Chapter 14
Hyun stared blankly at the mountain of memorials piled high on his desk. The characters inscribed within them all cried out with a single voice.
"Cease the Rain-Praying Ritual."
The sharp, resonant echoes wrapped around him like layers of a shroud. They tightened little by little, as if to choke the life out of him.
He even had the illusion that the black characters filling the paper were alive, writhing and clutching at his ankles.
He instinctively pressed his forehead. The sound of his own heartbeat, thrumming all the way to the crown of his head, circled his ears incessantly.
Hyun lifted his head to see the unseen. He strained his ears to hear the unheard.
But the voices of the people outside the palace walls could never cross the towering ramparts. What filled that void was nothing but the cold gazes of ministers who always demanded silence.
Wearing the mask of loyalty, they had become a massive wall that blinded his eyes and deafened his ears.
Hyun always held his ground. He pressed the surging rage deep into his chest.
He believed that was all he could do for now.
Yes, it was not yet time. He had to wait for the right moment.
If that day comes, I will rise again. He had vowed this to himself time and again.
And perhaps.
Hyun shoved all the memorials piled on the desk. Papers of identical shape tangled together and tumbled onto the floor.
"Someone there, is the Chief Eunuch present?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Did you call for me?"
At the response, Eunuch Yoon stepped inside. Hyun pointed a finger at the memorials scattered on the floor.
"Clear away all that trash."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hyun watched the eunuchs clearing the memorials with a vacant gaze. He felt a sense of relief.
Yes, perhaps this was the "moment" he had been waiting for.
He clenched his fist tightly.
He must not miss this opportunity. This time, he would absolutely not back down.
Just as he was repeating this to himself, the Chief Eunuch approached.
"Do you have something to say?"
"Your Majesty. Do you happen to remember the turn you postponed last time?"
"If you mean last time..."
As Hyun tilted his head, seemingly unable to grasp the meaning, the Chief Eunuch added:
"She is waiting in front of the bedchamber."
Only then did it seem to dawn on him, and Hyun’s mouth parted slightly.
Ah, the daughter of the Right State Councilor?
"What shall I do?"
"Hmm."
Hyun crossed his arms and flopped down onto his seat. When Eunuch Yoon looked flustered, Hyun waved a hand dismissively.
"It is too cold today. Tell her to go back for now."
"B-but then, what about tonight's turn..."
"The turn, well."
Hyun smiled slyly, using his arm as a pillow.
"Can't we just spend it separately?"
***
"What did you say?"
As Danbi’s jaw dropped, Eunuch Yoon bowed his head.
"No, how can I do that alone? Then why did I even come here?"
"I-I am terribly sorry, my lady."
Danbi shut her mouth. Seeing his back bent at a 120-degree angle, she couldn't even muster the energy to be angry.
Right, the one who needs the water is the one who digs the well. He says he can't do anything because it's cold, so what can I do?
Danbi climbed into the palanquin, feeling helpless. A feeling that was a mix of stubbornness and competitive spirit simmered in her chest.
Next time, no matter what, I will see his face. That was all she could think about.
But the next time did not come easily. Every time Danbi visited the bedchamber, Hyun always had a new excuse.
Yesterday it was because of the rain, today because the wind was cold. She was even curious what excuse he would make tomorrow.
A few days passed like that.
CRASH!
Danbi kicked the main gate open and stormed into the Small Palace.
At the same time, the ornaments in her hair tumbled to the floor. She irritably raked her hands through her hair.
"Ah, my lady!"
"What? The moonlight is too bright so he's shy? What kind of nonsense is that!"
Danbi glared fiercely at the full moon in the sky. His detestable face overlapped with it.
"This guy, he's definitely teasing me now, right?"
"T-that is..."
Seeing him spout utter nonsense as an excuse made her blood boil.
Of course, the rising anger was a problem, but more importantly, if things continued this way, she couldn't clear the quest.
"Ugh, this won't do. I have to meet him somehow to move on to the next quest."
Danbi, who had been pacing the courtyard with her arms crossed, suddenly stopped in her tracks.
A refreshed smile appeared on her face.
'Right! Why didn't I think of that sooner?'
***
Eunuch Yoon swallowed a deep sigh as he looked at the palanquin that had stopped before him. It was never comfortable to keep making up lies to refuse her.
Soon, the palanquin door opened and Danbi appeared.
Eunuch Yoon bowed his head deeply and mechanically recited the excuse he had prepared in advance.
"My lady, today His Majesty says he is busy feeding the cats..."
At that moment, something whizzed past Eunuch Yoon.
When he looked up in surprise, he only saw the back of Danbi sprinting into the distance.
"M-my lady!"
Eunuch Yoon hurried to follow her.
But Danbi marched into the bedchamber without hesitation. Her stride was as confident as if she were walking into her own living room.
She scanned the hallway with eyes that seemed strangely familiar, then stepped precisely into the King's bedroom. Eunuch Yoon hurried to block her path.
"My lady, you cannot do this—"
"He's busy?"
"Yes?"
"Then I'll wait."
"W-what does that mean...!"
As Eunuch Yoon stammered, Danbi cut him off.
"I mean, the King has to sleep eventually, right? I'll wait until he comes to sleep. That's allowed, right?"
Since one cannot spit on a smiling face, Eunuch Yoon stared blankly at her bright expression, unable to say a word.
While he was momentarily stunned by her brazen spirit, Danbi shamelessly flopped down onto the spacious bed.
"Oh, the cushioning is nice."
A short while later, in front of the Royal Secretariat.
Hyun sat crouched in the courtyard, his eyebrows arched. The two cats that had been peacefully eating their food until just a moment ago had bolted away like arrows.
"...She said she would wait?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. She said she would wait until you arrived. What shall I do?"
Hyun cast a silent gaze toward the bedchamber. A chilling aura flickered across his face.
At that moment, inside the bedchamber.
"Ugh, my aching bones. I've been doing this 'hair, makeup, and costume' routine that I'd only do once in a lifetime every single day, and my whole body is killing me. I can't do this anymore!"
Danbi, lying on the bed, pounded her body incessantly.
The heavy wig and the layers of clothing were nothing short of torture that drained her stamina even while standing still.
If she repeated this every night, she might collapse before the game even ended. She had to settle this today, no matter what.
"By the way."
Danbi crossed her arms and tilted her head.
On the day she first entered the game, she had progressed through the quest just like this. And under the mission of 'Audience,' she had been able to meet Hyun without much difficulty.
"Back then, we consummated the marriage right away, so why is it different this time? I haven't done anything differently than before."
Danbi fell into deep thought, then shook her head vigorously.
"Ah, I don't know. I'm tired from using my brain too much after so long."
Before she knew it, her body began to melt into the soft bed. Danbi muttered with her eyes half-closed.
"I need to get out of here quickly..."
***
"Oh my, is that true?"
"I'm telling you. They say the new Sook-won who arrived yesterday was rejected by His Majesty the moment she arrived."
"Pfft, a concubine who gets rejected."
"She was so high and mighty, relying only on her family, and look at her now."
The next day, a scandalous rumor circulated within the palace. It was called the 'Lady Yeo Rejection Incident.'
Moreover, with the fact added that the woman who was rejected happened to be the daughter of the Right State Councilor, the rumor spread as if it had legs.
Unaware of any of this, Danbi trudged back to the Small Palace. As soon as she opened the gate, Som came running in her socks.
"My lady, are you alright?"
"Oh, Som! Good morning! But what do you mean, am I alright?"
"Last night, His Majesty..."
"His Majesty? Ah, Lee Hyun?"
"A-ah, my lady! You shouldn't call His Majesty by his name so carelessly...!"
Som clutched her chest and hurriedly checked her surroundings.
"What does it matter? He's not here anyway. But that guy, he didn't come in last night, right? Does he not even sleep?"
Danbi stretched and turned her head. Then, over Som's shoulder, she caught sight of the court ladies whispering while looking at her.
"But why does everyone keep looking at me? Is there something on my face?"
"W-well, that is..."
As Som whispered into her ear, Danbi let out a scream.
"What? Rejected?!"
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