As Rin descended the slope beside the sled, his mind wandered, lost in the weight of what was to come.
Officer Tsutomu had surprised him.
Even though he was an upright man, duty-bound and strict, he had chosen to bend the rules—for now. It wasn't an act of defiance but of care. Tsutomu had always valued his subordinates, even if it meant going against his own judgment.
"If only things could stay this simple," Rin thought bitterly.
But they couldn't.
His persona as Shimuzu Rin—a nameless warrior, a commoner of the Empire—was as good as dead.
The moment the Imperial Courtship ended, his trial would come.
Of course, the Hoshimi Imperial Family wouldn't actually let him be executed.
No, they'd simply use this as an excuse to drag him back—back into the Palace, back into his rightful place as the Second Imperial Prince.
He sighed, the cold air stinging his lungs.
"And then there's Kazuo…"
Akane had told him—his older brother, the Crown Prince, had changed in his absence.
Emotionless.
Despairing.
It was as if the light had gone out of Kazuo's world when Rin disappeared.
"Damn it… why did things turn out like this?"
He had wanted nothing to do with the Palace.
Yet no matter how hard he ran, fate kept pulling him back.
Rin's hands clenched around the straps of his gear.
He had no choice now.
When he returned to the Imperial Capital, he would have to face Kazuo.
And after that…
He would have to shed the mask of Shimuzu Rin and once again become Hoshimi Rin, the Second Imperial Prince.
Just like in the novel.
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
"So much for living freely," he thought.
But… there was one regret that burned deeper than the rest.
Harumi.
His closest friend. The one who stood beside him through everything.
He had left her behind—left her and their bedridden master, the White Elder, in the White Flower Palace.
He didn't even get to say goodbye.
"I should've at least…"
But no.
The novel came first.
The story had to unfold the way it was meant to.
Even if it cost him everything.
A soft glow from the lanterns bathed the room in warm, flickering light. The air smelled faintly of medicinal herbs, a sharp contrast to the tension filling the space.
Miharu and Rei slowly regained consciousness, their minds still hazy from Rin's spell. The moment their eyes focused, they were met with two familiar figures sitting across from them.
Chinen Suzuki. Worried.
Shinegori Akane. Unreadable.
Suzuki's fingers clutched her robes, anxiety written all over her face. Akane, on the other hand, stared at them with cold amusement, as if she had expected this outcome from the very beginning.
Miharu and Rei sat up, their gazes locking onto Akane.
"Why are you two here…?" Miharu murmured, her voice hoarse.
Akane crossed her legs, her expression untouched by emotion. "Isn't that our line?" she said. "What exactly did you two do?"
A heavy silence followed.
Rei and Miharu exchanged hesitant glances before explaining everything.
How they had chased Rin down.
How he had resisted.
And how, in the end, he had confessed to a crime he never committed.
Suzuki gasped in horror. "He—! Is he alright?" she demanded.
Akane, who had been listening with a knowing glint in her eyes, simply shrugged. "There hasn't been any official news yet," she said, "which means he's safe for now."
But then, her expression sharpened.
"That won't last. Once this Imperial Courtship is over… Rin will face trial."
A cold chill settled in the room.
Rei gritted her teeth. Miharu's hands trembled.
Suzuki paled, gripping the sheets. "What do you mean, trial? He's innocent!"
Akane's lips curled into a smirk. A slow, cruel one.
"Of course he is," she said. "But that doesn't matter anymore."
The words sent a dagger of fear through their hearts.
Akane leaned forward, her eyes sharp like a predator.
"I told you, didn't I?" she murmured. "I warned you not to pursue him. And now look at what you've done."
Miharu and Rei froze.
Akane's voice was slow, deliberate. Cruel.
"He took the blame for you."
"And because of that… he'll lose his life as Shimuzu Rin."
The weight of her words sank in like lead.
Rei and Miharu's breath hitched. Suzuki, who had been quietly listening, suddenly snapped her head toward them, fury flashing in her mana-filled eyes.
"You two…" Her voice shook with anger. "This is your fault!"
Miharu and Rei flinched. They already knew. They already regretted it. But hearing it from Suzuki made it even worse.
Suzuki's hands clenched into fists. "I was trying to do my best… to get stronger… to make Rin look my way without forcing myself on him. And you—" she bit her lip before glaring at them. "You just ruined everything!"
Akane's smirk widened.
Perfect.
This was exactly what she wanted.
She didn't want Rin to take the fall. But now that he had… she would make sure the others learned from it.
If Miharu and Rei truly loved Rin, they needed to understand their place.
Because the man they were chasing—
Was far, far beyond their reach.
The frost-bitten winds swept across the vast, snowy plains as the Imperial Convoy moved slowly through the designated route.
At the very front, a group of warriors from the Advance Squad scouted ahead, ensuring the path was safe. Among them, Shimuzu Rin walked with quiet focus, his expression unreadable.
Beside him, Officer Tsutomu rode on horseback, observing him closely.
"You really didn't run away…" Tsutomu muttered, unable to hide his surprise.
Rin didn't respond immediately. His golden eyes were fixated on the road ahead, scanning for anything out of place.
His stance was sharper, his movements more precise.
He was on edge.
And Tsutomu noticed.
"Rin," he called, keeping his voice even. "You seem more serious than usual."
Rin finally spared him a glance before returning to his task. "There's a high chance of an ambush today."
That made Tsutomu frown. "An ambush? How do you—"
But before he could finish, Rin cut him off.
"It's just a feeling," Rin said. "But I'd rather be prepared than regretful."
Of course, that wasn't the truth.
He knew exactly what was going to happen.
This was the 7th day of the Imperial Courtship— and according to the events in Golden Girl's Rise, this was the day the Dark Order launched their revenge attack.
The Empire's 2nd Official Purge had destroyed their forces a year ago.
And now, they would retaliate.
Rin had no intention of letting that happen.
If he was going to return as Hoshimi Rin, the 2nd Imperial Prince, then he had to take responsibility.
He had to protect the Imperial Convoy.
A tense silence settled between them as they continued forward.
Then, after a while, Tsutomu sighed, shaking his head.
"You're a weird one, Rin."
Rin glanced at him, unimpressed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Tsutomu chuckled. "You're capable and strange. You don't act like a normal soldier. You don't run away, even when you should. You carry yourself differently. Maybe that's why the consorts keep chasing after you."
Rin's eye twitched.
"Shut up." He scowled. "I don't want to hear about them."
Tsutomu laughed. "Fine, fine."
Rin clicked his tongue. If only it were that easy to shut out the three troublesome women in his life.
For now, though, he had bigger things to worry about.
The Advance Squad moved swiftly through the snow-covered landscape, their breath misting in the freezing air. At the front, Officer Tsutomu and Shimuzu Rin led the group, their horses trudging through the thick frost.
And then, they saw it.
The bridge had collapsed.
A massive chasm stretched before them, the once-sturdy wooden bridge now reduced to broken planks and dangling ropes. Below, an icy river raged violently, making it impossible to cross.
One of the scouts cursed. "There's no way through here."
Tsutomu immediately turned to one of his men. "Send a messenger to the Red Squad. Report the bridge's destruction and request new orders."
The soldier saluted before riding off at full speed.
In the meantime, the Advance Squad remained stationed at the collapse site, keeping watch for any potential threats. Rin, however, stood silently, staring at the wreckage.
He had expected this.
This was a planned event in Golden Girl's Rise.
The Dark Order had done this intentionally to force the convoy into an even more dangerous path.
And sure enough, when the messenger returned, the Red Squad had issued a new order—
"Reroute through the valley."
Tsutomu read the report and frowned deeply. "A narrow valley… We can fit the convoy through, but it's a perfect place for an ambush."
His gaze slowly shifted to Rin, who was unnervingly calm.
"…You're not surprised," Tsutomu stated, watching him carefully.
Rin merely glanced at him before shrugging. "It's predictable."
Tsutomu squinted. "…You knew this would happen."
Rin remained silent, neither confirming nor denying it.
Tsutomu sighed, his fingers tightening around his horse's reins. "Are you planning to use this chance to run?"
Rin exhaled sharply.
"No." His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable. "I won't run."
He couldn't.
Not with the Imperial Convoy walking into a trap.
Tsutomu observed him for a moment before shaking his head. "Fine. Then let's get to work."
The Advance Squad prepared to move. Their new route had been set, and now it was their job to sweep ahead to ensure it was safe—
Even if Rin already knew it wouldn't be.
The White Princess Consort's carriage was lavishly decorated, a sign of her high status in court. However, inside, the atmosphere was far from elegant—
It was tense.
Akane sat comfortably on a plush seat, sipping tea with a smug, almost devilish expression. Across from her sat the other three Imperial Consorts—Suzuki, Rei, and Miharu—all with visibly frustrated expressions.
Suzuki, though normally quiet and reserved, had her arms crossed, eyes glaring at the two consorts beside her. She had worked harder after realizing that blind pursuit wouldn't make Rin love her, but now... Rin was on the verge of death, and she didn't know what to do.
Meanwhile, Rei and Miharu were silent, their heads slightly lowered.
They were the reason Rin had given up.
And Akane?
She rubbed it in.
"Honestly," Akane sighed, swirling her tea, "I warned you two not to chase him, didn't I?"
Neither Rei nor Miharu spoke, but their hands clenched into fists.
"You cornered him," Akane continued, voice laced with amusement. "And now look at what happened—he confessed to a crime he never committed."
Rei's teeth gritted. "Enough."
Miharu shot Akane a glare. "Aren't you supposed to care about him too?! And yet you're mocking us?"
Akane set her teacup down, tilting her head. "Care?" She let out a soft laugh. "Of course, I care. I care enough to respect his decision."
The two consorts flinched.
They had pushed Rin. They didn't respect his wishes.
Suzuki, still glaring, turned to them. "You two... made a mistake." Her voice was firm, cold.
Rei clenched her jaw. "And what do you expect us to do about it? Just stand by while he dies?"
Akane's smile widened.
"Yes."
All three women froze.
Suzuki's fingers trembled. Miharu's breath hitched. Rei looked like she wanted to punch Akane.
Akane leaned forward, golden eyes sharp as a dagger.
"You don't get it, do you?" she whispered, voice suddenly serious. "Rin isn't someone you can reach. He never was."
Rei slammed her fist against the carriage wall. "Then what the hell do you expect us to do?!"
Akane stared at her before saying, "Watch."
"Watch?" Miharu echoed, her voice breaking slightly.
Akane smirked. "Yes. Watch as the man you love faces execution. Watch as he is taken away from you. Because he has already decided it."
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
The three consorts felt their hearts sink deeper into despair.
If Rin wouldn't save himself... who would?
Akane watched the three consorts in silent amusement.
Miharu and Rei were tense, their fists clenched on their laps. Suzuki, though normally composed, had her gaze fixed on the floor, as if trying to process everything.
The weight of their actions—of cornering Rin until he had no choice but to take the fall—was now crushing them.
And Akane?
She enjoyed every second of it.
Her devilish smile widened as she poured herself another cup of tea, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.
"Oh? What's with those faces?" she hummed. "You two should be happy. You got what you wanted—Rin can no longer run away."
Neither Miharu nor Rei responded.
Good.
Because that was exactly how she wanted them to feel.
Despair.
Suzuki, who had been quiet, finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"…Will he resent us?"
Akane paused.
Now that was a question.
Would Rin resent them for dragging him back to the Imperial Palace? For forcing him to give up his identity as Shimuzu Rin and reclaim his true position as Hoshimi Rin, the 2nd Imperial Prince?
Akane chuckled.
"Oh, I wonder…"
She leaned forward, golden eyes flashing with cruel amusement.
"The man you three love…" she said softly, "is far, far beyond your reach."
The three women froze.
A heavy silence filled the carriage.
Miharu's lips parted slightly. "What… do you mean?"
Akane smirked. They still don't get it?
She wanted to tell them. Wanted to see their utter shock when they learned the truth.
That the man they had been chasing so desperately—the one they had pushed into a corner—was not just some Imperial warrior.
He was Imperial Royalty.
The younger brother of the Crown Prince. The son of the Azure Empress.
The unreachable moon in the sky.
But instead of telling them, she simply laughed.
"You'll find out soon enough."
She took a sip of her tea, watching as dread slowly spread across their faces.
The moment Rin returns to the Imperial Palace, the truth would come out.
And when it did…
They would finally understand.
They would finally realize…
That they were never meant to have him.