maid's night (r19) | completed

Chapter 35

It seemed that the Princess wasn't coming back.

Something must have happened.

Evely heard that some of the servants saw the Princess secretly leave.

What should the master do then?

Wouldn't he get a new wife?

Uncertain and groundless rumors spread through the castle like a plague. The only ones who remained silent were Evely and Alec.

Evely deliberately did not express her mixed feelings. Instead, whenever she had time, she would lie in bed and read the letters she found in her drawer.

"I'm sorry that I left everything to you."

What on earth did she leave?

It was a time when she had been repeatedly worrying about such unanswerable questions. Evely jumped to her feet when she heard her master was going to look for her.

Alec was sitting at his desk working when Evely arrived at his office. When he saw her, he pointed with his eyes to a small table in a corner.

She sat down on a chair in front of the table. On the table was a cup of freshly poured tea and some cookies neatly arranged. Evely had a sweet tooth, but she couldn't bring herself to eat the cookies right now.

She reached out and wrapped her hand around the teacup, and warmth trickled down her fingertips. A faint aroma wafted through the air and echoed in her nose.

Evely rubbed the surface of the cup and slowly opened her mouth.

"Is your wife not coming back ...... permanently?"

The question was a little different from before.

The words were a little abrupt, but there was a certainty in her calm voice.

"If that's the case."

The answer fell surprisingly plainly.

Alec got up from his chair and strode toward the table where Evely was sitting.

He stopped in front of her.

"That doesn't make any difference."

He extended his hand toward her. He grasped her thin chin, looking at her endlessly. Suddenly the force of his hand made Evely's eyes widened, but she was so overwhelmed by his mood that she stood still, frozen. Eventually his lips parted sullenly.

"So you'll be taking the place of the Princess. "

In place of the princess?

Instead of the princess?

Evely's eyes visibly wavered as she asked in a daze.

"What do you mean? Please explain."

And yet she did not avoid his blue eyes, but accepted them nonchalantly.

Time was quiet, yet piquant. It felt like an endless tug before it snapped like a resilient rope. None of them talked, but they were letting out more with their eyes than anything else.

This made it even harder to breathe. Then, as if to cross the heavy air, Evely heard the butler's clear voice from outside the door.

"Master, a call has come from the Imperial Palace. They say it is urgent."

At the voice calling him again, Alec let go of Evely's chin. Then, in a clear voice, he said.

"I'll tell you the details later. Just know that's how it is."

"What about ...... my opinion?"

Evely bit her lips and asked resignedly.

"If you have an opinion, you may speak. But if it goes against my wishes, I will not listen."