The last saviour to arrive in this land came a hundred years ago—a doctor who discovered a cure for a devastating plague. His success drew the Emperor's attention, and he was appointed as a personal physician to the palace. But before his inauguration, he returned home.

According to the records, summoning used to occur only once every millennium. Over time, however, it became more frequent every century, or sometimes even every few decades. Yet whenever a hero was summoned, the people of this world knew that a plague, disaster, or some form of chaos was imminent, and that the gods had sent these heroes to protect their lland.

There are a lot of books that spoke of the heroes' greatness from their arrival to the day they vanished. There were also celebrations dedicated to them in human towns. Some still have statues standing in town squares or even villages, and others are remembered in songs still sung by bards. It all paints a flawless legend, preserved even after millennia have passed.

But I suppose that's only natural in a world not ruled by humans alone but where other beings can live for centuries. They remember their heroes far longer than we ever could.

And yet, I can't help but wonder—what did those called heroes truly feel the moment they first arrived in this land?

There's a difference when telling a story from a primary to a secondary perspective. If I could find a diary or records from these people, it would help me understand more. But I highly doubt they still exist now.

I sighed, closing the last page of the book. Crouching down, I sifted through the small piles beside me in search of another. It had been a week since I arrived in this land, and I still had no clue what I was meant to do.

Every day, Kiri-san, a kodama who takes care of this house and the records of the humans summoned in every region, updated me on the state of the nearby villages and the barrier. Nothing unusual—no spreading illness, no looming calamity. And so, I found myself cooped up in the house, day after day.

Not that I was doing nothing. Like this cat.

...Cat?

I blinked, my thoughts catching up as I lowered the book. A pudgy black cat sat on the tatami floor, its tail lazily swaying back and forth.

But since when did this little fellow get here?

I bend over and approach the little one. Holding my breath, my hand gently rubs its fur.

"Wow, so soft." My hand moved, slowly patting the little creature, until it decided to stand up and meowed at me. "I guess no belly rub?"

I pulled my hand back and straightened, returning to the pile of books on the floor. But the cat didn't move. Its gaze stayed fixed on me—sharp and unblinking, like a predator watching its prey.

"Do you have something to tell me?" I asked as if it could answer. "Never mind. If you want to stay in the room, feel free to do so," I added before turning back to the books to decide what to read next.

There was still an entire pile I hadn't touched. I didn't even know how long it would take to get through them al or if I truly intended to read every single one.

I opened the first page, but nothing registered, as if my mind had hit an error.

With a quiet exhale, I slumped onto the floor, arms falling flat at my sides as I stared aimlessly at the ceiling.

"I'm tired. I guess I needed a change of pace." I couldn't help but mutter.

"Meow"

I blinked and turned onto my side. The cat stood there, staring—unmoving, as if questioning me... or maybe judging?

"Are you hungry?" I asked as if it would answer. "Never mind."

I pushed myself up, one hand bracing against the floor while the other rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to shake off the dull ache behind my eyes.

The cat didn't move toward the door at my movement. Didn't circle. Didn't plead. Instead, it stepped closer until something tapped against my hand.

I stilled, my gaze dropping at the book resting there now, its worn cover slightly askew from the cat's push.

The Tale of Ten-Thousand.

Since my conversation with Kiri-san, this book had lingered at the edge of my thoughts—something important I meant to return to. Somehow, it had been buried beneath the piles in my room, and I've almost forgotten. But now, it rested in my hands as if it had been waiting all along.

My pulse quickened as I turned the first page, as if something—anything—might reveal itself. But the feeling faltered just as quickly.

A frown settled in as I flipped further.

Pages were missing.

Not worn by time, nor stained by rain or fire, but torn. Cleanly. Deliberately.

My fingers stilled against the jagged edges with a quiet unease settling in my chest. Someone hadn't just damaged this book—

"They had removed something. But what? Why?"

I turned the pages more urgently now, searching, scanning, until I reached the last remaining note.

It read:

He who comes into this land will perish in his hand.

He who they see is right, changes in a moonless night.

-Kaguya

A chill ran down my spine, cold sweat prickling against my skin.

What does this mean?

There's no saying who or what she's referring to. There were a few possibilities, enough to suggest that there was more to her death than met the eye.

I read through a few more pages, collecting data and writing important information. Everything looks normal. Nothing else pertains to the last note. The ones I understood contain directions, names of shrines, and enchantment. Probably to ward off evil.

"Meow." The cat mewed insistently with his eyes locked on mine as if trying to speak. Curious, I moved closer to his side, but he leaped outside, before turning his head behind as if waiting for me to follow.

I wasn't sure what the little one wanted. Yet something in its gaze told me it had been watching for a while and that it might know what I was looking for, so I did as it wanted. I tailed the cat until we reached the giant sakura tree where I was the day I arrived.

I tilt my head up, watching the rosy leaves that flutter around as the wind blows. Their soft brush against my cheeks mixed with the earthy scent of grass and the subtle perfume of budding flowers. My shoulders loosened, as my chest expanded with each slow breath, as if the tension that had knotted me since I arrived was melting away.

Strangely, this seems the only spot in the village where I could truly let myself breathe. I felt... light.

I sat down underneath the tree, closing my eyes and trying to get some sleep, when a sudden weight landed on my face, making me flinch and sit upright, as my hands brushed at the fallen object.

"What's this?" I hold it up. "A robe?"

It was dyed a deep cherry red, the white cherry blossom leaf pattern shimmering whenever sunlight touched it. I've never seen the design before. It looks luxurious and intricate, nothing like the simple garments the villagers wore.

"Meow." The cat caught my attention once more, this time it's nudging a rolled-up scroll toward me with its snout. Curious, I picked it up and unfurled it carefully.

The inked words sprawled across the parchment, and I leaned closer, eyes scanning as I read the words out loud.

"On meeting the one that binds, obey its blood; On meeting the curse one, slay its blood. Know that the light to your path lies there. Release."

The words barely left my lips when a sudden burst of light seared across my vision, forcing me to blink again and again. I tried to squint, trying to make sense of the chaos, when a faint, glowing rune began spiralling around the cat, tracing intricate patterns in the air like a fire dancing on the wind.

It's too bright, yet I couldn't look away.

Slowly, as the brilliance faded to a soft glow, the cat's form shifted beneath the runes. Its shape blurred, stretched... and morphed? It seems familiar, yet it's no longer the small and pudgy creature I had known. Something else stood in its place.

"Hajimemashite, Haruna-hime sama." A young woman wearing a hamaka appeared. Her hair was cut into a neat, medium-length bob, and topped with cat ears that twitched with every movement.

Her human features were gentle, warm, and oddly familiar. But what held me captive were her emerald eyes, which radiate the truth. "I am called - "

"Midori." The words slip as naturally as breathing. I didn't even know why I would say that name.

"Yes, Haruna-hime sama. I am Midori, a bakeneko that guards this robe and awaits your arrival." She bent down on one knee, offering the robe that fell on my face a while ago like a present.

I accepted it, and she rose, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm glad you're here, Hime-sama," she beamed. "I got worried when you passed out a few days ago. And when you got better, the villagers—oh!—they kept vying for all your attention."

She started talking too fast, making it hard for me to follow. Talk about a sunny personality.

"Okay. N-nice to meet you too." I held up a hand and distanced myself. I can't keep up with how fast she speaks. I need a breather.

"Are you okay, Haruna-hime sama?" Her brows furrow. Her uncertainty looms in the air, making her fidget.

"Yes, I'm all good," I assure her. "Anyway, who are you again? And what's with this robe? Why did you give it to me?"

I have tons of questions that need answers, but the more I meet with someone, the more questions I get than answers. And strangely enough, a shapeshifting cat didn't even faze me anymore. Not here. Not after everything I'd seen in this land.

No. What unsettled me was the robe. It felt... out of place.

My fingers brushed against the fabric, but the sensation only deepened my unease. It wasn't just cloth. It felt like something more—something hidden beneath its surface.

Protection?

A shield?

I couldn't say for certain. But it felt that way.

"Haruna-hime sama, that's the robe of the fire-rat," she claimed. "It's a gift for you."

"Fire-rat robe? For me?"

But why?

She nodded before moving toward the sakura tree and lowering herself beneath its shade.

"You see..." She glanced up through the branches, sunlight catching in her eyes. "When Kaguya-hime descended to this land, she set a challenge for her suitors."

"Yeah... so I heard."

The story lined up with what I'd read in the books Obaasan gave me. According to the story, Kaguya-hime's not interested in getting married, so she devises five impossible tasks. Only agreeing to marry the one who can bring her the items she specified. In the end, no one managed to present a single item, which is why she didn't get married.

That was how the story was supposed to go. But...there seems to be more to the story in this land.

"And one of them was to find the Chinese fire-rat robe."

I let out a small breath, my grip tightening around the fabric. At this point, I wasn't even surprised anymore.

"How did this end up here?" I asked, holding the robe out between us.

If the story were true, it shouldn't exist. It's a mythical item believed to be owned by the gods, not mortals.

"This robe had been in the care of the twelve Chinese zodiacs for millennia. But at some point, Kaguya-hime herself asked for the Rat's help in the battle of the Eclipse. After the battle, it's sealed within this sakura tree where Kaguya-hime's ashes lie. As a citizen of the land, it became my duty to guard this tree and wait for the next saviour to come. A few thousand years passed, but none of the saviours could see me. None of them could read the text of that tale written by Kaguya-hime. You're the only one who managed to see me and release my curse. You're the one I'm waiting for. You're truly our princess Kaguya, Haruna-hime sama."

I cringe. Her words sound like Kiri-san and the other villagers. They refer to me as the reincarnation of Kaguya-hime, but I know for sure that's not it.

"Midori, I appreciate your help telling me about this world, but know that I'm not Kaguya-hime. I will help whenever I can, as much as I can, but I don't have powers like the other heroes. My main goal will still be returning home to my world."

"Kaguya-hime wasn't from this world herself. But she did her best too," she exclaimed with a bittersweet smile. "Whether you're Kaguya-hime or not, you do you. No matter what you choose, we have your back."

"Thanks..."

The way she spoke carried a quiet understanding. No pressure. No expectation. She wasn't trying to sway me or impose her own beliefs. She simply... accepted my decision.

I wasn't used to that. No one ever really asked what I thought, let alone trusted me enough to follow it.But her, she listen.

So this...this felt nice. Even if only for a moment.

"So, what do you plan to do now, Haruna-hime-sama? Are you staying in the village?"

"Hm, probably not."

"Why not?"

"I've read most books they have here, and none of them helps with my goal. I believe its better to go to bigger towns or city and find information."

"I see, that is a good idea. I remember, Kaguya-hime-sama also travel to towns and have some drinks and meet people."

I don't think I can do that. Other than the fact that i'm underage, I dont have the guts t talk with strangers. Specially nit in a world where other beings exist.

There's just too much unknowns.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I said, a little more hesitant than I meant to be. "Kaguya-hime... did she have friends?"

Midori's laughter rang out, light and unrestrained, and heat rushed straight to my face.

"I know it's a weird question," I added quickly, looking away. "But everyone keeps saying I look like her, so... I got curious."

"I wonder..." She looks far like reminiscing the day before continuing. "Kaguya-hime, she's always surrounded. Whether it's humans or other beings, she treated them the same way. She's kind and loved by everyone. She's even allied with-"

"Hm?" My brows furrowed when she stopped mid-sentence. I turned my head to her only to see her wide-eyes in shock. "Midori?"

"That's right, I almost forgot," she spat out before meeting my eyes. "Haruna-hime sama, we have to find them."

"What?" The crease on my forehead deepened at Midori's words. I have no idea what or who she's referring to until she switches the subject.

"Kaguya-hime's shields," she said with a spark in her eyes.

"The what now?"

"After Kaguya-hime devised the five impossible tasks, she went out to find the relics herself. She travelled across the continent to find them. But no one knows what happen to the relics after, many believed she offered it as gift to the strongest creatures in the land, other said it was left in the capital, some even believe they were sold in the black market. But if I'm not mistaken, those items still exist since since one cant exist without the others, but if I'm right, they still exist. One cannot exist without the others—and if the Fire Rat Robe remains, then so do the rest. If we can find them, you might be able to get a clue on how to get back to your world."

That didn't sound so bad, but it's a little... odd. The way she delivered the words tugged at something in my memory. What was it again?

"Seek the shields and take the mark

Follow the light, the guide in the dark."

The lines echoed faintly in my mind, and I realized there was something similar written in The Tale of Ten-Thousand as well.

Ye who seek shall find; Ye who'll find shall be your guide.

- Day of the dog; Eleventh mountain; East. Full moon. 11th year.

The connection made my heart skip a beat, like the pieces of a hidden puzzle beginning to line up.

"Midori, do you know anyone who fought alongside Kaguya-hime?"

"There are a few who followed Kaguya-hime around. And if I remember correctly, there's one that lives not too far from this area."

"Where is it?"

If Kaguya-hime's book - The Tale of Ten Thousand - contains records about her secret journey. I want to use it as a guide and reference for surviving in this land.

"Around the Eastern side of the land. A few mountains away from here. I believe there's a small village near a shrine." Midori's answer confirmed my theory.

"Do you think they're still there? The village I mean."

It has been a thousand years, the chance are slim at this point.

"Of course, they are. They're strong and they're protected by their god."

"If that's the case, I would like to meet with one of them. They might know something on how I can go back home." I requested, my voice steady but laced with anticipation.

"If that's what you've decided," she replied, rising with grace. "I'll go with you on your journey. Shall we go, Haruna-hime-sama?"

She extended her hand, eyes shining with resolve, mind already set on what lay ahead.

Midori's presence left me momentarily speechless. There was something in the way she carried herself that made it easy to trust her, easy to rely on her.

Did Kaguya-hime feel the same way about her? Is that why she appointed Midori to the task as a guide?

I sighed. There was no way of knowing. But for now... I chose to trust her.

With a quiet breath, I reached out. My fingers met hers, and she gently pulled me to my feet.

"I'll be counting on you, Midori," I said, a small but firm smile tugging at my lips.

I may not know what this journey may bring, but something in me believes that taking this first step would lead to something truly worthwhile.

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