The reflection in the mirror looked like a complete stranger.
Not the usual faded work kimono she always wore, but pale pink silk that complemented her fair skin. Her hair was tied up more carefully than usual, and her lips were lightly tinted with rouge. Hina herself was the most bewildered by this dolled-up image of a “young lady.”
As she headed to the entrance with trepidation, she happened to cross paths with Keiichiro, who was just leaving. Their eyes met by chance, and Hina’s heart skipped a beat when momentarily caught in his gaze.
“Ah… Master…”
When she instinctively called out, Keiichiro stopped and looked at her with a gentle voice.
“I see. Today’s the matchmaking meeting.”
“Yes…”
Hina nearly lowered her gaze but managed to keep it raised at the last moment. A strange, indescribable emotion—both happy and embarrassed—tickled the depths of her chest at being seen like this, so unlike her usual self.
“That kimono…?”
“It was refitted from one the Mistress used to wear…”
“I see. It suits you well.”
Those words warmed Hina’s chest, wrapping her in a strange sense of comfort, like the gentle touch of spring sunlight.
“Th-thank you…”
Her cheeks flushed softly—whether from the rouge or Keiichiro’s words, she couldn’t tell. Without realizing, she lightly touched her collar, trying to calm her unseen heartbeat.
Her matchmaking partner, Masumi Shinomiya, was tall with refined features. His voice was calm, and by appearance alone, he was undeniably flawless.
“I hear Miss Hina makes medicine alongside her maid duties?”
“Yes, that’s right. Though, of course, it’s nothing compared to Saotome Pharmaceuticals’ products.”
Before Hina could speak, the matchmaker, Kiyoe, interjected.
“Since she’ll be marrying into the Shinomiya family, proper etiquette and education are necessary…”
“Indeed. Hina can read and write, and she knows the Saotome family customs perfectly. Though she’s a commoner, you won’t find many girls like her.”
The conversation continued like this, and Hina gradually found herself only nodding along, her gaze lowered.
“I see. She does seem quite remarkable. However… I prefer modest women—there’s no need for her to make medicine.”
“…Huh?”
Doubtful of what she heard, Hina lifted her face.
“Staying at home is more than enough. I’d prefer she not overstep in front of me.”
His calm tone carried a coldness that tightened around Hina’s heart.
“When going out, she must always be with me. I think long hair is more beautiful, so I’d prefer she not cut it. And… her kimono shouldn’t be too plain. Could she adjust it slightly to my tastes?”
Though confused, Hina could only nod silently.
But his final words made her look up involuntarily.
“Just to confirm… Miss Hina, you are, of course, pure, correct?”
His tone was as if inspecting the quality of a product.
“…!”
Hina couldn’t speak. Even Kiyoe seemed unable to let that slide, her eyes widening.
“O-of course, Lord Shinomiya! She’s worked diligently as a maid in the Saotome household all this time. There’s not a single scandal about her.”
Kiyoe let out a dry, forced laugh. A leaden discomfort settled in Hina’s chest.
(—Am I really going to marry this man?)
She clenched her fists on her lap. No one noticed.
After returning home, Hina quickly changed and headed straight to the inner chambers. Kiyoe sat alone at a desk, brush gliding smoothly across paper. Her posture was perfectly straight, and she didn’t look up at Hina’s footsteps.
Hina knelt, taking a short breath.
“—Um, Mistress. About today’s matchmaking…”
Before she could finish, Kiyoe smiled faintly and turned her gaze.
“Oh? What is it? You must have thought he was a good match, no? He’s from a viscount family like ours—impeccable lineage. You won’t lack for anything. A man with such favorable conditions is rare.”
Her soft voice belied the words that seemed to silence Hina’s objections. Hina bit her lip, mustering courage.
“But…! If I can’t make medicine anymore, what about Master’s—”
“Hina.”
The voice that cut her off carried a faint chill.
“You don’t have the luxury of being picky. They’re willing to accept you despite being a commoner. This is a rare opportunity. Be grateful.”
Her tone wasn’t forceful, but the words pricked Hina’s chest like soft thorns. The moment she realized arguing was futile, her strength drained from her core. Still, she couldn’t give up.
“I… I want to keep working in the Saotome household…”
A slight tremble seeped into her voice.
“My, my.”
Kiyoe narrowed her eyes and quietly set down her brush. The sound of the writing box closing echoed oddly in the room.
“Do you have objections to the match I arranged?”
—So many objections.
The urge to scream it swirled in her chest. But under Kiyoe’s serene smile and the unyielding presence beneath it, Hina swallowed her words. She instinctively knew no reasoning would work here.
“N-no… That’s not what I meant…”
Her voice came out hoarse, and she bit her lip again. In the end, they never reached an understanding.
Only one reality remained—that the next meeting would finalize the engagement—coiling around Hina’s heart like a cold, heavy chain.
Late at night, Hina lay awake in the maids’ quarters. The clock showed 1 AM; the ticking second hand felt unbearably loud, so she pulled the covers over her head.
The thought of marrying Shinomiya filled her with nothing but unease. And if she couldn’t make medicine, what would happen to Keiichiro’s wounds? Yet Kiyoe acted as if it didn’t matter. Why? She couldn’t understand.
Too restless to sleep, she slipped into the hallway. A cool breeze stirred her long hair. The faint chirping of insects reached her ears, and the autumn sky held a bright, floating moon.
She wanted to cancel this matchmaking. Even if she married Shinomiya, would she still find this moon, these sounds, beautiful? She couldn’t imagine being happy.
How could she stop this?
It felt like wandering a maze with no exit. Then she recalled Shinomiya’s words:
“Just to confirm… Miss Hina, you are, of course, pure, correct?”
That appraising gaze, sweeping her from head to toe, made her shudder again.
But if she thought about it…
(If I weren’t pure… would Lord Shinomiya call off the marriage?)
The thought flickered through her mind. The sheer impropriety of it made her burn with shame. It wasn’t like she had anyone like that in her life anyway.
As she dwelled on it, quiet footsteps approached from behind.
“…Hina?”
Turning, she saw Keiichiro standing there in his pajamas.