Teatime with the Ladies (2)

As if he was in love with a maid…

Lady Alice followed the maid who entered the pavilion with the food tray. She bowed politely to the noble ladies, but when she faced Prince Ignis, her bow was a bit insincere as she didn't do a deep bowing befitting to greet a Crown Prince.

Which meant this woman didn't seem to care much about Crown Prince Ignis' opinion about her.

That was what Lady Alice could read by just simply observing the maid.

'How insolent. Ignis should punish her for lacking manner and respect to a Crown Prince. This is just simply disrespecting to the future king,' Alice thought. She glanced at Ignis, thinking that Ignis would finally show a frown.

But the same Crown Prince with a fiery temper, in fact, showed a blooming smile when the maid bowed at him. He tried to hold his smile, but he couldn't help it. There was even a trace of red on his cheek.

Lady Alice was stunned but said nothing. She glanced at her entourage and was relieved when they didn't seem to notice something wrong. They thought that Crown Prince's smile was directed at them.

'Who is this girl anyway? How could she have such preferential treatment from Ignis?' Lady Alice wondered. She definitely knew that Ignis hadn't told his mother, Her Majesty, Queen Seria about this.

At least not yet… or maybe never.

Because the Queen would definitely go crazy if Ignis fell in love with a random girl. Lady Alice knew how controlling the Queen could be. Prince Ignis would be smart enough not to tell the Queen.

'But what made Ignis have an interest with this maid?' Lady Alice pondered.

Anna carefully served the tea and a plate of cookies for each person in the pavilion. Then she pulled the tray back and intended to leave Prince Ignis with these ladies quietly. She had so much to do and so little time.

Besides, she wanted to go to Swan Lake because Mr. Raven had been missing for a while. Anna called and searched for him everywhere, but she found nothing. So she had been thinking about going to Swan Lake, in case Mr. Raven was there.

She needed to do all her maid duty quickly, so she could have time and wouldn't be too tired to go to Swan Lake. But this nosy Crown Prince kept on ruining her schedule.

'I really should ask for more incentive and compensation,' Anna thought.

The moment Anna turned her back to leave the pavilion, Prince Ignis stopped her, "Where are you going? You are here to pour us tea," Ignis said with a smile.

Anna took a deep breath and turned at Crown Prince again. She smiled perfunctorily and nodded, "With pleasure, Your Highness."

Prince Ignis was quite confident with himself. He was thinking about boosting his worth in front of Anna, like a peacock trying to woo the female he fancied. He glanced at one lady and smiled at her, "Thank you for joining me in this tea party. What Lady Alice said is true, you are all invited here because I need to find a candidate to be my future fiancée."

"Your Highness, does that mean we all here has been selectively picked by you? Oh my god!" one lady squealed, thinking that she got a chance.

"Of course, I asked Lady Alice to select the best," Ignis replied.

Lady Alice giggled. She almost blurted out that Ignis definitely didn't care whom she brought to this tea party. Because his target was not these ladies but the maid in front of them.

'I'm not sure what happened. Because from what I heard, Ignis danced with a maid during his banquet. Is this the same maid?' Lady Alice wanted to test and find out what made Ignis suddenly in love with a random maid.

"Your Highness surely jest," Lady Alice said. She glanced at Anna and teased, "You said everyone here in is eligible to be your fiancée. Does this maid here also qualify as one of the eligible candidates?"

Prince Ignis was surprised by Lady Alice's bluntness. From her gaze, Ignis assumed that Lady Alice already knew about his affection for Anna and wanted to tease him a bit. But when actually facing the question so straightforwardly, Ignis found himself unable to answer it.

'Should I say yes? But Anna said that she doesn't have any interest in me yet… will she be annoyed if I say that she is eligible?'

'Wait, but I'm the Crown Prince! How could she be annoyed when the Crown Prince has an interest in her?!'

Prince Ignis cleared his throat. He was about to open his mouth when Anna suddenly interrupted.

"Pardon my interruption, Lady. But I believe His Highness Crown Prince Ignis Lunaris will not pick a maid as his fiancée. I believe Your Ladyship or the other honourable ladies are befitting more of such title," Anna denied politely.

Lady Alice glanced at Ignis, who had just opened his mouth but zipped it immediately. He frowned, and that blush on his cheek disappeared. It was obvious that Prince Ignis finally got pissed off. But not because of this maid's impoliteness.

But because this maid didn't seem to be interested in him at all.

Lady Alice chuckled and asked more, "You think you don't deserve to be the Crown Prince's candidate?"

"No, I don't—"

"Who said so?" Prince Ignis suddenly interrupted, which surprised everyone there. "Only I can determine whether you are an eligible candidate or not."

Lady Alice grinned, "Then, do you think this maid is eligible?"

"Normally, I will not take maids as eligible candidate…" Prince Ignis stared at Anna, who was stunned on the spot. He was angry at Anna, who had no interest in him. So he vowed to slowly court Anna. "But I will give this insolent maid an exception."