“It can’t be changed?”
“Truly not by ordinary means.”
Eunsung spoke in a calm voice. Since possessing this body, Eunsung had tried various things in his own way. Being the youngest son of a noble family was quite useful, and with no restrictions on his movements, Eunsung had attempted everything he could.
At first, things seemed to go smoothly, just as they did for Doha. Just as Doha had changed the episode at the banquet, Eunsung had prevented his country from being swindled by the neighboring country, changing that episode. And he was recognized for his contribution, even rising to an official position. Nothing failed to go according to plan. That’s what he mistakenly believed until time passed.
‘In reality, nothing changed at all.’
The episodes he thought he had changed came back to him as even bigger problems. He avoided the fraud, but with the national treasury becoming plentiful, the king fell into luxury and women. It took only a moment for the vassal state to become impoverished. Eunsung tried his best using his official position, but the results were the same.
It wasn’t difficult to change an episode, but changing the outcome was quite tricky. Nothing would budge with ordinary efforts. Through multiple failures, Eunsung realized the rules of this world.
In the end, everything flowed according to the scenario.
“Things seem to change, but before you know it, they return to the scenario.”
“That can’t be… I’ve changed several things already.”
“You’ll understand when more time passes.”
“……”
“That nothing has actually changed.”
Eunsung’s hand caressed Doha’s slender neck. The hand that moved downward tapped the collar tie and then disappeared back inside the iron bars. Eunsung grinned.
“So feel free to use me as much as you want.”
“……”
“Having two possessed people might be better for changing the scenario. I don’t want you to die either.”
Doha studied Eunsung’s face, trying to gauge his true intentions. Besides his sly smile, nothing unusual stood out.
‘It’s not a lie.’
There was no reason to lie when imprisoned in an underground dungeon, especially after the deal was concluded. He had thought everything was going well until now—had he been too complacent? Doha’s mind grew anxious.
Would Hyunseo’s heart ultimately go to Seowoo?
The troubled feelings showed clearly on Doha’s face. He was reminded of the final episode they had filmed on the day of his possession. The scene of being driven out wearing red silk clothes, the door firmly closing before him, the cold wind blowing. It all still felt so vivid.
As if filming had started again, his chest began to ache as if it would tear apart. His breathing became rapid, as if he might stop breathing at any moment. Doha placed his hand on his chest and sank to the ground.
“Are you alright?”
“Haa, haa.”
Eunsung supported Doha, who was breathing roughly. After leaning Doha against the iron bars, he called out loudly toward the entrance of the underground prison.
“Court Lady Kim!”
Court Lady Kim’s shoulders jerked at the sound of a strange man’s voice echoing through the underground prison. She hurriedly ran to the cell where Eunsung was. The sound of her urgent footsteps grew closer.
“It… it won’t be like that.”
Doha said, breathing heavily. He muttered incomplete thoughts in his heart—that such an ending wouldn’t be right, that he would rather die than see those two living happily.
Even if someone gets abandoned, I’ll be the one doing the abandoning.
“Mama! Are you alright?”
When Court Lady Kim appeared, Eunsung slowly removed his hands from Doha. Then, as if he had done nothing, he raised both hands like someone surrendering. He didn’t forget to step back either.
“It seems he suddenly became unwell, so please take him away quickly.”
At Eunsung’s words, Court Lady Kim hurriedly supported Doha. After letting the limp Doha lean on her shoulder, she quickly left the underground prison.
The guards waiting in front of the underground prison looked at Court Lady Kim with surprised eyes.
“Quickly, quickly move him to Siyeong Palace!”
At her urgent voice, one of the guards hastily carried Doha on his back. We shouldn’t have left Mama alone in the underground prison! Why is there never a quiet day? Court Lady Kim thought as she diligently followed the guard.
Court Lady Kim did not yet know that this day was one of the peaceful days.
* * *
He was furious.
After all I’ve built up, how could it be that the chaos I’ve created has all been for nothing?
To think that my battles with Seowoo were all useless.
He felt like sobbing loudly if he could. Behind Doha, who had pulled the blanket over himself, Court Lady Kim worriedly poured tea.
“Mama, this is tea to calm your mind. Please have a cup…”
Is this like saying ‘drink cold water to settle down’? Doha removed the blanket covering him and turned sharply to Court Lady Kim. Glaring at her with narrowed eyes, he snatched the cup and downed it in one shot.
“You’ll choke! Mama! Please drink slowly.”
“My throat is burning, my throat!”
Court Lady Kim looked at Doha with a worried face.
“Everything has its own pace. Even when drinking water, you must give your body time to accept it to avoid problems.”
At her words, Doha became thoughtful. Yes. Everything has its own pace. Perhaps changing the scenario required much time and effort.
It was too late to take it back now. He couldn’t stubbornly refuse to be the Flower Bin here, nor could he simply ask to be killed.
“Pace…”
Doha murmured in a low voice. As he spoke the word “pace,” a memory from the past came to him like a lie. It was when he met the scenario’s writer on the filming set.
Though he had clearly seen the face and spoken with the writer, he couldn’t recall the writer’s face. Only a vague black silhouette stood in the writer’s place. Was the writer an omega or an alpha? He seemed to remember catching a faint scent.
“The pace is too fast… the pace.”
Sitting next to the director, the writer whispered while watching the actors’ filming scene. Doha, who was waiting for his next scene, heard this and asked:
“The pace of delivering the lines seems appropriate… Should I speak a bit slower when it’s my turn?”
“No, not that pace.”
As if displeased with something, the writer rested their chin on one hand.
“We don’t have such quick romances in real life. We misunderstand, cry and fuss, and only after all that drama do we finally get together, but the drama’s pace is too fast.”
What a unique writer. This writer was different in many ways from other writers Doha had met. Writers who never showed their faces on set, writers who just took photos with actors and left—he had met all kinds, but this was the first writer to discuss the scenario in such a way.
“There are so many untold stories… it’s a shame.”
There are untold stories in this sad ending? Just as Doha, unable to contain his curiosity, opened his mouth, the director gave the cut sign. The next scene was Doha’s. With no choice, Doha put his script on the floor and turned toward the set.
“They weren’t meant to part.”
On his way out, he heard the writer’s soft whisper. Doha wanted to ask more, but the stylists and hair staff had already descended upon him. After that day, the writer never came to the filming set. He heard that the writer was busy with writing.
Yes, while this was inside the scenario, there were plenty of stories outside the scenario as well. Eunsung hadn’t confronted this scenario until his death, so his conclusion couldn’t be certain either. Doha gathered his resolve again. Nothing would change by hiding.
Rising from his seat, Doha began to form a new plan. What was the next important episode after the dance episode? The drama he had already filmed started playing backward in his mind.
The next turning point episode was Hyunseo’s pleasure trip. By spending the pleasure trip with Seowoo, the positions of Doha and Seowoo had changed.
‘No matter what, I must spend the pleasure trip with Hyunseo.’
Doha’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. A plan slowly began to form in his mind. The first task was to rescue Ji Eunsung.
A definite ally. Someone who could move secretly within the palace. A man who could evade any situation with his eloquence if caught by anyone.
Organizing his plans again, Doha waited for nightfall. Only at night could he secretly extract Eunsung from the underground prison.
While Doha was lost in thought, Court Lady Kim quietly left the room.
* * *
He had dozed off. When he opened his eyes, the sun was already setting. Red sunlight filtered through the window. Doha rubbed his eyes and got up.
“What on earth is His Majesty thinking? Haah, I simply cannot understand His Majesty’s intentions.”
There had been a commotion outside for some time. Court Lady Kim’s agitated voice penetrated the door and reached Doha. Above the door, the silhouettes of Court Official Park and Court Lady Kim with bowed heads were visible.
“…His Majesty must have his reasons. Court Lady, please calm down. You’ll wake Mama.”
Though he was already awake, Doha decided to observe their conversation a bit longer. If he rashly went outside now, the two would obviously hide the truth as quickly as a crab retreating into its hole. So they would worry about waking him.
“Do you know what I told Mama today? I comforted Mama, saying that everything His Majesty does is for Mama, that it’s because he cherishes Mama.”
“…Haah.”
“How can I handle this disloyalty?”
Court Official Park’s sigh leaked through the door crack. It seemed clear that Hyunseo had caused some problem. Whatever it was had apparently disturbed Court Lady Kim’s peace of mind, and would soon disturb his own as well.
“I will no longer support His Majesty. When I truly think of our Mama, tears come to my eyes, tears!”
There was even a hint of betrayal in Court Lady Kim’s voice. Something that would make Court Lady Kim, who always defended Hyunseo, angry, something that would make Court Official Park so flustered he would stamp his feet. Various possibilities flashed through Doha’s mind.
The incident had occurred, and he had to face it, whatever it was. He didn’t know what Hyunseo had done while he was sleeping, but he needed to act. Rescuing Ji Eunsung was the first step in his plan.
“Court Lady Kim, are you outside? I need to prepare to go out.”
Doha called for Court Lady Kim, clearing his voice. As soon as they heard Doha’s voice, the shadows of Court Lady Kim and Court Official Park wavered. They were moving so frantically that even their shadows revealed their flustered state.
Unable to answer or open the door, the two finally clasped each other’s hands. Court Lady Kim… Court Official Park… He could almost hear the two calling each other’s names desperately. Just as Doha was about to call Court Lady Kim again.
The pillar beside the two moved. He had naturally assumed it was a pillar because the tall, large figure hadn’t moved at all. Stone-like arms emerged from the “pillar,” and the door opened.
As the door opened, a large man appeared. He was overwhelmingly tall and solid. With thick bones and a broad waist, he resembled a pile of stones at first glance. The body revealed beneath the cloth was incredibly sturdy, with muscles intricately woven like a sculpture.
It was clearly an extraordinary physique. It was close to a body that only someone who had devoted their entire life to physical training could possess. Doha’s gaze moved from the body to his face.
Oh, this guy is handsome too.
“His Majesty has commanded that you not leave. Therefore, Mama cannot go outside.”
Doha, who had been admiring his face, opened his mouth. But I need to go rescue Ji Eunsung? The man standing firmly in front of the door faced Doha. His gaze was quite impure for one looking at his superior.
It was the appearance of Ungeom, Park Dojin.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
