Chapter 4: Night Visits

“Now, we need to talk about the night visits of the Royal Family in the Villas where the consort lives,” Suji flipped her fan in front of the two students. She hired decorum teachers for these two. Ji-hyo learned the basics from the red-light district, Mina had some ideas, but she never put them into practice. “So, they follow a hierarchy system as well, the higher the status the higher the priority of the visitor, meaning it follows this order, the Empress, the Crown Princess, and the second Princess,”

Mina nods in response. They already know that the second Princess is the young commander, Suji explained it to them. She wanted to surprise them, but she would rather not be discovered that the Second Princess asked for Suji’s help. “If the second princess schedules a visit with you but the Crown Princess wishes to show up last minute, then the second princess should give way, that is the concept, but then again, The Empress unofficially removed herself from this duty, and the Crown princess is not a big fan of “ordinary” so she should visit you after a week of staying in the rear palace, the Empress should visit you on your first night, she will never lay a finger on you, she will just gather some information about me raising you, and just tell her what I told you, that you are a daughter of my late wife with another woman,” Suji explained further.

“Wouldn’t it make her a half-pure blood if in case we get to that story?” Ji-hyo asked innocently. She does know that Mina possesses some witchcraft as the other courtesans called it. Mina asked her not to talk about her abilities. Ji-hyo completely understands it. The madame had warned them multiple times not to mention it to anyone other than brothel assistants. Somehow, she is maybe protecting Mina. There were some stories that Mina’s birthmother was the most famous courtesan in her time but fell in love with Miina’s axis mother who promised to buy out her contract but she left without saying a word. They cannot consider Mina’s ability as a pureblood ability as purebloods have enhanced senses as what rumors say. A pureblood would be known to have at least one enhanced sense. It could be their touch, sight, hearing, taste, smell, and to top that their physical strength is higher than a commoner.

“That is a good question, actually not all half purebloods would be blessed with such ability, it depends on which bloodline is stronger, that is why purebloods tend to marry another pureblood from different families to enhance their ability or to at least retain it. Marriage of bloodlines is not only for status, but also for these abilities to be kept, it is also possible that if two ordinaries consummate, and would produce a child who has the ability of pureblood. That is because they had pureblood on their family tree,” Suji explained in detail. “How about the Royal family?” Mina asked. She seemed to want to find out why she had a different ability compared to even a pureblood.

Suji narrowed her eyes. It is indeed a secret what ability Royals are blessed with. “Our bloodline is quite exquisite, we are blessed with different types of ability that we cannot share to the public, I cannot speak of the ability of the ones residing in the palace, but I can shapeshift,” Suji said. She changed herself to the merchant who bought the two. Ji-hyo now understands why the merchant offered a gold bar. It was Princess Suji herself who seemed to be ignorant of the prices of courtesan. Or, maybe she paid as much because she is paving the future of the nation with Mina bearing an heir. Suji went back to being herself. “The abilities that we possess are very different from purebloods, that is why many purebloods wish to marry a person with Royal blood,” Suji said looking at the ground.

“I understand,” Mina says calmly. Is it possible that her Axis mother came from the Royal Family? Because it is an ability that cannot be categorized as one of the purebloods. But how is it possible when all the axis in the Royal family is kept in the palace? There is no way her axis mother would be a previous Empress. “If the Royal Palace had a lot of consorts before and produced a lot of children, yet they only kept the Axis Heirs, what happened to the other Princesses who were born ordinary?” Ji-hyo got curious. The previous Empress was said to be a cruel and lustful woman.

Suji takes another deep breath. Somehow, she does not want to go back to that time, or she does not want to talk about it with anyone, but these ladies would be playing a big role in the nation so might as well teach them the correct history. “My Late Axis Mother, the previous Empress, was a very traditional leader, she followed the custom of old age, listened to her advisors, and let them control to the extent of decision-making, she ascended to the throne when she was almost the same age as the current Empress, which means she was almost 40, as the crown princess she impregnates a lot of women even before ascending and her Axis mother, who was the Empress at that time ordered to kill all the ordinary princesses to preserve our bloodlines,” The Princess speaks sadly.

“That means that all of the previous ordinary princesses were…” Mina clenches her jaw. She felt a sting in her heart. Even though she wishes death for herself those infants do not deserve it. “That’s right. When our Axis mother ascended to the throne, the advisors urged her to do the same which she did not object, I was born the same year when an heir was born, and I was lucky that my birthmother was one of the favorites of the previous Empress, it was a discussion that I would be betrothed with my sister to produce an heir with the greatest bloodline ever existed but, my birthmother conspired with some doctors to have my uterus removed, so I can never produce a child, The previous Empress was furious but she never had the will to have us killed so she let me keep my title and threw us in the care of the Baes, I married the heir of the Baes knowing that we will not be able to produce an heir, I let my wife indulge other women to produce an heir,” Suji’s normal eye smile disappeared her eyes is filled with tears. The princess lived a difficult life the two ladies thought.

“Enough of the history, I am sure that the Empress will not practice the old custom, she would protect her grandchildren, axis or no axis, so you have nothing to worry about if you bear an ordinary,” Suji tries to act lively and return to the original topic.

***

The second Princess may be one of the most powerful people in Ona, but she has the least power compared to her other family members. She would be the least respected among them not only by the officials who seemed to disregard her but also by her sister. It is not hidden that Momo, the crown princess, would send her work to Sana which the second princess is tasked to finish in the due time demanded by the officials and her sister.

She had been feeling exhausted because of the mountain of documents on her desk. She knows that even if she complains to the Empress. Their mother would just laugh, which frustrates her even more. “So much for favoritism,” the second princess scowled. “Did you say something, your highness?” Jeong runs to Sana’s room hearing a scowl.

“Nothing,” It was low from t