The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 90

* * *

Is it difficult for you to tell me your name? Is this a polite way of saying you don’t want to tell me, or do you really not want to?

‘Should I just go along with it to some extent?’

Thinking that, I let out a deep sigh. And I strode toward the door. Then the door opened and my palace maids bowed their heads to me.

“Bring me the palace maid who was on night duty last night.”

I’ll go along with it. But only after finding out who the other person is first. Even with an interesting movie, if I’m not going to watch it right away tomorrow, I’m the type to look up spoilers.

‘Judging by their actions, it seems they won’t tell me for a while.’

Since I don’t know who the other person is, it’s not like I can go vent my annoyance. The letters switched overnight, meaning someone came in and out of my room in the Eastern Palace. The palace maids would naturally know that.

Two palace maids stepped forward. They seemed tense, as if wondering if there was a problem. I don’t intend to scold them.

“Which palace servant came by last night?”

I asked in the gentlest voice possible. At that, their eyes widened.

“No one came by.”

Their immediate lie twisted my mood a bit. Then did this letter sprout from the ground?

“Are you saying no one really saw anyone?”

“How could we deceive Your Highness? Not even a tiny mouse scurried about.”

Although I asked somewhat rudely, the answer was the same. Is that sincere, or are they in on it together?

“If it was Her Majesty or the Noble Consort, I won’t reveal it, so speak up.”

“It’s truly not the case. Was there any discomfort throughout the night?”

As soon as the palace maid finished speaking, everyone’s worried gaze turned to me. It was too realistic to be an act, so I was flustered.

What? Is it true?

“…There was no one who came to Your Highness’s bedchamber during the night.”

Gowun added to that. I was about to nod in agreement but turned my head in surprise.

“You didn’t sleep at night?!”

Gowun’s shoulders trembled at my words. Anyone could see it was a reaction to being caught doing something wrong.

“Gowun!”

Hey, you little rascal!

I mercilessly smacked Gowun on the back. Violence is bad, but he deserved at least one hit for this. I spoiled him from the beginning. When he came to me on the first night, I occasionally played with him at night, and it seems this has continued.

If you’re going to be awake at night, at least wake me up too. Were you pitifully standing guard at the door?

Perhaps because he doesn’t sleep at night, Gowun was short. Of course, he was still taller than me. He deserved one hit, but I couldn’t bring myself to hit him twice. I turned my gaze to Yeoryu.

“Yeoryu, from now on, you’re in charge of making sure Gowun sleeps at night.”

What have you been doing until now, you negligent guardian?

Yeoryu also seemed to feel something and humbly nodded his head.

With an irritated sigh, I looked down at the letter in my hand. Come to think of it, there was a consort who had the ability of instant teleportation. With the palace barrier broken, they could freely use their ability.

Since Mother’s ability is the Dragon’s Command, she must have handled my safety well, so I’m not worried about assassination, but…

‘Did they want to become friends?’

It was a consort who had visited me, so there was a possibility. But it might not necessarily be them personally.

There’s also a possibility that someone else asked them to deliver the letter.

‘There are too many possibilities.’

In the end, I have to figure out who it is, as written in this letter.

Just wait until I catch you. Instead of the thrilling deduction the other person wanted, I only felt deep annoyance as I waved the letter before returning to my room.

“Then is there anyone among you who wrote this?”

I gave the letter to one of the puzzled palace maids, and she read the letter aloud. The palace maids behind her all heard her voice, and their faces changed strangely.

“What is this? How could such an impudent letter…”

“It wasn’t me.”

“It wasn’t me either.”

Right. Of course it’s not any of you. Even if it was, you would say it’s not.

I sighed and took back the letter.

* * *

[Hi.

Don’t annoy people and just nicely tell me your]

Oops.

Unknowingly, the letter got heated. I scribbled out the second line.

That was my true feeling, but if the other person is older than me, it’s a very rude response. If it were Mother, she would have cried receiving it.

‘…I do feel like making her cry though.’

Since I’ve already decided to go along with it, let’s dance to the rhythm with gusto. I gathered my thoughts and picked up the brush again.

[Hi.

I received your letter well.

I can’t just guess blindly, so could you give me some clues?

Like age, gender, or status.

Of course, I would be most grateful if you just told me your name.

I’ll wait for your reply.]

After dotting the final period, I hesitated for a moment. No matter what, it’s a letter. Is it too stiff?

[It’s still morning right now. I wrote this reply as soon as I woke up and saw the letter.

I don’t have any plans for today. I’m on vacation, you see.

No one gave me the vacation, I decided that on my own.

The weather is nice these days, so I’m thinking of going for a walk. The garden in the Eastern Palace is pretty.]

After writing a few more lines, I put down the brush and dried the paper. I was satisfied. The last part was also a hook.

‘Now if someone comes and suggests taking a walk in the Eastern Palace garden, that person wrote this letter.’

Still unable to give up on finding the sender, I secretly smiled. And I neatly folded the letter and placed it next to my pillow.

“What should I do today?”

As soon as I muttered that, my stomach growled.

…I woke up and got angry without even eating.

First, I should eat, and have dessert too. I’m tired, so…

‘I should take a nap.’

Isn’t eating and sleeping the essence of a vacation?

* * *

That day went exactly as planned. I ate breakfast and took a nap, sleeping for about two hours. Sleeping too much could make it hard to fall asleep at night and give me a headache, so it was a rule I purposely set for myself.

My palace maids treated waking me up from a deep sleep like walking on broken porcelain, but they silently followed my explanation.

After waking up like that, I sat in a daze for about thirty minutes before getting up. And since I thought of it, I took a walk in the garden with Gowun.

I asked Gowun why he was awake, but Gowun didn’t answer. Even though he tightly shut his mouth, saying he absolutely couldn’t tell, he looked like he was about to cry for disobeying my order, so I backed down.

Right. As if you would do anything bad. You were probably just sitting in the rocking chair in my room with nothing to do.

Time flowed like water and night quickly came, and I lay on my bed as if I had been waiting for it.

The letter will come in the morning. I was a bit curious about the reply now. It felt like I had lost a little for waiting for the letter, but curiosity won out.

The nap was in vain as I quickly fell into a deep sleep and slept soundly until morning without waking up at all.

Waking up and feeling around my pillow, I grasped a neatly folded paper. As expected, the contents of the letter had changed.

[Hi.

If you decided it was a vacation on your own, are you always on vacation?

I haven’t often decided things for myself, so those words sound nice to me.

The garden in the Eastern Palace is pretty. Thanks for letting me know. If circumstances allow, I’ll definitely go see it.

I sat on a strange chair. I was startled thinking I would fall over from being shaken so much, but it wasn’t like that.

I’m sorry if you were angry that I sat on it without permission. It didn’t break, so will you forgive me?

And if possible, would it be okay for me to sit on it next time too?

I thought guessing about me would indeed be difficult.

I’ll tell you my age, gender, and status.

I’m twelve years old. I’m a girl. And I have a noble status.]

Today, I made a strange expression again. The meaning was a bit different from yesterday.

Twelve years old. Girl. Noble status.

‘If you’re royalty, you’re royalty, and if you’re nobility, you’re nobility.’

What’s this about a noble status?

Putting that aside, the contents above were also strange.

[If you decided it was a vacation on your own, are you always on vacation?]

‘Are you picking a fight?’

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to rest comfortably.

But it’s not entirely unpleasant since the content below showed admiration. Was she really asking out of curiosity?

‘Just for that?’

In the meantime, it seems she also sat on my rocking chair. She even wrote a detailed review.

It’s funny to ask for permission only after already sitting on it.

So this kid, really…

‘A politely mischievous kid.’

Even I thought it was strange for those two words to coexist. But it was really true. A child who secretly leaves letters in the princess’s room.

Since entering the palace, I hadn’t encountered many noble children my age.

It wasn’t common for nobles to bring their children when entering the palace, and they wouldn’t have been able to freely enter the Eastern Palace.

‘There were a few children at the Arun banquet.’

Since I also need friends my age, they would have gradually introduced them and selected children to bring in as companions.

But then the people from the Western Continent barged in and everything was in chaos, banquet or not. Maybe it was then that she saw me and wanted to become friends.

‘Oh dear…’

It was a headache. I understand wanting to be friends with me, but to use this method, she’s quite the troublemaker.

Entering the palace, and moreover the princess’s room, without permission can lead to big trouble, child.

‘I should meet her.’

I’ll have to give her a good scolding and tell her not to send letters like this.

I immediately called the palace maids to prepare to go to Flower Dragon Palace. They didn’t dissuade me, so I didn’t know, but upon arriving at Flower Dragon Palace, Mother was in the main hall.

It seemed she was in the middle of a morning lecture, as the main hall was filled with ministers. I was about to turn back, but I hesitated.

‘I’ll have to inform the ministers anyway that I’m selecting companions.’

Is there a need to do the work twice?

But in front of the ministers…

After pondering for a moment, I let out a deep sigh.

I’ve done it once, I can do it a second time.

“Announce me.”

When I said that to the eunuch at the door, the eunuch opened the door.

“Her Highness the Princess has arrived.”

The door opened and everyone’s attention focused on me. I bit my lip hard and strode in, bowed, and met eyes with Mother, who looked surprised.

I am young. A young and spoiled princess who is loved. After muttering as if hypnotizing myself, I shouted loudly.

“Girl, I want a friend!”