The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 11

A high wall, however, appeared in front of Maomao. Thoom. Jinshi had risen from his seat and was standing smack in front of her.

“Yes, sir?” she asked. Jinshi continued to look less than pleased.

“It has come to my attention that this man with whom you claim not to be especially close recently proposed marriage to you.”

At least he was to the point.

When the day came for his coming-of-age ceremony, he would put on the embroidered outfit. Then he might become a merchant, or a sailor, or journey somewhere far away. Back then, so many and such grand dreams had been there for him to dream.

“Far away...”

That might be good, he thought, as he climbed down from the tree. Go somewhere there was no one else, live a wandering life, and finally fall dead in the fields somewhere

Why did that bastard have to be so warped?

Why had no one tried to repair him?

Why had they made Rikuson do it?

No... That’s not true at all.

Rikuson had wished for this, longed for it.

To take revenge at last for his mother and sister.

And his wish had been granted

The purpose for which he had lived for more than ten years was gone, leaving a yawning emptiness in its place. It would not have been surprising had he simply died.

What Rikuson had done was unforgivable—but at the same time, they had lost their chance to punish him. It was cruel, and mean, and dirty. Rikuson found his own existence repulsive and hideous

“Why don’t you do something about him yourself?!” Rikuson had demanded, adopting a vehement tone that he hadn’t used in more than ten years. Even though he had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t speak that way again after he became Rikuson.

So it was that he came back to the western capital, Gyokuen having chosen him personally.

He was to be Gyoku-ou’s watchman—and, should anything happen, his executioner...

Gyokuen had seen it, the twistedness that afflicted Gyoku-ou.

Exactly what he said, I suspect. Daily business could continue as normal, with the aides handling everything. But he thought I should remain as the ‘face.’ Curse! That! Man! Rikuson!”

Yikes

He thought of the red-haired girl, You. Gyokuen’s youngest child, the daughter of an attractive traveling performer, raised so that she could one day go to the central region. She had harbored the survivors of the Yi clan. He was sure that Haku-u and her sisters, likewise, had been saved by the girl whose smile never faltered.

Just as Gyokuen had predicted, You grew up beautiful, and he had changed her name to Gyokuyou. He sent her to the rear palace, and now she had risen to become Empress

work.

“I thought there was one person who might fit the bill...” Jinshi said.

“Yes? Who was that?”

“Rikuson.”

Yes, Maomao realized, of course Jinshi would think of him. His name had even occurred to her, after all. Above all, Chue would certainly have given a full report.

“You seem oddly...accepting of that idea,” Jinshi said, looking mildly annoyed

There was one reason, and one reason only, that Rikuson wanted to destroy the family register—and that was because he felt a duty to Gyokuen