The corridor was quiet.
Too quiet.
Aven stood still for a second… then—
"I need to talk."
Her voice cut through the silence.
"Rowan!"
The word echoed.
Footsteps stopped.
Slowly… he turned.
The King.
His eyes landed on her.
Aven smiled.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Like she wasn't the one who just shouted.
He sighed lightly.
"Next time, don't shout when I arrive," he said quietly." If you want to talk...come."
He didn't wait.
He walked.
And she followed.
Inside the room.
The door closed.
Silence again.
They stood facing each other.
Aven crossed her arms.
A small smirk.
"So… you remember me, right?"
Rowan looked at her.
Unimpressed.
"Of course."
Aven let out a breath.
Dramatically.
"Ahh… finally. I can breathe."
Then her expression dropped.
"What is this?" she asked. "What is happening here?"
Rowan shrugged.
"How am I supposed to know?"
Aven clicked her tongue.
"...You don't know? Tch."
She tilted her head.
"Still useless."
Rowan's eyes narrowed slightly.
That hit.
"Looks like you know too much," he said calmly. "So tell me… how do you plan to get out of this?"
Aven paused.
A beat.
Then—
"I don't know."
Rowan chuckled.
Soft.
"I knew it."
Aven made an annoyed face.
Childish. Deliberate.
"So you're the King now."
Rowan straightened slightly.
Confidence radiating from him.
"After all…" he said, a faint smirk forming, "I've always been the King."
Aven rolled her eyes.
"Stop being cocky."
He stepped a little closer.
"Well… how does it feel?"
A pause.
"To be a maid?"
Aven froze.
Then—
A sharp laugh.
Sarcastic.
Dangerous.
"Don't you dare say that!" she snapped.
Rowan smirked.
"Calm down… girl."
"Go to hell."
"I'm already in it," he replied smoothly. "With you."
Aven let out a fake laugh.
"Oh wow. Very funny."
"I'm not joking."
Silence.
Aven clenched her jaw.
"You… you are such a—"
Rowan raised an eyebrow.
"Forget it."
She blinked.
"What?"
"Go."
Aven's eyes narrowed.
"You're ordering me?"
He stepped back… completely relaxed.
"No."
A small smile.
"Demanding, sweetheart. There's a difference."
Aven stared at him for a second.
Then scoffed.
"Brat."
She turned—
And walked out.
The door shut behind her.
Rowan didn't move.
Just stood there…
Smiling slightly.
Like he knew something she didn't.
The moment Aven stepped into the maids' quarters, the atmosphere changed.
Whispers stopped.
Eyes followed her.
One maid hurried toward her.
"Are you okay?" she asked, lowering her voice. "Did the king yell at you?"
Aven blinked.
"Yell at me…?" she tilted her head slightly, then let out a small scoff. "He? Yell at me? Impossible."
The maid looked relieved, placing a hand on her chest.
"I'm glad… everyone thought today might be your last day here."
Aven gave a faint, confident smile.
"No. He can't say anything to me."
The maid's lips curved into a teasing smile.
"Oh? You sound very confident."
Aven crossed her arms slightly, lifting her chin.
"I am."
There was a brief silence before Aven spoke again.
"What's your name?"
The maid blinked, confused.
"Huh? You forgot? I'm Merry."
Aven's expression brightened just a little.
"Merry… like Merry Christmas, right?"
Merry nodded, a bit amused.
"Yeah."
Aven hummed softly.
"Okay…"
But then Merry's expression shifted, studying her carefully.
"You've been acting strange since yesterday… really strange."
Aven's eyes flickered.
"Strange? How was I before?"
Merry hesitated, choosing her words.
"You were… shy. You always looked down. You spoke softly… barely even spoke at all. You just did whatever people told you."
A pause.
"Not like this."
Aven slowly smiled.
Then—
She lowered her gaze, softened her expression, and spoke in a quiet, fragile voice.
"Like this…?"
Merry's eyes widened slightly.
"…Yeah. Exactly like that."
Aven straightened instantly, the softness gone.
A small, amused smile returned to her lips.
"See? I can do it perfectly."
Merry frowned, confused.
"…What?"
Aven waved it off lightly.
"Nothing."
Merry sighed softly.
"Well… you should know something," she said. "Don't shout like that. It can get you into trouble—especially in front of the king and the head maid."
Aven rolled her eyes slightly.
"Fine… I'll try."
Merry crossed her arms.
"It would be better if you do," she said seriously. "If you want to survive here."
Before Aven could reply, the door opened.
A palace guard walked inside, clearly here to deliver some information.
The moment Aven saw him—
Her body stiffened.
Him.
He was the same guard who had caught her when she tried to run away earlier.
Aven quickly turned her head.
What if he tells everyone?
What if he tells the head I tried to escape?
Panic rushed through her.
Without thinking, she slowly stepped back and slipped away from the group, trying to hide.
She hurried behind a tall marble column.
Okay… calm down…
But suddenly—
A hand reached from behind and tapped her shoulder.
Aven jumped.
She turned around—
And there he was.
The guard.
Aven forced an awkward smile.
"Oh… you again. Hello, handsome."
The guard raised an eyebrow.
"Trying to escape again?"
Aven shook her head immediately.
"Absolutely not. I'm very happy here. Extremely happy. You have no idea."
The guard chuckled quietly.
"Yeah… I know."
Aven leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"Please don't tell anyone."
He looked at her for a moment.
"I won't."
Aven's eyes widened in relief.
"Oh! You won't? What a kind-hearted person you are."
The guard laughed softly.
"You're funny."
Aven froze.
"…What?"
"Funny."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Funny? Seriously? Are you calling me funny?"
"Yes."
Aven frowned dramatically.
"…Uhh… okay."
She looked away, muttering to herself.
"I've been called many things before… but funny?"
The guard chuckled again.
"You're really funny."
Aven frowned immediately.
"Shut up. Anyway—what's your name?"
He looked at her for a moment before answering.
"Cassian."
Aven repeated it slowly.
"Cassian…"
She nodded thoughtfully.
"Hmm. Not bad."
Cassian frowned slightly.
"What do you mean not bad?"
Aven shrugged.
"I expected something boring. Like 'Guard Number Three.'"
Cassian chuckled again.
"You really are strange, Elara."
Aven pointed at him instantly.
"First of all—don't call me that."
Cassian tilted his head.
"But that's your name."
Aven sighed dramatically.
"Long story."
Cassian smirked slightly.
"You can tell me later."
Aven finally went to her tiny maid room.
She sits on the bed.
Looks around.
Then suddenly remembers something.
"The king… is Rowan."
Pause.
"And I… am his maid."
Another pause.
Then she buries her face in the pillow.
"I divorced him yesterday…"
She buried her face deeper in the pillow.
"And now I work for him?!"