Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 280

“……You’re thinking of Se-hwa?”

“What are you talking about……”

Because I kept thinking about Se-hwa, her name naturally slipped out. Sia, with an expression that seemed to understand everything, or rather, with a somewhat mocking face, grinned.

“Wow. You must be thinking about Se-hwa all the time.”

“No, cough, ahem.”

I hoped no one around here was listening.

I had deliberately placed only Court Attendant Song, the Crown Prince’s closest aide, close enough to overhear the conversation, and I could see him shaking his head as he looked this way.

“Besides that, older brother.”

“Um. Yeah. What is it?”

“I heard it from Vice-Captain Seong, too.”

“Ah……”

The Crown Prince didn’t think Vice-Captain Seong wouldn’t say anything to the Princess at all.

It was about treason, no less, and Sia wasn’t completely unrelated either.

“So, about the soldiers those traitors were raising.”

“Yeah. Uh-huh.”

I didn’t expect her to talk about this.

‘I had to know anyway.’

Sia is a child who is often away from the palace, so she needs to be careful.

But the Crown Prince’s sister was not a child who could be stopped with just a warning.

“If we pass it on to each region through Si-yeongwon [a secret intelligence network], wouldn’t we get some information? I think we’re more likely to catch things through the commoners’ information network than through the government offices.”

“Hmm.”

“After all, to have a large number of people, it’s hard to avoid the eyes of the entire local community unless they are self-sufficient, right?”

“I guess so……”

They might be able to manage to be self-sufficient with food, but they needed many things for people to live, like clothes and medicine.

And the distribution process inevitably leaves some traces.

‘If they’re even creating merchant groups and spending money to hide it, it’ll be easier to conceal, but if a passing hunter saw a cart going into the mountains, it’s possible to catch their tail.’

If government soldiers move, they’ll obviously run away, and if there’s someone among the local officials who shares the traitors’ goals, they’ll only get in the way.

On the other hand, there were fewer worries about Si-yeongwon.

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

“Um. As safely as possible. I think we can get a sense of it by just asking around among herbalists or hunters who mainly work in the mountains.”

“I never thought Si-yeongwon would become an organization like this.”

“Me neither.”

Looking at Sia nodding, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Since this needs to be done secretly, I’m going to go to Si-yeongwon for the first time in a while and tell Court Lady Min directly. Of course, without the knowledge of the Jongchin [royal relatives] in each branch.”

“Okay. I’m counting on you.”

Sia chattered on about trivial things like how it would be hard to deliver newspapers when it snowed, so she hoped it wouldn’t snow, and after confirming that the Crown Prince had finished his snacks, she got up from her seat.

“Then I’ll bring you more snacks later, older brother.”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

Sia checked that the maids were taking care of the snack bowls and turned around with the palace people following her.

And the moment Sia left, the Crown Prince realized one thing.

“Ah.”

It was because he noticed a particularly large boy among those following Sia.

‘I didn’t tell Sia that Cheon-ho’s uncle is someone related to Lord Kim Seon-ik’s case. Even Vice-Captain Seong doesn’t know about this.’

It’s such an unexpected fact, but it doesn’t seem to be greatly related to Cheon-ho, so I guess it’s okay.

Come to think of it, Cheon-ho has been living in the palace these days, and Cheon-ho’s uncle has returned home, so it doesn’t seem like there’s even time for the uncle and nephew to talk.

‘They’ll find out later.’

The Crown Prince didn’t think much of it and returned to work.

Those who had been supplied with high-calorie snacks and whose complexions had improved for a while were still buried under a mountain of work that seemed like it would make their eyes spin.

***

After the snack supply to the Crown Prince was finished, I decided to take a little walk on the way back.

It was already a bit late to go to Si-yeongwon, so it was a bit much to go outside, but I thought it would still be a good time to take a walk, so I walked slowly.

Cheon-ho naturally followed me, and since I had been a little unsteady since the tiger incident recently, he kept trying to support me and coming to my side.

‘He’s having a hard time too.’

As I walked, the area where the tiger had appeared and wreaked havoc was still restricted.

It seemed that everyone was on guard, worried that another tiger might come in again since a tiger had already entered once.

They didn’t seem to care much about other neighborhoods.

Cheon-ho also kept glancing that way, as if he was concerned about that road.

“The security has been strengthened, so you don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“I am sorry……”

“Cheon-ho was actually attacked, so it can’t be helped that you’re sensitive.”

In fact, a tiger entering the palace is something that shouldn’t happen under normal circumstances.

Of course, it actually happened.

Cheon-ho brought up another topic, perhaps thinking of turning the conversation to a brighter subject.

“Princess, you still don’t skip your walks.”

“I just came out to get some exercise. No matter how cold it is, I can’t just sit still in my room. I need to build up my stamina and muscles.”

Cheon-ho tilted his head at my words.

“You used to hate coming out in the winter because it was cold, did you have a change of heart?”

“I need strength to shoot a tiger.”

“……”

“Really.”

Cheon-ho muttered with a slightly resigned face.

“I will try to catch it myself instead of the Princess as much as possible……”

“Wow, thank you! Cheon-ho is strong, so archery will be good for you.”

“Haha. Yes, well.”

The bow used by those who catch tigers has such a strong draw that it seemed impossible for me to even pull the string.

Still, I have to build up my strength.

Cheon-ho had a slightly complicated face.

“Can’t I just stay by your side and protect you?”

“That’s that, and this is this. Actually, Cheon-ho is a boy, so you can’t be by my side 12 shijin [an ancient Korean time unit, roughly equivalent to two hours] (=24 hours).”

Cheon-ho grumbled at my words.

“Should I suggest to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to hire more female guards to serve the Princess?”

“That’s still a long way off.”

It takes so long to promote anything. I’ll die before that.

It’s a public matter to increase the quota, so opposition will be considerable.

They say something about looking at status, but if they’re going to say that, they should pay more attention to the status of the Gyeomsabok [palace guards].

In fact, considering the class consciousness of this era, it wasn’t that strange. Since it was a monarchy, it was rare to have a grudge against the king.

Of course, there might be exceptions.

‘I’m forgetting these days, but this is a fusion world in a historical drama, right?’

There must be fearless people who hold grudges against the king or the Crown Prince and try to kill them.

“Anyway, I’ll hire my own guards when I become independent.”

“The Princess’s independence…… Isn’t that like Vice-Captain Seong’s retirement?”

“Wait. Can’t I be independent? If I can even catch a tiger, shouldn’t I be able to be independent?”

“The criteria are strange.”

Even with Cheon-ho’s objection, I just said what I wanted to say.

“Well, older brother’s marriage comes first.”

“Ah…… Is that related to calling Se-hwa noona [term used by younger males to address older sisters or female friends] today?”

“Maybe.”

Instead of answering, I vaguely blurred the words.

Because it was cold, I only walked towards the sunny side, and I saw a creature standing proudly in front of me, blocking my way.

“Oh? Little one, sunbathing?”

“Nyaa.”

When I stroked the fur of the plump creature stretched out under the sunlight, the little one started purring as if it felt good.

It must have come out like this because today was a warm day for winter.

I can’t believe there’s a motor sound in a world without motors…….

As I stroked the little one, I suddenly thought of something and picked up the little one.

“Come on, let’s go too.”

Nyaa!

=Let me go!

The little one, who had been basking in the warm sun, struggled as if it didn’t like being suddenly picked up, but I forcibly picked up the little one.

‘I’m sorry. Just think of it as paying for your meals sometimes.’

Fortunately, the little one’s resistance soon subsided.

It wasn’t because my heart was understood, it just seemed to be warm because I was holding it.

In fact, the little one sticks to me well while I’m there, but it’s a bit picky and fussy, so I couldn’t bring the little one into the room when I wasn’t there.

This was because there were many things in my room that shouldn’t be broken or damaged.

Besides, the little one is…….

“But are you taking the little one for a walk?”

Cheon-ho’s face said, ‘A cat, not a dog, for a walk?’ but I was confident.

“People keep giving it food and snacks because it’s cute, so it’s become a chubby cat. It needs exercise.”

“Ah…… That’s, certainly a bit much.”

Whyooooong!

As if understanding our conversation, the little one, who had been quiet for a while in my arms, began to twist its body violently and resist.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re cute even if you’re chubby.”

“Don’t do that too much. They surprisingly understand those words and get sulky.”

As the little one struggled, Cheon-ho reached out to hold the cat instead, looking worried, but I decided to just hold it because it was resisting enough to handle.

I thought it didn’t like it, but did it forget quickly?

In fact, I wasn’t just holding it still, I was repeatingly lifting and lowering the arm holding the little one.

“Princess, what are you doing……?”

“Just some strength training?”

“……The little one is surprisingly still.”

“Oh, honestly, I’m wondering too.”

“Why are you doing it, Princess?”

“Um, just.”

I felt the need for strength training recently.

“Seeing that it’s still, the little one must really like the Princess.”

“Come to think of it, why does it like me so much?”

Cheon-ho, who was nearby, asked at my muttering.

“Isn’t it because the Princess saved it before?”

“No, it followed me especially from before that.”

So, I also said that maybe it came out to find me at the time when it was attacked by the crow.

In fact, I’m usually busy, so I don’t play with it that much, and at most, I just lie down and sleep with it.

‘I even push it away because that motor sound is too loud.’

The maids give it food while giving me my food.

“Why do you like me so much that you follow me around?”

Nyaa-

Of course, no proper answer came from the little one, and another answer came from the side.

“Maybe, it just likes the Princess too much?”