CH 3.3

Volume 1.3.3 - Reirin, Moving to Paradise (Part 3)

Riirii was getting fed up.

(Shit, shit, shit, shit!)

That’s right, she had been bowing her head for half an hour now just to get a mere basketful of food.

“Please, Head Chef.1 I will do all the cooking. I won’t ask anything more than putting food in this basket for just two people, Lady Keigetsu and me.”

“But, Riirii. You say for two people, but the other person is a disgrace to the Shu clan who was subjected to the Beast Interrogation Rite. Even though she’s a Nestling, I don’t know if I can count someone like that as a person. That’s why all that’s needed is enough food for you alone. But a lady-in-waiting can’t eat without neglecting your mistress, can you? So in the end, you don’t even need enough food for one person.”

(What kind of logic is that!?)

The elderly lady-in-waiting in charge of food, called the Head Chef, had been acting slippery and non-committally since a while ago and refused to give Riirii any food. She was also one of those who had been abused and pushed around by Shu Keigetsu, and had developed a hatred for Keigetsu.

But at the same time, she was also ostracizing Riirii, the daughter of an immigrant dancer.

It was clear from the scornful look in the Head Chef’s eyes that she didn’t actually want to give food to not only Keigetsu, but also Riirii.

(Damn it. I knew this was going to happen when they sent me away with that woman.)

Riirii gritted her teeth tightly while keeping her head deeply bowed.

The bullying against her had already begun on her first day as a lady-in-waiting at the Nestling Court. She was supposed to be given a rust-color gown as a middle-ranked lady-in-waiting, but she was tossed a pale vermillion gown instead.

“On rare occasions, a lady-in-waiting of middle rank and above will have exchanges with civil officials outside of the inner palace. We can’t have a dancer’s daughter, someone who would seduce men as soon as she sees one, and what’s more, an immigrant who can’t even speak the language representing the Shu clan.”

That sort of thing, along with words of contempt.

(Mother wasn’t a prostitute. She was a true dancer who excelled in her art…!)

Riirii’s mother was a member of a traveling troupe that had drifted to the country of Ei, the most prosperous country on the continent. She was an expert in the Kosen dance2 and won the heart of a man from the Shu clan with her beautiful butterfly-like dancing figure.

However, a foreigner wasn’t allowed to marry into the five clans, who prized lineage and pedigree, so the man gave her a house in town as his mistress. However, his wife still harassed her harshly and she passed away early. Her father mourned her death, but his wife wouldn’t allow him to take Riirii into the main family, so in the end, Riirii was sent into the Nestling Court as a lady-in-waiting of the Shu clan.

The house in town had been taken away. However, if she worked here for three years, she would be given a bed and food during that time, as well as a salary. Riirii made up her mind to go to the Nestling Court in order to survive.

But how did that go?

In the Shu clan, where there were many people of a fierce nature, Noble Consort Shu was known for her gentleness, but perhaps that was also a form of weakness, and she never reprimanded the bullying in the court. The Nestling was arrogant and the ladies-in-waiting were tyrannical, which was why the women were always looking for weaker prey so that they didn’t become their targets. And Riirii was the one who became their prey.

(I would never sell my body. I’ve never seduced a man. I’m an inhabitant of Ei, and a full-fledged lady-in-waiting…)

A hardworking person, Riirii had worked as hard as she could to prepare for government service. The physical abilities she inherited from her mother had allowed her to learn all the ways to carry herself quickly, and she had also mastered the Five Classics3 from the books her father had given her.

However, when the women of Shuku Palace saw Riirii’s reddish hair and chest that was large for her age, they sneered at her, saying that she was a woman whose only function was to seduce men.

(It’s so frustrating…)

Riirii thought that there were only enemies in this place. That they were all trashy women who mocked the weak and scorned those who didn’t fit in——

(But right now, I have to get something to eat.)

Having lived a frugal life in town, Riirii knew that food was more important than pride.

Although she had hurled those angry words at Keigetsu, the truth was there was no lady-in-waiting who was willing to share her food and bed with Riirii. If she couldn’t get food here, it would be Riirii who would starve to death rather than Keigetsu, who had the status of Nestling.

However, her desperate pleas were futile, and the Head Chef finally left, saying, “I have to prepare for dinner.”

Riirii even clung to her dress, but in the end she was roughly shaken off.

“…Damn it.”

Riirii, left alone in the corridor, muttered to herself in a low voice.

No charity could be expected at Shuku Palace. If that was the case, she would have to go to another palace and beg for charity.

If it were a matter of proximity and personality of the inhabitants, she would have preferred to go to Kouki Palace in the west, but she didn’t think anyone from the Kou clan would help a lady-in-waiting from the Shu clan under these circumstances. Then, maybe Ranko Palace in the east?

In order to visit the palace of another clan, it was necessary to go out to the Nestling Court in the center. As she walked along, Riirii puzzled over how she could enter the palace, which was fundamentally barred to those from other clans.

“Pardon me.”

Just when she was beginning to see the roof of the Nestling Court, she was called out from behind.

When she turned around, she saw a woman dressed in shironeri-colored4 robes.

(Shironeri…why a high-ranked lady-in-waiting from the Kin clan?)

She could not see who she was because she was hiding her face with a round fan, but judging that the other person was of high rank from their clothing, Riirii quickly knelt down on the spot.

“What can I do for you, Lady Shironeri?”

If you didn’t know the name of a person, it was customary to call them by using the colors they were wearing as their official position.

The shironeri woman tittered behind the fan.

“The sun will set soon, so I shall only tell you my business. Pitiful Pale Vermillion, don’t you want to become a servant of the Kin clan?”

“Huh?”

An unexpected offer.

She was so stunned that she stayed silent. The other person began to explain, as though she guessed what she felt.

“I’ve already heard about the punishment against Shu Keigetsu. You were dragged into it, weren’t you? Although you are the daughter of a dancer, that isn’t something you wanted to be born to be…how pitiful. My Nestling, the wise Lady Kin Seika, is heartbroken.”

Although her attitude of looking down on her mother’s profession was repugnant to her, she was curious about what she was saying.

When Riirii kept silent, the woman continued smoothly.

“So, I will give you a white-mouse5 robe on one condition. You don’t have a strong loyalty to the Shu clan, do you?”

“A white-mouse…?”

The white-mouse color was the color of a middle-ranked lady-in-waiting of the Kin clan. She widened her eyes at the unbelievable offer, but she was more concerned about the “condition.” Riirii cautiously spoke.

“What is the condition?”

“It is a simple thing. All you have to do is torment your mistress, Shu Keigetsu.”

“Huh?”

Riirii’s brows knitted together at this other unexpected statement. Why would someone from another clan want to take revenge for Kou Reirin?

When she looked suspicious, the shironeri lady-in-waiting sniffed, as though disdaining her for being slow to understand, and said, “Very well,” in a coaxing voice.

“Lady Kou Reirin is ‘His Highness’ Butterfly.’ Even a young child can tell that His Highness is deeply in love with her. However, it is an exceedingly poor strategy to be jealous of her and harm her as your mistress did. If you truly want to win His Highness’ favor, you should willingly bend your knee to Lady Reirin and swear your allegiance to her.”

In other words, by violently oppressing Shu Keigetsu, the Kin clan would look like they were part of the Reirin faction.

As their name implied, the Kin clan singlehandedly undertook the production of gold since ancient times and built their position as the key player in Ei’s economy. They were merchants at heart and most of them preferred to act in an intelligent and pragmatic matter.

Any woman would long for the accomplished and virile Gyoumei, but it was convincing and understandable that the Nestling of the Kin clan would deliberately aim to take the second position based on cold calculation.

“In addition to not allowing people from other clans to enter the palace, the Nestling Court is closed for seven days. During this time, the suppression of Shu Keigetsu must be left to the Shu clan. However…”

The shironeri woman giggled behind her fan.

“How frustrated the women of the Shu clan as well as the women of the other clans who got a late start will be when it becomes clear that everything was in the palm of the Kin clan’s hand.”

“…If the punishment goes too far, the Eagle Officials will censure you.”

“I don’t know how you can say anything when you two have already been banished to a shack. Don’t worry, just let the Eagle Official hold a small amount of money in his hand.”

Her tone was unwavering.

The woman pulled out a hairpin in her hair and thrust it at Riirii. Pearls on a silver base. From the viewpoint of the Five Elements Ideology, it was very much a design that a woman of the Kin clan would like.

“I am Gayou of the Kin clan. Starting tomorrow at this time and place, every time you report on the treatment of Shu Keigetsu, I will let you have a reward. After seven days, I will give you a white-mouse gown.”

When she saw that Riirii was still pondering over the hairpin, the woman said, “I think this might be more to your liking,” and held out a small jute bag from her sleeve.

Inside was about two cups of rice. It was high-quality rice, polished so brightly that it would put the shironeri gown to shame.

Seeing Riirii gulp down her saliva, the woman laughed in contempt, put the hairpin in the bag, and pushed the whole thing to her.

“I’ll prepare twice as much tomorrow. You’ll take it, won’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Riirii ended up taking it.

The woman smiled in satisfaction and quickly turned on her heel.

As she watched her back disappear into the shadows of the Nestling Court, Riirii hugged the small sack to her chest.

(It’s not like there’s anything wrong with this…)

Because this was all for the sake of surviving.

In fact, the people of the Shu clan would have tormented Shu Keigetsu even if they hadn’t been asked to do so. Riirii had already abandoned the task of looking after her. All she had to do was talk about that to a lady-in-waiting from another clan like she was gossiping. With all that, if she could escape from Shuku Palace and even get a white-mouse gown…

Riirii exhaled a breath to shake off her reveries and quickly turned back to the path.

The sun would be setting soon. She had better cook some rice before then.

(I’m the one who’s blessed, being able to make fire on my own. I bet that woman is broken down crying right now, surrounded by grass and bugs.)

Her mouth twisted as those cynical thoughts ran through her head. Come to think of it, she had once kicked her out of the Winter Garden because she didn’t like the look in her eyes.

It’s what she deserves. After I cook the rice, I’ll eat it in front of her. If she apologizes and rubs her forehead in the dirt, I’ll share a bite with her.

“Oh, I’m going to sum up everything she did so far and make her sorry!”

With that, she rousingly went to the storehouse where Keigetsu was waiting, but——.

“Oh, welcome back, Riirii! You’ve returned.”

Riirii’s plan fell apart within a second of her stepping onto the property.

Because, the woman who was supposed to be despairing in front of the weeds and shack was calling out to her while smiling and removing a scarf from around her head.

“…Hah?”

“I’ve just finished frying the potatoes. I also quickly stir-fried some rapeseed plants. Let’s eat it while it’s hot!”

“Hah!?”

How in the world was Shu Keigetsu, who was supposed to be broken down in tears, skillfully cooking?

“Ah! Also, look, look! The maintenance of the garden is already half-finished!”

What was more, half of the plot, which had been in a state of neglect before noon, was now neatly weeded.

No, not only that, but branches had been removed, grouped by thickness, and the soil had been turned into ridges here and there.

The woman in front of her threw out her chest proudly and pulled Riirii’s hand to lead her to the ridges.

“There were so many different kinds of vegetables and seeds mixed together, so I transplanted them by type. Here, from left to right, there are potatoes, chives, gourds, and rapeseed plants——”

“W-Wait a minute!”

Riirii quickly shook her arm off.

“Hang on a second! What on earth is going on here!?”

“Huh?”

“How are there potatoes and gourds and stuff coming out of that abandoned shack? Can you use doujutsu!?”

“Oh, Riirii. I can’t use doujutsu.”

But the woman just laughed in amusement.

Riirii, who had only ever heard her screeching or cursing, was bewildered by her dainty laughter that exuded elegance.

“It is only that I had a wonderful stroke of luck. This used to be a food storehouse, yes? The food that had been abandoned here was secretly sprouting with the help of sunlight and moisture.”

“Hah!?”

“They all truly have a remarkable amount of vitality…This place borders the Ran clan, who controls trees, so perhaps it is filled with energy that nurtures plants. This place really is like a paradise.”

The woman nodded as though she was impressed, then knelt down and lovingly stroked the soil, not caring that the hem of her clothes got dirty.

Riirii was stunned.

“How…This place has a reputation for being full of bugs and horrible fungi and stuff like that…”

“Fungi! Yes, fungi! The smut fungi have done a wonderful job again——”

The woman’s face lit up and she ran to a place that was particularly damp and muddy. When she returned, her hands were gripping grass with unusually swollen stalks.

“Please look at these. The wild rice has become splendid komozuno!6 You can eat them, and you can use them as eyebrow blackener. Okay, let’s fry them today.”

Riirii didn’t know that the young seedlings of certain grasses could be damaged by smut fungi and become vegetables with the texture of bamboo shoots. Even though she was from town and had the ability to earn a living, she had never tried her hand at growing vegetables before.

“Wha…, w-what…”

“Aah. I’ve been blessed with opportunities one after the other to put into practice the knowledge I’ve been accumulating in books since now. How lucky I am. This is the joy of taking on a challenge…oh, this never-ending stamina…”

The woman’s eyes, which were supposed to be always flirtatious, were sparkling as she stared at her own arms in ecstasy.

Then, as though it flashed into her mind,

“The potatoes!”

She shouted and hurriedly turned to Riirii.

“Come now, the potatoes are getting cold. Let’s start with the fried potatoes. I have always dreamed of stuffing my mouth with a dish that was prepared with oil and salt to an unreasonable degree, without worrying about heartburn. Come, Riirii, let’s dream together!”

Her hand was held out forcefully, but honestly, she didn’t know how to react.

“Wait, how did you get oil and salt?”

“The kind Eagle Officials gave them to me, along with a complete set of cooking ware. I thought that I shouldn’t plead for salt, because if I had to, I could season it with tears and it would taste salty…but I wanted to sprinkle it liberally, so it was right to presume upon their kindness.”

“No, how did you get such a bull-headed idea!”

Unable to understand the outlandish thought process of seasoning with tears, Riirii shouted that without thinking.

She couldn’t believe that the woman in front of her was Shu Keigetsu.

(What’s wrong with her…? It’s like she’s a different person…)

So, is she possessed by a vengeful ghost, or has she lost her mind? No, it’s probably the latter, there can’t be any vengeful ghosts that are so full of life. She was imprisoned in a jail where a normal woman would lose her mind in a matter of seconds, and she had gone crazy.

“You really are Shu Keigetsu, right…? If you’re up to something, you better spit it all out.”

When she asked to make sure, for some reason, the other woman looked away awkwardly.

“…O Ancestral God. Please forgive me for wishing to eat fried potatoes above all else right now, even though you have offered me a helping hand.”

She was murmuring something in a small voice.

“What was that? Oi——”

“After the night of the Skill Beseeching Festival, I became a completely different person. That seems to be the only thing I can tell you right now.”

Riirii tried to press further, but the other woman quickly tossed a fried potato into her open mouth.

“Here, Riirii. Aaah—”

“Mmph!”

The bite-sized potato, which she said was freshly fried, was hot, and as soon as she bit through the skin with the tips of her teeth, the sticky texture of the potato instantly filled her mouth. The extra sprinkling of salt melted in perfectly with the taste of the potato and the oil, and Riirii’s eyes widened in spite of herself.

“Mmm! T-This is incredible…! More than I expected…!”

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The other woman also suddenly bit into a potato, and then flailed about with her hands on her cheeks.

“Oh, I’m so happy… To think I no longer feel sick from continuously smelling the scent of oil! I can eat as much as I want…! No, I can keep it down! I can keep fried potatoes down!”

Apparently, she liked it a lot.

Riirii stared at the woman in amazement, as her cheeks became flushed and her eyes watery, and she was nodding her head many times.

(What the hell is wrong with her…)

She had no idea what happened to Shu Keigetsu.

If there was one thing she did understand, it was this.

(Can I…make this woman feel despair…?)

It was that the supposedly simple mission that the shironeri woman gave her seemed to be extremely difficult.

“Next is the rapeseed plants! Now, let us raise our voices in joy!”

In a corner of the carefully maintained garden, the rice Riirii had brought to flaunt in front of her had cooled completely and stopped steaming.

Happy late new year! The next chapter will be a perspective flip with Keigetsu

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Footnotes

The word used here is Shoushoku-sama (尚食長様), which is a title for the official in charge of the emperor’s meals in ancient China.The kanji for Kosen dance is 故旋舞 (Kosenbu) meaning Butterfly Turning Dance.Five Classics refer to the Five Classics of Confucianism.Shironeri is a traditional color of Japan. It literally means “unbleached silk.”This is a color (shironezumi) that’s sort like a off-white, I thinkKomozuno is the name of a process where smut fungi infest wild rice, cause the stems to swell and make them edible.