The Legend of the Reclusive Princess Zuicho of the Rikan Empire ~She Escapes From The Palace Everyday and Works as a Capable Government Official.~ - Chapter 16

Rustle, rustle.

In the quiet courtyard of the palace at night, a single figure moved carefully, trying not to be seen.

Dressed in simple clothes with a cloth draped over her head, Saya walked quickly, eager to return to her room after finishing her duties.

She had covered her official robes with hidden garments and taken off her official hat, changing back into the plain appearance of an ordinary consort.

With no street lamps around, only the soft light of the moon guided her path. The lonely walk back after work felt a little depressing, even though Saya knew this road well and walked it every day.

(Today, I even went out to the town… I just want to take a nice long bath and go to sleep.)

(And this morning, I got splashed with that mossy water too…) she thought, recalling the day’s events as she passed through the courtyard. Scattered lights spilled softly from the various palace buildings.

Though the consorts usually slept through the night, there were always court ladies staying awake to tend the fireplace, so the palace was never completely dark. But tonight, one building stood out—its lights were shining unusually bright.

(Oh… someone rare is still awake this late…)

In the palace, where most people went to bed and rose early because of the sun’s schedule, it was strange for someone to stay up past midnight, and the building with the bright lights belonged to Lady Taruhi, one of the Four Consorts, just like Lady Rangetsu. Lady Taruhi was known for her high rank, gentle manners, and elegant appearance—an upright, proper lady. She was not the kind of person to stay up late just having fun, which made this scene all the more strange.

Saya decided it would be best to keep her distance, not wanting to get noticed by the glowing lights.

However—

Heeheehee… ahahaha…

Even though she was still quite far away, cheerful laughter reached her ears. When she looked more closely, she could even see shadows moving behind the windows.

(Is that… a party…?)

Even though she told herself it couldn’t be, the noise made it hard to think otherwise. This was clearly more than just a consort having a little too much to drink. The sharp laughter echoed across the courtyard, loud enough to be heard by the nearby consorts and court ladies.

(Well… maybe it’s just one of those rare nights…?)

That was the only way she could explain it to herself.

But the inner palace belonged to His Majesty the Emperor. Even if he barely paid attention, it was still a place he might visit at any time. The people who lived there were supposed to behave with dignity.

For example, there were strict rules about alcohol in the palace. Consorts weren’t allowed to drink so much that they lost control.

That was why making such a ruckus in the middle of the night could bring into question one’s worthiness as a consort.

(I just hope this doesn’t turn into a big problem…)

Saya, who had her own guilty secret of sneaking around, still found herself worrying about others.

Finally, Saya stepped inside the small, quiet building she had been assigned, tucked away in a corner of the palace despite her low rank. There were no court ladies around, and in the peaceful solitude, she finally let out a relieved sigh.