Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 41

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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 41
A name from the victim list suddenly came to mind. Someone who had died in the banquet hall during the black wine incident.
‘Lady Shim was definitely among them.’
In other words, the Right Prime Minister’s wife.
‘His wife died in an accident… how could he possibly be favorable toward the person who caused it?’
Once I recalled this fact, even the advice the Right Prime Minister had left behind seemed suspect.
‘False information? What is he after?’
Should I plant one of the Samsisung on the Right Prime Minister as well?
‘If I were truly of the Xue Tribe, this would be easier. A lie would smell different.’
Unfortunately, despite having only the body of the Xue Tribe, their abilities had never manifested within me.
‘I promised to avoid using the Heavenly Eye as much as possible.’
As I made my way back to Unyeon Hall, I replayed the conversation I had just had with the Right Prime Minister. And soon, one possibility occurred to me.
‘What if he’s viewing the Crown Prince and me as separate entities?’
The Right Prime Minister had told me not to eat at Jamnyong Hall, but he never said anything about fleeing together with the Crown Prince.
‘Perhaps he only harbors resentment toward the Crown Prince, while I seemed like a pitiful child caught up in it all—reminding him of his own daughter.’
That seemed most likely. If so, there was one way to verify it.
‘I’m technically on a legal escape now.’
I entered my room in Unyeon Hall and retrieved the Eight Pillar Order, gently tapping the eighth bell. Wisps of smoke curled upward, revealing Father’s chamber in Yama Palace. Gangrim, who had been stacking new scrolls atop mountains of existing ones, widened his eyes upon discovering the opened passage.
[Your Highness?]
“Gangrim? Where’s Father?”
[He’s gone to render a judgment on a rather complicated matter. Shall I fetch him?]
“No, it’s fine. I just need to check the registry for a moment.”
[Whom are you looking for?]
“The daughter of Yi Do-hyung, the Right Prime Minister of Yun Kingdom. She died when she was young—I need to confirm the cause of death.”
[Yes! Please wait a moment.]
Gangrim deftly flipped through the registry on the desk before opening it to a specific page and holding it up before the passage.
[Baekun Fortress, Northeast Division, Yun Kingdom. Yi Jong-hee, second daughter of Yi Do-hyung and Shim Bu-ok, age nine, deceased due to fire. Is this the correct record?]
“Yes, that seems right.”
[Shall I transcribe the detailed information for you?]
“No, this is enough. Thank you.”
Death by fire at a similar age.
So he had stepped in because he was reminded of his own daughter. My heart grew heavy.
[Yes, Your Highness! If you need anything else, please contact me anytime, won’t you?]
Gangrim, about to close the registry, peered at it once more before lifting it toward me.
[Your Highness, I believe you should examine this section. It concerns the family records of the deceased you just inquired about.]
“Hmm? What is it?”
I examined the section Gangrim pointed to and gasped in surprise.
Baekun Fortress, Northeast Division, Yun Kingdom. Yi Jong-ho, eldest son of Yi Do-hyung and Shim Bu-ok, age thirty-four, deceased due to plague.
Baekun Fortress, Northeast Division, Yun Kingdom. Yi Jong-hye, eldest daughter of Yi Do-hyung and Shim Bu-ok, age thirty-two, deceased due to plague.
Baekun Fortress, Northeast Division, Yun Kingdom. Yi Yeon-ju, eldest daughter of Yi Jong-ho and Kim Min-seon, age fourteen, deceased due to plague.
At Baekun Fortress, Northeast Division of Yun Kingdom, Yi Yeon-jo, the eldest son of Yi Jong-ho and Kim Min-seon, died of plague at age fourteen.
…
Yi Do-hyung, age fifty-three, died of plague.
What is this? The Right Prime Minister’s children and grandchildren all dying of plague? The Right Prime Minister himself as well?
I hurriedly checked the dates of death recorded in the registry.
All the same date. Three years from now, in early summer, the entire family dies on the same day.
A chill ran down my spine. They all die of plague on the same day? From children to young adults to the elderly?
‘This is no ordinary illness. This is undoubtedly the work of a plague spirit.’
Whether someone deliberately unleashed a plague spirit or they were unlucky enough to be attacked by one wandering about, either way, this was the handiwork of a plague spirit or malevolent entity.
I pulled out paper and quickly copied down the names and dates of death.
“That’s all I need. Thank you, Gangrim.”
[Yes! Please call upon me whenever you need assistance!]
I closed the passage and studied the paper.
‘Three years from now… there’s not much I can do immediately.’
Still, this wasn’t mere plague—if something malevolent was behind it, I couldn’t simply ignore it. The Right Prime Minister was a victim of the black curse, and he had even warned me about the conspiracy today.
‘I need to prepare in advance.’
If possible, in a way that would also benefit the Crown Prince and me.
* * *
The immediate problem was the fire scheduled for this evening at Jamnyong Hall.
‘Preventing the fire itself isn’t difficult, but catching the culprit and exposing whoever’s behind it—that’s the challenge.’
First, I instructed the attendants to prepare Unyeon Hall for this evening. I made several other preparations and ordered An-si to guard Jamnyong Hall. Then I rested and waited for the Crown Prince to return.
Through the three-fold perception, I discreetly checked on the Left Prime Minister’s side and heard that the King was taking a break from duties and continuing to stay at the Central Palace Hall with the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, I saw no signs of him plotting the fire. Either he’d already issued all his orders before the constant attendants arrived, or….
‘The culprit might not be the Left Prime Minister but someone else. Though that seems unlikely.’
In any case, it seemed the Crown Prince would take a while to arrive.
‘It’s been two years since they’ve seen each other as a family. They must have so much to talk about.’
Still, he should definitely come before sunset, right? He still can’t control himself at night, so it’s dangerous.
‘Having to prepare for arson on such an important day for him.’
Those wretched people.
I didn’t want to tell the young Crown Prince about assassination plots on such a good day. I could only hope the matter would be resolved without his knowledge.
The Crown Prince returned to the East Palace as the sunset began to paint the sky. I greeted him at the main gate of Jamnyong Hall.
“My Lady! My Lady!”
The little one came running with his official crown askew, his cheeks flushed with excitement as he called out to me.
“Everything you said came true! I thought I could never be forgiven, but….”
His face was beaming with joy, yet his eyes glistened with moisture, his dark pupils shining like a night sky full of stars.
“Did you speak with both of them at length?”
“Yes, and about you as well… we talked so much. About how much you’ve helped me….”
Why was his face turning red with embarrassment over such a thing?
‘How adorable.’
The cute little one continued speaking, his face flushed.
“Everything happened exactly as you said it would! From now on, even if you told me you’d made soybean paste from red beans, I would believe you! And also….”
His speech came far more rapidly than usual. That voice, which had been like stagnant water pooling in shadow, now flowed like a stream running through sunlight.
I felt an extraordinary sense of pride. For the first time, it seemed as though I had accomplished something through my own efforts. My chest swelled with satisfaction.
Suppressing the urge to preen, I led the Crown Prince forward.
“You said you would prove it, didn’t you? So now we’ll work well together, won’t we?”
“Of course! I’ll do my best so that you can trust me as well, my lady. What should we begin with? Should we start training right away…”
“Let’s talk about that over dinner, shall we?”
“Yes! …But isn’t this the Unyeon Hall?”
“Today we’ll dine together at the Unyeon Hall.”
Fear flickered across the young boy’s bright, lovely face in an instant.
“My lady, the sun will set soon. There will be people at the Unyeon Hall…”
“You said you would trust me, didn’t you?”
“…Yes, I did.”
“Soon there will be more people at the Jamnyong Hall as well. You can’t keep avoiding them forever, can you?”
“…You’re right, my lady.”
The Crown Prince seemed tense but followed me obediently. Still, to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, I had the attendants at the Unyeon Hall withdraw entirely, leaving only the bare minimum. Only a handful volunteered to remain, including Kim Sang-gung and Choi Ja-myeong. They brought in a table for the meal and then withdrew.
The table was particularly abundant today.
‘They took care to prepare it lavishly for this special occasion.’
As we ate, I learned what the Crown Prince had discussed with his parents. It seemed the King had told him everything, including the petition I had submitted.
“And I have decided to preside over the memorial rite…”
The Crown Prince, who had spoken brightly about other matters, delivered these words with gravity. It was certainly a weighty matter.
“Will you be all right?”
“It is something I must do. After the rite, I intend to visit their graves in person and pay my respects while offering my apologies. Though this cannot fully ease the sorrow that has accumulated, I hope it will lighten the burden somewhat.”
The Crown Prince spoke with quiet dignity, his eyes downcast.
I gazed at the young boy with admiration and resolved to give him a gift.
‘Those who have been dead for two years are still being judged in the Afterlife at this point. I should offer prayers for their peace in my own name.’
Though the Crown Prince did not intend it, the incident occurred because of him, and karma would accumulate upon him. If I offered prayers for the deceased’s peace, I could help diminish some of that burden. Humans might not perceive what has changed, but it would certainly be beneficial for the Crown Prince.
“I’ll participate as well. In both the memorial rite and the visit.”
“You, my lady?”
“Wouldn’t it be better than Your Highness doing it alone? It would also show greater sincerity.”
“That may be true, but…there is no need for you to go to such trouble, my lady. It was also before our marriage, and you bear no fault in this matter…”
“If we’re being strictly about fault, Your Highness wouldn’t need to apologize either. Yet you wish to, don’t you?”
“Because it happened because of me, I must do so.”
“Exactly. That’s why I want to apologize as well. Because I am Your Highness’s wife.”
“…My lady.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes glistened with tears. Just as the boy was about to speak in his emotion, a message came through.
[Your Highness, we have found the arsonist! We are in pursuit!]
It was An-si, who had been secretly guarding the Jamnyong Hall.

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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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