мѕ.gяα¢є αη∂ мя.муѕтєяу •𝔐𝔬𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔬𝔨𝔢•

几ㄩ乇 千丨千ㄒ卄 匚卄卂卩ㄒ乇尺

╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗

"The reference scent, Princess Kaguya, is ready."

Kusuriuri sat in the middle of the room, the same place Lady Ruri had been earlier. In front of him lay a long table containing the scents that would be used throughout the game, as well as the molds where they had been made. To his right, Shinju sat beside him. After the previous round, she didn't want to partake in any hearing scents game. Something was bugging her, though. Kusuriuri hadn't let her see some parts of the process. She was there to learn, but her master still wanted to be mysterious around her.

The first one to smell it was Oosawa. A confused grimace contorted into his face after the blossoming of colors in his body. He couldn't feel the depths of the scent, as if he was standing on an endless void that on one hand, was familiar to him, but on the other, felt indescribable. The same thought crossed the other contestant's heads. The game was going to be harder than they thought.

"The old man is ready."

Shinju stood up and went to deliver the cup with grace, while on the inside all she wanted to was pinch her nose and stop breathing around the game's materials.

The previous scent had been so overwhelming to the suitors that now, they couldn't distinguish between Princess Kaguya and the Old Man. That was bad because it meant that either their smelling capacity was degrading fast and they would lose the game, or that the scent was so similar to the previous one that they wouldn't be able to identify it when playing... Which was also bad. Their respect increased.

"Now we begin in earnest. The first smell is ready."

The only girl in the room placed the new scent on the table. She was about to retreat to her original position, but Kusuriuri's surprised gasp caught her attention.

"Oh, my.  I seem to have made rather a blunder."

"Really?" She deadpanned. That's what he got from not letting her help.

"And what is the nature of this blunder?" The politician tilted his head to look at the blond man.

"I have a store of oleander, which I tried to avoid," He explained.

"Which I tried to avoid" Shinju mocked in her head. She had spent enough time with this man to know that he lied as if it was his first language.

"-as it shouldn't be used in such concoctions. I'm afraid some got mixed in."

"Why couldn't you use this oleander? Isn't it a medicine?" Muromachi asked. Kusuriuri was about to reply to him, but Shinju placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Well, oleander is a poisonous plant. Its sap causes rashes, and inhaling it can cause the death of an adult." Shinju explained with a smile on her face. "But that's just the leaves."

"Good girl." He smirked.

That comment caused Shinju to blush and avert her eyes. After a second of recomposing herself, she looked back at him and smiled, holding a thumbs up. His teachings were coming in handy for her, especially if she could make him proud of her.

"Wha-"

"I'm afraid I've forgotten which of these five scents contains the oleander." He sighed. "Silly me. Silly me." He tapped the side of his head.

"This bastard-" Shinju was flabbergasted by his audacity.

She quickly moved to his side again, grabbing him by the collar of his colorful and extravagant kimono. With a quick and rash pull, they were face to face. His eyes crashed into hers, and there wasn't a single drop of regret in them, just the same coldness and determination he had grown accustomed to. The same went to the fiery light in hers; her temper had been provoked once again.