Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 12

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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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Episode 12
“Ah… yes, yes! That is correct!”
Among those frozen in shock, one Lady-in-waiting with particularly sharp instincts nodded her head hurriedly.
“As you can see, my attendant has already helped me prepare, so I’m ready to depart immediately.”
“Your Highness, you mean…?”
“The Crown Prince is still sleeping, so don’t wake him. He must be exhausted. Besides, I can pay my respects to the King alone, can’t I?”
“Ah, understood.”
The sharp-witted Lady-in-waiting exchanged a glance with another attendant behind her. The attendant, suddenly alert, hurried away as if to deliver an urgent message.
‘She’s probably informing the King.’
It seemed better to give the King time to prepare rather than have me burst in unannounced. Besides, the morning meal wouldn’t be ready yet either, so they’d need time to prepare it.
‘The morning meal… I wonder what dishes will be served.’
Recalling the shock I’d felt last night, anticipation naturally blossomed within me. If the cold food had been so delicious, surely the freshly prepared warm dishes would be even better?
‘Let me drag this out a little.’
I swallowed the saliva pooling in my mouth and tilted my head deliberately.
“By the way, where is the palanquin?”
“A, a palanquin?”
“Why are you surprised? Surely you’re not expecting me to walk?”
“….”
“Bring the palanquin at once.”
“Ah, yes! P-please wait just a moment, Miss.”
This time the Lady-in-waiting exchanged a glance with an Eunuch. The Eunuch dashed off in a different direction from the previous Lady-in-waiting. He must be going to fetch the palanquin.
I furrowed my brow at the Lady-in-waiting who had addressed me.
“I’m not a Miss.”
“Pardon?”
“In the Yun Kingdom Palace, do you call even the Crown Princess who has undergone the wedding ceremony a Miss?”
“Ah.”
The Lady-in-waiting’s eyes widened in realization, and she quickly bowed deeply.
“Crown Princess, I beg your pardon.”
“That’s better.”
As I smiled warmly, the Lady-in-waiting’s expression shifted, then gradually settled into composure.
“…I apologize for arriving late and not assisting with your preparations earlier, Crown Princess.”
Unlike her initial panic, her demeanor was now respectful and composed. She had clearly decided how to conduct herself toward me based on my correction.
She’s been quite sharp-witted from the start. I rather like that.
“What is your name?”
“I am Kim Sook-hyang.”
“What is your position?”
“I am a Lady-in-waiting of the Bath Management Office.”
The Bath Management Office—so it handles bathing arrangements? In any case, since she’d come to dispose of a body, she didn’t seem to hold a particularly high rank among the Ladies-in-waiting. Yet being entrusted with such matters meant her discretion was likely considerable.
“Hmm, is there perhaps a Chief Court Lady who oversees the Crown Princess’s quarters…?”
Probably not? Though they might have already cleared out the Crown Princess’s chambers.
“The Inner Chamber Court Lady? I believe it hasn’t been decided yet because the Crown Prince’s consort quarters are still being prepared.”
I’d suspected as much. Still, the fact that nothing was set in stone meant I could structure everything from the beginning according to my own intentions—hardly terrible news.
“I see. I’d like Kim Sook-hyang to be my Inner Chamber Court Lady. Would it be alright if I asked the Queen about it?”
At my casual remark, something shifted in Kim Sook-hyang’s eyes.
“I’m honored by your favor, my lady. If the Crown Prince’s consort wishes it, the Chief Court Lady will see to it immediately.”
This woman was sharp, I had to admit.
Palace hierarchies varied by kingdom, but the fundamental structure remained remarkably consistent. If the Queen were incapacitated, whoever managed the Inner Palace Administration would be the head of all court ladies—like the Chief Attendant of Sang Ra Palace or the Palace Administrator of Jami Palace.
‘So they call that position the Chief Court Lady here.’
But once a Crown Prince’s consort took her place, she would naturally assume authority over the Chief Court Lady and manage the Inner Palace Administration herself.
‘Kim Sook-hyang just weighed whether I could actually fulfill my role as a proper Crown Prince’s consort.’
And she’d decided to back me. The prospect of a swift promotion to an administrative position had likely influenced her decision considerably.
“Should I speak to her directly, or would you prefer to convey my wishes to the Chief Court Lady?”
“I shall deliver your orders to her at once, my lady. It will be handled promptly—please have no concerns.”
If I went directly to the Chief Court Lady as her superior and made requests, it would undermine my authority. But since I wasn’t yet a proper Crown Prince’s consort, I’d need to be prepared to go myself and establish order if necessary.
‘But she can handle this on her own.’
Regardless of whether she was entirely trustworthy, she was certainly useful.
I then pointed to the Nain who’d been standing to one side—the same one from yesterday.
“I’d like that Nain to serve in my quarters as well. Is that possible?”
“Surely the Crown Prince’s consort can select one Nain for her household? I shall arrange it.”
“Thank you. You’re easy to work with, Kim Sook-hyang.”
At my words, Kim Sook-hyang looked at me with an odd expression.
“But my lady, did you sleep well last night?”
“Yes, very soundly.”
Now that she mentioned it, I really had slept deeply and woken refreshed. The painkillers hadn’t worn off mid-sleep, I hadn’t woken up in the Afterlife, and I felt neither the persistent exhaustion nor dizziness of someone who hadn’t slept.
‘No headaches, no nosebleeds, breathing easy, no bitter medicine to swallow.’
I’d never realized how wonderful it was to have a healthy body. Well, I’d known intellectually it would be good, but knowing and experiencing it firsthand were entirely different. Each small thing was surprising and delightful. My body felt so light I could almost float, and my mood grew correspondingly buoyant.
‘I keep wanting to smile.’
No—I had to compose myself, act with dignity and maturity.
I barely suppressed the smile threatening to break free when Kim Sook-hyang’s lips twitched. She seemed curious about how I’d emerged unscathed but hesitant to ask directly. She wavered before speaking carefully.
“You seem to be quite a special person, my lady.”
“Yes, I am rather special.”
I quickly composed my expression and spoke with cool dignity, then rose onto my toes and gestured. Kim Sook-hyang tilted her head toward me with a puzzled look. I leaned in and whispered near her ear.
“So you’ve chosen your patron wisely. I’ll treat you well going forward, and you must do the same for me.”
“Yes, my lady.”
As Kim Sook-hyang straightened, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.
The attendants at Sang Ra Palace often did that—usually when I looked unbearably adorable but they had to restrain themselves from showing it.
But I hadn’t done anything particularly cute just now. I’d been issuing threats, the way my mother or father did when they meant business.
‘I need to inspire caution, not affection. Is Se-ru-hwa’s face too gentle? Does it lack authority?’
I was considering whether I needed to practice looking more dignified when a palanquin arrived. As Kim Sook-hyang moved to help me board, An-si suddenly rushed forward and inserted herself.
“M—my lady! Let this An-si assist you!”
Kim Sook-hyang, who had been pushed back abruptly, observed An-si quietly before turning to me with a question.
“Is that child the head maid that the Crown Princess brought?”
“If you’re asking whether she’s a maid brought from the Pyeong Empire, then yes.”
“Then I shall register that child in the Inner Chamber Court Lady’s records as well.”
She’s already taking initiative and doing her job well.
I smiled warmly and nodded. An-si pouted and whimpered in her animal form.
[Your Highness, does this An-si not serve you better than that human? Please say An-si is the best.]
[An-si, you’re a phoenix. How can you compare yourself to humans?]
[Whimper….]
[…Of course you’re the best, so stop comparing yourself.]
[Hehe. Tee-hee.]
My An-si is kind and adorable, but I wonder when she’ll ever grow up.
* * *
The King received my greeting not in the Inner Palace, but in the Central Palace Hall.
‘He loved the Queen dearly… and developed madness after the darkness incident, they say.’
Seok-ran’s information was accurate. The King, seated before the place where I had bowed, looked half out of his mind. His bloodshot eyes remained fixed on the Queen lying beyond my position.
‘When he was in his right mind, he must have had the bearing of a sage. Now I understand where the Crown Prince got his face.’
At present, he was nothing short of a madman. The King barely acknowledged my greeting and waved his hand dismissively.
“Leave. I am occupied.”
He didn’t even look at my face. Well, if one becomes entangled in darkness, even a sage goes mad—so for a fragile human to retain only these lingering effects is quite remarkable.
‘He must have been quite resolute in his original nature.’
Still, I needed to see the Queen’s face to find and bring her back from the Afterlife, but the King showed no inclination to reveal it. He seemed indifferent even to the fact that the Crown Prince’s consort, who should have died, was alive.
Naturally, breakfast was out of the question. I felt a bit dejected. I’m hungry….
‘Does this King even know that I’m his daughter-in-law?’
Honestly, it seemed he didn’t. More precisely, he appeared oblivious to whoever came and whatever they said. I hesitated briefly, then asked innocently as if I knew nothing.
“Is the Queen still resting?”
“…I told you to leave.”
“But I haven’t yet paid my respects to the Queen.”
“I said leave!”
The King raised his voice and turned to look at me. Murderous intent flickered in his wild eyes.
“Your Highness, the Crown Princess Mano, it would be best if you left.”
The Inner Chamber Court Lady of the Central Palace Hall, who had been fidgeting nervously, approached to help me up.
This won’t do.
Left with no choice, I simply dropped the bomb.
“Is the Queen continuing to sleep because of the Crown Prince’s darkness?”
“…!”
Every eunuch and court lady in the vicinity froze. The King’s complexion flushed crimson with rage.
“Who, how dare you, speak of that matter?”
The King rose to his feet, enunciating each word as if spitting them out. As he stood, his fury seemed to surge forth as well.
“Who dared speak of it! I absolutely forbade any mention of it!”
I hastily got to the main point before the King could explode.
“If the Queen has been sleeping all this time for that reason, I can wake her!”
“Nonsense!”
The King’s murderous intent thickened as he let out a hollow laugh. He looked ready to wring the neck of anyone standing before him.
“How do you propose to wake the Queen? The one no one has been able to wake until now, hmm?”
As the King strode toward me, the Eunuchs and Court Ladies trembled and moved to block his path.
“Y-Your Majesty! She is the Crown Prince’s bride from the Pyeong Empire!”
“She is still so young! Surely she speaks without understanding, so please forgive her….”
Regardless of how I was treated, if I—the Princess of the Pyeong Empire—died, Pyeong could not simply stand idle for the sake of face. If I died by the Crown Prince’s hand, they would execute him and be done with it, but if I died by the King’s hand, it would become a serious matter.
No matter how mad he was, they could not punish the King without first staging a coup or rebellion to overthrow him.
‘Wait, then could the reason Se-ru-hwa was assassinated before the wedding ceremony be that she was targeting the King?’
While my mind was distracted by this sudden thought, the powerfully built King shoved aside those blocking his path as easily as sweeping away straw.
“Get out of my way!”
A Court Lady stumbled backward, and a Eunuch fell over. The King approached me like an enraged tiger.
Yet it was merely the presence of an ordinary human. The fairy who had swatted insects entering Sang Ra Palace had been more ferocious than this. I continued speaking calmly.
“If I use the Xue Tribe’s abilities, I should be able to wake the Queen.”
“…What?”

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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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