Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 169

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 169
“R-really? But such a magnificent demon beast wouldn’t possibly share their power with someone like m-me….”
“I’ll introduce you, so don’t worry. And….”
I studied Je-gal Pyo anew, watching as he blinked while holding his glasses in place with both hands. He had a fair and delicate appearance. If he continued growing like this, perhaps….
‘If I were to describe it in Seok-ran’s terms, wouldn’t he grow into a handsome young man with that soft, sweet charm?’
In any case, the possibility that he’d meet Seok-ran’s standards for handsomeness when he matured was quite evident, so she’d likely be favorable toward him.
‘To Thousand-Year Fox, humans are beings who grow in the blink of an eye, so… I shouldn’t worry about her disliking him, but rather about her swallowing him whole.’
I’d definitely need to give Seok-ran a stern warning not to lead the boy astray. Steeling my resolve inwardly, I smiled at Je-gal Pyo.
“That demon beast will like you. Definitely.”
“R-really? W-why…?”
The answer—because you’re a sprout destined to become handsome—rose to the tip of my tongue, but I barely held it back and sent a telepathic message to An-si instead.
[An-si, didn’t you say Seok-ran was going to look around for people today? Can you search nearby and bring her here?]
[Pardon? I cannot leave the Princess unattended!]
[I’m not asking you to go far, just check the nearby area. I think she might be at the South Market.]
[…That undignified fox would probably be wandering around the South Market muttering about handsome men and such….]
[If she’s not nearby, just come right back. I can call for her another time.]
[Then I shall search briefly and return!]
An-si soared into the sky with a flutter. I turned to look at the dazed Je-gal Pyo and the confused-looking boys.
“It seems you’re all hearing the details of Je-gal Pyo’s circumstances for the first time.”
“….”
“But that’s no excuse for your actions. You already knew that Je-gal Pyo found his master’s favoritism burdensome and was refusing to accept a share of her power.”
“….”
None of the boys opened their mouths. Even Yu-deul-i remained silent.
‘These fools don’t seem to be feeling any newfound guilt or remorse.’
If they were capable of such things, they wouldn’t have tormented Je-gal Pyo in that manner from the start.
They were staring at Je-gal Pyo with trembling eyes, or with expressions of disbelief.
‘Hmm… They seem shocked that Je-gal Pyo, whom they thought was far inferior to them, actually possessed such remarkable talent.’
I crossed my arms and spoke to them.
“Well, you’ve all heard each other’s stories now. It’s time to choose. Whether to end this here or take it outside. What will it be?”
“…We apologize!”
While the others hesitated, the soft-looking boy quickly dropped to his knees.
“We didn’t know about Senior Je-gal’s circumstances! Since we were the ones who misunderstood, we’ll kneel here until Senior forgives us―”
“Ah, wait a moment. I need to change the conditions.”
I cut off Yu-deul-i’s smoothly flowing words. I couldn’t allow him to force Je-gal Pyo to accept an insincere apology and grant forgiveness.
“Je-gal Pyo.”
“Y-yes?”
“You said you don’t want their apology, right?”
“Y-yes! I’m f-fine….”
“Good then.”
I smiled brightly and turned my gaze back to the boys.
“Je-gal Pyo, the person directly involved, has no intention of forgiving you no matter how much you beg. So let’s just settle this outside.”
“…What?”
“W-wait? N-no, Se-ru-hwa! My, my words!”
“You said you wouldn’t accept an apology? That means you won’t forgive them, class leader.”
I quickly cut off Je-gal Pyo’s attempt to elaborate and gestured with my chin toward the boys.
“You understand? Then get out right now. Don’t linger around here—go straight back to Sipseungji and await your punishment.”
“Y-your highness! We—”
“Do I need to give an order twice?”
At my cold response, the now-pale Yu-deul-i grabbed his bulky companion who was about to protest.
“Hey, shut up! We need to leave now!”
“But this is unfair—”
“You should know better than to talk back depending on who you’re facing! And they’re royalty!”
As Yu-deul-i hissed in a lowered voice, Jeom-bak-i dragged his massive frame away, bowing frantically as he fled the abandoned mansion.
Yu-deul-i bowed deeply.
“Then, your highness, we shall return and reflect sincerely on our actions. Pyo, I’m truly sorry for the misunderstanding.”
After offering his apology on his own terms, Yu-deul-i left the abandoned mansion swiftly before I could say anything more.
‘That one’s perceptive.’
Though he wouldn’t escape punishment regardless.
‘Since I won’t be holding an investigation, I should leave the rest to Jagyogapsa. If I drop a hint, those from Sipseungji will handle it themselves.’
After all, it wasn’t just one or two members of Jagyogapsa who had obtained ‘Ki-yeon’ from me.
As I shrugged my shoulders, Je-gal Pyo called out to me timidly.
“Um, well….”
“Don’t worry, class leader. I won’t hold an investigation. I’ll handle it as quietly as possible.”
“N-no, that’s not it.”
“Don’t say you want me to accept their apology. Your senior brothers need to be punished. Your master also needs to understand that this kind of favoritism is wrong.”
“That’s n-not what I—!”
Je-gal Pyo raised his voice in frustration, then added with a flushed face.
“…Th-thank you.”
“Hm? Ah, you mean for introducing me to the Demon Beast?”
“N-no, well, of course I’m very, very grateful for that too! But just now… thank you for helping me, Se-ru-hwa.”
The boy looked down and mumbled. I shook my head.
“I pried into something you wanted to let go of on my own terms, so you don’t need to thank me for that.”
“But still, you, you helped me… I really want to repay you…!”
“I just butted in because I was frustrated. You don’t need to be grateful for that, and as for repayment—well, you can do that if you succeed in absorbing demonic energy.”
Je-gal Pyo slowly lifted his head and stared blankly at me through his glasses, which were now smudged with tears.
“…Really? Can that… actually happen? I, I had completely given up….”
Just then, An-si’s voice came through.
[Your Highness, Thousand-Year Fox was lurking in the South Market! An-si has brought her here!]
[Good work, An-si. Have Seok-ran let her in, and set up a barrier around the area so demonic energy doesn’t leak out.]
[Understood!]
I smiled brightly and spoke.
“As the saying goes, seeing is believing. Let’s confirm right now whether this will work or not.”
“Huh? N-n-now?”
“Yes. Come in!”
At my call, a woman wearing a full veil embroidered with butterflies and flowers walked in gracefully. Her elaborate attire seemed utterly out of place in the crumbling courtyard of the Abandoned Mansion.
“Yun Yeon-hwa, at your service! I bow before the Crown Princess.”
Seok-ran, who had greeted me with a flutter, tilted her head coquettishly and asked.
“Your Highness, what brings you to seek me in such a place?”
Wow, this felt strange. Since I usually met her in her true form, Seok-ran speaking in proper human speech without her characteristic barks and using formal language felt incredibly awkward.
“You can just be yourself.”
“I beg your pardon, Your Highness. I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
[That wretched Thousand-Year Fox is absolutely insufferable. Speaking in casual speech and barking away normally, yet now putting on airs!]
“…I called you because I have a favor to ask of a Demon Beast.”
“Yes?”
Seok-ran blinked her full lashes and then turned her gaze toward Je-gal Pyo standing beside me.
“But Your Highness, who is this young man…?”
“Je-gal Pyo, the class representative. He’s a sorcerer, but there are some circumstances.”
After quickly explaining Je-gal Pyo’s situation to Seok-ran, I added a mental note.
[He must never know that I’m Princess Cheonmyeong. You can reveal your identity and that you work under me, though.]
“…So I’d like you to train him while sharing your demonic power with him. Can you do that?”
“Well… if it’s a command from the Crown Princess, this Seok-ran is prepared to leap into fire itself, but given my nature, I’m rather reluctant about sorcerers…”
Seok-ran trailed off sweetly, lifting the edge of her veil slightly and sweeping her gaze over Je-gal Pyo, her eyes gleaming with interest.
“My, what a charming young master. If we cultivate him properly… slurp.”
This fox Demon Beast was doing exactly what I feared—she was already drooling!
“Don’t you dare eat him!”
“Oh, Your Highness, you know I don’t eat people anymore.”
“I mean don’t consume him in any other way! He’s my friend!”
Je-gal Pyo, who had been staring blankly between Seok-ran and me, suddenly startled and asked.
“F-f-friend? Me?”
“What? Wasn’t I?”
“W-w-well… I, I suppose so. W-wow, oh wow…”
His face flushed crimson as he fumbled awkwardly, hastily removing his glasses and rubbing his face.
The moment Je-gal Pyo took off his glasses, Seok-ran’s eyes flashed with brilliance.
“Keh-hing! Raw gemstone material!”
“What?”
“A rare uncut gem! A face so malleable that his entire impression changes depending on how you polish and refine it! Keh! This is jackpot!”
Seok-ran, now in her fox form, bounced excitedly.
“Keh-hing, raw gemstone indeed! A handsome rough diamond! I’ve dreamed for so long of polishing a gem and cultivating it to my taste! Can I finally achieve that dream? Keh-hing-hick-hick!”
I wasn’t entirely sure why she’d suddenly become so excited, but in any case, Seok-ran seemed absolutely delighted with Je-gal Pyo.
Je-gal Pyo, who had put his glasses back on, caught sight of the fox wagging her tail enthusiastically and his jaw dropped.
“Wh, what…?”
It was hardly surprising that a perfectly ordinary woman had transformed into a massive white-furred fox the moment she adjusted her glasses.
Seok-ran thrust her nose right up against Je-gal Pyo, sniffing loudly, then turned back to me with drool dripping from her jaws.
“Mmph, what a delicious scent! Can I really keep this one, hmm?”
“You can keep it. But you’re not eating it!”
“I’m not eating it! What do you take me for, honestly! Why would I eat something so tiny!”
“That’s obvious! But later, when it grows up, you see—later!”
“When it grows up, I’ll just… ah, no wait, the Princess’s friend, right, so… fine, I’ll raise it beautifully… but I can still decorate it however I like, can’t I….”
The white fox’s ears drooped as she sighed. Je-gal Pyo pointed at Seok-ran with trembling fingers.
“W, wait, hold on, this, no, this p, person, surely, surely…?”
“Oh, I forgot to introduce. This is Thousand-Year Fox Seok-ran. You know what kind of Demon Beast the Thousand-Year Fox is, right?”
“Ah, yes, I… I do know….”
“Pleased to meet you! Kehehehe, living this long means I end up raising sorcerer brats too. The world’s a strange place indeed. Looking forward to working with you!”
The fox extended her front paw toward Je-gal Pyo. He flinched back in alarm.
“Ah, no! If a Demon Beast touches me wrong, it’s dangerous―”
“What? Kehehehe! You think a tiny thing like you could devour me? I am Thousand-Year Fox, the pinnacle of fox Demon Beasts! Kehehehehe!”
Seok-ran rolled on her belly, laughing with bizarre sounds, then extended her front paw toward Je-gal Pyo once more.
“Don’t worry about useless things, okay! From now on, I’ll teach you well….”
The moment the fox’s paw touched the trembling Je-gal Pyo’s hand.
The soft white fur bristled sharply, standing on end. Simultaneously, Thousand-Year Fox’s demonic power erupted explosively, tearing through An-si’s barrier.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————