LCSB 01

Chapter 01

Whoosh!

The stone fired from the slingshot cut through the cold early-winter air.

“Direct hit!”

A ripe, red persimmon hanging at the very top of the persimmon tree plopped straight down to the ground.

“Nice!”

I clenched my tiny fist in triumph.

Honestly, I felt pretty proud. After all, I was only four years old.

“Ugh…”

But that sense of satisfaction didn’t last long.

Being stuck with these short little legs… a wave of sudden existential despair hit me.

It had already been half a year since I woke up in the body of a four-year-old child after being a 24-year-old history major.

‘If I had to get possessed in the Joseon royal palace, shouldn’t I at least be a princess?’

With a sigh, I looked down at my outfit that had somehow skipped all the “possession novel rules.”

A loose jade-colored jeogori (jacket) and blue skirt. The sleeves were trimmed with red cuffs.

Red cuffs—the symbol of a palace maid.

In other words, I was just a low-ranking child maid in the palace.

‘It’s bad enough I got possessed as an ordinary maid, and now I even have survival-game conditions?’

Seriously. How cruel.

I tightened my grip on my only weapon: the slingshot.

“One, two, three, four…”

I counted the burst persimmons scattered on the ground while scanning the surroundings.

Now, there wasn’t a single fruit left on the persimmon trees.

All thanks to my excellent slingshot skills.

“Alright, that’s done. Next is the backyard persimmon tree…”

“Are you at it again, picking all the persimmons?”

“Eek!”

Startled, I turned around.

There stood a boy in dark bluish robes.

On his chest was a brilliantly shining golden dragon badge.

In other words…

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, it is I.”

The Crown Prince smiled faintly at me.

He was thirteen this year, tall and well-built for his age, and wearing a high ceremonial crown.

Because of that, I, tiny as I was, had to tilt my head all the way back just to look at him.

“Why are you so obsessed with knocking down every persimmon you see? Even the birds need something to eat.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Persimmons are dangerous. How many times do I have to say it?”

“Do you have some kind of grudge against persimmons? You really are a strange child.”

Holding my slingshot and folding my arms, I tried to look as serious as possible.

The Crown Prince let out a small laugh, amused by my expression.

‘It’s not me who has a grudge against persimmons… it’s you.’

This Crown Prince would later be known as the king who died after eating persimmons and crab sauce.

And I was desperately trying to prevent exactly that.

And he’s laughing right now?

“Your Highness. What did you eat today?”

“Let me see… for lunch I had noodles in broth. With boiled meat slices, and crab sauce…”

“Gasp—cr-crab sauce!”

My face turned pale as if I were about to faint.

Seeing my reaction, the Crown Prince hurriedly waved his hands.

“I didn’t eat it! I didn’t! Knowing how much you dislike persimmons and crab, I didn’t even touch it even though it was served.”

“Phew…”

I let out a relieved breath and said seriously,

“Your Highness, I’m telling you this very sincerely.”

“So I must never even look at persimmons or crab sauce?”

“Yes. If you eat them, something really bad will happen. Please, remember that. Seriously, remember it.”

“Alright, alright. I swear I will never eat persimmons or crab sauce.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

And so, just as we were sealing our secret pact with our pinkies…

“Ah, young lady! There you are. I’ve been looking all over—oh my goodness, Your Highness!”

A flustered court eunuch rushed over and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince.

“Park Eunuch, what brings you here?”

“The King urgently requests your presence in the main hall…”

“My father? I only just paid my respects…”

The Crown Prince’s expression darkened for a moment.

But how could he refuse the King’s command?

He sighed and nodded.

“Very well. Let’s go.”

“Your Highness, that is…”

The eunuch looked awkward.

“What is it?”

“To be frank… it is not you he is calling for.”

“…What?”

His gaze slowly shifted toward me.

“Me?”

I quickly hid my slingshot behind my back.

“Yes, young lady. His Majesty is calling for you.”

“…Again? Why?”

“How should I know? Let’s go.”

“I’ll go since I was told to, but I’m not a ‘young lady’…”

I puffed out my cheeks in protest.

I didn’t like being called that.

Even though I had a child’s body, my mind was that of an adult woman.

The eunuch scratched his head.

“Ah… your name was… Hwang… something?”

This man’s memory was terrible. Honestly, it was harder to forget my name than to remember it.

I proudly declared:

“Hwombombo!”

…Fail.

My vocal organs were still those of a four-year-old.

“Hong Bong-bong!”

I carefully pronounced each syllable.

“Oh right. Hwang Bong-bong. Yes, Bong-bong, let’s go to the main hall.”

“Okay.”

If the King summoned me, what choice did I have?

As I followed the eunuch, I glanced back at the Crown Prince.

He looked oddly relieved.

“Your Highness, I’ll be going now.”

“Very well. Bong-bong… until next time…”

At that moment—

Whoooosh.

A chilling gust of wind swept by, and the sound of footsteps followed.

The rustling of skirts was unusually loud, and I turned my head.

“…Wow.”

This time, what escaped my lips wasn’t a sigh, but admiration.

A woman in luxurious attire stood at the head of a group of palace ladies.

‘I should be used to this by now, but it still feels new every time.’

She was so beautiful it could only be described as dazzling.

A beauty so perfect that even the most radiant flower would bow its head in shame.

Jang Hui-bin.

I thought as I looked at the face I had never seen in either of my lives.

‘No wonder later generations called her the epitome of beauty.’

Then—

“Huh?”

Before I could react, she grabbed my hand.

It wasn’t rough, but it was firm.

“Your Ladyship…?”

“Yes. Bong-bong, let’s return to Chwiseondang.”

She began walking.

My short legs scrambled to keep up.

A flustered Park Eunuch shouted,

“Your Ladyship! Please forgive me, but Bong-bong must go to the main hall. His Majesty has urgently called her…”

“Park Eunuch.”

Jang Hui-bin turned around.

A radiant smile bloomed on her face like a red peony.

“Tell His Majesty this.”

“What… what should I tell him?”

“If he has business with Bong-bong…”

A cold, poisonous smile flickered beneath her beauty.

“He should come to Chwiseondang.”

“…!”

“Bong-bong is a maid of my residence. I will take her.”

Holding my hand tightly, I hurried along with my short legs.

A heavy thought settled over my face.

‘Please let this be a dream…’

I swallowed my sigh.

If I woke up after sleeping, I wanted to be back as a Korean graduate student.

But for months, no matter how much I prayed—to Buddha, God, Dangun, even my professors—it had done nothing.

Eventually, I had to accept it.

My name is Hwang Bong-bong.

Age: four.

Occupation: palace maid.

Affiliation: Chwiseondang.

And this world I had possessed… was on the brink of a storm where countless deaths—including Jang Hui-bin’s—were about to unfold.

Meaning…

‘If I don’t act, this palace will end in catastrophe.’

So.

I have to prevent Jang Hui-bin’s death—or I won’t survive either!

“Annals of King Sukjong, Year 27, 9th Month”

At night, the King issued a secret decree:

‘The crimes of Hui-bin Jang have been fully revealed.’

‘Therefore, she is ordered to take her own life.’