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Chapter 1

“You said the forth son of the Ran family is coming to Kiyou?”

Seien, who was just stopped by his grandfather in a corridor, raised his blows a little at the news.

“The forth son… It is Ran Shuuei, isn’t it?”

“Whoever the triplets decide Ran Shuuei to serve will get the support of the Ran family. By extension, it will decide the next emperor.”

Seien recollected the faces of the triplets who were serving as high-ranking government officials while they were not even twenty years old. It is certain that one of the triplets will be the next head of the family. It would secure his position if he could win one of them over, but unlike other concubines who still could not give up, Seien had already dismissed the possibility.

‘Those three are no good.’

They were out-and-out Ran men. They have already decided the priority behind the graceful smile. It was possible to use each other if they share the same interest, but not a relationship of trust. It would be another matter if he had confidence in dominating them while knowing all these, but he thought it was too dangerous to have them as his close aids.

But he wanted Ran name.

Even if the elder three were impossible, this forth son could be manageable… Without knowing what was in Seien’s mind, his grandfather’s eyes sparkled.

“I’m sure he will be introduced to you first. Even now the rumor says there is a good chance that the Ran family will support you.”

A harmless smile played around Seien’s lips. He knew his grandfather wanted him to succeed to the throne. But…

'I should be careful now.’

It was probably unreasonable to expect his grandfather not to have such a dream when his remaining years were counting and Seien’s reputation was getting even higher.

It was also important that his mother was from a family that used to be under the Shi clan. If their mothers' social standings were considered, his standing is higher than that of the first prince. His grandfather fully expected Seien to be the next emperor, and hoped the family would be welcomed back to the Shi clan.

‘It’s ludicrous.’

He never wanted to become the emperor. But it was true if he did not become emperor, he would be eliminated. Without knowing, he made too many foes and allies. Even if Seien did not wish for the throne, those around him would set him up. If things went on like this, a war was inevitable. Get the support from the Ran family quickly and get the three brothers of the Kou family out from Kou Province, then carry on the ceremony to make them his subjects, even if it was superficial. It was the only way to avoid a war.

‘Disturbances will be the minimum if the oldest brother becomes the emperor, but with that mother…’

He found the first prince, his older brother, at the other end of the corridor unexpectedly. His brother noticed Seien and sent him a reproachful glance, and left suddenly.

‘… He changed.’

Seien did not dislike his older brother.

When he was young, his older brother was a boy who had unassuming smile. Being about the same age, the two of them often played and studied together. Soon, Seien's superiority became evident, and the first concubine separated them forcibly. She spoke ill of Seien every day and she kept reproving her son who looked inferior in comparison. As a result, smiles vanished from Seien’s older brother, and his affection to his younger brother turned to hatred and a sense of inferiority. His many virtues that had certainly existed before, disappeared without a trace.

Seien’s older brother was not incompetent. If he had grown up as he was, he would have been a good statesman who was quiet and listened to others well.

Seien was careful not to make his older brother look bad, but his superiority was unmistakable, and moreover, Seien’s mature consideration beyond his age attracted people’s attention instead, ended up making his reputation even higher. And all these affected his older brother negatively.

Seien stopped thinking about it with a little sigh. He smiled self-deprecatingly.

‘…It's not like me to be so sentimental.’

It was merely a result of Seien’s and his brother’s best struggles against being destroyed. It was not a matter of what was wrong.

Then Seien left his grandfather and headed toward the inner palace to visit Ryuuki.

The woman raised her delicate hand and hit her son.

“Don’t come to where I can see you!”

The woman’s long nails scratched Ryuuki’s cheek easily. Ryuuki did not cry. He just curled up and waited for the storm to be over.

She narrowed her eyes further. It annoyed her if he cried, but it also irritated her if he did not cry. Giving birth to Ryuuki did not secure the Emperor’s love, or worse, it wore off her youth and beauty. For her, her son is nothing but a bad luck.

“Stubborn child! You don’t even cry!”

Just looking at her son, who is the root of all evils, angered her. He is my son. I can do anything to him. Impulsively, she was about to hit Ryuuki’s head with a small vase.

“… That’s enough.”

Seien twisted her arm on time, and separated her from Ryuuki. Without even looking at the sixth concubine, Seien picked up his shaking little brother.

“Ryuuki, let’s go.”

“Wait! What right do you have…”

Seien turned his head to the concubine slowly. Being subjected to a hard glance like ice, even the strong-minded concubine swallowed her words.

“… He is my brother. You must have mistaken, but between Ryuuki, who comes of imperial stock, and you, a concubine who used to be a prostitute, you rank way lower. Unless you change your attitude, you may end up floating in that pond.”

She felt a chill go down her spine. She knew well that the boy could actually do it.

Seien gave a bewitching smile.

“If you have problems with beauty care, don’t lose your temper. If you want, I will have my mothers cosmetics send to you. My mother is just as beautiful even after she had me.”

Leaving the concubine, who was shaking at the sharp sarcasm, Seien left there.

“… Ryuuki, do you still not want to move to my palace?”

Seien repeated the question he had asked a few times before while he was taking care of Ryuuki’s wounds.

Ryuuki looked down and shaked his head sideways.

Seien sighed. No matter how many times he asked him to move to his palace, Ryuuki wouldn’t listen. He would return to the palace where his mother lived no matter how much she beat him.

It probably was something Seien gave up a long time ago. Ryuuki could not give up on his mother, no matter how awful she was.


Seien thought about the sixth concubine, and frowned.

‘She really is hopeless.”

The exquisite beauty and polished culture she possessed as a former courtesan who was ranked highest in Kiyou were admirable, but if she wanted men to kneel around her and lavish her, she should not have come to his father’s harem. She probably thought she could entice the emperor easily…

‘What a fool. Why are women so emotional, stupid and hopeless.’

To tell the truth, if it’s about beauty and culture, his mother was way ahead of her.

‘Well, she is the one who suits the harem.’

Just then, Ryuuki looked up unexpectedly.

“What is your mother like?”

Feeling like his brother saw through him, Seien startled. Ryuuki looked down hesitatingly.

“Is s…she a kind mother?”

Seien did not know what he should say for a moment.

‘Kind..., well…”

… She is weak. But she does not voraciously seek for prosperity and love like Ryuuki’s mother.

Sure, she grumbled about Seien’s birth when she was emotionally unstable. But she usually tried to hide her mind, and made an effort to maintain a mother-and-son like relationship at least superficially. She tried hard to smile when she saw him.

She was indeed, amazingly ordinary woman. Even if she had a mind weaker than others’, if she had wanted an ordinary life, she could have been happy enough, and she herself was a kind of woman who could be happy and satisfied with such modest happiness.

It was just that in a place like harem, the existence of an “ordinary woman” was not allowed.

If her father had not sent her to the harem, if Seien had not been born, she would have lived a humble, quiet life. It was only natural that his mother could not love him. More than anything, since she was still trying, she was much better than him, who had already quit even pretending. So, Seien intended to protect his mother as best as he could.

“Brother…?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. … My mother is… beautiful and kind.”

Seien came to himself and gave him the answer RYUUKI WANTED. Some may call the weakness that Seien despised a kindness. Besides, there was no need to dampen Ryuuki’s hopes.

“She is called Lady Lilly of the Valley.”

“Lily of the Valley?”

“Yes. In this season, you can still… Oh, there, they are blooming. Can you see the white flowers that look like little bells? Those are lilies of the valley.”

Ryuuki stepped down the corridor and with his little feet, ran to where lilies of the valley bloomed. Ryuuki looked enthusiastically with a look of envy, at the white flowers blooming in clusters unassumingly. 

The pristine flower looked like a symbol of kindness, compared to his own mother, who was like a large flower.

“But she is in poor health, and lives in a place a bit far from here.”

He did not need to know that it was the sixth concubine, Ryuuki’s mother, who bullied her and drove her out of the harem.

“… Can’t I see her?"

Seien gave a wry smile. She sure was better than Ryuuki’s mother, but still a bit emotionally unstable. It was probably better to wait until he was a little older and knew the facts, and not to break his illusion. His mother could become more stable by the time Ryuuki is older…

He recollected the sixth concubine, who was one of the sources for her anguish. He narrowed his eyes coldly.

‘There may be fewer concubines by then.’

“When you become a bit older, we will go see her together. We can walk over there.”

“Then, I will bring these flowers for her.”

Seien blinked his eyes. … Flowers? He did not remember he had ever brought her flowers.

Ryuuki started to play with his favorite blue bean bags while giving glances to the lilies of the valley.

Looking at his brother play, Seien smiled. It made him breathe easier. It was a relaxed smile from the bottom of his heart which no one ever knew.

Seien did not have to force a smile only when he was with Ryuuki. When Ryuuki laughed, Seien remembered how to laugh.

In the middle of lies and deceits, Seien could stay at the last remaining line because of Ryuuki.

Even then, for some part, it was too late to change, and it was mostly because Seien himself did not intend to change.

Seien could not say he was lonely no matter what, and he did not even feel so. He had already forgotten how to express his feelings. He did not feel the need to remember how. Those are not only unnecessary for him, they also were burdensome. He was aware that he had passed the point of no return.

If he loses, he will be eliminated.

So, he might pity his older brother, but he won’t hesitate. If he had realized it earlier, it could have been different, but it was all too late. His older brother would never be the same, or the rifts among concubines would never be closed. Seien clearly acknowledged that there wouldn’t be the day when their pathes cross again.

He had to go forward in order to survive.

“Brother Seien..."

He picked up the blue bean bag that came rolling toward him and gave it to Ryuuki, he was given an innocent smile.

Anyone in the palace were eaten by monsters living in the royal palace, and gradually lost their minds. His older brother and he were no exceptions.

Only Ryuuki was normal.

‘May Ryuuki stay as he is.’

That was Seien's wish at that time.



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