Chapter 58
When Tirsalan snapped back and shouted in indignation, Barta quickly bent at the waist and acted as if apologizing.
But both Argana and Tirsalan knew there was a smile tugging at her lips.
“Oh dear, Your Highness the Prince. This humble one has spoken out of turn. Please kill me.”
“What? No — I won’t. Why would I kill you over something so trivial? Don’t do that again.”
“Yes, of course.”
As Barta struggled to suppress a grin and rose, Tirsalan picked up her bow and quiver and began to fawn and cling to Argana’s knees.
“Sis, shall we go shoot some arrows? Huh? You should see how strong I’ve gotten.”
“All right, all right. Fine. But that hunting robe is too thin. Wouldn’t it be better to change into something else?”
“Mother said that too, but I’m not cold. If I wear something too thick, I can’t shoot.”
“Then at least put on a winter hood.”
Tirsalan didn’t refuse further and nodded sulkily.
She was a little upset and annoyed that both her mother and sister still treated her like a baby, but because her mother was soft-hearted, Tirsalan had matured early. She understood that they worried because they cared for her.
After tightening the rabbit-fur hood that kept her ears warm, Tirsalan followed Argana into the rear garden.
Unlike the other concubines’ gardens, Argana’s rear garden had been set up like a small parade ground for practicing swordsmanship and archery.
“All right, aim at the target and shoot.”
Even wearing mittens, Tirsalan nocked the arrow quite skilfully. The breath that fogged her reddened cheek; at that instant the tightly drawn bowstring snapped forward and the arrow flew.
Ta-kak!
It made a crisp sound.
Although the target was placed relatively close, the difference between this and the last time — when she couldn’t even shoot properly — was worlds apart.
Tirsalan spun to Argana and grinned.
“My goodness, Tiltyl. How much have you practiced? You already hit the target!”
At Argana’s praise, Tirsalan’s cheeks flushed even more.
“I practiced hard so I could show you, sister. Wearing gloves makes my hands hurt less, so it’s okay. When spring comes I’ll take them off and practice… but for now, if I don’t wear gloves Mother will worry.”
“Yes, it’s cold so you should. Want to shoot once more? Let’s hit it this time.”
Excited, Tirsalan nocked another arrow. Argana occasionally corrected Tirsalan’s stance or showed her how to pull the string — she didn’t hold back advice.
In her previous life, Argana hadn’t taught Tirsalan these things. She had kept thinking the girl was still too young and would postpone it until later, the next year… and then Tirsalan died. Argana had been watching over the grieving Empress Sorcate, trying to console her until she returned to her own chambers and sobbed.
After Tirsalan’s death and Kartak’s departure, Argana had nothing left that felt like joy. So now she tried to spend as much time with Tirsalan as she could. Even when busy, whenever Tirsalan came by they would eat snacks together, drink tea, practice archery, or train in swordsmanship. She wanted to repay what she hadn’t been able to in the past life.
After firing a dozen or so arrows, Tirsalan panted and let out a breathy sigh.
“It’s still hard to hit the center, sister.”
“You came close twice already. Next time you’ll hit it. You’ve improved so much even this sister is surprised.”
“Really?”
“Really. If I don’t want to lose to Tiltyl, I’ll have to practice archery more too.”
Argana’s teasing made Tirsalan burst out giggling. When Argana told her to rest a bit, Tirsalan went inside first.
Just as Argana was about to summon a few servants to have the cooks prepare tea and snacks, the youngest maid, who had been sent on an errand to the eunuch’s quarters, dashed back in out of breath.
“Gasp — Your Highness the Princess, gasp…”
Before the girl could say more, Barta frowned and spoke.
“Yorsi, how unbecoming. How could you come before Her Highness looking like that?”
“Enough, Barta. What’s the matter that you’re so flustered?”
Yorsi’s lips trembled as if she were about to cry.
“Your Highness, two attendants in Cheonjak Palace have suddenly died.”
“What?”
Argana’s eyes widened.
She cast a quick glance toward the place where Tirsalan might be and lowered her voice.
“Did they say why?”
“It’s not certain, but the palace doctors think they were pois—poisoned…”
Poisoned?
Argana felt her heart drop to her feet and snapped her head up.
“Barta.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Go at once and bring Empress Sorcate here. If she looks unwell, call the imperial physician immediately to examine her.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Barta hurried out of the princess’s residence with one maid. Yorsi, still sobbing, spoke again.
“Your Highness, I heard more. Not only did Cheonjak Palace have servants die — a maid at Heehyo Palace has also suddenly died.”
“Heehyo Palace? That’s the residence where Lord Yetekerid’s brother stays, isn’t it? That maid was poisoned too?”
“It seems so.”
“So it isn’t an epidemic?”
Yorsi shook her head.
“If it were contagious, the palace doctors would already have reported it to His Majesty. In both Cheonjak and Heehyo Palaces, no one else showed symptoms besides those who died.”
“…I see.”
Argana dismissed the servants and called for Otah.
He usually remained unobtrusively nearby, but when summoned he promptly appeared and knelt before her.
“You’ve heard the situation too, Otah?”
“Yes, Your Highness. What would you like me to do?”
“Investigate what the deceased in Cheonjak and Heehyo Palaces had in common. Find out what they ate before they died, where they went, whether they showed any abnormal behavior — thoroughly investigate.”
“Understood.”
Using his excellent agility, Otah vanished from Argana’s sight in an instant to begin the investigation.
Tirsalan, unable to wait, came back outside. She looked visibly anxious as if she sensed something wrong.
“Sis, why haven’t you come in? Is something the matter?”
“No, nothing important. Oh — Empress Sorcate will be coming soon.”
“Mother?”
Tirsalan’s eyes went wide.
“Why would Mother come?”
“Well… she must be curious what snacks our Tiltyl eats.”
“Really, sister…”
Argana felt a bittersweet pride that the child wasn’t so easily fooled now. She smoothed Tirsalan’s hair.
“Sleep here tonight with the Empress, all right?”
“I don’t mind, but won’t you be uncomfortable?”
“You say the darndest things with that cute mouth. What could make me uncomfortable? Come on inside. If you went out without your hunting robe and caught a chill, I’d be ashamed to be presented to Empress Sorcate.”
“Then you come in quickly too, sister.”
Tirsalan finally let go of Argana’s sleeve and trotted inside. There should still be some time before Empress Sorcate arrived. Maybe she wouldn’t show any symptoms either…
“Poisoning.”
Although accidental food poisoning sometimes happened, it was rare for it to occur like this.
Had someone interfered? Murdered them?
“If someone did this, the most likely place to point at would be Hwanshi Palace.”
Right now, the person who would hate Empress Sorcate the most was Consort Turegén. If the deaths were limited to Cheonjak Palace, Argana would have been ready to drag Hwanshi Palace’s attendants and maids and interrogate them.
But the incident at Heehyo Palace bothered her.
