The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 80

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Abilities can be stored in the wish-granting jewel. And probably, the Empress. In other words, the Empress’s – or rather, Sunyu’s – family’s ability is to take other people’s abilities and store them in the wish-granting jewel. When thinking like this, there was one problem.

Then why didn’t the emperors use that wish-granting jewel?

If they could use all the abilities stored inside, the emperor’s ability would not be the Peach Blossom known only to a few close aides as it is now, but it would have been revealed that they can use all existing abilities.

I didn’t ponder this problem for long.

‘I can just ask.’

The current emperor is my mother, so what else can’t I ask her? Since Giyun told me yesterday not to fall out of the empress’s favor, it was a good excuse to go and act coy.

I prepared as soon as I opened my eyes in the morning and headed straight to Flower Dragon Palace. At this time, Mother would also be having her breakfast, so I might as well have a conversation while getting a few bites to eat.

When I arrived at Flower Dragon Palace, a eunuch greeted me.

“Have you come to pay your respects to Her Majesty?”

Something like that. I nodded. Then the eunuch smiled so warmly that wrinkles formed and guided me.

“I think you’ve come to greet both of Their Majesties starting today.”

At those words, I became a bit embarrassed. According to custom, it would be proper for me, as a princess, to pay my morning respects to the emperor and empress every morning.

But since I became a princess in the blink of an eye, and the imperial palace was busy for a while…

‘No, actually, those are all excuses.’

I slyly avoided seeing them every morning because it was awkward, and everyone just turned a blind eye to it. I suddenly thought I should do it often from now on, and I stopped.

“Your Majesty. The princess has arrived.”

Perhaps Mother had been given a heads-up, as the door opened without a response. I walked into the room as if running, but I abruptly stopped at the unexpected guest.

“…Ah.”

Sunyu stopped trying to call me with surprised eyes. Mother was the same.

Only then did I ponder the eunuch’s words from earlier.

“I think you’ve come to greet both of Their Majesties starting today.”

Was that not in the sense of visiting the emperor and empress separately, but in the sense that both of them were here…!

After a brief silence, Mother opened her mouth first.

“Sanya, I was in the middle of a conversation with the Emperor, so could you wait for a moment?”

“It’s alright. I was about to leave anyway, so please talk with the princess.”

Sunyu stood up from his seat with a smile on his face. I hurriedly waved my hand.

“Please continue your conversation. I’m fine.”

“I was truly about to leave, so don’t worry, little one.”

Another silence followed the sudden form of address. I smiled awkwardly and Mother slightly furrowed her brows.

“Emperor. Do you not know the princess’s name?”

“I know it, but I have not yet received the right to call the princess by her name.”

At those words, Mother made a puzzled face, and Sunyu quietly smiled.

‘…Is it because Mirinae told him my name strangely?’

I changed my evaluation of Sunyu a bit at that composed answer. I thought he was an honest, kind, and broadminded person, but it seems he is indeed one of the empress’s men. Look at him subtly telling on me…

It was a meaningful remark, but Mother soon made an understanding face.

“The princess is shy, so please understand.”

At the apologetic tone, I felt strange. Uh, I think the other person was expecting a question as to why they were being like that.

‘Do I seem like I would be so blunt as to not even let him call my name?’

Unable to say that in front of Sunyu, I glared at Mother, and she laughed.

“You cherish the princess a lot.”

It was a strangely subdued voice. When I turned my head, Sunyu was smiling with eyes that resembled that tone.

“You asked me the reason earlier, right?”

But soon, he spoke lightly. It was a tone that seemed carefree at a glance.

“The reason is simply that. Just as Your Majesty has changed, I have also changed.”

“Emperor.”

“I’m not saying I will leave. It’s just that this position doesn’t suit me.”

At the suddenly rapidly cooling atmosphere, I sneakily glanced around. It seemed to be the content of the conversation they had been having since the morning. Am I allowed to hear this?

I was thinking of quietly leaving if the conversation continued, but fortunately, both of them didn’t seem to forget my presence.

Mother sighed and picked me up. With my face buried in her shoulder, I naturally couldn’t see Sunyu’s face.

“I will take my leave now, Your Majesty.”

Sunyu’s heavy voice was heard, and he soon left the room. Held in her arms, I finally let out a deep sigh.

“What on earth is going on?”

Mother, who sat me on a chair, answered as if sighing.

“…He asked me to dethrone him.”

That was hard to believe. Didn’t Sunyu love Mother?

“Why?”

There is nothing closer to her as the reigning empress than the position of an emperor. Especially since Mother doesn’t have a particularly favored consort. Consorts are favored by an emperor because their abilities are helpful.

So Sunyu’s ability must be important and indispensable enough to hold the position of emperor.

I became anxious. More and more unpredictable things keep happening.

Giyun trying to kill the empress, the appearance of the emperor who wasn’t in the original work, and that emperor wanting to be dethroned himself. It’s like people no longer love the Empress.

“I think the abilities are weakening.”

Without realizing it, I muttered like that. And I was a bit shocked. Right. Isn’t that it?

The reason Yuri came to Seora was because of an unknown mana depletion occurring in the Western Continent. The imperial family’s barrier was also disrupted, Giyun is trying to kill the empress, and Sunyu, the emperor, wants to be dethroned.

Is there a problem with abilities and the power of the dragon?

‘Then what happens?’

Just like in the Western Continent, abilities occupy a large part of daily life in Seora of the Eastern Continent. If abilities were to disappear completely, the problem would be serious.

But on the other hand, if abilities disappear, there would be no reason to be at the mercy of the nobles anymore.

No, is this correct in the first place?

When I hurriedly looked up at Mother, she answered.

“Ah, that’s right.”

…Huh?

I was at a loss for words at the too-calm answer. After moving my lips without a sound, I managed to speak.

“…Did you know?”

At my disbelieving question, Mother nodded with a puzzled face.

What? Why is that such a natural answer?

It was déjà vu. This felt exactly the same as when I asked if she knew I didn’t have an ability.

“During Arun, there are times when the abilities of the entire nation are shaken.”

Mother explained to me step by step at my bewildered face.

“The power of the dragon that realizes abilities is like water, so if it is pulled and used in one place, it will inevitably be lacking in another place.”

If I think about it the other way around, does the lack of abilities this time mean that there will be a big event later on?

“It means that the baby will come this year.”

Just as I was thinking that, Mother continued.

“You mean the child who appears when the peach blossoms bloom?”

“Yes.”

The unidentified child who brings abundance that year.

Come to think of it, that’s right. Of course, that phenomenon would naturally be the power of the dragon. An ability that brings abundance for a year, so it’s understandable that it would be lacking for a while.

I felt a bit embarrassed for seriously pondering whether I should be happy that Giyun was dealt with or sad that the country would be ruined.

Indeed, one shouldn’t move their mouth recklessly. Imagine if I had said it out loud. It would have been even more embarrassing.

“So, what is the Emperor’s ability that makes it problematic if he is dethroned?”

I slyly changed the subject and asked. Although I went off on a tangent for a moment, this was my purpose for today.

“It’s Erasure. The ability that creates the barrier of the imperial palace.”

Mother readily answered this time as well. But it wasn’t the answer I had expected.

“Erasure?”

When I asked back in puzzlement, Mother nodded.

“But it seemed like the stolen abilities were stored in the wish-granting jewel…”

“That could also be true.”

If it’s true, then it’s true, but what do you mean it could be true? When I glared at Mother with such eyes, she continued her explanation.

“All abilities are ultimately the power of the dragon, so even if that power is stolen and erased, it eventually returns to its original body. The wish-granting jewel is no different from the dragon’s heart.”

“Then, the stolen abilities simply disappear as they are?”

“That shouldn’t be the case. Don’t the people whose abilities were stolen gradually regain their abilities if they stay in the imperial palace for a long time or leave the barrier?”

Ah, right.

Come to think of it, that was the case. The barrier of the imperial palace didn’t take away that power for a lifetime.

‘In that sense, it’s different from the artifacts of the Western Continent.’

If artifacts are confiscation for life, the wish-granting jewel is more like a rental service…

‘What?’

Then that means it can’t even be used as an artifact.

Was I inwardly excited about the dream of becoming a munchkin? The shattered dream was painful. I was about to slump my shoulders dejectedly but suddenly raised my head.

“But didn’t the barrier of the imperial palace last quite a long time even after the Emperor left?”

At my abrupt words, Mother made a puzzled face. I explained while impatiently fidgeting my feet.

“Abilities are realized through will and disappear along with that will, right? But how did the Emperor maintain that barrier for so long?”

So, what if he infused his ability into the wish-granting jewel to create an artifact?

Then wouldn’t there at least be a possibility?

“So perhaps, he stored abilities in the wish-granting jewel…”

“I was also curious about that. Since the consorts of the Soyeon family have continuously used their abilities without fail, it seems the remnants had accumulated in the imperial palace.”

Mother very calmly burst my inflated dream.

So in other words, for some unknown reason, maybe if you pour in abilities for about a hundred years, you might be able to create an artifact…

How very useful that would be. I solemnly lowered my head.

‘Well, forget it then.’

TL Note: This Empress/Emperor stuff has been confusing me so much, my understanding as of currently is that Sunyu was a consort from the Soyeon family and is now the current husband of Yehwa. However, Yehwa has the actual imperial bloodline and is thus the reigning leader of the country.