Chapter 9
Danbi entered the room and stood before the white silk.
The pure white fabric, without a single speck of dust, was like a clean canvas waiting for anything to be drawn upon it.
Yes, this is the level of quality that makes one want to show off their skills.
Danbi lifted the scissors without hesitation.
As if she had already drawn it hundreds of times, the blueprint in her mind guided her hands to trace precise cutting lines, perfectly aligned with the width and grain of the fabric.
"My Lady! How can you just start cutting without even a sketch?"
Som cried out in surprise, but there was not a hint of hesitation in Danbi’s movements.
*Snip, snip.*
Only the sound of the sharp scissors slicing through the snow-white silk echoed through the quiet room.
Unique curves, reflecting modern techniques, took shape one by one at Danbi’s fingertips.
It was a radical attempt, vastly different from traditional methods—a design that accentuated the body’s lines while maintaining the dignity of a king.
Danbi quickly joined the cut pieces together, establishing the basic form of the garment.
Som, watching the scene as if bewitched, wore a dazed expression, looking as if she might start drooling at any moment.
"Som, no time to be surprised. Bring me the needle."
Danbi’s eyes sparkled.
Now, it was time to breathe life into this white canvas with the thread she had prepared earlier.
Danbi draped the lightly basted fabric over Som’s body, using her as a makeshift mannequin.
"My Lady, um... I can’t breathe."
"Just hold on a moment. I’m draping."
She soon began pinning the excess fabric along the curves of Som’s body, capturing a three-dimensional silhouette.
It was a process that balanced mobility and aesthetics, something that could never be achieved with flat patterns alone.
*Hmm. The shoulder should be about here...*
Danbi unconsciously gauged the frame of Hyun, which was so familiar to her, against Som’s body, then frowned and shook her head.
It had been a long time since they broke up, yet his physique remained vividly etched in her fingertips.
Well, I suppose it helps with making the clothes. I might as well put it to use when I can.
Danbi clicked her tongue bitterly and refocused on the tip of her needle.
She trimmed away the unnecessary parts without mercy and sharpened the shoulder line to fit Hyun’s build.
Soon, veins began to stand out on the back of Danbi’s hand.
"Som, pass the thread."
The yellow thread, dyed by hand, slid smoothly through the eye of the needle.
Danbi first established the central axis, which would become the dragon’s spine. It was a three-dimensional embroidery technique that built up a sturdy framework with thick thread.
After building a solid foundation and covering it with thinner thread, the flat embroidery began to swell, taking on a life-like, three-dimensional quality.
"Wow... My Lady, the dragon’s back is actually rising!"
"A dragon only looks alive when it has shadows."
Danbi used tweezers to precisely adjust the angle of every single scale. With every stitch, the way the fabric reflected the light changed.
It wasn't just filling in empty space; it was a meticulous process of controlling the density of the thread to adjust the shading of the muscles.
It was closer to sculpting on silk than mere embroidery.
"My goodness... look at the dragon’s claws. It looks like it’s about to tear through the silk and jump out."
"Now, the final highlight."
Danbi threaded the darkest color for the dragon’s eyes.
She layered the thin thread hundreds of times to maximize the depth of the pupils.
As she pushed in the final stitch, like dotting an eye, a piercing, brilliant light settled into the previously empty eyes of the dragon.
Som swallowed hard, intimidated by the fierce aura of the dragon that looked ready to roar at any moment.
How much time had passed?
Three days in the game flew by. That was only natural, as there wasn't enough time to make the clothes, even working day and night.
Danbi’s eyes were bloodshot from focusing on her sewing without even stopping to eat, but her gaze was sharper than ever.
When the lamp had been extinguished and relit for the third time, a miracle occurred at Danbi’s fingertips.
"It’s finished."
Som covered her mouth with her hands.
The golden dragon embroidered on the white silk looked as if it would pierce the clouds and soar into the sky at any moment.
The scales shimmered depending on the angle of the light, and the raised claws looked ready to snatch at the air.
If the Queen’s embroidery, stitched with gold thread, was the height of opulence that blatantly displayed royal authority, Danbi’s embroidery was the very essence of vitality, as if it were about to tear through the silk.
"My Lady...!"
As their eyes met, Som’s eyes welled up with tears.
"I knew you would do it!"
Danbi swallowed the tears welling up in her own eyes and smiled brightly.
"What? You were the one telling me to give up because I couldn't even sew."
"Please forget the past me who spoke such nonsense. I am a new person now."
"What?"
Danbi burst into laughter as she met Som’s eyes. A flower of laughter, which had never bloomed here before, blossomed in the room.
"To finish it exactly on the day before the Rain-Praying Ritual. Even the Queen could never keep up with this speed!"
"Well, of course. A cheap imitation like that could never even reach my heels."
"A-a cheap imitation?"
Danbi looked down at the finished garment.
Even though it was just a game and had nothing to do with the quest, she felt good.
No matter how it started or what the essence was, design was design, and clothes were clothes.
It was a garment she had made. It was truly her own, something no one could touch now.
Danbi could not take her eyes off the garment for a long time until the day dawned.
*Thump, thump.*
The next morning, loud footsteps echoed through the hallway.
The door swung open, and Danbi’s eyes snapped open.
As she turned her head, she met the eyes of a visibly shaken Som. A chilling premonition washed over her.
"My Lady, we’re in trouble!"
Som sobbed, looking as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.
"The garment for the Rain-Praying Ritual is gone!"
***
"I had taken it out for a moment to give it a light pressing, but when I came back, it was gone."
Som wiped the tears streaming down her face incessantly. Even as they ran, teardrops fell onto the hallway floor.
"I’m sorry, My Lady. It’s all my..."
"The person who stole it is at fault. Why would the victim be to blame?"
Danbi wiped Som’s tear-stained cheeks.
"It’s alright. We just have to find it again."
Even as she said that, sweat poured down her back. The dizzying feeling of falling into an abyss, which she had felt only a short while ago, seemed to return.
And now that the garment was gone, Danbi immediately thought of someone’s face. That detestable face that was always eyeing her designs.
Whether by coincidence or fate, Park Harin was here, too.
Danbi suspected that it was the Queen who had stolen the garment. It wasn't just because she looked like Harin from reality.
In a situation like this, wasn't it natural to suspect one's rival?
Fortunately, the Rain-Praying Ritual hadn't started yet. She had to find a way to get the clothes back before then.
Just then, Court Lady So approached the two.
"My Lady, where are you going in such a hurry?"
"I lost something. I must return before the ritual begins..."
"My Lady, the schedule for the Rain-Praying Ritual has been moved up."
Danbi stopped just as she was about to step out the door and turned around.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I only just heard the news myself, but they say the ceremony is starting soon..."
"That’s impossible."
The moment Danbi tried to step outside, Court Lady So blocked her path. She bit her lower lip and hesitated for a long time.
"My Lady, the thing is..."
"…?"
"Since you failed to keep your promise, there is an order from the Queen forbidding you from leaving the Small Palace..."
"What?"
"That’s ridiculous. Failed to keep a promise!"
Danbi brushed past Court Lady So with a hardened expression. Som called out to Danbi and followed behind her.
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