Volume 3, Chapter 35: Shenmei (2/2)

Suirei, taking the empty basket, left the room. For a moment, she heard noisy voices from the other side of the opened door, but was it her imagination?

Maomao decided to work hard on reading for a short while as she stuffed her cheeks with the prepared meal.

When she noticed, it was dark outside. As if Maomaos presence was a secret, she wasnt allowed to put lights on as she pleased.

While thinking that she wanted to read for a bit longer, Maomao laid down on the bed.

The former medical officer who was said to have researched eternal life, you can see how outstanding of a person he was by looking at the addendum notes.

(Hes no match for dad though.)

Wouldnt that make him a capable person that is second to him? Maomao thought.

She was aware that she raised a creepy voice whenever she found the names of plants and animals that she didnt know, and knew the kind of effect which parts had.

(Not good, not good.)

She covered her mouth when she thought that, but this time her limbs wriggled.

It was that interesting.

However, it was good enough as a time waster for Maomao, though she was quite helpless when it came to research. There must be other various tools, but were they taken away?

(I want to see more.)

She closed her eyes as she thought that. She ruminated on what she learnt today. Firsthand, aside from the text written in the book, there were papers slipped between the pages like a bookmark in several places. The papers pressed with various plants were just inserted right into the pages.

Maomao fumbled around and took out the paper in her collar. It was likely that this was pulled out from what was slipped among these.

(Huh?)

Maomao inadvertently got up. She tried to get off the bed to check the contents of the paulownia box, but it was a dark. She couldnt see. She missed her footing, and ceremoniously crashed onto the floor.

(Uooh!)

There were a loud sound and the thing she was leaning against fell. The box full of lacquer bowls fell directly onto Maomaos belly, and she cried out like a frog getting crushed.

For a short while, though she squirmed around, she held her mouth.

Although she was slightly drawn back by the pain, she put her ear against the door.

(No one noticed right?)

It was when she was going to sigh deeply as she rubbed her belly.

(!?)

When she thought she heard a click, she fell forward with a thump.

Half of Maomaos body had fallen into the corridor. She could see silver embroidered shoes before her eyes. The long skirt was made of silk, and when she shifted her gaze upwards, she saw a middle-aged woman.

The woman was wearing garish hair ornaments and clothes. The nails of her ring finger and pinky were around two sun long, and had tortoiseshell nail guards on. However, a crooked smile emerged on her face. Her face, which must have been beautiful before, produced a different twistedness with the wrinkles from her age.

There were two maids behind the woman, smiles practiced at their master. There was a pale-faced Suirei behind them. It was like she was saying to Maomao, What was that racket?

(Yeah, crap.)

I knew there was a gutter rat mixed in here.

As she cackled loudly in delight, she looked up and gazed backwards at Suirei. That calm, cool and collected Suireis complexion worsened.

It was a voice she heard before. It was the person who stabbed the hairpin into the basket when she entered this fortress, the woman who was the former high ranked consort, who was Shishous main wife, who was Rourans mother.

Was it time? Or was it a different cause? The one called the peerless beauty was already gone. As she laughed with her face reversed, she approached Suirei as her hair swayed. Maomao was aware that Suirei was trembling from the ghost-like movement.

You cant keep dirty creatures, right?

The woman, when she thought if she was going to raise her right hand as she laughed, struck.

The two nail guards sliced Suireis cheek. A red line oozed. And then, without missing a beat, the fan in the womans left hand smacked Suireis temple.

(Nasty.)

She purposely changed her direction like there was no wind resistance, and went to hit bone. Suirei covered her face, and repeated, My sincerest apologies. The maids who were smiling at the back, werent smiling in their eyes.

How dreadful. In any case, this must be Rourans wilfulness.

As she said that, she grabbed Suireis hair, and tugged her face closer. And then, contrary to what she expected, she licked the flowing blood.

()

No matter how you dilute noble blood, its the end if you mixed it with filthy blood once.

The woman wrapped up the paper that had been tucked into her outfit with the spit mixed with blood, and threw it on Suireis head.

And when she thought the woman was going to leave in satisfaction.

Thats right, that little rat.

She wasnt forgotten.

(Its fine to forget me.)

On the contrary, Maomao was held down from the top by a man who seemed to be a guard, and forced back into the room.

The children working underground, someone call them up. Even this kind of thing can be comfort.

Saying that, the woman left with a cruel smile.

Suirei, with a pale face,

My sincerest apologies, Shenmei-sama[note], Shen Mei. Divine Beauty.[/note]. My sincerest apologies.

earnestly apologised.

(What an exaggerated name.)

Maomao thought as she watched the mistress leave from the gap of the closed door.

T/N: Woot first post of the year! \o/ Nine chapters left to this arc, go go go~