She couldn't say anything to Rose's pressing words. Why? Because they were all true.
She had advised Ayla not to stay close to the royal family when she first came to the royal palace, so her behavior made a lot of sense.
As if she were frustrated with Ayla, who remained silent, Rose clenched her fist and spoke, hitting her chest.
"His Highness… Will soon be engaged to Princess Ariel of the Libert Kingdom. So, Miss Ayla… Don't draw any more attention and give it up."
Ayla couldn't find any lies in Rose's gaze looking at her.
Her gloomy face had a sincere concern for Ayla, so she couldn't even respond.
"Ugh… That's enough. I'm tired."
When Rose went out of the dining room after she finished speaking, Ayla took a deep breath.
Soon, Ayla sat on the edge of the table and silently bit her lips.
In any case, Rose seemed to have a firm misunderstanding about Theon and Ayla's relationship.
She didn't know where to start correcting it, but she could see that the situation wasn't very good.
Ayla, who was standing there blankly reminiscing about Rose's words, muttered to herself while looking into the void.
"Engagement…"
Ayla felt an unknown bitterness in her sinking voice.
"Young Lady!!!"
As she turned her head to a familiar voice, Lily, who came running towards Ayla, came into view.
After seeing Lily, Ayla's face became slightly distorted.
"Where on earth did you go!"
"Young Lady… I'm really sorry. Sob. I couldn't find you at all because I have a bad sense of direction…"
"…"
"I'm so glad you're safe and sound. Sob, sob. You have no idea how much me and the Prince searched for you. I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I just wanted to show you a good scenery…"
Seeing Lily, with her eyes filled with tears and a runny nose, Ayla's enraged emotions gradually faded away.
As Ayla sighed deeply and hugged her tightly, Lily cried out even more sorrowfully.
But she couldn't shake off the leery feeling somewhere.
***
Ayla, standing in front of Theon's office holding a teacup, repeatedly grabbed and released the doorknob.
After hearing from Secretary Mason that a guest had come, Ayla couldn't open the door.
That a guest had come wasn't a problem at all, but the important question was who the guest was.
Knock, knock.
Ayla, who hesitated for a while in front of the door, gently knocked and pulled the doorknob.
Inside Theon's office, Ariel, who was beautifully dressed, and Theon, who was expressionless, sat facing each other.
‘She said they were getting engaged… Looks like she's visiting in the meantime."
While she was preparing the tea and the banquet hall, she had a rough idea of what was going on thanks to the noisy maids that were chatting away next to her.
With Ariel's request to the King, the engagement ceremony was expected to be held in a flash; and the maids who gathered there were completely immersed in her tenacious behavior and spoke as if it were a heroic tale.
No matter where she went, it was all about Ariel and Theon's engagement, so it was a situation where she couldn't not know.
‘That's my seat…'
However, looking at the two people facing each other in the office, she had a strange feeling somehow.
"The west palace maid, Ayla, greets the Princess, Ariel."
Ayla greeted Ariel, trying to ignore the unknown feeling towards the two.
Seeing Ayla, Ariel's expression seemed to harden for a moment, and soon she nodded with a beautiful smile.
"I couldn't prepare the tea because I wasn't told that the Princess had come. Do you perhaps want me to prepare some tea?"
"No. I'm fine. I didn't know Miss Ayla was still serving His Highness' tea."
Although she spoke with a smile, there seemed to be a different meaning behind Ariel's words, which emphasized the word ‘still'.
"Ah… That…"
"It's because this child's tea suits my taste fairly well."
Theon spoke while glancing at Ayla, who hesitated at Ariel's thorny words.
Ayla smiled awkwardly at Ariel's sulky appearance.
As if reciprocating, Ariel also smiled at Ayla.
Then, she looked closely at Ayla's left hand, which was pouring the tea, and spoke.
"I thought you got hurt a lot… But you recovered completely?"
"Sorry?"
"I was worried about it leaving a scar. It's amazing that it's clean as if it were magic. Ah, don't get me wrong. I'm just glad."
There was no malice in Ariel, who spoke with a light smile.
However, she felt uncomfortable for some reason.
"It's a garnet bracelet."
‘Why are you so interested in me today?'
Ariel, who was looking at Ayla, glanced at the sparkling bracelet on her left wrist.
"Yes. That's correct."
"Garnets have a very beautiful meaning. Of love… Isn't it really romantic? Looks like Miss Ayla has a lover."
"Ah, it's not that…"
Ariel nodded as if it were alright towards Ayla, who hurriedly lowered her sleeves while blurring her words. With a smile which meaning she did not know.
‘She's obviously kind, so why do I feel bad?'
She wanted to get out of this strange atmosphere right away.
Soon after, Ayla finished pouring the tea and straightened her posture.
At the same time, Theon grabbed the teacup and took a sip.
"It's fine."
His short, dull voice.
Holding the teacup, Theon glanced coldly at Ayla.
He gestured at Ayla, as if telling her to leave.
After alternating between Ariel and Theon at his gesture, Ayla kept a firm look on her face.
Soon, after bowing lightly, her steps as she got out of the office felt heavy for some reason.
***