Chapter 12: Feelings for a Friend
SISSEL led Unen and the others across the gangway bridge connecting the castle’s main residence to a snug and cozy annex tower. Ori and Mouru were assigned the guest room near the stairs on the second floor, while Unen and Irena were given a room on the third floor. They could relax at long last.
Their party of four ate dinner alone in the manor hall of the second floor. Apparently, Vrba had given King Klinack the idea by insisting not to “burden them with having to interact with a bunch of unfamiliar faces before they even have the chance to recover from their long journey.”
“His Majesty said he would love for you to join him tomorrow, for dinner in the main building’s grand dining hall. I look forward to sharing a meal with you all once more,” Sissel said, smiling broadly as he swung his gaze across each of them.
Unen had reached her limit. “Excuse me, why am I being treated so kindly?” Her voice steadily fell to a whisper. “I’m merely a commoner with no social status or rank.”
The corners around Sissel’s eyes softened. “Because you are His Majesty’s guest, Lady Unen.”
While that was true, His Majesty was the King—the lord and master who governed over the entire kingdom. Couldn’t he have forcefully summoned such a simple, rural commoner without taking the trouble of inviting her as a special guest?
As if reading the doubts in her heart, Sissel smiled generously with all the experienced composure of the king’s close attendant. “Additionally, Master Harabal is always saying that knowledge is yet another form of impressive fortune. His Majesty believes respect should be paid to those with great knowledge in the same way it is paid to those with rank, land, and assets.”
Unen’s heart thudded loudly in her chest. She felt heat rising in her body, flushing her cheeks.
Unfortunately for her, Mouru’s nonchalant voice mercilessly cut in to rain on her good cheer. “Let me guess, joining our dinner tomorrow will be that man with reddish hair from the king’s office who said he uh…‘came to play’? What’s his name again…?”
Sissel hesitantly offered, “Lord Vrba?”
“Yup, that’s the one. Will Lord Vrba be having dinner with us as well?”
“Yes,” Sissel affirmed, then grinned. “He may say he’s here to play, but he actually came for a different reason. One of the kingdom’s gold mines is located in the Schaehor Province under Vrba’s control. He came to deliver the annual report to His Majesty.”
Fully regaining her calm, Unen quietly exhaled and shifted her focus to the conversation. So that’s how they know that Vrba is just acting like he’s frivolous and thoughtless, she concluded internally.
“All right, I will return later to remove your dishes once you have finished eating. Remember, we will be having dinner together tomorrow,” Sissel reminded them once more, before disappearing out the door with the other servants and an empty pot in hand.