Two days after Riri had heard about the perfumers meeting, Mokuren came to see her to tell her that he had gotten permission for her to enter the inner palace.
When she was brought to Mokuren’s mansion to begin her preparations immediately, she saw beautiful outfits, gorgeous hairpins and ornaments. There was also a pretty girl, a little younger than herself, at Mokuren’s mansion.
“Let me introduce you. Riri, this is Ryouka. I’ve hired her to take care of you in the inner palace as your maid.”
Ryouka was a girl for whom the word ‘sweet’ suited well.
Her hair was braided into two braids and she wore a white ruqun[1] with a blue sash wrapped around it.
Riri and Ryouka faced each other in a large room with outfits lined up on the walls and Ryouka bowed.
“It’s nice to meet you. Riri-sama.”
Seeing Ryouka’s somewhat embarrassed expression, Riri quickly turned towards Mokuren.
“It’s too much for me to have a maid. I can take care of myself.”
“But you don’t know much about the etiquettes of the court even though you were originally a noble, Riri. And you’ll be an empress candidate, so you’ll need at least one maid. Ryouka can teach you a lot about the palace since she’s been there for a long time. I also told her that you want to create the treasured incense.”
When Riri looked at Ryouka in surprise, Ryouka nodded as if she knew everything. Riri took a step closer to her.
“I’m entering the inner palace under false pretences. This is something that I will be punished for if everyone finds out about it. You might get punished as well if you stay with me. I’m willing to risk my life for my dream, but I don’t want to put you in danger.”
Ryouka didn’t change her expression and turned towards Riri with determination.
“I’ve heard about everything from Mokuren-sama. I accepted this even though I know about everything… Actually, you’re my mother’s benefactor. My mother recovered from her long illness thanks to your incense and is now able to live a somewhat normal life. I would like to help you if you’re in trouble.”
She was still reluctant to involve others in this although she could feel Ryouka’s strong determination.
While Riri was troubled, Mokuren looked at me and Ryouka mysteriously.
“I am Riri and Ryouka’s guarantor. If it is found out that Riri’s purpose for entering the inner palace is to create the treasured incense, then I’ll take all the blame. I’ll take care of you both somehow. I know you’re worried, Riri, but please take Ryouka with you.”
Mokuren’s words were kind. Riri stared at him and sighed deeply.
“… Alright. I’ll have her come with me to the inner palace. But, if my real purpose becomes known and I’m punished for it, then I’ll let her go, but I won’t run away, since I’m entering the inner palace for my dreams. I’m prepared to be punished if I’m found out.”
If things go badly, then she might even be executed. She was actually terrified, but she couldn’t run away and let Mokuren take all the blame. Mokuren smiled wryly as he patted her head.
“Don’t worry too much. If you successfully persuade the Emperor and Kousho-sama to give you permission to make the treasured incense, then no one would be punished.”
She felt anxiety rise within her, but she managed to contain it and put on a smile.
“Yes. If I can make the treasured incense, then I’ll be able to restore Father’s honour, and the Department of Incenses will not be destroyed. First of all, I have to adapt to life in the inner palace and meet His Majesty and Kousho-sama and ask them for permission to make the treasured incense and participate in the perfumer meeting.”
The Imperial Family hoped to obtain the treasured incense because it is said to have great power. If she is able to use her sense of smell to remember what her father created, then there should still be a glimmer of hope.
“I believe that you’ll be fine. But you need to prepare first. I’m going to explain about the court and inner palace now, so listen well and be prepared. You’ll be an empress candidate, so it won’t be easy for you to leave the palace. Ryouka will be the liaison between you and I once you’re at the palace.”
Riri looked at Ryouka and Ryouka nodded. Mokuren placed his right hand on Riri’s shoulder and his left on Ryouka’s.
“We’re all in the same boat from now on. We’ll be doing something a little… no, some pretty dangerous things in order to create the treasured incense, something that no one has been able to perfect for hundreds of years. But I’m sure we’ll be able to achieve good results if we can get past all the dangers.”
Mokuren said strongly. He took a breath and looked at Ryouka again.
“I’m sorry for getting you involved in something so dangerous. But this is something we have to do no matter what. I’ll definitely protect you, so please help us.”
When Mokuren bowed his head, Ryouka looked surprised, then she gave a small smile.
“All the people whom I have served so far have never treated me like a human being. You don’t need to bow your head to me. I’ll do my best to serve you, Riri-sama.”
“You don’t have to call me ‘-sama’. Just call me by my name.”
“I can’t do that! You’re my mistress. Please call me Ryouka. They’ll be suspicious of you at the inner palace if you don’t call your maid by her name.”
Riri thought so. She turned her attention to Ryouka again.
“Then, Ryouka. I look forward to working with you.”
Seeing Ryouka smile happily and nodding, Mokuren clapped his hands.
“It’s time for you to study now that we’ve come to an agreement. I’m sure you know some things about the court, inner palace and treasured incense, but I want to double-check what you know. Come here.”
Riri and Ryouka walked to the back of the room prompted by Mokuren.
Riri sat across Mokuren on the round table.
“Have some tea.”
Riri inhaled the aroma of the tea that Ryouka had brewed in front of her.
“It smells nice. This is bingcha[2], isn’t it?”
“It is. I made it. It’s made from steamed tea leaves that have been hardened and dried.”
“You’re so clever to be able to make your own tea. You’re amazing!”
Riri sipped the tea. The tea had a moderate bitterness to it that refreshed her palate.
“Delicious! It’s no different from the high quality tea leaves sold in the stores.”
Ryouka’s cheeks flushed in happiness. Mokuren also took a sip of his tea and straightened his posture.
“Now that we’ve had our tea, let’s talk about the court and inner palace. You sit down too, Ryouka.”
The delicious tea helped Riri relax, but she quickly pulled herself together.
Mokuren watched as Ryouka took a seat to the right of the table without hesitation and then he pushed up his glasses.
“As I’ve said before, His Majesty, Jureibun-sama, isn’t feeling well and he doesn’t come out of his room often. The Crown Prince is in charge of most of the state’s affairs. It is His Majesty’s wish that the secret incense is completed by the time the Crown Prince inherits the throne.”
Mokuren folded his arms as they listened to him.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that all perfumers are aiming to make the treasured incense, even though its existence is uncertain. Do you know why?”
Mokuren asked and Riri’s expression stiffened.
“Only those who make the treasured incense are allowed to call themselves a master perfumer, the pinnacle of perfumers. If one becomes a master perfumer, then the Emperor will grant them the title of ‘Qilin’, one of the auspicious beast titles. With the title of Qilin, one can play a central role in court alongside the Emperor.”
The qilin is a mystical beast that is said to protect and prosper the country.
In Shenzui, even children knew that this beast was a good omen.
“That’s right. There are three honourable auspicious beast titles. Do you know what they are, Riri?”
“I do. The Emperor, who rules this country, receives the title of ‘Dragon’, the title of ‘Phoenix’, which is said to be the guardian deity of the Emperor, is given to the general, and the title of ‘Qilin’, which is said to protect the country with benevolence, is given to a perfumer.”
Mokuren nodded in satisfaction.
“Yes. Those who hold the titles of Qilin and Phoenix are allowed to sit next to the Emperor, who holds the title of Dragon. After the Emperor, it is usually the Grand Chancellor who holds the most power. However, the Qilin and Phoenix are above the Grand Chancellor. In other words, they’re the second most respected beings after the Emperor. Can you imagine how much power those two will have?”
What Mokuren was saying was too magnificent, but she managed to understand and nod. Mokuren sipped his tea before continuing.
“The titles of Dragon and Phoenix are passed down from generation to generation in certain families. The Dragon title is, of course, inherited by the royal family, and the Phoenix title is inherited by the head of the family that has produced generals for generations. But the Qilin title is different. The only requirement to become a master perfumer to receive the Qilin title is to make the ‘treasured incense’.”
“Yes. Father told me that many perfumers have tried to create the treasured incense in the past so that they can obtain the Qilin title. But, no one has succeeded in this endeavour, so no one has received the Qilin title.”
Riri suddenly noticed Ryouka squirming while she was talking to Mokuren.
“What’s wrong Ryouka?”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t studied enough to keep up with what you two are talking about.”
“If you have any questions, just ask. You’re one of us, so don’t be shy.”
When Riri spoke to Ryouka, Ryouka carefully chose her words as she answered.
“I understand that auspicious beasts are sacred beings in Shinzui, and that receiving the title of Qilin… makes you the second highest rank, right after the Emperor, right?”
Mokuren nodded at the faltering Ryouka.
“Yes. His Majesty wishes to have all three of the legendary ranked people, the Dragon, the Phoenix and the Qilin. The purpose of the upcoming perfumer meeting is to make the treasured incense, and also to find a perfumer who can make the treasured incense. The army, who dislikes the high ranking officials and the Department of Incenses, have said that they will destroy the Department of Incenses if we can’t produce the treasured incense by the time of the event. As the head of the Department of Incenses, this meeting is a critical moment for me.”
Mokuren looked thoughtful and Ryouka tilted her head a little.
“But I’ve heard that His Majesty loves incenses and that he has been favouring the Department of Incenses for some time now. No matter how much the high officials and army want to destroy the Department of Incenses, I’m sure His Majesty will protect it. But why does he want all the legendary ranked people now?”
Ryouka was right to question this. Mokuren quietly said.
“It is said that the country will prosper if all three of them are together. It’s a well-known story, so I’m sure both Riri and Ryouka know about this, but there’s actually more to the story.”
Mokuren leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice even further.
“Legend says that when these three people are gathered together, they will have the power to conquer the world.”
“The power to conquer the world?! What kind of power is that?”
Riri leaned forward.
It sounded too far-fetched to be true, but based on Mokuren’s serious expression, this wasn’t a lie.
“I don’t know either, but His Majesty believes in this power. Most importantly, the auspicious beasts are an ancient culture that is deeply rooted in our country. When these titles are held by all three people, the people will have more faith in the court. Everyone will be united and the country’s strength will increase. It seems like His Majesty and Kousho-sama believe in this, so they decided to hold the perfumers meeting.”
Riri listened to Mokuren speak, then asked the question that had been on her mind for a long time.
“I know about the auspicious beasts. I’ve been wanting to ask this for a long time, but what kind of effects does the treasured incense have? I remember Father being happy that he had perfected it, but I don’t remember exactly what it was. I heard that its effects are a national secret known only to the royal family and a few people in the Department of Incenses.”
Riri heard that the secret incense was powerful enough to repel any major nation.
However, it was a mysterious incense, and she didn’t know exactly what it was. Mokuren frowned and folded his arms.
“I’d like to tell you but leaking the secret of the treasured incense is punishable by death. If you want to know the secret, then you’ll have to ask His Majesty or Kousho-sama for permission to compound the treasured incense. Until then, I won’t tell you no matter how much you want to know. So, you’ll have to get permission to participate in the perfumers meeting first.”
Ryouka, who was listening to the conversation, moved her gaze around in confusion.
“So, you’ll be going to the Wing Dance Palace to directly ask His Majesty for permission to participate in the perfumers meeting?”
“What’s the Wing Dance Palace?”
Riri tilted her head in confusion since she had never heard this place before and Mokuren looked at her.
“It’s His Majesty’s inner palace. But His Majesty’s health hasn’t been good, so he hasn’t been to the Wing Dance Palace these days. I believe that you won’t be able to meet His Majesty even if you enter the Wing Dance Palace, so I decided to get you to join Beautiful Flower Palace… Kousho-sama’s inner palace.”
Riri thought about Kousho’s handsome figure and suddenly blushed.
“Oh yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about making the treasured incense, but if I enter the inner palace, then that means I’m an empress candidate, right?”
Kousho had the most handsome face she had ever seen, and his personality seemed good as well. She felt embarrassed and awkward when she thought that such a magnificent person might fall in love with her at first sight.
“It’s okay. There are many beautiful and elegant concubines in Beautiful Flower Palace, so I don’t think they’ll approach you. Don’t worry!”
Riri had mixed feelings when she saw the smile on Mokuren’s face.
“Are you saying that I don’t have to worry because I’m not beautiful or elegant?”
She was by no means confident about her appearance but hearing this from Mokuren hurt her feelings.
Mokuren looked surprised.
“That wasn’t what I meant. They won’t associate with you even if you enter the inner palace… ah, wait.”
Mokuren dug his own grave every time he spoke. He coughed and opened his mouth again to speak.
“It’s not that you’re not beautiful or elegant. Actually, it seems like Kousho-sama is reluctant to marry an empress. The Beautiful Flower Palace has just been established and there are about ten noble ladies living there, but he doesn’t visit them at all.”
Riri was surprised to hear that Kousho was reluctant to marry an empress, but she was more curious about something else.
“There are ten noble ladies in Beautiful Flower Palace?!”
“It’s not that many. There are more than a hundred concubines in the Wing Dance Palace. Including the maids, there are over a thousand women living there. More concubines will enter the Beautiful Flower Palace from now on.”
Riri was rendered speechless by the size of inner palaces.
“That’s amazing… Why is Kousho-sama reluctant to marry an empress?”
“Who knows. But it has been decided that he must have an empress by the time he ascends the throne. So, I’m sure Kousho-sama will choose an empress before long. There are going to be a lot of beautiful women in the Beautiful Flower Palace from now on, so matter how reluctant he is, he’ll probably find at least one person he likes.”
“Is that so? By the way, I heard the women in the palace have their own status. What exactly is my status in the Beautiful Flower palace?”
Mokuren told her that it was better for her to hide the fact that she was Ou Saido’s daughter.
It was unfortunate, but people believe that her father failed to create the treasured incense. Because of this, his reputation in court wasn’t good even now that he was dead. The officials will pay attention to her if they find out that she was Saido’s daughter.
She didn’t want to stand out. She discussed with Mokuren that the quickest way to get permission to make the treasured incense would be to enter the inner palace discreetly and look for an opportunity to talk to Kousho alone. She wanted to know how she was entering the inner palace since she was faking her identity.
Ryouka was the person who answered Riri’s question.
“You will be entering the inner palace as a talented person, Riri-sama.”
“What kind of status is that as a concubine?”
“To put it plainly, it’s a very low position. Talented people often work as a lady’s maid as well, and there are many talented people in the Wing Dance Palace who have never met His Majesty before.”
“I see. What other statuses are there in the inner palace?”
Although Riri was a noble, she had lived downtown for a long time, so she was unfamiliar with such things.
“The Beautiful Flower Palace has only just been established so there aren’t a lot of concubines there yet, so I’ll start by telling you the statuses in the Wing Dance Palace. The highest rank in the Wing Dance Palace is, of course, the title of Empress. However, the Empress passed away a few years ago. Therefore, the Wing Dance Palace is ruled by four concubines, known as the Four Consorts.”
As expected of someone who had been working in the palace for a long time, Ryouka knew a lot about the inner palace.
“The Four Consorts are concubines who have been given a noble rank: Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort and Worthy Consort. Below them are the Nine Concubines. Below them are the 27 Hereditary Consorts. But Riri-sama is a talented person, so you will have the status of one of the 27 Hereditary Consorts.”
Just listening to this made Riri confused. She managed to organise her thoughts and listened to what Ryouka had to say.
“The Empress is chosen from one of the Four Consorts. But the Beautiful Flower Palace has only just been established, so the Four Consorts haven’t been chosen yet. There will be an event to choose the Four Consorts in the near future, but I think that will be after the perfumers meeting.”
Riri could barely keep up with the titles since she had never heard them before. She fell on the table.
“Will I… be able to remember all this…?”
“You have to remember it. You’re entering the inner palace in two days. You’ll have to learn the minimum etiquette, greetings, and customs of the inner palace by then. I’ll teach you everything, so be prepared.”
Riri knew very well how tough Mokuren can be when he got serious since he had taught her how to mix incenses. She probably wouldn’t have time to sleep for two days.
“I’ll… I’ll do my best…!”
Riri clenched her fist and expressed her determination while telling herself not to whine.
After two days of intense studying to enter the inner palace, today was finally the day she was going to court.
Riri looked at herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a red quju[1] embroidered with white flowers.
“It looks good on you, Riri-sama!”
Ryouka, who had helped Riri dress, looked at Riri through the mirror. The red fabric was made out of silk.
Riri had a white sash tied around her waist and the bottom of her quju spread out softly. The quju was made of high quality fabrics and probably cost more than what she earned in a month. Her back-length black hair was braided by Ryouka and tied up on both sides of her head. She had red and white flower hair ornaments on her head and finally, she wore a pair of pointed shoes. The shoes, which were the same red colour as the quju, were embroidered with small flowers and looked very cute.
Before she knew it, her reflection in the mirror had transformed into a woman of high status.
When the finishing touches were done, Mokuren was called into the room and he widened his eyes.
“Hmm. Beautiful. You’re a sight to behold when you try, Riri.”
“So, I’m not worth looking at if I don’t try?”
Riri sometimes thought that Mokuren was very rude. Mokuren chuckled when she pouted.
“My bad. I was just being honest… I mean, anyway, I’ve prepared other kimonos for you as well. I also got you some hairpins, shoes and ornaments, so take them with you.”
“Thank you for preparing all those things for me.”
“It’s alright. You’ll have to dress appropriately since you’re entering the inner palace. And I’ve always wanted to buy you things, but you always refuse. Oh yeah, don’t worry about money. You know, I’m actually the Crown Prince of a certain country so I have quite a bit of money.”
Riri almost believed Mokuren for a moment when he looked serious.
“… That’s too unrealistic for me to believe.”
“Huh? The part of you that believes any lie is cute though.”
Mokuren forced his eyes wide open. Then, he chuckled and pulled himself together before speaking.
“Well, all jokes aside, this is a small price to pay for the debt I owe Saido-sama.”
“I’m the one indebted to you. I’ve been able to make a living by selling incenses because you taught me how to mix them. Even this time, I’m able to enter the inner palace because you’re my guarantor.”
Mokuren had provided Riri and her mother with financial support when they were struggling to make ends meet after Saido passed away.
He also taught her how to compound incenses when she told him that she wanted to be independent.
He was her teacher and her benefactor. It was thanks to him that her mother and her were able to make a living together.
“I was also thinking of asking you to help me make the treasured incense. If I can’t present it at the perfumers meeting, then the Department of Incenses might cease to exist. Then I’ll also be unemployed. The quju and hairpins are necessary expenses, so don’t worry about it.”
Mokuren suddenly looked worried.
“By the way, have you told Renka-sama about you entering the inner palace? Renka-sama doesn’t really like the court since they refused to recognise that Saido-sama had made the treasured incense. Wasn’t she opposed to you entering the inner palace?”
“Yes, I thought she would stop me if I told her, so I told her that I was staying away for work for a while. I told the clinic doctor about my circumstances, and he agreed to take care of Mother for a while. She hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I want her to rest and recuperate.”
It was painful for her to lie, but she didn’t want to cause her mother to worry since her mother was getting weaker.
Choumei was at the clinic and she trusted him, and with the donations from the court, there seemed to be more helpers at the clinic, so he can take care of her mother for her.
“I see. Then, we’ll keep this a secret from Renka-sama. I’m sure she’ll faint if she found out. Riri, I’ll do my best to unravel the secret of the treasured incense, so let’s do our best together, Riri and Ryouka.”
The three of them formed a circle and nodded. From today on, Riri’s fate would change drastically. But no matter what, she vowed that she would not change her determination to make the treasured incense to restore her father’s honour.
It had been six years since she had visited the palace. As the carriage drove through the huge gates, she was struck by the sight of the palace.
“It looks exactly the same as it did when I came here with Father.”
Inside the gate was a garden covered with white gravel. In front of them was a large building with shiny black roof tiles. The huge vermilion, green and gold building had the same overwhelming impact as it had when Riri saw it as a child. Suddenly, she thought of her childhood visits to the palace.
“I remember Father tried to make incenses out of things that wouldn’t normally be used as fragrant woods.”
She felt a throbbing headache as soon as she remembered the image of her father working hard on his concoctions.
“It hurts…!”
“What’s wrong?”
The two sitting in front of her, Mokuren and Ryouka, looked at her in concern.
“I always get a headache for some reason whenever I try to remember Father. When we entered the palace, I almost remembered a little about Father, but because of my headache…”
Mokuren looked serious for a moment.
“… It’s not good to force yourself to remember. I’m sure you have memories of Saido-sama in this palace. Those memories will come back to you even if you don’t force yourself to remember them. Even so, Saido-sama was amazing. He sneaked you into the palace just to let you smell the scents, right?”
“How do I say this… Father was an eccentric man who would do anything for compounding.”
Her headache had finally subsided, so she looked outside. The brightly coloured buildings in the palace were luxurious and gorgeous. There were many buildings and it looked like a town.
“There’s a lot of buildings. I spent most of my time in the Department of Incenses when I came here as a child, so this might be my first time seeing this much of the palace.”
“Each building is called a palace. Each palace has its own role and a name associated with it. For example, the Department of Incenses building is called ‘Incense Palace’. The building managed by the army is called the ‘Military Palace’. The palace where the Emperor resides is called the ‘Emperor’s Palace’. And…”
The carriage came to a halt just as Mokuren paused.
“This is the Beautiful Flower Palace which was built as the inner palace of Kousho-sama.”
Riri looked up from the carriage and she could see a large building with brand-new vermillion pillars which were impressive. The name Beautiful Flower Palace was engraved on top of the gate that was decorated in gold. She smelled the scent of cypress drifting from the brand new building.
“I heard that it was just built, but hasn’t it only been less than a month?”
“How did you know? It was only completed twenty days ago. Can you even tell this with your nose?”
“Yes. I can tell how old a building is from the smell of the wood. The wood still smells fresh, so I figured that it hadn’t been that long since it was built. Even so, it’s magnificent.”
Mokuren got off the carriage first and held out his hand for her.
She got off the carriage with his help and looked up at the Beautiful Flower Palace once again.
This was her first time seeing an inner palace. She never dreamt that she would be entering one.
(I’ve heard that the inner palace is all-female and there’s a lot of quarrels here. It’s scary, but this is for my dream. I’ll do my best!)
She made up her mind again and Mokuren turned towards her.
“Well, this is where I leave. Good luck.”
“What?! You’re leaving already?”
“The only men who are allowed in the inner palace are the royal family and authorised guards. I’ll be beheaded if I enter.”
He was joking, but it was a very real possibility.
“Don’t get caught up in the women’s quarrels and get poisoned. Oh, I guess I don’t have to worry about that. Riri’s sense of smell will detect the poison immediately if someone were to give it to you, so I don’t have to worry.”
“That doesn’t sound good at all! I’m not sure what to do if they do something other than poison me! Do those things really happen!? Is the inner palace really that dangerous?!”
“I would love to say that I was joking… but I can’t say that I’m joking this time. Please don’t die. I’m the one who brought you here, so I’ll feel guilty if you die… If anything happens, then let me know through Ryouka. I’ll come help you even if this is the inner palace.”
Those words were more reassuring than anything else in this situation.
(Mokuren… you’re really kind.)
Riri felt like she might be able to get through this if she had a reliable ally. She nodded, and Mokuren gently touched her cheeks.
“See you, Riri. Be careful.”
She felt sad to feel that the gentle touch of his fingers had left her cheeks. But she held back her feelings and put on a calm face. If she told him that she wanted to go home since it was scary then Mokuren would probably allow her to, but that wouldn’t make her dream come true.
She wanted to finish what she had decided to do. She saw Mokuren off, then Ryouka bowed.
“Let me show you to your room, Riri-sama.”
She tilted her head when she saw Ryouka start walking to lead the way.
“Are you familiar with the Beautiful Flower Palace, Ryouka?”
“Yes. I worked with Mother in the Wing Dance Palace, but when the Beautiful Flower Palace was built, I came here many times to clean and prepare the rooms for the concubines.”
Riri followed Ryouka and stepped into the Beautiful Flower Palace. A long corridor without any scratches faced the garden.
The garden was well-kept, and the breeze felt refreshing.
“It’s beautiful inside too. It’s still new and spacious. I guess the inner palace is much bigger than I thought.”
After walking for a while, Riri noticed a sweet honey smell wafting in from the garden on her left.
It was a nice smell but Riri couldn’t help but frown. What came to her mind when she smelled this smell was the image of bees sucking honey.
A bee with a hidden sharp stinger was small but terrifying. She looked around because she was curious about the smell and noticed a group of women gathered at a pavilion in the garden. She stopped in her tracks when she saw this scene.
“They’re all so beautiful…! It seems like the scent came from those women.”
The women were drinking tea and chatting in the pavilion. The scene looked as if celestial maidens had gathered there.
They didn’t look much older than Riri, but they exuded sex appeal all over with their carefully applied makeup and colourful quju. The women heard Riri’s voice and looked over to where Riri and Ryouka were.
“Riri-sama, please bow. They’re all candidates for the Four Consorts.”
Riri was surprised by the advice that Ryouka had whispered.
(As I recall, the Four Consorts are second after the Empress. They must be of high rank if they’re candidates for that position.)
Following Ryouka’s lead, Riri quickly bent her knees and bowed her head.
She tried to not cause trouble and keep a low profile. That was her promise to Mokuren.
“Oh, I’ve never seen you before.”
The group of women came out from the pavilion and walked up to them with elegant gestures.
There were three women. The two noble ladies standing in the front of Riri were beautiful, but it was the noble lady in the back who caught her attention. She had a small face with well-defined eyebrows and a sharp gaze.
She was tall and slender, and her beauty was as elegant and perfect as that of an expensive doll.
(From how they’re standing, the beautiful concubine at the back seems to be the one with the highest status.)
Riri quickly grasped the situation. Her thoughts were spot on. The woman in front of her to the right smiled at the woman at the back.
“This person is Concubine Hisui. She is the daughter of Grand Chancellor Jin Koudoku. I’m Juka. This is Ranran. We are the daughters of the Right and Left Chancellors of the Department of State Affairs. Which family are you from?”
(Right now, the next highest rank after the royal family is the general who holds the Phoenix title, and the next highest rank after that belongs to the Grand Chancellor. As his daughter, Concubine Hisui is the highest ranking person here. The Right and Left Chancellors also have a high rank in court, and it would be bad to go against them.)
Riri used the knowledge that she had gained over the past two days to understand the current situation.
“Good day to you, Concubine Hisui, Concubine Juka and Concubine Ranran. My name is Riri. I was introduced by Mokuren-sama who works at the Department of Incenses. I have been told to make use of my skills in mixing incenses at the Beautiful Flower Palace.”
Riri greeted them politely and made sure that she wasn’t being rude. But the concubines’ expressions changed.
“You entered the inner palace because of your special skill? Then there’s no need to call you a concubine. You’re just a talented person. You’re on the same status as a maid.”
Juka raised her face standoffishly and Ranran nodded.
“That’s right. I’m against the idea of letting people of lowly status into the inner palace just because they have special skills. The quality of Beautiful Flower Palace will drop. Don’t you think so, Concubine Hisui?”
Hisui stared at Riri. She was around the same age as Riri, but her overwhelming beauty and powerful appearance made it hard to believe that they were around the same age. Hisui’s beautiful gaze turned towards Ranran.
“I heard that Kousho-sama said that he wanted people who excelled in something to enter Beautiful Flower Palace. It is our duty as the Four Consort candidates to follow his wishes. Restrain yourselves.”
Hisui rebuked in a ringing voice and Ranran quickly cowered back.
“Y-yes. I have no intentions of going against Kousho-sama’s wish… But I’m just concerned about people of lowly status entering the Beautiful Flower Palace. Kousho-sama would be troubled if something were to happen here.”
Ranran answered while faltering. She was probably glaring at Riri.
“You didn’t greet us first. It is customary in the inner palace for those who come later to bow their heads to those who came first and ask for instructions. Get yourself together.”
(What?! I greeted them like I was taught and didn’t do anything rude. Isn’t she just taking it out on me because she made Concubine Hisui angry?)
She bowed her head, thinking that it would be better not to talk back.
“I’m sorry. I have just…”
“Riri-sama has just arrived and is tired. Please forgive her.”
Ryouka also bowed, but her words irritated Ranran once more.
“She’s tired, you say? Is she so tired that she can’t even greet us?”
“That’s…”
“You’re just a maid so know your place. How rude. I can’t allow a maid like you to be in this Beautiful Flower Palace. Someone, get rid of this maid… No, that’s not enough. Strip her down to her underwear and throw her out.”
At the sound of Ranran’s voice, several maids, who had been waiting in the pavilion, gathered around and grabbed both of Ryouka’s arms.
“Please wait. Ryouka is…”
Riri quickly tried to stop them, but Ranran swatted her outstretched hand away.
“Are you going against me? We came to this inner palace because our status and beauty were recognised for being Four Consort candidates. You’re only a talented person at most. You’ll spend the rest of your life in this palace without even being able to meet Kousho-sama. If you want to survive in the inner palace, then listen to what we have to say.”
She knew that it would be wise to let this go if she wanted to survive in the inner palace.
However, she could no longer stand by and watch as Ryouka cried.
She stood up and shook off the hands of the women who were holding onto Ryouka.
“What are you doing?!”
“I don’t think Ryouka was talking back to you earlier. And yet, you want to throw her out in her underwear.”
“Oh my, how can you talk to me like that? Do you know your status?”
Riri was terrified to be surrounded by more than ten women, including the maids. But she couldn’t afford to be frightened here. She was determined to stop these women from humiliating Ryouka.
“I’m afraid to even speak to the Four Consort candidates. But I don’t believe that you can do whatever you want, no matter how high your status is.”
She spoke as calmly as she could. She knew she couldn’t become as emotional as Ranran.
“Impertinent! Do you know what will happen to you if you disobey us in the inner palace?”
“I’m well aware, but I can’t accept that the innocent Ryouka will be punished.”
She spoke calmly, and Juka and Ranran’s faces flushed red in anger.
“What did you say…?!”
“Stop.”
Juka and Ranran stopped moving immediately. Hisui elegantly covered her mouth with the fan that she was holding.
“That’s enough. If you cause more trouble, then the dignity of the Beautiful Flower Palace will be questioned.”
With just that comment, Juka and Ranran shut up. Hisui’s beautiful black eyes stared at Riri.
“Did you say your name is Riri? I’ll give you some advice. You won’t last long in the inner palace with a personality like yours.”
Hisui’s words sounded more frightening than the harassing words of Juka and Ranran.
Huisui turned her back and started walking, and Juka and Ranran hesitantly followed after her. Riri watched as the women returned to the pavilion and helped Ryouka, whose quju had been untied, stand. She immediately moved Ryouka to a place where no one could see them.
“Riri-sama, thank you for saving me. But you’ve made an enemy out of Concubine Hisui, Concubine Juka and Concubine Ranran. Mokuren-sama told you to keep a low profile. It’s my fault that you’re standing out…”
Riri gently placed her hand on Ryouka’s shoulder as Ryouka looked down and wept.
“It’s alright. It’s fine as long as you’re okay. We can worry about the future later.”
Ryouka was a friend who knew that she was going to enter the inner palace under false pretences and was willing to help her out. She couldn’t stand by and watch silently while Ryouka was in danger. She gently hugged Ryouka, who was crying.
“You’re helping me a lot, Ryouka. I entered the inner palace to ask Kousho-sama to allow me to participate in the perfumers meeting. I need you to help me since I don’t know anything about the inner palace. Let’s do our best together.”
They looked at each other and nodded. It seemed like her life in the inner palace was about to take a stormy turn.
Riri was given a small, bleak room with only a wardrobe and a writing desk.
She looked around the room and her eyes sparkled.
“This room doesn’t leak. There’s no draft and there’s no hole in the wall! I’m impressed!”
It was a far cry from the downtown terrace houses. She was restless as she wondered where she should sit. She gazed at the entrance while fidgeting.
“Ryouka told me to wait while she went to get some bedding and other necessities… But Mokuren told me that the sacred bamboo wood won’t arrive at the palace until tomorrow, so he’ll start trying to mix the treasured incense the day after. If possible, I want to join the Department of Incenses in two days.”
The Emperor and the Crown Prince will attend the perfumers meeting in a month’s time. By then, the Department of Incenses’ perfumers, led by Mokuren, and the best perfumers selected from the general public, must work together to complete the treasured incense.
“I have to get permission from His Majesty or Kousho-sama before I can participate in the perfumers meeting. But both of them aren’t people who I can easily meet. I need to be prepared to meet and talk to them.”
She quietly opened the door. A corridor with no scratches on it stretched out on either side. She felt anxious to be alone in an unknown place. But she took a deep breath and got rid of her anxiety.
“Calm down. You decided to do whatever it takes to make your dream come true… This is Kousho-sama’s inner palace. I’ll surely have the chance to meet him if I lie in wait. First, I need to find the layout of Beautiful Flower Palace and figure out where I can ambush him.”
She felt impatient when she thought about how little time she had left before the perfumers meeting.
She should just wait until Ryouka came back, but even that felt like a waste of time.
She stepped into the corridor to do what she could do now. Then, she looked around.
From the outside, Beautiful Flower Palace seemed to be quite large. For now, she wanted to see what was around her room so that she could move around freely on her own.
The front of her room faced the garden. The Beautiful Flower Palace was built with an open structure, and many of the corridors seemed to face the garden. The well-kept garden with its white gravel and green plants was easy on the eyes.
According to Ryouka, there were about ten concubines here and ten female maids.
“It really is huge. It’s going to be hard to remember. What should I do if I get lost? … Huh?”
She walked down the corridor and observed the area, but she suddenly stopped after a while. Then she turned around and blinked. She had turned around several corners, but she didn’t know where and which turn she had taken.
“No way?! Am I lost?!”
She thought that she wouldn’t get lost so easily since she was in a building, but when she went back the way she came, she just kept seeing the same scenery, so she didn’t know where her room was.
“Argh, what should I do?!”
She was perplexed and wandered around to see if she could find anyone, but there was no one around.
“There should be about a hundred people in the Beautiful Flower Palace, but why can’t I see anyone? I don’t know what to do…”
As she walked back and forth through the corridors in confusion, she suddenly smelled a refreshing aroma.
“It smells sweet, but manly, and the smell makes my back tense up. This is an aroma bag.”
Aroma bags were aromas that were placed in small bags and they could be smelled at room temperature even if they aren’t heated up.
It was popular among nobles to carry aroma bags in their chest pocket to give off an elegant scent.
“The fact that I can smell an aroma bag means… that there’s someone carrying this scent around!”
She was grateful for her sense of smell once again. It was a faint smell that most people wouldn’t notice, but her nose, with its super olfaction, could tell her exactly where the owner of the scent was.
“Alright, let’s see if they can tell me where I am!”
She ran down the corridor for a while, turned a corner and bumped into something.
“Ouch!”
She tried to flip around, but someone pulled her arm, so she managed not to fall down onto the ground. Everything happened so fast, that she crouched down to the ground, then she heard a voice come from above her head.
“Why are you in such a rush?”
The voice sounded familiar. She looked up and saw the Crown Prince, Kousho, staring at her.
“Ko-Kousho-sama…?!”
(How lucky…! I can’t believe I got to meet the Crown Prince so soon. Oh yeah, I was in such a hurry that I didn’t notice, but this aroma smells exactly the same as when I smelled him at the clinic a few days ago. Wow, he has the same red hair and greyish-brown eyes as last time. He looks kind… Huh?)
She was about to swoon when the handsome Kousho gazed at her, but then she suddenly squinted.
His expression wasn’t as gentle as it was at the clinic. He sighed, folded his arms and looked as if he was looking down on her.
“Where were you looking? You’ve got some nerve to bump into me.”
His cold expression and voice had a numbing effect.
His rude tone of voice was completely different from the Kousho she had met at the clinic.
“Hah? Eh? Hmm?”
(Ma-maybe it’s just someone who looks like him. No, no, only the royal family has red hair and greyish-brown eyes. And the aroma bag is definitely the same one I smelled the last time we met.)
Riri was dumbfounded and Kousho snorted.
“I don’t need a maid who can’t answer my question in the inner palace. A little girl who doesn’t have any feminine appeal can get the hell out… Jeez, it’s completely incompetent of those idiotic officials to build me this palace when I’ve already said that I don’t need one yet, and then they only gather women of this calibre.”
She could hear disgust in his low voice.
She was puzzled as to where the gentle, sparkling Crown Prince with the soft aura had gone.
“This is close to my private chambers. It has been decided that no one is allowed to approach this place without my permission. You’re a useless maid if you can’t follow that rule.”
She felt disbelief as she pondered over the words he had said.
Despite being confused, she remembered her purpose for coming here. She managed to stand up and speak.
“My name is Riri. Umm…”
Before she could speak about the perfumers meeting, Kousho raised his eyebrow.
“I don’t need to know your name. You’re not worth me remembering your name. I’ll just call you, You. Or do you think you’re worthy of me remembering your name?”
She managed to stop herself from falling down from the words that had been stabbing her since a while ago.
(He shouldn’t speak like that even if he’s the Crown Prince.)
It made her angry to think that she was being looked down upon, but she managed to calm herself down.
He was the Crown Prince. She took a deep breath, knowing that she had to be polite.
“I apologise for coming so close to your private quarters without your permission. I got lost. However, I’m not a maid. Even if I were, I’m a human being just like you. Calling me You is…”
She managed to keep her voice calm, but Kousho suddenly smiled.
“I, a member of the royal family, am equal to you?”
“I didn’t say we’re equal. You are the Crown Prince. But that is a matter of birth, and whether your virtue is suitable for the Crown Prince is a separate matter. I’m sure you’re surrounded by… Ah.”
Realising that she’d said too much, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. In Shinzui, it is said that the virtuous Emperor will be blessed with the blessing of the auspicious beasts. She wondered if this Crown Prince, the heir to the throne, had that virtue, so she spoke up. When she looked up at him fearfully, he didn’t seem to be angry, but he was looking at her as if he was observing a creature for the first time.
“Interesting woman. I’ve never heard anyone talk to me like that before. I guess you still have something to say. I’ll listen to what you have to say since you’re interesting. Tell me what you think.”
She was unsure of what to say when urged to speak, but she spoke honestly.
“I’m sure there’s no one around you that will admonish you for your arrogance. If there really isn’t anyone, then I feel sorry for you. If there’s no one around you to admonish you for your arrogance because they’re afraid of being punished, then you’re not blessed to be surrounded by such people.”
She knew that she might be punished if she expressed her opinion. Still, she mustered up her courage. He will become the Emperor in a year’s time. She was worried about what would happen to this country if he didn’t change his arrogance and there was no one to admonish him.
Kousho’s expression turned serious for a moment, but then he chuckled.
“You’re really an interesting woman. You said your name is Riri? I’ll remember it. You seem docile, but you’re surprisingly strong-willed. I’m in a hurry today, so I’ll let you off with this. I’ll destroy that aggressiveness of yours the next time we meet, so be prepared.”
Even his back was beautiful as he walked down the corridor, but he was completely different from his outward appearance.
“What should I do? I’ve made him angry. And I couldn’t tell him that I wanted to participate in the perfumers meeting.”
She thought about chasing after him, but then realised that it wasn’t a good idea to bring up the perfumers meeting to Kousho right now since he probably didn’t like her. She sighed while thinking it was better to give it some time before she brought up the discussion again.
She turned to the garden that was facing the corridor, crouched down and said in disappointment.
“Ah, I’m an idiot. I didn’t say anything wrong, but what did I come here for?”