His Highness’ Secret Accountant

Soon after, the secretary who had been instructed came up and spoke.

Theon glanced at Ayla, taking the lead.

‘I'm going out after a long time.'

Excited, Ayla's steps were light.

She tried to walk as quietly as possible with her hands held together, but her heart fluttered and she couldn't hide her hurried steps.

As she went down the stairs, she saw a carriage at the entrance of the west palace. The elderly coachman was well dressed in a youthful sense compared to his age and maintained his neatness.

As she turned her head a little, two white horses representing the Royal Palace were tied to the carriage. The carriage was a combination of gold decorations and vintage patterns, so it looked luxurious even from a distance.

‘Wow… Look at how shiny the horses are.'

Looking at the carriage, Ayla couldn't take her eyes off it and closed her mouth, which had opened unconsciously.

Theon looked at Ayla, as if her reaction were interesting, and stepped up to get into the carriage.

Looking behind the carriage, Theon saw a familiar silhouette.

As he stopped to look at the back side, Ayla naturally looked in the same direction.

"Long time no see. Your Highness."

In the place where she turned her eyes, there was Ariel, smiling brightly, holding a white lace parasol with her skirt fluttering in the wind.

***

Ariel, who appeared like a spring breeze, was smiling beautifully at Theon with an indistinct gaze.

"I wrote a letter saying I would come see you today, but… You seem to have forgotten."

"The west palace maid, Ayla, greets the Princess."

‘Going out is ruined, ruined.'

Ariel's indistinct eyes looked at Theon and Ayla alternately.

Her sudden appearance put Ayla, who seemed to have become a mistress, in a strange mood.

Perhaps Theon was also in a similar mood, as he was avoiding Ariel's gaze.

There was an unknown tension between the three people.

It was Ariel who first broke the silence between them.

"Is your hand okay? It was quite hot…"

"Ah… It is much better thanks to the Princess' attention."

"That's good. It seems Grand Duke Arrot worried a lot…"

"Grand Duke Arrot?"

Theon asked back at Ariel's words.

His expression was somewhat stiff, unlike a while ago.

"At the tea party the other day, Miss Ayla spilled a teacup and burned the back of her hand a little. You don't know how much Grand Duke Owen Arrot worried… I think he has extraordinary affection for his subordinates."

‘It wasn't a little, it was a lot?'

Ariel was talking with a gentle smile but, somehow, it felt like she was tattling to Theon, so it didn't feel good.

"Return the carriage."

Theon, who had remained silent at Ariel's words, spoke towards the coachman.

The coachman pulled the carriage away from the palace at a high speed.

Then, as Theon pointed to the west palace and said to Ariel, ‘Let us go in.', a smile appeared on her face again.

***

‘I thought she was nice, but she's secretly a fox.'

Ayla followed the two of them, who were taking the lead.

Ariel was walking next to Theon with both cheeks dyed red, matching her pace with his.

As they reached the audience room next to Theon's office, he turned around to look at Ayla.

"Why are you following us?"

"To prepare… The tea."

"We're fine, so go."

"What?"

"That's it for today, you can go."

"Ah… Yes. Your Highness."

Ayla's eyes shook at Theon's cold tone.

Theon glanced at Ayla, who was standing there blankly, and soon escorted Ariel into the room.

***

Ayla suddenly got her freedom, but somehow, she couldn't shake off her feelings of uneasiness.

‘Are they really getting engaged…'

When a handsome man and a beautiful woman are together, it's really something.

There were already rumors in the Stellen Kingdom that the two of them would get engaged soon.

The Stellen Kingdom and the Libert Kingdom were allies that helped each other.

If Theon and Ariel's marriage is established amid this, the two kingdoms will become powerful countries that the neighboring countries cannot dare to covet.

Since their environment, age, and social status are similar to each other, both commoners and aristocrats seemed to be looking forward to their marriage, saying that they would be a good match.

"Ah, whatever! Whether they do or not, what do I care."

Ayla, who was sitting on the marble staircase, got up from her seat, brushed off her skirt, and turned towards the west palace.

***