Chapter 41

The effectiveness of Owen’s potion was amazing.

Since she was wearing a bracelet, the wound was worsened by the metal heated up by the hot water.

As it was, it would not have been strange at all if she were in pain all night long and got blisters in the affected area; however, only faint red marks remained on Ayla’s hand and wrist.

‘So that’s why people use magic.’

Fiddling with the garnet bracelet that Louis gave her, Ayla slowly got up.

As Lily’s bed was empty, she wondered where she had gone to even before sunrise.

“Where did you go, this early in the morning?”

Getting up from her bed, Ayla turned to the shabby hanger.

Only 3 pieces of clothing were hung on the steel hangers with the coating peeling off everywhere.

The gorgeous, dark green dress she wore when she first entered the palace stood out by itself, not matching with the palace maid one.

Ayla, who touched the dress with a stiff expression, turned her hand and picked the black dress hanging in front of it.

As she untied the straps of the dress she was wearing, it made a rustling sound.

The dress slid under her ankles, and Ayla’s white and small shoulders were revealed.

Wearing a white frilled apron on top of the neat, black dress, which fell below her knees, she looked like a typical low-rank maid.

The wavy, black pearl-colored hair, which came down to her waist, made Ayla’s white and fair skin stand out even more.

Ayla glanced at the small watch on the table and hurriedly rolled up her long hair.

***

The neat-looking Ayla hurried towards the west palace.

To fulfill the order Theon gave her last night to prepare his tea, Ayla arrived in a hurry at the dining room on the first floor of the west palace, panting.

“Why did he leave the maid in charge alone and asked me to come. I really don’t know.”

Ayla pouted, complaining. Then, with skillful hand movements, she drew water into the kettle and prepared the tea. She was quite used to it now, and she was getting quicker. A bitter smile came to Ayla’s lips.

In the Royal Palace, there were a total of 5 tea times per day.

Morning tea before breakfast, around 7 o’clock, with simple snacks, tea at 11 o’clock to soothe the hunger before lunch, afternoon tea after lunch, dinner tea after dinner, and night tea before bedtime.

They must all be either crazy about tea or simply crazy because they even say this is a reduction in the number of times.

Thanks to that, she had been boiling water in a kettle since 6 a.m., so there is no way she was in a good mood.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah! Head Maid… I was preparing the tea for His Highness.”

“What about the child that usually prepares it?”

“That… His Highness ordered me directly…”

After listening to Ayla’s words, Rose’s expression subtly changed.

Even though Rose seemed like she had something to say, she shut her mouth tight.

“Do you know where His Highness’ residence is?”

“Ah…”

The morning tea, the first one he drinks in the day, was usually taken to his bedroom.

She silently scolded herself for trying to take it to the office without giving it much thought.

Naturally, she couldn’t answer Rose’s question because she didn’t even know where his residence was, let alone his bedroom.

Rose let out a small sigh as if she knew it.

Rose, who shook her head from side to side, quietly rolled her eyes at Ayla.

As she said she could not stay mad at a smiling face, Ayla smiled as best as she could.

***

“His Highness is staying at the detached palace in the west palace.”

Holding the tray, Ayla headed to the second floor of the west palace.

Compared to other palaces, the west palace had a slightly unique structure.

In the west palace, where the male members of the royal family stayed, there was another independent, detached palace.

She heard that only the successor, who will become the King himself, can stay at the detached palace, which is only accessible by crossing the overpass on the second floor.

Heading towards the detached palace, Ayla’s eyes were filled with tension, as it was a place where only a few of the west palace maids could enter.