Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 151

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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 151
“Today there’s a scholarly assembly.”
A scholarly assembly was an event where the Crown Prince publicly demonstrated his learning before the tutors and officials of the Royal Lecture Hall. Originally held twice monthly, it had been reduced to once a month since the Crown Prince began attending Seongsul Academy. In exchange, the King now attended every session.
‘For someone who takes public examinations before court officials twice a month, a written test at Seongsul Academy would be nothing.’
I was confident in theory myself, but I felt I should study more separately. The Crown Princess had her reputation to uphold.
‘Honestly, this is my first time taking an actual exam.’
Being a first-timer made me both eager and nervous about the written test.
‘But how should I prepare for it? I’ve memorized everything taught in class, but….’
As I pondered, rolling my eyes, I spotted Je-gal Pyo walking beside me with an armful of books. According to the other students from Sipseungji, he’d ranked first in every written test there—the kind of boy they would have recommended as Sipseungji’s top choice if only he’d built up his spiritual energy properly.
Why did I even worry? I had a test expert right beside me.
“Class leader, how do you study for exams?”
“Huh, what?”
“I’ve never taken an exam before, so I’m not sure how to study for one.”
“W-well, you r-review what you learned, c-create practice questions, and p-practice solving problems while t-timing yourself.”
“You create practice questions?”
“Y-yes… if I were the one m-making the test, thinking about what q-questions I’d ask is quite h-helpful. Solving problems m-made by others is more h-helpful than solving your own, but….”
Je-gal Pyo’s eyes suddenly lit up as he spoke enthusiastically.
“W-would you like to t-try the questions I m-made? With timing, like a r-real exam… I also m-made questions for medical theory, the s-sub-subject we study together.”
“Really? Can I try them right now?”
“Of c-course! I’ll c-check your answers afterward. I was p-planning to study continuously anyway….”
“Great! Then I’ll make some questions for you too. Studying by creating problems sounds quite fun. But where should we do this?”
“S-Songrim Library is g-good for studying. It’s open until c-curfew, and….”
“Then let’s go there!”
Songrim Library was a library within Seongsul Academy. While not as vast as those in Seonghak Academy or Unryong Palace, it supposedly housed the nation’s largest collection of books on Gwae-ryeok-nan-sin.
‘A venerable hall surrounded by pine forests, with various spells and incantations placed to protect the books… or so it said.’
I’d only read the description in the Seongsul Academy guidebook and had never actually visited Songrim Library. It was tucked away in a corner of Seongsul Academy, and whenever I wanted a book, I simply had the Unyeondang Attendants bring it to me.
‘I should take this chance to see Songrim Library for myself.’
I was about to move eagerly when I remembered the Crown Prince Guard officers waiting for me at the Main Gate.
“Class leader, would you go to Songrim Library first? I need to tell the people waiting that I’ll be returning late today.”
“Oh, o-okay!”
After sending Je-gal Pyo ahead, I headed to the Main Gate of Seongsul Academy and found an unexpected person there.
“Sa Young-jun, what are you doing here?”
“Ah, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
Sa Young-jun, who had been questioning one of the officers, answered with a bright smile.
“I was listening to the senior guards’ wisdom! To become my brother’s sword in the future, I must prepare early….”
“Wisdom?”
“Hmm, is there a word even Your Highness the Crown Princess doesn’t know? Wisdom is an elevated way of referring to someone else’s opinion.”
Sa Young-jun explained with subtle pride. I let out a deep sigh and corrected him.
“That’s ‘insight,’ not ‘wisdom.'”
“…Isn’t it ‘wisdom’ because it’s important enough to be engraved in one’s bones?”
“It’s not the character for bone—it’s the character for high. Go-gyeon.”
“Oh, oh… Is that so? Hehe.”
Sa Young-jun scratched the back of his head sheepishly. For someone supposedly the same age as me at twelve, he was so tall he looked like he was in his late teens, yet his mind hadn’t matured a day since he was ten.
‘I’ve given up on getting him to drop the formal speech even within the Seongsul Academy… He’s the type who can only speak in either casual or formal tones.’
Wait, could this bright-headed fool actually pass the written exam in April?
“Young-jun, you’re preparing well for the exam, right?”
“I’m studying sword techniques diligently, sir! My martial arts specialization is showing good progress, sir!”
“No, not those. I mean the written exam. Especially the liberal arts subjects… you know?”
“Ah, now I know that liberal arts isn’t a method for raising sheep, sir.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. Stop dodging. So are you studying for the exam or not?”
Sa Young-jun’s eyes slipped away evasively.
“Young-jun?”
“…W-well, a warrior only needs to wield a sword well, so why should I do scholarly work?”
“What will you do if you fail? Accumulated failures mean expulsion.”
“E-expulsion is unacceptable! My master said he’d throw me out onto the streets naked if I got expelled, sir!”
“Then you need to study now. Instead of going around asking the Palace Guard officers how to use the Cloud Sword.”
“But I’d rather die than study… Wahhhhh…”
Sa Young-jun grabbed his head and whimpered. For someone with a frame like a mountain, he whined like a child—wait, no, he was a child. Twelve years old.
As the Crown Prince’s milk brother and Ki Ho-cheol’s successor whom I’d watched for three years, Sa Young-jun felt like a younger brother to me. We were the same age as humans, but he was so bright and innocent that… he felt like a somewhat clumsy but kind younger brother. I understood now why the Crown Prince, who had been an only child until Prince Hyo-wan was born, seemed so accustomed to looking after a younger sibling.
I clicked my tongue disapprovingly.
“This won’t do. I’m going to study with the class representative now, and you’re coming with me. You need to avoid failing.”
“What? You’re going to study right now?”
Sa Young-jun stepped backward as if he couldn’t believe such horrifying words were being spoken. I firmly grabbed the retreating boy’s wrist.
“Young-jun, do you want to fail?”
“…N-no…”
“Then come along quietly. Ah, listen, I’m staying late to study today, so I’ll return to the Palace late. Don’t wait for me—just rest.”
“Understood, Your Highness the Crown Princess. When do you expect to return?”
“Around evening? You can come pick me up around sunset.”
After informing the Palace Guard officers, I dragged Sa Young-jun along. He looked like he was dying, but he followed obediently nonetheless.
Deep within the Seongsul Academy lay a dense pine forest. Following the narrow path carpeted with dried pine needles, a three-story palace hall soon came into view, standing tall and imposing. Beneath its gracefully curved eaves, faded decorative paintings were visible. It was a rare old building among the mostly new structures of the Seongsul Academy, which had only recently opened.
‘They said it was a historic hall. It must have existed before the Seongsul Academy was built. I wonder if there’s some story behind it?’
Stepping inside with curiosity, the scent of paper and ink mingled subtly with the fragrance of pine.
The first floor, immediately visible, was a spacious open area with numerous tables and chairs scattered about. Children could be seen studying with books spread out in various spots. Some gathered together, conversing quietly as they studied together.
With only a few bookshelves visible, it seemed the books were primarily stored on the upper floors, and the first floor was designed as a space where students could gather to study.
‘The atmosphere is nice. Now I understand why Je-gal Pyo recommended it.’
While my mood improved, Sa Young-jun beside me wore an expression of suffocation. I held back the boy who was trying to slip away and looked around the first floor searching for Je-gal Pyo.
‘Why are there so many white rank badges gathered here?’
It seemed the Songrim Library was mainly used by the Orchid Class students. Yellow rank badges from the Chrysanthemum Class were scattered about, but unlike the gathered Orchid Class students, they mostly sat alone in corners. Not a single green rank badge from the Bamboo Class was visible, and our class students were…
‘Ah, there’s a red rank badge.’
It wasn’t Je-gal Pyo. Yun Ra-sa sat by the window with her brows deeply furrowed, glaring at her book.
‘So she’s studying for the exam too.’
Unlike Sa Young-jun, she didn’t seem like the type who would ever voluntarily come to the library, so it was somewhat surprising. Judging by her furrowed brow and the tension in her fist gripping the brush, she appeared to be forcing herself to study against her will.
I was about to approach and greet her when I heard a timid voice calling out to me from nearby.
“H-here, over h-here….”
“Ah, class representative.”
“W-well, b-but the person next to you, is that S-Sa Young-jun from our c-class…?”
“Yeah, he doesn’t seem like the type who’d study alone, so I thought we could study together. Is that okay?”
“O-of course it’s f-fine!”
Je-gal Pyo quickly vacated his seat.
“You don’t have to be okay with it….”
“I’m doing this for you, so just be quiet.”
I dragged the dejected Sa Young-jun to sit beside me across from Je-gal Pyo, and glanced over at Yun Ra-sa.
“Class representative, did you notice Yun Ra-sa over there?”
“Y-yeah, I noticed. She c-comes every day.”
“Every day?”
“S-since the day the exam was ann-announced… every, every d-day.”
“She must be studying hard. That’s very diligent of her.”
“W-well, I g-guess….”
“Hm? Why?”
“W-well, you s-see….”
Je-gal Pyo turned to look at Yun Ra-sa. Just then, the girl set down her brush, cast aside her book, crumpled papers haphazardly, and abruptly stood up. She silently mouthed a curse, then swiftly climbed out the window behind her and vanished.
“…She d-does this—studies for a b-bit then disappears—r-repeatedly… and her actual s-sitting time isn’t really that l-long….”
Je-gal Pyo said this with a look of concern.

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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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