Chapter 31

“What do you know?”

Theon said, with his gaze fixed on the document he was looking at.

‘Sharp guy. What should I say? Should I say I know or just pretend I don’t know?’

If he knows Ayla is Count Serdian’s daughter, there is no way he doesn’t know what she did at Fencers.

But saying ‘I secretly peeked at the country’s confidential documents! I saw the course of the country’s affairs! Your Highness!’, she might be dragged to the palace basement and lose her life, without anyone knowing.

Ayla’s blue eyes shook from side to side, anxiously.

“Never mind. There’s no way you know.”

‘Is this bastard disregarding me now?’

Between her worrying, Theon’s words were filled with a lot of disdain for Ayla.

“Well, you just have to reduce the defense expenditures a little… Why are the treasurers talking about austerity despite this? How on earth are you going to deal with it later… Ah!”

Looking at Ayla, who shut her mouth as if she were surprised by the words that came out in an instant, the corners of Theon’s mouth rose.

‘Ah… Looks like I’m doomed. I think I’m completely doomed.’

She lost her temper at Theon’s disrespectful tone so she talked first, but the problem was how to deal with it.

She was wondering if he could really lock her up in the palace basement on the charge of reading confidential documents; but taking a quick glance at Theon’s expression, fortunately, he didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so.

‘Please say something.’

Ayla held her hands together in order to hide her anxious mind.

A long silence passed and Theon, who was looking at Ayla in a crooked posture with his arms crossed, finally opened his mouth.

“Why don’t we talk more?”

‘He keeps provoking me. Well, I have nothing to lose anyway. This is it. The situation already happened, so let’s just proceed with a straightforward tactic.’

As if she had made up her mind, Ayla opened her mouth after making a resolute expression.

“Well, to be frank with you, you’re a royal family member, so you know what I was doing at Fencers, don’t you?”

“What if I do?”

Theon answered, raising his eyebrows as if he were interested in Ayla’s direct and straightforward response.

“Of course, you also know that the accounting documents are messed up.”

“Go on.”

“Then you have to change it back. If it goes on like this, the Stellen Kingdom… Is really ruined.”

‘Was that too harsh? Should I have said it a little gentler…’

Taking hold of her trembling legs, Ayla did her best to not let her nervousness be noticed.

Theon glanced at Ayla and let out a small snort.

“It sounds like there’s a way.”

“Y-You need to catch the real thieves! If you don’t catch them…”

Theon smiled lightly as Ayla blurred the end of her words.

Looking at Ayla with his arms crossed, he opened his mouth after a silence.

“Is that so? You can catch them. The thieves.”

“?”

‘What is this person saying right now.’

Ayla’s eyes opened wide at Theon’s words.

Theon slowly approached her, casting a shadow over Ayla’s eyes.

“If there are many thieves in the country, there should be at least one person catching them.”

“…”

“So, you be it. The person who catches thieves.”

After speaking, Theon tilted his head with a charming smile.

Ayla seemed to think for a moment about Theon’s words but, soon after, her eyes changed seriously.

“I have a condition.”

“?”

“Please let me re-investigate my Father’s case.”

***

She just threw the bait and he bit it properly.

The image of Theon, who said, ‘All right. But secretly. without anyone knowing.’, passed through Ayla’s head.

‘Why did you run your mouth then…’

No, maybe it was me who took the bait.

His Highness’ provocation was very successful.

Damn sense of justice, useless pride!!!

What is it to me, whether the country collapses or not…

She pretended to be a know-it-all, but she never thought she would rise to the position of a secret accountant or something.

Seeing Ayla alone in a corner tearing her hair out, Lily, who came close without her noticing it, mumbled ‘Again and again.’ and clicked her tongue.

Let’s think positively, Ayla Serdian.