glimmer.
"Can I help? Really?"
Actually, Youka had felt a little dissatisfied. Serving the kirin was an important job for the nyosen on Mt. Hou. The
remaining jobs were only a few chores. There was a young kirin on Mt. Hou at the time, but because Youka was new,
she had not been able to join the task of caring for the kirin.
Teiei laughed.
"But you have to figure out the lay of the land first."
"Yes!"
Youka nodded vigorously.
A few days ago, the Shashinboku finally bore another fruit, and this one was called "Taika."
Youka's thoughts had already drifted over onto that little fruit.
The time from when the Taika is formed to when the kirin is hatched is ten months. A newly born little kirin is