Looking for the Runaway Heavenly Maiden - Chapter 3

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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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3.

The space filling my vision was no longer the forest.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between high ceilings and curtains. A long table in the center and a sofa that looked unmistakably luxurious at first glance.
Cheonhaerang guided my hand and naturally sat down on the sofa. I found myself sitting beside him without quite realizing it.
The sound of tea being poured pierced my ears, and the delicate fragrance of flowers mingled with the subtle aroma of tea tickled my nose.
I turned my head following the scent. On the desk I glimpsed in passing lay a nameplate reading “Principal, Cheonuyhua.”
This was the Principal’s Office I was originally supposed to visit.
The woman at the end of my gaze appeared composed, as if she had known we would come.
The woman set down the two teacups she had brought before us side by side, then sat on the sofa.
The woman’s gaze turned toward me. When our eyes met, she smiled softly.
Sunhwa High School was a school founded by a celestial maiden. Therefore, the woman before my eyes—Cheonuyhua, the principal of Sunhwa High School—was a celestial maiden.
I could not tear my eyes away from Cheonuyhua.
The other celestial maidens I had seen before were beautiful, but this was the first time I encountered one who exuded such an enchanting presence.
Such beauty did not belong in the mortal realm. It would only incite the base desires of humans.

“My, it seems Cheonhaerang likes me more than you, Jiho?”

A playful voice was directed at Cheonhaerang.
Cheonhaerang laughed without answering and lifted his teacup. It was a somewhat cold smile, but I did not see it.
Cheonhaerang’s insides twisted as he watched me staring blankly at Cheonuyhua, but he tried not to show it.
It seemed I did not like only his face. I appeared to brighten considerably.

‘…Still, I’m younger than her, at least.’

Cheonhaerang quietly fueled his competitive spirit toward his older sister, then tapped my arm. Only then did I come to my senses and hurriedly greeted Cheonuyhua.

“Ah! Hello, Principal. I’m Jiho Ryu of the Baekho Clan.”
“Nice to meet you, Jiho. As you probably already know, I’m Cheonuyhua, the principal of this school.”

I looked at the pale, slender hand extended to me and hesitated whether I should dare grasp such a delicate hand.
However, I could not ignore a handshake offered first by an elder.
I carefully took Cheonuyhua’s hand. Unlike my own, hardened by calluses from gripping a gun, her hand was soft.

“It is an honor to meet you, Principal.”
“The honor is mine.”

At Jiho’s words, Cheonuyhua burst into bright laughter and replied.
The atmosphere was warm and friendly. If only Cheonhaerang were excluded from that assessment.
Noticing that Cheonhaerang’s mood had darkened, Cheonuyhua decided it was time to stop teasing.

“Well, our Jiho here shares the same class as Cheonhaerang.”

Cheonuyhua released Jiho’s hand as she spoke.
Jiho, who had been nodding unconsciously, suddenly spoke in alarm.

“Wait, wait a moment, Principal. I believe I can return to the Heavenly Realm now.”
“Already?”
“Yes. I’ve found Princess Yerim.”

Jiho spoke with confidence.
Though Princess Yerim had instructed me to persuade her, I had no intention of wasting energy on such a task.
If I couldn’t drag a princess who had declared she wouldn’t return, then I would simply find another way.
Right before my eyes stood the Principal and the Heavenly Realm itself.
The Principal would surely understand the situation.
After all, the Principal was also a Servant of the Patriarch.
I would seek the Principal’s cooperation and report to the Heavenly Realm that I had found the runaway celestial maiden.

“She stands right beside me.”
“Hmm, is that so? So our Cheonhaerang was the princess.”

Cheonuyhua pressed her lips together, barely suppressing her laughter.
Though Cheonhaerang had a face as delicate as a celestial maiden’s, it was impossible to see her as a woman.
Calling this dark-skinned man a princess was simply too amusing to bear.
Though in the Heavenly Realm, Cheonhaerang would still be Princess Yerim, so there was nothing to be done about it.
Jiho might also believe that this appearance was merely a disguise, with Cheonhaerang actually being male.
Few people knew Princess Yerim’s true identity. Cheonuyhua was one of them.
It was only natural, given that they shared the same blood.
Jiho, who surely knew the names of the princesses, had failed to recognize her identity even upon hearing her name—likely because of Cheonhaerang’s male appearance.
The confusion from the earlier incident probably didn’t help matters either.

‘I wonder what will happen from here on….’

Though Jiho had come, Cheonhaerang had no intention of returning to the Heavenly Realm. I knew this well.
This stubborn nature was inherited from Father, after all.
To me, she was still nothing more than a mere youngest sibling.
Given what happened before, I would feel reassured as an older sister if she returned to the Heavenly Realm with Jiho.
But.

“Help me, Sister.”
“I don’t want to follow Father’s will.”

I couldn’t turn away from a pleading child.
My own past self overlapped with hers.
Perhaps I had made this child this way because of my own powerlessness.
So in the end, I accepted.
Of course, there was also a part of me that wanted to spite Father.

“Then the Princess will be returning to the Heavenly Realm, yes?”

I asked as if I didn’t know. Cheonhaerang answered firmly.

“No. I will not go, Yerim.”

At Cheonhaerang’s answer, an anxious Jiho sent me a pleading look. It was a silent request for me to persuade her instead.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t help Jiho. If her stubbornness was something I could break, I would have broken it long ago.

‘I have no desire to be caught between them like a shrimp….’

Though worried, I decided to step back. I didn’t want to become the shrimp caught between the whale that was Father and the whale that was my younger sibling.
Besides, I had much work to do as the Principal of this school.
Persuading Cheonhaerang and bringing her back to the Heavenly Realm was entirely Jiho’s responsibility. Wasn’t that why Father gave such an order?

“Since the Princess says she won’t go, there’s nothing I can do about it, Jiho.”
“Principal….”

I ignored Jiho’s plaintive call.
Jiho was deeply disappointed in this adult. Not that one should avoid meeting people who live up to their appearance… no, that wasn’t it.
Living up to one’s appearance was better than not. But both the Princess and the Principal seemed to be living up to theirs.

“For now, let’s take things slowly with the Princess. Since you are now a student of our Seonhwa High School, you should go focus on your studies, shouldn’t you?”

Cheonuyhua smoothly redirected the conversation.
From this, I drew a single conclusion.
The Principal had no intention of cooperating in this matter. He was backing out.
Which meant he was simply a bystander.

‘…I need to inform the Heavenly Realm.’

The moment I returned home, I resolved firmly to tell Yerim that I had found the princess.
But to do that, I had to get through today without arousing the princess’s suspicion.
I reminded myself of the Baekho Clan’s safety and squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them.

“…Understood, Principal.”
“Good. Then the princess should help Jiho adjust well to school. Shall we all head to the classroom now?”

Cheonuyhua smiled with refreshing brightness. I was confident I would no longer be enchanted by that face.

* * *

Click, thud.
As the door closed, I steadied myself.
From now on, I had to deceive the princess. To do that, I had to appear to have given up.
I exhaled deeply. It wasn’t entirely an act.

“…Then please show me the way, Your Highness.”

The image of me kneeling and showing utmost respect had vanished without a trace.
In a sense, it was an attitude that Haerang could have criticized as presumptuous, but the person in question had no such intention.
Rather, Haerang preferred it this way. This casual demeanor. It felt like we had grown closer.
Haerang spoke without hiding his excitement.

“Cheonhaerang.”
“Yes?”
“From now on, you should call me Cheonhaerang, not Your Highness.”
“Ah….”

The princess was right. I had now become Ryu Jiho, a second-year student at Seonhwa High School, and in this school, the princess was merely my classmate, Cheonhaerang.
Of course, that would end today.
So the young man before me was someone I had to serve as a princess.
It wasn’t easy to speak casually….

“…Yes, that’s right, Haerang.”

It wasn’t difficult at all.

Though I spoke as if I’d been waiting for this moment, Cheonhaerang didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. If anything, he appeared to be in an even better mood.
I gave up trying to understand Cheonhaerang. I simply….

‘Just get through today.’

I steadied myself once more.

“Then shall we head to the Faculty Office first? I need to meet with my homeroom teacher.”
“Sure.”

I adjusted my pace to match Haerang’s.

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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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