Three Thousand Court Ladies - Chapter 32

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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 32
“They say the youngest princess will become the Undefeated General.”
“Cheon-gwan-nyeo prophesied it, didn’t she?”
“A princess? A general?”
“Why not? That other kingdom has a queen ruling it.”
“True. Perhaps the princess could end the war for us.”
“But isn’t the thirty-first princess the one who vanished from Byeol-gung?”
“Oh my, that’s right. What became of her?”
The patrons eating at the rice soup stall gossiped among themselves. The talk was entirely of the thirty-first princess.
Gye-san, sitting a little apart, set down her spoon. Then, ducking her head slightly, she asked in a small voice.
“That’s about me, isn’t it?”
Sam-cheon, mid-sip of water, gave a small nod and replied quietly.
“Cheon-gwan-nyeo is truly gifted. Once you’ve grown, Your Highness, you’ll be more than capable of becoming the Undefeated General.”
Gye-san, her lips working thoughtfully, asked carefully.
“You really think so?”
“Of course. You’re already the very best, Your Highness.”
As Sam-cheon’s eyes brightened with conviction, Gye-san let out a soft, pleased laugh.
“Right. I’m the best.”
“The search parties looking for you will grow larger.”
They would have to do their utmost to search, if only to answer to the eyes of the people watching.
“Since things have changed, we could reach out to the palace attendant Seon-hye. She won’t be able to refuse any longer.”
“Let’s go now.”
‘She doesn’t want to.’
While it might buy them temporary safety, Seon-hye could just as easily be asked to perjure herself. And Seon-hye’s trustworthiness was even more questionable than Yong-yong’s.
Sam-cheon got to her feet and approached the stall owner.
“Could you prepare some rice balls for us? Three portions, please.”
“Of course, of course. Wait just a moment. I’ll wrap them up right away.”
The owner handed over the rice balls and threw in some scorched rice as well, telling them to eat along the way.
“Thank you.”
Gye-san watched Sam-cheon bow politely as she left, then she too inclined her head respectfully to the owner.
A princess bowing to a commoner—yet the heavens didn’t split in two. Though Sam-cheon did look somewhat startled.
Gye-san led the way ahead.
As they passed the village entrance, the hunter they’d met yesterday stood before a grave. Perhaps because of his presence, even the butterflies flitting about the gravesite seemed forlorn.
Losing someone precious is a terrible thing. Gye-san understood that too—she had lost her mother.
Gye-san reached back and took hold of Sam-cheon’s hand. Sam-cheon appeared startled again, but she didn’t pull away.
Looking back, they had run while holding hands the whole time they fled. When Gye-san felt the warmth of Sam-cheon’s body, her mood lifted a little. It was a shame that they couldn’t walk like this in the palace.
Just then, Sam-cheon yawned widely.
“Tired?”
Sam-cheon hastily covered her mouth with her hand and laughed sheepishly.
“I didn’t sleep last night. I had a frightening dream.”
“You must be about to have a growth spurt.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Sam-cheon wanted to grow taller and taller. She wanted to be bigger than Hui, so that when he did something annoying, she could look down on him. Hui would sulk about it, but she didn’t care.
Hui was sulky every day anyway.
‘I wonder if he’s doing well?’
More than Hui, who at least ate three meals a day regularly—
“Deok-sim isn’t skipping meals, is he?”
“He wouldn’t. He has to look after Geum.”
“You’re right. He’ll be fine.”
Thinking they would all be well enough brought some comfort. Gye-san brushed her finger lightly against a large leaf fluttering in the breeze as they passed.
“Tell me about this growth-spurt dream.”
“It was rather gruesome. You might be disturbed.”
“It’s fine. I want to hear all of it.”
As they walked, Sam-cheon chattered away, recounting the dream. After hearing the whole thing, Gye-san pointed to a wide, flat rock beside the path.
“Let’s sit there and eat the rice balls.”
Sam-cheon unfurled the Blue Cloth Wrapping, spread it flat for Gye-san to sit on, and drew out the rice balls from the bundle she’d brought.
“Please, eat.”
Gye-san accepted the rice ball and settled onto the cloth, then asked.
“In the dream, where you ate the rice ball—it wasn’t here, was it?”
“That part didn’t appear in the dream, so I’m not sure.”
“It wouldn’t be here. You would have walked much farther before getting hungry enough to eat.”
Gye-san chewed thoughtfully on the rice ball before continuing.
“This place makes excellent rice balls. You should eat too.”
Sam-cheon sat nearby and bit into her own rice ball.
In that moment, she realized just how impertinent she’d become. With no one watching and Gye-san accepting everything, she was increasingly ignoring propriety.
Sam-cheon rose slightly and pretended to look around while she ate.
After finishing one rice ball, Gye-san gazed up at the sky for a moment.
The sunlight was warm and the breeze cool—a beautiful day for walking. Gye-san felt the wind brush gently against her robes and spoke with unwavering certainty.
“Let’s go back to the village.”
Gye-san watched Sam-cheon’s eyes widen.
“Tomorrow would be better.”
“……Surely not because of the dream?”
“Rather than this unease, it’s better we rest another day. Let’s go back.”
Since Gye-san had decided, Sam-cheon had no choice but to follow.
They began making their way back toward the village. Sam-cheon was uneasy as well, but she wondered if it was right to postpone their departure like this.
It could simply be a dream. Ja-myeong hadn’t appeared this time to foretell death the way she had before. Sam-cheon worried that Gye-san was being swayed too much by her own premonition.
She was wavering about whether to speak up when Gye-san, looking ahead as they walked, spoke first.
“Even without being Cheon-gwan-nyeo, anyone can predict the future. You look at the past and present, and you can gauge what’s to come.”
“Who told you that?”
“My mother.”
“Wise words indeed.”
Sam-cheon nodded respectfully.
“So that’s it. Your dream has already saved us once. It might just be a growth-spurt dream, but I want to be prepared for anything. I’m still weak right now.”
And Sam-cheon was weaker still.
“Your Highness. ……When I return to the palace—”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to learn archery.”
“Archery, all of a sudden?”
“I couldn’t resist at all. Even though it was just a dream.”
Gye-san liked this about Sam-cheon.
Delicate but unbreakable, and possessed of the will to move forward despite everything.
“All right. I’ll buy you a bow.”
“Yes!”
Sam-cheon broke into a bright smile.
“I don’t want to.”
Hui set down his brush as if throwing it.
His mother had selected and sent him books already, which he’d finished long ago. They contained nothing of interest, only tedious stories he had no desire to read again.
Hui selected a few worthwhile books from the shelf. If he gave them to Sam-cheon to summarize, she’d be delighted and beam at him.
“I wish she’d come back soon.”
Not knowing the situation was maddening. He could only hope the deal with the con artist had been worthwhile.
He was tapping his finger absently against a book when a gruff voice called from outside.
“It is Ju-hong.”
“Come in.”
Ju-hong stepped inside and reported.
“Prince Geum requests an audience with you.”
“Who is that?”
Ju-hong hesitated before answering.
“That would be…… the one who belongs to Dong-yeon-gung and studies Sword Technique at Mok-seo-gung.”
“Ah, that half-wit?”
“Y-yes.”
“He came looking for me? That’s ridiculous.”
Because Gye-san was kind to him, he probably thought he was a real prince now.
“Keep him waiting outside for about an hour, then send him away.”
Hui spoke coldly and reached to open the book again when he paused.
“Did Mok-seo-gung send some message?”
Otherwise, there was no way that timid fool would crawl all the way here.
Ju-hong, whom Hui expected to answer immediately, shifted his eyes. Geum had seemed so urgent that Ju-hong hadn’t thought to ask why he’d come.
“I’m not sure. He just seemed so…… Prince Gye-san?”
“Have you lost your mind?”
Hui rose from his seat, wearing an expression of fury, and headed outside.
When he stepped into the antechamber, he saw Geum with tears brimming in both eyes. He was so tense his shoulders were hunched, yet his gaze held desperate longing.
Hui realized something terrible had happened.

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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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