---

“Of course, Haeun is the best.”

Two days had passed since the audition for the role of Yeongwol.

In a spacious conference room at KBC’s drama department, a casting meeting for “Moonlight Breaking Through the Clouds” was currently underway.

The main topic of the meeting was, of course, the lead role of Yeongwol.

There was no casting meeting more important than one deciding the lead role.

Therefore, typically, such meetings tended to stretch on for a considerable time.

They had to alternate between discussions and debates to find the actor most suited for the lead role.

However, this time was an exception.

The staff members who were present at the Yeongwol audition already knew who the owner of the role was.

“To be honest, there were other actors whose masks were about the same quality…”

“There was not a single actor who matched her swordplay. It was so realistic, it sent chills down my spine.”

Every aspect—from the gaze, the expression, to the gestures—was perfectly in line with Yeongwol.

It was truly a performance beyond criticism.

Yet, there were points beyond just Haeun’s performance quality that earned her additional credit.

“I honestly didn’t expect her to attend an action school just for an audition.”

“That was from the moment we began searching for the Yeongwol actor. It’s rare to find an actor with that level of enthusiasm.”

“Not just enthusiasm. When I saw her personally greet the stunt crew, I thought, ‘This girl is a keeper.'”

She behaved far from arrogance.

Considering that stars around Haeun’s age often fall into self-importance.

Haeun’s mature attitude displayed during the audition could be seen as a significant plus.

From that point on, there was no one opposing Haeun’s casting as Yeongwol.

Thus, once Haeun was finalized for the role of Yeongwol—

“What about using our audition footage as a promotional teaser?”

A staff member suggested utilizing Haeun’s audition footage, which had left everyone in awe, for drama promotion.

“Well, it would be a waste to just throw that footage away.”

“I think even releasing a two-minute unedited version would cause quite a stir.”

The footage showed her performance, where the acting of wanting to kill and the acting of wanting to survive coexisted.

This was made possible not only by Haeun’s outstanding acting but also by the stunts who matched her efforts.

However, among those sitting in the conference room, there was one person.

Only Jin Gyu-seong, the director of “Moonlight Breaking Through the Clouds,”—

“…I have some concerns.”

His attitude was distinct from the other staff members, who were blinded by the promotional effect the audition footage could create.

“Let’s first conduct the actual filming. If a similar scene emerges, we can decide then—it won’t be too late.”

Haeun’s performance at the audition was merely improvised acting.

The spacing of her steps, the direction of her gaze, and the order and types of swordplay were not pre-determined.

The only things that were set were the lines and atmosphere.

Of course, the swordplay scene Haeun would shoot later would be based on that audition’s swordplay.

However, perfectly recreating the audition scene in the actual shooting seemed somewhat impossible.

After all, the sword Haeun used during the audition was—

“Oh, I’m sorry, Director. To be honest, I brought a few more swords from the prop storage since some were missing…”

It wasn’t a sword prepared specifically for the Yeongwol audition.

Nor was it one prepared for the shooting of “Moonlight Breaking Through the Clouds.”

It was different in material and weight from the lightweight swords pre-selected for female actors.

Though not as sharp as a real sword, it had dulled over time and was somewhat pointed.

Why such an old sword was in the drama department’s prop storage remained a mystery.

But more than anything—

“…Usually, don’t they ask for a different sword if it’s heavy?”

The biggest issue was that she performed swordplay with that heavy sword.

The Yeongwol audition was, after all, an audition that Gyu-seong had passionately pushed for.

In other words, if something unexpected were to happen during the audition, it would ultimately fall under Gyu-seong’s responsibility.

Among such situations, the worst-case scenario would be the actors actually getting injured.

Initially, the lightweight swords prepared for the female actors were also to minimize injury risks.

Yet, not only did Haeun hold a sword heavy enough to strain her wrist.

But it also almost grazed the stunt actors several times with its fierce edge.

No matter the outcome, if no one got hurt in the end.

These kinds of incidents were absolutely not something that could be overlooked.

If, by any chance, an actual injury occurred and an article regarding it was published, the entire drama production would have been completely derailed.

Thus, it was only natural for Gyu-seong to take “appropriate measures.”

At the same time, he intended to exercise extreme caution to ensure such occurrences did not repeat during actual shooting.

The idea of turning Haeun’s audition video into a promotional teaser was set aside as part of that extension.

“Still, I’m sure Haeun will showcase various performances during actual filming. So let’s pass on the teaser video for now.”

Thus, the topic regarding the promotional teaser was concluded for later discussion.

Soon after, the casting meeting began for another pivotal role that had yet to be decided: “Queen Yoon.”

However, unlike the Yeongwol role, which had been solidified with Haeun alone, the candidate list for Queen Yoon involved several actresses.

“It seems Jiwoo has the most historical drama experience—”

“But for vocal performance, Yoonhee handles it well—”

The opinions among the staff did not converge easily.

Following a lengthy casting meeting for the role of Queen Yoon.

A name came to light that Gyu-seong personally had in mind about ten minutes later.

“Regardless of other aspects, the one who performed best matched with Haeun’s acting was Dayeon. What do the others think?”

Min Dayeon.

An actress who had made a name for herself since childhood.

Having set the bar for child actors, she was certainly on par with other actresses in acting skill.

Her appearance also fit that of a proper actress.

However, due to her extensive career as a child actor, there was a tendency for viewers to see her as—

“Isn’t it just that there’s nothing particularly different about her now?”

Whether it was a role or not, audiences perceived her simply as the actress Min Dayeon.

She was an actress who had essentially completed her “image consumption.”

However, the performance Gyu-seong had witnessed from Dayeon during the audition for Queen Yoon—

“…Surely it was fiercer than what was written in the script.”

It felt like a performance as if Haeun was considered the one to play Yeongwol.

The performances of the other actresses felt like they were acting out from the high status of Queen Yoon, suppressing Yeongwol through a status disparity that an ordinary noble could not challenge.

But Dayeon was different.

It felt as though she instinctively understood that status disparities could not suppress Haeun’s Yeongwol.

“If another actress had taken on the Yeongwol role in place of Haeun, I might have had to contemplate a bit more.”

“Are you saying that Dayeon performed acting that suited Haeun perfectly?”

“That’s how I felt, at least.”

With a sharper and colder gaze.

In place of the nonchalance stemming from status disparity, her voice was laced with serious vigilance.

Crucially, the powerful energy she projected as if she anticipated clashing directly with Haeun.

“Honestly, I believe the other actors would be completely overshadowed by Haeun.”

It led Gyu-seong to consider Dayeon to be suitable for the role of Queen Yoon.

More accurately, the only Queen Yoon capable of confronting Haeun’s Yeongwol.

“Surely if we think in terms of acting that could compete against Haeun…”

Thus, Dayeon’s presence began growing larger.

After everyone watched the recording of Dayeon’s audition for Queen Yoon on the meeting room’s monitor—

“…I think it’s pretty much decided.”

There was no one opposing Dayeon’s casting anywhere.

As Gyu-seong said, the only performance that could counter Haeun’s was Dayeon’s.

*

“The shoot starts at 3 PM?”

“Yes. So I think I need to leave early during the fifth period.”

In Narae Arts High School’s staff room.

More precisely, in a small meeting room inside the office.

Haeun was currently discussing her changed schedule with her homeroom teacher.

The reason being that she had just learned she was finalized for the role of Yeongwol.

“Got it. I’ll inform the other teachers, so you just leave early when you have the time.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you, teacher.”

Since Narae High School had already been accommodating with attendance regarding student entertainers, there weren’t any sounds of discontent regarding this occasion either.

Still, Haeun’s early departure weighed on her mind.

“Hey, teacher, the shoot is starting at 3 PM—”

This was because Dayeon, who sat right next to Haeun, had told the same thing to her own homeroom teacher.

However, not only did she just say those exact words, but she also approached Haeun’s homeroom teacher.

“Please keep it a secret from Haeun. I’m counting on you.”

Dayeon asked to keep the fact that she would also be leaving early at the same time as Haeun a secret.

Considering that Haeun’s homeroom teacher was already aware that Haeun and Dayeon had been hanging around together for quite a while, it was quite odd.

Well, either way.

The two actresses attending Narae High School were set to appear in the same work, which was something of a certainty.

“Will they not tell me what exactly the work is if I ask?”

“Teacher Park, these days, with social media being so good, rumors spread in an instant. We can always ask once the articles start coming out.”

Haeun was both curious and excited about their first joint project.

No matter what anyone said, both of them were the most famous and talented actresses at Narae High.

“Isn’t it probably roles that have a good relationship with each other?”

At this moment, while Haeun’s homeroom teacher was positively speculating about the relationship between the two roles Haeun and Dayeon would portray.

Meanwhile, the two of them were.

“Hey, Lee Haeun.”

“Huh?”

“Uh, well, um… If I slap you, will you get angry?”

They were having a conversation slightly distant from one that good friends would share.