Chapter 14: The Maple’s Glow

In the dim forest, the wind swayed the tree shadows. The only light came from the maple tree by the stream, glowing like a seductive beacon.

Riko’s fingers moved, forming seals. The Binding Technique, learned just yesterday, was clumsy—her spiritual lines broke twice.

Red Leaf laughed. “So sloppy. You’re doomed today, aren’t you?”

“Gotta try,” Riko said, slowing her movements, focusing on the golden lines, sealing with determination.

“No need for trouble. Let me eat you quickly. I’ve wanted to for so long.” Red Leaf grinned wickedly, lunging, but fell mid-air.

She gaped, seeing herself wrapped in vines.

“Finally got it.” Riko exhaled, sprinting back the way she came.

“Useless. I’m a wood youkai—vines are my kin.” Red Leaf broke free easily, chasing her.

Riko ran, forming seals. A barrier appeared around her, immobile but reforming as she moved, like running through a chain of glowing soap bubbles.

The barriers’ faint light flickered. As one formed ahead, the tail end faded, timed out.

Red Leaf, hurling leaf darts, was thwarted. “Keep running in your turtle shell. Let’s see if your spiritual power holds until you find the entrance.”

Riko kept sealing, thinking, I don’t need the entrance. I just need that thing.

A black figure lay ahead, a dried dish on its head—a parched, fainted kappa.

The rule: bypass it or pour water to free it. Touching it out of curiosity turned you into a kappa.

Riko sped up, leaping past the kappa, then braked. Red Leaf swooped, laughing. “Got you!”

Snap. Red Leaf hit a hemispherical barrier, her pupils reflecting Riko crouching inside.

Riko smiled. “You stepped on the kappa.”

“What?”

Red Leaf’s body shrank, collapsing to the ground.

Riko stepped out, grinning at the kappas lying side by side. “Caught you.”

“Damn it,” kappa Red Leaf growled, dissolving into a pile of leaves.

A puppet, as expected from a puppeteer. Riko’s smile faded. She pursed her lips, took paper from her pocket, cut a lightbulb, and ran on, holding it.

When Red Leaf returned, Riko stood by the stream, smiling. Behind her, a white-bearded old man held three axes, grumbling, “Pick one already.”

“What trick now?” Red Leaf eyed her warily.

Riko sealed a barrier around herself and turned. “I’ll take the iron axe.”

“Iron, huh.” The old man handed it over, disappointed.

Red Leaf glared impatiently. “Get out of your shell. All you’ve got are sneaky tricks? Is that all Seimei taught you?”

“Enough to handle you,” Riko said, smiling.

“What?” Red Leaf’s face darkened. “You think tricking me out of one puppet means you can do it again?”

“What about you?” The old man tugged Red Leaf’s sleeve. “Which axe?”

“I don’t want any!” Red Leaf swatted his hand, frustrated. Time was running out—if the exam ended and the illusion vanished, she’d be exposed to the shrine maidens.

“You must choose,” the old man said sternly.

“So annoying, I said no!” Red Leaf flung leaf darts, but they passed through him, sinking into the stream without a ripple.

Riko added another barrier, gloating. “The old man’s part of the illusion. Attacks don’t work.”

“Which one?” he asked again.

“What do you have?” Red Leaf sighed, just wanting him gone.

“Only gold and silver left.”

“Gold—ah!” A massive wave surged from the stream, engulfing Red Leaf. She dissolved into leaves again.

“Greed deserves punishment,” the old man said grimly.

“Well said.” Riko stifled a laugh.

“I’ve had enough!” Red Leaf’s figure emerged in the air, pale and gasping, clearly strained.

Seeing her appear so quickly, Riko knew this was her true body. She sealed a barrier, swiftly casting the Binding Technique.

“I told you, vines can’t hold me.” Red Leaf floated up, waving her sleeves. A storm of sharp leaves assaulted the barrier.

The barrier shattered. Riko summoned more vines to bind Red Leaf, running into the forest. She kept casting bindings; Red Leaf kept breaking free. One furious, one tense, both at their breaking point.

“Ugh.” Riko grunted, slowing. Leaves had pierced her body. The smell of blood sent Red Leaf’s eyes blazing with excitement.

Riko gasped, hiding behind a tree.

“Where are you? I smell you!” Red Leaf’s mocking laughter echoed nearby. “No escape this time.”

Riko, trembling, took a blank charm and wrote the Thunder Summoning spell with bloodied fingers.

“Got you!” A massive shadow loomed. Riko’s body screamed in pain, bones nearly crushed. She released the charm. Lightning chains, crackling with sparks, bound the shadow.

“What now?” Red Leaf roared.

Using the brief paralysis, Riko scattered dozens of paper dolls. They pinned Red Leaf down. Without hesitation, Riko, ignoring her wounds’ agony, swung the iron axe. A shrill scream rang out as something tore into her. Her vision blackened, and she collapsed.

The forest returned to silent darkness, not a breeze stirring.

A clear chime sounded. The Hontsubo Bell glowed softly in the dark.

Heavy eyelids slowly lifted to rustling sounds.

Red Leaf?

Riko bolted upright, startling Seimei, who was reading nearby.

Her wide eyes scanned the room: a bird-painted screen, a pearwood cabinet, open sliding doors revealing the courtyard. A blue wind chime swayed at the door, and Suzaku swept diligently. Familiar, but…

She looked down. Her apprentice robes were gone, replaced by a primrose-colored dress. She reached for her back’s wounds—no pain. The tearing sensation felt like a dream.

Seimei watched her gently, not interrupting.

“Lord Seimei…”

“Hm.”

“I… didn’t die?” Confusion filled her eyes. She remembered her body being torn, something gushing out, thinking she was done.

“Clearly not,” Seimei said, a smile in his eyes. “Not a scar on you.”

“Why?” She checked her hands, certain they’d been scratched bloody while hiding.

“Lady Saio found you early and prayed to Amaterasu for a divine blessing. Otherwise, you’d be like Matsushima, bedridden at Ise Shrine for a month.”

“Matsushima?” Riko recalled the girl Red Leaf killed. “I saw her head twisted off.”

“Yes,” Seimei nodded. “Life and death are nature’s cycle, and gods don’t interfere. But two maidens dying in an exam is a stain on Ise Shrine. Even gods care about reputation.”

“So they made an exception, retrieving Matsushima’s soul from Yomi. Her death was earlier, so her soul and body need time to reconnect.”

“Really?” Riko’s eyes sparked with joy. She wasn’t dead, Matsushima wasn’t dead, and Red Leaf…

Red Leaf. She stood, searching for the Hontsubo Bell.

“Looking for this?” Seimei raised his face, dangling the bell by its cord, chiming pleasantly.

“Yes, did the tag absorb her?” Riko cupped the bell, summoning the wooden tag. The tadpole groove’s tail was now fully lit.

Vine had filled just a tip, but Red Leaf filled the entire tail. Worthy of her place in the youkai compendium, Riko thought, thrilled. At this rate, the tag would fill soon.

A strange rustling sounded. She turned to see two paper dolls on the desk, clutching a brush, scribbling.

“Oh, that.” Seimei looked sheepish, reaching for it. But Riko, closer, snatched the book. Red Leaf’s page in the youkai compendium was a blackened mess.

“Lord Seimei,” she said suspiciously, “you told them to do this, didn’t you?”

The boy looked like he wanted to explain but gave up, smiling brightly. “Yes, it was me. Seeing you hurt like that made me angry. Since Red Leaf’s in the bell, I took it out on the book.”

Riko’s eyes widened, her heart stirring. Before she could speak, a scoff came from the door. “Angry? You’re not the one who gets to be.”

They turned to the speaker.

A boy in ornate robes embroidered with flowing clouds leaned against the veranda pillar, smirking at them. Minamoto no Hatsuki stood behind, carrying a basket.

“Genji Hatsu?” Seimei frowned. “What’re you doing at my house?”

“Uh, this…” Hatsuki looked at Riko awkwardly. “Don’t blame me, he insisted on coming.”

“No choice,” Genji Hatsu said lazily, lips curving. “I’ve got the jade, don’t I?”