episode_0178

And so, her hardships finally came to an end.

Of course,

-“Mother, how could…! I have vowed to dedicate my entire life to you, Mother. That is something I will never…!”

-“So, you’re saying that I should serve me, no, my husband, for the rest of your life because I’ve dedicated myself to serving Mother? Ha! Didn’t you just say you would do anything a moment ago? Why? Don’t like this? Hmph… Fine, then don’t do it. I won’t force you. It’s such a bother not being able to argue with Dohee. Tsk tsk… I’m taking matters into my own hands. Taking them.”

-“……”

-“Ah! Since you brought it up, you don’t need to participate in the ceremony from now on. Isn’t that what you wanted? Good riddance. I didn’t want to dance at the banquet with a fairy full of mistakes anyway. Don’t worry! Is it such a big deal if you’re missing? Just go to ‘Abamama’ and say they need some more people. That should solve everything. Well, let’s talk about something else too?”

-“Th-therefore…! Please spare the Empress Dowager…! Mo-mother…! I apologize…! I-I will do it….”

-“What was that? I can’t hear you?”

-“Hmph… I will become the Empress Dowager’s… servant.”

The final touches had to be made.

However, cornered mice bite the cat, and Ga Mu Baek Hee was a performance that had to embody kindness and happiness, almost like a ritual.

If it seemed like forcing Seol to do something she disliked, the picture she desired would never come out. Therefore, Hee Sun promised Seol with all her sincerity, even risking her own life.

-“Alright, then give it your best shot. Even if it’s for your master. If you successfully complete this Ga Mu Baek Hee, put in a request to Abamama to lessen the punishment for the sisters. Especially the eldest sister. I swear by my sincerity that I will do my best to fulfill that request. How does that sound? It’s not just a bad proposal, right? Sacrificing yourself to become the Empress Dowager’s servant will reduce the punishment related to the rebellion. Where else can you find such an opportunity?”

-“…!!!”

Their devotion to the heavenly court’s owner was so self-sacrificially excessive.

The tight bond, stronger than that of parents and children or siblings, brought them great strength and abundant sincerity but also served as a weakness that made them endure any insult or shame.

Seol realized she could no longer act recklessly, knowing her master’s future rested in her hands. With the added motivation to participate diligently, she had no choice but to engage fully in the ceremony.

Once the ceremony ended, Seol would immediately shift to becoming the Empress Dowager’s servant instead of the eldest sister’s. All of this was solely her decision.

It was a valuable victory she had achieved without clinging to them like before, yearning only for Abamama’s touch, without begging or seeking help.

Hmm… I wondered if it was necessary to make Seol the Empress Dowager’s servant through her husband…

Feeling a bit petty, I couldn’t help but desire to push through her husband once, partly due to his competent nature.

Since her husband didn’t have personal servants yet, I thought Seol was a fitting gift for him.

However, dealing with Seol’s high-handed personality and the ever-increasing arrogance from being the eldest sister’s servant did bother me a bit…

No, perhaps her husband might like that?

‘I am curious. Seeing that lofty pride and dignity completely crumble, presenting himself to her husband…’

Well, after resolving the sisters’ affairs, the next steps were clear.

With the low-ranking fairies who would bow down wherever the factions were, there was no way for the most powerful elder sister, Seol, to have any say.

Now, all that remains is to present a more splendid and beautiful performance than ever before to surprise my husband.

As she reflected on the hardships she had endured…

She felt a sense of accomplishment as her plan to startle her husband, who was staring blankly with his mouth slightly agape as if he could drool at any moment, finally succeeded. She was simply enjoying the overwhelming joy filling her heart.

“Wow… Heesun looks truly beautiful, doesn’t she?”

She was so stunning that it was hard to look away.

The wide-sleeved garment, billowing in the wind compared to Heesun’s slender figure, revealed delicate body lines with each flutter against her body,

The thin fabric seemed almost translucent, yet strangely, there was no hint of immodesty.

Could it be likened to the beauty one feels when admiring a pretty flower or landscape rather than a sexual allure?

As someone experiencing the peak of newlywed bliss, I couldn’t help but feel this way, and perhaps others would too.

– Aah~

Soon, Heesun and the celestial maidens began singing with graceful voices accompanying the dance.

The celestial maidens’ melodic voices resonated far and wide, reaching the commoners outside the palace walls.

“Ah…”

Unintentionally, an exclamation of admiration escaped my lips.

Despite being incredibly high-pitched, the tender tones were not sharp but rather soothing, creating a pleasant sensation that seemed to cleanse the ears.

“Wow…”

It appeared that the people outside were also captivated by the celestial maidens’ beautiful harmonies, as their collective sighs of awe echoed beyond the banquet hall.

“They say the most beautiful instrument in the world is the human voice…”

I’m not sure who said that, but it seemed like it was specifically about Heesun and the celestial maidens; the song was truly exquisite.

Swish..! Swish..!

As the performance reached its climax, the movements of the celestial maidens intensified,

Gathering and dispersing in a seamless and grand swirling motion.

Multicolored brilliant lanterns illuminating the flying maidens,

The lantern light reflecting off their beautiful winged garments,

Displaying an Eastern aesthetic beauty in the celestial dance…

“It’s like a flower…! That’s a flower up there…!”

A mysterious giant lotus blooming in the high night sky through the gestures and movements of the celestial maidens.

The outer maidens depicting beautiful petals unfolding one by one,

As the dance inside the circle grew faster and more intense, emotions heightened.

And at the very center stood our Heesun…

With a focused expression, she expressed heightened emotions with her slender arms and legs, gracefully outlining beautiful curves like a master artist completing a painting.

“….”

All the attendees in the banquet hall, including myself, were mesmerized by the dazzling dance.

Strangely, amidst the enchantment of the beautiful dance…

There was a sudden melancholy that crept into my heart.

As the flower buds blossomed larger and larger, it signaled the approaching end of the performance.

Since I didn’t know when I would witness such a spectacle again, I wasn’t ready to part with this performance just yet.

Perhaps the sentiments within the banquet hall and among the commoners outside were not so different after all.

Thump thump thump…

The drumbeats reverberated like a pounding heart, increasing the tension in sync with the music,

The song grew grander, and slowly the celestial maidens’ dance approached its climax.

– Aah~

With the celestial maidens’ melodious voices, a fully bloomed lotus reached its peak, radiating brightly until it dazzled the eyes,

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The majestic drumbeats…

Eventually…

Silence fell as the music ceased…

The lights dimmed gradually…

And the petals of the swirling lotus, which had been spinning, began to fall one by one from the outer edges.

Just as the dance began in stillness, the conclusion was equally tranquil.

The falling petals, like a gentle autumn scene.

Everyone watching the performance gazes at the falling petals in silence.

Slowly.

I, too, open my eyes wide to not miss a single movement of the descending petals’ dance.

And so, one by one, the petals fall,

the performances unfold…

Finally, what is illuminated is the lady from the Amsoolbu area.

My most beautiful princess from the Heavenly Kingdom.

Round and round.

The celestial fairy who remained until the end gracefully descends, displaying a dance of beautiful curves.

In the empty center of the banquet hall where petals are drifting down.

Thud…!

The sound of Heeseon sitting down reaches even here, amidst the surrounding silence.

Grin…!

Meeting her green eyes,

her pure smile.

More beautiful than the peak-blooming lotus flowers, her smile resembling a dohwa flower seems even more enchanting, perhaps because I am captivated.

Plump…!

Heeseon elegantly bows towards the seat where the craftsman and I are seated.

Gracefully lowering her head.

And so…

The performance ends.

.

.

.

.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap…!

After the dance concludes, the atmosphere in the banquet hall is hotter than imagined.

There are still people clapping so vigorously.

Outside the banquet hall, the clamor of people’s voices suggests that the fervor of the performance has caused chaos outside as well.

“Master! Hehe, how was it? Wasn’t Heaven’s Dance of White Petals amazing? I organized everything from choreography to music for this dance! I’ve been practicing hard and couldn’t even return to Dohuidang to show you!”

“… It was amazing. If I could recall memories in my mind, I would want to see it again.”

Suddenly, Heeseon, who had taken a seat beside me and was smiling brightly while refilling my glass, asked me about my thoughts on the performance.

Unable to find words to express my current emotions, I could only apologize to Heeseon for being able to say nothing more than that her performance was undoubtedly the best cultural experience I had ever witnessed.

“If only there were a camera…”

Why weren’t there cameras in medieval times?

I felt desolate.

The fact that I couldn’t record such a fantastic performance seemed like a regret that would haunt me for a long time.

“Hehe, was I pretty? Was I good? Actually, this was my first time organizing a banquet, so the protagonist was also experiencing it for the first time…! I got a bit carried away and made myself stand out, although I feel sorry for the other fairies…”

“Is that what you call it? You can’t even get yourself together.! Ah! It’s not just me; others seem to be equally…!”

Interestingly, since this was my first banquet, I had no idea about the standard of other banquets, assuming that Heeseon’s Heaven’s Dance of White Petals was just the basic level,

‘The cultural standards of the Heavenly Kingdom are quite high, right? They hold banquets four or five times a year, and do they all watch performances like this?’

As I pondered alone, it turned out not to be the case?

“Wowww! It was amazing…!”

“Wait, which fairy organized this Heaven’s Dance of White Petals? Will it be this boring next time as well?”

“Wow… A flower…! A lotus flower! Right? The concept was fresh and so beautiful…! Especially the moment the petals fell… dancing in silence…! Ah….”

It seemed that the dance prepared by Heeseon left a lasting impression on the people of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Well, even if it’s the Heavenly Kingdom, how could a performance of that caliber be just average?

“Kya! Hehe.. I’m so happy to hear that…! I can’t show you my dancing skills, but… I wanted to show you before anything else… I’m so lucky to have this opportunity.”

“Oh..! Is that so.. Haah… I still don’t know if you dance well or sing well. How is it that you’re still radiating charm even after becoming a mother and I don’t know about it…?”

“Hehe.. Do you like it? There might be more to come? Heehee! Oh! Husband! By the way, you do know this banquet is for us, right?”

“Huh? Umm.. That’s what I heard. It’s said to serve as a farewell ceremony before our couple returns to the mortal realm.”

“Yes! And it’s also a banquet to express gratitude to you, husband! What does that mean? It means there are still heavenly rewards awaiting our benefactor! It’s said that doing good deeds brings blessings, you know?”

“Huh? Umm…”

But from now on, isn’t it just about eating, drinking, and having fun? What else is there?

I thought after this, it would be all about feasting and celebration, like some kind of appointment ceremony or something….

Surely not…?

Nah, it can’t be.

What does an appointment ceremony have to do with me anyway?