“I’m sorry if I upset you. I just wanted to get acquainted with Princess Zenia.”
“…”
“If you don’t like alcohol… Would you like a cup of tea?”
Kyle smiled brightly towards Ayla, who kept her firm expression on her face, and acted like he was sorry.
‘That’s right. Let’s not bring in private feelings for the sake of the cause.’
He was so strange and uncomfortable that she wanted him to stop paying attention to her, but she had to accept his offer in order to fulfill Zenia’s duty.
“I don’t know if the tea will be to your taste.”
“It is great. I also enjoy drinking tea in Ruit.”
Before she knew it, she was sitting opposite Kyle at the round table covered with a white tablecloth, tilting her teacup. Can you imagine… She did not expect to sit down and gracefully have a cup of tea with Kyle, who tried to kill her every day. Ayla bit her lips secretly and lowered her gaze, awkward.
With an enraged expression, as if he hadn’t let go of his feelings from before, Orhan was quietly staring at Kyle and Ayla.
“Will you be going to the north palace when the banquet is over?”
As Ayla looked at Orhan at Kyle’s sudden question, he shook his head slightly.
Whether he was worried that the makeup on Ayla’s body would be erased or whatever it was, before they entered the royal palace, he said she had to return to the mansion before the banquet was over.
Remembering what Orhan had said inside the carriage, she smiled at Kyle and shook her head.
“I don’t plan on staying in the Royal Palace. I can’t sleep in an unfamiliar place.”
“I see. I wanted to see you a little more… That’s very unfortunate.”
‘Why is this bastard acting like this? Did he fall for me?’
Ayla frowned while bowing her head at Kyle, who had an indifferent expression on his face as he casually blurted out words that gave her the chills.
Soon after, she straightened her posture and smiled awkwardly.
“Grand Duke Ermedi… I need to speak to you for a moment.”
As the meaningless conversation continued, someone who seemed to be one of Kyle’s secretaries approached.
When Ayla motioned for them to speak comfortably, Kyle said with a firm expression, ‘Excuse me for a moment.’, and left.
Despite Kyle leaving his seat, Eden remained still and stared at Ayla.
‘Why are you looking at me like that? It’s embarrassing.’
Eden’s sharp gaze made Ayla look around, embarrassed.
The teacup that Kyle had handed her caught her attention.
“Cough, cough. Ah, it’s hot.”
“Are you alright, Princess?!”
Ayla picked up the teacup and choked as she drank it quickly in a sudden rush of thirst.
She felt a tingling sensation on her tongue that seemed like a burn as she had drunk the hot tea at once, so she raised her hand and fanned herself with teary eyes.
‘Ah… I’m screwed.’
It looks like that drew Eden’s attention even more.
Ayla slowly corrected her posture when she felt that his gaze had become blunter than before.
“Is this your first time in the Stellen Kingdom, Princess?”
“Sorry? Ah… Yes. It is. It’s the first time I visit.”
Although she hesitated for a moment at Eden’s sudden question, she thought she had answered well so she was deeply satisfied.
But contrary to her thoughts, Eden’s cold gaze showed no signs of improvement.
“Why do you ask such a question?”
In the end, Ayla, unable to overcome Eden’s stinging gaze, spoke towards him first.
“You look a lot like someone I know. There is no way you are that person, but you’re strangely similar.”
He spoke in a flat tone, but Ayla could feel her heart pounding.
Eden, who was silently staring at Ayla, who remained silent without answering his words, raised the corners of his mouth.
Soon after, Ayla looked bitterly at Eden’s back as he got up from his seat after giving her a light nod and walked away.
***
Duke Daniel’s eyes, who was standing near Kyle and Ayla, looking at them as he drank a strong tequila, were fierce.
Seeing Kyle showing excessive interest in the princess of a foreign country was something the Duke did not want to see.
“Zenia…”
Duke Daniel’s gaze passed Kyle and turned towards Zenia.
The frivolous attire that reveals all her skin and even her dark skin. The Duke looked at her, thinking if she was really a princess attending a banquet, and clicked his tongue.
‘That top is going to fall down with one wrong movement.’
The Duke’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Kyle giving Ayla the champagne.
Although his daughter Delia passed away, that did not change the fact that Kyle was Duke Daniel’s son-in-law.
With the sacrifices the Duke had to endure and his determination to maintain this position, he couldn’t give Kyle to a princess from a foreign country who was just making herself look like a maiden.
Duke Daniel, who was keeping his cold gaze, called one of his secretaries.
“Yes, Duke.”
“Find out about that little bitch over there. Princess Zenia of Ruit. Find out as soon as possible.”
As the secretary gave a brief answer to the Duke’s words and quickly disappeared from the banquet hall, a fishy smile appeared on his lips.
***