Eternity

The moon was full and the stars shone brightly, the sky clear and cloudless.

In a hidden, ancient, unknown place, lay a vast, deep bamboo forest, often shrouded in thick mists. Exceptionally tall bamboo stalks supported dense, high canopies of leaves, plunging the entire forest into gloom.

Such a place should logically be uninhabited by humans, yet deep within this bamboo forest, there was a remarkably spacious clearing, upon which stood a grand residence.

This residence, nestled deep in the bamboo forest, was quite substantial, featuring courtyards, pavilions, fences, and long corridors. While its exterior appeared rustic and simple, many details were exquisitely crafted. Overall, it blended seamlessly with the surrounding bamboo forest, a testament to the owner's refined taste.

This ancient residence stood amidst the bamboo forest, and from its center, an invisible force emanated, an indescribable, eerie tranquility enveloping the residence and the surrounding space. Within this space, there was no wind, no rain, no sound or movement. Every blade of grass and bamboo leaf remained in a single, unchanging posture. Aside from the shadows cast by the light from above, nothing altered; everything existed in an eternal stillness.

Everything in this space seemed suspended. The continuity of causality approached stillness, yet this was not the result of frozen time, but rather that the arrival of “future” held no meaning; everything remained in the “present”.

In a room within this residence, sat a beautiful girl of about fifteen or sixteen. She wore luxurious, layered kimonos embroidered with various exquisite patterns, which spread out around her on the tatami mat. Her long, straight black hair, styled in a Hime cut, cascaded down her back, touching the fabric spread on the tatami.

The girl’s beautiful face had her eyes tightly closed. She, and the room she occupied, were in a strange state of suspension, just like the outside. No matter how many hours passed, there would be no change whatsoever. People would not suffer hunger or hardship, objects would not decay or gather dust, as if this silent stillness would continue indefinitely, eternally...

Suddenly, in the star-studded night sky, beneath the flawless full moon, a dazzling meteor streaked across the heavens, descending from high above towards the distant horizon.

As this meteor cut through the night sky, the invisible force enveloping the residence seemed disturbed, becoming unstable for a moment. Some plants and bamboo leaves showed subtle, incongruous swaying against the suspended environment. And the girl in the room, as if sensing something, opened her eyes. After a moment of bewilderment, she slightly turned her head, looking out the window in the direction where the meteor had fallen.

...

In Heian-kyo, a considerable amount of time had passed since the demonic disaster. The scattered corpses on the streets had been cleared, and damaged areas were undergoing repairs. The calamity had receded, and the city was gradually returning to its normal rhythm of life.

In the Upper Capital District of Heian-kyo, within the Fujiwara Residence, a few young female servants gathered in a corner of the courtyard, chattering softly about something.

“Hey, did you all see it last night? There was such a bright meteor in the sky!”

“Yeah, yeah! I saw it too! It looked like it fell quite close to the city. I heard the Onmyoji masters in the house were very uneasy about it. They say a falling star is an ominous sign!” one maid said mysteriously, with an exaggerated expression, startling her companions.

“An ominous sign... This, this isn’t going to be another yokai attack on the capital like before, is it?”

“I don’t know, but let’s hope nothing else happens...”

Because of the previous demonic disaster, the young female servants conversed uneasily, yet one of them wore a slightly bewildered expression.

“What are you all talking about? A meteor? Did a star fall from the sky last night?” the bewildered maid asked, and her companions all turned to look at her strangely.

“Huh? Yuzu, didn’t you see it? Last night’s meteor was very noticeable.”

“No, I didn’t... After I rested last night, I was in my room reading the book the mistress gave me...”

“Reading? Oh, right, Yuzu, you’re so lucky the mistress favors you because you can read... So, have you finished the book?”

“Yes... I’ve finished it. It tells the story of Princess Kaguya. I was so engrossed, I read it all in one sitting.” As she spoke, the maid named Yuzu took out a very thin booklet with only a few pages, holding it in her hand.

“Princess Kaguya? Is that the legendary beauty? My mother at home used to tell me her story too...”

“Is that... the Princess Kaguya whom all men in the world dream of? I’ve heard her legend too! They say many, many important figures proposed to her. Can you tell me more about the story?”

And so, the maids continued chattering. Their conversation shifted from the meteor to Princess Kaguya. Just as they were chatting merrily, a dry cough interrupted their discussion.

“Ahem...”

Hearing the cough, the maids immediately fell silent, their expressions turning to shock. They slowly turned their heads towards the sound, where a white-haired noble youth in splendid robes stood with a sullen face, watching them with stern eyes.

“Young Lord Aka, good afternoon!!”

Seeing the scene before them, the maids collectively jumped in fright. They immediately knelt in a row, bowing deeply to the person before them, their hearts pounding.

To these maids, the young man who had suddenly moved into the Fujiwara main residence several months ago, though they didn’t know which branch of the Fujiwara he hailed from, possessed an unusually high status for some reason. Even Fujiwara no Saneyori, the son of the Kanpaku, maintained politeness and humility in his presence. Thus, everyone in the Fujiwara household treated him with immense respect, daring not to be negligent in the slightest.

“Are you... secretly gathering here to slack off?” Looking at the maids before her, Mokou said coldly, her tone far from kind, sending a shiver down their spines.

“W-we’re very sorry, Young Lord Aka! We’ll go back to work immediately!” the maids quickly replied to Mokou. At the same time, they wondered internally why Young Lord Aka, despite his transcendent status in the Fujiwara main residence, was usually surprisingly easy to get along with. Compared to other high-ranking individuals, he had no airs and wouldn’t get angry over minor mistakes made by servants. Why, then, was he displaying such a repressive attitude now? Was he in a bad mood?

Just as the maids dispersed, Mokou suddenly waved, signaling the maid named Yuzu to stop.

“Hey, wait a moment. Give me that book of yours...”

Hearing Mokou’s words, the maid directly handed the thin booklet to Mokou with both hands, then quickly left with her companions. Mokou stood there, lowering her head to look at the booklet’s cover, where the title was clearly written.

“The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter? Hmph...”

Looking at the small booklet, an unconcealed disdain appeared on her face.

“Princess? She was nothing but a malicious woman...”