Rise of an Empress

Reincarnated Destiny

Place: Gyeongbokgung (National Palace Museum), Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea.

(Date: The day you are reading this chapter).

A handsome tall figure is currently looking at an ancient drawing on the wall of the national palace museum. The person is wearing a baseball cap and dark sunglasses. Half of his face is covered with a scarf. Coming to public places like this is a bit awkward for him. He is the only son of the current President of South Korea. Recently, he has gained a lot of attention. He is an honourable professor who is contributing to the Korean Foundation of Heritage which indicates there's a possibility of him following his father's footsteps. Right now he is one of the most discussed bachelors of Korea who is not less appealing than an idol to Korea’s current generation.

But what's the reason for him to come frequently only to take a look at such an ancient drawing?

This ancient drawing is just a sketch of an ancient empress whose life started as a concubine, but later she rose into the highest position in the royal palace. She was even more prominent than the emperor during that era. She is mostly known as "Dragon Empress or Queen" in history rather than her name. 

Ahn Jo Ryung was never fond of anything historical. History was the most disgusting and hated subject to him. But why nowadays this historical beauty is haunting him in his dreams is just beyond description for him. He started feeling that he has some connection with this female. But how can that be possible? It's just a drawing, more precisely an ancient drawing. Who knows whether she existed or not? Or just a few scratches of an ancient artist. People just have exaggerated simple drawings as someone lesser-known from history. The dragon background of this drawing has misguided them maybe.

"Who knows?" Ahn Jo Ryung sighs while randomly observing the drawing. But it's pleasurable for him to imagine what level of romance and intimacy he shares with this ancient person in his dream. Sharing romance or intimacy with a non-existing person of the world is safer, maybe for an important person like him, as there's no string attached and no chance of getting exposed.

Jo Ryung walks on the grounds of the Royal Palace Museum. Because of the holiday, the premises are a bit crowded today. Next time, he should avoid holidays to go to any public place. The premise is full of cats here. It's said that these cats are from the royal cats that once were pets of the Dragon Empress. The Emperor announced them as royal cats in honour of his Dragon Queen. Right now they are the protectors of the palace on behalf of the Dragon Empress.

The cats were playing and some were attracting the visitors with their cute action until suddenly a corgi (puppy) appeared. Who has let a puppy inside? At least Jo Ryung wouldn't dare to take his puppy, Toben, here. Toben will be mad with pleasure watching these fluffy-ball cats and will chase these cats to play all day long.

Suddenly someone bumps towards him while running.

"Ah! Sorry. My puppy has just..." The lady says while panting and bowing. She doesn't wait for a reply from him and runs towards the corgi who is chasing the cats now.

But Jo Ryung keeps standing while thinking about what he just has seen. Was that just a hallucination? Is he thinking much over a simple ancient drawing? And is that even possible for someone to have a resemblance to an ancient drawing?

Jo Ryung doesn't know why he also runs to help the person he just met to catch her naughty corgi. Successfully he ends up catching the corgi and takes it in his arms.

"Hey, man. Just chill," he pats the corgi's body. Seeming like its owner is someone overprotective of her pet. She has even made it wear a flower-printed cap to protect its ears from the cold air.