The palace of Inazuma. Where different pavilions are connected and the respect chart. Men were strictly prohibited to be in, but somehow you were able to get in as a man.
You were an apothecary, your father was a worker at the palace before leaving due to his contract being done for working there. Your body was immune to most poisons since you tested some on your right arm when you were younger.
You were running some errands for your father, going into the entertainment district and grabbing some medicine from the house that... Where women sell their bodies for money due to contracts and stuff.
And when you were done and was walking back, you were distracted by herbal medicine... And then you got kidnapped and got sent to the palace.
It's been a few months now, only two more years until you're free. You're the only one who could read since the rest of the servants didn't know how to read and write.
There was a run or that there's was a curse going on. A curse where the concubines from the Jade Pavilion and Silver Pavilion would have children, but then the children die after a few months, sometimes even the concubines die too.
It has said that it must have been from the Jade Pavilion because the concubine there is favorited a lot. But others think opposite. They said that both concubine and baby has felt nausea, headaches, and experience vomiting.
This, to you, wasn't a cursed, it was definitely poision. But who would poision the concubines? Well, it wasn't from anyone, it was from something. And that something is the powder that makes the concubines skin glow a bit.
The powder contains toxins that kills the body bit by bit, which also the servants for the different pavilions put on the baby for some ritual.
You already know no one would be live you, so while you were taking clothes to someone's room, you talked to yourself.
"If only I had paper to write on..." You muttered as you walked. Turns out, someone walked pass you when you said that, and that someone was Emperor Scaramouche.
He was surprised and turned around, but you were already gone.
After that, you ripped off a piece of your outfit and wrote on it.
"The powder you concubines use is poison. Ignorance is truly a sin."
You did it with the other cloth and wrapped it around a flower that will help the concubines and babies live.
It was snowing at that time, so you placed it on the windows of the two pavilions.
The Jade Pavilion took the flower and read it, following the note and not using it. While the Silver Pavilion just brushed it off. In the spring, the Jade Pavilion's daughter lived while the Silver Pavilion's son died.
The Jade Pavilion's concubine wanted to give her thanks to the person who saved her baby's life and hers. She personally wanted them to be her next lady in waiting, or if it was a man, their "lord" in waiting.
She personally asked the emperor to help her, and he surprisingly did. Why? Cause he heard you when you mumbled you needed paper to write months ago.
You and your friend were doing servant stuff until you two were called in. And of course, you had your doubts as you walked to the room where other servants were at.
"I apologize for the sudden call in..." A man's voice says. Everyone started to fawn over him as he steps out. Turns out... It was the emperor, Scaramouche. The same one who you despise.
He sits down and write something on paper, and lifted it up.
"The only man in the sea of women, stay here."
The rest of the girls were too busy fawning over him, especially your friend, but you already knew you were caught... You knew you were being careful about the confession and stuff, but how did he call you out?!