Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 39

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

Episode 39
That paper was a list of victims I had reorganized and recreated based on the investigation results from Seok-ran and Seok-juk.
I continued speaking quietly.
“The names written on the first page are all false. They are crimes that others have falsely attributed to the Crown Prince.”
“…Hmm.”
“The second page contains people who have actually been caught in the Crown Prince’s darkness. Some, like Your Majesty, have developed madness, and others, like the Queen, are in a comatose state.”
“….”
“The third page lists those who were actually caught in the darkness like those on the second page, but have since passed away.”
“…How did you investigate such things?”
“I have had people gather and cross-reference rumors from inside and outside the Palace, organizing them over time.”
“Hmm… So what do you wish me to do with this?”
“Please conduct a thorough investigation through the Uigeum Bureau regarding the people on the first page and reveal the truth. For those on the second page, please summon them to the Palace so I may treat them with medicinal tea. As for those on the third page….”
These are people who have suffered harm because of the Crown Prince, whether he wished it or intended it or not. If I do not compensate them and offer them solace, the Crown Prince will carry resentment throughout his life. It could become karma that extends even into the next life. Therefore, the first step in smoothing out the Crown Prince’s life must be this.
“…Please hold a memorial service in the name of the royal family and allow compensation to be provided to the bereaved families.”
The King alternated his gaze between the papers and me, then called out to me with a bewildered expression.
“Crown Princess.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“How old will you be this year?”
“I am nine years old.”
“Hmm.”
The King let out sounds of either sighing or admiration—”Hmm, hm”—several times in succession. He rubbed his forehead and murmured as if exhaling.
“I would believe it if you said you were twenty-nine rather than nine.”
At those words, I barely managed to suppress the corners of my mouth from rising involuntarily.
Wait, does this mean I don’t look like a child and appear mature like an adult? If a human age of twenty-nine translates to about 290 years by immortal standards, then…?
‘Wow, I look like a 290-year-old adult!’
I felt incredibly proud. I wanted to boast about this to my parents.
‘I absolutely must tell them later. That the human King was impressed by what I did and said I seemed mature.’
Though I was inwardly delighted and grinning, I could not behave like a child, so I waited with a composed and dignified expression.
After examining the names for a long while, the King finally released a long breath and set the papers down.
“I shall grant your request. We shall conduct the investigation, summon those requiring treatment, and prepare the memorial service.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“No, that is not right. These are matters I should have undertaken of my own accord without your request. They are duties that must naturally be fulfilled. Moreover, for you to even offer to provide treatment—I am the one who should be grateful.”
The King waved his hand dismissively and continued.
“Therefore, I must grant you even greater rewards for this matter. Ask again. What is it that you desire?”
I had anticipated this would happen. Nevertheless, I presented the victim list as a form of compensation because I believed such a formal approach would be received more favorably and would increase trust in the list. Of course, I had already considered in advance what I would truly request as a reward.
‘But I shouldn’t state that immediately.’
First, I should display maturity through modesty. Even if I appear to be a child outwardly, I am truly an adult!
“Something else, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, anything at all.”
“Well, I believe this is already sufficient for me….”
“This isn’t compensation—if anything, I’ve only increased the rewards I owe you.”
“But….”
“Think about it. Is there nothing you wish to have or do?”
I rolled my eyes as if pondering deeply, made a small groaning sound, then let my expression crumble into a pitiful pout, stretching the corners of my eyes downward.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m not sure right now….”
This was the expression that made the immortal maidens of Sang Ra Palace and other celestial beings coo “Oh my, oh my, is that so? That’s quite alright!” in their lisping voices. Would it work on a human king as well?
“Ah, there’s no rush. You can think it over and tell me slowly later, yes?”
Indeed, it proved devastatingly effective on the human king too. His expression softened immediately. Even his tone seemed to shift slightly.
“Then… would it be alright if I told you whenever I remember later?”
I asked carefully, and the King nodded vigorously with a paternal smile.
“Of course! Now that I think about it, you must be exhausted. Rest well and then give it some thought.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
I bowed brightly and rose from my seat. Though I’d slept a little, all this talking had left me genuinely tired. Still, I couldn’t rest just yet. There was work to be done immediately.
‘Once the King orders the Uigeum Bureau to investigate, he’ll learn about the assassination attempt on me as well.’
The eunuch possessed by the Three Corpses had been telling the truth, yet the Left Prime Minister was using his power to suppress the matter, claiming “I know nothing—he did it all on his own,” which had caused the investigation to stall.
* * *
After leaving the Central Palace Hall, An-si and I made our way toward the Uigeum Bureau.
I’d been hearing news of the Uigeum Bureau occasionally through Kim Sang-gung. As the Crown Prince had said, the Justice of the Censorate was quite fair, and the eunuch had testified honestly about everything, but no usable physical evidence had surfaced. Without evidence, it seemed difficult to implicate someone of the Left Prime Minister’s stature based on testimony alone.
Still, thanks to the Uigeum Bureau’s continued investigation into the Left Prime Minister’s faction, Wan-eon—who had made such an ugly display of himself—hadn’t been able to seek revenge against me or the Crown Prince. Well, he had tried, but the Left Prime Minister seemed to have restrained him.
‘The fact that I haven’t seen even a trace of him since suggests he’s being confined to the Left Prime Minister’s residence.’
If it were revealed that he’d orchestrated the assassination of the Crown Princess, who was the daughter of the Jade Emperor, even the Left Prime Minister wouldn’t escape losing his head.
‘When the King was mad, I left it alone because punishment wouldn’t have been properly enforced even if the crime was exposed….’
But the King has regained his senses now. So it’s time to eliminate the Left Prime Minister.
“An-si, is this the right way?”
“Yes, I confirmed it in advance as you instructed. This is the closest point to the prison where that eunuch is being held.”
“Good, keep watch for me.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
I stood against the wall closest to the prison where that eunuch was confined and opened a lacquered box. It was the box I’d originally kept the Three Corpses in. Opening it, I placed my hand on the seal of the Jade Emperor carved inside the lid and whispered softly.
“Come back now, little ones.”
A faint vibration resonated through my fingertips where they touched the seal—a signal that the Three Corpses were responding. I waited with the lid open, and soon three translucent butterflies fluttered toward me. They were the Three Corpses returning from the eunuch.
“Have you been well?”
I asked with a smile, and the Three Corpses scattered glowing dust as they fluttered around me.
“You enjoyed feeding after so long? That’s wonderful. You’ve worked hard.”
As I praised them, the butterflies flapped their wings contentedly before settling into the box. Though they looked similar, each of them had slightly different roles and abilities. Generally they stayed together, but I could make them move separately when needed.
“Jung-si and Sang-si, you stay here. Sang-si, would you come out for a moment? I have a task for you.”
The brightest of the three butterflies fluttered up on its own. When I extended my hand, Sang-si landed on my index finger.
“In a moment, I want you to enter the mind of the person I’m speaking to.”
The butterfly’s long antennae twitched.
“No, this time don’t bite or feed—just stay quiet and still.”
The antennae drooped in disappointment. I suppressed my laughter and gently stroked Sang-si with my fingertip.
“I’ll feed you soon, so just be patient a little longer.”
After confirming the antennae bobbing up and down, I moved Sang-ra with my index finger onto my shoulder. Then I closed the box containing the remaining three parasites and placed it into the Eight Pillar Order.
“An-si, let’s head to the Audience Hall now.”
“Your Highness? Shouldn’t you rest soon?”
“Just this one thing, then I’ll rest. Guide me there.”
“You seem to be pushing yourself too hard.”
An-si pouted and led the way down the corridor.
As the Crown Prince’s consort with an unstable position, I had rarely ventured beyond the East Palace, so I was unfamiliar with the layout of Unryong Palace.
‘Instead, I had An-si learn the routes.’
An-si, who could transform into a chick-sized bird, frequently flew through the Palace as I instructed, memorizing its structure. Honestly, our An-si has tremendous strength, but she’s hopeless at memorizing things, so it took quite a while… but even now, after more than a month, she had grasped most of it.
The Audience Hall and the Office of Interrogation were quite far apart. I followed An-si and gauged the time.
‘The morning audience has already passed, but news of the Queen awakening must have spread, so everyone will be waiting for the King.’
With such a major incident, the Left Prime Minister would certainly be in the Audience Hall. I planned to have Sang-ra parasitize him.
‘I’ll implant all three parasites later. For now, Sang-ra alone is enough.’
The three parasites do make humans honest, but since the method involves pain, the process would look suspicious if others witnessed it.
‘I’ll observe with Sang-ra and seize the chance to make him honest. Ideally, he’ll do something incriminating during observation.’
What Sang-ra sees and hears, Joong-si and Ha-si immediately learn as well. So by deploying the three parasites this way, I can monitor in real-time from my room what the parasitized human does. It’s the perfect skill to watch what the Left Prime Minister will attempt in response to the situation where the Crown Prince’s consort I was trying to kill ended up treating the King and Queen.
‘Since Eop-gyeong can only see the memories of the dead, this method is best for observing living humans.’
The only drawback was that the three parasites only accepted the Jade Emperor’s bloodline, so I had to personally deliver them to the Left Prime Minister.
Soon the rear entrance of the Audience Hall came into view. Two guards stood there, and I had no legitimate business to enter the Audience Hall.
‘This is when I need to use the fact that my body is that of a child.’

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