Surviving as Jang Hee-bin's Child Court Lady - Chapter 21

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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 21. Older Brother
Regardless of my shock, the brothers’ conversation flowed on effortlessly.
“Since Geum-deok often visits my quarters, I can spend time with Hwang Bong-bong each time.”
“Will that truly be acceptable, Your Highness?”
Oh, for heaven’s sake.
‘What are these two scheming about, really.’
Why was there not a single person in this entire Royal Palace who respected a child’s wishes?
“Hwang Bong-bong has no friends and feels lonely, so this works out perfectly.”
I hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to remember that remark.
When he’d caught me with a dirt-smudged face on the West Side of Chwisuondang, that excuse had been true, but….
‘Getting close to such a particular seven-year-old is absolutely out of the question.’
I desperately wanted to avoid this situation.
So I exercised my right to refuse with my entire body.
Which meant hiding behind the Crown Prince.
“Ha ha. Suddenly gaining two new older brothers—it seems Hwang Bong-bong is feeling shy.”
That’s not it. It’s not shyness; it’s dislike.
That was when it happened.
“Hwang Bong-bong.”
Prince Yeonning spoke to me.
“Yes, Prince Yeonning. You called for me.”
Seeing me clasp my hands respectfully and struggle to speak with careful precision, Prince Yeonning said:
“It seems I startled you earlier. I only meant to emphasize the importance of propriety, so do not be so guarded. From now on, regard me as your uncle and speak freely with me.”
…I didn’t believe a word of it.
I felt like a new employee standing before a department head saying ‘be comfortable, be at ease!’
Did my shoulders rise because the princes called me their younger sister?
Not at all. Not in the slightest.
I wanted to maintain the position of an ‘inconspicuous child’ and survive.
‘Having drawn the king’s attention won’t make this easy, though.’
But this was a different problem altogether.
If talk of a prince’s favor circulated and I became an object of jealousy, life would become truly exhausting.
“Your Highness, may I speak a word?”
So I gathered my courage.
This place was a thoroughly hierarchical society—the Royal Palace.
Naturally, they were heaven and I was earth—or perhaps a lowly creature buried even deeper—but….
‘I have my own convictions too.’
I wanted to remind them of that fact they’d completely forgotten.
“What is it? Speak freely, Hwang Bong-bong.”
I looked at the Crown Prince’s face and opened my mouth calmly.
“I already have an older brother, Your Highness.”
“Ah, is that so? You have an older brother in your household?”
“Yes….”
As I answered, Prince Yeonning interjected.
“Even if you have an older brother, what’s wrong with having an adoptive one? Especially since I’m a royal grandson—wouldn’t it be a great honor for you if I took on that role?”
His words were arrogant beyond measure, but I tried to understand Prince Yeonning’s perspective.
For someone born a prince who had lived his entire life commanding others, such thoughts were only natural.
But I too was a stubborn person.
“That’s….”
I hesitated for a moment. I wasn’t sure if I should bring up something so serious.
But I didn’t want to brush this aside carelessly and become entangled with Prince Yeonning.
“My older brother is dead.”
I spoke the truth plainly.
“Even though my brother is no longer here…. Still, I have only one older brother.”
Contrary to my intention, the moment those words left my lips, I felt an unexpected tightness in my chest.
‘This isn’t about my past life. I’m talking about Hwang Bong-bong’s situation right now, so why do I feel this way?’
Startled by the emotions welling up unexpectedly, I quickly lowered my head.
“….”
The surroundings fell silent.
The Crown Prince, Prince Yeonning, the palace attendants who had followed the Crown Prince—everyone.
All of them fell silent as if swept away by a harsh winter wind.
“…Bong-bong.”
I heard the Crown Prince’s voice.
I barely composed my expression before lifting my head.
I could see the Crown Prince’s kind eyes trembling with turbulent emotion.
Prince Yeonning stared at me with wide, unblinking eyes, his expression frozen.
The Crown Prince spoke.
“Bong-bong. I never dreamed such a thing had happened, and I spoke carelessly. I’ve troubled your heart with thoughtless words. I’m sorry, Bong-bong.”
“No, Your Highness. I apologize.”
The atmosphere had become far too heavy because of me.
‘I should leave now.’
I felt somewhat guilty about ruining the mood and fleeing like this.
“Then I shall return to Chwisuondang.”
I bowed respectfully and slipped out of Jeoseungjeon.
***
‘Phew. I finally escaped.’
At last, I had broken free from my brother’s trap.
The absurd proposal about being a younger sister seemed to have fallen through as well.
‘But… what was Hwang Bong-bong’s brother really like?’
Now that I thought about it, I didn’t even know his name.
In truth, I had never felt the need to learn about my own background.
Based on Han Sang-gung’s words—’a noble-born orphan, brother deceased’—I had simply assumed I was a child with nowhere to go, utterly alone in the world.
‘She said there was an age gap, but my brother would have been young too…’
I pushed away the encroaching thoughts.
‘What’s the point in dwelling on someone whose name and face I don’t even know? Besides, he’s dead.’
It was an oddly poignant coincidence.
Both Hwang Bong-bong and I from my past life had lost our older brothers.
Memories from that previous existence—feeling distant as ancient history—quietly surfaced.
On particularly difficult days, I would visit my brother’s memorial hall.
Within that rectangular space lay the fullness of his life, and the cherished moments we had shared together.
Whenever I gazed upon those memories, it was as though my brother himself was comforting me, bringing peace to my heart…
‘His death anniversary must be approaching soon.’
My brother had passed away in March, when spring was beginning to bloom.
But in this world that used the lunar calendar, I couldn’t even know the exact date…
‘Still… I wish there were a place where I could remember him.’
There would surely be difficult days ahead.
I longed for my own sanctuary—a place I could visit whenever I needed solace and comfort.
***
I stood in the Northern Forest north of Jeoseungjeon, where I had once encountered Geum-deok.
That day, I’d been too preoccupied with digging and wrestling with Geum-deok to appreciate my surroundings, but now I could see it was truly a beautiful place.
“This spot feels right.”
Beneath a towering pine tree at the forest’s heart, where warm sunlight streamed down in golden rays.
After clearing away dried leaves and fallen branches, I stacked small stones into a modest cairn.
Then I laid upon it a small bouquet I’d gathered from wildflowers.
The last thing I withdrew from my pocket were three pieces of candy I’d been carrying.
A humble offering—my simple memorial.
“…Brother.”
It had been so long.
So long since I’d thought of someone precious from my past life—someone other than Hwang Bong-bong.
My only family. My greatest pride. My brother.
An Olympic gold medalist. A national taekwondo champion. And by everyone’s account, a hopeless “sister-doting fool.”
Seven years had passed since my brother’s brilliant life had dimmed and faded away.
Counting backward through centuries, I found myself confused about how to even measure time anymore.
“Brother. Something incredibly strange has happened to me.”
I spoke softly to him, my fingers tracing the small stones of the cairn.
“You were right—I should have listened to you about exercising. Instead, I got caught up studying history and ended up falling into the Joseon Dynasty. I guess I’m being punished for not listening to you.”
A gentle breeze stirred through the trees.
A single yellow butterfly, drifting from somewhere unseen, fluttered delicately above the cairn.
…Had brother come to visit?
To comfort an ungrateful sister who had nearly forgotten even the anniversary of his passing?
“But…I think I have to accept it now. No matter how much I deny it, this is the reality I’m facing.”
This small cairn is both a memorial to my brother and a farewell to my former self.
Hwang Bong-bong, a court lady at Chwisuondang.
That is who I am now, and this is the true reality I must live.
“But still, brother…I’ll come back sometimes. When things are hard, when I miss you so much…”
Plop.
A tear fell onto the moss below.
“So brother. Watch over me from heaven, all right?”
I lifted my gaze toward the sky, impossibly distant and high above.
In the shimmering sunlight that dappled like jewels, I slowly closed my eyes.
My brother’s life, brilliant and radiant.
And the days when unexpected illness stole that light, when his brilliance gradually faded away…
I listen quietly.
To my brother’s voice, echoing in memory.
‘You have to live happily. Do you understand?’
‘I’m making you a promise.’
“…A promise.”
I carry the duty and responsibility to keep that promise with my brother.
I wiped away my tears and rose to my feet.
***
“Your Highness. It concerns the matter of Hwang Bong-bong that you mentioned before.”
At Moon the Eunuch’s words, the Crown Prince’s eyes brightened.
“Yes. Were you able to find out?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Moon the Eunuch spoke carefully.
“As you suspected, she is indeed an orphan. Originally, she lived with an older brother who was ten years her senior.”
“Hwang Bong-bong mentioned that her brother had also passed away?”
“Yes. It has been quite some time since he disappeared, so everyone assumed he was dead.”
“Disappeared?”
The Crown Prince pressed further.
“If he disappeared, how can they be certain he is dead?”
“That is… do you recall the incident a couple of months ago when a band of ruffians caused great chaos? Many commoners were killed in that conflict.”
“I remember it well. Father executed those brigands without mercy.”
“Hwang Bong-bong’s brother vanished at precisely that time.”
“Ah…”
“Since her brother was known to associate with those ruffians, it seems a reasonable conclusion.”
“I see.”
The Crown Prince nodded heavily.
After Moon the Eunuch departed, the Crown Prince sat alone, lost in thought.
A memory from days past suddenly surfaced.
‘It is not Your Highness’s fault.’
‘It is the adults who are wrong.’
The unexpected comfort Hwang Bong-bong had offered him when he despaired of his circumstances.
‘Yet that child has endured such hardship with such a small, fragile body…’
His heart grew heavy.
How could he ever repay such a debt?
That night, the light in the Crown Prince’s Private Chamber burned late into the darkness.
***
It began from that day onward.
Hwang Bong-bong’s long and arduous wait commenced.

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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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