Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 277

It was difficult for me, as an outsider, to know exactly what was happening between Se-hwa and the Crown Prince.

Of course, given the Crown Prince’s lack of privacy, I could easily find out by cornering Court Lady Song or someone else and pressing them for information. But that felt a bit… much.

‘It would seem strange to go to such lengths. If I interfere too much, it might backfire.’

To be honest, trying to pry into my own sibling’s love life is a little creepy from an objective standpoint.

It might have been less weird when I looked like a child, but now it would raise all sorts of suspicions.

So, I simply observed Se-hwa’s unusually radiant face and guessed that she and the Crown Prince had made some progress.

If she had found her lost sibling, she would have tried to keep it a secret until everything was settled.

‘I hope things work out quickly between the Crown Prince and her.’

But I can’t meddle in other people’s relationships any more than this.

Still, they seem to be doing well, right?

I had been starting to suspect that the Crown Prince was incompetent and hadn’t yet won Se-hwa’s heart.

Well, it’s not exactly something to encourage, but people in love often throw caution to the wind…

Of course, there is one major obstacle between them, so unless they overcome it, they’ll just be going in circles.

‘Se-hwa is a rational person.’

Being blindly in love and rushing headlong into things would disqualify her as the main character of this story.

That’s usually the role of the second female lead or the villainess.

Especially in historical dramas, acting like that can lead to a swift and unfortunate demise.

Anyway, for the main couple to get together quickly, the details of Royal Guard Sung’s business trip were crucial.

Actually, even though I was grumbling, seeing the confident look on Royal Guard Sung’s face, I could tell he had accomplished something.

“Explain what you’ve been doing simply and concisely.”

“Yes…”

Royal Guard Sung hesitated, glancing around at the others, as if wondering if it was safe to speak freely.

I nodded, reassuring him.

“The people here are trustworthy. No one is eavesdropping.”

“Yes. If the Princess Consort says so, then it must be true.”

Despite appearances, the military discipline and security in my residence are as tight as in the Crown Prince’s palace… because I treat information like a precious commodity. There are many secrets here.

“Um, are you sure it’s alright for me to be here?”

“Yes. You two were present when I first brought this up, so it’s not like you’re completely in the dark. You’re not going to blab about it, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Se-hwa seemed both embarrassed and pleased, while Cheon-ho, who had been by my side for so long, acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The reason I specifically invited Se-hwa to the meeting with Royal Guard Sung was to give her some good news about the treason case involving her father, if he had found any leads.

‘The Crown Prince probably won’t give her a detailed explanation.’

Royal Guard Sung seemed too exhausted on the day he returned, so I didn’t press him about work and only checked on his well-being. This seemed like a good excuse for various reasons.

Above all, protocol dictates that he report to the Crown Prince first.

Royal Guard Sung is, in a roundabout way, my man, but he is still officially a Royal Guard working in the palace, and the Crown Prince ordered the investigation, so reporting to the Crown Prince takes precedence.

Royal Guard Sung also didn’t want me to get into trouble because of him, so he probably withheld the details until he had met with the Crown Prince.

People can grow distant over seemingly insignificant things, so Royal Guard Sung seemed to be acting cautiously for my sake.

‘I think he’s reported to the Crown Prince, so it’s alright now. In the first place, I brought up this matter first, and he knows about Royal Guard Sung, so there’s nothing to hide from me.’

It would be nice to talk to him [the Crown Prince] directly, but he has been so busy lately that it’s hard to even catch a glimpse of him.

Of course, it’s normal for the Crown Prince to be busy in Joseon [historical Korean kingdom].

For some reason, even I, as a princess, seem to be busy… To be honest, I’m just reaping what I sowed.

Royal Guard Sung summarized the important points as I requested, so it didn’t take long.

“…So, it seems likely that Lord Kim Seon-ik was not involved in the treason, but it is not yet certain.”

“If the truth is revealed, Royal Guard Sung will have done a great service.”

“But the investigation is not over yet…”

Royal Guard Sung’s face, as he explained that the Crown Prince had ordered him to go to the Northern Garrison this time to find more evidence, was etched with fatigue and resignation.

Royal Guard Sung looked utterly drained at the prospect of having to leave again instead of finally getting some rest.

‘Should I pray that the weather warms up quickly?’

I’m sorry, but all I can offer him is food, money, and medicine.

Fortunately, the person who would be making that medicine for him was listening to Royal Guard Sung’s report with sparkling eyes and an excited expression.

“So, how did you find that letter?”

“Oh, that’s…”

Se-hwa, who had been listening intently throughout the story, was showering Royal Guard Sung with admiration.

‘It’s only natural, if you think about it.’

He was the person who found a clue to clear her father’s name, and he was the one who would ultimately prove his innocence.

‘If the Crown Prince finds out, he’s going to get jealous again, isn’t he…’

He’s already jealous of Cheon-ho, so I doubt he’ll be any less jealous just because the other person is an old man.

Of course, it was none of my business.

I smiled contentedly as I watched Se-hwa carefully fuss over Royal Guard Sung after his adventure story was over.

Well, since he is working to restore her family’s honor, Se-hwa will undoubtedly take care of him with the best tonics, even if I don’t say a word.

When I signaled to the court ladies that the important story was over, Song-bi soon arrived with a table laden with abalone and ginseng chicken soup with various medicinal ingredients and side dishes.

The tired office workers—no, the civil servants—saw the health food with rare ingredients and their eyes lit up with emotion.

“Princess Consort, this is…!”

“Is it really alright for us to eat such precious food?”

I felt a little sorry because they seemed so deeply touched.

“Yes. Everyone seems to be working so hard and having a tough time, so I thought you needed some nourishment.”

“There’s no one like Princess Consort.”

“Where else would we get to taste such precious food?”

It was a very sincere compliment.

Everyone was hungry, so they focused on the food for a while without saying a word after it was served.

And I felt somehow proud watching them.

Why can’t anyone around me escape from work?

Including me.

After eating the health food and finishing all the tea and snacks, Se-hwa, still looking radiant, got up first.

“Se-hwa must be busy with the medical office, and I feel bad for giving you more work.”

“No. Isn’t it a doctor’s job to do that?”

I knew Se-hwa wouldn’t mind, but I said it anyway.

“Okay. Then I’ll ask you.”

“Yes, just leave it to me.”

With that, Se-hwa smiled brightly, said goodbye, and disappeared from my residence in an instant.

She’s in good spirits today, and I’ve fed her well, so she’ll make a potent tonic for Royal Guard Sung on her own.

I felt relieved, as if things were progressing smoothly.

“I’ve eaten, so I should go out for a walk in a little while.”

“Princess Consort, you used to wander around the streets, so you must be feeling cooped up because you haven’t been able to go outside lately.”

“Yeah. But everyone is so worried, so I’m holding back a little.”

“Haha. You’re going through a lot.”

My father and the Crown Prince are so overprotective.

“If you’re so worried about tigers that you won’t let me go outside, then you should just organize a large-scale hunt.”

“It seems there is talk about tiger hunting.”

At my words, Cheon-ho mentioned what he had heard. He seems to know a lot because he’s been dragged around everywhere lately.

“But palace security comes first.”

“That’s right. And I’m glad no one was seriously injured.”

“That’s a relief.”

I heard that some people were injured by the tigers, but no one was injured badly enough to be forced to retire.

‘First of all, Cheon-ho was the one who was injured by the tiger.’

But watching him walk around, he seems fine, although he sometimes flinches when he moves, so it seems the painful area hasn’t fully healed yet.

‘Even though I look young, I’m much older than Cheon-ho, so I can’t keep using this young man as a shield at risk to himself.’

When I remember that Cheon-ho is just a big kid, both physically and mentally, I feel very guilty.

The two people, oblivious to my thoughts, were sharing stories with me, since I couldn’t go outside.

“Did you know? These days, the streets are buzzing with stories about the Princess Consort.”

“Me? About me?”

“Ah, well, that’s right. A princess who shoots a tiger in the eye is not an everyday occurrence.”

“There are quite a few people saying that the Princess Consort is different from others.”

“Ahahaha.”

Whether I laughed awkwardly or not after hearing their words, Royal Guard Sung’s praise continued.

“The bravery to shoot a tiger in the eye as it charges at you… You have the makings of a general.”

“Well, the royal family are all skilled archers.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. His Highness the Crown Prince is also good at archery.”

Crown Prince Seongwon was also skilled at archery.

I didn’t bother to voice the passing thought that suddenly crossed my mind and let it fade away.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is so good at hitting the target that the Ikwisa [royal guards] sometimes resent him.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince is well-versed in both literary and military arts.”

“Well, maybe he’s regretting not being able to shoot the tiger himself.”

“Now that I think about it, that might be the case.”

It was a joke, but suddenly I wondered.

‘Oh, maybe I stole the Crown Prince’s glory… or not?’