The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 26

***

“If you catch a cold, know that you’ll be thrown out with nothing but your undergarments left.”

Passing by, his colleague Noel scolded him coldly, and Yeoryu, attempting to scoff in return, sneezed again.

“Achoo!”

“Disgusting creature.”

Noel recoiled with disgust, and Yeoryu’s eyes flickered in response.

“You would spill ice if we cut off your arm! Always devoid of any warmth or compassion.”

As Yeoryu muttered under his breath, Noel threw a hidden weapon at him. Yeoryu caught it effortlessly, shivering once more.

“Ah, truly. With April just around the corner, to catch a cold…”

“That’s because you didn’t write the letter to Dawn first before heading out yesterday, as I told you. You’re paying the price for hearing with your ass, not your ears.”

“Hah. As if I would delay writing a letter meant for him! Of course, I wrote it first.”

“Then why did you tell me you hadn’t written it yet when I asked?”

“Just to see your reaction.”

At Yeoryu’s nonchalant response, another hidden weapon was thrown at him. This time, it flew with considerable speed and embedded itself in the wall behind him.

Yeoryu clicked his tongue but couldn’t hide the smile creeping onto his lips.

Writing letters to the youngest shadow, now under the protection of the consort who had become the mistress of Floral West Palace and now Floral Virtue Palace, was something the shadows looked forward to.

Despite always having a gloomy face, never uttering a word, and not even giving his name—forcing them to nickname him ‘Dawn’ based on the color of his eyes—he was still their youngest. Due to his insistence on being the first to write, leading to numerous arguments, they had even managed to damage parts of the palace within a few days of his stay. However, they soon discovered a very peaceful and fair solution: drawing lots.

Yeoryu was the shadow chosen for this coveted first turn. Still beaming with pride for being the first to have sent a letter to Dawn, Yeoryu was met with an exasperated look from Noel, who seemed to suddenly remember something and asked, “But did you actually deliver it?”

“No, I don’t know. It was gone when I left.”

“Considering the reply that threatened ‘dismemberment’ if another letter was sent, it must have reached him properly.”

Both their faces turned peculiarly at the same time. Usually bickering whenever they met, for once, they put their heads together in thought. It was Yeoryu who first broke the silence.

“Ah, now that I think about it, Her Majesty had briefly visited.”

“…Her Majesty?”

A fleeting, ominous expression crossed Noel’s face. He immediately grabbed Yeoryu and started to interrogate him with a serious look.

“Did you write anything strange in it?”

“Of course not! Why would I write something strange in a letter to Dawn?”

Despite Yeoryu’s confident answer, Noel narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“What exactly did you write?”

“Just asking if he’s taking good care of the consort. Worrying if he’s eating well. Since it’s the consort’s quarters, the food must be delicious. That’s what I wrote.”

Surprisingly, Yeoryu was sincere. All the shadows adored the young and small Dawn, expressing their affection freely. The only issue was their somewhat violent way of expressing it.

Noel frowned deeply at Yeoryu’s triumphant look.

“Do you have a beggar in your head instead of a brain? Is that how you send a letter of well-wishing?”

Swoosh, thud.

Once again, hidden weapons flew through the air. Noel dodged the projectiles and finally let out a sigh of relief.

“After all, would Her Majesty even have opened it?”

“Right?”

Yeoryu, with a mischievous grin, chuckled. Unbeknownst to them, the young consort of the Flower Virtue Palace sharpening her knife after reading the contents was far from their minds.

Whether it was truly a chill or a shiver from sensing someone targeting him, Yeoryu sneezed again.

“Achoo!”

“Stay ten steps away from me.”

* * *

It was only the next day that I found out why the Empress had come.

“You must attend the lecture.”

Teaching Gowun how to play air games, I began to doubt if I had heard correctly. My perplexion must have shown on my face because Seoyeon kindly repeated herself.

The Empress of the Kingdom of Seora also holds lectures with the consorts. There were those who doubted the purpose of such lectures with the consorts, but, surprisingly, they were similar to a national conference. Being strong descendants of prestigious families who all love the Empress, it was a perfect strategy for the Empress to utilize.

However, I naturally held no official position. Why would I need to attend?

“Why should I attend the lecture when I have no responsibilities?”

“How can you say that? Attending the lecture is both a duty and a right for all consorts.”

I neither wanted this duty nor this right, and I had avoided it so far. And I wished to continue doing so.

But if I must go…

I had no grounds to refuse, and ultimately, I sighed and stood up. As I did, Gowun also got up, following one of my maids, Cheonyu, out of the room. Before I could wonder about that, the maids began to bring in my clothes.

…What? Right now?

* * *

“Consort Cho, please drink this.”

I was lightly lifting my heavy sleeve when I heard those words and startled, dropping my arm. There wasn’t even time to adjust my outfit before the door opened swiftly, and I was immediately met with numerous gazes.

Oh. Shit.

I felt like vomiting under their stares, not to mention the discomfort of this ceremonial robe, reminiscent of my forgotten wedding attire.

Seoyeon and the maids quickly got me ready and sent me straight to the Empress’s palace, Flower Dragon Palace. It was like being Guan Yu, vowing to return with the enemy leader’s head before his tea went cold.

Gowun couldn’t follow, and Seoyeon, who had guided me here, couldn’t enter.

“Her Majesty will look out for you.” 

As I reluctantly stepped inside, I recalled the words Seoyeon whispered to me just before we left the palace.

Being looked out for by Her Majesty was not something to look forward to.

As I slowly walked in, I could hear the consorts whispering among themselves. I tried not to glance sideways at them as I searched for my seat.

The seating at the consorts’ lecture was predetermined. Usually, consorts sit in the order they entered the palace, but those favored by the Empress sit closer to her. More precisely, it depends on how useful they are to the Empress.

In the original story, the places on the left and right of the Empress were occupied by Sanya and Mirinae. Sanya despised Mirinae for effortlessly securing a spot close to the Empress, a position she had worked hard and coaxed the Empress for.

And of course, I had no intention whatsoever of sitting in that spot.

‘I should be at the very end.’

I looked for my seat, which should be closest to the door. However, no matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find a seat marked with my name.

Just as I was about to search again, wondering if I had mistaken the letters, a man sitting in a very high place… that is, very close to the Empress, stood up and approached me.

And then, I saw the man’s flowing platinum hair. He lifted the corners of his mouth and called out to me.

“Sanya.”

“Greetings, Consort Mirinae.”

Why are you here? I won’t be eyeing that spot, so please go away.

As I greeted him, wondering if I should search for a seat towards the front just in case, a small laugh came from above my head.

“Let me find you a seat. Here.”

Mirinae extended his hand to me with a gentle smile. Caught off guard, I soon lifted the corners of my mouth and took his hand.

Whatever his scheme was… I didn’t know, but I supposed this much he would do for me.

However, the place Mirinae led me to was not towards the back, but towards the front. In other words, to the seat he had been occupying.

I should have known better than to trust him.

“Consort Mirinae.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s my seat.”

Smiling awkwardly, I spoke, and Mirinae smiled gently at me. Then, he pointed with his index finger to the seat right next to his.

“Your seat is right there, Sanya.”

I felt a crack in my smiling facade. His finger was indeed pointing to a place where my name was clearly written.

Sanya. A name I always thought was pretty, but never as displeasing as in this moment.

“Come now. We can’t stand here for long. Her Majesty will be arriving soon.”

I already felt the stares of the other consorts. Truly, I had been enough of a spectacle. I didn’t need the attention of the others.

And at the same time, I began to question Mirinae’s intentions.

Was he planning to kill me using someone else’s hand?

“Yes, Consort Mirinae.”

Reluctantly, I walked over to the indicated seat and sat down, feeling the gaze of the others intensify even more.

Go away…

***

The lecture flowed quite ordinarily. Politics, industry, culture, and more that I didn’t know about passed by.

I had no intention to join in, nor could I. The other consorts reported on their own affairs in a manner that made the lecture progress, and since I had no duties of my own, plus I wouldn’t receive any praise for chiming in, I didn’t bother.

‘This is delicious.’

I nibbled on the snacks laid out in front of me like a well-behaved child. While everyone else’s plates bore fruit – or what seemed to be fruit – only my plate had Yumilgwa on it.

Nibbling quietly so as not to make noise was somewhat fun.

“Then, let’s conclude today’s lecture with that.”

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for arrived. I carefully brushed off the crumbs from my hands, grabbed the hem of my skirt, and prepared to stand up.

“Then, whom will Your Majesty invite to your chambers tonight?”

If it weren’t for the coquettish voice of one of the consorts, that would have been it.

I almost turned my head in shock, ready to glare at whoever dared to utter such nonsense in the presence of a child.

Was the end of the lecture always like this?

I can assert that the nightly affairs between the Empress and the consorts were sufficient when read in text. I didn’t want to know about it in this manner.

“Ah, that matter.”

The Empress responded in a very mild voice, as if it had always been like this. While I was trying hard to smooth my furrowed brow, the Empress turned her gaze towards me with a sunny face. I wished she would turn it away again.

I discreetly averted my gaze, but the Empress’s eyes persistently followed me.

This feels ominous. Very ominous.

“Sanya.”

The Empress called my name. It was a strangely buoyant voice. I had no choice but to lift my head and met her imposingly shining eyes.

I knew what she was going to say, but please don’t.

“Tonight, you will come to my chambers. I shall read you some stories!”

Ah. Why do these premonitions never fail to come true?