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“<Moonlight Parting the Clouds>” is set to air on Fridays and Saturdays as a weekend drama.

At the same time, it is also the ambitious project of KBC Drama Department, which has been experiencing stagnation for three years now.

For the sake of maintaining the positions of the KBC Drama Department staff, this drama must be a success.

Therefore, instead of creating a completely new story—

“Y-you wish to adapt my novel into a drama?”

“Yes. I hope the writer will consider it positively.”

They chose to adapt a novel that had gained massive popularity a few years back.

Producing a drama based on a novel that had already proven to be entertaining seemed the safest and most certain route.

However, the desperation of the KBC Drama Department did not stop at the screenplay planning stage.

They enlisted the skilled director “Jin Gyuseong” and granted him some authority as the casting director.

That’s why the casting audition for the female lead, Yeongwol, was conducted with multiple sword-fighting scenes.

The essence of the character Yeongwol, as envisioned by Jin Gyuseong, lay in her charisma as a female warrior.

“Isn’t it a bit greedy to expect both mask and sword-fighting performance? It’d be better to use a stunt double—”

“The action scenes performed by the lead actor will surely create a buzz. And if you’re going to catch a rabbit, isn’t it better to catch two rather than one?”

There were no compromises or negotiations regarding the audition afterward.

Thus, the audition proceeded exactly as per Jin Gyuseong’s original plan.

As they used parts of the set currently under production for the auditions, the quality was already on another level compared to other auditions.

The audition venue looked so complete that one would believe it was an actual filming.

Yet, the reason this scene was merely called an audition and not an actual shoot was solely due to the consideration the stunt actors had to extend to the actress playing Yeongwol.

The only thing the auditioning actors for the role of Yeongwol were provided with was the script.

They had no chance to rehearse with the stunt actors beforehand.

This was definitely something Jin Gyuseong was aware of.

“Please focus solely on portraying Yeongwol. Since everyone is a seasoned stunt performer, I’m sure you’ll coordinate well.”

He indicated that it would be of no great concern as long as whatever acting style suited Yeongwol’s image.

He planned to cut off any performances resembling poor swordsmanship at the start.

Of course, there were a few actresses Jin Gyuseong had his eye on beforehand.

The “appearance” fitting for Yeongwol, who was a woman dressed as a man, could be assessed even before the auditions started.

Ha-eun was also included in Jin Gyuseong’s roster of candidates.

Ha-eun’s sharp gaze and well-defined body were akin to that of a warrior.

However, the fact that she was only 18 years old weighed on him.

Competing against adult actors who had experience in action performances wouldn’t be easy for Ha-eun either.

Ultimately, most of the performances Ha-eun had displayed until now were static acting without much movement.

While her immersion was something Jin Gyuseong acknowledged, he still wondered if such immersion would show up in dynamic acting as well.

‘…What a pity. The outfit and makeup really suited her.’

He felt a twinge of disappointment seeing Ha-eun struggle slightly even with the light sword specially prepared for the actresses.

If she found it a bit heavy to even lift that lightweight sword, it meant her swordsmanship performance would also be lacking.

At long last, the casting audition for Yeongwol began shortly after.

The first actress stepped forward, engaging in the Yeongwol audition in turn.

Thus, a variety of performances unfolded in order, and finally, after the adjacent actress’s sword-fighting performance ended with a regrettable mishap.

“Well then, let’s begin. …Action!”

As Ha-eun stepped into the middle of what would later become the “Donggungjeon” set, she called for the start signal.

At that moment, a flicker.

‘…Huh? The atmosphere feels… different.’

Ha-eun’s gaze.

Her mood.

Her expression.

All of it became icy in an instant.

No, perhaps it could be described as empty.

The slight tension she had felt until just moments ago vanished in an instance.

It felt as if she were gazing at a scarecrow rather than a human.

There were no emotions, no atmosphere, no hints of presence that a person should have.

And not even a few seconds later—

Flicker.

“…Huh.”

The emotions that had suddenly disappeared reemerged.

The atmosphere.

The hints of presence.

With a slightly changed gaze, they began to rise slowly.

Thus, everything that had just been completely emptied began to fill back up from the bottom and rise again.

Eventually, what appeared in the center of Donggungjeon was a sharper, angrier person.

“Where do you think you are? How dare you…”

The blade that had previously been parallel to the ground slowly lowered and finally touched the stone floor of Donggungjeon.

Step by step, it started to move.

Thus, the sound of the sword scraping against the ground.

The sharp sound created as stone met metal.

Yeongwol’s position was clearly indicated by her own actions.

“…How long will you hide in the cave, you little rats who don’t even know your place?”

Confidence and fierceness transformed into a form that conveyed itself to the hidden assassins within Donggungjeon.

New shadows loomed around Yeongwol right after that.

Facing her were nothing but hostile gazes.

The voice of an assassin, who had told her that yielding would save their lives, sounded particularly menacing.

However, Yeongwol, who paid no mind to the assassin’s threats, chuckled softly, barely breaking into a smile.

At the moment the assassins realized they had no choice but to confront Yeongwol, one by one, they began to draw their swords.

-Wham!

Yeongwol’s shadow reflecting in the moonlight started to dash straight ahead.

The tip of the sword that had been lifted again was raised.

Following that, as the sword stroke drew a line, it slammed down hard onto the upper left of the nearest assassin.

At the same moment, she transitioned into a reverse grip and swung at yet another assassin right behind her with the same repositioned stance.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yeongwol swiftly turned to her side and forcefully parried the blade aimed at her neck.

Immediately after, in the blink of an eye, the warrior’s sword cleanly sliced through the assassin, causing their mouth to drop in awe as they flew off into the distance.

Yet, Yeongwol’s sharp blade continued undeterred, claiming their life in a single blow.

Soon, a lifeless body collapsed, and the intense gaze filled with kill intent rushed towards the last assassin remaining.

-Clang──!

From above to below.

From the side to the top.

As it flew towards the area near the heart, it immediately twisted its trajectory toward the chin.

Yeongwol’s strike variations caused fierce sounds to ripple through the surroundings.

The assassins, who were barely avoiding or parrying her attacks with a close call, were a sight to behold.

Their tightly clenched jaws and contorted faces conveyed the sense of crisis they were experiencing.

Sweat droplets had formed on the assassin’s forehead at some point.

This too served to heighten the urgency of the scene, creating a more vivid atmosphere.

‘…They’re really veterans. Their expressions are on point.’

Not having placed any particular restrictions on swordsmanship performances seemed to have been beneficial.

The seamless exchanges made the onlookers clasp their hands with anticipation.

An unpredictable array of actions unfolded.

The sounds of swords clashing were so real that no one noticed it.

Thus, as the duel that felt even more authentic than reality reached its climax.

-KakaKakaka──!

Seizing the moment when the assassin’s breath faltered, Yeongwol advanced relentlessly.

The shadow of the man, slowly pushed back while the blades clashed, was gradually being overwhelmed.

Thereafter, the fleeing assassin’s body—

-Thud!

Was met with a violent crash against the Donggungjeon walls.

Almost simultaneously, Yeongwol’s sword aimed for the assassin’s carotid artery.

The momentum of the sword seemed poised to behead the assassin, coming to a halt just before it touched their neck.

With barely a breath, the assassin exhaled, their eyes quivering in terror.

And then, exchanged with the assassin, Yeongwol began to utter.

“…Tell your patron.”

Yeongwol’s final line.

“This, I, who have turned my back on heaven, am keeping watch over the Duke’s side.”

Her long, damp hair tumbled over her sharp gaze.

From there emerged eyes filled with hostility.

Her voice too was edged, sharpened to a fine point.

Even after having poured out her animosity several times, it seemed only to deepen further, rather than dissipating.

Afterward, the serious yet fierce gaze slowly withdrew from the assassin in front of her.

With a slight surprise, Jin Gyuseong called for an ‘OK’ sign, bringing Ha-eun’s performance to a close.

A peaceful expression was nowhere to be found among the other actors who had been watching Ha-eun’s performance.

And rightly so—no one could perform a duel as realistically as Ha-eun did.

However, there remained a slightly uneasy feeling lingering in the actors’ minds.

Putting aside Ha-eun’s outstanding performance, the acting from the stunt players collaborating with her felt distinctly different from any other actors they had interacted with.

It was as if it felt even more real and had a greater depth to it.

“Ha-eun.”

“Yes?”

“Have you, uh, perhaps… learned any historical drama swordsmanship separately?”

Jin Gyuseong’s question was a mix of curiosity and bewilderment.

In response, Ha-eun candidly mentioned that she had attended an action school for just under a month.

However, even with the experience of attending such a school, the collaboration with the stunt actors, who played the assassins, marked Ha-eun’s very first experience in that domain today.

‘It’s decided.’

Among the multitude of actresses who auditioned for Yeongwol, Ha-eun remained the one most suited for the role.

Compliments or praises for the stunt actor, who had been sweating profusely, were shared immediately after.

“Veterans truly are veterans. I gained a new respect, Kwon Jun.”

However, minutes earlier, Kwon Jun, who had given his all to match Ha-eun’s swordsmanship performance, was thinking solely about Ha-eun’s blade.

An assistant on set, who looked pale for some reason, had taken the sword right after Ha-eun’s performance ended, so Kwon Jun hadn’t had the chance to check closely.

But he was certain that Ha-eun’s heavy sword had a completely different impact than the light ones other actresses had wielded.

Of course, Kwon Jun also attempted to stop Ha-eun’s performance halfway through, to some extent.

Well, he did attempt it.

He couldn’t even open his mouth, afraid to let his guard down for a moment might lead to irreversible consequences.

‘…I just survived a near-death experience…’

Kwon Jun had spent quite a long time as a stunt actor.

However, he had never been part of such an exhilarating performance before.

In an unusual manner, he gulped down a cold drink of water to cool his sudden astonishment.

At the same time, while everyone in the casting audition for Yeongwol’s role was engrossed with differing thoughts running through their minds,

‘I wonder if I could rent that sword from earlier?’

The source of all complexity, Ha-eun, was only concerned with the unexpected workout effect her earlier sword performance had provided.

She merely thought to herself, ‘Is this what exercising with a heavy dumbbell feels like?’