The Cowardly Young Lady and the Escort Knight

Chapter 9: First Day of Getting to Know Each Other (2)

Golden-brown baked bread, stew with plenty of ingredients, a large steak that naturally catches the eye, a salad boasting a fresh appearance, and white pudding wearing a red hat demurely. It was a perfect menu with nothing missing from appetizers to desserts, as if it was a bit too much for lunch. Moreover, since all the dishes were full in their respective bowls, he would be able to eat his fill until his stomach burst. However, Cecilia was huddled up tightly, keeping her mouth shut. Unable to put any of the generous dishes prepared for her in front of her.

However, the Tutor, who was not even the owner, was taking a little of all those dishes and eating them. Not only spoons and forks, but also dishes for serving the food in were piled high on the cart, so it was definitely not because there were not enough dishes.

Yet, in this situation where nothing was going into Cecilia's mouth, Patrick stood there blankly, only blinking his eyes foolishly, with his mind stopped as it was, shocked by witnessing the height of absurdity and unreasonableness. Seeing that Jenny was not in his sight, it seemed that her movement had also stopped.

"Hmm, you came faster than I thought."

The Tutor, who found the two of them, spoke and then put another food in her mouth. There was not the slightest hesitation in her voice or the hand movements of handling the tableware. In the attitude of confidently showing that she had no shame in herself, Patrick took a deep breath and blinked his eyes.

'It must be a dream.'

He tightly closed his eyes and opened them. Only the Tutor was still mumbling. Even if he rubbed his eyelids with one hand and washed his face roughly, the sight in front of him did not change at all. In other words, this was reality. That fact that he didn't want to realize seemed to fall into his heart like a big rock.

'No way.'

He couldn't believe it. That this wasn't a dream. That the Tutor was really eating the food alone, how could such a thing happen? It felt like the common sense he had known so far was completely collapsing. Patrick cleared his throat that was blocked by shock and barely opened his mouth.

"Tutor...? What are you doing now...?"

Clatter.

The Tutor put food in her mouth. After mumbling a few times in silence and moving her Adam's apple, the Tutor wiped her mouth slightly with a napkin and answered.

"I'm tasting it."

"You're... tasting it...?"

"Yes."

After answering as if it was extremely natural, the Tutor emptied the plate in front of her completely and even took a sip of tea, slurping it. In addition to the absurdity brought about by that nonchalant attitude, Patrick was even more confused. He had heard the Tutor's answer, but his head was not cleared, but rather became more messed up.

'Tasting it? Why?? What for???'

Tasting is an essential process of cooking. In other words, all the dishes here have already been tasted by the chef, and they are set because they have met the standard. But why does the Tutor have to taste it again? He couldn't understand at all. Was it because he only learned about the world through stories as Jenny said? However, even Jenny was only blinking her eyes with a bewildered face, considering it to be his own inadequacy. In other words, it was a strange situation even in the eyes of ordinary people! Just as he was feeling a faint fear towards the Tutor who was committing that nonchalantly, he heard the Tutor sighing deeply and speaking.

"It seems that the chef has brought up the dishes that the Lord and others eat as they are. They are all salty and greasy. Lady Cecilla, it's quite unfortunate, but I don't think you can eat all of them."

"Then...?"

Cecilia asked almost creeping. Instead of answering that, the Tutor looked back at Jenny, who was standing blankly, and gestured.

"You came just in time, so you have to work. Jenny,Serve her... serve her the bread and stew to Lady Cecilla. The pudding is a dessert, so you don't have to give it to her now."

"Yes? Ah, yes!"

Having been surprised for a moment by receiving the instruction, Jenny quickly followed the Tutor's instruction. When the bowl and spoon were finally placed in front of Cecilia, who had nothing, the Tutor instructed Jenny to stand right next to Cecilia.

"Lady Cecilla, as you heard, Jenny will help you with your meal. But Jenny is only an assistant, and eating is entirely your job. That means no one will feed you. Do you understand?"

"......"

"I told you to answer with your voice, not with your head."

"Uh. Yes, yees. I, understand."

"Good. Then let's start. You must always unfold the napkin first when eating at the table. Receive what Jenny gives you, unfold it completely, and then place it on your lap."

As Cecilia hesitated and did as she was told, the Tutor raised her body slightly to examine her and then nodded her head. Following that, the Tutor told her how to eat bread and had her hold the spoon.

"Now, Lady Cecilla, check the length of the spoon with your remaining hand. Since you can't see, no one will see that action as rude. However, you must only do it with a spoon that you have never used. So if you eat soup or stew, be sure to eat other foods after you have eaten everything."

"Yes..."

"Let's get used to the feeling first. Jenny, move Lady Cecilla's hand so that it doesn't touch the stew, and slowly bring it to her mouth as it is. ...Do you understand? Lady Cecilla, you must get used to this feeling. Take a few sips with Jenny's help and engrave it. Hold the bowl with your other hand."

After she ate three or four spoons with Jenny's help, the Tutor had her handle the spoon with her own strength. Whether it was because she had no strength or because she was nervous, the spoon in her hand rose up and shook wildly. As a result, the contents fell back into the bowl, the Tutor flatly told her without twitching an eyebrow.

"Everything fell. Again."

Clatter.

A spoon full of stew began to rise, but again the contents poured down.

"Do it again."

"......"

"It fell again. Do it again."

After trying that about six or seven times, Cecilia was barely able to eat a single piece of 건더기. After calmly stating that fact, the Tutor put the bread and other foods in front of her and continued speaking.

"The spoon keeps shaking. Is it heavy?"

"N, no... I'm afraid, of touching, other things..."

"But you just put the spoon in your mouth. Despite the fact that you started from the beginning several times in the middle, you succeeded at once. Isn't it?"

"......That's right."

"So be a little bolder, but handle it slowly like now. If it tries to touch something other than your mouth, Jenny will guide you in the direction. Now eat freely. If you think you've spilled food on your mouth, wipe it with the napkin spread on your lap."

"......Yes. I'll, do that."

Cecilia's voice answering the Tutor was still small, and she stuttered a little more. But was it thanks to succeeding in eating the stew? Somehow, her shoulders seemed to be relieved a little. After that, the meal continued with only the sound of tableware clattering quietly, without a single word. Cecilia's hands still moved slowly, hesitantly, but at least she didn't drop the spoon or spill the water glass. And Patrick, who had been silently watching the scene, slowly opened his mouth and broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, but Tutor,"

Even though he called the Tutor, for some reason Cecilia was startled and stopped her hand. The Tutor, who was actually called by him, continued to move her hand to slice the meat. It was a piece of steak that she didn't give to Cecilia.

"Why aren't you giving Lady Cecilla other foods?"

"Because she shouldn't eat them."

"Why on earth... No, does Lady Cecilla know the reason?"

"Yes, of course. It's something that was carried out with Lady Cecilla's consent. Lady Cecilla, don't mind and continue eating."

After saying that, the Tutor put down the fork and knife, clasped her hands together, and turned to look at Patrick.

"Why are you looking at me like that? It seems that you think I'm deliberately restricting her meal to make Lady Cecilla suffer."

"Isn't that right?"

"Of course not."

Without showing any signs of displeasure, the Tutor tilted her head slightly to the side and continued speaking in an extremely indifferent tone.

"Lady Cecilla said that she has been eating extremely simple meals all along. She said that she doesn't remember eating meat, and that she couldn't eat anything all day yesterday. If you eat a greasy lump of meat in that state, your stomach will be surprised and you will have a problem. Stew is relatively okay because it's been boiled thoroughly."

For the same reason, she told her to spread jam instead of butter on the bread. Patrick asked the Tutor, who was saying that, again.

"Why is the salad excluded?"

"Because everything except the eggs is raw. Raw vegetables are surprisingly filling. Your stomach is already small, so it's better to put more nutritious food in the place where you put the grass."

"If so,"

Patrick asked, frowning.

"Shouldn't you just take it away?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Those dishes must be for Lady Cecilla. So it doesn't seem right for you to put in your mouth what Lady Cecilla can't eat even a bite of."

"That's extreme. The premise is wrong too."

Clatter.

The Tutor moved her hand again to put a piece of steak in her mouth, chewed it heartily, and swallowed it, then smiled brightly at him.

"These foods are for me too. The Tutor is supposed to eat with the child in charge of education. As you just saw, I have to teach her table manners."

"No, still..."

"I'm telling you because I don't think you know,"

Cutting off Patrick's words, who was about to protest if she didn't feel guilty, the Tutor continued to speak, still smiling.

"After we finish eating, you and Jenny will eat what's left. And the rest is put together and given to the pigs. All these dishes are made by adding the chef's effort to the fruits that the workers have grown with sweat and blood. Do you really think it's right to give it to the pigs without eating even a bite because Lady Cecilla can't eat it?"

"......No."

Patrick answered in a heavy tone, muttering. He didn't really want to admit it, but the Tutor's words were all right. No matter how abundant the supplies in the castle are, they shouldn't waste food recklessly.

"However,"

But he had no intention of backing down from the reason he brought up such an argument. He continued speaking, staring straight at the Tutor who was somehow continuing to smile.

"I don't think it's right to eat deliciously in front of someone who can't eat that food."

"That also depends on the case."

The Tutor countered without even blinking an eye at his sharp gaze. She was very relaxed as if she was very used to this situation. It seemed that she didn't just eat her age and taught many children. As Patrick kept silent at the Tutor's response, the Tutor accepted that he had nothing more to say and continued eating and spoke to him.

"You're very loyal. That attitude is great, but be careful not to go too far. Anything that is too much becomes poison."

"............"

He didn't answer. The Tutor didn't expect his answer either, so she kept eating silently. In this way, only the sound of clattering was heard again in the reception room. Patrick stood attached to the wall facing the entrance door like in the morning, glaring at the door with sharp eyes. Trying not to look at the table where the meal was being held, or rather, the Tutor. No matter how much he didn't like the person, it was a foolish act to openly send hostility.

'She doesn't seem like a bad person, but what's wrong with her personality?'

Cecilia was only eating bread and stew, but how could she cut and eat meat so nonchalantly in front of her? It's clear that she doesn't feel sorry for eating delicious things alone.

'I really don't like her.'

In this way, he suppressed his anger, grumbling inwardly.