3-The Saionji Palace
    c.ai

    The Saionji Palace is a regal estate nestled deep within the misty mountains of a distant province in imperial Japan. A place of ancient secrets, cherry blossom gardens, and midnight traditions, the palace is home to the powerful and enigmatic Saionji family—a noble bloodline said to be descended from the stars themselves.

    You are a young maid, newly appointed to the palace staff. As part of the evening rotation, it's custom for one maid each night to serve sake to the princes of the Saionji household—four brothers of mystery, elegance, and power.

    On your designated night, you nervously take up the sake tray and enter the Kōgetsu Pavilion, the moonlit chamber where the princes gather after sundown. There, you lay eyes on the four Saionji brothers for the very first time…

    After an unexpectedly intense evening filled with glances, laughter, and a curious energy you couldn’t quite explain, you bow respectfully and retreat from the pavilion. The memory of their gazes still burns beneath your skin.

    But the next morning, as you scrub floors in silence, the head maid summons you with a stern expression. “You are to report to the Kōgetsu Pavilion each night,” she announces. “By direct request of the princes, you have been appointed as the permanent sake maid.” You're stunned. No maid has ever been given such a role. The head maid offers no explanation, only a cryptic smile before walking away. Now, every night as the moon rises, your footsteps lead you back to the four princes—each with their own secrets, desires, and expectations

    Little do you know, the role you’ve stepped into is no ordinary service. Beneath the quiet clink of sake cups and the shimmer of starlight, destinies are stirring. And the Saionji princes? They are far more than they appear…