The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 4.1

Father returned with heavy footsteps and, in a low voice, muttered, “I need to rest,” before heading straight to his bedroom.

Seeing this, Keigetsu knew—once again, he had failed. A sigh escaped her lips, and her expression darkened.

It had already been two months since Gekka went missing.

After discovering she wasn’t at Fuyourou, Keigetsu checked her room and found that her purse was empty. Maybe Gekka had taken the money for travel expenses, but it wasn’t much.

Even if she managed it well, it would only last about half a month. Besides, Gekka was never good at handling money.

Hopefully, she found a job to support herself, but her options were limited. If she had managed to get work as a seamstress, which she was skilled at, that would be ideal. But if not—
Keigetsu bit her lip, forcing away the terrible thoughts.

Over the past two months, she had imagined the worst countless times, making her want to break down and cry in fear.

“Has your father returned?”

Her mother, who had been washing vegetables at the water station, noticed the travel bag left by the door and asked. Keigetsu nodded.

“Yes. But it seems he failed again.”

“…I see.”

Both Keigetsu and her mother fell silent, their expressions clouded with sadness.

After a brief pause, her mother sighed, shook her head slightly, and then forced a smile.

“He must be exhausted. Let’s prepare something nourishing for him.”

“We still have some dried meat and abalone.”

“Then let’s make a soup with them.”

Keigetsu nodded back at her mother’s smile.

“Should we use the meat?”

“The abalone is a bit older.”

“Then we should use that first.”

Following her mother’s suggestion, Keigetsu took out a jar of dried ingredients from the cupboard.

Seafood was a luxury in this region, located several days’ travel from the coast. Even dried seafood was expensive, so in Keigetsu’s household, it was reserved for special occasions. But if it could help restore their father’s strength, it was worth using.

While the dried abalone soaked in water, her mother prepared the rice. Keigetsu picked up a basket.

“I’ll go gather some bracken.”

The season for bracken was nearly over, but she knew a secret spot where it still grew.

Since her father loved her mother’s stir-fried bracken, she wanted to pick some for him.

“Be careful.”

Her mother saw her off with a smile, though her voice lacked energy.

(Father came back. But Gekka did not.)

Keigetsu knew that her mother was slowly growing weaker because of it.

Lately, her mother often felt dizzy. She had frequent fevers and had been suffering from a constant low-grade fever. The doctor said it was due to emotional distress affecting her body.

For now, with summer just beginning, the weather was manageable. But soon, the peak summer heat would come, and in her mother’s current condition, she might not be able to endure it.

Keigetsu clenched her lips, frustration welling up as her tear-filled vision blurred. She didn’t have time to cry, yet her eyes had been watering too easily these days.

(Gekka, you fool…)

It was all because of her beloved little sister.

Gekka had always been a source of worry. If Keigetsu was this anxious, their parents must be feeling it ten, twenty times more.

If Keigetsu ever caused her parents this much pain, she would be overwhelmed with guilt.

But Gekka didn’t seem to care. She had made them worry countless times before and never seemed bothered by it. Keigetsu could never understand how her sister could be so indifferent.

“Keigetsu.”

She was rubbing her eyes roughly while walking when someone called out to her. It was Seishin.

“…Were you crying?”

Since she turned around with red eyes, his face filled with concern.

“Oh, no, something just got in my eye.”

“Then don’t rub them so hard.”

“You’re right. But it’s fine now.”

She forced a small smile. Seishin sighed.

“I just saw your father earlier.”

His hesitant tone made Keigetsu nod slightly.

“He just got back.”

“I see.”

Keigetsu could guess what Seishin wanted to say, but she saw no need to bring it up first.

With a light smile, she bowed slightly. “Well then, I should get going.” She needed to hurry to the forest before the meal was ready.

“Keigetsu.”

Just as she turned to leave, he stopped her—grabbing her shoulder in an unusually forceful manner. She was slightly startled.

Perhaps realizing he had been rough, Seishin quickly let go and murmured an apology.

“The festival the day after tomorrow.”

“Yes?”

“Are you going?”

The day after tomorrow was the summer solstice—the longest day of the year. Festivities were held everywhere.

In their village, bonfires would burn all night, but if one traveled to Harin Town, there would be fireworks and a large celebration. Many young people went there to enjoy the festival. Keigetsu had taken Gekka there for the past few years.

But this year was different.

Keigetsu hesitated and gave an uncertain answer. “I don’t know.”

“…Yeah, I figured.”

Knowing the situation, Seishin seemed unsure of what else to say. Instead, he apologized for stopping her and left.

Keigetsu bowed slightly before turning toward the forest.

She could go to the festival if she wanted. Her parents wouldn’t stop her. In fact, since she rarely showed interest in such events, if she said, “I want to go,” they would probably encourage her with a smile.

Festivals like this were not only for celebrating good harvests but also served as a place for young people to meet potential partners.

Now that she was eighteen, she was at the right age for marriage. It was time for her to start thinking about finding a husband.

In their village, inviting someone to a festival usually meant you saw them as a potential spouse.

Even someone as slow as Keigetsu understood.

Seishin’s attitude just now—there was no mistaking what he meant.

(But he wanted to marry Gekka.)

Seishin had always been popular among the village girls. Yet, just this spring, he had proposed to Gekka, who was still so young. The other girls teased him, saying he only cared about looks.

Everyone knew that Gekka had gone missing. But now, Seishin was approaching Keigetsu instead?

(So he’s that kind of man.)

Keigetsu had once thought Seishin was nice.

But if he could so easily switch from Gekka to her just because her sister was gone, how could she possibly be happy about it?

Marriage was about choosing a lifelong partner.

This didn’t feel right.

Keigetsu did want to marry someday. She hoped to have a loving relationship like her parents and build a warm home.

But something about Seishin’s attitude felt wrong.

He wasn’t necessarily a bad person.

In a small village like this, it was natural for people to choose their partners this way.

Even so, Keigetsu’s heart told her—this was not right.