Chapter 100 – Jealousy

“Today, you were being very childish,” commented Ella sarcastically.

“I can be more childish, so don’t push it.
I’ll send you back a bit later,” replied Xyle.

“His Highness is only 19 years old.
You know that, right?”

Immediately, Xyle’s expression distorted, and he looked blamefully at Ella, who pointed this out.
This entire time, that annoying fact had bothered him.
He then answered, “So, he’s a young boy to you too?”

At that question, Ella narrowed her eyes and looked at him as she responded, “Well, I don’t know.”

“If I genuinely say that I’ll help you, will your answer change?”

Unlike the question he asked a while ago, his tone and eyes looked serious this time.
Ella replied, “Are you really going to help me?”

“I am thinking about it.”

“Then, my answer is the same.”

The conversation returned to how it started.
Their intentions were so obvious that it was embarrassing.
Xyle then asked, “Will you come right away after you send off the Crown Prince?”

“I will,” replied Ella.

“Then, I will wait for you.”

The two of them parted ways by talking about tomorrow’s arrangements instead of answering each other’s questions.
As Ella came down, Cladis was glaring to the point her expression became sulky.
He didn’t seem to even care about the magicians who were looking at him in disapproval.
As soon as she appeared, he approached her and grabbed her hand.

“What took you so long?”

“You got on his nerves too much.
What you did today was…”

“Very childish,” said Cladis.

Hearing that immediate answer, Ella shook her head as she commented, “You knew and still did that?”

“I have to leave you here while I’m gone.
Shouldn’t I declare it even if it is childish?”

It was unexpectedly a serious answer.
When Ella opened her mouth to scold him, Cladis placed his index finger on his lips to silence her.
She made a sulky expression for being interrupted.
As for Cladis, his expression looked like a grownup’s as if it was a lie that he was being childish while growling at Xyle.
Then, he grabbed her hand and escorted her to the tower’s exit.

After helping Ella get onto her horse, Cladis got on top of his and moved next to her.
Then he told her, “I did what I had planned on doing, so can you stop looking at me as if I’m some child? I know I was acting foolishly, but I’m still two years older than you.”

These were the words that Cladis wanted to say all along.
He understood Ella’s impression of what he had done.
However, there was a high chance that others would have a different opinion on his actions.
Because of his mistake, some believed they could drag Ella down.
If they were to see her right now, they might think she was disrespecting the Crown Prince or being arrogant.
Or maybe they would make her appear that way even if they were aware she wasn’t.

In this kind of situation, Cladis wasn’t comfortable leaving Ella behind. ‘If only I had a little more time, I would have helped to stabilize her position.’

However, he didn’t have any more time, so now was the only time he could give her advice.
Just as Ella had mentioned earlier, “walls would gain ears once they return to the estate.” Because of this, he had to tell her now.

Unaware that he had such serious thoughts, Ella almost scoffed.
She didn’t expect to hear such words from Cladis, who was actually 19 years younger than her.
Then she replied, “I didn’t see you in such a way.”

Ella refused to accept this, then blanked out to wipe away her current expression.
She then realized how she had been looking at Cladis and became stern, ‘I’m a fool.
What was I doing?’

Cladis was right.
That wasn’t an appropriate expression for a 17-year-old to make to the 19-year-old Crown Prince.
If others had seen her attitude, it would have caused a lot of trouble.
No one should have seen it in any situation.
If he hadn’t pointed that out, she would have realized how she was looking at him that way.
She felt sweat running down her back.
Not only that, she felt embarrassed to show what was on her mind.
As such, Ella tried to maintain an innocent look as much as she could.
She even tried to smile.