Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Climax
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“Ah…”
Oh Young-ae stared at the ending with a dazed expression.
Something serious had unfolded at the very end, but right now, it wasn't registering in her mind at all.
The only thing lingering in her head was one single fact.
And since most of the people watching the stream felt the same way, Oh Young-ae began her wrap-up commentary focusing on that.
“Han-seo Big Brother was… actually a woman. To be precise, it's more accurate to say that actress Chae Soo-jeong, who played Han-seo, is in fact female.”
Oh Young-ae had seen countless twists while watching numerous dramas and movies up to now.
However, she had never experienced a twist this massive… She had no memory of one that hid the actor's gender as well.
Thinking about it, all of this had been possible only because the actor was a rookie with no prior recognition.
If someone like Ha Yu-ra, who had appeared alongside her, had played the same role, it clearly wouldn't have delivered this level of shock.
“Even thinking about it again gives me chills. And the fact that there's no sense of incongruity despite such a twist… That must be because Chae Soo-jeong's acting was that outstanding.”
Come to think of it, there had been plenty of subtle hints.
Similar habits.
The reactions from the Queen Dowager's ministers.
Even the two people who had never met face-to-face.
Hints that, in some ways, were even more abundant than those implying Han-seo was the Queen Dowager's person.
Yet no one had noticed them because of the fixed notion that Han-seo was a man.
Viewers' best guesses had been something like, “Was Han-seo actually the Queen Dowager's younger brother?”
And crucially, they hadn't felt even a shred of discomfort… Chae Soo-jeong's passionate performance had perfectly captured a masculine aura, as if she had truly lived as a man, which was more than enough to blind their eyes and ears.
“Now that I confess it, I too really liked Han-seo Big Brother. In that sense, this twist has left me with quite a wound… But I have no choice but to acknowledge it. Queen Dowager Your Majesty… True to the title, she is the Sovereign of Deception itself.”
Han-seo had captivated the hearts of many women, so her true identity brought tears to many of them.
Oh Young-ae was one of the victims as well, but now that she understood this was the result of meticulous planning starting from the work's title, she felt more admiration than displeasure.
“Well then, that's it for today. See you in the review video later.”
With that, feeling anew that she had truly watched a well-made drama, Young-ae ended today's streaming broadcast.
Harboring intense anticipation for how the end of this drama, which had delivered such an enormous shock, would conclude.
“Wow…”
“This is… how it turned out?”
“Heh heh…”
The youngest writer and Seo PD stared at the screen with dazed expressions, unable to tear their eyes away, while Lee Dong-cheol PD let out a laugh filled with surprise and joy.
What they saw was a number they never could have imagined when they first started producing the drama.
18.9%
It was the instantaneous rating, but this was still enough to rank in the top five among all ZTVC programs ever.
Especially in the current era, where popularity for TV dramas had waned significantly compared to the past, achieving this rating was a historic figure even when measured against all broadcasters.
And the reason they could achieve this rare record was, naturally, that very moment—
The scene where Han-seo… no, the Queen Dowager revealed her identity while passing through the pillar.
The Queen Dowager Your Majesty's majesty was making not only the viewer boards but all sorts of communities buzz.
Among them were some protesting the emotional wounds from the unexpected gender twist, but surprisingly, their proportion wasn't that high compared to posts about Chae Soo-jeong's acting skills or the foreshadowing up to now.
“This is a bit unexpected. Honestly, I thought even if the ratings were good, the boards would be flooded with curses, so I was prepared for that.”
“Well, the impact was huge… but yeah, the hate is less than expected.”
“Of course. We racked our brains so much to avoid getting flak.”
There were more than a few dramas that botched clumsy twists and got buried in hate.
They had thought there would be some talk for a day or two this time as well, but most viewers were expressing admiration or pure interest rather than anger.
This meant the acting and foreshadowing in the work had backed up the situation well.
Feeling that they had successfully navigated what was both a huge opportunity and a crisis, an even stronger sense of anticipation began to sprout in their hearts than before.
The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception, which could practically be said to be ZTVC's make-or-break.
If this work wrapped up successfully like this, it would undoubtedly have a major impact on the direction of ZTVC, which was undergoing internal and external reorganization.
No doubt, they would put even more emphasis on dramas than before.
And if so, naturally, Lee Dong-cheol PD and the drama department staff, including themselves, would end up leading the flow of this broadcasting station.
'Then my salary will definitely go up…?'
'All those works we couldn't make due to budget shortages…'
'Becoming ZTVC's director someday isn't a pipe dream. To get there, the follow-up works need to succeed too…'
The three people, each harboring expectations for the future from different perspectives.
At the same time, a single thought naturally arose in their minds.
'To do that, the next work too…'
'The person who can handle that role is definitely…'
'We need to contract with actress Chae Soo-jeong as soon as possible…'
The Queen Dowager hurriedly exited the government office.
A clear emotion of anxiety, different from before, flickered across her pale face.
“What in the world happened? Didn't you say yesterday that His Majesty was improving?”
“How would this servant know the reason? But according to the royal physician, His Majesty suddenly started coughing violently, and his condition deteriorated rapidly.”
“Kuh…”
The news that had just come in moments ago.
Upon hearing that the king's condition, who had always been frail, had suddenly worsened, the Queen Dowager had no choice but to cancel all schedules and rush back to the capital.
“I will escort Your Majesty personally. You all finish up matters here and follow.”
“Understood.”
“Captain of the Inner Guard, sire, what shall we do with the traitors?”
“By Queen Dowager Your Majesty's command, lock them in the Royal Secret Bureau for now. Their disposition will be decreed later.”
The atmosphere turned chaotic in an instant.
In the midst of it, Su-ryeon was bound by the government troops and dragged away with her other comrades.
Su-ryeon kept her head deeply bowed, maintaining a heavy silence.
Though the unexpected turn had delayed things a bit, the situation was still one of pure despair.
In that moment, the face of one person she had forgotten suddenly came to mind.
The one who had repeatedly warned her about the danger to Han-seo.
Now, only feelings of apology remained for her childhood friend.
As she recalled his face, an even deeper sense of guilt began to well up in Su-ryeon's heart.
Meanwhile,
Inside the palanquin that had set off without delay,
The Queen Dowager clenched her fists until they drew blood, muttering in a trembling voice.
“It'll… be okay. It's happened before… This time too… This time too, it won't be a big problem…”
She was trying to put on a strong front, but in essence, she was just a mother.
Eliminating numerous political enemies up to now, and even disguising herself to personally uproot these traitors this time,
All of it was ultimately to protect the future of her one remaining child,
The young king.
Though she had been shaken momentarily upon meeting Lee Su-ryeon, the girl who reminded her of her dead daughter,
In the end, the Queen Dowager had chosen her living son over the shadow of her deceased daughter.
Even knowing full well that it would shatter her relationship with Su-ryeon and inflict a terrible wound on the girl's heart—
That was precisely the reason she had orchestrated this event.
And yet, just as she endured the pain of tearing out one side of her heart once more for her beloved child…
Just as her hands were stained with blood again by this filthy deed…
Heaven… was raising a cruel whip against her once more.
Biting her lips until they bled at that fact,
The Queen Dowager began to plead desperately to the heavens.
If punishment must be dealt, let it fall on her alone…
Please, spare that child…
That innocent child who had done nothing wrong except being born to a filthy mother… Please, do not touch him…
However.
“…”
“Sob sob…”
“Queen Dowager Your Majesty…”
Before the eyes of the Queen Dowager, who had rushed back to the palace…
Were numerous ministers shedding tears.
At their center lay one boy.
The boy's face, covered entirely in feverish rash,
Began to summon the nightmare deeply etched in the Queen Dowager's heart from the past.
“Your Majesty…”
Muttering in a hollow voice, the Queen Dowager approached the boy.
A hand slowly extended forward.
That hand weakly caressed the boy's cheek, already grown cold.
“Your Majesty… Please… rise…”
A single tear trickled down her cheek.
The hand that had touched the boy's cheek began to grasp and shake his body.
“Why… why are you like this?... I... I, your mother, am here…”
The Queen Dowager began shaking her precious son's body repeatedly.
But despite the mother's touch trying to awaken her child,
Her son's coldly stiffened body did not so much as twitch.
“You must… You must pay your respects to this mother… Rise… Please…”
A reality too unbearable to accept.
The Queen Dowager shook her child's body over and over, as if denying it.
However, before the cruel reality that grew ever clearer.
“No… No… No… Your Majesty… Seon-ah… Seon-ahhh!!”
In the end, she began to collapse.
“Ah… Aah… Aaaaaaah!!!”
A wail filled with despair bursting forth from heavy sorrow.
In a posture as if vomiting blood, the Queen Dowager wept bitterly, calling her dead child's name.
Climax.
The horrific, utterly cruel pain that tears one's entrails apart, felt by a mother who has lost her child.
The most merciless agony a human can endure.
Amid the Queen Dowager's writhing cries,
The vast throne room began to fill with the sounds of people wailing.