Chapter 1

――Why did it come to this?

"The First Consort, Lady Moonlight, is about to return. Everyone, prepare to welcome her with the utmost respect."

A girl with hair as black as a raven's wet feathers and almond-shaped eyes—Koibito—stood with the other palace maids and eunuchs, waiting to welcome the consort.

She was now wearing silk clothing.

The luxurious fabric felt and smelled completely different from the rough hemp clothes she usually wore.

She was dressed in a ruqun, a traditional two-piece dress embroidered with gold, red, and various other colors, and a pibo, a long, flowing scarf.

She had never worn such a frilly, low-cut dress before.

This was the palace.

A place filled with opulent and dazzling decorations, the heart of the harem.

"……"

She thought again.

Why did it come to this? ——

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

――Koibito, who had been living alone in the mountains, was suddenly hired as a palace maid one day.

"Are you the girl named Xiaolian?"

"……? Ah, yes, that's me."

One day, while picking mushrooms at the foot of the mountain, several well-dressed men on horseback arrived.

The man with the most authoritative air, who had a beard, immediately asked Koibito this question upon seeing her.

"I heard from a nearby village that there is a peculiar girl living alone in the mountains. She is a recluse who rarely ventures into town, but she is said to be reasonably attractive."

"……"

――So, she was chosen as a "sacrifice"… Koibito thought.

These men were probably human traffickers.

She had heard from her father before that there were people who would travel through poor villages, abducting people and selling them to the rich or brothels.

Koibito had lived in these mountains with her parents since childhood, but now both her father and mother were gone, and she was living alone.

The villagers must have sold her to protect their own daughters—Koibito sighed.

(…And they even added that I was reasonably attractive…)

Koibito did not think her appearance could be called beautiful or cute.

Her hair was unkempt and of an arbitrary length, and her clothing prioritized functionality and comfort over appearance. She also wore various pieces of equipment to survive in the mountains, where wild animals roamed.

When her mother was still alive, she used to help Koibito look more presentable…

"Hmm…"

Koibito glared at the bearded man, who dismounted from his horse, stroked his chin, and looked at her as if appraising her.

To be honest, she was a weak little girl.

There were four or five large men… resisting might be futile, but…

As Koibito was thinking this, the bearded man said something unexpected.

"Rejoice, Koibito. You are to be taken into the harem."

"…Huh?"

The palace?

The harem… where the emperor's consorts live… that one?

The place her mother sometimes talked about… yes, the place where "her mother used to live"…

"You will be made a palace maid in the imperial capital—the harem!"

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

This country is called Xia, a vast nation that was once twelve warring states unified into one, spanning the entire continent.

The twelve states are now twelve provinces.

Incidentally, Koibito lived in a remote village in one of these provinces, Lutu Province.

The current ruler of this country is a descendant of the king who unified the twelve states—the emperor.

And the center of Xia, where the current emperor resides, is the capital, a bustling metropolis.

"Wow…"

Koibito, who was brought to the capital, was captivated by the urban scenery she had never seen before.

Cavalry on horseback, shops that seemed to stretch endlessly to the horizon, and a diverse mix of people of all ages and genders walking the streets.

"So, this is the city…"

"Hehe, it's a first-time sight for a country girl, isn't it?"

The bearded man who brought her here was laughing.

He was not a human trafficker but one of the officials serving in the palace.

He was a recruiter who traveled the country to select promising talents.

"Well, no time to daydream. We need to head to the palace quickly."

"……"

It all seemed to be decided so easily, but was it really the right choice?

Instead of being sold to a brothel or a rich person, she would work in the harem, close to the emperor.

When she was told this, the face of her mother, who had passed away from illness, flashed through her mind.

She remembered hearing as a child that her mother had once lived in the harem.

(…The place where Mother used to live…)

Her parents were gone.

She had no particular attachment to where she was living now.

Above all, the interest in going to a big city—a place that held traces of her mother—made Koibito follow the recruiter with a cheerful "Puff puff!"

However, it was too late to worry now.

Before she knew it, she was quickly taken to the palace, walked around the vast grounds, and stepped into the harem.

"What is this girl? She's wearing rags and her hair is a mess."

She was introduced to a senior palace maid who was unimpressed and quickly tidied her up.

Before she knew it, she was transformed into a proper palace maid.

"Wow, I feel so uncomfortable…"

Koibito, who was used to wearing simple hemp clothes or animal furs, was not accustomed to the frilly silk dresses.

"Come on, once you're ready, hurry up and follow me. We're going to your workplace."

Following the senior palace maid, Koibito walked through the palace.

(…Hmm, what is it…)

However, Koibito thought.

The palace, which seemed opulent and luxurious at first glance, had signs of decay and wear as she walked through it.

Peeling paint on the pillars, water stains on the ceiling that suggested leaks, creaking floors…

Seeing these things, a desire to "fix them" was stirred within her.

After her parents passed away, she had lived alone in the mountains.

Self-sufficiency—she had to make her life prosperous on her own.

Therefore, fixing broken things like houses and tools was a daily routine.

More than anything, she loved the work of creating various things by hand…

"…Oh, no, no."

She was now a palace maid, so she needed to be more ladylike.

"We've arrived. This is the palace of Lady Moonlight, whom you will serve."

While thinking about these things, Koibito reached her destination.

Many palace maids and eunuchs were already lined up in a long corridor.

"Lady Moonlight is about to arrive. First, we will welcome her. Be sure to show the utmost respect."

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

――So, back to the present from the flashback.

"…That's Lady Moonlight."

A beautiful woman, accompanied by attendants, walked down the line of palace maids and eunuchs.

Indeed, she was beautiful.

She wore a luxurious kimono that could buy an entire mansion.

Her beautiful black hair was adorned with precious metal decorations.

Her makeup exuded a lustrous charm.

Her well-defined face and long, alluring eyes.

Her body, full of feminine allure.

She was one of the emperor's consorts, the First Consort, Lady Moonlight.

Koibito had heard that there were several palaces in the harem, each led by a consort and their maids.

If she was called the First Consort, she must be the highest-ranking among the consorts, right?

"……"

However, something felt off.

Indeed, she was a breathtaking beauty.

The attendants, maids, and eunuchs around her seemed to be captivated by her beauty.

But Koibito felt something unsettling about her aura.

"…Hmm"

"Oh?"

Just as Lady Moonlight was about to pass by, Koibito's groan caught her attention, and she stopped in front of her.

"…Ah…"

The stunning beauty stopped right in front of Koibito and looked down at her with long lashes.

Koibito quickly bowed her head.

"Who is this maid? I don't recognize her."

"Yes, she's new. She arrived today from Lutu Province."

The senior palace maid introduced her.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Koibito. Please take care of me."

"Hmm."

Lady Moonlight then used the tip of her fan to lift Koibito's chin.

She closely examined Koibito's face and then scanned her entire body with a scrutinizing gaze.

"…Hehe, a horse can be dressed up, but it's still a horse."

"……"

—Ah, I think she just said something mean.

Koibito understood this instinctively.

"I'm sorry. As you can see, I'm a country girl from the mountains of Lutu Province, brought here by the recruiter out of curiosity."

"Ah, so you came here dreaming of becoming a favorite of His Majesty the Emperor."

Lady Moonlight smiled gracefully, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Well, try your best to become at least a plaything. Polish yourself as much as you can."

"……"

Koibito silently lowered her head.

She had been quite insulted.

However, all she heard from the surrounding people were praises like "arrogant," "refined," and "a lady above all."

Had the attendants here been brainwashed by her?

"To receive advice from Lady Moonlight, you are truly fortunate."

The senior palace maid said.

(…No, what's so fortunate about it…?)

At that moment,

Koibito's gaze caught a glimpse of something seeping out of Lady Moonlight's body, a black miasma-like substance.

"……"

That was…

Her instincts kicked in.

Years of living in the mountains… in nature, fighting and surviving against various things, living creatures, and "things that are not"… Koibito's instincts instantly recognized it.

—That is something "bad."

"……"

Before she knew it, Koibito was moving.

She dashed towards Lady Moonlight's back.

And, noticing Koibito's footsteps, Lady Moonlight turned around.

"What—"

—Koibito slapped her across the face.

"Oof!"

Her beautiful face slapped away, Lady Moonlight fell to the ground with an undignified scream.

—This was the beginning of the legendary tale of "Maid Koibito," who would later be respected even by the emperor.