CH 99

Xyle noticed Ella’s confusion, then closed his eyes to let out a short sigh and took a step back. His cold conscience still remained in this childish fight. He just didn’t want to lose, which was also an immature feeling that made him lash out. It wasn’t like him to seriously put up a fight against a 19-year-old boy when he was 39 years old.

He had enough of being childish as he had to return to reality. Xyle ignored the Crown Prince, who was glaring at him. Then, he stood in front of Ella, who was still busy with her chaotic thoughts, snapped his finger, and said, “Are we done talking now? I hope you two come back to your senses and leave my room now.”

Ella looked at Xyle with a face that seemed to have a lot to say but gave up. It seemed he wasn’t going to answer any of her questions.

“It seems I should do that for now.”

Xyle made a bit of a disappointed look but quickly wiped it off his face as Ella gave up. Cladis snatched Ella’s words as if he had been waiting for them. Then he asked, “Can I escort you back to the estate?”

“I came here on my horse. I can go alone,” replied Ella, trying to put up a wall against him by saying she could return alone.

However, Cladis already had prepared an answer for that, “That’s why I came using my horse as well, so we can return together. I felt you wanted to be alone today, so I sent my escorts back as well.”

Ella sighed at Cladis, who seemed to be asking for a compliment for not having people around, at least in the visible sense. He wasn’t going to back down easily, so she said, “If I return with you, then I’m not by myself. I want to enjoy my time alone on my way back as well.”

Ella’s desire to think things through on her way back didn’t reach Cladis. On the other hand, he had many reasons to want to return together with Ella, even if he had to ignore her wishes.

“The Duchess asked me to find you and come back together. She was furious that you left me alone because of me. If she finds out that I was with you and you still returned alone, she’ll kill me next time. I don’t want to be disliked by the Duchess, your mother.”

Ella had to give up because of Cladis’s words. ‘Is the Duchess my ally or enemy?’ she wondered. From what she did to Cladis, it seemed she would help her in the sense that the Duchess would help Ella to bully the Crown Prince as much as she could until her anger was relieved.

‘Maybe there’s no one who genuinely wants to help my exodus from the role of crown princess.’ Ella felt disappointed.

“I can genuinely help you if you want,” Xyle, who quickly realized Ella’s disappointment, stated bluntly.

Ella scoffed at once, ‘What is he saying when he isn’t being genuine at all?’

He was the one who said that she should follow her fate the most. Then Ella retorted, “You? I trust His Highness more regarding this. You always tell me I shouldn’t fight my fate.”

“Really?” Cladis quickly took Ella’s words and turned to Xyle with a friendly expression all of a sudden. It was fake, of course. Then he continued, “I never knew that was your intention, Tower Master! Hahaha! Please forgive my past rudeness. I see that the Tower Master is surely worthy of the title of the Wise Man.”

‘He’s so shameless,’ thought Ella as she was lost for words at Cladis who quickly changed his attitude and was now respectful to Xyle. His smile became even brighter when he saw Xyle’s face distort in disgust.

“Ella, we should leave him. Tower Master, can you send us down now?”

Xyle’s face became even more distorted because of Cladis’s energetic voice, but the Crown Prince’s grin didn’t disappear. He really seemed to like this. Xyle gritted his teeth, trying to calm his anger, and waved his hand to send Cladis down.

Ella, who was left alone after Cladis disappeared, was dumbfounded and looked at Xyle as she asked, “What are you doing? Send me down too.”

“Yeah, I know,” He answered, but his face showed that he had no intent on sending Ella back down.