In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 31

The blinding light faded, and I slowly opened my eyes.

The first thing that greeted me was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Gazing at the ceiling carved with antique patterns, I instinctively realized.

This familiar sensation…

Still lying down, I turned my dizzy head to look around.

Then I muttered.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

As my mind gradually cleared and I looked back at the ceiling, golden letters floated through the air as if answering my question.

[Mission: Complete this sequence.]

“Ha.”

A sigh escaped—brief, almost like a gasp.

The moment I saw those letters, my life inside the script that I’d forgotten came flooding back through my mind like a reel of film.

At the same time, the fear and sense of crisis I’d felt—that I might never escape the script—came rushing back.

I slowly sat up.

And as I looked around…

I saw the landscape of a king’s chambers that I’d only seen in historical dramas.

I ran my hand over the fine silk blanket that had been covering me.

‘No way.’

<Flower Beyond Palace Walls>, inside that script?

Why?

I failed the audition—so why am I here…

Possession… can this kind of thing have system errors too?

While thinking these absurd thoughts, I unconsciously reached toward the letters floating in the air.

“Hm?”

But what entered my field of vision was a handsome man’s hand with prominent tendons.

Is this my hand?

I examined each tendon positioned across the back of my hand, then jumped up in shock.

And I started patting myself down.

I felt solid muscles across my upper body.

Are these… biceps…?

Plus my line of sight was higher than usual.

Saying my height had increased seemed like an understatement…

Looking down at myself, my body was wrapped in red silk robes.

And those robes were embroidered with golden dragons in glittering gold thread.

“This is… a dragon robe…”

I muttered in a dazed voice, and as if to mock me, the letters changed shape on their own.

[Reward: Casting]

“What kind of bullshit is this, seriously.”

The curse slipped out naturally.

I was shocked again by the voice that came out—deep and resonant, with a low tone.

I raised my hand and touched my throat.

I felt an Adam’s apple protruding prominently in the center.

‘Wh-what do I do…’

I already failed, so how am I getting cast?

Plus, even with Flat Shoes, it was absurd getting hit by a car after becoming Shin Sera out of nowhere.

And now I’ve become the king?

Why the king and not Sunim?

In that brief moment, my head was on the verge of overload.

The only thought dominating my mind was this single thing.

I’d have to live in a man’s body until I escaped from this script.

Gulp—I swallowed hard.

I slowly lowered my gaze from the letters.

The feeling was… uncomfortable, somehow unsettling.

“Wh-what is this.”

I couldn’t bring myself to lift the dragon robe, but I didn’t know what else to do either.

I stood there just staring downward, stamping my feet, when suddenly a voice came from behind.

“Your Majesty…?”

“Ah, you scared me…”

I turned around to find an elderly eunuch staring wide-eyed at me.

An eunuch beside the king would be… what was it.

“S-Sangseon.”

What I’d been thinking slipped right out of my mouth.

“Indeed. Did you have a nightmare?”

“N-no, it’s not that. M-my body.”

“Where do you feel unwell, Your Majesty?”

Sangseon approached with a worried expression.

With a completely flustered face, I looked down at my lower half, and Sangseon’s gaze naturally followed mine downward.

Then silence flowed.

“I am relieved you are in good health.”

Sangseon spoke with a smile, leaving me completely dumbfounded.

“Why is this happening…”

At that, Sangseon bowed his head.

“Your Majesty.”

Words I’d never expected came from Sangseon’s mouth.

“Are you teasing this old eunuch from early morning? This humble servant has never experienced such a thing in his entire life.”

Those words left me dumbfounded once again.

“I-I apologize.”

* * *

“Morning audience.”

Before the Queen Dowager’s chambers, I paced restlessly with Sangseon and court ladies in attendance.

“Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell? Since this morning…”

“No.”

I swallowed hard.

Not only had I entered the script and become a man, but now I had to meet the Queen Dowager right away?

This was difficult.

The Queen Dowager was an extreme character standing at the opposite end from the king and Sunim.

The true power holder, regent governing from behind the young king and essentially controlling the throne.

“Please enter.”

Following Sangseon’s words, I headed inside the Queen Dowager’s chambers.

After taking several steps, a woman far ahead stood waiting with the door wide open.

“Have you arrived, Your Majesty?”

I stared for a moment at the Queen Dowager’s face—my stepmother.

Her refined middle-aged features held a warmth I hadn’t expected.

Um, how should I greet her?

I clasped my hands together respectfully.

“Did you rest comfortably last night?”

The Queen Dowager’s eyes curved slightly.

“Yes. The mornings and evenings grow quite chilly. I shall instruct the court ladies to take greater care in preserving Your Majesty’s health.”

Hmm…

This is so different from what I imagined.

From reading just the script, I’d thought she’d be loudly throwing her weight around with insatiable greed.

The Queen Dowager before my eyes now maintained perfect composure.

With an unfathomable coolness hidden beneath her eye-smile.

I’m not sure but…

She’s definitely no ordinary person.

Feeling strangely intimidated, I forced a smile onto my face.

* * *

After the storm of morning audience passed.

After that, I was dragged around by Sangseon in a daze all day long. (+) ^[1] TLN: Sangseon refers to a high-ranking royal official or official attendant closely associated with the king. In context, “Sangseon” (상선) was likely a title or position related to royal service or court functionaries who were always near the king to assist or advise him.

Debating with ministers, studying, holding court meetings, reading books, reviewing memorials, preparing to receive foreign envoys and hunting competitions, learning swordsmanship…

All of this happened in a single day.

I entered this script just this morning, you know.

“K-kill me.”

“How dreadful, Your Majesty. Please have your meal.”

The court lady bringing refreshments didn’t even look surprised as she answered.

This was already my fifth meal.

Even if I didn’t want to eat, my blood sugar had dropped so low I couldn’t endure without eating.

Now I understood a bit why Joseon’s kings ate over five meals a day.

The countless tasks flowed past without properly registering in my mind.

Only one thing stuck clearly in my head.

The image of the Queen Dowager I’d seen during morning audience.

I blankly chewed on rice cake, then suddenly looked at the court ladies before me.

The clean parts in the hair of the court ladies bowing toward me were beautiful.

This really is amazing.

To think this isn’t a dream.

I picked up a spoon.

My face reflected faintly in the spoon.

“Hmm, not similar at all…”

I was talking about Lee Seokhyun.

The king’s face I now wore and Lee Seokhyun had nothing in common.

Except for one thing—kind yet melancholic eyes.

I guess this counts as handsome in Joseon?

I set the spoon back down and let out a deep sigh.

Besides the Queen Dowager, I thought about the ministers and scholars I’d met all day today.

In this unfamiliar situation, there was only one thing I could do.

Pretend to be the king while observing things that might help my acting.

Actually, being dropped into the script again and becoming the king was bewildering, but…

Thinking about it differently, this was an opportunity from heaven.

What actor could possibly enter actual Joseon to practice their acting?

Whether court ladies, scholars, or elderly ministers—I observed everything carefully, determined to remember every gesture, etiquette, and manner of speech from everyone.

Teacher Yoon Youngjae’s face suddenly came to mind.

If I escape from here, wouldn’t Teacher be shocked seeing my acting?

Hehe.

Finally, with my reason clouded and unable to assess the situation, a foolish laugh escaped me.

The court lady handing me a cup of sujeonggwa startled at my laughter and hesitated.

“A-ah, it’s nothing.”

I lowered my voice again and played at being the king.

Wow, after about a week of this, acting like a king will be a piece of cake, won’t it?

While thinking all sorts of things and smiling to myself…

That smile abruptly cut off the moment refreshments were cleared away.

Sangseon, who’d been positioned outside, entered with urgent quick steps.

“Your Majesty, ministers have gathered outside again…”

“Hm?”

“Today, you should prepare your heart.”

Sangseon’s voice trembled.

“What do you mean by…”

Before I could finish speaking, a resounding voice that shook the entire palace came from outside.

“We beg Your Majesty’s understanding!”

After the leader’s voice, what sounded like dozens of voices followed in chorus.

“We beg Your Majesty’s understanding!”

The sound of guards throughout the palace hurriedly moving outside reached my ears.

“Wh-what’s happening?”

Sangseon answered calmly.

“Previously, Your Majesty declared your intention to end regency, and many ministers submitted memorials expressing concerns, but…”

Ah… that’s what this is?

“But they believe Your Majesty has yet to give a proper response, so perhaps that is why they are now…”

Before Sangseon finished speaking, I stood up.

Hmm, is this really such a big deal?

Still failing to grasp the situation, I strode outside with long steps.

Brushing aside the court ladies trying to stop me, I threw the doors wide open.

And what unfolded was a spectacle.

Dozens—no, at least over a hundred ministers were prostrated before the palace.

As the doors opened, they shouted even louder as if demanding to be heard.

“We beg Your Majesty’s understanding!”

Seeing them all spread out like that, I felt psychological pressure.

Wow, if I were actually the king, this would be seriously stressful, wouldn’t it?

They’re openly demonstrating against me…

Plus, they’re doing this because I said I’d end regency now?

Then this thought suddenly struck me.

‘Wait, what episode is this?’

There was nothing like this in the early script I’d read…

The afterimage of the golden letters I’d seen on my first day of possession flickered before my eyes.

Complete the sequence.

I finally realized.

That mission had a serious problem.

Not only did I not know where in the content I’d landed, I’d only seen up to episode 6 of the script.

Lost in thought, I slowly descended the stairs.

I approached the minister in the front row who sat with his completely white hair loose.

The minister, hearing my footsteps, kept his head pressed to the ground as he continued speaking.

“We beg…”

I knelt on one knee before him and leaned forward.

“Listen here. What exactly do you want me to understand?”

At that, the dozens of people in the courtyard became colored with confusion—I could feel it on my skin.

• 1. TLN: Sangseon refers to a high-ranking royal official or official attendant closely associated with the king. In context, “Sangseon” (상선) was likely a title or position related to royal service or court functionaries who were always near the king to assist or advise him.