Chapter 43: The Prince Hoshimi Rin

The White Princess, Shinegori Akane, sat gracefully on her bed, a devious smile curving her lips as she read the letter from her father. The contents of the letter contained a name—one that would grant her leverage over a certain man: Shimuzu Rin. He was the First Apprentice of the White Elder from the prestigious White Flower Palace. More importantly, he was none other than Hoshimi Rin, the Second Imperial Prince.

The Shinegori family had long pledged loyalty to the Hoshimi Imperial Family, but Akane was not one to blindly follow tradition. She was calculative, sharp, and a master manipulator in conversation, wielding words as deftly as a blade.

She recalled her past encounter with Shimuzu Rin—a confrontation regarding Urakawa Miharu, the woman he had placed in a position of power despite her lineage. The Urakawa family had been traitors, and their betrayal had cost the Shinegori family dearly. Akane despised them with a cold, unwavering hatred.

Yet, Rin had been impossible to pin down. A prince in both name and nature, his way with words had allowed him to deftly navigate even the most precarious of situations. Akane vividly remembered how he skillfully evaded the grasp of three persistent princess consorts—Azure Princess Consort Chinen Suzuki, Vermillion Princess Consort Takigawa Rei, and the newly appointed Black Princess Consort Urakawa Miharu—all of whom had attempted to keep him at their side during his inspection of the Holy Barrier Crystal in the Vermillion Bird Palace.

What intrigued Akane the most was how well Rin had concealed his true identity. Despite his composed and unassuming demeanor, he had never once betrayed the fact that he was the Second Imperial Prince. Even she, with all her perceptiveness, had not suspected the truth until much later.

Now, with this letter in her hands, Akane held the key to tipping the balance of power in her favor.

Akane had always thought of herself as a selfish person. Unlike the rest of the Shinegori clan, she did not serve out of loyalty to the Empire but for her own ambitions. This made her the black sheep of her family, yet it did not hinder her rise. With her sharp mind, mastery of manipulation, and political genius, she had secured the position of White Princess Consort—a title that made her the Crown Prince's fiancée and granted her even greater influence.

For the sake of her ambitions, she would do anything. Use anyone.

The letter from her father intrigued her. It contained a name—Hoshimi Rin. A name hidden behind the identity of Shimuzu Rin. Why would the Second Imperial Prince conceal himself like this? What was so important that he would go to such lengths?

More importantly, why had her father entrusted her with an Imperial Tablet? A privilege reserved for those handling the Empire's most guarded secrets.

"How interesting," Akane mused, a smirk gracing her lips as she traced her fingers over the tablet's surface. "Father, you've given me quite the gift."

She would keep this secret. But that did not mean she wouldn't exploit it. This was an opportunity—one she would not waste. The Second Imperial Prince would become her pawn, chained to her will.

"Let's see, Hoshimi Rin… how far are you willing to go to keep this hidden?"

She chuckled softly, her expression a perfect blend of amusement and intrigue. Akane was well aware of her place within the Shinegori family. Though selfish, she had always been adored—her talents too valuable to ignore. She never caused a fuss, never let bad rumors circulate. Always poised, always the perfect lady.

Yet beneath that graceful exterior, she was a woman who thrived on control.

As she waited for Shimuzu Rin—no, Hoshimi Rin—to arrive, she leaned back, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Come, my dear prince. Let's see how you play this game."

Akane stood up from her bed, feeling rather pleased with herself. But then—something changed.

The master chamber darkened unnaturally, as if the very air had thickened with an ominous presence. The only light remaining came from a single window, where a shadowed figure stood, his eerie purple eyes glowing like embers in the night.

Akane's breath hitched.

It was Hoshimi Rin.

She had expected him to come to the White Tiger Palace eventually—but not like this. Not with an aura that sent a shiver crawling up her spine.

Rin's gaze was piercing, a predator sizing up his prey. The stillness in the room was suffocating. Something was very wrong.

Instinct kicked in, and Akane tried to scream—but no sound escaped her lips. Her voice was swallowed by the creeping tendrils of shadow magic that coiled around her like silent chains.

A slow, deliberate step echoed in the chamber.

"No one is coming for you, White Princess."

Rin's voice was low, calm—but it carried the weight of an unspoken threat. His katana rested at his side, his grip light, almost casual. But the sharp edge of its presence was unmistakable.

Akane's heartbeat thundered in her chest.

For the first time, she truly saw it. The darkness within the Hoshimi Imperial Family—the side hidden behind their elegance and power.

Rin's expression remained unreadable as he took another step forward, the shadows shifting around him like living things.

"What makes you think you can know a secret meant only for those trusted by the Imperial Family?"

His words dripped with quiet menace, the room growing colder with each syllable.

Akane had played many games, manipulated many people. But tonight, she realized—she might have just stepped onto a battlefield she wasn't prepared for.

"You have ten seconds to defend yourself."

Rin's voice was devoid of emotion, his steps slow, deliberate. The dim light from the window glinted off his katana, the polished steel gleaming with deadly intent.

Akane's breath hitched—fear coiled in her chest, tightening like a vice. She had faced many adversaries, manipulated countless people, but this… This was different.

She was frozen, her mind racing for a way out.

"Rin, wait—" she forced out, her voice steady despite the panic clawing at her throat. "Killing me would be a grave mistake. You know this."

A blur of silver.

The sharp whoosh of his blade slicing through the air.

Akane felt the rush of wind as the katana missed her side by mere inches. A warning. A promise.

Her body refused to move, but her mind screamed—He's serious. He's going to execute me.

The shadows in the room seemed to deepen, closing in like an abyss, swallowing every ounce of control she once held. For the first time, the White Princess—the master manipulator—was on the verge of being checkmated.

And she had mere seconds left to turn the tide.

Akane was terrified.

How could she manipulate someone who had no hesitation—who was willing to eliminate the manipulator without a second thought?

For the first time, she understood.

The Shinegori family's unwavering loyalty to the Hoshimi Imperial Family had always seemed like an obligation, a matter of duty. But now, she realized the truth. The Hoshimi were both kind and cruel, benevolent yet merciless. They ruled not just with wisdom—but with absolute, inescapable power.

How do you manipulate a family like this?

Her mind went blank. There was no counter to Rin's resolve. If he killed her now, no one would ever know the secret.

"Three seconds."

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

"Two."

A chill ran down her spine.

"One."

And then—he moved.

In an instant, Rin vanished from sight. Before she could react, he was behind her, his katana pressed against her throat.

Akane's knees buckled. She collapsed onto the floor, the weight of inevitability crashing down on her.

And in that moment, something slipped from the folds of her robe—the Imperial Tablet.

The polished relic clattered onto the floor between them, its presence undeniable.

Rin's eyes flickered, his hand still firm on his sword. But for the first time since entering the room, he hesitated.

"I see…" he murmured, his gaze unreadable.

Akane, still catching her breath, looked up in confusion as Rin calmly sheathed his katana. The killing intent vanished, replaced by an expression far more composed.

What had changed?

Her life had been hanging by a thread—yet now, she was still breathing.

Rin watched as Akane trembled, her once-calculating gaze now clouded with fear.

She stared at him, her mind racing. Just moments ago, his eyes had been those of a killer—merciless, unwavering. And yet, in the blink of an eye, he had shifted into eerie composure, as if the intent to execute her had never existed.

That alone was enough for her to understand.

She could not manipulate him.

She would never win against him.

Rin exhaled softly, the tension in the air dissipating like mist. "You were given the authority to know," he stated, his voice level but firm.

Then, to her surprise, he extended his hand toward her.

For a moment, Akane hesitated, still shaken by the ordeal. But instinct guided her, and she slowly reached out. His grip was steady, grounding her as he pulled her up.

Seeing her unsteady stance, Rin wordlessly guided her to the bed, allowing her to sit down. She was still trembling, the lingering echoes of fear refusing to fade so easily.

"I apologize for coming here unannounced," Rin said, his tone quieter now, almost… considerate.

Akane barely heard him, too focused on steadying her breath, on calming the frantic storm in her mind.

She had been on the verge of death.

And now, she had to act as though she had not just looked into the abyss.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her posture, gripping onto the fragile remnants of her composure. She needed to think. To understand.

Because one thing was now certain—Rin was unlike anyone she had ever encountered.

Once the trembling subsided and Akane regained her composure, she met Rin's gaze, her voice steady but curious.

"Why do you live as a commoner?" she asked, her tone a mixture of intrigue and quiet frustration.

Rin's expression remained unreadable as he regarded her.

"Only I know the reason," he replied, his voice calm but firm. "And I will not share it. Not even the Imperial Family knows."

Akane's brows furrowed slightly, an edge of irritation creeping into her. She had expected a different answer, perhaps an explanation. But Rin, like always, was a mystery—too elusive, too untouchable.

After a moment of silence, Akane pressed on, her voice a little more sharp this time. "Then why did you stop trying to kill me?"

Rin looked at her for a long while, his gaze piercing, but not with malice. He seemed to weigh her question, contemplating how much to reveal.

"The Imperial Tablet," he began, his tone quieter now, almost as if the words carried the weight of something far greater. "It's a mark of trust. The Emperor himself has deemed you worthy to hold such a secret. The information you possess—the truth of Shimuzu Rin's true identity as Hoshimi Rin, the Second Imperial Prince—is classified. Only a select few, including your father, Shinegori Arate, are entrusted with it."

Akane absorbed his words slowly, her mind racing. The revelation was unsettling, but she understood. The Emperor trusted her, but in turn, the burden of secrecy was hers to carry.

"But…" she trailed off, struggling to fully grasp the weight of what this meant for her. She had been playing a dangerous game, one that now seemed far more intricate than she had anticipated.

Rin gave her a look that was almost sympathetic. "You're in deeper than you think, Akane."

Rin regarded Akane for a moment, his gaze unwavering, before he spoke in a tone that was both calm and calculating.

"You know," he began, "I've read about you. The story of Shinegori Akane—the black sheep of the Shinegori family, bold yet cunning enough to climb the ranks and become the White Princess Consort."

Akane's pulse quickened, a faint unease creeping up her spine. How did he know?

"To the public eye," Rin continued, his words sharp and measured, "You present yourself as kind, untouchable, a girl of grace. But I've seen through the mask."

Akane's breath caught in her throat. She had always prided herself on being careful, on never letting anyone see too much. But Rin… Rin had seen it all.

"Inside," he said, his voice quieter but with a certain finality, "You're just a selfish girl. One who thirsts for power, control. Manipulative to the core."

The words hit her like a slap to the face. She flinched, feeling exposed in a way she hadn't anticipated.

He knows.

He knows me.

Hoshimi Rin, the Second Imperial Prince, had seen through the carefully constructed façade she had spent years perfecting. He knew the real Akane—more than anyone else ever had.

Rin, ever calm, seemed unbothered by the impact his words had on her. "I don't care what you do as the White Princess Consort," he said, his voice neutral, but there was a certain weight to it. "But the fact that you've been entrusted with the knowledge of Shimuzu Rin's true identity—the Second Imperial Prince—means the Emperor himself has marked you as an invaluable asset to the Empire."

Akane's mind whirled. Her position, her power, everything she had worked for—it was all more than she had ever realized.

But Rin's next words pierced through the fog in her mind.

"Now, I have to treat you as an ally," he stated, his expression shifting slightly. "But I have to ask—are you really trustworthy, Akane?"

His question was pointed, his eyes never leaving hers. "I have my own opinion of your character, and I've seen enough to know that not everyone who claims to be an ally actually is."

The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken tension. Akane felt the weight of his scrutiny, as if her very soul were being examined under a sharp, unyielding light.

Her heart raced. Was she truly trustworthy? Did she even know what it meant to be an ally—to him, to anyone?

Rin had just handed her a challenge, but more than that—he had laid her deepest truths bare. Now, the question wasn't just about the secrets of the Empire. It was about herself.