The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 49

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“My lady, you don’t look well.”

Seoyeon’s worried voice snapped me back to reality, and I turned my head. I had been poked in the cheek by a chopstick.

‘Ah.’

I had been holding the chopsticks in my mouth. Shaking off my daze, I removed the chopsticks, and Seoyeon asked,

“Does the food not suit your taste?”

The meal fit for a princess like me was excellent, and it was breakfast, a meal I usually ate well, regardless of my appetite. But today, I just couldn’t bring myself to eat.

After mechanically taking another bite and chewing without much enthusiasm, I eventually put down my chopsticks.

“My stomach feels a bit off, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

I said this to ease Seoyeon’s concern, but upon hearing it, she stood up abruptly.

“I’ll get you some digestive medicine.”

Oh, no. It’s not that serious.

“Seoyeon, I really don’t need―”

“You must take it to get better.”

No, I don’t want to take medicine. I dislike swallowing pills, and the herbal medicines or pills from this world are dreadful to me.

However, after comforting me a few more times, Seoyeon eventually headed towards the door to give orders to the other maids.

I sighed deeply as I watched Seoyeon turn her back on me. My stomach truly was in discomfort, but it wasn’t something I could resolve right now.

‘When will he come?’

Since Giyun’s letter of intent to visit arrived secretly, I couldn’t be completely at ease. Maybe it felt like waiting for my turn during a presentation in high school.

The tension seemed tenfold more intense. Given my not-so-affectionate nature, I was worried whether I could play the role of a young daughter well.

What if he notices something odd?

“This is not it. I have repeatedly told you that the digestive medicine is in the blue pouch.”

Seoyeon was reprimanding a maid who couldn’t find something. After a few more words, Seoyeon sighed.

“My lady, would it be alright if I stepped away for a moment?”

It seemed she planned to give instructions herself. I nodded quietly. Taking the opportunity, I sent all the maids in the room away. It was a good time to be alone and ponder deeply while rolling around in bed.

As I flipped around in bed like flipping a pancake, I blinked for a moment then suddenly sat up.

Is time not passing, or is she really taking too long?

The pharmacy isn’t far from my room. Seoyeon knows the location of the medicine; she should have been back by now. Even if not, I should have heard voices or footsteps.

Why is it suddenly so quiet?

I opened the door and peeked into the hallway, but there was no one in sight. The corridor, usually bustling with countless people, was now as empty as if not even an ant could be found.

The eeriness of the scene quietly prompted me to close the door.

‘What’s going on?’

No matter how much I strained my ears, there was no sound to be heard. The palace was as silent as a tomb, as if everything had ceased to move.

And then, in that moment, I heard footsteps from afar.

Thud, thud.

The steps were too heavy to belong to the maids. They sounded like a man’s. A vague silhouette approached through the rice paper doors. A faint shadow fluttered beyond the door.

Knock, knock. The shadow knocked on the doorframe.

What is that? A ghost? No, would it be better if it were a ghost?

‘No, I’m scared!’

I managed to move my stiff body to grasp a small bell.

“Who’s there?”

I was ready to ring the bell immediately if there was no response, but a gentle voice addressed me.

“It’s me, Sanya, your father.”

…Huh?

While I hesitated, the shadow flickered again, and before I could react, the door slid open. Startled enough to jump, my tension dissipated upon seeing the man standing at the door.

It had been so long that my memory wasn’t clear, but I could recognize who he was.

Giyun Yeoran.

The biological father of this body and the final boss of the story.

‘To think this is a relief…’

It was a mixed feeling, but truly, it was. I had thought he was a formidable assassin.

I chuckled to myself, opening and closing my trembling hands.

‘I was startled.’

I should be rushing into his arms, happy to see him, but I was too shocked to move properly.

But, of course. I thought he was an assassin or a ghost.

As I looked at him silently with wide eyes, Giyun smiled wryly.

“It has been quite a while, Princess. No.”

Giyun paused, as if swallowing a lump in his throat, then smiled wistfully.

“…Sanya.”

Ugh.

It would have been a touching line worthy of shedding a tear or two, coming from a beloved father seen after such a long time.

However, the problem is that Giyun is a complete stranger to me, and most of these touching words sound quite cheesy when you’re in your right mind.

Princess, no. Sanya…

‘Damn it.’

It was good that the tension from being scared dissipated, but now there was a different issue.

No, focus, focus.

I’m supposed to be a cute, lovable, and innocent eight-year-old, overjoyed to see her father after a long time.

“Father…!”

It was quite dramatic. I managed a slight yawn, making my eyes moist, as if I was tearing up.

‘Who was worried, anyway?’

Was acting my true calling? Obviously, I wasn’t genuinely pleased to see him. It felt demeaning to act like a host welcoming a guest in my own palace, and his shiny, polished appearance was irritating.

But I smiled brightly, and Giyun also smiled, opening his arms to me. It was the perfect picture of father-daughter affection. Acting must run in the family.

I attempted to run to him but stumbled on the hem of my dress, and Giyun, with a startled expression, stretched out his arms.

I managed to fall safely into his embrace. Giyun lifted me effortlessly despite his slender frame, as if he was pulling weeds without any strain.

It was a seemingly affectionate gesture, but it was extremely uncomfortable. He seated me on his arm and supported my back with his other hand. This posture was distinctly different from how others had held me before.

Typically, the basic method was to hug me tightly like a koala, but Giyun behaved as if he wanted to avoid touching me as much as possible.

Above all, he was stiff and cold. Not like the warmth of human flesh. Fortunately, the unsettling and uncomfortable feeling didn’t last long.

Giyun soon set me down on a chair and took a seat opposite me. Sitting across from Giyun, and with the sunlight behind me, I could see his face clearly.

I stared intently at Giyun, whom I had only glimpsed briefly on the day of my transmigration. His eyes were slightly upturned, and his lips were thin.

Overall, he was a beautiful man with fine features. The only difference was his hair, a light brown color close to ivory, strikingly similar to mine.

In the Seora Empire, black hair was not only a symbol of the royal family but also the most common color among the common people.

Being associated with the common people, the black hair of the royal family was praised, while for the nobility, black hair was considered a shameful mark of the lower classes. Thus, ‘Sanya’s’ hair color was proof of her mother’s lowly status when she was considered a bastard of the Yeoran family.

When I was pushed into the royal palace, and when I became a princess, it was interpreted as a sign of royal blood mixing, which was beneficial.

“Your father should have checked in on you more often but failed to do so. Have you been well in the meantime?”

Giyun asked tenderly with a smile. I responded with a broad smile.

“Yes, of course. I missed father a bit… but I was fine.”

Giyun’s gaze softened at my response.

“You don’t have to lie to your father, Sanya.”

That was one of the rare sincere statements I could make to Giyun, but he seemed not to believe it. Perhaps he thought it was just groundwork for some other motive.

“I’ve been concerned ever since I sent a maid to accompany you when you entered the palace. I’ll send those who served you in your family home to take care of you.”

…Oh.

‘That can’t happen.’

If it was so easy to change, why had he ignored me when I entered the palace? Even if we put aside whether it was out of goodwill or not, having my maids replaced by those from the Yeoran household would be problematic.

“Father, the maids here are very polite to me. You don’t need to trouble yourself…”

“Sanya, didn’t I say you don’t have to lie to me? Would those who are polite to you dare to be so rude to your father?”

Giyun, who had been gently comforting me, slightly furrowed his brow. The face of the kind father turned terrifyingly grim in an instant.

“Listen to your father, okay?”

With those words said gently again, I realized something anew.

‘Is that a threat, or is it persuasion?’

If it was a threat, could I refuse?

I don’t have supernatural powers, and Giyun does. And right now, I’m alone with him.

A single wrong word, and I could disappear without anyone knowing.

It’s been a while since I felt this tense. The anxiety I felt in front of Mirinae at the beginning of my transmigration wasn’t this intense.

“Sanya?”

Right. I’m a princess, and this is all just a hobby. I recalled the words I repeated to myself whenever things got messed up. It’s half true since I am indeed a princess. Of course, it wasn’t, but I needed to maintain my composure to reply confidently.

“But father, these maids were assigned to me by Her Majesty…”

As I hesitated in my response, Giyun’s eyes narrowed subtly. I felt cold sweat on my hands, thinking he was considering my fate. But I thought he would back down with that argument.

In the original story, although he made ‘Sanya’ hate the other consorts, he arranged it so she would not resent the Empress.

It would be problematic if ‘Sanya’ acted out against the Empress in a fit of rage.

I expected Giyun to reluctantly let it go.

“The Eastern Palace hasn’t been checked on at all. Her Majesty seems quite indifferent.”

However, he still responded with a furrowed brow. As I was about to question him further, Giyun laughed oddly. That sorrowful laugh seemed almost like a sneer.

“Oh. It seems we have a guest.”

As soon as he finished speaking, urgent footsteps could be heard from afar.