[Set in a fictional Heian-era Japan. Inspired by The Mother of the Governor of Musashi and The Tale of Genji. The writing style and forms of address borrow heavily from these works, but the plot is original.]
In the twilight of an aristocratic age overrun by demons, the safety of the entire nation rests on the shoulders of the fabled divine descendant, Lord Hane.
They say he lives in extravagant luxury and is so obsessed with beauty that he will stop at nothing to bring anyone he takes a fancy to into his private residence. There, in a garden blessed by his divine power where spring lasts all year and the flowers never fade, they must keep him company and amuse him day after day.
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Lady Fukuha, wife of Tachibana Shikibu no Jo and long confined to the inner chambers, is attacked by a gigantic white crane, which steals her hair ribbon. That night, a blurry-featured boy dressed in white drifts into her dream, holding the ribbon in his hands. He bows and smiles as he says:
"Fortunate to have found the lady's token, I have come to meet you on this lovely night."
[Content Warnings]
1. The gong is sexually inexperienced; the shou is not. The shou has a son and a daughter with her former husband. The daughter once tried to use her charms on the gong to achieve her goal, but gave up as soon as she realized it wouldn't work.
2. The story is heavily focused on the shou, to a degree that may make readers who aren't fans of the shou uncomfortable.
3. The gong is cast in the role of a villain and has extremely weak morals. His true form is a demon/divine bird, and he has an uncontrollable sadistic streak, directed only at the shou.
4. Some readers feel the female supporting character gets too much focus and too many standout moments in the latter half, affecting the reading experience, and that the story seems to use the banner of female awakening. The author believes everything serves the plot and has no intention of claiming feminist ideas. The female supporting character is simply making the ordinary choice to save herself from oppression, and her escape does nothing to change the status of women of her era. At most, it is self-interested behavior aimed at avoiding harm. Please decide for yourself; don't read if this bothers you.
Theme: Falling in love to save the world.
