Chapter 40

“In this strict imperial palace, you had better call her by the right title.”

“Brother Bipaan!”

When Ruhae raised his voice, Bipaan turned his head and looked at him. He was wearing a poker face.

Bipaan’s face was impassive in the past. Still, outsiders could figure out how to interpret his expressions but not now. It was as if Bipaan was elevated to a totally different world.

“How dare you raise your voice before your Crown Prince, brother?”

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His low voice rang with authority. Ruhae shuddered before he knew and clenched his fists.

“Sorry, I was disrespectful to you.”

“As you expressed regret, I will forgive it.”

“Did you go and see the Crown Princes?”

Bipaan looked at Ruhae silently. His dark blue eyes looked pretty gloomy.

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“I don’t feel it necessary to respond to such trifling things.”

His voice was calm as usual. Ruhae felt miserable.

Bipaan was like a tree that he could not dare climb or a figure he could not dare challenge. Ruhae even felt his presence beside Bipaan was a disrespectful act itself.

Was Bipaan not a human with a beating heart?

He wondered if Bipaan could get emotional and express his feelings freely even once during his lifetime. He also wondered if Bipaan’s mask could be broken into pieces to reveal a true expression beneath it.

“Have you not seen her at all?” Ruhae asked again.

“If you want to keep asking silly questions like that, just leave!”

“Your Majesty, Crown Prince!”

At that moment, Bipaan slapped him with the back of his hand. Raising his head upright, Ruhae looked at him.

“It seems that you haven’t repented. Do you want me to punish you?”

“Don’t do that, brother. Aren’t you worried about your wife?”

When Bipaan was about to slap him once more, Ruhae raised his hand to grab his wrist. Without any surprise at all, Bipaan opened his mouth, “I clearly warned you to call her by the official title. After you turned 20, it seems your memory got worse.”

“Brother, don’t you think she is in a poor state? Don’t you think your wife, who has come from a faraway country, is pitiable? How come you don’t show the slightest sympathy when that little woman has been suffering from fever while shivering sadly every day? Isn’t she your official wife? Is it that hard for you to hug and comfort her?”

Ruhae continued while feeling agonized over Kyosul, Bipaan’s wife. Though Ruhae already said Kyosul was his official wife and asked him to hug her, he really didn’t want to say those words to Bipaan. But as Bipaan, who seemed to be made of patches of ice, was too cold-hearted, Ruhae had no other choice but to say so. If Bipaan listened to his words and hugged her, she would feel warm even for a moment.

As long as she could feel warm, Ruhae wanted to do anything for her. He already vowed that he would do it at the sacrifice of his own benefits.

But Ruhae’s appeal to his brother Bipaan went nowhere, as expected. As if he wasn’t least interested, Bipaan responded casually, “I don’t know which woman you’re talking about. My official wife is the Crown Princess. Keep it in mind, Ruhae!”

Ruhae released Bipaan’s hand. Bipaan didn’t raise his hand again.

Ruhae burst into feigned laughter. He realized that the man standing before him was really impossible.

“Got it, brother. Oops, I forgot momentarily what kind of person the Crown Prince was.”

“It’s good that you have realized it finally,” Bipaan responded in an extremely flat tone.

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“I just think it regrettable that Crown Princess Kyosul is your official wife. How come she has gotten married to none other than Your Majesty?”

Ruhae stared at him. At his rude question, Bipaan stroked his jaw and said, “I see you have some hidden implications in your words.”

“Yes, you’re right. Could you figure out what kind of implications are hidden in my words?”

Ruhae’s heated eyes met his cold-hearted glance. They looked at each other for a long time without saying anything. Gazing at him with the same cold-hearted glance, Bipaan opened his mouth.

“It seems that the Crown Princess isn’t happy about having gotten married to me. She doesn’t like it. And you wished she had gotten married to you. Am I right?”

Little did Ruhae think Bipaan hit the nail right on the head, so he shuddered, surprised.

“And the reason she is so sick is because she feels the same way as you…”

“Just leave the Crown Princess alone. She doesn’t feel that way. It’s just me who feels attached to her…” Ruhae shouted at him.

In a usual situation, Ruhae’s challenge like that was unthinkable. But he was not scared of Bipaan any more. This time Bipaan was looking at Ruhae with a calm and cold-hearted glance.

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“Well, I don’t think so.”

“Are you going to kick the Crown Princess out then?”

“In your opinion, what kind of action do you expect me to take?”

“Just leave the Crown Princess alone and punish me. The Crown Princess just misses you. It’s only me who is giving my mind to her. The Crown Princess has never met me in person,” said Ruhae resolutely.

“You’re now challenging me without any fear, Ruhae.”

“I’ve thought about this matter for a long time. And I’ve made the decision.”

“Oh, I see. Are you going to kick out your wife then?”

At Bipaan’s sudden question, Ruhae’s eyes were opened wide with surprise. Though he felt sorry for his wife Yomin, he never conjured up her face while he made a firm determination. When Bipaan brought up an issue that he had never given serious thought to, Ruhae was at a loss for words and lowered his head.

“How come you meddle in my matters when you don’t know how to take care of your wife first? I don’t think you are the type of brother that I used to know. I think I’ve got the wrong person.”

Bipaan’s chilly voice pressed hard on Ruhae.

“Please give the Crown Princess a hug.”

Ruhae barely spoke in a dry voice. He hated Bipaan as he had to repeat the same words he already spit out.

“I won’t hug any woman.”

Surprised by his flat tone, Ruhae raised his head. Bipaan’s face was calm and devoid of expression.

“I won’t kick her out because she is a woman who will be helpful in my future.”

Bipaan’s last words made Ruhae bite his lip. He tasted blood.

“You really make me miserable, Your Majesty!”

“I don’t have any intention of making you miserable.”

Ruhae, whose face was always soft and tender, was angry and shouted at Bipaan, “I won’t sit idle. I won’t leave her shivering alone like that. I’ve come to the point that I can’t leave her alone like that because you have deserted her.”

“I don’t know which woman you’re talking about.”

“I will not call you my brother or Crown Prince anymore, Your Majesty!”

With his clenched fists trembling, Ruhae turned and disappeared out of the flower garden.

Just as if nothing happened, Bipaan turned his face to the flowers which became more colorful in the garden.

Bipaan extended his hand and stroked one of the most colorful and beautiful flowers. Then, he plucked it. He picked it up and put it on his lips.

Soft petals of the flower touched his lips. Sweet fragrance tickled his nose. He threw it on the ground, trampled on it and left the garden.

***

Walking quickly, Ruhae didn’t head for the South Palace, his residence. Instead, he went straight to the East Palace. When he passed by, the court ladies of the East Palace lowered their heads to say greetings.

He would have gladly accepted their greetings with a smile in a usual situation, but he didn’t look at them at all and kept walking ahead. When he arrived at Kyosul’s residence, he stopped at the stepping stones. He asked the court ladies on standby at the gate.

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“How is the Crown Princess Kyosul’s condition?”

“Her fever hasn’t gone down completely, but she opened her eyes a minute ago and had porridge.”

“Please tell the Crown Princess that Ruhae has come to inquire after her.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Bowing to him, the court lady conveyed his message until the chief court lady serving Kyosul announced it to Kyosul.

“Your Highness, Prince Ruhae has come to see you. Would you want to bring him here?”

In a usual situation, the nanny would not have added her last words. But she asked Kyosul about it because her condition was bad. When other visitors came to see her, Kyosul had not come to her senses yet, so the nanny greeted them, based on the royal doctor’s advice.

But Kyosul was well enough to open her eyes now.

Kyosul had to decide whether to accept Ruhae’s visit or not.

Kyosul’s nanny came back out and replied, “Her Highness is not feeling well, please tell him she can’t accept his visit today.”