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Chapter : 22
Swarming Insects (2)
Jo-young had decided that today she would sneak out of Bisan Fortress.
Everyone thought she was sick, and because others were busy with different tasks, there were fewer people attending to the princess.
Moreover, there were many guests inside the fortress, which gave her the idea that slipping among them would make coming and going easier.
“Even in Haga, on days when there was a feast, things were chaotic enough to move around unnoticed.”
She had already snuck out many times before. The only thing she worried about was that she had nothing at hand to use.
“You never know what might happen, so carry at least something with you when you go outside. I don’t want you to leave, but you must stay safe wherever you are.”
His warning, as if foreseeing the future, came to mind. Jo-young tried hard to push that voice away.
“Still, I have to get out of here first. I can’t keep committing sins as the fake princess for the ruler any longer.”
She decided to think about money later and quietly slipped out of her quarters.
When Jo-young stepped outside, she was surprised at how bright the world was.
Lanterns hung from the eaves and tree branches like stars suspended in the sky, and the lanterns held by the maids guiding the guests were like fireflies.
The musicians’ performances were so sweet that even the noisy crowd sounded cheerful.
From this scene alone, it was clear how much effort the ruler had put into the banquet, but for Jo-young, who was trying to escape, it was an unwelcome situation.
“It’s so bright, I might stand out.”
She had intended to hide in the shadows, but it was hard with everything around her so illuminated.
Jo-young decided to head toward a dark pavilion far from the main hall.
Guests came and went at the entrance, but the soldiers would be more focused on checking the incoming guests. If she followed behind the maids of other guests, the soldiers probably wouldn’t recognize her face and would let her pass.
After a long detour, she approached the entrance and hid behind a tree.
“At least let me deliver the gift! Why can’t I?!”
A loud, arrogant, and unpleasant male voice rang out.
“Well, how many times do I have to tell you? Only invited guests may enter, and you’ve already said you wouldn’t accept gifts! Just take it and go!”
The argument had gone on long enough that even the soldiers were shouting, pleading with the man.
“I want to see Her Highness the Princess, but since that’s impossible, I just asked to deliver my gift. And yet you treat me with such disdain! You only have to hand it over!”
While the soldiers were busy handling him, this was the perfect chance for Jo-young to escape.
She cautiously stepped out and blended naturally into the crowd.
“If we deliver it, we’ll get scolded! It won’t work just because you insist, so leave!”
“You’re only refusing my gift! Am I insisting for no reason? I saw just now that the barbarian from the Nomam tribe was not invited either, yet they were allowed in!”
“Watch your words! That man is a messenger from the Nomam country!”
“Hmph! Who even recognizes the Nomam tribe’s kingdom? The court hasn’t accepted it yet—what messenger!”
The arrogantly mocking voice felt oddly familiar.
Jo-young raised her head to see the man’s face.
‘Ji Man-il!’
Her heart sank, and she quickly lowered her head.
But at that exact moment, he turned his head toward her, pointing with his finger, and their eyes met for an instant.
‘Did he see me?’
His gaze was in her direction, but did that really mean he saw her?
Still, she didn’t dare go toward the entrance where Ji Man-il stood, and quietly slipped away behind.
Then she heard:
“Huh? W-wait! That woman over there!”
She didn’t look back, but it seemed Ji Man-il had recognized her. Jo-young quickened her pace and disappeared into the crowd.
Her heart felt like it would burst from anxiety.
“Where have I seen that woman before? Who is she?”
“Oh dear! Just leave! Stop using a woman as an excuse! All the women inside were invited guests or attendants. The only suspicious person here is the minister outside!”
“Suspicious? Who’s suspicious!”
Thanks to the soldiers, she seemed to have escaped Ji Man-il’s attention.
The commotion of stopping him from entering had grown, but Jo-young had no choice but to retreat again.
‘I’ll wait until later when everyone is drunk and leaving.’
After a difficult detour, she returned to her quarters, but even here, it was chaotic.
The maids were searching for the missing princess.
‘I can’t be caught like this.’
Hiding in a corner to avoid being seen, she overheard a maid who was attending to medicinal decoctions fretfully talking:
“What should we do? The ruler is already troubled at the banquet because of the princess. If it becomes known she’s disappeared, it will be an even bigger problem.”
“Exactly. They said she’s too ill to move, so if she’s missing, what will our ruler do?”
“We have to find her quickly. People might come to pay a visit at any moment.”
“How dare they! Who are they to speak so!”
Then one maid lowered her voice and cautiously spoke:
“I actually overheard what they said… There’s a rumor that the empress tried to prevent the ruler and princess from marrying by attempting to assassinate the princess. That’s why the ruler has been hiding her. The reason the princess isn’t in Bisan Fortress is because she isn’t here at all.”
“Insane people! Even if such a terrible thing happened, does that mean they want it to?”
“Why is everyone so desperate to get at our ruler, even though they’re from Bisan Fortress too?”
“This isn’t the time. We need to find Her Highness. Such rumors make it worse. What if an assassin has come?”
“Let’s check Byeolwon Pavilion. She’s been there before.”
The Byeolwon Pavilion had long been abandoned and was currently being repaired for the princess’s use.
“Yes. Let’s go there!”
The chattering maids hurried off to Byeolwon Pavilion, and Jo-young revealed herself, sighing bitterly.
“So it was the empress who sent an assassin after the princess.”
The assassin had mistaken her for the princess, and the ruler had also mistaken her. This meant the real princess had already left by another route.
If she disappeared, the princess would be considered dead.
It would seem as if the ruler had failed to protect her, while pretending she was still alive.
‘I have to fix this before things get worse.’
Jo-young clutched her trembling heart and made a firm decision.
The festive banquet, which should have been joyful, was filled only with tense nerves.
The music had long since stopped, and no one was raising a glass.
The atmosphere had not been this bad just a moment ago.
Some were pressing too hard, asking about the princess’s illness or trying to pressure the ruler.
Yeon-ho tolerated their persistent questions, but when someone overstepped by insisting on visiting the princess, he could no longer hold back.
“Her Highness the Princess apologizes for not being able to personally welcome the guests at her reception. Do you not understand what this means? Her body is too weak to face people. If you truly care for Her Highness, shouldn’t you understand this? Or do you doubt her condition?”
Faced with such direct questioning, no one dared speak of the princess’s absence again.
After that, a few clever individuals tried to ease the awkwardness, congratulating the ruler and princess in advance and presenting gifts.
Just as the atmosphere was calming, an unexpected guest arrived and threw cold water on the situation.
“The ruler has sent a gift celebrating the founding of our Nomam nation. How can we remain idle? The King of Nomam heard about Princess Yeongseong’s reception and wished to reciprocate with a gift. It’s the finest liquor of Nomam, specially prepared to suit today’s banquet. Please accept this token of goodwill.”
The envoy from Nomam was uninvited, but they could not be turned away.
Bringing a gift from an enemy nation made the already tense people of Bisan Fortress uneasy.
Many still refused to acknowledge the Nomam tribe’s kingdom.
Yet the ruler had sent a gift celebrating their founding.
Whispers among the crowd were anything but favorable.
