Chapter 91: Chapter 91

The special villa for the royal family was located in the clearest and best place in Kongrimok.

As it was the only hot spring villa for the royal family, it was the most gorgeous and grandest of all the royal villas. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was the most cherished villa among the royal family members. They started to visit the villa in autumn, and it was very popular until summer. The first visitors to the villa this year were Bipaan and Kyosul.

From the day she left the palace, Kyosul could not get over her nervousness. Her sedan chair entered the main gate of the special villa and the yard. Bipaan got off the horse first and spoke to Kyosul in a blunt tone as she was about to get out.

“It would be better for you and I to sleep separately, right?”

“Pardon?”

“You can stay in a separate room of your own. Let me tell the court ladies here about it.”

When they arrived, Bipaan said so and turned away from her and entered the villa.

That was the first and last time that she saw him while they stayed at the villa.

She had already spent several days with him in the East Palace, but she felt tense during her days in the villa. They felt somewhat different from what she felt in the East Palace.

In particular, she felt nervous as she didn’t see Bipaan since she arrived in Kongkilmok despite them staying in the same villa.

He had suggested they stay apart and adhered to the suggestion by eating alone.

Although there were some court people who managed the villa, they were not manned enough to serve each of the two masters from the East Palace, namely Bipaan and Kyosul. Accordingly, the court ladies from the East Palace served Bipaan, while the villa people served Kyosul.

Of course, they sincerely served Kyosul as she was the Crown Princess.

Her life at the villa was similar to what she experienced at the Dongbi Palace, but it was different in some respects. She had nothing to do, so she had more free time. She felt more relaxed and comfortable as the villa was designed for amusement and entertainment.

She enjoyed a hot spring bath during the day and in the evenings. They supplied various bath supplies and tea. In addition to hot spring baths, she also enjoyed basking in the bath water mixed with oil and incense. As she was always served warm tea and refreshments, she felt this was paradise.

The food in the southern areas was varied and colorful. The very spicy sauces and cooked food aroused her appetite. The food tasted so good that she found herself earnestly waiting for another meal. They didn’t serve the same side dishes for several days.

“We have prepared this food for Your Highness!”

The court ladies with the villa served her from the bottom of their hearts. As the nanny served her on hand, Kyosul did not feel any discomfort because of the change of her place.

Though she came here by coincidence, the days she spent at the villa were the most peaceful since she came to the Mok Kingdom. Thanks to the hot spring water, she felt so relieved and refreshed, free of anxiety or burden.

As she enjoyed the unexpected luxury of spending free time there, she reflected on her troubled feelings and tried to comfort herself.

‘It is so amazing to know that Ruhae took my feelings into account when he recommended this place. Did he want to comfort my troubled mind with the hot bath here?’

No matter how much she enjoyed, letting her hair down, she didn’t forget Ruhae’s warm consideration.

Whenever she ate delicious food, enjoyed a warm bath, or covered herself with blankets after a soak, she had no choice but to think about Ruhae.

‘It was good that I came here, but if I got stuck here like this, how can I convey a message to him?”

The secret meeting they’d planned was out of the question now since Bipaan had accompanied her.

‘Was it good that I left the palace?’

She quickly grew depressed.

She felt so warm and happy thinking about Ruhae but sometimes so sad.

It was strange and amazing to know that she could have such contradictory feelings at the same time.

When she soaked in the hot springs, she tried to wash away the bad feelings. She wanted to remember only good things.

‘Is Bipaan comforting his troubled mine like me? ‘

Bipaan came to her mind suddenly, though she tried not to think.

‘I didn’t expect that he would come with me.’

It was out of character for him, but it would have been strange for him to send his new wife of only a few months to provincial places alone.

Clenching her small fists, she murmured, “He just made the decision to show to outsiders that we are a normal couple. He only focuses on paving the way for his succession of the throne. I could feel it when he decided to let me sleep alone. Spending time with me is not important to him.”

She suddenly hit the surface of the water.

***

“Your Highness! Crown Princess Kyosul!” cried the nanny in an excited voice.

She had been at the villa for five days.

After having dinner early, she returned to the room and prepared for bed when she heard the nanny. The nanny came to her room hurriedly. When she returned, she went out to prepare some refreshments before bed, but she came back empty-handed.

Kyosul looked up at her with a curious expression.

“Where are the refreshments?”

However, the nanny sat down before her as if the refreshments were not important.

“Your Highness, I was surprised to find that there is an open-air bath here.”

“Huh? Open-air bath? ” she asked, tilting her head.

“If it’s an open-air bath, do you mean they built a bath outside the villa?”

“Yes, you’re right.”

The Kongrimok villa had several rooms, so several royal couples or individual family members could enjoy entertainment if they came at the same time. Each room had a separate bath, so everyone could enjoy the bath freely.

Kyosul always used the hot spring bath in her own room. Even the bathroom was attached to the room and was spacious enough. It was embarrassing to go in and take a bath alone in a huge bathtub.

In addition to that, there were new outdoor and an open-air bath.

Kyosul got curious instantly. Although the indoor bath was good with the change of bath supplies and incense and tea every day, she felt bored as she enjoyed the same bath for a long time.

As if she read her mind, the nanny told Kyosul about what she had learned about the open-air bath.

“I guess you already saw the separate room in the north. I mean, that large and long building. I hear that is not a separate place for the royal guests.”

“Got it. As it was so big. I thought that it was reserved for the Emperor. What is its purpose?”

“I hear the whole building there is used for bath.”

“Oh my goodness. Is the whole building a bathhouse? ”

“Yes, you’re right. As it is the only open-air bath, they made it very big.”

With sparkling eyes, Kyosul covered her mouth with both hands.

The nanny’s prediction was correct.

When Kyosul behaved as she expected, the nanny continued with a satisfied expression, “As it is an open-air bath, royal guests usually go there during the night. There is no roof on it, so they can enjoy the bright starry night with a splendid mountain background. I hear it’s such a spectacular scene at night.”

“Wow, you bet! By the way, can they take a bath as it’s cold during the night?”

“Your Highness, you can really enjoy a hot bath when it’s cold.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s cold outside, but you feel warm inside the hot spring. You can’t ask for more in an environment like this. That’s why they say a hot bath is the best on snowy days.”

“Aha…I think that makes sense because the bath water is warm.”

With sparkling eyes, Kyosul asked, “I already enjoyed a hot bath during the day, but I haven’t one this evening. Is it okay to have a hot bath twice a day?”

“Are you going to go there?”

“Hearing what you say, I feel like going there for another hot bath before going to bed, and you didn’t bring me any refreshments.”

“Well, I thought you would want to go there when I told you about it.”

“Really? You felt the same way, too?”

“Of course. As you know, I’ve served you for a very long time, so I know how you feel.”

As if she was not surprised at Kyosul’s reaction, the nanny stood up and escorted her.

They turned on all the lights during the night as the royal guests were staying there.