Nakatani Yukiko

In the East, there is a land ruled by an emperor whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in the capital's pleasure district by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there. Though she looks ordinary,…

Maomao must help keep Consort Gyokuyou safe during her pregnancy. An imperial consort being with child is supposed to be a matter of the utmost secrecy, but this is the rear palace, where maneuvering and backstabbing are as commonplace as banter and tea parties. Threats seem to lurk around every corner—but it's not just the rear palace keeping busy. Jinshi finds himself…

When she was five years old, Haruno Haruka dreamt of becoming a princess like the ones in fairy tales, a dream that caused her to be bullied by her classmates in kindergarten. In a chance encounter, a boy named Kanata gave her a strange charm and had her promise to never give up on her dreams. Eight years later, Haruka attends the Noble Academy boarding school while still…