Chapter 72
In the end, the Saint selected three young girls from the Kitagawa clan to serve her temporarily.
Before sending them off, Wakako advised the Second Daughter to stop deliberately trying to build a relationship with the Saint, at least until this period had passed. Otherwise, it would put the Kitagawa clan under unwanted scrutiny.
The Second Daughter seemed to take her advice to heart, but then casually remarked, “I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Do you not want me to send servants to serve the Saint?”
“…No, that’s not it.”
“Really?” The Second Daughter tilted her head. “Why do I always feel that you seemed quite happy when Rika and the others weren’t chosen last time?”
Before Wakako could explain, the Second Daughter narrowed her eyes and smiled. “But don’t worry, the three girls sent this time will only serve outside the courtyard. At most, they’ll play music or deliver meals; they won’t enter without permission.”
Wakako hadn’t realized it, but at that moment, her clenched hands quietly relaxed.
The Second Daughter continued, “By the way, are those rumors in the capital really true? I asked someone to inquire, but I haven’t heard anything. Is your source reliable?”
Wakako wasn’t one to believe rumors blindly, especially since Miki had no reason to lie to her about this.
“I asked my master the other day.”
“Captain Hua?”
“Yes.”
The Second Daughter let out an “Ah.” “Well…”
If the captain of the mercenaries had said it himself, then there was no room for doubt. After all, he was usually responsible for delivering information to the Queen.
In fact, it wasn’t Wakako who sought out Hua Yumu that day; he came to find her.
Since the trial, Tsukiyo had become increasingly diligent and hardworking, devoting herself to both literary and martial arts. She spent more and more time on the training grounds, even skipping breaks to continue her practice.
Wakako had just corrected Tsukiyo’s sword grip when she heard a gentle male voice from outside the grounds, “Wakako.”
She recognized her master’s voice, excused herself to Tsukiyo, and wiped her hands before running over.
The handsome, black-haired man stood by the weapons rack, surveying the array before finally picking up his usual butterfly knives.
“Care for a spar?” he smiled. “It would be a good demonstration for the Crown Princess.”
Wakako chose a phoenix-headed axe and began a match with Hua Yumu under Tsukiyo’s eager gaze.
Though they were master and apprentice, their fighting styles were completely different, which was evident in their choice of weapons. The butterfly knives were delicate and precise, designed to be concealed in the palm and strike from the shadows. The phoenix-head axe, on the other hand, was powerful and wide in its swings, each strike carrying enough force to sever a tree in half.
After three rounds of sparring, Hua Yumu’s butterfly knife was poised at Wakako’s shoulders, but she had blocked it just in time with her left hand. If the blade had come down, it would’ve only grazed her arm.
Meanwhile, the phoenix-headed axe was pressed against Hua Yumu’s neck. A little more force, and it would have severed his head.
There was no doubt Wakako had won.
She withdrew her axe, unsurprised by the result. “Master, why did you suddenly want to spar with me?”
Hua Yumu smiled, gesturing for the excited Tsukiyo to continue her practice. “It’s been a while since you defeated me; I wanted to relive the experience.”
Wakako blushed slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Please don’t tease me, Master.”
As the captain, Hua Yumu’s strength was naturally beyond that of ordinary people. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be fit for such an important role.
However, when it came to close combat, Wakako was on another level. She was practically unmatched, and most who faced her had no choice but to admit defeat.
He didn’t mind losing.
“I’ve never seen you use butterfly knives before,” Hua Yumu said as they put their weapons away together. “Want to try them next time?”
Wakako picked up the butterfly knives, twirling them deftly between her fingers, so fast that the blades became a blur.
“I can use them, but I don’t particularly like them. I prefer larger weapons.”
“Yes, that’s true. You’ve never relied on tricks—just like your personality. Even though you’re skilled with butterfly knives, you’d never use them”
Wakako’s fighting style had always been straightforward and direct, attacking head-on without any hidden moves. What might be considered a flaw in this approach—no secret tricks—became a strength because of her sheer power, but her sheer strength turned it into a unique characteristic.
Hua Yumu casually asked, “Then why did you hide the fact that you were poisoned and not tell us?”
Wakako’s fingers froze. She hadn’t expected her master to find out so quickly. Did that mean Carol and Albert also knew…?
“The other day, when you suddenly went to the storeroom to get ledgers and inventory items, I felt something was off,” Hua Yumu said. “And with the way Lin Lin and Siruo were looking at you, I guessed something had happened and went to ask the doctor.”
Although the doctor had promised Wakako to keep it a secret for the time being, Hua Yumu was the captain of the mercenaries, a powerful figure who worked directly for the Queen. The doctor had no choice but to reveal the truth.
“…Yes,” Wakako said with a wry smile. “It can’t be cured.”
Hua Yumu said the same thing everyone else had: “The Saint’s blood may be able to heal you.”
He continued slowly, “The fact that the Saint specifically asked me to take you in as a servant back then, it showed how much she valued you. She will surely save you. If there’s any reason you can’t ask her yourself, I can speak on your behalf.”
“It’s not like that, Master.”
Wakako hesitated before continuing, “With your investigative skills, you must have long suspected the past between me and her… But God do not permit any of it. Only if I die will she truly be free.”
She lowered her head. “I’ve never wanted to die, Master. But after learning the truth, along with the anger, there was also a strange sense of relief.”
“Relief that, finally, there was a path ahead with a clear end. All I had to do was follow it, and everything would resolve perfectly. Neither God nor the Saint will be troubled by me anymore.”
Wakako smiled. “I’ve had a good master in the Saint, and I’ve been lucky to spend these years as companions with all of you. There’s not much more I could ask for. So, I’m not afraid of death.”
Hua Yumu listened quietly.
After a moment, he spoke pointedly, “You’re choosing this because you are afraid.”
“I…”
“You’re afraid to continue facing it, so you’re choosing to escape through death,” Hua Yumu said softly. “But Wakako, there’s no shame in running away. As long as it’s a decision you can live with, it’s enough.”
“Do you think everyone will understand?”
“Yes.”
Wakako stared calmly at her palms, letting the tears fall one by one. “Thank you.”
“It’s just a shame. You have great talent, and we all had such high hopes for you.”
Wakako knew she was being selfish. Over the past five years, her three masters had invested so much in her, shaping her into who she was today. They had poured their efforts into her, but now, she was bound to disappoint them.
Suddenly, she asked a seemingly unrelated question, “Master, do you also know about the rumors the nobles are spreading about me and the Saint?”
“I do.”
“What exactly are they saying? You don’t have to repeat the nasty words.”
Hua Yumu seemed to hesitate for a rare moment. “Just the usual—former master and servant, an old affair.”
“So, even you know…” Wakako murmured. “It seems it’s not just idle gossip anymore.”
Only sufficiently important information would reach the captain’s ears.
“It’s just some whispers among the nobles. Don’t let it bother you too much.”
“Has the Queen heard about it?”
Hua Yumu thought for a moment, then spoke vaguely, “Yes. The Queen warned them to stop spreading rumors, especially with the trial coming up. But… they’re nobles.”
Each noble family had a long and illustrious history. Over thousands of years, they had formed an exclusive circle that outsiders couldn’t penetrate. Even without saying anything, a simple glance or subtle hint could convey their meaning.
Even just three words, “She and her…”
Everyone would understand. Such rumors couldn’t be eradicated at the root.
Wakako lowered her head. “Master,” she asked, “The Huo clan is hosting a banquet at their residence. If I attend, will it make things difficult for others?”
Mercenaries were the Queen’s most trusted force, and to avoid suspicion, they had little contact with most noble families. One of the few exceptions was the Jin clan, which had almost fallen into obscurity.
“I’m not going to make connections,” she said. “I just want to show everyone that I’m about to marry Miki, and that there’s nothing between me and the Saint anymore.”
Hua Yumu looked at her, his gaze filled with a complex emotion that was difficult to decipher. “It’s fine. If you want to go, then go.”
He couldn’t help but recall that morning. After learning about Wakako’s poisoning, he immediately went to see the Queen, hoping to use the Saint’s blood to treat her. This was not only out of concern for his apprentice but also for strategic considerations.
“The other squads have already suffered heavy casualties. Currently, only Alpha Squad is fully combat-ready. We can’t afford to lose Wakako,” Hua Yumu said calmly. “Otherwise, we’ll not only have to defend against external threats but also worry about internal unrest…”
In times of turmoil, power struggles and regime changes were most likely to occur. The mercenaries were the Queen’s private army, her personal weapon, and their loyalty was vital.
The Queen pondered for a moment before revealing something to him. “Actually, Wakako’s poison has already been cured, but she doesn’t know it yet.”
“Why?”
“It was the Saint’s decision.” The Queen expressed her own confusion. “The Saint, she…”
The reasons behind it were difficult to explain.
The Queen smiled and shook her head. “Let her be.”
Miki might be proud, but she wasn’t unreasonable. No matter what she did, she never deliberately hid it from the Queen. Instead, she laid it all out in the open.
Ruijun had once curiously asked her, “Why, with all your status, do you lower yourself so much…?”
Even going so far as to disguise herself as…
Miki thought for a moment, then smiled sweetly. “Because I’m also afraid that she really wants to leave me.”
“And if she does?”
“I’ll respect her choice. She can pick whatever she wants. But what she doesn’t realize is that no matter what she chooses, in the end, it’ll still be me.”
It will only ever be me.
***
About half a month later, Wakako received an invitation from the Huo clan, delivered by the Jin clan, inviting her to attend Lady Huo’s birthday banquet.
The Huo clan was a mid-ranking noble family. Wakako had interacted with them several times during missions and was somewhat familiar with the current head of the family. Attending the banquet wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Inside the carriage, Miki sat beside her. She said her health hadn’t fully recovered, so she wore a veil. She looked up at Wakako. “Are you nervous, Senior?”
“Not really.”
“You don’t look like you’re ‘not really’ nervous.” She tilted her head. “What’s wrong?”
Wakako’s heart was indeed beating fast.
She rarely participated in such noble gatherings, but that was only one of the reasons. More importantly, in the past…
Back when she was still with the Saionji clan, a banquet much like the one they were heading to had become a nightmare that still haunted her.
