His Highness’ Secret Accountant - Chapter 209

“You can tell me. I’ll listen to everything.”

“That…”

“Is it related to the woman you saw at the tavern earlier?”

“You knew?”

“There’s no way I didn’t know. You had such a sad expression on your face.”

Theon gently wiped off Ayla’s blue eyes, which had suddenly become wet.

The woman, who had been subjected to unilateral violence, did not even groan, as if she were used to it.

She just grabbed the man’s legs desperately while she kept shedding hot tears.

Theon’s face as he recalled the two people turned bitter.

“I want that child to come to the mansion.”

“You wouldn’t say you would bring someone whom you never met… What’s your relationship with her? Why do you care so much?”

“…”

Although the woman’s situation seemed pitiful, it was not a simple matter of being swayed by emotions.

Everything had to be handled with care as the situation was like that.

Of course, Ayla was fully aware of that.

He just needed confirmation. He had to know why Ayla was shaking so much.

“She was my roommate… in the maid’s quarters.”

“No.”

“You said you would listen to anything.”

“Lily, was it? You think I don’t know what she did?”

“…”

Ayla, who was speechless at Theon’s resolute voice, bit her lips quietly.

“There were some circumstances.”

“I have no interest in her touching circumstances. So, enough with this conversation. I have not the slightest intention to bring in a person that is a threat to my woman.”

“She is a child who has never received true love. You saw it. Her father… was trampling her mercilessly.”

“So you mean you’re going to be stubborn?”

“She helped me a lot when I first entered the palace. As it is… I can’t turn a blind eye to her.”

“I’d rather you asked me to buy you expensive jewelry. Can’t you see I’m worried? She is a threat to your life. A child who deliberately pushed your back.”

“…”

As he continuously pressed her not to make any excuses, Ayla’s gaze dropped towards the floor.

Throb.

Looking at the dispirited Ayla, he felt his emotions coming from the depths of his heart.

He never imagined that she would use his ‘I will give you anything’ like this.

What should he do with this helpless woman?

Theon, who was frowning, struggled to turn his gaze away from her.

“Ugh… Do as you please. Bring her if you want it that much. But if she shows any strange behavior… I will cut her off right away. Be prepared for that.”

There was no lie in Theon’s cold voice.

***

Rattle, rattle.

The large carriage filled with bags of gold ran slowly with a loud noise.

As she was looking out the window, expressionless, a familiar view came into Ayla’s eyes.

“We have arrived.”

With the voice of the old coachman, the carriage slowly came to a halt.

Seeing the luxurious carriage, the drunkards started to become wary.

Their hazy eyes slowly returned to focus.

‘I can’t believe she has been living in a place like this…’

Ayla’s eyes frowned slightly as the men’s fishy laughter and the pungent smell of cigarettes flowed through the open window.

Some of them grabbed the neck of the alcohol bottles and swung them around, acting threateningly.

Seeing the armed Orhan, they became as quiet as a mute.

“Embrace your enemies…”

Orhan, who got off the carriage, muttered in a low voice.

After all, the influential figure here was definitely that slender lady sitting in the carriage.

If even the cold-hearted Theon was helpless in front of Ayla, who could defeat her?

“Make sure you pay generously. To the point that they can’t say anything. A lot.”

Orhan nodded his head silently as he heard Ayla’s monotonous voice through the gap in the open door.

***

The cigarette smoke was thick in the chaotic interior.

From drunkards shouting here and there, to young girls giggling and dancing to the beat.

There was no normality anywhere. It was just a place full of abnormalities.

“This is a pandemonium.”

Frowning, a small sigh escaped Orhan’s lips.

Looking around, Orhan’s footsteps quickly moved towards the counter.

Trudge, trudge.

A middle-aged man, who appeared to be the owner, didn’t seem to care about his customers at all.

Seeing that he was using his toad-like hand to tease the body of a child that seemed to be around his daughter’s age while giving a nasty smile.

Just looking at it made him sick to his stomach.

Bang, bang, bang.

As Orhan knocked on the counter, the man rolled his eyes as if wondering what was going on.

“I heard that there is a child called Lily here.”

“I’m seeing you for the first time… Noble Lord, why are you looking for that child?”

The man glanced at Orhan with a displeased expression.

Then, he showed a humorous smile as if he knew why without him even saying anything, revealing his yellow teeth.

“Ugh. I asked the Lord something pointless. Are you looking for a temptress? Ha ha.”

The man took a deep drag of the cigarette he was holding and snickered. Orhan’s expression hardened at his rude attitude.

“What’s with that serious expression? Ha ha. Just kidding. Just kidding. I guess you’re talking about my daughter… She isn’t here anymore.”

“She’s not here?”

“I think there must have been another person like the Lord.”

The man exhaled the smoke with a nasty expression on his face.

The man, who put off his cigarette, shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“She has already been sold. For a whopping ten gold coins. My Lord is late. She was a pretty good bitch. Hahaha.”

Ten gold coins. For some it was the price of a single garment, for others it was the price of a person.

He was saddened by the dirty reality he had to face, and he resented all these things that could not be changed.

“Interesting.”

A bitter smile crept across Orhan’s lips. At the same time, Orhan’s gaze, full of contempt, turned to the man.

The appearance of the man, shrugging his shoulders while smiling happily as if it were something good, was not that of a person. He is just an ugly beast covered in human skin.

He was like garbage that couldn’t even be recycled.

***