Chapter 84: Troublesome Consorts

Rin didn't shift his gaze from the view of the Imperial Convoy below as he asked, "Why are you here?"

Behind him, Miharu chuckled softly, a playful lilt in her voice.

"I just wanted some fresh air," she said sweetly. "And what do you know? I happened to see someone brooding on the rooftops. I wonder who else loves escaping here when they need a break?"

Rin sighed. Of course, she had to find him.

Before he could respond, Miharu gracefully lowered herself beside him, the black silk of her robes fluttering in the night breeze.

Instinctively, Rin shifted to the side, putting distance between them.

Miharu immediately noticed.

She pouted, turning to face him. "Why are you avoiding me, Rin? Back then, you, Harumi, and I were always together. You didn't mind me then."

Rin kept his expression neutral. "Back then, you weren't a consort." He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "And back then, you didn't love me."

That made Miharu pause.

A flicker of something—regret? longing?—crossed her golden eyes.

"If only I realized my feelings before becoming a consort..." she murmured. "I would've tried to stay."

Her voice was quiet, but Rin heard the weight in it.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Rin sighed, tilting his head back to look at the moon. "I didn't mean to make you fall for me, Miharu."

Miharu let out a breathy laugh. "You say that, and yet..."

She didn't finish the sentence.

But Rin understood.

And that was the problem.

Rin didn't shift his gaze from the view of the Imperial Convoy below as he asked, "Why are you here?"

Behind him, Miharu chuckled softly, a playful lilt in her voice.

"I just wanted some fresh air," she said sweetly. "And what do you know? I happened to see someone brooding on the rooftops. I wonder who else loves escaping here when they need a break?"

Rin sighed. Of course, she had to find him.

Before he could respond, Miharu gracefully lowered herself beside him, the black silk of her robes fluttering in the night breeze.

Instinctively, Rin shifted to the side, putting distance between them.

Miharu immediately noticed.

She pouted, turning to face him. "Why are you avoiding me, Rin? Back then, you, Harumi, and I were always together. You didn't mind me then."

Rin kept his expression neutral. "Back then, you weren't a consort." He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "And back then, you didn't love me."

That made Miharu pause.

A flicker of something—regret? longing?—crossed her golden eyes.

"If only I realized my feelings before becoming a consort..." she murmured. "I would've tried to stay."

Her voice was quiet, but Rin heard the weight in it.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Rin sighed, tilting his head back to look at the moon. "I didn't mean to make you fall for me, Miharu."

Miharu let out a breathy laugh. "You say that, and yet..."

She didn't finish the sentence.

But Rin understood.

And that was the problem.

Miharu gazed at Rin, her golden eyes searching his face. "Can I really not have these feelings?"

Rin didn't answer. Because it wasn't his place to dictate how she should feel.

His silence was enough of an answer.

Miharu sighed, accepting it. But acceptance didn't mean forgetting.

She leaned back slightly, resting her hands on the rooftop tiles as she looked up at the night sky. "Do you remember when we first met?"

Rin finally turned to her, quietly listening.

"I had just been kicked out of the Golden Dragon Palace," she continued, a small, humorless smile forming on her lips. "I was just an apprentice maid there, but my name—'Urakawa'—was enough to make people hate me."

Rin did remember.

The Urakawa family was once noble, but their legacy was stained with betrayal. Even though they had long since disappeared, Miharu still carried their name like a curse.

She let out a bitter chuckle. "I had no friends there. No one wanted to get close to the girl with a traitor's name."

Rin remained silent, his eyes steady as she continued.

"But then, the White Elder took me in."

She turned to look at Rin again, her expression softening. "And I met you and Harumi at the White Flower Palace."

Her voice grew warmer, tinged with nostalgia.

"You two treated me like family. You didn't care about my name, my past, or the whispers. You made me feel like I belonged."

She clenched her hands, her gaze dropping. "If I could go back… I would have stayed. I would have never left."

Her voice was quiet, but Rin could hear the longing in it.

He looked at her, the once-lonely girl who had finally found a place to smile—only to have it taken away.

But the past couldn't be changed.

And the present was already complicated enough.

Miharu's grip tightened around the insignia of the Black Princess Consort, the weight of its meaning pressing against her palm.

She stared at it, playing with the edges, remembering the exact moment she received it.

The moment she realized she loved him.

It was when Rin, under the orders of Empress Minako, placed the insignia on her. His face had been so close.

And in that brief instant, her heart had betrayed her.

She could still remember the way her chest tightened, how her pulse quickened. Rin—her friend, her mentor, her rival in combat training—had suddenly become something more.

The same Rin who had helped her refine her skills, sharpen her expressions, strengthen her resolve.

The same Rin who had knocked her flat on her back during sparring sessions, only to extend his hand and tell her to get up.

The same Rin who had given her countless pep talks, pushing her forward when she wanted to break.

She hated that moment.

Because in that moment, she was already bound to the title of Black Princess Consort.

A title that should have meant everything.

But instead, it had trapped her.

Her fingers curled around the insignia as she turned to him, her golden eyes burning with frustration, longing, and regret.

"I love you, Rin."

She said it.

The words fell between them like a stone in water, sending ripples across the stillness of the night.

Her voice shook, but she didn't back down. She wanted him to know.

Even if it was pointless.

Even if she could do nothing about it.

Even if he would reject her.

Her hands trembled as she clutched the insignia tighter.

"I wanted to run away..." she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I wanted to run away the moment I realized it."

She finally lifted her eyes to meet his.

Rin didn't flinch. He didn't look away.

He simply gazed at her with a calm but sad expression.

Because they both knew—

Some things, once set in stone, could never be undone.

Miharu scooted a little closer to Rin, closing the distance between them.

Rin sighed. He noticed her movement, but he didn't push her away.

Instead, he simply let out a tired breath and muttered, "You should be focusing on seducing the Crown Prince, not me."

Miharu let out a teasing giggle. "Then let me practice on you first."

She leaned in, trying to rest her head on his shoulder—

A translucent barrier flickered between them.

Her head stopped mid-air, blocked by Rin's magic.

Miharu pouted, clicking her tongue. "So cruel."

Rin ignored her complaint, turning his gaze back to the lights of the bustling convoy below.

Miharu sighed, shifting the conversation. "You know, it's been really difficult to even talk to the Crown Prince."

Rin remained silent, listening.

"He's completely emotionless most of the time," she continued. "But… he did say some interesting things about why he became like this."

Rin's eyes narrowed slightly. The novel never explained why Kazuo had changed.

The book only ever stated that the weight of the crown had crushed him, but back when Rin was still the Second Imperial Prince, Kazuo wasn't the type to break so easily.

Miharu played with the insignia in her hands as she recalled the conversation.

"He said… that it was because he made a mistake. That he splashed water on a sun that once reached out a hand to help him. That he was jealous of the sun, but never meant to hurt it."

Rin stiffened.

Miharu tilted her head. "From the way he spoke, it sounded like he lost someone important to him. Someone he blames himself for pushing away."

She didn't notice how quiet Rin had become.

He was processing the information.

Rin had never done anything to make Kazuo jealous. They had talked many times, trained together, shared burdens as brothers.

Who… was the sun?

His thoughts were interrupted by Miharu's voice.

She was staring at him with a sly smile. "By the way, you really look good in the Red Guard Palace uniform."

Rin blinked.

His expression shifted back to calm indifference. "Flattery won't get you anywhere."

Miharu just smirked, resting her chin on her hand.

If only she knew.

If only she knew how entangled he actually was in the Imperial Family's story.

Miharu blinked as Rin stood up, his figure outlined against the moonlight.

His voice was calm but firm.

"Forget about me."

Miharu's playful smirk faltered. "What?"

Rin turned slightly, his red guard uniform shifting with the breeze. "You'll only get hurt more if you keep this up." His tone was neither cruel nor cold—just resigned.

Miharu gripped the insignia in her hand, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest. "You can't just tell me that. You—"

Before she could finish, Rin stepped forward—and vanished.

Dark shadows curled around him, swallowing his figure in an instant.

Miharu barely caught a glimpse of his silhouette as he dropped from the rooftop, disappearing seamlessly into the night below.

Only the faint rustling of the wind remained.

Miharu sat there, frozen for a moment, before she let out a soft sigh.

"That's not fair, Rin."

She clutched the insignia tighter.

"You don't get to decide who I forget."

The next morning, Rin and Officer Tsutomu strolled through the mammal section of the sanctuary, where various breeds of imperial dogs roamed freely within their enclosures. The crisp morning air carried the scent of damp grass and fur, and the lively barking of the animals filled the space with energy.

Rin had barely taken a few steps when a large, fluffy dog trotted up to him, wagging its tail enthusiastically. It nudged a small puppy forward with its snout, almost as if presenting it to him.

Rin crouched down and gently poked the puppy's tiny nose. The little creature blinked up at him before letting out a high-pitched yip, causing its mother to bark approvingly.

Tsutomu chuckled. "You really do have a way with animals, Rin. Maybe they sense something in you."

Before Rin could respond, a massive mountain dog suddenly lunged at him from the side, knocking him off balance. He barely had time to register the impact before he hit the soft grass with a grunt.

And then—chaos.

A wave of fur and paws crashed onto him as the rest of the dogs, seeing their opportunity, piled on. Some nuzzled against him, while others eagerly licked his face, tails wagging wildly.

Rin lay there, arms half-raised in a futile attempt to defend himself, as he endured an onslaught of wet noses and relentless affection.

Tsutomu crossed his arms, smirking. "Well, that's one way to be taken down in broad daylight."

Rin, staring up at the blue sky as his vision was repeatedly interrupted by wagging tails, let out a slow sigh. "I should reconsider my life choices."

Tsutomu raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Maybe I should leave the Empire, change my name, and raise dogs in a quiet mountain village instead," Rin murmured, still pinned under the enthusiastic pack.

One of the puppies pawed at his cheek, and another gave his ear an affectionate nibble.

Tsutomu let out a full laugh. "Somehow, I can actually see that happening."

Rin exhaled again, staring blankly at the sky. "It's starting to sound more appealing by the second."

The courtship procession moved slowly through the Gakuen Animal Sanctuary, a picturesque landscape of towering trees, lush greenery, and carefully designed enclosures housing rare and exotic animals. Yet, despite the breathtaking scenery, the atmosphere surrounding the Crown Prince and his consorts was anything but pleasant.

Crown Prince Kazuo walked at the front of the group, his expression unreadable, his presence imposing yet devoid of warmth. His sharp golden eyes scanned the surroundings with calculated precision, but not once did he seem truly present in the moment.

The consorts, dressed elegantly for the occasion, tried their best to fill the suffocating silence.

Princess Suzuki, though still visibly affected by her lingering emotions, attempted to smile. She spoke first, her voice light yet a little forced. "This place truly is beautiful… The Gakuen region takes great pride in its sanctuary, doesn't it?"

Miharu, walking beside her, nodded, her usual liveliness slightly dulled. "Yes. I heard that some of these species can only be found here. It's one of the Empire's greatest conservation efforts."

Princess Rei, ever composed, added, "Perhaps it would be fitting for the Imperial Family to support the expansion of such a sanctuary. A place like this brings peace to the people, after all."

Kazuo remained silent, merely glancing at the enclosures without a word.

The tension in the air was palpable.

Even Akane, who was usually composed and confident, found herself pressing her lips together in frustration. Despite her manipulative tendencies, she knew that a suffocating courtship like this would lead nowhere. And yet, Kazuo remained utterly unreadable.

"Your Highness," Akane finally said, deciding to be direct. "Is there something on your mind? You seem rather... detached today."

Kazuo stopped in his tracks, turning slightly to glance at her. His expression remained blank, but his words were precise. "The purpose of this outing is courtship. If you wish to continue walking, then walk. There is no need to concern yourselves with my thoughts."

The words, though polite, were distant—cold even.

Suzuki clenched her hands together, looking down. Miharu sighed but kept her irritation to herself. Rei's expression remained neutral, though a flicker of something unreadable passed through her eyes.

Akane, however, was unfazed. If anything, she was more intrigued now.

"Your Highness, a courtship is more than just walking together," she said smoothly. "Perhaps if you let us understand you more, it would not feel like such a formality."

Kazuo looked at her for a long moment before turning his gaze back to the path ahead. "Understanding me will not change the outcome of this courtship."

And with that, he continued walking, the suffocating air remaining unchanged.

The consorts exchanged glances. They were trying. They truly were.

But deep down, they each knew the truth—their hearts already belonged to another.