Chapter 20: Volume 2 - CH 1.3

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Translation Notes

1. I thought the author made up this word (she kinda did) but apparently “bang” (帮) also means “group”. Wu (鵐) means bunting, a kind of bird

2. It looks like this

3. I had a hard time finding out what this bureau (宫闱局) actually did but I think it’s in charge of keys and doors or something?? I dunno

Koushun visited at the first watch of the night (seven to nine p.m.) on that day.

“It’s rare for you to request something from me,” Koushun said matter-of-factly, without even a smile on his face. “Is there something troubling you?”

“I wish to know the name of a eunuch who once worked at Hien Palace during the previous emperor’s reign and was executed. He was of the Hatan tribe and still a child. Also, are the eunuchs who worked there during that time still here?”

Jusetsu stated concisely. Koushun didn’t even inquire her reasons and looked at Ei Sei, who was standing behind him. Ei Sei, who possessed the most beautiful face among the eunuchs, immediately answered, “I shall have those in the Palace Servants Bureau check the register.” However, his momentary gaze directed at Jusetsu clearly said, “Stop inconveniencing Dajia.” Jusetsu turned away and ignored it.

“There are young Hatan eunuchs in my palace as well. There are many from that tribe who become eunuchs at a young age.”

“Most likely as a result of reducing the number of mouths to feed.”

“That is also a reason, but…” Koushun hesitated over his words, which was unusual for him, and looked somewhat troubled.

“What is it?”

Koushun didn’t answer, so Jusetsu looked at Ei Sei. He opened his mouth, looking reluctant. “They can be sold for high prices.”

“Sold? Does that mean the imperial court buys them?”

“Brokers are the ones who buy them. And then it is the vulture stewards—those who are in charge of admitting eunuchs into the inner palace—who buy them again. The higher their quality, the higher their price, and that goes for young children as well. Because educating them from a young age strengthens their loyalty. A beautiful child would be the most expensive. There are many consorts who like that kind of eunuch.”

After explaining that, Ei Sei coldly said, “If this talk is vulgar, then I apologize to Dajia and the Lady Raven Consort for sullying your ears.” The translation was, “Don’t talk about this kind of thing in front of Dajia.”

“The one who brought up the topic was this man.”

Ei Sei’s eyebrows raised at how she called Koushun “this man.” Since it would turn into something bothersome, Jusetsu turned the conversation towards Koushun.

“Is it the norm to use caning when educating new eunuchs?”

“You saw it?” Koushun asked back. Jusetsu nodded.

“…It’s done by the teacher,” Koushun’s tone was heavy. He was never a talkative man, but perhaps this was also a topic that was difficult for him to discuss.

“That is not a commendable practice. To have several adults hold down a small child and punish a small child like that—”

“Jusetsu.”

Koushun interrupted her. Jusetsu stopped what she was saying. She always felt strange when Koushun called her by her name. His voice had a quiet warmth to it, like the thin sunlight in winter.

“Don’t go into too many details in front of a eunuch.”

Jusetsu turned her eyes to Ei Sei. Ei Sei smiled faintly with his eyes downcast. “I’m perfectly fine, Dajia. Please do not worry about me.”

Jusetsu observed his expression. ——Ei Sei was someone who most likely endured harsh beatings as well. To the point where he didn’t want to remember them.

“…My apologies.”

When she apologized, Ei Sei widened his eyes in surprise, and then looked somewhat vexed.

“Has a ghost of a eunuch appeared at Hien Palace?”

Koushun asked quietly. Sometimes, she thought that this man’s voice was too quiet. It had a quietness and gentleness to it that wasn’t quite becoming of an emperor. His masculine face was sharp and prone to looking cold, but his gaze was calm and his bearing was mature.

Jusetsu knew that the cold flames of hatred hid behind his serenity, but they didn’t show on the surface.

“He is a Hatan child. There is a blue swallow feather in his hand.”

“A blue swallow, huh. They are remarkably beautiful even among all the birds seen in the inner palace. I have seen the consorts use their feathers as hair ornaments or belt ornaments sometimes.”

“So even you take notice of women’s decorations.”

She said in surprise, since she assumed he was an unsociable person with little interest in love affairs and sensual pleasures. “I suppose so,” Koushun said vaguely.

From a distance, they could hear the voices of the night watchmen telling the time. Koushun stood up. It seemed that he was returning for the night.

“One of the consorts have fallen ill. I’m going to go visit her now.”

“There is no need to tell me where you are going.”

“Since it’s so rare for you to invite me, I felt bad about not staying long.”

“I only summoned you here because I had need of you. I don’t need you to linger here.”

“I wanted to converse with you. Because we are friends.”

“——”

Jusetsu couldn’t find the words to respond to Koushun, who spoke seriously. His gaze was so sincere that she couldn’t even snap something uncharitable back.

“…I don’t understand what a friend is very well.”

“Is that so? I’m the same.”

Koushun matter-of-factly responded to Jusetsu’s shameful confession.

“If you and I both don’t understand it very well, then we can only meet each other halfway and grope for the answers together.”

Koushun took out a brocade pouch from his pocket and put it in Jusetsu’s hand. A faint sweet smell wafted from the pouch when she opened it. It contained mijian lianzi—candied lotus seeds. Jusetsu’s eyes became fixated on the lotus seeds covered in a thin coat of sugar.

“At present, what I know best about you is probably your favorite foods.”

Lotus seeds were Jusetsu’s favorites. In addition to those, Koushun brought other snacks such as dried fruits, candies, and steamed buns almost every time he visited. They were all amazingly delicious.

Jusetsu glared at Koushun while holding the pouch tightly to her chest.

“You think you can just win my favor with food?”

“I just want to see my friend’s happy face.”

“…”

Did he truly think that from the bottom of his heart, or was it a merely a jest—no, there was no joking around when it came to Koushun. Jusetsu averted her gaze from the feeling of not knowing what to do with herself. She couldn’t direct her feelings as straightforwardly as Koushun.

Jusetsu was a prisoner of Yamei Palace. But Koushun was different. The reason why she must be imprisoned was because of the emperor—the Summer King, Koushun.

The Summer King and the Winter King. The Summer King couldn’t exist without the Winter King. The existence of two kings was buried deep in the recesses of history. One was the emperor, and the other was the Raven Consort. The former Winter King, the Raven Consort, lived quietly in the inner palace in order to make the emperor the emperor.

When she was face to face with Koushun, there were times when feelings that could neither be described as anger or resignation towards that unreasonableness welled up within her.

But it was also Koushun who tried to nestle close to Jusetsu’s pain. He reached his hand out to her, and she took it.

For Jusetsu, it was her sole salvation. It was a light.

Biting her lip, she looked up at Koushun.

“…I don’t know what will make you happy.”

“Me?”

Koushun’s eyes widened slightly as if he was surprised by Jusetsu’s words. His expressions rarely changed.

“There is nothing in particular that makes me happy,” Koushun answered after thinking it over overly seriously. “As I was striving to reach my goals, I’m not sure I know anymore.”

Those were probably his true feelings. He had lived without feeling any joy or pleasure. All so that he wouldn’t show any weakness to the empress dowager. However, that empress dowager was no longer in the world.

“…You seemed happy when you were carving that bird.”

Koushun was good with his hands and was skilled at carving. When he was a child, he was taught by a eunuch he loved.

“Is that so?” Koushun stroked his chin with his fingers, looking deep in thought. “Yes, I suppose I might have been. ——You taught me something new.”

Koushun laughed slightly. It was rare. ——He might have been feeling “happy” right then.

“I’ll visit again. As for the matter of the Hien Palace eunuch, I will send a messenger as soon as I learn anything,” Koushun said, and then left the palace. Outside, there were about a dozen eunuchs kneeling. Usually, he only brought Ei Sei as his attendant when he came to Yamei Palace, but he must have brought this many tonight because he was going to visit another consort.

Ei Sei should have followed Koushun as he went down the steps, but instead he quickly returned to Jusetsu and whispered to her.

“Lady Raven Consort, it seems that you are worried about the eunuch who was beaten, but please leave it be.”

“What?”

“If you are not prepared to assume responsibility of that eunuch’s future, then don’t even consider helping him. ——It will not end well for that eunuch.”

Ei Sei said quickly, and then followed Koushun like a shadow as always. Jusetsu didn’t move from the doors, watching their backs for a while.

At the hour of the Dragon (around 7-9 a.m.) the next morning, Koushun’s messenger came to Yamei Palace. It was Onkei.

“I have been entrusted with a letter from Attendant Ei. It is a list of Hien Palace eunuchs during the reign of the previous emperor.”

When she opened the letter that was handed to her, she was met with a list of names lined up in neat brush strokes. It seemed that Ei Sei had copied the name register. The characters went without saying, but even the thickness of the ink was constant, neither light nor dark, which spoke to his character.

“It seems that the words written under the names are where they are currently working.”

“I see,” Certainly, there were locations like “Hakkaku Palace” and “Interior Ministry” written underneath each name.

“The eunuch who was executed was—”

“A person named Yuisa.”

“Aah, this one?”

There was a red seal above his name. Below it was a blank space with nothing written there. It had a cold feeling.

“Very well. I will ask these people about Yuisa.”

“You will, Niangniang?” Onkei’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “There are about thirty names here.”

“I need not question all of them. Even if they are all eunuchs, they have different roles. They also have different shifus in charge of them. First, who are the eunuchs who have the same shifu as Yuisa? They would know the most about him.”

Jusetsu lifted her eyes from the paper and looked at Onkei, who was kneeling next to her.

“Is there any here that you know?”

After a quick glance over the listed names, Onkei nodded.

“Only one person—this eunuch named ‘Shiken.’”

“Enou Palace” was written under the name he pointed at. That was the palace of Kajou, the Duck Consort. Jusetsu turned to Jiujiu, who was standing behind her.

“Jiujiu, we’re going to Enou Palace.”

Jiujiu happily begin to prepare her change of clothes. When Jusetsu stepped behind the curtains, there was a peach-colored upper robe and dark-red skirt prepared on the tray. They were also gifts from Kajou. She seemed to enjoy having ruquns made for Jusetsu, who only owned black clothing.

“Onkei.”

While Jiujiu changed her clothes, Jusetsu called out to Onkei on the other side of the curtains. “Yes, Niangniang?” was the answer.

“Have you always been Ei Sei’s subordinate?”

“Yes. He has been my shifu since the time I entered the inner palace.”

“Ei Sei never hits his chi’er, correct?”

“Yes.”

Onkei never said anything unnecessary. Jusetsu looked down at the clothes being put on her and continued to speak.

“…If you were to be punished with caning, would it be a nuisance if you were helped by a bystander?”

There was a brief silence on the other side of the curtains. Onkei, who was Jusetsu’s guard, had most likely witnessed her saving Ishiha, who was being beaten, yesterday from somewhere close by.

“I suppose it depends on my shifu’s disposition,” Onkei slowly responded.

“Depending on the shifu, there may be some who give an even harsher punishment after help was given.”

After saying that, he added somewhat quickly, “Since Niangniang gave a warning to that shifu at Hien Palace, I think the risk of that happening is low.”

Jusetsu was also wary of what Onkei had pointed out and threatened him. She hoped it worked. But, what if it didn’t work—what if that eunuch was more ill-natured than expected?

Jusetsu let out a deep sigh.

“Please do not worry over it, Niangniang. It is generally like this for chi’er,” The normally taciturn Onkei continued, perhaps because he was concerned. “I was merely fortunate to have Attendant Ei as my shifu.”

“…At what age did you enter the inner palace?”

“Sixteen years old.”

“Huh. I had assumed you were younger.”

Although there was a scar on his cheek, Onkei was beautiful. Taking into account that beauty, she had assumed he became a eunuch when he was a child.

“Until that age, I was an acrobat in a wubang.” (1)

“Wubang…that assembly of song and dance performers?”

“Originally, they were mediums who traveled around coastal areas to pray for a good catch. Now, they mainly perform at street corners or are employed by merchants and scholar-bureaucrats.”

Onkei told her that the Wubang he was in was employed by a certain official of a government office.

“No wonder you’re so agile—you were an acrobat.”

“That is also why I came to work under Attendant Ei.”

Did that mean his artistic skills helped him? In the first place, why did he quit being an acrobat and become a eunuch—she thought, but didn’t think it was good to ask while they were at it. Just like Ishiha, those who became eunuchs had their own circumstances.

After she finished tying her sash, Jusetsu stepped out from the curtains.

“It would be better if you were here when I’m talking to Shiken. Accompany me today.”

Jusetsu took Jiujiu and Onkei with her to Enou Palace.

The morning sunlight was shining brightly on the white gravel. Every time her brocade shoes stepped on the ground, there was a light grinding sound. The sun was still far from the zenith, and the coolness of early morning remained.

The crimson roses of Enou Palace were past their prime, but flowers on the verge of falling could be seen between the leaves. The faded flowers didn’t have the freshness and lushness they had in their peak, but they had a dulled luster.

The path up to the palace was paved with stones polished like the surface of water. As they were walking on it, Kajou appeared from the wide-opened doors.

“Welcome, Ah-mei.”

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With a refreshing smile on her face, Kajou came down the steps. Attendants holding large fans and a canopy followed her in a stream.

Kajou was wearing a light blue upper robe embroidered with flowers and a pale sea-green skirt. She was a refreshing woman like a fragrant breeze with a scent of mint. She was about ten years older than Jusetsu, so perhaps because of that, she thought of Jusetsu as her little sister. Apparently, her youngest sister was the same age as Jusetsu. She affectionately called Jusetsu “Ah-mei” and insisted that she herself be called “Ah-jie.”

“Those clothes suit you very much. I was sure that peach color matches you perfectly. Shall I make you a bright blue outfit in raw silk next time? It would be just right for the coming season. Ah, but a much more understated color, like an old copper color, would also be wonderful, wouldn’t it?”

“I have no need for either.”

Jusetsu furrowed her brow, but Kajou generally didn’t listen. She would have clothes made for her and bring them to her as she pleased, and Jusetsu couldn’t coldly refuse her.

“Please, come in. Right now, tea—”

“I did not come to have tea. I have business with a eunuch here.”

Kajou, who was about to climb the steps, turned around.

“A eunuch? Then I shall summon them.”

“No need. I shall call upon them myself. ——Where is the eunuch named Shiken?”

Jusetsu looked around. There were several eunuchs there, but it appeared that Shiken wasn’t one of them. After looking at each other, one of them answered, “At this time, he should be preparing the incense in the rear palace.”

“Very well, guide me there,” Jusetsu prompted the eunuch who answered.

They passed through the walkways and headed for the back of Enou Palace. There were several small buildings at the back of the palace where Kajou lived. They stored personal accessories, furnishings, fragrances, documents and books, and so on.

“I believe he is preparing the incense for Niangniang’s chambers inside.”

The building the eunuch approached was unlike the others. It had a raised floor and was built with wooden planks arranged in a grid pattern. (2) It was probably to protect from humidity.

“Shiken, are you inside?” The eunuch called out and opened the door. Chests lined the walls inside. A eunuch was kneeling between them. Next to him, there was a small case on a tray. The case was open, revealing small wooden chips inside. They were pieces of fragrant wood. Jusetsu also burned incense every day.

“Shiken, the Lady Raven Consort seems to want to ask you about something.”

The eunuch called Shiken closed the case, held the tray by his side and faced them.

He was a young eunuch, perhaps a few years past twenty. He was tall for a eunuch, but his limbs were long and thin, giving him a lanky appearance. His face was also long and thin, but his eyes were soft and gentle. Although not outstanding in appearance, he had a likable face.

Shiken knelt in front of Jusetsu and bowed. “I am called Shiken. I am at your service.”

“Onkei,” Jusetsu called to Onkei behind her. He immediately knelt by her side and put his hands together. “Yes, Niangniang.”

“Is this your acquaintance, Shiken?”

“Yes, he is.”

Jusetsu nodded and turned to Shiken.

“I apologize for interrupting your work, but there are some things I want to ask you. Accompany me for a little bit.”

Jusetsu decided to go outside to talk to him. Shiken gave the incense he prepared to the eunuch who led them here. She stopped Shiken as he was about to kneel again and sat down on the steps of the building.

“How do you know this man?” Jusetsu asked Onkei.

“I once worked at Enou Palace,” he responded. Since he had always been Ei Sei’s subordinate, he must have been here on a spying job or something. Since she couldn’t say that aloud here, Jusetsu only said, “I see,” and turned her eyes to Shiken.

“I want to ask you about Hien Palace.”

“Hien Palace…Niangniang?” Shiken looked puzzled. “You mean, during the previous emperor’s time?”

“Correct. You once worked at Hien Palace. Do you remember a eunuch named Yuisa from that time?”

Shiken’s eyes suddenly widened. He seemed to remember him. It might be natural because Yuisa was an executed eunuch.

“——I do remember him,” There was pain in Shiken’s voice. No, perhaps it was more like—grief. “He was an executed eunuch. Even though he was still a child.”

“His crime?”

“Eh?”

“What crime was he executed for?”

Shiken’s gaze turned uneasy.

“That…I was also a child at that time, so I’m afraid I don’t know the details…”

“Did you have the same shifu as Yuisa?”

“No, I didn’t. I believe that Yuisa’s instructor was a eunuch named Oubun.”

Jusetsu took out the letter from her pocket and checked it. He seemed to be working at the Interior Ministry currently.

“I have heard that Yuisa was in love with the Swallow Mistress, but is that true?”

For a moment, Shiken narrowed his eyes nostalgically.

“I would not go as far as to call it love…he was a child, after all. I think it was more like longing or adoration. She was a distant existence from us.”

“He seemed to have presented her with blue swallow feathers,” The moment Jusetsu said that, Shiken’s face turned pale. “Is something the matter?”

“N-no, it’s nothing,” Shiken knelt down on the spot, clasped his hands together, and lowered his head. His face was hidden. “My deepest apologies, I feel a bit—”

Jusetsu stood up and had Shiken lower his hands. His face was pale white. “It appears it was bad to keep you standing. The blood has stopped flowing to your head. Stay still.”

She told Jiujiu to bring something that would serve as a pillow. Jiujiu brought a rolled-up piece of cloth. They put it under Shiken’s head and laid him down. After a while, the blood returned to his face. Jusetsu looked down at him.

“Shiken, do you know that a ghost has appeared at Hien Palace?”

Shiken opened his eyes slightly, his face still pale.

“It’s Yuisa’s ghost. Have you heard about that?”

He slowly shook his head. I see, was all Jusetsu said.

Jusetsu left Shiken in the care of an Enou Palace palace lady and eunuch and left.

“We’re going to see Oubun.”

If he was Yuisa’s shifu, then he must know his circumstances the best. He most likely received some kind of punishment as well because he was his shifu.

“…Niangniang, about Shiken…” Onkei was about to say, but Jusetsu interrupted him with a “No need.”

“We will question him later.”

She sensed that he knew something. However, she couldn’t forcibly get it out of him in his current condition, and people’s mouths didn’t always tell the truth when you forced them open.

——First, let’s establish everything from the outside first.

She would have Oubun confess everything as much as possible.

The eunuch’s bureaus, such as the Interior Ministry and Imperial Palace Bureau (3), were located to the south of the inner palace. It was a corner encircled by roofed mud walls. The Interior Ministry, which Oubun was in, was in charge of managing the curtains and bamboo screens in addition to lighting the lanterns of the inner palace.

Visiting the Interior Ministry, they found a room lined with shelves filled with an innumerable number of candles, candlesticks, and oil cups. Eunuchs were busily working between them. They seemed to be checking to make sure that the tools were in perfect condition and that the numbers were correct. There were hundreds of hanging lanterns in the inner palace, and they had to light them all every night, so it must have been a very difficult job. The inner palace at night was illuminated brightly. Only Yamei Palace remained in the darkness.

Jusetsu called to a nearby eunuch and asked him to get Oubun. Oubun half-ran from the back of the room. He was a quick eunuch who seemed to be past forty. His eyes were small and he seemed to have a tendency to blink his eyes restlessly. Jusetsu perceived that he was fearful, wondering what happened that a consort—the Raven Consort, in fact—had summoned him.

“Do you remember a eunuch named Yuisa?”

Jusetsu asked point-blank. Oubun looked as though he had swallowed a stone upon hearing that name.

“I could never forget him. He was a chi’er in my care.”

“Apparently, he was executed. What was the name of his crime?”

“…It was avicide.”

What? Jusetsu’s eyes widened. It was an unexpected crime. The crime of killing a bird. Killing birds in the inner palace was banned, for birds were the retainers of Wulian Niangniang.

“Yuisa killed a blue swallow. He was beheaded for that crime.”

Oubun sighed. “Being his instructor, I was also beaten. On top of that, I was forced into a do-nothing job…why did this happen…”

Ignoring Oubun’s monologue that was mixed with complaints, Jusetsu asked another question.

“Why did Yuisa kill the blue swallow?”

“Yuisa had presented the Swallow Lady with bird feathers in order to win her favor. In order to get the feathers, he caught a blue swallow and accidentally killed it.”

No matter if you killed it by accident or on purpose, the killing of a bird meant the death penalty.

“The empress of that time was furious that on top of being in love with a consort who was far beyond his position, he caused the death of a bird for his own gain…she told him to be grateful that he wouldn’t be torn into pieces.”

The empress of that time referred to the empress dowager, who forced Koushun to be deposed as the crown prince and was executed recently. But then what about the empress dowager herself, who killed many people for her own gain? Jusetsu felt nauseated, but she was already part of the roster of the dead. There was no point in reproaching her anymore.

“Did Yuisa say anything before his execution?”

“No…” Oubun shook his head. “He was only looking devastated and crying.”

“Is that so.”

The back of her chest felt heavy. She pictured Yuisa’s ghost, standing in the middle of the rabbit-ear irises. She asked Oubun another question. “Didn’t Yuisa say ‘I’m sorry’ in the Hatan language?”

“I’m not sure…I don’t know the Hatan language.”

Excuse me, but…, he peered at Jusetsu uneasily while blinking rapidly. “What sort of investigation is this? Is there some sort of issue with what happened back then?”

“No, not at all. I only wished to know.”

Returning Oubun, who still looked uneasy, back where he was working before, Jusetsu turned back the way she came. She intended to go to Enou Palace again. However——

She saw him when she exited the palace where the Internal Ministry was located and was walking towards the gate. There were several buildings clustered around. Among them was the dormitory for the eunuchs who worked for the bureaus. It was also the first place where newly arrived eunuchs entered. There, they did the chores of their chenren (senior eunuchs).

Next to the dormitory’s entrance, there was a small eunuch crouching down and hugging his knees.

“——That’s…”

Jusetsu turned in the direction. The dormitory originally had white walls, but now it was dirtied with dust and mold. The eunuch was leaning against the wall.

“Ishiha.”

When Jusetsu called out to him, the eunuch lifted his head in surprise. His eyes were red and moist. It was Ishiha.

“Lady Raven Consort,” Ishiha sniffled and hurriedly wiped his eyes. He stood up and knelt.

“What are you doing here?”

Jusetsu had Ishiha stand up and brushed the dirt off his knees. Ishiha stiffened in surprise and his tears seemed recede.

“Are things well at Hien Palace?”

When she asked him that, Ishiha’s eyes became wet again.

“S-Shifu told me…that he can’t look after me anymore…and that I had to get out…”

“What?”

Jusetsu’s feet chilled. ——Is it my fault?

Did her threat not work, or did it work too well? Either way, she messed up.

“I’m sorry.”

Jusetsu apologized. Ishiha shook his hands and head wildly. “No, it wasn’t your fault, Lady Raven Consort. It was because I—talked about ghosts and scared Shifu.”

That’s why it’s my fault, Ishiha said dispiritedly. Just by him saying that, Jusetsu felt like she was being covered for.

“Shifu seems to be easily scared. That’s why he doesn’t want to hear about ghosts, and the Lady Raven Consort as well—”

Ishiha immediately closed his mouth and looked down. So did that mean her threat had been too effective?

Jusetsu turned to Onkei.

“What should a chi’er do if their shifu drove them out?”

“They would be assigned to another shifu. Until then, they would once again do chores for the chenren.”

Onkei answered without delay. It seemed to happen often.

“Is that so…”

“However,” Onkei added. “Chi’er who returns here once more get treated harshly.”

Ishiha’s lips twisted tightly together, and Jusetsu fell silent. “Mr. Onkei, that’s too…” Jiujiu tugged on Onkei’s sleeve, scolding him. “Isn’t there a more auspicious outcome?” she asked, but Onkei’s reply was harsh. “There isn’t.”

“——Very well. I shall try asking Koushun—no, Ei Sei. You are clever, so you should be a valuable asset anywhere. Until then, you may stay in my palace.”

Ishiha lifted his face. His cheeks were red, unlike before when they were pale.

“T-Thank you very much for your generosity.”

“Couldn’t we go even further and let him work at Yamei Palace?”

Jiujiu said hopefully, but Jusetsu shook her head. “The palace needs no manpower.”

She had been alone from the very start. Adding any more people would be troublesome. The Raven Consort was a solitary existence. She didn’t allow people to get close to her or gather them. That was the way it was. That was what Reijou had done as well.

Furthermore, she thought. There was no need to go to the trouble of serving the Raven Consort. She was different from the other consorts. There would be some creepiness involved, since she was involved with ghosts.

As she was silently thinking over these things, she realized that Ishiha was staring at her.

“What is it?”

“Oh, no—please forgive me.”

Ishiha looked down.

“I don’t particularly mind.”

Eunuchs couldn’t stare at consorts’ faces, but Jusetsu didn’t care about such things.

“No, um, Lady Raven Consort…you have such beautiful eyes.”

“Is that so?” A faint smile appeared on Jusetsu’s lips. “Reijou—the previous Raven Consort also told me that as well.”

Jusetsu began walking. Ishiha stared at her profile once more. Onkei and Jiujiu followed Jusetsu.

“As expected, there’s no monster in them at all. They’re just beautiful.”

After murmuring that in the Hatan language, Ishiha ran after Jusetsu and the others.

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