Qishan, Present Time
"I heard that the Kou Empire is going to conquer Balbadd due to their mounting debt."
"Oh no, what if we're next?"
"That's impossible, stupid! We're an independent oasis city. As long as our government is alright, then we won't ever become a part of the Kou Empire."
The Kou Empire? That's Mommy's home country right? Haru's ears perked up at the mention of his mother's birth country, stopping in the middle of his tracks. It earned him a quizzical glance from his twin sister, who also halted her steps due to their intertwined hands.
Originally, they weren't supposed to be out of the house, but Haru had convinced his mother to let him go to the marketplace on the condition that Alibaba and Chae-Hwa will go with him. So, he and his twin initially went to find Alibaba so the older man could accompany them to look for their mother's gift at the market, but Mister Budal told them that the blond had been out on an errand, and would only be back in the next few days. Thus, the raven-haired boy was left to roam the market alone with his twin sister.
"What's wrong, Haru?" His sister's inquired, patiently waiting for him to respond as she tugged on his hand to pull the boy out of his thoughts. As an added measure, she also led him to side of the road so they wouldn't be blocking other people's paths and avoid being trampled on by the moving carriages.
"I'm fine, but Chae-Hwa, the Kou Empire is where mommy's from right? Do you think it's bad if it wants to conquer another country?" The boy asked his sibling as he swung their linked arms together as they resumed their walk down the cobblestone path, his blue orbs flitting across the stalls on both sides of the road in case he saw something that piqued his interest. "By the way, have you seen anything that mommy would like?"
Even if he was 'scatterbrained', as Uncle Juju liked to say, that didn't mean he forgot his mission! He and Chae-hwa were out to buy something for their mother's birthday!
"I saw a pretty perfume pouch, but mommy could easily make one herself," His twin shook her head in reply. "And do you even know what 'conquer' means, Haru?" His twin replied with her eyebrows arched up, similar to what their mother would do when she was amused by their antics.
Rude! Of course he knows what it means! He's five, not a baby! Just because Chae-Hwa is smarter than him, it doesn't mean he doesn't know what "conquer" means.
"Of course I know what it is!" He quickly let go of their intertwined fingers and crossed his arms across his chest. "It's..." He attempted to explain what it meant, but his brain wasn't cooperating with him this time. "It's..."
"You don't need to pretend to know if you don't know, Haru. I don't know what it means either," Chae-Hwa shrugged as she reached for his hand once again and held it in hers.
"But I'm the older twin, I should know more than you, not the other way around!" Haru grumbled as he let his twin sister guide him among the crowd, his lips now pursed into a full pout.
"We're the same age, Haru. You're just older than me by a few minutes," The girl heaved a deep sigh as she shook her head. "And that's why you should listen to mommy more when she teaches us instead of playing with your quill,"
The boy begrudgingly averted his gaze to the side, about to respond when a familiar figure popped into his line of sight. "Okay, but- Chae-hwa, look! It's Uncle Juju over there! And there's a lady beside him!" At his exclamation, Chae-hwa shot him an unimpressed look, but when he pointed towards their annoying uncle, Haru swore she had let out a minuscule gasp, which was equivalent to a huge shock when it came to her variety of expressions. But then, she shook her head, as stern look replacing her previous surprise.
"No, we shouldn't bother Uncle Juju right now. It's probably that princess mommy always teases him about. Uncle Juju needs some time alone with her if he wants her to become his girlfriend-"
But Haru has always been one for mischief, and he wouldn't let this golden opportunity slide! He can finally tease Uncle Juju about his stupid crush! "Eh, you're no fun at all, Chae-hwa! I'm gonna go and meet the pretty lady, byeee!" And with that, he dashed away quickly to where his uncle was.
"No, Haru, get back here!" His sister's fell deaf on his ears.
Sorry mommy, but I'll find your present on another day. Right now it's mission "help Uncle Juju get his girl"!
"Judal-chan, remind me why we are in Qishan again?" Ren Kougyoku inquired as she fanned herself with her right hand, and dabbed the sweat off her forehead using the other.
They initially hadn't even planned on making a pit-stop at Qishan, seeing that they were on a tight schedule and must arrive in Balbadd by the end of the week, but her best friend (and only friend), Judal-chan, had been in a daze for the past few days and asked- yes, you didn't read it wrong, he had asked her! Which, just so you know, was completely out of character for him- if they could make a quick stop in Qishan, as he needed to do something there. Kougyoku, being the good friend she was, immediately agreed and thus ordered their group to land in Qishan and stay there for one night, as the magi had promised her they would be able to depart the day after. He never told her exactly what was he going to do in Qishan, and immediately whisked her away to the marketplace once she finished changing into her current disguise.
Judal hadn't provided any further explanation, he simply stated he needed to buy something for someone and needed a second opinion on what he should get. And Kougyoku didn't really mind, she knew her friend was a whimsical fellow and had grown used to his antics. Besides, as she rarely stepped foot out of the palace, it was a golden opportunity for her too, to see the hustle and bustle in Qishan. He didn't really tell her who he was going to get this gift for, but judging from how serious he he had been when evaluating the items and asking for her opinions if she'd like it were he to buy it for her, Kougyoku had secretly speculated that he might be buying something for her. But her birthday had just passed a few months ago, so why would he buy her a gift all of a sudden?
Is it because... he sees me as his best friend and wants to buy me something as a token of our friendship? Kougyoku inwardly squealed at the prospect as her lips formed into a wide smile, which earned her a grimace from the magi.
"Stop smiling like that, you're giving me the creeps," The raven head shook his head as he instinctively took hold of her hand, firmly gripping it in his. It earned him a puzzled look from the pinkette. "Don't get the wrong idea, the roads here are crowded, I'm just doing this so you won't get lost and accidentally get kidnapped." The oracle grouchily muttered as he began to lead her among the sea of people.
Since when did his hand become this big? Kougyoku pondered as she glanced down at their joined hands. And it's not as rough as I imagined it to be, too.
"Oi, old hag? Are you okay?" Said magi's other hand was now right in front of her face, a slightly worried look present on his face.
Blinking a few times, she shook her head as she plastered a smile on her lips. "Oh! I'm fine, Judal-chan, sorry about that! Lead the way, please!" What was that?
Refusing to overthink about her previous thoughts, the imperial princess decided to redirect her attention to the environment around her. The two sides of the streets were lined with stalls of various kinds, ranging from food, cloths, furniture, to fortune-telling (the last one in particular had caught Kougyoku's attention, but Judal dissuaded her from going there as he told her it was just a scam and a waste of money). On the neighbouring street, there was a puppet show on going, with some children sitting on the stools and clapping their hands excitedly. Nearby, some peddlers sold sweets and yelled in loud voices to promote their goods, which ended up with the royal buying each one of them and asking Judal to hold them for her when her hands got too full. Next, the duo stopped by a stall that imported perfumes, and Judal had asked Kougyoku to smell some of them, asking which one she had liked best. Afterwards, he had dragged her to another store that sold bolts of cloth, where she had the honor of judging the quality of the fabrics.
Not for the first time in her life, the pinkette felt overwhelmed by her surroundings, but this time it was a good kind of overwhelm. The smells, the people, the culture, and the language were so different from Kou that it had her marvelling at every single thing Judal showed her. She never felt this free before.
"I'm so glad to be here! Thank you for bringing me out, Judal-chan," Which earned her a hum from the male.
Well, that was what she felt in the beginning of their little getaway, until she found herself completely exhausted from being on her feet for two straight hours. Right now, she was on the brink of a meltdown, literally and figuratively speaking.
The weather in Qishan was completely different to Rakushou's; whereas Rakushou remained breeezy in the summer, it was completely hot and dry in Qishan. And Ren Kougyoku was not faring so well under the current weather, despite already donning thin commoner clothing and tying her hair up into a ponytail. Her make-up was already beginning to melt, and she desperately needed some refreshments lest the heat would send her to an early death. In addition, she just discovered how surprisingly picky and meticulous Judal was in buying items. Having known him as a flippant fellow with an extremely laidback attitude her whole life, it was quite an eye-opening experience to learn how he was actually good at haggling prices and had an impeccable eye for fashion. It was a side the magi she had never seen before. But even so, Ren Kougyoku needed a break from all the walking they've done for the past two hours under the scorching heat of the sun. She was going to be sunburnt at this rate!
"Judal-chan... are you done yet? I really need to drink something right now," As of current, they were at a jewellery stall, and her best friend (who she really wished could be faster), was now examining the pair of jade earrings the merchant was showing him.
"Judal-chan!" The pink-haired princess called, yet the raven head's eyes did not leave the pair of earrings, so Kougyoku had to resort to poking his arm to get his attention.
"Huh? What? Did you say something, old hag?" Judal, as if broken out of his trance, finally turned his head to face her.
"Young master! That is no way to address a young lady!" The merchant gasped, as if he was angry on her behalf.
"Oh, that's fine, sir. I'm more than used to this big idiot's remarks," The pink-eyed female laughed sarcastically, and pinched Judal's forearm.
"Ow! What was that for?" The magi yelped as he rubbed the now reddened skin.
"That's for calling me an old hag, Judal-chan," She sweetly replied as she venomously glared at him.
"But still, you shouldn't say that to your lover, young master-"
"He/she's not my lover!" Both of them yelled out simultaneously, jumping slightly apart from each other.
"Her? My lover? I'd rather die than date this old hag," Judal's face twisted so badly, looking as if he had a really bad constipation.
Kougyoku could feel her bone-deep exhaustion now replaced with boiling anger. "Who wants to be courted by you anyway? You're a big jerk and a meanie, Judal-chan,"
The merchant, who was now stuck between the bickering pair, cleared his throat and clapped his hands to diffuse the atmosphere. "Oh, my apologies then! I thought you folks are quite the pair, you know? But anyway, these earrings don't suit the young lady's skin tone, maybe you'd like to find something else her, like gold, for example?"
"It's not for her actually, it's for someone else." Judal had the decency to look sheepish, for once. "But I don't know what she likes."
What?
Kougyoku felt her curiousity peak. Her Judal-chan, who barely interacted with women in the palace unless they were the grooming and kitchen staff, suddenly wanted to buy a gift for a woman. A woman that's not her.
Judal-chan... is buying a gift for a girl? The Judal-chan? Kougyoku felt her eyes bulge at the sudden information she heard and slowly dragged her eyes up and down the magi. Was this really the Judal she knew? Did he actually change into this person she didn't know because he fell in love with someone?
"Why are you staring at me like I've grown two heads? Isn't it normal to buy something for someone you care about?" Judal raised an eyebrow as he brought his arms around himself, moving back a few steps away from her.
The princess vehemently shook her head and pointed a finger at him. "It's not because it's, well, you, Judal-chan!"
'What's so weird about me buying a gift?! I give you gifts every year for your birthday!" Judal half-yelled as he brought his hands up in exasperation.
"But it's different, you're buying something for the girl you like, right?"
"Um, young master, young lady, if I may-" The frazzled merchant tried to interrupt their quarrel, but to no avail.
"That's a really bad way of saying you want to buy a present for mommy, Uncle Juju. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend," A high-pitched voice suddenly rang in the air, as a little girl popped up behind Judal's pants.
"Chae-hwa's right. Mommy won't like these, Uncle Juju." Came another childlike voice from her left. As she peered down at the source of the voice, she noticed it was a boy, probably around five of six, with his hands propped below his chin as he placed them on top of the cloth covering the stall's table. "You know she doesn't like wearing jewellery."
'Mommy'? So Judal-chan... is seeing someone who already has children?! Kougyoku could feel her eyes threatening to bulge out of their sockets. So is this why he never told me about his preferences for women?
"Oi! My love life is none of your business, you little brats!" The magi exclaimed as he pulled on the child's hand, and marched towards Kougyoku's other side, his vacant hand reaching for the little boy's, who obediently latched onto the older male's larger hand. "How much did you two even hear about what we adults were talking about? And why are the two of you out here by yourselves? Where's Ran?"
Although Judal's words were somewhat coarse, the way he gently handled them was enough to tell the pinkette that he cared about them. That was how he used to treat her when they were kids too, despite his relentless teasing of her.
"Rude, Uncle Juju! Mommy is nine years older than you, you shouldn't call her immediately by her name! You should call her jiejie[1]! And she's working right now!" The little boy indignantly stomped his foot, puffing his cheeks as he hit Judal's leg with his tiny fist.
The girl on the other hand, calmly replied, "Enough to know that you're so bad at making a girl like you."
"Judal-chan... so you're into.. um, older... married women?" Kougyoku, who had opted to stay silent and observe Judal's interactions with the children (who she now noticed were twins), suddenly spoke up. And the moment the question left her mouth, she could see the raven head's face turning a few shades paler.
"No! You're getting the wrong idea! I'm not into older women nor am I interested in married ones!" His statement earned him giggles from the little boy, whose smile turned somewhat mischievous.
"Well, you should've just said mommy is your older sister, silly Uncle Juju! Then the pretty lady over here won't misunderstand!" The boy exclaimed as he grabbed hold of Kougyoku's hand.
"I'm Haru, nice to meet you, miss! And that's my twin sister, Chae-hwa," The boy- Haru, flashed her a toothy smile as he shook her hand, while his other hand pointed towards his sister, who hid behind Judal's wide gypsy pants.
Cute! Kougyoku could feel her heart melt at the little raven head's smile. But why did she find that smile so awfully familiar? And the Haru's twin sister's personality somewhat reminded her of her oldest cousin.
"Hello, Haru. I'm Kougyoku, Judal-chan's one and only best friend," She uttered as she kneeled down to match his height and introduced herself. But the boy seemed dissatisfied with her explanation, and immediately released her hand. "That's it?" The boy exclaimed in indignation, as if she had personally offended him. "You're just best friends? Not boyfriend-girlfriend? You guys are so not cool!"
This, however, got the attention of Haru's twin sister.
"'Kougyoku'..? Uncle Juju, is she the one mommy has always teased you about? That pretty princess?"
"No, she's not pretty, she's an old hag," Judal snorted.
"Judal-chan! I'm not an old hag!" The twins shared a look before Chae-hwa opened her mouth and made her statement.
"Judging from Uncle Juju's reaction, you are that princess. The one Uncle Juju li-mmph!" Before she managed to finish her sentence, Judal's hand immediately covered half of her face and prevented her from continuing it.
"That's enough, you little smartypants. Off we go-"
But it seems little Haru had other plans as he ran around Kougyoku and loudly exclaimed: "Ohh! So she's the one! Uncle Juju and princess, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-"
"Oh my, who do we have here?" A feminine voice interrupted the boy's cheering and caused the four of them to turn around. The children let out a loud "mommy!" and ran into the woman's waiting arms. And Kougyoku... was stunned. She swore she had never met such a beautiful lady before.
She was average in height, yet were blessed with generous curves and thick, jet black hair, and had quite a fair complexion for someone who lived in Qishan. The woman in question was wearing a simple, albeit plain dress with a green shawl wrapped around her neck, and wore slippers on her two feet. The woman's hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and was half-covered by the scarf. Kougyoku's attention then fell onto her face. Her golden eyes were double-lidded and were framed with long eyelashes that fanned her cheeks, and she had low cheekbones that gave her a youthful look. Kougyoku noticed that her eyes resembled her friend's red orbs in which they were also ringed, but otherwise the lady barely bore any resemblance to Judal. Judal's sister also had lips that appeared to be naturally pink, and on her ears were a pair of small, silver earrings. She looked feminine, yet she exuded the aura of a fully-matured and independent woman.
"Mommy, that's the pretty princess!" As if hearing herself being called, the imperial princess broke out of her trance, only to suddenly find herself being the center of attention.
"Haru, don't talk so loudly! You'll blow our cover," Judal chided the boy as he held a finger to his lips. The older woman in the other hand, shook her head and sighed.
"Pleasure to meet you, your highness." The woman clasped her hands in front of her chest and bowed her head. "I'm Ran, this big brat's older sister. He's told me quite a lot about you," She then proceeded to punch Judal on the arm, which he reciprocated, albeit with less strength.
"I did not, you blackmailed it out of me," The magi quietly grumbled, looking slightly annoyed.
Oh. So Judal-chan had a sister all along?
"Nice to meet you, Miss Ran. Your children are quite lovely," Kougyoku returned the gesture as she complimented the children.
"Oh really? They can be two little devils when they want to be, right, kids?" The woman inquired as she patted her children's heads.
"We aren't! But mommy, I think this pretty jiejie needs a drink, she looks a bit tired," Haru loudly exclaimed as he tugged on his mother's skirt.
"Oh my, is this your first time in Qishan?" Ran held a hand to her cheek as her eyes darted back-and-forth between her and Judal.
"Yes, it is. It's fun to be out here, but we've been walking around for two hours, so-"
"Really? You dragged this poor girl around for two hours non-stop? I thought I taught you better, didi[2]!" Ran raised an eyebrow at Judal, who suddenly appeared to be extremely embarrassed.
"Stop! Don't call me that, it's so embarrassing!"
"But you are mommy's younger brother, Uncle Juju," Chae-hwa, who seemed to be the smarter out of the two, piped up.
Ran heaved a sigh as she came up to the pinkette and held her hands. "My apologies, your highness. But it seems this boy has failed to notice that you were tired, how about we go and eat some desserts? It will be my treat,"
"Oh, I-" This was Judal's sister inviting her to eat desserts together, who was she to reject her? And she might possibly earn some blackmail material! So of course she would say yes!
"No, no, no! You'll end up telling her embarrassing things about me! Let's go Kougyoku, I'll take you to eat your dessert somewhere else!" Judal immediately turned her down as her grabbed the royal by the shoulders and drove her away from the trio.
"Sure, sure, have fun on your date, Juju-kun! Remember that we have a lot to talk about later," The woman called as she waved them goodbye.
"It's not a date goddamnit!" The magi quickly countered.
"Language!"
"Good luck, Uncle Juju!" She could barely hear twins's voice could be barely heard as they moved further away from them.
"So you had a sister all along? Why didn't you tell me, Judal-chan?" Kougyoku pointed her spoon right in front of Judal's face, a frown marring her delicate features.
At the moment, they were seated inside a local dessert shop eating shaved ice, with the pink-haired maiden seated across him. The store was located in one of the smaller alleys of the oasis city, and as only locals were aware of the shop, it made the pink-black pair stand out due to their use of the Kou language. After their orders arrived, a strawberry-flavored ice for Kougyoku and a melon-flavored drink for Judal, the princess made it a point to resume the conversation they had earlier.
"Why should I tell you? It's not like me having a sister is that important," Judal shrugged, but inwardly, he was nervously sweating like a criminal on a guillotine.
Shit. They weren't supposed to meet at all. I should've taken the kids away immediately. Ran's going to have my head. What should I do? And I think I'm forgetting something important here.
"But it is important! I've always thought you were, well, an orphan who was brought into the palace due to your status as a magi," The dungeon conqueror huffed as she spooned another mouthful of ice into her mouth. "Besides, if cousin Hakuyuu knew you had a cousin all along, he would've been more than glad to let her live in the palace too!"
"Nope. I tried asking her if she wanted to live in Kou, but she didn't want to. And she probably would've flat out rejected him." Especially when it comes to living in the palace. The raven head quickly countered as he shook his head.
The royal kept the spoon in her mouth as she asked him. "Why so? But you're Kou's oracle, wouldn't be more convenient for you to visit her if she lived nearby?"
"Beats me. She keeps her mouth shut when I ask her, so I just gave up after a couple of times. And I'm a magi, so traveling between places isn't that much of a hassle," As he lifted his gaze from his cup, Judal noticed that a bit of pink syrup has stained the princess's cheek, so he absentmindedly raised his hand and swiped it with his thumb, and inserted it into his mouth. "Oh, so it's strawberry-flavored."
And all of a sudden, Kougyoku's face had matched the same shade her hair was.
What the hell did you just do, you idiot?! Just because you're so used to feeding Haru and Chae-hwa doesn't mean you should do it to her too! Judal wished a hole could just magically appear out of nowhere and swallow him. Snap out of it, this is Kougyoku, not your niece or nephew! And you're no longer kids, so even if you like her, you shouldn't touch her so casually like that!
"M-My bad, my niece and nephew would always get themselves dirty when they eat, so I just... did it out reflex," He pathetically finished. So much for wanting to seem cool in front of Kougyoku.
Just let me die now. He inwardly wailed, feeling his ears heating up from embarrassment.
"A-Ah, it's fine, Judal-chan. It's.. and accident, I understand." The pinkette stammered as she cleared her throat, her eyes darting everywhere but on Judal. It was what she did when she felt extremely overwhelmed, and after this, she would also bring her hands up to her cheeks and inhale deeply in order to calm herself down.
Her blushing face did wonders to his own heart, which was now beating rapidly as well. You need to stop looking so cute, Kougyoku. Judal averted his gaze in an attempt to calm his rapid heartbeat, while imagining how Ka Koubun would look like with a beard. The thought worked like a miracle, and he was immediately disgusted with the mental image.
"Um, I think we should go now, it's getting late, and I think your prissy attendant will have my head if I don't take you back to the inn soon," Judal blurted out, wanting to escape the awkward atmosphere that surrounded them right now.
"Ah, sure. I'm almost with my dessert too, so, we should get going, yes," The princess nervously laughed as she scooped up the remaining contents of the bowl and stood up, nodding at Judal to lead the way.
Their walk back to the inn was filled with silence, with Vinea's master trailing a few steps behind the magi.
Did I mess up? Did I make my make my feelings so obvious? Will this change something between us? Oh gosh I shouldn't have done that to her earlier! The raven head inwardly berated himself as he brought both of his hands to his face and screamed silently.
It was a tap on his back that brought him back from his abyss of overthinking.
"Judal-chan? Did you hear something?" Kougyoku inquired as Judal turned around to face her, placing his hands behind his head in an attempt to look casual and composed.
"Uh.. no?"
"But-"
"UWAHHHHHH! MOMMYYYY!" Judal immediately perked up at the cry. It was Haru's voice. And without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed hold of Kougyoku's hand and ran towards the source of the cry.
"Huh? Judal-chan?! What's wrong?" Kougyoku flustreredly asked as she was struggling to keep up with Judal's huge strides.
"That was Haru. Something's wrong." Judal gravely uttered as he turned his head around to make sure Kougyoku was keeping up. "Can't you run faster, old hag? Or are you really an old woman?" He teased, in attempt to rile her up and make her run faster.
"Shut up! I'm tired, okay?! And why do we have to run, can't you just fly us there?!" The female cried out.
"Oh, right. I forgot about that,"
"And you call yourself a magi- Ahh!" Kougyoku sarcastically rolled her eyes before yelping, as Judal scooped her up into his arms and flew towards the sky. "Can't you give me a warning before you do that?" She angrily hit his chest.
"Sorry, princess. It's an emergency," Judal replied as he willed the rukh to guide him to where Haru was.
I don't know why but I really have a bad feeling about this. He gritted his teeth as he zoomed past the buildings, only landing when he felt his sister's presence nearby. There was already a crowd gathering around where the ruckus was. The ominous feeling he felt earlier grew ten times bigger.
As they hurried past the people, they finally made it inside of the circle where Haru was crying on the top of his lungs, holding his injured knee with both of his hands, his mother and sister immediately beside him. He saw his sister irresponsive to her child's cries, frozen on the spot as her eyes were pinned to the figure standing a few feet away from her. Following her line of gaze, Judal now knew why he felt dreadful earlier.
So that's what he had forgotten earlier.
"Oh shit-!" Judal cursed out, causing the female beside him to direct his gaze to the man standing across the mini raven head, who apparently had caused the boy to fall. Who looked extremely helpless and awkward as people began to whisper around him.
It was Emperor Ren Hakuyuu's younger brother, Ren Hakuren.
Year 8 of Hakutoku's Reign, Kou Empire (10 years ago)
"Ugh. This is why I hate crowds," Hakuyuu could hear Ran's quiet complain from beside him as another figure bumped into the physician, causing him to stumble slightly in his steps.
"Are you alright, Ran?" Hakuyuu reached for his upper arm to steady the young apprentice, which earned the blue head a tiny glare from the younger.
"Thank you, but I'm won't fall just from bumping into somebody, so your concern is quite unwarranted, young master Yuuma." The raven head replied as he quickly brushed the royal's hand away from his upper arm and continued marching forward.
I was just trying to help. Did going on this detour upset him so badly? Hakuyuu wordlessly frowned as he observed the physician's back, his jet-black hair swaying back and forth as he walked.
"Hey, Ran, brother! What are you guys walking so slow for? Hurry up, they're selling some wares from Balbadd over here!" And in contrast to the moody Ran, there was Hakuren, who was in high spirits as he beckoned them to come over to the stall he was at.
Originally, they were supposed to head to the tailor's to pick up some orders Doctor Song had made for the upcoming winter. Yet while on their way there, they stumbled upon the biannual bazaar in Ji-an town, and both Hakuyuu and Hakuren had agreed they should walk around the area in order to collect some information regarding the imperial family, thus involuntarily dragging Ran with them across various stalls selling both local and foreign products. But apparently, after paying several stalls a visit, Hakuren had seemingly forgot about their previous agreement, opting to pull his older brother and the grumpy apprentice to sight-see and occasionally bullying Ran into buying him some snacks. It left Hakuyuu to ask around the bazaar for the most recent news of their empire.
"Sorry, Ran, but can you keep my younger company for a while? I need to see something over there, so let's meet at the west side of the bazaar, alright?" At the request, Ran simply huffed as he shot a glance at Hakuyuu from the corner of his eye.
"I don't have all day, so please meet me at the west side in half an hour, young master Yuuma." That said, the golden-eyed physician left Hakuyuu's side and walked towards where his younger brother was standing.
The Ren swore he heard something along the lines of "I'm not even paid to babysit you two" from the raven head, but simply ignored it in favor of gathering as much intel as he could within half an hour's time. After readjusting his straw hat over his face, he proceeded to walk among the crowd in the bazaar, with sellers on both sides of the road competing to promote their wares.
"Fresh fruits from Sindria! Come and have a taste of these exotic babies!"
"Carpets! Get some exquisite carpets from Balbadd! They're of the highest quality!"
"Pots from Qishan are guaranteed to not break! Come and get yours now!"
"Tanghulu[1]! Come and buy some Tanghulu!"
"We're selling some rare herbs here! Come and have a look!"
"Sir, are you interested in knowing your future wife? Your palm says.."
In another time and another place, Hakuyuu would have enjoyed slowly strolling down the aisles of bazaars like this, taking his time to soak in the lively atmosphere and the foreign languages spoken between buyers and sellers, listening to the laughter of the children as they chased each other down the path while their parents chase after them, as well as indulge in some of the cuisines being sold by the street vendors. He would ask the merchants about how they came to acquire their goods, and enjoy the street performances and sing along to the folk songs being performed by street performers. He probably would even bring his child to sneak out of the palace and let them enjoy a semblance of normal life outside the palace for a day. But currently, he was a man on a mission, and he needed to get this done fast.
As he squeezed himself among the bustling crowd, occasionally avoiding pedlars with carts and horses, Hakuyuu approached several merchants who seemed to be Kou natives, yet most of them did not know much about the imperial family's most recent news past the death of the late emperor's two heirs. Most of them even gave him a once-over before answering him, wariness present on their faces as they answered him. Did he look so unkempt to the point he looked like someone who didn't have money on them? He was wearing decent commoner robes and shoes like most of the people in the bazaar were, not rags. Though he had donned a straw hat on his head to cover the long, vertical scar on his face. Maybe that was what's making them feel uncomfortable.
But he had no time for them to be uncomfortable. Hakuyuu's time was running out, and the blue head had yet to gain the information he needed.
After bidding goodbye to the last merchant he conversed with, he heard a foreign man yelling: "Hairpins! Get some hairpins for your loved ones! They're the latest model from the capital and are currently in-fashion!"
Not only the man was fluent in the Kou tongue, but he had also possessed and extremely thick Rakushou accent.
I should try asking this man. Maybe he knows something about the recent news in the capital. If I still come up with nothing, I can try visiting the city again soon. Hakuyuu inwardly noted as he walked towards said man's stall.
"Good day there, young lad! See anything you like in this old man's humble stall?" The bearded fellow greeted him with enthusiasm as he gestured at the hairpins laid down in a neat row on a low table. But Hakuyuu hadn't failed to notice that the seller, like all of the other merchants he had talked to, was trailing his eyes up and down his figure, as if trying to figure out if the royal had enough money to purchase his items.
Hakuyuu had to blink several times before he realized that the merchant was referring to him. No one has ever called him 'young lad' before. "Hello, sir. I'm interested in some jade hairpins. Do you happen to sell any?" Hakuyuu inquired as he glanced at the wares, pretending to be interested in purchasing something. "And don't worry, I may look like this, but I assure you, I have enough to pay for my purchases." He made a show of shaking the coin purse Ran had handed him earlier before they went their separate ways, and the intricate embroidery on the pouch seemed to pique the merchant's interest.
The pouch was dark grey in color, with the sea's wild waves depicted on it. The different shades of blue threads below the whites of the waves provided a vibrant gradation, allowing the viewer an illusion of the waves in constant motion, which was emphasized by the black lines and swirls below the waves. Moreover, the tiny seagulls embroidered onto the pouch were also quite exquisite in detail, despite its size. There was also a line of poetry written on it, although it was written in a language Hakuyuu has never seen before. The older Ren had to admit that the details indeed made the pouch appear expensive.
"Well, I sure happen to have some in stock! Please wait a moment while I get them!" The merchant heartily laughed as he rushed to the back of the tent, and returned with a box made of leather.
"Here you go, sir! These are the latest models, some of them are made by the most talented craftsmen in the capital!"
"I see. But I believe that the country is in mourning for the two princes, no? I heard that all activities like this bazaar shouldn't be held in the first place."
"Well that's the imperial family's business, if I may be so insolent to say. Us merchants got nothing to do with them, we'll lose our livelihood if we close our business every time a member of the imperial family dies." The merchant huffed as he shook his head with both of his arms crossed on his chest.
Right. To the people, we mean nothing more than just unreachable figures who live in luxury. What do I expect? Hakuyuu grimly thought to himself as he glanced down at the swallow-shaped hairpin, its eyes made of jade. They wouldn't care if one of us would suddenly die.
"And I believe that there will be a coronation soon, so all of the artisans and tailors in the capital were hired to prepare the imperial family's wardrobe. So I'm really lucky to have been able to have my hands on these jade hairpins!" At that, the blue head immediately raised his head. This was precisely the information he was looking for.
"A coronation? This soon after the imperial princes' death?" The prince inquired as the merchant nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, didn't you know about that?" At Hakuyuu's denial, he continued, "Hm, I guess the news travels slower in these parts of the country, huh? Anyway, I heard some rumors while I was in the capital a month ago that the late emperor's younger brother, Lord Ren Koutoku, will be the next emperor. They say he's going to be throned in two, three months? I'm not really sure, but I feel it's too soon to put a new emperor on the throne, don't you think so too? I mean, it's only been two months since their royal highnesses Prince Hakuyuu and Prince Hakuren passed away. And just between you and me, I think the imperial family is trying to put up an image that the ruling dynasty is stable, but who knows what will happen once the new emperor is coronated? You know how the rumors go about him," At this point, the merchant was whispering to him conspiratorially as his eyes darted around, for fear of getting arrested by the authorities for insulting the royal family. He was ignorant of the fact who Hakuyuu was, but he'd let it slide this time as the man was proving to be a good source of information for him.
But it was true that the country's future will be in question once his uncle becomes the next emperor. Known for his reputation as a drunkard, playboy, and gambler, Hakuyuu would be worried if he was a citizen living in a country with likes of an emperor like his uncle, Ren Koutoku. All the more so when he was the one who was supposed to be next in line for the throne.
"They say that the late emperor's last remaining heir, the young prince Hakuryuu, has been in a critical condition for the past two months, and wasn't in the condition to inherit the throne. Plus, he's just a young boy, can you imagine our country's future if the new ruler was just a little brat-"
Hakuyuu Immediately interrupted the seller, "Please do not disrespect the imperial family like that. No matter what, they did contribute to the stability of this country." He could deal with being insulted by other people, but nobody insults his family members and get away with it.
"Oh! You're probably one of those loyal subjects to the country, so I'll stop talking now. Anyway, good sir, have you made up your mind about which hairpin you will be purchasing-"
"I'll take this one instead." He randomly pointed towards a hairpin gold hairpin which had swallows and purple orchid blossoms carved onto it, and paid the merchant the sum written on the wooden plank situated slightly behind the row of hairpins. "Thank you for the information, good sir. I hope plenty of customers will frequent your shop." He nodded slightly as he left the shop.
He could hear the merchant grumbling under his breath about "wasting his breath and energy for nothing", but Hakuyuu didn't feel the slightest remorse about it.
He had some more questioning to do before his time was up.
Hakuren was finally allowed to go outside for the first time in months, and he was definitely ecstatic about it. After spending almost three months (or was it two?) of being cooped up inside Doctor Song's manor, he was finally cleared by the old physician to go outside, although he had to be accompanied by Ran if he wishes to do so, and had to wear a disguise to lay low (as his brother said). So here he was at the bazaar, enjoying the time of his life walking across the stalls and judging the wares that they pedlars were selling in green commoner robes (something that he has never worn in his life before), while also engaging in some small talk with the foreign merchants who had came to visit Ji-an for this biannual bazaar. And no, of course he hadn't forget the reason why they were walking around the bazaar in the first place- he knew his brother had started giving him the stink eye almost half-an-hour ago, but to Hakuren's credit, he was trying his best not to appear conspicuous in front of Ran, okay? So cut him some slack!
So while playing with some of the children roaming in the bazaar and carefully avoiding women- especially the over-friendly foreign ones who would try to touch and flirt with him while promoting their goods (Ran's presence had helped as he constantly glared at them), the spiky-haired male and the young physician had chosen to take a break in one of the local tea shops in the area, with Ran huffing audibly as he plopped down onto his seat. They were sitting at an outdoor table, with fabric clothes as makeshift roofs that shielded them from the sun's heat.
"What's gotten you so down in the dumps, huh? Stop frowning so much, you'll get premature wrinkles," Hakuren teasingly remarked as he waved one of the employees to their table.
"..." The raven head blankly gazed at him before rolling his eyes and ordered a bun and a pot of tea. "One red bean bun and a pot of tea please."
"Sure thing! And what will you have, sir?" The employee jovially inquired with his right hand clasped onto his left.
Is he purposely ignoring me? Hakuren could feel his eye twitch at the blatant disrespect the golden-eyed boy was showing, even though the spiky-haired male was one year his senior. While he isn't one to judge, but Doctor Song's apprentice has been particularly prickly towards him. Hell, even his brother got more respect from Ran than him!
"I'll have a serving of pork buns, and I'll share his tea so just bring us another cup." Hakuren gestured at the raven head, who was now furrowing his eyebrows.
"Who said I'm sharing my tea with you? I'm paying my food with my hard-earned salary, unlike a certain freeloader," Ran handed some money to their server, who in turn was now gazing at the blue head expectantly for his payment.
"Why you- I'm not a freeloader!" Hakuren seethed as he glared at the raven head sitting across him, who arched an eyebrow in response.
"Well then pay up, young master. I'm not generous enough to pay for your expenses unless Doctor Song hands it to me for you to use. You already spent the money that Doctor Song gave you on the food the pedlars were selling at the bazaar, right? So how are you going to pay for your food now?"
"Um, young sirs-" The servant nervously uttered as he glanced at the two who were now engaged in a glaring competition.
"Then I'll pay for his meal instead." As soon as the familiar voice entered his ears, Hakuren turned around and found himself arching his neck to meet the eyes of none other than his childhood friend and bodyguard, Song Chenyu. The brat even had the gall to flash a smile at him before elegantly dropping down onto the seat next to him. "Do you mind if I join this table, good sirs?"
Oh no.
Oh no.
How did he even find me here?!
"You're already inviting yourself to our table, so I guess I don't mind. But apparently that guy does," Ran could not help the snort that escaped her lips as she saw the blue-haired man trying to silently escape from the table, only to be held back by the back of his collar by the giant redhead and was forcefully returned to his seat. The man then proceeded to rattle a list of items from their menu as if he had them memorized by heart, and handed some silver to the server, who rushed off quickly in excitement after receiving such a large amount of money.
My. This is going to be quite interesting. Ran silently noted to herself as she brought the steaming cup of tea to her lips, a mask of nonchalance immediately forming on her face as she observed the newcomer. So he's rich too, huh. Figures that the young master would be friends with somebody loaded, especially if Doctor Song had worked for his family.
"Don't worry, he won't be able to run away while I'm here, sir." The redhead flashed her a bright smile that revealed nothing about his true thoughts as he introduced himself to her. "I'm Young Master Ren's servant, my name is Song Chenyu. We've known each other since we were children because my family has been working for his for generations, so I would be able to recognize him in the blink of an eye,"
Interesting. Is he trying to make me let my guard down by providing more information about himself? And 'Young Master Ren'? Is that Hasuki's nickname?
"Nice to meet you, young master Song," Nodding once, she performed a salute to the redhead. "I'm Ran, this big oaf's unofficial babysitter and his temporary physician," She purposely added the insult at the end of her introduction to see if it would spark a reaction out of the redhead, but to no avail. It earned her an indignant "hey!" from Hasuki instead.
The physician threw a cursory glance towards the redhead from the corner of her eye as she downed her cup, quickly taking in his physical features. Hasuki's companion, or rather servant, had fiery red hair and a pair of equally red eyes. It eerily reminded her of Masrur for some unknown reason. And they looked somewhat similar too. Was the man part of the Fanalis bloodline? But from what little she knew, most of the Fanalis race were highly coveted and often captured to be sold as slaves, so it was highly unlikely for one to be roaming out in the open like this by himself, dressed in such fine clothes, and possibly be of a noble bloodline too. But this was exactly the case with this Song Chenyu. The man also possessed a quite tanned complexion, which she assumed that as a servant, he would spend a lot of time outside the house with his master.
Yet while she was mulling over her observations about Song Chenyu, said man's voice suddenly pulled her pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Please, there is no need for such formalities. Also, by physician, are you perhaps under the tutelage of my grandfather, Doctor Song Zi Lang? I believe he's the only physician living around this area,"
"Indeed, I am his apprentice. Your grandfather is an amazing teacher and doctor." Ran found herself unconsciously smiling as she thought of her master.
"He is, isn't he? I heard from my grandfather that you saved my master from the brink of death, so this lowly servant of his would like to sincerely thank you from the bottom of his heart." Although he seemed somewhat bashful, the young man returned her greeting with both of his hands clasped in front of his chest.
Hm. So he's pretty well-mannered, huh. Unlike his so-called master beside him. Might as well ask him them. Looks like he might answer this question.
"Geez, stop that, Chenyu! You're going to make me feel embarrassed! And since when did you know about that?! And who allowed you to know about it, huh?" Hasuki slapped his servant's bicep, which earned him no reaction at all from the latter. He was still calmly smiling as he lowered his hands down onto his lap.
"I was worried, young master. I thought-" Doctor Song's grandson paused momentarily, as if he were contemplating his next words due to her presence- judging from the telltale glance he threw her way- before quickly continuing his sentence. "I thought you were up to no good again somewhere in an unknown place, so I asked my grandfather if he happened to know where you were," The bulky male wryly smiled at his master.
What a creative way of sugarcoating the severity of his condition. If I weren't the one who personally carried them all the way back, I would've immediately believed him. I have to give it to him, he's pretty good with his words. Ran hid a snort behind her half-eaten bun as she quietly watched the two males' interaction.
"Chenyu.." The spiky-haired male had looked as if he was about to cry as he turned to face his servant, before swiftly pulling on the half-Fanalis' ear by his earring, earning a yelp from the latter as his arms flailed in a flustered manner. "You think I'd fall for that, huh? Knowing you, you muscly brat, you probably had forced your grandfather to tell me where I was!"
"Yo-Young master! Not the earring! Ugh-!" The redhead was bigger than Hasuki in size and had towered over him, so it was quite comical to see him being slightly bent over and leaning towards the blue head due to having his ear pulled.
"Do you admit that you forced your grandfather to tell you where I was?"
"No, sir! I swear that this time he was the one who told me!"
"And who told you to come here, huh? I thought I remember telling your gramps not to let you know that me and my older brother are here," The young master grumbled as he released the half-Fanalis' earring from his grasp.
"But young master, I was on my way to my mother's grave. It's that time of the year already." The redhead rubbed on his now reddened ear in order to soothe the stinging. "I decided to make a pit stop and visit grandfather before continuing my journey, and so I came to this restaurant to eat before heading to his manor. Then not long after that I caught your scent in the air when you entered this place, so I decided to approach your table and make sure it was really you,"
"Ugh. You and your stupid Fanalis blood." She heard Hasuki mutter under his breath. "Well I don't need you by my side right now. So scram and continue your journey,"
Oh, so I was right?
"I will not! This stupid Fanalis servant of yours has sworn to stay by your side at all times, and I will not leave your side for as long as I live,"
As Ran continued to silently watch them engage in a squabble (albeit one-sided), she noticed a few things in regards to the two's dynamics. Apart from being extremely close with each other, these two seem to trust each other fully too, judging from the way they joked around. And although they were playful in tone, it seemed that Song Chenyu was sincere in his words and seriously meant them. But this was seriously getting slightly awkward for her.
"Okay," She began as she placed her teacup down on the wooden table. "As much as I hate to interrupt your touching reunion, I'm still here, and the both of you are attracting quite a lot of attention to our table right now."
At least Song Chenyu had the decency to look apologetic. "Ah, please excuse us for the ruckus. It's been a while since we've seen each other after all. I hope it did not cause you to feel uncomfortable, young master Ran."
"It's fine. By the way, you're a Fanalis, aren't you?" She casually asked as the sweet red bean buns she ordered earlier were served on their table, and she slowly reached over towards the steaming basket for one of them.
"How do you know?" Hakuren furrowed his brows as he directed his gaze at the physician, to which she replied with an eye roll.
"You just mentioned it earlier, duh."
"I'm a Half-Fanalis, actually." Song Chenyu, who seemed to detect that tension was about to rise between them and was attempting to diffuse the situation, immediately replied. But at the same time, Ran could see him subtly scenting the air, his nose wrinkling slightly as he replied. "I'm surprised you could tell, young master Ran."
"I've met one before. And you guys look somewhat similar, with the red hair and eyes and all," She shrugged before biting into the bun and chewed it.
"Wow, even I had to be told that he was a Fanalis when I was younger so I could understand why this brat was unusually strong for his age back then,"
"That's right, Hi-Young master Ren had been shocked when he saw me balance more than ten books on my head back then,"
Oh?
"I see." Afterwards, Ran allowed Hasuki to take the reins of their conversation, in hopes of being able to gain more details regarding Hasuki's identity that she has yet to uncover.
As a Fanalis, he's probably a bodyguard or a soldier for Hasuki's family. Or even the army, possibly, if I were to believe Doctor Song's words about Yuuma-san and Hasuki being a part of the Kou imperial army.
Another quick glimpse at the half-Fanalis' hands confirmed her assumption. They were calloused, and it didn't come from hard labour in rice paddies or forging weapons. But rather, it was from wielding swords. The man's loose turquoise hanfu[2] could not fool her either, Ran could tell from a glance that his body was probably muscular underneath those layers of clothing, judging from the size of his forearm earlier when the man had unconsciously shown it while handing over some of the silver as payment for their meals. Although he had an overall prim and proper appearance like how a member of the upper class would look like, in addition to the neatly tied braid resting against his left shoulder, the man- Song Chenyu, still radiated a somewhat ferocious aura, like a tiger that is lying in wait to strike its enemy.
So I was right, Hasuki is a member of the upper class nobility. To have Doctor Song serve his family and have a soldier tailing after him like this, and one who seems to be skilled in combat too. He must be related to one of the ministers' families, or maybe even the imperial family itself. Ran almost outwardly blanched at the idea, but she forced herself to retain her calm facade and proceeded to pour herself another cup of tea.
"And you have super senses, right? Like you can see someone from miles away and remember people easily just by smelling them once!" At Hasuki's exclamation, Chenyu glanced at Ran up and down and wrinkled his nose, and then his eyes grew as wide as saucers lighting up in recognition.
What's with him and wrinkling his nose? Is that his habit or something?
"Now that I think about it, I do find you somewhat familiar from your scent too, young master Ran."
"Huh?"
"Or should I say, jiejie[3]?"
At that, Ran spat her mouthful of tea right in Hasuki's face.
[1] Tanghulu: so according to Wikipedia, it "is a traditional snack consisting of several rock sugar-coated fruits of Chinese hawthorn on a bamboo skewer. The sugar coating syrup is usually hard after it dries, so you really have to bite into it when you eat them. It's a traditional Northern Chinese snack that's still popular until today too!
[2] Hanfu: The hanfu is a traditional clothing worn by the Chinese, and is usually made up of upper garments and skirts along with layers worn between them (like the ones that you see in Chinese historical dramas). It'll take up quite a lot of space if I explain the parts here, so maybe I'll do a more thorough explanation on hanfu next time! (I'm not Chinese by nationality though, so please don't judge if I get some of the information wrong X((( )
[3] big sister (姐姐): a term to refer to a female older than yourself. You usually use it to refer to your relatives and immediate family members, otherwise, it is usually used in informal and private settings.
Whew! This 10k monster was a nightmare to deal with haha
So yeah, poor Hakuyuu was left alone in the bazaar to ask around for some info while Hakuren, Ran and Song Chenyu were having tea time at the restaurant. And we have Song Chenyu officially joining the trio in the story! The plot will definitely start picking up after this chapter, so stay tuned for more yeah! And for those who are wondering, Song Chenyu's a half-Fanalis because I'm hoping he'll grow up into a man as hot as Muu Alexius :xxxx *please don't kill me*
Nahhhh just kidding there's actually a reason why he's a half-Fanalis and not a pureblood like Masrur. But that will probably come up later in the story, so have fun waiting until then ;)))) *gets killed by readers* Anyway, He looks somewhat like a pretty boy with a long braid right now, but his body is extremely well-built under his robes XD
And I hope you enjoyed that little tidbit of the present in the first half of the chapter! I know that my writing isn't what it used to be (tbh I'm having difficulty writing descriptive scenes at the moment and my style is still kinda stiff) but trust me when I say I did my best for this chapter :"))) I'll try and improve even more as the story progresses, I promise! Btw, I'm also still trying to get a better grasp at writing Hakuyuu and Hakuren, cos who knew that it would be this hard to write from their prespective, especially from Hakuyuu's pov (ಥ_ʖಥ) So please do excuse any inconsistencies in their characters so far! If you have any comments, please feel free to write them down! I read every single one of your comments and they really mean a lot to me (although I don't really reply to all because I'm shy or I don't really know what to say haha), so I'd really appreciate it if you let me know of what you think about the story so far! But if not, then it's fine too~ I'm already really thankful that you guys are willing to read this story, and I hope you'll continue to be here for the rest of the journey as well!
As always, thank you for reading and loving this story, and see you on the next update!
-Setsuna
p.s.: I published this story at 12am in my local time, so please excuse the grammatical errors and misspellings!
