Chapter 82: The Crown Prince's Despair

The Imperial Courtship continued, yet the air surrounding the group was heavy.

Suzuki remained quiet, her usual warmth extinguished. She trailed beside the emotionless Crown Prince Kazuo, neither speaking nor showing interest in the breathtaking scenery around them.

The contrast was suffocating.

Kazuo, a prince who had long lost his will to care.

Suzuki, a consort who had lost something just last night.

Their silence stretched between them like an unseen wall, making the atmosphere unbearable.

Trailing at a distance behind the royal party, the head maids followed in their usual positions. It was there—away from their mistresses—that they finally spoke freely.

Yori, Rei's head maid, glanced toward Rina with a worried expression. "Rina," she murmured, keeping her voice low. "What happened to Princess Suzuki?"

Fumiko, Miharu's head maid, frowned as well. "She hasn't said a single word since morning."

Emi, Akane's head maid, folded her arms. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually miss hearing you all talk over each other."

The group would have chuckled at that if the situation weren't so tense.

Rina, who had been silent, exhaled deeply.

Her gaze flickered to her mistress walking ahead, noticing how distant Suzuki looked, as if she were barely aware of her surroundings.

After a moment, she finally spoke.

"Rin."

The other maids stiffened at the name.

Fumiko's eyes narrowed. "What does he have to do with this?"

Rina crossed her arms, speaking in a tone that held both caution and regret. "He was there last night."**

That alone was enough to make the others freeze.

Yori's expression turned serious. "That commoner? You mean to tell me that he had something to do with Princess Suzuki's state?"

Rina sighed. "I don't think he meant to hurt her, but… he did."

Fumiko and Emi exchanged glances. Even if they were from different households, they knew Rin's reputation. Calm. Unshakable. Dutiful.

He was never the type to lose control.

For him to snap at Suzuki?

That was unheard of.

Fumiko's voice lowered. "What did he say to her?"

Rina hesitated, but in the end, she answered. "He told her he hated her."

Silence.

The weight of those words pressed upon them.

Yori looked genuinely stunned. "He said that? Out loud?"

"To her face."

Fumiko frowned. "I don't believe it."

Emi raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking about the same man? The one who's always composed, never raises his voice, and somehow always manages to keep everything under control?"

Rina met their gazes. "That's why I'm warning you."

They fell silent again.

Rina's grip on her own sleeves tightened. "Last night, when she spoke ill of the Crown Prince, something in him… snapped. I've never seen him like that before. His words were cruel—unintentionally or not, he broke her."

Fumiko's expression darkened. "Suzuki slandered His Highness?"

Rina nodded. "She did. And Rin—he wouldn't stand for it."

Yori rubbed her temples. "That man is a commoner, and yet, he spoke so harshly to a consort? Even if she was out of line, that was reckless."

Emi shook her head. "It's a miracle he wasn't punished for it."

"Because she couldn't."

They turned to Rina.

Her voice was quieter this time.

"Suzuki couldn't bring herself to do it. She's hurt, yes, but she won't lay a hand on him. And Rin… he knew he overstepped. He told me to take care of her."

The maids absorbed this, each coming to their own conclusions.

Then Rina delivered her final warning.

"Listen to me." Her voice was firm. "Whatever happens, do not let your mistresses find him. If what happened last night was enough to break Suzuki, then I don't even want to imagine what would happen if one of the others confronted him."

Emi, Fumiko and Yoriexchanged glances, both nodding.

Far away from the main Imperial Courtship, two figures moved swiftly, their blades clashing in the crisp morning air.

Officer Tsutomu's sword came from above—a downward arc of force—only to be parried effortlessly by Rin, his own blade tilting at the perfect angle to deflect the strike.

They had been sparring for a while now.

To an outsider, it would seem like a balanced match—two skilled warriors testing their mettle.

But Tsutomu knew better.

Rin was distracted.

His counters were precise but lacked intent. His movements, though flawless, carried a hesitation unlike him.

And then—it happened.

In a single calculated move, Tsutomu shifted his stance and disarmed Rin.

The younger man's sword spun from his hands, embedding itself into the soft earth.

Tsutomu blinked. This was rare.

He exhaled, lowering his blade. "You're off today."

Rin chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Seems like it."

Tsutomu sheathed his sword. "Something on your mind?"

Rin met his gaze for a brief moment before looking away, sighing. "Personal matters."

Tsutomu frowned slightly. Rin was a man who could fight for hours without making a single mistake—the fact that he got disarmed was already concerning.

And if combined with his magic, Rin was capable of stalling a Lord-class demon.

Lord-class demons were catastrophic beings, requiring an entire army to take down.

For someone like Rin, who had the power to buy time against such monsters, to be this distracted…

It was not a good sign.

Tsutomu folded his arms. "If it's affecting your swordplay, then it's not just personal anymore. Speak."

Rin sighed again, stepping over to pick up his sword. He ran a hand over the blade, his black eyes reflecting the steel.

"I hurt someone last night," he admitted finally. "And I might have gone too far."

Tsutomu raised an eyebrow. "Did they deserve it?"

Rin hesitated.

After a moment, he shook his head. "I don't know."

Tsutomu studied him carefully. He wasn't the type to pry into personal affairs, but if Rin's emotions were this tangled, it could affect his combat readiness.

And that was dangerous.

Tsutomu exhaled. "Then figure it out."

Rin blinked, glancing up at him.

"You're a man of reason, Rin. But last night, you acted on emotion." Tsutomu's voice was steady. "If you regret it, then make peace with it. If you don't, then move on. But letting it weigh you down won't do anyone any good."

Rin was silent.

He knew Tsutomu was right.

But that didn't make things any easier.

Because no matter how much he tried to rationalize it…

The memory of Suzuki's trembling form and the pain in her eyes still haunted him.

Rin exhaled as he sheathed his sword.

"I need to be alone for a while."

Officer Tsutomu regarded him for a moment before giving a nod. "Understood. Just don't overthink things."

Rin let out a small chuckle, though it lacked humor. "No promises."

Tsutomu sighed, crossing his arms. "Tomorrow, we leave early for another sweep. Make sure you get some rest."

Rin nodded absentmindedly before turning away, making his way back to his quarters.

He stepped inside his dimly lit room, barely paying attention as he removed his uniform coat and tossed it onto a nearby chair. His sword rested against the wall, but instead of placing it neatly as he usually did, he simply left it there.

For once, he didn't care.

He collapsed onto his bed, arms spread out, staring at the ceiling.

His mind drifted.

In the novel, The Golden Girl's Rise, this Imperial Courtship event was meant to be smooth until the final day—when the Dark Order would launch an ambush.

That was the real danger.

He needed to focus on that.

And yet…

His thoughts strayed.

Suzuki.

Her trembling hands.

The way her voice cracked with hurt.

The moment he slapped her hand away.

Rin clenched his fists. He had gone too far.

He shouldn't have lost control of his emotions. He was always calm. Always composed. But when she spoke those words—when she slandered Kazuo—something inside him snapped.

He shook his head, forcing himself to push the memory away.

Suzuki wasn't his concern anymore.

This world's fate was already written.

She was destined to be with Kazuo.

This wasn't his story to change.

No matter how much a part of him ached to apologize.

The golden hues of the setting sun reflected in Crown Prince Kazuo's empty eyes. He sat in silence, his tea untouched, gazing over the waterfall that cascaded below their private terrace. The soft rustling of the wind barely stirred him.

The four consorts observed him carefully. It was the first time all day that he seemed even slightly alive.

Suzuki, however, remained withdrawn. She barely nibbled on her cookie, her tea long gone cold. Her hands trembled as she gripped the delicate porcelain cup.

It was Rei who finally spoke, breaking the silence. "The sunset is beautiful, isn't it?"

Miharu nodded, adding softly, "The sky looks like a painting… colors blending perfectly."

Kazuo's gaze remained locked onto the horizon.

"It is beautiful," he finally said, his voice empty. "But it always disappears… only to be replaced by darkness."

His words weighed heavily on the atmosphere.

Akane, unwilling to let the conversation sink into despair, spoke with a small smile. "But it always returns, doesn't it? The sun may leave, but it rises again… bringing a new day."

Kazuo's expression shifted slightly. His dull eyes flickered with something—something faint, something almost lost.

"A new day…" he muttered, repeating her words.

Then, almost unconsciously, he spoke again. "There was once a sun… inside the Hoshimi Imperial Family."**

The consorts exchanged glances.

"A sun that left… and has yet to return."

He had said it aloud without thinking, but as soon as the words left his lips, they noticed it—a change.

His expression, still emotionless, now carried longing.

Regret.

His fingers lightly traced the rim of his teacup as he whispered,

"I miss that sun."

A silence fell over the terrace, broken only by the faint sound of the waterfall below.

Suzuki, who had barely spoken all day, finally found her voice.

"What kind of sun…?" she asked quietly.

Her heart still felt heavy, the weight of last night's rejection crushing her. And yet, something about Kazuo's words felt important.

Kazuo's empty gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

"A sun that burned brightly…" he said, his voice distant. "Even in the darkest moments, it brought warmth."

The consorts listened, their breaths held.

"It reached out to me once." His fingers idly traced the rim of his teacup. "It tried to help me. It offered its light, its warmth."

He exhaled slowly, as if releasing a burden he had carried for years.

"But instead of accepting it…" His grip on the cup tightened. "I tried to drown it."

The consorts stiffened.

"I splashed water on the sun." His voice barely above a whisper now. "It was an accident. I… I didn't mean to put out its fire."

His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

"But the sun still survived." A dry chuckle escaped his lips, humorless, filled with self-loathing. "It burned even more fiercely."

He paused.

"And then… the next day… it was gone."

The wind blew gently through the terrace, ruffling their robes.

Kazuo closed his eyes.

"It was my fault."

So… Kazuo was talking about Rin.

It wasn't even a question at this point. Who else but Hoshimi Rin could be the "sun" that once burned so brightly within the imperial family?

Her sharp mind worked through the pieces.

Rin himself had told her that there was no bad blood between him and the Imperial Family when he stepped back from his title. He even provided her with records explaining everything when she had helped him once before.

But was he lying?

No. Rin had no reason to lie. And the bond between him and the Imperial Princesses, Izumi and Aya, was genuine. Even those two respected Kazuo. Rin himself had never spoken ill of Kazuo in any way.

Which meant…

Kazuo's guilt was his own misunderstanding.

How interesting.

Akane subtly glanced at the other consorts.

Rei was frowning slightly, her mind overanalyzing everything as expected of someone from the Takigawa family.Miharu looked troubled, shifting uncomfortably—she never did well with Imperial Family matters.Suzuki… well. Akane didn't even need to check. The girl was a complete mess, staring blankly at her tea.

Akane tapped her finger against her thigh, hiding her amusement.

Rin must have broken her last night.

She had no proof, but given how obsessed Suzuki was with Rin, only he could have reduced her to this state.

That brought her to her next conclusion.

If Rin was here, he was part of the Imperial Convoy's security detail.

That was the only explanation. His skills and achievements alone made him an obvious choice, and—knowing him—he wouldn't have volunteered. He must have been recommended forcefully.

Akane almost laughed.

Fate was hilarious.

Rin had desperately tried to stay out of this mess, yet here he was—once again dragged into the chaos of the courtship.

But that was fine.

She wanted to see him anyway.

Unlike Suzuki, Akane was patient. She wouldn't beg for his love. She wouldn't foolishly confess and throw her heart at his feet. No. She would take her time.

She would make him trust her more.

And when the time was right… she would stab him with her love.

For now, she needed answers. And only Rin could give them.

But first?

She just needed to get through this tedious event.