Chapter : 10
The Reversed Wedding (5)
Led along almost without realizing it by the maids, Jo-young entered her quarters and was immediately guided into the bath, where warm water had been prepared.
Perhaps scented oil had been added, because a pleasant floral fragrance rose from the water.
She had tried to act aloof, but when she was treated this well, it was hard to be picky.
Even a real princess would have been satisfied.
So this is what it’s like to enjoy such luxury.
As Jo-young received the cautious ministrations of the taciturn maids, she recalled memories of being bathed by servants back at home.
Not in water this warm, but in water as cold as ice.
She had rarely been attended by maids at all, but when she was forcibly washed by servants to be presented to Ji Man-il, those women had also been as silent as these maids were now.
The difference was that those women had been rude and rough, treating her like an animal, whereas the touch of these maids was gentle and careful—so much so that it felt almost overwhelming.
How furious will they be when they find out I’m not a princess?
More than gratitude, she felt burdened, and a sigh escaped her lips.
“Your Highness. Compared to the palace maids of the Imperial City, we are lacking in many ways when it comes to serving you. Please forgive us. If you would kindly instruct us with your generous heart, we will strive so that, in time, there will be no shortcomings in attending Your Highness.”
When the head maid, Bu-gyeong, offered a respectful apology, having misunderstood the sigh, Jo-young grew flustered and even stumbled over her words.
“Ah—no, that’s not it.”
Then she realized her speech wasn’t befitting of a princess and cleared her throat.
“Hm. I merely… relaxed and let out a breath without realizing it.”
Bu-gyeong and the other maids put on expressions of concern.
“We failed to understand Your Highness’s feelings. We humbly apologize. This too is due to our lack of attentiveness.”
Jo-young thought Bu-gyeong seemed like a good person, but also that she was pushing herself too hard under the pressure of serving a princess.
That was when a good idea came to her.
Jo-young wasn’t shameless enough to naturally play the role of a haughty princess. Even if it was only temporary, wasn’t she stealing another woman’s place as a bride? How could she order those beneath her around?
Already weighed down by guilt over deceiving a ruler, she came up with a way to at least preserve a shred of conscience.
“You don’t need to exalt me so much as a princess. You’ll find out eventually anyway, so I’ll just say it. I tried to run away because I loved another man, not the ruler.”
“Y-Your Highness… I will pretend I never heard that.”
Bu-gyeong hurriedly tried to stop her, but Jo-young didn’t stop.
“I stopped clinging to the status of a princess long ago. So please treat me comfortably. In any case, this isn’t the Imperial City. I don’t want to be treated like a princess here, nor do I want to act like one.”
“Even if Your Highness is to become the ruler’s wife, you are still of the Emperor’s blood. Therefore, it is only right that we serve you as a princess. For that reason, we will strive even harder so that you may live here as comfortably as you would in the palace.”
“Suit yourself. But I won’t live like a princess, so don’t expect that of me. And if you truly want to serve me comfortably, then know this—what you’re doing right now is not comfortable for me at all.”
Jo-young smiled inwardly in triumph.
She had worried about being suspected of not being a princess, but there was this way around it.
However, Bu-gyeong grew even more flustered.
“Your Highness. In truth, the ruler gave me instructions.”
“What instructions?”
“He said that Your Highness might claim not to be a princess, but that we must not believe such words. Therefore, we cannot follow any command to stop treating you as a princess.”
Jo-young frowned, recalling the man’s cold face.
The look in his eyes that had regarded as pathetic the wounded heart of a woman who had tried to abandon even her status as a princess for love.
The voice that had scolded her actions as foolish held not even a fingernail’s worth of love or respect for the princess.
It was clear he saw her merely as a necessary tool for power.
The princess is a pitiful woman too. No wonder she tried to run away from a marriage to a man like that. Since things have turned out this way, I hope she finds happiness with the one she truly loves.
Stealing the identity of a princess she had never even seen, Jo-young felt as though she had also taken on that woman’s unhappy fate.
But since it wasn’t truly her destiny, she could ignore it.
This situation was far better than if he had been desperately in love with the princess.
If he became obsessed and tried to keep her by his side, escaping would only become harder.
When the bath was over and she stepped outside, it was dark beyond the windows.
Guided by the maids, Jo-young was swiftly prepared.
Whether because Bisa Fortress was always in a state of readiness, or whether maids everywhere were like this, they were all quick with their hands and made few mistakes.
Even as she marveled at that, she had no choice but to marvel even more when she changed into the new clothes they had prepared.
The clothes are light and soft, as if they’re part of my own body.
Her older sister Jin-hong’s clothes, though considered high-quality, were uncomfortable to move in and cumbersome with decorations.
Of course, extravagant Jin-hong owned many garments made from rare fabrics presented to the imperial family, but Jo-young had never been given such fine clothes.
At a glance, Jo-young could tell that the comfortable, softly textured garments she was wearing for the first time in this hue, though not flashy, were elegant and refined.
That was because a beautiful color—visible only to Jo-young’s eyes—rose faintly from the clothes like a mirage.
Perhaps because it was night, or perhaps because they wished to ease her after the long journey, they did not apply makeup.
The maids merely arranged her hair and clothes so that she looked neat and comfortable.
“Your Highness. The ruler has requested that you share dinner with him. If you are very tired, he says it would be fine for you to dine separately tonight. What would you like to do?”
Bu-gyeong asked cautiously.
“Tell him I would like to dine together.”
He had no feelings for the princess, but he suspected that she might try to run away again.
If she dispelled that suspicion, she would have more freedom of movement here.
The meal prepared in the pavilion was filled with the atmosphere of a spring night on the cusp of summer.
Night.
It was clearly night, yet the area around the pavilion was bright with halos of light.
Within that brightness stood the man, having risen to look at her as she approached.
The source of that radiance was none other than him.
Changed into everyday attire, he was enveloped in light, unlike the previous night.
The garments he wore were clearly no ordinary pieces.
No—perhaps it wasn’t just the clothes.
Even that night his neat features had been striking, but now it was impossible to take her eyes off him.
Some people failed to shine no matter how fine the clothes they wore.
But at this moment, he shone more than anyone she had ever seen.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“Ah…”
She had been gazing so intently, lost in thought, that she realized she was already right in front of him.
It felt a bit unfair.
Because of her strange ability to see light others couldn’t, her gaze had been stolen by his appearance.
“The clothes… they’re made of a fine fabric.”
Flustered, Jo-young made an excuse about his clothes.
It wasn’t untrue.
Fortunately, the ruler seemed to believe her.
“My adjutant prepared them, saying that since this was the first time he was hosting Your Highness, he should maintain proper form. As expected, Your Highness has a discerning eye. I’m glad I listened to him, now that you’ve recognized it.”
She was grateful he believed her, but felt sorry for making him mistake it for a princess’s refined taste.
When Jo-young stood there awkwardly with a bitter expression, he invited her to sit.
“Please, have a seat.”
For a meal shared by just two people, the table was remarkably large.
In the cool air, fragrant with wildflowers, the warm, appetizing dishes before her all looked carefully prepared and precious.
Jo-young wanted to act like a haughty princess, but saliva kept pooling in her mouth, making it hard to suppress her appetite.
How long had it been since she’d eaten properly, let alone well?
After being married off almost as if sold, she hadn’t starved for several months.
But because Ji Man-il preferred thin women and told her not to gain weight, she hadn’t been allowed to eat her fill, nor was she given rich foods.
Still, those few months had been the best-fed period she’d had since her mother died.
Meanwhile, Yeon-ho found the princess’s forlorn, brooding expression displeasing as she sat before the lavishly prepared dinner table.
When she had approached earlier, for a moment he had doubted his own eyes, thinking he was seeing someone else.
When she appeared, it felt as though the night air itself had changed—bright and fragrant.
She was so pure and delicate that it left him speechless, and he had lost himself in her mysterious beauty, only to end up meeting her gaze.
Flustered, he had asked why she was staring at him.
Her answer hadn’t mattered.
But now, that sense of mystery had vanished from her face, replaced only by shadows.
