The Young Consort Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 103

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I calmly walked where they led me. Gowun followed me in a daze.

I didn’t know who they were, but it was clear they weren’t good people. As we followed them, the area gradually became deserted.

“Have you eaten?” I asked them leisurely as I walked. After a brief silence, a clicking sound of the tongue was heard, as if in disbelief.

“You seem like a young lady raised quite preciously, but to this extent, are you a fool?”

Hey, watch your words. Do you want to get your tongue cut off for insulting the royal family?

“Unfortunately, I’m not a fool. Anyway, everyone’s doing this to make a living, right?”

Perhaps those words were quite reasonable, as I heard a hesitant answer above my head.

“…I ate.”

“You shouldn’t skip meals. Good for you.”

After giving a sloppy praise, I quietly fell into thought. There were two people threatening us. The person behind me and the person behind Gowun.

The man behind me at least used polite speech and seemed rather soft, but the man behind Gowun didn’t seem like that. The fool remark also came from that side. He seems to be the leader.

“So, why are you doing this?”

To my slow question, a rather violent answer came back. “Is there any other reason? Like you said, we’re doing this to make a living.”

At those brusque words, Gowun must have moved, as a sound of “This bastard, why is he like this?” and a thud was heard.

At that moment, my relaxed face hardened. I unconsciously gritted my teeth and exhaled deeply.

There are still many people around. And there are things I need to ask.

Since Gowun and I were close together, I was able to easily hold Gowun’s hand. When I patted the back of his hand, Gowun held my hand back. His hand was very cold.

Are you very scared? It’ll be alright.

“If you’re thinking of using abilities, you’d better obediently put that thought away.”

As I was comforting Gowun, the man behind him threatened us.

I was about to ask why but kept my mouth shut, thinking he would explain on his own. And as I expected, the man continued,

“I am Jinseo Yeoran. The second son of the Yeoran family who was unjustly annihilated.”

Oh dear…

I frowned mercilessly at his words that were meant to set the mood. It seems either the news of the Yeoran family losing their abilities isn’t that well-known, or that guy is quite a serious fool.

Jinseo was indeed Giyun’s second son. However, they were exiled to a barren island, and even if it’s true, what’s so scary about a noble without a hint of ability?

Above all, his words about being a descendant of the Yeoran family was like digging his own grave. The people around us had nearly disappeared. It meant the time to stop walking was near.

“Are you truly Jinseo Yeoran?”

Still, killing them is a bit much. Thinking to give them one more chance, I asked that, and he answered yes without hesitation.

Although Giyun was executed, the members of the Yeoran family were exiled as mentioned before. It was a very, extremely lenient punishment. And even if not, it was a grave crime for a convict to leave the place of exile without permission.

Judging from how he’s not showing his face, it seems he’s an impostor, but…

When I reached that thought, Jinseo―for now, since he introduced himself as such―stopped. And the knife pressed against my back cut through the fabric a bit more.

“Hand over that pouch you have.”

It was an expected demand. At the rough words, the man behind me hesitated.

“If you just hand over the pouch, nothing will happen to you.”

Yeah. It would turn out that way even if you didn’t say it.

“And if I don’t hand it over?”

“Then you die.”

A brutal answer to an innocent question. I sighed and took out the pouch with silver coins from my sleeve, raising it above my head. As soon as the weight left my hand, I took a step forward, and a sound of “Ugh!” was heard from behind.

I turned around, and a man with a rather naive face compared to his large build was looking up at me with startled eyes.

The man in black who subdued him made a conflicted face upon seeing me.

“Your Highness.”

“You’re here.”

Wow. He really looks like he wants to scold me. If I weren’t his superior, he seems like he would pinch my cheek.

‘But what can you do? I’m your superior.’

Thinking that, I looked at the man pinned under Yeoryu’s knee. I had expected some of the shadows to follow me. I was certain it would be safe since I also have the ability Mother gave me.

They must have seen everything these people were doing since they had been following me all along. It’s just that I gestured for them to hold back because I didn’t want to cause a commotion where there were many people, so they only rushed out now.

The man who had at least used polite speech was trembling with a face of not understanding anything. After staring at him blankly for a moment, I turned my head and saw Jinseo caught in the same way as his comrade.

After exchanging glances with Noel who was restraining him, I lowered my gaze again.

They dug their own graves in various ways. Coming to a quiet place and claiming to be of the Yeoran bloodline.

“It’s been a while, older brother. Your face has been badly damaged.”

Inwardly sending him a sloppy condolence, I opened my mouth. Jinseo’s age is eighteen, just barely an adult. The man looked to be at least in his thirties even in a good light.

“But how dare you do this?”

However, since he introduced himself as Jinseo, there is sufficient justification.

“Not only did you arbitrarily leave your place of exile, but you even threatened me, a princess of this nation…”

And having that one justification is enough to handle matters.

“It seems it will be difficult to rely on Her Majesty’s mercy this time.”

I concluded with a bright smile.

Now, let’s go to prison. Human life is precious, so we can’t kill them. But these bastards, really…

‘Hitting a child even the Emperor doesn’t hit?’

To be precise, Mother has no reason to hit Gowun, but the result is the same, so there’s no need to think about it.

I was contemplating punching them like I did to Giyun, but I gave up. Gowun must have been very startled.

I turned around and, as expected, my eyes met Gowun’s, who had turned pale as a sheet. Perhaps out of shock, Gowun was frozen in place. His eyes that couldn’t leave mine were unstable.

When I approached Gowun and patted his back, Gowun flinched. Laughing with a chuckle, I felt something strange. The place my hand touched was damp.

Did he sweat this much from fear? Enough to soak through his clothes?

I withdrew my hand and was startled. My hand was dyed bright red. The rusty smell stung my nose.

“You, blood―”

“Ahhhhh!”

Before my words could even finish, the man screamed. And my body was lifted up. When I came to my senses, I was in Yeoryu’s arms, far away from Gowun.

Jinseo, who had been held by Noel, was standing up, and Gowun was with him.

“L-Let me go!”

Jinseo brought a knife to Gowun’s neck. Seeing that, it felt like all the blood in my body was draining out through my toes. But it was strange. Neither Yeoryu nor Noel moved.

Why is no one trying to save Gowun?

“Yeoryu, hurry!”

“Your Highness. Gowun is a shadow before he is a child. He will get out on his own, so don’t worry.”

When I urgently called Yeoryu, he calmly answered. I was not satisfied with that answer.

“Noel also didn’t let go of that guy!”

“It seems his ability was superhuman strength. Or he’s living in a daze like Gowun.”

Yeoryu gritted his teeth and continued,

“His hand holding the sword is clumsy. The way he’s holding the hostage is the same. It’s a force Gowun can sufficiently shake off with his strength.”

I was still anxious even with those words. Then why isn’t Gowun moving?

Yeoryu must have felt the same way, as he shouted angrily,

“What are you dawdling for? Hurry and shake him off!”

Even with Yeoryu’s command, Gowun couldn’t do anything. With a complexion like a corpse, he couldn’t move even a fingertip.

While desperately looking at Gowun, I unconsciously raised my head and looked at Jinseo. He had a large build and was tall. His skin was dark, and he had violet hair.

‘A man with violet hair over seven feet tall, with thin, narrow eyes.’

Gowun’s words flashed through my mind. It felt like I was hit hard on the back of my head.

“…No.”

“Pardon?”

When I muttered softly, Yeoryu asked back. It wasn’t that he couldn’t shake him off because he lacked strength.

“Yeoryu, hurry―”

Unable to explain that, I hurriedly continued. But before those words could even finish, my vision suddenly darkened. As I looked around in shock, the hand holding me disappeared.

“Yeoryu?”

I called him, but there was no answer. Instead, through my blurred vision obscured by something gray, I saw the form of a collapsed human.

I was about to take a step but coughed lightly. My nose was burning as if I had inhaled pepper. Feeling something flowing, I touched under my nose, and a damp liquid smeared.

I turned my head again. The figure of a boy was standing still.

It’s Gowun’s ability. The ability of deadly poison is powerful but uncontrollable. The ability he had been suppressing due to trauma must have exploded.

Even with Mother’s ability protecting me, it had this much impact on me. If it spreads like this, not only will it harm the civilians, but Gowun will also be in danger.

There is a limit to abilities. I can’t let him exhaust it endlessly.

My whole body was heavy, but I took a step. It felt like wading through a swamp.

It was similar to when I had first entered the palace and my room was filled with water. But I wasn’t afraid. The silhouette I saw in the distance gradually got closer. Gowun was standing alone in a gloomy gray world.

Suppressing my fear at his appearance that seemed like he was dead, I grabbed Gowun.

At those words, Gowun’s eyes that had been shaking nervously met mine. But they were still trembling.

I swept Gowun’s forehead and caressed his cheek. The shaking of his eyes stopped.

“It’s okay.”

I smiled at him. So the child could feel at ease.

“Gowun, it’s okay.”

I don’t know what words I should say to help you. Still, I did what I could. I met his eyes squarely and moved my lips clearly.

“I’m here.”

At those words, Gowun blinked once. His blinking gradually increased, and soon Gowun’s eyes slowly closed.

The strength left Gowun’s body. Unable to support that weight, I sat down with Gowun. The poison fog gradually began to clear. The complete blue sky could be seen, but my focus was blurry.

“…Mom.”

Please come get me.

That small murmur was my last memory.