Riri prepared the incense that would be burnt at the banquet for the Elegant Incense Gathering in such a way that it wouldn’t intrude on the smell of the food and yet still be impactful.
She smiled in satisfaction at the fragrance that she had created over the last 10 days.
“This will work. The incense that will be burnt at the banquet is just something to supplement the atmosphere. I want the guests to be able to enjoy the other scents that will waft through the air during the banquet too.”
She put the incense that she had finished in front of her, then she took a deep breath and looked around.
This was the Fragrance Princess Palace which was said to have been used by the master perfumer who had saved Shinzui hundreds of years ago. Riri had originally lived in the Beautiful Flower Palace, but unpleasant aromas would come out from her room when she made incenses sometimes, and the consorts living in the rooms next to hers would often complain about the smell.
She tried her best in the Beauty Pageant to become one of the Four Consorts, so that she could have her own palace, but she had to withdraw from the competition due to various reasons.
While she was wondering how she could make incenses without being a nuisance, the Emperor arranged for her to live in the palace so that she could concentrate on making incenses after the incident that happened at the Beauty Pageant.
The palaces belonging to the Four Consorts were new, spacious and luxurious, but the Fragrance Princess Palace was small and quite old. But she was still proud to live here.
“Alright! I’ll have Hisui try this incense. I’m sure she’ll meet me this time!”
She wrapped the pastille in white paper and stood up.
She had been going to the Beautiful Flower Palace every day to ask to see Hisui for the past ten days, but she had been turned down because Hisui was busy, so she hadn’t been able to meet her.
She was sure Hisui was busy. It was customary to prepare the banquet three months in advance.
Hisui, who was in charge of preparing for the banquet, only had a month to do so, and must be spending every waking moment preparing for it.
“Still, it’s weird that she won’t see me…”
She was worried that Hisui might be avoiding her.
But she shook her head and dismissed that thought.
“No, she’s probably busy. She’ll meet me if I tell her that I’ve brought the incense for the banquet.”
As Riri left the room, Ryouka, who had been waiting in the corridor, stood up and followed her.
Normally, consorts weren’t allowed to leave the inner palace, but this wasn’t the case for consorts who have their own palaces.
She was allowed to go back and forth between the Beautiful Flower Palace and the Fragrance Princess Palace as long as she was accompanied by a guard or a court lady.
There were always two guards at the gate of the Fragrance Princess Palace.
One would stay behind to guard the Fragrance Princess Palace and one would accompany her when she went out.
After leaving the Fragrance Princess Palace, she walked with Ryouka and the guard for a while until they arrived at the gate of the Beautiful Flower Palace. The guard had to wait at the gate, so she parted ways with him and went through the gate with Ryouka. Then, she suddenly heard a voice.
“The food hasn’t been arranged yet?!”
It sounded like Hisui. She sounded upset, which was unusual for her calm self.
Riri rushed into the palace and went to the courtyard where she had heard the voice. There stood Hisui and several other consorts.
“I came up with the menu for the banquet and told you to pass it onto the kitchen, didn’t I?”
Hisui’s voice nearly made Juka, who was in charge of the banquet’s food, cry.
“That’s because… Ranran said something… to the consort who I asked to pass the message onto the kitchen staff.”
Her voice got quieter and quieter and eventually disappeared.
Hisui bit her lips slightly. Juka looked at Hisui with tears in her eyes.
“What should we do? We have to procure the ingredients but neither the menu nor the types of alcohol being served have been communicated to the kitchen staff. There are 20 days left until the banquet, and we are planning on using a lot of rare and expensive ingredients, so if we don’t start preparing them now, then I don’t know if we will be able to make everything…”
A voice suddenly came from the right as the two of them were talking seriously.
“Oh my, did something happen?”
Ranran was smiling at the entrance of the courtyard with a fan in one hand. She had about 10 consorts with her.
The triumphant Ranran was met with a furious Juka, whose face was flushed with anger.
“Ranran! What are you doing? You interfered with our communications with the kitchen!”
Juka drew closer to Ranran who scorned.
“Oh my, I didn’t do anything. What proof do you have that I did something like that?”
Juka was speechless. But she quickly regained her composure and spoke again.
“You were assigned to the dancing. But you haven’t been practicing at all. I heard you haven’t chosen the consorts who will be participating in the dance with you either. You didn’t even show up for the planning meeting. What on earth are you planning?”
Juka continued to ramble.
“Kousho-sama appointed us duties for the banquet. How dare you ignore that! Half the consorts in the Beautiful Flower Palace didn’t show up to the planning meeting because you ordered them not to go. The banquet will fail if this continues!”
Ranran laughed complacently.
“I’m doing everything properly in my own way. And it’s not my fault that the other consorts don’t obey Consort Hisui. It’s because she’s not popular with them.”
“Stop joking around! I know you’ve been telling everyone not to obey Consort Hisui.”
“Where’s your proof?”
Ranran stared at Juka harshly and Juka was speechless again.
Ranran turned her attention to Hisui.
“Juka is right, the banquet will fail at this rate. If that happens then it will be the fault of the person in charge. Everyone has a hard time when incompetent people are in charge. I could do better if I were in charge.”
Ranran snorted. Juka widened her eyes in surprise.
“The preparations aren’t going according to plan because you…”
“That’s enough.”
Hisui placed a hand on Juka’s shoulders.
“We’re not going to get anywhere arguing here. I will go directly to the kitchen and ask them to expedite as much food and alcohol as they can.”
Ranran looked vexed that Hisui was speaking so indifferently.
“It’s Consort Hisui’s fault that the banquet preparations aren’t going well. Reflect on your actions and step down from being in charge!”
“How dare you, Ranran!”
Juka lashed out but Hisui didn’t say anything.
Riri felt uncomfortable again when she saw that.
(Why isn’t Hisui saying anything even though Consort Ranran is saying weird things? … I wonder if it’s because of the words Consort Ranran uttered the other day?)
She had said it on the day she had approached Hisui to ask her to change the person in charge.
(Consort Ranran said ‘I’ll tell everyone about that’. Maybe Hisui has some kind of weakness and Ranran is threatening to expose it. I can understand why their relationship has changed so much if that is the case. But what could it be…? Huh?)
She suddenly noticed a girl who was standing diagonally behind Ranran.
It was Shoei, the Worthy Consort. Riri had never spoken to her before, but she thought that Shoei was petite and cute.
She was probably younger than Riri. She was quiet and didn’t stand out even though she was one of the Four Consorts.
She was originally a consort in the Hisui faction.
But Riri often saw her with Ranran after she had returned from Koran.
She was always standing behind Ranran and never said a word. She would stare at what was happening around her with a frightened expression on her face, so Riri believed that she may be too timid to say anything.
Shoei was looking at Ranran and Hisui nervously.
She opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn’t say anything in the end and shut her mouth. She repeated this motion many times. Then she looked down and bit her lip in frustration.
(Consort Shoei seems to be looking at Hisui with concern…)
Riri had no proof, but that was the impression she got when she looked at Shoei.
Ranran glared at Hisui.
“I can prepare the banquet much better than you. Consort Hisui, please think this through. If the person in charge is going to be replaced, then the sooner the better.”
Ranran turned away while laughing and Hisui quietly looked down.
Hisui turned towards Juka when Ranran and the other consorts were out of sight.
“Now, let’s go to the kitchen.”
Hisui left with the consorts like nothing had happened.
Riri crossed her arms in the empty courtyard.
“This is bad. The preparation for the banquet is stagnated. Kousho-sama had given everyone an order, so I hoped that Consort Ranran would help but…”
She bit her lip and Ryouka tilted her head in confusion.
“Why doesn’t Consort Hisui say anything? Everyone will change their minds if she just chides them…”
(Ryouka was right. Hisui not saying anything is making things worse. There must be a reason why she isn’t tough on Consort Ranran anymore. My guess is that Consort Ranran knows a weakness of Hisui’s. If only I knew what it was…)
“Hisui is a dear friend. I want to make the banquet a success for Kousho-sama too. To do that…”
Suddenly, a certain person came to her mind.
She believed that that person will be the one who will make a breakthrough.
Riri stepped into a small room at the back of the Beautiful Flower Palace.
“Wow, there are so many beautiful fabrics.”
This was the Beautiful Flower Palace’s sewing room. There were many fabrics and threads in this room and the consorts living in the inner palace were allowed to use the room freely. Many bright coloured fabrics were lined up on a large table and a girl was sewing a hanfu with a needle in her hand. The girl turned towards Riri and widened her eyes in surprise.
“Consort Riri… Why are you here?”
“Hello, Consort Shoei. I wanted to talk to you. I heard that you are always in this room.”
The Worthy Consort, Shoei, looked confused. Riri looked closer and saw that she had a small beauty spot around her eye.
Her black hair was tied up in a bun and there was a silver hairpin shining in her hair.
She was wearing a luxurious cross collared hanfu. It was yellow with small red flowers embroidered on it.
“Your hanfu is very nice. The patterns on your hanfu are oleander flowers, are they not?”
Shoei put a hand on her chest like she was panicking.
“Yes. I love this cute little flower so much that I embroidered it on my clothes…”
“What?! You embroidered that yourself!? Amazing! As expected of someone who was entrusted with the clothes and accessories for the banquet.”
Riri clapped her hands and Shoei turned bright red.
“Ah no… I heard that you’re good at making incenses, Consort Riri. Everyone uses the incenses you make, and I’ve always thought that was nice…”
Shoei stuttered from nervousness and looked down in embarrassment.
“Then shall I make some for you too, Consort Shoei? What fragrance do you like?”
“No, it’s such a waste for you to make one for me.”
“It’s not. His Majesty the Emperor has asked me to alleviate the worries of the consorts in Beautiful Flower Palace.”
Riri sat down next to Shoei and Shoei jumped up.
“Hmm… I can’t…”
“Did Ranran tell you not to talk to me?”
Shoei widened her eyes in surprise. Her silence was enough.
“So, she did. She asked me to join her faction before, but Consort Hisui stood up for me and she hasn’t talked to me since. I can’t talk to the other consorts around her either.”
“Th-then, I…”
Shoei tried to get up, but Riri grabbed her hand.
“Do you think it’s okay to keep things as they are?”
Riri could feel Shoei tremble.
“You were looking worriedly at Consort Hisui when she and Consort Ranran were talking, weren’t you? You were standing behind Consort Ranran, but you were looking at Consort Hisui. You seemed really worried about her.”
Shoei bit her lips and looked down.
“You were with Consort Hisui before I left for Koran. But then you changed to Consort Ranran’s side after I returned from Koran. What happened?”
“That’s because… Consort Ranran told me that it would be better for me to side with her. I couldn’t refuse when she was so assertive about it…”
Shoei probably had a certain amount of knowledge and knew etiquette since she was chosen as one of the Four Consorts.
She had determination since she had gained those skills, but she seemed timid.
“You couldn’t refuse Consort Ranran, so you sided with her, but you’re worried about Consort Hisui, aren’t you?”
Riri asked gently and Shoei’s eyes moved restlessly around the room, then a single tear fell from her eyes.
“… I didn’t think Consort Ranran would treat Consort Hisui so badly. I was with them when Consort Ranran first started treating Consort Hisui badly. And then, Consort Hisui’s followers called me an enemy. I don’t know what to do. And then…”
Shoei spoke in broken words as if her thoughts were overflowing.
Riri held her shoulder as she broke down in tears and slowly rubbed her back.
“You didn’t mean to hurt her, right? It’s alright. Please calm down. I want to help Consort Hisui so that the preparations for the banquet can proceed properly. I came to see you to see if you can help me with this.”
Shoei looked up in surprise.
“How can I be of any help? I’ve been too afraid of Consort Ranran to do anything. I don’t want to see the consorts fight among themselves, but I can’t do anything about it even if I want to. I can’t say anything in front of Consort Ranran… I’m such a weak person… I’m so pathetic…!”
Riri felt that Shoei was pitiful as she watched her sob. She was probably worried about this situation in her own way.
“Consort Ranran told me not to prepare for the banquet, but I’m secretly preparing the dance costumes here. This is the best I can do.”
Shoei covered her face with both her hands. Riri gently patted the shoulder of the sobbing Shoei.
“Consort Shoei, you are wishing for the success of the banquet, aren’t you? It’s not too late. Will you help me eliminate the conflict in Beautiful Flower Palace? If things continue the way they are, then the banquet will fail. If that happens then Consort Hisui will be held responsible for it. I want to help her. Please.”
Riri bowed her head and Shoei pondered for a while before turning her attention to Riri.
“Can I still be of help to the Beautiful Flower Palace and Consort Hisui even though I’m like this?”
“Of course. Will you do your best with me?”
Riri held out her right hand and Shoei timidly reached out to grab it, then she finally smiled.
Shoei always looked flustered and in distress, but Riri thought she was quite charming when she saw her smile up close for the first time.
“If I can be of help, then I’ll do anything.”
Riri nodded slowly at Shoei who declared this while trembling.
Riri visited the Noble Consort’s palace where Hisui resided. It was located near the Beautiful Flower Palace.
The brand-new building which smelled like Japanese cypress looked spacious and elegant.
The court lady guided Riri to a room at the back of the building.
The spacious room was neat and gave a calm impression.
The furniture in the room weren’t gaudy but each piece had a luxurious shine to them.
Hisui, who was sitting at the writing desk in the middle of the room, smiled.
“It’s been a while, Riri. I’m sorry that it’s been so long since we’ve met. I heard that the incense for the banquet is ready.”
Hisui looked at the court lady and motioned for her to leave.
Riri sat in front of Hisui and smiled when they were finally alone.
“Yes. I made a nice fragrance, so I wanted you to try it as soon as possible.”
“Oh, I’m looking forward to it. I wonder what kind of fragrance it will be.”
Her expression and tone were those of a person who was welcoming a friend.
But the ‘scent’ that was coming from her was a nervous one.
Riri noticed this scent and realised that the reason she had refused to meet Riri for the past 10 days was not because she was busy, but because she was avoiding her. That was sad.
Hisui had something she wanted to hide from Riri. She didn’t want Riri to find out, so she was pretending that nothing was wrong. So, it was painful for Riri to question her about it.
Still, Hisui will continue to suffer alone if she withdraws at this point.
She made up her mind to help Hisui.
“It’s this. I think I’ve made something really nice. Would you like to try it?”
Riri took out the pastille from the white paper and put it in the incense burner that she had brought with her.
She lit it up and soon white smoke began to rise from the incense burner.
“It smells nice. It’s perfect for the banquet.”
The nervous ‘scent’ coming from Hisui seemed to have eased perhaps because of the incense.
“… Hey, Hisui. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time. It’s about the recent events at the Beautiful Flower Palace.”
Riri boldly quarried, and Hisu’s expression immediately stiffened.
“Let’s talk about it some other time. I’m tired from preparing the banquet.”
Her voice was strained as well and most importantly, she was letting out a scent that told Riri that she was on her guard.
“No, Hisui. We won’t be able to talk about it next time. You’re going to suffer even more if things continue the way they are.”
Riri leaned towards Hisui.
“I consider you my friend, so I don’t want you to suffer. I want to help you somehow… Is Consort Ranran threatening you?”
Hisui’s mouth pursed when Riri cut straight to the point.
“She isn’t.”
“I know, Hisui. I know that Consort Ranran has gotten a hold of your weakness.”
That was what Shoei had told Riri. Apparently, she had heard Ranran tell her followers about it.
According to Shoei, Ranran had said, “I have Consort Hisui’s weakness, so she can’t disobey me. She’s in my way if I want to be Kousho-sama’s Empress. I’ll make sure she’s kicked out of the Beautiful Flower Palace.”
Hisui looked at Riri in surprise.
“That’s a lie.”
“It’s not. I knew that Consort Ranran had something on you, but I didn’t know what it was. Hisui, you can’t rebuke Consort Ranran because she’s threatening you, right?”
Hisui stayed quiet. Riri knew she would act like this.
She took a deep breath and firmly placed her hands on Hisui’s shoulders.
“Listen to me. The banquet is in 10 days, but the preparations haven’t progressed. We have to start arranging the food and alcohol and we don’t have enough people to practice the dance for the banquet. If any mishaps happen at the banquet where royalty from other nations will be present, then the responsibility will fall to Kousho-sama since he is the owner of Beautiful Flower Palace.”
Hisui looked down and bit her lip.
“You should know this best. There’s a high possibility that the banquet will fail if things continue the way they are. Hisui, you are the Noble Consort, the representative of Beautiful Flower Place. You should do your best for your husband [1], Kousho-sama.”
She chose harsh words. Hisui was stubborn for better or for worse.
Once she decided not to say something, she wouldn’t say it at all.
So, she had no choice but to shake Hisui’s strong sense of responsibility.
“And yet, you won’t say anything to Consort Ranran even though she’s getting in the way of preparations. If things continue the way they are now, then you, the consorts of the Beautiful Flower Palace and even Kousho-sama will be put in a very bad situation.”
Riri looked Hisui firmly in the eyes, then she spoke slowly and tried to use a gentle tone.
“I want to help you. Tell me what’s going on for Kousho-sama’s sake as well. I can’t tell you that I will solve the problem… but I’ll do what I can.”
Riri did her best to get her thoughts across.
Hisui continued to stare and seemed to be thinking about something.
“… I’m no match for you, Riri.”
Her voice seemed to have lost its power. Hisui corrected her posture and turned to face Riri.
“I’m sorry for not telling you about this, but I didn’t tell anyone since this isn’t just about me.”
Riri was relieved that Hisui finally understood how she felt.
“Consort Ranran does have a hold of a weakness for me. She actually has proof of my father’s wrongdoings.”
“What?! Your father the Chancellor?!”
Riri recalled the face of the Chancellor, Jin Koudoku. He was naggy and sometimes forceful in his desire to make Hisui Kousho’s wife, but the Emperor trusted him and he wasn’t a bad person. That was her impression of him.
“Yes. Ranran has proof that my father has received money illegally from one of the ministries. On a piece of paper with a Chinese bellflower on it, which only the Chancellor uses, was the amount of money he received and his signature. She showed it to me, and it was indeed my father’s handwriting.”
“No way… I can’t believe the Chancellor would do such a thing.”
Riri said honestly and Hisui nodded.
“I thought that too, so I asked my father about it directly. He told me he never received any money illegally. I’m not sure if he would tell me the truth since I’m his daughter, but he’s not the type of person to do something like this. He’s too narrow-minded to do something illegal.”
“But the handwriting on that piece of paper belongs to the Chancellor?”
“Yes, but I had a strange feeling when I saw it. I believe it might have been forged.”
Riri looked at Hisui and Hisui put her hand over her mouth.
“But I’ve only seen it once and there’s no way for me to know if it’s real or not. There’s nothing I can do if my father is lying to me… I asked my father about the piece of paper again and he told me I was mistaken. Whether that piece of paper is real or not, things will get bad for my father if that were to come out.”
The Chancellor or Ranran was lying. It didn’t matter who was lying, Hisui will suffer as a daughter and the Noble Consort who manages the Beautiful Flower Palace.
Riri finally understood what Hisui and Ranran were talking about after listening to Hisui’s explanation.
“So, you can’t go against Consort Ranran?”
Hisui nodded slightly.
“I know that things can’t go on like this, but I can’t do anything when I think about what will happen to my father. My father will likely be charged with a crime if that piece of paper were to get out. Just imagining my father going to jail because of Ranran makes me….”
Hisui’s shoulders shook, and she looked down. Riri gently patted her on the back.
“I’m sorry for not telling you about this until now, Riri. But I couldn’t say anything because of my father… it was so painful…!”
This was the first time Riri had seen Hisui look so weak. She wanted to help her somehow as a friend.
Most importantly, she wanted to make the Elegant Incense Gathering a success for Kousho.
“Hisui. It’s alright… Do you think we can get our hands on that piece of paper? That way, Consort Ranran wouldn’t have anything to use against you. Besides, we can take our time to see if that piece of paper is real or not.”
“That’s impossible. How can we get it? She won’t give it up that easily.”
Hisui looked up and stared at Riri. Riri’s mind was moving a thousand miles per hour.
She had a plan, but she knew it would be impossible to carry it out.
Still, the desire to help Hisui who was crying in front of her made her speak up.
“… It’s a very important piece of evidence. I don’t think she carries it around with her or leaves it to anyone else. I’m sure it’s hidden in the Pure Consort’s palace. ――― We might be able to find it if we sneak in and look for it.”
Hisui quickly shook her head as she put her hand on her chest.
“Don’t be ridiculous! There are guards at the palace. I’ve heard that Ranran has been really careful lately and has her court ladies guard the living room. I don’t think we can sneak in…”
Riri knew it was a crazy idea. Just imagining what would happen if they were to get caught gave her the shivers.
Still, she couldn’t think of any other way.
“If she has the court ladies guard the living room, then there’s a good chance that there’s something important hidden here. Hisui, I know you’re worried. I’m also very scared, but Beautiful Flower Palace will be in chaos if things continue the way they are. I… don’t want to see you cry and I don’t want to see Kousho-sama being troubled.”
Riri wanted to do something about the conflict in Beautiful Flower Palace, so she had to do what she could.
“Hisui. Let’s make the Elegant Incense Gathering a success. I know I don’t have much influence, but I’ll help too.”
They held each other’s hands, looked each other in the eyes and slowly smiled.
Riri managed to calm her throbbing heart when she arrived at the garden in Beautiful Flower Palace.
Garan was talking to two soldiers who seemed to be his subordinates in the corner of the garden.
She waited patiently until they finished their conversation then spoke up with determination.
“May I please have a word with you, General Garan?”
It took all her courage to speak to him. Garan turned around and looked at her.
“… Do you have business with me?”
She nodded and Garan looked at the soldiers.
They left since they understood what he wanted.
She motioned her hand for them to move under a large tree on the right and Garan stepped forward without saying anything. The tree was shaded and there was a refreshing breeze blowing under the tree.
She looked around to make sure that no one was around and turned to look at Garan.
She felt as if she was being sucked in by his dark, piercing eyes.
He had confessed to her. He told her he loved her and hugged her. This was the first time she was talking to him face to face since then. She didn’t know how to come to terms with his feelings even now.
She liked him too.
He was dependable and kind and she wanted to help him if he needed it.
But she didn’t know if it was love.
She didn’t know how she felt about him, so she has been avoiding him since he returned.
But she knew she couldn’t keep on ignoring him.
“Umm… Garan…”
She couldn’t look him in the eyes, so she looked down.
Her face reddened and she was so nervous that she felt as if her heart would jump out of her mouth.
“… Riri. What did you want to talk to me about?”
Her heart was racing but his voice sounded gentle and cheerful like always when she heard it. She looked up in surprise to see that he was smiling gently at her.
(Huh? He’s acting like he always does. He’s acting like nothing happened. Huh? What? Did I imagine him confessing to me?)
She doubted herself since Garan was acting so normal.
“Did you want to talk to me about the Elegant Incense Gathering? I heard that the preparations aren’t going too well.”
She nodded at the worried Garan. She managed to regain her composure and got down to business.
“Yes. Consort Hisui’s followers and Consort Ranran’s followers are at odds with each other.”
“It does seem like they are. I was worried since the Beautiful Flower Palace changed when we got back from Koran. I did some investigating when I got back from the border, and it seems that Consort Ranran is treating Consort Hisui quite badly. What’s going on between them?”
She had something she wanted to discuss with him, but she didn’t know if she should discuss it with him.
(I came here to ask him to help me sneak into the Pure Consort’s palace… But I can’t tell him that Ranran has evidence that the Chancellor did something illegal. Hisui kept quiet about this because she didn’t want anyone to know. But the plan won’t succeed without Garan’s help.)
She was aware that Garan was able to keep a secret, but she didn’t know if she should tell him about this. She had been thinking about whether she could successfully hide the truth while seeking his help, but she didn’t know how to broach the topic to him.
“… You know something about this, Riri.”
He stated sharply and she was speechless.
“Hmm… I… Uh…”
“You know the cause of the conflict in the Beautiful Flower Palace and want to resolve it. You came to ask me for help, but the cause of it is…. Well… But since the cause concerns someone important to you, you’re not sure if you should say something about it. Am I right?”
Riri widened her eyes in surprise and stared at Garan.
“You can tell me if you don’t know what to do. What do you want me to do?”
Garan’s masculine smile looked dependable. This problem was too big for her to handle on her own and she pondered hard about how to solve it, and his smile gave her a boost.
(Garan is the most trustworthy person in the palace, and I can’t carry out this plan by myself. He’s asking what he can do, so I should just tell him the truth… I’m sorry, Hisui.)
“I’d like you to keep this between us…”
She told him everything she had heard from Hisui after making up her mind.
Garan frowned when she finished talking.
“The Chancellor… Are you saying that Jin Koudoku took a bribe? That’s a little hard to believe.”
Garan put a hand on his chin.
“Koudoku-sama nags a lot about Kousho-sama’s marriage, but he isn’t a bad person. He has also sworn an oath to His Majesty. He is also one of the wealthiest men in Shinzui. He has plenty of money, so I don’t think he would do anything to threaten his position by taking a few bribes.”
Garan let out a little sigh.
“But it would be bad if this evidence gets out. I’ve told you before that I’ve been imprisoned for allegedly doing something illegal. A man testified that he saw me taking bribes. Kousho-sama helped me out at that time.”
She had heard this before. Garan decided to follow Kousho for the rest of his life after that.
“The man who accused me of taking a bribe also produced a memo that stated that I had accepted a bribe. The handwriting on the memo wasn’t mine and the memo was quite shoddy and fake but once it was out in the open it was difficult to overturn. We have to be careful, or we could get into trouble if it is written in Kodoku-sama’s handwriting.”
He didn’t have to tell her how bad it would get.
“I agree with you. I think we need to look for evidence and conduct our own investigation with it. And… I know this is reckless, but I was thinking about sneaking into the Pure Consort’s palace to look for the piece of paper…”
Garan looked stunned. She had expected this reaction from him.
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
It was unusual for Garan to raise his voice. She knew that she was proposing something ridiculous. She ducked down and somehow managed to speak.
“But we can’t find out if it’s fake or not without proof. I don’t believe Consort Ranran will give it to us. And Consort Hisui doesn’t need to be intimidated by Consort Ranran if we have the evidence in our hand. I believe the preparations for the Elegant Incense Gathering will proceed smoothly if Consort Hisui rebukes Consort Ranran.”
After much consideration, she concluded that this was the only way for her to obtain the evidence.
“It’s dangerous. What if you get caught? I’ll sneak in and look for the evidence.”
“You can’t do that. You can enter the inner palace, but you’re not allowed to enter rooms without permission. You’ll be thrown into jail if you get caught. But I can make excuses if I get caught, that’s why I need you to distract the guards while I’m in there.”
She put her hand on her chest and Garan pursed his lips.
“But the Pure Consort’s palace is large even if you manage to get in. It would be difficult for you to find the evidence when you don’t even know where it’s hidden.”
“It’s an important piece of evidence. I’m sure she keeps it close to her, so that she can check it at any time. I heard that Consort Ranran has been cautious lately and that she has court ladies guarding her living room. I’m sure she’s hiding the evidence there.”
She put her hands near her mouth and Garan crossed his arms.
“… Consort Ranran’s living room? But you don’t know where the room is. I’ve guarded her garden before, but I’ve never been inside the building, so I don’t know where her living room is located. It would be problematic if you take too long to find the living room.”
“I know. I think I can find the location of her living room before I sneak in. I have an idea. I’ll search her living room, so I want you to stay close by in case anything happens. Please help me for the success of the Elegant Incense Gathering.”
She wouldn’t just get a slap on the wrist if she got caught, but she wanted to help Hisui somehow.
And she also wanted to make the Elegant Incense Gathering a success for Kousho.
Motivated by that, this was the plan she came up with using all her courage.
“Did you tell Kousho-sama about this?”
“… I haven’t. He’s busy preparing for the Elegant Incense Gathering. I would also have to tell him that the Chancellor might be accepting bribes if I were to talk to him about this. Hisui doesn’t want him to know about this.”
She looked down and Garan pondered for a bit.
“You’re relying on me.”
His voice was so quiet that she couldn’t hear him.
“Huh? What did you just say?”
She was confused and he shook his head slightly.
“It’s nothing… Riri, can you promise that you won’t do anything risky? You have to get away from there as soon as you find the evidence. I’ll be nearby, so come to me. Can you promise me that?”
He stared at her, and she nodded.
“I promise. Even I know that I’m putting my life on the line. I’ll check Consort Ranran’s living room and I’ll leave right away if I can’t find anything.”
Garan sighed helplessly.
“Alright. You’re really reckless… Well, in a good way though.”
He complimented her. She smiled and Garan widened his eyes.
“…? What’s wrong, Garan?”
She tilted her head in confusion and Garan looked away.
He took a deep breath then looked at her again.
His eyes ――― looked feverish.
She noticed the same look in his eyes when he confessed to her and turned red at once.
“Ah, I… Then, I’ll…”
She quickly looked down and turned her back towards him to leave.
But he grabbed her right hand and pulled her to him.
This was the second time he had hugged her with his large arms.
He smelled calm and pleasant.
She could smell his fragrance up close, and her heart was beating so fast that she thought it was going to explode.
“Ga-Garan!”
She raised her voice, and he hugged her tighter.
“… I’m ready to stop being the General.”
Those words shocked her more than his confession.
She stirred to get a look at his expression, but he hugged her tighter to prevent her from moving.
“I love you. I can’t keep serving Kousho-sama when I hold these feelings towards you. ――― Please let me know how you feel about me. I can wait until after the Elegant Incense Gathering. I will accept whatever answer you give me.”
His arms were hot as he hugged her, and his words were filled with some much passion that they almost burnt her.
She didn’t know what to say or do and fumbled, then Garan gently released her.
He looked at her with loving eyes and gently placed his hand on her cheek.
“I don’t want to trouble you. Thank you for letting me confess to you.”
Garan’s words touched her heart softly like the wind.
Riri visited the sewing room at the Beautiful Flower Palace again.
She peeked in through the entrance and saw that Shoei was chatting with several consorts while embroidering. She looked like she was teaching the other consorts how to embroider, and there was a friendly aura in the room.
She was puzzled about how she could get Shoei’s attention when Shoei noticed her and spoke.
“I have to go outside for a bit everyone.”
“My, you can’t tell us what to do if you’re not here.”
“Yes, your embroidery is so wonderful. It’s the best in the Beautiful Flower Palace.”
Shoei smiled at the troubled consorts.
“I am sorry. I will be back right away, so please take a break until then.”
Shoei bowed, got up and walked towards Riri. Riri hid herself behind the door and walked after her. When they reached a little distance away from the sewing room, Shoei turned around.
“What can I do for you, Consort Riri?”
Riri smiled at Shoei who’s cheeks were slightly flushed.
She looked around to make sure no one was around and spoke quietly.
“I have a favour to ask you. Have you ever been to the Pure Consort’s palace?”
Riri asked honestly. Shoei looked curious as she nodded her head.
“Yes. Consort Ranran invited me to have tea with her once before.”
“Then do you know where her living room is?”
Shoei looked suspicious.
“I do, but why are you asking me about it?”
Riri was worried for a second, but she didn’t smell ‘lying’ coming from Shoei when she told her that she wanted to eliminate the conflict that was happening in Beautiful Flower Palace the other day. Her super olfaction, which could even detect other people’s emotions, was more trustworthy than anything else in times like this.
So, she had to tell her the truth to get her to help.
“… You told me that you heard that Consort Ranran is threatening Consort Hisui. I’m going to find the evidence that Consort Ranran is using to threaten Consort Hisui.”
She couldn’t say that the piece of evidence was proof of Hisui’s father’s wrongdoing.
Shoei widened her eyes in surprise and put her hand over her mouth.
“What kind of evidence is it? Are you going to sneak into Consort Ranran’s room to find that evidence? If you sneak in there and you get caught, then…!”
“I can’t tell you everything now. I don’t feel comfortable sneaking into her palace either. Honestly, I’m scared, but it’s the only thing I can do to help with the situation right now. Please tell me where her living room is.”
Riri bowed and Shoei shook her head.
“No, I can’t tell you. It’s too dangerous. If you get caught, then I…”
Riri knew that Shoei was worried about her. She lifted her face and stared into Shoei’s eyes.
“Beautiful Flower Palace will be divided if things continue the way they are. I don’t know what will happen at the Elegant Incense Gathering. Consort Ranran is in charge of the dance performance, but I heard that she hasn’t been practicing at all.”
Shoei put her hands over her chest and looked down.
“That… is certainly true. I’ve secretly been making the costumes for the dance, but Consort Ranran and her followers just gather around the ball room to chat. Consort Juka has warned them that they wouldn’t be able to perform at the banquet if they don’t practice, but they just keep saying that it’s Consort Hisui’s fault that they aren’t practicing.”
Ranran was intentionally not practicing, so she could put all the blame on Hisui.
Does she not realise what would happen to her if she did that at a banquet where royals from other nations are also gathered?
“We need to stop Consort Ranran’s wild behaviour to make the banquet a success. I need to get that piece of evidence to stop her. So, please. Help me. For the Beautiful Flower Palace.”
She stared in Shoei’s eyes as she persuaded her and Shoei trembled.
But she finally turned to look at Riri after a while.
There was a strong will hidden in her eyes.
“Please don’t do anything rash.”
Riri nodded quietly at the sound of her concerned voice.
Ranran’s residence, the Pure Consort’s palace, was located just outside the main gate of Beautiful Flower Palace.
Riri left the Beautiful Flower Palace and pretended to return to the Fragrance Princess Palace, but she walked until the Pure Consort’s palace was in sight.
It was a rule that guards, and maids should accompany a consort when they move between inner palaces, and she had Garan and Ryouka with her this time since they knew everything.
It had been embarrassing for her to see Garan, but he treated her like normal in public.
She still got nervous when she stood in front of him, but she was trying to focus on making the Elegant Incense Gathering a success. She hid in a nearby shrub and Garan approached the gatekeepers who were standing in front of the Pure Consort’s palace.
“I need to talk to you about something. Come this way.”
He beckoned the guards to come and stand to the left of the gate. Garan was facing the gate, so the gatekeepers naturally faced the other way to look at him, so he had his back towards the gate. Garan talked with the guards while secretly signalling Riri with his eyes.
“That’s the signal, Ryouka. Wait here.”
“I will. Please take care, Riri-sama.”
With Ryouka cheering at her back, she moved towards the gate while hiding behind the shrubs. She looked at the gatekeepers who had their backs towards her. They were both standing up straight and listening to General Garan.
She passed them quickly and entered the gate.
Her heart was beating so loudly that she was afraid that the gatekeepers would hear her.
Her legs and body were trembling slightly, and she scolded herself in her mind.
(Pull yourself together! It’s alright. I have my olfaction. It will alert me if there’s someone nearby.)
She took a deep breath to calm herself down, then she concentrated on her nose and walked forward. She found a large garden just inside the gate. Fortunately, there was no one around.
The Pure Consort’s palace was surrounded by cedar trees on the right and a high wall on the left.
“According to Shoei, Consort Ranran’s living room is located at the back of the garden.”
She kept low and proceeded along the shrubs in the garden.
She immediately stopped moving and hid herself behind the shrubs when she smelled a person nearby.
“… Consort Ranran won't be back for a while, so let’s clean up while we can.”
“Alright, she’ll yell at us if we haven’t finished cleaning by the time she gets back.”
The ladies rushed through the garden. She waited breathlessly for them to pass by.
“Garan’s information must be correct since Consort Ranran will be gone for a while.”
Garan told her that an ornaments purveyor was coming to the palace today and that Ranran would definitely go to Beautiful Flower Palace to see them. Ranran loved ornaments and would spend all day shopping when the purveyor came. That was why Garan told her that today would probably be the best day to search the Pure Consort’s palace.
“Consort Shoei told me that Consort Ranran’s living room is…”
She walked around carefully and held her breath and hid herself whenever a court lady passed through the garden.
With a lifetime’s worth of courage and energy, she managed to proceed and made it to the far end of the garden, where she found two women sitting in the corridor facing the garden. Behind them was a sturdy looking door.
“That’s it…!”
They looked like court ladies. They were probably keeping an eye on Ranran’s living room.
They were holding naginatas in their hands and they were sitting with their backs straight up.
She could feel tension coming from them. She took out a small incense burner from the cloth bag on her wait while hiding in the shrub. She checked the wind’s direction, then took out some pastille from the package and quickly lit it. Slight smoke rose slightly from the incense burner and was carried by the wind to where the women were.
“Ugh…!”
The sleeping effect was immediate. The women collapsed with a small moan.
“It went well…”
She breathed out a sigh of relief then looked around before approaching the room.
She peeked at the court ladies and confirmed that they were asleep.
“I’m sorry. Please forgive me since you’ll wake up in a short while.”
She approached the door after bowing. She gently placed her hand on the door and slowly opened it.
It was dark inside. The spacious room was filled with expensive looking furniture.
The room was luxurious, but it felt cold, and she shivered.
“Where is the evidence…?”
Her heart was beating wildly from nervousness and fear, but she took a deep breath and managed to calm down.
Then she focused on her nose. It was Ranran’s living room, so her scent filled the air.
She sniffed around carefully and noticed that there were several places in the room where Ranran’s scent was stronger.
“The place where she often sits, the place where she drinks tea, the place where she relaxes and…”
She stopped in front of a display cabinet in the corner. It was a plain and old display cabinet.
It was the only simple piece of furniture in this room that was filled with expensive things. The only things on display were paper flowers and old teacups which gave the room a slightly different aura. Ranran’s scent lingered strongly on the shelves, even though it was probably her less favourite piece of furniture here.
“She sat down here and touched the display cabinet several times, and recently too.”
Riri sat down and touched the display cabinet, then she suddenly felt something strange.
She couldn’t see it, but her hand was telling her that there was a bump at the corner of the shelf.
“There’s something here…”
She searched around with her hands and then heard a rattling sound.
To her surprise, she found a hold in the display cabinet. It was a hidden shelf.
“It might be here…”
She put her hand in as her heart beat like crazy.
Then something touched her hand. She grabbed it and pulled it out. It was a piece of paper which had been folded three times.
She nervously opened the paper and found a Chinese bellflower imprinted on the paper. It was said that the Chancellor used paper with Chinese bellflowers on them.
On the piece of paper was an amount that would allow her to live comfortably for the rest of her life and Jin Koudoku’s signature.
It stated on the paper that he had indeed received this sum of money from the Department of Incenses.
“This is it…!”
The first thing she did was smell the paper. She could smell a lot of information from a scent because of her super olfaction. The paper smelled like Ranran and…
“It smells like Mokuren―――.”
She imagined the sight of a dark presence creeping upon them and a shiver went down her spine.
The evidence of the Chancellor’s wrongdoing which she had found in Ranran’s living room gave off Mokuren’s scent.
Riri’s lips trembled as she imagined what that could possibly mean.
“Calm down. I smelled Mokuren’s scent coming from Consort Ranran when I got back from Koran. I’ve known since then that he might be involved with her. Why am I crying so much right now after all this time…?!”
She wanted to think that she had been mistaken since she hadn’t smelled Mokuren’s scent coming from Ranran after that. But if this piece of evidence also has his scent, then there was no doubt that she was in contact with him.
“It’s possible that this piece of evidence is fake. What if Mokuren was the one who had prepared this fake piece of evidence…?”
It was one possibility, but she strongly believed that he did when she said it out loud.
She had this nagging feeling ever since Hisui told her that Ranran had evidence against her father.
This piece of paper had a Chinese bellflower watermark, which was only used by the Chancellor, and Hisui also said that the handwriting belonged to her father. It was too perfect if it had been prepared by Ranran to trick Hisui.
But if Mokuren had prepared this piece of evidence then it would make sense.
Mokuren was a perfectionist, so he would be able to prepare something this good.
“It will be difficult to prove that this piece of paper is fake if he did make it. I’ll have to investigate how Mokuren is connected to Consort Ranran.”
She regained her composure and once again focused on his nose. She smelled the piece of paper and suddenly realised something.
“Huh? This is…”
The door behind her suddenly swung open as soon as she muttered.
She turned around in surprise to see Ranran smiling triumphantly at her with her followers.
“What are you doing, Consort Riri? I don’t remember inviting you to the Pure Consort’s palace.”
She would normally be able to tell if someone was approaching by their scent, but she was so focused on her search that she didn’t notice at all. Ranran, accompanied by several other consorts, entered the room without seeming surprised.
Among them was Shoei, who had her eyes wide open in surprise.
Riri hadn’t told her that she would be sneaking into the Pure Consort’s palace today, so that was why Shoei was surprised.
Her head was in turmoil at Ranran’s sudden appearance, but she didn’t forget to signal Shoei to stay quiet with her eyes.
It didn’t seem like Ranran knew that Shoei had told her about the Pure Consort Palace from the way she was acting. If she did know, then she would have punished Shoei by now. Riri wanted to avoid that.
“Give back what you have in your hand.”
Ranran put her hands on her hips. Riri looked around frantically while wondering what she should do.
(I may never get my hands on it again if I give it back to her now. I have to examine this piece of paper more carefully and somehow prove that it’s fake. To do that…)
She managed to catch her breath and put the piece of paper in her pocket.
She knew she was in a pinch, but panicking wasn’t going to solve anything. She chanted in her mind to stay calm, then quickly got up and slipped between Ranran and the other consorts.
“Wait!”
She heard Ranran’s voice but didn’t slow down. She managed to get outside after bumping into a few consorts who were standing at the door. She was so focused on running away that she didn’t even know who she had bumped into.
She was desperate to escape. She ran as Ranran screamed then someone grabbed her arm. She looked to see that it was the court lady who she had put to sleep earlier. The court lady was holding her head as she glared at Riri.
“An intruder! Everyone come!”
The court lady was so strong that it was hard to believe that she was a woman. More and more court ladies were gathering in the garden and corridor.
(Oh no…!)
She screamed in her mind and turned pale, then someone came running from the garden.
“What’s going on?!”
She felt relieved when she heard that voice. She turned around and saw that it was Garan with the gatekeepers.
“I heard screaming, so I entered the Pure Consort’s palace as the person in charge of security. What is going on?”
Ranran’s wandered about for a while as she pondered.
Then a wicked smile appeared on her face.
“… Consort Riri sneaked into my living room. Consort Hisui sent her because I have proof that the Chancellor has been taking bribes!”
Ranran loudly declared. She pointed at Riri with a smug look on her face.
“I happened to come across it when I was in Consort Hisui’s room. I didn’t know what to do, so I talked to her about it, and she told me that she would give me some time to think about what to do. So, I kept that piece of evidence in my living room, but then she ordered Consort Riri to steal it back!”
Riri widened her eyes in shock. Ranran was determined to drive Hisui into a corner.
Everyone started whispering to themselves. The court ladies probably didn’t know anything. The gatekeepers who Garan had brought with him also looked at each other and raised their eyebrows. Garan calmly held out his hand.
“… Then, I will interrogate Consort Riri. I will let you know immediately if any evidence comes to light.”
(Thank God… I can hide this piece of paper if Garan can get me out of here. Thank God he was close by…)
She was about to take a step forward towards Garan in relief…
“What is going on here?”
… when she heard a clear voice and blinked. She turned around to see a man who she had never seen before standing in the garden.
He had several soldiers with him, and she assumed he was a soldier from his iron breastplate and sword at his waist. But he didn’t look like a soldier. He was slender and had a kind face. His elegant appearance was like that of a scholar. He looked to be in his late twenties, had a handsome face and wore his long black hair in a ponytail.
Garan looked at him and frowned.
“Rarai-dono…”
They knew each other, but from the expression on Garan’s face, this man was not someone who Garan wanted to see. The man named Rarai bowed slightly.
“Hey, General Garan. I have returned from patrolling the border to serve as extra guard for the Elegant Incense Gathering. His Majesty has ordered me to be on guard while the dance performance is on, so I have come to ask Consort Ranran for more details about the performance. I have already received permission to enter the Pure Consort’s palace, so I have come to pay my respects.”
Rarai’s greeting was polite, but it seemed condescending. He looked older than Garan but Garan was probably his senior since he had a higher status. However, she could clearly see that Rarai was looking down on Garan.
Rarai looked around.
“It seems like you are quarrelling. What happened?”
He smiled kindly but his smile seemed to have a hidden meaning behind it. Garan looked at him harshly.
“I can take care of this. Go about your own business, Rarai-dono.”
It was the first time she had heard such a cold voice from him. She could smell the ‘scent’ that emitted from Garan when he was nervous.
She wondered if he disliked Rarai and then realised that that wasn’t it.
The scent that Garan was giving off in reaction to Rarai was the one he emitted when he was in front of an enemy.
“I cannot let you do that… Oh, is that Consort Riri?”
Rarai called her name and she blinked.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. My name is Gou Rarai. I am General Garan’s cousin. I heard that you make incenses in Beautiful Flower Palace. I’m also interested in incenses. I even considered whether I should become a perfumer at the Ministry of Incenses or if I should become a soldier to succeed my family.”
His smiling face was honestly a bit shady.
He said that he was Garan’s cousin, but he gave off a very different impression from the sincere Garan. And the fact that Garan was on his guard meant that she shouldn’t let her guard down in front of him either.
Because of this, she hesitated on how to greet him. Rarai approached her while giggling.
“Oh, my apologies.”
Rarai almost fell over when he was right in front of her.
“Ah, are you alright?”
She quickly put out her hand to support him. Rarai immediately pulled himself up and smiled.
“I apologise. I got dizzy. It seems that I am tired since I rode on my horse without taking a rest from the border. But you are very kind, Consort Riri. We share the same hobby which is incenses and I hear that you are Kousho-sama’s favourite. I am so glad I got to meet you.”
With the unnecessary remark of ‘Kousho-sama’s favourite’, Ranran glared at Riri with jealousy.
Rarai sighed slightly in the tense atmosphere.
“… Oh, by the way, I picked up something absurd over there.”
Rarai pointed in the direction that he had come from. He had entered from the back door, past Ranran’s living room, and had come to the garden through the corridor.
Rarai reached into his sleeve with a nasty smile and produced a piece of paper.
He unfolded it and showed it to everyone. Riri almost stopped breathing as soon as he did this.
He was holding the piece of paper that she had found in Ranran’s living room which had contained the evidence on a piece of paper with a Chinese bellflower watermark on it. When she quickly reached into her pocket, she found that the piece of paper, which should have been in her pocket, was gone.
(Huh…?! No way!)
She found herself turning pale. Rarai pointed to the paper with his left hand.
“On this piece of paper is the Chancellor Jin Koudoku’s signature and the amount of money he had supposedly received as a bribe. I’ve worked with him many times before and this is definitely his handwriting. This is really terrible.”
Rarai amusingly showed the piece of paper in his hand to everyone.
“I must report this to His Majesty immediately. But still, how did this piece of paper fall on the ground?”
He tilted his head to show his confusion and Ranran took a step forward.
“I have been keeping that piece of paper for certain reasons. Consort Riri snuck into my living room and stole it under Consort Hisui’s orders!”
Ranran pointed towards Riri. Garan quickly stood in front of Riri.
“… Rarai-dono, please hand me that piece of paper. I will take over the investigation from here.”
Garan looked at Rarai and Rarai sneered, then he fluttered the paper in the air.
“I can’t give this to you. You’re close to Koudoku-sama, General Garan. I will take this paper and officially present it to His Majesty during his meeting with the officials.”
Rarai folded the paper carefully and put it in his pocket.
“Consort Ranran, you say that Consort Riri snuck into your living room, but can you prove it?”
Rarai asked and Ranran nodded.
“I can! All the consorts and court ladies here are my witnesses. They all saw Consort Riri in my living room. I want to take Consort Riri to court! She’s a thief!”
The harsh glint in her eyes was accompanied with jealousy.
Ever since Rarai said ‘Kousho-sama’s favourite’, she had been releasing a scent that smelled full of anger and jealousy. Perhaps she was motivated by those feelings.
“… I did sneak into her living room, but I didn’t sneak in there because Consort Hisui ordered me to. I did it of my own will.”
Riri knew she could no longer escape, so she had to tell the truth.
She couldn’t trouble Shoei and Garan who had helped her. Ranran widened her eyes in shock.
“That’s a lie! It must have been an order from Consort Hisui. Arrest her!”
Rarai turned towards Riri.
“There are many witnesses who saw you sneak into the Pure Consort’s living room, and you will be charged with a crime as long as Consort Ranran says she wants to take you to court. I will have you come with me.”
“Wait!”
Garan shouted in a panic, but Rarai smiled.
“You don’t believe I’ll let her get away, do you? I’ve heard rumours that you’re close with Consort Riri. If you forcefully take her away, then won’t you be confirming those rumours? It will cause a lot of trouble if rumour spreads that you are good friends with a consort in Kousho-sama’s inner palace.”
(Oh no! If Garan and Rarai-sama start arguing here, then Garan might be accused of a crime…!)
Riri turned towards Rarai before Garan, who smelled full of anger, could say anything.
“I will go with Rarai-sama…!”
Rarai widened his eyes in surprise but then he immediately chuckled.
“She’s a consort with a lot of guts, then let’s go. Please tell me everything.”
Garan was about to speak but Riri stopped him with her eyes.
Then she turned towards Rarai again and followed him while being surrounded by soldiers.
She trembled since she didn’t know what was going to happen to her from now on.
But if Garan senses that she was scared then he would surely try to help her and do something reckless.
So, she kept her nerve and left the palace calmly.