Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 32

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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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Episode 32
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I must have dozed off at some point, because the moment I awoke, panic seized me. Se-ru-hwa was waiting for me in the Mortal Realm, and here I was, sleeping again!
‘And I still haven’t found the Queen!’
It was my parents who stopped me as I tried to rush back.
“If it’s the living spirit of a human queen, Father has already found her. She’s being kept at Yama Palace.”
“You did, Father?”
“While watching over you in the Mortal Realm, I thought you would soon come to the Afterlife to find her.”
So they had been watching me all along.
Realizing that Mother and Father had seen everything, I found myself reviewing my recent life and felt a flush of embarrassment creep across my face. I looked up at Father and asked in a small, hesitant voice.
“You really saw everything…?”
“Oh, my dear princess.”
Father gently pinched my cheek without hurting me, then broke into a broad smile as he spoke.
“Remember when you used to look down upon humans from the Heavenly Realm? I’ve only watched you that much, so don’t be embarrassed.”
“….”
Where the sky is visible, one cannot escape the gaze of the Heavenly Realm. On the ground, one cannot escape the gaze of the Underworld. So everything that happens outdoors is completely visible, but things that happen indoors—where the roof blocks the sky and the floor covers the earth—are generally hidden from view. Of course, if Mother or Father exerted their power, they could see through even that.
‘Since I never felt a particular gaze, they must not have looked beyond that.’
That was at least a relief.
Mother, who had been watching Father and me, spoke up.
“Sang Ra-hee-yo, I know what you’re worried about, but dawn hasn’t come yet. Since you have time, why don’t you have a meal with Mother and Father before you go?”
If it was still before dawn, it seemed I hadn’t slept as long as I thought. With time to spare, I couldn’t refuse Mother’s suggestion.
In the end, I shared a meal with my parents. It was a lavish spread of 120 different dishes—something I hadn’t seen in ages.
‘These are the same things I’ve always eaten, but they taste so much better when I’m eating with a healthy body.’
I continued moving my spoon as if entranced, but when I came to my senses, both of them had stopped eating and were simply watching me.
‘Is there something on my face?’
The memory of what happened before the Crown Prince flashed through my mind, so I quickly rubbed my cheeks with my hand. But nothing came off.
Tilting my head in confusion, I suddenly threw myself into Father’s arms.
“Oh, how adorable our princess is!”
“F-Father?”
“I’ve never seen you eat so well! What a remarkable daughter! Even though your body has changed, you’re still our daughter! I could never—”
“Ahem, Father, don’t disturb Sang Ra-hee-yo’s meal.”
Mother cut off Father’s rapid-fire sentimentality with a stern voice.
“Our Sang Ra-hee-yo, who in all the world would eat so indifferently no matter what we prepared, is now eating with such relish, and instead of cheering her on, you would interrupt her? How could you!”
“I-I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself….”
“Sang Ra-hee-yo, don’t mind us and eat more quickly, will you?”
Released from Father’s embrace, I stared at what Mother was holding. A small mirror with jade-rimmed edges densely inscribed with characters.
“Mother, that’s… a Memory Mirror, isn’t it? A treasure that records and continuously replays what’s reflected in the mirror, right?”
“….”
“…Were you recording me eating?”
“…It’s the first time I’ve seen you eat so well… ahem.”
Mother trailed off with an embarrassed cough, yet her hand holding the record mirror remained perfectly steady. She showed no intention of putting it away. I started to complain, then swallowed it and picked up my spoon again. I’d just received legal permission to run away—this was nothing.
‘I never thought they’d actually allow me to leave.’
Father and Mother had clearly already discussed this between themselves. Both of them kept telling me I could continue living as a human.
Of course, there were several conditions attached.
‘First… I obviously can’t use divine power, and I should avoid using the Heavenly Eye as much as possible.’
I wasn’t to do anything that would strain my original body. Since I couldn’t control Heavenly Punishment myself, Father had slightly twisted the law so it would activate based on my true self in Sang Ra Palace rather than my soul. That’s what he said.
So harm coming to “Se-ru-hwa” here wouldn’t trigger Heavenly Punishment anymore. It had been a useful ability, but each time I invoked it, my original body bore the burden—there was no helping it.
‘And I have to continue receiving treatment.’
While I stayed in the Mortal Realm, my parents planned to attempt treatments they’d previously avoided due to severe pain or the risk of soul death from shock. Since my soul was separated now, they could use such methods without danger to me.
‘This also means my body’s condition is serious enough to warrant trying such extreme measures.’
If things went well, my lifespan might extend somewhat—but I wasn’t holding my breath. Still, I didn’t object. My parents would be treating my body in the Heavenly Realm, so there was nothing I actually needed to do.
‘Re-sealing my divine power would have some effect on me here in the Mortal Realm too.’
Because excess divine power had become my illness, attempts to seal it had been made early and often, through every conceivable method. Of course, every sealing attempt had ended poorly. My first complete severing of my life thread had been largely due to the effects of divine power sealing.
The reason was simple: my divine power was what kept my already-deteriorating body functioning at all. Seal it, and I would die immediately.
‘My divine power devours my body, yet it also keeps me alive… it’s a paradox.’
After that, the approach of sealing my divine power to cure the illness was completely abandoned. But now that I’d possessed a human body, my parents seemed intent on attempting the seal again.
‘Finally… to live more like a human.’
Since I couldn’t receive the strict protection Sang Ra Palace provided, if rumors spread that I was Princess Cheonmyeong, demons and lesser spirits could gather and endanger me. Seol Deung-hwa and the fox demon siblings who already knew were unavoidable, and my parents would do their best to keep malevolent beings from noticing my departure—but I was told not to let anyone else find out.
‘Though they did say to actively use my status when necessary.’
Most immortals and celestial beings were under my parents’ influence, so if needed, I could reveal my identity and use them freely. But I was to keep it secret from demons and humans.
‘This means I can’t tell the Crown Prince either.’
When he grew older, if the Crown Prince came to trust me, I wanted to tell him everything truthfully.
I felt terribly sorry about it, but I understood my parents’ concerns. There had been far more attack attempts filtered out by Sang Ra Palace’s guards and barriers than I’d realized. Given Se-ru-hwa’s situation already made her a high target, if demons kept attacking constantly, I wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy this human life I’d finally gained.
‘I’ll live as much like a real human Se-ru-hwa as possible. In return, I’ll be even better to the Crown Prince.’
After finishing the meal, An-si entered with the Queen’s living spirit. The Queen’s living spirit was asleep.
“I made her dream intentionally.”
Father explained as he floated the Queen’s living spirit through the air, moving her about.
“Like most living spirits, when she wakes, she’ll barely remember anything from the Underworld. Still, it’s better she doesn’t realize your identity, so I’ve kept her asleep.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Mother handed me a tea container carved from jade.
“This is Western Paradise Flower Field soul-healing flower tea made by Hallak-gung-i from the Flower Keeper’s Office. If you give it to humans driven mad by twilight madness, you’ll see improvement quickly. It should be effective for this human queen as well.”
“You prepared this in advance?”
“Yes, I thought you’d need it. You wanted to heal humans, didn’t you?”
“…Yes, thank you.”
They must have been busy, yet they watched so carefully. Preparing things in advance, knowing what I’d need. I accepted the package with a slightly heavy heart.
An-si, who had been watching, sniffled and flew away, saying she’d go ahead to the Mortal Realm.
“We’ll take you there, Sang Ra-hee-yo.”
Father scooped me up in his arms.
My parents and I left Sang Ra Palace together and headed toward the River of Three Paths. We boarded the Yama King’s personal large boat at the riverbank and traveled to where I’d opened the Underworld gate.
The boat stopped at the point where the Queen’s life thread extended into the black water. Father descended into the River of Three Paths himself and sent the Queen’s living spirit through the Underworld gate first. In the meantime, Mother gently stroked my head and smiled softly.
“Sang Ra-hee-yo.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Do you understand what I mean by living more like a human?”
“It means being careful not to reveal my identity, and not using divine power or the Heavenly Eye, right?”
“You’re half right.”
“There’s another meaning?”
“Haven’t you observed closely how humans live?”
“I’ve seen a lot, but… I still don’t quite understand.”
Mother’s meaning eludes me. As I tilt my head in confusion, she kneels down and plants kiss after kiss on my cheeks.
“Oh, Mother?”
Father’s relentless barrage of kisses is something I’m used to, but Mother rarely does this—it’s embarrassing.
“I’m already 209 years old! By Heavenly Realm standards, anyone over 200 is a full-grown adult…”
As I protest with reddened cheeks, Mother laughs softly.
“No matter how old you become, you’ll always be my baby in your parents’ eyes.”
“Ugh…”
“Sang Ra-hee-yo.”
Mother continues, stroking my hair gently.
“Humans live fiercely. Though they live barely a hundred years, within that brief span they experience countless transformations, feel intense emotions, and achieve remarkable leaps. A human’s decade will feel far longer than a celestial’s century.”
“…!”
“Live a decade like a hundred years. Do everything you wish, gather countless experiences, and find happiness in it all.”
Now I finally grasp Mother’s meaning. In this single month living as a human, I’ve experienced far more than I did in a month at Sang Ra Palace.
“Yes, Mother.”
I embrace her tightly as I answer.
“I’ll live exactly like that. Like a true human.”
Mother silently holds me in return.

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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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