The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 6.8

The palace inspectors who had left returned, bringing with them the kitchen attendants.

Judging by their clothing, they were senior attendants. However, being surrounded by the strict inspectors seemed to make them nervous, their eyes darting around anxiously.

“Are you Shun Shiba, the head of the kitchen?”

“Yes. Um, what exactly is going on…?”

The middle-aged woman, addressed as Shiba, asked timidly. Seeing her reaction, Linrai frowned.

“That’s what we want to ask. Where were all of you?”

It wasn’t the middle of the night when everyone would be asleep, yet not a single attendant had remained. This was beyond neglecting their duties.

Handling meals for the royal family was a serious responsibility. Such a lack of awareness was unacceptable. When Linrai pointed this out, Shiba shook her head helplessly.

“Even so… Her Highness told us to leave for a while because she needed the space, so we simply obeyed.”

“Her Highness?”

Linrai furrowed his brows and looked to the other attendants for confirmation. They all nodded in agreement.

“What exactly did Her Highness need to do here?”

“I do not know. She simply told us to leave for a while. I believe she may have cooked something.”

Hearing this, the kitchen attendants, who had been kept outside due to the investigation, glanced around the room. Since they had cleaned up before leaving, they could easily notice any changes. With the inspectors’ permission, they began searching.

“…A steaming basket is out. Perhaps something was steamed.”

One of the attendants spotted a steaming basket left in the washing area and reported it to Linrai.

“If a steaming basket was used, a pot must have been used too.”

A steaming basket is placed over a pot of boiling water, using the steam to cook food. If it had been used, the pot should be present as well. Keigetsu had collapsed near that very pot.

Now, the cause of Keigetsu’s burns was clear.

“Was Her Highness alone? Did anyone accompany her?”

Junkei, who had been listening, interjected.

“No,” Shiba shook her head. “I believe she was alone. I did not see any attendants with her.”

She admitted that she had found it unusual for the princess to be walking around alone, as she rarely visited the kitchen.

“…Steamed rice cakes.”

Behind them, Enshou muttered softly.

Junkei and Linrai turned toward him.

“Is something on your mind?”

Enshou hurriedly shook his head at their questioning looks, but Linrai urged him to speak, insisting that even the smallest detail mattered in determining whether this was an accident or intentional.

Enshou nodded and glanced at the steaming basket.

“Keigetsu once told me that she was skilled at making steamed rice cakes.”

It was a treat she always made for celebrations, and in recent years, she had taken responsibility for preparing it.

Enshou recalled her warm smile when she promised to make some after she recovered.

However, before she had the chance, she was suddenly called away, and he never got to taste them. He now regretted missing that opportunity.

Upon Linrai’s order, the kitchen attendants checked their storage supplies. They soon discovered that a bag of rice flour, which hadn’t been used recently, had been slightly opened.

“Then, rather than Her Highness, was it the Crown Princess who made the steamed rice cakes here?”

Shiba’s eyes widened in shock.

She had heard that someone had been injured but had not realized it was the newly arrived Crown Princess.

Turning pale, she looked at Enshou and Junkei. She had wondered why they were present, but now it made sense. Understanding this, she immediately fell to her knees.

“This is our fault…!”

“No, we do not need apologies right now.”

More important than apologies was understanding why Keigetsu had collapsed in the kitchen.

“Should we question Her Highness? What does the inspection team think?”

The kitchen attendants claimed the princess had come alone, yet Keigetsu had been the one injured. Why had this happened?

Linrai nodded firmly. Since Keigetsu was in no condition to answer questions, they needed to question the princess first.

As they were about to send someone to the princess’s quarters, Gijouu arrived to inform them that Keigetsu’s treatment was complete. Enshou decided to return to the central palace with Kouji, while Junkei and the inspectors headed to Shoukei Hall, where the princess resided.

Upon returning, they found the royal physician waiting in the queen’s chamber to give his report.

“How is Keigetsu?”

Enshou stopped the physician from bowing and urged him to speak immediately.

The physician nodded, turned briefly to the concerned-looking Rougyoku, then began his explanation.

“Her life is not in danger.”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

“She suffered severe burns on her back from boiling water, but because she was wearing clothes and removed them quickly, the damage is minimal. The wounds should heal in a few days without leaving scars.”

Rougyoku exhaled deeply and covered her face with both hands, visibly relieved. Enshou also relaxed slightly.

“However—”
The physician hesitated before continuing.

“The burn on the back of her neck is severe—it will definitely leave a scar.”

He pointed to the affected area. If she wore her hair up, the scar would be visible.

“Is there nothing you can do, physician?”

Rougyoku’s face twisted with sorrow. A scar on a woman’s skin was too cruel.

“I am deeply sorry,” the physician bowed deeply. No matter how skilled, no doctor could completely erase such a severe burn scar.

Enshou frowned slightly, lost in thought.

“Why is it that only the back of her neck was so severely burned?”

Keigetsu had likely fallen onto the kitchen stove, but her back, which had been exposed to boiling water, was not as badly burned as her neck. It was a strange injury.

The physician paused, as if searching for the right words, then looked up.

“Your Highness, have you ever seen someone subjected to fire torture?”

“No…”

Enshou frowned slightly at the disturbing question, but the physician continued.

“The burn on her neck resembles the mark left by a branding iron.”

A branding iron is used to burn criminals, inflicting pain and punishment. The physician explained that Keigetsu’s injury looked exactly like that.

Indeed, a heated pot could act like a branding iron. But for such a burn, prolonged contact would be necessary—it would not happen from a mere accident.

“So you believe Keigetsu’s neck injury was not caused by falling?”

“That is my diagnosis.”

The physician bowed deeply, signaling the end of his report.

As he instructed the attendants to keep cooling Keigetsu’s burns, he left, promising to return when she regained consciousness.

Seated beside Rougyoku, who was sipping tea, Enshou pondered.

If someone had pressed a hot pot against her neck, it would explain why the pot had been left near her body.

But why the neck?

Disfiguring a face was understandable—it would be a clear act of malice. But the neck? It wasn’t as visible, nor was it a life-threatening wound.

Lost in thought, Enshou glanced at his own upper arm—and suddenly, realization struck.
“Could it be…?”

There had to be a reason for targeting the neck. And now, he had an idea of what it might be.

He had to confirm it.

“Pardon me, Your Majesty. I must step out for a moment.”

Without hesitation, he rushed off to catch up with the royal physician.