Sarah smiled faintly. It seemed that the remnants of yesterday's sadness were gone.
"We're fine, Princess."
"Duke Aslan didn't punish you, right?"
Sarah couldn't help but chuckle. "No, Princess. Duke Aslan simply admonished us not to make the same mistake."
Rosie turned to Sarah once more. "Is that true? That guy didn't punish anyone, right?"
Sarah shook her head. "No, it is thanks to your help, Princess. Duke Aslan said, without your request, we might all have lost our jobs."
Rosie covered her mouth in disbelief. Last night, the man said that he would continue to stand firm. Rosie thought Aslan would still punish them. She was ready to apologize to the maids who assisted her if that happened.
A cheerful smile formed on her lips.
"Where is Duke Aslan now?" Rosie asked, planning to express her gratitude.
"Right now, Duke Aslan is having breakfast in the dining hall. Your breakfast is also being prepared."
"I will see Duke Aslan in a bit."
Rosie asked Sarah to stop brushing her hair, and then she left her room. She still remembered the way to the main hall. Rosie looked back to where the three maids and two other knights were walking behind her.
Since yesterday's incident, it was clear that Rosie couldn't enjoy her free time alone. That was the consequence.
A knight opened the door to the dining hall. Aslan looked up from the food in front of him to see who had come to interrupt his breakfast. Seeing the princess who arrived with a big smile made the man's appetite disappear instantly.
"Mother Gaia, give me strength," the man muttered, then wiped the rest of the food from his mouth.
Aslan stood up to welcome the princess.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Rosie rushed over. "Good morning, Duke Aslan. I hope you have a good day today."
Aslan just nodded. How could he have such a good day when the first thing he met in the morning was the person who kept him awake all night?
"Duke Aslan, I heard you didn't punish the staff here, did you?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Rosie clapped her hands with joy. "Wow… thank you very much! I know you're not that bad of a man."
Aslan glanced at Rosie briefly, but he gave no response. He pulled out a chair for the girl and Rosie sat gladly.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I have other work. Your maid will prepare your breakfast in a moment."
Rosie quickly pulled the man's hand not to leave. "But I just arrived."
"I have work that needs to be done right away. I can't stay."
"But you haven't finished your breakfast yet," Rosie pointed at the half-finished plate.
Aslan politely released Rosie's fingers from his wrists. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I have to excuse myself."
Aslan kept walking without listening to Rosie's demand to accompany her for breakfast.
The door to the dining hall was closed tightly. Rosie could only be grimaced to see the man leave. She was used to eating alone. Rosie was not a spoiled child who needed to be accompanied every time she ate.
However, there were many things that Rosie wanted to discuss with Aslan. Starting from asking why the man changed his mind, or when her brother would come home, to what did the man feel right now?
Her breakfast had arrived, and Rosie was eating it slowly. The maids and knights in charge of guarding her stood at the back while waiting for her to eat her breakfast.
"Have you eaten?" Rosie asked without looking back.
Sarah turned to the side and the maids there just shrugged their shoulders, thinking that the princess was not talking to them.
"I ask all of you, have you had breakfast?" Rosie asked once more, and this time, the girl looked back with a meaningful smile.
"N-not yet, Your Highness," Sarah replied on behalf of her friends.
"Then sit down with me and ask another maid to prepare the food. You guys will take care of me all day, right?"
"Eh?"
Sara waved her hand, refusing the princess's invitation. Not that she wasn't hungry. However, it was not polite to eat with a royal princess at the same table.
Seeing the refusal of Sarah and the other maids, Rosie put down her fork and knife. The girl grabbed Sarah's shoulders to sit on the chair beside her.
She also dragged two other maids to sit in another chair. So did the two knights, who were standing awkwardly at the back. They took a seat across from her.
"I-I can't, Your Highness. This is Duke Montgomery's chair," said a knight who stood back up, feeling unworthy to sit there.
Rosie pressed the man's shoulder harder so that he sat back in the chair Rosie had given him.
"There is no Duke Aslan here. The man had gone somewhere. Accompany me for breakfast," she said, annoyed because they were so stiff.
Rosie also ordered other maids to prepare breakfast for her maids and knights.
Aslan, who happened to be passing through the door to the dining hall, found it strange not to see the doorman. His ears sharpened to hear some clinking of cutlery and blaring laughter.
"Who is this early in the morning making a fuss?" he asked in confusion.
Aslan opened the dining hall door slightly and saw the dining hall become a party venue in just a couple of minutes after he left.
In the morning, everyone gathered at the dining table. Princess Roseanne stood at the end of the dining table holding up her half a glass of white milk. Her other arm wrapped around the shoulder of a knight holding a glass of orange juice.
Aslan frowned, seeing everyone cheering and laughing happily. He didn't know what Rosie was saying. He couldn't hear her because of the clatter of the utensils and the loud cheering of the maids and knights.
Aslan stepped back and closed the door. If he came in showing himself at this time, then the festive atmosphere would definitely ruin. The man clenched his jaw. He didn't know what he was upset about.
"It's still early," he muttered, then left the place where he was standing.