ORIGINAL STORY BY NATSU HYUUGA
THIS STORY IS A FICION, AND ALL NAMES OF FIGURES ND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS.
MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
How do you lower the price of a courtesan?
If you get her pregnant, she is essentially worthless.
Isn't that the restaurant you're going to?
All right. I'll be off then.
Here?
We're disguised. It would be pointless if I went in.
Right.
I'll be off then.
I'm fine.
I think I was able to say that with no emotion.
Enjoy the night.
A dream of my past? No, it was when I was a baby.
Is it because I talked about that yesterday
Good morning.
Good morning, Old Man.
-What will you do today? -I have no plans.
In that case, will you go to the Verdigris House for me?
Sure.
Hey, Maomao. Shouldn't you be at work?
I got the day off.
You got the day off, but you still come to the apothecary?
It's on the way. It's not why I'm here, but…
Wait, Pairin!
We don't need to talk about that anymore!
Oh? Maomao!
Welcome home!
That's too hot, Big Sis Pairin.
I'm cold from all of Granny's scolding!
We're not done talking! Which will it be?
What?
I don't really get it, but Big Sis Pairin has it hard too.
Just decide! It's your fault for not leaving this place.
That's why I make these deals for you!
I didn't ask for that!
-You're always so selfish! -What do you mean, selfish?
What? Maomao is here?
She was here the whole time.
Is she going to the outhouse?
Good morning.
I used to get kicked out because she hated me back then,
but she doesn't have the energy for that anymore.
Or, maybe she can't talk.
Her illness is progressing. Her memory has been ripped to shreds.
Old Man's medicines work well,
but at this point, they're not effective.
Even then, this is the only treatment we know.
That customer is here again.
He's got a nose for this.
Call for Meimei.
The Verdigris House is now a prestigious brothel, but
a little over ten years ago,
there was a time when the name of this brothel was tainted.
This courtesan took on customers in those few years,
and unfortunately contracted syphilis.
VERDIGRIS HOUSE
By the time Old Man visited the Verdigris House,
the disease had reached its incubation period.
It could've been treated if he could inform them of the illness,
but there was no way the women would believe
a former eunuch
who appeared out of nowhere.
One has to take on clients to eat.
That is the law of the brothel.
A few years ago, once the rashes reappeared again,
the tumor spread like wildfire.
After that, this woman was forced to live in this outhouse
where she cannot be reached by the customers.
A courtesan who can no longer be of any use.
At least she wasn't thrown out into the gutter.
The smell is trapped in here. I'll burn some incense.
-What's wrong? -Big Sis told me.
That weird glasses man is here.
So you shouldn't come back here.
I see.
As long as I stay here, he won't come.
A client of the Verdigris House. A familiar face of many years.
What a
stupid woman…
Good work! That customer left.
Were you with him, Big Sis Meimei?
There's no one else.
I'm glad. Big Sis seems to be doing well today.
Maomao, you got that offer again?
What?
Big Sis, how do you deal with them?
It's not so bad.
Granny doesn't say anything as long as he pays well.
Grams wants me to become a courtesan for that very reason.
If I hadn't been hired by the court, I might've been sold off by now.
It's a once in a lifetime chance for some.
Don't you know how few courtesans desire
and are desired in return?
Grams would kick away
anything of that sort with the weight of the silver.
She's saving up for the ferry boarding fee for heaven.
It can't be helped.
I'm around the age where I have to start thinking of what's next.
She's not yet 30,
but she's at the retirement age for courtesans.
You could work independently.
Just a little bit longer…
I want to work here for a little bit longer.
I don't really understand
Big Sis Meimei's feelings..
I don't want to think about it too deeply,
if it's the thing called love.
I left behind those feelings
inside the body of the woman who birthed me.
Should I rinse your back? It's been a while.
-No, it's fine. -Come on!
It's been a while since we rinsed each other!
Let her do it.
You probably can't come back again for a while.
Really?
We're offering you a service. Don't forget to bring more rich customers!
I didn't think the meeting place offered these types of services.
I didn't go there to buy such things.
Apothecary, may we talk?
Yes, sir.
Drink this with Suiren.
It's a gift from the eccentric.
The eccentric?
-Thank you. -Sure.
I'll be going back to work now.
My, my.
We're having a Buddhist meal today.
So don't snack on any meat or fish, Xiaomao.
Just because we're on a break
doesn't mean you can wander off like that.
Yes.
A Buddhist meal.
Shoot.
I thought I'd be able to get my mind off of it once I started working.
Also,
you're not allowed to hide strange herbs inside the closet.
She's really observant.
If there's no place to put them, you could ask Sir Jinshi
to use one of the leftover rooms.
No. I cannot use an aristocrat's room
as a medicine cabinet.
Xiaomao, you look like you don't care,
but you're actually careful about boundaries.
I'm born of a very low status. It's very strange
that I'm in a place like this.
That's true.
But just because someone was born into a high status
doesn't mean they're completely different people.
You don't know
what sorts of things life will throw at you.
Dividing everything by status is such a waste.
You think so?
Yes.
All right, time to work. Can you run an errand for me?
Excuse me! I'm here to get some medicine.
All right. Wait here.
It's nothing like the rear palace medical office run by the quack doctor.
This is close to the military base, so they treat many injuries.
I love this smell that spreads a bitter taste in my mouth!
I wonder what's in the cabinets?
I want to raid this whole office…
No, I can't! Stop it!
What are you doing?
She's from back then…
I'm just waiting for my medicine.
Suirei!
You were here?
I'm here to stock up on medications for the station.
I see.
The station?
Right, we met before near the military base.
She must've smelled like medicinal herbs because she works at the military.
Why does she hate me so much?
Do you need anything else?
Not particularly.
She wouldn't need to work as a court lady in her position…
It's nothing. I'll get your medicine!
What medicine is this?
Lick!
Potato powder?
This is for Sir Jinshi, right?
Now that I think about it, there are many mysteries surrounding Sir Jinshi.
Like the work he receives regularly, about two times a month.
He takes a long bath the day before
and burns incense and goes out.
Same with the Buddhist meals.
Like a purification ceremony.
Can eunuchs perform rituals as well?
It wouldn't be strange if he was of royalty.
But why would someone like that become a eunuch?
Could it be that Sir Jinshi was also forced to be a eunuch
by the previous Emperor's Wife?
Like Old Man.
That girl's adoptive father is a former eunuch and physician.
If she was taught by a former physician,
it makes sense that she is so knowledgeable.
-But he was a former eunuch? -Yes.
I can't think of such a skilled physician who was a eunuch…
Excuse me.
Should we continue our discussion from last time?
It seems you've done a terrible thing.
That is quite rude!
You're one to talk.
It took more than ten years to convince that old woman.
So imagine my shock when someone snatched her away!
So you want your "treat" back?
I'll pay whatever you want.
I don't want to make the same mistake as last time.
What if I say no?
In that case, I have nothing to say.
There are only a few people
who can go against your word, with your high position.
I knew it. He knows what my true identity is.
It all depends on what the girl thinks.
I hate this.
So, that's how it is.
I don't want to accept it.
But Lakan is Maomao's birth father.
Will you tell her that I'll come to see her soon?
Goodbye.
-Apothecary. -Yes, sir.
There's an official who wants to meet with you.
Who is it?
It's the eccentric I've mentioned before.
His name is Lakan.
I'll tell him you can't.
Thank you so much, sir.
I'll be going back to work now.
I've never seen her look like that.
I'd prefer it if I didn't see that ever again.
So he knows, huh?
This smell… It's a field of medicinal herbs!
Here, and here, and over there!
You again?
Shoot. I look way too suspicious this time.
Don't worry. I haven't taken anything yet.
The dirt on your hands.
Is it safe to assume that you were planning to take these herbs?
You're not in any trouble.
This field doesn't belong to anyone.
But the physicians know of this spot too.
You shouldn't come here much.
Were you assigned to maintain this place?
Not really.
I just grow what I want here.
She's selectively picking out the weeds.
I heard them call her Suirei.
I'm one to talk,
but she doesn't seem to be the energetic type.
What do you grow here?
Resurrection medicine.
You mean…?
A medicine that could bring the dead back to life.
If something like that exists,
I want it more than anything!
I'm joking.
Joking…?
I heard you were an apothecary.
Just how skilled are you?
I'm not sure.
In the near future,
I'll plant some morning glories here.
Goodbye.
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
Next episode, "Chance, or Something More?"
Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi e?"