The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 3.3

After visiting the temple with Enki, I returned to the room assigned to me, only to be summoned again.

This time, it was the Queen.

The Queen—she is the official wife of King Kojo Enki and the woman who manages the inner palace, the king’s private quarters.

There was no need to wonder why she had summoned me. Of course, she wanted to see the child her husband had with another woman.

Most likely, I, Gekka, would have to call this woman “Mother.” And if I were to live in this palace, earning her favor was absolutely necessary.

After dressing properly, I visited the Queen’s private chamber. The entrance and the interior were lined with rows of dazzling court ladies, their presence overwhelming.

But I couldn’t afford to be intimidated by something like this. Pressing my lips together, I lifted my chin and faced forward with determination.

At the back of the room, a woman, seemingly in her mid-thirties or perhaps a little older, was seated in a relaxed posture.

She was the Queen—Shourougyoku.

As I knelt, wondering how to properly greet her, she spoke.

“You don’t need any formal greetings. Come closer.”

“Yes.”

Following her graceful gesture, I stepped forward and was directed to a chair that had been prepared.

Not knowing much about proper etiquette, I hesitated before sitting. “Excuse me,” I said, lightly bowing my head before lowering myself into the seat.

Almost immediately, tea and sweets were brought in.

Encouraged to drink, I picked up the teacup and sipped. A gentle aroma filled my senses. I couldn’t tell if it was high-quality tea, but I liked the fragrance.

The sweets were something I had never seen before—baked treats of some kind. I took one, broke off a piece, and took a small bite. Inside, there was dried fruit, and it was very sweet.

“You are Gekran’s daughter, then?”

Just as I was considering whether it would be acceptable to eat another piece, the Queen spoke.

I withdrew my hand from the sweets and straightened my posture. “Yes,” I answered with a nod.

“You certainly do resemble her,” she murmured, gazing at me intently before elegantly covering her mouth and sipping her tea.

“Gekran and I were childhood friends.”

As she handed her teacup to a waiting maid, Shourougyoku continued.

“His Majesty and Gekran were deeply in love. No one doubted they would be together.”

She seemed to be lost in memories, her gaze locked on me but also looking beyond, into the past.

“That is why… it could only be called a tragedy.”

Her expression twisted slightly as she refocused her gaze on me.

She must have been referring to what that officer had mentioned—the burning of the Tou family estate. That incident forced my mother and Enki to part ways.

I could do nothing but stare back at the Queen as she reminisced. It was best to just listen quietly for now.

For a while, Shourougyoku spoke about how close she and my mother had been, describing what kind of girl she had been. Her eyes softened with nostalgia.

I remained silent, politely sipping my tea when prompted.

But as time went on, I started to grow bored.

I had no interest in my mother’s past, and the lively, intelligent girl the Queen spoke of didn’t match the woman I had known. It all felt like someone else’s story.

Still, I couldn’t let her realize I was uninterested. I smiled and feigned surprise when appropriate, pretending to be engrossed in her words.

Finally, the Queen’s stories seemed to come to an end.

Her narrow, single-lidded eyes studied me intently.

“You are called Houbai, correct?”

She asked my name again, and I immediately nodded, sitting up straight.

“How old are you?”

“Ten… ahem, eighteen. Pardon me.”

I still wasn’t used to giving this false age. Almost slipping up, I coughed to cover my mistake.

“I see. Eighteen… It has been that long, then.”

She took another sip of tea, gazing into the distance once more.

(So many old stories… she sounds like an old woman.)

If she had been my mother’s childhood friend, she must be around the same age. But at her age, reminiscing this much felt excessive—like the elderly woman who used to live next door.

Though I was growing weary, I maintained a polite and obedient demeanor, nodding appropriately. I couldn’t afford to make an enemy of the Queen.

Shourougyoku let out a quiet sigh and straightened her posture.

“I apologize for calling you so suddenly and keeping you for so long.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty…”

“You must find many things inconvenient, having just arrived here. If you need anything, let me know. I will see to it.”

“Thank you very much.”

After bowing in gratitude, she dismissed me. I felt a quiet relief as I left the Queen’s chambers.

As Gekka’s presence faded from the room, Shourougyoku beckoned one of the waiting maids.

“What do you think, Gijou?”

“She is an unrefined country girl with no manners,” the maid answered bluntly.

“That is to be expected. Arrange for someone to teach her proper etiquette. Minister Sou’s wife should be suitable.”

“Understood.”

“But that is not all.”

Shourougyoku stopped the maid before she could leave to carry out the order. Her gaze drifted to the open window, through which she could see Gekka and her entourage walking along the distant corridor.

“Investigate that girl.”

“…What exactly do you mean, Your Majesty?”

The maid asked cautiously.

Shourougyoku narrowed her sharp eyes.

“Does she look eighteen to you? There’s something… childlike about her.”

“Some people have youthful faces, even as they age.”

“Perhaps. But her behavior is too immature. Even if she is unfamiliar with court etiquette, she seemed far too childish, didn’t she?”

The maid thought back to the girl’s demeanor and nodded in agreement.

“Find out who she really is.”

The Queen’s words made it clear—she doubted the legitimacy of the newly found royal offspring.

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

The maid bowed deeply and left to carry out the investigation.

As Gekka disappeared around a corner, Shourougyoku let out a quiet snort.

She looked so much like Gekran that she was likely a bl00d relative. But that didn’t mean the rest of the story was true. Whether she was truly Gekran’s daughter was still uncertain.

Why had she only appeared after eighteen years? I had been told that after her mother’s death, she had no family left and sought out her father. But at eighteen, wouldn’t she be capable of living on her own? Wouldn’t she see a parent as a burden rather than a refuge?
Something felt… off.

Even though Shourougyoku had been suspicious from the start, she couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong.

King Enki, who had searched for Gekran and her child for years, wouldn’t even notice such inconsistencies. He would believe in her without question.

And that girl—she was cunning. She wouldn’t reveal any cracks easily.

“What is true, and what is a lie…?”

If she was a threat, it would be disastrous to leave her unchecked. This had to be confirmed before anything happened.

That was the duty Shourougyoku bore as Queen.

More than anything—

“If she dares tarnish my friend’s name, I will never forgive her.”