Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 142

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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 142
I descended into the brush near the wooden fence. After confirming that the talisman Cheoyong had crafted for me hung securely at my waist, I gestured to Gwang-chul.
[Patrol around this area and keep watch—see if those humans show up or not. If they come with murderous intent, stop them. Can you do that?]
[Most of them seem to be Gwae-ryeok-nan-sin, but well, who am I to complain? Humans at that level are nothing but appetizers, whether they’re Gwae-ryeok-nan-sin or not.]
[Watch your karma. You don’t belong to the Mortal Realm, you’re not the Black Phoenix who crosses the Three Realms, and you’re already being punished. If you harm humans recklessly, you’ll accumulate serious karmic debt. You understand, right? You need to distinguish carefully between assassins and ordinary people.]
[Yes, yes….]
Gwang-chul answered with the disappointed expression of a child having his toy taken away.
Does he actually understand his own situation? He must, right? He’s aware that he’s currently in the middle of serving his punishment and has fled, isn’t he?
‘Even if Gwang-chul’s punishment is aggravated by his own doing, if he accumulates karmic debt in the Heavenly Realm, Doo-eok-sini will only grow stronger.’
[Don’t you dare accumulate any karmic debt. Understood?]
[Yes, understood….]
[If you finish this cleanly and do well, I’ll let you have a drink or two when we return.]
[Yes! Understood! I absolutely won’t make a mistake! I’ll handle it perfectly, so don’t worry!]
After reining in that damnable drunkard whose attitude changed instantly, I left the brush and headed toward the wooden fence where the Crown Prince’s group was supposedly stationed.
‘Gwang-chul will probably handle it well, but I never know what might happen, so I should wake the Crown Prince and the others.’
What excuse should I make? If he asks why I came here….
‘…because I wanted to see the Crown Prince?’
I shook my head, dismissing the reason that came to mind so naturally.
‘That doesn’t explain how I knew the Crown Prince’s group was here in the first place.’
It would be better to mix in some truth. I’d say I couldn’t sleep, went for a walk, and happened to notice suspicious people gathering and followed them.
‘Good, then—’
Suddenly, my heightened spiritual sense detected a disturbance in the flow of qi. Something was approaching me at tremendous speed!
In the next instant, that something struck my calf. The impact sent me tumbling to the ground.
“Eek!”
I’d sensed the approach, but the speed was far beyond my ability to evade or block. Only after falling did I hastily draw upon my divine power to create my wing garment. I wrapped my body in the wings while shielding my front with both arms and looked ahead.
‘What on earth? An assassin?’
Between my arms, a gleaming blade and a crimson cord caught my eye first. Then I saw a dark blue academy robe.
‘A student?’
I lowered my arms slightly in surprise, and indeed it was a Seongsul Academy student. The qi infused in the sword glowed softly, illuminating the face clearly. A boy with sharp eyebrows and fierce eyes, with distinctly handsome features.
‘Choi Hwang-hae!’
That was the one said to be from the Hwarang.
What was he doing here? And more importantly—did he just strike my calf with a sword wrapped in blade energy?
‘Ouch, but why does my ankle hurt instead of the calf where the blade hit?’
Glancing down, I saw only the fabric of my clothes torn at the wound, while the exposed skin remained completely unharmed.
‘How is this possible… Ah! The talisman Cheoyong gave me!’
The protective charm Cheoyong had left me was finally doing its job. I exhaled in relief and looked up to see Choi Hwang-hae frowning.
“…You’re not a demon.”
“A demon? A demon? What on earth made you think that?”
“Your white hair was shining, so I thought you were a mountain tiger demon.”
“You mistook my hair for demon fur? We’re in the same class! Have you only seen me once or twice?”
“My apologies. That was a mistake.”
Stunned, I looked up to see Choi Hwang-hae silently sheathing his blade before extending his hand to me.
“Are you hurt? I’ll take you to the Royal Physician.”
“It’s fine, I wasn’t cut, ugh.”
I pushed away Choi Hwang-hae’s hand as he tried to lift me and attempted to stand, but my ankle throbbed painfully. The protective charm had blocked the blade, but I must have twisted my ankle when I fell.
‘This blasted charm—it blocks attacks but can’t prevent this? Ow, ow, ow…’
As I whimpered while clutching my ankle, Choi Hwang-hae approached and simply scooped me into his arms.
“What are you doing!”
“You’re hurt because of me. I’ll take responsibility.”
The taciturn boy carried me toward the interior of the wooden fence.
I struggled for a moment, but realizing Choi Hwang-hae wouldn’t put me down and that I couldn’t walk on this ankle anyway, I gave up. He was strong—befitting a warrior.
‘Wait, if those assassins were real, that means there’s a traitor within Seongsul Academy… Could it be him?’
But I’d heard that the Hwarang, if they were truly part of this organization, possessed loyalty nearly equivalent to state service and maintained deep ties with the royal family. It wasn’t for nothing that the leader of the Hwarang was called the “Gukseon”—the Immortal of the Nation.
I looked up at Choi Hwang-hae with slight suspicion and asked.
“But what were you doing outside at this hour?”
“Standing watch.”
“Ah, to prepare for an attack on the instructors or assistant instructors?”
“Yes. What brings you here?”
“That is…”
“My Lady!”
A delighted voice called to me with that familiar title. I turned to see the Crown Prince rising from where he’d been sleeping, his expression alarmed as he rushed toward us.
How does he manage to look so immaculate and pristine even after waking from sleep on bare earth? Must be his celestial nature.
“How did you come to be here… Are you injured, my Lady?”
The Crown Prince’s eyes flickered as he assessed me cradled in Choi Hwang-hae’s arms. Before I could answer, Choi Hwang-hae responded matter-of-factly.
“She’s hurt because of me. I mistook her for a demon and drew my blade.”
“What?”
I watched the Crown Prince’s gaze sharpen as he questioned Choi Hwang-hae. Sensing something ominous, I quickly interjected myself between them.
“I wasn’t cut by the blade—I just got startled and fell, twisting my ankle slightly. I’m fine, Your Highness.”
Had it not been for the protective charm, I likely would have been slashed, but well, he didn’t do it intentionally and I wasn’t hurt, so it’s fine. I’m not so petty a deity as to harbor genuine anger toward a boy the same age as the Crown Prince for a simple mistake.
‘Of course, if he turns out to be a spy, I won’t let it slide… but it doesn’t seem that way.’
Unlike me, the Crown Prince looked far from reassured.
“I fail to understand how someone who cannot distinguish between humans and demons gained entry to Seongsul Academy.”
The Crown Prince’s words cut coldly as he attempted to take me from Choi Hwang-hae. Choi Hwang-hae reflexively dodged his reach, then, seeming to realize the situation, obediently transferred me over.
I understood they were warriors and therefore strong, but being passed between them like a doll felt oddly light and strange.
“…It was clearly my mistake, so I won’t make excuses. I’ll be more careful going forward.”
“Yes, you should be careful. This will be the only time such a mistake is overlooked.”
The Crown Prince’s demeanor as he held me had turned lethal. His clenched teeth barely contained his fury.
I was accustomed to this from Mother, Father, An-si, or the Sangra Palace Celestial Maidens, but having the Crown Prince react this way felt peculiar. It wasn’t unpleasant exactly, but something about it felt ticklish and strange.
‘And being held by Choi Hwang-hae just now felt natural, but being like this with the Crown Prince feels somehow…’
Strangely embarrassing. I squirmed to get down, but the Crown Prince wouldn’t release me, quickening his pace instead.
“Your Highness, I—”
“Please wait.”
The Crown Prince strode forward and was about to set me down in front of the sleeping figure in the corner when he hesitated, glancing at the dirt floor.
“Tsk.”
The Crown Prince clicked his tongue softly, adjusted me in one arm, and spread his indigo robe across the ground.
“Just a moment, Lady.”
After settling me on his doublet, the Crown Prince woke the sleeping person. As they stirred awake, I realized it was Kim Cho-ryeong.
‘So when Choi Hwang-hae mentioned a physician earlier, he meant Kim Cho-ryeong.’
Seeing the girl bleary-eyed from sleep, I felt a pang of guilt. Come to think of it, couldn’t I have simply treated this myself?
‘I hadn’t thought of it because I’ve never tried healing myself before. I woke her for nothing… wait, no—I came here to wake them up in the first place anyway.’
“The Lady has injured her ankle. Treat it.”
“What? The Crown Princess?”
Kim Cho-ryeong, who had been half-asleep, suddenly became alert and approached me.
“My goodness, it’s swollen! What should I do, you must be in pain… however did this happen? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt much.”
Kim Cho-ryeong immediately examined my ankle and drew out an acupuncture kit. The girl skillfully produced a long needle and gathered her energy as she spoke.
“It might sting a little, Your Highness.”
A faint blue aura gathered at the needle’s tip. It seemed to be Taoist energy, specifically the water element.
I’d heard that the medical arts practiced by human physicians were generally based on Taoist techniques, so physicians like her channeled their energy this way. Though without a staff, they couldn’t be called true Taoist Priests.
‘Her constitution seems well-suited to water among the natural elements. But wait—water affinity and medical arts? This is perfect…’
She fit the profile exactly as a candidate for the Healing Water Vessel.
After naming the fan I’d given Baek Tam-sol the Crimson Flame Fan rather than simply calling it a fan, I’d given simple names to the remaining divine artifacts as well.
The gourd vessel containing healing divine power became the Healing Water Vessel, the seal containing the power of wishes became the Aspiring Sun Seal, and so on.
‘…For now, I’ll keep Kim Cho-ryeong in mind as a candidate. I hope I’ll have the chance to give her a divine artifact.’
Contrary to her warning about stinging, Kim Cho-ryeong inserted the needle without causing any pain. Soon a refreshing energy enveloped my ankle, and the pain washed away like water.

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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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