It is said that Tamamo No Mae recited poetry for Emperor Toba at the age of seven, gaining his favor and earning a position in his court. When she was eighteen, her talents impressed the emperor so much that he made her his consort. It will probably not shock you to know that this did not end well for Emperor Toba. Does this story remind you of a suspiciously well-trained ninja empress, by any chance?
As much as I like to let readers come to their own conclusions, it is important to point out that the empress of Japan depicted in this story is not meant to be the Empress Shōken (the actual empress of Japan at the time this story takes place) but rather a fictional empress based on the legend of Tamamo No Mae. Does this mean the Yōkai was hedging her bets in case plan A failed? Has she really run as far away as Ren thinks? Perhaps we’ll never know.
At the time I am writing this, in March of 2022, Sessho-seki, a volcanic rock said to be haunted by Tamamo No Mae’s spirit, has split in half. Some have speculated that this means her spirit is once again free. If you’ve learned anything about Yōkai after reading this series, I hope it is that you underestimate them at your own peril.