It was an unexpected question.

Yoo Chi Sung, who had been looking at his feet, glanced around with a puzzled expression.

He thought he would be asked why he did it.

He thought he would be blamed for being the same kind of person.

But that wasn’t the case.

“Do you dislike me?”

Kwon Jwa Woo asked Yoo Chi Sung again.

“That’s not it, but…”

“Then that’s fine.”

Kwon Jwa Woo resumed walking after briefly pausing. However, Yoo Chi Sung couldn’t bring himself to follow.

After hesitating for a moment, Yoo Chi Sung called out to stop Kwon Jwa Woo.

“Why don’t you ask?”

“Pardon?”

Kwon Jwa Woo stopped walking and turned to look at Yoo Chi Sung.

“Why don’t you question why I treated you that way?”

“You must have had your reasons.”

“Don’t pretend to be so generous.”

In response to Yoo Chi Sung’s gruff words, Kwon Jwa Woo showed his characteristic smile.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I’m pretending to be generous, I’m just preoccupied.”

“Preoccupied?”

“Putting out the fire that’s fallen on my feet is my top priority. I don’t have the capacity to worry about why Sir Yoo did what he did to me.”

“Aren’t you still resentful?”

“It’s already in the past. What good would it do to dwell on rights and wrongs?”

“What if I continue to mistreat you in the future?”

“Will you?”

At Kwon Jwa Woo’s question, Yoo Chi Sung shook his head.

“No. I won’t do that.”

“You see?”

“…”

“If nothing else, I have a keen eye for people. In my eyes, Sir Yoo is not a bad person.”

“You’ve misjudged me. I am a bad person.”

“No, you’re not.”

“You’re saying I’m not a bad person even after tormenting you so?”

“You didn’t do it of your own volition, did you?”

“How… did you know?”

Yoo Chi Sung’s eyes widened.

Behind all the things Yoo Chi Sung had done until now were Lee Myung Hak and his group. Pressured by threats to harm Yoo Chi Sung and his family if they didn’t comply, he ended up doing things he shouldn’t have.

“My family settled in the deep mountains of Gangwon Province. We were well-respected local figures there. However, things changed when we came to Hanyang. Here, we were just rich country bumpkins.”

Yoo Chi Sung began to pour out the words he had been holding inside.

“That must be why. I wanted to impress Lee Myung Hak. I volunteered to be his henchman to get into his good graces.”

“I see. And did you achieve what you wanted?”

At Kwon Jwa Woo’s question, Yoo Chi Sung gave a bitter smile.

“No. The more I lowered myself before them, the more they treated me like a pet in their house.”

“And then?”

“Huh?”

“Are you satisfied now?”

“How could I be?”

“…”

“I regret it. I wish I hadn’t done it from the beginning. Only now have I realized that I am just myself.”

Kwon Jwa Woo nodded at Yoo Chi Sung’s honest answer.

“That’s enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“If Sir Yoo has decided to live as yourself and not as someone else’s henchman, that’s enough. So don’t worry about what you did to me.”

“You don’t resent me?”

“I’ve found that the more you resent, the more hatred accumulates, but nothing changes. So I don’t do it.”

“Really?”

“Really. Just promise me one thing.”

“A promise?”

“From now on, live for yourself, Sir Yoo, not for anyone else.”

“…”

Perhaps it was due to Kwon Jwa Woo’s broad-minded understanding?

Suddenly, Yoo Chi Sung’s eyes turned red.

He recalled his past days.

The image of himself pretending to be a swindler, unbecoming of his true nature, just to please others.

He felt ashamed.

Also, he couldn’t help but feel immensely grateful for Kwon Jwa Woo’s simple words asking him to live as himself.

As Kwon Jwa Woo said, he should live as Yoo Chi Sung.

What did it matter if he was an ignorant country bumpkin?

He was Yoo Chi Sung after all.

It felt as if his constricted airways, which had been tight since arriving in Hanyang, were finally opening up.

“It’s shameless of me to say this, but…”

Yoo Chi Sung hesitated.

“Go ahead and speak.”

“Would you be my friend?”

“Weren’t we already friends?”

At Kwon Jwa Woo’s bright smile, Yoo Chi Sung also smiled.

The expressions on both their faces were those of innocent friends, without even a speck of self-interest.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Did you see that?”

Hong Woo Geon, who had been watching Kwon Jwa Woo and Yoo Chi Sung, spoke up.

“He didn’t use power. Without using force, or even a single coin, he made that man his own.”

Bo Jong could vaguely guess what his master was talking about.

Kwon Jwa Woo’s ability to break down people’s defenses seemed limitless.

Indeed.

Even Bo Jong, who always kept his distance from people, was generous towards Kwon Jwa Woo alone. He was unknowingly being influenced by Kwon Jwa Woo.

As if seeing through his thoughts, Hong Woo Geon smiled slightly.

“That’s what’s truly frightening.”

Hong Woo Geon turned his head again to look at Kwon Jwa Woo.

Watching Hong Woo Geon’s back, Bo Jong had something he wanted to say.

‘My lord is no pushover either.’

Seeing Hong Woo Geon unable to take his eyes off Kwon Jwa Woo, Bo Jong swallowed the words that were swirling in his mouth.

[This is the timeline separator]

The dew that had fallen overnight seeped into the silk robes with every step.

One might furrow their brow at the damp sensation.

But the king’s expression remained indifferent as he walked.

Before long, his hurried steps brought him to the rear garden of the Queen Dowager’s quarters.

Not far away, he could see the Queen Dowager and Cho Byung Doo, the Minister of Justice, enjoying the early morning atmosphere.

The king took a moment to catch his breath before commanding.

“Announce me.”

As soon as the order was given, Jang Eunuch’s voice cut through the morning air.

“Your Majesty the Queen Dowager, His Majesty the King is here to see you.”

The Queen Dowager’s expression, who had been chatting with Cho Byung Doo, hardened for just a moment.

But who was she?

Was she not the cornerstone of the in-laws who encompassed present-day Joseon, and the strong woman who had served as regent during the king’s childhood?

Quickly composing herself, the Queen Dowager smiled affectionately at the king.

A smile like that of an ordinary grandmother.

“Your Majesty, you’ve come.”

“I, your subject, greet Your Majesty.”

Cho Byung Doo, standing behind the Queen Dowager, bowed his head to the king.

The king also responded to the Minister of Justice’s greeting with a slight nod.

Then, turning his gaze to the Queen Dowager, the king took her arm.

“Grandmother, what were you talking about so interestingly?”

The Queen Dowager didn’t open her mouth easily at the king’s question.

“It’s a story Your Majesty would find uninteresting.”

“The more you say that, the more curious I become.”

With a kind smile on his lips, the king turned his gaze to Cho Byung Doo, who was following closely behind the two.

“Minister, do you still have something to say?”

“Is there some secret conversation that I shouldn’t hear?”

Cho Byung Doo countered the king’s question with another question.

An almost imperceptible twitch appeared at the corner of the smiling king’s mouth.

This was the reality of royal power.

State affairs were discussed by court officials, and the king was merely a puppet doing as the ministers wished.

Looking at Cho Byung Doo, who had subtly hinted at the king to mind his place, the king spoke.

“We’re having a rare grandmother-grandson talk. If you have nothing urgent to report, perhaps you could visit the Queen Dowager’s quarters another time?”

“Ah, I see.”

Despite the blatant dismissal, Cho Byung Doo showed no signs of retreating.

Instead, he seemed to have something to say, opening and closing his mouth like a carp.

The king’s sharp gaze couldn’t miss this sight.

“What, do you have something to say?”

The king set the stage.

It was an invitation to speak his mind if he had something to say.

Cho Byung Doo’s face brightened at the opportunity.

He had been wondering how to report the king’s misconduct to the Queen Dowager.

“I hesitate to report this, but…”

“If you’re so hesitant, you could simply not report it. Ah, just talking to myself. Please continue.”

“Recently, disturbing rumors have been spreading rapidly within the palace.”

“Disturbing rumors, you say?”

The Queen Dowager, leaning on the king’s arm, turned to look at Cho Byung Doo.

Even a toothless tiger was once a woman who had the world at her fingertips.

Her gaze fixed on Cho Byung Doo was sharp.

After a brief pause, Cho Byung Doo spoke.

“It’s said that Your Majesty has started a strange game in the Western Palace…”

Cho Byung Doo deliberately let his words trail off.

As if he was too shocked to continue speaking.

The Queen Dowager’s sharp gaze now turned to the king.

The king clearly saw a chilling smile spread across Cho Byung Doo’s lips as he stood behind the Queen Dowager.

That sly old fox.

“A strange game, you say? Your Majesty, what is all this about?”

In response to the Queen Dowager’s question, the king maintained a calm expression.

“We are conducting tests to select secret royal inspectors, Your Majesty.”

The king continued, giving Cho Byung Doo a disappointed look.

“This is troubling. It’s a process to select talented individuals useful to the country. To call it a strange game, I feel quite hurt.”

“I hear there was an unfortunate incident among the candidates yesterday. Apparently, the candidate recommended by the Left State Councillor was seriously injured. Is that not so? They say he might even have to withdraw from the candidacy. Surely… this wasn’t all intended by Your Majesty?”

“My, my. It seems the rumors about the minister’s eyes and ears being everywhere in the palace are true. How do you know things that even I am unaware of? I’m simply amazed.”

“Please consider this all as my loyal concern for the royal family and the country.”

“Whether it’s loyal concern or ambition for the throne remains to be seen.”

At the king’s subtle sarcasm, Cho Byung Doo raised his voice.

“Your Majesty!”

“Oh my! Your voice is raised. Have you forgotten that the Queen Dowager is present?”

The king’s gaze towards Cho Byung Doo was as sharp as an icicle.

In the tense standoff between the king and Cho Byung Doo, no one dared to even breathe loudly.

An eternity-like silence passed.

It was Cho Byung Doo who broke the silence.

“Ho ho ho, I have overstepped today. This disloyal subject will visit again to seek forgiveness.”

“Very well.”

The smile disappeared from Cho Byung Doo’s face as he bowed his head.

‘No matter how much you struggle, you’re just a puppet king.’

The king’s expression was equally cold as he watched.

‘How long will I remain a puppet? Look forward to the day when my royal guard is complete…’

Cho Byung Doo headed out of the rear garden, while the king moved further into the garden with the Queen Dowager.

Even as they passed each other, the tension between the two remained evenly balanced, not tilting to either side.