It was their first time meeting. The older princess spoke to her wide-eyed seven-year-old sister.

“Listen well. The Umashi-no-Miya exists for no reason but to provide exquisite food to the god as well as me. Do you follow? You there, with the vacant expression of a bear cub who just woke from its winter hibernation.”

“Huh...really?”

Placing a finger on the tip of her perplexed sister’s nose, the princess, who was a decade older, continued, “That’s right. I’m a Saigu who serves Kunimamori-no-Ōkami, the protector of these lands. And you are the Umashi-no-Miya, who will serve the god and me. From now on, you will make food for the god, and after you have offered it, it will be my food to eat. That’s your duty and the reason you have come here. Are you capable of doing that?”

“What? ‘Duty’? It’s my duty?!” the younger princess, who up until now had seemed to be in a daze, exclaimed in excitement, leaning forward. “Um, in that case, Lady Saigu, if I’m able to make good food for you, will this be the place where I belong?”

“The place where you belong?”

“Up until now, everyone has always been at a loss as to what to do with me. ‘This princess has nowhere she belongs,’ they would say. Father and the handmaids always said it too. They were all at a loss. There was no place for me in the palace. But here I have a duty to fulfill, right? Does that mean if I make food you like, this will be where I belong?!” She spoke frantically and filled with expectation, but her voice betrayed a sense of desperation unbefitting of her young age.

Looking back at the young princess, the older sister seemed to have sensed something in her younger sister’s eyes, as she softened her voice.

“Yes, that’s right. If you’re able to make us exquisite food, this will be where you belong, Ayako.”

Upon hearing her sister say this, the young girl’s—Ayako’s—eyes burned even brighter.

“In that case, I promise to make food that the god and you will like!”

That was ten years ago. The conversation took place in Wakoku.

With no backing and no place for her in the imperial palace, the emperor’s ninth princess, Ayako, was given the duty of making food to offer the god, and become Ayako the Umashi-no-Miya. Ayako would never forget this day, a day she was truly happy.

However, ten years later, Ayako the Umashi-no-Miya would cross the sea to the mainland, where she would enter the rear palace of the great empire of Konkoku—as a tribute.

Chapter 1: A Lonely Wildflower in the Rear Palace

I

“Starting today, your name is Setsu Rimi.”

It had begun an hour earlier.

Ayako the Umashi-no-Miya had passed through the gate to the Konkoku rear palace. She had been ordered to change out of her clothes, and in place of her Wakokuan dress that consisted of layers upon layers of garments, she had been given a light ruqun.

She had been led to a hall decorated by vermillion pillars where several eunuchs waited. The eunuchs had then informed her of the new name that she would go by.

So my family name is “Setsu,” and my given name is “Rimi.”

She was surprised to have her name changed out of the blue, as easily as changing a house sign. However, though she was not yet comfortable with her new name, she was also surprised by how readily she accepted it.

In the end, even if you change a house sign, the building itself remains unchanged. The same was true of herself—though her new name was yet unfamiliar to her, she was still the same person she had always been.

Huh... I guess changing your name isn’t really that big of a deal? She nodded, having arrived at a satisfactory conclusion in her head. Amused by her lack of particularity, her expression softened.

Upon seeing her amusement, the eunuchs grew suspicious.

“What is so funny?”

Since she was little, others had often complained about her carefree demeanor. Ayako—nay, Setsu Rimi—was reminded of this and hurriedly stiffened up.

“Nothing at all,” she replied in the Konkokuan she had spent close to a year studying in preparation for leaving for Konkoku. While her understanding of the spoken language was near-perfect, she still lacked the vocabulary to speak eloquently. She worried that this might lead to problems in the future.

“Starting today, you are a Konkokuan. Your rank is sixth—a Lady of Precious Bevy. A palace woman from the General Palace Service will show you the way from here.” As soon as the eunuch finished speaking, an elderly palace woman who had been waiting near the entrance to the hall swiftly approached Rimi.

“Right this way, Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu,” the woman urged Rimi, who picked up a terracotta pot that she had placed by her feet and started walking. Upon seeing the pot, the woman’s face clouded over with suspicion. The eunuchs, who only now had noticed that Rimi had been carrying a pot, furrowed their brows as if to reproach her.

“Please wait, Lady Rimi. What is that you are carrying? Where did you get that?”

“From Wakoku. How come?”

“No clothing or accessories from any foreign country, including Wakoku, are allowed in the rear palace.”

“Oh, don’t worry. This is food. It tastes good. Want to see?” Rimi smiled softly as she placed the pot back down on the stone floor and opened the lid. The eunuchs and the palace woman warily peered into the pot.

“What in the world is this?” a eunuch asked incredulously. A glossy white substance filled the pot. Its texture was like that of fine mud. With a faintly sweet, mellow scent, it smelled of wine brewed from rice. It was a fine scent that would have attracted anyone who caught a whiff of it, though it must have been unfamiliar to the people of Konkoku.

It was a pickling bed called kaoridoko that was used to season food, resulting in something called kaorizuke.

I see...people from Konkoku don’t know about kaorizuke. In which case, they obviously wouldn’t know about kaoridoko either... Pickling...pickling bed? Wait, how do I describe this in Konkokuan? Rimi watched the eunuchs’ and palace woman’s reactions as she struggled to think of what to say.

“Unknown substances are not allowed in His Majesty the Emperor’s rear palace. I am confiscating this,” a eunuch said in a matter-of-fact tone. Rimi quickly put the lid back on the pot, picked it up, and cradled it in her arms.

“No! This is... This is... Something that smells nice and pressures the food!” Rimi attempted to describe it in what words she knew, but the eunuchs turned pale.

“Pressuring food? Pressuring someone is akin to threatening someone...could this be poison?!”

That had been Rimi’s attempt at a translation. She was hoping that they would associate the imagery of something being held down with pickling, but it did not work out as expected. Frantic, she tried to find the right words.

“It’s not poison! I said it wrong. Not pressure, it’s...it’s for burying!”

“Burying?! Do you mean to bury people?!”

Jumping to wild conclusions, the eunuch was startled further. Rimi wished she could reply with a “You can’t be serious,” but with her language skills, that was the least of her concerns.

“Not people. And you don’t bury, you...you use a bed... Um, is bed the right word?”

“A bed? You do not mean to pour this all over His Majesty’s bedding, do you?!”

“His Majesty? His Majesty has nothing to do with it. His Majesty’s status in this case is belittled to an irrelevant person.”

“Belittled?! What do you mean by irrelevant?!”

Rimi had tried to politely explain that the emperor was irrelevant to the matter at hand, but it seemed something had gone wrong.

I-I might be done for. Somehow, the more I try to explain, the worse things get...

She could feel cold sweat running down her back. She decided to give up on explaining the finer details and instead attempted to convince them using simple words.

“Anyway, this...this isn’t poison. It’s safe. It’s food. If I can’t have this, I won’t enter the rear palace.”

“Then please explain what it is, Lady Rimi.”

“As I said, um...it’s food. It’s not poison. It’s not dangerous. It’s food.” As Rimi repeated herself, she could hear a eunuch whisper to another, seemingly high-ranked, eunuch.

“We should send for an interpreter,” it sounded like he said. The high-ranked eunuch nodded in agreement, a troubled expression on his face.

Feeling the gazes of the palace woman and the eunuchs, Rimi held on to the pot as if to say, “You can have it over my dead body.”

What do I do if they take it? If I lose this, I’ll never find more as long as I’m in Konkoku.

Bringing the pot all the way here from Wakoku had been an ordeal. During the seven-day voyage by sea, she had worked hard to ensure that the pot wouldn’t break from the rocking of the boat.

She’d had her name replaced as easily as changing a house sign. That much she could accept. Even if her name changed, the unshakeable building that was herself would not collapse. But the pillar that supported that unshakeable building was food—and that was the only pillar that supported her.

After waiting for who knows how long in that slightly tense hall, a young man appeared. He seemed to be just slightly over twenty years of age, with a tall and slender physique. His eyes were unusually calm considering his age. The eunuchs drew close to the man.

Huh? An interpreter? The eunuchs are acting awfully humble for that to be the case.

While being briefed by the eunuchs at a rapid speed, the man approached Rimi. He must have been summoned on short notice—it was clear that he was rather confused.

“The eunuchs asked me to have you explain the situation,” the man spoke in fluent Wakokuan. With joy building up in her chest upon hearing this, Rimi replied excitedly.

“Are you from Wakoku?!”

“No, I am from Konkoku. I learned Wakokuan as part of my education. You are the Wakokuan princess, correct? I believe your name was Setsu Rimi. Rimi, are you aware that foreign clothing and accessories cannot be brought into the Konkoku rear palace?” The man spoke softly, not to condemn her, but to gently persuade her.

“I am aware. However, this is neither clothing nor an accessory, nor is it an unknown dangerous substance. It is food. I was told that bringing in food is allowed.”

“Yes, I heard from the eunuchs that you insist that is food. However, they claim that they cannot fathom how that could possibly be true.”

“Please have a look, then,” Rimi said, as she crouched down to place the pot on the floor and once again removed its lid. “Are you familiar with Wakokuan kaorizuke?”

“Kaori...zuke?”

“You pickle food such as vegetables, fish, and meat in a mixture containing ingredients like salt and miso.”

“Oh, yes, I have heard it’s common in Wakoku. So this is the famed tsukemono?” The man peered into the pot with intense curiosity.

“No, this is kaoridoko, which is a pickling bed used to make kaorizuke. If you put food in here and let it sit for a few days, it ends up tasting great.”

“What is this bed made of?”

“It’s made from the dregs that result from brewing rice wine. The only ingredients are rice and water, so there’s nothing dangerous about it. You could even eat it if you really wanted to.”

“Well, as far as I can see, the eunuchs were certainly overreacting. But I must ask, is this really important enough to bring all the way from Wakoku and throw a tantrum over just because you can’t bring it into the rear palace?”

“It’s important to me. Very much so,” Rimi replied, with her gaze fixed on the man. “So important that if I cannot bring it into the rear palace, I would rather shove my head into the pot and drown myself on the spot.”

“I see. So very important indeed, in other words.” The man met Rimi’s ardent gaze and nodded. “That’s a rather novel method of taking your life that you’ve thought up there, and I am loath to miss out on getting to witness it, but very well. If you are that insistent...I will eat it.”

The man suddenly put a finger in the glossy, white pickling bed and licked it.

What?! He ate it!

The nearby eunuchs and the woman shouted and spoke all at once in a frenzy.

“That’s dangerous!”

“Have you gone mad?”

However, the man remained calm. After tasting it, he made a face as though he had just heard an inane joke, and he faintly smiled.

“There is no need to worry. Making a fuss about this is just a waste of time. This would seem to be some sort of fermented rice product. It can be brought into the rear palace without issue. It is no different from enjoying a rare foreign tea in the rear palace.”

“But we cannot very well bring an unknown substance into His Majesty’s rear palace...” The eunuchs looked at each other, still unconvinced. The man smiled gently in return as if to say “Oh, what will I do with you.” His smile made the eunuchs flustered.

“I will vouch that it is harmless. If there is any problem, simply mention my name. I will take responsibility for it.”

As though compelled by his smile, the eunuchs finally agreed with a “Very well, in that case...”

The man turned back to Rimi and once again spoke to her in Wakokuan.

“They agreed to let you bring that pot into the rear palace.”

“You managed to convince them?!” Rimi asked, surprised. The man reached out to take Rimi’s hand and helped her to her feet.

“Please stand. You are soon to be a woman of the Konkoku rear palace. You must behave elegantly. You must never again crouch down on the floor.”

Rimi looked up at the tall man. She could see herself reflected in his perceptive eyes.

“Take good care of that food of yours from your homeland,” he said sympathetically. He then turned around and left the hall.

His voice... Oh, what a kind voice... Speechless, Rimi watched the man leave while a warm feeling slowly filled her chest.

When Rimi had arrived in Konkoku earlier, her attendants had quickly bid her farewell. The Konkokuan officials had all been cold and indifferent and had shown her to the rear palace in a dispassionate manner. Even Rimi, with her carefree demeanor, had felt somewhat anxious surrounded by foreign buildings and people speaking a foreign language. The prospect of having her kaoridoko confiscated had made her even more worried.

Amid her hopelessness, those were the first words of kindness that anyone from Konkoku had spoken to her.

“Very well. We permit you to bring that into the rear palace,” the eunuchs agreed reluctantly, waving at her as though to tell her to hurry up.

Rimi placed a hand on her chest in relief, bowed slightly in gratitude, and started following the palace woman out of the hall. It was only then that she realized she had not expressed any words of gratitude to the Wakokuan-speaking young man. She stopped in her tracks and turned back to the eunuchs.

“Excuse me! Who was that gentleman just now? I would like to express my gratitude to him.”

“He is the finest scholar in Konkoku. We were unable to find an interpreter and had to instead make a special request for his assistance. He is not someone a woman of the rear palace like you would normally meet face-to-face. You will most likely never see him again,” a eunuch replied bluntly, commanding her to hurry up and leave with a cold wave of his hand.

II

Rimi pondered just who that Wakokuan-speaking man was. Disappointed she hadn’t even learned his name, she followed the palace woman out of the hall. The harshness of the winter having abated, she was greeted by rays of sunlight just warm enough for a slight smile to surface on her face.

This Konkokuan outfit is so light. The skirt feels so empty. Through the bottom of the unfamiliar skirt, a chilly spring breeze entered and caressed her skin. Even so, the ruqun was comfortable to wear, and she was fond of how light it was.

However, she still felt isolated. Despite the palace woman walking right in front of her, she felt like a lone leaf floating in the middle of a vast ocean. But she soon shook her head, as if to drive away all her loneliness. She clutched her pot even more tightly.

I’ll be fine, as long as I have this. Embracing the pot felt to her as if she were embracing her entire home country. It gave her confidence.

They walked down a slightly breezy cloister, toward what appeared to be the front garden of the rear palace. In the middle of the garden stood a large stone lantern on a foundation of white stone. Further down was a gate leading to the innermost area. As she passed through the gate, the woman serving as Rimi’s guide started speaking.

“Now we are truly in the rear palace. Men are still allowed as long as they are officials between here and the outer gate. However, beyond this gate, the only man who can enter is His Majesty the Emperor. In this part of the rear palace live one thousand five hundred consorts, concubines, handmaids, eunuchs, and servants, and there are over a hundred buildings.”

The scale of the rear palace was beyond belief. Extending straight ahead from the inner gate was a stone-paved path wide enough for a carriage to pass by with stone walls that seemed to continue endlessly on both sides. Decorating the interior of the walls were sloped roofs with prominent vermilion rafters. Canting from the ridge of the roofs were corners that elegantly arched upwards.

It was a rear palace befitting a great empire that spanned half the continent. Coming from a small island nation, Rimi could hardly believe that this place had been constructed for the sake of a single emperor.

No wonder Wakoku has to act subservient to Konkoku, she thought. Even a single rear palace was on a completely different magnitude from anything she had seen before. If such a great nation were to attack, Rimi’s home country of Wakoku would not have stood a chance. Being a tributary state subservient to Konkoku was the only path forward for Wakoku.

That’s why I was sent here. As a symbol of subservience.

The wind blew down the path from the opposite direction, rattling the jade buyao ornament in her hair and causing the bottom of her skirt to flutter before dying down. Standing in front of such a vast rear palace, she realized the significance of the fact that she was about to enter this place herself, with a completely new name at that.

It was the year 111 of the Konkokuan calendar. Konkoku’s fifth emperor had ascended to the throne. With the coronation of a new emperor, it was tradition to do away with the old consorts and concubines and replace them. As a symbol of subservience, vassal states would, along with celebratory gifts for the new emperor, offer up one of their own princesses to join Konkoku’s rear palace as a consort. Put simply, the princesses were tributes.

And the princess sent as a tribute from Wakoku was Rimi.

As Rimi passed through the inner gate, the palace woman stopped, looking back ever so slightly. A derisive smile could be seen on her face.

“Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu. Oh, how sad. You, a noble princess, have come all the way here from beyond the sea, only to become a palace woman.”

Excluding the empress, there were 120 consorts and concubines in the palace. However, out of these, only the forty highest-ranked ones were treated as the emperor’s wives. Those ranked below were concubines only in name and were expected to work as palace women.

The rank Rimi had been given, Lady of Precious Bevy, was ranked just below the forty highest-ranked women. It was the highest rank a palace woman could have.

However, ultimately, she was still a mere palace woman.

While it was clear that she was being treated with disrespect, being from the powerless nation of Wakoku, it was to be expected. The most powerful merchants of Konkoku had far more influence than Wakoku in Konkoku’s imperial court.

The guide’s sarcastic remark must have been an attempt to ridicule her over this fact, but Rimi was not particularly bothered. In Wakoku, her contact with others had been extremely limited. Avoiding contact with others had been part of her duty as the Umashi-no-Miya. As a result, the woman’s sarcasm only felt new and refreshing to her.

I wonder, would becoming a high-ranking palace woman count as rising up in the world for me?

She looked up at the open sky. Unlike the mountainous Wakoku, Konkoku had an unfathomably large plain, resulting in a far more open and wide sky. She thought that this pale, cloudless spring sky must have continued all the way to Wakoku.

I may have been a princess with the title Umashi-no-Miya, but in practice, I was little more than a cook. So perhaps it does count as a promotion?

She thought back to her older sister, far away in Wakoku. Her sister was a Saigu, a shrine maiden who served Kunimamori-no-Ōkami. The only person Rimi would see every day was the Saigu, who was also the only contact she had with anyone else in general. As a result, whenever she thought back to her home country, she was inevitably reminded of her sister.

Her memories of her home country were almost completely occupied by her sister and by food.

I wonder, is Lady Saigu happily throwing her usual tantrum today? Is she complaining about her food as always?

When she thought back to her Saigu sister raising hell with her beautiful face and kicking over a dining table while clad in a gorgeous outfit, Rimi reflexively let out a chuckle. The palace woman looked displeased, seemingly finding Rimi’s laugh eerie.

Her sister would often complain about her carefree demeanor. However, here that disposition of hers might be a blessing in disguise.

What waits for me in the rear palace? Living alongside her anxiousness was her curiosity. During her ten years as the Umashi-no-Miya, she had spent her life like a bird in a cage. Because of this, everything she saw of the outside world interested her. Not to mention that this was a foreign country—there were new sights to be found everywhere.

Perhaps Rimi would be able to enjoy the uneasiness and anxiety of joining a foreign rear palace. Guided by her curiosity, she spurred herself on.

“I suppose you’ll be able to find all sorts of delicious food in that empire they call Konkoku, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy life there. What a pity that you’ll never come home to Wakoku again, but do enjoy it there enough for the both of us. And why don’t you send me letters while you’re at it? I might even read them if I’m bored. I shan’t be sending any back, though.” Her sister’s sarcastic parting words played back in her head, and she responded in her mind.

Lady Saigu, I will be sure to enjoy everything here. For starters, a palace woman making sarcastic remarks to me was a very new experience. I would say there’s a rather charming tension between the two of us.

On the mainland, even the scent of the air differed. The dry, sand-filled wind seemed to carry a scent akin to a slightly sweet and invigorating spice.

What kinds of food will I find in this country? And...will I be able to find a place where I belong here? Like I did back when I was seven?

For the past ten years, Rimi had fulfilled the duty given to her as the Umashi-no-Miya. Every day, she had made food, and after offering it to the god, she would give it to her Saigu sister to eat. Her sister had an almost brilliant beauty to her, befitting an emissary of a god. She was also a temperamental glutton and miserly when it came to praising food. Rimi had spent every day thinking about how to make food that even her sister would think tasted good. That was her duty, her job, her only role in life, her one pleasure—as well as her way to gain a place where she belonged.

Compared to the other princesses, who were like large, beautiful flowers assembled in Konkoku’s rear palace, Rimi was not even worth admiring. She was, at most, worth about as much as a puny wildflower. She did not have a beautiful singing voice, nor was she good at dancing or playing instruments. The only thing the former Umashi-no-Miya was capable of was making food for someone.

But still, if she could only find someone here who would enjoy the food she made, perhaps Rimi could find a new place to belong. Even in this faraway foreign land where everything was different from what she knew.

III

The palace housing the residence Rimi had been given was called the Palace of Small Wings. It contained nine residences—each consisting of a living room and a bedroom—which were all reserved for palace women of the rank Lady of Precious Bevy.

Rimi walked down a cloister while observing the reliefs carved into the wooden beams above her. They depicted gods frolicking in a valley. Up until a century ago, both gods and divine beasts had routinely shown up in the realm of humans. However, as the ages passed, they had gradually started to disappear. Now they were a rare sight.

Rimi herself had only seen one once: a white dragon. It had looked like a white thread, twisting its body as it slowly made its way over the heavens. It had been so far away that if not for her Saigu sister telling her that it was a dragon, she would likely have missed it completely.

Oh yeah, I did hear that the reason Konkoku was able to grow this big was thanks to the protection of a divine dragon. And that the emperor of Konkoku is supposedly still living alongside that dragon.

As she strolled mindlessly, a hostile voice struck her back.

“Lady Rimi, please hurry. If you don’t make it on time, I will lose face,” called the voice of the old handmaid who had been assigned to Rimi. She had a sort of refined, spiteful look in her eyes that came with old age.

“I’m sorry,” Rimi apologized and increased her pace. The old handmaid let out a deliberately audible sigh.

“Honestly, some foreign girl as a Lady of Precious Bevy? Now that’s a mismatch in status if I’ve ever seen one.”

It had been three days since Rimi had moved into the Palace of Small Wings. She had spent these days listening to the old handmaid’s snide remarks. She would turn these remarks over in her mind but found that no matter how snide the remark, as long as it was uttered in Konkokuan, it didn’t affect her much. It seemed as though during the extra time it took for her to translate it in her head, she had already calmed down.

Either way, I need to hurry. If I really am late, I’ll be in trouble.

His Majesty the Emperor was scheduled to visit the rear palace soon. The 120 consorts and concubines of the rear palace had been assembled, and they needed to gather all at once to present themselves to the emperor.

The location of the gathering was the front garden that Rimi had quickly passed by three days ago. In the middle of the front garden, located between the inner and the outer gates, was an enormous lantern, surrounded by white stone flooring. The consorts and concubines were to line up by rank in the front garden, starting from the north side. Rimi was instructed to stand slightly north of the middle of the garden.

The emperor was scheduled to appear in front of the inner gate. Rimi pondered just what this emperor—a man who ruled over a great empire and was said to live alongside a divine dragon, even in this godless age—might look like. It was said that the young emperor was a mere sixteen years of age—one year younger than Rimi.

I don’t suppose the man from the other day is here? She saw aides in the cloister leading to the outer gate. She was searching to see if any of them were the man who had been kind to her when she first arrived.

She searched so fervently that she accidentally made eye contact with one of the military officers. He was a well-built man, equipped with a wide sword, and had a somewhat uncouth appearance. He smiled at Rimi.

Oh no, I looked around too much, Rimi thought as she hurriedly looked away.

“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived,” a eunuch with a bright voice proclaimed, and the consorts and concubines kneeled all at once. Rimi followed suit.

Ruqun sleeves and skirts, along with soft shawls, were spread out over the stone flooring. The beautiful sight of the 120 consorts and concubines kneeling and bending down on top of the white stone in the garden was like countless colorful flower petals being scattered.

“Raise your heads,” a young voice commanded. The women all looked up in unison and stood speechless. The emperor who stood in front of the inner gate had a vigorous, youthful beauty to him, like freshly budded leaves wet from the morning dew.

A silver dragon stretched from his right shoulder, across his back, and to his left sleeve. It was delicate embroidery made from silver thread. His formal outfit had purple embroidery attached to it so deep that it could be mistaken for black. This noble, deep color cast a shadow upon his vigorous beauty, but that contrast only served to further emphasize his magnificence.

This is the fifth emperor of Konkoku—Ryu Shohi.

Stunned at first by the beauty of the emperor, Rimi noticed after a while his oddly piercing gaze. But despite being a year younger than Rimi, his dark, piercing gaze had no hint of the rashness or mischievousness one would have expected from someone his age. However, he did not seem relaxed. Rather, he was akin to a wary, fierce beast. Rimi felt a chill go down her spine.

Shohi looked down at his consorts and concubines lined up on the ground when the Noble Consort at the very front looked up. She was about thirteen or fourteen years of age, a charming consort whose mouth and eyes still betrayed her youth. The floral design adorning her hair of an early-blooming peony shook as the Noble Consort tilted her head slightly and smiled. While wearing an innocent expression, her smile seemed to radiate a sort of sweetness, suggesting that she was already fully aware of her power as a woman.

“I am So Reiki. On behalf of the rear palace, I present myself to Your Majesty.”

With no empress present, the most powerful women in the rear palace were the four consorts: the Noble Consort, the Pure Consort, the Virtuous Consort, and the Worthy Consort. Currently, Noble Consort So had the most authority out of anyone in the rear palace and therefore was a likely candidate to be the next empress. Out of confidence stemming from this fact, or perhaps because of her youth, Noble Consort So smiled in a friendly manner as she continued speaking in an affected, cutesy voice.

“I feel truly blessed to meet Your Majesty. I have been lonely beyond words. Unlike my estate, in the rear palace there reside savages from vassal states, and I have been oh so frightened. But if it means that I can meet with Your Majesty, I think I can endure.”

It was plain as day that the savage mentioned was Rimi, who felt she had been insulted. However, in all likelihood, Noble Consort So had simply used Rimi to get across her anxiousness and cling to Shohi.

Shohi listened emotionlessly to what Noble Consort So had to say. After staring down at her for a while, he approached the Noble Consort, who was awaiting his response with a smile on her face. Stopping in front of her, he bent forward. His eyes, adorned with well-defined double eyelids, observed her. His thick eyelashes were long enough to cast shadows on his cheeks.

“Noble Consort So,” he said with a voice as clear as a limpid stream.

To which she responded, “Yes?”

“Do you understand that the four consorts have a duty to rule the rear palace in a way as to ensure it operates smoothly and is free of conflict?”

“Of course, Your Majesty, I believe that to be an obvious...” Noble Consort So’s voice trailed off, and the onlookers grew restless. Rimi’s jaw dropped as she watched the scene unfold.

Shohi was holding Noble Consort So’s chin firmly with one hand, using such force that his fingers dug into her cheeks, leaving So with her mouth half-open, unable to move. Her eyes shook from both surprise and fear.

“If you are truly aware that it is your duty to ensure that the rear palace can operate smoothly and free of conflict, then are you a simpleton, Noble Consort So?” Shohi asked, emotionless. “Someone whose duty is to prevent conflict would dare to disparage others, sowing the seeds of conflict herself? Your tongue seems to have a life of its own. I foresee it being the cause of much disaster. What would you say if I cut off that tongue of yours, right here and now?”

Noble Consort So, tears welling up in her eyes, desperately tried to shake her head from side to side. However, Shohi’s grip on her chin was much too firm, and she only looked to be struggling in vain.

“Your Majesty, I think that’s quite enough.” While everyone else was at a loss for what to do, a young military officer had slowly approached Shohi from behind and raised his voice to intervene. On his waist hung a wide sword. It was the same military officer who Rimi had made eye contact with earlier. Given that he could address the emperor directly, he must have been a considerably high-ranking officer.

“You do not seriously mean to cut off the tongue of the Noble Consort, do you?” the officer continued.

“Indeed I do.”

“My, Your Majesty, how frightening you are,” the officer said, shivering in jest. Immediately after, though, his voice suddenly turned deep and ominous. “However, I cannot very well let you go through with that yourself. If you so wish, I, Shin Jotetsu, shall do it in your place.”

Upon hearing this, Shohi, seemingly having lost interest, scoffed, “Have the eunuchs assembled nothing but simpletons in my rear palace?” He loosened his grip, pushing So away. The Noble Consort fell to the ground and started crying, her face turned toward the ground.

“I’m leaving.” Taking no notice of the dumbfounded eunuchs and palace women, the terrified consorts and concubines, nor the bawling Noble Consort So, Shohi turned on his heels. The military officer, Shin Jotetsu, who was so composed that he seemed ready to start humming at any moment, followed him. The eunuchs also hurriedly chased after him.

The front garden was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, the only sound being the sobbing of Noble Consort So. Until the emperor had disappeared from view, no concubine moved a single finger. They couldn’t move, having been dominated by fear.

The high-ranking consorts seemed particularly terrified at having joined the rear palace of such a frightening emperor. The higher one’s rank, the more often one was expected to serve the emperor. The consorts had all grown pale.

Wow... What a violent emperor. He seemed half-serious when he said he’d cut off her tongue.

He was the emperor of a great empire whose territory spanned half a continent and subjugated a vast number of vassal states. Any luxury he wished for was his—as demonstrated by his having been granted 120 consorts and concubines at such a young age. If he so wished, he could sleep with any beautiful princess, dine on any lavish cuisine, and wear any magnificent clothing in the world.

And yet, he doesn’t seem remotely happy. I wonder why? As surprised as Rimi was at the emperor’s behavior, she was also perplexed. Well, whatever. It’s not like I’ll ever have anything to do with His Majesty.

After all, there were as many as forty higher-ranking consorts and concubines above her. The chances of the emperor taking notice of her were minuscule, an optimistic Rimi concluded.

However, she was yet unaware that the emperor merely taking notice of her would be the least of her worries.

Chapter 2: The Beautiful Eunuch

I

“Huh... is that so?”

It was the evening of the day that the emperor had first appeared before his concubines. Upon returning to her room, Rimi had found a piece of paper, upon which a good number of unfamiliar words were written. After spending a while decoding the message, putting to good use a self-made glossary that the Wakokuan interpreter had entrusted her with, she was finally able to understand what it said.

“‘You lowly, foreign woman. You filthy prostitute. Having your head cut off by His Majesty’s holy sword would be a fitting end for someone like you,’ I believe, or something to that effect.” She read it out loud, with a mixed sense of achievement and disappointment. The message consisted almost completely of dirty slang words. Words like these would not be found in a normal Konkokuan book, so the interpreter’s glossary had come in handy.

When the interpreter handed Rimi the glossary, he had said, “I’m sure this will be of good use to you.” Rimi figured that he must have been a rather shrewd individual with a good idea of what the rear palace of Konkoku was like.

Before Rimi joined the rear palace, she had envisioned what life here might be like. Her predictions had turned out to be alarmingly accurate. She may have been just one concubine among 120, but as people gossiped about the princess from Wakoku, it had become difficult not to stand out. Not to mention, it was obvious that Rimi had no intimidating people backing her and her rank was a mere Lady of Precious Bevy—a palace woman. For both Noble Consort So and whoever threw this piece of paper into Rimi’s room, Rimi was the perfect target for belittlement and stress relief.

For Rimi, who was used to living like a bird in a cage, even harassment could be entertaining, as long as there was some amount of unpredictability to it, or if there were discoveries that could be made. However, so far the unpredictability had been nonexistent.

“Though I suppose overly creative bullying would be a pain in its own way,” Rimi muttered. She held the paper up against the fire of a candle to burn it, stood up from her desk, and sat down by the table. Her supper, which the old handmaid had brought her a moment ago, was sitting on the table, soft steam rising from it. The meal consisted of stir-fried vegetables and meat covered in a thick sauce with a sweet and sour scent. Rimi picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

She took one bite, then another. However, she soon put her chopsticks down again and sighed.

“I still can’t taste anything... Is something wrong with me? I don’t get it...” She was completely unable to taste the food, and not only this meal—all food she had eaten since she joined the rear palace had tasted like nothing to her. Something was strange with her sense of taste.

She had been almost wholly unaware of her feelings of loneliness and carefree demeanor. Whenever any such feelings were close to surfacing, she would force them back down. However, in the end, she was only human, and deep down, those feelings had been growing steadily. Perhaps this was what had caused her failing sense of taste. Who knew that even I, who always got scolded by Lady Saigu for my carefree demeanor, could end up like this.

She had been looking forward to seeing what Konkokuan food was like, but how was she supposed to enjoy this foreign cuisine when she was unable to even taste it? And worst of all, with her sense of taste gone, she was unable to exert her one redeeming feature—her skill as a cook.

“Well, not that there’s anyone here to eat what I make anyway...”

Feeling miserable, in part from her loneliness from having come to a foreign country all by herself, and in part from how uncomfortable she was feeling where she had now found herself, she let out a deep sigh. The chair she was sitting in, the room she was in, everything felt so distant to her, as if they were refusing to accept her.

“It seems I’m without a place in the world once again. After all, there’s no Lady Saigu here to enjoy the food I make.” Though she was making sure not to speak Wakokuan out loud, she felt no closer to fitting in at Konkoku.

No, this won’t do. I have to make the best of my situation. Oh yes, I know! She pushed away the feelings bubbling up in her chest, put her chopsticks on the table, stood up, and headed to her bedroom.

On that night three days ago, when Rimi had first noticed that something was wrong with her sense of taste, she had attempted a certain experiment. She had grabbed the small terracotta pot standing in the corner of the room that she’d brought with her from Wakoku. As she had opened the lid, a pleasant smell had risen from the pot—the sweet, rich fragrance reminiscent of rice wine.

“What a lovely, mellow scent.” She had filled her lungs with the smell, then had put her hands into the pot and felt around. From the thick, glossy, and white pickling bed, she had pulled out a small spring melon split in two. It had lost a slight amount of water, but its light green color, reminiscent of fine jade, was still intact. Rimi had wrapped the melon in paper and headed to the kitchen on light feet.

The servants who were working in the kitchen had seemed surprised at Rimi’s sudden appearance. The kitchen was not a place usually frequented by high-ranking palace women. However, when Rimi had politely asked them to cut the melon into thin pieces, they had skillfully complied. She had placed the thin pieces of jade-colored melon on a small porcelain plate and returned to her residence. She had pushed aside the food on the table, taken a piece of melon from the porcelain plate, and put it in her mouth.

She could sense the faint, sweet scent of rice wine, as she had bit down on the familiar, crunchy yet soft melon. She then took a sip of hot water. As the water slid down her throat, she could smell a pleasing scent, and suddenly even the hot water seemed to taste good.

“I can taste this.” Rimi had blinked a few times in surprise, after which a relieved smile emerged on her face, and she had put another slice in her mouth. Having been unable to taste anything as of late, the ability to enjoy this taste had calmed her mind.

Rimi liked to eat. As long as she could eat to her heart’s content, no matter how miserable a situation she found herself in, she never felt miserable herself. As long as her stomach swelled, she could feel a warm power well up from within her. Perhaps this was an animal instinct.

“Wait, could it be...” An idea had come to her, and she had reached out her hand to try a bite of the Konkokuan food. As she did, a faint taste of salt filled her mouth.

It seems that if I eat kaorizuke, my sense of taste comes back, if only a little. If I eat kaorizuke every day from now on, perhaps I’ll be able to taste food properly at some point. She had felt relieved at the possibility. Right now, Rimi had no one to cook for. However, as long as her sense of taste came back, she would be able to make food, and things wouldn’t seem so bleak.

At seven years of age, Rimi had managed to find a place for herself with the help of cooking. It must be possible to do the same here in Konkoku, she thought. Her optimism came from the pillar supporting her, a pillar she had spent ten long years as an Umashi-no-Miya constructing. As long as she had that pillar, Rimi could feel at ease.

Perhaps one day, someone would appear before Rimi to eat and enjoy the food she made. If her sense of taste did not work then, it would all be for naught. Rimi could not be without her sense of taste. Thus, she would have to put the kaorizuke to good use.

She felt immense gratitude toward the man who had been kind to her the day she first entered the rear palace, who had ensured that she did not have to part with her kaoridoko. He was still the only person in Konkoku who had been kind to her.

I wish I could see him again. She somehow missed that man, whose name she did not even know.

“If you aren’t eating your food, I will remove it,” the old handmaid who had just entered said irritably, reaching out toward the plate. She then noticed the porcelain plate near Rimi and made an expression like she had just spotted an insect. “What in the world is that?”

“Would you like some? I made it with that pot.”

“Oh, dear heavens, no. I heard you brought a pot containing an unknown substance with you upon entering the rear palace, enraging the eunuchs.”

“But I did get permission. How sad that you aren’t having any. Eating this is good for your skin, you know.”

“What?!”

The old handmaid had instinctively reached out for the melon, but Rimi had just put the last piece in her mouth. Rimi apologized with an “Oh, I’m sorry,” but the handmaid only stared back at her bitterly.

“If nothing else, your skin certainly is beautiful, Lady Rimi. But I can’t imagine that eating something like that would be good for your skin.”

Rimi had been given the family name Setsu, meaning snow. From what she had heard, the name came from how fair her skin was. And her skin was indeed beautiful. Her fine cheeks were smooth, yet bouncy—reminiscent of soft, smooth mochi.

It was said that eating kaorizuke made your skin beautiful, thanks to the spirits that lived in the kaoridoko cleansing your body. As your body is cleansed by the spirits, the effects gradually show on your skin. As the spirits disliked fire, they would disappear if the kaoridoko was heated.

“Don’t break the pot. If you do, I might kill you a bit.”

“K-Kill me?!”

“Oh, is ‘kill’ wrong? Um... Was it ‘whack,’ maybe...?” She was trying to say that if the handmaid broke the pot, Rimi might not be able to forgive her, but apparently, she had used the wrong word.

“I say, do stop with those frightening threats. Not to worry, considering Master Shusei gave you permission, I shan’t throw it away.”

Rimi had jumped up from her chair as she heard what the old handmaid said and hurriedly asked her for clarification.

“Wait, what was that? What did you just say?”

“I said I shan’t throw it away.”

“No, no! Something about permission. Permission? Whose permission? You said a name!”

“Are you referring to Master Shusei?”

“Yes, him! Tell me his full name! Who is he?!”

She was sure it must be the name of the man that the eunuchs had refused to tell her.

“My, you don’t know about Master Shu Shusei, even though you received permission directly from him? I’m astonished.”

“So his name is Master Shu Shusei? Tell me about him. Who is he?”

“He is an imperial appointee working for the Bureau of Sacrifices in the Ministry of Rites and a cuisinologist.”

“Cuisinologist? What’s that?”

“Cuisinology is a new field of science, which concerns food.”

“Food science?! There’s a science about food?! And Master Shusei is a scholar in it?!” Rimi’s voice did a triple jump out of surprise. The handmaid had seemed to surmise something from Rimi’s reaction and made a sardonic face.

“Master Shusei is treated as highly as a vice-minister of fourth rank. Not to mention, he has accompanied His Majesty in both his studies and play since they were young and advises him as grand councilor. His father, you see, is Chancellor Shu, who has served the Imperial Court since the previous emperor, and Master Shusei is set to become Chancellor one day himself. It does not matter how much you plead—he is not a man that someone of your status can associate with.”

“He advises His Majesty? Yet he’s a cuisinologist?”

“Master Shusei stubbornly professes to have no interest in politics and instead wishes to pursue his research in cuisinology. However, most believe that His Majesty plans to promote him to chancellor at some point.”

So he’s a very high-ranking individual...but I still want to see him... Rimi thought, as if to cherish the small light that had lit up in her chest.

Master Shu Shusei, a cuisinologist... It was late at night, and Rimi was heading to the kitchen holding a candlestick in her hand while thinking about Shusei. She put some kaorizuke in her mouth and felt her sense of taste returning ever so slightly. If she continued eating kaorizuke every day like this, she was sure that her sense of taste would be back before long. So, she needed to make even more.

When she reached the kitchen, it was already too late in the day, so not a single person was present, nor any fire lit. As she peeked through the entrance to decide what to do, she heard a man’s high-pitched voice behind her.

“What are you doing?”

She turned around to find the eunuch in charge of the kitchen. The eunuch brought his candlestick closer to Rimi to get a better look at her face and made a startled expression.

When Rimi asked to have some of the kitchen’s vegetables, the eunuch, seemingly not having the patience to lecture her, simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “Here you go, take however much you need,” and went off. Having received permission, Rimi stepped onto the cool earthen floor of the kitchen.

Near the back of the kitchen, there was a bamboo basket big enough to fit a person, containing vegetables. She walked toward it, lighting her way with her candle. She then placed the candlestick on a candle holder carved out from a pillar and removed the bamboo basket’s lid.

She dove into the basket, rummaging through the vegetables. She was hoping to find a spring melon—a small, jade-colored melon, which was perfect for pickling. With nothing to guide her in the darkness but her sense of touch, she dug through the bamboo basket and managed to find three spring melons. As she continued her search, she suddenly grabbed something soft and fluffy.

Soft? Fluffy...?

Wondering what kind of vegetable could have this strange texture, she pulled it out. It turned out to be an animal, small enough to fit in two hands. It was long, furry, had four legs, and a long tail. Its ears were small and pointed, and between them were two small, hard bumps.

This doesn’t look like any vegetable I’ve ever seen. Is this some kind of...long mouse?

She had seen pictures of long foreign dogs before. But this animal was awfully small to be a dog. It was long-haired with silver fur. Considering it was going through the vegetables, it must have been some kind of rare Konkokuan mouse, she reasoned.

She tried petting it on its soft back, and as she did, it let out a small squeak and opened its eyes. It blinked its round, blue eyes a few times, before looking up at Rimi. Rimi’s heart skipped a beat at the mouse’s adorable eyes. It seemed very weak and did not even attempt to escape Rimi’s hands. The way it looked around restlessly with its round eyes made it seem all the more helpless and endearing.

It’s so cute... Maybe I’ll just keep it. She wanted to nurse it back to health and then set it free once it was feeling well again. Taking care of a mouse this cute would give her life here some meaning again, she felt.

Compared to the irises and peonies that were the high-ranking consorts, Rimi was but a wildflower, brought to the rear palace from a foreign country far away. A single lonely, helpless, foreign flower who had been sent here all by herself. There were no flowers here that bloomed with the same color as her. However, even a lonely flower blooming in the wild should be able to find a way to entertain herself. After all, she was fated to stay in this rear palace for the rest of her life, never to return to her home country again.

Carrying the silver mouse in her arms, Rimi cheerfully left the kitchen.

II

“I heard, Your Majesty.”

Ryu Shohi, the emperor of Konkoku, was polishing his sword on top of a decorative lacquerware bed. As he was doing so, a man had stepped into his bedchamber. It was none other than the cuisinology scholar Shu Shusei, who had spoken to Shohi in a somewhat reproachful tone.

Shifting his gaze from the blade, in which he could see the reflection of candle flames, Shohi answered in an annoyed voice. “And what exactly do you suppose you heard?”

“You terrorized one of the consorts of the rear palace, did you not? Is that why you’re here now, all alone in your bedchamber?” Shusei said.

“I terrorized no one. That simpleton was running her mouth about a foreigner in the rear palace, so I simply taught her a lesson,” Shohi stated simply.

“You mean you stood up for that foreign princess? Now that’s unexpected,” Shusei commented in surprise.

“I did not stand up for her. That simpleton angered me for attempting to instigate conflict in the rear palace, that is all,” Shohi offered begrudgingly.

“Simpleton, you say... That simpleton you speak of is your wife, you know,” Shusei sighed. As he did, someone’s laughter could be heard in the room.

“Oh, come on, Shusei. Nothing wrong with calling a simpleton a simpleton.” Sitting carelessly with one leg on the window sill was Shin Jotetsu.

“I heard about you too, Jotetsu. You offered to help His Majesty with cutting off the tongue of Noble Consort So, I’m told,” Shusei added.

“I’m hurt! Who do you take me for? I was just trying to stop His Majesty,” Jotetsu pouted.

“By cutting off Noble Consort So’s tongue?”

“I knew that if I offered to do it instead, he’d lose interest,” Jotetsu said.

“I swear, the both of you... I’m getting a headache,” Shusei grumbled.

II

“Master Shu Shusei...?” She doubted her eyes. This was the rear palace, where no men were allowed, not even high-ranking officials. However, he was the person who Rimi had longed to see again. Combined with the sight of the beautiful pear flowers, Rimi felt as though she was dreaming. As she was lost in a trance, Shusei slowly walked closer to her.

“Do you remember me, Rimi?”

“Am... Am I hallucinating?” Rimi reached out toward Shusei and carefully touched his shoulder. As she touched him, she could feel that he was indeed physically present, and she let out a quick shriek before pulling back her hand. He was real.

Shusei smiled awkwardly.

“I can understand being surprised, but this is very much reality. This eastern pear garden has a secret tunnel built for His Majesty, which leads to the outer court. The only ones who know about it are His Majesty himself and a select few people close to him, so I took the liberty of using it. I can’t exactly visit you publicly, you see.”

“Visit me?”

“I heard that you attempted to leave the rear palace in search of something. So I asked the Department of Service about it, but they said that I was not allowed to see you in your holding cell. But then I was informed that you had been let out before sundown, so I quickly came up with a way to see you.” Shusei returned to the shadow of the tree he had emerged from, picked up a pot that had been sitting on the ground, and then returned to Rimi.

“I wanted to give this back to you. A friend of mine said he took it from you by mistake. I’m really sorry.”

Rimi covered her mouth with both hands at the sight of the pot. Tears of pure happiness started to well up in her eyes.

“This...!” Trembling, she reached out for the pot with both hands and took it from Shusei. Holding it in her arms, she collapsed onto the lush understory growing by her feet. With trembling hands, she carefully opened the lid of the pot placed on her legs, confirmed that it did indeed contain the kaoridoko, and closed the lid again. She held the pot tight. Streams of overjoyed tears flowed endlessly from the corners of her eyes.

“Thank goodness... Oh, thank goodness... Now I can...” It felt to her as if she was holding hope itself.

Shusei sat down beside Rimi on the ground.

“I’m sorry for what happened. I truly am. I’m apologizing in place of the man who stole it from you. However, he at least went through the effort of delivering the letter instructing you to come here. I think that was his form of apology. Won’t you forgive him, Rimi?”

“As long as I have this, I don’t care about anything else. As long as I have this.” Listening to Shusei’s calm voice and holding her precious pot of kaoridoko, it felt as if every worry she had had was simply disappearing, and she was being snapped back to reality.

“That pot must mean a lot to you. I remember you fought hard for it when entering the rear palace too.”

Upon hearing this, Rimi’s chest finally started to fill up with a feeling of joy at being able to see Shusei again. She then remembered what she had wanted to say, were she ever to meet him again.

“Thank you so much for what you did back then. I never got to thank you.”

“I didn’t do much at all. I was called in out of the blue and had no idea what was going on, but seeing someone like you who was raised as a princess be so attached to food was both a surprising and enjoyable experience. That’s why I did my best to help you.”

“I wasn’t raised as a princess at all. I had my job as the Umashi-no-Miya.”

Having finally started to calm down, Rimi became unsteady from an overwhelming sense of relief and joy. She leaned limply against a tree trunk.

“What’s an Umashi-no-Miya?”

“I had a duty to make food to offer to the god.” As Rimi reminisced, her eyes turned upward, where she saw the white pear buds glimmer. She was reminded of the pear trees in the garden in the Wakokuan palace.

Rimi was the ninth princess to be born to the emperor. Her mother was one of the emperor’s lower-ranking concubines, and while she had been born to a reputable family, her father died young, leaving them with no fortune. So all she had was her mother, who had to work away from home to support the two of them. The family had no backing to speak of.

And then tragedy befell them as Rimi’s mother passed away from giving birth to her. Rimi may have been the emperor’s daughter and a princess, but she had no backing, no mother, and was allowed to stay in the imperial palace purely out of the goodwill of the emperor.

When she turned seven, there were talks of marrying Rimi off to one of the emperor’s vassals. While still too young for marriage, having no backing nor mother, she couldn’t simply stay in the palace forever. Had she been a prince instead, she would have had the option of being granted a title and becoming a vassal, but princesses had no path forward other than marriage.

However, as the emperor had many daughters, most of the powerful vassals were already married to one of Rimi’s older sisters. She could perhaps have been married off to one of the lower-ranking nobles, but they could not very well marry off a princess to just any family. The nobles themselves would also decline, saying they did not deserve the honor of marrying a princess.

In the end, there was no one for Rimi to marry, and both the emperor and Rimi’s own handmaid were at a complete loss as to what to do. The adults would always look at Rimi with a concerned expression. “You poor thing,” they would say.

She was not being neglected. However, she could not take worrying the people around her, and she felt worthless. She remembered how she would always hunch her small shoulders.

The last suggestion the emperor could think of was to send Rimi to the lands of Ina as an Umashi-no-Miya. Ina was located far away from the imperial capital, and it had a grand shrine where Kunimamori-no-Ōkami was worshiped. Another of the emperor’s daughters was already living there, a Saigu tasked with serving the god. She was the youngest of all of Rimi’s older sisters.

And there was another post that served the god along with the Saigu—the Umashi-no-Miya. It was a sacred post, tasked with making food to offer to the god.

“Is that like a shrine maiden?” Rimi had asked.

“It’s a sacred post, but in reality, you will serve as a cook. There is nothing princess-like about it.”

Rimi reminisced about her life as an Umashi-no-Miya. When making food for the god, any form of defilement was forbidden. She was not to come into contact with others and always had to undergo the cleansing ritual of being purified by water before making food for the god. After offering it to the god, the food was then granted to the Saigu. In practice, the Umashi-no-Miya’s duty was to make food for the Saigu.

She would have limited contact with the outside world, undergo daily purification ceremonies, and cook. Being such a restrictive duty, no one had volunteered for it over the past century. As fancy as the title of Umashi-no-Miya may have sounded, in reality, it was nothing but a lonely cook, imprisoned in a kitchen in the middle of nowhere.

However, when her father had asked her if she would consider being an Umashi-no-Miya, she had accepted immediately. She did not even know what an Umashi-no-Miya was; however, she understood that if she accepted, then those around her would stop having to worry so much. She wouldn’t have to walk around with hunched shoulders all the time.

At the tender age of seven, Rimi set off for the lands of Ina and became an Umashi-no-Miya. Ten years passed, which Rimi had spent looking at no one but her Saigu sister. Every day, she would make and offer food for the Saigu to eat.

Her sister was a fickle, short-tempered glutton, and a gourmet at that. Like a bird in a cage, food was the only thing the Saigu had to look forward to, and all Rimi would think about was how to satisfy her sister. She wanted nothing more than for the person in front of her to truly enjoy her food. Rimi had stood in the kitchen for days on end, trying to satisfy her sister, who would always be quick to point out anything she didn’t like about the food, until she developed that strange nature of hers, wanting nothing more than to satisfy people with her cooking.

If there were people who enjoyed her food, Rimi could feel as though she was needed. The place where there were people who enjoyed her food was where Rimi belonged. And Rimi had indeed belonged with her Saigu sister.

“Even if I wasn’t anything more than a cook, that duty let me feel as if I was allowed to be there. I could relax. There was no place for me in the palace.”

“Was life hard for you in the palace when you were young?” Shusei asked with a somewhat pained expression.

“Not at all. I just couldn’t take making everyone around me worry. But after I became the Umashi-no-Miya, I could finally relax, and feel that I had found a place where I belonged.”

“Konkoku also has stories about making food for the gods, you know.”

“What?! There are other people like me here?!”

“It’s only a legend. Food offered to the gods is referred to as holy communion, and it’s made by immortal, god-like beings who have attained supernatural abilities after undergoing intense training.”

Shusei explained that according to Konkokuan legend, countless immortals would master a single, specific technique. Martial arts, poetry, hunting, farming; there were all sorts of techniques one might master.

“And among them are immortals who master cooking, and it’s said that after doing so, they would make food for the gods. So it’s not humans who offer food to the gods. However, my interpretation of the legend is that with enough knowledge and the right technique, it’s possible to make food with an effect worthy of being offered to the gods. You see, I’ve served His Majesty since I was young...”

“Oh, I’ve heard about that. My handmaid told me. She said that you serve His Majesty.”

“Oh really?” Shusei continued talking. “I believe that it must be possible to improve His Majesty’s qualities as an emperor through the food he eats. I’ve diligently researched the effects of various foods and systematically documented them. And three years ago, my work was finally recognized as a new field of study called cuisinology. So while we may not have an Umashi-no-Miya, we do have cuisinology.”

Rimi blushed as she held her beloved pot tight.

He went so far as to establish a field of study for the sake of his beliefs... Through her work as an Umashi-no-Miya, she had more or less sensed that it was possible to bestow effects upon people depending on what food you gave them. However, she had never thought to attempt to investigate these effects, and establishing a field of study and systematically documenting it would never even have crossed her mind.

“If you studied it, I’m sure there are all kinds of discoveries to be made...” she said. Shusei smiled awkwardly.

“Well, it’s mediocre at best, I’d say. You see, I’m actually the only cuisinologist in the country.”

“You mean cuisinology is a loner field that you’re admirably studying all by yourself?”

“I wish you wouldn’t phrase it that way. I come out sounding pretty sad. Can’t you phrase it more euphemistically?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not very good at Konkokuan. So you mean cuisinology is...a lonely-like, sad-like field belonging to you?”

Shusei fell silent for a moment.

“That’s even more direct than before... Don’t tell me you think simply adding ‘like’ to a word makes it sound less blunt?”

“Does it not?”

“It does not. Your Konkokuan is sometimes remarkable, but other times rather questionable... Anyway, cuisinology is about researching and documenting what effects food can have on people. If possible, I’d also like to research new, unknown foods and see what effects they have. I only recently investigated a food that is necessary for the emperor’s bloodline to be preserved.”

“A necessary food?”

“It’s a food that increases your libido. I collected secret recipes known by brothel madams and the like, and I performed experiments to investigate their effects. I tried many different kinds of foods on different people, including myself. However, I have so far only been able to verify an effect with one of the foods, a southern fruit known as jiasheng. If you eat it regularly, you become aroused.”

“I see, aroused...” Rimi nodded along as she listened intently before she suddenly realized what he had just said.

A-Aroused?! She couldn’t believe the words that just came out of this composed cuisinologist’s mouth. However, Shusei simply replied as earnestly as ever.

“That’s right. It has been proved to work. I was almost jumped by a colleague who was helping me out with the experiment. At the time I was testing it on myself as well, so had I not kept my composure, it would have been an absolute disaster.” Despite the risqué subject, Shusei spoke matter-of-factly. “However, you have to be careful about how much you ingest and when you ingest it for it to have any effect. At some point, I want to include this, among other research, in a book called The Principles of Food Effects.”

“Will you let me read that book when you’ve finished writing it?”

“Of course, I will give you a copy. You are, after all, a Wakokuan immortal who treats the gods to holy communion,” Shusei replied jokingly as he stood up and brushed the grass from his skirt. He then turned toward Rimi and offered her his hand.

“Now, stand up. We’ve spoken for far too long. I’m not someone who should be here. However, I’m happy that I was able to give that back to you and got an opportunity to talk with you. I’m relieved.”

Seeing him offer his hand, Rimi felt as though she was reliving their first encounter. Behind him were shimmering white pear buds and a beautiful moon shining in the night sky.

Beautiful... Oh, how beautiful he is...

Ever since Rimi came to Konkoku, she had felt as though she didn’t belong. It was similar to the uneasiness she had felt when she was young, and she was constantly haunted by the sadness and loneliness of not being accepted. However, there were kind people like Shusei here. Having even just one person in this vast land of Konkoku smile at her like this made her feel like she could endure her uneasiness. As long as someone like Shusei existed in this country, she could feel a sense of relief.

She took his hand and was pulled onto her feet. As she looked at Shusei, she was suddenly overcome by sadness.

“Um... Will I ever see you again?”

“I wonder. We are two people who would normally never meet. But perhaps our paths will cross again someday.”

Shusei quickly released Rimi’s hand, turned around, and disappeared into the darkness beyond the pear trees. Rimi stared at the now empty darkness, and suddenly her chest hurt as if she was being crushed.

Master Shusei... Please, may we meet again...

III

Ever since she met Shusei on that moonlit night, a lonely feeling had occupied a corner of Rimi’s heart. However, having gotten her kaoridoko back, she was now able to have a piece of kaorizuke every day. Ever since she had met with Shusei for the second time, her sense of taste had been returning little by little. To her surprise, it was fully restored after a few days, allowing her to taste even the most delicate of flavors. It was as if Shusei had taken all her anxiety and worries with him as he left that beautiful pear garden.

As she went about her days in the rear palace, the spring air had started to fade, and in its place came a warmth that caused the flowers to bloom in unison. And Rimi’s surroundings were also changing in strange ways.

She had been assigned to Food Service and tasked with collecting requests for food from each of the palaces and sending out orders for them. Wakoku and Konkoku used the same writing system, so she found it easier to write rather than speak. Even so, she had no idea what she was doing at first, and every day was a struggle.

For example, all palaces put in a request for “water,” but as each kitchen in the rear palace had its own well, she could not see the point in ordering water, so she removed it from her list. However, it turned out that the water used for tea was bought from water merchants, so she had to rewrite the orders in a panic. She had also become confused at the large variety of the Konkokuan sauce, jiang, and had been scolded when she ordered the wrong type.

The other palace women and eunuchs of the Food Service had been cold toward her at first. However, with time, she made acquaintances who would teach her meticulously or help her out whenever they had a spare moment.

Once she became close with someone, they would without fail ask her, awkwardly, “I’ve heard that there’s a secret to your beautiful skin. Please tell me what it is.” When Rimi explained that it’s the result of eating Wakokuan food, they would ask her to share some of it. However, Rimi did not have enough kaoridoko to make a significant amount of kaorizuke, so she would only sometimes share a little bit with the palace women and eunuchs who were particularly kind to her.

“That’s a bit...creepy, maybe,” Rimi muttered in her residence. The old handmaid, who had been tidying up the room, had turned around with the widest smile she could muster on her face.

“Heavens, what are you saying, Lady Rimi? Oh, you must be tired! Shall I prepare some tea for you? How about some flowering tea?”

“This is extremely creepy...” The handmaid who previously had mocked her at every turn had recently been acting awfully friendly. It was clear that this change had been spurred by the rumor—the rumor that there was a secret to Rimi’s beautiful skin. In the rear palace, where most people cared greatly about their appearance, those who knew of secret treatments were respected and valued. Many who wished to be on their good side would approach them.

As a result, the harassment that Rimi had previously experienced daily had now all but vanished. However, there was something she could not figure out. Just who spread this rumor to begin with, and why?

Even the servant women working in the kitchen of the Little Wing Palace were gossiping about Rimi. However, they rarely had any opportunity to speak to palace women or handmaids. She could not see how the servant women’s rumors could have spread to the palace women and handmaids.

Rimi’s old handmaid had originally not believed her, saying that she could not “imagine that eating something like that would be good for your skin.” As the handmaid came back, cheerfully carrying Rimi’s flowering tea, Rimi decided to test her.

“Beautiful skin...”

“What is that about beautiful skin, Lady Rimi?!” The handmaid bent herself forward with such excitement at Rimi’s short utterance that she almost dropped the teapot.

Yeah, this is suspicious. The palace women and handmaids were without a doubt gossiping about the secret to Rimi’s skin, and it must have come from a trusted source. If not, the old handmaid would never have changed her demeanor so drastically.

“What is that about your beautiful skin, Lady Rimi? You’re talking about that pot of yours, aren’t you? Could it be that you have decided to share some with me as well?!”

“Not really.”

“Oh... I see...” The clearly dejected handmaid listlessly poured tea into Rimi’s cup.

“When I told you about the kaorizuke before, you didn’t believe that it could be good for your skin. Why do you want it now? What made you believe me?”

“Noble Consort So’s handmaid was talking about it. If the Noble Consort’s handmaid says it, it must be true.”

Noble Consort So? Why? She was the very person who had tried to turn the rear palace against Rimi.

“Excuse me. Would this happen to be Lady Setsu Rimi’s room?” A young, refined handmaid had appeared by the entrance to Rimi’s residence. It was Rimi’s first time seeing her.

“Yes, I am Rimi. What do you need?”

“Noble Consort So is requesting your presence.”

Rimi was startled. It was the very person whom she had just gossiped about.

“What could Noble Consort So need from me?”

“She would like to invite you for tea. She asked you to come alone. I will show you the way, so there is no need for your handmaid to accompany you.”

Hearing the reason only surprised Rimi even more.

For tea?! What in the world happened?!

Her old handmaid whispered to her in a surprising show of kindness.

“It’s highly suspicious of them to request that you don’t bring me along, Lady Rimi. She must be planning something.”

“Hmm, yeah, you’re probably right. But, well, it’s not as if she’s going to eat me. Besides, you don’t often get a chance to have a look at the Noble Consort’s palace.” Rimi smiled back at So’s handmaid.

“I accept the invitation.” In a display of her carefree nature as well as the curiosity that she developed after years of living like a bird in a cage, Rimi agreed to attend Noble Consort So’s tea party. The handmaid sighed.

The Palace of Excellent Beauty, where Noble Consort So lived, was twice as big as Rimi’s own Palace of Small Wings, with a splendid peony garden in front. Vermillion cloisters surrounded the peony garden with a path leading to the middle of the garden that connected to a gazebo for having tea parties. Rimi was being led there, where an ebony lacquerware table and matching chairs sat within the gazebo, on which Noble Consort So and a eunuch were sitting. Beside them were six or so handmaids who were waiting on the table.

“I have brought Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu,” the guide handmaid spoke, at which Noble Consort So and the eunuch turned toward Rimi.

“Ah!” Rimi let out a quiet, surprised squeal. The eunuch was none other than that beautiful eunuch she had made soup for in the kitchen that night. He was smiling, but he looked pale as always, which caused Rimi concern.

He looks like he hasn’t been eating properly.

The eunuch returned Rimi’s frown with a distant smile, as if it was their first time meeting. Noble Consort So wore a smile so fake that it seemed malicious.

“Welcome, Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu. Do forgive the sudden invitation. I’ve been wishing to have tea with you for the longest time.”

“I’m grateful for the invitation,” Rimi replied, though she was unsure how to proceed. Had the old handmaid been here, she could have quietly whispered the proper etiquette to her, but alone she was at a loss.

“My, she doesn’t know the proper etiquette.”

“What did you expect of a small monkey from the sea?”

The nearby handmaids giggled as they gossiped, just loud enough for Rimi to hear, but So softly scolded them.

“Give that a rest, won’t you? I shan’t forgive you for speaking ill of my friend.”

What is the deal with this farce? Is the reason she told me not to bring my handmaid just so she could do this? The handmaids badmouthed Rimi, to which Noble Consort So would rebuke them. It was all clearly scripted.

“Please, right this way.”

Rimi sat down on the chair she had been shown to. Noble Consort So then started speaking with an affected sad look.

“I must apologize to you, Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu. My handmaids have been terribly rude to you. I’ve told them to stop it for a while now, but they simply won’t listen. I’ll be even harder on them going forward, so please, won’t you forgive them?”

Rimi was filled with suspicion as a lovely painted tea set decorated with birds and flowers was placed in front of her.

“Let me introduce you. This is Sai Hakurei. He serves His Majesty directly, and he’s one of my favorite palace attendants.”

His name is Sai Hakurei? And he’s His Majesty’s palace attendant? No wonder he seemed so confident...he really wasn’t someone who belonged in the kitchen. Given that he served the emperor directly, he must have been a far higher rank than Rimi. She could not understand what such a high-ranking eunuch could have been doing in the small palace’s kitchen in a corner of the rear palace.

“Say, isn’t Hakurei simply beautiful? I always make sure to fetch him when I’m having tea. He comforts the heart much better than any peony could, wouldn’t you say?”

Rimi could not bring herself to nod in agreement.

Yes, he may be beautiful, but she’s treating him as if he’s a doll merely made to look at. I can’t enjoy my tea with someone who looks this unwell right in front of me. I need to get him to eat something, otherwise, I can’t relax... How about I shove this dessert right down his throat? She glanced at the thin-skinned rice cake in front of her, almost seriously considering doing just that. Noble Consort So, unaware of what was going on in Rimi’s head, smiled proudly at Hakurei.

“Hakurei, this is my new friend, Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu,” So introduced Rimi to Hakurei, who immediately replied before Rimi had a chance to open her mouth.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu. My name is Sai Hakurei.”

Huh? A pleasure to meet me? Rimi looked at the smiling Hakurei, unable to tell what his intentions were. At a loss as to what to do, she decided to follow his example.

“I’m Setsu Rimi. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“The pleasure is... Oh, it looks like someone is here for me.”

A eunuch passed through the peony garden toward the gazebo. Hakurei excused himself, stood up, and walked out into the garden. Noble Consort So observed him as he walked through the blooming garden before turning to face Rimi, almost giggling.

“You know, there are rumors that Hakurei is actually a man.”

“I’m sorry? He’s certainly beautiful, but there’s no doubting that he’s a man. He’s awfully tall for a woman.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. They say that he hasn’t lost his male abilities.”

“Abilities? I’m not sure I...”

“My, do you really need me to say it out loud?”

Rimi had been confused at what So was talking about, but now she finally grasped what she meant.

“Oh, I see what you mean! You mean he can have children, I see. Well, that’s great, isn’t it? But wait, what? Huh? That’s not possible, is it?” Noble Consort So was saying that his male bodily functions may still be intact. However, eunuchs, by definition, have had their male functions removed in order to be allowed into the rear palace.

“Now, it’s only a rumor. But Hakurei is special,” So replied suggestively. But before Rimi could ask for clarification, Hakurei returned. With a skillfully forced smile, So changed the subject.

“Now, Lady of Precious Bevy Setsu, speaking of beauty, your skin truly is beautiful. Oh, how jealous I am. Is there some secret to your skin?” Noble Consort So got straight to the point. Looking at So, Rimi now understood the point of the farce that played out when she first arrived.

Unbefitting her young age, So’s face was covered in a thick layer of white powder. Below the face powder, acne was visible on her cheeks and forehead. She seemed to be worried about her skin. Noble Consort So had heard that there was a secret to Rimi’s beautiful skin and wanted to learn what it was. However, she could not very well expect the person whom she had harassed for so long to willingly give up her secret. Thus, she devised a plan. She put on this scripted routine in an attempt to make Rimi think that it was the handmaids, not So herself, who were behind it.

I guess she wants me to conveniently forget how she insulted me in front of His Majesty. Do I really look that scatterbrained to her? Well, I supposed I might.

So’s motive was simple, and Rimi quickly saw through it. But what bothered her more was the question of who had spread the rumor about Rimi to begin with.

“Who told you that?” Rimi asked, but Hakurei softly interjected.

“Your handmaid told me about your Wakokuan food. I then mentioned it to Noble Consort So’s handmaids, who in turn told Noble Consort So. It’s as simple as that.”

That was a lie. The old handmaid hadn’t believed Rimi about the kaorizuke at first.

Did he spread the rumor himself, after trying the kaorizuke that night? Rimi wondered what he was trying to do, as he looked back at Rimi with a vague smile.

“Won’t you tell me what your secret is?” So gave Rimi her best puppy dog eyes, as she pleaded with a nasal, innocent-sounding voice.

Rimi was unsure what Sai Hakurei was plotting, but now that it had come to this, the most pressing question was how to respond to Noble Consort So. Rimi possessed a learned reflex that made her want to make food for anyone who asked for it. She wanted to feed them.

However, this was not just any person she was talking to, and so she had trouble making up her mind. Harassing someone for so long, only to turn around and attempt to exploit them when it suited her offended Rimi’s sensibilities. But at the same time, making So indebted to her would make life easier for her in the rear palace. And if she turned her down, the harassment might just take a turn for the worse. But if she shared some of her kaorizuke, So would be forced to treat her well.

Wherever she was needed, that is where she belonged. As much as I hate it, if this is what I need to do to make a place for myself here... Rimi made up her mind.

“If you eat something I make called kaorizuke every day, your skin will turn pretty. If you don’t mind, Noble Consort So, I will deliver the kaorizuke personally.”

Noble Consort So raised her voice in delight. At the same time, Hakurei came closer to Rimi and whispered in her ear.

“If you play your cards right, you’ll be able to control Noble Consort So.”

Rimi was taken aback.

What a terrifying thought. It’s true that to a Noble Consort, looks are almost as important as life itself. If Noble Consort So wished to keep her skin beautiful using Rimi’s kaorizuke, then Rimi’s standing would improve dramatically. Hakurei was not exaggerating.

As Rimi turned her gaze to Hakurei in surprise, he had a faint, vague smile on his face. Rimi was unable to tell what he was thinking.

An overjoyed Noble Consort So offered Rimi some prized monkey tea, but Rimi did not want to stay long. She quickly excused herself, left the Palace of Excellent Beauty, and set off toward the Palace of Small Wings.

But why did Master Hakurei spread the rumor about the kaorizuke? He mentioned controlling the Noble Consort, so could he have been trying to improve my position in the rear palace? Would he do that? She felt a bit scared of Hakurei. There was also the strange rumor about Hakurei that she had heard from Noble Consort So. It seemed implausible, but she still couldn’t help but be a little bothered by it.

She was walking home with an uncharacteristic frown on her face when suddenly someone obstructed her path. Rimi looked up to find a eunuch with two guardsmen standing behind him. As she stopped, the eunuch made eye contact with her.

“Lady Setsu Rimi, correct?”

“Yes.”

“You are hereby under arrest.”

“Is that so, under arrest...” She repeated the unfamiliar word, before becoming horrified as its meaning finally surfaced in her head.

“A-Arrest?!”

The guardsmen moved in on her and both grabbed one of her arms. They then began walking rapidly, almost dragging Rimi behind them.

“Please wait! Where are you taking me?!”

“We have received orders to take you to His Majesty in the outer palace. You are accused of affronting His Majesty.”

“Affronting him? Me? But I’ve never even spoken to him! Why?!”

“Please just be quiet and come with us,” the eunuch coldly instructed her.

Chapter 4: The Tributes from Wakoku

I

Rimi was brought to the Palace of New Harmony. The ceiling was over three times the height of the average person with deep purple pillars. A number of high-ranking officials were sitting in rows inside the solemn palace.

Sitting on a throne raised one level above the other seats was Ryu Shohi, who was resting his chin on his hand and had one leg on the throne in an arrogant-seeming demeanor. Next to him was Shin Jotetsu. Rimi was brought in front of Shohi and made to kneel on the cold floor.

What happened? What’s going on?

One official stepped forward and started speaking.

“As reported earlier, Wakoku has made light of and disrespected our country. Setsu Rimi here is of Wakokuan origin. What shall we do with her, Your Majesty?”

Wakoku has made light of and disrespected Konkoku? What is he talking about?

Shohi observed Rimi with a strikingly beautiful face.

“Behead her, brine her head, and send it back to Wakoku,” he spoke in a strikingly cruel tone.

“Please wait, Your Majesty! How has Wakoku disrespected you?! I can’t accept being beheaded without even knowing the reason!” Rimi raised her voice, unable to keep quiet. The official from before looked her way.

“The tributes sent from Wakoku on the occasion of His Majesty the Emperor’s ascension to the throne all served to mock our country.”

“That can’t be! Wakoku sent the finest gifts possible to celebrate His Majesty’s ascension from the bottom of their hearts! As a symbol of their loyalty, they even sent me, one of the princesses of Wakoku, to the rear palace.”

“Those supposed gifts you speak of were nothing of the sort. In celebration of the ascension, Wakoku sent dry bark and scraps of wood. Fragrant wood would have been one thing, but these scraps smell nothing!”

“Bark... Scraps of wood...” Rimi had no recollection of such gifts being brought to Konkoku. She thought back to when the officials from Wakoku who had accompanied her on the boat ride to Konkoku had let her have a look at the gifts and had a sudden realization.

“No, those are ingredients of the finest quality! They’re food!”

“I do not see how they could possibly be food.”

“It’s true! Wakoku sent the greatest ingredients as a tribute!” Rimi cried out as she stared at the official.

Suddenly, Shohi pointed his finger at the official.

“Minister of Rites, bring the gifts from Wakoku here. I will inspect them myself.”

Wh-What?! Rimi turned away from her staring contest with the official to look at Shohi. Did the emperor seriously order them to chop off my head based on nothing but the report from the official without even looking at the gifts himself? Who orders the beheading of someone based on such sloppy evidence?!

Feeling a mixture of surprise, exasperation, and anger, Rimi was left dumbfounded while four guardsmen carried in the gifts from Wakoku and placed them next to her. On trays large enough to fill a doorway were mountains of black, flat, stiff items. The items were placed in large stacks, each tied together with durable paper strings.

This was high-grade umifu, which was made by harvesting and drying large and flat seaweed of the same name. Simply adding it to the food as a seasoning, then boiling the food, enhanced the flavor tremendously, but it could also be used to make a wonderful stock.

Next to it, stacked similarly, were hard, brown, spindle-shaped objects, about the size of two hands. These, too, were high-grade ingredients, called kengyoken. They were made from a fast-swimming sea fish with blood-red meat called kengyo. You would fillet the fish, add a special kind of mold, smoke it, and dry it, removing any moisture until it was rock solid. By being shaved into thin slices, kengyoken too could be made into a wonderful stock.

In Wakoku, umifu and kengyoken were both as valuable as gold. Not only were the raw materials rare, but it also took a lot of work to make the final product. Also, the process often failed partway, with only a small amount of the original materials coming out as high-grade ingredients.

However, to Konkokuans, they looked like nothing more than bark and wood scraps.

I can’t believe this... The thoughtless attempt to send something rare as a tribute had backfired. It would have been better had they simply sent something conventional like gold. But it was too late to do anything about it now.

Shohi stepped down from his throne, walked over to the trays, took up a piece of kengyoken, and inspected it closely for a moment.

“They’re wood scraps. Off with her head,” he casually commanded as he threw the kengyoken back onto the tray.

“Your Majesty, these are ingredients!” Rimi spoke loudly, as the guardsmen were about to grab hold of her arms.

Suddenly, someone came out from behind the throne and swiftly made his way to Shohi’s side.

“Your Majesty, there is a rumor that Setsu Rimi has been making a food prized in the rear palace using a strange ingredient that she brought from Wakoku,” the person whispered into Shohi’s ear from behind him as Rimi widened her eyes at the sight.

“Master Hakurei!”

Shohi frowned suspiciously.

“Is that true, Hakurei?”

The beautiful eunuch smiled captivatingly as the officials exchanged perplexed and unhappy glances, but no one said anything. Eunuchs used to be something only captives or slaves became, and even now the people of the court would tend to think of eunuchs as lesser. Thus, a eunuch’s private advice could never count as an official statement, and the officials’ pride would never allow them to react to unofficial advice during an imperial council.

However, the advice had reached not only the emperor’s ears but the officials’ as well. Personal advice from a eunuch close to the emperor was a troublesome thing. As a result, most officials had a strong dislike for high-ranking eunuchs but also wanted to curry their favor in secret.

Jotetsu, who was standing next to the throne, also seemed displeased.

“Is this woman making food in the rear palace from this bark and these scraps of wood, Hakurei?”

“No, I believe she is using some other ingredient. However, if these really are high-grade ingredients from Wakoku, we would be beheading a Wakokuan princess based on a misunderstanding. Why don’t we call someone more well-read on these matters?”

Rimi was close to trembling out of fear. All she could do now was place her faith in what Hakurei had to say.

“Then call Shusei here. Have him decide if these are fit for human consumption.”

Master Shusei?! If they call Master Shusei here, then maybe...! Rimi was suddenly filled with hope. She had been wanting to see that man again ever since he returned her pot of kaoridoko that night. Not to mention that he was a cuisinologist who was friendly with Rimi.

An attendant ran to get Shusei. Rimi’s and Hakurei’s eyes met, and he smiled vaguely at Rimi. It seemed as though he was sympathizing with Rimi and trying to cheer her up, but also as if he was having fun at Rimi’s expense.

Soon, Shusei appeared.

“What is the matter, Your Majesty?” Shusei prostrated himself upon entering before he approached the throne, where he became suspicious at the sight of Hakurei. He then became wide-eyed upon seeing Rimi kneeling on the floor in front of the throne.

“You are Setsu Rimi, are you not? What are you doing here?”

Shohi returned to his throne, where he once again placed his chin on his hand wearily.

“Shusei, I called you here to ask you something. The bark and scraps of wood you see there are tributes from Wakoku. A man from the Ministry of Rites asserts that Wakoku has insulted our country with these gifts. The Ministry of Personnel also recommends we punish them. However, the Wakokuan princess claims that these are high-grade ingredients and that Wakoku is not insulting me at all. What do you think? Are these ingredients?”

Just then, something soft suddenly blocked Rimi’s mouth.

“Ah!” Shusei let out a surprised shout and jumped back, while Rimi similarly jumped up in shock, and her tears stopped abruptly. The silver, furry creature that had affixed itself to Rimi’s face dropped down on her lap.

“T-Tama?! I’m so sorry for scaring you, Master Shusei! This is the mouse I told you about.”

As Shusei turned his gaze to Rimi’s lap, his jaw dropped.

“Is that...a divine dragon?!”

“Yes, that’s right, I’m so sorry! She usually never plays tricks like this. She never intimidates people, she’s a really well-behaved mouse! But...huh?” Rimi blinked a few times, dumbfounded, and looked up at Shusei. “Did you just say... divine dragon?”

“That’s...a divine dragon. Namely, the divine dragon that has been kept by the emperor of Konkoku for generations, the Quinary Dragon...”

“What? Tama is? A divine dragon? A dragon?” She looked straight at Shusei.

Suddenly, the long creature with soft, silver fur stood up, stood up in a dignified pose on top of Rimi’s lap. She let out a slightly more ferocious squeak than usual. Not that there was a hint of intensity or divinity to it.

Chapter 5: The Emperor Who Doesn’t Know Good Food

I

“Where did the Quinary Dragon come from?” Shusei asked as if he was questioning Rimi, who looked confused.

“But I thought this was some kind of rare mouse from Konkoku...”

“You thought that was a mouse?! Have a good look at it. It has jewels under its five claws, proof that it’s the divine dragon that has been passed down to the emperor of Konkoku for generations—the most distinguished of all divine dragons, the Quinary Dragon.”

“But isn’t she a bit too pet-like to be a divine beast?”

“I won’t deny that. I only knew that it was the Quinary Dragon because I’ve seen it in His Majesty the Emperor’s quarters before. But how in the world did you convince yourself that this was a mouse? Rimi, where did you find the Quinary Dragon?”

“Um... I picked her up in the kitchen.”

“You’re saying a divine dragon just happened to be lying around?”

“Yes! She really did just happen to be in the vegetable basket in the kitchen. And then I picked her up because she was cute.” Still in her bed, Rimi let out a quick laugh in an attempt to lighten the awkward mood. Shusei then put his hand to his forehead as if he suddenly got a bad headache.

“Anyway, I’ll take care of the Quinary Dragon and make sure that it finds its way back to His Majesty,” Shusei said and took a step forward. In response, Tama let out a squeak and fled to Rimi’s shoulder. Shusei frowned as he reached out toward Rimi’s shoulder, only for Tama to jump down Rimi’s back.

“Quinary Dragon!” Losing his temper, Shusei threw himself toward Tama. In the process he fell onto the bed on top of Rimi. She let out a scream and Shusei apologized absentmindedly as Tama made her way under Shusei’s arm. She took shelter beneath the flailing Rimi’s skirt.

“Ah! Tama?!”

“There you are!” Shusei shouted as he tried to lift Rimi’s skirt with no ulterior intentions whatsoever.

“Help! Master Shusei!” Rimi instinctively slapped Shusei right in the back of his head. Shusei groaned as he seemed to come to his senses, and he released his grip on Rimi’s skirt. He then noticed that he was pinning Rimi down and hurried to get back on his feet.

“I’m truly sorry about that, Rimi.” Shusei retreated three steps from the bed. As he did, Tama showed her face from under Rimi’s skirt and let out a small high-pitched laugh. At a loss, Shusei hung his head.

“Why is the Quinary Dragon so attached to you?”

“I-I’m not sure... Maybe because I gave her food?” Rimi hurriedly straightened out her skirt and sat up with a perplexed look. Tama rummaged around under her skirt and tickled Rimi. She seemed to have no intention whatsoever of getting caught by Shusei.

“Food...” Shusei sighed wearily.

“Master Shusei, the Quinary Dragon is a divine dragon, right? She should be by His Majesty’s side, right?”

“That’s correct. This divine dragon has belonged to the emperor of Konkoku for generations. It’s kept in a silver cage and handed to the new emperor upon his ascension to the throne.”

“Then how did she end up in my hands? She’s supposed to be in a cage, isn’t she?”

“It was stolen by someone on the very day of His Emperor’s ascension.”

Tama crawled out from under Rimi’s skirt and jumped up on her shoulder. She wrapped Rimi’s long hair around herself as she stared at Shusei vigilantly. Shusei sat down next to Rimi and spoke in a resigned tone.

“Don’t worry, Quinary Dragon. I won’t try to capture you anymore. You’ve made it more than clear that you don’t wish to be separated from Rimi.”

“Master Shusei, who in the world could have stolen her?”

“I don’t know. There is someone who has acted suspiciously and whose background is unclear... But I can’t simply suspect someone with no solid proof.” Shusei furrowed his brow. “The Quinary Dragon’s cage is always in the emperor’s bedroom. After His Majesty returned from his ascension ceremony, the door to the cage was open, and the Quinary Dragon was nowhere to be seen. The Quinary Dragon is said to provide the emperor the power to rule over Konkoku. The first emperor, Jinso, only became the emperor after being chosen by the Quinary Dragon. The Quinary Dragon disappearing is a serious emergency. The only people who know about it are me, Chancellor Shu, the palace attendant Hakurei, and Jotetsu. We have searched as hard as we could without any leads, and it has been weighing on His Majesty’s mind ever since his ascension.”

“But now that you’ve found Tama, everything will be alright, won’t it? Should we let His Majesty know right away, so he can come and pick her up?”

“I wish I could... But the Quinary Dragon refuses to leave your side. If His Majesty were to come across this sight, he would have you killed on the spot.”

“Would he be jealous because Tama likes me? Well, I guess I should expect that from...” Rimi tried to air her grievances, but Shusei quickly stopped her.

“If you want to criticize His Majesty, do it euphemistically. Otherwise, you’ll definitely be executed for disrespecting him this time.”

“Oh, I see. His Majesty is an absolutely wonderful, depraved-like, and sadist-like person.”

“Rimi, as I’ve told you once before, your slander just turned even sharper. Your Konkokuan becomes questionable every so often, and if you don’t work on fixing it, you’ll end up cut down by His Majesty one day. The reason His Majesty would have you executed is not that he’s sadistic or jealous of you. It’s because if word gets out that the Quinary Dragon has chosen you, certain people will start to propose that you should become the empress.”

“Me? An empress?!” Rimi became wide-eyed at the absurd proposition.

“And His Majesty would want to prevent that in advance. That’s just how important the Quinary Dragon is.”

“What? So you mean if Tama doesn’t return to His Majesty, I’ll be killed?”

“Correct.”

“T-T-T-Tama!” Rimi tried to pick up Tama from her shoulder, but Tama swiftly escaped her hands and once again found her way into Rimi’s skirt as Rimi let out a scream. Rimi held down her skirt as she looked desperately at Shusei.

“Master Shusei! Please help me! Tama is in my skirt!”

“I’m afraid it’s awfully difficult for me to help you in these circumstances. I have no plan on thrusting my hands or head under your skirt. And even if I did, I doubt the Quinary Dragon would behave.”

“So I have no option but to be killed by His Majesty?”

“The Quinary Dragon seems to refuse to leave your side. Put another way, that means we always know where the Quinary Dragon is, so there is no need for panic. I’ll keep this hidden from His Majesty for the time being while we try to come up with a plan, such as you convincing the Quinary Dragon or attaching the Quinary Dragon to His Majesty somehow. Being killed just from the Quinary Dragon having taken a liking to you would be too cruel a fate.”

“Thank you, Master Shusei...but...Tama, why my skirt?”

As Rimi squirmed from being tickled by Tama, Shusei kneeled down by Rimi’s feet and moved his head closer to her skirt.

“It doesn’t seem to be coming out anytime soon.”

Suddenly, an exasperated voice could be heard in the bedroom.

“Just what do you think you are doing, Shusei?”

Rimi and Shusei turned their eyes toward the doorway and immediately turned speechless.

“You, the Loveless Scholar, attempting to kiss the hem of a woman’s skirt? Now that is a sight to behold.” Entering the room as he spoke in an arrogant tone was the strikingly beautiful Emperor Shohi.

His Majesty! Rimi almost became dizzy from the confusion. What is His Majesty doing here?! And wait, if he finds Tama, won’t I be cut down by this sadistic emperor on the spot?!

II

Rimi sat on her bed, trembling and teary-eyed. Noticing this, Shusei, still on the floor, gently put his hand on her knee, silently signaling for her to remain as she was. His hand still on Rimi’s knee, he greeted Shohi with a composed expression.

“Why are you here, Your Majesty? You’re not by yourself, are you? Where are your guardsmen and aides? Where is Jotetsu?”

Shohi seemed to be unaware of Tama, not so much as glancing toward Rimi’s skirt.

“My followers are far too bothersome. I had them wait by the gate. Jotetsu is waiting outside as well. I came hoping to witness whatever miracle would turn that bark and wood scraps into food.”

Despite how insistent he had been about having Rimi’s head chopped off, there was no hint of guilt or shame on Shohi’s face. He must have thought that he had done nothing wrong to begin with. Treating peoples’ lives as if they were nothing is quite the display of coldheartedness, Rimi thought.

“However, it seems I was able to witness something even better,” Shohi smirked, as he walked up next to the kneeling Shusei. He gazed at the teary-eyed Rimi, gripped her jaw with one hand, and turned her face to him. “This is the woman that enticed the Loveless Scholar? Her skin is indeed beautiful. Does it really taste that good?”

Shohi closed in on Rimi, his lips nearing her cheek.

Help! He’s going to kill me! Rimi was more concerned about Tama, who was still hiding under her skirt, than anything improper that Shohi was doing. She was paralyzed by fear. However, just before Shohi’s lips could touch Rimi, Shusei grabbed his arm.

“Your Majesty, I think your jesting has gone far enough.”

“Why? This woman was sent from Wakoku to join my rear palace. She belongs to me.”

“Please don’t use her simply to make fun of me, Your Majesty.” Shusei threw Shohi a stern look, and Shohi responded with a faint sneer before he released his hold on Rimi’s jaw.

“You seem serious about her, Shusei.”

“I need to be serious right now, for a variety of reasons. I will show you to the balcony. I have already been able to confirm that the Wakokuan bark is edible. We will show it to Your Majesty.”

“That was fast. Is that woman truly a sorcerer after all?”

“It’s simply a Wakokuan cooking technique. She will explain. Rimi, I will now take His Majesty to the balcony. You go back to the kitchen and make the tang from before, and then we’ll have His Majesty try it. Can you do that? Do you have anything you need to take care of?”

By something to take care of, he must have been referring to Tama. He was saying that he would take Shohi out of the room for a while, during which Rimi could hide Tama. She would then make some umifu stock to present to Shohi.

“Y-Yes, I can do it!” Rimi nodded, at which Shusei started leading Shohi out of the room.

“Thank goodness...” Exhausted, Rimi lay down on her bed as Tama came out from under her skirt and dove under the blanket. Apparently, desperate not to be found by Shohi, Tama seemed to have been taking refuge on her own. “You’re very clever, Tama. But why is someone as clever as you so opposed to being caught by His Majesty?”

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, Rimi stood up and took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. This was the perfect chance. She had to present Shohi with the finest umifu stock she could make and leave him speechless, giving him no choice but to apologize for having commanded to have her head cut off. After all, Shusei had already endorsed this Wakokuan flavor.

Rimi fired herself up and set off for the kitchen. She had already used the stove that evening, so the fuel was still glowing. She got a flame going and soaked the umifu in water. She then put the pot on the stove and removed it again just before it came to a boil. She poured the clear, golden stock into a white bowl and put it on a tray. Finally, she quietly carried the tray to the balcony.

The balcony was built above the clear Jade Spring. The moon shone bright, and the moonlight seemed to reach down into the waters as a single, narrow path of light. A gentle breeze touched the surface and created small waves upon which the moonlit path danced. Rimi placed the porcelain bowl in front of Shohi, who was sitting by a table on the balcony.

“I’ve made this using the tributes from Wakoku. Please have a taste, Your Majesty.”

Shohi casually picked up the bowl and took a sip. He furrowed his brow as he took another sip, followed by another and another. Suddenly, out of nowhere...

“It’s nothing but hot water!” He threw the bowl onto the floor of the balcony and stood up, kicking the chair behind him. “Are you trying to make a mockery out of me?! I commanded you to use the Wakokuan tributes to make something that tasted good, and all you have to offer is hot water?!”

“Your Majesty, this is not hot water. It’s a rich tang,” Shusei hurriedly tried to intervene, but Shohi’s anger did not subside.

“You call this tang?! Why do you take that woman’s side, Shusei?!”

Why...? Shusei had recognized that it was a wonderful tang, so why did Shohi say it was just hot water?

“It is nothing but tasteless hot water!”

Rimi had a sudden realization. It was the taste.

“It’s because you’re not used to it!” Rimi instinctively raised her voice.

“What did you say?”

“Your Majesty isn’t used to this taste. Konkokuan food is made from that heavy water and made to taste really strong! This only tastes like hot water to you because you’re not used to Wakokuan food!”

Shusei was a cuisinologist. Since he worked by researching food, he had a delicate sense of taste and was attentive to the flavor of his food. He was special. Most people from Konkoku were so used to the strong taste of Konkokuan food that when given unseasoned umifu stock, it tasted like nothing but hot water to them. That must have been it.

“So in the end, Wakoku sent scrap that a person from Konkoku cannot even taste as tributes!” Shohi placed his hand on the sword hanging from his hip.

In a way, he might actually be right?! Oh no, he’s actually going to kill me! Rimi quickly steeled herself.

“Rimi!” Shusei shouted in a strained voice. Having heard his voice, Rimi suddenly remembered what he had said a moment ago—that it had tasted good. If there were people who enjoyed her food, then perhaps she did have a place where she belonged. It was still too early to give up.

I still have a chance! Shusei had instilled her with hope. She spoke as if blocking Shohi’s sword.

“No, Your Majesty! I still have six days! I will prove that good food can be made from the Wakokuan tribute!” Rimi looked straight at Shohi.

She was not confident that she could produce something that would satisfy him. But it was at the very least worth a try. And this was a matter of food, no less—if she simply gave up and let her head be cut off without even having attempted to fight back, then what had her ten years as an Umashi-no-Miya been for? If her Saigu sister got word that Rimi’d had her head cut off without a fight, she was sure to become furious. So she had to try.

Shohi confronted the resolute Rimi.

“Can you do it? Can you really prove it? Woman...what was your name?” Shohi asked, as if he for the very first time recognized that the person in front of him was an actual human being.

“Yes, I can. My name is Setsu Rimi, Your Majesty.”

Shohi scoffed as he sat back down. He rested his chin in his hand and turned his gaze toward the sparkling, moonlit spring.

“I was assured that I would have something good to eat, yet it seems you only intend on serving me bad-tasting food.”

“In that case, I shall offer food that I specifically prepared for Your Majesty. I already have it ready right here in the palace. Please wait a moment,” Shusei said.

Shusei left the balcony, apparently confident that Shohi had calmed down.

Master Shusei...! Rimi came close to crying from how much she loathed being left alone with Shohi. Not able to withstand being quietly observed by the beautiful emperor, she tried to break the silence somehow.

“Um... Your Majesty, is there any particular food you like?” Given how he was demanding something that would suit his tastes, he must have had some preferences of his own. However...

“There is no food that I like,” he said, landing a decisive blow on Rimi. She felt her hope being shattered.

“What about sweets?”

“Neither when it comes to food or sweets have I ever had something I like in particular, nor have I thought of them as tasting good.”

“What...? In other words, Your Majesty has a magnificent lack of taste?” She tried asking something impolite in as polite a manner as she could manage. She became nervous, afraid that she had said something incorrect. However, this was something she needed to know. After all, Shohi had commanded her to present him with something that tasted good, but if he had no sense of taste, it didn’t matter what food Rimi presented him—he would never consider it tasty regardless. In other words, his demand would have been impossible from the very start.

“A ‘magnificent lack of taste’?” An ominous light flashed in Shohi’s eyes, but perhaps having seen how serious Rimi’s expression was, he chose to answer. “I do have a sense of taste. I simply have never considered any food to taste good. That is all.”

“Oh no... That’s so sad...” Rimi couldn’t stop herself from speaking.

“Sad?” Shohi looked as if he had come across a baffling creature.

“If you can’t enjoy your food, you lose half of what makes life great.”

“I see. To you, food makes up half of your life. Ridiculous,” Shohi scoffed, but Rimi simply nodded vigorously. She didn’t care how much she was mocked—to Rimi, that was the truth.

“Yes. People have to eat to survive.” Not being able to enjoy anything you ate struck Rimi as tremendously sad.

“Not that you can be sure that you will be surviving once these seven days are up.”

“Yes... That’s true...” Having heard Shohi say something so cruel so carelessly, Rimi suddenly felt drained of energy. This emperor was one who could talk familiarly with someone one second and threaten to have their head cut off the next without batting an eye. Few people possessed such coldheartedness. What bothered Rimi the most was how he spoke as if there was nothing wrong with what he was saying.

Just what was this emperor’s childhood like? Rimi couldn’t help but wonder. He could say the cruelest things with a completely innocent look on his face. Rimi found it hard to understand how his mind worked.

“What was Your Majesty’s mother like?” Rimi asked, prompting Shohi to direct his gaze toward the surface of the dark Jade Spring.

“She was a foolish, hopeless woman. I am happy that she is gone.”

What? Rimi was left speechless at Shohi’s statement, completely devoid of any love for his parent.

Just then, Shusei returned to the balcony, holding a tray on which sat a small porcelain jar and a teacup.

“I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Your Majesty,” he said as he placed the tray on the table and poured the contents of the jar into the teacup. A thick, black-blue liquid exited the mouth of the jar and filled the teacup to the brim. Shusei proudly presented the cup to Shohi. “Please enjoy, Your Majesty.”

“And what is this?” Shohi asked with overwhelming suspicion, but he still took up the teacup and brought it to his mouth surprisingly obediently. As he prepared to take a sip, Shusei replied confidently.

“That is a drink meant to stimulate your mental development. It’s brined fish eyes.”

“This is revolting! Not to mention sickening!” With all the force he could muster, Shohi threw the teacup off the balcony. The young, angry emperor then immediately left the palace.

III

“Um... Master Shusei? Are you all right?”

Shusei was standing hunched down, both hands on the table in disappointment over how his fish eyes had been received.

“That drink was rather promising. I only completed it recently, after many years of research. I tested it on a pair of twins, having one of them drink it for three years and comparing their intelligence once a year.”

“Master Shusei, is that what you are giving His Majesty for his meals?” If that was what Shohi was forced to eat every day, it was nothing short of harassment.

“The cooks are responsible for his breakfast and lunch menus, while for dinner, the cooks prepare a meal from ingredients carefully selected by me. Today’s meal was made from a very rare ocean fish.”

“So... Does His Majesty actually like the food you give him?” Rimi asked timidly.

“He has never said anything to that effect. He always covers his food with unreasonable amounts of spicy xinciyou before eating it.”

No wonder, Rimi thought, somehow relieved.

“Not only that, he has never expressed any fondness for the food made for him by the cooks either. He does often call it disgusting, though... No matter how delicious, luxurious, or rare the food is, he never claims to like it. I’ve never heard him call anything delicious as long as I’ve known him.”

Shohi had said something similar only a moment ago.

“Ever since he was young?” Rimi asked.

“As far as I’m aware, never in his entire life.” Shusei sighed.

“So His Majesty ordered me to make something that tasted good, despite not finding any food tasty to begin with?” Rimi asked indignantly.

“No, he’s not quite that unreasonable. He wants you to present him with something that he can at least taste. His Majesty doesn’t himself believe that he could find anything delicious.”

So he just wants me to make something that’s at least edible? That’s... A troublesome impulse that lived deep inside her was awakening. That’s pathetic. Making food that’s nothing more than “edible” is just pathetic.

What she told herself in her head was similar to a scolding she had received long ago from her Saigu sister.

“I don’t want merely edible food from you. I want something that tastes good. And it’s your duty to make it,” the Saigu had said.

“I don’t want to make food that’s simply edible,” Rimi insisted.

“But His Majesty has never found something delicious in his entire life.”

“There must be a reason why he can’t enjoy his food. When I first joined the rear palace myself, I lost my sense of taste, and was unable to enjoy any food.”

“You went through something like that? So when we met for the second time, you had lost your sense of taste?”

“Yes. However, by eating food from my home country, my sense of taste slowly revived. And ever since I met and spoke to you again, my sense of taste grew even more responsive, and...” Rimi stopped herself, as she started to feel as if she was subtly confessing her love for him, and her cheeks turned red. Shusei himself seemed to feel a little awkward as he cleared his throat.

“That’s good to hear. I’m glad that I was of some use to you.”

“A-Anyway, I’m sure His Majesty has some reason that he can’t enjoy food.”

A part of Rimi was excited. She understood that if she could not get the emperor to recognize the tributes as high-grade ingredients before seven days had passed, she would lose her head. And the only way to avoid that was to make something that would satisfy Shohi. But despite her life being at stake, the urge to hear Shohi praise her food overshadowed any fear she had.

“So I will find out what that reason is and make food that even His Majesty will like.” Her eyes glowed with inquisitiveness and a strong desire to face the challenge ahead of her.

“How strange... I already felt it in the kitchen yesterday, but your gaze is like that of a pursuer of the sciences. You almost remind me of myself.” Shusei showed Rimi a faint, resigned smile. “I understand how passionate you are. However, for the time being, our first priority is ensuring that your head remains attached to your body. I will help you. After all, from what I’ve heard, you are a Wakokuan immortal in charge of providing holy communion for the gods. I have great interest in your methods as the scholar who started the field of cuisinology.”

Why can’t His Majesty enjoy food?

After having collapsed from anemia only to be visited by Shohi soon after, Rimi was thoroughly exhausted. Shusei had told her to rest for the day, so she was now lying down on her bed. By her pillow, Tama was lying rolled up comfortably, breathing in her sleep. Rimi found Tama’s slow, regular breathing pleasant to listen to.

Shusei had gone to rest in a bedroom in a different palace building. The guardsmen at the gate had lit a fire, but there were no handmaids here. There were supposedly some servant men and women in the palace, but at night they would leave for their own homes. It was awfully quiet. Normally there would be both handmaids and servants around, but Rimi was currently half considered a criminal, so this was only natural.

The moonlight peeked through the gaps of the closed door and drew a beautiful, straight line of light on the ceiling. Rimi observed it as she pondered, Just like when I first joined the rear palace, is there...is there something hidden in His Majesty’s heart?

She listened to the wind rattling the leaves of the trees outside, and before she knew it, she fell asleep.

“Setsu Rimi.”

Rimi’s eyes twitched at the sound of a sweet voice whispering into her ear. She then opened her eyes wide in shock at the sight of the beautiful face that approached her.

“Master Hakurei...?!” Having found herself so close to a beauty far too intense for a wake-up call, she almost let out a voice close to a scream, but Hakurei covered her mouth with his hand.

“Shh. Quiet, Rimi.”

She tried to ask him why he was here and what he was doing, but behind Hakurei’s palm, it all turned into indistinguishable mumbles. Illuminated by the moonlight, Hakurei looked frightfully beautiful and mysterious, almost like an actual spirit. He climbed up on the bed, placed himself over Rimi, and looked down at her face.

“Don’t raise your voice, all right? If you promise me that, I’ll remove my hand.”

Rimi nodded in response, and Hakurei slowly took away his hand.

“Master Hakurei, what are you doing here? How are you here?” Rimi asked in a whisper. Hakurei whispered back, close enough for Rimi to feel his breath.

“I bribed the guardsmen. I wanted to save you, see. Come with me, Rimi. I’ll help you escape from here.”

“I... But...”

Hakurei must have been worried about Rimi. The thought made her happy. However, in these circumstances, it would have been more dangerous to run away. Were she to run away, she would have become a wanted woman, with no possible excuse—she would be executed without question. She was also currently in the care of Shusei. If she ran away, Shusei would be held responsible.

No, I can’t do that. I don’t want to trouble Master Shusei. Rimi shook her head.

“Thank you, Master Hakurei, but I can’t come with you. If I do, Master Shusei will be in trouble.”

“Shusei will be just fine. He’s the son of the chancellor, and someone very important to His Majesty.”

“But it would be more dangerous for me to run away. Right now I still have a chance of being forgiven. Running away would mean giving up on that chance.”

For just a moment, Hakurei’s expression seemed to have grown cold in the dark room.

“You mean you don’t need my help?”

“That’s not what I... It’s just, I don’t think running away is a good solution.”

“Then what should I do? How can I help you, Rimi?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know—” Her voice trailed off in surprise. Hakurei had started stroking her across her back, then slowly moved to her arms. Wearing only a single layer, it felt as if his hands were touching her skin directly.

“I want to help you. But about the only thing I can do right now is to comfort you.”

Sensing danger in his movements, Rimi attempted to struggle against him, but as Hakurei was pinning her down, she was unable to move.

“N-N-No, thank you! I don’t need someone who looks as unwell as you to comfort me!” Hakurei looked as pale and unwell as ever.

“Really? Won’t you give it a go, Rimi? If you give it a go, you might actually like it. I’ll give it a go for you.”

“I said no thank you...” Rimi tried to say, but before she could utter anything, Hakurei moved his mouth toward her neck, and she could feel his breath on her skin.

“Stop it!” In a sudden rush of fear, she became disoriented and ended up shouting in Wakokuan. Her mouth was immediately covered by Hakurei’s hand again.

“I told you to be quiet, didn’t I? Do you dislike me, Rimi?”

With Hakurei’s beautiful face above her, Rimi shook her head up and down. She owed him her life, but suddenly having something this ruthless done to her, she could very well come to hate him. Hakurei smiled sadly in response.

“Don’t worry, you’ll come to like me. Just you see.”

“I wonder about that, Hakurei,” a voice as cold as ice was suddenly uttered above them. Straining her eyes, Rimi noticed a sword being held to Hakurei’s neck. She looked up behind Hakurei and found the intelligent scholar Shusei was standing there in the dark, wearing a single layer of nightwear with his hair down. He must have just woken up and made for Rimi’s room. Holding his sword against Hakurei, he looked down at him with eyes as icy as his blade.

“Oh? Now how did you realize I was here? I thought you were sleeping in a different building,” Hakurei said as he stood up from the bed with no care for the blade currently placed next to his neck.

“Someone was kind enough to wake me up and alert me to Rimi’s emergency.”

Rimi readjusted the front of her shirt as she fled to the end of the bed and curled up. As she wondered who could have alerted Shusei, she noticed that Tama was nowhere to be seen.

Did Tama alert Shusei for me?

Despite having escaped the emergency, Rimi was still trembling. She had never been touched in that way before. It had been frightening. Having noticed Rimi’s trembling, Shusei confronted Hakurei with a furious expression on his face, his sword still held against him.

“Why did you do this, Hakurei? This is not like you at all.”

“A sword doesn’t suit a scholar like you. Would you mind putting that thing down?”

Shusei’s look turned even sterner as Hakurei casually attempted to change the subject.

“I asked you, why did you do this?”

“I came to save someone dear to me. At this rate, Rimi will have her head chopped off, you know.”

“That’s a lie. There is no way that you don’t understand that her escaping would just make matters worse. And for all your claims of wanting to save her, that is certainly not what it looked like you were doing.”

“Well, Rimi refused to run away, so I figured I’d at least comfort her.”

“That’s another lie,” Shusei declared in a stern voice. “You don’t seriously believe that you could comfort someone with such a foolish act. What are you after, Hakurei? Why did you try to take Rimi away from here? If you truly wanted to wrap her around your finger, all you would need is a few months, for you could win the heart of any woman. Why are you in such a rush that you chose to attempt to place her under your control in such a forceful manner?”

“Under my control?”

“That’s the only explanation I can think of. Even I can tell how innocent Rimi is. If you made someone like her yours by force, she would be under your control out of fear and shame. Perhaps she would even start to feel a twisted form of affection toward you. This is not like you. You would never resort to such a forceful and barbaric measure.”

“Make her mine, you say?” Hakurei chuckled in a self-deprecating manner. “You do realize I’m a eunuch, Shusei? How exactly would I make her mine?”

“But is that really the truth? I have yet to confirm it for myself,” Shusei bit back.

A faint, sad smile surfaced on Hakurei’s face.

“Go home, Hakurei. Now.”

Chapter 7: How to be Satisfied with Your Food

I

In response to Rimi’s call, a silver divine beast swiftly jumped out from under Rimi’s skirt. The divine beast ran up Rimi’s skirt and onto her shoulders, where she lovingly coiled Rimi’s hair around itself. Hakurei almost stood up from his chair, and Shohi widened his eyes in disbelief.

“The Quinary Dragon!”

“What’s going on here, Shusei?” Jotetsu asked, dumbfounded, but Shusei urged him to fall silent with his gaze.

Shohi, who had been stunned for a moment, quickly regained his senses and glared at Rimi, Shusei, and Hakurei.

“What is the meaning of this? What is my...my Quinary Dragon doing in a place like this?”

“Your Majesty, Rimi found the Quinary Dragon by chance in the rear palace. She kept it as a pet without even knowing what it was.”

“She kept it without informing me?! In any case, hand the Quinary Dragon over this instant!”

Shohi grabbed hold of Rimi and pushed her violently against the wall. As Rimi let out a scream, Tama quickly jumped down from her shoulders. Shohi turned around to follow the divine beast with his eyes, and Jotetsu prepared to give chase. Tama skipped outside the room on light feet, jumped up on the railing by the outside cloister, and gazed up at the sky. She seemed as though she would take off to the sky at any moment.

“The Quinary Dragon!”

Shohi threw Rimi aside once again and ran out to the cloister along with Jotetsu. Seemingly sensing the two of them getting closer, Tama stretched its body toward the sky.

“The Quinary Dragon!” Jotetsu yelled as Shohi screamed.

“Why, Quinary Dragon?! Do not leave me! I am the emperor!”

Tama did not react to Shohi’s voice as it stood up on its tip-toes and further stretched its neck upwards. But just as everyone felt as though it would take off...

“Tama, wait! Your Majesty, Master Jotetsu, please stop!” Rimi shouted as she held her head. She had hit the wall when Shohi had pushed her aside and was now dizzy.

As Shohi and Jotetsu stopped in their tracks, Tama relaxed her body and looked toward Rimi with an inquisitive look. Shohi followed the divine beast’s gaze, astonished.

“It listens to Rimi...?”

“Preposterous,” Jotetsu muttered.

While holding her head, which was throbbing in pain, Rimi stood up from leaning against the wall.

“Your Majesty, if you try to catch her against her will, Tama—the Quinary Dragon—will probably run away.”

“What is happening? Why? How did it turn out like this?” Shohi gave a frustrated frown.

“Your Majesty, Tama listens to what I say. It’s probably because I gave her food that she became attached to me. So please, sit down and have your meal,” Rimi pleaded.

“Do you truly think I can do that?! The Quinary Dragon is right there, preparing to take off to the sky at any moment!” Shohi yelled.

“Tama, come here,” Rimi said in a kind voice and held out her hand. Tama jumped down from the railing, speedily made her way to Rimi’s feet, and swiftly climbed up onto her shoulders.

Shohi was lost for words at the sight and simply stood still, flabbergasted. Jotetsu gave a resigned look, sighed, and leaned against a pillar. Hakurei had seemed surprised at first but now sat calmly in his seat. He was observing Rimi with an emotionless expression.

“Tama will be right here with me, but if Your Majesty attempts something, Tama may leave for the sky. She will stay here if I ask her to, so that is what I will do for now. So please, Your Majesty, take a seat.”

“It is as she says, Your Majesty. Please just take a seat for now,” Shusei supported Rimi, urging Shohi on.

“Were you aware of this, Shusei? Did you invite me here, knowing what would happen?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Are you aware of what you are doing, Shusei? You two are threatening me. You are forcing me to sit down, taking the Quinary Dragon as a hostage.”

“That may be the case.”

“You will pay for this, Shusei. You too, Setsu Rimi,” Shohi exclaimed as he sat down on the chair atop the black floor.

Thank goodness. His Majesty complied much easier than I thought.

Shusei had described Shohi as stubborn and indifferent, and Rimi herself shuddered at the thought of his cruel manner of speaking and acting. However, toward the Quinary Dragon—perhaps toward gods in general—he was obedient. He was not so arrogant as to be unafraid of the gods.

Something must be broken inside His Majesty. That’s all.

As cruel as he acted, he never seemed to have fun or be happy. That must be the same reason why he would never be satisfied with his food, Rimi thought. Something inside him must have been just a little bit warped. And the same was true of Hakurei.

It’s time.

Rimi closed her eyes and told herself to calm down. Jotetsu’s presence scared her. Everything about him seemed to say that he would mercilessly cut down everyone in the room with his large sword if something happened to Shohi.

Careful not to act discourteously. But I also can’t be too stiff. Isn’t that right, Lady Saigu?

Rimi remembered how she had always been scolded by her Saigu sister during the ritual to offer food to the god.

“You must be prepared to fight to force the god to admit satisfaction, my Umashi-no-Miya.”

Her Saigu sister’s stinging words resurfaced in her mind, and she responded quietly as she opened her eyes, Yes, Lady Saigu. I will.

Rimi faced the palace attendant Sai Hakurei and the Konkokuan emperor Ryu Shohi, put one hand on top of the other, and gave a beautiful bow.

“I will begin now.”

Afterword

Hello, everyone. And to my new readers, it’s nice to meet you. This is Miri Mikawa.

This story is what you might call a China-inspired fantasy adventure, and it’s my first China-inspired story to be published in book form. I incorporated all kinds of things, both real and fiction, as I sketched the setting of the story. The tale is centered around a “pickling girl who’s chronically carefree” and an “absentmindedly aroused scholar,” a pair that might seem a little lacking in the romance department at first glance. Writing a story in a completely new world like this was a very novel and fun experience.

To the editor: Thank you for always being so cheerful. I always enjoy talking to you. I can’t thank you enough for all your wise criticism of my writing. I look forward to working more with you.

To Kasumi Nagi who drew the illustrations: Thank you so much. I endeavored to write a draft worthy of your beautiful and cute drawings. I am so happy that you’re drawing this series.

Finally, to my readers: Thank you for reading this book. I hope you’ll excuse the advertisement, but one month after the release of this book (July 25, 2016), the second volume of another series of mine, This Is the Kagurazaka House, will be released by Kadokawa Bunko. If you’re interested, I would be delighted if you would read that as well.

There you have it, my first China-inspired book. I think it’s well worth a read even if just for Nagi’s drawings, but I hope you enjoy the story as well.

Miri Mikawa