085　Hot spring outing

Rokujo-in, where Hikaru lives, has become a social gathering place for young aristocrats, as it has a horse riding range, an archery range, and a large garden for playing kemari. Hikaru has retired from official duties and is living a leisurely life, and I am often invited to his home. 

At the end of March, the thick-bearded Major Captain (the Left Division of Imperial Guards) and Major Captain of the Right Division of Imperial Guards, Yugiri-kun, together visited Rokujo-in. Then, the court nobles who heard the rumor thought that something might happen and gathered there one after another. Even in a place like this where they have fun, they are amazing because they always look for opportunities to advance and work hard. Everyone must be feeling unsatisfied because the archery competition scheduled for the Imperial Palace has been postponed. Since there is an archery range here, it seems that they have become a target.

"A small bow is fine." 

Hikaru said so, but someone who was good with a longbow appeared and started hitting targets one after another. The other aristocrats are also divided into left and right teams and are having fun competing with each other. It looks like Hotaru won't be participating this time because he's too good. 

"Hey Kashiwagi, do you have that cat?"

"Yes." 

When Hotaru asked Kashiwagi-kun that, he smiled and answered. Was it about the Chinese kitten he was holding the other day they played Kemari? It seems that one of the cats kept at the Imperial Palace had run away and went missing, and he happened to find it that day and rescued it. I heard that Togu gave the cat to Kashiwagi-kun out of gratitude to him and because the cat was very attached to him. 

"When I brought the kitten home, she was happy and took care of it." 

"Are you three sleeping together?" 

"Two people and a kitten though." 

Kashiwagi-kun looked really happy when he said that. I was worried that San-no-miya was his type, but I was relieved because they seemed to get along well. Even among the many women out there, is there such a thing as a fateful encounter after all? 

"Those books have a blank period." 

Hikaru seemed concerned about this, and said absentmindedly while enjoying the warm late spring breeze. 

"Nothing has been written for four or five years since the last Kemari." 

"What happens after that?" 

When I asked him casually, 

"Reizei-san quietly abdicates the throne."

he replied regretfully.

"Oh, no..."

I felt sad and depressed. I don't want Reizei-san to abdicate yet. However, I also think it must be hard to continue to be Mikado.

"Blank space is freedom!" 

Hotaru cheerfully declared that there was no need to worry about such things. 

"How about a hot spring outing suggestion?" 

"What is it?"

When I said that, Hikaru looked at me and tilted his head.

"I heard that there is a good hot spring in Arima. When I went to a mountain temple the other day, a Buddhist priest let me know that."

I am learning how to live in the mountains in preparation to become a monk, and the monks are teaching me many things. 

"The hot springs are said to be famous among trainee monks for their effectiveness in healing wounds." 

"Hmm, I see." 

Hotaru seems uninterested, but 

"Hot spring..."

Hikaru is thinking about something with his hand over his mouth.

"It may be good for preventing disease." 

It looks like he wants to take his partner there. 

"It's in the mountains, so I think it's better not to go there in large groups." 

That's all I was anxious about, so I said so. Reizei-san's outings tend to have a large number of attendants. 

"So let's go with a few elite people. Kashiwagi too."

When Hikaru said that, he immediately summoned Yugiri-kun and began to consult with him about something. What will happen? I hope that Reizei-san's daily fatigue will be relieved even a little.

◇◇◇

This hot spring outing was to be carried out "with Suzaku-in's idea" and "out of respect for Mikado" and "with very few people."

"Was my name necessary...?" 

I had my doubts, but that's what Hikaru and Yugiri-kun do, so I guess there's nothing wrong with that. 

"Thank you very much." 

When I went to the Imperial Palace later, Reizei-san thanked me with a big smile. 

"Your ideas always help me." 

"I'm honored if you were happy with it. Do you have any concerns?" 

"No, I'm looking forward to the outing."

He nods with a smile on his face. What an adventurous suggestion I had made, to take Mikado to the mountains! I was starting to get anxious now, but he was innocent and not scared at all. 

"On narrow roads, you may need to ride a horse or walk." 

"Yes, I'm looking forward to that as well."

Reizei-san seemed intent on enjoying every challenge that came along the way, so I didn't think I could stop him. Even if the men are fine, are the women okay? If they wear simple clothes, they won't be heavy, so they can probably be carried in some palanquins.

This hot spring outing took place in the autumn, on an auspicious departure date according to fortune telling. Reizei-san and Empress Umetsubo, Hikaru and his partner, Yugiri-kun and his wife, and Kashiwagi-kun, representing the Grand Minister of the state, will also be there with his wife. They visit temples and shrines and enjoy the autumn leaves before heading to the hot springs, but they go there incognito, accompanied only by their servants and bodyguards. 

"Would you like to go with us?" 

Reizei-san invited me, but I refrained because my son was jealous of me and I wasn't particularly attached to hot springs. I want Hikaru's family and Kashiwagi-kun to enjoy it. I hope everyone can be stress free and stay healthy for as long as possible.

"I wanted to go too." 

Togu, who remained at the Imperial Palace, kept complaining and I had a hard time trying to calm him down. 

"Let's wait for Princess Akashi's birth to finish."

She seemed to be a healthy person and was pregnant again after giving birth to her first child. Although several women may give birth, I have never seen one woman give birth to many children, and I'm worried about the strain on her body. 

It's not good for Mikado and the Crown Prince to be away from the Imperial Palace, and I can't leave a pregnant woman behind and go to a hot spring because I feel bad for her. However, it is dangerous to take a pregnant woman along the mountain path, so I persuade Togu to go with Princess Akashi when she is feeling better. 

"Can I go when my reign comes?" 

"Sure, I think so too." 

He asked with dissatisfaction, and I nodded in response. I hope that as many of the events Reizei-san did like this will be passed on to future generations.