Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 288

I was born as the daughter of a low-ranking concubine. (288)

‘Cheonho’s uncle… Kim… what was it, Kim Hwe-yeop, anyway, he said that person was Kim Seon-ik’s sworn brother, right?’

Besides, Cheonho said he wasn’t his real nephew but the nephew of a close friend…?

Could this be a coincidence?

I felt strange.

Once the thought came to mind, the possibility felt increasingly likely.

‘Come to think of it, the age too… Sucheon was a year younger than me, and so is Cheonho. Cheonho said he had a lost older sister, and if the sister Cheonho was looking for was Sehwa, it makes sense why he didn’t actively search for her.’

When I think about it, he subtly avoided placing ads in the newspaper, even though he said he wanted to find his sister.

Even if he didn’t remember much because they were separated when he was very young, trying would increase the chances of finding his sister, but Cheonho’s attitude was ambiguous.

But if Cheonho was actually Sucheon, it wouldn’t be strange.

After all, to find his sister, he would have to reveal the place, situation, and name at the time of their separation, and if he did, the fact that he was the son of a traitor might be revealed….

It was the same reason Sehwa couldn’t advertise in the newspaper even though she wanted to find her brother.

‘Besides, if Cheonho is Sucheon, doesn’t it somewhat explain why he sticks by my side and is so devoted…?’

Of course, this era is a bit… people are strongly inclined to obey those in high positions and revere royalty, but not to the point of risking their lives.

Not like court ladies or eunuchs who were brainwashed from childhood.

I was the one who helped Sucheon, who was almost caught that day, escape….

If he’s trying to repay the favor, I guess….

‘Wait? Then when did Cheonho find out I was Princess Suyeong? Could it be from the beginning?’

Woong-!

As my thoughts flowed to that point, I suddenly got up again.

Thanks to that, the little one, who had been languidly stretched out, had to get up again in surprise.

I didn’t make a sound like before, but just reached for the water beside my head.

And after gulping down the lukewarm water, I lay down again.

The little one was patting my shoulder in protest, but it wasn’t enough to bother me, so I grabbed it and soothed it, and it soon became quiet.

‘No, when I think about it, it doesn’t seem like something worth risking your life for.’

Well, he might have a crush.

But risking his life and fighting a tiger because of that seems a bit much, doesn’t it?

Having watched Cheonho for a time that is long if long, and short if short. Cheonho wasn’t that simple-minded.

‘In some ways, there are parts where I don’t really know what he’s thinking.’

Everyone thinks he’s completely loyal to me, but… I actually don’t know much about Cheonho.

I’ve been accepting it without much thought, but when I think about it, it’s strange….

Even Seong Gyeom-sabok follows me a lot for some reason, and I’ve been thinking similarly without realizing it, but it seems like the situation is a bit different.

The reason is….

Thump!

Woong!

‘If Cheonho is really Sucheon, isn’t there a possibility that he approached me on purpose?’

I kicked off the blanket again and got up, but soon slumped back onto the pillow.

This time, the little one seemed angry and climbed onto my stomach, so I wrapped it in the blanket and naturally lowered it to the floor.

‘Ah, but when I was kidnapped and met him for the first time, he couldn’t have known who I was, right?’

He couldn’t have known that the kidnapped child was me.

Besides, he even left me there.

But if meeting again after that was also on purpose….

Woong-woong-woong-

At the cry full of dissatisfaction, I hugged the little one again.

While lost in thought, my hand naturally stroked the little one.

‘The reason is, well, rather than revenge… maybe to somehow get into the royal palace and find out something about the treason case that Kim Seon-ik was involved in?’

But if he has another purpose, it would be better for him to be next to the Crown Prince than me.

As I thought that far and my eyes slowly closed, I suddenly got up again with a thought that came to mind.

Woong!!

‘No, aren’t I too caught up in dramatic thinking?’

Originally, in novels or dramas, the story unfolds only with the characters, so it’s not strange that there are actually important figures among the named supporting characters or extras, right?

‘If I don’t lay the groundwork in advance, I’ll later be told that the development is suddenly rushing.’

But reality doesn’t flow so coherently.

Suddenly, a child you’ve never seen before might appear and say they’re Sehwa’s younger sibling, or Sehwa might never find her sibling and live with that regret deep in her heart, or it might turn out that someone you treated before is Sehwa’s sibling.

‘Rather, in a drama, there might be an extreme development where they’re actually on the side of the rebels.’

But even if the story I know and this reality seem the same, can I be sure that even such scenario-like laws are the same?

‘Sucheon is a character who should have died in the first place, so there’s no reason for him to suddenly appear.’

Of course, from Sehwa’s point of view, if Cheonho is Sucheon, it would be a good thing.

In the first place, the child named Sucheon was a child who had no impact on the story whether he lived or died.

Just like me surviving.

Having thought that far, I flopped back down.

The little one didn’t come close, perhaps because it was angry now, but I had no time to care.

‘Cheonho is….’

My eyelids were heavy, but I couldn’t fall asleep, and my body was tired even though I hadn’t done anything.

Soon, I felt the familiar sensation of a furry lump entering my arms and slowly fell asleep.

‘You should have just come into the blanket from the beginning….’

***

“Did Ongju [Princess] have trouble sleeping last night?”

“Huh? No. It was the same as usual. Why?”

“The little one was particularly noisy last night, and you seem a little more… tired than usual.”

“I probably just woke up early and am a bit sleepy. Don’t worry. I’ll wake up as I walk around.”

Fortunately, Soi sighed at my words but didn’t argue further and prepared to leave.

In contrast to me, the little one who caused the noise last night was still warming its body in the warm part of the floor.

What a lucky life.

I chuckled at the cat and then quietly sighed, stroking my face, which felt a little rougher than usual.

‘Somehow, I didn’t sleep well….’

Why am I sleepy now?

I was sleepy, but I didn’t want to change my plans now.

It would be embarrassing for the court ladies who woke up before me and were preparing, and if I said I wasn’t feeling well, I could only imagine how much fuss everyone would make and how they would confine me to my quarters.

‘At this age, not getting a good night’s sleep isn’t a big deal.’

Here, in an era without fluorescent lights, there’s not much reason to stay up all night, but in my previous life, I often stayed up all night. Of course, there were never any major problems the next day in that state.

‘If I go out like this, I’ll probably be so tired tonight that I’ll sleep like the dead, but that wouldn’t be bad either.’

That was a prediction based on my past life’s experience.

After roughly organizing my thoughts, I dressed up, wrapped myself up warmly, and went outside.

I greeted Cheonho, who was waiting after finishing his preparations, and Cheonho stared at my face after his polite greeting and asked.

“I am sorry to ask, but does Ongju [Princess] have any discomfort? Your complexion does not look good.”

Why is everyone’s eyesight so good?

“It’s nothing like that. I’m not sick, so don’t worry.”

Was it because I thought too much about Cheonho yesterday? Looking at him like this, I feel a bit uncomfortable.

Why did I think so much uselessly yesterday?

Judging by how sleepy I am, I must have fallen asleep quite late.

Actually, even saying I fell asleep late is just an assumption. There’s no clock, and it’s still a season with long nights, so even if I look outside, I can’t tell how much time has passed.

‘It’s uncomfortable, but I’ve gotten used to the slow life of this era….’

By the way, why do I wake up at the usual time even though I fell asleep late?

It’s fortunate that I’m still young.

Other people besides me wake up even earlier to take care of me, so I can’t complain any more here.

‘Of course, I could.’

A boss who acts capriciously like that isn’t a good boss.

I tried to avoid eye contact while observing Cheonho’s condition.

Judging by it, he must have been training somewhere again since morning.

“Cheonho seems to have a harder time staying inside the palace?”

“It’s not that bad, don’t worry. I just lightly warmed up.”

Well, those born with natural strength have overflowing energy.

‘But I kind of don’t want to go.’

Seeing me swaying and getting on the horse, everyone looked a little worried.

“Are you really alright? Shall I call a doctor?”

“I’m just a little sleepy. I’m fine.”

Anyway, even if I go while a bit sleepy, Jeok-ah will do well.

I stroked Jeok-ah’s mane with my eyes half-closed.

“Jeok-ah will work hard instead of me, right? Isn’t that right?”

“That is true, but….”

While patting the snorting Jeok-ah, I blinked to chase away the sleepiness.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go carefully so I don’t fall off.”

“……I am worried.”

Soi and Cheonho looked at me with distrustful faces, but anyway, if I rode the horse and picked up speed, I couldn’t fall asleep.

‘I need public transportation….’

No matter how comfortable a horse is, the saddle wasn’t soft, and the piercing winter wind couldn’t be avoided the faster I went.

As I slowed down a bit because of the road, Cheonho, who was riding a horse next to me, spoke worriedly.

“Ong… Agassi [Young Lady/Princess], are you alright?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

I waved my hand and urged Jeok-ah forward.

‘I don’t know why I feel so uncomfortable.’

Maybe I’m too worried when Cheonho and Sucheon might not be related.

“I think this is the village. Let’s get off and walk from here.”

“Okay.”

It was an unfamiliar village, but since it was said to be where retired court ladies lived, it probably wasn’t too remote.

“First, I need to ask someone for directions.”

“I will look for someone.”

“Please.”

I came all the way here to meet someone, but it would be troublesome if I only thought about Cheonho, so I tried to shake off my thoughts.

‘I feel like I should just ask and end it, but I only have suspicions.’