Side Story Chapter 14
Spending time with Evie, Cloys still managed to find moments to read amidst her busy schedule.
All of the books she read were about child psychology, education, and development.
In other words, they were books on how to be a good parent.
In the past, when she occasionally visited the royal library, she had never even gone near these kinds of books. She had thought they were books she would never need to read in her lifetime.
Now, Cloys brought so many related books into her room that it almost felt like a personal library. She stayed up late into the night reading them.
She paid especially close attention to chapters on the independent personalities of rapidly developing children, their sensitive emotions, and peer relationships.
Through this, she learned something important:
It is best for parents to interfere as little as possible in children’s social interactions and simply observe.
Also, it’s important not to try to know every secret of a child.
That was why Cloys had made the firm decision not to accompany them.
At that moment, a carriage arrived at the palace.
It bore the crest of the Terrence family.
Aiden, who was standing by, approached the carriage with the expression of someone expecting a guest.
The door opened, and Irene, dressed in an incredibly beautiful outing outfit, stepped out.
“Thank you, Sir Aiden.”
After bowing gracefully, Irene approached Cloys to greet her.
“Irene Terrence, Your Highness.”
“Irene, that is—”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Irene’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s Madam Crevel’s latest design. Don’t you think it would suit Your Highness perfectly?”
“I’ll place the order immediately.”
Success!
Irene silently applauded herself.
She had promoted Madam Crevel’s clothes! She could even wear the same outfit as Evie! Perfect!
After finishing her greeting, Irene returned to the carriage.
Aiden followed shortly after, stepping into the carriage as well.
At that moment, Hilde, mounted on horseback, approached and spoke to Evie and Irene.
“This is the first time I’ve escorted both of you together.”
“Sir Hilde!”
The two girls greeted Hilde warmly.
Being one of the strongest knights in the royal order and a female knight, Hilde always accompanied Evie inside the palace.
Thanks to accompanying them even in places Aiden could not go, she had become quite friendly with Irene as well.
Two adorable girls looking up at her with admiration certainly made Hilde feel pleased.
“If the carriage feels cramped because of Aiden, feel free to kick him out. He’ll manage on his own.”
Even Hilde’s casual joke made Evie and Irene giggle uncontrollably.
“The royal carriage isn’t that cramped!”
Aiden raised his voice in protest.
Hilde, however, responded with a look that seemed to say, Who’s barking?
“I’m just saying you’ve grown. Look at your face, full from eating well.”
Hearing this, Aiden pressed his face against the glass, examining it from all angles, and said proudly:
“I’m better off with some muscle than being too thin. I just recovered the muscles I lost from lying down. And isn’t the formal attire much more flattering on me?”
Aiden hadn’t yet fully regained the ability to ride for long periods.
So unlike the other knights in their work uniforms, Aiden alone wore formal attire and rode the carriage with Evie and Irene.
Hilde had felt a little sorry about this.
Seeing him happy to wear formal attire while others wore work uniforms proved her worry had been unnecessary.
“All right, let’s depart!”
Hilde shouted, and the carriage began moving.
“We’ll be back!”
Evie waved to Cloys from the window.
Cloys smiled and waved back, until the carriage had completely left the palace and disappeared from view.
Even after the doors were closed, Evie continued to watch where they had gone, muttering quietly:
“I wanted to follow them…”
The steward standing beside her nodded knowingly.
Duke Kellen was working in his office.
Although palace affairs were numerous, he also had many matters to personally check and manage within his own territory.
Sipping the tea his wife had brought, he flipped through documents when he suddenly felt movement outside the window.
“Hm?”
It wasn’t a trick of the eyes. Far away, he saw a horse racing toward his mansion at high speed.
The flag held by the rider bore the royal crest.
“What could this be about?”
The duke hurried outside.
The knight who dismounted was a member of the royal knight order, someone Kellen knew personally.
“Rushing here so urgently… what is the matter?”
“Her Highness, the princess, is coming to visit!”
“What? When will she arrive?”
The knight turned to look behind him instead of answering.
Kellen followed his gaze, and his eyes widened.
Beyond the hill, the entire royal knight order was approaching.
The sheer scale made him dizzy. One could easily mistake this as a force coming to arrest him for treason.
Grasping his head in disbelief, he asked the knight:
“Why only tell me now that they’re almost here?”
“The Emperor commanded that we inform you only when everyone had nearly arrived. And…”
“And?”
“Your Highness also ordered that Arsel Kellen not avoid but personally welcome Princess Evie.”
Kellen went momentarily blank before calling out to the butler standing nearby:
“Inform Arsel immediately! Hurry!”
Soon after, the carriage carrying Evie arrived.
Aiden was the first to get down, escorting Evie and Irene, and announced that Princess Evie had arrived.
At his call, Duke Kellen, his wife, and the staff all bowed deeply.
“Thank you sincerely for welcoming me again, Your Grace. Princess Highness.”
Duke Kellen approached and bowed, and Evie smiled brightly.
“Hello, Duke Kellen. Thank you for welcoming me even though I came without notice.”
Speaking, she looked at the duchess, who returned her smile warmly.
Seeing the duchess still greet her so kindly gave Evie a sense of relief.
Arsel, who had been injured during the Siren incident, had been transferred to the palace.
When the duchess waited at the palace for Arsel, even after he had received treatment, she could not hide the tears at seeing her son still wounded.
Evie felt guilty.
“I hurt Arsel because of me…”
She worried that the duchess might hate her, so she apologized tearfully to the duchess, who held Arsel’s hand.
The duchess firmly shook her head.
“No, Your Highness. My son only did what was expected. If he could protect his lord as a duty, what greater honor could there be?”
Saying this, she embraced the crying Evie, whispering kindly:
“Princess, you must have been very scared. I’m relieved you are safe.”
Evie finally allowed herself to cry freely in the duchess’s arms, relieved that the warmth she remembered during her stay at the Kellen residence hadn’t disappeared.
“Sir Aiden.”
When Evie called, Aiden produced a large bouquet from the back of the carriage and handed it to her.
“These are flowers I personally picked this morning from the palace greenhouse. I chose ones that Arsel likes…”
“Oh my! How beautiful… I thought you’d brought the entire greenhouse!”
The duchess’s gentle excitement made Evie’s smile even brighter.
“Then… may I see Arsel?”
“Of course. This way.”
The duke walked ahead, guiding Evie.
Walking behind him, Evie’s long-forgotten worry returned.
“Why does Arsel keep avoiding me?”
At first, she had thought it was because the pain from his injury made him dislike her more and more.
But while staying at the palace, Arsel quickly regained his health and never once seemed annoyed or bothered by Evie.
On the contrary, when visitation ended, he looked at her with reluctance to leave.
Even on the day he had recovered enough to ride the carriage back to the Kellen residence, he stayed by her side until the very last moment.
“Even though he said I’d see him soon…”
Yet, when Evie wanted to visit him, he refused with various excuses.
As they neared Arsel’s room, Evie’s heart grew heavier. The duchess and Irene whispered behind her.
“So that’s why.”
“Yes. He is my son, but really…”
They arrived at Arsel’s room.
Knock knock.
The duke knocked and said:
“Arsel, the princess is here.”
“Please enter.”
His voice was hurried, yet soft.
‘Does he have a cold?’
Had that been why he didn’t want me to come?
Evie’s worry grew heavier as Duke Kellen opened the door.
She entered nervously.
And when she saw Arsel on the bed…
“Arsel?”
Evie’s eyes widened in shock.
“Why… is he like this?”
Arsel… is wet?
