To kill time, Kazuo finally spoke.
"First, let me thank you."
The consorts blinked.
"For saving Rin," he clarified.
The four women exchanged glances, slightly surprised.
Akane took the lead, arms crossed. "It was necessary. We believed Rin could handle it."
"After all," she continued, "he's the one who helped us in the past."
Rei nodded. "He helped me improve my sword dance back in the Celebration. Not just that—he also helped me control my magic better."
Miharu added next, her voice soft but firm.
"I was his coworker in the White Flower Palace before I became a consort."
Suzuki finally spoke, her gaze lowering slightly.
"He cured my illness when no one else could."
Kazuo took in all their words.
He nodded. "I see. Thank you again."
Then—
He asked the question they had all been avoiding.
"Now then… might I ask of your feelings toward Rin?"
Silence.
The four consorts stiffened.
Their eyes darted to each other, then to Kazuo.
"He's… a good worker." Miharu started professionally.
"Yes, a very reliable man," Suzuki quickly added.
"A skilled warrior and magic user," Rei muttered, looking away.
Akane, who had been watching them with amusement, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Pfft—!"
The other three whipped their heads toward her.
Akane simply smirked. "You three are so bad at this."
Then—
She turned to Kazuo, eyes filled with certainty.
"I love him."
Her words were clear.
Direct.
Confident.
Kazuo met her gaze, his expression unreadable.
"I see."
Then he turned to the other three.
"So… just one, huh?"
The three flinched.
Kazuo sighed.
"I was hoping for all four of you. But knowing Rin…"
His gaze lowered slightly.
"He'll probably return to the Imperial Palace once this Imperial Courtship is over."
He turned back to Akane.
"How much do you love Rin?"
Akane didn't hesitate.
Her eyes burned with conviction.
"Very much."
Kazuo's gaze was steady as he spoke.
"If I tell you that you can pursue him—so long as you make him stay in the Imperial Palace—can you do it, White Princess Akane?"
Akane narrowed her eyes slightly, studying him.
Then, she smirked. "Oh? That's quite the request, Your Highness."
She leaned forward. "But what about you, Crown Prince Kazuo? Last I checked, I was tied to you, not to Rin."
Kazuo exhaled, a tired yet determined look on his face. "I have no intention of being Crown Prince any longer."
The room fell silent.
"When Rin returns, he'll probably force me to stay in this position," Kazuo continued. "But I want you to help me redirect this title to Rin."
Akane's eyes widened slightly before a sly smile crept onto her lips.
"So… you're asking me to make Rin want to become Crown Prince?"
"Pretty much."
Akane chuckled, shaking her head. "You're right about one thing—this won't be easy."
Kazuo shrugged. "It would be difficult with only one consort. So, I was hoping for more…"
That was when it happened.
"Then… in that case—"
Suzuki cleared her throat. "I… love Rin as well."
Rei, sitting beside her, hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "I do too."
Miharu, gripping the hem of her sleeve, took a breath. "Me too."
Kazuo flinched.
He had expected one.
Not three more all at once.
His eyes widened slightly. "W-Wait, all of you…?"
The three women looked away, embarrassed, but none of them denied it.
Akane smirked at Kazuo's reaction. "Surprised, Your Highness?"
Kazuo rubbed his temple. "You could say that."
Kazuo leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He studied the four women before him, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"I understand that you love him, but I need to hear your reasons."
The consorts exchanged glances. They already knew Suzuki's reason—after all, the Azure Empress Suzuki had practically been another version of herself. She had been saved by Rin from her magical illness, and in that moment of salvation, her heart had been sealed.
"That much, I expected," Kazuo admitted. "But what about the rest of you?"
Rei's eyes burned with intensity as she spoke.
"Do you remember the Subspace Kidnappings?"
Kazuo nodded. "Of course. A terrible incident."
"Rin was the one who saved so many civilians that day," Rei said, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "He could have escaped on his own, but he stayed. Fought until the last hostage was safe. He nearly died because of it."
She clenched her fists.
"I fell in love with that selflessness." Her gaze sharpened. "And I want to stand beside him, protect him with my sword. If he's going to keep throwing himself into danger, then I'll make sure he's never alone."
Miharu lowered her head slightly, fingers tightening around the fabric of her sleeve.
"I met Rin in the White Flower Palace," she began. "Back then, I was just another apprentice… weighed down by the Urakawa family's traitorous bloodline."
Her voice softened.
"But Rin never cared about that."
Her eyes glistened.
"He always pushed me forward, telling me to be better, to prove myself—not for others, but for my own sake."
She let out a shaky breath.
"He's the reason I became a consort in the first place. And yet…" Miharu swallowed hard. "I only realized too late that I loved him."
Kazuo's expression softened. He didn't need to say anything—her regret was already clear.
Akane leaned back, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on her lips.
"My story's a bit different."
She chuckled.
"I tried to use him. To manipulate him for my own gain. Rin and I fought for control of each other, a constant back-and-forth."
Her eyes darkened slightly with nostalgia.
"But in the end, he never actually tried to win against me."
She closed her eyes briefly, as if remembering something.
"Do you know what he told me?"
Kazuo shook his head.
Akane's smirk faded into something more genuine.
"He said he trusted me."
Silence fell over the room.
Akane let out a quiet laugh. "That idiot didn't even realize that trust was all it took to break through my walls."
Kazuo exhaled deeply, rubbing his temple.
"I see. All of you have your reasons. And honestly…" He straightened his posture. "I hope your love can come true."
The consorts looked at him in surprise.
Kazuo smiled, a weight lifting off his shoulders.
"Finally, I can let go of this responsibility."
He waved a hand dismissively. "Just… be subtle, alright? If the Imperial Officials find out about all of you chasing Rin, it'll be chaos."
Akane grinned. "Oh? What's this? The Crown Prince himself giving us permission?"
Kazuo groaned. "I just want this title off me, okay? So if helping you four means getting Rin to take my place, then I'll do whatever I can to give you chances."
Suzuki, Rei, and Miharu blinked at him.
"Wait, you're actually going to help us?" Rei asked.
Kazuo nodded firmly. "Absolutely. Anything to make Rin take the throne."
Akane burst into laughter. "I like the way you think, Your Highness."
The four headmaids stood off to the side, watching the conversation unfold with expressions ranging from shock to exasperation.
Ito Fumiko, Miharu's headmaid, rubbed her temples. "I can't believe what I'm hearing… This is actually happening."
Niwa Yori, Rei's headmaid, crossed her arms. "His Highness Kazuo just handed over permission like it was nothing. Does he even realize what he's unleashed?"
Emi, Akane's headmaid, chuckled lightly. "Oh, he knows exactly what he's doing. This is his way of escaping responsibility."
Fujikawa Rina, Suzuki's headmaid, sighed dramatically. "It was already overwhelming when we found out that Shimuzu Rin was actually the 2nd Imperial Prince… But now the Crown Prince himself is telling our ladies to openly chase after him?"
The four maids exchanged glances.
This was not what they had expected.
Before, their mistresses had always held back when it came to Rin. Even though their feelings were obvious, the fact that Rin was a commoner had restrained them. There had been rules. Etiquette. Formalities.
But now?
Now, they were given free rein.
This was no longer just an Imperial Courting Ceremony. This was going to be absolute chaos.
Yori sighed. "I hate to say it, but… His Highness Kazuo actually thought this through."
Fumiko nodded. "Yes. Rin might not have to die if people find out about his true identity, but his position is still higher than theirs now. The social gap still exists."
Rina added, "Which means that openly approaching him without a valid reason would normally be… difficult."
Emi smirked. "But that's where the Crown Prince steps in, isn't it? He'll 'coincidentally' create opportunities for them to get closer."
Silence fell.
They all stared at each other.
And then, as if coming to the same realization at once—
They turned their gazes upward and silently prayed for the 2nd Imperial Prince.
Rin… may the heavens grant you strength.
The flickering lanterns cast long shadows across the tent as Rin emerged from the darkness like a specter, his red palace uniform blending seamlessly with the dim surroundings.
"Already planning behind my back?" he said, his voice smooth yet carrying a hint of amusement.
The consorts flinched. Even Kazuo, who was usually composed, widened his eyes before quickly recovering.
"You act like Azure Empress Nao," Kazuo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Always appearing at the most uncomfortable times."
Rin smirked and took a step forward. "What can I say? I am her son, after all." His gaze flicked to Kazuo. "Besides, you're the son of White Empress Asami. Shouldn't you be a little better at handling the flow of administration?"
Kazuo groaned. "You just got back, and you're already nagging me."
Rin ignored him and casually sat down on an empty seat. The consorts openly stared at him, their gazes filled with unspoken thoughts.
The headmaids, however, were shocked for a different reason.
He wasn't even slightly fazed.
Despite knowing that all four consorts had feelings for him. Despite Kazuo practically throwing them at him. Rin was handling the weight of their attention with absolute composure.
But Rin wasn't here for that.
With a soft clink, he placed something on the table.
The Azure Empress Insignia.
The small emblem gleamed under the lantern light, its mana-infused patterns pulsing with a soft glow.
"Since you're all done discussing things about me," Rin said, his voice carrying a new gravity, "let's get to the real issue."
Everyone's eyes locked onto the insignia.
Rin exhaled and activated his Perfect Quantum Eyes. The once-black irises now shimmered in gold, intricate patterns forming as he analyzed the mana flow within the insignia.
"This insignia… is from another timeline," he confirmed.
The room fell silent.
Rin traced the patterns in the air with his finger, revealing shimmering threads of mana that extended beyond the insignia itself.
"These threads represent the mana flow of the timeline where this insignia was created. If I adjust the sequence…" Rin flicked his wrist, and suddenly, branches of intertwining paths appeared.
Kazuo leaned forward, his expression serious. "You mean to say… this isn't just a remnant from another reality? This insignia is proof of multiple possible futures?"
"Exactly." Rin nodded. "More than that, it confirms something I've suspected—there are many timelines, but all of them seem to lead to the same conclusion."
He traced the mana paths until they all converged at a single, dark endpoint.
Rei's breath hitched. She recalled the desperate words of the Azure Empress Suzuki.
"An endless darkness that consumed the world…"
Rin nodded at her. "It wasn't just her timeline. It's a repeating phenomenon."
Suzuki's voice was quiet. "You're saying… every timeline ends in the same disaster?"
Rin's fingers tightened.
"It's worse than that." He gestured to the current timeline, which was still moving. Still shifting. "Our future is still uncertain… but it's moving in the same direction."
Akane frowned. "Are you suggesting that something—or someone—is making time repeat itself?"
"That's the best explanation I can think of." Rin leaned back, his eyes still glowing as he processed the information. "A power beyond even Supreme-tier magic. A Divine-tier ability… Rewind."
"A cycle…" Miharu murmured, gripping her dress. "A world that resets over and over again?"
Rin's voice dropped to a whisper.
"And for some reason, the center of it all… is me."
Silence.
No one could find words to respond.
For the first time, even Kazuo was speechless.
Rin's golden eyes flickered as he traced the insignia with his fingertips, his expression unreadable.
"If I were to predict when the cycle ends… it would be after the coronation of the new Hoshimi Imperial Family," Rin muttered, his voice steady. "Suzuki became an Empress in that timeline, after all."
Rei clenched her fists. "So what you're saying is…"
"It happens when Suzuki turns 24 years old." Rin turned the insignia over, revealing a small inscription on the back. "The insignia carries the personal details of Empress Suzuki. This is authentic Hoshimi Imperial craftsmanship."
Miharu furrowed her brows. "How sure are you?"
Rin exhaled sharply, tapping the inscription. "Because this isn't just a relic. It's official documentation. And if we compare her age to the Suzuki standing before us…"
Everyone turned to Suzuki.
"You're 15 years old right now. That gives us only nine years before this timeline reaches the same fate."
A heavy silence followed.
Kazuo sat back, processing the weight of Rin's words. "To think our generation would be the one facing something this dire…"
Rin's grip on the insignia tightened as if shielding it from the world.
The consorts noticed this instantly.
Their gazes flickered toward Suzuki.
Their thoughts were the same.
He's treating it so carefully.
Like it's precious to him.
…Is it because it belonged to Suzuki?
A strange emotion stirred within them.
Rin sighed, sensing their stares. "I'm just keeping it safe. This insignia is important evidence. That's all."
Still, his next words didn't ease their jealousy.
"…It can also serve as a medium to tap into the memories of Empress Suzuki."
Kazuo crossed his arms. "And we need someone who can access those memories."
Rin nodded. "Only someone capable of Forbidden-tier illusion magic could do that. Fortunately… I know someone."
The room leaned in closer.
"Azure Empress Nao."
The name rang through the tent like a chime.
"My mother."
Suzuki flinched. Even after all this, she hadn't completely wrapped her head around the fact that Rin was an Imperial Prince.
Miharu's gaze sharpened. "Then… you're going back."
Rin nodded. "I guess the time has come for me to return."
He exhaled, leaning back slightly. "But first… I need to say goodbye to Harumi and the White Elder."
A silence fell again.
The consorts' expressions shifted.
Harumi.
The White Flower Palace maid Rin trusted completely.
The same woman who, during the reconstruction of the Imperial Capital, had openly declared that she loved Rin.
Kazuo smirked, watching the consorts stare at Rin with a new intensity.
This brother of mine… really has them wrapped around his finger.
Not that he cared.