Arc 1: Kumoshima Aijin Extra 1
1585 Words
CHAPTER 23
Red curtain greeted Aijin the moment she opened her eyes. There was little light passing through the screen doors to this inner chamber inside the palace. She slowly pulled herself up. Finding the empty space beside her, she sighed in relief. Her chastity was safe. For now.
How many suitors did she reject all this time? She can’t remember anymore. All she's done was to pursue knowledge. To learn as much as possible in the field of medicine to help her foster father and cure the people from common to unknown illness. It was an arduous journey. At first, she thought men would move away on their own from her weirdness. Her foster father even tried to stop her, worried she might not find a partner in life. Turns out, it was not something to worry about. Her pursuit of knowledge naturally drew people.
She sounds conceited, yes. But it wasn’t her intention. It’s just how it is.
Despite her pushing away, there is one person she longs for.
Maybe she took advantage of time. Maybe she took advantage of his feelings. Their feelings for each other. No words said, and yet the feelings were leaking like water in a broken dam. Too obvious not to see.
Other girls her age were already married at this point. But her father, nor anyone really pushed her to do what she did not want. Sometimes, she thinks her stubbornness will bring her misfortune in the future. She pushed too much of her luck.
She looked down on the clothes she was wearing. The fine fabric she had never had the luxury to wear...More like she never had the intention to wear.
In just one night, after a miserable experience, she turned out to be the missing daughter of the Fujiwara Family. More than that, the Prince who rescued her from the tragic situation fell for her.
Like in the fairy tales. Such dream-like reality.
Now, she was surrounded with luxuries her former self could only imagine.
A respect she never imagined. A love she never wished.
She fixed her clothing and walked out of the room.
The lady attendants threw her a glare filled with disdain. Despite that, she didn’t mind them. She was about to walk out of the room when a middle-aged attendant blocked her way.
“Madam, His Highness prepared clothes for you. Please consider and wear it. These...clothes are not appropriate,” though her voice has uncertainty, it was also with a hint of kindness.
She could only return her kindness with a warm smile in response. “Then I will trouble you.”
“Not at all, Please, Madam, follow me.”
The attendants helped her bath first, before she was led to what seems to be like a dressing room.
Hanging in the center of the room was a beautiful kimono of, with outer jackets of royal blue, peacock painted on it. It’s tail was wide open, hugging almost half the bottom of the kimono.
Aijin did not know if it was chosen by the Second Prince, however, the twelve-layered kimono they wanted her to wear was really majestic. Too majestic.
She can’t help but ask, “Did the Second Prince want me dead?”
“Madam?” The middle-aged woman’s voice was laced with fear. She probably knew what the meaning of the dress was.
“If I wear this, I will be convicted of treason.”
Her eyes sparked with amazement. She breathed a sigh of relief. Aijin can see that this lady didn’t want to cause her trouble, but had no choice but to follow orders.
“Madam, I am very sorry. The Prince indeed prepared clothes for you, however, someone wanted to test your knowledge and made us prepare this for you, instead.”
She looked at the middle-aged woman in front of her. In such a situation, most attendants will tremble with fear and shut their mouths to cover-up for whoever Lordship put them in this situation. This Lady, though she also had fear in her eyes earlier, there was nothing of it when she mentioned the culprit.
She sighed, “That can’t be helped then.”
“Does Madam want me to prepare the clothes the Second Prince chose?”
“No, I will wear my clothes when I arrive here.”
She seemed worried, “Madam, the Second Prince ordered us to dispose of the...improper clothes you had brought.”
Aijin clenched her fists. She knew it all along. This place is a prison adorned with gold.
Despite the burning rage in her heart, she smiled. “It’s alright. The clothes I mean weren't included in those.”
Aijin quickly went back to her room. She locked the door, not wanting anyone to see where she hid the kimono her foster father gave her on her last birthday. It was really a good idea when she followed her instinct to hide it away.
She retrieved a silk bag she made from under her bed. She took and stared at the peach-colored furisode with cherry blossoms and butterflies painted on it. It probably cost three months of his foster father’s income. Back then, she even scolded him for buying it for her. Now, she was only grateful.
Gaining a source of courage, she wore it on her own.
As she woke up, eyes gathered on her, not because of her simple yet captivating beauty but the certainty of catching the Second Prince’s wrath. She held her head high, ignoring them.
Only the middle-aged attendant went with her to the Great Hall.
However, before they reached the hall, Aijin heard the Second Prince, Yoshimura’s voice echoed in the hallway.
“How can I believe that they won’t backstab our soldiers while they were working on the field? Even if their Prince turned out to be alive, how can they prove loyalty, not just to us but even to them?”
“Your Highness, it is still better to let them work inside their lines. All we need is support from the towns. We can’t sacrifice civilians. Even just one eighth of manpower would be helpful.”
Aijin recognized the voice right away. It was Uncle Yukiya, Kazuyuki’s father. She gestured for the Lady attendant to halt.
“You know that war is brewing and you’re asking me to weaken the capital!”
“Your Highness,the Inner Minister has already left to investigate the situation. We can wait on what he will say about it.”
“Isn’t the Inner Minister always away? He never even sat on his post.”
Aijin peaked from the corner of the hallway. He saw a tall man wearing dignified heavy armor, his sword on his side. His presence was imposing, only second to the Prince.
Aijin frowned. She knew Katsuhiro very well. Though he really did not like to appear in his position and mostly ran around, he did more than those lower ministers in the upper court.
Prince Yoshimura ignored him, “Tell me, how can all of you prove that at the end of this war, no one will stab this kingdom?
Aijin glanced at the figures in the center of the Great Hall. Especially the three in the front.
The first one was almost flat on the ground, kneeling, face tears-stricken.
The other man was also kneeling, but it’s more like a greeting of respect from a soldier.
However, the one that actually caught her attention was the child in the center. Probably barely ten or 11, yet he was standing dignified despite the visible shaking of his clenched fist.
He was looking directly at Prince Yoshimura, fierceness and resolve burning in the child’s eyes.
Yet, the child only stared at Prince Yoshimura, not uttering a word of response.
“Your Highness, let us stop this useless discussion. Just them being in our territory is already enough reason to wage war against the Great Lang. I would have beheaded these people if I were to decide-”
Aijin was about to speak up when the Second Prince cut off his words.
“You? Are you implying you get to decide here?” Prince Yoshimura asked, his voice reeking of poison and conceitedness.
“Your Highness, I was just merely suggesting-”
“Yeah, suggesting as if I don’t have a brain to process that.”
Aijin can’t help but frown at his pettiness.
“I apologize, Your Highness, but these vermins doesn’t deserve to-”
“Leave,” the Second Prince cut off again, “You are annoying. Leave and do your rounds.”
Aijin noticed the Left Minister glared at the Prince but did not comment. He stormed out of the Great Hall.
Prince Yoshimura looked at the child haughtily, “Your Highness, The Crown Prince, was it? Title wise, you should be much higher than me. Yet, there was nothing princely of you. You can’t even protect your own people.”
Aijin was frowning all along. She didn’t expect the Second Prince whom she owned her life to be this petty… until she heard these words.
Aijin didn’t know what the Second Prince was plotting, however, she can’t just stand watching anymore.
She took a deep breath. “He was merely a child, what do you expect?” Aijin walked in and bowed to Prince Yoshimura, and a quick nod to her Uncle Yukiya’s direction. “However, to be able to face you this way. Isn’t it enough proof of his sincerity?”
- Writer
