The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 7.1
“That must have been a truly terrifying experience.”
Tsukika, who had wandered back, listened to Rinrai from the Audit Department explaining the situation. She looked sorrowful and murmured sadly.
“Was the princess not there?”
“No, Houbai had gone out for a walk.”
When Rinrai asked with a suspicious look, Tsukika responded with a natural smile.
The princess had a habit of going for a walk once a day. Usually, in the morning, she would visit the shrine to talk with Enki, then spend a relaxed time in the garden admiring flowers until Minister Cao’s wife arrived for etiquette lessons.
When they asked the ladies-in-waiting assigned to the princess, they all nodded in agreement. However, today was the first time she had gone out alone without any attendants, and they decided to keep that fact to themselves.
“However, the ladies-in-waiting said they saw you in the kitchen. What were you doing there after you sent them away?”
Rinrai’s gaze was sharp with suspicion. Tsukika covered her mouth with her sleeve and tilted her head with a troubled expression.
“It’s a bit embarrassing… but this morning’s breakfast wasn’t quite enough, so I went to the kitchen to sneak a little extra food. I didn’t want anyone to see me doing something so improper, so I asked them to leave.”
As she said this, she blushed with embarrassment and gave a shy smile.
Rinrai stared at her in silence, but she didn’t seem to be lying. With no choice, Rinrai let out a sigh.
“Then, what exactly did you sneak a bite of?”
Before Rinrai could move on, Junkei interrupted from behind.
Tsukika furrowed her brows slightly but looked up at Junkei with flushed cheeks and an upward glance.
“…Do I really have to say?”
“Yes. It would be very helpful if you did.”
When Junkei nodded, Tsukika let out a sigh, averted her gaze slightly, and hesitantly answered, “Meatballs.”
They were probably prepared for lunch. She had taken a few from a large plate while watching Keigetsu make steamed rice cakes. She wasn’t lying.
Junkei nodded in acknowledgment and glanced at Rinrai. Understanding, Rinrai quickly jotted it down in her notebook, likely planning to verify it later.
Junkei turned back to Tsukika.
“After you had your snack, you went for a walk in the garden?”
“Yes, I did. I thought the hibiscus might be blooming around this time, so I went to the ‘Summer’ garden.”
She explained that she had gone to a garden filled with summer flowers. When asked if anyone could confirm this, she shook her head gently. She had been alone today.
Junkei nodded and then turned to the ladies-in-waiting.
“Just to confirm, does the princess often go out alone?”
Bihou started to shake her head but stopped when she noticed Tsukika watching her.
Realizing the meaning behind her gaze, she quickly nodded.
“Really?”
“Yes. Sometimes.”
“Not every time?”
“N-No, of course not. We wouldn’t let the princess walk around alone…”
As Bihou hastily tried to correct herself, Junkei stared at her intently, as if studying her. Unable to bear the scrutiny, Bihou’s eyes darted nervously.
“…I see.”
Junkei muttered and turned back to Tsukika.
“One last question. You didn’t see Keigetsu in the kitchen?”
Tsukika’s face darkened slightly, as if feeling guilty, and she nodded.
“I understand.”
With a slight smile, Junkei decided to head to the Inner Palace with Rinrai. Rinrai looked somewhat dissatisfied but reluctantly agreed, realizing there was nothing more to learn from the princess.
“We may need to visit again later.”
When Junkei turned at the doorway to say this, the ladies-in-waiting looked slightly annoyed, but Tsukika responded with a friendly smile.
“I hope we find out soon who hurt my brother’s wife.”
Her willingness to cooperate made Junkei smile as well.
“That would be helpful, Tsukika.”
“Please, don’t worry about it, Officer Jo.”
With a charming smile, Tsukika replied, and Junkei quietly bowed his head before leaving.
After walking a short distance from the princess’s residence, Junkei turned to Rinrai.
“Did you notice something, Rinrai?”
“Notice what?”
Caught off guard, Rinrai looked at him with obvious confusion.
“The princess.”
Junkei carefully chose his words as Rinrai continued to look puzzled.
“We only told her that Keigetsu was injured, yet she said, ‘I hope we find out who hurt her.’”
“That’s true. She did say that.”
Tsukika had a reputation for being sweet and kind. Rinrai had simply thought that, being compassionate, she would naturally worry about the crown princess, even if she was of humble birth.
Junkei continued, his gaze sharp.
“Isn’t that strange?”
“Why would she assume someone hurt her?”
Rinrai gasped in realization. Junkei nodded.
“We are still investigating whether it was an accident or intentional. Why did she speak as if someone was definitely responsible?”
Instead of saying something vague like “I hope we find out the cause” or “I wonder what happened,” she had spoken with certainty, as if she already knew the truth.
“Perhaps the princess knows who burned Keigetsu.”
Besides, the way Keigetsu had fallen backward onto the stove was odd.
Looking at the scene, there had been nothing on the ground that could have tripped her. It also seemed strange that she had her back to the fire. Could someone have pushed her?
And when Junkei had called her “Tsukika-san,” she had responded naturally—confirming what Koji had secretly relayed to him the night before about Keigetsu’s message.
The girl Keigetsu had been searching for, the girl Junkei and his siblings had rescued when she collapsed, and the princess who looked just like them—they were likely the same person. Junkei was now certain of it.
This raised another question: Why was Tsukika in the royal palace as a princess?
Junkei needed to meet Shuugetsu as soon as possible.
As their father, he would know the truth, and things would finally start to unfold.
It had been ten days since Junkei lent one of his men to investigate the fire in the village. By now, he should have found something and be on his way back, yet there had been no contact.
Suppressing his growing impatience, Junkei focused on returning to the Inner Palace first.
Perhaps by now, Keigetsu had regained consciousness and could explain what happened.
“Let’s hurry.”
When Junkei turned to Rinrai, she nodded firmly, and together, they quickened their pace toward the Inner Palace.