It has been five days since she was put in this dark cell. Riri was sitting at the corner of the cell while biting her lips.
“How could I have dropped the evidence? I’m sure I put it deep into my pocket.”
She thought about this over and over again since she got here. She had no memory of dropping it. She bumped into some consorts who were at the entrance of Ranran’s living room while she was running away.
If she had dropped it then that would have been the only time she could have dropped it.
Rarai must have picked up the evidence that had fallen at the entrance of the living room since he came from that direction.
She looked up and stared at the bars.
The prison guard, who had not moved at an inch and was standing up straight, was staring directly in front of him.
“I wonder how Hisui is doing…”
The guard wouldn’t speak no matter how much she tried to talk to him, so she didn’t know what was going on outside.
The man who had put her in jail, Rarai, also never came back since he put her in here.
She remembered the time when she was put in prison and let out a small sigh. Garan had followed them dejectedly and told her that he would save her without Rarai noticing.
She asked Garan to look into ‘something’ when she saw the piece of paper just before they parted.
She wanted to ask him about his search, but he didn’t come to see her. She was also worried about how Hisui, Garan and Kousho were doing. She could hardly swallow the food that had been brought to her and she hadn’t slept at all.
She laid down when she heard the sound of the door creaking open.
She looked up and saw that the prison guard, who was standing behind her bars, had somehow disappeared and that there was a man standing at the entrance.
She gasped when she saw him.
“Kousho-sama…”
Kousho had his arms crossed and looked stern.
“You idiot. Why didn’t you talk to me about this first?”
His reprimanding words were laced with concern.
“I’m sure you didn’t want to cause me any trouble since I was in charge of the Elegant Incense Gathering or something like that, so you acted on your own. But it’s very annoying to find out what happened after all this trouble.”
“I am very sorry…”
The only thing that came out of her mouth was a small voice.
Still, she managed to shake herself out of it and sidle up to the bars.
“How is Consort Hisui doing? What happened to the piece of evidence?”
She was curious about this for a long time, so that was the first thing she asked.
Kousho looked down for a second, then he looked back at her.
“Consort Hisui is no longer in charge of the banquet.”
Riri widened her eyes and gulped, then Kousho continued.
“The piece of evidence that proves that Koudoku has been taking bribes was presented to the Emperor, but the person in question says he knows nothing about it. His punishment is on hold until we can determine whether that piece of evidence is genuine or not. And you’re released. You’ve been exonerated, so you can return to the Fragrance Princess Palace.”
Riri couldn’t believe her ears.
“Why have I been released? Consort Ranran accused me of sneaking into her room. I haven’t been interrogated since then and I’ve been worried about what has happened.”
“You haven’t been interrogated because others couldn’t go near the prison while Garan and I investigated. The only reason you were released… was because Consort Ranran withdrew her complaint. Consort Hisui stepped down from her banquet duties not long after that.”
She had a bad feeling when she heard that.
“Don’t tell me…”
She put a hand over her mouth and Kousho nodded.
“You’re right. She told me that the reason she was stepping down was because her father was accused of taking bribes, and she recommended that Consort Ranran should be in charge of the banquet. While it’s true that Consort Hisui would have to take responsibility if her father is charged with taking bribes, but he hasn’t been charged with anything yet. She probably stepped down for a different reason.”
Riri’s body trembled.
“You mean Consort Hisui stepped down as the person in charge to get Consort Ranran to drop the charges against me and let me free?”
Kousho didn’t reply but he looked down.
“No… Oh no, this is all my fault…”
She covered her face and looked down. She was about to burst into tears but did her best to hold them back.
“This isn’t the time to be sad. The situation outside is ten times worse than you think.”
Kousho’s voice was calm, but he smelled terribly tired.
“Worse than I think…?”
“The court has been split into two, with one faction believing in Koudoku and claiming that the evidence was fake and the other criticising Koudoku. This isn’t the time to be thinking about the Elegant Incense Gathering.”
It was rare for Kousho to make such a negative statement.
She gasped when she realised how bad the situation was.
“Really…?”
“It was horrible for the evidence to end up in Rarai’s hands. He hates Garan and I to the point of wanting to kill us. Koudoku’s crime is just something he’s using to torment Garan and I.”
Riri recalled Rarai’s slender appearance and gentle-looking face.
“Who is he? Rarai-sama said that Garan is his cousin, but they both seem hostile towards each other.”
“He lost the position of General to Garan a long time ago and has held a grudge since then. A few years ago, he accused Garan of a crime and put him in jail.”
She was shocked when she heard that.
“I’ve heard about this from Garan, but I heard that the person who framed him was caught.”
“Yeah, but Rarai was the mastermind behind the evidence that put Garan in jail. But we couldn’t find any evidence that showed that he was the one behind it. We caught the man who was being manipulated by Rarai but we couldn’t charge Rarai himself with a crime.”
Kousho showed a look of regret which was rare for him.
“I wasn’t sure when he would assassinate me if he stayed in the palace, so I demoted him under the guise of protecting the border. He has been harbouring a grudge against me for that.”
Kousho grabbed the bars with a bitter expression on his face.
“Also, the evidence this time is probably genuine. I had the handwriting analysis, and the handwriting definitely belongs to Koudoku. But from what I’ve seen, Koudoku isn’t a small-minded man who would take bribes.”
Hisui had said the same thing. She recalled what she had discovered when she found the piece of paper.
“It’s possible that it was forged. I could smell Mokuren’s lingering scent on that paper. He may have prepared that piece of paper.”
She put her hand on her chest and said and Kousho widened his eyes in surprise. He put his hand on his chin and pondered.
“This has gotten complicated. What is he trying to do with that piece of evidence?”
“I don’t know, but I will explain that the evidence might have been forged and that I smelled Mokuren’s fragrance from that piece of paper. If I do that, won’t that clear the suspicion against the Chancellor?”
“It won’t.”
She was stunned by Kousho’s words.
“I trust your olfaction, but not everyone does. They will continue to treat Koudoku as a criminal unless you can show them solid proof that that piece of paper is fake.”
(Solid proof… I wonder what happened to that ‘thing’ I asked Garan to do for me before I was put in jail. That would be solid proof if it’s true… But it was only for a second, so I’m not that confident in it.)
Kousho turned to her while she was thinking.
“Riri, what are you going to do now?”
He looked her in the eyes. She thought about the meaning of those words.
“I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused you, Kousho-sama… Helping Consort Hisui is my first priority right now.”
“That may be so, but the situation is quite serious right now. It’s no longer a problem that you can solve.”
“I understand, but I can’t just pretend I don’t know anything.”
While she was in jail, she was in agony over the fact that Hisui and the others might have been charged with a crime because of her. Still, she spoke as if she could do something if she could get out of here and Kousho closed his eyes.
“You’re usually so absentminded, but you speak up at times like this.”
Kousho smiled bitterly while unlocking the prison door.
“I didn’t come to see you until now because I believed it might be safer for you in here. I’ll do my best to protect you if you still want to get out of here, but you must tell me everything without keeping secrets from me this time. You must promise this.”
She nodded. His kind and dependable words touched her heart.
Riri believed that the smell that came out of people when they hate each other was the worst smell in the world.
The first thing she smelled was this disgusting smell when she stepped out of prison.
(They must be arguing a lot if the palace is filled with this scent.)
She looked at Kousho who was walking in front of her, and although he didn’t say it out loud, he looked really tired.
He said that the evidence of the Chancellor taking bribes had divided the palace and that he didn’t have time to think about the Elegant Incense Gathering.
“Kousho-sama, would you consider cancelling the Elegant Incense Gathering if things go wrong?”
She asked boldly. It wouldn’t be surprising if a fight broke out since the air was filled with so much hatred. But Kousho immediately shook his head.
“It might be better to call it off but that’s impossible. There are only 12 days left until the Elegant Incense Gathering. I’ve already sent out the invitations to the guests and I’m sure some of the guests from other nations have already left to come here.”
He gave a small sigh then turned around.
“More importantly, are you sure you want to go, Riri?”
He clearly looked reluctantly.
“Yes. I want to see the current situation with my own eyes.”
There was a meeting today about the Elegant Incense Gathering.
The Chancellor, defence officials and the heads of various departments will gather in the great hall.
“We have meetings every day, but we haven’t been able to have a proper discussion since evidence of Koudoku taking bribes has come to light. It’s unpleasant to see.”
But she still nodded. Kousho started walking again since it was pointless to convince her otherwise.
They entered the Peaceful Supreme Palace which was used to conduct government affairs and proceeded to the back of the building where there was a small room. Garan was sitting in the small room and his eyes widened in shock when he saw her, but he immediately bowed at Kousho.
“… I’ve finished with the preparations. You’ll find the details of today’s discussion here, so please take a moment to read over them.”
Kousho nodded and went to the writing desk in the centre of the room. Garan quietly approached Riri.
“I’m glad that you’re safe, Riri.”
He sincerely sounded relieved.
“I’m sorry for making you worry. Garan… how is ‘that’ going?”
She asked him what she was curious about, and his face clouded over.
“Rarai isn’t letting it go. I’m trying to convince him. Just give me a little more time.”
She bit her lips at those words. Kousho looked over towards them.
“Riri, the discussion is about to begin. The great hall is on the other side of this door. Everyone has already gathered in the great hall, so Garan and I will go over there, but you can watch from here.”
“Okay.”
She said then Kousho opened the door and went into the great hall with Garan.
They closed the door leaving a slight hole where she could peek through.
There were about 30 well-dressed men sitting in the great hall.
(The head of the Ministry of Incense, Kansou-sama is here, and even the head of the Ministry of Palace Affairs, Kourin-sama. It looks like all the department heads are here. Garan, Rarai-sama and the Chancellor are sitting at the front… I can smell the worst smell from here and it’s disgusting.)
Nausea rose up from within her, but she managed to keep it down and continued to watch the meeting.
Everyone bowed their heads when Kousho showed up.
“Thank you for gathering here today everyone. I’ll get right on to it, about the Elegant Incense Gathering…”
“Please wait, Kousho-sama.”
It was preposterous to interrupt the Crown Prince while he was talking.
Rarai, who was smiling fearlessly, was the one who had done something so disrespectful.
“You’re being rude, Rarai-dono. Kousho-sama was in the middle of talking.”
Garan warned, but Rarai’s expression didn’t change at all.
“I know it was rude of me to interrupt the Crown Prince, but I have something to say. I can’t stand that a criminal and Kousho-sama are sitting in the same room as someone who defends this nation.”
The first to react to his words was Jin Koudoku.
“You’re still saying that Rarai-dono?! I haven’t done anything wrong. I am not a criminal!”
“A criminal doesn’t easily admit his crimes.”
Rarai stated confidently. Kansou glared at Rarai.
“I heard that the piece of evidence that proves Koudoku-dono’s crimes also has the Ministry of Incense written on it, but I don’t remember writing anything like that. If you accuse Koudoku-dono of being a criminal, then do you suspect me as well?”
Rarai looked momentarily intimidated by Kansou’s commanding attitude.
But he soon regained his composure and spoke.
“I don’t suspect you Kansou-sama. The evidence was stamped with the seal of the Ministry of Incenses, but there was no signature. I believe the money was given not by you, but by the former head of the Ministry of Incense. The former head, as I recall, escaped after he tried to assassinate His Majesty.”
He must be talking about Mokuren. Rarai smiled.
“If that is the case, then isn’t it possible that Koudoku-sama was also involved in His Majesty’s attempted assassination?”
It was an outrageous theory, but the defence officials around Rarai nodded.
“That’s right, that’s right!”
“The Chancellor must be charged with a crime!”
The officials around Koudoku half-rose and shouted passionately.
“What are you saying?! The Chancellor isn’t someone who would do that!”
“That’s right! We haven’t finished inspecting the evidence yet, so it’s weird that you’re already treating the Chancellor like a criminal!”
Kousho had told Riri that they had concluded that the handwriting did belong to Koudoku after careful examination, but he hasn’t publicly announced this yet.
The men in the room began glaring at each other. Kousho took a deep breath.
“Enough!”
The aura in the room changed drastically with a bark.
“The Elegant Incense Gathering is about to start. We have to work together, but what is with your attitudes? We’re in the process of looking through Koudoku’s matter. Everyone will remain calm and wait until we know for certain that he is guilty.”
Everyone fell silent at Kousho’s words.
The hostility they held towards each other remained, but they had settled down.
(As expected of Kousho-sama, but the situation is really bad. Everyone smells discontent. I’m sure they’ll explode at the slightest word or action. What will happen to the palace if that happens?)
She suddenly recalled that she had seen a similar situation before.
(This… is like the conflict between Hisui and Consort Ranran spreading through the palace. If this was deliberate, then…)
She had an idea about who was responsible for this.
(I smelled Mokuren’s scent coming from Consort Ranran, and from the piece of evidence as well… He must know something about this.)
Her dropping the piece of paper led to this current situation.
Hisui stepped down from being in charge to get her out of jail.
Kousho was troubled because the palace was in chaos.
She thought she had done everything in her power to make the Elegant Incense Gathering a success, but it turned out that she was just a hindrance.
“If Mokuren admits that he created a fake piece of evidence then I might be able to help Hisui and make the Elegant Incense Gathering a success. I need to find him and ask him about this.”
The entire palace had been searching for Mokuren but his whereabouts were still unknown.
But she actually had an idea about where he might be.
(… I didn’t want to use this method… That’s why I’ve been putting this off until now…)
Of course, she knew that she couldn’t be reckless anymore.
I’ll do what I can for now, she thought as she stood up quietly.
Mokuren looked up at the darkening sky and sighed.
“You’re sighing? Our plan is working, so why are you sighing, Mokuren?”
He heard ‘his’ voice from behind him.
‘He’ was a comrade, and someone who Mokuren acknowledged as having superior mixing skills.
“You’re just hiding here while I’m nurturing the seeds of disaster in the palace. Do you really think you should be hiding here as the head of the Dark Perfumers?”
‘He’ criticised Mokuren and chuckled when Mokuren didn’t say anything.
“Why don’t you hand over the title to me? I can lead Shinzui to ruin in a more spectacular and enjoyable way.”
Mokuren shouted in his mind, that’s something I definitely can’t do.
If he entrusted the title to ‘this man’ then ‘he’ would ruin everything Mokuren cared about.
“I’m the head of the Dark Perfumers.”
He declared quietly and the ‘man’ sulked.
“Is it really possible for you to be the head of the Dark Perfumers? I’m the one who started all this and threw the palace into chaos. I even succeeded in putting that annoying Riri into jail. The plan is proceeding smoothly now.”
Mokuren heard that it has been five days since Riri had been thrown in jail for breaking into the Pure Consort’s palace.
But he believed that she would be safer in jail given the current situation.
“Look, Mokuren. I won’t kill Riri now, but I’m going to make her suffer so much that it’ll be hard for her to live. That will make me feel better.”
‘He’ gloated and Mokuren frowned.
“I appreciate all the work you’ve done in preparation for the plan, but I’ll be in charge from here on out. You should do your best to keep your cover intact in the palace.”
‘He’ snorted then left.
The winds that would shake Shinzui were already sweeping over the nation.
“Riri-sama. I’m so glad you’re alright.”
Ryouka greeted her when she returned to the Fragrance Princess Palace. Riri caught Ryouka as she jumped on her while crying. Ryouka looked flustered and quickly stepped away from Riri.
“I’m sorry. I was just so happy you’re back. I’ve been worried about you ever since I heard you were in jail. I’m glad you’re back.”
Riri crouched down in front of Ryouka, who was on the floor.
“I made all your favourite meals when I heard you were coming back, Riri-sama. I’ll go get them right away, so please eat as much as you can.”
Her thoughtfulness made Riri happy. Ryouka knew everything about her from the first time she entered the inner palace and helped her. She was doing her best as a court lady even after Riri entered the Fragrance Princess Palace.
She was well aware of this, so she pretended not to notice until now.
When Ryouka was about to get up to get her meal, she called out to her.
“Wait, Ryouka. I want something else instead of food.”
She tried to smile but failed. Ryouka turned around and stared at her.
“What do you need? I’ll bring it to you right away.”
“Thanks. Then ――― tell me where Mokuren is.”
Ryouka’s eyes widened in shock and her lips quivered, then she immediately looked down.
“I don’t know…”
“I don’t believe you. I was drugged by someone at the Beauty Pageant and passed out. I was with Mokuren when I woke up, then I met Seirai-sama. He told me that he was the person who kidnapped me, but he didn’t say that he was the one who drugged me. That stuck with me for a long time. Ryouka, it was you who put me to sleep that time wasn’t it?”
Ryouka paled and seemed to be struggling to breathe.
Riri remembered that time. She woke up just as the sun rose to practice the dance for the Beauty Pageant, dressed quickly and went to the ballroom. Then, someone covered her nose and made her sniff medicine.
“The Beautiful Flower Palace gates were still closed at that time, and the nighttime security measures were still in place. The gatekeepers would have kept a close watch on the gate and there were also soldiers patrolling the area, so security was perfect at that time. It would be impossible for Seirai-sama to enter the Beautiful Flower Palace no matter how much Kousho-sama tolerated his attitude as the Crown Prince of another kingdom.”
It was her own olfaction that solidified her belief.
“A while after that, I smelled something from you that made me suddenly remember the aroma that I had smelled when I was drugged. It was really faint, so I wasn’t sure, and I wanted to believe that you wouldn’t do something like that.”
Ryouka trembled slightly. Riri looked at her as Ryouka bit her lips.
“Your mother’s illness got better thanks to the incense that Mokuren made. So, you owe him. You helped me lie and sneak into the inner palace because he asked you to help me…. You knew from the beginning that he was the head of the Dark Perfumers, didn’t you?”
Ryouka trembled.
“I know that you’re very kind and loyal. I know that you’re devoted to Mokuren in the same way you’re devoted to me.”
Ryouka looked surprised when she heard that Mokuren had disappeared and when she heard that he was the head of the Dark Perfumers and had tried to assassinate the Emperor, but then she noticed something thanks to her olfaction.
She could smell the scent of sweat that came out when one was nervous from Ryouka at those times.
That scent would emit from Ryouka whenever she talked about Mokuren after that. That was why she believed that Ryouka knew something but pretended to not know. And she was certain of it when she faintly smelled Ryouka’s scent when she was drugged.
“Ryouka. You know what’s happening right now, don’t you? This is most likely a trap set by Mokuren. I… want to stop Mokuren.”
She put her hands on Ryouka’s shoulders.
“So, tell me where he is. The piece of paper that states that the Chancellor took bribes has Mokuren’s scent on it. It’s highly likely that he fabricated that piece of paper. Mokuren won’t be able to escape from his desire for vengeance if he keeps this up. He will be unhappy too.”
Ryouka was taken aback. She remained silent for a while then closed her eyes.
“When Mokuren-sama left the palace, you tried to protect me when you were getting punished. I decided to devote myself to you for the rest of my life from that moment on. But Mokuren-sama is the person who saved my mother… That’s why I made him promise that I wouldn’t have to do something to you again before drugging you.”
Ryouka continued speaking while hugging her trembling body.
“Mokuren-sama told me that he really wanted to talk to you, so he secured a place near the palace where you two could take your time to talk, and he promised that he would bring you back right away… He told me to drug you and put you to sleep when you went to practice alone in the ballroom. He told me to hide you in the closet and leave to not arouse suspicion and to send a signal that only he would know.”
“So, after I put you to sleep, I pretended that I was preparing a meal and sent out the signal, but then I realized that what I was doing was wrong and rushed back to the ballroom. But you were already gone by then…”
The scent that Ryouka emitted when she was lying wasn’t emitting from her. Ryouka probably drugged Riri at a time when no one would be around and then Seirai kidnapped her from the storage after he saw the signal.
Seirai probably didn’t say anything about Ryouka because he didn’t know who had drugged her. Mokuren used both of them and took her from the palace.
“I decided not to help Mokuren-sama after that. But… he said he wanted to know how you were in the palace. I was going to refuse, but I could tell that he was genuinely concerned about you, so I wrote him a letter and told him how you were. But I swear I only wrote about how you were and didn’t mention anything else.”
Ryouka looked straight at Riri. A single tear flowed from her dark eyes.
“I don’t know where Mokuren-sama is. I just wrote him a letter and left it at the appointed date, time, and place.”
Riri gently stroked Ryouka’s back as she spoke with tears streaming from her face.
“Thank you for your honesty. Then, can you tell me where you leave the letter? I’m sure Mokuren left clues about where he is there. I will tell Kousho-sama and ask him to find Mokuren.”
Ryouka looked frightened.
“I know that’s the right thing to do, but a lot of soldiers will go there to capture Mokuren-sama if I tell you. He is my benefactor. I know he’s a criminal, but I really don’t want him to get caught.”
Riri understood Ryouka’s feelings very well. Honestly, she felt the same way.
“But I have to ask him how he’s involved with that piece of evidence. There will be strife in the palace and the Beautiful Flower Palace if this continues. Many people will suffer.”
She came up with a proposal as she spoke.
But that would mean breaking the promise she made with Kousho since it would put her life in danger.
(I know I shouldn’t be thinking this, but…)
The calm part of her brain whispered, but that thought moved her.
(We’re in this situation because I dropped that piece of paper. Hisui had to step down from being in charge and the Elegant Incense Gathering might fail. Kousho-sama will be announced as the next Emperor at the Elegant Incense Gathering, so I want to make it a success. This is the only way…!)
She put her right hand over her chest and stared at Ryouka.
“Then, tell me. I won’t tell anyone about it.”
“What do you mean… you won’t tell anyone?”
“I’ll go there and try to find clues about where Mokuren might be. I don’t think he’ll tell the truth easily even if the soldiers go there and find where he is. It’ll be easier to persuade him if I talk to him.”
She had promised Kousho that she would tell him everything without hiding anything, and yet she was breaking that promise.
The thought of breaking the promise she made to him made her suffocate with guilt, and the thought of doing something like this alone filled her with anxiety and fear. She was well aware about what would happen to consorts who snuck out of the inner palace. Even so, the thought of getting Ryouka to tell her where Mokuren and improving the current situation in the palace and Beautiful Flower Palace was pushing her.
“I can’t…! It’s dangerous! I don’t want you to be in danger!”
Ryouka shook her head repeatedly. Riri knew it was dangerous but there were things she had to do even if it meant risking her life. She looked at Ryouka.
“Look at me, Ryouka. I’m going to say this one more time. If things continue the way they are now then there will be strife in the palace. The only way to prevent that is to talk to Mokuren. So please help me.”
Riri stared at Ryouka, and Ryouka’s eyes wandered around before she squeezed them shut.
Then, Ryouka finally opened her eyes after some time had passed.
“… I leave the letters at Densou Temple. I leave them there once a month on the days I go out.”
Riri knew that place. It was near the terrace house where she lived when she was living downtown, and she used to play on its grounds with her friends as a child. She realized something when she thought about this.
“Say, Ryouka. Did you mean the days when you stay overnight at your parent’s house to check on your mother because she wasn’t feeling well? I’m sure that’s…”
Riri looked at Ryouka who nodded.
“Yes, it’s tomorrow…”
Riri gulped. She was reminded once again that time waits for no one.
Riri sat on the futon and waited for night to fall. She wasn’t wearing her usual luxurious hanfus, but the ones that she used to wear when she lived downtown. It was a simple but precious garment that her mother had sewn for her.
The red coral hairpin on her head was also a gift from her mother. Her mother had sent this with a letter when she wrote that she was going to enter the inner palace to mix the treasured incense. Her mother often told her that this hairpin was a precious gift from her father. Her mother wrote that she would give this to Riri so that Riri would do her best in the inner palace.
She had placed a small amount of money into a small cloth bag. She took off all her glittering accessories and removed her light make-up. When she looked in the mirror, she saw herself as she was when she lived downtown.
She has rushed her preparations after she spoke to Ryouka during the day. Ryouka was also planning to return to her parent’s home tomorrow, but she promised to stay behind and buy Riri some time so that people wouldn’t discover that she had left the palace.
“The punishment for consorts who sneak out of the inner palace without permission is death…”
She was anxious and riddled with guilt over not keeping her promise.
“I’m sorry, Kousho-sama… but this is something I have to do.”
She whispered. When she looked in the mirror again, she saw herself dressed as she had when she lived downtown but her expression was different. Many things have happened since she entered the inner palace. She made incenses which pleased the consorts in the inner palace and even went to a foreign nation. She had also met Kousho and Garan and many others.
She may never see them again once she leaves.
“I want to help Kousho-sama with his dream and give Garan his answer, but I’m sure I can’t do either of those anymore… I don’t think I’ll be able to come back here alive, but…”
The face in the mirror became determined.
“The palace is in chaos because I dropped that piece of paper. It’s my fault. I must do something about this situation even if it means losing my life, and even if it means I can’t see Kousho-sama or Garan again. I must meet Mokuren and get him to admit that he was behind this.”
She put her determination into words and stood up while scolding her trembling legs.
Riri went to the kitchen at the back of the Fragrance Princess Palace.
The Fragrance Princess Palace was built hundreds of years ago for the Master Perfumer who had saved the nation.
The palace has been repaired and preserved over the years in her honour.
Currently, Ryouka was the only court lady in the Fragrant Princess Palace. She prepares Riri’s meals and takes care of everything around the palace, and Riri helped her sometimes since it was difficult to take care of this palace alone. It was during one of those times that a curious aroma from the kitchen suddenly caught her attention.
“… It’s here.”
The kitchen wasn’t that big. There was a stove in the back and built-in shelves next to it.
It was a simple shelf with posts along the wall and boards attached to it.
She took down everything on the shelves and carefully removed the removable boards.
“I couldn’t tell at first because the smell of the food was overpowering this scent, but…”
She put her hand against the wall and focused her attention on her nose. Then she pressed as hard as she could.
The wall made a rattling sound and moved.
The wall rotated around the centre of the room and darkness spread out from behind it.
“The Fragrance Princess lived here thousands of years ago. She was a Master Perfumer who could create the treasured incense, so she kept an escape route since she could be attacked by enemies at any time.”
Riri was just speculating, but she was confident that she wasn’t wrong.
This wasn’t the first time she had opened this secret path. She had gone in here the first time she noticed it because of her curiosity. It was daytime then and it was frightening to go down the narrow and dimly lit path. Then, she hit another wall.
She pushed on the wall and found that it also rotated and that she was able to get out.
When she stepped out from the wall, she found herself at the banks of an unfamiliar river.
She had passed through a cave in the mountain that faced this river.
The cave was behind the palace and when she looked back, she could see the roof of the palace beyond the mountain.
She was surprised when she realised that this river was outside the palace and quickly returned. She would have been executed if people found out that she had left the palace without permission. Since then, she tried her best to not think about the secret passage.
“I never thought it would come in handy at a time like this.”
She was afraid to walk through the dark cave, but she looked up with determination.
She reluctantly started walking.
The downtown area at night was a nostalgic scene.
Riri passed the terrace houses where she lived with her mother and walked to Densou Temple.
She crouched down and entered the overgrown weeds. This temple has been abandoned ever since she was a child. It was eerie to enter this temple in the middle of the night.
No one was around and it was frightening to take a step into the deserted temple grounds.
But she was able to move since she believed she would meet Mokuren.
Ryouka told Riri that when her mother had broken her arm and she was nursing her mother at home, she had come back here the day after she had left a letter. She assumed that Mokuren had come for the letter as soon as she had left it here since it was gone.
“I’m sure Mokuren didn’t want the letter to be left here for long since someone else might read it. I’m sure I’ll be able to meet Mokuren here if I keep an eye onthe temple since there’s a set date and time for the letter.”
She had Ryouka’s letter in her pocket. She went to the Jizo statue on the temple grounds instead of Ryouka and placed her hand under his foot. Then, a hole appeared at the foot of the Jizo statue. She put the letter inside and closed the lid, then she hid herself in the nearby weeds.
“Now all I have to do is wait.
She shivered in fear at being on the temple grounds at night, but tried her best not to take her eyes off the Jizo statue.