It should be dawn now, but the darkness of the night was still strong.
Riri’s hands clenched around the incense burner while being tormented by anxiety. A certain person’s room was on the other side of the wall. When she looked behind her, she could see the light of a candle through the lattice.
(There’s really something I need to confirm with that person in order to uncover the truth of this incident. But I don’t have the courage to ask him directly. So…)
Inside the red incense burner was an incense that ‘encouraged confession’.
This incense relaxes you and makes you confess everything.
It was a very useful incense, but there was a problem with it.
(I’m the one who came up with this incense. I wonder if it will work properly…)
The incenses that she had created on her own failed miserably: she had tried to put the guard to sleep, but he got excited instead, or she had somehow caused her incense to explode. She had tried to create an incense that made people confess many times, but she had never succeeded. It took a lot of courage for her to use an incomplete incense.
(But I want to expose the truth before Kousho-sama finds out. I don’t have much time and more importantly, it’s too much of a burden for me to ask him about the incident directly. It would be great if this works.)
She thought about it over and over again but came to the same conclusion in the end. She decided to light the incense burner.
She held a cloth to her nose and mouth and held her breath to avoid inhaling the smoke. Then, she watched the direction of the wind and moved to a position where the smoke could enter through the holes in the lattice. After a while, she heard a voice from within.
“Uuooa…”
(He’s reacting. Maybe I succeeded this time…)
“Uoh, cough, cough!” He coughed and opened the door at the same time.
“What’s with this rotten fish smell!? My eyes and throat hurt…!”
She knew she had failed again when she saw the person come out and shout.
She took off the cloth that was covering her nose and coughed as she smelled the horrible putrid smell.
“Uoah, yuck, gross! Ah, I really did fail…”
“Riri?! What the hell did you make again? Is it a tear-inducing incense?”
Mokuren was also coughing and shouting.
“Tear-inducing? I remember when I first learned how to make incenses, I wanted to make a laughing incense to make my crying friend stop crying, but I ended up making an increase that made them cry and cough even more…”
The fragrance that was drifting around in the air from the incense burner was certainly the same as the one she had burnt at that time.
Mokuren quickly closed the lid of the incense burner. Riri wiped the tears from her eyes and they both breathed in.
Mokuren turned towards her and looked up and down as if he was thinking about something.
“… I thought you wouldn’t come back until you found out the truth since you rushed out of here earlier. By any chance, did you find out something about the incident?”
His expression was gentle, but for some reason, his black eyes behind his glasses seemed to be searching for something.
“Yes. It’s only my suspicions, but I think I’m slowly getting to the bottom of this.”
She observed Mokuren’s expression. It didn’t change, but he slightly cast his eyes down.
“I see. So, what was the incense you used earlier? It looked like you created something and failed. What kind of incense were you trying to make me smell, Riri?”
“… I wanted to confirm something. So, if you’ll excuse me for a moment, Mokuren!”
She shouted and jumped onto his chest. She hugged him and inhaled his scent.
Mokuren was caught off guard by her sudden action. He quickly pulled away and widened his eyes in surprise.
“Wh-what? What the hell are you doing!?”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to confirm what I had smelled from you.”
She looked at him again and he raised an eyebrow.
“Smelled? What are you talking about?”
“The fragrance that you have on right now. That’s the one I gave to you, right?”
It was the same fragrance that she had told Garan about earlier.
She had used her first pay to buy materials to make a fragrance to give to the man who had taught her how to make incenses.
“I put it on three days ago. Can you smell something that I put on that long ago?”
He looked at her as if he didn’t believe her. A hint of regret flashed across his face.
“Yes. It’s very faint, so I can’t smell it unless I’m hugging you… In fact, I smelled it in a place where I shouldn’t have smelled it.”
When Mokuren heard this, he just folded his arms without changing his expression.
“It was really faint, so even with my olfaction, I didn’t realise that it was the same as the fragrance that I had given you. However, when you caught me as I was about to fall when we examined the incense container, I thought I smelled the same scent coming from you at that time, and that’s how I remembered about the fragrance I had given you.”
She felt his black eyes behind his glasses had become sharper.
“So?”
His voice turned cold. She almost shivered but mustered up her courage to speak.
“I couldn’t be sure that the two scents were the same since the fragrance I gave you mixed with your own smell. That’s why I hugged you in order to check the scent again. I actually wanted you to smell the confession incense and listen to what you had to say, but it failed… Mokuren, the scent that I can smell coming from you right now is exactly the same as the scent that I had smelled at the place where it should never have been.”
She didn’t ask Mokuren where the place it shouldn’t have been was. His expression vanished.
“Your olfaction is very useful, Riri, but it’s tough to make an enemy out of you.”
His words were full of meaning. She was afraid to find out the truth, but she mustered up her courage and took out the incense container from inside her sleeve, then she held it up in front of Mokuren.
“There’s another scent in this incense container aside from the scent of the poisonous incense. It probably belongs to the murderer. The scented incense that I gave you is my own concoction and only you have it. So, the culprit who planted the poisonous incense in the incense container is you, Mokuren.”
Mokuren smiled slightly.
“Actually, I gave it to someone else. That person might be the culprit. You made it for me, so I couldn’t tell you that I gave it to someone else. Sorry.”
It sounded unbelievable, but she couldn’t conclude that he was lying.
She wanted to believe him. She couldn’t forget his expressionless expression just now.
“Just because the incense container smelled the same as the scent I used, doesn’t mean that I’m the culprit. The culprit is most likely Kousho-sama, the owner of the incense container. My incense may have been passed around and eventually reached Kousho-sama.”
When she heard what he had said, she widened her eyes in shock.
“… Why do you know that this belongs to Kousho-sama?”
Mokuren’s eyebrows twitched in surprise.
“You told me when you brought it to me.”
“No, I didn’t. I was careful not to tell you who it belonged to, so that’s definitely not true.”
“Then, Kousho-sama showed it to you, didn’t he?”
“Kousho-sama treasures this incense container a lot and he told me that he has only shown it to me.”
Mokuren always tells silly lies. But he always does it jokingly and in a way that was obvious that it was a lie. She had never seen anybody who could lie as easily as they can breathe, just like Mokuren was doing.
She had known him since she was a child, but the man in front of her now was a completely different person.
“Mokuren. If there’s anyone else other than me who knows that this incense container belongs to Kousho-sama, ――― then it would be the thief who stole it from his room, put a poisonous incense into the container and hid it in His Majesty’s crafted chair.”
Mokuren suddenly dropped his gaze. He pondered for a while, and finally lifted his face again.
“I see. I guess this is as far as it goes.”
He looked at her with a horrifyingly cold expression, and for the first time in her life, she feared him.
“Garan! Did you find Riri?!”
Kousho yelled at Garan who was kneeled in front of him.
“No, she doesn’t seem to be nearby! Please call the soldiers and have them look for her too!”
The thought of Riri being caught by the criminal filled Kousho’s mind with panic and anxiety. He always maintained a dignified attitude as the Crown Prince no matter what hardships he faced. But he never thought that he would be in turmoil because of a single girl. He told himself to calm down and let his mind wander.
“… Wait. I have an idea of where she might have gone. But if I’m right, then we’re in a very bad situation. We’re heading there now. I definitely won’t let him hurt Riri!”
Kousho raised his voice and Garan widened his eyes. He was curious about why Kousho was acting like this and frowned.
“What is it?”
“… You’re always so calm and disciplined that you didn’t even change your expression when His Majesty collapsed, so I’m wondering why you’re showing so much emotion now.”
Garan, who didn’t know anything, found it strange.
However, there was a reason why Kousho was so distraught that he had forgotten himself.
“――― Riri is special.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
He ordered Garan to run. He tried to remain calm but was deeply shocked at his inability to do so.
“So, the culprit is Mokuren? No way. You’re telling a bad lie like always. I don’t believe that you tried to assassinate His Majesty.”
Riri tried to keep calm but when she saw the cold expression on Mokuren’s face, she felt a mixture of anxiety and fear and wanted to run away. She wanted to cling onto the single possibility that like always, this was a bad joke from Mokuren. However, Mokuren smiled with a troubled expression on his face.
“Too bad. I’m not lying for once.”
His voice was gentle like it always was. What Garan had said suddenly flashed through her mind.
“I heard that people who use poisonous incenses are a group of assassins known as the Dark Perfumers. I also heard that they have infiltrated the palace. Don’t tell me you’re a Dark Perfumer…?”
She asked and Mokuren slightly lowered his gaze.
“Riri, do you know about the ‘Nine-tailed Fox’?”
She puzzled over what he asked and Mokuren’s cold smile deepened.
“The Nine-tailed Fox is an auspicious beast just like the Dragon, Phoenix and Qilin. The Nine-tailed Fox is said to be a guardian deity to the Imperial family, but it is also said to be a beast that brings bad luck because it encourages revolution when a less than virtuous emperor reigns.”
His voice and expression was the coldest she had ever seen. He looked like a proud warrior who was on a mission.
“I’m the head of the Dark Perfumers. The head of the Dark Perfumers have been granted the Nine-tailed Fox title of darkness for generations. I have concluded that the current Emperor is not virtuous. So, I have decided to start a revolution as stated by my title in order to create a new kingdom with my own hands.”
“Revolution…? I think His Majesty is a wonderful man. What do you mean by not virtuous?”
“In simpler terms, it means that he’s not worthy of being the Emperor. The duty of the Nine-tailed Fox is to abolish unworthy emperors and create a revolution. Riri, I’ll tell you something good. We were originally an assassination squad commanded by the Emperor. But the Emperor abandoned us after one failure…!”
His last words sounded like a blood-curdling scream.
“Assassination squad…?”
She suddenly remembered her conversation with Kousho about the Dark Perfumers. When she had asked why the Dark Perfumers had wanted to assassinate the Emperor, he told her that it was none of her business and told her nothing. She wondered if he knew that they were an assassination squad directly commanded by the Emperor.
(I can’t believe that the Emperor had an assassination squad under his command, and that Mokuren belongs to that squad…)
When Riri stared at Mokuren with her eyes wide open, he smiled.
“It’s only normal for you not to know about the Dark Perfumers since you’ve lived a normal life. We were ordered by the Emperor to assassinate political leaders and important targets from enemy kingdoms, and yet he abandoned us after one failed assassination attempt. But I’m sure you can understand what we went through when we were thrown out of court.”
She was surprised by his words.
(I also had a horrible life after Father was expelled from Court for failing to mix the treasured incense. I couldn’t even buy food to eat. I wouldn’t even be here now if Mokuren hadn’t helped.)
Riri looked down and Mokuren gave her a small nod with a gentle expression on his face.
“When I first saw you, I was reminded of myself as a child when I had first been expelled from court… There’s no way that we, who have been living in the underworld, can blend into society that easily. There were many who grew resentful of the Emperor for abandoning us. And I, who has inherited the title of the Nine-tailed Fox from my father, and became the head of the Dark perfumers, survived to punish the Emperor for being unvirtuous.”
His voice was quiet and gentle as if he was telling her a bedtime story even though he was talking about something absurd. She shook her head because she couldn’t believe what he was saying.
“The Mokuren I know isn’t a person like that. He’s the person who taught me how to make incenses…”
“I got close to you to learn how to make the treasured incense that is somewhere deep in your memory.”
Riri was stunned by his unexpected words.
“Saido definitely made the treasured incense. The power of the treasured incense can be used to repel any enemy… Riri, what kind of incense has such a strong power? You already know, don’t you?”
He sounded like he was testing her. The treasured incense is a national secret, but as the head of the Department of Incenses, Mokuren knew what kind of incense it is.
“The effect of the treasured incense is…”
It took her a lot of courage to say this out loud, but she had made up her mind.
She felt as if she couldn’t hesitate if she wanted to know Mokuren’s true intentions.
“It’s an incense that manipulates memory.”
She declared as she looked at him straight in the eyes, and Mokuren nodded while looking at her as if he was a teacher looking at an excellent student.
“That’s right. I knew you could do it, Riri. But that’s strange. How do you know this? You told His Majesty that you made an incense that was close to the treasured incense.”
“I made an incense that erases memories. Ryouka tried my completed incense three days before the perfumers meeting. She fainted in my room, and she woke up after a while. Then, she looked at me and asked, ‘Who are you?’”
On that day, Ryouka looked at her as if she had just met her. Riri had asked her a lot of questions and realised that Ryouka had lost a month’s worth of memories. Riri had ventilated the room quickly, so Ryouka regained all her memories the next day, but if she had properly inhaled the incense, then she wouldn’t have been able to recover her memories.
“I think there are two kinds of treasured incenses. The first erases memories and the second regains the memories that were erased. Once these two incenses are combined, then it becomes the treasured incense. But I could only make the incense that erases memories.”
She couldn’t say she had completed the treasured incense when she only had a part of it.
Therefore, she had asked the Emperor for more time to prepare the incense that retrieved lost memories.
“I see, so it’s like that? … Riri, I’ll tell you something else. Saido made the treasured incense, and the first person he tried it on was his own daughter. He used the treasured incense to erase his daughter’s memory to keep her out of danger because she used her keen sense of smell to help him through the whole process of creating it.”
When she heard that much, she felt something drop in her heart.
“I had always thought that it was strange how my memories of Father were so vague. I get a terrible headache when I try to remember him. He couldn’t have…”
“He did. Your memories have been partially erased by the treasured incense. Like you said, when you have both the incense that can erase memories and the incense that can return those memories, you get the treasured incense… The effects are wonderful. It can be an incredibly powerful weapon depending on how you use it.”
Mokuren closed his mouth once and looked at Riri intently.
“This isn’t known to the public, but hundreds of years ago, Shinzui invaded an enemy nation and was driven into a corner. At that time, a perfumer made the treasured incense to manipulate the enemy’s General’s memories, so that they will fight for Shinzui, leading the kingdom into victory.”
Riri had never heard this before. She widened her eyes and Mokuren continued his story.
“If there is a perfumer who can use the treasured incense, then no matter how many or how strong the enemy is, they can’t be defeated. If the treasured incense is used to manipulate the memories of the enemy’s general, then they will no longer be enemies. Indeed, the treasured incense is a powerful incense that can repel any enemy, and it is also a formidable weapon. It will protect our kingdom more so than sharp blades or steel armours.”
She knew Mokuren was right. She shuddered when she thought about how terrifying the treasured incense was.
“That perfumer was recognised for his achievements and given the Qilin title. However, he said that the treasured incense can be a dangerous thing depending on how it is used, so he didn’t tell anyone the recipe. When he died, there was no one left who could make the treasured incense. Riri, we the Dark Perfumers, want to complete the treasured incense and use it to create a new world. So, I have a proposal for you.”
Mokuren smiled. It was the same gentle smile she always saw on him.
“Why don’t you join us?”
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard him ask. She gulped in surprise.
“What did you say…? Why me?”
“We are trying to dethrone the Emperor to create our own kingdom. We will enthrone a virtuous Emperor to create a fair and just kingdom. When the revolution happens, we will create a kingdom where no one will be discriminated against just because they’re a woman. Isn’t this your ideal world?”
She couldn’t hide her confusion, and Mokuren held out his right hand.
“If you take my hand and join me, then I will create a world where your dream of becoming a perfumer will come true. Women are not allowed to take the national examination. So, you will never fulfil your dream and become a perfumer. I will change this ridiculous kingdom. Your dream will come true if you join me.”
It was a sweet temptation from Mokuren, who she trusted and respected more than anyone else.
(A kingdom where even a woman can take the national examination and become a perfumer…)
That was the kind of kingdom she had been dreaming of. Women in this kingdom aren’t even allowed to try and take the exam.
Hisui had said that as a noble woman, she had been taught that marrying a virtuous man was a woman’s happiness. She also said that she had always hated being told that. If she joined Mokuren, then they might be able to create a kingdom where everyone can freely choose their own future, regardless of their gender. She even thought it was a great thing.
“――― No.”
She bit her lip and held back the urge to take Mokuren’s hand. Mokuren frowned a little.
“I want to create a kingdom like that. But you’re wrong in trying to assassinate the Emperor and causing a revolution.”
His voice and face were firm. She looked at Mokuren with strong determination.
“Riri, the world won’t change if you say naïve things like that. We need to create a wind of change in order to change the world. There may be a big storm, but we will blow everything away and rebuild the kingdom from scratch.”
“But I’m against a revolution that will spill blood. We can change the kingdom even without doing that!”
“How?”
He asked her coldly. She thought about a lot of things when she entered the palace, and something had been on her mind.
“I will complete the treasured incense and receive the title of Qilin to become a master perfumer. The Master Perfumer, along with the Emperor, plays a central role in the politics of this Kingdom. This Kingdom will definitely change when I become a master perfumer, because there will be a woman among the three who hold the auspicious beast titles.”
Mokuren widened his eyes slightly, but he soon chuckled.
“But you couldn’t complete the treasured incense even after coming to the palace. Truthfully, I told you about the perfumers meeting because I wanted you to awaken the incense recipe that laid sleeping in your memories. I knew that you would want to participate in it. It was all part of my plan to guide you and get you into the palace.”
She remembered what Mokuren was like when he came to her house and told her about the perfumers meeting.
She felt a shiver run down her spine when she thought that his plan had already started from that moment.
“I thought that you would remember something if you were in the palace where Saido made his incenses. The reason why I sought you out after you were expelled from the palace was because you were the only person who could remember how to make the treasured incense. But you’ve completely forgotten about it.”
Mokuren’s voice was mixed with sighs.
“I taught you how to mix incenses in hopes that it would help you regain your memories. I was going to tell you the truth, but I heard that forcing you to recall the memories that were erased by the treasured incense could confuse you and cause you physical and mental shock, and in the worst case, it could lead to your death. If that were to happen, then the method of making the treasured incense would remain unknown forever. That’s why I took my time.”
“No way. You taught me how to make incenses, so that I can live on my own…”
He saved her life. She had always thought he had. However, Mokuren snorted like he was looking down on her.
“No. I only approached you and showed you kindness to get to your ‘memory’. I was going to pretend that I had made the treasured incense, become the Qilin and enter the centre of politics. That was my first plan to change this Kingdom.”
Mokuren paused for a moment, then sighed.
“But you couldn’t remember no matter how many years passed, and I couldn’t wait anymore. I invited you to the palace, so that you would participate in the perfumers meeting. Yet, you still couldn’t remember how to make it. I was disappointed.”
Mokuren’s words, who she looked up to as a teacher, had a strong impact on her.
“Why are you saying…”
“Because it’s the truth. It was a gamble for me to see if you could recreate the treasured incense before the perfumers meeting. But you couldn’t. That’s why I took direct action and tried to assassinate the Emperor.”
Mokuren folded his arms and looked troubled.
“My comrades were going to take advantage of the chaos when the Emperor died to invade the palace. But the Emperor is still alive… I really wanted you to join me. The kingdom I’m trying to build is for people like you who are talented but oppressed. We’re going to abolish distinctions between nobles and commoners, Emperor and subjects, men and women, and create a world of equality.”
“I would like the world to be like that. But I don’t think such a world should be created by assassinating the Emperor or by plundering it after a battle.”
“You won’t get what you want if you don’t fight.”
She almost agreed with what Mokuren said. But she shook her head.
“I can’t agree with the way the Dark Perfumers do things. Even if our goals are the same, our methods are different. I won’t help you!”
She declared and Mokuren looked down.
“Alright. It seems like we can’t agree. I hoped you would have agreed with me.”
Mokuren held up his right hand, at the same time, there was a clunking sound behind him. Riri quickly turned around and let out a scream. A group of men dressed in black were standing in the garden facing the corridor before she knew it.
“A good number of my people have infiltrated the palace. Since you said you’ve perfected the incense that erases memories, then I’ll have you tell me how to make it, Riri.”
Mokuren smiled a little. He wasn’t the same person who she knew anymore.
“I won’t tell you! I know you’re going to abuse the incense’s power!”
“There are many ways to get you to talk. I’ve known you since you were a child, so I feel bad for torturing you. I’ll have you smell the confessing incense. You failed to make it, but I’ve already perfected it. My incense is so good that it’ll make you tell me everything even if you hate it.”
(This is bad…! I’ll really be forced to tell him how to make the treasured incense if I don’t do anything. I have to run away!)
There are men in the garden. Riri remembered that there was a gate at the end of the corridor to her right, so she turned her body. But she was stopped before she could start running. There were several men dressed in black standing there as well. She quickly turned around behind her, but there were enemies there as well. Mokuren grabbed her arm as she was surrounded by around 20 men.
“Don’t resist, Riri. I don’t want to hurt you.”
His voice was gentle, but she could tell that he wasn’t going to show her any mercy if she didn’t listen to him.
“――― I won’t tell you how to make the treasured incense!”
She shook off his arm. She glared at him for the first time in her life. He looked sad for a moment.
“… Too bad, Riri. I’m going to have to be a little rough if you’re going to be like that. ――― Get her.”
His last words were directed at the men around them. Riri was scared out of her mind, but she looked up and stared at them. She didn’t want to give in. One of the men rushed over and reached for her.
“Kyaaaa!”
She shouted, crouched down and froze.
“Argh!”
She heard a groan from the man above her. She looked up timidly and saw that the man had fallen down.
A large spear had fallen next to the unconscious man.
“Are you alright, Riri!?”
Kousho and Garan came running down the corridor. The two of them ran up to her and stood behind her to protect her.
“You idiot! Why did you rush out on your own!?”
Kousho screamed angrily, but she was glad to hear his voice.
“Have you come to save me…?!”
Her voice was shaking and Kousho snorted.
“I came because I won’t be able to sleep at night… Mokuren. What is the meaning of this?”
Mokuren smiled thinly while glaring at Kousho.
“Why are you asking that now? You thought I was suspicious from the beginning and had the General over there investigate me. Isn’t that why you came to the Department of Incenses to look for Riri?”
Garan picked up the spear that he had thrown at the man, then he looked at Mokuren.
“Kousho-sama was aware that Dark Perfumers had entered the Department of Incenses. Both Kousho-sama and I thought you were suspicious. But, Riri seems to trust you, and I almost believed that you had nothing to do with the Dark Perfumers too. And yet…”
Garan looked disgusted and Mokuren smiled.
“I see… Speaking of which, there’s something I wanted to ask the both of you. Wasn’t the perfumers meeting also a way to determine who was a part of the Dark Perfumers?”
Mokuren asked sharply and Kousho nodded slightly.
“I knew that the Dark Perfumers were after the treasured incense. The Dark Perfumers who have infiltrated the Department of Incenses will definitely take action if we planned a grand perfumers meeting. I figured I’d catch them once they reveal their true colours.”
“I see. Well then, you’ve half-succeeded and half-failed. You figured out that I’m part of the Dark Perfumers, but you put the Emperor in danger. It must have been humiliating for you.”
Kousho smiled complacently.
“But the Emperor isn’t dead. I’ve basically succeeded if I can catch you. ――― Brace yourself.”
Kousho drew the sword on his waist. The other men also drew their swords.
“Kill them!”
Mokuren’s cold voice signalled the battle.
There were about 20 men dressed in black, but Kousho and Garan had the upper hand. Kousho, who was slashing at his enemies with a sword, and Garan, who was swinging his spear at the enemies, looked as if they were dancing. Riri was captivated by their elegant movements, but she was startled when she noticed that an enemy had fallen down next to her.
“Get closer to the wall! It’s dangerous!”
Kousho yelled and she ran to the wall. It was vexing, but there was nothing she could do now.
She suddenly noticed something at the corner of her eyes as she watched the two defeat one enemy after the other.
“That’s…!”
Mokuren was trying to do something with the small incense burner in his palm.
She rushed at him when she remembered that Dark Perfumers used poisonous incenses.
“Nooo!”
She tried to jump on him, but he quickly dodged. She didn’t give up and regained her posture.
“Give up. More people are just going to get injured at this rate. A perfumer’s job is to heal people.”
“We, Dark Perfumers, specialise in using poisonous incenses. Our goal when using incenses is completely different from that of a normal perfumer. The Emperor forced us to do this kind of work, but he abandoned us after we failed once. Don’t you think that’s horrible?”
“Wait! You’re wrong.”
Kousho repelled the enemy’s sword and rushed over to Mokuren and Riri. Then, he stood in front of Riri as if to protect her.
“What am I wrong about?”
“Father was worried about you assassins. He wanted you to find a new way of life, so he disbanded the Dark Perfumers. He never abandoned you!”
Mokuren’s expression didn’t change.
“Do you know what it’s like to live and train as an assassination and then suddenly be told one day that we are done?”
“The way he handled it might have been rough. But Father said he felt sorry for you Dark Perfumers who he had inherited from my great grandfather. He wanted you all to leave the palace and live in the light of day.”
“Then tell this to the Emperor. We’re proud to be a group of assassins. We didn’t lead a life that needed to be pitied. ――― I, the head of the Dark Perfumers, am the Nine-tailed Fox. I have concluded that the current Emperor is not virtuous. I will follow my title and start a revolution to change this kingdom.”
Mokuren paused and looked at Kousho sharply.
“――― This is a declaration of war.”
Riri knew that Mokuren wouldn’t change his mind with those words. But she still spoke, hoping for a ray of hope.
“Let me ask you something. Did you really look after me to get the treasured incense?”
Mokuren’s expression clouded for a moment at her sudden question.
“That’s right. I have no feelings for you. That’s why I made it seem like you tried to assassinate the Emperor.”
She remembered what had happened at the perfumers meeting. The Emperor had certainly collapsed after he had smelled the incense she had made.
But there were a few things that didn’t add up.
“You’re lying. His Majesty was the one who decided that I would make an incense then. You stole the incense container from Kousho-sama with the intention of framing him for the crime. You planted a poisonous incense in the container and hid it in the crafting chair. But I had lit an incense and when His Majesty smelled that he collapsed. That’s why people thought I had tried to assassinate the Emperor… You didn’t mean to frame me.”
Mokuren is the head of the Dark Perfumers. She couldn’t accept his principles or position.
But she wanted to believe that his smiling face while he was looking after her wasn’t a lie.
“I know that you’re a kind person. Ryouka was also grateful that your incense helped her mother recover from her long illness. If you entered the palace just to start a revolution, then you wouldn’t have done such a thing, but you helped her mother.”
Maybe he couldn’t abandon someone who was suffering as a perfumer.
He is a teacher worthy of respect.
“I can’t believe that you tried to trick me. You didn’t expect to get caught. You might have let it slip on purpose that you knew that the incense container belongs to Kousho-sama…”
Mokuren looked down and shook his head.
“You’re wrong. You’ll get hurt if you trust me too much.”
His voice sounded rather weak. She owed Mokuren a lot. When she started living downtown with her mother, she didn’t have enough food to eat and couldn’t buy medicine for her mother. She was hungry but forced herself to smile as not to worry her mother. When Mokuren first saw her like that, he told her that it was alright to cry if she was in pain.
She was so happy to hear him say that, that she cried out loud. Mokuren is a kind person who thinks about other people’s feelings.
“I believe you. I believe that you weren’t trying to trick me or hurt me. If you wanted the treasured incense, then there must have been a more forceful way to make me remember. But that would have been dangerous, so you took your time. ――― Is this incident really something you planned?”
She told him about the uncomfortable feeling that had been bugging her for a long time. Mokuren is easy-going, but thoughtful.
She felt that assassinating the Emperor and storming the palace with his comrades wasn’t his way of doing things.
Mokuren might have reasons for doing what he’s doing that she didn’t know about. She couldn’t resent him when she thought that. Mokuren pondered for a while, then finally looked up.
“It doesn’t matter who planned it. The incident this time is to show our determination. We are going to rebel against the Emperor. ――― We, Dark Perfumers, will definitely reform this kingdom. We will do whatever it takes to make this happen. But many things went wrong with our plans this time. We will start over again.”
Mokuren lit the incense burner in his hand with a torch that was hanging in the corridor.
“Riri, I wanted you to come with me. This kingdom won’t change no matter how hard you work. I could have made your dreams come true if you had come with me.”
Mokuren stopped talking and he had an extremely stern expression on his face.
“The next time we meet, we’ll be enemies. I won’t show you any mercy next time.”
A large amount of smoke rose at once from the incense burner, and Mokuren threw it at them.
“Then, goodbye.”
His smile was hidden by the smoke.
“Wait!”
Kousho tried to go after him, but the black men blocked his path. While he was crossing swords with a man, the smoke was blown away by the wind. When the smoke completely dissipated, Mokuren was nowhere to be found.
Despite there being 20 men, Kousho and Garan overpowered them all.
Riri couldn’t help but cover her mouth when she saw the men on the floor.
“Are they alive? Are they okay?”
Her reason for living was healing people. Even if this was a righteous battle, it was hard to see people get hurt. Garan rushed up to her with his spearhead pointed at the ground.
“Don’t worry. They’re alive. These guys are leads. They probably work for the Dark Perfumers, so we’ll round them up and make them spit out everything they know.”
Kousho sheathed his sword and looked stern.
“No, these guys probably don’t know much. That’s why Mokuren left them behind. But, let’s interrogate them at the army’s base camp just to be safe. Garan, go get someone.”
Garan bowed and then ran down the corridor. She watched him go and Kousho turned towards her.
“Are you alright, Riri?”
He had an unusually worried expression on his face.
“Yes. Somehow.”
“I see… You idiot! Why didn’t you just stay in one place? Do you know how long I looked for you?!”
Kousho had only looked worried for a second before he started yelling angrily.
(Hya…! Scary…! But he’s angry because he was really worried about me.)
She shivered and Kousho sighed loudly. He then smiled slightly and put his hand on her head.
“Well, alright. I’ll leave it at that since you’re safe.”
The head that was patting her head was warm, and the man, who usually acted arrogant, looked incredibly gentle. It was so unlike him that she couldn’t help but blink.
When she stared at him seriously, he suddenly looked embarrassed and withdrew his hand.
Then he stared at the room that was used by the head of the Department of Incenses for generations.
“I noticed that the Dark Perfumers had infiltrated the palace, and although I had suspected Mokuren to be one, I had my doubts. And yet… How did he infiltrate the Department of Incenses when we confirm everyone’s identity?”
Kousho looked dubious. He sighed then looked back at her.
“There’s something I need to tell you. It’s about your father. Did you hear how he died?”
She tilted her head curiously at Kousho’s seriousness.
“Father? I heard he died in an accident.”
“Who told you that?”
She jogged her memory when asked this but couldn’t remember who had told her.
“… Probably Mother.”
She didn’t remember much about the time when her father passed away. He must have had a funeral, but she couldn’t remember it.
“You remembered it wrong. I heard that when you burn the incense to erase memories, you remember the words that are whispered around you as if they were true. In other words, it can alter your memories.”
Riri widened her eyes in surprise and Kousho continued.
“Saido actually died fighting against a Dark Perfumer who had sneaked into the palace to steal the treasured incense. And ――― you were there.”
She gulped and couldn’t breathe. She repeated the words that Kousho had just said over and over in her mind.
(I was there when Father died. I was there…?)
She couldn’t remember no matter how much she thought about it, but she didn’t believe that Kousho was lying.
“I can’t tell you exactly what happened because that would force you to remember. If I force you to remember, then you would get confused and can be in danger. You could even die from it.”
That was what Mokuren had said. She felt a chill run down her spine as she imagined herself in such a state.
“The Dark Perfumers are a national secret. We can’t let the people know that the Emperor has an assassination squad. Therefore, we couldn’t let the public know that Saido died while fighting the Dark Perfumers. Your mother disappeared with you because she was afraid you would be targeted since you watched Saido make the treasured incense.”
Riri now understood why they had lived downtown. She always thought it was strange. She was told that her father passed away, but she didn’t remember anything about that time, and she didn’t remember leaving her house.
She only remembered being downtown and comforting her mother as she cried.
“We wanted to do something for you and your mother, so we looked for you.”
Kousho straightened his posture, then bowed his head with a serious look in his eyes.
“I hereby formally apologise. Your father, Ou Saido, was an excellent perfumer. He recreated the treasured incense and died protecting its secrets. However, neither the secret of his death nor the secret of the treasured incense can be made public. Therefore, you guys have suffered because of this.”
She never imagined that the arrogant Kousho would apologise. He was bowing deeply, and she didn’t know how to reply. She was shocked by the truth of her father’s death. Kousho looked up.
“I just got word that my father is awake. He said he wants to see you. Can you go see him?”
Kousho held out his hand for her. She was still confused but nodded.
“I’ll go. I also want to talk to His Majesty.”
She took his hand. The large, bony hands of a man were more reliable than anything else in this situation.
Several doctors were busy standing around and working in the Emperor’s bedchamber.
The Emperor was sitting on his bed, and when Riri and Kousho entered the room, he turned his head towards them and smiled.
“You’re here. Come here.”
Kousho dismissed the surrounding doctors. After a short while, it was just Kousho, the Emperor and Riri left in the room. When she looked up from her kneeling position by the bed, the Emperor’s face was pale.
“Father. The Dark Perfumer who had infiltrated the palace was Mokuren. He said he is the current head of the Dark Perfumers.”
Kousho summed up what had happened earlier and reported this to the Emperor who sighed when he had finished listening.
“The Nine-tailed Fox has appeared? He has concluded that I am an unvirtuous Emperor. The Nine-tailed Fox indicated that he wants to start a revolution. They’ll try again.”
The stern expression on his face was that of an Emperor’s. Riri almost shuddered from fear and awe.
“Riri, you were quick to uncover the truth. Above all else, your father died to protect the treasured incense. I’ve always wanted to honour him for his service, but I couldn’t do so publicly. You and your mother have also been missing for so long that I haven’t been able to do anything to honour him.”
The Emperor’s eyes were gentle, and then she noticed that there was regret hidden behind his eyes.
“One of the regrets I have as an Emperor is that I had to hide the fact that Saido lost his life protecting the treasured incense.”
The Emperor’s words were filled with sadness, regret and various other emotions.
“I predicted that you and your mother would be targeted had I made the success of the treasured incense public. I did what I had to do to protect you, but I still regret what I did. I’m sorry.”
The Emperor gently touched her cheek. His hands were wrinkled but strong. Knowing that there was someone here who recognised her father’s efforts brought tears to her eyes. Kousho turned towards the Emperor and bowed.
“Father. I have a proposal. I will take over the throne in a year’s time. The kingdom I’m aiming to build is one where talented people can flourish regardless of their status or gender.”
This was the first time Riri had heard what was on Kousho’s mind. The Emperor sighed.
“A kingdom where talented people can flourish… It is certainly an ideal kingdom, but it would be difficult to actualise that in our kingdom.”
“I know. The national examination needed to obtain qualifications granted by the kingdom, as well as the imperial examination to become an official can only be taken by men. Also, only nobles can take the imperial examination. It will take a lot of effort to change this system. However, there is a person who has the potential to make the old system vanish.”
The Emperor’s eyes were stern, but he also seemed as if he was looking at something interesting.
“Who is that?”
“It’s Riri.”
Kousho looked at Riri. She was shocked to see his greyish-brown eyes stare at her.
“If Riri can make the treasured incense and become a master perfumer, then this kingdom will surely change. Because the Qilin, the auspicious beast who holds a benevolent heart, will be a woman. If she receives the Qilin title, then she will be my right-hand woman in politics. I will be able to show the world that women and people of low statuses can be excellent talents as well.”
That was the same dream that she had told Mokuren. Her heart was filled with excitement as soon as she heard this.
Mokuren said he would kill the Emperor and start a revolution. His dream of an equal kingdom where there was no distinction between men and women, or statuses, was her dream kingdom as well. But she didn’t want to create this by shedding blood.
She wanted to prove that it was possible to change the kingdom without making sacrifices.
(Mokuren won’t stop his revolution no matter what I say. But I can bring about a new wind to this Kingdom if I make the treasured incense and become a master perfumer. If I can prove that revolution is possible without sacrifice… then would the Nine-tailed Fox return to his original position of protecting the royal family?)
She knew it would be difficult, but she believed that this was the only thing she could do to stop Mokuren.
(Mokuren… you saved my life. You came to visit when Mother and I were shivering from the cold in the downtown terrace houses and had nothing to eat. I can’t hate you no matter who you are…)
She owed him a lot and had some important memories with him. She wanted to rescue him from the vortex of revenge. And more than anything, she wanted to make the treasured incense and restore her father’s honour.
“Please let me do it. I’m not a perfumer but I watched my father mix incenses. My memory of that time is vague since it was erased by the treasured incense. However, my olfaction still remembers how the incense was prepared even if my memories have been erased. As proof of this, I was able to recreate one of the treasured incenses, the ‘Memory Erasing Incense’.”
She looked up and saw that the Emperor was thinking.
“If I have the time and materials, then I can make the other treasured incense, the ‘Memory Restoring Incense’. I’d like to use it to regain my memories and remember what had happened when Father died.”
The memory of watching her father die must have been gruesome, so she was scared to remember it.
But her desire to know the truth was stronger. Most importantly, it was painful to only be able to remember her father’s face vaguely. She wanted to use the Memory Restoring Incense to regain her memories of her father.
She pleaded with all her heart and the Kousho turned stern.
“Riri, this is a dangerous path. You will be risking your life. There are many people who think that women shouldn’t be appointed official positions. The fierce ones may even try to kill you to get you out of the palace.”
She felt anxious when she thought about it. Kousho’s words weren’t a threat. If she stayed in the palace to make the treasured incense, then what he had just said would happen in the near future. But she kept strong.
“I’m aware of the risks. But still, please let me do it. I want to become a master perfumer, earn the Qilin title and become a person who can protect this Kingdom with a benevolent heart. I want to work together with Kousho-sama and General Garan to continue to maintain the peace of this Kingdom. I’ll prove that even a woman can do this.”
Riri suddenly remembered Hisui. She was certain that Hisui also had a dream that she hid deeply within her heart.
She wanted the world to change into a place where Hisui could openly talk about her dreams. The Emperor chuckled.
“You really are Saido’s daughter. Saido also acted strongly to achieve his goals… I understand your feelings. If the next Emperor, Kousho, wants to create such a world, then so be it. I’m already old. My aides told me that I will still have the right to make decisions even if I hand over the throne to Kousho, but I’ve had enough.”
The Emperor raised his eyebrow in annoyance.
“You are allowed to make the treasured incense, Riri, but there is a problem. It is not easy to change the imperial system. It would be unwise to let Riri make the treasured incense at the Department of Incenses since she is not a perfumer. People will look down on you and criticise you.”
Riri believed that as well. She glanced at Kousho.
“I always thought about that. The Dark Perfumers are after the treasured incenses and others might attack her for her memories of her father if they find out that she is making the treasured incense. So, why don’t we let her secretly make the treasured incense at the Beautiful Flower Palace instead of the Department of Incenses?”
The Emperor slightly widened his eyes. He pondered for a moment, then gave a small nod.
“That might be a good idea. It will be less dangerous if you remain as a talented person in Kousho’s inner palace and mix the incense in secret. The Beautiful Flower Palace is a place where men aren’t allowed to enter and it’s heavily guarded. I’ll make sure you have everything you need, so what do you think about this, Riri?”
She had mixed feelings about this. The Department of Incenses was equipped with the tools she needed and there were other perfumers there, so she could get help from them.
(But His Majesty has a point. I’m not an official perfumer, so I can’t impose on the Department of Incenses. It would be better for me to keep it a secret that I’m making the treasured incense.)
“I understand. I will do my best.”
The Emperor nodded in satisfaction as she made up her mind.
“One more thing. Kousho will inherit the throne in a year’s time, so I want you to complete the treasured incense by then. When Kousho becomes Emperor, I want to reassure the people, who are growing anxious about the threat from the neighbouring kingdom, by letting them know that we have gathered three people with auspicious titles and have completed the treasured incense. Riri, if you can complete the treasured incense by next year, then I will acknowledge you as a Master Perfumer and bestow you the Qilin title. Can you do it?”
The Emperor turned his sharp gaze at Riri, and she suddenly lost her nerves. What will happen to her if she doesn’t succeed?
What if she gets attacked by an enemy who wants the treasured incense? What if I’m interrupted by those who don’t like women working in court?
The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She felt something soft and warm on her back.
“It’s alright. Run towards your dream. ――― I’ll protect you.”
The anxiety that had been occupying her mind was blown away by his strong words. She turned towards the Emperor as if pushed by Kousho’s words.
“I will definitely make the treasured incense within a year!”
Her voice which was full of resolution echoed in the room.
『Mokuren! I want you to have this incense. I mixed it while thinking about how gentle you are and how safe I feel when I’m around you. I can’t afford expensive materials, but I wanted to thank you for teaching me how to make incenses.』
Mokuren recalled the time when Riri shyly gave him the bag of scented incense three years ago. For some reason, Riri always failed when she tried to make her own incenses. But as far as he knew, this was the first incense that she had been able to make something original properly. The thought of her working so hard just to give him a gift made him feel bittersweet; a feeling he had never felt before in his life.
On one hand, he was happy, but on the other, it was the moment when he first felt bad about deceiving her.
“Mokuren. You seem pretty calm for someone who has failed.”
As Mokuren sat in his chair and reminisced about the past, he looked up at the voice of the person who had appeared before him.
“I didn’t fail. I just had a slight change of plans. I should have known better than anyone how amazing Riri’s olfaction is, but I let my guard down.”
He had been amazed by how incredible her sense of smell was from the moment he met her. It was a pleasure to teach her how to make incenses and watch her skills improve.
“Riri was it? I told you to get rid of her if she didn’t remember how to make the treasured incense, but you insisted that she would remember and kept a close watch on her. It’s your fault that the plan has failed. How do you plan on taking responsibility for this?”
Mokuren clenched his fists at the man’s cold words. However, his expression remained the same and he spoke calmly.
“It’s better to keep her alive. In the past, I heard from Saido that the treasured incense isn’t meant to completely erase memories, but to seal and bury them in the depths of the mind. It’s a one in a million possibility, but I thought it would be possible to trigger her memories and bring them back without using the Memory Restoring Incense.”
He was careful not to sound desperate, both in his tone and in his attitude.
“That was Saido’s personal opinion, so I can’t say that is the truth. However, even though Riri’s past memories have been sealed by the treasured incense, she relied on her sense of smell to recreate the Memory Erasing Incense. She might remember how to make the Memory Restoring Incense if something triggers her memories.”
The man, who was listening with his hand on his chin, chuckled.
“But if she perfects the Memory Restoring Incense and uses it, then won’t you be the person who will be most troubled by her remembering? Riri doesn’t remember, does she know that you…”
“Shut up.”
Mokuren glared at the man and spoke in a low voice, then the man quickly shut his mouth.
“Oh right. I promised to keep it a secret. Alright, I won’t say anything else. You don’t have to get that angry… Mokuren, if you want to keep her alive, then you should make sure that she doesn’t interfere with us anymore.”
“I know. I’m the Nine-Tailed Fox, and from the moment I received that title, I vowed to start a revolution to protect the weak people of this kingdom. I’ve thought about our next move.”
He stared at the man and raised his voice in determination.
“We, the Dark Perfumers, will create a new kingdom. We won’t show any mercy on those who oppose us, even if it’s Riri.”
He was certain that there was no hesitation in his voice, but the image of Riri smiling flashed through his mind and his chest tightened in pain.