#volume 5

If you are reading and/or have read Volume 5 of the light novel, then you should read Natsu Hyuuga’s six-page short story. It is prior to Sazen’s employment to Maomao’s pharmacy (Chapter 3: Sleep) and Loulan’s survival.

“The Sazen short story was included as a Valentine's Day special gift many years ago. It's not a content that would typically be related to Valentine's Day.” ( x )

The Secret of Sazen

(Anime Limited Edition Bonus Short Story . This is a re-edited version of the content from "Sazen's Secret.")

There was a sound of something falling on the snow. Was it a corpse that had fallen? The man had stolen a horse from the stables and was tying up his loot. He was aligned with the rebellion of the Shi clan. Of course, he had no noble aspirations; he was just a peasant guarding the fort to earn a living. He intended to ride away quickly on the horse, but instead, he decided to check what had fallen, prompted by something.

“Young lady?”

The body of a girl was buried in the soft snow. She had fainted. There was a hole in the chest of her kimono. The relentless snow was piling up white on the girl. Her name was Loulan. She was the daughter of the Shi clan leader, the mastermind of the current rebellion, and had been brought into the imperial harem as a consort. Was she dead? No, her breath turned the air white. The man swallowed hard. The girl, taken up as an imperial consort, was dazzlingly beautiful even to a peasant. She was breathing shallowly right in front of him.

“......” A pained voice could be heard. She seemed weakened.

“Search! Find her!” Voices could be heard. They were the ones who had come to suppress the rebellion.

The man panicked. If he didn't escape quickly, he might be beheaded. However, he was concerned about the fallen girl. If she were left like this, she would be found. Even if she wasn't found, she'd freeze to death buried in the snow.

The man held his head in his hands, groaned, and then sighed. He carried the girl's body, which was almost buried in the snow.

“I'm sorry. You're a bit heavy, but please bear with it.”

The man unloaded one of the items he had stolen from a horse. There was another load, but he couldn't discard it. He placed the girl in front of him on the horse and pulled the reins.

The man regretted stumbling upon such an unexpected find. In an empty cabin, he opened the girl's kimono. He couldn't leave her in wet clothes.

The cabin was used by hunters before they entered the forest, so it had furs, which they could use for warmth.

The girl's, Loulan's, chest was discolored bluish-black. The hole in the kimono was from a projectile. Fortunately, a silver hairpin had stopped it.

…

And as an added bonus the manga version from Minoji Kurata—from Chapters 1 to 86–will be free to read.