Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 158

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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 158
“A picture…?”
“Oh!”
“Wow!”
The children who grasped it quickly let out exclamations of wonder. The Crown Prince’s eyes widened in surprise as he opened his mouth.
“It’s the shape of an open hand with the index finger extended. If that’s the case, then at the point where that finger is directing….”
“There must be something there, right? Let’s all go that way!”
“So this was the path that couldn’t be read within the maze… I can’t believe you noticed this. That’s truly amazing.”
Je-gal Pyo spoke in admiration, and the other children looked at me with expressions of awe.
I had grasped it quickly because I was in a favorable position from the start, so I felt a bit embarrassed. I should have just let the children solve it themselves.
‘Since I could see the answer, I got excited without realizing it… When we find Ki-yeon’s location later, I’ll pretend not to notice even if the children figure it out.’
The end of the giant index finger, like a giant’s hand, pointed to a solitary bookshelf not far from the platform. We all descended to the floor and examined that bookshelf.
“There are so many books on this bookshelf.”
“What are we supposed to find here?”
The twins spoke in turn. Je-gal Pyo stepped forward, pulled out a volume, and flipped through it quickly before opening his mouth.
“Um… this looks like a, a, a novel?”
“A novel?”
Yi Yeon-jo tilted his head and pulled out a volume to examine it himself.
“It’s a very old book… this one also seems to be a novel.”
The Crown Prince also took out a book from another shelf and nodded.
“This is also a novel. Since this is an archive, it appears the books are classified and stored by type. If that’s the case, then all the books on this shelf should be novels, and what we need to find is….”
“A, a, a book that’s definitely not a novel among these…!”
“Great! Let’s search by dividing the sections! I’ll take the top shelf!”
Yi Yeon-ju stepped on the shelf and leaped up like a cat, perching at the very top of the bookcase.
In the meantime, I was debating whether to speak up.
‘The flow of energy….’
As soon as I approached the bookshelf, I felt the flow of energy, so I opened my Celestial Eye and saw one book shimmering with a faint aura.
‘It seems like that’s probably the “treasure map” that Gwang-chul made.’
It appeared he had deliberately left behind an energy signature similar to the shimmering fragment as a clue. Just subtle enough that it could only be felt with focused searching.
‘Should I tell them? Or should I wait and let the children figure it out on their own?’
Groaning inwardly, I glanced at the children, who were dividing up which sections each would search.
With books packed tightly at a height roughly double that of a normal bookshelf, it would take a long time to search through everything. If it took too long, we might get caught, and the Palace would be in an uproar….
‘This won’t do. I’ll just tell them.’
Just as I was about to speak, I saw the Crown Prince pause while scanning the bookshelf.
“This is….”
The Crown Prince’s fingertip touched precisely the book with the lingering energy. I closed my mouth again and smiled contentedly.
‘Of course, my lord. Having him by my side really does reduce my worries.’
The Crown Prince pulled out that book and examined its contents, then soon smiled brightly and lifted his head.
“Everyone can stop now. I think we’ve found the answer.”
“Really?”
“A-a-already?”
“I sensed an aura similar to the fragment we’ve been following, so I pulled out this book. As you can see, it’s not a novel. Just an empty book. And there’s a strange piece of paper wedged in the middle.”
The Crown Prince held up the book. Between the blank pages, a folded piece of paper was inserted. Yun Ra-sa touched the book and nodded.
“I definitely feel a faint aura here—the same one as that fragment from before. To notice something like this, your spiritual sensitivity is extraordinary.”
The girl regarded the Crown Prince with a look of surprise, then muttered softly.
“…Se-ru-hwa and people of high status—I thought they’d never seriously train or fight….”
Glancing at her expression, it seemed Yun Ra-sa’s thoughts were gradually shifting.
Meanwhile, Yi Yeon-ju leaped down from the bookshelf and cried out.
“Then that paper is…!”
“That must be the ‘path’ the Imugi told us to find.”
The Crown Prince unfolded the creased paper. The large sheet was covered in bizarre scribbles that looked like doodles. Je-gal Pyo adjusted his glasses and examined the drawings, then furrowed his brow.
“W-w-what is this…? I c-c-can’t tell what was drawn at all.”
[Of course you don’t know, little human. It’s just a doodle.]
Gwang-chul chuckled. Sa Young-jun blinked and asked.
“If this is the answer to the test… what should we do now?”
“Right? Do we have to decipher those strange drawings?”
“Wait, what’s written here?”
Yi Yeon-jo, who had been studying the drawings, pointed to a corner.
“…’The place where divine treasures are hidden is known only to the divine.'”
The moment Yi Yeon-jo read that sentence, the glowing fragments scattered across the space suddenly rose into the air. Those luminous orbs gathered together again in mid-air like a swarm of fireflies and clung to the sealed stone door. The door wrapped in light burst open.
“Wow, it opened!”
“I g-g-guess we passed the test!”
“Let’s go!”
We climbed back onto the platform and slipped through the stone door. On the dim staircase, round orbs of light sat one by one, softly illuminating our surroundings. As we passed, the light would gently scatter and fade away.
The children chattered as they climbed the glowing stairs.
“It seems reading that sentence was the condition to pass the test.”
“So we’ve q-q-qualified to become the owners of the d-d-divine treasure?”
“Since this was the first test, there will probably be more tests ahead.”
“Using my power made me hungry….”
“What’s the second test? Divine treasure—that’s real treasure! I’m curious! I really want to find it!”
“The second one must be deciphering the drawings on that paper. You all figure that out yourselves. I’m sitting this one out.”
Yun Ra-sa spoke in an exhausted tone, and Yi Yeon-ju thrust her face toward her.
“Why not! It’s divine treasure! We could become the owners of divine treasure! Aren’t you curious how amazing that would be?”
“Only children get excited about things like that.”
“You’re a child too! No way, you can’t drop out halfway! We all started together, so we have to finish together!”
“Why on earth….”
Yun Ra-sa was about to object with a frown when I quickly interjected.
“Yun Ra-sa, wouldn’t you become stronger if you became the owner of the divine treasure? Strong enough that ordinary demon beasts wouldn’t even be worth fighting!”
“…!”
The girl fell silent and lost herself in thought. Good—she wouldn’t try to back out now.
Je-gal Pyo, who had been pondering something, spoke to me.
“That, that, that picture from earlier… I think you should be the one to see it…”
“Hm?”
“The place where the divine artifact is hidden is known only to the divine, right? Since anything related to the divine is the Shamans’ specialty…”
“Ah, I see. Then I’ll investigate it through Shamanism.”
The map naturally fell into my hands. I turned to Gwang-chul with genuine surprise.
[Did you plan this? Write it that way on purpose?]
[Yes, because the only Shaman here is the Princess. If the treasure map comes into the Princess’s hands, it will be easy to swap it out, won’t it?]
[…You really did well this time.]
[Hehe, was it entertaining?]
[Yes, quite. I’ll ask for your help next time too.]
[Leave it to me! Next time I’ll have more time to prepare properly!]
Gwang-chul answered enthusiastically, then fell silent as he began contemplating the next location.
‘When we get back, I should give him a bottle of liquor as a reward.’
Just as we reached the top of the staircase, flushed with excitement and pride, Heo Gye-gyo was waiting for us with an amused smile.
“My dear Plum Blossom Class friends, it seems you had quite an enjoyable adventure. In a place where cadets are forbidden to enter, no less.”
“Gasp!”
“I, Instructor…”
“I came to secure the doors in place of the librarian, but the Sealed Archive key was missing. So I opened the basement door and found the iron gate ajar… and there you all are, coming out? What’s the meaning of this? Would anyone like to explain?”
“…”
“I, I, I’ll explain! But please keep it secret from the I, I, Instructor…”
“I’m afraid that won’t do.”
Heo Gye-gyo shrugged and pointed behind him.
“She’s already here.”
Instructor Bae So-wol, lounging in a chair, fixed us with a half-lidded glare. She spoke slowly.
“How is it that every single one of you is from our class…? Even the class representative.”
“…”
“All of you will be punished without exception. I’m reporting this to the Director.”
We exchanged grim looks with one another. We were finished.
* * *
After being thoroughly scolded by Instructor Bae So-wol and Heo Gye-gyo, and then summoned to the Director the next day for another round of reprimand, our punishment was finally decided.
‘Thank heavens it’s not expulsion. It’s not as severe as I’d prepared myself for.’
Since we hadn’t actually damaged anything in the Underground Archive, the punishment seemed to reflect that.
‘It’s also fortunate that the others didn’t say a word about what happened in the archive.’
If they had, the instructors would naturally have launched their own investigation into the divine artifact, making it impossible for us to continue our test on our own.
‘That would have prevented us from exploring the divine artifact.’
Without explicitly coordinating our stories, everyone seemed to have reached the same conclusion and kept the secret. Yi Yeon-ju and Yi Yeon-jo apparently never intended to speak in the first place, while Je-gal Pyo hesitated before ultimately holding his tongue.
I was somewhat worried that Yun Ra-sa might tell the Director everything, but fortunately, perhaps because she’d grown interested in obtaining the divine artifact herself, she remained silent. The Crown Prince, noticing my subtle hint, even made sure Sa Young-jun kept quiet. However, it seemed he’d separately sent someone to investigate the Underground Archive and the divine artifact.
‘Since Gwang-chul cleaned up without leaving any traces, the humans won’t find out.’
When it came to matters like this, Gwang-chul seemed to be someone I could actually rely on.
And the reward I had promised to Gwang-chul became something other than liquor. Because An-si returned the day after visiting the Sealed Archive, and she brought Heuk-yeon with her.
* * *
The 24th day of the 4th month, Year 16 of Seogwang.
When I returned from Seongsul Academy, An-si was waiting with her eyes blazing and her teeth clenched—not for me, but for Gwang-chul.
“I have heard all about the grave ordeal the Princess endured. That wretched Imugi—this time, I shall pluck every last scale from its hide! Do not try to stop me!”

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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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