Hyōhaku #1
Juuni Kokuki’s side story — 十二国記外伝
(The Twelve Kingdoms)
漂舶
(Drifting Ship)
Translated by o6asan
chapter1 chapter2 chapter3 chapter4 chapter5 chapter6 chapter7 chapter8
1
Mt.Kankyu(関弓山), En(雁州国). The top of the mountain piercing the sea of clouds is literally a solitary island far off in the sea, where Gen’ei-kyu(玄英宮) spreads in the gray of the morning is isolated. Under the moon still remains in the sky at dawn, the calm sea surface is like a vast sheet of brocade to which the wavelet was interwove with silver threads.
There is still time until daybreak. However, a block of Gen’ei-kyu(玄英宮), the building that is called Jinju-den(仁重殿) already overflows with lower officials. Especially, the main bedroom is surrounded by a thick wall of women and men of the court. Though all of them don’t particularly do, they keep close watch on around and feel high tense. The lower officials pause near the doorway and the windows seem as if holding their own breath.
In the silence, not hearing even a cough, time flows slowly. Then, the morning sun shines, and the sound of the bell loud as if waiting it.
The lower officials here and there begin to move as flipped. The doorway is opened, the windows are opened, and the place is closed after putting into light. Court ladies who were waiting in a corner of the bedroom open the door of a luxurious bed, and rush into it.
”Taiho(台輔)! Please awake, sir.”
When one of the court ladies raises her voice, it seems the sign that someone wriggles in the curtains which envelope the bed itself. As two court ladies from right and left pull and open the curtain, a shadow that slips into the bedding like escaping has been recognized. A pail is brought in while doing so, clothes of a rack are replaced, and tools for the morning dress are prepared on the table. The surrounding of the bed has no place to step due to court ladies who move all together.
”It is the time when you get up, sir.
”Please get up, sir.”
One of the court ladies peels off the covers, and the other raises the master who jumps to on the bed. The third is taking his pajamas off, at the same time the fourth is letting out his official clothes and dressing him in it.
”Stop! I’m up. Already up!”
Rokuta(六太) throws off those court ladies’ hands, running feverishly into a far corner of the bed while clinging to his pillow. Court ladies who call for his getting up and stand in a row thickly by the side of the bed are literally a wall. Moreover, the wall seems to collapse and to surge on the bed at any moment.
”Taiho(台輔)! Please get up, sir.”
”Changing clothes, sir.”
”Setting hair, sir.”
”Wait, I’m getting up now! Everyone, just calm down. — right?”
The Prime Minister of a country is running around to escape by sheltering behind his pillow, above all, it might need that he himself settles down.
”Well, Taiho(台輔), step on it, sir!”
”It is the time, now, sir.”
”I get up. Now, at once.”
”Hurry up, sir. — Taiho(台輔).”
Rokuta(六太) shouts holding his pillow.
”And you all request me to get out of bed and to go to the conference immediately. I do, I do!”
chapter1 chapter2 chapter3 chapter4 chapter5 chapter6 chapter7 chapter8
