Yatagarasu Archive

After the release of the 13th book last March, The Ghost of a Crow, Chisato also announced that one more book will be published to complete the Yatagarasu series. One or two more collections of short stories will follow and Yukiya and co. will finally say goodbye from her pen.

The reason is the author will embark on a new project.

Chisato Abe has a new book that will be released at the end of the month.

Titled, “The Green Gem of the Empress,” the blurb and the corresponding synopsis are promising already, with illustrations by Kikuno.

“In this harem, you must not trust anyone.”

Naomi, a young girl, is suddenly invited by the emperor who rules the wind spirits with the words, "Why not try to become my favorite consort?" The emperor's harem includes an empress and concubines, and a necklace adorned with a green gem, resembling the color of the empress's eyes, called the "Empress's Emerald," always glittered on his chest. While questioning why she was chosen, Naomi discovers that the harem harbors a big secret...

The beautiful Dragonfly Emperor, Sirius, from the insect clan, versus the Peacock King, Noah, from the bird clan, and Naomi, the girl, in between.

Naomi, a girl from the northern lands, the realm of the earth spirits. Once left homeless after her house was burned by a fire dragon, she was taken in by the Peacock King and raised as an apprentice to a court lady at the Birdcage Palace, an eastern castle.

We also have Iris, the former wife of the Peacock King, and now the empress, Freya, and Tia. There’s also a eunuch and the educator of the apprentices. If you read their profiles and look at their images, their similarity to the Yatagarasu anime versions are uncanny. But that’s just me. Both the emperor and the king resemble Wakamiya. The characters feel like two halves of him. And then Naomi, who hails from the north, like Yukiya.

Naomi, primarily a feminine name from Hebrew, means pleasant, beautiful or gentle. However, the name is unisex in Japanese, but mostly used by women.

It is also interesting that Chisato relegates the readers once again with a story in a harem. “It is a story filled with things the author loves, written in the way I wanted. I hope it becomes a story that includes ‘love’ not only for myself but also for everyone who reads it.”

You can already tell the plot twist is going to be amazing.

Look at this beautiful dragonfly.

The first chapter of the epilogue releases at the end of this month!

(Look at my beautiful babies!)

After the release of the 13th book last March, The Ghost of a Crow, Chisato also announced that one more book will be published to complete the Yatagarasu series. One or two more collections of short stories will follow and Yukiya and co. will finally say goodbye from her pen.

The reason is the author will embark on a new project.

Chisato Abe has a new book that will be released at the end of the month.

Titled, “The Green Gem of the Empress,” the blurb and the corresponding synopsis are promising already, with illustrations by Kikuno.

“In this harem, you must not trust anyone.”

Naomi, a young girl, is suddenly invited by the emperor who rules the wind spirits with the words, "Why not try to become my favorite consort?" The emperor's harem includes an empress and concubines, and a necklace adorned with a green gem, resembling the color of the empress's eyes, called the "Empress's Emerald," always glittered on his chest. While questioning why she was chosen, Naomi discovers that the harem harbors a big secret...

The beautiful Dragonfly Emperor, Sirius, from the insect clan, versus the Peacock King, Noah, from the bird clan, and Naomi, the girl, in between.

Naomi, a girl from the northern lands, the realm of the earth spirits. Once left homeless after her house was burned by a fire dragon, she was taken in by the Peacock King and raised as an apprentice to a court lady at the Birdcage Palace, an eastern castle.

We also have Iris, the former wife of the Peacock King, and now the empress, Freya, and Tia. There’s also a eunuch and the educator of the apprentices. If you read their profiles and look at their images, their similarity to the Yatagarasu anime versions are uncanny. But that’s just me. Both the emperor and the king resemble Wakamiya. The characters feel like two halves of him. And then Naomi, who hails from the north, like Yukiya.

Naomi, primarily a feminine name from Hebrew, means pleasant, beautiful or gentle. However, the name is unisex in Japanese, but mostly used by women.

It is also interesting that Chisato relegates the readers once again with a story in a harem. “It is a story filled with things the author loves, written in the way I wanted. I hope it becomes a story that includes ‘love’ not only for myself but also for everyone who reads it.”

You can already tell the plot twist is going to be amazing.

May, apart from Yukiya’s birthday month, is also the time the Japanese celebrate the Tango no Sekku (literally the double fifth, the Dragon Boat Festival). It is also known as the Boy’s Festival, and now Children’s Festival, and is related to Iris Festival, in which the inhabitants throw iris and mugwort on the roofs of shrines and buildings to ward off evil spirits. It occurs every fifth of May, hence the double fifth. A part of that celebration is the art of horseback archery or Yabusame.

This series of holidays also coincides with the modern Japan’s so-called Golden Week.

Mangaka Natsumi Matsuzaki depicted Yabusame on Chapter 27: The Sakura Palace.

An excerpt from Chisato Abe’s collection of short stories, Gaiden, Volume 1: The Firefly. On “Shinobu Hito,” Yukiya, now grown up, is the star archer of the event. He’s performed a likeness of the famous Yabusame archery on Tango no Sekku.

Has it been half an hour since the ceremony began? It was about time for the last archer to arrive. The last person is the star archer of this ceremony. The star archer must actually shoot an arrow and pierce the statue of a deer, unlike the young nobles who are just a prelude. If they successfully pierce it, it is considered a good omen; if not, a bad omen, making it quite a significant role.

Masuho no Susuki heard that this year's star archer was someone she knew so well. Since entering the training academy for senior military officers, she hasn’t had many opportunities to meet him, but she wonders if that little boy will be able to fulfill his role safely.

Suddenly, from afar, the sound of a bell being rung could be heard. "He's coming, Masuho no Susuki-sama," said the lady-in-waiting beside her in a tense voice. It is not the archer who rings the bell, but the herald.

The large crow leading the way with a loud jingling of bells flew much faster than the young nobles from earlier. It was almost alarming, as if it was going too fast.

However, following the lead of the great crow that had flown ahead, an archer came at exactly the same speed. The rider, who had been lying low on the back of the great crow, suddenly rose smoothly. The cool, light blue sleeves interwoven with silver threads fluttered, and the gold of the stirrups glinted.

The archer, stretching his back as if to rise, firmly clamped the back of the great bird with his thighs and drew the bowstring with a graceful motion. With a whoosh, the arrow released with a high-pitched sound like a whistle, pierced through the earthenware deer as if being sucked in.

Even before hearing the sound indicating a hit, the deer statue shattered with a bang. Cheers erupted, and the archer, having slowed down, returned in a gentle arc. As he passed in front of the excited audience, unlike the other young men, he did not spare them a glance. The young men waiting below leaped up and followed behind him. Accompanied by the splendidly dressed nobles, the star archer—a noble of the Northern House and a former member of the young prince's retinue, whom Masuho also thought of as a younger brother—headed towards the stage where Masuho waited.

The young man descended gracefully. No, this could no longer be called a boy. The young man dismounted lightly and smiled warmly at Masuho.

"It's been a while, Masuho no Susuki-sama."

The unfamiliar voice, spoken in a friendly manner, had the soft, husky quality typical of a man of his age. Masuho no Susuki was taken aback. Who is this? No, she knew the name, and she understood it was foolish to ask. However, despite having met him many times, he seemed like a completely different person.

"Are you Yukiya?"

"Yes. I have come to deliver the 'medicine' for Tango to Sakura no Kimi." Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Yukiya's face, but he had changed so much that it was understandable to think he was a different person. The roundness that had given him a childlike appearance was now replaced by the firm features characteristic of a warrior. His youthful demeanor had matured, and his head, now used to wearing a helmet, shone with a bright, golden hue. In the past few months, he had grown remarkably.

The person who was stretching out was now as tall as Masuho no Susuki. It felt as if she had been completely tricked by a fox.

"Masuho no Susuki-sama?"

She was brought back to her senses by the puzzled question and hastily responded with the customary answer.

"Welcome. I'm sure the Lady of Sakura Blossom Palace will be very pleased."

"I am extremely delighted."

Yukiya bowed respectfully and signaled to those behind him. Then, from the back of the group, black-clad warriors quickly stepped forward and began arranging venison, antlers, herbs, and other items on trays.

After confirming that everything listed in the inventory was present, Masuho no Susuki nodded.

"Indeed, I have received them."