Chapter 79: Preparations for the Imperial Courtship

Rin let out a deep sigh, his fingers gripping the Imperial Letter a little too tightly as he dragged his feet forward.

Why…? Why do I have to be part of this mess?

Imaginary tears fell dramatically in his mind as he continued walking through the massive Red Palace grounds. Eyes followed him from all directions—some filled with curiosity, others with admiration. After all, he was Shimuzu Rin, the 1st apprentice of the White Elder, the escort of the Imperial Princesses, and now… a glorified bodyguard for the Crown Prince's courtship event.

Truly, what an honor.

As he lamented his fate, Rin suddenly noticed a figure walking straight toward him.

The man stopped in front of him, his sharp eyes scanning Rin for a moment before speaking in a firm yet composed tone.

"So we meet again, Apprentice Rin."

Rin blinked once.

Then twice.

The name Kuragane Tsutomu finally clicked in his mind, and he inwardly groaned.

Of all people—

Why did it have to be Officer Tsutomu?

He was the same man Rin had met that spring, the same officer who had been investigating Miharu back then.

Rin forced a polite smile, slipping the Imperial Letter into his sleeve.

"Officer Tsutomu… what a coincidence."

Tsutomu crossed his arms, his sharp gaze never leaving Rin.

"I was expecting you. The Imperial Family's orders have already been relayed to me."

Rin felt his eye twitch slightly.

"Of course they have."

Tsutomu sighed, clearly seeing through Rin's unwillingness.

"It seems you are not too pleased with this arrangement."

Rin gave him a deadpan look.

"What gave it away?"

Tsutomu didn't react, but there was an odd glint of amusement in his eyes.

"Regardless of your feelings, you are now under my command. You will serve as part of the Red Palace Guard for the duration of the Imperial Courtship event."

Rin nodded absentmindedly, his mind already screaming.

Tsutomu turned sharply on his heel, motioning for Rin to follow.

"Come. I will introduce you to the rest of the squad."

Rin dragged his feet forward, his expression dead inside as he whispered to himself—

"Why me…?"

Rin walked into the meeting room, his reluctance evident in his slow, almost dragged steps. The room was filled with middle-rank officials, their gazes briefly flickering toward him before they resumed their discussions.

What the hell am I doing here?

Among all these esteemed officials, Shimuzu Rin, a so-called commoner, felt completely out of place.

Officer Tsutomu, standing beside him, spoke up in his usual calm yet authoritative voice.

"Apprentice Rin, the Grand General wishes to see you."

Rin felt his stomach drop.

Great. Just what I needed—more unnecessary attention.

Before he could protest, Tsutomu motioned him forward, leading him down the long corridor toward a large, ornately carved wooden door.

"The Grand General has requested a private meeting with you," Tsutomu stated as he opened the door.

"Do not keep him waiting."

Rin sighed, stepping in as the heavy doors shut tightly behind him.

The air inside the office was calm yet heavy, a suffocating presence filling the space.

Seated behind a massive wooden desk was Grand General Takigawa Yoshito, a man of great renown, responsible for commanding the majority of the Hoshimi Empire's military forces—except for the Imperial Guard, which followed the direct orders of the Imperial Family.

Rin bowed slightly, keeping his expression neutral.

"Grand General."

To his surprise, Yoshito immediately stood up from his seat and bowed deeply.

Rin felt his eye twitch.

…Right. He's one of the few who actually knows.

Yoshito straightened, his sharp gaze scanning Rin's face carefully before he spoke.

"It has been a long time, Your Highness."

Rin's jaw tightened.

"It's Shimuzu Rin now, Grand General."

Yoshito let out a small sigh, shaking his head.

"Perhaps in name, but not in truth."

Rin chose not to respond, instead moving to sit in the chair across from the Grand General's desk.

Yoshito leaned forward, intertwining his fingers as he observed Rin closely.

"Your placement as a Red Guard… it is an unusual decision by the Imperial Family."

"You don't say," Rin muttered under his breath.

"It seems the Empresses were determined to put you in this position," Yoshito continued.

Rin frowned slightly.

"Are they trying to drag me back to my 'rightful place' after letting me leave with the Golden Princess's support?"

Yoshito's eyes narrowed.

"That, I do not know. The Empresses are… difficult to read. However, I suspect it is more than just that."

Rin sighed, rubbing his temples.

"This better not have anything to do with those four..."

Yoshito remained silent for a moment, before speaking carefully.

"The consorts?"

Rin looked away.

Yoshito let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.

"It seems my daughter has given you quite a hard time."

Rin's brows twitched.

"If by 'hard time,' you mean aggressively pursuing me without caring for my personal boundaries, then yes—yes, she has."

Yoshito smiled slightly, leaning back in his chair.

"Rei has always been… passionate."

"That's one way to put it," Rin muttered.

Yoshito observed Rin for a moment before his expression turned serious again.

"Tell me, Your—" he caught himself, correcting his words—"Shimuzu Rin, do you truly have no intention of returning?"

Rin met his gaze, his expression unreadable.

"I have made my decision, Grand General. I am a commoner now."

Yoshito sighed once more.

"For now, perhaps."

Rin didn't respond.

The conversation wasn't over. He could feel it.

But for now, Yoshito simply folded his arms and watched him carefully.

"You have much ahead of you, Apprentice Rin."

The Grand General folded his arms, studying Rin carefully.

"Well then, Apprentice Rin. Since you've been officially placed in the Red Guard, I need to assign you to a squad."

He gestured toward a detailed map of the Imperial Convoy route, pointing at three different markers.

"There are three squads involved in protecting the convoy:"

The Advance Squad – responsible for sweeping the path ahead, ensuring no threats were present before the Imperial Carriages passed through.The Red Squad – consisting of elite soldiers whose sole duty was to protect the Crown Prince Kazuo and the four consorts inside their carriages.The Support Squad – in charge of guarding the supply wagons and assisting with basic needs such as cooking, logistics, and message delivery.

The Grand General looked at Rin, his expression unreadable.

"I would suggest placing you in the Red Squad—it is the safest of the three."

Rin immediately frowned and shook his head.

"No. Absolutely not."

The General raised an eyebrow.

Rin crossed his arms, his voice calm but firm.

"Being stationed in the Red Squad would mean being near the consorts the entire trip."

"And?" the General smirked.

Rin let out a sigh before listing his reasons.

"Look, the Vermillion Princess, Rei, is a beautiful woman. She's passionate, kind, and a skilled swordsman. I won't deny that she deserves her position as a consort... but you know as well as I do that I cannot be cornered by four consorts."

The Grand General burst out laughing.

"If you can say all that about my daughter, then perhaps you should just accept your fate and take responsibility!"

Rin's eye twitched.

"I'm not the Crown Prince, Grand General."

Yoshito chuckled but said nothing more.

Rin continued, crossing out the Support Squad.

"The Support Squad is also out of the question. The guards there frequently move between locations, delivering messages and supplies. That increases my chances of running into the consorts—and that's the last thing I need."

That left only one option.

Rin pointed at the Advance Squad on the map.

"I'll take the Advance Squad."

Yoshito's smirk faded slightly.

"The Advance Squad is the most dangerous position."

"I know."

"You'll be the first to encounter threats. Assassins, bandits… even demons. You would be putting yourself at significant risk."

Rin leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes calm yet unwavering.

"Do not question my decision."

The Grand General stared at him for a long moment before letting out an exhausted sigh.

"You haven't changed."

"Besides," Rin added, stretching his arms, "if the danger level reaches that of a Lord-Class Demon, I'll handle it. You've seen what I can do."

The Grand General's expression turned complicated.

He looked at the young man sitting across from him—the man his daughter had fallen in love with.

Yoshito, after he was informed by the 4 Empresses, had pretended not to notice Rei's feelings toward Rin. If he acknowledged it, it would only make things harder for her.

Because Shimuzu Rin—no, Hoshimi Rin—was someone too high to reach.

But... not impossible.

"I wonder..." Yoshito murmured under his breath.

"Hm?" Rin tilted his head.

"Why did you abandon your position back then, Your Highness?"

Rin's expression darkened for a moment—but just as quickly, it returned to its usual calm indifference.

"That doesn't matter anymore."

Yoshito did not push further.

Instead, he simply exhaled and picked up his brush.

"Very well. I will assign you to the Advance Squad."

With a single stroke of ink, Rin's name was officially placed in the most dangerous unit of the convoy.

That said, the General turned his attention back to Rin.

"You will be under Officer Tsutomu's command. He is in charge of the Advance Squad, making him your official squad leader."

Rin gave a small nod, accepting the decision.

Before he could leave, Yoshito added with a smirk,

"Try not to get caught. If you get injured, I'll have to deal with the Imperial Family nagging at me."

Rin let out a long sigh.

"I'll try not to die at least."

The moment Rin stepped outside, Officer Kuragane Tsutomu was already there, leaning against the wall with arms crossed.

His sharp eyes landed on the insignia pinned to Rin's uniform—marking him as part of the Advance Squad.

"So they actually put you in my squad, huh?" Tsutomu muttered, pushing off the wall.

"Looks like it." Rin replied, stuffing his hands into his sleeves. "So, do I get any special treatment?"

Tsutomu snorted.

"Not a chance. I don't care how famous you are, Shimuzu Rin. Once you're in my unit, you follow orders like everyone else."

Rin smirked. "Got it, boss."

Tsutomu nodded.

"Come on. You need to meet the others."

And just like that, Rin was led off to meet his new squadmates—the warriors who would fight alongside him in the most dangerous role of the convoy.

The warm scent of jasmine and chrysanthemum tea filled the elegant sitting room as Princess Izumi and Princess Aya sat gracefully across from the four consorts—Akane, Suzuki, Rei, and Miharu. The golden light of the late afternoon sun bathed the room, but despite the pleasant atmosphere, an invisible tension loomed over the tea party.

The topic of discussion? The Imperial Courtship.

"Ah, it is finally happening." Princess Izumi said, elegantly lifting her teacup to her lips.

"The Imperial Courtship will be a grand affair." Princess Aya added, swirling the tea in her cup. "You four will get to spend quality time with our dear Crown Prince Kazuo. It's a rare opportunity, is it not?"

The room fell silent.

Suzuki, Rei, and Miharu stiffened slightly at the mention of Kazuo. Their hands tensed around their teacups. They weren't against the Crown Prince—he was kind and noble—but… he wasn't Rin.

Their duty as consorts demanded they accept this courtship, yet their hearts rebelled against it.

Suzuki's usual gentle smile was forced. Rei was unnaturally stiff, and Miharu, who was normally confident, avoided eye contact.

Meanwhile, Akane—the only one managing to stay composed—spoke up, her voice smooth yet measured.

"Of course, we are honored by this arrangement."

But no one followed up on her words. It felt suffocating.

Izumi and Aya exchanged a knowing glance before continuing.

"Kazuo is a remarkable man." Izumi said, setting down her cup. "He has always been the most creative among us. His paintings… they capture emotions in a way that even words fail to."

Aya nodded in agreement.

"His artistry is well-known. If he weren't the Crown Prince, I have no doubt he would have pursued painting as his true calling."

The consorts remained quiet, barely listening.

Except for Akane, who was carefully absorbing every detail.

(Rin had once spoken of his siblings to her…)

She already knew of Kazuo's gentle nature, his love for art, and how, once upon a time, he had been a joyful prince. Yet, the man they would soon be courting was nothing like the one Rin had described.

Which led to the next part of the conversation.

Izumi's expression turned soft, tinged with sadness.

"If only Kazuo were still the same."

The four consorts glanced at her in confusion.

Aya sighed, her fingers tracing the rim of her teacup.

"Ever since… that day… he hasn't been himself."

Rei, frowning, finally found her voice.

"That day?"

Suzuki followed up hesitantly.

"What happened?"

Aya and Izumi smiled, but it wasn't one of joy. It was a smile filled with secrets they could not reveal.

"It is a Hoshimi Imperial Family Secret." Izumi said gently.

"We cannot speak of it." Aya added. "At least… not yet."

The consorts shifted uncomfortably.

They were already struggling with their own turmoil, their love for Rin conflicting with their duty to Kazuo. Now, they were being denied answers about the man they were expected to spend time with.

And worst of all?

They could feel it.

The way Izumi and Aya watched them closely, as if gauging their every reaction. As if they already knew what they were thinking.

As if they knew about their feelings for Rin.

The tea party continued, but the warmth of the tea could not melt away the discomfort in the air.

The Imperial Courtship was set in motion—but in the hearts of the four consorts, the battle between duty and love was far from over.