Chapter 22

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“It seems that your magic practice is going well.”

 

Renchanfu, also known as Richanfu, sat gracefully on the sofa in front of me, smiling straight at me with amber-colored eyes.

 

“Ri—I mean, with the assistance of Renchanfu-sama…”

 

Apparently, Taizen thought it would be obvious they were siblings if his sister’s last name was the same as his. It had been a month since I learned her real name, but I couldn’t shake the previous name that had become ingrained in me.

 

“You don’t have to use honorifics with me, Kouhei-san. After all, you’re my brother’s pair.”

 

“Yes, but we haven’t paired since it’s not my heat yet.”

 

Because I wasn’t used to it, I nervously rubbed my hands together. Renchanfu beamingly lifted her cup from the desk in front of her.

 

“No worries, you’re going to be my brother’s pair anyway.” Renchanfu put her mouth to the cup while saying it. I fidgeted even more and looked downwards.

 

My mating period would most likely begin within the next two weeks after being reunited with Taizen. However, I was worried about finally being Taizen’s pair.

 

“I was wondering what was going to happen to you for a while, but it all comes full circle.” Sonken, the cause of our brief separation, sat on a chair on the left side of the room and burst out laughing.

 

Other guests in the room, including Renchanfu and the head main, exchanged sidelong glances. Sonken raised his brows and laughed loudly, possibly in response to their piercing stare.

 

“Sorry, sorry. I had no idea you’d quit your job after hearing from me. I didn’t think I’d see you again after that day, but now you’re standing in front of me. What a pleasant surprise!”

 

To his half-hearted justification, I could only return a wry smile. Although his apology was insincere, I guess he was the only who could act like that.

 

Renchanfu and the head maid, on the other hand, continued to stare at Sonken. Looking at them, I wondered if Sonken had wronged them in any other way, given that he was awkwardly scratching his head while smiling.

 

“Ah, well if you love each other that much, I guess Taizen doesn’t mind if he’s chosen as the crown prince or not.” Sonken abruptly brought up another topic.

“Eh?” My jaw dropped open at the newly revealed information, which I had never heard before. When I raised my voice in surprise, Renchanfu turned to face Sonken.

 

“There are other candidates, right?” Sonken asked, shrugging his shoulders. “If Taizen is elected crown prince, he will have to take at least four more wives and have as many heirs as possible. That could be a little sad.” Sonken stroked his chin.

 

“Huh?” I was perplexed at the disturbing information.

 

“Ren -chan-fu…” With a grin on his face, Sonken mouthed the words. Renchanfu then turned to face me, a solemn expression on her face.

 

“Don’t mind him. That’s impossible.” She reassured me as she set her cup down. “Actually, hearing it from my brother is preferable, but it will be pitiful for you if you are left confused.”

 

She then continued explaining, “Hmmm, let’s see. I don’t know where to start. In short, my brother is the nephew of the current emperor. Under normal circumstances, he would not have a high claim to the throne. However, the Dowager Empress Koutai, the Emperor’s mother, or in other words, my brother’s grandmother and myself, is the one who wields real power in the court today. This has happened numerous times throughout the country’s history, but the current Emperor is not the real son of Empress Dowager. But because of his debt to her and the muddled factions in the court, it is difficult for him to disobey the Empress Dowager, to whom he is not related by blood.”

 

My mind was already racing with questions about Taizen’s family matters as she finished her lengthy explanation. Renchanfu smiled as I became more perplexed. She then opened her mouth again, intending to complete her story.

 

“That’s why Empress Dowager decided to mix her own blood by making me the concubine of the first prince. But the first prince said that since his fated pair had appeared and he would make her his wife, the Empress Dowager was so enraged that she tried to support my brother to be the crown prince.”

 

I nodded my head in confusion as I finally connected the two stories.

 

It’s true that, no matter how much trouble the sister was in as a result of the broken engagement, Taizen hiding himself from her seemed strange. However, if I heard that he ran away because he was disgusted with the idea of being puppeted by someone else, it was understandable.

 

Even so, I had assumed that the throne was to be given to the first male heir, and I wondered if the emperor could simply hand the throne to his nephew instead. [Aside from the first prince, didn’t the emperor have other children?]

 

“Well, but isn’t the eldest son supposed to succeed to the throne,…… and even if the first prince is removed, doesn’t he have other children…?” I inquired. The other three people in the room, on the other hand, looked at me strangely.

 

“There is no rule in this country’s royal family that the eldest son succeeds to the throne,” Renchanfu said, snapping her fingers and pointing up. “From among the heirs to the throne, the best of the best are chosen. Nonetheless, the majority of them are direct sons of the Emperor. My brother is still favored and supported not only because of the Empress Dowager’s blood but also because of this country’s mythology.”

 

“Mythology?” The sudden mention of gods perplexed me. Renchanfu straightened her back and lowered her finger.

 

“It is the myth of the origin of this country. It is said that a young man of the tiger tribe founded this country. One day, he wandered into the sacred mountain Reizan, where the gods resided. A tiger with white fur and golden eyes appeared in front of the young man and gave him mysterious power, telling him to lead the people. It is said that this is magical power. The white tiger is said to be the embodiment of God in this world.”

 

Taizen’s beautiful golden eyes and shining platinum hair came to mind as I listened to her story. Her amber eyes glowed quietly when I looked at her with a stunned expression on my face.

 

“When my brother transforms into a beast, he is the very embodiment of God.” People were overjoyed and even cried when he was born. As a result, when Empress Dowager proposed elevating him to the position of Crown Prince, her ardent supporters eagerly supported her decision.” After the lengthy explanation, Renchanfu smiled with relief.

 

“However, my brother dislikes fighting and does not wish to be the crown prince.” So he took the imperial examination and became an official despite the fact that he didn’t have to. He was also a supporter of the first crown prince, but now there’s all this fuss…”

 

I began to imagine a future in which Taizen would be crown prince, and the things the Sonken had told me were running through my mind. He’d have to marry at least four times and have a lot of kids.

 

When she noticed my face turning pale, she quickly waved her hands and said, “But I don’t think my brother has any intention of becoming crown prince for your sake. He’s attempting to solve the problem by marrying me off to another prince.”

 

Her words caused my eyes to widen. [Does this imply that the engagement will be redone with someone else? It’s a pompous change, and I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do.]

 

“Is that okay with you?” I inquired.

 

Renchanfu laughed, “I’ve been trained to be a queen since I was a little girl.” So marrying someone other than the prince now would be kind of annoying because of my failed engagement, and besides, I like the second prince better as a person.”

 

I exhaled a sigh of relief when I saw her beautiful smile.

 

“It doesn’t matter if the second prince is elected crown prince…” Sonken spoke up at random.

 

The head maid and I narrowed our eyes at his unnecessary remarks.

 

“Well, even if you say so, I’m not particularly interested in the position of crown princess.” Renchanfu burst out laughing.

 

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Translator’s Notes:

 

No particular comment since this chapter is kinda a last minute info-dump tbh. However, there are 2 chapters of snu-snu scene 😅 later at the end of the series if that’s what ur looking for… (nope, not the next chapter 🥴).

 

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