Chapter 26: The Black Princess Part 5

After the imperial council meeting concluded and everyone was about to leave the main palace, Chief Councilor In Seon Rok called Vice General Jeong Seo Tae aside.

Jeong Seo Tae entered the tea room used by the high officials of the main palace, wearing his heavy military uniform, and took a seat. After a moment, In Seon Rok who was one of the highest ministers of the main palace appeared before him.

Although he was a vice general who could make even the seasoned warriors of Cheongdo Palace bow their heads, in front of Chief Councilor In Seon Rok, he had to bow first and greet him.

“I’m glad to see you seem to be in good health after so long.”

The three that preside over the imperial council consist of the Chief Councilor, the Central Councilor, and the Under Councilor.

Among them, the Chief Councilor was the one in charge of implementing policies according to the established laws. He held nearly all the administrative power.

He was also the head of the Jeongseon family, the highest-ranking family in the Empire, and the biological father of Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon, the mistress of Vermilion Bird Palace. His power was almost second only to that of Emperor Woon Sung.

“Why have you summoned me, Chief Councilor?”

“Since you are a busy vice general, I will keep my matter brief.”

Chief Councilor In Seon Rok was one of the few high officials that Vice General Jeong Seo Tae respected, despite his general disdain for officials.

His appearance, tempered by experience, seemed kind yet firm which was an interesting mix. It was as if a tiger who once ruled the mountains had retained his dignity into old age.

“Wasn’t there an item on the agenda concerning the warrior of the White Immortal Palace at today’s council meeting?”

“Ah, yes. However, it does not seem to be a big enough issue for the Chief Councilor to talk about it in private.”

“My eldest daughter came to me herself and spoke of it. She said her training has been greatly hindered since her sparring partner was imprisoned.”

“He does have swordsmanship skills worth acknowledging. It seems that the Vermilion Princess also has a discerning eye.”

Vice General Jeong Seo Tae was strangely lenient when it came to background or past crimes. However, when it came to judging skills, he was absolutely strict.

Chief Councilor In Seon Rok knew this well which is why he had called the vice general.

“I’ve heard that you also suggested considering the man’s circumstances in the council.”

“Yes, that man is the same one who rescued your daughter during the incident at the White Immortal Mountain last time.”

“That’s right. While it’s proper to judge the matters of the council as objectively as possible, I too am a father, so inevitably I find myself involved. Still, there are too many unsettling aspects about this.”

The Chief Councilor stroked his beard as he reviewed the issues discussed today.

“Too many people submitted documents defending a third-rate warrior, so I called you to see if there’s something about this man that I am unaware of. You have a keen eye for these matters after all.”

Only then did Jeong Seo Tae understand the situation.

Even the most wise and competent Chief Councilor was still a high official

If there is a person he has overlooked, it’s unpredictable how this might affect the internal dynamics of Cheongdo Palace later on.

Since ancient times, all council officials have had a tendency to be wary of unexpected beings.

They wouldn’t have risen to such positions otherwise; it was only natural.

“Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun sent a letter herself, saying that it would be wise to show him leniency.”

“The Heavenly Maiden of the Heavenly Dragon Hall?”

“Do you know anything about this?”

“I am not aware of any such thing. I have instructed the warrior commander under my command to keep an eye on his movements, and while he has entered the inner palace a few times, I am certain he has never been near the Heavenly Dragon Hall.”

“Is that so…”

It has always been difficult to understand the motives behind the actions of Ah Hyun, the Heavenly Maiden of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

She seemed to see a bigger picture compared to the high-ranking officials who worked based on real politics.

However, even Ah Hyun’s position cannot always be secure.

“……”

“It seems the Vice General has something he wishes to say.”

“If you dismiss the others, I can speak without reservation.”

He seemed to be concerned about the eunuchs around him with their heads down.

When In Seon Rok shook his head, the eunuchs quietly opened the paper door, went out, and carefully closed the door behind them.

A private meeting with the Chief Councilor is an occasion that makes all civil servants swallow their saliva in tension.

However, the Vice General who was inherently cheerful in his disposition did not seem too concerned and spoke frankly.

“… Is there a proposal to dethrone Lady Ah Hyun at the imperial council?”

“There is nothing of the sort on the agenda yet.”

In Seon Rok seemed to have anticipated what Jeong Seo-tae would say from the beginning.

“Vice General has been loyal to the Heavenly Maiden of the Heavenly Dragon Hall for a long time. I am not unaware of your feelings. However, it is also true that the energy of the Heavenly Dragon that protects the capital has been waning recently.”

“Could it not be just a temporary phenomenon?”

“So for now, the high officials are also keeping an eye on the situation. However, it’s quite alarming that demonic spirits have begun to stir from the outskirts of the capital. If you go near the borders, there are signs that superior demonic spirits might appear.”

To subdue such superior demonic spirits, not just demonic spirit hunters but entire armies are needed. This indicated that the situation was more serious than expected.

It won’t be long before a proposal to dethrone Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun might be presented to Emperor Woon Sung. Of course, the final decision rests with Emperor Woon Sung.

In Seon Rok conveyed this fact directly. He informed the Vice General out of consideration for him.

“The attention given to the warrior of White Immortal Palace must be because of this reason.”

“I heard he is from the Huayongseol clan. If he is a descendant of that Lee fellow, it’s only normal for the high officials of the main palace to shun him.”

It was the mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall who allowed such a person into the palace, and now she has even sent a letter defending him.

However, the Vice General says that this warrior from the White Immortal Palace has no connection whatsoever with the mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

This makes one wonder if the Heavenly Maiden has some other ulterior motive.

“…How long do you think the Heavenly Maiden can hold her position?”

“I do not know. But please consider that I am more concerned with the future of the imperial capital than such personal sympathies.”

“Could there be any doubt in her position?”

The Chief Councilor tightly closed his eyes and shook his head.

If the energy of the Heavenly Dragon has faded, it is often due to the actions of the Heavenly Maiden.

If necessary, a new figure might need to ascend to the position of the Heavenly Maiden.

No one could deny that painful truth.

“Fourteen!”

Thwack

“Fifteen!”

Thwack

Fifteen lashes as punishment.

Considering that normally the flesh on one’s buttocks would tear and bleed until one faints, it could be said that this was a very light punishment compared to my crime.

Still, striking a person is bound to hurt no matter what.

After stepping down from the punishment frame, I dusted myself off and took a deep breath. I then bowed to the penal officer and said,

“I will engrave this pain into my bones and reflect deeply to never act disloyally again!”

“…R-Right…”

Sweat formed on the penal officer’s brow as he nodded at my resolute voice.

Given that most would start crying and wailing after just three or four strikes, my spirited demeanor might have been a first for him. After all, spirit matters in everything.

“Ah, that was tough.”

Leaving the building of the Ministry of Justice, I brushed off my military uniform and looked up at the sky to find that spring was nearly over.

Looking at the sky with the cool breeze of late spring, I felt refreshed again.

Now that I have been absolved of my crimes, I was once again a normal military officer.

I felt like devouring a block of tofu, if I had any.

With my issues resolved, it was time to return to the White Immortal Palace and report my safe return.

But first, I traveled to the imperial capital to buy various meats and vegetables. It’s rare for me to travel that far and spend my own money on food.

Still, I thought of preparing a grand feast for the old eunuch, Yeon Ri, and Wang Han who must have been worried sick about me.

It’s time to show Yeon Ri, who always cried because she had to eat the same rice soup every day, that I too can set an impressive table if I wanted to.

…Though she might actually be more appalled knowing I could do this all along but didn’t.

“Hmm… It’s been almost two months since I last entered the White Immortal Palace… or has it been longer?”

What was meant to be a brief escape with the special unit turned into quite the epic.

Maybe that’s why my steps toward the White Immortal Palace felt strangely light. As I packed up all the ingredients and headed towards the White Immortal Palace while humming, I could easily picture the reactions of the White Immortal Palace members I had left behind.

Wang Han would likely be sprawled out on the porch. Since he was a scribe, he was physically weak, so if he had done all the hard work for the White Immortal Palace instead of me, he would have been completely exhausted. He would be happy if I bought him some relatively expensive alcohol.

The old eunuch would greet me as always with his kind smile and a hearty chuckle and ask warmly if I had returned safely.

Yeon Ri would make the most fuss out of everyone else. She would scold me and ask me if I was out of my mind and how worried she was. She would also emphasize her concern by tapping me on the shoulder.

When I think about it, the person who was worried about me the most after Ran-noonim was Yeon Ri

I felt a bit sorry again. I didn’t treat her like my noonim, so whenever she said something about it, I just told her what did she mean and ignored her.

Since it had been a while since I had seen my family at the White Immortal Palace, I should treat them with joy and warmth today, and apologize.

With that decision in mind, I entered the main gate of the White Immortal Palace, and Yeon Ri rushed out without hesitation.

I was pondering what to say to Yeon Ri who was about to make a fuss about how worried she had been before I saw her face which was pale as death.

“You… you’re back… Tae Pyeong-ah. The Black Princess has been waiting for you.”

“…What do you mean… Yeon Ri…”

“I run away from the Black Tortoise Palace again.”

“…Again?”

“Well, think of it as just a short stroll to the outer palace this time. It’s actually harder to tell me not to jump over the walls of the Black Tortoise Palace since they’re too low. I only intended to show my face briefly and then return this time.”

Even walls that sturdy men struggled to climb seemed no different from a knee-high fence to the Black Princess.

“…You headmaid must be very worried.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already informed her.”

The Black Princess added, “Ehem,” and smiled happily.

I see, so that was the case. But even if she made such a bold declaration, there would be no response.

What could the poor headmaid do after all?

She could only stomp her feet and hope that the princess would return as soon as possible…

“Black Princess… You haven’t been in the palace long enough to fully understand the laws of the harem.”

“Yes. But I do know the basics. I shouldn’t wander around like this. I’ll return soon. I just came because I was worried after hearing about the punishment.”

Sitting at the kitchen table in the White Immortal Palace, Black Princess inspected my body here and there.

She seemed relieved that there was nothing seriously wrong.

“You certainly look strong.”

Meanwhile, Yeon Ri was kneeling in front of the hearth with a completely pale face.

As for me, the situation wasn’t much different.

“Still, it seems to have been resolved well. I feel happy!”

Black Princess smiled broadly and squinted her eyes, making it seem as though flowers were blossoming all around us.

The girl seemed to scatter blooming flowers wherever she went. It was my first time seeing her in her full court robe and her headmaid who was well aware of her vibrant spirit had emphasized the brilliance in the embroidery all over her clothes.

“Black Princess… if someone sees you…”

“Don’t worry. Ehem. I am very good at moving stealthily.”

“But, just in case…”

That was when it happened.

Boom!

“Hey, Taepyung! You’re here! I heard some crazy talk about you fighting with the special unit members! Let’s grab a drink and you can share some of your heroic tales… Black Princess!!!”

At that moment, my friend Wang Han burst through the kitchen door as if he was going to break it down. He was chattering and shouting merrily before he bowed his head in a smooth and practiced motion as if it were all part of a seamless sequence of movements.

I also felt it wasn’t the time for casual greetings, so I quickly got down on my knees and bowed my head.

“What brings you to the White Immortal Palace? If you had informed us beforehand, we could have prepared…”

“Eh? No, I didn’t come for any formal reception so it doesn’t matter~. But speaking of which, Tae Pyeong-ah, who is this one…?”

“Th-The address is incorrect. You should call me Warrior Seol or simply Warrior…”

“Hmm… The laws of the palace are indeed complicated…”

I kept my head bowed as I spoke.

“This is… Wang Han, the scribe of the White Immortal Palace and my longtime friend…”

“Th…. That is right…”

“Oh… a longtime friend…. Come to think of it, it seems I have no proper friends of my own age since I’ve been wandering around the White Immortal Mountain…”

The way she was seated casually at the table made her look more like a cheerful young girl than a princess consort.

The problem was, even just looking at her splendid court robes, it was clear her status was entirely different from the rest of us.

“When I sent a letter to ask, I found out that Tae Pyeong-ah… I mean, Warrior Seol is the same age as me.”

“Th-That is right, but…”

“Then, be my friend as well.”

“……”

“……”

The world’s first third-rate warrior to befriend the crown princess consort of the country.

Just the thought of it was enough to make me feel dizzy.

Still… this might be considered fairly better than other situations.

“How… can a third-rate warrior be friends with a crown princess according to the palace laws? That would undermine the authority of the Black Princess too much…”

“Ah… now that you’re in Cheongdo Palace, you start questioning the laws… Well, I am now one of the consorts, so I guess I need to get used to these laws too …”

The concepts she held during her days mostly as a commoner needed to be discarded.

Headmaid An Rim must have told her this repeatedly. The Black Princess seemed to have some grasp of it, but she still sighed heavily.

I discreetly raised my head to observe the expressions of Wang Han and Yeon Ri.

Their faces had long since lost color and their fingers were trembling.

It seemed like they were holding back the urge to ask what exactly was going on by biting their tongues.

“Ah, it’s a good thing it ended with just a beating. It would have been terrible if I hadn’t preached at that tea gathering to help you out.”

“…Huh?”

The Black Princess said this with the most innocently cheerful smile in the world.

“The favor I owe to Tae Pyeong-ah… I mean, to Warrior Seol is not just one or two… So I thought about what I could do, and at the tea gathering, I bowed deeply and asked the other princess consorts for help!”

The color now had completely drained from Yeon Ri and Wang Han’s faces.

And perhaps from mine as well.

“The Vermilion Princess and the Azure Princess turned out to be so compassionate and understanding…! They rolled up their sleeves and stepped in to help when they heard about my situation…! The White Princess, on the other hand, was a bit more cautious and observed the situation… Hmm…. well, I can’t really blame her… the circumstances justified it.”

“Did you ask for help… from the other mistresses of the Four Great Palaces?”

“Yes! Normally, the relations among the four princess consorts aren’t that good…. this is what I heard at least… but surprisingly, they were willing to help me. It just goes to show, you never know until you try!”

In short, the Vermilion Princess and the Azure Princess took action and had a hand in reducing my sentence.

A sense of inexplicable fear swept through me.

“Now that I think about it, those two have quite a favorable opinion of you… Maybe before we met, you had some kind of…”

“Black Princess, I apologize for interrupting you given my status. However, there is something I must tell you…”

I was sweating profusely and swallowing dryly as I spoke.

As I grew serious, the Black Princess also flinched and looked at me with tense eyes.

“Wh-What is it? Why are you making such a serious face?”

“…. Do you remember what I told you before?”

“We’ve had more than just a few words.”

“…. That you shouldn’t fall for me…”

At that, Yeon Ri and Wang Han flinched again. It was obvious they wanted to ask if I really said that myself. At this point, I wanted to die again, but I held it in and continued the conversation.

“…. It was definitely a line that would make anyone’s face crumple.”

“That, that wasn’t just me being overly self-conscious…”

“……?”

“…D-Don’t be surprised. This, this, this is a story that can be confirmed directly by these two… It is certainly not my imagination being overly big…”

“…….”

I took a deep breath and then spoke.

“The Vermilion Princess and the Azure Princess seem to be harboring romantic feelings for me… This poses a great crisis for me…”

Silence lingered for a moment.

Inside the quiet kitchen.

Wang Han, who had probably been forewarned by Yeon Ri, did not seem surprised, although his complexion was still pale. As for Yeon Ri, there was nothing more to say.

And the Black Princess was quietly mulling over my words.

“…….”

The atmosphere remained quiet for a while.

After a while, she got up from the table, knelt down beside me, and bowed her head.

Then she rolled up the sleeve of her court robe and placed her hand on my forehead as she spoke.

“Have you seen the physician…?”

The sincerity in her concern only made me feel worse.

“… Wow. This is the first time I’ve seen someone blurt out such an unlucky story about being too popular.”

After hearing the situation, the Black Princess nodded her head. She surprisingly understood that this was indeed a serious problem.

“At the time, I wondered why you would make such an absurd remark… Indeed, for you, it must have been a serious problem.”

“……”

“But even so, saying things like ‘don’t fall for me’ with your own mouth… isn’t very easy. I’m not sure if it should be considered honest or rather crude…”

The location was behind the White Immortal Palace.

The Black Princess had apparently entered the White Immortal Palace through this nearly silent area.

She was a girl who could swiftly climb onto any building’s roof and run along the walls. It seemed that even the warriors of the Red Palace could not stand guard all the way to the sky.

Having been away from the Black Tortoise Palace for too long was something she felt guilty about, so the Black Princess looked around near the fence in order to return.

Then she spoke to me.

“Anyway, when I entered this palace, I started to feel a little more at ease; it’s quite a strange feeling.”

“…. You should maintain a dignified tone of speech.”

“What does it matter? There’s nobody around to see. Besides, it’s fine to be informal at times like this.”

“……”

“Come on, try it. ‘Take care, see you next time’.”

“Black Princess…”

The Black Princess crossed her arms and shook her head as if she was feeling down.

“This Cheongdo Palace requires dignity wherever you go, and everyone is so formal, there’s no one my age to be friends with. So I thought maybe I could consider Tae Pyeong a close friend…”

“That could lead to serious consequences.”

“Right. After hearing your story, this might be detrimental to Tae Pyeong as well.”

“You should call me Warrior Seol.”

“I don’t want to. There’s no one listening anyway.”

“……”

The Black Princess was skilled at acting. So, it should be unlikely that loosening up a bit in private would lead to mistakes in more important situations.

However, that was one thing, and this was another. A crown princess consort trying to be friends with a third-rate warrior was something that simply should not exist in the world.

“Well, I can somewhat understand Tae Pyeong’s position. It must be troubling for you, so I’ll leave it at that.”

“……”

“It seems you’re entangled in all sorts of emotional turmoil, so as a friend, I should probably applaud your efforts to cope with the situation.”

When I saw her smiling face, I closed my eyes tightly. It was a relief that she understood.

“Hmm… Still, it’s a bit disappointing.”

“Huh?”

“Since there’s no one listening anyway, how about calling out ‘Hwa Ryeong-ah~’ just once?”

“…If there’s someone listening, that would be a big problem.”

“What does it matter? The White Immortal Palace is always an empty place anyway. Now, now……call me ‘Hwa Ryeong-ah~’ warmly like you would to an old friend. I think it would be really fun. It’s been my dream to have such a close friend. Right?”

Treating people like toys. It seems sitting on the throne really changes a person.

I stifled a laugh as her demand seemed to reflect her newfound authority.

If I were to awkwardly utter the name of Po Hwa Ryeong, she would probably laugh uproariously at my uncomfortable expression and then apologize before casually expressing her thanks. That’s the kind of person Black Princess Po Hwa Ryeong was.

Watching this whole process unfold was a blow to my pride, but the fact that it was difficult and uncomfortable to say that name remained unchanged.

Still, since it seemed like no one was listening, it was better to just get it over with. I should hurry and send the Black Princess back to the Black Tortoise Palace after all.

“Hwa…”

“Pfft…!”

“……”

“……”

It was really irritating to see her huffing and puffing while holding back her laughter… But since I had been instructed to do so, I decided it was best to give it my all. I put as much force as possible into my voice and spoke in a subdued tone.

“…Hwa Ryeong-ah.”

“……”

There was a brief silence.

The reaction was different from my expectation of her bursting into joyful laughter and making a fuss.

Po Hwa Ryeong reacted as if she was struck by an unexpected blow; her pupils shook once before she suddenly swept up her sleeve to cover her lower face. Then, her eyes trembled as she looked down.

It was a reaction as if she had been stabbed with a knife, so it was much different from what I expected. Naturally, I was somewhat taken aback.

“……”

“… Black Princess?”

“Ah, n-no… I was just surprised because it wasn’t what I expected. I didn’t know you would set such a mood before calling out my name. After all, whatever you do, you always manage to create the right atmosphere perfectly.”

“…I didn’t set any mood, though.”

“Being polite and then switching to informal speech, it really does feel different. Anyway, I should get going now! The headmaid must be worried about me!”

She hurriedly climbed over the fence as if in a rush to escape.

“Th-Then, goodbye!”

The Black Princess left without a proper farewell and dashed away.

Her haste to return to the Black Tortoise Palace was clear, and I too failed to see her off properly. It might be considered a great discourtesy for a warrior of the White Immortal Palace, but fortunately, there was no one to see it and she didn’t seem to mind such things.

“……”

But a chilling sensation seemed to creep along my spine.

…Despite it clearly being spring.

TN: The “-ah” attached at the end of Korean names means that person is very close to you. Just like when Seol Ran calls Seol Tae Pyeong by, “Tae Pyeong-ah”