CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Sakae walked into the Princess' Chambers and in her possession she was holding a bowl of soup.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head before her.

"What is it?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"It is time for you to have your medicine." Sakae replied as she bowed her head.

"You can leave it here, I'll take it later." Princess Toyomike replied.

"Forgive me Your Highness but I got orders from the Empress to monitor you when you are taking your medicines." Sakae said.

"Then report to her and tell her that I shall take it later, it's not like she'll have the courage to bury you." Princess Toyomike replied.

"It's a pity your Highness, I am but a servant and she is my mistress." Sakae said.

"You are but a servant in deed and it would be better if you were to remain where you are supposed to be, as far as I recall, was it not her Highness who is supposed to see to my comforts and discomfort or perhaps do you wish for me to complain to your Mistress about you." Princess Toyomike asked.

"Please not at all Your Highness." Sakae said as she went down on her knees.

"Get up." Princess Toyomike said. "You may leave." She added and Sakae quite reluctant decided to go.

"If the Empress wishes to see me have all my meals and medicines on time then I suppose she wouldn't mind it if she were right here to do it herself because when I asked that she put me in her care, I certainly meant personally." Princess Toyomike added.

Sakae turned around and smiled at the Princess.

"I'll convey your message to her Your Highness." Sakae said.

"Good." Princess Toyomike replied and Sakae turning around and wearing a gloomy face she decided to walk out leaving Princess Toyomike inside.

As she was departing she came face to face with Consort Katashishime who looked up at her.

"Your Highness." Sakae said.

"What's it?" Consort Katashishime asked. "Is there anything wrong with the Princess?" She added.

"There is nothing Your Highness." Sakae replied.

"I can tell that you are quite bothered and I can't be at peace, besides you are in such a hurry." Consort Katashishime said.

"It's nothing, I just have a lot of things to do Your Highness." Sakae replied as she bowed her head while Consort Katashishime continued inside the Princess's Chambers as she was followed by Sina and another guard that Sakae thought to be Kabane.

The sooner the three were inside, Sina shut the doors and they walked up to Princess Toyomike's bed where they found her seated and pouring the soup that Sakae had brought inside in the nearby flower pot.

"Have the withered this time around?" Consort Katashishime asked.

"Not yet but I can not be that careless understanding the Empress' capabilities and what she could possibly do." Princess Toyomike replied as Sina walked up to her and then pulling from under her sleeves was a small bowl that had been covered.

"Princess Toyomike took it in her hands and it was still hot she started to blow at it to cool down with the cover.

"Let's talk." Princess Toyomike said and at that moment the guard raising his head she recognized him as General Fujiyaro." Princess Toyomike said.

She picked a piece of paper and then with a brush she wrote down the words.

"IS IT DONE?" She asked.

General Fujiyaro took the brush and then he also wrote down his answer.

"TEN SCHOLARS, THIRTEEN OFFICIALS, FOUR PREFECTS AND TWO COURTIERS." he replied.

"Very good." Princess Toyomike remarked.

"RANK THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR TALENT'S AND CAPABILITIES, I ALSO WISH TO RECRUIT PEOPLE WITH AMAZING MILITARY SKILLS AND SOCIAL GENUISES." Princess Toyomike wrote.

"YES." Fujiyaro replied as he nodded his head.

The Princess went ahead to write.

"MAKE SURE THAT YOU IDENTIFY THE POSTS THEY ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR AND WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT WE SHALL SEE TO IT THAT FOR THEIR GREAT SERVICE TO NIPPON, WE REWARD THEM IN ABUNDANCE." The Princess said and Fujiyaro nodded.

"Could you please massage my feet Sina?" Princess Toyomike requested.

"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied as she helped Princess Toyomike up into the bed and then she sat there.

"You know what mother?" Princess Toyomike said.

"What is it?" Consort Katashishime asked.

"There was this song that I always heard them sing when they were young in memory of Emperor Senka's duty to the unification of this our country." Princess Toyomike replied as she looked at General Fujiyaro.

"I remember it." Consort Katashishime said.

"I've been trying to remind myself how it went and I think that I can sing it to my child Everytime that it might feel sleepy." Princess Toyomike said as she patted her belly.

"She is still young and their rhymes are about sweet things." Consort Katashishime replied.

"I am afraid that this is a dawn of an era of war, can we most certainly avoid it?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"I don't know." Consort Katashishime replied.

"HE GATHERED ALL HIS MEN YOUNG AND OLD IN THE OLD KRAAL THAT STOOD OUTSIDE THE CITY, THERE AS THEY MUSED AT THE WALLS HE POINTED TOWARDS HEAVEN AND SHOWED THEM A STAR THAT WAS BRIGHTLY GLOWING, HE CALLED FORTH THE SMARTEST, THE BRAVEST AND THE CUNNING, TOGETHER THEY MARCHED OUT EACH READY TO FIGHT AND VANQUISH THE DEFYING.

IN THE DARK OF NIGHT WITH NOTHING BUT THE LIGHT OF A SINGLE LAMP, THEY EACH WOVE BASKETS WITH THEIR NAMES ON THEM SHOWN BY THE LETTERS THAT CAME FIRST, PUTTING THEM ALL TOGETHER HE'D MADE THEM ALL REALISE, THEY'D SPELT OUT THE CITY THEY WOULD STRIKE FIRST.

WHEN THE WINTER CAME ABD THE COLD WASHED UP THE EARTH, THEY THAT WERE FED LEARNT WHO THEIR SAVIOR WAS, COMING TOGETHER AS ONE THEY MADE A PLEDGE TO FOREVER SERVE, WITH HONOUR AND LOYALTY THEY'D MAKE ALL THE VILLAGES AND TRIBES IN GOOD FAITH BECOME ONE." Princess Toyomike sang.

General Fujiyaro listening keenly seemed to understand what the hidden moral and message in the song was.

He nodded with a smile on her face and at that point Consort Katashishime spoke up.

"You are still brilliant at singing it just as you were back then." She said.

"It's nothing mother, I think that now I am going to take a rest." Princess Toyomike said.

"We'll take our leave Your Highness." They all said in unison as they withdrew and left the Princess to slide down into her covers and sleep.

Upon walking outside, Consort Katashishime turned and looked at some of the guards that were stationed outside her daughter's Palace standing below at a distance.

She felt content and with her company and her guards and maids joining her , She marched out of the Princess' courtyard at once.

Sakae walked up to the Empress a d entering the Crown Princess' Chambers she found the two.

"Your Highnesses." She greeted.

"What happened?" The Empress asked.

"Her Highness' will is not broken, she refused to drink the medicine while I was watching." Sakae replied.

"That's quite awful and it's in deed a pity." The Empress said.

"Pardon me Your Highness, I am incompetent." Sakae apologized.

"No." The Empress said. "You are not." She added.

"By this time you should be used to the Princess, she is quite manipulative and using her influence she couldn't certainly trust what I give her." The Empress said.

"Your Highness, she said that if you wish to see her have all her meals and medicines on time then she supposes you wouldn't mind it if you were right there to do it yourself because when she asked that she be put in your care, she certainly meant personally." Sakae said.

"She has grown way too many wings she can now at last stand up I'm from of me." The Empress said.

"Seeing her every now and then I grow more and more inpatient mother." The Crown Princess said.

"It doesn't matter, we need to be careful now that she is in our care and let us not react out of haste." The Empress said.

"What should we do?" The Crown Princess asked.

"Your Highness, before I left Consort Katashishime turned up and she went inside the Imperial Princess' room." Sakae said.

"What happened then?" The Empress asked.

"The moles that we planted there heard nothing more than an ordinary conversation." Sakae replied.

"It's Consort Katashishime after all, she is someone that is quite a good schemer but at this time she'd be worried about her daughter's welfare so she'd turn up.

Just tell them to keep watch and they should alert us immediately if anything out of the usual happens." The Empress said.

"Yes Your Highness." Sakae said as she bowed her head.

"Now that the Princess is temporarily out of the way it is high time that we dealt with Iname during her brief absentia." The Empress said.

"What do you mean by that Your Highness?" The Crown Princess asked.

"Iname is one stronghold that the Princess can rely on to rise to prominence and unfortunately as he is s smart, his son is not just as smart he'd not be qualified to inherit the position of Imperial Chieftain." The Empress replied.

"What do you want me to do Your Highness?" Sakae asked.

"This task is quite simple and I have come to notice only if I can cut down Iname from the root then the Princess won't be that much of a threat, she would have softened and she'd have to begin all over again." The Empress replied.

"Let's do it mother." The Crown Princess said.

"Last time Iname might have survived the poison but it was very Lethal that he wouldn't have to live any longer.

Before the world he is but a dead man and we must see to it that this time, the poison is very Lethal it'd be very difficult for him to find a cure." The Empress ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Sakae replied as she withdrew from the room and Hotaru walked up to the Empress and the Crown Princess.

"Your Highnesses." She said as she bowed her head.

"Princess Toyomike is suspicious of the food and the medicine that Her Highness offers to her but she is not suspicious of the medicines and the food that her mother offers to her.

Find out where and when Consort Katashishime takes food to the Imperial Princess and when you do, you know what to do." The Crown Princess ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru said as she bowed her head and then she walked away.

"I might say that I am quite impressed." The Empress said.

"I knew that we could use the Princess' suspicion to our advantage, that way she wouldn't see anything coming so her guard would be lowered down." The Crown Princess said.

"What did you ask Sakae to put in the food and the medicine?" The Empress asked.

"Abortifacients." The Crown Princess replied. "It's quite possible that she could put a few amounts little by little but later, when she miscarries this time around, it won't be on our hands but Consort Katashishime's.

She initially was opposed to the marriage between the Imperial Princess and the Crown Prince everyone should certainly doubt her.

If things even went ahead better, don't you think that Princess Toyomike would in turn hate her mother and sever the primary support she has in the inner court." The Crown Princess replied.

"She'll undoubtedly cut off both her arms and legs she would be left without anyone to come to her aid." The Empress added.

"Yes." The Crown Princess replied.

"Do not be too sure." The Empress said.

"Why mother?" The Crown Princess asked.

"I told you before that the Imperial Princess was so conniving and she has a rare talent of combining the perfect disasters and turning them into peace times on her side.

Like Iname you can never be too certain while planning her downfall because just as he is, she too never ceases to amaze me." The Empress replied.

"No one is perfect mother." The Crown Princess said. "Trust me." She added with a ghastly smile on her face.

The Crown Prince read the letter that had been sent from the Imperial Princess Toyomike's Palace and tightening his arms he folded it.

It's been two months." He said. "Mother is still unyielding to me seeing the Imperial Princess Toyomike even once." The Crown Prince added.

"Everyone knows her to be very strict when it comes to various norms, you know it well enough that as a Royal husband you can not see any of your Consorts other than the Crown Princess during their pregnancies." Miwa no Sakau said.

"She'd bend the rules, I am her son." The Crown Prince said.

"To begin with I am uncertain but at least I think I know that deep down your mother doesn't really like the Imperial Princess Toyomike as your Consort." Miwa no Sakau said.

"Your saying that she purposefully doesn't wish it for me to see her?" The Crown Prince asked.

"I did some digging up on the Crown Princess last time and I received news from the people that we had put to spy on her.

She is currently an indefinite person and not that soft and gullible like she used to be and on top of that she is always with Your mother, her Highness the Empress." Miwa no Sakau said.

"I see." The Crown Prince. "No wonder she doesn't bend anymore, after all it's in mother's nature that she is domineering so she'd bear the same personality." He added.

"Last time that woman who spied on us and killed herself outside might have done it out of fear." Miwa no Sakau said.

"Are you saying that my mother could have been the one who instigated that woman to come up after me?" The Crown Prince asked.

"After everything that happened we do not know which part of our conversation was in the letter and the Empress herself is taking care of the Imperial Princess Toyomike she wouldn't hurt her even if she wished because that would mean that she'd be held responsible and you also wouldn't forgive her.

The Crown Princess is always in doors and only leaves to walk about the palace and also go into the Imperial Library.

If you tell me, now more than ever it is quite clear that of the two none is a plausible threat so our eyes must shift." Miwa no Sakau said.

"But the Woman that died on that day said something about someone that's related to the Crown Princess." The Crown Prince said.

"But not the Crown Princess herself, I find it strange myself but after thinking for a very long time about it, I couldn't help it but raise every one of my suspicions and pointed them towards someone else." Miwa no Sakau said.

"There is someone who wants the Imperial Princess Toyomike in danger." The Crown Prince said.

"Yes Your Highness and someone capable of planting a mole within us and someone that would most certainly be feared is one who possess immense power.

If not the Emperor, the Empress and the Crown Princess then it could only be one person." Miwa no Sakau said.

"A courtier." The Crown Prince replied.

"Yes." Miwa no Sakau said.

"That makes sense, as a Crown Prince who became the prefect of Nara upon discovering a series of irregularities in the Finances of the State, It's possible that the people I ousted and I affected would rise up against me." The Crown Prince said.

"Yes Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said.

"I remember, Mononobe no Morae." The Crown Prince said.

"He was a very close cousin of Mononobe no Moriya." Miwa no Sakau said.

"Have some people watching him, now that that Office of Finances is cleaned it's high time that we found out what those rascals are up to." The Crown Prince said.

Princess Toyomike was in her room when Her mother brought a bowl of soup and as she drank it and slowly sipped at it it tasted strange that before she drank it, she placed it on the table.

"What is it my dear?" Consort Katashishime asked.

"Mother?" Princess Toyomike called. "Did you add anything to the soup?" She asked.

"No, it's the same old usual ingredients." Consort Katashishime replied.

"It tastes stranger than bit usually does, I have been taking it for the last couple of months and it has changed today." Princess Toyomike replied.

"Really?" Consider Katashishime asked.

"There is no way that my tongue could have possibly lied to me." Princess Toyomike said.

"Let me have a taste." Consort Katashishime said as she sipped at the medicine and she too realized that even the scent had changed.

"It doesn't smell like it usually does." Consort Katashishime replied and her daughter opened up her eyes widely that she looked at her Earnestly.

"Toyomike?" Consort Katashishime called.

"Call the Imperial physician as soon as possible, tell him that it is an emergency." Princess Toyomike ordered Sina and Sina hurriedly rushed out of the room.

Hotaru stood in a corner behind one of the buildings and seeing Sina running out with worry all over her face she assumed something had in deed happened to the Crown Princess so she chose to follow her slowly.

Sina ran up to the residence of the Imperial physician and knocking on his door he opened and looked at her.

"How may I be of help to you?" The Imperial physician asked.

"It's not me but her Imperial Highness Princess Toyomike." Sina replied.

"What's wrong with the Princess?" The Imperial Physician asked.

"Her Highness wishes to see you at once, it's an emergency." Sina added.

"Alright, let me come." The Imperial physician replied as he went inside to prepare himself.

Hearing this, Hotaru turned around and ran all over the Palace that she walked into the Crown Princess' Chambers and found her seated and sipping at a small cup of tea.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.

"What is it Hotaru?" The Crown Princess asked.

"It is done Your Highness." Hotaru replied.

"Is it?" The Crown Princess asked.

"Yes." Hotaru replied. "I saw Sina, the Imperial Princess Toyomike's female servant and retainer calling the Imperial physician to go to her residence immediately." Hotaru replied.

"That's good then." The Crown Princess said as she got hold of an envelope that was stationed on her table.

"Your Highness." Hotaru said.

"Take this and deliver it to the Emperor's reports of the state before they reach him." The Crown Princess ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru replied as she took hold of the envelope in her possession.

"Tell Sakae to inform the Empress that it is time." The Crown Princess added.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru replied as she walked out of the room and left her Mistress seated and sipping at her cup of tea slowly with a ghastly smile on her face.

The Imperial physician walked out of his room with his tools and led by Sina, they rushed over to the residence of the Imperial Princess Toyomike.

Hotaru stood near the gates and there she watched as a group of guards and a few officials carried the daily reports towards the Emperor.

She intercepted them at that moment with a group of other disorderly Palace maids that as they came into contact with the officials, they clashed with them and one of them dropped the reports as Hotaru dropped the Envelope as well.

As the Official hurriedly picked them up, seeing the envelope he believed it had been with them so he took it up as well and Hotaru hiding behind one of the buildings watched as they went on into the Emperor's central Courtyard at last she was convinced that she had succeeded.

Hotaru hurriedly walked around to the East Palace and there she found Sakae who was stationed with a group of Imperial guards.

"Is it done?" Sakae asked.

"Yes." Hotaru replied. "Her Highness has said that you can act now." She added with a smile.

Convinced Sakae sent one of the palace maids inside to inform the Empress and the doors to her Chambers were flung open and the Empress walked out at once.

Sakae looking at her nodded and the Empress understanding moved up front with the Imperial guards and they were going off towards Princess Toyomike's Palace.

Hotaru walked in to the opposite direction and moving around the Palace she came back to the Crown Princess who was standing beside the pond with a Group of other Palace maids.

"How was it?" The Crown Princess asked.

"The trap and everything else have all been set." Hotaru replied. "The Empress is on the move and I bet that very soon, the Emperor is also going to join them." She added.

"Well done." The Crown Princess said. "I suppose that we can now sit back and watching, knowing the capabilities of the Empress then we can rest assured what the outcome is going to be." She added.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru said as she bowed her head.

"Isn't it such a wonderful day today?" The Crown Princess asked.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru replied.

"But it is quite sad that not so far from now it is going to snow." The Crown Princess added as she raised her hand up to the sky and at that very instant as she had spoken, a snow flake landed on her palm.

She closed it and then she smiled and opened it.

"Like the snowflake is delicate , so is she, one single crush from me she'd certainly be over and done with." The Crown Princess said.

The Imperial physician walked into the room and there the Princess looked at him and she was quite relieved that he had turned up nearly as soon as possible.

"How may I help you Your Highness?" The Imperial Physician asked.

"I have called you here because I am not feeling well, I have taken a sip of the contents in that bowl and they taste quite strange." Princess Toyomike said.

"Is there any problem with them?" the Imperial physician asked.

"That's what I wish to know, I called you here to examine the bowl and it's contents for me so that you could tell me what the problem is." Princess Toyomike replied.

"Very well then Your Highness." The Imperial physician said as he smelled the bowl and then sipped at it.

The Emperor sat down at his usual table and Sato assisting him to lay the reports on the table held the envelope all of a sudden and it looking so different from the scrolls had the Emperor's attention.

"Is that with the reports?" The Emperor suddenly asked Sato.

"Yes Your Majesty." He replied. "It came in with them and I saw it with my own eyes." Sato added.

"Bring it here." The Emperor demanded. "I wish to see it first." He added as Sato complied and lifting it up from the others he handed it over to the Emperor who took it in his own hands.

He opened the Envelope and from it he pulled another piece of paper which was folded.

He unfolded it as his eyes studied and perused through it.

All of a sudden, the Emperor was struck with frustration and fury as he went ahead to see the contents of the letter.

He smacked his table with his hand in fury.

"Please calm down your Majesty." Sato pleaded when at that point the Emperor threw the letter at him.

"Read it." He shouted on top of his voice and Sato picking it up looked through it.

"SOMEONE IS ATTEMPTING TO MURDER THE IMPERIAL PRINCESS RIGHT NOW YOUR MAJESTY." Sato read and at once he fell onto his knees.

The Emperor stood up from where he was seated and he walked up to his sword stand where he ceased his sword and at once, he strode out as Sato followed him closely behind.

He flung the doors open and there he shouted.

"Can I have twenty of you all, follow me at once." The Emperor said.

"Yes Your Majesty." The Imperial guards replied in unison as they stepped out until they were twenty forming four lines each of them carrying five guards.

They marched with the Emperor out of his courtyard and he was immediately on his way to Princess Toyomike's Palace.

The Empress had already arrived with her own guards and she climbed into the courtyard as the guards that were present were surprised but most of them being her own they immediately ceased to interfere and stood their ground as they waited upon her command.

She seemed to be waiting for something but her eyes didn't waver from the magnificent building that was stationed right in front of her eyes.

"What are the main ingredients of this concoction?" The Imperial Physician asked as he turned and looked at Consort Katashishime.

"Chamomile and pounded raspberry leaf." Consort Katashishime replied.

"Are you sure?" The Imperial physician replied.

"Yes." Consort Katashishime replied as the physician turned and looked at the Imperial Princess Toyomike.

"Did you sip it Your Highness?" The Imperial physician asked.

"Yes I did." Princess Toyomike replied. "It's how I noticed that the taste of it was awfully strange and so was it's smell." she added.

"Then I must make a concoction for you as soon as possible because we can not be too certain that it won't cause any harm to the foetus." The physician replied.

"Why if I may inquire?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"Your Highnesses perhaps you might not be aware but this medicine contains abortifacients." The physician replied.

The Imperial Consort was surprised as the Princess was lost in wonder.

"You mean to say that someone added abortifacients to the Imperial Princess' medicine?" Consort Katashishime asked.

"Yes." The Imperial physician replied.

"What's wrong mother, does that mean that the medicine could have caused me to have an abortion?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"Yes Your Highness." The Imperial physician replied.

"Do something." Consort Katashishime desperately turned to the physician.

"I'll get going." The Imperial physician had just said when Sina heard a group of people that were marching towards the room being led by the Empress and the Emperor who was angrily holding his sword.

"Your Highness." Sina said.

"It seems that the entire Palace has been surrounded by Imperial guards." She added.

"What would they be doing here?" Consort Katashishime asked.

"I don't know." Sina replied. "But they are being led by the Emperor and the Empress." She added.

The Imperial physician halted I'm his footsteps and rushed back to the Imperial Princess Toyomike's side.

"There is no doubt that if they found the two of you in here and this bowl as evidence, they'd certainly apprehend you mother and Sina.

Perhaps it was her scheme." Princess Toyomike said.

"What do you mean?" Consort Katashishime asked.

"I was always suspicious of every thing that the Empress gave me but open with you so they are certain that of I drank that Medicine to every last drop, this time around I must have miscarried for sure." Princess Toyomike replied.

She beheld the shadows which indicated the two approaching her door and at that moment all the three panicked and the doors were flung open as the Emperor walked in with the Empress to a very frightening sight.

Looking around the first thing that he saw was his Consort Katashishime standing there and looking so shocked at him and next to her was Sina.

Staring at the bed there the Princess lay with the Imperial physician examining her as she looked unconscious and there was a bowl that was stationed at the table beside her.

The Empress looking at the bowl was in deed convinced that something awful had happened to the Princess she stepped forward and called the Emperor.

"Your Majesty." She said but the Emperor halted her with his hand as he walked closer and closer to his wife.

"Katashishime?" He called so surprised as he caressed her right cheek.

"What's the problem Your Majesty?" Consort Katashishime asked as she withdrew from him and there she bowed her head.

"What has happened to Princess Toyomike?" He asked coldly and Consort Katashishime barely having the courage to look up into his eyes kept silent.

The Imperial physician ceased that opportunity and looking rather awful he faced the Emperor as the Empress awaited what he had to say.

"She was poisoned." The Empress thought to herself. "By her mother." She added inwardly as a ghastly smile appeared on her face before she hid it with a look of concern.

"Consort Katashishime?" She called and the Consort looked back at her. "Did You not here the Emperor?" She asked.

"I heard." Consort Katashishime replied.

"Then tell us what is wrong with Princess Toyomike?" The Empress asked. "If you can not then I suppose the Imperial physician who is more understanding when it comes to matters such as this should tell us all." She added.

The Imperial physician walked up to the three of them.

"Your Highnesses and Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head.

"What's wrong with my daughter the Emperor asked his hand still tightly holding the sword as it was a clear indicator that his patience was already wearing thin.

"No worries Your Majesty." The Imperial physician replied with a gentle smile on his face and the Empress was very much surprised.

"Her Highness is...." He was still mentioning when Princess Toyomike opened her eyes and completed.

"I am fine." Princess Toyomike said as she sat up in her bed and turned around to look at the Empress with a ghastly smile on her face.

"Princess?" The Emperor called in disbelief as he dropped the sword while she kept on looking at the Empress who was overwhelmed with rage.

"Her Highness isn't yet used to the morning sickness as it is and the cold outside wasn't so good for her either she briefly passed out.

There is nothing more that you should be worried about." The Imperial physician said as he bowed his head and at that moment the Empress was just surprised as never had she imagined that things would turn out like this.

"What?" She muttered under her breath a little bit too surprised it was like she was looking at a ghost.

"Yes." Princess Toyomike confirmed with a smile.

The Emperor and Consort Katashishime sighed in relief whereas the two contenders present in the room exchanged a very fatal glance with one another.