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Chapter – 33
Come Visit Me While I’m Sick
“What do you mean—Jin got soaked in the rain, but I’m the one who gets sick?!”
Amang felt terribly wronged.
She’d sensed something off around dawn.
Before going to sleep, Amang had snuggled into fresh, fluffy bedding.
Since she even checked the Imperial Archive, her side quest was effectively complete.
“When I wake up tomorrow, I’m going to Meteor Palace!”
She was planning to share the “Favor-Gaining Guide”—crude but somewhat helpful in its own way—that she saw in the archive.
Then she’d wash her hands of the matter entirely.
But then—
“Something’s wrong with my body.”
It was the first time in ages she’d felt this achy.
It wasn’t even morning yet, but when she got up, her back was soaked with cold sweat.
Amang hurriedly touched her forehead.
Her palm nearly burned.
“…Ha. Seriously.”
So that half-bald physician had been right after all.
Her body, already susceptible to colds, had been pushed too far because she couldn’t stay still—so now she’d come down with a fever.
Let’s just sleep. Sleeping will fix it.
Amang pulled the blanket up to her chin.
But the next day, her condition was even worse.
“Princess?”
“I… I’m sick.”
Nan, who came to check on Amang, found the princess on the verge of tears.
Amang’s cheeks were flush red, and her forehead felt like fire.
Yeonyeong Palace instantly burst into chaos.
“Doctor! Bring the imperial doctor at once!”
“The princess has a fever!”
Maids scrambled all over the palace.
Nan closed the curtains around the bed, then rushed off to boil medicine.
Amang’s head throbbed painfully.
I’m not going to die, right?
What if the tanghulu she ate yesterday was secretly poisoned? She knew it was impossible, but sickness muddled the mind.
Still… at least I’m not alone.
That was a luxury she normally couldn’t dream of.
Though it annoyed her that they wouldn’t let her move even when she wasn’t sick.
Maybe that’s why it hurts less.
Reality and truth blurred together.
But one thing was certain: Amang’s situation was far better than Yeong-eun’s.
Being sick alone was unbearably lonely.
“Princess, pardon me.”
With great effort, Amang opened her heavy eyelids as the curtain was drawn.
The imperial doctor took her pulse with practiced ease.
“You’ve caught a cold. Did you happen to be outside in cold wind or rain recently?”
Too many times to remember.
“Take the medicine and rest. You’ll recover quickly.”
After giving a familiar prescription, he withdrew.
Nan gently stroked Amang’s cheek, on the verge of tears.
“Princess, please rest well today.”
“Mm. I will.”
“The princess is very ill today! All of you must be especially attentive!”
Hey—just because I’m quiet doesn’t mean I’m dying…
Given Amang’s lifestyle, it wasn’t surprising.
Jumping out of windows, climbing trees at dawn, running around nonstop…
The real mystery was that she hadn’t gotten sick sooner.
Why had she pushed herself so hard?
Oh, right. Because of that damn tyrant.
Guess the tension finally broke.
Yesterday’s hallucination of Hwa-nyeong Consort in the archive had loosened her mind.
That was probably it.
Amang didn’t know the truth.
Nan’s not the type to blab either…
But something didn’t add up.
The memory wasn’t from Amang’s birth or her infancy—it was from long before that.
If it were something from after I was born, that could make sense…
Children forget most early memories, but traumatic images can linger.
Yeong-eun remembered something from when he was six.
Not everything—just one part.
The most shocking part.
Did someone tell me something like a folktale when I was young?
Amang peeked out through the curtain.
Though Yeonyeong Palace was old and quiet, the maids worked sincerely for her—feeding her, dressing her, treating her like a daughter.
At least that’s a relief.
Usually, an unwanted imperial princess was ignored even by her own servants.
Recently things were orderly because the emperor visited often, but before that? Who knew.
Wait—before that?
Were they always this affectionate?
To this ninja-wannabe princess?
Why?
One question spawned another, spiraling endlessly.
Forget it. Sleep.
Before her thoughts could wander further, Amang closed her eyes.
Her forehead still burned, and her head pounded.
Darkness swirled around her, floating figures drifting in the void.
Voices whispered—
“Princess! If you ever have worries… please call me! From today on, I am—your one and only attendant Jin!”
That was what Jin, freshly washed and dressed, had declared yesterday.
He was overflowing with loyalty.
And, well… the words stuck with her.
A faint smile crept onto Amang’s lips.
Such a gentleman.
He ranked number one among the people she looked forward to seeing grow up.
“Princess, your medicine.”
“…Okay.”
“Does it suit your taste? Shall I bring some sweets?”
“No. I want to sleep.”
After drinking the decoction, Amang lay back down immediately.
The nausea was unpleasant, but her young, healthy body endured it.
Youth really is great.
Even if she ran around all day, not a joint hurt.
But she still hated how easily she caught colds.
“Rest well.”
Nan tucked her in and stepped back.
Normally, Amang would throw a tantrum about drinking bitter medicine, insisting she wasn’t sick.
But today, something was different.
She looked… serene.
Almost like someone who had lived a long life.
Because of the portrait she saw?
But it was just a picture.
“If you feel unwell at all, please call for me.”
Nan closed the curtains and stayed nearby.
She remembered when Hwa-nyeong Consort was pregnant—wondering what the child would look like.
Probably just like her mother.
But this part… didn’t need to be inherited.
Seriously. Sleep.
Amang shut her eyes tight.
When the body aches and the mind is tired, sleep is the best escape.
Her body felt light, as if drifting into space.
Do people usually feel like this before sleeping?
Her legs twitched like they do when falling from a height.
Darkness peeled away—
And Amang opened her eyes.
This wasn’t reality.
Again, she stood in an unknown place.
Why is this happening to me?!
Being possessed was unfair enough—why did weird things keep happening since yesterday?
No time to think.
Because Amang was running.
Why?
Even that question was a luxury.
Her breath was ragged, lungs burning.
But one thing was clear:
Something was behind her.
Chasing her.
Through a dark, dense wilderness.
What IS this?!
Her bare feet brushed coarse leaves.
She was being hunted.
Alone, in this suffocating darkness.
As she became aware of the place, her senses sharpened.
The earthy scent, the soil beneath her feet, unfamiliar sounds, wind brushing through leaves—
…A lake?
Amang halted.
A glowing lake shimmered under the moonlight.
She gazed into the water—
And then—
What?
A figure in the reflection grabbed her shoulder.
It was herself.
“—Hah!”
Amang shot upright.
Cold sweat drenched her clothes.
What kind of insane dream was that?
Bad dreams happen when you’re sick, but this one left a sour taste.
It wasn’t real. It’s fine.
It was only a dream.
She exhaled shakily.
“Princess! Are you alright?!”
“I’m fine.”
She wiped her forehead and gave a stiff smile.
She looked exactly like someone who just had a nightmare.
Nan sagged with relief.
“Thank goodness. I thought something terrible had happened again.”
Again?
This had happened before?
“Princess, are you feeling better?”
“How is your body?”
Behind Nan stood two all-too-familiar figures.
What??
Why were So-beauty and Myeong here?!
“We heard you were ill, so I made porridge for you!”
“So-beauty prepared it herself! Over a blazing hot stove!”
Myeong emphasized herself.
Yes, yes, got it—
Why did they come HERE?!
So-beauty, cheeks slightly red, held up the box of porridge proudly.
“May… may I feed you?”
“…What?”
That’s a bit much.
“If you would allow it, it would be the princess’s greatest honor!”
“Indeed! You have a fever after all!”
Nan and Myeong agreed instantly—without consulting Amang at all.
Hello? The patient has desires too?!
It’s not like her hands were broken!
But her opinion was completely ignored.
Thus the bizarre scene unfolded.
So-beauty sat on the bed, handing her a spoonful of porridge.
I have hands, you know…
Amang swallowed both the porridge and her protest.
Complaining would only embarrass So-beauty.
Still… being this close to her face is nice…
Amang stared so long she forgot to swallow.
So-beauty tilted her head, and she gulped it down belatedly.
“Does it suit your taste?”
“It’s delicious! The best!”
Amang instinctively gave a thumbs-up.
So-beauty’s face brightened—a faint smile appearing.
She was beautiful even like this.
“Oh—I read the Favor-Gaining Guide.”
“The Favor-Gaining Guide?”
“Yes. I’m not sure how useful it is, but…”
Amang sniffled.
It was time to share the contents with So-beauty.
…How helpful it would be was debatable.
So-beauty’s large pupils sparkled at her..
