Chapter 33: "You Must Not Do This, Your Highness!"
The booming voice of a veteran actor with decades of experience slammed into Woojin's ears.
The teacher's gaze locked onto Woojin's eyes without a flicker of hesitation.
What on earth is this emotion? Woojin felt utterly captivated by that stare. It was his turn to deliver his line, but his mind had gone blank.
A torrent of emotions surged from the teacher's expression. A face that had already accepted death. But on closer inspection, the corners of his eyes trembled faintly. Was that the minimal fear of death that any human couldn't help but feel? Or was it pity for his lord, flailing in the path of corruption, mingled with a desperate hope that he might return to being a wise king? A threadbare plea laced with faint hope?
"Woojin. Your line."
Seong-cheol poked Woojin's side gently from beside him.
Woojin snapped back to reality in an instant, chewing over the words before speaking.
"What did you just say? Say it again."
The king's rage seemed poised to pierce the heavens, yet the old eunuch's resolve showed no sign of bending.
"This servant has served through seven reigns in total, and has personally attended to four kings, including Your Highness. Though I am but a lowly eunuch, I have a rough knowledge of the classics and histories."
"What the hell are you trying to say?"
"Throughout history, ancient or modern, there has never been a king who behaved as recklessly as Your Highness! How can you disregard the kingdom like this!"
"What? You've gone mad wanting to die, have you?"
"Your Highness, this old body begs you earnestly. Please, come to your senses and heed the voices of the people!"
The room fell into dead silence.
Lee Jae-soon's perfect vocal tone, breathing, projection, and the structure and flow of his lines. Before the eyes of Woojin and everyone listening, the scene unfolded naturally.
The starlight shyly falls on the pond of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Gyeongbok Palace.
The night view is as beautiful as a paradise on earth, but at its center stands a king lost to pleasure—a sight too heartbreaking to bear. Even his dragon-like visage is twisted in ugliness, impossible to conceal. What am I to do?
The old eunuch, unable to bear watching the king revel in debauchery with the Dance of Master Choryo, finally defies death. Future historians will judge him the polar opposite of the Ten Attendants of the Later Han—the infamous eunuchs who seized power.
Thoughts flooded his mind, as vivid as if he were witnessing Yeonsangun and Kim Cheo-seon directly, 505 years in the past.
"Since you beg me to grant your death, I shall do so as you wish."
Though unseen, everyone knew it instinctively. A keenly sharpened sword was already gripped in Woojin's hand.
—Slash.
Woojin swiftly sliced through the air with both hands. The image overlapped with Yeonsangun severing the limbs of the eunuch who had never spared his blunt counsel.
Even amid it all, Kim Cheo-seon let out no pained groan, his eyes still fixed sharply on the king.
"Get up and walk."
"Can Your Highness walk even with legs severed?"
"Even then, you—!"
Lee Jae-soon, his eyes burning hotter, spat the words at Woojin.
"Come to your senses, Your Highness!"
—Slash.
Woojin's arms cleaved the air once more. This time, it was Yeonsangun cutting out Kim Cheo-seon's tongue.
"Get up, walk, and spout your nonsense. Now!"
"Ple...th... come... tho... your... theth..."
Was there ever such a delicate yet majestic, profoundly noble sound of a lisping tongue? The director Ryu and everyone else were left speechless in awe.
"Only death will shut your mouth."
As if all the rage in the world had converged in one spot, Woojin's eyes blazed blood-red. He immediately drew back an imaginary bowstring.
A razor-sharp arrowhead aimed at the heart of the frail, aged body—now just a torso, liable to expire at any moment. It was right on the verge of releasing from the string.
—Tap tap.
Lee Jae-soon's hand subtly tapped Director Ryu's thigh, out of others' sight.
That must be the 'prank' you mentioned earlier!
The moment the director caught the signal's meaning—
"Yeonsangun, you bastard!"
The teacher's thunderous roar exploded through the room.
Startled by the sudden bellow, "Huh?" Woojin's emotional thread crumbled in an instant. The face that had been pure Yeonsangun every moment vanished. It reverted to the fresh face of a pure rookie actor. All in the blink of an eye.
"Ah..."
Seeing it, Director Ryu let out an involuntary sigh and glanced at Lee Jae-soon.
"......"
Murmurs began rippling through the room. Some flipped through their scripts back and forth to check, while others exchanged puzzled looks.
But even amid the slight confusion, the veteran actor remained utterly focused on Woojin, without the slightest disruption.
Intense concentration. It was already evident from the actor's very diction.
"I know the grief of unjustly losing your mother. But for the ruler of a nation, the father of all its people, to lose control of personal emotions to this degree!"
The roar stabbed like a sharp reprimand into his heart. Clearly, the one drawing the bow had been Yeonsangun, with Kim Cheo-seon as the target. Yet somehow, the roles had flipped.
Even as Woojin and the others reeled in bewilderment, "Indulging in women and revelry, ignoring true counsel, even abandoning the suffering of the common folk. And you dare call yourself a king?"
Lee Jae-soon, still fully embodying Kim Cheo-seon, hurled fury-laced words at Woojin.
"Have you gone mute? The severed tongue is mine, not yours. How dare you not answer my question!"
Kim Cheo-seon, who had never spared his counsel even after losing limbs and tongue. Now restored to wholeness, he pressed Woojin for a response.
What should he say?
"......"
Director Ryu gestured to quiet the murmurs. Silence returned, and all eyes turned to Woojin, who had closed his momentarily.
"I..."
Woojin's voice trembled faintly as he slowly opened his mouth, eyes still shut.
"I just... wanted to live."
At those words, the corners of Director Ryu's and Lee Jae-soon's mouths twitched upward, though not into full smiles.
"I just wanted to live!"
The roar of a man who simply wanted to survive. It was Woojin's raw truth.
* * *
Lee Jae-soon's sudden roar had kicked off the improvisation. To Woojin, it was a kind of test.
A test proposed by the veteran actor and approved by the director.
Pure improv, with nothing in the script.
Now, respond once from Yeonsangun's heart.
No prior hints or warnings—a complete surprise test.
Though briefly flustered, Woojin quickly grasped the intent and refocused on Yeonsangun's emotions.
"I had to do this, or I would've died."
Lee Jae-soon withdrew his faint smirk and countered.
"You drove others to death just because you didn't want to die? Utter nonsense."
"They're the ones who killed my mother. I have every right to take their lives."
"Nonsense still."
"Why call it wrong? Do you know the pain my mother felt? The heartbreak that tears my chest apart just thinking of it?"
Woojin shot to his feet without realizing, shouting. Tears like chicken droppings streamed endlessly from his eyes.
"The right to take the lives of those who killed your mother? Then let me ask you this. Whose vengeance do the children of those you've condemned to death seek?"
Lee Jae-soon rose too, questioning Woojin. The words pierced like a needle.
His mind rang, thoughts froze, words failed him.
"You can't even answer a simple question, which means you already know you're wrong. Am I mistaken?"
"......"
"Enough. Born in a vessel smaller than a soy sauce dish, sitting in a seat beyond your station, committing every evil—a mere wretch. By your logic, you're the most unfortunate and lonely soul in the world. Begone."
"......"
"I said begone!"
The roar sucked the tears right back into his eyes. Woojin averted his gaze from the veteran and sat down.
Lee Jae-soon sat too, and—
—Tap tap.
—subtly tapped Director Ryu's thigh again, signaling the end of his "prank."
"Alright, good work everyone. 15-minute break, then we'll wrap up."
The director, understanding, called for a short rest.
"Hooah~"
"Thought I was gonna die."
"Man, it's been forever since I felt this rush. Right?"
The tension that had gripped the room dissolved in an instant, sighs echoing everywhere. The atmosphere had demanded peak concentration from all.
Director Ryu and Teacher Lee Jae-soon chatted as they headed out.
"Woojin. Come out with me for a sec."
"Sure, hyung."
As Woojin rose at Seong-cheol's call, he spotted her.
"Oh, hyung. Mind if that friend comes too?"
Woojin pointed at Da-hee, sitting alone.
"Yeah, bring her."
"Got it."
He approached the rookie actress, for whom everything was new and unfamiliar. Just as Seong-cheol looked after him, Woojin felt he should do the same for her.
"Hey, Da-hee."
"Oh, yes. Sunbae— I mean, Woojin."
"Seong-cheol hyung wants to talk for a bit. Come with?"
"M-Me too?"
"Of course. He said it's fine. Let's chat and get to know each other."
"Thank you!"
Da-hee beamed and followed Woojin out.
They headed to the smoking area by the back door on the first floor.
"Here."
"Thanks."
Seong-cheol handed Woojin a cigarette. He didn't smoke usually, but occasionally did around people. Besides, he smoked in roles anyway—no real aversion.
"Da-hee?"
"Oh, I'm a non-smoker."
"Okay."
Woojin and Seong-cheol lit up, taking deep drags. It eased his mind oddly.
"You did great, you punk."
Seong-cheol patted Woojin's back in praise.
"Nah, I felt how much I still lack."
"Why? The improv?"
It scratched the exact itch.
"Yeah. Just... something keeps nagging at me."
"It's a kind of prank."
"A prank?"
"Yeah. He does it super rarely at readings. I've been hit too."
Seong-cheol chuckled and continued.
"He doesn't pull it on just anyone. I've seen it on me, but almost never on others."
"I see."
"When Teacher does that, it means there's something he wants to see. It's like certification that he's got his eye on you as an actor. An honor, right?"
"Totally."
Seong-cheol stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette and turned to Da-hee.
"Your reading was great too, Da-hee. Really a rookie?"
"Thank you for the kind words, sunbae! I learned a lot watching."
"Ask me or Woojin anything from now on, casually."
"Yes! I'll ask away!"
"Hahaha!"
Seong-cheol burst out laughing at Da-hee's eager vibe.
"Feels like the first time I met this Baek Woojin punk."
"...That's a compliment, right?"
"I'll plead the fifth."
Oh Seong-cheol hyung. Truly the king of approachability.
"Let's head back. 15 minutes is almost up."
"Yes, hyung!"
The three turned their steps back toward the script reading room.