Chapter 11: Wonderful Days at the Rhuddlan Manor
I was wandering down the manor hallways after receiving a long lecture from Mother and Father. I’d expected to receive a scolding, but my plan was always to act without their knowing in case I somehow failed. That way, the consequences wouldn’t fall on them.
I was still a student, so if I had been caught, I probably would have been sent to an abbey and left my parents with a fine to pay, but nothing more. As much as I wanted to save Siraiya, I didn’t want to expose my family to danger.
That was why I had no other choice but to carry out the actions I did. My heart ached when I thought of how concerned my parents had been for me, but even after all their fears and apprehensions, they were just as happy as I was that Siraiya was safe.
Before I knew it, my feet were carrying me to the guest room where Siraiya was staying.
It was well into the evening. Siraiya was probably sleeping, but I couldn’t bear to be apart from him for another second. I thought that, at the very least, I could stand outside his door to feel a little closer.
The curtains in the manor were shut, and every light source was extinguished. As I walked down the hallway, tracing my path with a lantern in hand, I noticed a ray of moonlight streaming into the hallway.
From a gap between the curtains, that blue beam fell upon the head of silver hair, causing it to glitter like the stars in the sky.
“Siraiya?”
“Cynthia. Is something wrong? It’s so late.”
I was certain I wouldn’t get to see him, yet there he was in the flesh. How blessed could one person be?
“I just finished having a little chat with my parents. What about you, Siraiya? Is there something outside?”
“No, I just can’t sleep, so I came out here. But it looks like I made the right choice, now that I get to see you.”
“I thought you’d be asleep too, but I’m glad I came here anyway. It’s a wonderful thing to share a roof with the person you love.”
Despite the blue moonlight, I could see Siraiya’s cheeks redden. How long would the two of us remain shy around each other like this? But as long as I was with Siraiya, there was no form of romance I wasn’t prepared to enjoy.
“Would you like to…”
The two of us spoke at the exact same time. We both chuckled.
“…talk a bit?”
“Of course.”
We huddled together in the same beam of light. The lantern I was carrying gently warmed the cool moonlight.
“I have so many things I want to discuss,” I said. “Where should I even begin? I don’t know how to—”
Grrrrowl.
That low rumble had come from my stomach.
“Ah…” I cried out and hung my head in shame. Why did my stomach have to ruin the mood on such a romantic evening? I’d been too busy getting lectured to have dinner that night. Realizing that only made my stomach growl even louder, and there was no way to hide it from Siraiya.
“Did you not get enough dinner?”
“N-No, I just… It seems I’m extra hungry today.”
“But your chefs have probably already left for the day.”
“It’s all right! It will pass! Please don’t mind—”
Grrrrowl. My stomach just refused to read the room.
That was when I heard Siraiya chuckle under his breath. I never expected the words he said next to me.
“I’ll make you something.”
“Huh? …Make me something? You mean you’ll cook?”
“I can cook simple things. Our family chefs taught me how.”
“The chefs? You spent time in the kitchen with the help?”
“Well, that’s because I didn’t get to eat meals with the rest of my family, so I took them in the kitchen.”
“Oh…”
My face stiffened, picturing yet another painful memory in Siraiya’s life. But he shook his head.
“No, it’s not like that. Those were good times for me. Everyone in the kitchen took pity on me because they were commoners. They treated me like a human and made sure I always had food. They’re why I never starved in that house.”
A warm light flickered awake in my heart, clearing away the fog of sadness.
Thank goodness. He had somewhere he could escape to. His days had something other than pain in them.
“The ladies-in-waiting weren’t cruel to me either. But they came from noble families, so I’m sure they didn’t think highly of a boy with a questionable birth like mine. They didn’t go out of their way to take care of me, but they didn’t stop the commoner maids and servants from helping me either. Thanks to them, my life wasn’t as terrible as you seem to think.”
“I see. So the kitchen staff is why you grew as tall and strong as you did. I can tell they’re wonderful people. I’d love to meet them someday.”
“I can introduce you to all of them once you become my duchess.”
“Hehe! I look forward to it, both meeting the servants and becoming your wife.”
“Cynthia… I feel the same. I can’t wait to be—”
Grrrrowl.
Shoot. He was just about to say something I really wanted to hear.
“…We need to get you some food.”
“Thank you, I would appreciate it…”
My voice was audibly weak, so the two of us headed straight for the kitchen.