Chapter – 16.
When You Feel Bad, Forward to Sugar
Tanghulu.
It was a Chinese snack made by dipping hawthorn berries in sugar and letting it harden.
As it became trendy, fruits like strawberries and green grapes were skewered instead of hawthorn berries.
In short, it’s a skewer of fruit dipped in sugar.
It was a direct ticket to diabetes.
‘That’s why I never got to eat it even once.’
If it had been popular when I was just a year younger, I would have enjoyed it often.
But for Amang, who used to collapse frequently from overwork, Tanghulu was…
A food she must not eat!
‘Damn it.’
Why didn’t they make zero-sugar Tanghulu or something!
Goodbye to those past days of shouting.
Why?
Because there’s a mountain of Tanghulu piled up before my eyes!
“Did you want to eat this that much?”
“Yes! As expected, Consort Huajing is the best!”
“Is that so? Eat a lot.”
This was Sujeong Palace, the residence of Consort Huajing (華靖妃), Myo-hee.
Amang and Geumjin, who had been dragged here without knowing how, marveled at the mountain of Tanghulu.
“C-Can we really eat all of this?”
“Of course.”
“We will eat it gratefully.”
Geumjin, still polite, bowed respectfully.
Amang was already holding a skewer, her eyes sparkling.
‘It should be fine, right? This body is young!’
Amang, who just moments ago had cloth pressed to her palm, forgot all about the pain.
If it had been her original body, Yeong-eun’s, she couldn’t have even imagined it.
That body… was truly rotten.
It would collapse at the slightest exertion, and since she was in the diabetes risk group, she never even properly ate a single piece of chocolate.
Her stamina was so poor that she’d be out of breath after running just 1 meter.
‘Of course, it was also my fault for not taking care of it.’
The mistakes of her past life—drinking coffee instead of meals and sitting all day studying only—came back like a boomerang.
Had she known this would happen, she should have exercised more.
Still, dying young at 24 was a bit much!
‘Thanks to that, it’s a new life now.’
Amang put a sugar-coated strawberry into her mouth.
The crunch of the shattering sugar and the fruit juice of the strawberry spreading on her tongue!
It was so delicious her eyes shot open involuntarily.
“Geumjin. Have you tried this?”
“Huh?”
“Eat it. Eat it quickly. Hurry up!”
“Yes!”
Geumjin, who had been hesitating with a skewer in hand, quickly took a bite.
Urged on by Amang, she became impatient too.
Geumjin’s expression, which had been frowning as she chewed the strawberry, brightened.
“It’s… it’s a heavenly taste!”
“Right? I told you—”
The two children, tasting such sweetness for the first time in their lives, inhaled the Tanghulu as if hiding it from others.
As if competing, they snatched up skewers, even though no one was trying to take them away.
In less than 20 minutes after entering Sujeong Palace, the Tanghulu was all gone.
“Was it that delicious?”
“Yes! It’s so good I’d want to eat a hundred every day!”
Consort Huajing, who was sipping tea, laughed behind her sleeve.
Her eyes, curved like crescent moons, looked at Amang.
‘Ah. Did I eat too much?’
Coming to her senses, she saw the plate was empty.
She had lost her mind over the taste of Tanghulu, experienced for the first time.
Wiping the sugar from the corner of her mouth, Amang thought.
‘Did I like sweet things this much?’
Even a single piece of chocolate would make her feel sick.
If she consumed a tiny amount of simple sugars, she’d be bedridden that day.
The sweet snacks popular on the internet had nothing to do with Amang.
Because her body wouldn’t accept them.
Did she like sweet things?
That question itself was wrong.
Amang’s original body was one that shouldn’t eat such things.
What was dessert for others was poison for Amang’s original body!
‘Has synchronization occurred?’
Normally, by this point, her tongue should be numb and sore.
Her stomach should ache or feel nauseous; that would be proper.
Yet even after eating all that Tanghulu, her body was fine.
It seemed Amang’s body absorbed sugar well.
‘As expected, is a ten-year-old’s body different?’
Still, she should take care of it.
Having personally experienced the pain of illness later in life, nothing is as important as health.
“I didn’t know Amang and Geumjin were such close friends.”
“Th-that!”
“Huh?”
“Yes, that’s right. We are close!”
Geumjin, who was about to tactlessly say ‘We are not close!’, was poked in the side by Amang.
Geumjin flinched and ended up flopping forward.
“Geumjin is going to be my close friend!”
“Close friend?”
“Yes!”
At those words, Consort Huajing laughed again.
What is it, is she teasing us?
With that kind and innocent face?
Amang observed Consort Huajing closely.
She was the only consort who had helped Amang during the lecture.
She probably also stood up when Yeol-bin was spouting nonsense about Amang.
‘Is she a friendly faction, then?’
Why?
Amang had no power whatsoever.
‘Does she have no children?’
Taking in Amang, who has no birth mother, as an adopted daughter to raise.
This hypothesis seemed plausible enough.
But even this was just a hypothesis.
Amang’s birth mother was currently presumed deceased.
Since she had no adoptive mother either, she would belong to Jayeom Palace, the Empress’s residence.
All of the Emperor’s children are also the Empress’s children.
‘Is there really none? Not even one?’
Is it trendy for the consorts here to have no children?
Well, it would be troublesome if that personality was hereditary.
‘Maybe it’s good to uproot it.’
It would be very problematic if that gene spread widely throughout the world.
Amang shuddered, recalling Emperor Mu, who would brandish his sword at any time.
“Looking at you two reminds me of the children who left the palace.”
Ah.
So she did have children.
‘Well, it doesn’t make sense for someone who’s reached the rank of Consort to have no children.’
It seemed her children were already grown and no longer in the imperial palace.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Unlike the Empress or Yeol-bin, Consort Huajing seemed at ease.
Her children had already left the palace to live new lives, and she was sitting in the position of Consort, living peacefully.
Finally, all the kindness made sense.
A generous heart accompanies a mind at ease.
“What are they like?”
She didn’t know if they were older brothers or sisters.
Amang subtly tried to gather information.
“Hmm. The Prince was intelligent but gentle, and the Princess was quite brave. She sometimes even climbed over the wall to leave the palace.”
Is this hereditary too?
It reminded her of a certain aspiring ninja who climbed trees.
“Where are they now?”
“Well…”
The answer was more vague than she expected.
‘Aren’t they living well outside the palace?’
After that, silence fell over Sujeong Palace.
It felt like she had asked something she shouldn’t have.
Ah, she had to break this atmosphere somehow.
“Um, Consort Huajing…”
“Thank you for the meal.”
Geumjin was the first to speak up.
‘You quick-witted kid. You thought the same thing, huh?’
Amang and Geumjin briefly made eye contact.
Without a moment’s delay, they both sprang to their feet.
“Ah, we have somewhere to be.”
“Where are you going?”
“Well……”
Practice makes perfect when it comes to lying!
Amang had no experience lying in her life.
Even if she had, it was quickly discovered.
“We decided to go to the garden. Her Highness said she wanted to swing.”
Oh, this kid knows how to lie a bit!
‘So that’s how he’s using the “let’s go swing” line.’
No wonder he’s favored by Chief Gold!
Geumjin said it smoothly without batting an eye.
“Is that so? What a pity. It was just getting lively here in Sujeong Palace after so long.”
Honestly, it might have been genuine goodwill.
It’s not like only villains reside in the imperial palace.
‘It never hurts to be careful.’
This was a place where today’s ally could become tomorrow’s enemy.
A place filled with people who would stab you in the back with a smiling face.
How did she know?
‘Because it’s the same in real life!’
Palace intrigue isn’t something that only appears in books.
Look around, and you’ll find many people trying to take advantage of others.
Realizing that is the first truth of life.
“We’ll come again next time!”
“Oh? Really?”
“Of course!”
It’s a lie.
She wouldn’t set foot near Sujeong Palace ever again.
Amang nodded with the face of an angel whose inside and outside didn’t match.
“Since meeting Consort Huajing like this is also fate!”
Consort Huajing smiled faintly.
That figure seemed familiar somehow.
It was like a face she had glimpsed long ago.
‘Is there someone who looks like her?’
No one came to mind right now.
‘There’s no way such a gentle beauty would be in my surroundings.’
Back then, everyone was withering under the barrage of assignments.
If a face like that had been around, she would have been cast immediately.
A beauty adorned with lavish jewelry.
A high nose bridge, large eyes, and well-defined lips.
Just looking at her made one’s jaw drop.
‘The Emperor is enviable.’
If that face seemed familiar, she must resemble some celebrity.
Amang didn’t think much of it.
For now, the important thing was getting out of Sujeong Palace safely.
‘At least she didn’t offer us poisoned snacks like someone else.’
What if the Tanghulu was poisoned? Probably not.
If it was poisoned, she should have had a reaction by now.
More than anything, Amang didn’t want to suspect Consort Huajing.
She was the only adult who had helped her during the lecture.
‘Still, it doesn’t feel bad.’
It wasn’t entirely unsettling. After all, she had eaten her fill of the mountain of Tanghulu.
The moment they left Sujeong Palace, Geumjin let out a sigh.
It was a sigh of relief.
“Were you nervous?”
“You call that a question! I was so surprised!”
“About coming to Sujeong Palace?”
“About Your Highness falling!”
How forceful.
Amang blinked her wide-open eyes.
Geumjin’s face flushed red as he pondered his own words.
“Really? Truly? You were worried about me? Why, exactly? Why would you be worried?”
“Well!”
“Could it be you…?”
“If Your Highness gets hurt, I will be suspected!”
Ah, what. Amang, whose excitement deflated, became indifferent.
Teasing him was fun, but now she lost interest.
“Is that all? I thought…”
She felt pleased for nothing, only to be let down.
Amang walked ahead with her hands behind her back.
After a few steps, she turned back to look at Geumjin.
Geumjin hadn’t moved a single step.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“…Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Huh?”
What kind of sudden nonsense is this now.
“What thanks?”
“Thanks to you, I got to eat Tanghulu… and it was enjoyable.”
Geumjin hesitated, his head bowed deeply.
He fidgeted with his fingers, glancing at Amang’s expression.
At the sight, Amang screamed internally.
‘So cute!’
That’s right. Amang had already become a fan of Geumjin….
