The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 54

***

One, two, three.

The silence was broken by Garam who abruptly stood up.

“Poison!”

Huh? Who?

Startled, I looked around but everyone seemed fine. Just a bit surprised.

As I blinked with my mouth open, Garam quickly approached and grabbed my cheeks. My plump cheeks were squished, narrowing my field of vision.

“Tell me what you’ve eaten so far. What did you have for breakfast? Anything different from usual, or something that tasted off.”

No, you crazy bastard!

I wanted to speak but with my cheeks squished like a blowfish, only “uuuuuuh” sounds came out. I flailed my arms and legs, smacking Garam.

“You crazy fool. The child is alive and well, what inauspicious things are you spouting!”

Mirinae shouted and jumped up from his seat. Despite his words, he strode over and grabbed my cheeks just like Garam. Meeting his desperate eyes, I scrunched my face.

You believe it too?

Whether my face was rotting or not, Mirinae hummed a small tune. It was his quite fairy tale-like ability that activated when he sang.

Even while experiencing the priceless healing power of the dragon firsthand, I made a sullen face. Mirinae worriedly examined my face.

“Does it still hurt?”

Die, my past self who considered you a savior even for a moment.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Then perhaps…”

“It’s not mental, not poison, not pretending to be sick, it’s nothing. I’m fine!”

I can just act a bit cute, why are you making such a fuss!

As I gritted my teeth and shouted, finally relief flashed across everyone’s faces.

When I let out a deep sigh, Garam and Mirinae laughed absurdly. Then they looked at each other and scrunched their faces.

Mirinae picked me up and held me, while Garam lifted the potato sack he didn’t get to pick up earlier. But neither could return to their seats and looked at Yehwa.

Sensing their gaze, Yehwa turned to me and stared with an inscrutable expressionless face. I tensed up and swallowed nervously.

…You won’t do it for me? Even though I made baby noises?

As I rolled my eyes, Yehwa laughed as if sighing. It was a hollow laugh.

What. Why are you laughing.

“You wanted it?”

Unable to hide her amusement, Yehwa asked me. It felt strangely like she was mocking me and I had mixed feelings.

I was about to roughly nod my head but then realized. Ah, right. The concept.

“…Yes.”

Reverting to a brat who threw a tantrum because I wanted the tribute, I answered in a meek voice while fidgeting my fingertips. I pronounced it closer to “Yesh” than “Yes” to sound more childlike. And inwardly, I gritted my teeth.

‘I can’t do this twice.’

Yehwa, who burst into laughter seeing me like that, turned to the envoys. Her expressionless face from earlier was back, but a faint sigh-mixed smile lingered.

“…I can’t turn away envoys who came from afar.”

Those words divided joy and sorrow. The envoys from the Western continent brightened up, while the ministers sitting to the left of the empress, across from me, were appalled. Regardless, Yehwa commanded the Taegam standing beside her.

“Guide the dignitaries to their quarters.”

“But Your Majesty!”

“It is the princess’s request.”

Yehwa’s previously expressionless eyes flashed. The minister who was about to protest flinched and shut his mouth.

“Did not my daughter make a request to me?”

The hall turned chilly. Seeing most people’s eyes convey ‘So what do you want us to do about it?’, I felt a bit embarrassed. The minister who gaped as if dumbfounded turned his gaze to me.

It was a whimpering look trying to appease me somehow, but I slyly avoided that gaze.

I’m sorry. But I’m sure you’ll be grateful to me soon enough.

“Princess, come here.”

Yehwa called for me, and Mirinae set me down on the ground. I grabbed my skirt and climbed up the platform to stand before her. Seeing the throne up close, it was tremendously large and dazzling.

As I stared at her intently, conveying why she called me, Yehwa awkwardly extended both arms to me.

So… she’s telling me to hug her?

She could have just hugged me tightly and sat me on her lap, and I wouldn’t have been able to say much. I was grateful for her consideration, and felt strangely sorry thinking I disliked it that much.

It’s a bit embarrassing in front of people though.

I glanced back for no reason, then stretched out my arms to Yehwa. She smiled brightly and picked me up.

I must be quite heavy lately from eating well, but I was easily lifted.

“What brings our baby to make a request to her mother.”

The affectionate coaxing voice sounded so proud, as if I had done something for her.

The emperor’s words carry weight. But she overturned her own words for me. It must be bothersome, and she could have scolded me for throwing a tantrum wanting something, but Yehwa granted everything and smiled brightly saying I did well throwing a fit.

“But it’s only this one time. There won’t be another time like this.”

She tried to sound resolute but it lacked credibility.

I quietly gazed at that face. If you grant everything a child wants, they’ll develop bad habits. But she seems intent on spoiling me no matter what.

If I had to put a name to it, it was unconditional love that made me feel complicated. Sometimes I wondered why she liked me so much for what I did, and other times I felt she really thought of me as her daughter.

Not knowing what to say, I fidgeted and Yehwa smiled and patted my head.

“Go and play.” Yehwa let me down. As soon as I returned, I took the sack Garam was holding and hugged it to my chest. I absolutely mustn’t forget. I went this far for it.

Seated, I raised my head and looked at Yehwa. She was already smiling gently. At a glance, that smile seemed affectionate, but a closer look easily revealed it held no meaning.

A dry expressionless face that didn’t seem alive. Now I knew that was her original face.

“Welcome to the Seora Empire. However…”

Speaking softly with a smile, Yehwa suddenly hardened her expression. She still had a gentle smile but her steadily gazing eyes were like a snake.

“Always keep in mind that your safe stay in this country is by the princess’s magnanimity.”

“We are merely grateful for your welcome. Your Majesty.”

The duke, who responded in a slick voice, this time turned to me. His clear golden eyes crinkled with a smile.

“Thank you for your grace, Princess. Flint vows to certainly repay today’s grace to Your Highness.”

His voice as he said that was quite affectionate. Could he be thinking I took pity on them and let them stay using the potatoes as an excuse?

‘Dear me. That’s not it…’

I’m not that naive, plus the duke was despicable. Very, tremendously despicable. People have what’s called intuition, and that intuition is a judgment based on life experiences, so it’s hard to simply ignore.

You know what I mean. A person who makes you feel icky for no reason.

‘I didn’t like him from the moment I first saw him.’

No, this isn’t just my intuition. The way his country’s manner of speaking and etiquette constantly showed through, his attitude that seemed stupid acting mighty in a situation where he couldn’t be, despite being grateful to me and Yehwa.

I also didn’t like how he straightened his shoulders as if he was great for being allowed to stay.

If he hadn’t brought the potatoes, I would have pushed his back first telling him to get lost.

‘It might be my misunderstanding, but…’

Since he’ll be staying at the palace for a while, I should keep a close eye on him. As I quietly scrutinized him, I felt a gaze beside me.

“Do you like this, Sanya?”

Garam asked in a strangely excited voice. At those words, my interest shifted from the duke to the sack I was hugging to my chest.

I gently pondered while stroking the potatoes like petting a cat.

Do I like it? Rather than that…

‘It’s the best.’

Yemyeon, where are you? I looked around once and quickly spotted her. Yemyeon was looking at me with a mix of shock and surprise on her face.

‘See you later.’

I enunciated with my mouth, then turned back to Garam. And nodding enthusiastically with a bright smile.

Grrk, Garam made a strange noise while clutching his heart. Getting so happy over something like this, he was truly a simple man. My conscience ached frequently today. Both with Yehwa and Garam.

I felt like I had been too cold when they were so delighted over me being a bit nice to them. It wasn’t that I disliked them, I was just uncomfortable because we weren’t close.

I gazed at him with sorrow and patted his shoulder. Garam grinned again, not even knowing why he was being comforted.

“Want to see my bird again?”

No, not really.