Surviving as the Heavenly Demon’s Concubine - Chapter 10

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

“It was such a wonderful banquet. Don’t you think so?”

“Right. The First Young Master was so handsome.”

“My stomach was so full that I had to leave some lamb behind. I’m worried I’ll think about it at dawn.”

The young girls each said what they wanted to say as they returned to their lodgings.

Though their reasons were all different, it was a night when everyone agreed that the banquet had been satisfying.

“Um, excuse me… Riser.”

When only the two of them remained, Jegal Lin gently tugged at Riser’s collar.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“This is just my thought, but… I haven’t seen Miss Namgung since earlier.”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right.”

It seemed like she had entered together with them when they first went into the banquet hall.

But at some point during the height of the banquet, Namgung Yeonhwa was nowhere to be seen.

‘It is strange though.’

Namgung Yeonhwa was definitely not someone who lacked presence.

Rather, she was excessively impressive enough to capture everyone’s attention at a glance…

Though it wasn’t exactly in a good way, she was certainly someone who left a deep impression.

“What should we do? Miss Moyong, who shares a room with her, doesn’t seem to care at all.”

Jegal Lin seemed unable to bear her concern, though she was having trouble deciding whether it was right for her to get involved or not.

“What could really happen? She probably got tired and returned to the lodgings first.”

“Do you really think so?”

“…”

“Riser!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll think about it.”

Riser began to seriously consider it.

She was worried that like in typical harem stories, Namgung Yeonhwa might be found dead tomorrow morning.

* * *

During the evening hours when everyone was enjoying the banquet.

Namgung Yeonhwa, who had secretly risen from her seat, headed toward the lodgings with a thoroughly venomous expression.

‘Just wait and see. Do you think I’ll just keep taking this forever?’

She felt like she had heard her father say several times that they shouldn’t make enemies of the Sichuan Dang Family, but she didn’t care.

‘Prepare yourselves, Sichuan Dang Family. I’ll make you regret daring to mess with a daughter of the Namgung Clan!’

Namgung Yeonhwa, who expanded her personal grudge into a family matter as naturally as breathing, gazed determinedly at the lodgings assigned to Riser and Jegal Lin.

As she stealthily snuck inside, Namgung Yeonhwa was startled.

“What, what’s this? Why is everything only green?”

More than ten trunks were lined up wide open in front of someone’s room, and all the clothing inside them was green.

‘She’s such a strange girl anyway. But it works out well since there’s no confusion.’

Namgung Yeonhwa was certain that the room with trunks bizarrely filled only with green clothes was Riser’s bedroom. This was because the outfit Riser had worn at the banquet just before was a vivid green.

‘Someone who loves green this much couldn’t have worn a different colored outfit to the banquet. This must definitely be Dang Ri-seo’s room. I really am brilliant.’

Praising her own extraordinary deductive abilities, Namgung Yeonhwa entered Riser’s room and rummaged through the items inside to choose her means of revenge.

Various daily necessities (hidden weapons) including the uniformly green clothing, and accessories (hidden weapons) for maintaining dignity as a daughter of a prestigious family.

Various tea leaves (poison) and spices (poison) wrapped as gifts.

And medicinal herbs (poison) of unknown identity were piled up like mountains, still unorganized.

“Even at a glance, they’re all expensive things. Well, it is a family famous for being wealthy.”

Namgung Yeonhwa, who had initially planned to steal something valuable to trouble Riser, revised her plan.

With so many things around, losing one or two items probably wouldn’t cause any distress, or even be noticed.

‘If making something disappear has no impact… what about the opposite?’

Namgung Yeonhwa smiled wickedly.

The plan was as follows.

She would secretly hide her own belongings in Riser’s room, then cause a commotion claiming she had been robbed.

Of course, at first everyone would be bewildered, saying they knew nothing. But!

Once Namgung Yeonhwa’s belongings were found in Riser’s room, the situation would have to change.

‘Everyone will think Dang Ri-seo is a thief!’

Thus, the Sichuan Dang Family’s honor would fall to the ground and Riser would be locked in Noeok, spending nights in tears.

“How cunning is this scheme I devised in an instant. Only now do I recognize the treacherous qualities hidden within me. Ah, how frightening! Even I dare to fear my own cunning!”

Namgung Yeonhwa, who was extremely satisfied with her strategy, recited a sijo poem on the spot.

Honestly, her literary cultivation was at an embarrassing level, but since no one was listening anyway, she didn’t care.

‘Is someone inside?’

At that sound, a passing servant tilted her head in puzzlement.

The kang (a platform-type traditional Chinese heating device) installed in each room would take an hour or two to warm up.

For this reason, she had come to light the fire in the furnace before the room’s owner arrived, only to witness a strange scene.

‘That’s odd. I thought all the fairy-like ladies who entered today were at the banquet hall.’

Why was a terrible sijo poem coming from inside an ownerless room?

The suspicious servant decided to hide behind a pillar and watch Namgung Yeonhwa’s actions for a while.

“Hmm~ What should I leave behind~?”

Humming as she rummaged through her belongings, Namgung Yeonhwa muttered “This should be enough” and chose one of the open trunks to stuff her item deep inside.

“I’m curious about the expression when the gift is discovered.”

How surprised and wronged would she be? Namgung Yeonhwa giggled, intoxicated by the thrilling sense of victory as she imagined Riser’s troubled face.

‘Thank goodness. She wasn’t a thief. Just… a slightly strange person who secretly gives gifts and recites sijo poems.’

The servant felt relieved and quickly left the lodgings.

From Namgung Yeonhwa’s attire, she seemed to be one of the prospective concubines, and she didn’t want to be caught having suspected her unnecessarily.

“Hehe. Perfect.”

Meanwhile, Namgung Yeonhwa, who never dreamed her crime had been witnessed, left the lodgings with a happy face like a well-fed cat.

* * *

-My lady, it’s time to wake up.

At the servant’s voice from outside the door, Riser slowly opened her eyes.

‘I want to sleep more.’

She was sleep-deprived from wandering around looking for Namgung Yeonhwa during the night.

To resolve Jegal Lin’s suspicion that she might have gone to the outhouse and gotten lost, they had to circle around the banquet hall area several times, and they also had to visit the kitchen thinking she might have gone to get additional snacks that suited her taste.

When Jegal Lin suggested she might have fallen into a well while drawing water and wanted to check all the wells inside Cheonryeon Palace, Riser found her imagination resentful.

“Lin, please, let’s just go to sleep. Miss Namgung is probably at the lodgings by now.”

“I think that’s the possibility we should check last.”

Her words weren’t wrong.

Since the banquet hall and the pavilions used as lodgings were quite far apart, if they went to the lodgings and Namgung Yeonhwa wasn’t there, they’d have to come back to the banquet hall area to continue investigating, which would be inefficient.

But if they checked every possible scenario Jegal Lin could think of that might happen near the banquet hall, they would inevitably stay up all night.

“Let’s go.”

“We just need to check a little more.”

“I said let’s go.”

In the end, Riser hardened her expression and practically dragged Jegal Lin to the lodgings.

Moyong Hye, who had been washing up and preparing for bed, was bewildered by their late visit and said while covering her makeup-free face with a fan.

“Miss Namgung? She went to sleep first.”

Riser silently glared at Jegal Lin.

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