Mikka took one last final look at Seiko before sending her of, making her promise to send some kind of letter back when she arrived at the capital. The group of girls she was traveling with already knew her—or rather, they remembered her as the girl who heard voices. They never spoke to her directly as a result.

They had to travel on foot, but they were never bothered. Most people in the area knew Seiko’s appearance and old habits, at least, so they all avoided her—it extended to the rest of the group as well. The voices alternated between harsh comments and kind assurances that people wouldn’t mind as much as the capital.

It took two weeks to get there, and the girls carried on to the palace. When they were questioned by a guard, the oldest spoke a few words and they entered; all had come, willingly or not, to possibly live in the palace. A few of the girls likely saw it as a chance to live in a large place, mostly cared for—there were one or two like Seiko, whose parents thought it would be better than staying at home.

One of the guards brought them inside the courtyard, but asked them to wait. All the girls but Seiko immediately started chatting amongst themselves, admiring the grand scenery; the building was as old as Gin no Ōkoku itself, with the backdrop of mountains to the east side. It would be breathtaking if the voices hadn’t been arguing, screaming, some begging her to stay and others demanding she leaves; the loudness of them gave her something of a migraine.

A group of seven children—aged anywhere between one and thirteen was Seiko’s guess, with one bored girl seeming older than the rest by a few years—came out with a man and a woman following them. Bow, a few of Seiko’s voices said. She complied, prompting the other girls to notice and bow as well.

She remained in that position until the woman spoke up. “You may stand, ladies.” She cast a glance at the girls, frowning when she looked at the man. “I suppose beggars can’t be choosers,” she mused. “Although these ones don’t look very capable, either.”

“We’ll see,” the man replied. He looked at the girls with a firm, cold expression. “I am Gin Ozuru, brother to the king; this is my wife, Lady Yukira. You’ve come to see us about watching the children?”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Yes, Lord Gin,” the oldest girl said.

Lord Ozuru asked each one what their qualifications were, their history, how well they believed they could do in the job. When it came time for Seiko, he frowned.

“What’s your name?” He asked.

“Tsujihara Seiko, sir. My mother is Tsujihara Mikka.”

Lady Yukira cast him an almost amused glance. He carried on coldly. “What of your father?”

Seiko responded to his tone with her own cold smile, one she did not completely control nor intend. She spoke dutifully and respectfully despite it. “I am a bastard, sir. I’ve never met the man.”

Lord Ozuru’s expression changed, for a moment, until he went on to ask about her qualifications. Seiko was relatively neat and very obedient, and had experience taking care of others; although the voices encouraged her to share her heritage, they warned her against mentioning them. You don’t want people hereto think you’re insane as well.

After he spoke with everyone, Lord Ozuru stepped aside and let Lady Yukira pick and chose which girls she liked the most. “Those three seem the most capable,” she said calmly, gesturing to a group of the older ones. She pointed at Seiko and looked at Lord Ozuru. “That one seems to be the most interesting. Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Ozuru?”

His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything towards her comment. “Leave if you weren’t chosen,” he said firmly. Those girls—three of them—bowed and left, not even daring to speak a word of protest. When they were gone, he looked at the children who had come out with them. He didn’t change his tone when he spoke to them. “Pick which one you want, and if you change your minds later we can make arrangements.”

Almost immediately, two of them pointed at Seiko—the oldest was a girl, apparently the eldest of the group and must’ve been about two years younger than Seiko, and the younger was a boy who was around five or six years old. The younger looked at Lady Yukira. “Mother, I want that one!”

“Me too!” The girl added. “Can she be mine? She’s so pretty!”

“Maenomi can have Tsujihara permanently,” Lord Ozuru said. “Kyuru can have her as a playmate.” He looked at Seiko. “Will that be a problem? You’ll be in charge of Maenomi’s daily routines, as well as keeping Kyuru occupied afterwards.” His tone suggested he wasn’t really looking for an answer.

Seiko bowed again, this time to the princess and prince. “I will do my utmost to ensure you are both satisfied in my presence.”

The boy grabbed her hand and started to pull her forward. “Come on, come on, I want to play!”

“She’s mine!” The princess whined, following them.

The voices constantly commented on the scions’ rowdy natures. Even future rulers had to learn how to act dignified, she supposed. She adjusted quickly to the change.