Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 54

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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 54
The King atop the Altar of Heaven seemed to regain his senses belatedly, washing his face with trembling hands before gesturing sharply to his military officials with a hardened expression.
“What are you all doing? Arrest Wan-eon and the Left Prime Minister at once!”
“Your Majesty?”
“The Dragon who descended in place of Unryong at the Yongryong Ceremony has declared them irreverent—those who poured filth upon the sacred rite. As descendants of Unryong, should we not thoroughly investigate what crimes they have committed?”
“…!”
“Arrest them immediately!”
As the King commanded with force, the dazed military officials sprang into urgent action. The unconscious Wan-eon was bound with rope and carried away, but the Left Prime Minister did not submit so readily.
“What madness is this! The true irreverence lies with the sovereign who has lost his mind and the unfilial wretch who drove his father to madness—that accursed dark-blooded prince! How dare you drag me away when I merely sought to restore order to the realm!”
Realizing that if he were taken away like this, all would be lost, the Left Prime Minister bellowed with such fury that the veins in his neck bulged. Yet covered in pitch-black sewage and reeking of stench, his ranting only made him appear as mad as a lunatic himself.
The constables, pinching their noses and grimacing, bound the Left Prime Minister with rope.
“Release me! I am not the criminal—!”
The Left Prime Minister’s protests died in his throat as he belatedly noticed how everyone around him—even the ministers of the Wan-eon Faction—covered their noses or turned their heads away.
‘They knew this was theater, but when the dragon who was part of that performance bowed to the Crown Prince instead, the situation reversed. They must be even more shocked.’
As the Left Prime Minister, rendered speechless, was dragged down from the Altar of Heaven, the gathered crowd parted like a tide, pinching their noses and grimacing. The Left Prime Minister was pulled through the gap, bound in bright crimson rope, and dragged beyond the Red Wooden Gate.
‘This time, it’s truly finished.’
There had been evidence all along, and now that the atmosphere had shifted so decisively, the Left Prime Minister and the Wan-eon Faction were done for.
I glanced at the Chief State Councillor. The stately elderly man stroked his snow-white beard like an immortal sage, gazing down at the departing Left Prime Minister.
‘Soon… I’ll need to shift the Three Excellencies to his side.’
Once the Left Prime Minister had completely disappeared from view, the King summoned the Ritual Official.
“The Yongryong Ceremony is not yet concluded. Continue with the proceedings.”
“Ah, yes, Your Majesty!”
The Ritual Official startled and bowed deeply before calling out the next order in a resonant voice.
“The Dance of Heaven!”
With the memorial rite—part of the offering ceremony—concluded after the iron ritual, the remaining segment of the Yongryong Ceremony, the Dance of Heaven, commenced. This was the procedure that initiated the Yongryong Ceremony as a festival, where dance and music were offered to Heaven.
The musicians reflexively took up their instruments and began playing. Court dancers poured forth and commenced their graceful movements.
The King cried out amid the music.
“Let all rejoice! The Dragon God has answered our ceremony! From Heaven, he savors our offerings!”
“…!”
The unsettled atmosphere gradually stabilized at his proclamation. Fear and confusion yielded to joy and wonder at witnessing the dragon.
“That’s right, the Dragon God has descended upon us!”
“Didn’t he say it was a dragon who descended in place of Unryong, not Unryong himself?”
“Either way, he answered us! Heaven has sent a response to Yun Kingdom!”
“A blessing! A miracle!”
As the music swelled, the atmosphere grew increasingly festive. People began to dance. Wine and food prepared by the royal household were lavishly distributed. The solemn ritual had transformed into a celebration.
‘Excellent. This has concluded perfectly.’
I gazed upon the scene with satisfaction and smiled.
* * *
Gwang-chul, the son of the Dragon God Sa-hae Gang-chul, the imoogi now commonly called Gwang-chul, leaped into the forest of the nearest mountain the moment he left Sacrifice Heaven Island. The massive dragon transformed into a youth with wind-swept crimson hair like a mane, deep skin, and golden eyes—appearing to be seventeen or eighteen years old by human reckoning.
“Phew, that was close. My heart nearly stopped.”
He wiped his chest and glanced around before slumping into the shade of a nearby tree.
“How in the world is Princess Cheonmyeong there?! She should be in the Imperial Palace! Why of all places?!”
Muttering indignantly, he rummaged through his belongings and spread them out.
“Damn it, I need to regurgitate what I received before things get worse.”
These were the offerings he’d received from the Shaman in exchange for channeling a spirit. He arranged them in the same layout as the sacrificial table he’d received, then drew a circle around them with twigs.
Smoke billowed up from the circle. Gwang-chul waved his hands frantically at it.
“Hey, Shaman! Take this back. They say your dignity falls if you break a promise after accepting offerings, but, well, mine’s already in the bottom of a well. Sorry?”
He shrugged and added irritably.
“I mean, I’m the one who got scammed! Why in the world—”
“Judging by that loose mouth of yours, I can see why Her Majesty sent me.”
A small murmur cut through Gwang-chul’s words.
“Huh?”
A bird descended from the sky as Gwang-chul looked up in surprise. The small creature with colorful feathers transformed into a golden-haired girl as it touched the ground, delicately trampling through the circle.
“Ugh! What are you doing?!”
Gwang-chul pointed in alarm, and An-si regarded him with a sly expression before deliberately kicking harder. The circle was erased, and the rising smoke dissipated.
“Damn it! Now I can’t even return it properly! What about my karma?!”
Regardless of Gwang-chul’s frantic protests, An-si only crossed her arms and lifted her chin once she confirmed the connection with the Shaman was completely severed.
“Princess Cheonmyeong ordered you not to reveal her identity! How dare you ignore the Princess’s words! Should I pluck your scales one by one until you come to your senses?”
“What? You—”
Gwang-chul’s fierce scowl faltered as he belatedly recognized An-si. The young phoenix who served as Princess Cheonmyeong’s escort, attendant, and secretary. A renowned divine beast—impossible not to recognize.
“Damn it… it’s the Blood Phoenix…”
At Gwang-chul’s murmur, An-si’s eyes widened sharply.
“What did you say?”
“Oh, no, the Virtuous Phoenix! You’re the Virtuous Phoenix!”
“Hmm.”
The girl narrowed her golden eyes and surveyed Gwang-chul. He felt cold sweat trickling down his back.
“Well, I’ll let it slide. As long as the Princess doesn’t find out about that nickname.”
“…”
The boy exhaled in relief. Unlike ordinary phoenixes who avoided bloodshed, this young phoenix showed no hesitation at the sight of blood, and her methods were so cruel that the nickname “Blood Phoenix” had stuck. Before her master, Princess Cheonmyeong, she was clumsy and cheerful, but when the Princess wasn’t watching, she was so ruthless and violent that demons suspected she had mixed blood. Everyone was careful around her.
‘That dragon who used to gossip that Princess Cheonmyeong’s frailty was because she wasn’t the Jade Emperor’s biological daughter… he got caught by the Blood Phoenix and had both his horns ripped out.’
Gwang-chul unconsciously covered his head with both hands and trembled.
An-si looked down at the frightened boy with disdain and spoke.
“The Princess said not to cause any more trouble now that she’s come to the Mortal Realm, and to return quietly. Go back now.”
“Go back? Where?”
“The well where you’re being punished. Why are you asking something so obvious?”
Gwang-chul’s face went pale as he shook his head.
“I… I can’t go back!”
“Stop with the pointless stubbornness—”
“I can’t go back, not won’t go back!”
Gwang-chul shouted abruptly, tears glistening in his eyes.
“The Heavenly Well itself… I don’t care if things come out of it, but entering requires the Dragon God’s permission.”
“Then just get his permission.”
“The Dragon God’s permission, you say? How am I supposed to go to my father and ask for it? That’s the same as confessing that I fled the Heavenly Well on my own! If I do that, my skin will literally be flayed from my living body!”
In the end, it was nothing but childish excuses—he simply didn’t want his father, the Dragon God, to discover he’d left the well. An-si furrowed her brow in reproach.
“Either way, it’s only a matter of time before he finds out you’re gone. If you return on your own, you’ll at least receive less punishment.”
“He won’t find out! As long as my father doesn’t suddenly come all the way to the Heavenly Well and peer inside, no one will notice I’m absent. We just finished the grand cleaning not long ago, so no one will be coming for quite some time!”
“So you’re saying you won’t return to Heaven at all?”
“Who said I won’t return? I just can’t go now!”
Gwang-chul let out a sharp cry, his expression growing pitiful as he continued.
“The Heavenly Well refreshes its waters every twelve years, you see? During the Year of the Dragon, my father automatically lowers a bucket to draw water from the Mortal Realm. So if I ride that bucket back up then, I can return without anyone knowing.”
“The Year of the Dragon? If this is the Year of the Snake, then that’s eleven years away?”
“Exactly! So I just need to stay quiet in the Mortal Realm for eleven years, then go back!”
An-si was well aware of how Sa-hae Gang-chul, the Dragon God’s son, had become the water serpent Gwang-chul and ended up trapped in the well. The golden phoenix scrutinized the red-haired serpent’s entire form with suspicion.
“…You, who caused trouble in the Mortal Realm and earned the treatment of a water serpent, can actually stay quiet in the Mortal Realm for eleven years?”

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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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