Chapter 85 (2/2)

The moment Bipaan stepped forward, Dukwol quickly snatched his hand and said, “What the heck are you talking about? This isn’t the situation you imagined at all, is it? Brother Ruhae was caught with her!”

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“I sent him out to search for her,” Bipaan said.

“What?”

Dukwol’s eyes widened in surprise rather than returnign to his usual half-lidded smile. As if he turned his mouth up, he wiggled his face.

Not caring at all, though, Bipaan said, “I ordered the Imperial Army soldiers to search everywhere in the palace and, at the same time, dispatched a messenger to Ruhae in the South Palace, so he could help them with the search.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Dukwol responded.

“As Prince Ruhae is smart, I thought he would quickly find out Crown Princess Kyosul’s whereabouts, and my prediction proved right.”

Embarrassed, Dukwol couldn’t come up with any proper response to contradict his unexpected remarks. Though he and Oran had orchestrated the whole incident, it wasn’t turning out the way they’d planned.

Dukwol had ordered his spy to keep an eye on the strange relationship of Ruhae and Kyosul. After hearing from his spy that Ruhae and Kyosul left the palace through the side door, he had the spy shut the door temporarily, so Ruhae and Kyosul would be isolated in the Mokak mountains. After that, he leaked their secret outing to Bipaan, so the three of them could face each other. Dukwol was so excited to learn that even before he leaked it to Bipaan, the latter began to search for her, but the entire plot was in vain.

‘Damn it! I really wished Bipaan puckered his face into a frown.’

He was so disappointed and shocked at Bipaan’s totally unexpected response. Rather Bipaan went out of his way to put them in the clear naturally.

‘Did he get wind of my intention?’

He suddenly got nervous. Given Bipaan’s lie about sending Ruhae to join in the search efforts, it was obvious that Bipaan must have smelled a rat.

‘Was Bipaan already aware of my plan?’

Dukwol stared at Bipaan and Kyosul alternatively with his black eyes.

Crossing the shack, Bipaan approached Kyosul. She had to act as if her feet were sprained, but she didn’t have to because she got stiff the moment she met him face to face.

“I guess you can’t walk. That’s why you came to this place with Ruhae as you couldn’t walk down.”

“Yes, you’re right,” she said, lowering her head. Though she played along, she blushed because she was lying.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Bipaan said, lifted her into his arms. She always had to look up at him when they met, but they were so close with her in his arms. She was staring into his dark blue eyes, she couldn’t find any clue to his emotions or thinking.

“Let’s go back to the palace,” Bipaan said.

Carrying her in his arms, Bipaan left the shack quickly. She instinctively wrapped his neck when he began to walk.

Bipaan’s shoulders were broad. In his arms, she felt warm enough to forget about the cold night air. She closed her eyes and lowered her head.

When Bipaan passed by Ruhae, the latter let out a low sigh and stood up. He watched Bipaan’s back as he left the shack.

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Behind him, Dukwol watched at the three of them with a confused look.

***

The South Place, where Prince Ruhae was live , was dominated by a cold rather than a quiet atmosphere. It looked as if winter was already around the corner there because of the cold air above the palace.

Yomin, Prince Ruhae’s wife, had vowed that she would never come to the palace, but she was sitting in Ruhae’s room now. She wiped Ruhae’s body with a wet towel.

Lying on the bed, he was looking up at the ceiling blankly. Though she stayed in the room for a while, they didn’t talk at all.

He was sick in bed with fever after when he exposed himself to the cold wind after he gave his coat to Kyosul during their outing to Mt. Mokak. He didn’t know how she discovered he was sick, but she came with a bowl of porridge during lunch time and cared for him without any complaint.

She wiped his body with a wet towel to reduce his fever and stood beside him even when she had no particular thing to do. When the herbal decoction and porridge were served, she spoon fed him. She served him all day long, and suddenly opened her mouth when it got dark.

“I thought that you left the palace with her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some court ladies came to my residence. They said they thought you and the Crown Princess went out for an outing with rice balls and snacks.”