Dada… The word that Yvonne had called the King upon first meeting him was not a word that was used in this word.

Papa or its formal version Father was usually appropriate to address the father figure of the family.

Words like Dad and its numerous variations were still unknown to the people of this Kingdom.

This was what Yvonne had known so how was it possible that the King seated before her had knowledge of what that word meant?

King Ophire rested his chin on his interlocked fingers while waiting for her answer.

While he appeared to be calm and collected on the surface, there certainly was a sense of nervous apprehension hidden deep within his chest.

He had no clue how he had learned the meaning of that word he had heard for the first time coming from this child's mouth but all he knew was that it did not feel like a distant word.

'I feel like I've heard it countless times in the past.' He surmised but when and where he had heard the same still remained a mystery to him.

When he had heard Yvonne calling out to him with that name, instantly he was aware of what it meant even if the others remained oblivious.

The question he had posed was a test to see if the little girl also knew the meaning of what she had said and after taking a look at her startled reaction, he was sure that she was aware of it as well.

This only made him curious to know why she would call him her father when the Earl was right next to her.

Yvonne had been racking her brain to think of something plausible to justify her actions but found none.

Caution needed to be observed while moving forward with this conversation as one wrong word could get her in trouble.

After all, how was she supposed to explain to him that he looked like her father in her previous life?

'You look like my father so I called you my father.' She scoffed at her mind as saying that would only bring more suspicions to herself.

Even if he did not look at her like she was a delusional fool who was speaking nonsense, he would begin to get suspicious about her and her strange behavior.

The last thing she wanted was to get involved with the Royal family in any way or form.

Yet at the same time, looking at the face of the man seated before her, Yvonne was not sure how much longer could she carry on with that plan.

His distracting appearance made her wonder if could remain unaffected by it.

'First things first!' She declared after the long pause she had taken to gather her thoughts.

She needed an appropriate answer to quell the King's curiosity and she now realized what needed to be done.

Therefore, looking into the King's sparkling blue eyes, the little girl pursed her lips as though she was hesitant to say what was on her mind.

King Ophire's eyes were focused on her and he could make out the uncertain look on her face.

"I… I do not know, Your Majesty.

" She muttered in a soft voice before lowering her head.

Since she could not answer him truthfully, Yvonne decided to play the fool.

He could not know about her previous life and this was the best way to continue safeguarding her secret.

She was also sure that the King could not force her to reveal her reasons for calling him father if she claimed that she too did not know why she had done so.

Therefore, she was hellbent on maintaining this clueless attitude during their conversation.

Just as she had expected, King Ophire frowned when he heard her disappointing reply.

Her head was lowered and she looked tiny while seated in that chair before him.

'Is she speaking the truth?' He wondered and just before he could interrogate her further, he heard her murmur something else.

"I saw the King's face and before I knew it, that word blurted out of my lips.

" She added to strengthen her claims about what she had done.

King Ophire remained silent after hearing this part of her excuse and fell into deep contemplation.

Meanwhile, Yvonne raised her head, still maintaining that innocent and confused look on her face which for most parts was what she was truly feeling.

Her eyes were fixed on the man who was rubbing his chin, speculating about the validity of her claims.

"But, Your Majesty, why did you call me by that name?

" She posed a question of her own that seemed to have pulled the King out of his thoughts.

'That was the name Dada called me back when he was still alive.' Yvonne recalled how her father and the rest of her family called her 'Von' unlike in this world where she was addressed as either Vonny or Vonna.

This made her assume that he too knew the memories of the previous world that she lived in.

She and the King weren't too close that he could use an endearing nickname to address her so the only explanation was that he too had memories of the past.

This question was to check if her speculation was right and thus, she analyzed his expressions thoroughly as she waited for him to speak up.

The teacups on the table were filled to the brim but had gone cold as neither of them had taken a sip until now.

This innocent query from the child sent the King into a daze and he only snapped out of it after feeling her burning gaze filled with curiosity stuck on his face.

"I do not know…

" He was as clueless as she was.

The moment she called out to him, he did the same, without even waiting to understand what he was doing.

His body had moved on its own and he was acting on instincts when he caught her in his embrace and brought her out here to have a proper conversation with her.

However, they had both come up with no clues regarding their unexplainable behavior back in the Throne room.

Yvonne had been watching him keenly and could tell that he wasn't lying.

'So he knows nothing?' She bit her lip, letting it sink that maybe the King did not recall things of their past life.

There was a high chance that he only had the same physical appearance as her father without actually possessing the memories of their past.

This theory made the child lower her head again but this time there was a bleak aura around her as though she was disappointed.

Realizing what she was feeling right now, the little girl was stunned.

'What were you thinking just now!?' She sneered at herself for wishing that the King was her father.

If he was her father then things would only get complicated furthermore.

She had already accepted Rutherford St. Claire as her father so adding one more person to the mixture would not be appropriate for anyone.

This man only resembled her father but he wasn't the same man she loved and adored back when she was in her previous world.

'It is better this way.' She sighed out loud, partly relieved and partly disappointed with this result.

It would be better to let their earlier absurd interaction in the Throne room be a mystery so that they could move on in their lives.

She would treat the King as just some man who looked like her father in the past and it would be better if the King forgot about her and their interaction entirely.

However, based on the other man's inner thoughts right now, it would be a miracle if she would be able to witness that ever happening.

King Ophire could not decipher nor could he understand why this child's every action had an impact on him.

Even her sigh from a second ago had him thinking if she was uncomfortable in any way possible.

However, through their brief interaction, he was sure that she was special to him because of this very reason.

'Yvonne St. Claire…' He repeated the name of the child who had called him her father.

He only had two children, Fritzen and Felicia whom he loved dearly.

There was also his younger brother, Draco who was also one among the people he cherished and adored.

Yet today, he felt that this little girl before him was added to the list of children he adored.

If this had been someone else, he did not think that he would have reacted the way that he had done back in the Throne room.

He would have felt uncomfortable and even offended if someone else had called him 'father' before everyone else but when it came to Yvonne St. Claire, he felt none of that.

'Is it because she is so clever?' He wondered if that was the cause for being drawn to her.

Yet in the next moment, he shook his head and refused that deduction.

He had known about her accomplishments that helped the Kingdom during the plague for a long time now but had merely expressed his satisfaction about the children of this Kingdom being so intellectual.

She was just a bright child in his eyes back when the Marquess spoke about her.

He never felt this way about her until he met her today.

This was different from being impressed with her skills and logical reasoning.

There was a yearning in his heart that screamed that he would regret it if he did not get closer to her.

This had led him to act the way he had and taken her away to be brought here to this secret resting spot that only a selected few knew about.

No one would be able to disturb them which was why he had chosen this place to have a private conversation with her.

However, that conversation came to a dead end with them having no answers to what they had experienced back in the Throne room and why?

The little girl was focused on her thoughts while the blonde-haired older man was lost in his, thus none of them noticed a silent figure standing in a distant corner and watching them with curious eyes.

The peeping tom's emerald eyes alternated their gaze between the two figures and frowned when none of them said a word but sat there in absolute silence.

However, this silence was neither awkward nor stifling like one would expect would be common between two strangers.

There was serenity in that silence, something which one would find when in the company of another whom they were well-acquainted with and trusted.

When such a thought came to the secretive figure who was hiding his presence from the others, he wondered what the content of their conversation could have been before he had arrived here.

'How much have I missed?' The concealed figure wished to groan but that would reveal his presence so all he could do was suffer in silence while waiting to see what would happen next.