“Help.”
Riri woke up as soon as she shouted. She breathed hard while in a daze, then calmed down enough to look around. The small room was draughty with small holes everywhere.
She was relieved to see the familiar sight of her room where she has lived in for the past few years.
“I must have had that dream again… I’ve had that dream so many times since I was a kid, but I always wake up when the men in black are about to grab the boy. Why do I keep having the same dream?”
The boy’s face is always blurry and unrecognisable. The conversation she had with the boy changed with every dream, but she always woke up when the men in black tried to catch the boy. She thought about the dream, but eventually sighed.
“It’s only a dream, so whatever.”
Riri came to the same conclusion as usual, stood up and stretched. Then, she sniffed.
“The neighbour’s breakfast is congee with spinach. It smells delicious. I’m jealous.”
She smiled. Riri had dark eyes which were large and bright, but her looks were average, she was skinny and not very feminine for a sixteen year old. Her long black hair is said to be lustrous, but because of poverty, she didn’t have a single hair ornament, so she always had it in a ponytail. She wasn’t particularly beautiful or sexy. The only thing she can boast about was her nose, which can smell anything.
Her keen sense of smell allowed her to find out what the family next door was having for breakfast without having to open the window.
When she opened the small window, she could hear cheerful voices coming from the same old terrace houses. This town is called Shinko. It was a small town where the commoners live and not everyone is wealthy.
Even so, the people of Shinko were in high spirits every day.
“I’m busy today as well, but I have to do my best!”
She motivated herself and left her room to make breakfast.
“I’ll clean up after breakfast, Mother.”
Riri stood up with the dishes and turned to face her mother, Renka. Her mother smiled as she was about to wipe the table.
“It’s alright. You have work.”
“But you don’t look well, you must have another fever.”
Renka was nearly forty. She was slender and short, with a face like that of a young girl.
“I’m fine. You’re doing your best at work, so I should at least do the housework.”
Her mother was a hard worker, but she has always been weak and caught fevers easily. Riri didn’t want her mother to push herself too hard.
“It may be work, but I’m just mixing my favourite fragrances, so it’s not hard at all. It’s not very lucrative, so I can’t afford to live in luxury, but if it’s just you and me, then we can get by. So, you don’t have to worry and just relax. I’ll wipe the table.”
I reached out and Renka smiled as she handed me the cloth.
“Thanks. Then I’ll leave it to you. At any rate, you’re a girl but you’re strong. You’re just like your father in that way. Your father also loved his work. He was a great perfumer who used incense to solve the problems and sufferings of many people.”
Incenses are highly valued as medicine in Shinzui[1].
People who mix fragrances are called perfumers, and they are respected as much as doctors. There was even a department in the court called the Department of Incenses, where the best perfumers gather.
In fact, her father used to be the head of the Department of Incenses.
Riri smiled as she listened to her mother reminisce. She could feel her mother’s love for her father from the way she spoke.
They were an intimate couple and she was happy to have been born to them. Renka narrowed her eyes.
“I’m so proud of your father. I was so sad and cried for days when he passed away, but you comforted me by saying, ‘Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll protect you,’ so I was able to move on.”
That happened when she was a child and she didn’t even remember saying it. But her desire to protect her mother hasn’t changed. Renka looked out the window.
“It’s been six years since your father died in an accident…”
Riri tried to picture her father’s face when Renka said that, but she felt a throbbing pain in her head as soon as she tried.
She almost scrunched up her face, but managed to hold it in.
(That was close. Mother will be worried if I say I have a headache again. But why does my head hurt whenever I try to remember Father?)
She endured her headache and remembered the face of her father, but it was blurry. She had very few memories of playing with her father, but she did remember that he used to sneak her into court.
(I was happy to be told that it was something special at that time, but now that I think about it, he just wanted to use my sense of smell in his concoctions. The only thing I remember about the court was smelling different kinds of fragrant wood in my father’s messy concoction room.)
There are two types of incenses. The first is fragrant wood, which gives off a pleasant aroma. Fragrant wood is made by drying the branches and roots of various trees, or by burying the wood in the ground to agglomerate the resin. Fragrant wood is commonly shaved and heated to release its fragrance.
The other type is called kneaded incense, in which fragrant woods and materials are turned into fine powder and mixed together, and burning it releases the fragrance. There are several other types of incenses, but those two are commonly referred to as incense.
Sometimes her father would get a piece of unknown fragrant wood. After he examined the fragrant wood and narrowed down the raw materials, it was her turn.
Her father praised her sense of smell for getting the raw materials correctly, “You have a great sense of smell!”
She wiped the table while reminiscing and brought out the incense burner that was on the shelf.
“Mother. It’s time to burn the incense. You said you haven’t been sleeping well lately. I’ve prepared a calming incense for you to try.”
Riri’s mother had been having trouble sleeping since her father’s death, and her sleep had become light. Renka wasn’t a healthy person from the start, so she tends to get sick when she didn’t get enough sleep. Therefore, Riri had mixed an incense that her father had taught her to calm Renka down and help me sleep better. The incense burner on the table was made out of ceramic and was small enough to fit in the palm of a person’s hand. Riri picked up the pieces of charcoal that was used to prepare breakfast with long metal chopsticks and put it into the incense burner.
“Oh, Riri. You’re not directly burning the incense today.”
“Yes, I made kneaded incense. I mixed the materials and added honey, then rolled it together. I’m going to put it on top of the charcoal and let it warm slowly to release the fragrance. It takes a while to take effect, but I thought it would be nice once in a while.”
Riri placed the kneaded incense on the charcoal and after a short time, an elegant fragrance filled the room.
As she breathed in the scent, she imagined a waterfowl resting its wings by a quiet pond.
“It’s a nice fragrance. It’s not too sweet or harsh and smells nice… Isn’t this aloeswood?”
Riri was relieved to see Renka’s shoulders relax.
“You’re right, Mother. I put some aloeswood in the kneaded incense. Aloeswood is usually too expensive to buy, but I happen to find it cheap the other day. I also bought some other materials, so I made some incense for pain relief as well. I’ll go to the clinic later and ask them to buy it. We’ll have a feast today.”
Doctors and perfumers often work together at the clinic and incense was used along with medicine.
“Your talent for mixing incenses is also inherited from your father. Your father was an excellent perfumer. He was the head of the Department of Incenses and was highly respected in court. If he hadn’t passed away then it would have been possible for him to become the master perfumer, since he already perfected the ‘treasured incense’.”
Renka’s voice sounded dignified. The word ‘treasured incense’ made Riri tense and she couldn’t help but mutter.
“Treasured incense… The incense that has been handed down like a legend in Shinzui. It is sought after by all perfumers, but no one has ever perfected it.”
It was a story that even a small child in Shinzui knew.
It is said that the treasured incense has a powerful power that can repel any enemy. Only the imperial family and a few perfumers from the Department of Incenses know the details of its power, and the general public isn’t informed.
Riri’s father, the head of the Department of Incenses, put his life on the line to perfect the treasured incense.
“I also believe that father perfected the treasured incense. I don’t remember what he looks like, but I remember him telling me happily, ‘Riri, I’ve finally completed the treasured incense!’”
Her father was supposed to have the title of master perfumer, the pinnacle of perfumers, because he had accomplished a feat that no one had succeeded in making for hundreds of years.
“But he failed to present the treasured incense to the Emperor and was called a liar in court.”
Riri bit her lip in frustration.
Her father didn’t lie when he held her and happily told her that he had perfected the treasured incense.
“Father had certainly perfected the incense. However, he died in an accident soon after he failed to present the incense to the Emperor, so there’s no proof that he actually made it. But you know, Mother. I will definitely prove that he made the treasured incense.”
“I’ll be happy since you’ll be restoring his honour, but can you really do it?”
Riri nodded at the worried Renka.
“Yes. I don’t remember his face well, but I have something else to rely on besides my memory. My ‘super olfaction’ remembers the fragrances that he used when he made the treasured incense. If I can mix it just the way my nose remembers it and create the treasured incense, then it will prove that he was right.”
She has always been thinking about it since her father died, hence she studied aromas every day.
Renka tilted her head while still looking worried.
“But I heard from your father that the materials used for the treasured incense are all special, and you can only get them if you’re in the Department of Incenses. You have to become a perfumer if you want to get into the Department of Incenses, but you’re a girl, Riri. Girls can’t become perfumers.”
That was a big obstacle for Riri, who wanted to restore her father’s honour.
She put her hand over her mouth and thought about it.
“You have to take the national exam to become a perfumer in order to work at the Department of Incenses. But the national exam is only open to men. In addition, to work at the court, you have to pass the Imperial Exam to become a government official, which is also only open to men.”
She would do whatever it takes if she can solve this with hard work. However, being unable to become a perfumer and work at the court because she was a woman was something beyond her control.
“I won’t have the necessary materials and tools to make the treasured incense if I don’t work at the Department of Incenses as a perfumer. As it is, it’s almost impossible to prove that father was right. But I’m not giving up. There must be a way for me to prove he was right. I’ll definitely make the treasured incense.”
Her determination was firm. Renka finally smiled.
“You have your father’s strong will as well. I believe in you. Your father used to say that you have a special sense of smell. But don’t do anything too dangerous.”
“I know. Ah, I have to go now. Take it easy, Mother.”
Realising that the appointed time was approaching, Riri rushed to her room to get her bag.
Shinko’s clinic was packed with people today as well. Riri knocked on the back door and it immediately opened from the inside.
“Ah, Riri. You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you!”
The middle-aged man in white clothes was the director of this clinic, Choumei.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I’ve brought you some incenses.”
She opened the cloth bag to reveal a number of white packages, which Choumei quickly checked before accepting.
“Thanks for always preparing them for us. The incenses you mix are very popular among the patients. You would be a great perfumer if women were allowed to become one.”
His voice was full of regret.
“But you wouldn’t be able to get incense for medical use at such a low price if I were to become a perfumer.”
It was normal for clinics to have doctors and perfumers, but Choumei’s clinic couldn’t afford to hire a perfumer. Normally, it would be condemnable to buy incense made by someone who wasn’t a qualified perfumer.
However, incenses prepared by an official perfumer costs twice as much as the incense Riri prepared.
She made sure that the incenses worked perfectly, and Choumei bought them from her in secret.
“It hurts me to hear you say that. This is a clinic in the slums, so we can’t afford to buy them at that price.”
“Doctor! There’s a patient waiting for you!”
A voice came from inside and Choumei quickly nodded, then he lowered his voice.
“Do you want to earn extra money today too? We’re so busy today and I can’t do everything on my own.”
“You mean by doing ‘that’? But I think that’s a bad idea…”
I frowned while whispering and Choumei put his hands together in front of his face to beg.
“Don’t say that. I actually have an important guest today. I’d like to finish examining the patients before then, but there’s a crowd of patients. Please help me.”
The reason the small clinic is always packed with patients is because Choumei allows them to pay later if they don’t have any money. People who live downtown generally struggle to make ends meet. Choumei knows this, that’s why he waits for them to pay for their bill. However, because of this, he couldn’t buy medicines and incenses, and had to buy what he needed from an unqualified perfumer like Riri.
“Who exactly is your important guest?”
“Listen and be amazed. The Crown Prince of Shinzui, Prince Kousho, will be visiting this clinic.”
Choumei puffed out his chest in pride. Riri couldn’t believe her ears when she heard that name.
“Prince Kousho… are you talking about the son of the Emperor? That Prince Kousho?! Why is such an important person coming to this downtown clinic?”
Riri heard that the Crown Prince, Prince Kousho, had a high reputation in Shinzui and abroad.
She had never seen him before, but people say he’s handsome, polite and assists the Emperor in politics and diplomacy. To her, a downtown resident, he was an unreachable existence.
“I asked a friend of a friend of a friend if we could receive a donation from the government. So, the Prince is visiting today for that. We may receive a large donation if the visit goes well. With that money, we can hire another doctor, get more equipment and accept more patients. Today is an important day.”
The bearded Choumei looked scary, but he was a kind doctor who cared about his patients.
“I see. Then you have to do your best today. I’ll help you in any way I can. You always help me out.”
“Thanks. Then I’ll ask you to do the usual thing for the patients who come to see you.”
Riri was quickly invited into the clinic by Choumei and entered through the backdoor.
Riri closed the window of the small examination room. She really wanted to let the fresh breeze in, but there were circumstances that prevented her from doing so. When the preparations were finished, the door to the examination room opened and a patient walked in.
“It’s going to take a while before the doctor gets here, so I’d like to talk to you first.”
Riri looked at the boy in front of her while dressed in a white coat and holding a notebook and brush. The boy was twelve or thirteen years old and was wearing a dirty kimono. She looked at the boy, who sat uncomfortably in the chair, and sniffed.
(I can smell that he’s in pain. He seems to be protecting his right arm. Could it be…?)
“Does your hand hurt?”
The boy looked up and blinked.
“How do you know that it hurts when I haven’t said anything yet?”
Riri smiled vaguely at the curious boy.
(People sweat when they’re in pain. You won’t believe me if I told you that I can tell from your sweat.)
The scent sweat produced differed slightly depending on the various changes that occurred in the body.
Riri’s sense of smell, which she was proud of, was able to distinguish these subtle differences. Choumei was impressed with her useful nose, but the truth was, she couldn’t easily tell everything. First of all, in order to tell the difference in a person’s sweat, she had to be together with them in a sealed room. That was why she closed the window in this room.
She could tell the subtle difference in someone’s sweat in an open space, but it was difficult if the person wasn’t close enough for her to feel their breath, and in an environment where there are multiple people around. Also, if the other person’s sweat didn’t smell strong enough, then it would mix with the other people’s scents, making it difficult to distinguish.
At Choumei’s request, she had used her sense of smell to help him diagnose patients a few times. Her job was to smell the sweat of the patients to find out what was wrong with them and determine if they needed immediate treatment or if they could wait a little longer. The clinic was always busy, and it was impossible for Choumei to treat everyone immediately by himself.
Therefore, it was her job to decide whether it was an emergency or not.
“My right arm hurts below my elbow. I fell down while farming.”
The boy raised his right arm. When he rolled up his sleeve, Riri saw a bluish black bruise around the bottom of his elbow.
She touched his arm lightly and moved her face closer to his. The scent of the boy’s sweat became even more obvious.
(The pain doesn’t seem that bad from the scent of his sweat. It doesn’t seem like he’s broken any bones.)
She thought that there wasn’t a need for Choumei to examine him right away.
“I’ll burn some incense to take away the pain. Wait for the doctor while smelling it.”
Riri put the incense she had just brought to the clinic earlier into the incense burner and lit it with a flint.
Soon after, white smoke began to rise from the incense burner. The boy smelled the smoke and quietly closed his eyes.
“… It smells nice. I feel like the pain’s fading away… Thanks.”
She nodded to the boy, who smiled with his eyes closed, and quietly left the room.
She remembered the boy’s words as she leaned her back against the closed door and her heart gently warmed.
“Thank you, he said.”
She was grateful that she was able to mix incenses every time she heard those words in the clinic. Ever since she was little, she wanted to become a perfumer like her father, but after seeing the benefits of the incenses at the clinic, her dream changed, and she wanted to become a ‘perfumer who healed people’. However, there was a big obstacle in the way of her achieving her dream.
“Women can’t take the national exam to become perfumers…”
Only after passing the national exam can she proudly call herself a perfumer.
She had talked about this with Renka, but it was impossible for her to receive the qualifications to become a perfumer now.
“I wonder if I can do something about it…”
She walked to the examining room where Choumei was to report the boy’s injury to him while pondering.
As she walked through the waiting room, she noticed that there was a crowd of people and stopped.
“What is it…? Ah, could it be?!”
She stood on her tip toes and stared past the crowd, then widened her eyes in surprise.
“Wow! How cool…!”
The woman next to her agreed with the words that had leaked out of her mouth.
“You’re right. Prince Kousho is wonderful. It’s the first time I’ve seen him this close up!”
The excited woman’s cheeks flushed as she looked ahead. The person in front of her gaze was a young man with long red hair that was tied in a ponytail at the back of his head, and greyish-brown almond eyes. Everyone in Shinzui had black hair and black eyes but the royal family was different. They are said to be descendants of dragons and their hair and eye colours are different from the citizens.
Just like the rumours, the Crown Prince looked different from everyone here.
His hair and eye colours were different from the masses, but he also exuded a powerful and majestic aura that would convince anyone that he was truly a descendant of dragons.
He was around twenty years old. He had handsome and masculine facial features and wore an amber coloured zhiju[1] that was embroidered with a rising dragon. Only members of the imperial family were allowed to wear such a zhiju.
He was a tall man with a soft demeanour, and he looked radiant.
“… It must be difficult for you to examine so many people by yourself.”
Prince Kousho’s voice was beautiful and low-pitched. Choumei nodded meekly.
“Yes. The people who live in Shinko are not very wealthy. But anyone can get sick or injured. This clinic is ready to accept any kind of patient. However, we just can’t afford to hire personnel or buy medicine and incenses.”
Kousho put his hand on Choumei’s shoulder with a sorry look on his face.
“I understand. We’ll make a donation to this clinic.”
“Really!?”
“Yes, it’s a pleasure to be able to help such a virtuous doctor like you. I’m impressed with how well you’ve been keeping up this clinic by yourself.”
Riri saw that Choumei’s face had lit up and felt happy too.
(Yay, Doctor! I’m sure this will improve the clinic a little. He’s been saying that he wanted another doctor here for a long time. Even so, the Crown Prince looks kind. His words are polite and soft. I can see why he’s popular with everyone. He’s such a nice guy, but…)
Riri narrowed her eyebrows.
“This is my first time seeing the Crown Prince, but there’s something about him… I can’t really describe it… Hmm?”
She felt hazy when she looked at Kousho for some reason. As she was thinking about this, she suddenly smelled an unpleasant aroma coming from her right. She realised that the scent that was prickly at her nose was from when people sweat all at once when they were having some kind of seizure.
Normally, with so many people in the room, the scent of sweat would mix together making it hard to tell.
Still, the fact that she noticed this meant that someone nearby had had a very bad seizure. When she looked to her right, she saw the woman, who had just been blushing while looking at Kousho, had turned dark-red and her eyes were wide open.
“Ugh…!”
The woman clawed at her throat and collapsed with a thud.
“Are you alright?! Hang in there!”
Riri quickly crouched down and turned the woman onto her back. The woman had fainted. Her face was getting darker and darker. Riri put her face close to the woman’s neck. The scent emanating from her was familiar to Riri.
“What’s wrong, Riri?!”
Choumei came and crouched down next to her as well.
“Doctor, this person has a chest disease. It smells like she’s having difficulty breathing.”
“You’re right. She has weak lungs. She can’t breathe!”
Choumei put his hand over his mouth, then groaned.
“We have to get her to breathe quickly!”
He held the woman’s nose and blew into her mouth.
“I have something that will work! Give me an incense burner!”
She took out an incense package to improve the respiratory tract from the cloth bag that she was carrying.
The woman who was helping at the clinic knew what she was doing and immediately offered Riri an incense burner.
She put the kneaded incense from the package into the incense burner, lit it with a flint and white smoke began to rise.
When she placed the burner beside the woman, a refreshing aroma drifted in the air. She fanned the smoke from the burner with the notebook that she was holding so that it would go directly to the woman as Choumei repeatedly gave the woman mouth-to-mouth.
After a while, the woman’s complex gradually got better.
“… Alright, she can breathe on her own now. She’s going to be okay. Hey, carry her.”
Choumei called, and several men in white coats came to help.
They gently picked up the woman and carried her to the examining room nearby.
“Riri, thanks. She had completely stopped breathing, so my treatment alone may not have been enough. She could breathe again on her own thanks to your incense, so thank you.”
“It’s alright. You were quick to react. The incense was just a medical aid.”
She suddenly heard a voice from behind her as she was talking to Choumei.
“Riri? Is that you?”
She saw a familiar face when she turned around. The person was in his late twenties. He had straight black hair that reached his shoulders. He was thin, but tall, and he wore glasses. His black eyes narrowed gently. His name was Sei Mokuren. Mokuren wore a purple kimono worn by the perfumers of the Department of Incenses. He was a handsome man and his slightly droopy eyes gave him a gentle aura.
“Ah, it’s been a while, Mokuren!”
She smiled, but then she looked around and ducked her head. The Crown Prince, Kousho was standing behind Mokuren, and there were strong soldiers and government officials in fine kimonos near him. But Mokuren didn’t seem to mind.
“It’s been a while, Riri. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to visit, how have you been?”
“… Is it alright for you to talk to me? I know you’re here on business since you’re the head of the Department of Incenses.”
In the court, there is a department where perfumers work; that is the Department of Incenses. Mokuren supervises the department as its head, and it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he is the best perfumer in the country. As a noble of high status, he was someone who she would be afraid to talk to. However, Riri and Mokuren have been close friends for a long time.
(Mokuren first came to visit us in Shinko five years ago. He told us that he was indebted to father and came to check up on us many times after that. He’s also the master who taught me how to mix incenses.)
She looked up and Mokuren was smiling at her gently. He was an easy-going man who didn’t care about status. When she had first met him, she was nervous to talk to him because of his high status, but he told her that she could drop the suffix. Even so, she refrained and called him Mokuren-sama, but she ended up dropping the -sama, and now they were like family.
“It’s alright. I’m just filling in for the doctor who couldn’t make it due to a sudden illness. By the way, you used your special skill just now, didn’t you Riri? Your nose can even tell what kind of illness she had. How amazing.”
With one eye closed, Mokuren’s tone was the same as when he always came to her house to talk about trivial things.
Riri grew anxious since she thought it was bad for him to talk to her like this with the Crown Prince nearby.
“Mokuren, who is she?”
Crown Prince Kousho said as she panicked by herself.
When she saw that Mokuren had turned around and kneeled down, she rushed to follow suit. The Crown Prince approached them.
(Whoa! What should I do? The Crown Prince is this close to me…!)
Mokuren bowed his head once as her body stiffened from nervousness.
“This is Riri. She’s an acquaintance of mine.”
She felt both embarrassed and afraid as she was being stared at by the handsome Kousho. The Crown Prince was rumoured to be as passionate as fire when it comes to protecting his country and as calm as ice when it came to politics and was extremely popular among the people. He was especially popular with women and Riri believed that this was partly because of his masculine face. She couldn’t help but admire his face, which was undoubtedly one of the best among all the men she had ever met.
“So, your name is Riri. You did great just now. You instantly recognised her symptom and burnt the right incense to assist the doctor in his treatment… But how did you know she fainted because of lung disease? Did you know her illness beforehand?”
Riri tilted her head at the soft-spoken and expressive Kousho.
“No, umm, yes…”
She smiled vaguely and nodded, knowing that he wouldn’t believe her if she told him that she ‘smelled’ the illness.
“I see. I was impressed with how quickly you burnt the incense. I admire your skill.”
He was praising her without restraint.
She was so pleased that she folded her arms and bowed her head in the highest form of respect.
“It is a great honour to receive such compliments from the Crown Prince.”
“Oh. You have manners. It’s hard to believe that you’re a commoner.”
Mokuren looked at me.
“She is originally from a noble family. She’s a woman, but she can mix incenses very well, and I think it’s a shame that women can’t take the national examination since she would make a good perfumer.”
“I see. You’re right, she is indeed skilful. It is impossible for women to become perfumers, but I hope that you will continue to devote yourself to making incenses.”
Riri bowed deeply at the Crown Prince’s words. When she saw him turn away, she pondered on what he had said in her mind.
(So, it is impossible for women to become perfumers… I guess women can’t become official perfumers no matter how hard I try.)
She was trying her best because she believed that women can become perfumers, but at times like this, she became dispirited.
“Riri, I’ll go to your house later. Is that alright?”
Mokuren whispered in her ears as she bit her lip. She panicked then quickly nodded.
“Yes. I’m going home after I finish helping at the clinic, so I’ll probably be home at night.”
“Ok. Then, I’ll see you later.”
Mokuren waved slightly and followed after Kousho. She wanted to become a recognised perfumer like him, join the Department of Incenses and research the treasured incense. But her dream won’t come true just because she was a woman.
She was so annoyed and frustrated by this.
When Riri arrived back home, her mother was asleep. She quietly cleaned the room so that she wouldn’t wake up her mother.
When she was finally relieved that it was clean, she heard a voice from the entrance.
“Riri, it’s Mokuren. Can I come in?”
She replied and opened the door to find Mokuren standing there in a luxurious kimono that was unsuitable for the downtown area. She invited him in and motioned him to sit on the chair in front of the table. He sat down and looked around.
“Hey, where’s Renka-sama?”
“She’s sleeping. She hasn’t been sleeping much at night.”
“I see. Then, let’s talk quietly. I don’t want to wake her up.”
She thanked him for his thoughtfulness. She made a pot of tea and brought it to him, and he broke into a smile.
“It smells nice.”
“Doesn’t it? I went to the teahouse to smell the tea one by one before buying this. It’s cheap but tastes good.”
Mokuren, as the head of the Department of Incenses, was fussy about fragrances. She was delighted to be praised by him.
She sat down on the chair and faced him as she sipped on her tea.
“By the way, what did you want?”
She tilted her head and Mokuren’s face turned serious as he pushed his glasses up.
“Actually… this is just between us, but I’ve been fired from my position as head of the Department of Incenses…”
Riri widened her eyes at the sad Mokuren.
“What?! Really!? How on earth did that happen?”
“His Majesty’s food looked so delicious that I couldn’t help but snatch some…”
“Why would you do that?! … Wait, huh? Isn’t it strange for a grown man to do such a thing? Are you telling the truth?”
“No, I’m lying.”
Mokuren laughed and Riri dropped her shoulders in disappointment. She remembered his personality and anger welled up within her.
“I couldn’t help myself. It’s adorable how you get fooled every time.”
The smiling Mokuren was a kind and nice person, but he would tell silly lies sometimes. She was fooled by his lies every time and worried about him, and she hated her simple mindedness.
“Argh! If you’re just here to tease me then please leave, I’m busy!”
“Don’t get angry. I really have something to talk to you about. Actually…”
Mokuren suddenly became serious, then he lowered his voice slightly.
“We got some sacred bamboo wood.”
“What?!”
Riri shouted loud enough that her voice echoed throughout the room and Mokuren quickly put his index finger to his lips.
“Shh. Be quiet. It’s bad to talk about this outside of the Department of Incenses.”
Riri quickly put her hands to her mouth and took a deep breath to control her quickening heartbeat.
“Sacred bamboo wood, THAT sacred bamboo wood? Really? You’re not lying again, are you…?”
“It’s true. We’ve obtained the sacred bamboo wood, the main ingredient for the treasured incense.”
The mere mention of that wood made Riri serious. She straightened her back and put her hands on her knees.
“The treasured incense… a magical incense that can repel even the most powerful of enemies. However, no one has ever made it before, so people are doubting if it really exists…”
Strangely enough, this was what she had talked to her mother, Renka, about this morning.
“Yes. A lot of perfumers have tried and failed to create the treasured incense for hundreds of years. The court has been working with perfumers to obtain this incense that is said to hold great power.”
The Department of Incenses is a place where perfumers research and prepare incenses of various effects.
However, Riri’s father had once told her that the main purpose of the Department of Incenses was to create the treasured incense.
Even the Department of Incenses department hasn’t been able to complete the treasured incense for hundreds of years.
The reason was because the main ingredient, the sacred bamboo wood, was rarely available.
“I heard that the sacred bamboo tree only blooms once every twenty years.”
She couldn’t contain her excitement, and when she hounded him, he nodded.
“Yes. Only the branches that immediately fall off after the flower blooms become fragrant wood. Furthermore, the sacred bamboo tree only grows deep in the mountains, far from the capital, and there are very few of them. That’s why it’s hard to get its fragrance wood. This year, the once-in-twenty-years flowers finally bloomed, and we were able to get our hands on a reasonable amount of fragrant wood.”
“Wow! Wouldn’t that help with the treasured incense research?”
“Yes, but it’s only a small amount. It’s not a large amount. Once it’s used up, we’ll have to wait another twenty years to get more fragrant wood. That’s why there’s a lot of arguments in court right now.”
“What are they arguing about?”
“There’s only a limited amount of fragrant wood, so they want to limit the number of perfumers who try their hand at mixing the treasured incense to only the best. They not only invited perfumers from the Department of Incenses, but also regular perfumers. The court is gathering together some excellent perfumers. The court will hold a perfumers meeting in front of the Emperor where those in attendance will present what they’ve created.”
“The court is holding a perfumers meeting?”
It can be said that almost all qualified perfumers want to join the Department of Incenses, since they can use rare materials and expensive tools that can only be obtained in court.
However, until now, the court has only allowed perfumers who have passed the Imperial examination to enter the Department of Incenses.
This time, however, the court will be welcoming regular perfumers; which is a very special occurrence.
“In short, they want me to complete the treasured incense before the perfumers meeting, even if it takes help from regular perfumers. Those who believe in meritocracy, believe that things like incenses, perfumers who use unknown things and other weak people should leave the court!”
Mokuren sighed loudly and rested his chin on his hand.
“If we can’t produce the treasured fragrance by the time His Majesty participates in the perfumers meeting, then the military will probably take advantage of this opportunity to try to destroy the Department of Incenses. But I don’t think it will be easy to create the treasured incense that has been a mystery for hundreds of years. But of course, I’ll try my best to do so.”
Riri brought her face close to the depressed Mokuren.
“His Majesty will never allow it no matter how insolent the military is. I heard this from Father a long time ago that His Majesty is very fond of incenses and puts a lot of effort into running the Minister of Incenses.”
“That’s true, but things aren’t going well this time. In fact, it has been decided that the Crown Prince will become the Emperor next year.”
She recalled the Crown Prince who she had met during the day. He was kind, handsome and perfect.
“Doesn’t the Crown Prince normally inherit the throne after the Emperor passes away?”
“Yes, but between you and me, it seems like His Majesty isn’t in good health. Even now, the Emperor’s duties are taken care of by the Crown Prince. It seems His Majesty is planning to abdicate in a year’s time and appoint the Crown Prince as the new Emperor.”
She was surprised to hear that the Emperor wasn’t feeling well since she hadn’t heard any rumours about this. Mokuren pushed up his glasses.
“So, His Majesty wants to raise the nation’s power by perfecting the treasured incense which is said to be powerful enough to repel any enemy by the time the Crown Prince takes over the throne. But there’s only a month left before the perfumers meeting. I don’t believe I can make it by then.”
This was what Mokuren, the head of the Department of Incenses, really thought. He sighed.
“But the Department of Incenses might be destroyed if I don’t complete the treasured incense. Your father… Saido-sama left the Department of Incenses to me. He was a great perfumer. I learnt a lot from him. I can’t let the Department of Incenses which I have inherited from him be destroyed in my generation.”
Riri’s father’s name was Ou Saido. She went by Ren Riri when she moved downtown, but her real name is Ou Riri. She recalled her father’s back while he was mixing incenses and a thought occurred to her while she endured the usual headache. She spoke since she couldn’t keep it in.
“Please… please let me try to create the treasured incense as well.”
She looked at Mokuren sincerely and said. He didn’t seem surprised.
“I thought you would say that. The treasured incense is something that Saido-sama spent his lifetime researching.”
Mokuren paused and stared at Riri.
“But the only people who can try to make the treasured incense are perfumers. You might have a clue about how to make it since you watched Saido-sama work, so I really want you to help me with this, but you won’t be invited to court since you haven’t taken the national exam.”
Riri bit her lips tightly. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to take the national exam; she wasn’t allowed to take it because she was a woman.
“But my nose remembers the scent of the materials that father used. I couldn’t do anything about it since the materials were all too precious to obtain. But I’m sure I can help now that you have the sacred bamboo wood.”
She put her hand on her chest and begged Mokuren to let her help him.
“I’ll prove that father really did make the treasured incense!”
Mokuren crossed his arms and pondered when Riri bought up what she had been thinking about since her father passed away.
“It’s true that your super olfaction can detect what materials we’d need to mix together, but you don’t know how much we should use of each material, right? A small difference in the quantity can result in a completely different scent and effect. No matter how much your nose remembers, you won’t be able to make the treasure incense if you don’t know what to mix and how much to put in.”
“You’re right, but I’ll definitely work out the quantities as long as I have the ingredients and time. Please! Please let me make the treasured incense!”
Even the court had trouble getting their hands on sacred bamboo wood.
Commoners don’t even get to see the sacred bamboo wood. She didn’t want to let this chance pass.
“I know how you feel Riri, but women aren’t allowed in court… wait!”
Riri widened her eyes when Mokuren raised his voice.
“What’s wrong!?”
“No, hmm… I just thought of a way for a woman to enter the court as a perfumer…”
Mokuren was being vague, but Riri felt as if he had finally found the only light in the dark.
“How?!”
Mokuren frowned grimly.
“I wouldn’t recommend it. It’ll be hard for you and more importantly…”
“I’ll decide for myself if it’s difficult or not after I hear it. Please tell me!”
Her mother pretended to be fine in front of her, but she was still grieving the loss of her husband, so she often had trouble sleeping at night and wasn’t feeling well.
When she woke up in the middle of the night, she would sometimes find her mother sobbing silently to herself.
(Of course, I want to make the treasured incense, but I also want to prove that father was the one who made it. I’m sure mother will feel at ease if father’s honour is restored.)
Fortunately, she had her super olfaction and was good at mixing fragrances.
“Please, Mokuren. Please give me a chance to create the secret incense!”
Mokuren groaned and looked up at the ceiling when she pleaded strongly.
“To be honest, if it’s possible to make the treasured incense, then you would have the best chance to create it. The only time we can try to create the treasured incense is right now since we can only get the sacred bamboo wood once every twenty years. It will be a big project for the Department of Incenses. If we really can’t make it, then the survival of the Department of Incenses will be in jeopardy.”
“So, let me help you. I have a lot of memories at the Department of Incenses since Father worked there. I can’t accept that it’ll be destroyed. Is there a way for a woman to become a perfumer?”
“No, you won’t be a perfumer… but it’s a special position.”
“What do you mean?”
Mokuren finally looked up and spoke boldly.
“Only men are allowed to work in court. That’s why the officials are all men. But there is one place where only women gather. Do you know where it is?”
She pondered when asked this question.
“A place where only women gather? Is it the kitchen?”
“There are men in the kitchen too. I’m not talking about the kitchen. There’s a place where that’s full of women and only certain men have access to it. If unauthorised men try to sneak into this place, then they’ll be beheaded. It’s a dangerous place, but it’s also the most gorgeous place in this country.”
After thinking about it, she suddenly thought of such a place.
“Is it the inner palace? The Emperor’s Queen and concubines live there.”
Mokuren nodded.
“That’s right. In fact, it was decided that the Crown Prince must have a wife when he ascends the throne. He will ascend the throne in a year, but he’s still single. Therefore, they decided that they will build him an inner palace so that he’ll settle down soon.”
The only thing that came to Riri’s mind when she heard the word ‘inner palace’ was well-dressed women living in elegance. She couldn’t imagine any more than that since it was a world too far away for someone living downtown like her.
“So, noble young ladies who are candidates to be his queen are gathering one after another, but first of all, there are two main conditions that must be met before they’re recognised as a queen candidate. The first is their status. Only daughters of high-ranking members of the court can be recognised as a candidate. And the other condition is…”
Mokuren held up his index finger and stared at Riri.
“… that they must have great talent. For example, they must have the knowledge and skills to become a perfumer.”
She realised why he was telling her this.
“So, I can be a queen candidate?”
“Yes, but you have to be a noble. You used to be a noble, but now you live downtown. You usually wouldn’t be able to enter the inner palace because of this, but it might work out if I become your guarantor.”
Mokuren paused and softly put a hand on her shoulder.
“Most importantly, you have talent. The Crown Prince praised you a lot when you saved that woman in the clinic earlier today. Even after that, he talked about how talented you were with his close aides. With your achievement, you might be able to enter the inner palace.”
Riri’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Can I attend the perfumer’s meeting if I enter the inner palace?”
“It’s not that easy. You’ll have to directly ask His Majesty of the Crown Prince if you can participate in the perfumer’s meeting. It’ll be quite difficult, but you’ll have a better chance to attend the meeting this way rather than sitting around doing nothing downtown.”
Riri suddenly felt uneasy when she heard those words.
“It would be quite dangerous to enter the inner palace just to participate in the meeting. If I can’t persuade the Emperor or the Crown Prince to let me participate, then wouldn’t I be executed…?”
She asked fearfully and Mokuren nodded seriously.
“Yes, and you might not be able to meet the Emperor or the Crown Prince even if you enter a dangerous place like the inner palace. But you should be prepared for a situation like this if you want to try your hand at making the treasured incense even though you’re not a perfumer.”
His words were harsh, but true. Riri folded her arms.
“I can’t bring the sacred bamboo wood here since it’s forbidden to take it out of the palace. It requires special tools to mix, so it’s impossible to mix it outside too. If you want to try to make the treasured incense, then you’ll have to enter the palace.”
It certainly seemed that way. She was scared to enter the inner palace, a world she had never seen before, but her dream can come true if she pushed her fear away.
“I want to do everything I can to restore Father’s honour. If there’s a chance for me to make the treasured incense by entering the inner palace… then I’ll do it.”
She said emotionally, and Mokuren frowned again.
“But the inner palace is a scary place. The queen candidates smile at each other while arguing and glaring at each other. I’m worried about you getting involved in that.”
“I’m scared too. It makes me shiver just thinking about it. But if I stay here because I’m afraid then I won’t be able to move forward. I’ll do whatever it takes to complete the treasured incense.”
When she expressed her determination, Mokuren finally relaxed and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll do my best to help you. Let’s do our best to create the treasured incense!”
She immediately decided to work out her plan with Mokuren of what to do from now on in order to take a step toward her dream.