Chapter 32

The Madam walked toward the dining hall with everyone watching her.

Abbot Filio had tried to offer her the seat of honor but the Madam waved it off and sat casually in a nearby chair as if formality didn’t matter to her at all.

Brother Vincent pulled out the chair for her and then took the seat right next to her. Baron Conte, her only escort today, sat across from her.

He kept poking the dishes on the table with a wooden spoon, his face twisted with discontent.

“How dare they invite the Madam and serve food as shabby as this. Hard and crumbly and just looking at it ruins my appetite. There is nothing more disrespectful in the world than this.”

“Hm? What was that?”

Because by then the Madam was already dipping rye bread into the thin potato soup and happily eating.

The trainee monks and friars froze in shock. They all assumed the Madam, who had never even seen such plain food in her life, would surely hate it. Instead she devoured it like she truly enjoyed it.

The Baron quickly changed tune.

“N-no you misheard. Hahaha.”

“Madam, the Baron is correct. If we hurry we could still gather better ingredients to serve you…”

One of the monks began nervously. They had never imagined the Duchess of Lombard would really come just because Joseph invited her. They scolded the boy, thinking he spoke nonsense.

Yet she truly came and they ended up serving the Duchess something as plain as potato soup.

It was embarrassing. They could not even look up. Especially when that Duchess was their benefactor.

If they pushed themselves they could probably find a bit of butter or sugar.

But the Madam tilted her head as if puzzled.

“So you’re saying my taste is bad?”

“N-no you misheard, hahaha.”

They had no choice but to copy the Baron’s line.

Brother Vincent then smiled and set some of his own portion onto her plate.

“Please have more, Elicia.”

“You might end up starving. Still I can’t refuse a gentleman’s kindness so I’ll accept with gratitude.”

Meanwhile the young nuns in the kitchen peeked from afar with sparkling eyes.

“How can someone be so graceful and elegant but also humble.”

“She isn’t like any noble I’ve seen. She’s royalty yet she sits with common folk and speaks with them so comfortably.”

Coming without notice was obviously to keep the monastery from feeling pressured.

“And Lady Olden’s situation must have pained her yet she still thinks about us…”

“We must spread this to every village.”

People in Lombard were starting to speak well of the Madam. News of her deeds was finally reaching other villages after the grand opening ceremony brought so many people together.

Especially here in the outer wall region she was like a saint. The miners she saved, their families, the recovering patients, the villagers who came and went through the monastery. Everyone remembered her grace.

Her personality might have been a little fiery though.

Still the villagers now felt guilty for believing the awful rumors in the past.

“Madam, are you truly okay with these simple dishes. We saved some butter and sugar for a future feast day. Please…”

“Enough. This food is good enough to serve anywhere.”

Even when Abbot Filio offered a finer meal, the Madam shook her head again. She complimented the friar who prepared the food and praised him warmly.

“Elicia, would you like some wine.”

“I’m not fond of alcohol but today is a happy day so I’ll try some.”

“Here you are.”

Brother Vincent poured monastery aged wine into a rough wooden cup. She downed it in one go.

“If possible, I would like to stay here for a few days.”

“W-what.”

The monks all stood up in shock.

Her expression was calm but her request was not.

“I know the monastery is small. A pilgrim room will suffice.”

“H how could we place such an esteemed Madam in such a humble…”

“I’m not taking the Abbot’s bed.”

They tried desperately to stop her but she didn’t budge. Abbot Filio almost fell to his knees out of gratitude when she added that she wanted to personally see how the people lived.

“Oh, such a respectable person.”

The nuns sighed with admiration.

Then a loud sound of hooves rushed in from outside.

Someone dismounted quickly and steps approached the dining hall. The doors swung open.

“I’m not ruining anything by coming in, am I.”

The man who entered was perfect enough to drive every nun into silent excitement.

* * *

‘Hm.. maybe I ate too fast.’

I stared at my demolished plate awkwardly.

It had been so long since I ate true homemade food that I lost control. I remembered people saying something earlier but I was too busy eating to listen.

If they didn’t repeat it then it must not have been important.

Now that my stomach was full my brain finally restarted. The dining hall came into focus. The monks were cleaning up the empty plates, the nuns and trainees carrying water for guests to wash their hands.

Normally I would be helping them. Sitting comfortably while others worked made me feel like I was sitting on a cushion of needles.

But if I got up then they would feel that same pressure instead.

I grabbed the wine from brother Vincent and finished another cup in one breath.

This body looked refined but it was surprisingly weak to alcohol. My cheeks were already warming.

I wanted to lie down.

“I would like to stay here a few days.”

“W what.”

I knew the monastery well. The restoration budget went mostly to areas the Inquisition would check like the chapel and the prayer rooms and the structures villagers used often.

The monks’ personal rooms didn’t get many improvements.

There was one room for occasional pilgrims. Since it was winter there were none.

Perfect for me.

“Don’t belittle my desire to witness my people’s lives with my own eyes.”

Truthfully I just wanted a bed to collapse on but that was beside the point.

As I bickered stubbornly, a strong neigh was heard outside. A horse. A luxury only few could afford here.

Gilbert came to mind. He had saved every coin to buy a flashy purebred horse. His long time dream.

I turned to brother Vincent beside me. He helped me so much during construction. I wanted to reward him somehow.

He smiled cluelessly when our eyes met.

“Brother, do you have a moment before you return to the dormitory.”

“If Elicia calls I’m always available. What is it.”

“Well…”

Right before I could say it someone burst in with hurried footsteps. I turned automatically and shot up from my seat.

“I’m not ruining anything by coming in, am I.”

The Duke who should have been back at the castle hunting down Lady Olden’s accomplices stood there.

He wore simple yet neat travel clothes with a cloak and leaned against the door frame with folded arms. His gaze wasn’t on me or the Abbot.

He stared straight at the timid brother beside me.

“So you’re Brother Vincent.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”

The problem was that Brother Vincent was glaring back at him with an unnervingly dark look.

‘Was his face always like that.’

His eyes gleamed with a strange and intimidating shine I had never seen from him before.