Chapter – 10.
The Butterfly Seeks Honey…
The other party was a tyrant.
A-Mang recalled the descriptions about Emperor Mu from Episode 1.
One who pacified everything with the tip of his sword, cruel, reeking of blood.
The numerous embellishments attached to the word ‘tyrant’ were excessive.
“You never fail to amuse Zhen, one way or another.”
Given the temperament of a tyrant, his patience must be low.
She had roughly guessed it from the sentence completion test, but it seemed his patience was even lower than she thought.
‘And yet, he’s tolerating me.’
Why?
A-Mang rolled her eyes as she formulated hypotheses.
He’s genuinely curious about his own diagnosis/illness name.
He loved his birth mother, Consort Hwanyeong, too much.
He finds A-Mang endearing.
Hypothesis number 3 was boldly discarded for now.
‘If he loved me, he would have put the sword away in the first place.’
Still, hadn’t he just helped her in the garden when she was in danger?
The other party was none other than the Empress.
If it hadn’t been for Emperor Mu, who else could have intervened so easily?
Shouldn’t she at least say thank you?
“Thank you for helping this subject in the garden earlier.”
“Help? Zhen, help you?”
“Pardon?”
“Impossible.”
Huh? Then why did he get her out of there?
A-Mang blinked rapidly.
Emperor Mu let out a pfft—a chuckle.
It was a laugh of certainty.
“Why on earth would Zhen help a mere Princess like you?”
Ah, right.
She had forgotten that.
‘This guy’s personality is twisted in the worst way!’
The other party was someone against whom any force was useless, and who could subdue her in an instant.
The cruel prince who roamed the battlefields.
That was Emperor Mu’s former title.
Nowadays, uttering such nicknames would mean the extermination of three generations of one’s family.
“Whatever the reason, it was a help to this subject.”
“Is that so? Then express your gratitude even more.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve heard that princesses sometimes prepare sweet treats for their fathers.”
“Pardon?”
“Of course, Zhen won’t eat anything A-Mang makes.”
What is wrong with this guy?
So now, A-Mang was in danger of having to personally make desserts and present them to Emperor Mu.
He even declared outright that he wouldn’t eat them!
‘Then what’s the point?’
They say a pretty tteok (rice cake) is also good to eat.
Is he telling her to make it just for show?
Or is he telling her to put poison in it and try to make him happy?
It was too difficult to understand his true meaning.
“But, Father, this subject is only ten years old.”
“So?”
The words “Are you really telling me to do it myself?” rose to her throat.
But the Emperor’s word is an imperial command.
‘What a nuisance.’
To keep her neck from getting chopped off, A-Mang neatly placed her hands together.
She bowed her head politely before him.
“How could this subject refuse?”
“That’s more like it.”
It’s not Valentine’s Day or White Day, and he wants her to make sweet food?
‘May your teeth get stuck eating tanghulu!’
It was a curse disguised as a non-curse from A-Mang.
Having to cook, something not in her destiny.
If this isn’t torture, what is?
But if she refuses and says she doesn’t want to…
This small body would be chopped to pieces.
‘I don’t want that!’
She had just gotten used to this body.
Sometimes A-Mang thought about her previous life-like reality.
Then, what happened to her real body?
Young Eun-ung’s real body.
“Then Zhen will look forward to it. Stay well.”
A greeting that didn’t suit him at all?
Emperor Mu’s large hand pressed down on A-Mang’s head for a moment.
Thanks to that, A-Mang fell forward and scraped her nose.
Faint laughter could be heard from outside Yeonyeong Palace.
‘That guy, for real!’
She had barely escaped one crisis only to face a new tribulation.
The three hypotheses A-Mang had set up were completely shattered.
Instead, another answer flashed through her mind.
He’s just teasing me because it’s fun!
Yes, it had to be this one.
“Your Highness! Are you alright?”
“I’m…”
“You’re not hurt, are you? Oh my!”
Nan, who had rushed over immediately, checked on A-Mang’s condition.
It seemed she had been stomping her feet anxiously outside.
Nan was startled when she saw the small cut on A-Mang’s cheek.
It was a mark from where the guard’s sword had lightly grazed her earlier.
“I’ll go prepare some medicine right away.”
“Don’t go.”
A-Mang grabbed the hem of Nan’s clothes.
Her small body could barely support itself, almost on the verge of collapsing.
Nan held A-Mang in her arms and stroked her head.
A-Mang’s eyelids grew heavy, nodding off.
Like someone at the end of their life.
“Ah, our poor Princess! If Lady Bi were still alive, you wouldn’t have to suffer such humiliation!”
In Nan’s eyes, it looked like this:
A tyrant bullying a young princess.
Every time, using his guards and the sword at his waist to threaten the ten-year-old princess.
The ignorant princess could only tremble in fear, constantly begging for her life…
Go ahead, write a novel, why don’t you.
‘What on earth is she imagining?’
A-Mang’s small palm covered Nan’s cheek.
“Your Highness.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Pardon?”
“A snack, please.”
After these final words, A-Mang’s hand dropped into the air.
Thud.
Not dead, just out of energy (sugar crash).
‘It’s exhausting.’
She had used up her daily quota trying to cater to Emperor Mu’s whims.
It was social interaction she had to do every day.
Equipping a kind smile, acting competent while wearing a mask, asking to be entrusted with tasks while knowing nothing—it had been a week.
‘Work where your life is on the line is truly exhausting.’
The day spent wearing this strange hair with bells was the worst.
What was even worse was that the day wasn’t over yet.
She had to prepare for tomorrow’s consultation.
No time for this.
She tried hard to get up, but collapsed again.
“The sweets!”
“Here they are!”
In a hurry to placate the now-ferocious A-Mang, Nan promptly brought honey.
A-Mang, who practically poured the entire jar into her mouth, felt her mind grow hazy from the overwhelming sweetness.
“Yikes!”
It was a sweetness that jolted her mind awake.
“Please eat slowly.”
Nan wiped the honey smeared around A-Mang’s mouth.
Her palms were completely sticky, which felt extremely unpleasant.
“Oh dear, it got on your clothes too.”
Amidst this, she heard welcome words.
Nan, who was wiping A-Mang’s hair and sleeves with a handkerchief, shook her head.
“You must bathe immediately, Your Highness.”
This, too, was such welcome news!
A-Mang was led by Nan’s hand and practically thrown into the bath.
Steam rose in plumes.
It was a warmth that instantly melted away the tension.
Ah, refreshing.
Her body felt languid, and all the fatigue washed away.
That’s right.
The spirit of Eun-ung inside A-Mang was at an age where she would enjoy such things.
‘If it weren’t for this, I’d probably have started aging rapidly.’
Should she consider this fortunate?
Anyway, this body is ten years old, so her stamina should recover.
If she endures with mental strength, somehow it should work out, right?
She raised her arm and examined her skin.
A flawless, smooth body.
Even if she was treated as an afterthought, a noble princess was indeed different.
“What are you looking at so intently, Your Highness?”
“Nan. What kind of sweet foods are there?”
“Why do you ask, Your Highness?”
Can’t she just answer?
No, perhaps this was also part of Nan’s education, meant to foster a child’s creativity.
“Well. Because Father asked me to?”
“Pardon?”
Nan’s eyes sparkled for a moment.
“Your Highness! Let’s finish your bath and go to the Saenggwabang (Royal Kitchen/Confectionery Office)!”
“Saenggwabang?”
It was a vaguely familiar name.
It sounded familiar, but where had she heard it?
“It’s the place where the palace’s pastries and teas are made.”
“Ah! Then I can find out there?”
“Yes. We can also find out about the pastries and tea offered to His Majesty.”
Oho. This is some top-tier information.
As expected, a court lady who has been in the palace for 15 years is different, isn’t she?
‘Shall I take this chance to tour the imperial palace?’
I’ll do the consultation preparation later at night.
For some reason, she felt energy bubbling up—it felt like a good omen.
The Saenggwabang was, naturally, quite far from Yeonyeong Palace.
Yeonyeong Palace was located at a considerable distance from all other facilities in the imperial palace.
‘It’s because it’s a neglected palace.’
The garden she visited in the morning, the gathering place for the lecture—all were far from Yeonyeong Palace.
A sudden curiosity arose.
Was it like this even when Consort Hwanyeong was alive?
‘Maybe it was closer back then.’
For what reason did it become so distant?
She tried hard not to think about trivial matters.
But still!
‘It’s too hard!’
Her small body had a short stride.
Moreover, Nan, excited, had added various decorations, making her head heavy.
A-Mang glanced sideways at Nan.
“Your Highness! If you don’t watch where you’re going, you’ll fall!”
…It seems Nan isn’t overthinking things.
She’s even humming? Wow, she’s really excited, huh?
Patience, she’s being admirable, isn’t she?
After climbing the stairs, large buildings stood in rows.
This was the court where the Emperor conducted affairs with his ministers.
Turning right from there led to the offices responsible for food.
The problem was, she didn’t have the energy to get there!
“Your Highness!”
A-Mang, who plopped down right there, raised the white flag.
I can’t go any further!
“How strange, Your Highness. Before, you were full of energy, running around everywhere, weren’t you?”
She flinched for a moment.
Had she been found out for being out of shape and having no stamina?
But it’s just too hard!
Right now, A-Mang was wrapped in pink silk.
Three layers of it, no less.
Even if it was thin fabric, her delicate bones found it hard to bear.
“I’ll try to hang in there.”
On top of that, there were four hairpins in her hair.
It’s not like she’s going to a banquet.
She considered if Nan was a secret anti-fan, but decided it was better not to say anything.
A-Mang stood up again.
“Huh?”
Just then, a familiar figure caught her eye.
A short stature and a petite build.
Yet, the aura emanating from the back view was solemn.
Who was it again.
The person wearing a samo (official’s hat) turned around.
A youthful face, cute, small eyes.
“Geum Jin!”
A-Mang’s face lit up.
Forgetting all decorum, she shouted.
Thanks to that, all the ministers’ gazes turned in their direction.
“Isn’t that the Princess?”
“Why is someone from Yeonyeong Palace here?”
“Did she just call Geum Jin?”
“Is there some connection between them?”
The young ministers gathered in small groups, whispering.
The court was no different from the rear palace.
A-Mang went straight up to Geum Jin.
“Your Highness.”
Geum Jin knelt on one knee in greeting.
‘As expected, a gentle kid.’
He was number one on the list of people with promising futures.
The watching ministers looked at the Princess and the Minister of Astronomy’s grandson.
They were interested in what the Princess, who had suddenly appeared, would say.
Moreover, the Princess who had recently begun receiving Emperor Mu’s favor!
“Play with me!”
“Pardon?”
Geum Jin’s eyes lost their way for a moment.
