Chapter 3: Fake it till you make it
“Did you hear about how fierce things were between the two Highness's again today?”
It was early in the first month of spring, and despite the harsh winter having passed, the cold snap was still persistent.
The palace maids in the royal kitchen (where the royal family's snacks were prepared) were gossiping about the royal family as they prepared snacks.
“His Majesty has left the queen's position vacant for five years now, so the two highness' relationship is like that of cats and dogs.”
“Don't you think His Majesty has changed since the Queen Mother passed away five years ago?”
“He was at least somewhat human before... Nowadays, it seems like he's completely devoid of emotions.”
“It's no wonder he neglects the young princess so much... Ouch?!”
Thwack!
A small head suddenly popped out from the gap in the door, causing the head maid to stagger.
“P-Princess!”
The child who had suddenly appeared in front of them.
“Hehe!”
The child, who had once been a ruthless assassin, flashed a bright smile.
“Sissies!”
One day, by some twist of fate, the former assassin reincarnated as a princess of Joseon.
“Another lovely morning!”
I had now turned five years old.
Five years had passed.
Although it was five years, each day felt like ten years.
If you woke up one day as a baby in an entirely unknown place, what would be the first question that came to mind?
‘So, where the heck am I?’
That was the question for me.
At first, I thought I had just been born into the Joseon era that I knew.
“How can you be so small and pretty?”
Before it became clear that the King would not give me a name.
“No matter what anyone says, you are the only princess of Joseon.”
It was because of the word ‘Joseon’ that Kim Sang-gung, the only one who took care of me warmly in this palace, had mentioned to me.
However, it didn’t take long to realize that this place was called ‘Joseon’ in name only and was entirely different from the Joseon in the history I knew.
“The ceremonial robe worn by Court Hee-bin was truly beautiful.”
“It was made from the finest silk brought by envoys from the western kingdom.”
“Oh, that's why Lady Gui-bin was so furious.”
The names of the surrounding countries I overheard were entirely different from the history I knew.
‘It feels like a novel set in an alternate history.’
In the end, I concluded that this place was completely different from the world I previously lived in.
Just when I found the answer to the fundamental question, my tragic fate began in earnest.
“His Majesty has not given a name to the Princess for a year.”
In this place, the king bestows a military title upon the royal at the age of eight, and when they are newly born, they are given a personal name.
And a royal child who is not given a name is called an ‘abandoned royal’ and is neglected or scorned.
It felt like I had seen a similar custom somewhere, but I couldn't remember where.
‘The King has abandoned the Princess.’
“Throw her into the separate palace immediately!”
Once this fact became clear, Consort Gui-bin ordered without hesitation.
Thus, I was driven out from Jipbokheon, where I could at least receive the care of my nanny and Kim Sang-gung, to a neglected separate palace.
In other words, I became a completely useless child.
A princess abandoned by everyone, who must live as if dead.
That was me.
“Phew, huff!”
Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m living as if dead.
Right now, I’m living the most constructive life a five-year-old can live!
‘Twenty-eight, twenty-nine!’
“Hoo-ha!”
I finished my push-up exercise and lay flat on the floor.
“If she becomes my queen, I’ll just kill her.”
Four years ago.
Realizing that this life wouldn’t be easy, I made one decision.
‘I will survive no matter what.’
I was used and killed in my previous life; I can't die young again.
To do that, the first thing I needed to do was to regain my strength.
My goal was to reclaim the physical abilities I had in my past life!
‘Once I regain my strength, I will definitely escape the palace!’
Just look at the state of my room now.
It’s a small, shabby room in a dilapidated separate palace, without even basic furniture like a small table or a folding screen.
Since I was brought to the separate palace, only one maid was assigned to me. And that was Choi Sang-gung, who once tried to assassinate me.
Unfortunately, my only personal maid, Choi Sang-gung, was a loyal follower of Consort Gui-bin.
“Take care of her just enough so she doesn’t die.”
Following Consort Gui-bin’s orders, Choi Sang-gung really took care of me ‘just enough not to die.’
‘There’s a limit to how negligent you can be!’
In other words, Choi Sang-gung confined me to the separate palace and neglected me.
It was less severe until I was about two or three, but these days, she wouldn’t come to the separate palace even once a day.
Because of that, I had to wear clothes that I had outgrown half a year ago, and in winter, I had to endure the biting cold without firewood.
That wasn’t all.
Gurgle...
My stomach growled loudly.
‘How can they feed a child just one meal a day!’
I looked down at my frail, excessively skinny five-year-old body.
‘With this body... I can’t even use a fraction of the strength I had in my previous life.’
I clenched my tiny fist.
So, for now...
‘Let’s go get some food for breakfast.’
I swallowed my saliva and got up quickly.
To survive as the abandoned princess in this perilous palace again today!
If there was one small blessing in this misfortune.
I inherited the looks of my mother, who was said to be an extraordinary beauty in her lifetime, and even at just five years old, I had a perfect appearance.
Fair and transparent skin.
Hair like ebony that was glossy without any special care.
A small face with cute features perfectly placed.
No one could deny that my appearance matched the word ‘lovely’ perfectly.
But unfortunately, I wasn’t foolish enough to be happy about being born pretty.
Being pretty is a double-edged sword.
The thing is, in this place where everything resembles the Joseon era, the fate of a pretty but abandoned princess was obvious.
‘I’ll be sold off or killed.’
Just like my parents tried to sell me to a brothel when I was young in the past.
So, before that day comes, I decided to use this cute appearance to my advantage.
Like this!
“Sissies...!”
Don’t misunderstand.
Acting cute in front of the palace maids was all part of a meticulously calculated performance.
‘Actually, I stopped speaking with a lisp when I was three.’
Acting cute while having the mental age of an adult was quite humiliating, but I had no choice to survive.
“Princess? What brings you here again...?”
I looked up at the palace maids and stretched out my hands.
Of course, I put all my strength into looking as cute as possible and widened my eyes.
“Please give me just one rice cake!”
If you give me a rice cake, I won’t eat you!
“Gasp?!”
The maids inadvertently covered their mouths.
“Are you crazy...!”
“Gulp!”
The two maids started to sparkle their eyes as they looked at me.
Yeah, that’s right.
There’s no other adorable five-year-old like me anywhere.
So just give me a rice cake.
Carbohydrates are essential for growth!
“Here, have it, Princess.”
One of the maids, after checking the surroundings, quickly handed me a honey rice cake.
This is where it gets more important.
Instead of taking the rice cake right away, I looked at her with my big, lovely eyes and tilted my head like a bunny.
“Aren’t you going to eat with me?”
“I’m fine. Just eat it quickly. Quickly! You know it’s a secret, right? Shh!”
“Yes!”
As if waiting for this moment, I received the rice cake and popped it into my mouth.
As the sweet rice cake filled my mouth, I momentarily forgot that I was acting and let my guard down, overwhelmed by the deliciousness.
As I chewed on the big rice cake that filled my cheeks, the two maids swallowed their saliva watching me.
Maybe I could get another one...?
But just then.
“What are you all doing!!”
An urgent voice from Choi Sang-gung came from behind.
‘Damn it...’
I thought I hadn’t been caught lately.
“Y-your Highness C- Choi Sang-gung...?!”
I hurriedly stretched my hand to grab the remaining rice cakes on the plate.
“No way? Spit it out! Spit it out!”
“No! It’s mine!”
My rice cake, no matter what!
Even as I was being dragged away by Choi Sang-gung, I reached out desperately towards the rice cakes.
Previous Chapter
Comments
Post a Comment