Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 128

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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 128
“….”
It’s a strange feeling. I saved Seol Deung-hwa from death and helped her with various things, but that was ultimately just the price of inheriting Se-ru-hwa’s life. Seol Deung-hwa going around rescuing the Xuezu survivors was her responsibility as the tribe leader’s daughter—it had nothing to do with me.
‘Yet it all came full circle and became a help to me.’
The slower Doo-eok-sini becomes a deity worthy of ascending to the Heavenly Realm, the greater my advantage. I’m not yet prepared to fight Doo-eok-sini.
Had I known Doo-eok-sini was collecting divine blood, I would have done whatever it took to stop it.
‘But Seol Deung-hwa is going to… do that. It helps her, but it also helps me… and it will be dangerous.’
The star I released into the sky, hoping it would only shine and not fade away, was now beginning to illuminate my path through the darkness.
Something warm surges within me. There are many ugly humans and weak humans, but humans are truly remarkable and lovable.
I thought calmly while holding onto this rising emotion.
‘I still need much more time. I’ve only found five concepts so far.’
Before Prince Hyo-wan was born, I found four concepts and thought I could quickly gather all the concepts my subordinate deities would govern. Yet more than a year has passed since then, and I’ve obtained only one new concept.
‘Judgment.’
A concept I created by contemplating the powers I already possessed, drawing from how I discovered Hope.
My Heavenly Eyes originally inherited both my Mother’s power to distinguish merit from fault and my Father’s power to see karma extending into the next life, allowing me to see through humans—a power for rendering judgment. And my divine power, left to its own devices, would naturally inflict heavenly punishment upon the wicked around me.
Of course, it’s a power that places great burden on the Heavenly Realm’s body, so I haven’t used either for a long time.
‘With the divine power I bring and use as a human Shaman, I can barely manage my Heavenly Eyes, let alone heavenly punishment. Observing the flow of qi is far easier than seeing through a human’s entire life, so I use it well.’
In any case, before I began using divine power in the Shaman’s way, my only means of wielding divine power were my Heavenly Eyes and heavenly punishment.
‘Both were related to determining punishment through karmic retribution, and since I’ve always watched my Mother and Father render judgment… I thought there was a possibility.’
After months of struggle, recalling the sensation of inflicting heavenly punishment and using my Heavenly Eyes, I finally separated out the divine power that was ‘Judgment’.
‘A power to measure guilt and virtue and administer punishment. To make one reap what one has sown, the judgment rendered when one is buried in the earth upon death, a transaction where good deeds reduce evil deeds and where punishment neutralizes karma….’
Thus Judgment was a concept with properties similar to earth, and it was contained in a scepter carved from jade among divine artifacts.
‘Five concepts, and still only Baek Tam-sol as a candidate for a subordinate deity.’
I explained to Baek Tam-sol that the fan was a divine artifact Princess Cheonmyeong had given her. If she used it, she might one day become an immortal and ascend to the Heavenly Realm.
“Still, if you don’t mind, please continue using this divine artifact. Actually, Princess Cheonmyeong asked me to find the masters of her divine artifacts.”
“The masters of the divine artifacts…?”
“Well, you see, Princess Cheonmyeong is still a young deity, and she lacks subordinates. So she needs many immortals to work under her… and she’s looking for candidates even among humans.”
I couldn’t immediately explain that I need subordinate deities to receive a portion of my divine power to survive, so I had to speak around it.
I changed it from needing to survive to needing retainers, and since calling them candidates to become deities would sound too fantastical, I made it sound more realistic by calling it transcendence into immortality.
“Actually, when I became that person’s Shaman, I promised to find the masters of her divine artifacts. And seeing how this divine artifact transformed, I think you could become a candidate.”
“Goodness, this fan was such a… such an extraordinary thing?”
“Will you accept it?”
I held out the fan again to Baek Tam-sol, who looked burdened and flustered, and asked.
“As the Shaman serving Princess Cheonmyeong, I’m making this offer formally. Master, will you become a candidate for the Princess’s retinue?”
“Your Highness the Crown Princess, I am not worthy of becoming such a great being—”
“It’s only a candidacy. Don’t feel too burdened. Just… if you’re interested in transcendence into immortality, please accept it.”
“…Transcendence into immortality… It’s something I’ve never even dared to dream of.”
“You don’t need to do anything right away. Just carry this with you and use it when needed. Even if you meet the qualifications someday, you can decide later whether to become Princess Cheonmyeong’s retinue or not.”
“…Your Highness said you need to find the masters of these divine artifacts. Would my accepting this and becoming a retinue candidate help you?”
“Yes?”
“If it would be of help to Your Highness, I will accept it.”
“…Not to become an immortal, then?”
“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure about such things. But if the Crown Princess requires it, then I will attempt to become a candidate for immortality.”
‘Not the possibility of becoming an immortal, but because it’s for me… That was unexpected.’
Yet I felt delighted, quite fulfilled. It was as though the affection I had given was returning to me.
A great deity naturally bestows blessings upon humans, and should not be disappointed if those who receive help do not repay them. For a deity does not bestow blessings in order to receive recompense from humans.
‘That is what I was taught, after all….’
Regardless, having the affection I sent to humans return to me was an extraordinarily joyful, gratifying, and blissful thing.
“…Thank you, Master.”
“It is I who should thank you, Your Highness. You have given me the chance to dance before people once more.”
She smiled, her long bangs trimmed short, her face now refreshingly revealed.
Baek Tamsol thus became my first low-level god candidate and the temporary owner of ‘Yeolhwaseon (熱火扇)’, a god of passion and flame.
‘Once I truly settle into life at Seongsul Academy, I should be able to find other candidates as well, shouldn’t I?’
But finding them, and then waiting for them to grow strong enough to stand against Doo-eok-sini, would require considerable time.
‘I have approximately eight years remaining. I must use every moment of that time to the fullest.’
So I should provide more support to the organization that Seol Deung-hwa is building. I’ll send more money, and what else could be helpful? Something that would aid in requesting cooperation from deities and spirits… Writing a letter of recommendation with my status could be discovered by Doo-eok-sini, so perhaps I should raid the Treasure Vault….
Lost in thought, Seok-ran suddenly spoke up.
“Oh, right, on the way back to Yun, I ran into that bastard again, kyaak.”
“That bastard?”
“That dark, unlucky Black Phoenix that came when the princess was kidnapped by Geu-seun-dae before. That one was guarding the border between Yun and Pyeong. Leaving the humans alone, but dealing with only the demons.”
“What? What is Heuk-yeon doing there?”
I started in alarm and asked again, and An-si, who had been half-dozing, jolted awake as well.
“Pardon? What is this fox saying? Is Brother Heuk-yeon in the Mortal Realm right now?”
“That’s what’s happening, kyak kyak. Demons going from Yun to Pyeong aren’t stopped, but demons trying to go from Pyeong to Yun are all killed or driven away. The Black Phoenix is lying in wait and ambushing demons trying to sneak past, so there’s no way to avoid it. I got caught too… kyak kyak. Since we have some history, he let me through though.”
The fox let out a long sigh and continued.
“When I asked what he was doing here, he said if it were a different Black Phoenix, he would have ignored me, but since it’s him guarding now, I should be grateful, kyaak.”
“A different Black Phoenix? Are the Black Phoenixes taking turns guarding Yun’s borders?”
“Kyak, that’s right. That’s what the dark phoenix said. It’s being done as a preventive measure, he said. But he couldn’t say the details.”
At the mention of preventive measures, sudden understanding dawned on me.
‘It’s because of me.’
Because I am in the Mortal Realm, in Yun Kingdom. Perhaps, fearing that I might be harmed again by a demon sent by Doo-eok-sini like what happened with Geu-seun-dae, they are implementing a complete blockade from the source.
‘Black Phoenixes can naturally traverse the Three Realms, so staying in the Mortal Realm doesn’t accumulate karmic debt or anything….’
Still, if they’re blocking like this and Doo-eok-sini finds out, it would be a serious problem.
‘If it’s discovered that there’s something in Yun Kingdom that the Black Phoenixes are protecting… and if a conflict were to arise, it would be even worse.’
An-si’s Black Phoenixes all serve deities as their masters, so if they were to fight Doo-eok-sini, it would become the responsibility of each deity they serve. This means the deities’ karmic debt would accumulate, allowing Doo-eok-sini to grow stronger more quickly.
‘Young An-si aside, these are fully grown adult Black Phoenixes, so they would surely be careful not to be discovered.’
Yet it seemed unlikely that Mother would have approved of such an arrangement. It’s far too great a burden for the Black Phoenixes.
‘Is this the Black Phoenixes acting on their own?’
It seemed I needed to discuss this with someone. I turned to look at An-si, whose mouth hung open.
“An-si.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Can you go to the border and bring your brother back? I need to speak with him.”
“Do you mean Heuk-yeon, Your Highness?”

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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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