Chapter 17
Inside the Yuwhadang Hall, a short distance outside the palace.
"What kind of nonsense is that!"
As everyone sat in a circle, Minister Kim slammed his fist onto the table.
"A rain-praying ritual? Wasn't that matter already settled?"
"I am told His Majesty issued the order himself this afternoon. He intends to hold the rain-praying ritual in eight days."
Minister Yoon replied with a troubled expression. Then, Minister Jeong, sitting across from him, looked around with a grave face.
"I heard that the royal edict, already stamped with the Royal Seal, has been issued."
At those words, the ministers began to murmur in distress. Minister Park, unable to contain his anger, bit his lip hard.
"To act so unilaterally without a single word to us. This is clearly an act of contempt!"
"Indeed. To stab us in the back while holding a position that is nothing but a shell. He must have grown emboldened, relying on the support of the Chief State Councilor."
"But didn't the Chief State Councilor also oppose the rain-praying ritual?"
At Minister Kim’s prompt, Minister Jeong asked, looking puzzled. Minister Yoon twisted his face, openly revealing his displeasure toward the Chief State Councilor.
"The Chief State Councilor is a man of cunning nature. If you try to gauge his heart by looking only at his surface, you will meet a great disaster."
"Then, could this also be under the Chief State Councilor's direction?"
"That may well be."
"Right State Councilor! That is to say..."
The Minister of Rites, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.
"Have you all forgotten? The King is a man who lost his father and brothers to poison and survived alone. He is a puppet who would not be in that position if not for the power of the Park family. A King like that would never dare to betray his maternal relatives."
"Then that means..."
The Minister of Rites raised his cup with a suspicious look.
"He must have been swayed by the Queen."
Around that time, inside the Queen's Palace.
"Is that truly the truth, Your Majesty?"
The Queen looked at Hyun with an expression of disbelief.
"That you intend to hold a rain-praying ritual?"
Hyun quietly set the teacup he had been drinking from onto the table. A light smile appeared on his face.
"That is how it has come to be. I apologize for not telling you sooner, Queen."
"How could you do so without a word to me... Is it that you do not trust me?"
As the Queen lowered her head with a look of disappointment, Hyun hurriedly grasped her hands.
"How could that be? You are my only ally, Queen. How could I ever not trust you?"
Hyun stroked the Queen's hands affectionately.
"It is just that I felt sorry to burden you with my troubles. I trust that you, of all people, will understand my deep intentions."
"But Your Majesty, the preparations are not yet..."
"Ah, you need not worry about that. I have already completed all the preparations."
As Hyun smiled brightly, the Queen forced the corners of her mouth upward.
"I, I see."
"That you would worry so much for me, my heart is so happy it feels as if it might fly away. Indeed, you are my only ally."
At the same time, Hyun pulled the Queen into a wide embrace.
The Queen smiled and slowly leaned into him. Her expression gradually darkened.
At the same time, inside the Yuwhadang Hall.
"There is nothing to worry about, is there?"
Minister Yoon looked around and smiled craftily.
"In any case, the King would not even know that the Royal Seal is a fake."
Following him, the frivolous laughter of the ministers spread throughout the Yuwhadang Hall.
***
Late at night, Som opened the door to the bedchamber wide, carrying a tea tray.
"My Lady! I have brought the tea tray..."
However, the bed was empty.
"My Lady?"
Meanwhile, in a corner of the palace.
Danbi, wearing a long coat, quickly wove through the alleys. Her eyes, scanning the surroundings without letting her guard down for a single moment, shone brightly.
"I barely managed to shake her off when she wouldn't leave my side for a second. She must be in a panic by now, right?"
At the thought of Som’s nagging already ringing in her ears, Danbi shook her head vigorously.
"Let's just check quickly and go back. By the way, I think this is the place..."
Danbi wandered around the palace, tracing the memories of the previous cycle. Since the internal structure of the palace was so similar, it was incredibly confusing to find her way.
However, there was one thing she clearly remembered. Unlike the other halls, that place had two or three low steps placed side by side... Huh?
"Found it!"
Danbi stepped onto the stairs and slowly unlatched the bolt on the door. Fortunately, it wasn't locked, so she was able to open the door more easily than she had thought.
As she applied force, the door slid inward with a creak. At the same time, through the narrow gap, the hem of a garment hanging from the ceiling was revealed.
Danbi turned on the lantern. Then, a familiar, colorful scene unfolded before her eyes.
It was identical to what she had seen in the previous cycle. It was undoubtedly the Royal Wardrobe.
"I think this is the right place..."
Danbi looked around carefully. Just then, a pure white garment hanging in the center caught her eye.
"They say the rain-praying ritual garment to be worn by His Majesty has been damaged."
"Right, this was definitely it."
Danbi brought the lantern close to the garment. Fortunately, it did not appear to be damaged yet.
"His Majesty the King has ordered the rain-praying ritual to be held. In eight days..."
"You said there were eight days left until the rain-praying ritual, right? The garment was ruined one week before the ritual..."
Danbi finished her calculations in her head and nodded.
"If that guy comes as scheduled, it must be today."
She pulled a dagger from her robes. Her hand holding the sword trembled weakly.
Now that she was actually starting the plan, she couldn't stop her nerves.
No, this was no time to be trembling. If she missed this opportunity, the game would undoubtedly reset again.
Danbi gripped the dagger tightly.
"This time, I will definitely catch that guy and move on to the next mission."
Just then, a rustle—the sound of someone’s presence—was heard nearby.
Danbi quickly turned her head toward the source of the sound. The light inside the lantern flickered, and the shadows swayed along with it.
However, there was no one there.
"What is it? I definitely just..."
Danbi tilted her head and took a step forward. At that moment,
*Thwack.*
Something flew from behind and quickly embedded itself in the front pillar. Danbi’s eyes widened as if they would burst.
A dagger was stuck there.
Danbi hurriedly turned around. At that moment, something grazed past her eyes.
At the same time, she instinctively blocked it with her dagger. The lantern fell and shattered on the floor with a *clink*.
In the darkness where nothing could be seen, Danbi stared straight past the clashing blades.
It was this person.
This was the culprit who had damaged the rain-praying ritual garment.
If so, if she only caught this guy...!
Just then, a blue window appeared in the air.
「You have had an audience with the King.
You have completed the sub-quest.」
...What?
Danbi stood frozen in that position, staring blankly ahead. The fact that she had just had an audience with the King, could it be.
"Lee Hyun?"
"So it was you after all."
"What? What is that supposed to..."
Danbi stepped back with a devastated expression. She could tell just by the voice.
There was no mistake. The person in front of her right now was Hyun.
Just then, with a *whoosh*—the sound of wind being cut—a blade flew toward her eyes.
Danbi quickly spun around in place. The blade’s wind grazed past her along the hem of her skirt.
The moment the tip of the sword pointed at her again, she unleashed her strength as if throwing her dagger outward.
*Clang*, the two swords that met cried out sadly. Danbi could not understand this situation at all.
At this time, when the culprit should have been damaging the garment.
That Hyun happened to be in the Royal Wardrobe, and that such a Hyun would attack her the moment he saw her, all of it.
"What are you doing right now?"
"And you, what are you doing here?"
Danbi stared straight at Hyun. No matter how much she thought about it, there was only one conclusion.
"Don't tell me, are you the one who damaged the garment?"
At that, Hyun scoffed as if it were absurd. Danbi raised her dagger in front of her with a flustered face.
"I, if not, why would you be here..."
"So it wasn't a dream."
"What?"
As Hyun took a step toward Danbi, she took two steps back.
"A few days ago, I had a very vivid dream. A dream that didn't feel like a dream, so clear that it remained with me even after I woke up."
A dream?
What is this guy suddenly talking about?
As Danbi’s eyebrows twitched at the sudden talk of a dream, Hyun took another step forward, aiming his blade at her.
"In that place, I called you Lady Yeo, and... I killed you."
"……!!"
Goosebumps rose all over her body. Danbi stepped back.
She couldn't believe it.
Unless she had misheard, Hyun was talking about what had happened in the previous cycle.
"Don't you remember anything?"
"Pardon? What are you talking about?"
The game that had already been reset, which no one else remembered.
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