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Synopsis

In the Kingdom of Yamauchi, certain people can assume the form of three-legged crows called yatagarasu. Political duties are handled by men while eligible women gather to compete for the attention of Wakamiya, the crown prince chosen to serve as the Kinu, attendant to the Mountain God. Among the newcomers to the court is Asebi, whose gentle and naive nature sets her apart from the other contenders. Wakamiya faces internal clan conflict: though born as a younger son and the child of a concubine, he was selected by the royal priests over his elder brother, a decision that widened the rift between siblings and provoked his stepmother’s ire. Into this tense environment arrives Yukiya, a teenage son of a village head, assigned to serve as the prince’s attendant. Wakamiya initially resents Yukiya’s presence, yet the youth’s placement at court carries motives beyond mere service, introducing further layers to the courtly tensions and personal struggles surrounding duty, status, and belonging.