Chapter 17: Volume 1 - CH 4.5

There was one job left to do.

As night fell, Jusetsu sat on the latticed window sill and looked outside. The darker the night became, the clearer and brighter the moon became. When she closed her eyes, the cries of a nighthawk came closer. Her breathing became shallow and she searched for its presence. The more she melted into the night, the further away her senses reached. The Winter King reigned over the night. What she couldn’t do during the daytime, she could do with the help of the night.

——Koushun is…in his main residence?

There was a scent in the darkness. Around Koushun, there was—

Jusetsu opened her eyes slightly. It was the thing she sensed when she went to Gyokou Hall in the morning. This sensation.

She sniffed.

“That idiot.”

——The man is a fool.

Jusetsu climbed down from the window. As she headed for the door, Xingxing began to flap its wings and flail about. She glanced at it and only smiled with her lips.

“Be at ease, Xingxing. I will return soon. I am not running away—you annoying Niangniang guard.”

If you try to tell on me, I shall roast you whole, she said, and Xingxing became quiet. Jusetsu opened the doors and quickly went down the steps. She picked up her long skirt and glided over the stones in her brocade shoes. Leaving the black palace, she ran through the grove of laurels and rhododendrons towards the eastern gate of the inner palace.

The eastern gate was the gate connecting the inner palace to the emperor’s residence, the inner court. It was called the Ringai Gate. There were watch fires lit at the gate. Gate guards were stationed there. Jusetsu pulled out one of the peonies from her hair. The flower disintegrated into small pieces and scattered. Jusetsu didn’t slow down as she approached the gate, and walked right past the guards. As she passed by, they vacantly stopped moving. Even when she went past the gate, they didn’t seem to notice her.

She headed for Gyokou Hall as Ei Sei had guided her in the morning. Unlike Yamei Palace, there were brightly lit lanterns at the eaves of the hall. Jusetsu didn’t go to the front, instead going around to the back. The main residence was there. Passing through the garden, she looked for the outer door to the main residence.

——Aah…this scent.

It was much stronger than in the morning.

Jusetsu made a peony flower in her hand and put it in her hair. She found the door and flicked her finger. The door opened with loud bang.

When she ran inside, Koushun, dressed in nightclothes, turned around. He was standing in the center of the room.

“You—why?”

Even at a time like this, Koushun’s voice was tranquil. Jusetsu moved her gaze to what was ahead of him. In front of the door facing the corridor, there were two ghosts standing there. They were a pale-faced woman with clothing dyed in crimson and a eunuch with a horrific appearance. These must be Koushun’s mother Consort Sha and Tei Ran.

Jusetsu silently pulled a peony flower from her hair. She thrust it towards the two people in front of the door. Koushun grabbed her arm.

“Wait. What are you doing?”

“Be quiet and watch. This will end soon.”

“No, they’re harmless.”

Jusetsu glared at Koushun.

“You have no clue what is harmful and what is not. This is my domain.”

Jusetsu shook her arm free and blew on the flower. It turned into a pale red flame, which then transformed into an arrow. Jusetsu swung her hand down towards the ghosts. The arrow was released vigorously. It flew through the air, creating wind, and hit the two ghosts—or so it seemed, but it slipped through the gap between them. At the same time, the door behind the ghosts opened. The arrow flew towards it.

At that moment, a tremendous roar rang out. No, not a roar, but a moan. It was the screaming of one’s last moments. The scream seemed to echo from the depths of the earth, shocking the air and piercing the skin. A stormy gale blew through, rocking the whole room, and then it finally died down. The screams disappeared.

Koushun stared at the open door, stunned. He didn’t seem to understand what had happened. Jusetsu looked around and confirmed that the strong scent had disappeared.

“What was―”

“Why do you think they remained standing in front of your door?”

Jusetsu looked at the two ghosts who were currently standing next to the door.

“I—I thought it was because they had something to say to me.”

“That is part of it. They are protectors.”

“Protectors? Of what—”

“You fool,” Jusetsu said over her shoulder. “You, of course.”

Koushun, speechless, turned to the ghosts.

“You said they only started appearing to you in the last month or so. What happened a month ago?”

Koushun returned his gaze to Jusetsu.

“——The empress dowager’s execution.”

Jusetsu nodded.

“And it was only afterwards that they appeared?”

“Yes. But not right away,” Koushun said, puzzled. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Listen. When I came here in the morning, I noticed a scent.”

“Scent?”

“A beast’s scent. It was the scent of a curse that used a beast.”

“Curse—”

I can’t believe it, Koushun muttered.

“Check the palace where the empress dowager was imprisoned or the building where she was kept until her execution. There might be traces of a curse there. Yes, you should check under her bed or on top of the beams.”

The empress dowager had left one last curse. In order to torment Koushun after her death.

“Then, Mother and Ran…”

“They were acting as your final defense, stopping that curse from entering your room.”

Koushun opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, and his gaze simply dropped to the floor. Then, he suddenly turned around. The ghosts of Consort Sha and Tei Ran were by his side. Their once heartrending appearances had been transformed. Consort Sha was now a beautiful woman with a slender face and her hair tied up with a hair stick, and Tei Ran had been transformed into a gentle-looking eunuch with kind eyes. They were just as they looked before their deaths. Both of them were smiling. With smiles on their faces, they quickly dissolved into the darkness and disappeared. After a moment, there was only a pale indigo darkness.

Koushun’s hand was reaching towards both of them, but he dropped it without being able to touch them. Koushun stood there for a while, silently staring into the darkness.

Jusetsu, without saying anything more, turned on her heel and was about to leave. However, Koushun stopped her.

“Jusetsu.”

——Oh, how I hate this.

She hated having her name being called by this man. It made her feel strangely discomposed, and she couldn’t calm down.

“Why did you help me?”

Jusetsu’s brow furrowed. “What did you say?”

“Weren’t you angry with me? Do you not hate me?”

Koushun quietly asked her. Jusetsu hesitated over her answer for a while.

“…I am not angry with you, but with the past Summer King and Winter King.”

It was their fault that Jusetsu was imprisoned in the inner palace.

“Besides, those two would not be able to rest in peace if I let you die.”

Consort Sha and Tei Ran, who even in death still tried to protect Koushun.

“…I see,” Koushun cast down his eyes. “Thank you.”

Thanked frankly, Jusetsu didn’t know how to react.

“I do not want your gratitude.”

“I owe you a debt now. How should I repay you?”

“How—”

Unsure whether or not to haggle over a reward, Jusetsu decided to stop thinking about it.

“I have no need for that. Rather, I would prefer that you do not come to my palace anymore.”

Koushun stared at Jusetsu’s face.

“…What.”

“Can I not help you?”

Jusetsu’s eyes fluttered. She looked into Koushun’s eyes to see what he was going to say, but all she saw was a sincere light in his eyes. That was why she was puzzled.

“…I do not need your help.”

“But—”

“Because this is most likely my punishment,” Jusetsu looked away from Koushun and gazed into the darkness. “My punishment for watching my mother die without helping her.”

Koushun closed his mouth. In the darkness, silence hung in the air. Koushun was peering intently at Jusetsu’s face.

“…Then, I received punishment as well,” he murmured. His voice was quiet and clear, like a winter morning. “I received a far worse punishment for failing to save Mother and Ran.”

Jusetsu suddenly looked up. In the depths of Koushun’s eyes, there was a shade of sadness that couldn’t be removed. That sadness was surely similar to Jusetsu’s own.

“If I am going to be punished with you, then it might not be so bad.”

After saying that, Koushun walked towards his bed. Jusetsu remained rooted to the spot. When she saw Koushun go beyond the curtains, she returned to herself and headed for the door. Stepping out into the garden, she was surprised to see Ei Sei waiting just outside the door. Perhaps to not disturb Koushun’s sleep, he quietly closed the door without saying anything. He only gave Jusetsu a single glance and bowed.

Jusetsu left Gyokou Hall and returned to the inner palace through the Ringai Gate, the same way she came here. Upon her return to Yamei Palace, Xingxing made a big fuss, but she ignored it and opened her curtains. Sitting down on her bed, she ruminated over Koushun’s words.

“That man—truly is a fool.”

Muttering that, Jusetsu laid down on her mattress, still dressed in her black clothes.

—

The purple upper garment was dyed with a pattern of waves and birds. The matching skirt was a goose-yellow twill weave with pearls woven in patterns. Jiujiu hung the thin silk shawl on Jusetsu’s shoulders. It was a pink shawl, similar to the morning sky in spring. All of the clothing were gifted by Kajou.

“Which hairpin would you like to wear?”

“Ah—”

Remembering it, Jusetsu took out the ivory comb from the cabinet. It was a gift from Koushun. When Jiujiu laughed and said, “Oh my,” Jusetsu quickly said, “It was made to match this outfit,” as if to excuse herself.

“I didn’t say anything, though.”

“You intended to say it.”

When Jusetsu arrived at Enou Palace, accompanied by Jiujiu, they were greeted with crimson roses in full bloom. Kajou, who was waiting with her attendants in front of the steps, said, “Those clothes suit you well,” with a satisfied smile. Jusetsu had come here because she received an invitation from Kajou.

Kajou had prepared refreshments for Jusetsu, just as she had said before. Rice cakes, fuliubing, baozi with lotus seed fillings…a variety of sweets were lined up on the table. Kajou personally poured Jusetsu a cup of tea and offered it to her.

“I wonder if you’re aware of this, Lady Raven Consort. It seems that His Majesty is currently reviewing the administrative and civil codes. He says there are many pointless laws. He seems to be very busy with it.”

“I know not,” Jusetsu answered while stuffing baozi into her mouth. “I have no interest.”

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“He said in his letter to me that it would be a while before he can visit you. He asked me to tell you that.”

“Why does a letter to you contain a message to me?”

“He said that it was because the Lady Raven Consort would burn the letter before reading it.”

“…”

That is certainly true, but there was no need to make Kajou the messenger, she thought.

“Lady Raven Consort, do you have any message you would like to send to His Majesty?”

“No,” she immediately answered, and then said, “Tell him not to send me any trifling messages—no, do not tell him anything after all.”

Jusetsu shook her head.

“If His Majesty is going to send a message, it would be better if he could compose a poem or two. I know that anything related to poetry and music are his weakness, though.”

Please forgive him, Kajou said with a smile. She sounded like an older sister apologizing for her younger brother’s failure. Her smile reminded Jusetsu of a warm and refreshing summer breeze.

“Why don’t you try this one too?” Kajou said, offering her a rice cake. “There is plenty of food here.”

There was a smile on her face as she watched Jusetsu fill her mouth with food.

“I have ten younger brothers and sisters,” Kajou said. “My youngest sister hasn’t married yet, and she still lives at home. She is around the same age as you. This might be rude of me, but I feel like I’m looking at my youngest sister in this way, and it makes me happy.”

“I do not think you are being rude.”

“I see. Then, in that case, may I call you ‘Ah-mei’?”

That was a name used to refer to a younger girl in an affectionate manner. Jusetsu was puzzled.

“You can call me ‘Ah-jie’ if you like.”

Kajou had a pushy side to her while seemingly acting modest. It was the same as when she had presented the clothes to Jusetsu. Jusetsu, at a loss for a reply, shoved a rice cake into her mouth.

It was almost when she left Enou Palace. Kajou had been dressing her in various garments as though she was taking care of a younger sister. When she returned to Yamei Palace with several garments foisted on her, she found someone waiting at the doors. The evening shadows had fallen, but she recognized their standing figures. It was Koushun and Ei Sei.

“I thought you wouldn’t open the doors, but it turns out you went out.”

“Were you not going to come here for a while?”

“You heard that from Kajou? It was taken care of quicker than I expected.”

Koushun’s eyes were on Jusetsu’s hair as he said that. She remembered that she was wearing the ivory comb she received from him. “This is—” Thinking that it would be strange to say the same excuse she had said to Jiujiu, she closed her mouth. She lifted her skirt to climb the steps and passed by Koushun and Ei Sei. The doors opened on their own.

Once inside, Koushun had Jiujiu draw back. As usual, he sat down in a chair himself without being prompted.

“What are you here for?”

The fact that he made Jiujiu draw back must meant that this was a secret conversation. Thinking so, Jusetsu sat down across from him. “Ah,” Koushun said, but was silent for a while.

“—I was organizing the administrative and civil codes,” Koushun finally spoke.

“I heard that from Kajou. What does it have to do with me?”

“I abolished all the unnecessary laws. ——Including the decree to capture and kill members of the Ran clan.”

Jusetsu gasped.

“All the members of the Ran clan are dead. According to the name register. Therefore, that law was already as good as nothing. There was no need for it.”

Jusetsu’s eyes widened and she listened to Koushun’s detached voice carefully.

“If the Raven Consort is the one who makes the king who he is, then we cannot afford to lose you. For that reason, it is a law that must not remain.”

Jusetsu remained silent. Koushun took a breath before continuing.

“So, there is no more law to capture or kill you. You need not be afraid anymore.”

Koushun quietly repeated his words and looked closely at Jusetsu. She looked into his eyes, wondering what his intentions were. However, his eyes were as still as winter snow, showing no more thoughts than what his words indicated.

“I just…” Koushun started to say, but his eyes wavered in hesitation and he closed his mouth. He had been choosing his words very carefully. Realizing that, Jusetsu’s lips trembled slightly. He was carefully searching for the right words so as to not hurt her.

Jusetsu pursed her lips tightly and looked down.

“Have I offended you?”

Koushun sounded somewhat panicked. The tone of his voice didn’t change much. However, Jusetsu had come to be able to hear the sadness, intensity, and tenderness in his voice much clearer than at the very beginning.

Jusetsu shook her head. Not knowing what to answer or what kind of face to make, she kept her head down.

Koushun was trying to nestle close to Jusetsu’s pain. He was trying to support her.

She didn’t know if that was the right thing to do. Koushun had no need or obligation to understand her. Neither did she need him to understand her. She didn’t seek salvation there.

But—

“Here.”

Koushun took something out of his pocket and placed it on the table. They were two fish figurines made of quartz. One was transparent, and the other one was milky white with a hint of pale red. Both had finely carved scales, and the grooves were painted with silver paint. Koushun placed the pale red one in front of Jusetsu.

“This one is yours. The other one is mine,” Koushun took the transparent one in his hand. “Let’s make a pledge.”

“Pledge…?”

“Promises between me and you. Between the Summer King and the Winter King.”

Jusetsu looked between Koushun and the pale red figurine. She slowly reached out and took the figurine. It was smooth and warm, perhaps because it had been in Koushun’s pocket. Jusetsu traced the carved scales with a finger. She raised her eyes and looked at Koushun.

“What are the promises?”

“One is the promise from before. I will not kill you. No matter what.”

“No matter what?”

“That’s right.”

“…What is the other promise?”

“We will not fight each other.”

“I had no intention of fighting you in the first place.”

“That means you will be kept here for the rest of your life, not as the Winter King, but as the Raven Consort.”

“No other path is prepared for me.”

A smile played at the edge of her lips, and Koushun fell silent for a moment. His eyes were downcast, and when he raised them, he looked directly into Jusetsu’s eyes.

Koushun stood up and went in front of Jusetsu, and then knelt down on the spot. Jusetsu was startled. The face of Ei Sei, who had been standing in front of the doors, changed and he stirred. Seeming to not care about the two’s stunned reaction, Koushun clasped his hands together and bowed.

“I’m showing my respect to not just you, but all the Raven Consorts who came before you.”

Koushun’s raised eyes seemed to be looking far into the distance through Jusetsu. She was puzzled, but accepted his gaze. The thought of Reijou, who had died of old age in this palace, came to her mind and vanished. A faint sigh escaped her lips.

Jusetsu glanced down once at the quartz in his palm and sat up. She looked down at Koushun. His eyes were as calm as ever. She held out her hand towards him. Koushun took her hand and stood up. It was a sign that Jusetsu had accepted his pact.

Even if what Koushun did was wrong…Jusetsu thought, it was indeed a relief for her that he reached out to her in her suffering.

“…Did you make these fish figurines?”

She asked, looking at the quartz in her hand. Koushun’s eyebrow twitched. “No,” he answered. “Of course, I couldn’t make something this fine. I had the Directorate for Imperial Manufacturies (court workshop) make them.”

His expression was somewhat frustrated. It was the first time she had ever seen such a face on him, where one could see the traces of a boy.

As Jusetsu stared at him, thinking how rare it was, Koushun’s gaze wandered around uncomfortably.

“I can make a wood carving in less than a day.”

“No one has asked for it.”

“I can make birds and flowers.”

“Flowers? Ah, I remember. You made the flower flute.” Jusetsu recalled the crimson roses of Enou Palace.

“―Even roses?”

“Roses, lily magnolias, and hibiscuses.”

“I would like a rose.”

Koushun’s eyes blinked. “Understood.”

“A wooden rose would not wither.”

Jusetsu was about to smile, but drew it back when she noticed that Koushun was staring at her. She turned her head away and sat down in her chair. Koushun also sat across from her again.

“You are not leaving yet? I believe you have done what you came here to do.”

“I forget to tell you the rest of the pact.”

“There is more?”

“One more. ——I want to be your good friend.”

For a while, Jusetsu stared at Koushun’s face. His eyes were still and clear, and Jusetsu suddenly imagined a scene where a winter sun was shining through a latticed window. The pale light was shining softly.

“…Friend?”

“Your friend.”

Koushun replied with the utmost seriousness. This young man had probably been thinking seriously about the words Jusetsu had thrown at him and the suffering she had brought to his attention. The answer he came up with was the abolition of the Ran clan execution decree and this pledge.

Jusetsu slowly gripped the quartz fish in her hand again. It was smooth and strangely warm.

“You…are a complete fool.”

“Is that so.”

“That is not a pledge.”

“It’s a pledge I’m making to myself.”

Hmph, Jusetsu rolled the quartz around in her palm. “What do friends do with each other?”

“I don’t know much about it myself,” Koushun replied detachedly. “Perhaps they would have tea with each other. ——Sei.”

Koushun turned around and called Ei Sei. Ei Sei walked up to him without making a sound.

“The tea Sei makes is delicious. Want to try some?”

After a short pause, Jusetsu simply nodded. Ei Sei walked to the kitchen. After a while, the refreshing and gentle aroma of simmering tea wafted through the air. Jusetsu opened her hand and looked at the quartz. It would surely look beautiful under the moonlight.

She felt that the quartz, filled with a clear light like dew, was fitting of a prayer called a pledge.

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