Aldrich was dressed elegantly for the occasion, escorted by three maids through the vast halls to the dining area.
As they approached the grand doors, they were met by two guards standing watch.
The maid in the lead stepped forward, announcing his arrival.
"On the orders of the countess, Sir Aldrich has arrived," she said.
The guards did not respond immediately but exchanged a brief glance before nodding, allowing her to continue.
Aldrich, observing the formality of it all, sighed internally.
'Why all this hassle for a simple breakfast?' he thought, growing slightly impatient.
In his former life, such extravagances were unnecessary.
It made him wonder how nobles managed this every day without losing their minds.
After a moment, a soft but firm voice came from inside. "Let him in."
At the signal, the guards pushed open the heavy doors, and Aldrich was led inside by Selina.
The dining hall was beyond anything he could have imagined—immense, extravagantly decorated, and almost overwhelmingly luxurious.
The walls were adorned with rich tapestries, and the ceiling stretched high above, shimmering with a massive chandelier.
In the centre stood a long, beautifully crafted table that could easily seat a dozen people, yet it was set for only two.
'Isn't this supposed to be a dining area?' he mused, bewildered by the sheer scale of the room.
It was like walking into a banquet hall, and yet it was intended for a private breakfast.
Seated at the head of the table, directly facing the doors, was a woman.
Aldrich's eyes widened when he recognized her instantly.
"You… It's you?" He spoke aloud, his hand instinctively pointing towards her.
Selina, walking ahead of him, turned sharply. "Sir Aldrich," she gently cautioned, her tone formal but careful.
"No, no, listen, Miss Selina. She's the woman I told you about. The one with the violet hair and those glowing purple eyes!" Aldrich explained, excited to have recognized her.
"You know, the one who yelled ky-"
Before he could finish his thought, the woman at the head of the table cleared her throat sharply, interrupting him.
Her expression remained calm but commanding.
"How insolent," came a low, authoritative voice from the side of the table.
Aldrich turned to see two guards standing behind her, each clad in polished armour.
The one who spoke was broad-shouldered with a muscular frame, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.
"You will address her ladyship with the proper respect," he added, his deep voice booming through the hall.
'Lady?... Does that mean she is the Countess?'.
Aldrich blinked, suddenly realizing his mistake.
He had been so caught up in the moment, he hadn't realized how disrespectful he sounded.
To a Countess and to the woman who saved his life no less.
His eyes flicked back to the woman, taking in her poised figure, her regal attire. This was Countess Marguerite, and she was clearly someone of great importance.
"My apologies, Countess Marguerite," he said, quickly correcting his tone. "I was just… surprised."
"Have a seat," she replied coolly, dismissing his apology with a simple wave of her hand.
Without further delay, Aldrich made his way to the long table, taking a seat to her right, just one chair away.
As he sat down, he became acutely aware of how many eyes were on him.
The room was lined with knights and attendants, all standing silently along the walls, ready to serve at a moment's notice.
Even Selina, who had escorted him here, had taken her place among the maids.
'She must be incredibly powerful and wealthy to have this many knights and servants at her disposal,' Aldrich thought, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
Her expression remained unreadable, her face perfectly composed.
'And what's with that stoic face?' he wondered, thinking back to their first encounter.
This woman seemed so different now, so distant from the one he'd met before.
'Isn't she the same person who screamed "kyaa" in fear?'
The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.
He couldn't reconcile the dignified Countess before him with the woman he'd seen panic in the past.
Eventually, he decided it wasn't worth overthinking and let the matter drop.
Soon, servants entered the room carrying silver trays laden with food.
Platters of delicately prepared dishes were laid out on the table, a feast fit for a king.
Aldrich's eyes widened at the sight.
There was far more food than two people could possibly eat.
"Shall we?" Marguerite said, picking up her utensils and delicately starting her meal.
Aldrich nodded absentmindedly and reached for his utensils, though his thoughts were still elsewhere.
"Thank you," he said after a few bites, breaking the silence.
She paused, her spoon halfway to her lips.
She looked at him curiously, as if unsure what he was thanking her for.
"I was told you were the one who found me by the river," Aldrich explained, setting his utensils down.
"If it weren't for you, I would have died. You saved my life, and for that, I'm grateful. Thank you, Countess Marguerite."
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment before she answered. "There's no need to thank me. What I did was… natural."
Her voice was calm, though there was an odd note of hesitation in her tone. "Anyone else would have done the same."
Aldrich frowned slightly.
'Natural?'
He couldn't help but find her response strange.
Most people wouldn't go out of their way to rescue a stranger, especially not in a situation as risky as his had been.
With a spear attached to his shoulder, showing that whatever happened to him was deliberate.
Yet she spoke as though her actions had been completely ordinary.
'Natural…'
Aldrich almost scoffed at the thought.
Not only had she saved him, but she had brought him into her home, cared for him, and now was treating him like an honoured guest.
It was far more than what any natural response would have been.
He glanced at her again, watching as she resumed eating with that same calm, expressionless face.
'She's an unusual woman,' he thought, his curiosity piqued.
Despite her composed exterior, he couldn't shake the memory of her panicked scream from their first meeting.
She has on that face that says she could care less for anything but Aldrich had seen the her beyond that.
He had seen the grown woman who made a childish moan out of fear.
He had seen past the fearless woman she portrays herself as before her workers.
It made him think; what if there was more to her beyond this person she appears as?
Slowly, Aldrich found himself curious to know more about this woman before him.