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CHAPTER 26 - Sword Of The Tongue
It was the day of the Miyabi party. Sango was more nervous than ever.
Hongyu looked at Sango, who was fidgeting, in shock.
"It's you. It's not like the Miyabi-kai is held once a year or anything. Well, Peony Palace has fewer than others, but it still happens once every two or three months."
“Uh, yeah, I guess so.”
It turned out that it would be difficult to get back the sword given to him by Prince Mericle, but even so, this gathering was still a big deal for Sango.
The thoughts of Hongyu, who taught him the erhu, and the hard work of Konkon and Reimi, who sang the song, reflected in the performance. She couldn't afford to fail.
After lunch, it's time to get ready in the costume room. She took a bath, her nails were polished, and her golden hair was carefully combed. Then a decoration made for Sango was prepared.
She usually wore a plain blue flower uniform, but today she wore a gorgeous costume.
Peony flowers were embroidered on the blue fabric using white thread. The belt was black with a silver ivy pattern. The haori wad white with a blue collar.
Her hair was tied up on tip of her head for the ceremony.
Red makeup, meant to ward off evil spirits, was applied over a wider area around the corners of her eyes than usual.
She finished getting ready after three hours.
Konkon looked at Sango's fully dressed figure and let out a sigh.
"Sango-sama, the most beautiful in the world... no, it's wonderful."
“Konkon, thank you.”
When Konkon smiled back, her cheeks turned vermilion.
“Konkon, aren't you dressing up for today?”
"Although I'm being presumptuous."
"I'm looking forward to it."
"Ah... uh, yes. I'll do my best to dress up."
Konkon also said she was going to start getting ready, so they parted ways.
As she was returning to her room, she spotted a woman sitting in a marble chair with her back taut, in the courtyard.
Immediately, Sango realized that it was Princess Hoshi.
"Princess Hoshi"
When she called her name, she turned around. She frowned when she realized it was Sango.
From what she saw, Princess Hoshi was not dressed up. She was wearing a navy blue flower dress tied with a black belt, making her look more modest than the last time she met her.
There were about three hours left until the party. It's probably time to get ready.
Unable to look down at the Princess Hoshi who was sitting, Sango put one knee on the ground and looked up at her.
"Um... what are you doing here?"
"Can't you see? The ladies-in-waiting started arguing over today's attire, so I ran away."
"I-I see."
The ladies-in-waiting worked hard to make Princess Hoshi beautiful. It seemed that their opinions had clashed.
"Not at all. It would be best if we talked before coming."
Princess Hoshi seemed to be quite irritated. When she looked closely, she saw a lady-in-waiting at a distance. She seemed to be waiting for her anger to subside.
“The ladies-in-waiting are truly in love with Princess Hoshi, so I guess that’s what happened.”
"I'm falling in love with you. Well, that's good."
She took a quick look at Sango. Her slit eyes narrowed as her crimson lips drew a crescent-like arc.
“What are you going to say now? I will hold my breath and wait.”
“Anyway, the word “costume” is appropriate for today’s host, Umako.”
Umako also had costumes - an old word from Karetsu.
Umako was a servant who took care of horses in a noble family's household, and it meant that even someone with no social status, such as a servant, could look good in a fine costume.
It was not a compliment at all.
However, Sango did not know the meaning of costumes.
In an innocent manner, she asked Hoshi what it meant.
“Princess Hoshi, what does that mean?”
She asked her with such pure eyes that Princess Hoshi pressed her lips tightly together and frowned dramatically.
It was an easy-to-understand meanness, but it didn't make sense to Sango at all.
"That's... that's it. It means that the costume suits Umako well."
"Princess Hoshi! Thank you very much. I'm so happy!"
"Uh, umm."
Furthermore, Sango spoke with sparkling eyes.
“I’m already looking forward to seeing Princess Hoshi's outfit for the elegant party!”
"Okay, stand back."
Sango made a fist with her left hand, wrapped it around her right hand, and raised it above her head. She greeted the princess and left the courtyard as she was ordered.
◇◇◇
When she returned to her room, Hongyu came out of the bedroom in full costume.
It seemed like he got ready without anyone's help.
That's what Reimi said before. Since Hongyu had never attended a Miyabi party, there was a possibility that he would not be attending this time either. However, just by looking at him, it was clear that he would be attending tonight's party.
Today's outfit was very gorgeous and beautiful.
Peony flowers were embroidered with silver thread on the blue flower robe, and an ivy pattern wad drawn on the black belt with gold thread. With a pure white haori and a deep blue collar, it had a more energetic look than the formal attire of a court official.
The red around her eyes was drawn longer than usual along the line of her eyelids. Her sharp eyes made her look more sexy than usual.
As she was admiring him, someone called out to her.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"No, uh..."
‘What can I say to him?’ Sango didn't know how to praise a handsome man.
However, now she remembered the perfect way to praise Princess Hoshi that she learned earlier.
“Oh, um, Umako has costumes too!”
“Um, that’s really, really nice.”
Hongyu's expression stiffened, so she thought he had memorized it by mistake, so she quickly rephrased it in another way.
"Who taught you that word?"
“Princess Hoshi, just now.”
Hongyu let out a big sigh while massaging his temples with his fingertips.
"Princess Hoshi? Were you happy to hear that?"
"Yes"
After pretending to think about it for a while, he told her, “From now on, even Umako is prohibited from using the word costume.''
“It is a word that only noble people are allowed to use.”
Sango heard clearly and nodded firmly.
Hongyu looked irritated.
Sango shrugged her shoulders, thinking that she had made him angry again.
“Hongyu, I'm sorry."
“Why do you apologize?”
They were crowded and took shelter against the wall. When their eyes meet, she quickly looked away.
It was painful to see his angry face.
She felt awkward and tried to step back, but her heel hit the wall.
There's no place to escape anymore. She couldn't help but look down.
Hongyu thrust his hand right next to Sango's shoulder. She looked up, surprised.
He glared at her and warned me in a low voice.
"Don't get close to Princess Hoshi."
“Why is that?”
“By all means.”
She must have done something wrong again. Sango was deeply depressed. She didn't know what to say. She blinked her eyes, and tears came from her eyes. The drops rolled down her cheeks.
Seeing that, Hongyu was shocked.
"Hey, why are you crying?"
"I-I'm sorry, do not be angry."
"No, no, that's not it. You're not bad. It's not your fault, so don't cry."
Even after he said that, her tears did not stop flowing.
The vermilion around her eyes, which had been brought out so beautifully by the dark blue, was now blurred.
No matter how much time passed, she couldn't stop crying. Hongyu clicked his tongue and left Sango.
It looked like he was headed to the office.
Sango could no longer stand and slug along the wall, crouching down.
"Kuun"
The raccoon dog that was in the bedroom ran up to Sango, looking worried.
"Kuun, Kuun"
It rubbed her cheek to encourage her. Sango picked up the tanuki and buried her face in her fluffy fur.
It must have been asleep until now. She was doing something else.
Hongyu will be back soon.
He knelt down on one knee in front of Sango, grabbed the tanuki, and lowered it to the floor.
"Ah, raccoon..."
“Raccoon is next.”
Instead, a round ball that looked like hardened honey was presented to her.
"This is?"
“Amber.”
It seemed like a talisman that had been passed down in a brilliant manner.
"Amber calms the five organs - lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, and liver, and has the power to keep monsters and evil spirits away."
Amber was said to be the crystallized remains of a tiger.
“A tiger?”
"Ah. Is it not in your country?"
"Yes"
“It has golden fur with black stripes, sharp fangs, and pointed claws.”
“It has a ferocious personality, sipping human blood and eating flesh.”
“If you meet in the forest, That's your end. You have to prepare for death.”
"The tiger is also said to be a symbol of strength, fame, and authority."
Legend has it that if you wear it, you will be protected from all kinds of disasters.
"I'll do this for you."
“For me?”
Hongyu nodded.
"I'm worried. Someday, I'll get hurt in a place I don't know..."
Then, Sango noticed.
Hongyu wasn't angry, he was worried about her.
Sango clasped Konkon's hand, which held Kohaku in her palm, with both hands and thanked him.
"Thank you very much. I will treasure it.
Then, Hongyu's expression became soft, as if he was genuinely relieved.
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