Chapter – 39
Are You Enjoying This?
The firm resolution I had made did not last long.
A-mang, sitting in a daze, was filled with regret.
‘Are you really crazy? What are you trying to do?’
Everything in the world was divided into two categories:
Things you could do, and things you couldn’t.
A-mang had committed the insane act of choosing the latter.
‘Sigh.’
Nothing but sighs came out.
The problems kept growing bigger, but in reality, nothing was getting solved.
It wasn’t even a game, yet quests poured in like a flood.
‘Is there no status window or something around here?’
If this were a game, there would at least be things like stamina, equipment, or items for leveling up… but…
‘No way such things exist.’
Everything had to be solved by A-mang’s own strength.
External help? There was absolutely none.
The difficulty was really tough.
Still, A-mang did not avoid it.
Because she had someone to help her now.
‘Your Highness is truly magnificent! As you have earned the full trust of Consort So, this lowly one also aspires to become such a person!’
‘You did well, Your Highness. Rather than always staying in Yeon-yeong Palace, mingling with the concubines can help develop social skills and is good for education. Since His Majesty cherishes Your Highness, you can mingle with them without any reservations.’
Nan and Geum-jin praised A-mang from their respective perspectives.
It was a bit embarrassing… but an uneasy feeling arose that it might not be of much practical help.
‘Well, good is good.’
A-mang decided to think positively.
Negative emotions were of no help whatsoever!
“You seem to be feeling a bit better now.”
“This servant was already in a good mood, you know?”
“A-mang, all your emotions are written on your face.”
As A-mang stopped her thoughts, Emperor Mu made a quip.
That’s right.
A-mang was currently in a counseling session with Emperor Mu.
“But what’s the use of this? It’s like a child’s play.”
“Originally, all counseling begins with play.”
“Are you not deceiving Zhen?”
Has she really just been fooled all this time?
A-mang’s expression instantly turned grim.
“If we don’t do it like this, Father won’t give proper answers.”
On the table between A-mang and Emperor Mu, wooden blocks were placed. It was a simple game of stacking them up one by one.
However, the person who caused the stack to collapse had to answer the given question with complete honesty!
‘His self-defense mechanisms are so damn severe that I have to go this far.’
In fact, this was a play therapy method for infants’ language and cognitive development.
Since Emperor Mu’s mental age seemed to be stuck around that level, A-mang took special measures.
‘It’s not like he’d know anyway.’
How could he know? Even if he did, what could he do? Emperor Mu was already A-mang’s client receiving counseling.
“Aren’t you nervous about what questions Zhen might ask you?”
“Hah, not at all. This servant hasn’t really done anything wrong, you know?”
“Is that so? I wonder if you’ll remain this carefree in the future as well.”
The eight wooden blocks stacked neatly were stable.
Usually, they wouldn’t collapse until about ten.
They just wobbled a little.
Emperor Mu smirked and placed a wooden block diagonally. The straight, upright pile wobbled slightly.
“How do you even do that?”
“There’s no rule against it, is there?”
Wow, going all out against a ten-year-old, how despicable?
Is this a father?
A-mang carefully placed a wooden block at the very end.
The wobbling grew more intense, and the carefully built stack came crashing down.
‘Haha.’
I’m done.
Seeing that sinister smile curling at the corner of Emperor Mu’s lips made A-mang’s mind go blank.
‘Bring it on.’
If you think you can do something, just try! Unlike some people, A-mang had no secrets, nothing to hide.
Even if Emperor Mu asked about her activities, she had plenty to say!
Ah, well, maybe that would be a bit problematic.
“Hmm. What should I ask?”
“If you don’t have anything, shall we move on?”
“Then it would be a waste. Rules must be followed.”
He won’t fall for that.
A-mang was dripping cold sweat, anxiously staring at Emperor Mu’s lips.
“What about making Geum-jin your personal attendant? Would you like that?”
“Is that the question?”
“Answer.”
“Of course I would. What kind of question is that? Hasn’t this servant told you repeatedly! I need a friend.”
“Even more than being with Zhen?”
What’s wrong with this person?
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Is that so. So this old father should just tend to state affairs?”
“Ehei, what are you saying? This servant is hurt!”
A-mang roughly acted the part of a filial daughter who loved her father, and Emperor Mu’s expression softened.
Was he… jealous? Of Geum-jin?
‘Am I the crazy one?’
A person so cold and rational it made you doubt he had a heart… feeling jealous?
That was impossible.
It was more likely for the Earth to split in half.
“Let’s stack them again.”
“Is that the end?”
“Can I ask more?”
“Of course not! Rules are rules, aren’t they?!”
She hurriedly moved on to the next round. A-mang steeled her resolve.
‘I won’t go easy this time.’
She meant it.
If this continued, she might not get to ask Emperor Mu a single question before the counseling ended.
A-mang poured her heart and soul into barely placing the wooden blocks.
After several exchanges like that, the precarious balance of the thirteen stacked wooden blocks was broken.
‘Got it.’
Now, it was unpredictable who would be caught.
But A-mang had a rough idea.
That the blocks would fall from Emperor Mu’s hand!
“Oh dear.”
And that wish came true.
A-mang almost jumped up from her seat and let out a shout.
“Alright. What are you so curious about?”
“Why haven’t you visited Consort So? You must know she is pregnant.”
“Why do you care about that?”
“Because I’m curious!”
She knew he wouldn’t be a devoted husband. It was natural since he wasn’t the type to attentively care for his wives.
But if he had even a shred of human decency, shouldn’t he at least show his face?
‘Does he know something?’
A-mang looked at Emperor Mu with suspicious eyes.
“Must I definitely visit?”
“Even though it’s my sibling?”
“Hmm, who knows if it will even be born?”
How beautifully he puts it.
“Consort So might be waiting for you, Father.”
“A-mang. You really like Consort So, don’t you?”
“This servant is lonely because she has no mother.”
“Even with Zhen here?”
“As a mother?”
Emperor Mu let out a short laugh.
How absurd that this conversation was between father and daughter.
‘A sense of reality is hitting me.’
In the end, she didn’t get a proper answer.
Emperor Mu, with his severe self-defense, slipped away like an eel once again.
“So you ended up not answering?”
“Rules are rules, so shall I speak honestly?”
“Yes!”
“There seem to be little rats in the imperial palace.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“Let’s stack again.”
No, what is this!
Without giving a proper answer, just spouting cryptic remarks, Emperor Mu acted completely innocent.
‘What does that even mean?!’
Please, speak in a way people can understand.
A-mang pouted and rearranged the wooden blocks.
She didn’t quite have the courage to refute him.
This time, it was A-mang’s turn again.
Emperor Mu asked a question without even taking a breath.
“Why did you help Consort So?”
“I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”
“Is it such a big deal if one concubine in the rear palace isn’t favored?”
“This servant… wants a sibling!”
Life is hard, seriously.
“Hmm, is that so? A sibling, you say.”
“Let’s move on.”
“Is there a reason you must see a sibling from Consort So specifically?”
“Only one question is allowed at a time. Ask next time.”
“Sneakily avoiding the answer again.”
That’s the rule!
A-mang struggled to swallow the sigh threatening to escape.
The meaningless block-stacking continued. The moments were so boring she wondered how long she had to keep doing this.
‘Get a grip.’
What A-mang was curious about were the things Emperor Mu tried to hide.
For instance, the events from his time as a prince, the situation before he massacred his brothers and his birth mother.
‘If I can just figure that out, I’ll be free too!’
Vaguely, A-mang had labeled Emperor Mu’s cognitive behavior as trauma or PTSD.
But making a diagnosis in an uncertain state was more harmful than helpful.
‘Because you get trapped in generalizations.’
That person has that diagnosis, so they’ll act that way.
Unconscious judgments like that blurred the essence of counseling.
Above all, A-mang was not a psychiatrist.
How much time had passed?
The intricately stacked wooden blocks wobbled precariously.
A-mang held her breath and slowly placed a wooden block.
Just as she managed to place it, the blocks that had been wobbling momentarily stopped.
‘Done!’
At that moment, A-mang’s outstretched hand… brushed against the very bottom wooden block.
Everything came crashing down.
Everything.
“This will be the last question, it seems.”
“…Go ahead.”
“Why Consort So, of all people?”
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Is that so?”
“Her long eyelashes flutter every time she blinks, it’s a sight to behold. Her delicate features within her painted eyes remind one of a heavenly fairy. Honestly, if I were reborn, I’d want to be born with Consort So’s face.”
“Breathe while you’re talking.”
A-mang snapped back to her senses.
She had unknowingly gone too far.
But, but!
‘Consort So is just too beautiful!’
She was A-mang’s perfect type.
“A-mang. I hear little rats have been sneaking into the imperial palace lately.”
“Little rats?”
That statement seemed to refer to the rats that died daily in Unseok Palace.
…Or perhaps it referred to rat-like people.
“That’s right. Not just one, but several, making them hard to root out.”
“Is that so?”
“A-mang. Do you know something?”
Emperor Mu occasionally made incomprehensible remarks.
No matter how much A-mang racked her brain to understand their meaning, Emperor Mu never gave her the answer.
‘Is it some new kind of psychological test?’
That thought was brief. Emperor Mu flicked A-mang’s forehead as she looked up at him with clear, bright eyes.
“Sometimes a trap catches everything.”
“A trap?”
“That’s right. You’ll have to catch that troublesome rat for me.”
“Me?”
Why?
She barely managed to hold back the retort that was about to come out.
“Zhen will lend you a person. They’ll be useful.”
A tall man stood imposingly before A-mang.
He bowed respectfully, observing proper etiquette towards the princess.
It was Emperor Mu’s bodyguard, Yi So.
