The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#13. Lady Han is a Haeollong

Eunhye puffed out her cheeks with an annoyed expression as she recalled Kim Jihoo, her teacher’s son who had spoken harshly without recognizing her.

“Ah, today was really…!”

Finding her appearance too adorable, Lady Han pressed her lips together to suppress her laughter and rolled her eyes lightly as she spoke.

“Such a thing happened? What kind of wretch dared not recognize our Princess within this palace? Tell me who it is and I’ll catch them right away and give them a proper beating!”

At Lady Han’s fierce momentum as if she would really go catch them immediately, Eunhye quickly shook her head.

“Never mind. I already know who that fellow is, so next time I meet him, I’ll give him a thorough scolding.”

Huh? That fellow? She definitely said that fellow.

Besides meeting Lady Gyeongbin, did something else happen to our Princess?

Seeing Princess Eunhye looking quite hurt, even rolling her lower lip inward, Lady Han’s large eyes quickly filled with worry.

“Please tell me who it is. It must be some new apprentice eunuch – I’ll give him a proper beating.”

Shake shake shake.

Eunhye vigorously shook her head at Lady Han’s words and raised her small chubby hand to make a tight fist.

“He’s not an apprentice eunuch. And I must meet that fellow again. I have things to ask him, and I need to take that thing he has… no, never mind. I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry about it.”

Eunhye recalled the mysterious mirror that Jihoo had been carrying and decided she would definitely demand he give it to her.

Since he had been so insolent in his words and actions toward a princess of the kingdom, if she demanded he hand over his mirror in place of his life, surely he would comply?

Lady Han, who had been quietly observing her young mistress’s somehow different demeanor, noticed the traces of tears still remaining around Eunhye’s eyes.

“Your precious body even got injured like this – how much it must have hurt.”

At Lady Han’s words, Eunhye showed her small clenched fist and answered in a quite spirited voice.

“No. I’m not that weak!”

At the cute sight of her raising her round chin with a dignified expression as if nothing was wrong, Lady Han smiled gently and turned around while sitting to offer her back.

“Yes, yes, I understand. No matter how strong you are, when we return to Hyesin Palace, I’ll carry you on my back.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Please get on quickly.”

“Oh my, I said it’s okay. And my skirt has a lot of dirt on it, so your clothes will get dirty too.”

Eunhye looked down at her skirt that had become a mess from the earlier incident with Lady Gyeongbin and stepped back. At this sight, Lady Han felt a surge of emotion and brought her back closer to her kind mistress, rolling her pretty eyes gently.

“What are you saying? Clothes can just be washed. Please get on quickly. You even skipped your midday meal, so you must be very hungry.”

Has the midday meal time already passed? No wonder I’m hungry.

As Eunhye was secretly rubbing her stomach, Lady Han’s nagging reached her ears again.

“And Lord Jipyeong said you’ll make up for the studies you missed today tomorrow.”

Ah, I don’t want to do makeup studies!

When Kim Gyo-hyeon was mentioned, Jihoo naturally came to mind along with the Analects. That fellow!

I’ll absolutely never! No wait, if I want to get that mirror, should I coax him nicely?

“What are you doing not getting on quickly, Princess?”

To Eunhye who was pursing her lips and tilting her head in thought, Lady Han pressed her back closer and turned her head toward her back.

“I understand. Then I’ll impose on you a bit. Thank you, Lady Han.”

“Princess, please don’t say such things. What do you mean impose?”

At Lady Han’s response that it was nonsense, Eunhye glanced up at Gwangjo standing beside her and moved her lips.

You’ll really come to my quarters, right?

Gwangjo smiled at Eunhye’s expression and gestured with his chin toward Lady Han’s back.

[What are you doing, not getting on quickly. This old man will follow soon, so don’t worry and go ahead.]

Only then seeming reassured, Eunhye nodded and waved her small hand at Gwangjo before climbing onto Lady Han’s back.

“Thank you, Lady Han.”

“Are you truly grateful?”

“Yes!”

Lady Han, who had lightly stood up while carrying the small little princess, took a step forward and spoke as if making a request.

“Then from now on, absolutely never wander around alone like this. Do you know how much my heart shrinks when you suddenly disappear?”

“I’m sorry.”

Eunhye’s warm cheek pressed against her back was so lovable that Lady Han unconsciously raised the corners of her mouth slightly.

“What do you mean sorry? Please don’t say such things either. You are a precious princess. Don’t say sorry to just anyone – just say ‘I understand.’ Do you know?”

“Yes, I understand. But do you happen to know what hwaweollong is?”

“Pardon? Haeollong? What is that?”

At Lady Han’s question as she stopped after taking a few steps, Eunhye frowned as if finding it strange.

Haeollong? Was it haeollong?

When there was no response from Eunhye, Lady Han resumed walking while tilting her head.

“Someone told you that Lady Han is haeollongtae.”

“Hahaha! What tae? Or are you telling me to remove something from myself?”

“No, no, that’s not it – hae.ol.long.tae.”

“Hahaha! What on earth is haeollongtae?”

“I don’t know either, that’s why I’m asking.”

Lady Han, who had heard of terms like madwoman or strong woman but never such a strange nickname as haeollong, tilted her head and blinked her eyes.

“Maybe it means Lady Han is so pretty that she’s enchanting?”

At Eunhye’s murmuring as she buried herself deeper into her back, a loud laugh burst from Lady Han’s mouth.

“Hahahaha! Princess, is there such a saying? And how am I pretty? Our Princess is a thousand times, ten thousand times more beautiful.”

“No, Lady Han is pretty.”

Her voice was drowsy as if sleep was pouring over her.

Lady Han, who had been walking toward the library door, glanced back at her back.

The baby fairy-like face of the Princess with her chubby, soft cheeks buried deep and eyes closed…

Though she said she was fine, she must have spent a very difficult and trying time alone.

Creak.

When Lady Han came out of the library door with Princess Eunhye on her back, opening it with one hand, the eyes of the soldiers outside widened in shock.

“What! That, that…! When did…”

Lady Han glared fiercely at the soldiers who were so startled they couldn’t speak properly.

“See? Just as I said, our Princess Eunhye was inside, wasn’t she? Please stand guard more attentively.”

The two soldiers just blinked with their mouths hanging open. They definitely hadn’t seen Princess Eunhye enter the library – how could this have happened?

For the soldiers who didn’t know about the secret entrance that the Crown Prince had secretly installed, it was truly a ghostly affair.

Lady Han, who couldn’t know this, rolled her eyes at the soldiers in a not-too-harsh way and headed toward Hyesin Palace.

In the warm spring sunlight and the cozy warmth from Lady Han’s back, Eunhye’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

“But Lady Han, how did you know I was here?”

At the little princess’s drowsy, mumbling question, Lady Han’s lips curved up slightly.

“Don’t you know? I have a magic wand that can find you wherever you go.”

“Hehe, that’s a lie.”

The Princess’s giggling breath tickled her back.

With the gently blowing spring breeze and Lady Han’s careful, rustling footsteps, a long yawn escaped from Eunhye’s mouth.

“Yaaawn.”

“If you’re very sleepy, please rest a bit during the walk.”

“Mm.”

But what if that ghost boy comes looking for me again after we return like this?

Behind the anxiety that crept up, the image of Queen Dowager Gwangjo in white magoja came to mind.

He seems much stronger than grandfather who was the great general of Taeshin Kingdom, even stronger than Father who is the king. He promised to follow soon, so he’ll surely come, right?

Even in her drowsiness, Eunhye smiled and yawned again before burying herself deeper into Lady Han’s back.

“But Lady Han, what was today’s midday meal?”

Lady Han barely suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out and bit her lip.

Even while drowsy, she’s curious about the food on the midday table – truly a little princess by nature.

Lady Han deliberately cleared her throat to hide her laughter before speaking.

“I was looking for you and didn’t see it, so I don’t know either.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Toward her young mistress who was nodding, Lady Han asked in a careful voice.

“Princess, I heard you encountered Lady Gyeongbin when you came from your quarters to the Crown Prince’s Palace? Did nothing happen to you?”

It was a question filled with worry and concern.

How her heart had sunk when she heard the story from Another Maid in the kitchen while looking for the Princess.

She said that while going to the Crown Prince’s Palace kitchen on an errand for the head court lady, she had seen Princess Eunhye encounter Lady Gyeongbin. Upon hearing Another Maid say she was telling this story right after stopping by the Crown Prince’s Palace kitchen, Lady Han had rushed to the library of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

But the Princess gave no answer to her question.

Lady Han quietly turned her head back to look, and seeing Eunhye sleeping soundly, she smiled faintly with a pitying expression.

How exhausted she must be, having come out through the window frame of her quarters with that small body and wandering around the vast palace alone.

Her cherry-like lips, half-open as if in deep sleep, were breathing out gentle breaths.

My princess, who is always running away to escape the frightening things that only you can see. What kind of evil thing frightened our Princess again today?

If only I could see them with my own eyes, I would beat them soundly and tear them limb from limb to chase them away, but why did heaven make such a small and delicate Princess see such evil things?

Lady Han, carrying the baby princess who was as small as a puppy and as light as a feather on her back, looked up at the sky with a sad face.

I will protect you!

I don’t know what heaven was thinking when it gave such a great trial to such a kind and young Princess, but this Han Song-i will protect you even if it costs me my life!

And! Our wise Princess will endure strongly and shake it all off, so just wait and see. Whether our Princess overcomes it or not!

Damn, blast, curse, hell!

Tears that had welled up in Lady Han’s eyes as she cursed at the sky in her heart poured down hotly.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that time, Jihoo, who had returned from the palace, reported everything that had happened to his father, Kim Gyo-hyeon, starting from meeting Princess Eunhye.

Kim Gyo-hyeon, who had been letting out long sighs while listening to Jihoo’s words, finally closed his eyes tightly.

What am I to do about this?

I should have kept Jihoo with me until the end. No matter how mature he is, I shouldn’t have left my eleven-year-old son alone while going to the Office of the Censors.

Even though she was walking around alone without attendants, to dare act so rudely toward this nation’s Princess, if this matter reaches the ears of His Majesty the King or Queen Dowager…

When he opened his closed eyes, he saw his son shedding chicken-dropping-like tears without making a sound.

Kim Gyo-hyeon let out a heavy, silent sigh and spoke in a stern voice.

“The palace is a solemn place, yet how could you act so carelessly? Haven’t I repeatedly told you that no matter who you meet for the first time, you must first show proper courtesy and listen to what they have to say?”

“Sob sob, I am deeply sorry, Father. I was so foolish that I caused such a great incident.”

No matter how mature he was, he was still a young child. Seeing Jihoo shedding tears with a face stricken with fear, Kim Gyo-hyeon stopped his scolding.

“Now your father will handle this matter, so go to your room and reflect for the time being. Do you understand?”

“But how will Father…”

“Hey! This is a matter that must be resolved by your father, an adult, isn’t it? Go back to your quarters and reflect on yourself.”

At Kim Gyo-hyeon’s scolding, Jihoo stood up without even wiping his fallen tears, bowed his head, and left the room hesitantly.

Kim Gyo-hyeon watched his son with pained eyes and saw the silk handkerchief that had fallen on the floor.

How could he have thought to use that precious silk handkerchief, which he usually treasured so much, to wipe another person’s snot and tears?

Sigh… my wife…

What should I do about this matter?

A long sigh flowed from Kim Gyo-hyeon’s mouth as he picked up the keepsake his wife had left for their son.

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