Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 121

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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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Chapter 121
‘A merchant dealing in decorative items?’
The stall was crammed with intricately carved pieces, various miniature models, and small figurines. They were far too exquisitely crafted to be mere toys—clearly decorative pieces. Their unusual designs suggested they’d been imported from abroad.
‘The Queen would love these.’
I recalled the Queen’s delighted expression as we played house together, her joy as innocent as a young girl’s. She adored small, delicate things, so she would certainly appreciate items like these.
‘Should I buy something as a gift?’
I examined the finely crafted miniature vessels among the collection. Inside a display cabinet barely larger than my palm sat glass vessels uncommon in Yun Kingdom, along with curiously designed teacups and teapots.
The Central Palace Hall even had a dollhouse, so there would be plenty of Yun-style miniatures, but… the Queen likely didn’t possess many foreign-style pieces like these.
‘I’ll buy them. If they bring her even a little comfort, that would be wonderful.’
The Queen had been bedridden for well over a month now. Though they were treating her with the Blood Stone of Ten Thousand, her continued injuries couldn’t possibly be good for her body.
‘Because of me….’
My existence was interfering with the child in the Queen’s womb receiving its destiny. The fetus, unable to receive its proper destiny and thus becoming an existence that violated the natural order, was inadvertently harming the Queen.
‘…But now there’s hope.’
I’d finally grasped the concept of karmic connection.
With this concept, I could properly restore the child’s destiny, couldn’t I? I had to succeed… but since this was unprecedented, I couldn’t predict the outcome.
‘In any case, I must attempt it tonight.’
A direct attempt would be difficult to explain, and I worried about the consequences of failure, so I’d planned to sneak into the Central Palace Hall at night with An-si’s help.
‘Once I’ve successfully restored the child’s destiny…I’ll visit the Queen tomorrow morning and present this as a gift.’
Having resolved myself, I pointed to the merchant at the decorative cabinet model containing the vessels.
“I’ll take this.”
The merchant, glancing at what I’d indicated, replied curtly.
“That came from across the sea, so it’s rather expensive….”
“How much is it?”
If it was expensive, perhaps I could negotiate? Looking up with anticipation, the merchant spread his palm wide.
“Five nyang?”
That was cheaper than I expected. As I pulled out a one-nyang silver coin from my purse, the previously indifferent merchant suddenly startled and waved his hands frantically.
“Five jeon, five jeon! Five nyang would be fifty jeon, wouldn’t it? That’s the price of two sacks of rice….”
The merchant swallowed hard and studied me carefully upon seeing the silver coin in my hand. He was openly materialistic, but judging by how he kept glancing at Ki Ho-cheol in his guard’s attire, he didn’t seem like he’d cheat us.
Still, the real price was only one-tenth of what I’d initially thought was cheap.
‘This market is mainly used by commoners, so prices must be lower here, I suppose?’
I’d thought the twenty or so copper coins the Nain had prepared for me were meager, but they were actually quite generous.
‘This means I can buy gifts for the East Palace Nain too. I should get something for An-si and Seok-ran! Oh, and I shouldn’t forget Gwang-chul or he’ll feel left out, and also….’
I glanced to the side briefly, then pointed to the decorative cabinet model and another item placed some distance away.
“I’ll take both of these.”
“That one has talismans carved into it, so it’s considerably more expensive….”
“How much?”
“T-two items together would be eighteen jeon.”
“Since they’re gifts, please wrap them. Keep the change.”
Ah, I’d always wanted to say something like that. Doesn’t it sound so graciously mature?
I suppressed my excitement and handed over two silver coins with deliberate composure.
“Yes, thank you so much!”
The Merchant, whose demeanor had completely shifted from before, quickly pulled out a small cloth wrapper and carefully bundled up my purchases, tying it all together with a neat knot.
After that, the Crown Prince and I wandered through the South Market, purchasing small gifts—decorative combs adorned with mother-of-pearl and lacquer for the Nain, a delicate silver hairpin for An-si, a glass hand mirror that was precious in the Mortal Realm for Seok-ran, and an embroidered pouch with maxims for Gwang-chul, a play on his name meaning “iron.”
‘I’m giving a gift to the Queen, so it would be odd not to give one to the King, wouldn’t it?’
So I also purchased a jade paperweight to give to the King.
‘Shopping and choosing things while walking around… this is so much fun…!’
I was so thrilled by all the purchasing that I lost track of time. If I’d wandered alone or only with An-si, who simply agreed with everything I said, it probably would have been somewhat dull, but having the Crown Prince seriously help me choose beside me made it far more enjoyable.
Thanks to the Crown Prince helping me avoid bumping into people, I could browse comfortably, and strolling side by side while sucking on taffy felt refreshingly novel.
‘Coming here with the Crown Prince was the right choice.’
I should suggest we go out together again if the opportunity arises.
As the sun began to set and I headed toward the tavern to return, the Crown Prince suddenly murmured something.
“You’ve only purchased gifts for others.”
The Crown Prince stared intently at the bundle of gifts that Ki Ho-cheol was carrying, then turned to me and asked.
“Did you not buy anything for yourself?”
“Just being able to go out and enjoy myself like this is enough for me!”
Answering cheerfully in my good mood, I handed the Crown Prince the bundle I’d purchased earlier from the ornament merchant along with the miniature cabinet model.
“For me…?”
“It’s for Your Highness.”
“For me, you say?”
“It’s a gift I’m giving to my husband.”
At my words, the boy stood rigid in place and his expression grew sullen.
“That’s cheating.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you wanted to choose things yourself and wouldn’t let me buy anything. So I held back, but now you’re giving me something like this?”
The Crown Prince spoke in a dejected tone and shook his head, refusing the gift.
“I won’t accept it now.”
“…Do you dislike my gift?”
“How could that be? I’m simply not prepared to accept it yet.”
The Crown Prince stepped backward and whispered, “Please wait a moment at the tavern,” before vanishing in an instant.
“Where are you suddenly—”
Before I could finish asking where he was going.
“My, he seemed to be in quite a hurry.”
Ki Ho-cheol sighed, entrusted the gift bundles he’d been holding to An-si, and disappeared after him.
“I’ll follow him, so please don’t worry and go to the tavern.”
I watched bewilderedly as the Crown Prince and Ki Ho-cheol vanished, then decided to head to the tavern and wait as they’d instructed.
Sitting in the palanquin placed in the tavern’s back courtyard, it wasn’t long before the Crown Prince tapped on the palanquin’s door. When I opened it, the boy, who appeared to have rushed back, caught his breath for a moment before holding out a bundle to me.
“This is a gift for you.”
“Did you go buy this?”
“Yes.”
The boy nodded and shyly spread both hands open. His eyes gazing at me sparkled like a puppy’s.
“I’m ready to receive it now, Lady.”
“…You didn’t have to wait for me.”
“I don’t want to be the only one receiving. You’ve already bought so many things for others anyway.”
“I bought them because I wanted to. As a memento of our outing outside the Palace….”
“And I’m doing this because I want to as well. You should have something to commemorate today too.”
Something to commemorate today. The words stirred something within me.
“…Here.”
I handed the Crown Prince his gift again and received the one he was offering.
The Crown Prince settled into the palanquin. In the cramped space, we pressed our heads together and unwrapped our respective gifts.
“This is….”
The Crown Prince’s eyes widened.
While I’d been haggling with the merchant over whether it was five taels or five coins, the Crown Prince had been intently observing something nearby. That was precisely what I’d purchased.
A wooden box the size of a palm, fitted with small windows. When I turned the handle on its side, the mechanism wound and activated the engraved enchantment, causing light to emanate from within and casting the shadow of a warrior wielding a sword onto the paper screen. It was a marvelous toy—the warrior’s shadow gracefully swung his blade, vanquishing the shadows of demons that tumbled forth in succession.
“You seemed interested in it earlier, so I bought it for you.”
The Crown Prince stared blankly at the warrior’s shadow moving inside the box, then muttered something with flushed cheeks.
“So you were watching me the whole time….”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“…It’s nothing.”
The Crown Prince quickly shook his head and broke into a wide smile, his eyes crinkling.
“Thank you so much, Lady!”
“Do you like it?”
“Of course I do!”
The boy answered with an excited voice, then carefully studied my face.
“Did you like my gift, Lady?”
I looked down at what emerged from the bundle the Crown Prince had given me. A deep blue silk sachet embroidered with cloud patterns. It was the very sachet I’d picked up and put down repeatedly while deliberating earlier.
‘I’d considered filling it with petals from the Western Paradise Flower Field to give to the Crown Prince as a protective charm to carry with him…but I set it down because it would be difficult to explain where the Underworld flowers came from.’
The Crown Prince must have noticed me handling it and remembered.
‘But this was something I’d been considering giving to the boy. The deep blue color is unusual and elegant….’
I’d thought it would suit the Crown Prince, but honestly, it wasn’t my taste. I preferred brighter colors and more ornate designs.
That was certainly the case.
‘So why does it look beautiful now?’
Strangely, I found myself drawn to it.
“You seemed to be deliberating over this just moments ago, and I thought you might come to like it….”
As I gazed silently at the sachet, the Crown Prince spoke anxiously. I clutched it tightly and answered with genuine warmth.
“Yes, I love it very much!”
* * *
After returning to the Palace and distributing the gifts, watching the Nains and An-si rejoice with satisfaction, reading the maxim about caution embroidered on the pouch, and witnessing Gwang-chul’s expression turn enigmatic before An-si struck him, night had fallen.
It was time to slip into the Central Palace Hall.

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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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