Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 169

“We’re hunters from around here, and we only came because the Ongju [a princess or noblewoman] ordered us to.”

“The Ongju ordered it?”

“Yes. She told us to check for any traps or pitfalls in the mountains. Someone went missing up here, and she wanted us to check, just in case.”

“……I see.”

It made sense that the locals would know the terrain well.

And if someone fell into a hidden trap, it wouldn’t be easily noticed.

‘So, she wasn’t just sitting around.’

Well, she never was.

Thinking of the Ongju, who must have been anxiously gathering the hunters, Cheonho chuckled to himself.

“Then, are there any places around here where traps have been set?”

“Yes, it was a long time ago, so we don’t remember exactly, but probably around here somewhere……”

His voice lacked confidence.

‘Did they dig a hole and forget about it?’

They didn’t need a tiger skin; was their only goal to catch something?

‘Still, if you dig a pit, you should check it now and then. But this place is so remote, they probably weren’t worried about anyone falling in.’

If a wild animal fell in and starved to death, wouldn’t that be a waste?

Regardless of their reasons, the important thing was finding the Crown Prince, so everyone began searching even more carefully.

Although the atmosphere remained awkward, as they were still wary of each other.

And Cheonho suddenly felt that the two men looked familiar.

‘Where have I seen that scar before?’

“……Have we perhaps met before?”

“Yes? I don’t think so. Maybe it’s because it’s dark……”

The man tilted his head at Cheonho’s question.

In fact, relying on the flickering torch in the dark, he couldn’t be sure if it was someone he knew.

And when he tried to check the faces of the others behind him, the man cleverly blocked him, making it difficult to see. Besides, they were bundled up tightly against the cold, so their faces were mostly covered.

‘Ah. Come to think of it, they look like the scholar and his group I lent horses to before…… or am I mistaken?’

However, Cheonho, who had met so many people recently because of the Ongju, couldn’t be sure if these two were the same people he had seen back then.

‘I think I’ve met more people in the last few months than in my entire life.’

It was inevitable, considering the number of people in Siyeongwon [likely a government office or agency] alone.

Come to think of it, there were quite a few people in Siyeongwon with scars on their faces.

‘Those people are also strangely unusual……?’

Everyone was cautiously probing ahead with long wooden sticks, unsure of where the traps might be.

‘Huh?’

Cheonho felt the stick he was holding stir in the air and brought the torch closer.

At first glance, it wasn’t noticeable because of the tangled branches and fallen leaves, but a pit was beginning to take shape.

Cheonho first checked to see if anyone was nearby, then carefully removed the branches to avoid setting them on fire and brought the torch closer.

‘It looks quite deep.’

It was dark, but it seemed like someone was down there.

“Is there anyone there?”

It was a somewhat strange question, but since the hunters hadn’t said it was the Crown Prince, it seemed the Ongju hadn’t revealed his identity, so everyone was being careful with their words.

And an unexpected voice came from the bottom of the pit.

“Cheonho?”

It was Sehwa’s voice. Relief and despair came at the same time.

‘I thought this was the most likely place. If it’s not here, where on earth is His Highness?’

The hunters said that there was only one trap around here.

Cheonho hid his disappointment and asked.

“Doctor Sehwa? Is that you down there?”

“Y-Yes!! His Highness is here too!”

“Pardon?!”

“I don’t think so. The pit is too wide and deep.”

“It seems difficult to get out on our own.”

Since it was artificially made, there was nothing to grab onto, and it was made to trap tigers, so it was very deep. They tried to climb out back-to-back, but failed.

Sehwa was lightly despaired by the fact that the current situation felt unreal.

“I’m sorry. If I hadn’t screamed for help back then, His Highness wouldn’t have fallen in here.”

“No, if it weren’t for you, I might have been ambushed and killed above, disguised as an accident.”

“If you put it that way, it seems so…….”

The Crown Prince chuckled at Sehwa’s honest reaction.

He didn’t have many people around him who were so straightforward.

“……Even though I am the Crown Prince, I thought being plagued by assassins was something that only happened in novels.”

“Pfft.”

“Hey, don’t laugh.”

His voice was calm, but Sehwa could feel the Crown Prince’s hand trembling.

“It’s alright. You’re still alive here.”

“…….”

“You have to get out and punish those guys and cure the Ongju’s illness.”

“Yes. I must.”

The sky was getting darker. He sighed at the thought that they might have to spend the night like this.

And suddenly, Sehwa, recalling when the Crown Prince fell, belatedly asked.

“Um, are you hurt anywhere?”

“No. What can you see in this darkness? I’m fine, so don’t worry.”

“The Ongju told me that I can ignore His Highness’s words when he says he’s fine.”

“……I think I’m being too ignored by my sister.”

“Here, give me your arm.”

The Crown Prince’s grumbling was lightly ignored.

“Your shoulder is covered in dirt…….”

“Don’t touch it, it hurts a little.”

“…….”

“Well, when I fell off the horse.”

“The Ongju was right after all.”

“…….”

Sehwa’s sigh reminded him of his familiar mother.

Sehwa tried to grab his shoulder and check here and there.

“If there’s anything else that’s bothering you, you must tell me quickly.”

“No. I’m fine as long as you don’t touch me.”

“Then it’s best if you don’t move if possible.”

“What is there to move around to here?”

“You also have scratches…….”

“Are you ignoring me?”

Sehwa ignored the Crown Prince’s joke and rummaged through the herbs she had, wrapped them in cloth, pounded them, and tied them to the Crown Prince’s wounds for first aid.

At first, he said he was fine, but now he said he was hurting here and there, so it was difficult to judge.

For now, he looked fine on the outside.

“But what about you? Aren’t you hurt?”

“Yes? Ah…… I’m fine. This is common for me.”

“It shouldn’t be common to get hurt like this…….”

The Crown Prince stroked the scratches on Sehwa’s face with his hand, then belatedly realized what he was doing and quickly let go.

“Ahem. I. It’s not that I had strange thoughts…….”

“Ah, I know.”

As the atmosphere became awkward, the Crown Prince brought up his easygoing sister again.

“I’m worried because Sia must be worried…….”

“……You have a very good relationship with the Ongju.”

“A good relationship? That girl is so arrogant and troublesome.”

“Even if you say that, I know you can’t help but adore her.”

“Ahem. Is that so?”

“She’s a younger sister with a big age gap, so you can’t help but think she’s cute.”

“I guess so.”

The Crown Prince finally admitted it honestly. Seeing him like that, Sehwa casually shared her story.

“I think I understand. I had a younger sibling too.”

“A sibling?”

“Yes. I had an arrogant younger brother. We separated a long time ago and haven’t met since.”

“I see…… Having separated siblings is similar to me.”

“Yes?”

Sehwa was flustered but soon closed her mouth.

All of the Crown Prince’s siblings except for Suyeong Ongju were deceased, so he must have been speaking figuratively.

‘Still, comparing them to living people is a bit…… isn’t it…….’

Perhaps noticing Sehwa’s strange mood, the Crown Prince immediately changed the subject.

“No, don’t misunderstand, I don’t mean anything strange. Your sibling must be doing well.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I am the Crown Prince of a nation, so I must know that much.”

“Puhuhuhu. I didn’t know His Highness could joke so well.”

“Haa. Sia is so small, so she must be very cunning. If you’re clumsy, you’ll only get taken advantage of.”

“Hahahaha.”

They were trying to hide their anxiety by talking in a relatively bright atmosphere, but they couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

And just as the day seemed to be getting dark early, it finally started to snow.

‘This is…….’

They thought someone would come looking for them, but it wasn’t easy to find them in a place like this.

The branches and bushes above didn’t allow much snow to enter, but that wasn’t a good sign.

If the snow piled up like this, they wouldn’t be visible from the outside.

‘It will be difficult for people to find us.’

Moreover, the temperature was dropping.

Above all, the Crown Prince’s condition didn’t look good.

It was difficult to check his complexion in the dark, but the sound of his breathing was strange.

Well, it was a situation where his body would have been stressed in many ways.

“Your Highness. Aren’t you seriously injured somewhere?”

“I’m fine…….”

“……Please forgive my rudeness.”

Sehwa eventually tried to examine the Crown Prince’s body again. It was difficult to see in the dark, so she had to check with her hands…….

“W-Where are you touching!”

“If you don’t want me to touch you, tell me where it hurts!”

The Crown Prince seemed flustered by Sehwa’s threat and covered his chest as if to protect it.

“A pervert? No, are you a pervert??”

“I’m a doctor?!”

For some reason, she felt like laughing because it was so absurd, but Sehwa gritted her teeth and held it in.