Since I’m a Time-Limited Princess Who Has No Tomorrow - Chapter 64

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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 64
Ki Ho-cheol placed his palm against the Crown Prince’s back. A moment later, the Crown Prince raised his right hand slightly.
He let out a small exclamation of wonder.
“How remarkably swift… Well then, I shall now move the vital energy. Sense which direction it travels and move your hand in the same direction. Should you open your mouth, your breathing will become disrupted, so I ask that you refrain from speaking.”
The Crown Prince’s hand moved almost immediately. Ki Ho-cheol let out a hollow laugh, as if the Crown Prince had gotten every direction correct.
“It appears Your Highness has already awakened your qi sensitivity. Then let us proceed directly to the next stage. I shall move the dragon force along the meridians, and you must carefully remember the path the vital energy takes. Now, the starting point is here, the location we call the Dantian….”
The Crown Prince’s turn progressed smoothly and swiftly. Ki Ho-cheol, unable to hide his admiration, assigned him a task.
“From now on, Your Highness need only continue breathing until you feel the vital energy within your Dantian.”
Ki Ho-cheol then approached me. I quickly closed my eyes.
“Now then, I shall channel vital energy into Your Highness the Crown Princess. Should you sense anything, please raise your hand.”
Soon his hand came to rest against my back, and I felt a small amount of dragon force rising from his Dantian, flowing through his palm and into me.
‘Hmm?’
Could this be what he meant by sensing vital energy?
‘But I’ve been able to feel this since birth.’
In fact, I could perceive not only the vital energy within my own body but also the flow of dragon force extending from his Dantian to me with perfect clarity.
I was momentarily flustered, but then understanding dawned.
‘Ah, it’s because I’m a deity. This is an innate sense for gods, but it seems humans must train to feel it.’
In any case, I felt it immediately, so I raised my hand at once.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess is also remarkably swift.”
Ki Ho-cheol was startled and proceeded to the direction-sensing stage, identical to what he’d done with the Crown Prince. There was nothing difficult about it. As I got every direction correct in succession, Ki Ho-cheol’s jaw dropped.
“…In all my years, I have never encountered someone with such keen qi sensitivity without having studied martial arts. You possess truly exceptional talent, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
‘Wow! Exceptional talent, they say!’
Though it felt like I was coasting by virtue of being born a deity, it was still gratifying to hear that I had talent for martial arts.
Sa Young-jun, standing nearby, grew restless as the Crown Prince and I awakened our qi sensitivity in an instant, then suddenly closed his eyes and began breathing on his own.
‘He’s worried about falling behind, isn’t he.’
His transparent nature was rather endearing in its own way.
‘It was good that I decided to learn swordsmanship. At this rate, it’s going to be a complete success.’
Visions bloomed in my mind—becoming a genius warrior, wielding a blade to strike down demons with my own hands, returning to Heaven and displaying martial prowess that would astound even the Immortal Swordmasters of the Heavenly Realm.
‘Since they said I have exceptional talent, surely I can achieve at least that much in the time remaining.’
I forcibly suppressed the corners of my mouth from rising and focused on the lesson.
However, as it turned out, the swordsmanship lesson was a failure.
“Both of you are truly exceptional cases.”
Ki Ho-cheol could not hide his bewilderment and scratched his disheveled hair before releasing a deep sigh.
“First… Your Highness the Crown Prince, it seems that accumulating dragon force itself is impossible for you. You already harbor an enormous other power within yourself.”
“…It appears to be due to the strange entity dwelling within me.”
“That seems to be the case. No matter how much vital energy you accept through breathing, it all simply bounces away….”
“Then is it impossible for me to learn martial arts?”
“No, that is not the case. You may use the same method that Daoists, sorcerers, and monks employ when learning martial arts.”
“What method is that?”
“That strange entity you already harbor—the dark spirit, as it were—if you channel it into your Dantian and use it like dragon force, it should work. Just as Daoists use Daoist force, sorcerers use sorcerous force, and monks use Buddhist force in their martial arts, employing them like dragon force.”
“…!”
“It won’t be easy at first, but once you grasp the method, you’ll ascend to the ranks of a master in no time. The sheer magnitude of power I’ve faintly sensed is beyond what any ordinary warrior could even attempt.”
Ki Ho-cheol laughed with a hollow sound, then added.
“Your Highness need only practice transferring that darkness into your Dantian instead of drawing upon nature’s energy. I shall assist you.”
“Thank you, Master.”
The Crown Prince’s expression brightened. Even if it was an unusual case, the young Crown Prince found himself in quite a favorable situation.
My situation, on the other hand….
“It appears that the Crown Princess’s constitution makes it impossible for her to learn martial arts.”
Ki Ho-cheol spoke with evident difficulty. I asked back, my spirits deflating.
“There’s truly no way? Even if I work hard?”
“My apologies, Your Highness. Those with the constitution of a Shaman cannot learn martial arts—it is fundamentally impossible….”
“But Taoists, sorcerers, and monks can all use martial arts. Why can’t Shamans?”
“It is a matter of constitution. Being a vessel capable of holding a god means there is no room to hold nature’s energy.”
So because I had a Shaman’s constitution, I couldn’t accumulate inner force. Without accumulating inner force, internal cultivation itself became impossible. Divine power wasn’t a force I built directly like other Gwae-ryeok-nan-sin, but rather borrowed from the gods, so I couldn’t apply it to martial arts either.
‘My divine power isn’t borrowed—it’s originally my own strength!’
Of course, since it was power I drew from my true self rather than power in this body, the result was ultimately the same.
‘What is this? I was doing so well.’
As I grew dejected, Ki Ho-cheol spoke in a consoling tone.
“Still, Your Highness possesses excellent sensitivity to energy. If you consistently practice breathing exercises, your observation skills will improve and it will benefit your health.”
Health? Hearing a word I couldn’t ignore, I perked up and lifted my head.
“Breathing exercises will make me healthier? Even without accumulating inner force?”
“Through the process of accepting and expelling nature’s energy via breathing, the body becomes purified, which certainly benefits one’s health. Your Highness doesn’t fail to sense energy—you simply cannot accumulate it within your body. Therefore, there is no problem with practicing breathing exercises.”
“Then I should continue training even without accumulating inner force. I want to live a healthy life.”
“An excellent sentiment.”
At least there was some consolation in becoming healthier.
‘External exercises are still exercise, so they should help with health, right? Even if I can’t use them for martial arts.’
I regained some enthusiasm for the sword lessons.
And exactly two hours later, I lost every bit of that hard-won enthusiasm.
“Hmm….”
Wrinkles layered upon Ki Ho-cheol’s forehead as he watched me holding the wooden sword. Sa Young-jun beside him covered his mouth and trembled before finally bursting into laughter.
“Puhaha, what is that! A newborn fawn would stand straighter than that!”
“Young-jun!”
When the master called his name in a reproachful tone, Sa Young-jun swallowed his laughter and immediately bowed his head.
“Ugh. I apologize.”
“Know that when you return home today, you will receive strict etiquette instruction.”
Ki Ho-cheol issued a warning.
But I paid no mind to whether Sa Young-jun mocked me or received etiquette instruction.
‘This is so exhausting!’
Why was this so difficult? I’d only mimicked the movements Ki Ho-cheol demonstrated a few times, yet my arms had gone numb and my legs, bent in an awkward stance, kept wavering. When I tried to straighten my back, it kept bending to one side. My feet tangled and I nearly fell. When told to extend my left arm, my right arm moved instead. Nothing obeyed my will.
I stood there gasping for breath while gripping the wooden sword, my vision spinning before my eyes.
“Well, let’s take a break for now.”
Ki Ho-cheol stopped the training upon seeing my condition.
Unable to muster the strength to reach the Pavilion, I collapsed where I stood, and An-si, who had been anxiously fidgeting in the distance under orders not to disturb the lesson, came rushing over with a water flask.
“Crown Princess! Your face has turned bright red!”
“I’m… I’m fine…”
After gulping down water and wiping away sweat, I felt somewhat revived. As I caught my breath, Ki Ho-cheol carefully spoke up.
“Crown Princess.”
“Yes…”
“I’m afraid swordplay simply doesn’t suit you.”
“…Is it because my stamina is insufficient?”
“It’s a problem that precedes stamina.”
He sighed briefly, then explained methodically.
“My family’s traditional Ki-ryeong swordplay is characterized by fluid sword movements, while the Yun Kingdom swordplay I learned during my time with the Royal Guard emphasizes precise, controlled motions. The common thread between these two completely opposite styles is maintaining a balanced stance at all times.”
“…I can’t maintain balance well?”
Ki Ho-cheol scratched his head in distress and sighed once more.
“Unfortunately, that’s correct. Which means you’ll require considerably more effort than ordinary people to master the same movements.”
It was a final confirmation.
I… am seriously uncoordinated.
‘I did feel uneasy about it since the archery practice…”
Whether I’m naturally clumsy, this body is clumsy, or both are creating some fantastical synergistic effect, I’m not sure—but the conclusion remains singular.
‘Swordplay won’t work.’
While disappointing in many ways, I hadn’t harbored any burning desire to learn swordplay, so it was acceptable.
‘In truth, I chose swordplay as my first discipline simply because the Crown Prince was learning it.’
There’s nothing to be done about it. I don’t have the luxury of time to persistently pursue fields where I lack talent. I barely have enough time to discover what I’m actually good at and focus on that.
…There must be something I’m good at, right?

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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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