Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 185

‘Things must be more complicated for Sehwa.’

If they’ve only just confirmed their feelings, Sehwa probably hasn’t told him about her true identity yet.

‘Does she need more time?’

“He’d probably welcome it. But… have you two agreed on this?”

“Huh?”

At my words, the Crown Prince looked at Sehwa, but she remained silent.

“You were on stage earlier. You couldn’t say what you really wanted to say.”

“That’s…”

“Even if it takes more time, you both need to talk properly and reach a conclusion that you both can accept. It’s a matter of life, isn’t it? You can’t force it.”

“…Yes.”

“…Understood.”

They both seemed lost in thought at my words, so I stood up.

“I’m going to leave now. Have fun, you two.”

“You’re going alone?”

“Why would I go alone?”

I chuckled and waved to them.

“Ugh. I’m worried about those two, too.”

Soyi, who had been waiting outside the private room and followed me, looked puzzled at my sigh.

“Didn’t the Princess want His Highness the Crown Prince to take a concubine or the Crown Princess soon?”

“It’s no use if Sehwa doesn’t agree and they end up together. They’ll only be unhappy.”

Sehwa wasn’t the kind of woman who could empty her head and entrust everything to a man.

If she were, she would have accepted the Crown Prince’s offer to become the Crown Princess eight years ago.

‘But women who can entrust everything to a man aren’t necessarily happy.’

Giving up everything and living only to please someone else can’t be happiness.

Unless you have frontal lobe damage, you can’t be without an ego.

But would a woman with great ambition be happy as the Crown Princess?

‘That would be too stifling to bear.’

With that much ambition, could she endure being trapped in the palace, suffering from all sorts of rules and wielding limited power? Wouldn’t she want more power?

‘Ah, come to think of it, this is like Wu Zetian (the only female emperor in Chinese history. Originally a concubine of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, she became a concubine of his son, Emperor Gaozong, after Taizong’s death and rose to the position of empress. After Gaozong’s death, she pushed aside her own sons and ascended the throne herself).’

Anyway, I acted according to my conscience.

‘So now I should go home.’

It wasn’t good to get too involved in other people’s love lives.

As I was returning to the palace, I suddenly remembered something and asked Cheonho.

“Come to think of it, aren’t you meeting that girl today?”

“Girl?”

“Those siblings from back then.”

“Ah.”

Cheonho made a subtle expression at my words.

“I see them often enough when I’m running errands for the Princess. They’re not close enough for me to go out of my way to see them. Their situation is pitiful, but they’re not the only ones.”

“You’re surprisingly cold… What’s their situation?”

Ah, is it wrong to ask about this? I asked reflexively, but Cheonho didn’t seem to mind.

“A few years ago, during a rebellion, they were falsely accused of treason, and their family fell apart. Fortunately, they were released because their involvement was minimal, but the shock caused the adults to collapse. The cousin they relied on disappeared on his own. They had no relatives to take care of them, so they ended up relying on Siyoungwon.”

“Hmm. When many people gather, there are many stories.”

Eventually, their parents passed away, and they had no relatives to take care of them, so they were studying at Siyoungwon [a type of educational institution] and earning a living by taking on jobs.

Hmm. The public power in this era is too strong, so once you’re wrongly arrested, it’s hard to turn back.

If I ignore it, it’s a bit of a conscience as a member of the powerful, and I basically take care of the Siyoungwon children in various ways, but what can I do…….

‘Ah, but the timing is the same as that rebellion Sehwa was involved in…….’

Until the recent rebellion against the Crown Prince, there hadn’t been any rebellions for a while.

“Come to think of it, aren’t you sleepy now?”

“I’m a little sleepy, but I can walk. Why, are you going to carry me again?”

“If you wish.”

“Hmm…….”

I’m not tired, but I’m sleepy.

I silently reached out my hand.

“Haha.”

“Don’t laugh.”

Cheonho easily picked me up as if he expected it.

‘This is a problem. It’ll be difficult later if I get used to this.’

It’ll be hard if I get heavier than I am now, right?

I realized that day was closer than I thought.

I was very embarrassed now.

I couldn’t help but be embarrassed when everyone around me was crying.

But in a way, this was a very natural thing.

“Princess.”

“No. Don’t cry.”

Songbi, as well as the usually calm and stern Gai, were teary-eyed and speechless, but the reason why no one in this place was surprised was actually simple.

“But Princess. You’ve finally grown taller!”

“Umm.”

Soyi, the culprit of this situation, was also sobbing but loudly proclaiming triumph.

“Isn’t that right? Didn’t I say that the hem of the Princess’s skirt seemed a little shorter?”

“Yes. You’re right.”

The strict Gai didn’t scold Soyi for making a fuss today and just stroked her head.

Soyi grumbled that she wasn’t being treated like a child, but she still seemed happy.

‘Did I grow… about 1cm?’

It was the result of measuring after Soyi said that my height must have increased.

After realizing that I wasn’t growing, no one dared to suggest measuring my height.

‘I don’t even know when I last checked.’

I sighed softly as I looked at my limbs, which I couldn’t tell if there was a difference.

Actually, I thought it was too trivial to make such a fuss, but they were so happy that they were crying, so I felt bad to say anything.

‘Everyone likes it, so let’s leave it alone.’

They’re crying, but they like it, right?

But if I don’t grow quickly even after making such a fuss, everyone will be disappointed… Should I keep it a secret?

‘No, but can’t you give me food first… I’m hungry…….’

I couldn’t break the atmosphere, so I couldn’t bring myself to ask for food and hesitated, and this news spread to the ears of the King, Queen, and Crown Prince in an instant.

Thanks to this, I, who was barely having a later meal than usual, had to receive a message from my superiors that they would visit my residence.

They even coordinated their schedules as if they had discussed it in advance.

‘No, you’re busy people…….’

We’re not strangers who don’t see each other often.

I’ve been paying my respects diligently……?

Of course, those who sent the message thought the same thing, and those who came to my residence observed me up and down with very fresh eyes.

“Is it true! Sia has grown!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The three of them surrounded me and observed me, and I didn’t feel very comfortable…….

Unlike me, who was already a little tired, Soyi was excited and chattering about how the skirt was shorter and the sleeves were a little shorter.

Even the other palace people, who would have given her a look if it were normal, were listening to Soyi’s rambling with interested faces.

‘It’s long.’

After all, if you summarize it, it’s just one sentence: ‘It seems like she’s grown this much.’

The Crown Prince, with a serious face, listened to Soyi’s words and observed me.

“Let’s see. Now that I hear it, the skirt seems a little shorter……?”

The Crown Prince tilted his head.

No matter how close the Crown Prince is to me, he doesn’t check the length of my skirt, so there’s no way he’d know.

Actually, I don’t know either.

The Crown Prince silently picked me up and muttered.

“I think she’s gotten a little heavier.”

“……Please put her down now. Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Put me down when I’m asking nicely.

“Haha. I still don’t know.”

Such a temper for a young one.

We ended our conversation with our eyes, like siblings who have spent many years together, and laughed in front of the Queen and the King.

“The Crown Prince and the Princess are still on good terms.”

The King smiled happily as he looked at us.

“I was worried because I heard that you’ve been dozing off lately, but it seems like it was because your body was growing.”

“I’m so glad. I think I can rest easy now.”

Everyone seemed very happy that a bright topic came up after only bad things had happened recently.

The King’s gaze, which had been looking at the record of my height, turned to a figure sitting quietly in the back.

“Your contribution is great.”

“I have only done what I had to do.”

It was Sehwa, who had been called in from earlier and had to quietly watch the harmonious family.

To be honest, it was a little uncomfortable from the perspective of knowing Sehwa’s past, but what could I do since I was powerless?

The King asked Sehwa with a benevolent face. It was a very rare occurrence recently, but the King was in a really good mood.

He didn’t cry like the children in our residence, but he looked very moved.

“If there is anything you desire, tell me.”

“I am afraid to speak, but since the Princess has not yet fully recovered, I will receive the reward when she does.”

Everyone smiled happily at Sehwa’s words that the current growth was just a taste, and the real thing would come later, so she would receive the reward later.

“Yes. That is also correct. I will definitely give you a great reward.”

It was against the law, but the King hugged me tightly and patted my back.

‘It’ll probably be hard to do this if I grow taller.’

I just pretended not to know and patted his back lightly.

Oh dear. I need to see a grandchild soon.

I glared at the Crown Prince, who had a heavy mission, but the Crown Prince easily ignored my gaze.

The King still patted my small hand.

“What more could this father want than for the Princess to grow up healthy?”

“……Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“Then, when I grow up, it’s okay to leave the palace to live in a private residence…….”

“No, what’s the rush?”

I have my own house, but I can’t leave, right now.

The King, who seemed like he would grant anything, immediately changed his attitude.

“The Crown Prince has not yet taken a concubine, so how can you think of leaving the palace?”

It was a subtle way of urging the Crown Prince.

I’d like to hand over the reins to the Crown Princess before I leave, but who knows when that will be.

‘I think I’ll come to a conclusion somehow by the time I’ve fully grown.’