The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 82

* * *

I visited Flower Dragon Palace again. This time a bit discouraged. Actually, sorry to Sunyu, but I had told Mother something.

‘I said I would try persuading him once.’

I had told Mother, who said it would be dangerous if the Emperor left the palace, that I would do that.

He said he would stay, but this is really…

After hesitating for a while even after sitting face to face, I opened my mouth, thinking it was better to get scolded first.

“How about sending the Emperor away for recuperation, even if only for a short while?”

Even at my words that clearly showed signs of failure, Mother didn’t frown. But she quietly shook her head.

“No, that won’t do. Isn’t his ability absolutely necessary for maintaining the palace barrier?”

“I know that. But wasn’t the barrier maintained even during the few months when the Emperor was exiled?”

At my question, Mother nodded with a dissatisfied face.

“When was it that the Emperor was exiled?”

“Last December.”

“And when did the abnormality in abilities, in other words, when did the barrier start collapsing?”

I remember Mother’s face stiffening when the envoys from the Western Continent suddenly appeared. She acted as if she hadn’t expected it at all.

So I thought she had realized it then…

“It was after the start of Arun.”

“Then that means there was no problem until then, right?”

It means it endured for a few months even after the Emperor left. Since Sunyu returned and reinforced the barrier again, we should be able to buy some time for a short while.

“I’m not saying the Emperor should leave the palace for long. But a month. At least half a month.”

“The Emperor has already been away from the palace for several months under the pretext of recuperation. You should know how that will be perceived.”

No matter what, he’s the Emperor, so they can’t drive him away for committing a crime. So recuperation was a good excuse to cover up the exile.

But we can’t leave Sunyu like this.

“The Emperor needs time to grieve.”

He too has been in the palace for a long time, so he should know his position and weight. Asking to be dethroned while saying he would remain in the palace seemed somewhat reckless.

To the point of bursting into tears at my few words, to the point of impulsively requesting dethronement, he still hasn’t emerged from his sorrow. Contemplating how to explain this, I opened my mouth.

“For example, let’s say the situation the Emperor is in is that I died.”

“What?”

As soon as she heard those words, Mother instantly frowned. I quietly brought my index finger to the corner of my mouth, signaling her to be quiet, and continued.

“I desperately searched for you while dying, but you were distracted by other matters and couldn’t take care of me. Only after I died did that concern disappear.”

At my explanation, Mother’s face immediately turned serious.

“Can it be okay?”

“Of course. Given enough time.”

Just as they say time heals all wounds, wounds will eventually heal. It’s just that for Sunyu, it’s not now. Whether it’s a physical wound or an emotional wound, the timing of treatment is equally important.

If you bring someone who hasn’t healed yet, neglect their wound, and dig into it again, how will it heal?

He needs enough time. Time to mourn his sister, to shake off his self-loathing and rise again.

‘Leaving him in the palace like this could actually cause more problems.’

Emotional people tend to make impulsive decisions. What if one day, the Emperor suddenly hates her so much that he even colludes with other nobles?

I felt a bit sorry that my decision wasn’t made solely out of concern for Sunyu. But it was because it looked so sad to see him crying quietly without even making a sound.

I quietly thought I hope Sunyu will be okay.

“I didn’t know his sister’s death would have such significance to him.”

Mother quietly muttered. I found it a bit strange that there was remorse in her voice.

“Now that you know, that’s enough. If there’s a mistake, you just need to apologize until the other person accepts it.”

I wasn’t entirely comfortable seeing her so dejected. Mother laughed at my clumsy consolation.

“Yes, that’s all you need to do.”

So don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault that you couldn’t love someone.

Thinking she’s clumsy but kind, I burrowed into Mother’s arms. I want to change the subject a bit, is there anything good?

Pondering deeply, I thought of one thing. It was something I had been meaning to ask anyway.

“Do you know of anyone who gained an ability later in life?”

At the sudden question, Mother was surprised but soon pondered seriously.

“Well, I can’t say I know of any.”

It was good that I changed the subject, but it wasn’t the answer I had hoped for. I was a bit disappointed. I thought she would know.

“There was none at all? Not even once in the entire history of Seora?”

As I muttered weakly, Mother continued as if comforting me.

“Why don’t you go to the Restricted Archives?”

* * *

“Find the third bookshelf in the first library of the Archives.”

I stepped into the Archives, going over Mother’s words in my mind. The air was clean, thanks to good maintenance.

‘After pulling out two books covered in red silk and three books covered in blue silk from that bookshelf-‘

Two red books, three blue books.

Ah, this is heavier than I thought.

‘A door will appear.’

I looked in amazement at the door that really appeared while groaning and holding the books I had pulled out. The bookshelf… something went down, something went up, and it somehow turned out like this. I don’t know the exact mechanism.

“Let’s go in.”

I held out my hand to Gowun, who had his eyes wide open. Gowun took my hand and naturally took the lead.

‘She said it was okay to bring him.’

Although she said there are important documents here, I had also obtained permission for Gowun’s entry, so it should be fine.

After slowly descending the stairs with no light, it soon ended.

I asked Gowun to shine the lantern for me and took out the key from my bosom. Ironically, in a world where abilities exist, the Restricted Archives were locked with a padlock. I turned the key in the lock and pushed the door with my hand, but it didn’t budge at all.

“…”

I quietly took the lantern from Gowun’s hand, and Gowun pushed the door. The door opened easily as if nothing had happened.

Like the Archives, the Restricted Archives were also in excellent condition. I could hardly smell the musty dust or feel the damp air of the basement.

“…”

And it was bigger than I thought, with many books too.

‘I just want to go home.’

The improper thought of having the palace maids do it slyly crept into my mind, but I tried hard to ignore it.

I can’t let just anyone into the Restricted Archives, and what crime have the palace maids committed to have to search through all these books without knowing why?

It probably won’t take as long as I thought. I just need to look at the books written about abilities among these.

Let’s skim through the annals first, and then find books related to abilities. Having steeled myself with effort to be strong, I turned my head to Gowun.

“There should be something written about how these books are classified. Will you help me find it?”

Gowun readily agreed. I felt a bit sorry, thinking he couldn’t have said no because I’m his superior, even though he answered without hesitation with clear eyes. And surprisingly, not long after we started searching, Gowun brought a thin book.

“I found it.”

“Already?”

Surprised, I took it and it was indeed a classification table. And it was quite detailed too.

How did you find it? It’s amazing. I praised Gowun and moved my steps to where the annals were stored.

“…”

But why are there so many?

For a moment, I felt dazed among the piles of books. The continent of Seora itself was a single country, and as the Arun dynasty had continued since its founding, its history was deep. In other words, it meant the volume of the annals was also enormous.

Before I find a way to search for abilities, will I die first from going through these…?

It was a reasonable doubt, but I tried hard to erase that thought. How could I die from reading books? They say even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so if I keep at it, I’ll see it someday.

“Gowun, I’m sorry to keep asking, but could you help me just this once?”

I really can’t muster the courage to do it alone. When I asked Gowun like that with difficulty, Gowun nodded. But he had a puzzled face, so I smiled.

“Wondering what I’m looking for?”

“No. Just wondering why you’re asking me…”

I was at a loss for words at Gowun’s question.

“Why am I asking you?”

“…If you order me, I will follow whatever it is.”

When my face stiffened, Gowun answered while gauging my reaction. The eyes saying that were clear.

The class system, really. It left a bitter aftertaste. I smiled and stroked Gowun’s head.

“I won’t order you.”

His eyes seemed to ask, why?

“Because you are someone precious to me.”

At the words I uttered calmly, Gowun blinked his eyes for a while, then bit his lip tightly. His eyes were wide.

It’s true that he’s a precious person to me, but actually, I wanted to say that I don’t want to carelessly order him because all humans are equal.

But this is too advanced a conversation, so for now, this should be fine.

“Anyway, will you help me?”

When I asked again, Gowun answered that he would. The way he turned around and walked was very strange.

‘His right hand and right foot are moving together.’

But seeing him properly opening and looking at books, it doesn’t seem like he’s in pain. Relieved, I officially started pulling out the annals.

‘If I keep at it, I should be able to read them all.’

And a few hours later.

Gowun and I sprawled on the floor of the Restricted Archives.

‘…No, I don’t think I can do it.’