CH 215

Estella’s roaring voice echoed behind her back.

“Miss Ayla.”

“Yes. Your Majesty. Is there anything you need?”

“Hm… There is something. Don’t you think we need to have a conversation?”

Gulp.

Estella’s meaningful words made her anxious.

It wasn’t even possible to ask her what she was talking about.

Did she want to ask her about the Rumba community?

Did she want to ask her why she was working here as a maid?

If not, was she going to ask her about her father in detail?

She didn’t know how much of the truth she should tell her.

Does she have to tell her everything without lying…?

Ayla’s blue eyes trembled slightly.

Contrary to Ayla, who looked anxious, Estella grinned.

With the words to come closer, Estella tapped the seat next to where she was sitting on the sofa.

“Is there something you want to say…”

Ayla hesitated and then went closer to Estella.

As if making fun of her for being like that, Estella’s next words were absurd.

“You and the Crown Prince, you don’t have an ordinary relationship, right?”

“Yes. What??”

At Estella’s absurd question, Ayla opened her eyes wide and waved her hand in a denying motion.

“You just answered ‘yes’ and pretended to be innocent. Do you know? You are both very obvious.”

“…”

“Who are you going to fool, when your eyes are dripping honey? Well, he just came to see you too.”

Estella narrowed her eyes and gave her a provoking expression.

Ayla, who had been fanning her reddened face with her hand, turned her gaze to the opposite side.

Someone who had been peeping behind the open door had sensed her gaze and was quickly disappearing.

“Be careful.”

At Estella’s serious voice, which was different from a while ago when she was only being playful, Ayla looked at her without saying a word.

“There are many watching eyes at any time in the Royal Palace. I heard there is also an engagement issue at stake… There’s nothing wrong with being careful.”

“…”

“If this goes well, there will be change again in Miss Ayla’s family, right? Ah… Don’t get me wrong. I heard from His Highness.”

“I… hope so.”

“If the two of you get married, it will be all thanks to me.”

At her playful words, Ayla’s lips rose in an arc.

There was silence for a while between the two.

Unlike Ayla, who was about to get up from her seat, Estella hesitated as if she had something else to say.

“By the way…”

“Speak comfortably.”

“Orhan… Is he well?”

Estella’s red eyes fluttered slowly.

Petals scattered in the wind flowed in through the open window.

“Yes. Well… He’s doing well. He is a very adaptable person. Haha.”

Ayla gave an awkward smile at Estella’s unexpected words and answered.

‘What. I was scared for nothing.’

She was very nervous at her words that she had something to say. She didn’t know she was just going to ask about Orhan’s well-being.

She could feel her energy draining from the unexpected question.

She thought they were on bad terms because they were always fighting inside the mansion, but it seems that wasn’t the case either.

Come to think of it, on the day Estella left, Orhan was particularly dispirited.

His eyes were melancholic as he looked at the well-roasted turkey.

Seeing that he quarreled every day with Estelle, saying it was delicious, the memory of her secretly whispering with Elin and asking what was wrong with him flashed through her mind.

‘Is something wrong?’

‘No. I don’t have much of an appetite.’

‘Have a glass of wine. You like it. Estelle said it was delicious too.’

‘…’

‘Orhan?’

‘Ugh. I will get up now. Don’t worry about me and eat comfortably. Princess.’

Was it just her impression that Orhan’s face darkened at the same time as Estelle’s name was mentioned?

Whatever the reason, it was even more memorable because it was the day he declined even the wine he liked.

“I see. That’s good.”

“I didn’t know Your Majesty would care about Orhan… Anyway, he’s doing fine, so you don’t have to worry.”

Ayla grinned at Estella and spoke.

“It’s fine to call me Estelle.”

“…”

At Estelle’s words, Ayla had a troubled expression on her face.

She didn’t know her identity when they were in the mansion, so she had no problem calling her by her name.

But that was then… The situation was completely different now, wasn’t it?

The queen of a foreign country.

And on top of that, the Queen of the Raff Kingdom. How can she call her by her name?

Unfortunately, she only has one life. It was a word she should never say.

That’s right, it was best to just smile at times like this.

She tried her best to put on a natural smile in her own way, but it was a failure.

Estelle let out a small sigh at Ayla’s awkward appearance and continued.

“It’s my nickname, for people close to me. I thought I had become good friends with Miss Ayla, so I’m a little disappointed by the sudden distance you’re putting between us.”

“Ah…”

“Will you do that for me?”

At Estelle’s words, Ayla nodded her head silently.

***