Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 125

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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 125
The fourteenth day of the twelfth month, Year 14 of Seo-gwang.
The morning greetings that had been suspended due to the Queen’s illness resumed. According to An-si, who had peeked into the Central Palace Hall, the unborn baby in the womb had received a celestial blessing and no longer harmed the mother’s body. The Queen’s injuries, which had accumulated over time, were completely healed as the remaining traces of the curse vanished.
‘She recovered completely the very next day, so the delay in resuming the morning greetings must be because they were anxious about not understanding the cause of her recovery and wanted her to rest a few more days.’
The Crown Prince and I set out for the Central Palace Hall early in the morning, side by side, because the King had sent word that he would receive the morning greeting there with us.
“It has been so long since I last saw Mother.”
The Crown Prince walking beside me murmured with a slightly flushed face, then added:
“It is truly a curious matter. All the court ladies in the Central Palace Hall suddenly fell asleep that night, and when morning came, Mother’s condition recovered in an instant.”
Suddenly, the Crown Prince stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me.
“It is almost as though someone secretly visited during the night and treated Mother’s illness, is it not?”
His clear, dark eyes fixed upon me intently. I dropped my guard and tilted my head in confusion.
“Did the Royal Guard not thoroughly search and find no trace of anyone entering or leaving?”
“…That is true.”
“While it is strange in many ways… nothing went missing, no one was harmed, and Her Majesty the Queen has recovered her health. Is that not a good thing?”
No matter how thoroughly humans investigated, they would never discover anything. To detect traces of the Black Phoenix’s deliberate concealment, one would need to be at least an immortal.
At my words, the Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed gently, curving into a soft smile.
“Yes, as you say… regardless of the reason, it is indeed a blessing.”
The boy smiled gracefully and suddenly reached out his hand to me. As he brushed back the hair that had fallen near my ear, the Crown Prince whispered:
“It seems Princess Cheonmyeong must have visited the Palace during the night.”
“What?”
I barely restrained myself from jumping in shock. As I looked up in alarm, the Crown Prince laughed and continued:
“Why are you so startled? Is not the deity you serve that very person? The princess of the highest heavens and the deepest depths, whose title must be spoken with such care.”
“Ah, well… yes, that is true. But she is not a deity who heals illnesses.”
“Yet you borrowed her divine power and performed a possession to heal me. If she is such a great deity, could she not perform miracles even outside her domain of authority?”
“Well, that may be so, but…”
“I heard that you prepared blessed water and made offerings, praying for Mother’s recovery. Perhaps the princess of the highest heavens and deepest depths was moved by your sincerity and visited the Palace briefly.”
“Ah, ha ha, surely not!”
“Are you not currently her only shaman? Since she is still a young deity, there were no precedents of shamans receiving her favor before you… so it would be fitting for her to answer your prayers. Besides, you yourself said that you are beloved by the gods.”
“What? When did I say that?”
“Have you forgotten? When the East Palace caught fire, you said so while performing the rain-calling ritual.”
“Ah… yes, I suppose…”
“Whether or not the princess of the highest realm actually visited… in any case, this is a miracle, so we must give thanks to Heaven.”
“Yes… I think we should make an offering later.”
I agreed with the Crown Prince’s words while wiping away cold sweat.
‘Does he know something? Or is he just saying pretty things that please me as usual? Did he only bring it up because she is the deity I serve? Surely he did not suspect anything?’
Following the Crown Prince as he resumed walking, I stole glances at him, trying to gauge his thoughts. When our eyes met, he smiled shyly and gently took my hand.
“You seem nervous about the morning greeting after so long.”
‘That is not it. I did not ask him to hold my hand…’
Yet as I walked holding the smiling Crown Prince’s hand, my earlier nervousness melted away as if it were nothing. Have I really grown accustomed to holding his hand to calm him?
‘…He could not have meant anything by it.’
Honestly, the identity of Princess Cheonmyeong wouldn’t be easily discovered. A deity? It’s far too unrealistic and too grand a status to suspect.
‘Even if I told them directly, it would be normal for them not to believe.’
Besides, ‘Se-ru-hwa’ had such a solid identity as a Xuezu half-blood and the imperial princess of Pyeong.
Reassured, I made my way to the Central Palace Hall.
The King and Queen received us seated on cushions before a table of refreshments.
“We offer our deepest respects to Your Majesties.”
The Crown Prince and I bowed together, and he offered the formal greeting on our behalf.
“Did you rest well last night?”
The King, who had seemed perpetually melancholy of late, received the greeting with a broad smile for the first time in ages.
“Indeed. Did you both sleep peacefully last night?”
“Yes, Father and Mother.”
The moment we finished exchanging formal greetings, the Crown Prince asked the Queen with barely concealed eagerness.
“Are you now completely recovered, Mother?”
“Yes, Crown Prince. You’ve been so worried, haven’t you?”
The Queen smiled brightly, her complexion noticeably improved. The Crown Prince examined her appearance, then exhaled with relief.
“I’m truly grateful for your full recovery….”
“Your sister is safe as well. A great burden has been lifted.”
The King interjected with a pleased expression. The Crown Prince’s face brightened.
“Then there are no more concerns?”
“That’s right. In a few months, you’ll be able to meet your sibling.”
“A sibling… I’m truly going to have a sibling. I’m so looking forward to it. I’ll be a good older brother. Truly, I will.”
The Crown Prince smiled so brightly that dimples formed in his cheeks. The pure joy of a young boy who could now look forward to a sibling with peace of mind was palpable, filling me with warmth. I too smiled radiantly and spoke.
“I look forward to the day the Prince is born!”
“Hmm? A prince?”
“A prince?”
Both the Crown Prince and the King questioned simultaneously. Then the Queen asked with curiosity.
“Does the Crown Princess believe the baby will be a prince?”
Oh no. I had grown so accustomed to continuously observing the baby through my divine sight that I had carelessly revealed the child’s gender without thinking.
I quickly offered an excuse.
“I simply had a feeling it would be a prince. What do you think, Your Highness?”
The Crown Prince turned to me with an enigmatic expression and responded.
“Hmm… If it’s a prince, there would be more things I could do together with him, which would be wonderful. If it’s a princess, I think Mother would be even more delighted, which would also be wonderful.”
“My, Crown Prince, does it seem to you that this mother desires a princess?”
“I’ve been sorry for being such a dull son….”
The Crown Prince added with a subtle smile.
“But since I’ve been blessed with such a lovely Crown Princess, surely I’ve redeemed myself from filial impiety, haven’t I?”
“…It’s precisely because the Crown Prince sees through this mother so completely that you’re called a dull son.”
The Queen jested, deliberately narrowing her eyes. The King burst into hearty laughter.
“That’s right! The greatest filial deed our Crown Prince has done is bringing the Crown Princess! Ha! When the Queen first collapsed this time, our Crown Princess treated her so quickly. Goodness, where did such a precious and beautiful blessing come rolling in from?”
The King gazed at me with a beaming expression.
He has the same expression as Father. The Human King is increasingly starting to resemble my father.
‘One father who never leaves the house is already more than I can handle….’
Feeling slightly burdened, I quickly changed the subject by retrieving the gift.
“Oh yes, this is a gift to commemorate the Queen’s recovery.”
“For me, from the Crown Princess?”
The Queen accepted the gift wrapped in silk cloth. As she unwrapped it, her eyes widened at the sight of an exquisite miniature display case filled with curious vessels.
“Goodness! Crown Princess, wherever did you find such a thing?”
“I bought it at the South Market. I went with him.”
“My, how absolutely beautiful….”
She clearly adored it. I felt secretly pleased with my taste, but the King’s expression grew subtly displeased as he raised his voice.
“The South Market? You mean the Crown Princess ventured outside the Palace to the commoners’ market to the south? How could you do something so dangerous!”
“The Crown Princess’s Palace attendants and Scholar Ki Ho-cheol were there to escort us, and I accompanied her.”
When the Crown Prince interjected in her defense, the King’s displeasure eased somewhat.
“…Regardless, it is dangerous for a young and delicate Crown Princess to wander through such a crowded and chaotic place with merely two escorts. Crown Prince, you are still in a position to be protected, not yet capable of protecting the Crown Princess’s Palace. And you left the Palace without even obtaining proper permission from me!”
“Father, regarding the permission—”
“Enough! You surely followed proper procedure? You submitted an official report of your secret outing, did you not? You mean to say I was simply too busy to review it?”
“…That is correct, Father. If you review the report I submitted—”
“Sigh! This is why you are such a tedious son. You are flawless, absolutely flawless. Sometimes you should be a bit careless, make mistakes, act foolish. That is how you earn the Crown Princess’s affection.”
“Pardon? What do you mean… Oh.”
The Crown Prince, who had begun to question with a bewildered expression, trailed off. As if he had suddenly understood something.
“Hmph, the way you grasp it so quickly proves you are indeed my son. In any case, refrain from wandering about places like the South Market. There is no need to purchase such things there.”
The King pointed at the gift the Queen held and grumbled. The Queen’s eyes widened sharply.
“Your Majesty, how can you say such a thing when the Crown Princess has brought you such a precious gift!”
“When did I ever say the Crown Princess’s gift was inferior? I merely said it is dangerous for our Crown Princess to wander the South Market to purchase gifts.”
That subtly sullen attitude is all too familiar. Father acted exactly like this whenever I kissed only Mother.
‘I knew this would happen. Now there are two fathers….’
I retrieved another gift and spoke.
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I will be more careful next time.”
“…What is this?”
“Actually, I purchased a gift for you as well at the South Market.”
The King’s pouting expression immediately softened. He quickly accepted the gift, and before even unwrapping it, the corners of his mouth rose.
“Ahem, well, our Crown Princess purchased a gift for me as well.”
The King hastily unwrapped the bundle and gazed blankly at the jade paperweight carved in the shape of a hawk before blinking slowly.
“I discovered it while wandering the South Market, and I remembered hearing that you enjoyed falconry….”

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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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