CH 8

Author: lipzoldyck

If a child belonging to the temple didn’t eat meat to keep the doctrine, it would be enough to just pass it by.

But strangely, he couldn’t.

Soon the Duke came to a conclusion.

‘She came to fix my eyes.’

So, it’s natural for him to be concerned about the child’s health.

More than anything, it was just disgusting to see a small creature fluttering about without power.

The Duke said.

“Prepare enough food for the child.”

He added.

“Delicious enough for her to eat while ignoring doctrines and all.”

At the Duke’s words, Simon nodded his head with his eyes shining.

***

The next day, Liriet couldn’t bear to open her eyes and murmured.

“I want to sleep more.”

Her accumulated fatigue over the past few days has been enormous.

It wasn’t something that could be solved by a good night’s sleep in a cloud-like bed.

She buried her face in the soft pillow and hid under the cozy blanket, she wanted to get some more rest.

However, Liriette, who procrastinated like a hibernating caterpillar for a moment, desperately opened her eyes and shook the rope above the bed.

Soon, Simon entered the room.

“What’s wrong, Miss Liriette!”

Liriette was taken aback by Simon’s appearance, as if something serious had happened to her.

“Nothing happened. Last night, when Simon told me to tug on the rope when I woke up…”

Simon opened his eyes wide and looked at the watch on his wrist.

Five in the morning.

It was too early for a child to wake up.

“Has the bed been uncomfortable?”

“No. I loved it!”

“Then why did you get up so early? It’s still early in the morning, so you’d better get some more sleep.”

“That is…”

Liriette stroked her silver hair and continued.

“I have to pray.”

After a while, he felt the rage he felt the night before.

‘It’s the doctrine of the goddamn temple again!’

Simon was right.

Like other priests, Liriette got up at dawn every day, washed her body, and prayed.

Every single day, even if she was sick.

It was a very natural routine for Liriette, so she spoke cautiously, not knowing how Simon looked at her.

“Can you prepare water for washing? You don’t have to fill the bathtub with warm water like yesterday. All I need is a little water and a towel to wipe myself off…”

“…”

When Simon didn’t answer right away, Liriette wriggled her fingers.

“I’m sorry. Am I asking too much of a favor early in the morning?”

“Please don’t say such things. My role is to help Miss Liriette live comfortably in this mansion. I will prepare it soon.”

His kind voice lifted Liriette’s stiffened face.

After a while, Simon brought steaming hot water and a towel.

He tried to help her wash her face, yet Liriette said she could do it herself and wiped her face with a towel.

“Would it be more comfortable to be alone when you pray?”

“Yes.”

Before closing the door, Simon saw.

The back of a small child on her knees facing the window that hadn’t opened yet.

It was an hour or so later that the prayer was over.

Simon, who entered the room, looked at Liriette with worried eyes and asked.

“Could you have been on your knees for an entire hour?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Seeing Simon staring at her, Liriette tilted her head.

“Why? Do you pray in a different way in the North?”

“No. It’s not like that…”

Even a believer in God, no matter how faithful they are, doesn’t get on their knees for an hour as soon as they get up.

Especially for a child who is only 10 years old.

“Do your legs hurt?”

Kneeling for an hour or so made her legs tingle a lot. Sometimes it was cramped enough for her to scream.

Every time that happened, the High Priest hit Liriette on the back with a cane, screaming for her to do it right and kept praying.

That’s why Liriette didn’t care that her legs were tingling, she replied.

“It’s okay.”

Either, it doesn’t hurt, or, it’s okay.

Simon looked at Liriette with a complicated gaze and lowered his eyebrows.

“You worked hard praying from early in the morning. I will prepare a breakfast that will give you strength.”

It was neither lunch nor dinner, but breakfast.

So, a more simple meal than last night’s dinner would be served.

Contrary to Liriette’s expectations, the round table was filled with more varied and colorful food than yesterday.

‘This is breakfast…?’‘

Simon said to the bewildered Liriette.

“This is an order from His Highness the Duke. Since you’re a precious guest, he told me to prepare a meal without any deficiency.”

There was nothing to say about the Duke’s order.

‘More than anything, it was prepared so carefully for me, but I don’t want to make it uncomfortable by talking about the doctrine again.’

So instead of saying that she wouldn’t be able to finish the food, Liriette bowed down.

“Thank you. I will enjoy it.”

At the little girl’s greeting, the maids behind Simon went mad in their hearts.

‘I want to stroke her head!’

‘I want to hold her then spin her round and round!’

Simon was no different.

‘But it can’t be. The person in front of me is His Highness’s honored guest. I have to be polite.’

Simon thought so and held out a plate with a beautiful pattern engraved on it to Liriette.

“I’ll take care of the leftovers, so don’t worry and eat as much as you please.”

“Yes, I will.”

She picked up the plate and began to slowly move around the round table.

Seeing Liriette like that, Simon smiled like a fox.

‘Today’s meat is different from yesterday’s meat, Miss Liriette.’

If yesterday’s meat was relatively simple, today’s meat was more splendidly and delicately cooked.

Crispy deep-fried chicken glazed with glistening honey.

Salmon grilled in butter and topped with lemon slices.

Even thick steaks stir-fried with colorful vegetables.

‘It’s such delicious meat dishes that a human, no, an animal, can’t stop eating them!’

In the end, even Liriette wouldn’t be able to stand it and put a piece of meat on a plate!

As Simon thought, Liriette couldn’t take her eyes off the meat dish. She even unconsciously gulped.

However…

What Liriette put on the plate was fresh lettuce salad and cut tomatoes. Just a piece of freshly baked bread and soup.

The meat wasn’t even visible!

‘It’s ridiculous that she doesn’t eat any meat again!’

Unable to achieve his goal, Simon fell into deep despair.

Unaware of his feelings, Liriette munched with a happy face.

‘As expected, the food here is really good.’

The salad crunched in her small mouth.

***

After the meal, Liriette headed to Duke Windsorais’ room. To heal him.

The Duke was sitting in his chair with bandages over his eyes, just like yesterday.

‘Fortunately, I’m not as nervous as yesterday.’

Liriette let out a small breath and lifted the hem of her skirt.

“I’m greeting Duke Windsorais.”

After greeting, she slowly raised her head.

The sculpted face of the Duke looking down at her was expressionless. At first glance, it seemed no different from yesterday.

However, Liriette, who was good at reading other people’s moods, noticed.

That the Duke’s mood had subsided a little.

She was taken aback.

‘Did anything bad happen to him last night? Or maybe he’s angry that his eyes didn’t heal all at once.’

He said to Liriette, who was racking her brain to find out why the Duke was in a bad mood.

“I heard you ate as much as a sparrow for breakfast today.”

Liriette’s big eyes shook at the unexpected words.

She said with a firm face, perhaps it was something that bothered her inside.

“The food was prepared with care, but I couldn’t eat much. I apologize.”

“There is nothing to be sorry about. But it bothered me because you don’t eat much so stubbornly. Is the food at Windsorais Castle so bad?”

Liriette shook her head with a straight face.

“No!”

“…”

“I have never tasted such delicious food in my entire life. The cabbage is crispy, the grapes are sweet, the bread is soft, especially the stir-fried beans with carrots is the best!”

He could see it even without his eyes.

That Liriette’s voice was full of sincerity. Nevertheless, the Duke wasn’t satisfied.

“If it was that delicious, why not try a piece of meat?”

“…!”

“I know there is a doctrine about not eating creatures that bleeds. However, that is something that priests who practice asceticism shall do, not a pea-sized child like you.”