Transferred to an SSS-rank Production Class

“Dead? Is that really true?”

“Yes. She walked into the jaws of death in place of her unworthy older sisters.”

The Player with moonlight eyes bit his lip in disbelief. Though he tried to suppress it, the emotion swirling in his eyes resembled that child’s.

After watching him for a moment, the Sixth Princess, Ju I-myeong, spoke disjointedly.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors.”

“Pardon?”

“About me and my sisters.”

That the six princesses of On were all equally blessed with talent and beauty.

◆◇◆◇◆

From a very young age, Ju I-myeong knew that she wasn’t actually the youngest princess. One might think she would pity her sister who was abandoned at birth, but she shuddered at the mere mention of the “seventh.”

The reason for this callousness was simple. The sister’s story had never come up in a positive context. For the princesses, including Ju I-myeong, the seventh was not an object of sympathy but rather a cautionary tale.

It went something like this:

“My youngest.”

“Yes, Father.”

“You are indeed a fortunate child. Don’t you agree?”

The king’s nostrils flared, seemingly unsatisfied even after dealing countless slaps. Ju I-myeong, her cheeks turning from red to purple, nodded reluctantly.

“If I hadn’t taken in your lowly mother, you wouldn’t be enjoying such luxury. Do you think you could even make a living outside the palace?”

Despite living in the splendid inner palace without worry of hunger, Ju I-myeong never thought herself lucky. The princesses were constantly evaluated by the king, and if they deviated even slightly from his standards, they were immediately punished.

And even now. She didn’t think it was wrong to punish an official who was harassing a court lady. But Ju I-myeong quietly prostrated herself at the king’s feet, begging for forgiveness.

“If you act like this one more time, you’ll end up like the seventh. Understood?”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Tsk.”

The king uttered the words that he could discard her at any time far too easily.

In fact, the third princess, known for her outspoken nature, had once been thrown outside the palace gates naked as a child for talking back. Only after begging until her palms were raw was she finally allowed back inside.

Add to that the incident with the seventh, and every day was filled with fear. The princesses constantly proved their usefulness and obedience to avoid being cast out. No, they had to.

“Is my innate talent for physical skills the extent of my luck?”

Ju I-myeong was vastly different from her twin sister, who excelled at everything. Just looking at black letters made her drowsy, and she had no aptitude for calligraphy, painting, or music and dance.

If she hadn’t accidentally discovered her talent with the sword, she would have been the first to be thrown out. Knowing the king better than anyone, Ju I-myeong trained in martial arts more diligently than anyone.

But before long, Ju I-myeong was forced to give up the sword by the king’s order. Not only that, she was confined to her quarters without knowing the reason.

Of course, even the slightest rebellion was not allowed.

‘If you want your fifth sister to keep her limbs intact, you’d better not remove that ring.’

The king used the well-being of her fifth sister as bait. Ju I-myeong, who deeply loved her twin sister who looked exactly like her, willingly walked into the trap. Thus began her indefinite seclusion.

With her limbs bound, Ju I-myeong spent every day endlessly staring at the walls.

Then one day, a small child barely reaching her shoulder was entrusted to Ju I-myeong’s palace. The true youngest, who had come of her own accord without even knowing proper etiquette, was incredibly bold.

“Your Highness, may I take this book on military tactics to read?”

“It might be too difficult for you.”

“Then you could teach me, couldn’t you?”

Begging for lessons was just the beginning.

“You don’t have an honorary title?”

“Why are you so surprised? Except for the two eldest sisters, we’re all in the same boat.”

“Father was too harsh. If it’s alright with you, may I give you one?”

She even gave her the honorary title of “Black Belt Princess.”

“I’ve brought letters from your other sisters.”

“What?”

“They know you’re ill. They’re very worried, wondering how serious it must be for someone as healthy as you to be unable to come out.”

She even played messenger on her own.

The child, like a small flame, gradually seeped into a corner of Ju I-myeong’s heart.

The king carelessly bestowed the title of Princess Yeongsaeng on the child, but she was not one to be defined by such a name. When Ju I-myeong looked into the child’s clear eyes, the walls that had frustrated her and the ring that caused terrible pain seemed insignificant.

If only she hadn’t heard the child crying alone late one night, Ju I-myeong might have remembered that time as sweet as a dream.

Seeing the child cry, saying she was scared and wanted to return to the mountains where her mother was, felt like her heart was being torn apart. When she pressed for an explanation, once again the culprit was the king.

“I urgently need something, so one of you six must go to the Western Flower Garden. You’ve lived in luxury all your life thanks to the bloodline I gave you, so it’s time to repay that grace.”

The Western Flower Garden was a euphemism for the underworld. The six princesses, excluding Ju I-myeong, were plunged into indescribable confusion and couldn’t utter a word. The king left, mocking their silence.

They had struggled so hard not to be abandoned, but in the end, they were all discarded by the king.

The silence stretched on. It was literally a matter of crossing the line between life and death. No one present wanted to throw away their life for a father who had abandoned them.

Upon hearing this, Ju I-myeong, unable to contain her anger, pounded her chest.

“But how did you end up going? Did our sisters push you into it? Tell me quickly! Those heartless ones, I’ll wring their necks…”

“…I volunteered.”

“Stop lying and tell me the truth!”

“It’s true. I did it.”

The child finally revealed that she was a medium.

Unlike mediums, humans who fully belong to this world can never return once they cross that line. Ju I-myeong couldn’t bring herself to scold the child who had stepped forward, not wanting to part with the sisters who had shown her affection.

“You’ve stuck your head in the snake’s mouth, and yet you’re crying as if you’ve done something good.”

“I’ve become… just a little scared.”

“You foolish thing. Come here.”

After finally putting the sniffling child to sleep, Ju I-myeong disobeyed the king’s orders for the first time that night and climbed over the wall. Though the pain was so severe she thought it might be better to cut off her wrists and ankles, she paid it no mind.

Her limping steps came to a halt at Cheonyojeon, located in a secluded part of Yeongwol Palace. It was where her and the child’s father resided.

What good was being a medium? That young thing would probably sit down and wail if she so much as tripped over a pebble. Fortunately, no one had reported who would go yet, so there was still a chance.

“Let’s try asking him to remove this ring, and in return, I’ll bring back exactly what he wants.”

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t afraid. But if she just sat in the palace watching the child being repeatedly abandoned, she would regret it for the rest of her life. Her concerns about wavering internally proved unfounded as Ju I-myeong’s resolve only strengthened.

“Tell them the Fifth Princess has come to see Father.”

Fearing problems if she revealed her own name, as she was supposed to be ill, Ju I-myeong disguised herself as her twin sister. The palace servants, though apologetic, ushered her into another room, saying there was already a guest.

“Who else has come to see Father at such a late hour?”

“The Commander of the Royal Guards, Arajin, is in audience.”

“Ah, that one.”

Though Ju I-myeong had been close to the military officials through training, she knew nothing about Arajin. He had been appointed after she was forbidden from going outside.

Perhaps because she had already resigned herself to death, or maybe because the wait had grown too long, an untimely curiosity arose as she nibbled on refreshments.

‘How extraordinary must he be for Father to favor him so?’

Without thinking too deeply, Ju I-myeong climbed through the window frame.

“What is there to fear when I’m already prepared to die?”

Approaching from inside the building would only lead to seeing layers of closed doors. So Ju I-myeong headed for the garden near the room where the two would be.

The king, who pathologically hated stuffiness, always kept the windows open until bedtime. She could just take a peek through there and return.

Given her thorough knowledge of Cheonyojeon and the recent reduction in palace staff, moving secretly wasn’t too difficult. The deep night also became her ally.

Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed, Ju I-myeong spotted her targets.

“Hmm, is my judgment lacking?”

Sitting in the shadows untouched by lamplight, Ju I-myeong expressed her doubt. Despite his position as Commander of the Royal Guards, Arajin showed no signs of training.

Ju I-myeong leaned towards the window to get a better look.

“Gasp!”

And there, she witnessed a scene she could never have imagined.

Black spots bloomed on the king’s face where Arajin’s hand touched. Even after rubbing her eyes and looking again, nothing changed.

It was the plague flower, the unmistakable sign of a plague victim.

“Father has contracted the plague…”

Before she could express her shock, Ju I-myeong’s vision went dark. As her sight rapidly dimmed, she thought she caught a glimpse of bright blue eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, a week had already passed, and her only sister had already departed.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Given that she hasn’t returned after years, she must be dead.”

The princess, having finished her long story, turned her hand to grasp mine in return.

If you’re going to hold it, hold it properly. Her hand was as lifeless as her voice. And why is it so cold? I interlaced our fingers firmly and informed the princess.

“No. Baek-a is alive.”

“Are you trying to deceive me with such fanciful words?”

When the princess first said Baek-a was dead, I was too shocked to recall immediately.

Though it has changed now, the original goal of the hidden quest, Great Fortune, was Baek-a’s return. Based on this, Baek-a is undoubtedly alive. If it had been to find traces or her whereabouts, that would be a different story.

There’s no point in telling this to an NPC; they wouldn’t believe it anyway. As I was about to gloss over it, I inadvertently let slip our future plans.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. That’s what I think, and I’ll search even the underworld if I have to.”