Chapter 56
“I don’t like hot water. Hannah, do you want to go? We’re going to stay here today anyway. We have a lot of time.”
At Natalie’s words, Rose turned her gaze away from the barracks.
As she looked into the white snow, she fell into reminiscence.
From an early age, her mother, Countess Audrey, loved taking Rose to the hot springs. It was a long way from the Etoile mansion, so it took a few days to get there. The two would soak themselves in the hot spring waters to the point of getting tired of it before returning to the capital.
As she returned home with a pale face and red cheeks, the nostalgic memories of her father welcoming her in the past felt just the same.
Just thinking about it warmed her heart.
The feeling of entering the hot spring water was vividly recalled. A dreamy feeling in which warm water slipped softly through her fingers and her skin, and her whole body became drowsy, her eyes closing on their own. A shallow moan naturally flowed from Rose’s lips.
When Natalie recommended Hannah, the latter smiled and only shook her head softly. There were soldiers all around, and it was terrifying for her to enter an outdoor bath.
“Oh right, I told you to bring more fur blankets because it’s cold today. Let’s go find them, Hannah.”
Natalie impatiently jumped up.
“Don’t you think Jansen will bring those? You guys don’t have to do that. Stay here.”
“No. I’ll feel more comfortable if I go and choose the softest and thickest one. I’ll be coming back with Hannah soon, so stay here, Milady.”
The two quickly left the barracks in case someone else took the blankets first. Left alone in the barracks, Rose recalled what Natalie had said earlier.
‘An open-air bath…’
At that time, in Maxim’s barracks, several soldiers were preparing to go hunting.
There was enough food, but he was sick of staying still. It had been several days since they left the castle and he tried to go to the lake alone but couldn’t swim. His body was aching and he had to release the stiffness.
Moreover, the fact that white foxes appeared in this area at this time also encouraged him. There was no other good opportunity like this to catch them.
“I will be back not too late.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Jansen saw Maxim off as he climbed on his horse.
“Take care of yourself and see if there is anything inconvenient or lacking in the barracks.”
Jansen smiled at Maxim’s careless words. He knew very well what his master was talking about, even if he didn’t particularly say which barracks he needed to take care of.
“Do not worry. I am already taking special care of it.”
Jansen smiled softly, emphasizing the word ‘special’. Maxim pretended not to notice Jansen’s smile and spurred his horse on with a cool expression. Several soldiers rushed after him.
‘Where are you going?’ Rose watched Maxim as he moved away from the barracks and walked to Jansen.
“Where is he going?”
“He went hunting.”
“Hunting?”
“Yes. He’s going to catch a white fox. Because this is their territory.”
“I see.”
Rose answered, but there was a little concern in her eyes.
‘It’s snowing like this. I can’t believe he went hunting on a day like today.’
Jansen recognized her worries and reassured her.
“It’s close by anyway and he’ll be back soon.”
Rose nodded as she could understand.
“It may be difficult to stay in the barracks, but once we get out of this forest, we can stay at an inn.”
It was not his fault that the forest was wide and rough, but Jansen said it as if he were sorry.
“It’s the same for everyone. Still, thanks to Jansen, I am very comfortable.”
“Then I’m happy.”
Jansen smiled.
* * *
Natalie dozed off, embroidered by the brazier. She seemed to be drowsy because she had just had dinner and was next to a warm fire. Hannah brought hot water to keep the barracks from drying out and moved it diligently to Rose’s bed.
Meanwhile, Rose raised the barracks cloth slightly and looked at the situation outside. The snow muffled the surrounding noises and the soldiers had entered the barracks early, so it was quieter than usual.
“Hannah.”
The maid looked back while tidying up her bed and quickly straightened her back with a bewildered face.
“Y-your Highness.”
Wearing a robe and a deeply pressed hat, Rose approached her. Hannah wondered where the hell was she trying to go at this late hour.
“I’m going to go to the hot spring.”
“Th-the hot spring?”
“Yeah, the place Natalie mentioned earlier.”
“Ah…”
Hannah glanced at Natalie, who had fallen asleep on one side, and made a troubled face. It would have been better if she was awake, but she was uneasy about whether it would be okay to let the Queen go out alone at night.
‘Then if something happens!’
“Tell Natalie, she’ll be surprised when she wakes up. I’ll be right back.”
Rose, ready to leave, raised the barracks cloth to leave.
“You-your Majesty!”
An urgent sound came out of Hannah’s mouth. She quickly picked up her robe and followed her.
“You… You can’t go alone. Le-let me go with you. P-please.”
“I’ll ask the knights to escort me and stay afar, so it’ll be okay.”
“St-still, I want to b-be next to you.”
Rose hesitated for a moment, but Hannah’s eyes were so desperate that she nodded.
“Okay, let’s go.”
After one last glance at Natalie, who snorted, the two of them cautiously went outside. As they left the barracks, two knights followed her quietly like shadows.
“We’re going to the open-air bath, so stay afar.”
At her command, the knights bowed their heads modestly.
The place was closer than she thought.
Fortunately, the hot spring, which they arrived at after walking through the winding forest road, was able to avoid people’s view because it was at an area higher than other places.
“Hannah, let’s go in together. It makes your skin feel soft and it feels really good.”
Rose grabbed Hannah’s hand, but Hannah shook her off, stunned.
“I-I will be here waiting for You-your Majesty. Ju-just in case so-someone comes.”
“It would be nice to go in together.”
“N-no. Hu-hurry up and go. I-I will stay here, prote-protecting Your Majesty.”
Hannah’s will was so strong that Rose eventually went into the bath alone. When she dipped her toes in the hot water that bubbled up, she felt the heat rising. Her bare body was freezing cold, so she quickly went into the bath.
‘Ha… It’s so good.’
With the pleasant exclamation that came out spontaneously, nothing else came to mind.
At that time, Maxim finished hunting and returned to the barracks. He felt refreshed as he had been hunting white foxes, roe deer, and weasels.
After a long time, he ran excitedly in the snow and it felt like his blood was boiling.
After changing into light clothing, he left the barracks and went somewhere alone. There was a pretty good open-air bath nearby, so he was planning to soak himself in it.
Hannah, who was squatting and scribbling in the snow, flinched at the sound of footsteps. She raised her head and saw the person in front of her, threw the branch and jumped up.
“You-your Majesty!”
Even though they lived in the same castle, it was her first time seeing His Majesty so close, so she thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest.
“What are you doing here?”
He looked down at her with suspicious eyes.
“That, that…”
“Is the Queen here?”
As Maxim looked around, Rose’s guards, who were hiding nearby, bowed their heads toward him.
“The-the Queen we-went into the-the hot s-s-springs and I-I was watching o-over.”
She was so nervous that she stuttered more than usual.
“Are you the maid that talked about Ayla?”
“Pardon?”
Hannah was surprised once again to hear Lady Ayla’s name popping out from His Majesty.
“Yes, yes!”
She bowed her head as if she had committed a great sin. Maxim looked at her face for a moment, as if observing her, and then looked towards the open-air bath where Rose was soaking herself.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes? Yes…”
Hannah’s voice softened. He was momentarily angry. No matter how many people she had guarding her, she was walking like that in the snow late at night.
In addition, the knights couldn’t follow her into the bath and nobody knew what could happen to her when she’s alone.
Maxim passed Hannah and headed towards the spring. Hannah quickly stepped back, wiggling her fingers and holding her skirt.
‘What should I do about this? Is His Majesty about to go into the bath too?’
She was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.
‘I said I was going to keep anyone from coming here. No. His Majesty is her husband. No one can stop him wherever he goes. But what if the Queen is surprised? I hope that His Majesty would make some sounds so that the Queen would know first.’
In that brief moment, fifty thousand worries ran through Hannah’s head. However, there was only one conclusion.
‘Those two are a couple anyway, so of course it’ll be fine.’
And as Hannah was fighting her anxiety, Maxim had already approached Rose.
The moist, cold night air was mixed with the smell of sulfur, firmly attached to the body. The place where the bath was located was covered with a white mist, making the surroundings foggy.
Covered by darkness, her back was dimly visible. A long neck with red hair curled loosely, and round white shoulders appeared out of the water. The white shoulders, where the snow was falling, shimmered as if silver dust had been sprinkled on them.
Rose, who was leisurely enjoying spraying water little by little on her shoulders with her hands, never noticed that someone was standing behind her.
It was breathtakingly fascinating that a few strands of red hair flowing down next to her ears were wet and attached to the white skin. The scene was like a painting, but the sound of tree branches swaying in the wind reminded him that this moment was real.
At first, Maxim, who was walking briskly, looked at Rose without being able to move, as if he was possessed.
At that moment, the suffocating stillness was broken as a small flying beast flapped and flew away. Maxim coughed on purpose, as if he wanted her to listen, and moved again.
“You managed to find this place.”
Rose, surprised to hear Maxim’s voice, turned around. Narrowing her eyes to see through the fog and darkness surrounding her, she found a familiar figure in the direction the voice came from.
“You, ho-how!”
Chapter 56
“I don’t like hot water. Hannah, do you want to go? We’re going to stay here today anyway. We have a lot of time.”
At Natalie’s words, Rose turned her gaze away from the barracks.
As she looked into the white snow, she fell into reminiscence.
From an early age, her mother, Countess Audrey, loved taking Rose to the hot springs. It was a long way from the Etoile mansion, so it took a few days to get there. The two would soak themselves in the hot spring waters to the point of getting tired of it before returning to the capital.
As she returned home with a pale face and red cheeks, the nostalgic memories of her father welcoming her in the past felt just the same.
Just thinking about it warmed her heart.
The feeling of entering the hot spring water was vividly recalled. A dreamy feeling in which warm water slipped softly through her fingers and her skin, and her whole body became drowsy, her eyes closing on their own. A shallow moan naturally flowed from Rose’s lips.
When Natalie recommended Hannah, the latter smiled and only shook her head softly. There were soldiers all around, and it was terrifying for her to enter an outdoor bath.
“Oh right, I told you to bring more fur blankets because it’s cold today. Let’s go find them, Hannah.”
Natalie impatiently jumped up.
“Don’t you think Jansen will bring those? You guys don’t have to do that. Stay here.”
“No. I’ll feel more comfortable if I go and choose the softest and thickest one. I’ll be coming back with Hannah soon, so stay here, Milady.”
The two quickly left the barracks in case someone else took the blankets first. Left alone in the barracks, Rose recalled what Natalie had said earlier.
‘An open-air bath…’
At that time, in Maxim’s barracks, several soldiers were preparing to go hunting.
There was enough food, but he was sick of staying still. It had been several days since they left the castle and he tried to go to the lake alone but couldn’t swim. His body was aching and he had to release the stiffness.
Moreover, the fact that white foxes appeared in this area at this time also encouraged him. There was no other good opportunity like this to catch them.
“I will be back not too late.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Jansen saw Maxim off as he climbed on his horse.
“Take care of yourself and see if there is anything inconvenient or lacking in the barracks.”
Jansen smiled at Maxim’s careless words. He knew very well what his master was talking about, even if he didn’t particularly say which barracks he needed to take care of.
“Do not worry. I am already taking special care of it.”
Jansen smiled softly, emphasizing the word ‘special’. Maxim pretended not to notice Jansen’s smile and spurred his horse on with a cool expression. Several soldiers rushed after him.
‘Where are you going?’ Rose watched Maxim as he moved away from the barracks and walked to Jansen.
“Where is he going?”
“He went hunting.”
“Hunting?”
“Yes. He’s going to catch a white fox. Because this is their territory.”
“I see.”
Rose answered, but there was a little concern in her eyes.
‘It’s snowing like this. I can’t believe he went hunting on a day like today.’
Jansen recognized her worries and reassured her.
“It’s close by anyway and he’ll be back soon.”
Rose nodded as she could understand.
“It may be difficult to stay in the barracks, but once we get out of this forest, we can stay at an inn.”
It was not his fault that the forest was wide and rough, but Jansen said it as if he were sorry.
“It’s the same for everyone. Still, thanks to Jansen, I am very comfortable.”
“Then I’m happy.”
Jansen smiled.
* * *
Natalie dozed off, embroidered by the brazier. She seemed to be drowsy because she had just had dinner and was next to a warm fire. Hannah brought hot water to keep the barracks from drying out and moved it diligently to Rose’s bed.
Meanwhile, Rose raised the barracks cloth slightly and looked at the situation outside. The snow muffled the surrounding noises and the soldiers had entered the barracks early, so it was quieter than usual.
“Hannah.”
The maid looked back while tidying up her bed and quickly straightened her back with a bewildered face.
“Y-your Highness.”
Wearing a robe and a deeply pressed hat, Rose approached her. Hannah wondered where the hell was she trying to go at this late hour.
“I’m going to go to the hot spring.”
“Th-the hot spring?”
“Yeah, the place Natalie mentioned earlier.”
“Ah…”
Hannah glanced at Natalie, who had fallen asleep on one side, and made a troubled face. It would have been better if she was awake, but she was uneasy about whether it would be okay to let the Queen go out alone at night.
‘Then if something happens!’
“Tell Natalie, she’ll be surprised when she wakes up. I’ll be right back.”
Rose, ready to leave, raised the barracks cloth to leave.
“You-your Majesty!”
An urgent sound came out of Hannah’s mouth. She quickly picked up her robe and followed her.
“You… You can’t go alone. Le-let me go with you. P-please.”
“I’ll ask the knights to escort me and stay afar, so it’ll be okay.”
“St-still, I want to b-be next to you.”
Rose hesitated for a moment, but Hannah’s eyes were so desperate that she nodded.
“Okay, let’s go.”
After one last glance at Natalie, who snorted, the two of them cautiously went outside. As they left the barracks, two knights followed her quietly like shadows.
“We’re going to the open-air bath, so stay afar.”
At her command, the knights bowed their heads modestly.
The place was closer than she thought.
Fortunately, the hot spring, which they arrived at after walking through the winding forest road, was able to avoid people’s view because it was at an area higher than other places.
“Hannah, let’s go in together. It makes your skin feel soft and it feels really good.”
Rose grabbed Hannah’s hand, but Hannah shook her off, stunned.
“I-I will be here waiting for You-your Majesty. Ju-just in case so-someone comes.”
“It would be nice to go in together.”
“N-no. Hu-hurry up and go. I-I will stay here, prote-protecting Your Majesty.”
Hannah’s will was so strong that Rose eventually went into the bath alone. When she dipped her toes in the hot water that bubbled up, she felt the heat rising. Her bare body was freezing cold, so she quickly went into the bath.
‘Ha… It’s so good.’
With the pleasant exclamation that came out spontaneously, nothing else came to mind.
At that time, Maxim finished hunting and returned to the barracks. He felt refreshed as he had been hunting white foxes, roe deer, and weasels.
After a long time, he ran excitedly in the snow and it felt like his blood was boiling.
After changing into light clothing, he left the barracks and went somewhere alone. There was a pretty good open-air bath nearby, so he was planning to soak himself in it.
Hannah, who was squatting and scribbling in the snow, flinched at the sound of footsteps. She raised her head and saw the person in front of her, threw the branch and jumped up.
“You-your Majesty!”
Even though they lived in the same castle, it was her first time seeing His Majesty so close, so she thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest.
“What are you doing here?”
He looked down at her with suspicious eyes.
“That, that…”
“Is the Queen here?”
As Maxim looked around, Rose’s guards, who were hiding nearby, bowed their heads toward him.
“The-the Queen we-went into the-the hot s-s-springs and I-I was watching o-over.”
She was so nervous that she stuttered more than usual.
“Are you the maid that talked about Ayla?”
“Pardon?”
Hannah was surprised once again to hear Lady Ayla’s name popping out from His Majesty.
“Yes, yes!”
She bowed her head as if she had committed a great sin. Maxim looked at her face for a moment, as if observing her, and then looked towards the open-air bath where Rose was soaking herself.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes? Yes…”
Hannah’s voice softened. He was momentarily angry. No matter how many people she had guarding her, she was walking like that in the snow late at night.
In addition, the knights couldn’t follow her into the bath and nobody knew what could happen to her when she’s alone.
Maxim passed Hannah and headed towards the spring. Hannah quickly stepped back, wiggling her fingers and holding her skirt.
‘What should I do about this? Is His Majesty about to go into the bath too?’
She was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.
‘I said I was going to keep anyone from coming here. No. His Majesty is her husband. No one can stop him wherever he goes. But what if the Queen is surprised? I hope that His Majesty would make some sounds so that the Queen would know first.’
In that brief moment, fifty thousand worries ran through Hannah’s head. However, there was only one conclusion.
‘Those two are a couple anyway, so of course it’ll be fine.’
And as Hannah was fighting her anxiety, Maxim had already approached Rose.
The moist, cold night air was mixed with the smell of sulfur, firmly attached to the body. The place where the bath was located was covered with a white mist, making the surroundings foggy.
Covered by darkness, her back was dimly visible. A long neck with red hair curled loosely, and round white shoulders appeared out of the water. The white shoulders, where the snow was falling, shimmered as if silver dust had been sprinkled on them.
Rose, who was leisurely enjoying spraying water little by little on her shoulders with her hands, never noticed that someone was standing behind her.
It was breathtakingly fascinating that a few strands of red hair flowing down next to her ears were wet and attached to the white skin. The scene was like a painting, but the sound of tree branches swaying in the wind reminded him that this moment was real.
At first, Maxim, who was walking briskly, looked at Rose without being able to move, as if he was possessed.
At that moment, the suffocating stillness was broken as a small flying beast flapped and flew away. Maxim coughed on purpose, as if he wanted her to listen, and moved again.
“You managed to find this place.”
Rose, surprised to hear Maxim’s voice, turned around. Narrowing her eyes to see through the fog and darkness surrounding her, she found a familiar figure in the direction the voice came from.
“You, ho-how!”
