Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 296

“I have things to do today, and I’d like to rest without going out, so you both can leave now… Oh, I’ll give you some snacks. Eat them before you go. There’s also a portion for the Royal Clinic, so take it and share it.”

“Yes…”

“Yes, Princess.”

Both answered, but their faces still showed confusion.

‘I wish they would talk to each other a bit.’

They seemed to have become quite close, but was I wrong?

Are they being too considerate of each other? How can they not have even a little suspicion?

‘For now, neither of them will want to talk about their pasts… so maybe they’ll get along.’

I’ve done enough by getting them this far.

I watched their retreating figures and lay down on the mattress.

***

Cheonho, who received a snack box with Sehwa, split a piece of sweet glutinous rice cake [a type of Korean dessert] in half and sighed, looking gloomy.

Sehwa watched Cheonho with a worried expression.

The two, sitting side by side with their own snack tables, seemed to be alone in the room, but they weren’t really alone.

The door was open, and maids were nearby, ready to rush in if called.

So, the two were careful with their words and had a wholesome conversation.

“Could it be that the Princess is feeling unwell?”

“I don’t think so…”

As the physician who had just taken her pulse, Sehwa knew better than anyone that the Princess wasn’t sick.

In fact, isn’t it absurd to force someone to read books when you’re sick?

The problem was that she couldn’t figure out why the Princess was suddenly acting like this.

However, unlike the composed Sehwa, Cheonho became anxious as Sehwa vaguely trailed off.

“Um, perhaps the Princess… is she not feeling well?”

“No. She’s perfectly healthy, so don’t worry about that.”

As a result, Sehwa ended up comforting the anxious Cheonho.

‘Hmm. I need to be careful with my words.’

Aside from the Princess’s strange behavior, she did seem a bit overworked.

But Cheonho’s words were slightly different.

“She’s been strangely colder than before lately. Did I do something wrong?”

“The Princess? Maybe she’s just tired since she always works so hard.”

“Do you think so…?”

His drooping figure and gloomy voice made him look like a puppy.

Of course, he was too big to be a puppy.

Still, it was clear that he was worried, so Sehwa comforted Cheonho with the heart of an older sister caring for her younger brother.

“How exactly has the Princess been colder to you?”

“Well, before, when we went for walks, she would talk to me about this and that, but lately, she just walks silently without saying a word, and she never even looks back.”

“Hmm.”

Isn’t that normal for palace people, though?

She thought so inwardly, but Sehwa didn’t point it out and just nodded, putting a piece of sweet glutinous rice cake in her mouth.

“When the Princess was on slightly higher ground, she would always ask me to help her down the stairs because she didn’t want to bother walking down, but that doesn’t happen anymore.”

No, isn’t your Princess no longer a child and all grown up? Shouldn’t she not be doing that?

While mentally objecting, Sehwa savored the chewy texture of the soft candy.

Looking to the side, Cheonho didn’t seem to be tasting anything, and the delicious snacks were left untouched, which made her feel a little wasteful.

“Also, when she slipped on icy patches and I caught her, she used to thank me with a smile, but lately, she just says thank you expressionlessly and gets up as if pushing me away.”

“Hmm.”

Was her previous attitude just too friendly, and now she’s treating him more normally?

That’s what she thought, but seeing the person in question so disheartened, Sehwa didn’t have the courage to tell him the truth and just ate the snacks as if nothing was wrong.

“The snacks the Princess gave us are plentiful, so I’ll help you carry them.”

“Okay. Thanks. It’s not heavy, but it’s bulky, so it’s hard to carry alone.”

After leaving the Princess’s residence with the luggage, Sehwa checked to make sure no one was around and then opened her mouth.

“Cheonho is at a loss because the Princess is different from usual.”

“Of course.”

“Have you made any mistakes?”

“…I don’t know. She suddenly became cold.”

“Hmm.”

She felt like this wasn’t a field for others to interfere in, but Sehwa couldn’t just ignore it.

‘Maybe it’s because we both have lost siblings, as the Princess said earlier. I can’t pretend not to care.’

“Cheonho, do you care this much even when other people become cold?”

“I usually don’t care much, but…”

Oh dear….

Sehwa began to worry slightly about Cheonho’s social life.

“Even if the Princess is angry with Cheonho, Cheonho can transfer to another position, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“I would have transferred a long time ago if that were the case.”

“Why are you so insistent on staying under the Princess?”

Cheonho was silent for a moment, as if Sehwa’s question had hit the nail on the head.

“I can’t… trust anyone else.”

Sehwa didn’t understand what Cheonho meant, but she added one more question.

“Can’t you trust the Crown Prince either?”

“Yes? Ah, it’s not that, but…”

His inability to speak properly and stammering was as good as a yes.

‘The Crown Prince trusts Cheonho quite a bit. Well, he trusts him not as a subject, but as someone to protect the Princess, so is it okay? Still, Cheonho…’

Seeing Cheonho so restless since the Princess was treating him coldly, it was strange that she didn’t know.

“Cheonho, do you perhaps like the Princess?”

“Yes?”

Cheonho’s face turned red as if he was flustered.

“No. But the Princess is the Princess, and…”

“Of course, but people’s hearts don’t always do what they’re told.”

Cheonho asked back at Sehwa’s strangely calm and bitter voice.

“How are things going with you and the Crown Prince, Sister?”

Others might not know, but Cheonho, as the Princess’s close aide, couldn’t help but know, so it wasn’t surprising that he asked such a question.

Just looking at what happened on Buddha’s Birthday last year, wouldn’t it be obvious?

“Will you be entering the palace as a concubine someday?”

The two continued their conversation in small whispers, conscious of the gazes around them.

Even if there was no one in sight, they couldn’t know if someone was spying on them from somewhere.

Sehwa shook her head at Cheonho’s question.

It was a somewhat unexpected answer, but Cheonho wasn’t surprised. Of course, he didn’t think Sehwa, who wasn’t from a noble family, would become the Crown Princess.

“Well, I promised that I would make a decision when the Princess’s illness is cured…”

To be exact, until Sung Gyeom-sabok returns.

“But I’m waiting because the time hasn’t come yet.”

And it seems the Princess will wait until then as well.

Cheonho didn’t know what Sehwa meant, but he offered words of support for now.

“I don’t know what it is, but I hope it goes well.”

“Yeah. Thanks…”

Cheonho, who helped carry the snacks to the Royal Clinic, trudged off, saying he had to do the homework the Princess had given him, and was dragged away by some familiar military officers.

She told him to read it with a light heart without worrying too much because it was fun, but with him in that state, she was worried if he would even have time to read it, or if he would even be able to focus if he did.

‘But why did the Princess suddenly tell Cheonho to read that book?’

Did Cheonho really do something wrong, so she’s doing it on purpose?

Sehwa, who had distributed the snacks the Princess had given to the Royal Clinic’s physicians, headed to the Crown Prince’s palace with a frustrated heart.

‘I’ve been constantly worrying about my relationship with the Crown Prince, but after seeing Cheonho, I think I’m rather lucky.’

No matter how you look at it, Cheonho has less hope than she does.

The Crown Prince’s maternal family isn’t prominent, and he hasn’t married yet, so he doesn’t have a family to support him politically.

So, politically speaking, the Princess is likely to marry into a family that can support the Crown Prince.

‘But Cheonho… He’s skilled in martial arts, but he has too little influence. He’s not even a nobleman.’

If the Crown Prince finds out about this….

It’s probably better if he doesn’t know.

He might think that he had placed him by her side to protect his young sister, but he harbored impure thoughts.

But Cheonho isn’t someone who would do anything foolish, so nothing will happen.

With a sigh, she entered the Crown Prince’s palace and saw the Crown Prince taking a walk with Eunuch Song.

When their eyes met, the two smiled brightly at each other.

‘If possible, I want to take Cheonho’s side.’

Even without knowing that Cheonho was her younger brother, Sehwa thought so.

***

“Ah… I’m going to die.”

“You’re still young, don’t make a fuss over this much.”

“Um, why are you putting me through this training?”

“Oh, Seong requested it before he left!”

“Ah…”

The message left by Seong Gyeom-sabok had enough power to drag a young guy like Cheonho and make him undergo forced training or instruction.

“What are you going to do by making me stronger?”

“What else? Make you serve the Princess.”

“Of course, I’ll protect her, but…”

He wanted to be helpful to the Princess, but the idea that someone like him being helpful to the Princess seemed to imply that the Princess was in danger, so Cheonho felt uneasy.

But as a man, he wasn’t allowed to be by her side like the palace maids, so there was no other way.

‘Cheonho, do you perhaps like the Princess?’

Sehwa’s words pierced his heart.

And he soon shook his head.

‘That’s ridiculous.’

How could he not like Princess Suyeong?

But surely that wasn’t *that* kind of feeling, it shouldn’t be.

Cheonho was breathless as if he was going to die, but he got up from his seat.

“Uncles, please spar with me.”

He felt like he wouldn’t have strange thoughts if his body was tired.

‘Ah, but if I do this, when will I read the book?’

Cheonho slightly regretted it as he watched the uncles, excited that a young guy was full of energy, rushing at him.