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Chapter – 42
I Won’t Eat You
This was truly the worst moment.
Could things get any more dreadful than this?
To sum up the Empress’s actions so far, honestly, there weren’t any suspicious points.
‘If only I hadn’t read the first episode.’
Going by the brief setting description, it would be something like ‘the Empress who became eccentric due to being unable to bear children.’ Given her title of ‘the Tyrant’s Empress,’ it was understandable to be scared instead.
‘But it’s terrifying!’
Malicious intent? Of course, it was possible there wasn’t any.
Perhaps she was truly an Empress who just wanted to get along well with Princess Amang.
But the thing is.
‘Would she treat someone like this?’
Even the still-suspicious Hwajeong-bi, as a general rule, avoided touching on things Amang disliked.
She respected the child’s intentions, relatively speaking!
‘Is it because she has no child?’
The biggest difference between Hwajeong-bi and the Empress would precisely be the presence of a child.
Having lived as the Empress, she must have seen many children besides Amang.
‘Anyway, there’s something rotten somewhere!’
Amang looked at the Empress with a gaze full of wariness.
“It’s an imperial command. I am carrying out the order to protect Princess Amang.”
“Is that so?”
“Bringing Her Highness to Jaeyeom Palace requires His Majesty’s permission.”
Uncle Yi-so, please do well.
“Permission… Am I going to harm the Princess or something?”
“Th-that is…”
Ugh. Please do it properly.
“Her Highness’s nap time is approaching.”
“Oh? At her age, she still takes naps? How childish.”
The Empress pinched Amang’s cheek, who stood beside Geumjin, as if finding it cute.
Without a doubt, something was seriously wrong.
‘Is she insane, for real?’
On the contrary, this overly friendly demeanor is even more terrifying.
She never acted like this normally, and it’s obvious she’s acting even more familiar because Yi-so is here.
“Princess, are you sleepy?”
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
“This Queen asked the Princess.”
Her breath caught.
Amang rapidly racked her brains.
‘Is there anyone who can save me now?’
When she almost ate the possibly poisoned apple jeonggwa last time, the Emperor dramatically appeared.
But now?
‘Yi-so is just a guard.’
No matter how much he was the Emperor’s confidant, it would be difficult to disobey the Empress’s command.
The Empress’s authority nearly matched the Emperor’s.
She had to choose carefully.
‘If I refuse like this, she’ll hold a grudge.’
Without understanding what kind of person the Empress was, she couldn’t afford to make an enemy.
Moreover, outwardly, the Empress was showing kindness to Amang. Even if she couldn’t discern the hidden intentions behind it.
‘Then my choice is.’
For someone only a week into social life, it was an extremely harsh choice.
Yet she had to make it.
She didn’t want to disappear overnight in this imperial palace.
“In that case, is there tanghulu there too?”
“If you wish, we can have it made.”
“I’ll go!”
Amang’s eyes sparkled.
Others would see her as a child obsessed with tanghulu.
That’s right.
‘Surviving is damn hard.’
That’s what she was aiming for from the start!
“Your Highness.”
“How could I disobey Her Majesty’s command? As a child of the imperial palace, it’s only right to think of Jaeyeom Palace as my own home!”
Time for a bit of praise for the Empress here.
“I’m pleased the Princess feels that way.”
“This subject also wishes to accompany you!”
“Good, Jaeyeom Palace will become more prosperous.”
This oblivious little brat!
Amang’s plan didn’t include Geumjin.
‘You, just go home!’
No matter what happened, Geumjin couldn’t be dragged into it.
Because… Amang wanted to protect Geumjin.
‘Let’s just call it a niece-like feeling.’
Geumjin stared at Amang with a resolute look.
With a determined fist clenched tight, she nodded.
Amang let out a stifled laugh.
‘You have your own thoughts too, huh?’
Alright, let’s not disregard that sentiment of helping each other.
Amang desperately hoped nothing would happen at Jaeyeom Palace.
Jaeyeom Palace was incomparably larger than Yeonyeong Palace or Wonseok Palace.
Although she had no child, she had every qualification to wield authority matching that status.
A benevolent and gentle Empress.
Was the woman before her upholding that?
“Bandage it neatly so it doesn’t look unsightly.”
Five palace maids surrounded Amang.
They made a fuss as if a minor scratch was a big deal.
‘This is really uncomfortable.’
At first, Ran tried to step in herself.
Having someone else’s hands directly on her was quite uncomfortable for Amang.
‘Now that we’re at Jaeyeom Palace, it’s only natural for this Queen to personally tend to her. Don’t worry and step outside.’
Leaving behind only the somewhat unreliable-looking palace maids, Ran and Yi-so were driven out of Jaeyeom Palace.
Thankfully, having Geumjin, who was on her side, by her side was something.
Although she wasn’t much help.
‘If I were alone, I might have died from anxiety.’
To be left alone in Jaeyeom Palace, not knowing what danger might lurk? That would be its own kind of hell.
Amang steeled her nerves.
Even in a tiger’s den, if you just keep your wits about you, you can survive!
“Is it done?”
“Yes. Now let’s enjoy the tea party.”
Honestly, the exact reason wasn’t clear.
Why was the Empress, who usually acted indifferent to people, suddenly being kind to Amang?
There were more than one or two strange aspects.
‘As if trying to cover something up.’
The laundry maid from Wonseok Palace was unrelated to Jaeyeom Palace.
Didn’t So Mi-in say that? That she became close to a maid when she briefly visited the laundry.
Given So Mi-in’s gentle nature, it was highly likely she brought her as a maid to repay a kindness.
‘Why did So Mi-in go to the laundry?’
At that time, Jaeyeom Palace was the Empress’s residence as it is now. The maids of Jaeyeom Palace must have walked around with an air of arrogance, having nothing to envy.
Because their master was none other than the Empress.
‘Should I ask?’
Amang felt as if she was standing on thin ice.
Just when she thought she was getting closer to the truth, it might have been an illusion.
Whenever she stood before the Empress, words wouldn’t easily leave her lips.
A deep-seated fear within her body. An inexplicable anxiety that something terrible would happen if she spoke recklessly enveloped Amang.
“Is this hongro jeonggwa? Oh my, it tastes so good!”
Geumjin grabbed a piece of jeonggwa with her hand and ate it. Neither Amang nor the Empress had touched any of the food on the table.
“The scent of this tea is so rich, it’s a fragrance I’m experiencing for the first time in my life!”
Are you insane?
Amang urgently pressed down on the back of Geumjin’s hand.
Geumjin paid no heed.
‘She’s not a kid with no sense of awareness, so why is she like this?’
Thanks to that, the heavy atmosphere eased a bit… but Geumjin was in danger!
Look at the Empress’s face gradually distorting.
Cracks slowly appeared in her gentle smile.
‘Running away probably isn’t an option, right?’
Amidst the tense atmosphere of Jaeyeom Palace, Amang rolled her eyes around.
“Was it Geumjin? It’s my first time seeing you since the lecture, but you seem to feel quite close to this Queen.”
It meant ‘stop making a fuss and stay still.’
“I have committed a breach of etiquette. The taste of these refreshments was so exquisite that this subject’s hand moved without realizing it.”
“Is that so? I’ll have some prepared for you on your way back. Lord Geum Taesa would surely enjoy this taste as well.”
“I am grateful for your kindness, vast as the sea.”
Geumjin returned to her original self quite well. To her proper, intelligent, and discerning form, uncharacteristic of a child.
‘Just now…’
Geumjin carefully poked Amang’s sleeve. It was a signal, as if to say ‘don’t worry.’
‘Could it be Gimi-sanggung?’
Right.
A quick-witted kid like Geumjin wouldn’t do something reckless.
That rascal, she’s quite impressive? The ability to read a situation.
‘I can have expectations for when she grows up.’
Thanks to Geumjin confirming there was no poison, Amang enjoyed the refreshments quite well. The tanghulu made from crushed hongro was also quite tasty.
“How did Yi-so end up guarding Amang?”
“It was Abamama’s command, so this child is also bewildered.”
“His Majesty must cherish the Princess very much.”
She almost spat out the jeonggwa she was eating.
“Perhaps it’s because this child is Abamama’s daughter.”
“No other child has ever received His Majesty’s favor before.”
“……”
“Whether intelligent or with a violent disposition, His Majesty detested children.”
Just what are you trying to say?
Amang froze, still holding the teacup.
“For His Majesty to protect you so… You must be a special child, Amang.”
It was clearly a good thing to say. A compliment, advice given with a smiling face.
Amang read the sharp, chilling feeling hidden behind it.
An emotion the real Amang wouldn’t have been able to read.
Malice.
‘Why?’
Amang was of no help to the Empress’s power. No matter how much the Emperor cherished Amang, she wasn’t someone who would grant power.
Unless deposed, the Empress’s authority was solid.
Then, that emotion…
‘She’s seeing someone in Amang.’
Someone Amang inevitably resembled. Her birth mother, the Emperor’s first love.
The woman who slipped away, fluttering like a butterfly without being caught.
Hwanyeong-bi.
Amang recalled the portrait she saw in the palace storage.
And the scene of Yeonyeong Palace in the rain she saw in her dream.
‘Was that also the Empress’s doing?’
No, she shouldn’t judge hastily.
It might have just been an illusion.
It happened even before Amang was born.
‘If I show that I know this, I’ll be suspected.’
If she wasn’t careful, even Ran’s life could be in danger.
Ran was precisely the person who had seen everything in this imperial palace.
“Do you know Yi-so?”
“Of course. He has been His Majesty’s confidant since this Queen was Crown Princess Consort. His Majesty always kept him close.”
And he was assigned to her?
‘What on earth is he thinking?’
Amang remained suspicious of the Emperor. From now on, the Emperor would be remembered as a tyrant and an unpredictable person.
Occasionally, the Emperor deviated in directions Amang couldn’t understand.
How do you interpret this psychologically?
“Let’s leave the stories of the past here for now. We must live in the present.”
The Empress took a sip of tea.
The faint smile on her lips heightened the Empress’s dignity.
“Now that you’ve come to Jaeyeom Palace to visit, let me tell you an interesting story.”
Wait a minute, a story?
Suddenly feeling uneasy…
“It will be fun.”
“What kind of story is it?”
The smile on her lips gradually faded.
The Empress’s eyes sparkled for a moment, reflecting the sunlight.
“It’s the story of the second wife who, out of jealousy, harmed the first wife who was pregnant.”
