Chapter 61: A Misunderstanding

A full week had passed, and the four consorts continued their duties diligently.

They did not try to push their way into Rin's room.

They did not voice their frustrations.

But that did not mean they were calm.

Every day, they waited for their respective head maids to return with news—

News from Harumi.

And every day, the report was the same.

"Rin is doing fine. His appetite is back."

"He's resting well. No need to worry."

"The fever has gone down."

"There are no complications with his magic anymore."

At first, the four consorts took this news as relief.

But as time went on…

The head maids started noticing something.

Harumi always looked exhausted whenever she left Rin's room.

Her clothes were often disheveled—her collar slightly loose, her sleeves uneven, her hair a little messy.

She was tired but… satisfied.

And that expression—

That subtle, peaceful smile on her lips.

It was enough for the four consorts to start imagining things.

Very dangerous things.

Azure Princess Consort – Suzuki

No way… there's no way, right?

Suzuki clenched her teacup tightly, staring at the rippling surface of her drink.

She had been patient this past week.

She had endured the wait.

She had trusted that everything was as Harumi said.

But then why…

Why did Harumi look like that every time she left Rin's room?!

The slight messiness of her robes, the subtle glow in her expression—

Suzuki had seen that look before.

A woman deeply satisfied with her night.

Her grip tightened.

Rin wouldn't… right?

He's not that kind of person… right?

But what if he was…?

Suzuki suddenly stood up.

Her head maid, Fujiwara Rina, flinched at the sudden movement.

"Princess?"

Suzuki quickly sat back down, schooling her features.

"...It's nothing."

But her mind was a storm.

Rei tapped her fan against her palm, watching the servants outside the veranda.

She was calm.

She was collected.

But internally, she was furious.

She had tried—tried so hard—to wait patiently.

She had held back, choosing to observe instead of rushing in.

But then Harumi had to come out of Rin's room looking like that.

Disheveled robes.

Satisfied expression.

What. Exactly. Happened. In. There?

She bit her lip, lowering her fan to hide her frown.

Is Harumi just playing with us?

Does she know how this looks?!

Rei exhaled slowly.

Her head maid, Niwa Yori, raised a brow.

"Princess, if you need something—"

"No." Rei cut in sharply. "I just need to… cool my head."

Before I march into that room myself.

Miharu gritted her teeth, pressing her palm against her forehead.

She knew Harumi wasn't that kind of person.

She knew Harumi and Rin were close, but just friends.

But after watching this for a week, even she was starting to question it.

"…Harumi isn't lying to us," Miharu mumbled.

Her head maid, Ito Fumiko, looked at her. "You believe that?"

"…I do."

But then Miharu clenched her fists.

"But she's always been by his side."

It wasn't fair.

The three of them—Suzuki, Rei, and herself—had been so careful in their approach.

They had tried to be patient, to earn his attention in a way that wasn't overbearing.

And yet Harumi—

Harumi, who wasn't even a consort, was already beside him without trying.

Miharu felt something burn in her chest.

"…I should've gone in the moment he collapsed."

—

Akane sighed, lazily stirring her tea.

She wasn't angry.

She wasn't frustrated.

But she was irritated.

"Seriously…?" she murmured.

Her head maid, Nakamura Emi, looked at her warily. "Princess?"

Akane gave a bored smile.

"Nothing. I'm just wondering… how easy it is to fall in love."

Emi flinched at those words.

Akane rested her cheek on her palm.

Suzuki, Rei, and Miharu—

All three of them were losing their patience over Rin.

Over a man who doesn't even know they love him.

Pathetic.

But… understandable.

Akane's eyes darkened slightly.

Harumi wasn't a fool.

Even if she didn't love Rin, she had to know that the consorts were watching her.

So why did she keep looking like that whenever she left his room?

Did she not care?

Or…

Was she hiding something?

Akane chuckled.

"Hoshimi Rin, what exactly are you up to?"

—

The four head maids stood together in the hallway later that evening, sharing silent glances.

Each of them had seen the expressions of their respective princess consorts.

Each of them knew what was happening.

And none of them could stop it.

Nakamura Emi, Akane's head maid, let out a sigh of exhaustion.

"…This is bad."

Fujiwara Rina, Suzuki's head maid, pinched the bridge of her nose.

"…I was hoping they wouldn't overthink this."

Niwa Yori, Rei's head maid, crossed her arms, eyes sharp.

"They won't just stay still anymore."

Ito Fumiko, Miharu's head maid, closed her eyes.

"…May the heavens have mercy on Harumi."

The four women turned toward Rin's door.

Behind that door—

Was a resting Rin.

And a very exhausted Harumi.

And outside…

Were four princess consorts who were about to make their move.

The White Flower Palace was silent.

The night was still.

But four figures moved through the darkness, their footsteps silent, their intentions clear.

The four consorts stood in front of the servant quarters.

They didn't need to speak.

Their expressions said it all.

They had all come here for the same reason.

And they were shocked to see each other.

Suzuki narrowed her eyes, glancing at the other three.

"…You all had the same idea?"

Rei folded her arms, giving a smirk. "I could say the same to you, Princess Suzuki."

Miharu sighed, rubbing her temples. "This is ridiculous."

Akane simply chuckled. "How interesting… I guess none of you could sit still either."

The air between them was tense.

None of them wanted to admit why they were here.

None of them wanted to acknowledge their real reasons.

But deep down, they knew.

They had all come to see Rin.

And—

To confirm what exactly was going on between Rin and Harumi.

They waited in silence, hidden in the shadows.

Their eyes were locked on the servant's hallway where Harumi appeared.

She looked tired as usual, her steps slow but steady.

But tonight—

She didn't enter Rin's room.

She stopped right next door—her own room.

The four consorts stiffened.

They watched as Harumi opened her door, stepped inside, and closed it behind her.

There was no hesitation.

No sneaking.

No suspicious movements.

Miharu let out a slow breath.

"…She's not staying with him?"

Suzuki frowned. "So those disheveled clothes weren't because of… that?"

Rei still looked unconvinced. "Or maybe she already finished what she needed to do?"

Akane smirked at Rei's words but didn't say anything.

Suzuki shook her head, pushing aside the doubts.

"Enough. We're here to check on Rin, not speculate."

She closed her eyes, focusing her mana.

Then—

A faint ripple of illusion magic spread around them.

"We're going in."

The moment they entered, everything seemed…

Normal.

The room was dimly lit.

Rin lay in bed, sleeping soundly.

His breathing was steady.

The room was quiet—no strange sounds, no movements.

Rei frowned. "That's it?"

Miharu sighed, relieved. "At least he's really just resting…"

Suzuki stared at Rin's sleeping face. "Then… what about Harumi?"

Akane scoffed, crossing her arms. "Tch. So she really was just exhausted from taking care of him. How boring."

They all felt stupid for assuming the worst.

But—

The moment they closed the door behind them—

Everything changed.

Suddenly—

The entire room went pitch black.

It was like all light and space disappeared.

Their bodies felt weightless, as if they were floating.

And then—

A shift.

In the next second, the darkness shattered—

And they found themselves standing somewhere else.

The air was different.

The room was gone.

The White Flower Palace was gone.

They were standing in an unfamiliar place.

The four princess consorts froze, their eyes widening.

Suzuki's breath caught. "…Where are we?"

Rei gritted her teeth. "What… just happened?"

Miharu took a cautious step forward, scanning their surroundings. "This doesn't make sense. Was this a trap?"

Akane sighed, exasperated. "…Great. Just great."

None of them had any idea where they were.

But one thing was clear.

This wasn't Rin's room anymore.

And they were not alone.

The air was thick with tension.

The four consorts stood frozen, their eyes scanning the unfamiliar space.

This was no ordinary spell.

And Suzuki knew exactly what it was.

Suzuki's voice was quiet, but firm.

"…This is an illusion."

The other consorts turned to her in shock.

Miharu frowned. "Impossible. Rin's magic affinity—"

Rei's eyes narrowed. "Fire, lightning, enhancement, shadow, and wind… That's what he told us."

Akane crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "You're saying he was hiding his Illusion Magic this whole time?"

Suzuki took a deep breath.

"No. I'm saying that… he just gained it."

Silence.

Miharu's expression hardened. "…You mean—"

Suzuki nodded.

"Rin has advanced to Supreme-Tier Magic."

The weight of her words hit the three consorts like a hammer.

Supreme-Tier Magic.

The rank above Master-Tier.

An impossible feat for most mages.

Rei's hands clenched into fists. "But… how? Rin was only a Master-Tier mage last week!"

Suzuki's gaze darkened.

"…Constitution Overload."

The room went silent again.

Suzuki continued, her voice lower.

"When someone survives Constitution Overload, they gain a power… a 'gift.'"

She placed a hand on her chest, her eyes distant.

"When I survived, I was given Mana Eyes. I could see and sense mana… and even the emotions of those with weak defenses."

She looked up, her expression serious.

"If Rin's gift was Illusion Magic, then… it means he awakened Supreme-Tier magic while still recovering."

The thought made them all uneasy.

Rin, who was already stronger than them, had just widened the gap even more.

Rei took a step forward, scanning their surroundings.

"…If this is an illusion, it's too detailed."

Miharu nodded. "Even Supreme-Tier illusions aren't supposed to feel this real."

Suzuki exhaled. "That's what makes it terrifying. Rin's illusion is so advanced… it's like we've been transported to another world."

Akane frowned. "…So how do we break it?"

Before anyone could answer—

They noticed something.

At the center of the room, sitting calmly, was a child.

A boy with black hair and dark eyes, quietly reading from a book.

Miharu's breath hitched.

"…Rin?"

The child turned a page, his expression calm and uninterested.

He didn't react to their presence.

Suzuki narrowed her eyes. "Wait… no. That's not Rin."

The boy looked too young.

He had Rin's features, but there was something off.

Then—

The boy spoke.

His voice was soft yet detached.

"You shouldn't be here."

The four consorts froze.

Rei was the first to snap out of it. "Who… are you?"

The boy finally looked up.

His black eyes flickered—then turned a glowing purple.

"Me?" he said.

"I'm just a part of him."

Silence.

The air grew heavy.

The moment the child Rin saw them, his eyes flickered with wariness.

He hadn't expected anyone other than the brown-haired girl to appear.

With a single wave of his hand, an invisible force crashed down upon the four consorts.

Their bodies buckled.

Their knees hit the ground, forced into submission.

It was then that they realized—

Psychic Magic.

Rin hadn't awakened just Illusion Magic.

He had gained two new elements.

The same elements Suzuki possessed.

The child's voice was flat, but filled with bitterness.

"…Why are you here?"

His glowing purple eyes burned into them.

Suzuki struggled against the force. "We—! We were worried! We wanted to see you!"

Rei gasped, pushing against the weight. "We heard about your condition—"

Miharu clenched her teeth. "We came because—"

"Lies."

The child Rin's voice cut through their words.

A sharp pain pierced their minds, making them flinch.

"You're here to hurt me."

Silence.

The pressure grew heavier.

The illusion darkened.

And then—

The child Rin's voice cracked.

"It hurts so much… Why don't they see my pain?"

His small hands shook.

"Why do they keep making me do things I don't want to do?"

His voice rose, trembling.

"I just want to live!"

The room shuddered.

His breath hitched.

"Give me back my life!"

The air was thick with rage.

With grief.

With pain.

"I hate this world…"

His voice was barely a whisper.

"Why do I have to feel pain?"

The four consorts couldn't move.

They couldn't breathe.

The pressure crushed them down.

Miharu's eyes widened in horror. "This… This isn't the Rin we know…"

Suzuki gritted her teeth. "A fragment. This is a part of him."

Rei gasped for breath. "But why—?!"

Akane, still forcing herself to stay conscious, exhaled sharply.

"...We're two levels below him."

Her voice was steady, but her fingers trembled.

They were High-Tier mages.

Rin had now reached Supreme-Tier.

And the difference was absolute.

The child Rin looked down at them.

His glowing purple eyes were unreadable.

Would he listen?

Would he break them?

Or—

Would they find a way to reach him?