Chapter 23

Cheonchujeon, A Private Audience with King Sejong (2)

When the brain's alarm system detects a threat, an escape plan—programmed deep within the brain—automatically activates, sending warning signals throughout the entire body.

Then the amygdala, often called the "reptilian brain," which once governed humans when they were still like beasts, takes over. It partially blocks sensory input and information heading to the higher brain—the frontal lobe—and advanced cognitive functions, transforming the body into a state optimized solely for survival.

Powerful stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and dopamine flood the body. As a result, the heart pounds, blood pressure and breathing rise, and the body is driven into one of three states: flee, fight, or freeze under overwhelming fear.

Because information to the rational brain is momentarily cut off, memories formed in such moments become fragmented—stored separately as pieces of visual, olfactory, and auditory impressions. The Broca's area, responsible for language, is also temporarily shut down, making it impossible to describe the fear in rational words.

Yoon Seo had counseled many clients in such extreme states of fear—victims of abuse, sexual violence, group assaults, and school bullying.

She had testified in court for those whose fragmented memories prevented them from giving consistent statements.

And she had spent countless hours helping clients who, in order to avoid reliving unbearable pain and helplessness, had pushed even the memory of their trauma into unconscious oblivion—losing a part of themselves in the process—guiding them to recover accurate memories while recognizing that the harm they suffered was not their fault.

As she mechanically recited the stages of brain development in response to King Sejong's demand, her frontal lobe—paralyzed by fear—began to awaken. As the surge of stress hormones subsided, Yoon Seo became aware that she had been completely overwhelmed by fear.

And she realized—

If she failed to handle this properly, then just like the clients she had seen, she would be overwhelmed by terror every time two eunuchs in blue-green robes appeared together—

She would relive the moment she had been dragged like an animal before the stables.

At the mere sound of Jeon Gyun's voice, her body would freeze, drenched in cold sweat.

The humiliation of crawling on all fours before the King would make life in the palace unbearable.

Life is not something that simply happens—it must be lived.

Daily life is not something to be endured—it is something to be led.

Yoon Seo, who had always held firm to these beliefs as a professional counselor, now found herself standing on a brutal testing ground where she had to apply those very principles to herself.

"..."

She stopped speaking mid-recitation, straightened her body, and crossed her arms over her chest, holding herself tightly.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then held her breath while counting to six—practicing mindful breathing. Her hands gently patted her shoulders.

Tap. Tap.

I was overwhelmed by the fear of death and suffered humiliation like a beast—but this is not my fault.

Tap. Tap.

Humans are noble and dignified beings, capable of sacrificing themselves for beliefs, for others, for freedom, for faith, for democracy.

Tap. Tap.

I, Kwon Yoon Seo of the 21st century, will do my utmost to reclaim my human dignity in this palace that treats people like beasts and wields fear as power.

Even if the end is death.

Tap. Tap.

"…?"

Sejong, who had been greedily absorbing her strange and fascinating knowledge from behind his desk piled high with documents, stared at her in surprise.

He had known from the beginning that Kwon Ga was overwhelmed by fear, but since most people he met as king feared him, he had not considered it unusual.

He had even given her water to calm her, believing he had shown sufficient royal benevolence.

So when she suddenly stopped speaking, straightened her body without permission, closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and began patting herself—he watched with astonishment and curiosity.

At last, she opened her eyes.

And then she committed an act that should never be done without royal permission—

She looked directly at the King.

The sight of a mere eighteen-year-old court lady—who had been trembling in fear—now meeting his gaze with the same bold eyes his father once had…

It was as strange and wondrous as a cicada emerging from the back of a grub.

"Your Majesty!"

Yoon Seo released her arms, knelt upright, and faced Sejong.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that to be granted an audience with you, one must be notified at least a day in advance and prepare accordingly. I received no such notice. I exited the palace through proper procedures with an official pass, yet on my return I was dragged like a dog and brought before you in a disgraceful state, without even having the chance to compose my attire."

"...!"

"By violating the solemn audience protocols you have established, the royal eunuch Jeon Gyun has turned me—a court lady of the Eastern Palace and caretaker of the Crown Grand Prince—into someone who appears disrespectful. In doing so, he has brought dishonor not only upon Your Majesty, but also upon the Crown Prince and the young prince. I ask that he be punished."

Having resolved, paradoxically, to risk death in order to live properly as a human being, there was nothing Yoon Seo could not say.

The anger she had been accumulating ever since her soul was dragged into Joseon burst forth all at once.

"And I ask that I be allowed to return to my quarters in the Eastern Palace, calm the fear and anger I now feel, and prepare myself to properly present what I know to Your Majesty."

"Hah!"

Sejong stared at her as if he had seen a goblin.

But Yoon Seo met his gaze unwaveringly.

Sejong might be a great figure in history—but to Kwon Yoon Seo, a living person from the 21st century, he was merely an old man who allowed the unjust violence committed by Jeon Gyun.

"..."

"..."

For the first time in his life, Sejong found himself utterly taken aback by a type of person he had never encountered before—yet at the same time, he felt an intense curiosity.

From the Queen's palace until this very moment in Cheonchujeon, this court lady had consistently spoken what she believed to be unjust—even at the risk of death.

Her recklessness was astonishing.

And yet, that very recklessness shone with a dazzling resolve.

A person who stakes everything and speaks with such conviction… is truly beautiful.

Just as he was thinking this—

"Father, Your son enters."

Without even asking permission, the Crown Prince burst through the doors of Cheonchujeon.

"Ha!"

This, too, had never happened before. Sejong stared at his son in disbelief.

Lee Hyang had been in Bihyeongak, summoning craftsmen from the Office of Typecasting and the Bureau of Weapons to discuss whether fingerprints truly differed from person to person—and if so, how to effectively collect their traces.

Those who handled ink and printing—typecasters who applied oil to movable type, printers who transferred text onto paper—would likely have insight into capturing fingerprint patterns.

And the Bureau of Weapons, which dealt with gunpowder, would have expertise in refining fine powders that could reveal such traces on paper.

Then Head Court Lady Eom urgently requested an audience with him.

"Kwon Ga went to Court Lady Park's residence to prepare medicine for the Crown Grand Prince's mosquito bites. Because time was tight before her night duty, she wore men's clothing to ride quickly. I fear Jeon Gyun may use this as a pretext to frame her."

"Go back and tell the craftsmen to proceed with the research we discussed today."

Having given the order, Lee Hyang immediately ran toward Cheonchujeon beside Sajungjeon.

Except for times when he conducted gangmu—military training disguised as hunting—it had been since his childhood, before he was named Crown Prince, that Lee Hyang had last run like this with his bare body.

Breathing heavily as his breath grew ragged, he still hadn't managed to find this "Bogum." Yet he had already reached a conclusion—

Even if such a man did exist, he could not let Kwon Yoon Seo go.

As he entered the courtyard of Sajungjeon, he spotted Jeon Gyun bowing low in front of Cheonchujeon.

Lee Hyang strode forward rapidly.

"Y-Your Highness the Crown Pr—… Ack!"

Without hesitation, Lee Hyang struck Jeon Gyun across the face.

The blow was so strong that Jeon Gyun's body spun like a top before collapsing onto the ground.

"You will die today!"

With that, Lee Hyang entered Cheonchujeon.

Inside, he saw the back of Kwon Yoon Seo—her appearance utterly disheveled.

The brim of her gat was crushed and torn, her hair splayed in all directions, and her dark blue robe had ripped at the shoulder, exposing the jade-colored jeogori underneath.

The moment he saw her like that, his breath caught.

How could a person's heart ache this much because of another person?

Even in such a miserable state, Yoon Seo stood upright before the King, her posture unyielding.

Her straightened shoulders, as if refusing to bow to any threat in the world, made his chest tighten with pain.

Lee Hyang knelt before the King and spoke.

"Your Majesty, Kwon Yoon Seo left the palace on my errand. As it required haste, I instructed her to dress in a manner convenient for travel."

"I see?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Her words differ."

"Kwon Yoon Seo spoke so out of thoughtful loyalty, fearing that the truth might harm my reputation and that of the Crown Grand Prince."

Sejong observed his son with interest.

Whenever he had urged him to enter the Crown Princess's quarters for the sake of producing heirs for the royal line, his son had done so reluctantly, like a man being led to slaughter.

Yet now, the gaze he directed toward Kwon Ga was filled with unmistakable affection.

"Yoon Seo… is that the name of this Kwon family court lady?"

"Yes, Father."

"…Take her, then."

"Your grace is boundless."

Lee Hyang bowed deeply, then said,

"Let's go, Yoon Seo."

Yoon Seo.

At the sound of her name, Yoon Seo suddenly remembered her dream from the night before.

Since arriving in Joseon, everyone had called her "Kwon Ga"—no one had called her by her name. She had thought the long-haired, handsome man calling her name had been just a dream.

With trembling legs, she bowed to King Sejong.

As she staggered, Lee Hyang firmly grasped her arm to support her.

"Return the day after tomorrow, at the Hour of the Monkey."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"This time, you have been informed in advance. Come well prepared."

"…Yes, Your Majesty."

As Yoon Seo backed away to leave Cheonchujeon, Sejong suddenly called out again.

"Kwon Ga."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Still supported by Lee Hyang, she bowed.

"Even if the Crown Prince had not come, you would have been safe. And likewise, even if he had not come, Jeon Gyun would have been dismissed, punished, and sent as a state slave to Bukcheong in the northern frontier."

At those words, Jeon Gyun—having heard the King's voice through the open doors—collapsed, banging his forehead repeatedly against the ground as he cried out.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I have committed a crime worthy of death! Please, have mercy!"

"Take him away, imprison him, and give him sixty strokes of the paddle!"

Sejong commanded sternly.

Jeon Gyun… is eliminated!

From early on, he had acted as a spy for Grand Prince Suyang, leaking information from within the palace and subtly encouraging others to mistreat Hongwi.

And later—when King Munjong fell ill with a boil—he had blocked ministers from visiting and falsely claimed the King was fine, causing the loss of the proper treatment window and leading to his untimely death.

Worst of all, during the Gyeyu Coup, he had handed Hongwi over to Suyang as a hostage.

That very Jeon Gyun… had now been removed.

Yoon Seo had been prepared to die to protect her dignity as a human being—if necessary, even to take Jeon Gyun down with her.

But now—

As the tension from staking her life on her words suddenly released, all strength drained from her body.

Just as her legs gave out and she began to collapse—

Lee Hyang caught her in his arms.

"Y-Your Highness!"

"Hold onto my neck tightly so you don't fall."

As the court ladies and eunuchs murmured in shock, Lee Hyang gave an order.

"All of you—prostrate yourselves and lower your heads."

As everyone bowed their heads, Lee Hyang walked forward, carrying Yoon Seo in his arms—firm, steady, and unashamed.