Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: That Uncle from Back Then
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the Queen Dowager's death, the rebels arrived shortly thereafter.
They rescued Seong-ryong, who was injured but still clinging to life,
and seized the palace, which had effectively lost its leader and stood empty.
Thus, the successful coup came to an end, and Hanyang buzzed with the new king's coronation.
But while everyone rejoiced over the villainess's death,
the very person known to have ended that villainess's life...
Su-ryeon, appointed as the top contributor to this coup and restored to her status as the daughter of the former Minister of War.
In this moment when all were celebrating,
she alone gazed quietly at a small grave in a secluded spot.
Unlike the glamorous life of the one buried there, it was an utterly small and shabby grave.
Her original status as a lowborn, the great sinner who ruined the nation and insulted the royal family.
Because of this, the Queen Dowager had lost all honors and rights, reduced to a disgraced outcast.
The court insisted on finding her body for public dismemberment, but Su-ryeon, who didn't want even that, had secretly removed the corpse beforehand and created this modest grave in a quiet place.
A sworn enemy, yet once someone she treasured more than anyone.
And at the same time, someone who, though twisted, had truly cherished her.
Gazing at that person's grave, Su-ryeon quietly left her final words.
"I'll be happy... just as you wanted... without pain, healthily..."
This was the last story she could tell this pitiful woman.
With that, Su-ryeon slowly left the grave and descended the mountain.
There, one person awaited her.
Seong-ryong.
A deep smile graced Su-ryeon's lips as she looked at the man.
"You promised to make me happy, right? Keep that promise."
"I swear on the heavens, I will."
With those words, Seong-ryong extended his hand to Su-ryeon.
In response, she took it, her cheeks slightly flushed.
On her finger was the jade ring Seong-ryong had given her in the past.
However... unlike its pure jade color back then, it now carried a faint red tinge from absorbing blood.
It seemed to symbolize their bond, which could no longer return to its innocent past,
yet continued nonetheless.
With that scene as the finale, the ending credits rolled,
and the drama
The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception
that had delighted viewers for the past several months,
came to an end.
Leaving a profound sense of satisfaction...
and a lingering aftertaste in the hearts of the audience.
"It's over."
"Yeah... thank you for all your hard work, Teacher."
"You too, Yu-ra."
"Mom, what about me?"
"Hee-hee, our daughter worked hard too."
The three of us sat amiably on the sofa, watching the drama's finale.
Since collapsing at that dinner party and ending up here, Yu-ra had been visiting often, bringing snacks or fruit.
Today, she specially brought cake and champagne, insisting on watching the finale together.
Thanks to her, in a livelier atmosphere than usual, I watched the end of my first lead drama.
With the final ending song, photos taken during filming appeared.
The journey from filming to broadcast spanned about six months—a time that felt long yet short—but this moment held immense meaning for me, across both my past and present lives.
A dream I'd outwardly denied but secretly harbored in my heart.
Though it involved various shortcuts, feeling that I'd ultimately achieved it filled me with overwhelming emotion, tears welling up slightly.
"...Mom, are you crying?"
"No... just... happy. I never thought something like this could happen to someone like me."
In my past life, despite my best efforts, I'd always ended in failure.
Back then, no matter what I did, I could never land a lead role.
So acting as a lead now—and succeeding at it—felt incredibly precious.
At that moment.
"Please don't say things like that."
"...Pardon?"
Ha Yu-ra spoke with a serious tone.
Her sudden shift in demeanor left me slightly flustered.
"What's wrong with you, Teacher? You're a rookie, sure, but your skills are now recognized not just by me, but by so many people.
For you to belittle yourself... does that mean our judgment is wrong?"
"Ah... no, that's not..."
I had questioned their decision to cast me at first.
But PD Lee Dong-cheol, and Ha Yu-ra here, both had excellent eyes for talent.
They'd risen to positions incomparable to someone like my past self.
I'd always admired them, so I couldn't easily dismiss them.
And as she stared straight at my awkward expression,
Yu-ra spoke in a stern voice.
"I can say this confidently: No matter who took this role, they couldn't have portrayed the 'Queen Dowager' as perfectly as you did.
Not me, not Yoon Tae-young, not even actress Lee Sung-bin if she'd stepped in."
"Yu-ra..."
Her words carried no doubt.
That resolute declaration pierced my heart like an arrow.
"Have more confidence in yourself. You have more than enough talent for it."
"..."
Ha Yu-ra smiled again as she spoke.
Though the deep trauma of failure still lingered in my heart.
However,
Ha Yu-ra's words, believing in me more than I believed in myself,
her encouragement to gain confidence,
rung a gentle bell in my heart.
Unlike my past life,
perhaps now I could...
head toward those lofty heights I'd only gazed at from afar.
At that moment.
"Um... speaking of that, Teacher. If it's okay... before your next project, could you do one thing with me?"
"Work? You mean appearing on a show?"
"Yes... specifically a variety show... would that be... no?"
Ha Yu-ra, who had been so confident moments ago, now glanced nervously at me.
Finding her like this a bit cute, I pressed on.
"Variety shows aren't a big deal for me, but what exactly is it?"
In my past life, I hadn't done award shows or ads, but I'd guested on a few variety shows.
Of course, I was always quietly sidelined there too, but it meant I had no aversion to appearing on them.
But.
"Actually, I got an offer out of the blue too, and the show's title is definitely..."
"?!"
Her following words
sparked surprise and even greater interest in me.
And for good reason—the variety show from Yu-ra's mouth was none other than...
"Phew..."
A man sweating profusely in the sweltering heat.
Lee Sung-min, a top actor known to 'almost' everyone in Korea.
Yet belying his fame,
at this moment, he felt bone-deep fatigue in the dreadful heat.
This is driving me crazy... Why did the indoor AC have to break now of all times?
Shade covered his head, and a large fan stood nearby.
Yet the humid midsummer heat showed no sign of relenting.
The bottled water he gulped down had long gone from lukewarm to warm.
Still, Lee Sung-min held his position without a single complaint.
It's still better than over there... In this weather, they'd be half-dead doing that.
Before his eyes, on the wide field, actors were diligently "racing"...
or rather, acting like they were racing.
The track team alumni cast for this movie's running scene performed admirably, true to their majors,
but the exhaustion on their faces clearly showed their suffering.
Genuinely relieved that his role had no running parts, Lee Sung-min downed the hot water.
At that moment.
"Sung-min, you okay? I got this from the fridge—here, at least."
"Ah... thanks, Ji-su."
Lee Sung-min naturally took the open bottle and drank.
Feeling the heat ease a bit, he turned to the person who'd brought it—his manager, Kim Ji-su.
Tall for a woman, with an overall fierce impression.
As he looked at her, Lee Sung-min spoke with apology, a touch of pity, and unavoidable burden.
"I've imposed on you a lot lately, Ji-su. Honestly, you didn't have to go this far... but it's a decision from above, so I couldn't do anything."
"No. It was presumptuous of me to act on my own."
Kim Ji-su spoke with bitterness.
Seeing the shadow cross her face, Sung-min replied calmly.
"As I said before, it's not that I dislike you. Right now, I just want to focus on acting, so don't take it too hard."
"Yes. I know... Of course."
"Please take good care of the new manager, Actor Hwang. She's still green, but quite talented."
"Thank you. Well, I'll be going then..."
With that, Kim Ji-su left.
She seemed to have more to say but departed without another word. Sung-min let out a small sigh.
A confession...? Even so, that's just not right... She and I...
In that moment, still feeling burdened,
he quickly pushed the thought aside,
and prepared to stand for his next scene.
At that moment.
"..."
"...Huh?... Eek!"
The next instant, he belatedly noticed something.
A small creature looking up at him with a strange expression right beside him.
Lee Sung-min couldn't help but jump in shock.
"Wha... what... you... you're?"
"It's real. That uncle from back then."