The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 43

***

“I, I hate it.”

I felt an instinctive aversion. It was a sentiment inherent in any human.

I don’t want to work. I just want to play!

In my previous life, I truly worked my bones to the dust. The world is mostly unkind, but it was even more so for an orphan with no inheritance. I lived diligently, just to survive.

Worrying about next month’s rent and living expenses, saving even a thousand won wherever possible, and then coming into a world overflowing with diamonds, pearls, and gold was indeed a relief. Because I didn’t have to take care of everything needed for my survival.

While I didn’t just play around in the palace, the education of a princess was inevitably different from that of a consort. And especially, the successor lessons in the Seora Empire were notoriously brutal.

I wanted to quit right away and throw a tantrum, but I was already a princess… More than anything, it was ultimately my decision to become a princess, so I couldn’t blame anyone.

“Damn mouth…”

Why didn’t you think before you spoke?

I regretted it deeply but couldn’t unspill spilled water. Now, I was inevitably going to be fed up with learning about dreadfully difficult matters.

The nightmare of entrance exams haunted me. Skipping… wouldn’t be possible, right? Right…

“At least, I don’t have to attend the lectures.”

So far, as a consort, I had to show my face at the Empress’s and consorts’ lectures from time to time.

But now that I was a princess, there was no reason for me to attend. The thought of being able to sleep in until the sun was high in the sky made the corners of my mouth rise slightly.

Right. How could there only be bad things in the world?

“When exactly does Arun start?”

“In four days, My lady.”

Four days. My remaining free time was now just 96 hours.

“I’ll make the most of it!”

* * *

Chirp, chirp.

A refreshing morning with birds chirping. The first day of my last four days given to me.

“……”

I stood in front of the main hall of Flower Dragon Palace.

“Damn it…”

Why am I here, wasting precious time I could be spending sprawled out in my room sleeping, all to attend a lecture?

“Announce my arrival.”

The eunuch standing in front of the grand hall was surprised to see me. It made sense for him to be, considering a princess like myself was attending the consorts’ lecture.

Yeah. I know. That’s why I didn’t want to come.

“If it weren’t for those letters…”

Yesterday, when I had resolved to enjoy myself for the next four days no matter what.

As if to mock me, the consorts sent me letters.

The contents of each were identical: they requested my presence at tomorrow’s lecture.

Even if they had commanded me to attend, I would have, resigning myself to my fate with a sigh, “Oh well, such is my lot,” but all those letters begging me just to show my face one last time.

“…”

Unfortunately, I wasn’t cold-hearted or lazy enough to ignore them all. Despite their curious stares, I didn’t bat an eye and merely nodded, leading the eunuch to bow his head.

“The princess graces us with her presence.”

The eunuch managed not to confuse the titles while announcing my arrival. Soon, the door opened, and I cleared my throat discreetly before stepping inside.

“I’m late. Has it not started yet?”

My nonchalant words surprised the consorts already gathered. It made sense. After all, these were people with whom I had hardly exchanged a word before.

But how could I coldly ignore the same request made by more than ten people, no matter how distant our relationship?

Yehwa, Mirinae, and Garam simply smiled brightly upon seeing my face.

“Princess Kanghee. You’re up early.”

Yehwa’s gentle smile and words pricked both my conscience and pride.

Do they think I always sleep in late? It’s not like that’s always the case… but it is true.

‘How embarrassing to say it outright. You tactless woman.’

I quietly ignored her question and took my seat. My spot had changed only in that it was now between the Empress and Mirinae, but otherwise, it remained largely the same.

As soon as I sat down, Yehwa signaled to her aide standing beside her, and immediately, palace maids entered, their hands heavy with plates.

The snack placed before me had grown in size day by day, eventually necessitating a switch to a tea table nearly as large as the Empress’s.

Initially, I was anxious that no one protested this special treatment, but now, it didn’t bother me. They had made me a princess, after all; what wouldn’t they do for me?

As eyes turned to me for not touching the snacks, I finally picked one up, and only then did their gazes scatter.

I chewed on the snack, watching as the initially gentle looks towards each other sharpened.

“She’s so cute…”

“Look at her munching away.”

The words that reached my ears were now quite familiar. With no young children in the palace, it was a comment I often heard. At first, it made me feel uneasy, but now I just accepted it.

Ah, yes.

I’m cute. The cutest in the world. With cuteness, I could conquer the world and even create parallel universes.

My thoughts were interrupted by a consort’s words.

“A letter has arrived from your family home, Your Highness.”

It was a man with pale blue-grey eyes, his white skin contrasting with his jet-black hair. The consort bit his lip as if ashamed, while a consort with grey hair sneered at him.

“It seems unnecessary to show it to you. White Eye.”

Sighs erupted from around. Someone grumbled irritably and pretentiously, “The North.”

Unlike the Western Continent, which had dozens of countries, the Eastern Continent had long been unified under the rule of the Seora Empire.

The world itself was similar to Earth, so the north was barren, and due to the vast size of the continent, the south wasn’t very fertile either.

In a situation where agriculture or livestock farming hadn’t developed as much as in the 21st century on Earth, lands where the temperature dropped below freezing and snow fell instead of rain couldn’t cultivate rice, causing the cold northern and some southern regions to always struggle with food shortages.

The letter from the man known as “White Eye’s” family home was likely a request to send food to the North.

“Last year saw an unprecedented famine. The stored food is barely enough to sustain each territory, let alone send more to the North.”

“The preparations for Arun have also drained the national treasury. Please, look upon us with your wise and discerning eyes.”

I looked at them with sparkling eyes as they made their case. Given that these consorts loved the Empress and were gathered around her, it wasn’t surprising that there were some palace intrigues, but the discussions were reasonably logical. The consort known as Baekan had a face mixed with feelings of injustice and shame amidst the veiled criticism.

“However, Your Majesty. It was after much deliberation that my father sent this letter. Without Your Majesty’s mercy, the people of the North will starve to death. Please…”

Baekan seemed quite desperate. He put aside his pride and pleaded with the Empress in the presence of numerous consorts.

Watching this, I tilted my head in confusion.

I knew that in this era, many people starved to death, but was it really to this extent?

“Isn’t there a power to make the land fertile?”

The attitude of the consorts was also strange. Their irritation suggested this wasn’t a new issue.

Even if the land is barren, it’s not sustainable to always rely on the South for help. Normally, people adapt to live off the land they have. Is the land so barren that not even that is possible?

I wanted to ask, but the situation didn’t seem right. As I pondered what to do, a consort with black hair, unusually a woman, spoke up.

“If there’s no food to give to the North, then why not increase the harvest in the central regions?”

Her suggestion might sound like reaching for the stars, but everyone’s attention was drawn to her. It didn’t feel like she was just talking nonsense.

She was a compelling figure. It was hard to pinpoint exactly why, but she was.

“Sending officials from the public works (responsible for civil engineering) could enrich the land.”

“Then how do you plan to provide enough water?”

A cool voice was heard. It was a voice both familiar and unfamiliar. Turning towards the sound, I saw Yehwa.

“……?”

I wondered for a moment if she was angry, but Yehwa, catching my eye, smiled broadly. However, the warmth-lacking voice I had just heard was unmistakable.

I was puzzled, but the woman addressed showed no sign of surprise and smiled broadly.

“It seems we must seek the grace of Suwon.”

Suwon.

The name was more familiarly used as a surname, and I believed that to be correct in this context. While consorts typically relinquished their surnames upon entering the palace, in the context of lectures, they were referred to by their surnames.

Typically, only one person from each family entered as a consort, and each was required to utilize their unique powers.

And sure enough, the consort from the Suwon family, suddenly called upon, scowled.

As Banryu’s cousin, he was once celebrated as the heir of the Suwon family, but became a consort following Banryu’s dethronement.

Angered by the blockade of his promising future, he was among the first who wished to see Banryu’s downfall. Of course, now he is a loyal servant to the Empress.

“If we were to bring rain, each tiny drop must be meticulously managed. How could that be achieved through human effort? Even if the Imugi, who blessed Suwon, were to come, it would be impossible. Are you aware of what you’re suggesting, Lady?”

Suwon shot back angrily at the person called Yemyeon, who just shrugged her shoulders.

“How would your family know how to wield such powers? The former head of the Hayeon family once caused hail to fall for three days in the Sanu region to gather water.”

The Suwon family was a branch family that had split off from the Hayeon family. Suwon’s face turned red at the mocking implication that being a branch family meant they were weaker.

Hearing this, I habitually bowed my head and nibbled on a snack. The conversation was gradually turning into an argument. I didn’t particularly want to watch a fight unfold.

Although there weren’t loud arguments like those of street merchants, the hostility was palpable. The sophisticated manner of critiquing and blaming subtly scraped at the other’s insides.

Having finished a plate of snacks, I received Yehwa’s pleased look and quietly observed the ongoing debate. One comment led to another.

Then why not just store the water in one place?

If I don’t pay attention for even a moment, the water disappears.

Then wait until it’s absorbed into the ground.

How wide do you think this land is to do that everywhere?

The discussion about water continued, and I was still puzzled. It seemed like the problem was the barren land, but then they said it could be solved. If it was simply a matter of food, there should be ways that didn’t require much water.

Curious, I waited quietly for their conversation to end, but seeing the consorts popping up like in a whack-a-mole game in their rage, I gave up.

“Excuse me…”

I tentatively raised my hand and muttered, but nothing changed. My voice was too soft. I lowered my hand and shouted louder.

“Excuse me!”

Still, nothing changed. Just as I was about to sigh deeply and wait quietly for my turn,

“Her Highness the Princess has something to say!”

Whoosh—!

Suddenly, the room became glaringly bright. Whether Suwon used his power or not, the previously damp room dried instantly. The noise stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned towards me.

Hey, you, Garam, you this…

I managed to smooth out my about to distort face and acted as calm as possible.

My curiosity seemed dumb even to me, but combining what I had heard so far with Sanya’s knowledge in my head, I couldn’t find an answer.

Growing rice required a lot of water. Considering the conversation kept coming back to paddy fields, it seemed to be an important issue.

But that was specific to rice.

“Can’t we increase the cultivation of drought-resistant crops?”