Chapter 67: Facing the Consorts

The four headmaids gathered in a private chamber, sitting around a small table with steaming cups of tea.

Each of them wore tense expressions, their thoughts weighed down by the current disastrous situation involving their mistresses.

Princess Akane had become a problem.

At first, she had no interest in Rin, yet now she was actively blocking the other three consorts from getting close to him.

Why?

Why was she devoting herself to making Rin's life easier?

It was unlike her.

Rina, Suzuki's headmaid, was the first to break the silence, her voice laced with concern.

"This is getting worse by the day…" she muttered, rubbing her forehead. "The three princesses are getting desperate. I can tell they're planning something to get close to Rin soon."

Yori, Rei's headmaid, sighed deeply as she set her cup down. "Of course they are. And Princess Akane is making it worse."

Fumiko, Miharu's headmaid, crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat.

"I don't get it. Why the hell is Princess Akane so fixated on keeping them away?" she grumbled. "She doesn't even like Rin. And yet, she's basically treating him like… like he's hers or something."

The three looked at Emi.

As Princess Akane's headmaid, she would know best what was going through her mistress's mind.

Emi, however, remained quiet.

She tapped her fingers against her cup, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Finally, she exhaled.

"I don't think she realizes it yet… but she does care about him."

The other three maids stiffened.

Yori was the first to react, her eyes widening slightly.

"Wait… you mean—"

"No," Emi interrupted, shaking her head. "Not in that way. At least… not yet."

Rina furrowed her brows. "Then what is it?"

Emi sighed again, her expression complicated.

"Princess Akane… she's someone who only moves when there's mutual benefit. Yet now, she's acting beyond that. It's almost like she's looking out for Rin, even though she has nothing to gain from it anymore."

Fumiko groaned. "Great. So she's getting soft."

Emi shot her a look. "I didn't say that."

Fumiko rolled her eyes. "Come on, Emi. We all know how this story goes. First, she helps him out of necessity, and then before she knows it, she's attached."

Rina and Yori exchanged glances.

Emi gritted her teeth. "It's not like that."

But the words felt hollow.

Even she was starting to doubt it.

For now, Princess Akane still acted like her usual self.

She was still sharp, calculating, and cold.

But…

"What if she does fall for him?" Yori muttered, voicing the thought on everyone's mind.

The room fell silent.

Emi's grip on her cup tightened. "Then… it would be troublesome."

Rina sighed, "More like a disaster."

Fumiko ran a hand through her hair. "The three princesses are bad enough. If Akane falls for Rin too? This place will turn into a battlefield."

Emi stayed quiet.

She hoped it wouldn't come to that.

But deep inside, she wasn't sure anymore.

Outside the room, the three princess consorts were indeed planning something.

Something bold.

Something that would push them closer to Rin—

—whether he liked it or not.

And the headmaids could only pray that their mistresses' feelings for Rin would never be found out.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the White Flower Palace as Rin and Princess Akane walked side by side through the palace corridors.

This had become their usual routine.

Akane discreetly escorting Rin to his next task, ensuring he wouldn't be ambushed by the three princess consorts.

Rin didn't ask for it.

Akane didn't say why she did it.

Yet neither of them complained.

Akane was humming softly to herself, clearly pleased that another day of work had ended earlier than expected.

She glanced at Rin from the corner of her eye. It was a shame that he still had more work than her.

A thought crossed her mind—

"Maybe I should invite him for tea later—"

—And she immediately stopped herself.

Her expression remained composed, but inside, she was alarmed.

No, no, no. That's dangerous thinking.

Inviting him for tea?

Since when did she even want to spend time with him outside of work?

Akane shook off the thought and decided to focus on something else.

Like Rin's past.

It had been bothering her.

Rin was the Second Imperial Prince, yet he lived as a commoner.

Why?

He hadn't shared much about why he left the Imperial Palace.

She recalled their conversation back then—

"I alone know the reason."

He had said it so simply, but Akane couldn't let it go.

Rin still supported the Imperial Family despite leaving.

She had seen it in his actions.

He didn't resent them.

So why did he leave?

She needed to know.

Akane turned to Rin, her voice casual yet probing.

"Since I've done so much for you already, I think you owe me a few answers."

Rin sighed. "I knew you were going to say that."

Akane smirked. "Then you should have prepared yourself."

Rin rubbed his temple but didn't refuse.

"Fine. Ask."

Akane didn't hesitate.

"Why did you leave the Imperial Palace?"

For a moment, Rin was silent.

Then, he spoke.

"There's no bad blood between me and my family."

Akane narrowed her eyes. "Then why did you leave?"

Rin's voice was calm.

"Because it was for the better."

Akane wasn't satisfied.

"For the better? What does that even mean?"

She frowned, stepping in front of him and blocking his path.

"Rin, you're the most capable person I know. You have talent in magic, swordsmanship, politics, stealth, and even manipulation. With your skills, you could have easily been a Crown Prince candidate."

Rin paused.

For the first time, his expression shifted.

It wasn't his usual calm mask.

There was something deeper in his gaze—something heavy.

Then, he smiled.

Not his usual smirk.

Not his amused grin.

But a smile filled with resignation.

"And that's exactly why I had to leave."

Akane froze.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She suddenly felt like she had just touched something she shouldn't have.

Akane stood still, processing Rin's words.

"I can't become the Crown Prince."

Rin's voice was calm, but there was something deeper underneath—something that made Akane feel like she had just stepped into dangerous territory.

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Rin sighed, placing a hand in his pocket. "If I hadn't left, I would have eventually become Crown Prince."

Akane's frown deepened. "So? You make it sound like that's a bad thing."

"It isn't a problem of capability, Akane." Rin looked at her, his dark black eyes meeting hers. "This world just had… other plans."

Akane felt something off about the way he said that.

It was like he was talking about something greater than himself.

"Other plans?" she repeated, crossing her arms.

Rin gave a small, almost knowing smile. "Yeah."

He wanted to say more. But he couldn't.

He couldn't tell her about the "Golden Girl's Rise."

A novel he had read in his first life.

A story about fate.

About a destined timeline.

In that story, Rin wasn't the Crown Prince.

He was never meant to be.

And he didn't want to fight that.

Because in that story, the world had already shown a bright future.

The Empire thrived.

The people were safe.

And Rin himself… was happy.

So why fight it?

Why struggle against fate when it had already promised a good ending?

Akane, still skeptical, pressed further.

"So you left because… what? You believe in fate?"

Rin tilted his head, watching her. "Tell me something, Akane."

She raised an eyebrow.

"If you knew that a certain future was destined to happen… and it was a good one… would you try to fight it?"

Akane's lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

It was a strange question.

A loaded one.

She had spent her entire life struggling for power, manipulating her way through the Imperial Palace so she wouldn't be powerless.

Would she fight against fate?

She wanted to say "Of course!"

But Rin's black eyes held a quiet certainty.

Like he had already seen the answer.

Akane stared at Rin, waiting for his answer.

"Would you fight against fate?"

She wanted to say yes.

But Rin… he would always say no.

"I wouldn't." His voice was steady, calm. "It doesn't matter whether I became Crown Prince or not."

Akane frowned. "Why? If you're capable enough to claim that seat, why throw it away?"

Rin let out a small chuckle, tilting his head slightly. "Because I can live in any situation, Akane. If I wasn't in the palace, I could build my own life elsewhere, find something simple to enjoy. Why would I complicate things?"

Akane could see it.

A man as talented as Rin… he could have carved out a place for himself anywhere in the world.

But it still didn't sit right with her.

Then, Rin spoke again, a knowing smile on his lips. "Besides, being the Crown Prince meant that I would have been engaged to Suzuki, Rei, Miharu…" He glanced at her. "And you."

Akane blinked, suddenly feeling strangely self-conscious.

Rin sighed, looking up at the ceiling as if imagining that alternate reality. "It would have been different."

There was something about the way he said it that made Akane's chest tighten.

"Am I… not worthy in your eyes?" She asked, her voice quieter than before.

Rin lowered his gaze to her, eyes steady. "That's not it."

Akane clenched her fists. "Then what is it?"

Rin's lips twitched. "If I had stayed, you would have constantly worn your mask around me, right?"

Akane stiffened.

He wasn't wrong.

If she had been engaged to Rin as the Crown Prince, she would have never let her guard down. She would have done everything to manipulate the situation in her favor.

And knowing Rin…

He would have done the same.

A battle of masks.

A game of control.

A never-ending war of trying to remove each other's disguises.

"Would you have treated me as someone to manipulate back then?" Rin's voice was quiet, but there was something undeniably sharp about it.

Akane's lips parted, but no words came out.

Because yes, she would have.

How could she not?

She was weak.

She had nothing.

If she had been engaged to Rin, a man higher in status and more skilled than her in nearly every field, then she would have done everything to stay ahead—to ensure she never lost control.

And it wasn't just her.

Suzuki. Rei. Miharu.

Rin would have had to deal with all their masks.

With all their carefully crafted facades.

And unlike now—where he had formed genuine connections with them because he had met them in a different way— in that world, he never would have been able to help them.

They never would have fallen in love with him.

Rin exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It would have been… too difficult."

Akane scoffed, masking the way her chest tightened. "Difficult? Are you saying you couldn't handle us?"

Rin chuckled, giving her a side glance. "Oh, I could. I know I could make the four of you get along."

He said it so confidently that Akane almost wanted to slap him.

But she couldn't deny it.

If anyone could have done it, it was him.

And yet… he still walked away from that fate.

Still chose to be here.

Standing next to her.

Without masks.

Without pretenses.

Rin exhaled slowly, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves as he felt the presence behind him.

Three figures.

Three women with unwavering determination in their eyes.

He didn't even need to turn to know who they were.

Suzuki. Rei. Miharu.

The three princess consorts.

And judging by the way they moved, Rin could tell.

They had reached their limit.

Days of being blocked by Akane.

Days of watching Rin work alongside her while they were kept at a frustrating distance.

It had finally boiled over.

Akane stepped forward instinctively, ready to shield him as she always did.

But Rin moved first.

With a calm smile, he turned to face them. "What can I do for you, ladies?"

His voice was polite, but there was an underlying sharpness to it.

Suzuki, Rei, and Miharu stood in front of Rin, their eyes gleaming with determination.

"Rin, do you have time?" Suzuki asked first, her voice calm yet insistent.

Rin adjusted his sleeves and replied smoothly, "I don't have time at the moment."

The three consorts tensed slightly. They had anticipated this answer. That's why they were ready to force the issue, to pull him away despite his workload.

But before any of them could get a word in—

"That said," Rin continued, "I should be free after this last task. It won't take too long, so I'll entertain anything after it."

Silence.

The three consorts were visibly stunned by his response.

They had prepared for resistance.

For avoidance.

For him to escape, like he always did.

But now?

He wasn't running.

Even Akane, who had been standing beside Rin ready to shield him, blinked in surprise. She had expected him to try and wriggle out of it somehow—not to willingly offer his time.

What is he planning?

The three consorts glanced at each other, tension thick between them.

Now there was a new problem.

Who would get his time?

Suzuki crossed her arms, smiling. "Well then, since I was the one who asked first, I should be the one to have time with him."

Rei immediately clicked her tongue. "What? Just because you were fast doesn't mean you deserve it more. If anything, I should get the first chance since I—"

"No, it should be me," Miharu interrupted, stepping forward. "I'm the one who has tea prepared for him. It's for his recovery, after all."

And just like that—

The three consorts began to bicker.

Akane sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. "Unbelievable..."

Meanwhile, Rin simply watched the mini catfight unfold with a neutral expression.

This is fine.

Let them sort themselves out.

Because while they were busy fighting amongst themselves—

He was already planning how to handle this properly.

The bickering among the three consorts showed no sign of stopping.

Suzuki insisted on priority because she was the first to ask. Rei argued that seniority should matter. Miharu stood firm, claiming that taking care of Rin's health was the most important thing.

And just like that, they went in circles, completely ignoring the very person they were fighting over.

Rin, meanwhile, turned his gaze to Akane.

She had her arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with an exhausted look, as if she were observing unruly children. She caught Rin's glance and sighed. "You're not going to run?"

Rin smirked slightly. "No point."

Then, before things could spiral any further, he clapped his hands once.

A light but firm sound echoed through the hallway.

The three consorts flinched, momentarily pausing their argument.

"Since you're all so eager to spend time with me, I have a better idea." Rin's voice was calm but left no room for argument. "Why don't I cook a meal for all of you?"

Silence.

The three consorts exchanged glances.

Rin continued, "Everyone's been working hard for the reconstruction effort. I've seen your contributions, and I think you all deserve some appreciation."

A pause.

Then—

A faint blush spread across their faces.

Rin had just indirectly complimented them.

Rei fidgeted slightly. Miharu looked away, clearing her throat. Suzuki gave a small smile, trying to compose herself.

Rin then turned to Akane.

"That includes you too, Akane."

Akane, who had been casually observing until now, stiffened.

"...Me?"

Rin gave a slight nod. "You've helped me a lot. You should eat too."

For a brief moment, Akane's mind went blank.

She wasn't used to this. Being acknowledged so naturally. Being included without question.

Her fingers twitched slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. Crossing her arms, she responded with a small smirk.

"Well, if you're cooking, I suppose I'll have to see if it's even worth my time."

Rin chuckled. "You'll eat it either way."

Akane clicked her tongue but couldn't deny it.

The three consorts, though still mildly competitive, seemed to accept the idea—for now.

At the very least, it was better than arguing.

And so, the matter was settled.

Rin was about to cook.

For all of them.