Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Promise
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Standing there with a bloodied sword in hand was the Queen Dowager.
And facing her were Su-ryeon and Seong-ryong.
Watching this tense situation unfold on the screen beyond was one of the people responsible for creating this scene.
The Beasts' idol singer and the actor who played Seong-ryong,
Yoon Tae-young was leaning back on the sofa, his face serious.
At that moment.
"Whoa, looking pretty badass, huh?"
"He's been getting wrecked like a dog this whole time, but maybe he'll finally win one at the end?"
Two people chatting in playful tones.
Kim Yi-chan and Jeong Jin-chan, fellow members of The Beasts.
Unlike the other two out of The Beasts' four members, they had no particular interest in acting,
but separately from that, they consistently enjoyed teasing their friends appearing in the drama like this.
When Yoon Tae-young had appeared as a chaebol heir before, they'd nagged him to buy food since he had so much money,
and when Park Chan-su's scene as the culprit landed him in jail, they'd said it must feel like home and personally cooked him prison rice.
In a way, these two were enjoying the situations more than the actual actors.
In that sense, the fusion historical drama that Yoon Tae-young and Park Chan-su had filmed this time
was providing excellent material for the two of them to chew on, tear apart, savor, and enjoy.
Especially in Yoon Tae-young's case, where he was constantly pushed aside by Han-seo every day and on the verge of having even his fiancée NTR'd away,
they'd been gleefully teasing him to the level of a neighborhood punching bag.
And when it was revealed that the main culprit of that NTR, the black-haired bleached thug... the so-called "black leopard punk," was actually a woman and the final boss,
they'd laughed so hard the heavens shook, calling him "the guy who lost a woman to another woman."
Of course, knowing full well that his friends' behavior was just pure teasing,
Yoon Tae-young himself didn't take it too seriously and smoothly brushed it off.
However, at this moment, his two friends' usual mindless chatter
struck deep into Yoon Tae-young's heart in a way that was different from usual, especially the line "getting wrecked like a dog."
'Yeah... wrecked like a dog... right up to the very end...'
This wasn't just about his character's portrayal in the drama.
In reality, when it came to acting, Yoon Tae-young had been utterly wrecked by the Queen Dowager... by Chae Soo-jeong herself, right up to the final moment.
And the peak of that was right there on screen now.
It was in Chae Soo-jeong's appearance during their final battle in the last moments.
As an idol actor accustomed to physical work, Yoon Tae-young had swung the sword himself in the filming.
And Chae Soo-jeong hadn't used a stunt double either.
She handled the action scene with ease, as if familiar with it, skillfully matching the choreography while swinging her sword.
At the time, it had felt to Yoon Tae-young like they were truly trying to kill each other.
And that chilling sensation he'd felt back then.
Recalling it now, Yoon Tae-young unconsciously clenched his trembling fist and swallowed dryly.
*
When facing a beast, what is the most dangerous moment?
It's not when it's starving,
nor when it's poisoned from wounds.
A starving beast or a wounded one will back away or flee if it judges the opponent stronger than itself.
Charging at the strong means risking its life.
Thus, the survival instincts passed down since ancient times compel them to avoid fights where victory isn't assured.
However,
even in situations judged to have slim chances of victory,
even with the perceived strong foe right before them,
there is one case where a beast bares its fangs and dives into a reckless fight.
When cubs are nearby.
The sole situation where a beast suppresses even its survival instincts,
ignores its own life, and decisively bares its fangs at the enemy before it.
Especially the ferocity of a female with cubs nearby is something even seasoned hunters fear,
which is why the most caution is needed in the wild when encountering a beast's cub.
Having a cub means an enraged mother could appear from somewhere and tear into your throat with all her might.
The primal instinct of life passed down from the dawn of time.
The aggression of what is called maternal instinct was this brutal and perilously dangerous.
And at this moment.
The man named Kim Seong-ryong...
No, the human named Yoon Tae-young, playing him,
was facing that terrifying primal aggression head-on.
Chae Soo-jeong, staring this way in bloodied mourning clothes.
At a glance, it was just a woman standing there with makeup on.
However.
"Action!"
"!!"
The moment the director's cue dropped,
the atmosphere around her shifted in an instant.
"Urgh!"
"Eut!..."
Even without lines, Yoon Tae-young and Ha Yu-ra let out involuntary groans.
The person before them was Chae Soo-jeong, whom they knew well.
They also knew full well this was filming and she wouldn't actually kill them.
But even so, this sensation right now...
The horrific killing intent radiating from a beast consumed by rage
made them think of one word.
Run.
An instinctive warning that staying here might really mean death by that hand.
Even for these two with plenty of acting experience, enduring this situation was truly not easy.
"How utterly audacious... causing such a commotion during the national mourning period, no less..."
Anger dripping from every word.
At the same time, fierce light gleaming from her violet eyes,
Chae Soo-jeong...
No,
the Queen Dowager began slowly advancing toward them.
'This... this is acting... right?'
'Hah... chills... how... how does she act like this... ah, Teacher... you're too cool... if I stay like this, will I really die by Teacher's hand?'
Yoon Tae-young, swallowing dryly in genuine fear,
and Ha Yu-ra, struggling to hold on for slightly different reasons.
The Queen Dowager slowly stepped toward the two, one foot at a time.
"Heok!!"
"Ugh!"
-Clang!!!!
In an instant, she closed the distance and swung her sword.
They'd rehearsed the moves beforehand, so defense was possible,
but due to the overwhelming atmosphere, Yoon Tae-young unwittingly let out a voice laced with bewilderment.
'Crazy... I feel it every time, but how does a woman have this much power?'
His trembling hands weren't just from the atmosphere.
Even holding the sword with one hand, the Queen Dowager's strike carried far more force than Yoon Tae-young's.
Meanwhile, from the Queen Dowager's side,
Ha Yu-ra bit her lip, swinging her sword with a faintly excited expression.
Probably acting out Su-ryeon's hesitation, still not fully over her feelings for Han-seo.
Ha Yu-ra swung with all her might.
But her strike was blocked by the short silver dagger the Queen Dowager swiftly drew.
The Queen Dowager blocked attacks from both sides with one arm.
At her immovable strength, like a rock—not just acting—Yoon Tae-young felt awestruck again and kept swinging his sword.
A 2:1 situation.
Even so, Yoon Tae-young's attempts to land a hit were repeatedly blocked,
while Ha Yu-ra struggled defensively even against the short silver dagger.
It was the result of rehearsed choreography, but honestly... at some point, even following the set path felt difficult to Yoon Tae-young.
Attacks coming in with ruler-straight precise timing.
In other words, fail to match that timing, and you'd really get hit... well, it was a plastic prop, so not die, but you'd bruise or get hurt.
And the vivid killing intent in every blow.
Suddenly, he wondered if she still held a grudge from their first meeting when he'd been a bit rude, and Yoon Tae-young felt a chill down his neck for no reason.
And finally.
-Clang!!
"Kuhk!"
"Hah!"
With a sharp sound, Yoon Tae-young's sword flew away.
At the same time, a sword thrust toward... but veered past his side.
Ha Yu-ra's shoulder was grazed by the silver dagger; she acted out an injury and staggered back slightly.
And.
"Cut!"
"...Hoo."
The moment the director's voice rang out, the killing intent vanished like air from a punctured balloon.
The fierce atmosphere from moments ago was gone without a trace; Chae Soo-jeong looked their way with her characteristic serene smile.
"Good work."
"Y-Yeah? Ah... y-yes."
Yoon Tae-young answered dazedly without thinking.
Feeling a lingering sense of defeat to the end,
and vowing never to experience that horrific killing intent again,
he felt genuine relief at the director's words that no retakes were needed and they could go with this.
"Ah... done in one take...?"
Meanwhile, Ha Yu-ra flushed, her face tinged with regret.
She'd probably noticed some shortfall in her own acting again, but that was her issue...
Thinking one more take like that would really lay him up, Yoon Tae-young—having "collapsed from the sword wound"—applied fake blood, then lay down in position on the floor for the next scene.
*
Seong-ryong collapsed, bleeding out, and Su-ryeon with a shoulder wound.
Even in a 2:1 situation, utterly overwhelmed, a complex mix of emotions began to cloud Su-ryeon's face.
Anger at the defeat,
awe at the opponent's skill,
and... doubt.
"Why... why won't you kill me? With your skill, you could have beheaded me long ago!"
"..."
The Queen Dowager, not killing her even now.
It didn't seem like mere mercy, and at this point, trying to recruit her as a subordinate seemed even less likely.
No, why hadn't someone of her skill left this place until it came to this?
She could have escaped the palace long ago.
Confused by the incomprehensible situation,
Su-ryeon gripped her sword again, driven by the emotion of vengeance.
Her father, then numerous comrades, and now even Seong-ryong.
Pouring hatred toward the one who had taken all her precious people.
Even if her life ended here,
at least to leave a wound on that woman.
Su-ryeon launched her final strike at the Queen Dowager.
However.
-Thud!
"!"
The wrist of Su-ryeon, about to swing her sword, was futilely seized by the Queen Dowager.
Her last desperate struggle blocked so easily, despair flickered across Su-ryeon's face for an instant.
But...
-Pak!!!!
"...Huh?"
The next moment, the Queen Dowager suddenly embraced Su-ryeon.
At the same time, a sharp sound pierced her ear.
But contrary to expectations of stabbing pain,
Su-ryeon felt no hurt at all.
The one feeling pain was instead...
"B-Big... Bro...ther?"
"...Cough!"
The Queen Dowager vomiting blood from her mouth.
A dagger the size of a palm was now embedded in her back.
A dagger thrown by one of the dying assassins on the floor.
Off-target and flying toward Su-ryeon, the Queen Dowager had thrown herself to block it.
"Wh-Why... why now..."
"I could only... protect half... our promise..."
"!"
With those words, the Queen Dowager smiled faintly.
Su-ryeon hurriedly caught her weakening, collapsing body.
The Queen Dowager slowly caressed Su-ryeon's cheek,
her face filled with longing and regret.
Tears welled in Su-ryeon's eyes as she watched, laced with love and hate.