The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 17

***

I was genuinely curious about the mental state of that troublemaker. Did she think I would help her out? I lowered my gaze to the brazier she had brought. I really wanted to kick it over with my foot, but it’s a brazier, so what can you do? It would have been a different story if it was just a bowl of water.

Instead of knocking over the brazier, I picked up a water bottle that was on the table. Calling it a water bottle is a bit generous; it looked like something I’d seen in a museum when I was younger. In my world, this would actually be considered a relic.

Holding it, I stood in front of the troublemaker and tilted my hand over the brazier she had brought.

Sssss―!

A sound like flesh cooking emanated as smoke rose from the brazier that had water poured into it. I watched the troublemaker’s eyes widen with bored eyes.

“No need for the brazier. Just keep bringing charcoal to fill it so it doesn’t cool down.”

“Miss!”

“Again, I’m not a miss. I’m a consort of Her Majesty the Empress. Shouldn’t I teach you the proper address?”

At my words, the troublemaker bit her lip. With blazing eyes, she stomped out of the room.

I saw one of my maids quietly clench her fist and thought I should ask for her name.

“When she comes back, tell her to leave the charcoal for this brazier and to bring another one. And have that one taken to your quarters.”

I quietly instructed Seoyeon. Her gentle eyes immediately lifted.

“No, my lady. That is―”

“That’s enough. Look, you’re sweating on your forehead.”

“I’m fine. It’s more important to prevent you from catching a cold.”

Hmm. I hesitated a bit at that. It seemed I had already caught a cold. The thought of denying it felt a bit pitiful.

“The difference in air and temperature outside could make it worse. And it’s warm enough like this.”

“……”

But Seoyeon remained unmoved. Glancing at her, I quietly added,

“……I’ll dress warmly and cover up with blankets properly.”

At my words, the stern-looking Seoyeon finally sighed.

“You must also take your medicine and drink warm tea.”

“Got it.”

Having succeeded in negotiating, I once again took the medicine I had half-dreamt through yesterday and grimaced at its bitterness. Then, a small fruit coated in sugar was promptly offered in front of me.

I quickly took and bit into it, thinking staying indoors might not be so bad after all. The maids had become kinder, and they were giving me snacks. It was unfortunate there were no electronic devices, but then again, even if I went out, I had no friends to play with, so what does it matter.

“Are you bored, my lady?”

Not long after, another reason not to go out seemed to have appeared. Heesa spoke to me in a lively voice, despite the time that had passed.

“Yes. That’s right.”

I answered with a laugh. Although I liked quiet, Heesa’s chatter surprisingly didn’t annoy me. Maybe it was because her voice tone was cheerful, it felt like reading a fairy tale.

Heesa, with her cute looks, would puff up her cheeks as she chattered away. She reminded me a lot of my younger cousin.

“I knew you would say that! Then, I’ll quickly bring the present!”

Huh?

I froze with a smile still on my face. If anyone saw my face, they might say it looked like it would crumble like plaster if touched.

“Wait, just a moment.”

“I’ll be right back! Cheonyu! Come with me!”

No, that’s not necessary. I reached out my arm too late, and they had already left.

As I stood there with my arm outstretched and a bewildered look on my face, Seoyeon glanced at me.

“……If it’s an interesting story, I have a few to share as well.”

It seemed she thought I reached out my hand because I was disappointed about not hearing a story from Heesa.

No, that’s not it…!

* * *

I stared at the mountain of boxes piled up in front of me with a dazed expression.

Heesa, not knowing what was inside the variously sized boxes, had eventually enlisted others to move them. As a result, my room was filled with furniture and boxes, fitted together like a puzzle.

“We still have half left!”

Heesa cheerfully announced, leaving me dumbfounded.

Is this really only halfway? Did they want to bury me alive with gifts?

“Here, Your Grace. This is for you!”

She excitedly placed a small key in my hand. It was a sleek glass key that fit perfectly in my hand.

Won’t it break if I insert and turn it?

“It’s made of diamond!”

At that, I almost threw the key away.

Who in their right mind makes a key out of diamond? Weren’t diamonds supposed to reflect light in multiple ways to shine as beautifully as possible?

As I was seriously examining the key, which only had its teeth and the end that fits into the lock as its edges, Heesa pushed a box towards me.

“……”

Heesa’s sparkling face urged me to open the box. The other palace maids also pretended to be calm, sneaking glances my way. It seemed I had no choice but to open it here.

I gripped the key tightly and silently prayed. Please, let there be nothing strange.

Inserting and turning the key in the lock, it smoothly rotated and clicked open. Cheonyu, a maid standing by my side, opened the box for me.

“Wow…!”

The exclamation came from Heesa in front of me. Inside the box was a pair of adorable shoes.

The shoes, embroidered with forget-me-nots on pink silk, were beautiful. They seemed so small I wondered if they were shoes for bound feet, but they were just my size.

I felt a sudden sense of emptiness. My feet were this small.

“This silk is from the Lyeon-oh region. It’s only presented to Her Majesty…”

Seoyeon murmured, carefully handling the shoes. Hearing this, I startled and pulled my hands away from the shoes.

“Is it alright for me to wear these?”

“Since they were gifted, of course. It seems Her Majesty holds you dear.”

I couldn’t share in Seoyeon’s laughter. The Empress had finally started to pay attention to me. The woman I saw last night was not just a dream.

“Your Grace, please try them on!”

“Later… I’ll wear them sparingly. How could I carelessly handle something given by Her Majesty?”

I managed a forced smile in response to Heesa’s suggestion. These were destined to become pretty trash, along with Garam’s gift.

I pushed the shoes aside and proceeded to open the other boxes.

Eventually, I opened all the gifts that filled the room that day, and I grew tired of all the luxurious silks, jade, pearls, and gold.

It was as if there was nothing missing inside the boxes, from clothes, dolls, toys, to books, accessories, and jewels. There was nothing I could freely enjoy.

A wooden toy, which was somewhat plain, was said to be made of sacred wood used only for constructing the Empress’s bedroom, and when I picked up the smallest jade-embedded glass ornament, it turned out to be diamond.

In the end, the only thing I salvaged from all this was a rocking chair.

“It’s really fascinating that the chair isn’t fixed in place…”

“Originally, the Western regions are full of curious things. It’s fortunate that Your Grace likes it.”

I leaned back in the rocking chair, listening to the maids’ whispers. My body swung back and forth, finding the chair, slightly smaller than one for adults, unexpectedly amusing.

In the Kingdom of Seora, Western items were not uncommon, due to established trade with the West.

Of course, those items were still rare, with only high-ranking nobles or the royal family having access to quality goods.

The rocking chair, not being a native item here, wouldn’t have been made of expensive materials.

After rocking for a while, my eyes met those of a monkey doll. Made with expensive cotton stuffing, it was sure to be pricey, but its glittering eyes made me uncomfortable.

Since it was a gift from the Empress, I couldn’t just throw it away, so I averted my gaze, only to see my room filled with dazzling gifts.

I swallowed the sigh that was about to escape.

Is it customary to send so many gifts when someone is ill?

“Are there gifts from others as well?”

“Yes, Your Grace. All the consorts have sent gifts wishing for Your Grace’s swift recovery.”

So it is normal to send gifts… but not in such large quantities. I fiddled awkwardly with the hairpin Heesa had insisted on inserting into my hair, claiming it was pretty.

The Empress, I understand, but why Mirinae?

“Your Grace, it’s time for your meal.”

Seoyeon’s calm voice interrupted my thoughts. Only then did I snap back to reality and lifted my head from where it had been buried in the rocking chair.

The maids, having met my gaze, quickly turned away, their faces struggling to hold back laughter. I realized then that I must have been sprawled out quite undignifiedly in the rocking chair, unaware of my body slipping down.

Ignoring the heat rushing to my face, I stood up from the chair and sat at the dining table.

It’s okay. As a child, I must have appeared cute at least. I, a rather unattractive adult, decided to hide behind my youthful exterior this time.