Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 186

I glared at the Crown Prince again, urging him with my eyes.

Make a decision now.

The Crown Prince seemed to avoid my gaze again, but then, as if having made up his mind, he suddenly said something unexpected.

“I am very sorry that my marriage has been delayed for too long, causing great concern to my mother and father. However, I am still worried about Sia when it comes to choosing a Crown Princess. Fortunately, Sia is receiving treatment, so I think I can marry with peace of mind when Sia grows up to some extent.”

What is he talking about…?

Suddenly, he’s saying he’ll only get married when I get better?

‘What is this guy…?’

Just do it. Just do it.

What does me being sick have to do with you not getting married?

I was dumbfounded and annoyed, but the parents seemed to think otherwise, and both the King and Queen nodded as if they understood.

What is it? Is there something I don’t know?

I felt a little like I was the only fool, but the sudden family gathering (members: current Joseon King, current Joseon Queen, current Joseon Crown Prince, current Joseon Princess) ended in a generally amicable atmosphere.

In any case, most of the members were busy people, so it was quite rare for them to gather so suddenly.

Our palace maids, who had been inwardly shocked by the sudden visit of the superiors, finally cleaned up the tea table with relieved faces.

Sehwa, who had to take my pulse while the royal family watched, smiled and said that the treatment was showing some effect, so I shouldn’t be impatient. She left after giving a few instructions.

I looked at the refreshments, which had been reduced in quantity due to the sudden guests, with regret and got up.

“Where are you going, Princess?”

“I’m just going for a walk.”

I wasn’t feeling particularly sleepy today. Following Sehwa’s advice that it’s good to move my body as much as possible, I was trying to move around as much as possible on days like this.

I felt a bit sluggish from sleeping so much.

While walking through the deserted back garden, I replayed the conversation from earlier and felt a bit disgruntled.

‘Is he not going to get married until I grow up?’

Thinking about it calmly, it would be better to show Sehwa’s achievements in treating me to the world and gain recognition for her abilities before revealing the relationship between the two.

Somehow, I felt like I was being used as an excuse, which didn’t make me feel good.

“If you’re going to do it! Just! Do it!! Why are you using me as an excuse!!!”

The palace grounds were buzzing with the Crown Prince’s sudden marriage announcement(?), but I was just venting my anger on the innocent trees with Cheonho behind me.

The other maids had quietly disappeared after seeing my condition.

Cheonho handed me a glass of water, presumably left by Soi, as I huffed and puffed.

“Shall I step back as well?”

“You’re going to keep watching me from where I can’t see you anyway.”

I was now familiar with the pattern.

‘The maids are relieved to leave because Cheonho is here.’

Cheonho seemed to interpret my words as meaning he could stay by my side, and he crouched down next to me.

“Come to think of it, does the Princess perhaps dislike growing up?”

Cheonho, who had been watching me gulp down the water and sigh, said something unexpected with a serious face.

“…Why?”

“You don’t seem to want to grow up that quickly…”

“Does it look like that?”

“Yes.”

I looked around to see if anyone was nearby, and Cheonho firmly stated that there was no one.

Did this guy say that because he knew no one was around?

“Well… growing up isn’t all that great.”

“…I would want to grow up and become an adult as soon as possible, but that’s unexpected.”

If I were a really young child, I would have, but I already knew everything, so I could see that being an adult would be difficult.

‘It’s good to be independent, but I’ll also be pressured to get married.’

Until now, I’ve been much freer because I was a child, but once I grow up, I’ll definitely be tied to many things, unlike now.

‘They’ll be wary too…’

I couldn’t say this to Gaina, Songbi, or Soi, who raised me.

They all want to see me grow up as soon as possible.

That’s probably because of their guilt for not being able to protect me.

“When I become an adult, things that were moderately allowed until now will not be allowed.”

“For example?”

“Well, first of all, they’ll tell me to get married, and once I get married, my property will be combined with my husband’s power, making my influence impossible to ignore, so everyone will probably start thinking unnecessary things, right?”

Seriously. Then they shouldn’t make me get married.

Even if they don’t allow me to break out of the mold, they’ll still be wary of me, which is nothing but a nuisance.

‘Well… I don’t mind giving up some of the businesses I’m doing now, but that’s just a temporary fix.’

Cheonho, noticing that my expression wasn’t good, said something unexpected with a nonchalant face.

“Then, why don’t you just run away?”

“Hmm. Should I~?”

It was quite an unexpected suggestion, but it was also a bit tempting.

‘But whether I grow up or not, it’s a bit much for a well-raised woman to be alone.’

As if reading my thoughts, Cheonho smiled.

“If you’re in a hurry, I can carry you on my back and run away.”

“Haha. What would we eat if we ran away?”

“I don’t think the capable Princess would starve even if she wanted to… Seeing as you’re expanding your influence to all eight provinces of Joseon these days, you’ll probably be touring all eight provinces.”

“Ah, that’s true. Ha, this competence…”

“…”

Come to think of it, I could settle the branch offices in Siyoungwon [a type of charitable organization] before I grow up and use them. I don’t know how long it will take, but should I push it forward quickly?

Which will be faster, me becoming an adult or the branch offices being established?

Of course, if I run away after creating that, the King and Crown Prince will also send people there to find me.

As if he had the same thought, Cheonho added awkwardly.

“Well, even if I look like this, I can feed at least one person, you know?”

“Oh. That’s quite reliable.”

“The most the Princess eats is… well.”

“I eat more than you think? I can pull out a pillar of the house with my food expenses, you know?”

“Ah, of course, you might not be able to eat fancy food like egg rice cakes.”

“Aww. That’s a bit disappointing.”

“Indeed.”

“Of course, I have a lot of money, so it doesn’t matter. Hmm.”

I was talking nonsense with Cheonho when I paused to think.

Well, I never listened anyway, so I don’t necessarily have to listen just because I grew up.

I had a lot of money and a lot of people.

The King tends to listen to me, but it’s uncertain whether he’ll listen to this.

‘Let’s try to resolve it through conversation first, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll run away.’

Originally, the more options in life, the better.

“Still, once I grow up, everyone will worry less.”

Until now, everyone was at a loss because I was a sick, pitiful, and pathetic child. I wanted to be optimistic that at least once my body grows, there will be less overprotection.

“Princess, is there anything you want to do when you grow up?”

“Hmm. What I want to do… Actually, I’m already doing everything I want to do.”

What can I only do if my body is an adult?

From the perspective of someone with plenty of money and power, honestly, what’s lacking is… well, issues with the opposite sex or marriage?

‘But honestly, I’m stuck in the palace, so there’s nothing in that area.’

Originally, people become anxious when they can’t do what everyone else is doing, but there were only maids around me who couldn’t get married.

Besides, I already had the mental age of an adult since I was born, so there was a discrepancy between my physical age from the beginning.

In my previous life, there were many people who were single and didn’t get married, so my views on marriage are different from this world, and there’s no reason to be anxious about not being able to get married.

Of course, there were occasionally members of the royal family who said unnecessary things, but the King and Queen would give them a look, and they would all shut their mouths quietly.

After all, money and power are the best.

“There’s nothing I particularly want to do, but there are a lot of places I want to go.”

As a child, I wasn’t allowed to go far because it was dangerous, but once I grow up, will they treat me like an adult?

They’ll probably still say it’s dangerous, but it’ll be okay if I go with several escorts, right?

I have money, so I can cover the cost of taking people with me out of my own pocket.

“Then, should I go to Jeju Island?”

The untouched nature….

“There are endemic diseases there.”

“Tch.”

This guy is ruining the mood.

Well, I think I’ll get seasick if I go by boat, so it’s not that great.

If I’m unlucky, I might have to ride for several days. If I’m really unlucky, I could get caught in a storm and end up on an unintended overseas trip.

I didn’t want to become the protagonist of a children’s novel titled .

It would be fortunate if it was China. There were cases where people drifted to places like Ryukyu (Okinawa) or Annam (Vietnam) and suffered a lot.

Let’s exclude waterways and choose a relatively stable land route.

“Hmm. Then, how about Mount Kumgang?”

“Ah. That’s good too. I heard the scenery is so beautiful that it’s called Mount Kumgang [Diamond Mountain]. I just hope we can avoid the winter…”

“I guess so. It’ll be a bit tough in the northern neighborhood in winter. In winter, we should go south. Should we go to Gyeongju and sled in Daereungwon [ancient tomb complex]?”

“…Pardon?”

Ah, Cheonho probably doesn’t know what Daereungwon is.

‘I think the kids in that neighborhood are already sledding.’

Thinking of Gyeongju, I suddenly remembered an important fact.

“Ah? Come to think of it, there should still be a pond in Bulguksa [a famous Buddhist temple] at this time?!”

“Pardon?”

I heard that under the arched staircase (*Baegungyo, Cheongungyo) at the entrance of Bulguksa, there used to be a pond (*Gupumyeonji) where people could go boating.

In modern times, the pond and everything else has disappeared, making it boring, but it should still be maintained now.

The era is right. I don’t lack money, so should I go sightseeing at historical sites?

‘There’s not much you can’t do if you have money.’

I was barely turning on the positive circuit when I heard a sigh of regret from Cheonho, who was staring at me.

“Why?”

“No. I was just thinking that it might be difficult for me to stay by your side like this if the Princess grows up and gets married.”

“Hmm. I guess so. It might be noisy around us. But don’t worry too much, I won’t be unemployed.”

“Hahaha.”

Looking at Cheonho, who was laughing aimlessly, I suddenly had something in mind and asked a little seriously.

I felt like I wouldn’t be able to ask unless it was just the two of us.

“Cheonho, why are you sticking by my side so much?”

“Well…”

If he wanted to succeed or make money, it would be much more advantageous to be by the Crown Prince’s side than mine.

Yet, Cheonho chose to be by my side, not the Crown Prince. Without much hesitation.

Honestly, everyone, including me, thought that Cheonho would soon choose to go under His Highness the Crown Prince, but unexpectedly, Cheonho didn’t show much interest in the Crown Prince.

‘Of course, it’s also because he’s still young.’

Cheonho is still fifteen. He’ll be sixteen when the year changes. The fact that he’s young hasn’t changed.

Cheonho hesitated a little at my question and slowly opened his mouth.

“Actually, when I came up to Hanyang [old name for Seoul] and passed by Hyeminseo [a government-run clinic for the poor], I saw the Princess taking sick children from in front of Hyeminseo to Hyeminseo and giving them food.”

“Oh? Ah, Hyeminseo? Hmm. It happens sometimes.”

I’ve been to Hyeminseo so often that I don’t know which time he’s talking about.

Sometimes, I’ve taken people who couldn’t enter Hyeminseo and were hesitating on the street, or people who were sick and couldn’t walk. Of course, not me, a child, but by ordering someone else to do it.