Hoshi Kudaki No Musume

[Machine Translation] Shikishima Province is a land overrun by demons, incarnations of demons. One day, a young boy named Hyunta, who has been a prisoner in the fort since he was kidnapped by demons, picks up a lotus bud in the river. When he returns to the fort, to his surprise, the bud has turned into a baby. The baby is named Lotus Flower and grows up to be a beautiful and strong girl. However, Renka had a big secret. When the star "Ming" rises, she turns back into a baby. Seven years after Hyun-ta's captivity, the capital dispatches an army to take down the demon fortress.... A moving fantasy epic depicting the conflict between demons and humans, and the suffering and redemption of those captivated by hatred. Winner of the 4th Sogen Fantasy Newcomer Award.

魔の化生、鬼の跋扈する地、敷島国。鬼にさらわれて以来、その砦に囚われていた少年鉉太は、ある日川で蓮の蕾を拾う。砦に戻ると、驚いたことに蕾は赤子に変化していた。赤子は蓮華と名づけられ、美しさと強さを兼ね備えた娘に成長する。だが、蓮華には大きな秘密があった。“明”の星が昇ると赤子に戻ってしまうのだ。鉉太が囚われて七年、都から鬼の砦に討伐軍が派遣されるが...。鬼と人との相克、憎しみの虜になった人々の苦悩と救済を描いた、感動のファンタジイ大作。第四回創元ファンタジイ新人賞受賞作。