EIITAB - Chapter 75 < Rumors >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
"Ah! And! Just like the chef said, even if you prepare it like that, she barely touches it."
"But that's why we feast, right? I think that's good."
As everyone took his side, Rimo felt his anxious mood ease. He waved his hand arrogantly and pretended to stop his juniors.
"Ugh! That's it, that's enough! Everyone, take a break from work and come here. Let's eat some potatoes. It must have been just about ripe."
"Great!"
Each worker nodded and began to gently scrape off the skins of potatoes baked over an open fire with the tips of their fingernails. These were all foodstuffs that Aslan and the knights received as gifts from the capital.
Although they couldn't eat like this every day, they could enjoy this small luxury if Aslan supplied them with gifts after returning from the capital.
"Wow, it's hot!"
Someone took a big bite, rolling the potato around in his mouth and making a fuss. It felt like the roof of his mouth was burning, but he was happy enough to cry.
"But hasn't it already been about a week since the new madam arrived?"
"That's right. That was about it."
"But is it true that she hasn't seen anyone's face except Lady Philippa and Lady Dulcinea?"
"Even if you try to clean her room, the maid brought from the capital is in full charge..."
A tsk, a brief click of the tongue, was heard from the mouth of the older maid. Then a pigtail-haired maid opened her mouth as she passed by, concentrating on peeling potatoes.
"I saw her."
It was natural that everyone's eyes were on her. Rimo asked urgingly.
"You saw her? Where?"
"Well, it's the first day. I only met her briefly, but she was a truly beautiful person."
When they were told that they had not looked at the details, everyone made faces that seemed to have cooled down and lowered their gazes to the potatoes they were holding in their hands.
"It's funny, really. You only saw it briefly, but how do you know if she's beautiful or not?"
The youngest maid raised her voice slightly as if she was being unfairly treated. Even if she saw her only briefly, it was a beauty she could never forget.
"But is it true? She was like a snow fairy."
As the youngest maid muttered in ecstasy as Hestia's image came to mind again, the senior maid stabbed her in the side.
"Then what do you do? She is a Saintess. She is our enemy."
"... Yes."
The youngest maid muttered gloomily. How could someone so pretty be her enemy?
For some reason, she can't really explain why, but she felt like it was a waste. After each woman finished eating one potato, she felt warm and full.
"Now, let's get back to work."
They removed the shells and shook their hands as if trying to clean up the place.
"But I heard that my master doesn't go to his new wife's room often?"
"It looks like they really don't get along well."
They continued to chat while doing their chores. And Dulcinea, who had been secretly eavesdropping on the workers' conversations in the dark blind spot of the kitchen door, smiled in remorse.
'Look! I wasn't the only one who thought that, right?'
She was overjoyed because it seemed like it was confirmed to other people that Aslan and Hestia were estranged.
The story about Hestia continued for a while longer. Hestia was not easy to meet, and since she was a new entity that suddenly appeared in a closed area, she couldn't help it.
The kitchen workers continued to hang out without doing what they were told to do.
"But isn't there a problem with her not coming out like this? She doesn't even get a greeting from all the employees."
"It could just mean that she has no intention of living in our land."
Hestia was simply faithfully following the orders given by Aslan, but people who did not know the inside story were busy beating her up.
"But why did Master suddenly go out hunting? And why isn't he coming back? Hasn't it already been three days?"
The reason people attached great importance to hunting was because it was very dangerous.
The amount of snow in the north is very unusual. During the most severe cold spell, snow piled up to the height of an adult man's shoulder. After that, when it got a little worse, it piled up to the knights' thighs.
Especially on snowy mountains, avalanches often occur. It was an area where the general public was strictly prohibited from entering, as getting caught in it could result in death.
Of course, there were times when hunting was still necessary. It was to save food that was lacking. But it wasn't easy. This was because the animals living in the snowy mountains were prey for demonic beasts, so they were difficult to find. In any case, going out hunting usually happened when there was almost no food, and not when Aslan had just returned from the capital and had plenty.
Therefore, the residents of Kalathi Castle felt that Aslan's actions were unconventional.
"I heard he even went beyond the Wall?"
"No matter how difficult it is to find it, there are more beasts there than here, so I guess that's why."
"What you're saying is that it was an inspection to understand the new movements of the demonic beasts, but isn't it just that he went because he didn't want to see his wife's face?"
"Hey! Be careful what you say!"
Chef Rimo raised his voice as if to stop them, then looked around him and added a small word.
"However... It could be so."
"Yes?"
"It's not any other time, they're newlyweds. He could have just sent his lieutenants, so why would he go there himself?"
Everyone seemed to think that Rimo's words made a lot of sense, and they began nodding their heads at the same time. He became a little more proud of that and made another guess.
"It's clear that Lady Dulcinea has noticed."
It was almost certain among the inner circle that Aslan had married against his will. Dulcinea's smile, who was secretly listening, grew even brighter.
'Do other people think I look better as Aslan's partner?'
The corners of her mouth were almost on the verge of ascending to heaven.
"Otherwise, why would the master go hunting in person at a time like this? He's probably saying that because he doesn't want to go into the bridal room!"
"Ugh. What do you do because you feel sorry for our master?"
In the absence of the parties involved, the rumors spread more and more absurdly. After that, trivial stories continued.
'Shall we stop going?'
At this point, she was able to get a rough idea of the atmosphere among the users.
Losing interest, Dulcinea turned on her heel and crept out, just as she had done when she first hid in the kitchen.
'Hmm.'
Is it because she feels good? A high-pitched hum naturally came from Dulcinea.
"Hello, Lady."
"Good morning!"
So, whenever she meets people and receives greetings, she's able to receive them more kindly than usual.
The day Dulcinea first saw Hestia, she felt as if a lot of the anxiety lurking in her heart had disappeared.
'Aslan doesn't want to go into the bridal room.'
They said that's why he went hunting. Even before going hunting, he didn't seem to sleep with anyone at all. After several days of careful observation, Aslan never came out of the Duchess's bedroom.
Rather, he often stayed up all night in the study, office, and knights' building. If he wanted to see his new bride so pretty, wouldn't he have done something like that?
Dulcinea's imagination gained a little more power.
'After all, it was a marriage that the king forced into.'
The fact that there are more gifts than usual is proof of that.
'Aslan must have sacrificed himself to feed us!'
Oh, poor Aslan.
Dulcinea's eyebrows drooped slightly as if she knew he was right in front of her. Regret arose, wishing she hadn't pushed him like that on the first day of his return.
'I should have shown that I am a generous woman.'
She had been by his side since she was young and had grown up with him. Dulcinea, if she did not understand him, there would be no one in the world who would understand and accept Aslan.
'Still, I'll give him some advice.'
Dulcinea thought as she chewed her thumbnail. '
Or call him separately and comfort him.'
Then, when she remembered that Aslan had a blunt personality, she began to feel at ease.
'Okay. Aslan must have noticed me too.'
He said it was the King's order, but he failed to keep his promise to her, so it would be difficult to see his face. When she thought about it that way, Dulcinea realized that there was nothing she couldn't understand.
Dulcinea continued her thoughts in a heightened mood. So how should she act now to become a little more advantageous?
However, no matter how hard she tried to think, only vague goals emerged rather than precise plans. It occurred to her that she should start by kicking that woman, Hestia, out of the Duchess's room.
***
Everything around was pure white.
The three lieutenants exchanged glances with each other. He was also a prankster who could do it because.
Aslan, who was already walking far ahead, never looked back.
"Start."
"If you do three, you pay?"
"Great. I count. One, two, three.....!"
Unbecoming of his size, the lieutenants solemnly played rock-paper-scissors.
"Great!"
"Please come back."
Wharton and Martin, who won by a single decision, were quietly happy.
"Shit. Aren't these pure con artists?"
Dean raised his fist and glared at Martin and Wharton in turn. Then, when Wharton slapped his back and pushed him, Dean reluctantly cleared his throat and opened his lips.
"Excuse me... My Lord."
Aslan turned around silently at Dean's cautious call.
Facing those indifferent golden eyes, Dean felt his mouth go dry and had to catch his breath.
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