CHAPTER 260: INCOMPETENT OR TOO COMPETENT?

Two hours after leaving her father’s study, Aristia found herself outside the estate gates, facing Millicent and the other Orrivale children again.

"You all come here on foot?" Aristia asked. The children had come to see her a number of times and they had all been on foot.

The children nodded.

Noah shook his head. "It’s not that far."

Before Aristia could say anything more, Millicent came bouncing forward, holding something behind her back. "Princess! Look what we made for you!"

She revealed a flower bracelet, clearly woven by clumsy little hands. It was uneven, with stems sticking out at odd angles, but Aristia’s face softened immediately.

"It’s beautiful." She slid it onto her wrist, then looked up at Millicent.

[Somehow, she reminds me of Leila.]

Yes, it was the same feeling of like they had towards her, along with the cheerful, bubbly personality they had.

She smiled, "Thank you, Mimi."

Millicent beamed, her eyes shining brightly. Princess Aristia had just given her a nickname!

Behind her, Imelda muttered, "It’s lopsided..." only for Roderick to shush her quickly.

Aristia noticed, but she only laughed. "Well... that’s what makes it special."

Alaric scowled and tugged at her sleeve. "Tia. Don’t wear random things from strangers."

"They’re not strangers," Aristia corrected, patting his head. "They’re my...friends and fans."

Alaric clung to her arm tighter and his scowl deepened. "Then they should remember you already have me. I’m your number one fan. You don’t need others."

The children widened their eyes, asking in unison. "We’re the princess’s friends?"

Aristia nodded. "Yes, you’re this princess’s friends from now on."

The children cheered.

Looking at them, Aristia relaxed for a moment.

Thr children soon left just as Catherine returned from a boutique she had visited.

After hearing from Wilson, she knocked on the door to Aristia’s room.

"Come in."

Aristia gave permission.

The door opened to reveal Catherine.

"Mama?" Aristia asked with surprise, then sat back down, guessing that Wilson had told Catherine.

Catherine say down beside her on the bed.

"Tia, your father just told me that Leilani’s missing. And her brother too."

Aristia nodded wordlessly.

There was a pause before Catherine patted her head. "Your father will find her."

Aristia nodded. "I know."

[I hope so.]

After Catherine left, Adeline came to Aristia’s room.

"Princess, you haven’t seen the whole of the Estate. The weather is perfect. We should see it now."

Adeline was probably trying to take her mind off Leilani and Leif’s missing case.

Aristia nodded after a second thought. She got up.

"Alright, let’s go see it then."

And so they continued their tour of the Estate.

Adeline spoke while they walked.

"His highness has a forest in the Estate, behind the mansion."

Aristia’s eyes widened. "Really? There is?"

Adeline nodded. "Yes. Would you like to see it?"

With a nod from Aristia, the two turned around, heading the way they came.

Behind the mansion was indeed a forest. There were only sparse trees in the front, but the more you walked in, the more trees you would see.

This forest was beautiful, even more beautiful than the one in the royal palace owned by the royal family.

Aristia and Adeline strolled leisurely, watching the birds, squirrels and little creatures moving about.

Adeline said to Aristia.

"This forest is owned by his highness and is a part of his Estate. There aren’t any dangerous or wild animals here, but it’s connected to another forest not owned by his highness. That forest has wild animals and is dangerous. I’ll show you, so that you don’t unknowingly venture into it."

[Oh. So this forest is connected to another? So I can call Papa’s forest a domestic, and that one a wild forest.] She thought jokingly.

"Sometimes, a few wild animals stray into his highness’s part of the forest, but they’re quickly taken care of by the Estate’s guards before they get a chance to harm anyone." Adeline explained.

They walked deep into the forest. Aristia noticed that the deeper they entered, the thicker the trees.

When Adeline stopped, Aristia stopped too. Adeline pointed forward.

"This is where it ends. This is the border between his highness’s Estate and the forest."

Aristia gazed forward into the silent forest. The deeper shadows looked almost too still. Aristia felt the hairs on her neck rise before she looked away.

A second later she nodded to show Adeline that she understood.

"Maybe we should return to the mansion, princess?" Adeline asked.

Aristia took her eyes away from the forest in front of her and nodded at Adeline.

"Okay. Let’s go back."

Together, they slowly walked back to the mansion.

"Are you still feeling sad about Leilani, princess?"

Adeline’s question made Aristia sigh.

"I just don’t know what to do about Leilani going missing."

Adeline hummed. "Princess shouldn’t be too sad. There really isn’t anything else you can do. You’ve already tried your best."

Aristia looked at Adeline before nodding. "Mm. Okay."

They finally left the forest, entering the mansion.

"How was your stroll?" Catherine asked when she met them inside the mansion.

"It was nice," Aristia replied with a small smile. "I feel a lot better now."

Catherine nodded and patted her head. "What do you want to eat? I’ll have the cook make it for you."

Only then did Aristia realize that it was almost dinner time. Just like that, the day was already coming to an end.

Aristia gave a tiny nod. She wouldn’t say that she was too old inside to need comfort food because she did need it.

[The truth is that there’s no age limit for comfort food. In short, you can never be too old for comfort food.]

"I want roasted chicken, no, roasted meat... I’ll have both." Aristia corrected herself, then thought for a moment. "And buttered carrots, cheese pies, and honey cakes for dessert. Ahem... and warm milk with honey and cinnamon."

Catherine chuckled softly. "Quite the feast you’ve chosen."

Aristia smiled faintly, rubbing the flower bracelet on her wrist. Who would have known that would be the last time she had such a large feast meal?