Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 161

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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 161
I couldn’t answer her question immediately. I had suspected it would be difficult, but this seemed far more challenging than I had anticipated.
‘I’ve heard stories of the Straw Hat War…’
Humans had driven back and expelled Doo-eok-sini before, so I thought it was manageable. Of course, humanity suffered catastrophic losses in that war, and they only managed to drive Doo-eok-sini away rather than defeat him outright… but still, there was precedent, and with proper preparation, it seemed possible.
‘Am I being too optimistic?’
But without this method… I couldn’t see any path to my own survival. If I didn’t think positively…
‘Approximately eight years remain.’
Time left to me, gained by borrowing my parents’ lifespans.
After that, I would have to choose, because my original body would begin to crumble.
‘Accept death, or accept a sleep indistinguishable from death.’
And regardless of which I chose, my human life would unconditionally end.
In eight years, Se-ru-hwa would be twenty years old.
‘A 220-year-old Sang Ra-hee-yo could at least be claimed to have lived a full life, but Se-ru-hwa would simply be dying young.’
In truth, even 220 years was considered premature by Celestial Realm standards. Immortals were generally recognized as true celestial beings around the age of 200.
Thinking such detached thoughts, I gazed blankly into empty space. The dappled shade cast by wisteria blossoms, verdant leaves, brilliantly blooming spring flowers, the crystalline blue sky, and white clouds drifting peacefully.
It was far too beautiful a day to succumb to melancholy.
‘…I’ll choose to think positively.’
I’ll believe I can do this. I won’t surrender before even attempting. I’ll dream of victory, of ascending to the Heavenly Realm alongside my Straw Gods.
Otherwise, I would…
I closed my eyes gently, then opened them slowly.
‘But I can’t simply believe blindly… I need to do my best while also preparing for the worst-case scenario.’
The worst outcome imaginable—becoming Doo-eok-sini’s prey. I hadn’t completely avoided thinking of it, but I deliberately hadn’t dwelled on it. The deeper I thought about it, the more I wanted to give up.
Now I couldn’t afford to turn away from it.
I retrieved the Eight Pillar Order. I felt Heuk-yeon’s puzzled gaze.
Ignoring it, I touched the third bell. I opened the door connecting to the Treasure Vault of Sang Ra Palace and withdrew items one by one, laying them at my feet.
A seal, a mirror, a gourd, a scepter, a bow, a sword.
“The thermal imaging is with Baek Tam-sol, so instead something reasonable…”
Leaning into the Treasure Vault and looking around, I spotted a white porcelain lantern that Gangrim had given me as a birthday gift long ago. It was a lamp designed to hold the flames that flow through the Eight Hells, but the fire inside had been depleted without replenishment, leaving only an empty vessel.
‘If it withstood hellfire, it should withstand my divine power too. Besides, I only need to contain it briefly.’
After removing the porcelain lantern, I searched through the Treasure Vault again.
‘I think it was around here before… Ah, found it.’
A bronze dagger shaped like a pipa with a wooden handle. Though it appeared ordinary, this was a treasure called the Noe-saeng Sword.
In ancient times, it was used to slaughter live sacrificial beasts when offerings were made to the Celestial Deities. This bronze dagger possessed one special ability.
‘This should be suitable.’
After removing the Noe-saeng Sword, I placed the Eight Pillar Order back. Heuk-yeon furrowed his brow and asked.
“What are all these things?”
“Divine treasures imbued with my power. Well, not this one.”
I set the Noe-saeng Sword aside and looked up at Heuk-yeon.
“Do you know about the Straw God Plan?”
“…I have a general understanding of it.”
“Right, then this will move quickly. You know the plan failed, don’t you? Because my divine power didn’t divide properly.”
“Yes. That’s why the second Straw God Plan was created.”
“Exactly. But here’s the thing…”
I reached my hand over the divine artifacts.
“I’ve actually succeeded to some degree in assigning different concepts to each of my divine powers.”
“…Yes?”
“In that plan, I classified my divine power according to yin-yang and the five elements, then divided it among divine artifacts and placed them into straw figures, right? But that was merely ‘classification’ in the truest sense—my divine power didn’t actually divide properly. The straw figures couldn’t fulfill their roles as lesser deities either. That’s why the first plan failed.”
I picked up a seal carved from jade and decorated with gold. Now its face bore nothing—an empty seal.
“It was inevitable that it would fail. How could my subordinate domains divide when I hadn’t even decided what domain I would govern as a deity? To divide departments, you must first determine what duties each department will handle, mustn’t you?”
Holding the seal, I infused it with divine power as I continued.
“Conversely, if I can discover concepts that belong to me and assign them to my divine power, if I can find the domains I govern, then I can create my own ‘subordinate departments.'”
The jade-colored seal shimmered with radiant white divine power. I smiled faintly and held it up toward Heuk-yeon.
“This is ‘hope.’ It’s a concept that belongs to me, a name I’ve given to divine power classified primarily under yang energy. To use an analogy, I’ve created a department dedicated to matters of hope.”
Heuk-yeon’s eyes widened. With a rare expression of bewilderment, he murmured.
“You mean to say, could it be…?”
“Of course, for now there’s only the department itself without anyone to manage it—no lesser deity yet—so I can’t completely separate it from myself. Still, since I’ve assigned the duties, if I find someone capable of handling them, I could eventually separate it, couldn’t I?”
I set down the seal and picked up the next divine artifact in turn.
“What’s in this mirror is ‘fate.’ It’s yin divine power. The divine power in the gourd, which has strong water properties, is ‘healing.’ The earth divine power contained in this scepter here carries ‘judgment.'”
“…”
“I’ve infused the bow with wood-attribute divine power and assigned it the concept of ‘understanding.’ What remains are divine powers close to metal properties… but I haven’t found a suitable concept to imbue them with yet. I’m searching diligently.”
Finally, I reached toward the white porcelain lamp.
“I’ve already found candidates for some concepts. This lamp isn’t technically a divine artifact, but temporarily…”
I infused the lamp with divine power of ‘passion.’ The white porcelain flickered, engulfed in flame-like divine energy. As expected from a hellfire lamp, even forcing divine power into it roughly didn’t cause it to shatter.
“See? ‘Passion.’ It’s a concept I assigned to fire divine power. I’ve already handed the real Straw God artifact to an appropriate candidate. If that person learns to handle the divine artifact properly and rises in status… they could become my true lesser deity.”
“…You mean you’ve directly created concepts suited to the Princess’s divine power?”
Heuk-yeon asked, seeming confused. I tilted my head.
“Whether I created them, discovered them, or learned their names… I’m not sure how to define it precisely myself. In any case, yes.”
“Six domains already—there aren’t many deities who govern so many fields…”
“Supreme deities originally command multiple deities, don’t they? I’m a new supreme deity born between the Jade Emperor and the Yama King, both supreme deities. I’m not sure yet what kind of supreme deity I’ll become.”
I set down the lamp and looked up. Meeting Heuk-yeon’s gaze directly, I spoke calmly.
“I will absolutely become a supreme deity. If I don’t, I’ll die.”
“…!”
“And so that I can earn the qualifications to become a supreme deity, so that my lesser deity candidates can earn the qualifications to become deities…”
To survive. To live on.
Not for anyone else. Because I want to live, for the most desperate and selfish of reasons.
“…I must defeat Doo-eok-sini.”
Heuk-yeon remained silent, eyes wide. I didn’t avoid his gaze and continued.
“Call it reckless if you will. This is the only path left for me to survive. I… at first, I was truly prepared to accept my death quietly. I hoped my parents, An-si, everyone would find it easier to acknowledge and accept my fate quickly. My remaining lifespan was so certain to be short, and there was no way to heal my body. So I came down to the Mortal Realm… I planned to live happily in a healthy body, then depart in peace.”
“…”
“But then hope suddenly appeared. Based on the Straw God Plan, a new path revealed itself. I have a way to survive, and I won’t quietly wait for death. No matter how impossible it seems, I’ll challenge it. Because I want to live.”
A bitter smile rose unbidden to my lips.
“But still… just because I want to live doesn’t mean I should burden others with trials. If I fail and become Doo-eok-sini’s meal, that would be catastrophic.”
I reached for the Nae-saeng-geom that I had set aside separately. I showed it to Heuk-yeon and asked.
“Heuk-yeon, do you know what this is?”
“…I do not, Your Highness.”
“It’s a treasure called the Nae-saeng-geom. Long ago, it was used on living beasts that were to be offered as sacrifices. The way to use it is like this.”
I laid the blade flat and drew it lightly across my neck.
Before I could complete the cut, my wrist was seized roughly. Heuk-yeon, who had been standing several paces away, suddenly appeared before me, his face drained of color as he gripped my hand.
“Princess, what on earth are you doing?”
“Don’t be alarmed—I’m not trying to die, nor am I harming myself.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Yes, because I meant to draw blood.”
Heuk-yeon looked down at me with an expression of utter exasperation. I was seeing quite a variety of expressions from him today.
“Look closely—I only scratched the surface of the skin. That’s how the Nae-saeng-geom is meant to be used.”
“…”
“Will you let go of my hand? I’m not going to die. I told you—I don’t want to die, so I’m going to fight Doo-eok-sini.”
Heuk-yeon slowly released his grip. I finished the cut across my neck and then examined the Nae-saeng-geom. The blood smeared on the bronze blade gleamed softly, seeping in and settling as a crimson stain.
I showed Heuk-yeon the Nae-saeng-geom with one edge now reddened and explained.
“In ancient times, they would cut the beast destined to be a sacrifice in this manner, mark it with blood using the Nae-saeng-geom, and then release it. Later, when the time came for the ritual, at the altar, they would do this.”
I infused divine power into the Nae-saeng-geom, and the blade began to glow. The air before the crimson-stained edge shimmered, and the nape of my neck where I had just cut appeared like a mirage.
“When you infuse divine power like this, the place where the Nae-saeng-geom cut reappears before the blade. If you thrust it straight through, the sacrifice is summoned before the Nae-saeng-geom, no matter where it is. It’s a treasure designed to release a living beast, raise it, and then offer it as a sacrifice whenever needed.”
“…Why would you mark such an ominous thing with your blood, Princess?”
“Insurance.”
I infused healing divine power into my neck with one hand while extending the Nae-saeng-geom to Heuk-yeon with the other.
“If I’m defeated by Doo-eok-sini and about to be devoured, you can use this to kill me before that happens.”

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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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