Even If Flowers Bloom on a Broken Branch - Chapter 47

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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47.
Lee Yeon looked at Hong Ran, who was sitting beside her. Her face was completely rigid with tension as she knelt and stared only at the floor.
Her clear, fair face was filled with a look of doubt, as if she had asked herself a hundred times why she was sitting here and what on earth she was doing.
‘It is only natural.’
She herself had no idea what was going on, so how could Hong Ran possibly know?
Furthermore, she had at least been to this place a few times before her Regression, and since her status was different from Hong Ran’s, she was somewhat immune.
But for Hong Ran, this was literally her first time experiencing anything like this.
‘Literally everything must be a first for her.’
As for the palace, she had only ever seen its high walls from the outside, so this was her first time entering it, and it must also be her first time meeting someone of such a lofty status as the Queen. Moreover, she had now even met the King, whom she would never have dreamed of meeting in her wildest thoughts.
It was not even a one-time occurrence, and at the thought that she would have to face him here again, her entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
It was then.
“His Majesty the King arrives.”
At the clear voice of the eunuch, Lee Yeon and Hong Ran stood up from their seats. Jinpyeong, who entered as the doors of the Grand Hall opened, was dressed in much more comfortable attire than before.
Lee Yeon and Hong Ran stood side by side and bowed deeply from the waist.
“We greet His Majesty the King.”
“G-Greeting His Majesty…!”
Hong Ran bit her tongue because she was so extremely tense. Her eyes welled with tears as she swallowed a scream, unable to even say it hurt.
The stiff, tense atmosphere softened considerably.
“Raise your heads.”
At Jinpyeong’s words, the two of them slowly straightened their waists. Jinpyeong, looking down at them while seated on the Jade Throne, slowly parted his lips.
“Do you know why I have called the Grand Princess Consort to this place?”
It was a question she had been pondering and worrying about the entire time she was coming here, and even after she arrived. She felt as if she should be grateful to him for asking it right at the beginning.
Lee Yeon caught her breath while keeping her gaze fixed on the tips of her feet.
‘Calm down.’
Perhaps Lee Yeon was shaking even more than Hong Ran right now. Her entire body trembled so violently that her feet seemed to look like four.
It could not be helped. Because even as she tried to suppress it, a wave of nausea surged within her.
For she was facing the very enemy who had slaughtered her father.
‘Calm down.’
Though she knew it was a memory of her past life, the resentment in her heart could not be helped.
Because she knew all too well that if she had not married Jinyul, this would have happened this time as well, and because she acutely knew he was an insidious man who was watching for an opportunity to target her once again.
Hiding the pitch-black heart that hated him and was searching, searching, and searching only for a way to kill him, Lee Yeon parted her lips.
“How could a foolish person like me dare to know what is on Your Majesty’s mind?”
Lee Yeon lowered her head even deeper so that her face would not be seen.
“I dare not even fathom it.”
“Is that so.”
Jinpyeong slowly turned his gaze to look at Hong Ran, who stood beside Lee Yeon. Sensing his gaze, the small body froze completely.
“Then what about you?”
“Pardon…?”
“I am asking what you think the reason is for you coming here.”
Hong Ran’s large, black eyes shook relentlessly. She parted her lips several times.
Surprisingly, Jinpyeong did not get angry or threaten her, but waited patiently for an answer, and only after a long while did Hong Ran manage to form a response.
“I believe you wished to save us.”
Jinpyeong paused for a moment. Lee Yeon was the same.
As if she thought an explanation was needed, Hong Ran parted her lips again.
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s arrival, my lady was able to wake from her swoon. Furthermore, thanks to your command for us to go together, we were able to escape that place.”
Hong Ran continued resolutely.
“As the one who serves my lady, I was able to escape misfortune along with her thanks to her coming here. Therefore, you have truly saved me.”
How could someone speak so beautifully?
It was a sudden thought. Hong Ran truly spoke beautifully. She spoke the words the listener wanted to hear using the prettiest and most gentle words and tone.
‘Words of comfort, words of strength, words of reassurance.’
She spoke words that protected one’s self-esteem as if it were nothing. She did not even seem to mind it. As if it were purely from the heart, as if she truly thought so.
“I sincerely thank you for bestowing your grace upon us.”
What was conveyed from that clear, fair face was a pure sincerity without a single blemish.
At the incredibly honest and pure gratitude, neither Lee Yeon nor Jinpyeong could say anything for a moment.
“……I see.”
After a brief silence, Jinpyeong murmured. His voice was somewhat choked. He seemed to think about something for a moment, then suddenly turned his head to command the eunuch.
“How is the preparation for Seokban coming along?”
“If you give the word, it can be brought in immediately.”
“Bring it in.”
No sooner had his words fallen than the doors opened and the palace attendants entered with the tables.
The moment Jinpyeong saw the tables, his eyes turned cold.
“Why are there only two tables?”
“That is…”
The palace attendants who were entering with the tables hesitated.
They looked to the side with somewhat troubled faces. Sangseon, who was entering with them, replied politely.
“Your Majesty. It is already excessive for the Grand Princess Consort to receive the King’s Royal Dining Table together with you. It would be best for the Grand Princess Consort’s attendant to wait outside in the meantime…”
“Bring a table for that child as well.”
The resolute voice cut off Sangseon’s words. Jinpyeong commanded with a cold face.
“We shall dine together. Until then, you must not place a table in front of me either.”
At the unexpected situation, the faces of Sangseon and Lee Yeon turned blank with astonishment. The palace attendants also doubted their ears while holding the tables. Hong Ran looked as if she had frozen halfway through standing up.
To her, Jinpyeong said.
“It is my prize to you.”
For you have answered right well.
* * *
Thanks to a hint from Sangseon, who saw the condition of their clothes, Lee Yeon and Hong Ran came to wrap a white cloth around their waists.
At the same time the two of them finished changing, three royal dining tables were set. Every single dish contained precious and delicious food, and it was truly a spread that made the table legs bend.
Whenever grilled turtle, steamed ginkgo nuts, abalone soup, and rare medicinal dishes followed one after another, Hong Ran’s eyes grew wide.
‘What on earth is he thinking?’
Sangseon, who stood beside Jinpyeong, was watching all of this. Every palace attendant who entered and left to bring in the tables was implicitly glancing at Hong Ran.
For all those long years, Jinpyeong had never once shared a meal with the Grand Prince, and had permitted it only once to the Queen. He had bestowed that very table, which even royalty found difficult to receive, upon a mere attendant. Before anyone knew it, everyone’s attention was focused not on Lee Yeon, but on Hong Ran.
However, the party concerned did not seem to feel the gazes at all. Her gaze was entirely fixed on the table placed in front of her.
‘What is all this…?’
As if entranced by the rising aroma alone, Hong Ran held her cheeks with both hands. She looked up at Lee Yeon.
‘My lady…’
Can I eat this, no, can I really receive this?
It felt as if that voice was ringing loudly in her ears. Lee Yeon looked at Hong Ran with an indescribable face.
‘It would not be an exaggeration to say her sanity is made of steel cables.’
Once again, her perception of Hong Ran changed. It was truly amazing that she did not care in the slightest while everyone was staring at her like this, and thought only of the dining table.
‘Ran is truly single-minded.’
Come to think of it, it had been the same when she was making her ceremonial robe for the banquet. Juran had lamented and said:
‘When she focuses on one thing, it seems nothing around her enters her eyes or ears. That is her strength, but… sometimes it causes a lot of worry.’
Because she is so oblivious.
It felt as if she could hear those words.
Just then, a small chuckle was heard.
“……?”
Lee Yeon raised her head and paused. For the corners of Jinpyeong’s eyes were curved.
It was an expression she had never seen once throughout both her past and present lives.
‘Does… that make sense?’
He only showed a smile when he was causing pain to someone or insulting them. Even that was a fishy sneer. Yet he was smiling with his eyes genuinely curved.
Lee Yeon was not the only one who was shocked enough to faint. Sangseon also had his eyes wide open.
‘What on earth…’
What on earth was happening?
Sangseon looked again at Hong Ran, who was sitting in front of the royal table, not knowing what to do. Though she was the same woman, she looked distinctly different from before.
‘Just what is that child…’
To make him surprise like this.
At that moment, Jinpyeong slowly raised his Spoon, and when he took a bite as if to show them, Lee Yeon finally raised her utensils as well.
‘Can I eat?’
A small whisper was heard from the seat beside her. Hong Ran was conflicted over whether she should hold her Spoon or not.
Lee Yeon pondered for a moment, then looked at Sangseon. And only after he nodded did she answer in a small voice.
“Go ahead.”
Only then did Hong Ran bring her hands together in joy and let out a small exclamation.
In fact, she had been starving because she had skipped meals for days on end to make Lee Yeon’s ceremonial robe for the banquet. But seeing such precious and incredible foods made her mouth water.
Hong Ran put the food into her mouth and closed her eyes with an ecstatic expression.
“……Wow……”
An honest and pure reaction that could not be hidden even if she tried to hide it eventually brought a smile.
Hong Ran’s face was filled with a wide smile, as if there could truly be no greater happiness than this. It was like looking at a clear, white bead without a single blemish.
Jinpyeong was also watching that sight.
‘……She truly eats well.’
Jinpyeong lowered his gaze from Hong Ran and looked at the table placed in front of him. It was a table he always received and food he had always eaten, but strangely enough, it seemed to look a bit more appetizing.
He picked up a piece of food, brought it to his mouth, and looked at Hong Ran once more. The corners of his lips were still forming a crescent.
‘Just watching her eat every day would make me full.’
It was a sudden thought. It was a thought that flashed through his mind in an instant. It could have been dismissed as a mere joke, but Jinpyeong could not shake off the thought that had crossed his mind.
At that moment, his eyes met Lee Yeon’s. She was looking at Jinpyeong, who was staring intently at Hong Ran, with concern.
Jinpyeong impulsively parted his lips.
“Grand Princess Consort.”
“Speak, Your Majesty.”
Lee Yeon set down her utensils and lowered her head. At that sight, Hong Ran, who was moving her chopsticks again, also immediately lowered her hands from the table.
“Since I have bestowed grace upon you.”
Jinpyeong slowly turned his gaze toward Hong Ran.
“How about handing that child over to me?”
The air inside the Grand Hall froze in an instant.
The eunuchs and palace attendants looked as if they could not believe their ears. Sangseon was the same. And Lee Yeon.
“…….”
She literally froze.
Her gaze slowly turned toward Hong Ran. As if she could not properly grasp the situation, she was blinking her pitch-black, innocent eyes like a puppy.
Belatedly, she responded in a small voice with a dazed face.
“……Pardon?”
Lee Yeon’s hands trembled faintly. Her heart thuted wildly.
‘To keep this child, this small and fragile child, in this palace…?’
Should she have refused to bring her from the start? Should she have stopped her request to go together? Should she have cut it off?
Is it my fault, or is it your destiny? In the end, did you end up entering this palace? All sorts of thoughts filled her head. At the thought that she had dragged Hong Ran’s future here, her vision swam.
“I know she is your attendant.”
Jinpyeong’s words dropped heavily between Hong Ran and Lee Yeon.
“But I wish to keep her by my side.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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