Chapter 2
Sanya's ending was premature, and now I am her. I chewed on that fact again.
What is this…
I really am cursed.
Since yesterday was the wedding banquet, I'm staying in the palace today. And today is the second day I have been in this body, in other words, I started living as Sanya yesterday. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised that the whole place was gorgeous, and then my father, Kiyun Yeoran was threatening me with murder. I didn't notice the cold look at the time, but now when I think about it, if I were kicked out of the palace, they would break me into pieces and feed it to the pigs.
Afterwards, I quickly left the banquet hall. There was no time to feel embarrassed. While I was sitting in the middle of the banquet hall and saw the emperor and her husband, I remembered the memories of Sanya in my head, and the information about the book that I read bolted from my mind. I don't know who put me in this situation, but it was a quick process.
Anyways, I have one goal. That is, not to be seen as much as possible by the emperor and the concubines.
"…Ha-ha"
Is that even possible? I immediately crossed out that goal. Actually, I don't know. Yesterday's events made the emperor feel sorry for me, and the concubines began to watch me. The emperor will sometimes care about Sanya, and the concubines' eyes would turn upside down with jealousy.
After a moment of thought, I quickly concluded: let's just act like a perfect child. Eat well, sleep well, plus, achievements were troublesome. For children who lack affection from others, they needed accomplishments in order to be praised. But what they didn't know was the less they have, the less they'll be looked at.
The emperor will still take care of me, but she would soon be relieved when she just sees me as a child. After that, I would be rolling around in this room since I'm stuck here for three days. If I hadn't caught the emperor's attention yesterday, I would have been living however I liked by slacking off and doing nothing, but it can't be helped because I've already received attention. If I do that, the emperor will send a teacher right away and check my achievements once a day.
The imperial moral education was so thorough that it would be more accurate to call it brainwashing, and unfortunately, that means the emperor was an honor student. She (emperor) learned and practiced that the young and weak things should be taken care of. Although she was called a tyrant by her subordinates, it was due to the punishments she had to endure.
The concubines were as numerous as the previous emperors, but most of them were still there for political reasons. And one of them was me. Ha-ha. Note the past tense I used.
"…Lady, are you listening to me? Miss!"
A loud voice echoed in my ears. Only then did I frown and looked to my side. The maid, who had finally received my attention, huffed and rested her hand on her waist.
"Are you deaf? I'm talking!"
First of all, I intend to live an honor student's life, but I also want to live quietly. I didn't want to be seen with anyone because then it would just create more fuss, like a neighbor who's never at their own home.
Quietly. Calmly. That was my goal. So we should deal with this dispute quietly, and calmly…
While I was still thinking about how to deal with her, she shook my hand again.
"Lady? Hello? Are you crazy?"
"That's you." I spoke out loudly.
What a bother. I have nothing to say even if my limbs are cut off. Ever since Sanya was young, she had always been cautious and could never learn what she wanted, so she was labeled as useless and everyone treated her badly. This maid was from the Yeoran family, so of course she wouldn't be kind to me. This also wasn't because Sanya was just an illegitimate child because even an illegitimate child should have the blood of this family. But of course, Sanya don't have it . Thanks to that, Gaju (Sanya's father) left the child unattended and others didn't bother taking care of her. She was young and had no protection. Everyday people would use her as a target to harass her, and the maid in front of me now was one of those people. As soon as Sanya had become a concubine in the story, she (the maid) was beaten and driven out.
The concubines who noticed this told the emperor that Sanya had done this, and when she was confronted, she boldly revealed the truth loudly and it turned into an opportunity to gain the emperor's favor.
I stared silently. Ignoring what I said, the maid flinched in my eyes. This response is expected since Sanya always stayed calm. It seems that I can't be quiet, unlike the original Sanya.
"What is your name?"
"Oh? What are you going to do?"
The maid shouted as if it she was annoyed. I scratched my head a couple of times at her rebellious words.
"Yeah, I don't need to know now. Just get out."
"Lady!"
"Oh, not just this room, but the palace too."
The maid then took offense at what I just said and her face turned red. My ears rang because of her screaming voice from earlier.
"I can't get out! You don't have the right to kick me out!"
I made a face at those words. What's wrong with her head? Or does she have a black belly? (it means an evil person)
"I don't think you realize this, but I'm her Majesty's concubine."
I think I am a kind person. I'm explaining it to her step-by-step. It was quiet for a moment, and she spoke again.
"Well, I am your maid!"
"Okay, does that mean I can report you as a spy then?"
"Yes, yes?"
Her face turned white. I sighed slowly while rubbing the table.
A month was long enough for the concubines to enter the imperial palace and fall in love with the emperor. Because of that, the concubines didn't need to monitor whether or not there's someone near them connected to their family, but it's different from those who had just entered the palace. Those who can follow a concubine as a maid are only a small amount of people because the numbers are limited, as there was not enough room in the palace for court ladies. It is also known that the best court ladies were placed in consideration of the palace for those who are new and unfamiliar, and all noble family knew these court ladies are also for surveillance purposes. And it was obvious that it's probably the same at where I'm staying.
That's why the emperor was kind and cold. Therefore, whatever argument just happened could sound like treason. Of course, the interpretation of the situation can be stretched, but what can not be done in the imperial palace? If Kiyun Yeoran hadn't had his eyes wide open, he would've been involved in treason. I'm just saying what I think.
"I deserve to be loyal to the royal family, and you're openly saying that you're going to side with me, one of the members of the royal family."
"That means…"
"Then?"
When I asked her what I was saying, she looked so red and puffed that there was nothing else to say. I then turned my eyes to the door. I wanted to kick her out as soon as possible because someone will come by anytime now.
It's about time you come.
The moment I stared at the door, I heard a voice of someone standing outside.
"I'm coming in."
The door flew open without waiting for my answer. A man dressed in red silk walked in.
"I've never seen you before. I'm Jo Yoon."
Cho: it was a title given to me by the emperor. There are no government posts for concubines, besides being one, there was little business going on between them and the emperor, so only a title was given. Among them, my title was Cho, it means to live quietly like a field of wild grass. I think it's a desirable name. I don't need flowers or stars, grass is better. The more I rolled my name in my mouth, the more I liked it, but it's a pity that there's no one I like in this room. The maid is still in my room and I breathed quietly. I wanted to kick her out before he came, but now it doesn't matter because he's already here.
I got up from my seat. The man was very tall, and when I looked up, I see a coy expression on his face. He seemed to have a lot to say with me as it was written on his overbearing face.
There was a scene like this in the original story, as it turns out Sanya cried and ran to the emperor on the first day using the concubines as excuses. The problem was that this was not the man who didn't follow Sanya, who cried and ran to the emperor. Everything about him was different. Above all, that concubine's name in the story was Garam, not Jo Yoon.
Who is Jo Yoon? I couldn't remember his name.
"I have never seen you before. Forgive me, my name is Sanya."
Even when I said hello, Jo Yoon didn't show his face. It didn't matter that he was an extra and didn't even properly appear in the original, his position is stronger than mine now. But I still don't know who he is.
"Isn't it great her Majesty have seen you on the first day?"
Oh, that remark was surprising.
I thought he would speak in a more proper manner, but he spoke rather straightforwardly...