027　Unknown experience

"Hm..." 

I held my face with both hands and just sighed. It was shocked.

"What's wrong?"

Hikaru asks me that. He unusually came to the Imperial Palace today and after playing with Reizei-san, he met me as well. 

"Sorry for being with her first."

"That's not what I mean."

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at his face properly. There are bamboo blinds between me and him, so it's still better...I wonder, what this feeling is...? 

"Did she do something?"

"...Yes. But I was also at fault."

"???"

I am crestfallen and couldn't say anything for a while.

"I thought women stayed more still."

This remark made Hikaru laugh the most in my history. He was laughing so hard he was in tears, forgetting that this was the Imperial Palace.

"Well, she's passionate. She got you with that?" 

"It's no laughing matter."

After puffing out my cheeks, I covered my face with my hands again in embarrassment. I didn't know that things. Please tell me first...

"She's crazy about you. She enthusiastically tells me how attractive you are."

"What's going on...?"

"She's a gourmet. The best brothers in the country will be delicious."

Hikaru smiled bitterly and didn't seem to mind it, so I thought he was strong. I heard that he had the same girlfriend as Third Rank Chujo (Lady Aoi's brother), so maybe he doesn't care about the woman's relationship history. I don't think a virgin is necessary either, but I'm confused when women date men other than me in parallel.

"Isn't it her own kind of support? You looked like you were at a wake."

"...Please treat me more kindly."

I sighed dejectedly. It's already over so I can't help it though. Lady Oborozukiyo knows when and who I'll invite to my bedroom, and she'll target my free time, which is an issue. I want to relax...

"We will soon hold Godan-no-mizuho at the Imperial Palace. I will increase religious events."

I planned an esoteric practice to worship the five Buddhist deities for my late father. Now I can live calmly for 7 days.

"I understand."

Hikaru chuckled and nodded. And he said to me as if it were a casual thing.

"You've given Yugiri a lot of things."

"Oh, sorry. I should have told you."

"It’s all right. Please keep doing it."

I had no intention of keeping it a secret from Hikaru. However, since I couldn't see him at all, I have sent a letter and some toys and pictures that a small boy would enjoy to the Minister of the Left's mansion. There were also pictures drawn by Reizei-san and his hand-me-down toys.

"How is Yugiri-kun?"

"Full of energy! He's somewhat similar to Reizei-san, but much more naughty than him."

Hikaru laughed and looked very happy. I'm jealous… I'd like to meet Yugiri-kun someday, but I guess that won't be possible until he's old enough to come to the Imperial Palace. I occasionally receive his drawings from the ladies-in-waiting. I think it's hard for Hikaru's family, as parents and children and siblings are separated.

"It's hard for you to come to the Imperial Palace, right? I'm sorry for creating an unpleasant atmosphere."

"It's payback for what happened so far. I can't help it."

Hikaru muttered with downcast eyes and smiled vaguely. He must be stressful. The quarrels of the aristocrats are very insidious. And the Imperial Capital is small. I thought it must be even more painful because he has been loved and given preferential treatment by everyone since he was born. I wish I could let Hikaru, Lady Fujitsubo, and Reizei-san escape somewhere safe.

"I suppose it also wouldn't be good if power was concentrated in one Mikado."

Although Hikaru said so and was considerate of me. What I realized after Father passed away was that my enemies weren't just my mother and grandfather. Perhaps because there had been a long period of preferential treatment given to the Minister of the Left family, even young members of the Minister of the Right family do not think well of Hikaru and Reizei-san. It made me sad to wonder why the two families have been so hostile to each other.

Ideally, the Minister of the Right and the Minister of the Left would all support me. Currently, only the Minister of the Right has the upper hand, while the Minister of the Left is holed up in his mansion. This is going too far. The Minister of the Right also harasses people about being promoted to government officials, and nothing has changed from the past.

I wish it were a problem that I could resolve by abdicating right now. If the Minister of the Right and his allies remain, I'm worried about Lady Fujitsubo and Reizei-san, who is only 6 years old. I was thinking hard about what I could do.