I Was Born as the King’s Daughter – Chapter 80

Ch 80

I… am your father.

◈◈◈

Kim Sang-hui called for her older brother and father. Her body reacted before her mind could. She couldn’t bear to just watch Gang Seo-yeong dying.

“Dad!!!”

And,

“Oppa!!!”

This event, dubbed the ‘Father-Son Summoning Incident,’ would be recorded as an unprecedented major event in the Goryeo Royal Palace, one that had never happened before and would never happen again. Anyway, what appeared at the same time as Kim Sang-hui’s cry was, absurdly, Lee Ju-hyung.

“Princess.”

He was about to ask, “Princess, what’s wrong?” It’s not like he couldn’t see the situation in front of him. However, he didn’t know how big of a deal this was. The princess calling for her older brother and father. And calling for them so loudly. It was a problematic situation in many ways. If Lee Ju-hyung had been in the mindset or state he was in before meeting Kim Sang-hui, he might have been furious right now. How could a mere princess be so unruly? But not now. Rather, he subtly tried to jump on the bandwagon of Kim Sang-hui’s calling of ‘Oppa,’ as if he was included in the ‘Oppa’ that Kim Sang-hui had called.

But Lee Ju-hyung couldn’t say anything other than “Princess.”

“Loyalty!”

Because the greeting “Loyalty!” was much more urgent than the question, “Princess, what’s wrong?” It was Kim Hun-sang.

Lee Ju-hyung swallowed hard.

‘Could it be… that he used it?’

Even if he didn’t know exactly, this was the time he should be in a meeting with the scholars. The ‘Hall of Harmony,’ where he mainly holds meetings with the scholars, is more than 1300 meters away in a straight line. If you walk along the path, it’s more than 2000 meters away. Yet, he appeared before Kim Sang-hui’s cry of ‘Oppa!’ had even finished. It was certain. He ended up using it.

‘It’s an incomplete technique that puts a lot of strain on the body.’

Not only that, but that technique should not be revealed carelessly yet. It’s a technique that even ordinary knights don’t know. It’s a technique that only Kim Hun-sang and the Special Knights share and are developing, but he revealed it like this.

‘I can only hope that it doesn’t reach the ears of other countries.’

Generally, it is not desirable for a country’s military power to be fully exposed to other countries. It’s like losing one of the cards that this side can use.

But then, Lee Ju-hyung was startled again.

Boom!

Boom boom boom!

He drew his sword. What was this commotion within the Royal Palace? His Majesty the King was here right now. How could such a merciless vibration be felt in such a place? This was a vibration caused by magic power. Some powerful magic was shaking and destroying the entire Hall of Records.

He swallowed hard.

‘What kind of crazy bastard is this!’

Some force threatening the King might have targeted this moment. The King’s condition after using that technique was not normal. It wasn’t a very long distance move, so it wouldn’t have been a big blow, but it was definitely weaker than usual. That was a fact.

He drew his sword. A powerful energy was approaching. Bang! A huge sound. The floor was pierced with a huge vibration.

“Why did you call me!”

Lee Ju-hyung almost dropped his sword.

‘That was close. I almost messed up.’

He almost pointed his sword at the Prince nim. That was a serious crime. No matter what the reason or situation, it was a mistake that should never be made.

“Abuji?”

“Be quiet.”

Lee Ju-hyung slowly walked over and looked at the hole in the floor.

‘Thank goodness. It seems like he didn’t see me draw my sword.’

He looked down, and,

‘Oh my goodness…’

There were holes all over. It seemed like he had flown up, piercing through the roofs one after another from below.

‘No, why didn’t he just fly up into the sky? Why did he make all these holes? Was he too flustered?’

And then, Lee Ju-hyung saw a truly shocking scene.

“I, I will do it!”

The King was performing CPR. And it was a magic CPR based on delicate magic control. How could the King do such menial work? He, a Special Knight, was here.

Kim Hun-sang just waved his hand without stopping the CPR. It meant to stay quiet. But Lee Ju-hyung couldn’t stay still. If the King was moving, and he was still, what could be more disrespectful?

“No, I will do it.”

Just then, Alex, who had come to talk to Kim Sang-hui for a moment, also heard Kim Sang-hui’s cry and rushed over. Still, Alex didn’t break through the roof or anything. He came through the normal route, and as expected, the expected scene was unfolding.

King Kim Hun-sang. Second Prince Kim Hwan-seok. Third Prince Kim Hwan-seong. And Special Knight Lee Ju-hyung. He saw four men.

He was a scholar. He was very intelligent. Gang Seo-yeong, who had collapsed. Kim Sang-hui, who was sobbing. Four men. Kim Sang-hui’s cry. The broken floor. With these clues, he deduced the whole situation. He stopped Lee Ju-hyung.

“Knight Lee Ju-hyung. Stop. Don’t disturb His Majesty. Excessive loyalty can sometimes be poison.”

Lee Ju-hyung was startled again. He had never been so startled so many times in a single day while performing his duties as a Special Knight.

‘When did Prince Kim Hwan-seok get here?’

This was a clear mistake. If it had been an assassin instead of Prince Kim Hwan-seok, he would have been killed without being able to defend himself. He had to blame himself. At this rate, he didn’t deserve to be a Special Knight.

Kim Hun-sang got up. He picked up Gang Seo-yeong. And then he disappeared somewhere. Alex was shocked.

“What, what was that?”

Lee Ju-hyung, who was blaming himself and was in shock, was shocked again. It wasn’t just moving alone, but moving with someone. That level. He had never heard of it. The name of that technique was nothing special. It was a technique called Warp. It was not a technique that had been revealed yet. It was a technique that the Goryeo Special Knights were developing, and it was still an incomplete technique. And it was also Goryeo’s trump card.

‘Why like this… Even if the princes are like that… why would he use such a technique in front of Princess Kim Sang-hui and Scholar Alex? Where on earth did he go?’

It was natural to go to the hospital if someone was sick. But this was not natural. It wasn’t the prince who was sick, but a girl, and the king was carrying that girl and using a national secret technique to go to the hospital? It didn’t make sense from the start, so Lee Ju-hyung didn’t think that he had gone to the hospital.

Inside the Royal Palace. The Hall of Healing. The best medical facility in the Royal Palace where the best medical staff of the Goryeo Kingdom gathered. It was a facility mainly used by royalty and nobles. Commoners could use it, but it cost too much money, so they couldn’t use it even if they wanted to. It was the highest authority in the medical field.

There was a commotion there. It was because the King had appeared carrying a girl in his arms. He didn’t run, nor did he fly. He suddenly appeared.

Kim Hun-sang appeared in front of Mitchell, the director of the Hall of Healing. Mitchell was so surprised that he fell on his butt. Regardless of whether Mitchell did that or not, Kim Hun-sang said out of the blue.

“Heal her.”

Mitchell had to doubt his ears. Not “kill her comfortably” but “heal her”?

“I trust you, Mitchell. You must save her.”

◈◈◈

The Imperial Intelligence Agency was always busy. Today, it became even busier. Kim Guk-hyeon, the director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, received shocking news.

“He appeared in a place more than 1300 meters away in a straight line?”

“Yes. It’s information from a spy we planted in the Royal Palace. It’s said to be certain.”

“That’s incredibly threatening…”

It was truly threatening. If Kim Hun-sang were to attempt an assassination, there would be almost no target that would be impossible. If he suddenly appeared from more than 1300 meters away, stabbed and ran away, security itself would become impossible.

“When. How did they get such a technique…”

But Kim Guk-hyeon, the director of the Intelligence Agency, did not miss one possibility.

“There’s a high possibility that it’s a show.”

There were a few clues. He moved while carrying a woman. He responded to the princess’s call. Just looking at these two issues, it was a huge sensation. Because it was something that could not happen.

“Such a technique must be top secret. It can be said to be Goryeo’s hidden card.”

If they didn’t know, they didn’t know, but if they knew, they could still come up with countermeasures. In that sense, now that the technique had been revealed, it was certain that the threat was much less than when they didn’t know.

“In that sense, it can be seen that they intentionally made the incident bigger.”

If you only interpret the superficial event, you wouldn’t even be able to sit in the position of director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like they had intentionally created an issue.

If you think about why they did that, the reason was simple.

“There’s some kind of trick.”

It was like intentionally making the situation big and advertising that they had such a technique. That meant,

“Didn’t you say that the Imperial Trade Department is having friction with Goryeo?”

In the end, it was highly likely that it was to exert diplomatic pressure.

“Yes. They said they are in the process of finding common ground because of the magic stone Alon.”

“Right. It seems like they are trying to show off their military power against the Empire.”

A technique to teleport 1300 meters instantly? If they had such a thing, Goryeo would have already conquered the world. If they suddenly appeared from afar and assassinated kings or emperors, that would be the end of it.

However, the Emperor thought a little differently.

“There is definitely some truth in your words. But move as if that technique could actually exist.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Kim Hun-sang is always someone who goes beyond common sense.”

It’s not just Goryeo that has secret cards. The Empire also has cards that they haven’t revealed. No. Rather, there are probably much more than Goryeo.

“How is the situation on the Red Mountains?”

“They say there has been some harvest.”

“Good.”

The Emperor closed his eyes.

‘Kim Hun-sang is not a fool. There’s no way he would show off his military power against the Empire. Then what is it? There’s definitely something more.’

If such a technique really existed, it would become very tiring. To be honest, I just want to wipe out Goryeo. It’s not actually impossible. If all the Preon Knights were brought together, it would be possible, but the problem was that all the royal family members could die.

The Emperor chuckled.

‘If there is someone like that, then I will have fun living.’

Right now, he was not an enemy to wipe out, but an ally to go with.

“For now, that is.”

◈◈◈

After entrusting Gang Seo-yeong to the Hall of Healing, Kim Hun-sang called for Kim Sang-hui. Kim Sang-hui knew very well what she had done. She didn’t call out softly, but called ‘Oppa’ and ‘Dad’ loud enough for many people to hear. It was strange enough that four men, including the king, princes, and a Special Knight, moved because of a mere girl’s cry, but this was a serious crime. No matter how much it was Kim Sang-hui, it was a serious crime that she could not escape. No. It was a crazy act that was so far beyond common sense that it was even too much to call it a crime.

Kim Hun-sang said.

“Get out.”

Kim Sang-hui felt like her vision was turning yellow. She was so nervous that she couldn’t see or hear anything.

The word “get out.” It seemed like he was telling her to leave the Royal Palace. It didn’t seem like he was going to kill her, but if she was kicked out like this, penniless, she wouldn’t be able to do anything. Like that girl she saw yesterday, she would be put up for auction, her value would be assessed, and she would be sold.

She hurriedly knelt down.

“Father nim. I was so out of my mind…”

“Lee Ju-hyung.”

Lee Ju-hyung appeared.

“Take Kim Sang-hui outside with Kim Hwan-seong.”

Kim Sang-hui felt something slightly strange there. With Kim Hwan-seong? That meant he wasn’t completely kicking her out.

Kim Hun-sang said again.

“No. Wait.”

Lee Ju-hyung, who was about to lift Kim Sang-hui up and drag her out, stopped. Kim Sang-hui’s body trembled. Something touched her shoulder. A heavy feeling. Kim Hun-sang’s hands touched both of Kim Sang-hui’s shoulders.

“Look at me.”

Kim Hun-sang knelt down on one knee. To make eye contact with Kim Sang-hui.

“Father nim. I was really wrong. My mother was about to die, so I…”

“I said look at me.”

Kim Sang-hui slowly raised her head. She saw Kim Hun-sang with an expressionless face. But Kim Sang-hui could feel it. That gaze. It was definitely not an angry gaze.

“Lee Ju-hyung. From now on, close your mouth, close your eyes, and close your ears.”

Lee Ju-hyung blocked all his senses with magic as Kim Hun-sang ordered. It was a technique to make himself like a corpse in order not to be discovered by the enemy in the enemy’s camp. He never thought he would use it in the Royal Palace.

“Kim Sang-hui. Don’t be afraid.”

When Kim Sang-hui avoided eye contact with Kim Hun-sang, Kim Hun-sang lifted Kim Sang-hui’s chin with his fingertips. He forced her to make eye contact.

“Don’t be afraid of your father. I am the one who protects you. I will not harm you. I am always on your side and with you. I… am your father.”

He chuckled.

“You might as well call me Dad.”

He lightly kissed Kim Sang-hui’s forehead, who was in shock and unable to say anything.

“Take care of yourself and come back safely. I will always be waiting for you in this place.”

Kim Hun-sang got up. A gentle magic lifted Kim Sang-hui’s body. And then he reawakened Lee Ju-hyung’s five senses.

As if the warm appearance from just now was a lie, he said with a cold expression.

“Take this insolent bitch out of the Royal Palace. Right now.”

Kim Sang-hui didn’t know. Why was she being sent out in the middle of the night, as if she was being chased away? Late at night. Alex lay in bed.

‘Will he send Princess Kim Sang-hui out tonight, or will he keep her until tomorrow?’

He had a feeling that he would probably send her out today.

‘I’ll find out tomorrow.’

If his hypothesis was correct, he would have definitely sent her out today. Alex tossed and turned for a long time without being able to sleep. The morning sun dawned.

Alex muttered to himself.

“A storm… will blow through the Royal Palace.”

━————————–= Author’s Notes —————————=

Lee Ju-hyung:

Hehe, I was trying to pretend to be Oppa too… Was it obvious?