TYDBA 28

Chapter – 28

 Why Are You Doing This to Me?

In the dead of night when everyone was asleep, Amang, who had woken from bed a little earlier than others, stood beneath a tree.

‘I can’t believe it’s come to this.’

Taking a deep breath, Amang clenched her fists tightly. After tightening the hastily tied sash of her skirt—having sneaked out without the palace maids noticing—she approached the tree.

She patted the sturdy bark a couple of times, then lifted her right foot.

‘I’m climbing this tree, no matter what!’

Leaning against the slanted tree bark, Amang landed flat on the ground just one step later. She had barely climbed 0.3 meters.

“Ouch.”

Amang, who had landed hard on her bottom, sprang back up.

‘Let’s see who wins: you or me.’

She placed one foot back on the tree bark.

This excessive passion stemmed from the final consultation that had taken place the day before.

“What do you mean? Today was clearly the final consultation!”
“Didn’t Amang say it herself? To be sure to seek treatment by contacting an expert.”
“Is the young lady an expert?”
“Would there be a talent like this within the imperial palace?”

This is insane.
Amang recalled the words she had uttered just moments ago.

‘So from now on, you can entrust your treatment to an expert!’

There’s a saying that a single word can repay a debt of a thousand nyang.
Right now, Amang not only failed to repay that debt but saw it grow even larger.

‘I’m going crazy.’

She didn’t know where things had gone wrong.
To save Nan, she had forced herself to counsel the Emperor, but that was just a taste.
It was precisely to the extent Amang could manage.

‘If it goes beyond that, I can’t do it.’

How could she do well with practically no practical experience?!

If Amang’s true limitations were exposed later, there would surely be someone ready to say something completely different then.

“So even listening to my worries was just an act!”

Such words flashed rapidly through her mind.

‘How can I refuse this?’

The best method was to pretend innocence and naively ask back. Ugh, she really didn’t want to do just that. But Amang suppressed the rising disgust and forced herself to begin acting.

“But Father! This subject is only ten years old, a growing sprout, is she not? She cannot do such a thing!”

It suited her aptitude better than she thought.

Making an ‘X’ with her hands cutely, Amang blinked her innocent eyes. The Emperor’s brow gradually furrowed.

“Geum Jin is of a similar age, yet she attends court regularly. She even provides excellent solutions to difficult propositions.”

Please, stop bringing up that gentle little brat.
She had nothing more to say.

‘Huh? Actually, this is good.’

It was time to make a deal.
The consultations were solely beneficial to the Emperor, weren’t they?
Amang wasn’t gaining a single thing!

“It’s not something this subject intended to bring up, but since Your Majesty mentions it, may I say one thing?”
“Don’t.”
“I need an attendant! Then I will provide the consultations.”
“Impossible.”
“Ah, why not!”
“Do you think that’s easy?”

What is this Emperor saying?

“Your Majesty can make it possible.”
“That’s precisely why it’s impossible.”

So, he just wanted to tease her.
Amang gritted her teeth tightly.

“The Geum family has long been responsible for the royal family’s education. Among the imperial grandchildren, there are none who have not been under their tutelage.”
“I am aware of that.”
“Do you know what that means?”
“It means they are closely connected to the royal family.”

It also implied the Geum family’s immense power. Having nurtured the imperial grandchildren from the closest proximity, they would be a致命ly dangerous family if they became enemies.

Here, Amang felt a doubt.

‘Then shouldn’t we be on friendly terms with them?’

In crude terms, shouldn’t we keep them close, even if by taking them as hostages? If Amang took Geum Jin as her attendant, the Geum family couldn’t betray the royal family.

Because the sole legitimate successor of this generation would be the princess’s attendant!

‘He couldn’t possibly fail to make such a simple calculation…’

Ah, well, having killed all his brothers and even his mother without a plan, maybe he didn’t think this far.
Sometimes there were people like that.
People who poured all their stat points into physical abilities, leaving their brains utterly empty!

“Anyway, it’s impossible. Know that.”
“Then this subject cannot provide consultations either.”
“Is that so?”

The Emperor, about to leave, stopped.
He approached Amang, who showed no sign of seeing him off, and met her eyes.

“Then try to sway this heart of mine. Whether by threat, sacrifice, or anything else.”
“!”
“If I am moved, I will let you have an attendant.”

Okay, received.

And thus, in the dim dawn before daybreak, Amang suddenly found herself climbing a tree.

‘You’re done for.’

I’ll show you what real obsession is.
Speaking as Yeong-eun, she had a tendency to immerse herself until the very end once she got hooked on something.
Of course, it took quite a while to get started.

The Amang from [The Tyrant’s Youngest Daughter is a Delinquent] was the same.

Strong-willed personality + A personality that must do everything she wants = A person who does things that surprise everyone.

This formula was not wrong.

“Ah, why is this so hard!”

Although she felt it was extraordinary from the moment she decided to climb the tree, this was a more strenuous exercise than she thought. It was fortunate she had taken climbing classes during her university days.

‘How on earth did I climb it back then?’

A child’s body was much lighter. Feeling as if she had become a flying squirrel, Amang shrugged her shoulders.

‘Just a little more effort. The top is right before me!’

Of course, if Nan had seen this, he would have been shocked. Hadn’t he mentioned endlessly that she ‘seemed more mature lately’? Yes, Nan would never know.

The fact that the soul inside had changed.

‘Right. It’s a setting that would only appear in fantasy movies.’

These insane phenomena of body-swapping and transmigrating into a book. Honestly, modern science couldn’t explain it. If Freud had witnessed this scene, he might have grabbed the back of his neck and collapsed.

“Ha, I’m dying.”

After climbing the tree with her small body, huffing and puffing, she finally reached the top.
Sitting on a branch, Amang swallowed hard at the precarious view below her feet.

‘It is scary.’

But it wasn’t to the point of crying.
Fortunately, the sun rose right on time, so someone would likely discover this sight.

“Huh? Princess Amang?”

That’s right, hooked.

A palace maid carrying laundry, upon seeing Amang in the tree, was startled.
Judging by how she dropped all the laundry in her hands, she seemed quite shocked.

“Hello?”
“I-I’ll go call for people!”

As if she’d seen a ghost…

‘Didn’t they say Amang was like this in the past?’

Was everyone’s reaction like this when the past Princess Amang climbed trees?

‘Or perhaps…’

Amang recalled the words of Lady So and Myeong-i from before.

‘It’s because Your Highness sees His Majesty often!’

Ah, damn. So that was it.
The reason why that palace maid was so startled and ran to call for people became clear.

‘Because she mistakenly thinks I’m in the Emperor’s favor.’

How rumors must have spread within the imperial palace was obvious even without seeing.
His Majesty the Emperor dotes on his youngest princess immensely!

Any misunderstanding was fine. Seeing how startled that palace maid was, it seemed things would go as planned.

“Your Highness!”
“Please come down!”
“It’s dangerous!”
“What on earth were you all doing instead of attending to Her Highness?!”

Soon, rumors spread throughout the imperial palace.

‘The princess whom His Majesty dotes on is trapped in a tree!’

It was an absurd rumor.
Who gets trapped in a tree?

Thanks to that, the area under the tree Amang climbed was crowded with palace maids and guards.

“Ah, no!”
“Your Highness, it’s dangerous! Please jump into Nan’s broad embrace!”

Especially Nan, who turned pale and spread his arms wide. If Amang jumped towards Nan, it would result in at least eight weeks of medical treatment.

To get more reaction from the people below, Amang sprang up. Clinging to the tree with her whole body, she stood precariously on the branch.

“Whoa!”
“I’m not coming down!”
“Please, Your Highness!”
“Everyone, go away!”

She didn’t realize it while sitting, but upon standing, fear rushed in. Amang desperately tried to soothe her trembling legs.

‘Don’t chicken out. It doesn’t matter if I fall.’

There were plenty of people to catch Amang anyway. Or, so what if it hurts a little? This young body would heal quickly even if a bone broke.

“I’m going to live here!”
“Your Highness! Please show mercy and come down!”

It was then.

“What is all this commotion?”
“Your Majesty!”

Finally, today’s main character had arrived.

“Amang. Come down at once.”
“No, Father! I won’t do any more consultations!”
“Hmm. That is difficult.”
“Why do you keep seeking me out!”

Amang shouted at the Emperor at the top of her lungs.
It was a scene that would startle others, but Amang didn’t care at all.

‘This is all a show!’

Didn’t the Emperor say exactly that yesterday?
To try to satisfy him by threat, sacrifice, or anything.

‘Catch on quickly.’

So that rumors could spread even more bizarrely, right?
The Emperor, looking up at Amang and lost in thought for a moment, spread his arms.
Moisture gathered in his red eyes.

“Amang! Do you intend to drive a stake into this father’s heart?”
“Hmph, no! Father didn’t even grant my wish!”
“How can I grant it right away when you intend to leave my embrace?”
“Grant my wish! Then I’ll come down!”

That sorrowful expression was truly inimitable.
The Emperor acted impeccably.

He thoroughly conveyed with his whole being that taking Geum Jin as an attendant was not because he trusted the Geum family, but because he could not refuse the request of his beloved daughter!

Moreover, he meticulously made known the reason why the Emperor had not taken Geum Jin as an attendant until now.

‘He acts well.’

Because he loved Amang too much, because he did not want to lose his only daughter!

That reason resolved everything. Even if Geum Jin were taken in, there would be no risk of the Geum family’s influence growing, and there would be no reason to suffer from false rumors that the Emperor was opposed.

“Fine, I will grant it. Now come down at once!”

Done.

“Your Highness!”
“Whoa, it’s okay. Everyone, move aside!”

Amang gracefully descended from the tree.
As expected, this body remembered how to land.

Landing with an unusual posture, Amang stood before the Emperor.
The Emperor’s eyes were still moist, but the corners of his mouth were honest.

Is this guy smiling?