The grand dining hall was wrapped in silence, only the sound of cutlery lightly clinking against plates breaking the stillness.
Aldrich sat across from Countess Marguerite, whose cold demeanor was an ever-present shield, her hands moving with mechanical grace as she ate.
Despite the stillness of the moment, a playful thought danced in Aldrich's mind.
He glanced at the countess, a mischievous smile creeping onto his lips.
"A question for the countess," Aldrich broke the silence, his voice lively.
Countess Marguerite's head tilted slightly, her icy gaze meeting his.
A glimmer of curiosity broke through her otherwise impassive expression.
"Go on," she responded, her voice calm but expectant.
Aldrich leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "It's more of a riddle, actually. Why did Tigger go to the bathroom?"
The countess blinked, clearly piqued by the absurdity of the question.
Her eyes moved as though searching for an answer.
Her face, however, remained unchanged, betraying no sign of amusement.
After a few silent moments, she glanced toward the two guards standing behind her.
The guards remained stoic, but Aldrich could sense their confusion from the slight twitch of their lips.
They too had no idea.
"You don't know, do you?" Aldrich teased, his grin widening.
"It's okay, all you have to do is ask." He leaned in, playful energy radiating from him. "Repeat after me—'What?'"
Marguerite's gaze sharpened, but after a brief pause, she relented. "What?" she repeated, a hint of reluctance in her tone.
Aldrich chuckled, feeling victorious. "Easy. Tigger went to the bathroom because he wanted to find his friend, Pooh!"
He burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the silent hall.
Marguerite's eyes flickered in confusion, and she stayed silent.
"You know, Pooh, as in taking a dump." Aldrich clarified, emphasizing the joke.
The countess remained unamused, though the faintest shift in her expression betrayed that she understood it, even if she didn't find it humorous.
The guards, however, exchanged brief glances, trying their best to suppress snickers.
"Come on, everyone, don't you find it funny?" Aldrich urged, looking around at the silent room.
"No?" He leaned back, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"Alright, let's try another. Why didn't the skeleton go to the party?"
Marguerite, about to take a bite, paused and seemed to consider the question.
Despite her efforts, the answer eluded her. With a quiet sigh, she gave in. "Why?"
Aldrich beamed, pleased that she was learning the game.
"Because it had no BODY to go with!" He revealed the punchline with another burst of laughter.
The reaction was much the same—silent amusement, suppressed chuckles, but nothing more.
"Okay, okay," Aldrich leaned closer. "Last one, I promise. How does a bee get to school?"
Marguerite's calm exterior cracked ever so slightly, frustration edging her features.
She was trying hard to figure this one out, and Aldrich could see the tension in her eyes.
Her cold demeanor was still intact, but beneath it, there was a flicker of determination to solve the riddle on her own.
But eventually, she gave up. "How?"
Aldrich's grin widened. "On a buzz!" He paused, waiting for her reaction, but the countess simply blinked.
Her expression blank, she clearly didn't get it.
Aldrich sighed, realizing the flaw in his joke. "Ah… right, buses haven't been invented yet…" he muttered, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Forget that one. Pointless joke, really."
There was a brief pause before the tension in the room dissolved.
The faintest of smiles tugged at Marguerite's lips, but it was so subtle that no one else would have noticed.
Aldrich, satisfied with the slight crack in her icy demeanor, returned to his meal, finally allowing some peace to settle between them.
The countess, meanwhile, masked her frustration beneath her composed exterior.
It was clear that Aldrich's incessant riddles had managed to wear her down a bit, though she would never openly admit it.
As Aldrich finished the last morsel of his meal, he leaned back, patting his stomach in satisfaction.
"Thank you for the breakfast, Countess. It was truly delicious."
"Anita."
Aldrich blinked, taken aback. "Huh?"
"My name," she said, her voice smooth as ever. "Anita."
Aldrich's brow furrowed in surprise.
Did she just tell him to address her by her first name? He hadn't expected that.
His mind raced for a moment, wondering if this was her way of acknowledging some kind of familiarity between them.
Maybe those terrible jokes weren't so useless after all.
"Yes, uh… Miss Anita," Aldrich replied, a small smile creeping onto his face. "I have a request."
Anita remained silent, her gaze urging him to continue.
"I know it's a bit shameless of me, especially after everything you've done for me so far," Aldrich began, his voice tinged with embarrassment.
"Would you mind if I stayed here for a while? Just until I find my footing and get a job."
Aldrich knew this was a lot to ask, but he really had no other options.
He had no money, no place to stay, and despite his knowledge of this world, actually navigating it was far more challenging than he'd anticipated.
Staying at the countess's mansion was his best shot at building a foundation.
Anita remained quiet for a moment, her eyes studying him.
Finally, she spoke. "It's fine. You can stay for as long as you need."
Aldrich's face lit up in relief. "Really? Thank you, Miss Anita! I really appreciate it."
Anita stood, preparing to leave, but Aldrich stopped her with another request.
"One more thing, if I may." He hesitated briefly before asking, "Could I use your training grounds during my stay?"
She paused, considering the request.
Then, without turning to him, she spoke to the knight standing to her right. "Sir Duncan," she said. "What do you think?"
Aldrich's ears perked up at the name.
There was something vaguely familiar about it, though he couldn't quite place his memories on it.
"If the guest wishes to use the grounds for training, I see no reason to deny him," Sir Duncan replied, his voice deep and resonant.
Aldrich nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Sir Duncan. I really appreciate it."
"Anything else?" Anita asked, her voice signaling that she was ready to leave.
"No, that's all. You've done more than enough for me, and I'm truly grateful."
As Anita walked toward the door, flanked by her guards and maids, Aldrich caught the briefest glimpse of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
It was fleeting, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
And for Aldrich, that was enough.