Chapter 38
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Boundless Gratitude
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As I just explained, Your Majestys grace is boundless is what retainers say to express their gratitude to the king.
Yes. Thats right. I heard the king says it when giving rewards to his retainers.
Even though I couldnt pinpoint the exact meaning, that was why I could easily guess what the phrase meant.
But is it really only used to convey gratitude?
Huh?
Listen to what I say now and try to guess what emotion is behind it.
While I tilted my head, Moon Heesung took a moment to catch his breath.
He closed his eyes once, then opened them, his gaze suddenly darkening as he stared at me intensely.
His sharp eyes had changed in an instant.
His sudden piercing gaze made chills run down my spine.
As expected, seeing his acting live like this felt so much more real than on a screen.
Moon Heesung truly was an actor with incredible talent.
He held that gaze on me for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.
Your Majestys grace is boundless, Your Highness.
His voice was much deeper and more subdued than usual.
And after ending with Your Highness, I could see his lips trembling faintly.
The meaning of the line he delivered was clearly one of gratitude.
But beneath it lay faint traces of contempt and defeat.
Resentment toward the king perched high on his exalted throne.
It was a single line that perfectly conveyed the complex emotions that couldnt be shown outright yet couldnt be fully suppressed.
How was that? Did the words I just spoke seem to carry genuine gratitude?
He snapped back to his usual self, flashing a bright smilehis face exactly as before.
It was scary.
Not the line Moon Heesung delivered, but how he switched like that in a flash.
Anyway, I got what Moon Heesung was aiming for with this fun thing hed suggested.
I stared at him quietly for a moment as he asked how it was, then slowly opened my mouth.
Showing him how I felt would be quicker than saying ten words.
Have I incurred your displeasure?
!
A rebuke directed at a retainer who dared to speak to the kingwho was like the heavensin such a tone.
Unlike the surface-level question, my chilling gaze and tone carried clear reproach.
I fixed my icy stare on the startled Moon Heesung.
The kings narrowly opened eyes turned toward the shocked retainer.
As my gaze met his, Moon Heesungs expression stiffened, as if he felt a sudden chill.
Confirming that, I continued.
Yet... allow me one piece of advice. That look in your eyesits not a good one to have. Not from now on.
After tossing that out, I kept my chin slightly raised, staring at him steadily before relaxing my eyes.
Phew, is that how its done?
Ha.
Realizing Id dropped out of character, Moon Heesung let out a hollow laugh.
Haha, even while doing it, I wondered if youd really get it, Siwoo.
Moon Heesung shook his head, saying it had been needless worry.
Uncle didnt seem very grateful. You looked angry.
Yeah, exactly. From a retainers perspective, unable to speak plainly to the king, thats precisely the limit of what emotions they can express.
Hmm.
The phrasing was similar, but the old Eastern dynasties were both like and unlike the British monarchy.
It was even more fun hearing him compare the similarities and differences.
You can infuse a single line like Your Majestys grace is boundless with all sorts of emotions, just like that. Different actors, different situationsit changes every time. So when you watch historical dramas, pay close attention to it. Itll help.
Yes! Its fun.
Good. Glad to hear it. I cant beat you, Siwoo. To think youd counter like that.
Heehee.
The deep, resonant voice Id picked up playing a highborn noble before.
Since I hadnt hit puberty yet, it lacked full gravitas, but it still carried plenty of weight.
Moon Heesung seemed to like it.
After hearing his brief praise, I scored my own delivery.
Hm, not bad.
Oh, by the way, Siwoo. In historical dramas, instead of you, they sometimes say for retainers. Its what the king uses to refer to them.
Mhm, .
I nodded, committing it to memory.
One more thing learned.
But... what historical drama did you get that line from? It came out so naturally.
Um. Its from something I saw a while back, so I forgot.
I rolled my eyes evasively.
Really? It sounded just like a real kingit gave me chills for a second. Let me know if you remember the title.
Yes.
I probably cant tell you, Uncle Heesung.
Because I made it up on the spot.
Back when I was trapped in the tower, I couldnt let the lines swirling in my head just pass by.
Fed up with reciting them alone into the void, I picked up a pen.
And I wrote down every line spoken by the jumble of characters in my mind.
For ten years like that.
Ten years of transcribing lines from imaginary figures, over and over.
Add in the playwriting Id done before joining the Oscar Theater Troupe, and its nearly twenty years.
The line that just came out flowed naturally from that experience.
The era and country are different, but something like this, right?
Id just tweaked it slightly to match the speech patterns from historical dramas Id seen.
Uncle, shh now.
Ah, right. Shall we talk after this is done?
Yes.
I pointed at the historical drama we were watching and nagged Moon Heesung.
Finally snapping to, he resumed the paused video.
I focused on the screen with bated breath as it started moving again.
I kept my eyes especially wide, hunting for things to ask Moon Heesung about later.
Lately, these serious talks about acting with him were so enjoyable.
I could immerse myself in acting without worrying if Id make it back to the estate safely.
No need to fret about getting caught by His Grace, Duke Hugo Battenberg.
A world where no one got hurt just because I wanted to act.
I could enjoy this perfect setup, watching what I wanted without rushing.
Was it because Id suffered so much in my past life? Savoring this sweet present felt surreal.
This must be what they mean by after bitterness comes sweetness!
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
I wasnt just memorizing idioms anymoreI was living them.
Clangclang-clang.
Wow.
I watched the action scene unfolding on Moon Heesungs massive TV with pure delight.
Ugh, is this really worth it?
Cha Il-nam grumbled as he entered the large theater at the Gwanghwamun Cultural Center and took his seat.
The run of RUN had been sold out for a full month now.
Han Yu-ju had called every day, insisting he had to see it, so hed snagged ticketsbut good seats were impossible.
Han Siuthe play with that Han Siu kid. You know him, right, sunbae? The one everyones talking about!
Han Yu-ju had emphasized Han Sius name over the phone.
In theater circles, and even broadcasting, word about Han Siu was already spreading.
As KMB Drama Divisions star PD, there was no way Cha Il-nam hadnt heard.
These days, hed overhear the name even just grabbing lunch at the cafeteria.
Still, hes only six. Whats six years old? A month ago he was barely five. Sheesh.
Jessica Brown from Rainbow Pictures had picked this five-year-old genius boy, Han Siu.
Hadnt he just lucked into every element the media goes crazy for?
No matter how much Han Yu-ju raved after seeing it herself, Cha Il-nam figured the hype was overblown.
And even if the kid was some acting prodigy.
Could he really grasp and perform the profound psychological depth in Han Yu-jus lines?
At just six years old?
Cha Il-nam didnt buy it.
The tangled psyche of a child thrust into a suddenly changed world gave even adults headaches.
For a six-year-old to fully understand and act it out?
Impossible, no matter how he sliced it.
Letting out a deep sigh, Cha Il-nam settled in to watch, thinking hed give it a shot.
If this actor Han Yu-ju had found wasnt it, hed seriously try convincing her otherwise.
!
Then RUN began.
Throughout the entire play, Cha Il-nams jaw stayed dropped.
Hed expected to scrutinize it harshly, given Han Yu-jus string of past failures.
She always said she didnt care about looksjust solid, no, exceptional acting.
But once the lid was off, Cha Il-nam realized hed misjudged her standards badly.
When the curtain fell, Cha Il-namface streaked with tearsfumbled for his phone in a panic.
Hey, Writer Han? Its Cha Il-nam. Grab that proposal and all the scripts so far and haul ass to the conference room!
-Oh, what? PD-nim, you just finished the show?
Yeah! So hurry up. Were having a strategy meeting.
Han Yu-jus laughter rang out from the other end at his frantic tone.
The nearly two-month run of RUN, which had flown by, was nearing its end.
Phew.
Todays rehearsal wrapped, and it was time for the child actors to head home.
Id bundled up in the cardigan, thick coat, scarf, and ear muffs Mom had dressed me in that morning when someone tapped my shoulder.
Hm? Jessica.
Siwoo, Ive got someone to introduce you to. You free tonight?
Mhm, yes. Im good.
Great. Lets grab dinner together then.
Yes. Ill call Mom.
Got it. My schedules wrapping up too, so well head out together.
I nodded, slung my ear muffs over one arm, and stepped out of the practice room.
Now, with the phone around my neck, I was used to holding the 1 key down long.
That connected straight to Mom.
Dad had shown me after watching me punch in the full 11 digits every time.
Hed joked not to forget Mom and Dads numbers, and Id assured him that wouldnt happen.
I even remember things from 400 years ago, Dad.
No need to worry.
-Yes? Siwoo-ya. Done for the day?
Yeah, Mom. Im having dinner with the director tonight. Come with?
-Oh, sure? Ill head up now?
Yeah!
I hung up with Mom and went back into the practice room.
The hallways still too cold.
Better wait inside.
Hey, Han Siu.
Hm?
Whys everyone calling me today?
I turned to see Sung Ji-hoon.
Standing there all slouchy, staring at me as usual.
The gifts had thawed him enough for occasional chats, but never after practice.
The kid whos always rushing to academywhat gives?
What?
Come with us today. My moms treating for dinner.
Behind Sung Ji-hoon, the child actors were huddled together.
Hm, looks like theyre planning something, like my chicken party.
Mhm, but Ive got dinner plans with Jessica tonight.
With Jessica?
Sung Ji-hoons face fell in despair, his shoulders slumping dramatically.
Whats with him.
Yeah. Promised Jessica first.
Okay, got it.
Sung Ji-hoon trudged back to the kids.
Hed been hovering awkwardly around me lately. With the play ending soon, maybe he wants to apologize properly.
Seeing the kids peeking over hopefully made me a bit uneasy.
I watched for a moment, then called out to Sung Ji-hoon.
Ji-hoon hyung.
Y-Yeah?
Lets hang out after final dress. Ill make time then.
Oh, yeah!
His face lit up like a switch had flipped, nodding eagerly.
As expected, the life of a popular guy is full of hardships.