Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 287

I finished my conversation with the Crown Prince and deliberately took a different route on my way back to my chambers.

“Are you not returning to your chambers?”

“Hmm. I have some things to think about, and I need some exercise.”

“It is not good to move around too much.”

“I know. I’ll take it easy.”

It wasn’t the same direction as the previous attack, but since most of the places suitable for a walk inside the palace were secluded, the court ladies following me didn’t seem too happy.

‘Well, it’s cold too.’

If I were to have a conversation with someone, the court ladies following me would have to stop and wait.

This was mostly the same for court people assigned to the royal family.

I just came from talking with the Crown Prince, so they must have been outside then too, and it must be cold.

I made sure they were dressed warmly, but they must be cold since they have to stand still.

“I have some things to think about alone, so don’t follow me and stay inside where the wind isn’t blowing.”

“We cannot do that.”

“Chunho is here, so it’s okay. And you’ll be cold.”

“…….”

At my words, Chunho looked at me with a face that seemed to ask, ‘What about me, then?’ but I pretended not to notice.

‘This is because of you.’

Before, when I was alone with Chunho, a tiger appeared, but he safely evacuated me, so everyone readily stepped back.

Chunho, who followed me, asked worriedly.

“Did you hear something bad from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”

“It’s not that…….”

After getting far enough away from the court ladies and confirming that there was no one around, I gestured for Chunho to come closer. It was a story that no one should hear.

‘If I go back to my chambers, it will be difficult to be alone with Chunho anyway.’

Even when I was a child, the court ladies hardly ever left me alone with anyone, and now that I’ve grown up, there’s no way they would leave me alone in a room with Chunho, a boy my age.

At my words, Chunho paused slightly, looked around, and then carefully approached and walked in step with me.

“Do you know where Chunho’s uncle is right now?”

“Are you talking about my uncle? I haven’t been able to see him because he hasn’t been home for a while… Heavens, did he perhaps commit a crime and is in prison…?”

“No, no, it’s nothing like that.”

Seeing him mutter, ‘Is it lese-majesty [crime against the ruler]?’ it seemed that his trust in his uncle was very low.

“Didn’t you hear that Chunho’s uncle went to Hamgyeong Province by my brother’s order?”

“My uncle is in Hamgyeong Province by order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Yeah. You didn’t know?”

‘Is this uncle-nephew relationship okay as it is? Is it okay for the only family they have to not even know this?’

“Ah, now that I think about it, I heard yesterday that my uncle visited the Ongju’s [Princess’s] chambers… If it was important, he would have left a letter or something, but there was no letter or even a message, so I thought it wasn’t a big deal.”

“Hmm.”

Looking at Chunho’s embarrassed face, I carefully asked.

“Chunho. Do you perhaps not like your uncle?”

“No, I think we get along okay….”

Looking at Chunho’s face as he said that, it seemed like something was bothering him.

‘It looks complicated, so let’s not pry too much. It’s not really appropriate for a boss to get too involved in family matters….’

We’re not close enough to interfere in someone else’s family affairs….

“Maybe it’s because we’re both men, but we don’t really take care of each other that much.”

“Is that so? Hmm.”

Looking at Sungwon, my brother, and the current Crown Prince, it doesn’t seem like it’s a gender issue.

“We’re not as close as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Ongju.”

“Hmm.”

Seeing my unconvinced and worried face, Chunho smiled awkwardly and suddenly dropped a deep family history.

“Well, even as a nephew, I’m not a blood nephew.”

“……No, I don’t think that’s the problem.”

I was deliberately avoiding that topic, but he said it right away. I pretended not to know and replied appropriately.

“I thought you didn’t look alike, so he wasn’t your real uncle.”

“Yes. I heard that he was a close friend of my father’s. That’s why he took me in after my father passed away. So, I guess that’s why we don’t have that close, blood-related connection. Of course, he’s more like family than blood relatives I’ve never met….”

“Still, wouldn’t you have developed some affection since you’ve spent time together?”

“I’m sure we have… How should I put it? It seems like my uncle cares more about my father than me. Well, it’s only natural since they were close enough that he took me in, thinking of my father, even though he wasn’t well-off….”

“…….”

Too cool, it’s cold. Chunho…….

‘But for a child to say such things… it’s not a good thing.’

It means that trust with the caregiver hasn’t been properly formed.

I reached out and stroked Chunho’s head. It’s a bit hard because he’s tall.

“A child shouldn’t say such things.”

“Ahahaha.”

Chunho smiled, as if telling me not to worry.

“You don’t have to worry that much. I know what kind of person my uncle is, and it’s just that realistically… there’s a priority. Anyway, my uncle will be fine without me, so I’m not particularly worried. Ah, of course, neither am I.”

I’m very worried that a child, who is still a minor by my standards, is saying this to his guardian.

But if I say something about this, it feels like I’m interfering too much in someone else’s personal affairs.

Feeling frustrated, I pressed down on Chunho’s head, which I was stroking, and Chunho naturally lowered his head towards me as if relaxing his body, chuckling.

“Um… If you need help or something happens, you have to tell me, okay?”

“Will you help me?”

“Of course.”

“……That’s what Ongju would say.”

As I listened to Chunho’s answer, I inadvertently lowered my gaze and took my hand off his head when I saw Chunho’s hands wavering awkwardly.

‘It’s a bit awkward to just lower your head in a standing position.’

“Um. I was going to ask about Chunho’s uncle, but the conversation got strangely long.”

“Since he’s from Hamgyeong Province, maybe he knows something…?”

Chunho, who met my eyes as he raised his head, smiled softly, lowering his eyes with a face flushed from the cold.

“It could be dangerous….”

“Haha. Don’t worry. My uncle isn’t someone who would die easily if someone tried to kill him.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that.”

“At least he doesn’t need my help.”

“Well, if you’re just talking about force, that’s true.”

Looking at his prowess in catching tigers, I don’t have to worry about that….

Um. Certainly, with the current development, Sewha’s father’s false accusation will have to be cleared.

But I don’t know much about the guys who framed him either… No, could they be related to those rebellious factions who were training private soldiers?

‘But then isn’t it really dangerous?’

Perhaps my expression looked serious, Chunho tilted his head slightly.

“It seems like Ongju is worried.”

“Hmm. Sung Gyeom-sabok went with him, so it’ll be okay….”

“Ah, now that I think about it, I heard that that old man was leaving.”

He didn’t see his uncle, but he saw Sung Gyeom-sabok.

Unlike me, who was dumbfounded, Chunho’s reaction was still cool.

“If the two of them went together, then it’ll be really okay. Personally, I’m even afraid that the two of them will hit it off.”

“Why?”

“I have a bad feeling that I won’t be okay later.”

“Oh dear….”

Come to think of it, they were both people who were determined to make Chunho stronger.

It’s definitely someone else’s business, but it was also true that I felt sorry for him.

“Well… it’s not a bad thing… it’s not like I’m going to die.”

‘What has this child been through?’

“Tell me if they’re bothering you too much. I’ll say something so they don’t overdo it.”

When I said that, clenching my fist tightly, Chunho laughed awkwardly.

“It’s hard, but if it’s necessary, then it’s not wrong either.”

“Why is it necessary? Ah, are you going to take the military examination?”

“No. It seems like being next to Ongju is unexpectedly dangerous….”

‘Was it because of me!’

“If you feel insecure at your job, will you apply for retirement?”

“No, that’s not what I mean? Isn’t there always a risk of getting hurt if you do physical work?”

“Um. Well, that’s true?”

“If that’s the case, then it’s more rewarding to protect Ongju.”

“Is that so….”

He said that and smiled shyly at me, this guy…….

‘Is this… flirting with me?’

I felt confused for a moment, but fortunately, I was soon able to overcome my overconfidence.

Even among the higher-ups, it’s more rewarding for someone his age to protect a girl his age than a dark old man.

I stroked Chunho’s head again as a sign of being impressed with Chunho, who was serving his superior well.

“Um. Okay. You have to tell me if anything happens, okay?”

“Yes, Ongju.”

I should give him some more snacks.

Come to think of it, the main people who were bothering Chunho went on a business trip together, so it might be a good thing for Chunho.

‘Something’s complicated in my head.’

I sighed softly and turned my steps towards the place where the court ladies were waiting.

“Let’s go in. I’m going to go to the court ladies who served Crown Prince Sungwon tomorrow, so prepare early.”

“Yes. Since you’re going far tomorrow, it would be good for Ongju to go in and rest early today.”

“Yeah. I should.”

It’s still winter, so it’ll be cold and dark if I go out at dawn, so honestly, I don’t want to go out early, but I was the one who said I would go, so I can’t be lazy.

I decided to go back and quickly finish the important things and go to bed early for tomorrow.

“When did he come?”

“I gave him a bath too.”

Niaaong-

A fluffy cat was clinging to me as if protesting something, so I decided to just take him to bed since he was fluffy.

“You can’t climb on people’s bodies, okay?”

Niyaong.

I don’t know if he’s listening or not.

“Ongju. We will retreat now.”

“Yeah. Good job.”

I lay down in the warm bed prepared by the court ladies with Kkoma.

Then, as if he had been waiting, Kkoma climbed onto my stomach and curled up.

“Get down, you.”

Miyaong-

A fully grown cat is pretending to be cute because he doesn’t want to get down.

Ugh, I’ll let it go because I’m too lazy to move.

‘The cotton blanket is already heavy, what if I can’t breathe when I sleep?’

I put aside my worries about the weight of the fat cat, closed my eyes, and organized the things that happened today and the things I had to do tomorrow.

“Huh?”

Whyoong?

Then, suddenly, a thought came to me just before I fell asleep, and I jumped up from my seat.

The cat, who had been thrown off unexpectedly, made a sad noise. It’s just a cotton blanket anyway, so stop exaggerating.

“Ongju. What’s wrong?”

The court lady, who was still outside the door, asked worriedly when she heard my voice, so I brushed it off, saying that nothing was wrong, comforted the cat, put him back on my stomach, and lay down again.

And I recalled the thought that had just come to mind.

‘Could it be that Chunho is the son of Lord Kim Seon-ik?’