JW774 Sao Forest

[Chikushi Reconquest Arc] Episode 29: Sao Forest

During the reign of the 12th Emperor, Emperor Keiko.

97 AD, 757th year of the Imperial Era (27th year of Emperor Keiko).

Having pacified the Kumaso of So-no-kuni (the area around present-day Kagoshima Prefecture), the party of Yamato Takeru no Mikoto (hereinafter, Takeru) was traveling through Chikushi (present-day Kyushu).

And this is Tateyashiki in Mizumaki Town, Fukuoka Prefecture.

"Takeru" reunited with Kinuta-hime and learned that she was pregnant.

Takeru (16): "I want them to be born soon..."

Kinuta-hime: "I am looking forward to it (*^-^*)"

Mochi: "Prince... may I have a word?"

Takeru (16): "What is it?"

Mochi: "I wanted to talk to you somewhere where the Princess isn't..."

Takeru (16): "There is no need to worry. Speak here."

Mochi: "W-well then... it's about our departure..."

Takeru (16): "Departure? We will leave after seeing the Princess through her delivery."

Mochi: "That is not possible!"

Takeru (16): "Hm? Why is that?"

Mochi: "Prince, you have a duty to report the pacification of the Kumaso to the Great King. You don't have time to be waiting around idly."

Takeru (16): "Th... that may be so, but..."

Just then, Kinuta-hime's father, Tami (Ni), arrived.

Tami (Ni): "Prince... please depart. We have prepared a ship for you."

Takeru (16): "A ship?"

Tami (Ni): "According to legend, the Prince's ship was a dragon-built vessel, decorated with a carved dragon head on the prow, so we have prepared it as such."

Takeru (16): "Are you so eager to see me leave?!"

Mochi: "Indeed."

Takeru (16): "Hmm..."

Kinuta-hime: "Prince... please go. I will be fine..."

Takeru (16): "I... I understand. Then, let us go."

Kinuta-hime: "Take care of yourself..."

Takeru (16): "Princess... I shall plant a ginkgo tree as a memory of our bond."

Tami (Ni): "This is the ginkgo tree introduced in Episode 752. It is still growing healthily even two thousand years later."

Mochi: "It grows in the precincts of Yatsurugi Shrine."

Takeru (16): "Princess... give birth to a healthy 'yaya' (baby)."

Princess Kinuta: "Yes... (sob) (crying)."

Thus, Takeru parted from Princess Kinuta and continued his journey by sea.

And then...

Nakka: "Prince! We shall sleep here (camp out) for today."

Otohiko: "And where is this place?"

Yocchan: "It is Iyo-no-Futana-shima."

Chijio: "That would be Shikoku two thousand years later, right?"

Yocchan: "That is correct."

Takeru (16): "Have we already come this far?"

Otohiko: "And could you explain in detail?"

Hayate: "Moo!"

Tago: "Hmm. It seems to be the Sao Forest."

Nakka: "That's right. And because the Prince slept here, a shrine was built later."

Una: "It is called the Sanko Shrine. The deity enshrined there is you, Prince."

Takeru (16): "Splendid!"

Yocchan: "A... and so, was a shrine built in the Sao Forest?"

Una: "That is so."

Chijio: "If you were to name it by the place names of two thousand years later?"

Nakka: "It's Mendori-cho, Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture."

Takeru (16): "Mendori-cho? Mendori... Hime (Princess)... Himeee!!"

Mochi: "B-by the way, it might have been on the way there, not on the way back."

Chijio: "It is written that you stopped by during this expedition, is it not?"

Mochi: "That is correct."

Tago: "Anyway, we must prepare for a nap..."

Takeru (16): "Himeee!"

And so, the party spent the night outdoors.

To be continued