"N-No. I'm fine. It just splashed a little. Are you alright? It looks like you got burned"
Ariel pulled out a handkerchief from her clothes and brought it to the back of Ayla's hand.
After being splashed with all the hot tea, Ayla's skin was turning red.
Her skin seemed to be burning with a fever.
"Ayla, are you alright?"
At some point, Owen came and grabbed Ayla's wrist, which Ariel was holding, and dragged her to the dining room.
At Owen's sudden appearance, the maids that were inside couldn't hide their surprised expressions.
As if he didn't care, Owen headed towards the sink and put Ayla's red wrist under the running water.
"It hurts"
She felt a sharp pain as the cold water hit the wound.
Ayla spoke, with a grimacing expression, but Owen was silent.
Instead of answering, he said, Stay still.', and quickly headed to the storage room.
Owen put ice cubes in a linen napkin and brought it to the back of Ayla's hand.
***
When he put the ice on it, she could feel the burning sensation on the back of her hand subsiding.
Without saying anything for a while, Owen provided first aid to Ayla's left hand.
His very different seriousness made Ayla be silent, too.
"The wound is quite extensive. Ayla, let us go back to the west palace."
Owen's low, calming voice filled the silent interior.
"No. Grand Duke. I will stay here."
Conscious of the eyes around them, Ayla spoke, lowering her long eyelashes.
Returning to the west palace like this, it was clear that strange rumors regarding Owen and herself would spread in the palace.
"Don't be stubborn, let's go."
Owen stared at Ayla and carefully pulled her right wrist.
How indistinct his eyes were, that the maids around them glared silently at Ayla.
"That's right. I think it would be better to do as Grand Duke Arrot says. I was trying to take the teacup I'm sorry. Miss Ayla."
Ariel, who entered the dining room before they knew it, spoke in a worried voice.
When she finished speaking, Ariel's big eyes filled with tears that seemed like would fall down.
The surrounding nobles and maids who saw that scene praised her, saying that she was like an angel and kind-hearted.
Although she was the one who got hurt, Ariel's tearful eyes made her feel sorry for her.
***
"I I didn't break my leg, I hurt my hand. Do we have to go this far?"
"You need to be careful anyway. Careful!! Ayla, hold on tight! I said I would protect you, so I have to keep my promise."
Ayla spoke bluntly to Owen, who helped her move while holding her arms and shoulders, but he was too serious.
As if she couldn't help Owen's serious attitude, she headed to the west palace with his support.
When they had almost arrived at the west palace, she saw a familiar figure.
With her black hair tied in pigtails, Lily was circling around the west palace, pacing back and forth.
As if she felt her gaze, Lily turned her head and ran at a fast pace when she saw Ayla and Owen.
"Young Lady!! Did everything go well at the north palace? I left the palace for a moment and what happened? I was worried and got scolded Young Lady, why is your hand like this?"
Lily, who came running and was talking excitedly, turned her gaze downwards.
Seeing Ayla's hand and wrist, which were still burning red as the heat hadn't subsided yet, Lily closed her mouth tightly.
"Ah, that, I spilled a teacup"
"Did someone hit you again?"
"It's not that, I bumped my hand. Ahah It's my fault!"
As Ayla hesitated to answer, Lily's face soon became tearful.
Owen also sighed with his head down as if he had become a sinner.
I'm the one who got hurt, so what's wrong with you two?'
Seeing the two of them, she felt relieved and it didn't even seem to hurt.
She felt a prickly sensation, as if the heat in her hand was growing weak, and she felt like she was going to frown.
She opened her eyes wide and tried to pull herself together in order not to give that impression.
"I came here after telling the Prince that you were doing well Sob."
Lily, whose small lips were twitching as if she had something to say, burst into tears.