Chapter 161 161 - Breakfast at The Wesley's

Breakfast was worse than Arielle imagined, both in scale and in the discomfort it brought her.

The dining hall was vast, almost too big for the obscenely large table placed in the center of the room. It seemed that the castle had been made for a family of giants, only that actual humans lived there now. It gave her a sense of whiplash, going from Vittoria’s claustrophobic desert cabin to this mansion with rooms that could fit entire homes within.

She had never seen anything like it, not even in the storybooks. The ceiling was in the heavens, and the doors were all soaring and seemed to open automatically in response to a knock.

Magic. Ari could see it in the security detail; the orbs traced over the doorway and also hung in a lattice over the air. It was not quite as detailed as the one at the academy, but it was pretty well done.

When she’d mentioned it to Elric after they landed on the outer lawn, he had said, “Yes, Iverson Manor has one of the best security systems in the world. Not as good as the academy, because the academy has a legacy system with magical totems that aren’t really made anymore. But fairly protected, including robust demon detectors. You’ll be safe here.”

Arielle nodded. She was reasonably comforted that they wouldn't be ambushed by a demon while she was here.

Nevertheless, the towering doors, the hanging chandeliers, and the bright walls, with golden accents and carvings, all made her feel vaguely out of place. Like she was not supposed to be here, but also like she was in the mouth of a giant, and any moment now, she was going to get crushed between its gold-plated teeth.

It only got worse when they got to the dining room.

It wasn’t just the large tables and chairs. The room had stained glass windows extending over the ceiling that made her feel like she was being assailed by a kaleidoscope of colors.

Vertigo and nausea hit her as she stared at them. She stopped in her tracks and ended up bumping into Elric, who caught her shoulder and glanced down at her.

“Everything okay?”

She nearly shook her head, then remembered.

It wasn’t polite, as a guest, to complain within earshot of the host or any of his staff. Vittoria and the dean had impressed that upon her during their lessons. Not only would it be rude, but it would also end up inconveniencing the staff and making their work harder, which she didn’t want to do. She didn’t want to be a burden on anyone.

Besides, she seemed to be the only one having a hard time with the expanse of everything. It was her problem to deal with.

She would have told Elric if they were alone, but since the Lord was in front of them, and the rest of his family behind them, she only said, “Everything’s fine."

Elric looked doubtful and leaned in to say, "You can tell me what it is."

But she shook her head and continued walking.

The plates were made of gold.

So was the cutlery.

She'd never eaten with golden cutlery before. Neither had she sat in a cushioned seat made of silk, and it pulled out automatically for her too.

More magic. Fun.

The lord sat first at the head of the table, and Lady Wesley sat at the opposite end. Arielle sat next to Elric and opposite Edward and Wufric, with Lady Borjas on the other side of Lord Wesley, opposite Elric.

The lord snapped his fingers, and a row of servants marched out of a door that opened automatically, rowing in dome-covered trays of food, forming two lines evenly spaced as they began to take the plates from the table, leaving the cutlery behind. It was a lot of cutlery. Luckily, Vittoria had told her what each of them was used for and how they paired with each other.

Arielle watched the staff work, having an appreciation for the symmetry and coordination they displayed. It was enjoyable to watch, like a wordless dance.

The tap-tap of their feet was soothing.

So was the subtle brushing of fabric and the light slicing.

Even the mild clattering of the utensils seemed harmonious, and her concentration drowned everything else, so much that it took Elric nudging her to realize that Lord Wesley was staring straight at her and had been attempting to talk to her.

She blinked. “Yes?”

"Is there anything on that table you're particularly interested in, my dear?" he asked. "You seem concentrated on the food."

She shook her head. "Not really. I was just watching the servers. They are very orderly."

"Ah, yes." He raised his chin. "We pay well, so we have the best staff in the nation."

"How much do you pay them?" Arielle asked, wondering if Erynwall could afford the synchronization tax. It would be nice to watch something like this at the beginning of every day.

"Arielle," Elric said. "That's a very personal question that we probably shouldn't ask."

"Oh." She blushed, feeling like she had already failed a test, even though neither Vittoria nor the dean had told her not to ask about staff salary. "I apologize."

"Nonsense." Lord Wesley leaned in and winked at her. "If you ever want an estate of your own, with your own servants, you have only to mention it. I have many grand, beautiful properties across the continents, maintained by staff who are just as good as these. And I’ve been contemplating acquiring more estates, including a seaside escape on one of the smaller islands that would be perfect for you. It even has a lovely swamp like the one in your former home.”

"I don't want an estate," she said, adding her practiced smile. "Much less a grand, beautiful one. But thank you."

"What is it you want then?" Lord Wesley asked.

Arielle thought about it briefly. "Right now? Nothing in particular." At least nothing he could give her.

But the Lord didn't seem to believe her. He gave her a sly smile and said, "No rush. We'll get it out of you eventually."

He spread his hand right as the servers began to return with plates full of food. Each one carried about three plates with a main course of a stuffed bird, a side of grain, and another plate of fruits.

“In the meantime,” Lord Wesley said. “We have delicacies from all over the world for you today, and we even managed to get our hands on Starseed plum, which you know is extremely rare to find this year. Luckily, a good friend of mine has a private farm, and he allowed me to pluck a few hundred in return for a mere thousand gold pieces. A pittance, I say." He chuckled as though it was a joke and looked at Lady Borjas, who smiled too. "We even prepared special meals from Fenway Basin. I sent my chef on a three-week sabbatical to a nearby village, just to learn traditional Mossborne dishes, like mudpies and selem. I’m told the mudpies are quite popular there.”

“Yes.” Though Arielle had only eaten them once, and she had not been a fan. She had also not tried most of the food he mentioned and had no interest in them, although she didn't say it as he continued his speech.

“We also have the Herutian Doe Leg, and my chef makes the best Eastern Traditional Venison you've ever had. Cooked in goat's milk and thousand-year-old wine, brewed from God's tears berries."

One server stepped forward and began to fill the chalices on the table. The others laid the plates equidistant from each other, perfectly symmetrical in arrangement, the pleasant and concordant aroma encompassing them. Everyone seemed to be eating roughly the same thing, and no one seemed to have any complaints.

Except her.

It was too much food. She could only eat half of it, and the rest would have to go to waste, but she didn’t want to waste food. Her grandmother said wastrels were almost as bad as gamblers, who were worse than dullards and drunks and devils. She didn't even know where to start stomaching it all. The bird also smelled a tad too strong for her tastes.

"Would you like anything else, madam?" the server asked, perhaps noticing the look on her face.

"No, I..." She didn't want to make trouble for anyone; however, Vittoria had said it was okay to voice requests when asked, as long as she did so politely. So she said in her politest tone, "Would you happen to have a moderate amount of oats and duck?"

That gave the server pause.

Lord Wesley also paused, with his spoon halfway into his mouth.

“Oats and duck?” he inquired.

“Yes.”

“That’s an erm…that’s an interesting combination.”

“Yes.” Arielle stared at them. "May I have some of that, please, if it's not too much trouble for you?"

"Oh," the server looked even more shocked by her statement and glanced briefly at the lord, before saying, "Of course, it's no trouble at all. We live to please. I will get that for you right away." The server hurried in her retreat and, what felt like seconds later, she returned with a plate of oats and strawberries soaked in milk, and another with meat that had been blackened on the outside.

Arielle stared at it for a long time.

“Is something wrong?” Elric asked.

She should not complain in the presence of a host. She attempted a smile. “No, everything is–”

“It’s the wrong type of duck,” Wulfric said suddenly. “And the oats should be plain, no berries or milk.”

That made everyone stop eating as they all swung their heads to look at him. Arielle looked at him too.

He glanced around and shrugged.

"It’s the same thing she eats every day, without fail,” he said casually and returned to his own food. "Anyone would have noticed."

This unapproved version was copied from NovelPhoenix; the author's own chapter is where readers support continued writing.

“I see.” Lord Welsely had a smile on his face before he took a drink from the chalice. “Please bring our guest another plate of oats without berries or milk."

"Yes, sir." The servant swept the plate away.

"Arielle, are you sure you don’t want to try a blackened duck?" Lord Wesley said.

Arielle shook her head.

"Truly? It's very much a delicacy."

"I can try it later."

“Why not now?”

“Because it’s breakfast.”

“And?”

“For breakfast I have oats and roasted duck. The white kind, not the blackened one.”

“And you never eat anything else?" Lady Borjas wondered aloud.

“I did when I was in Fenway,” she said. “Then, it was bean porridge with three quail eggs and rye. But they did not have any of that in Erywnall, and I had to adjust.” She paused. “I can adjust now also if you don't have any–”

“Nonsense,” Lord Wesley said. He snapped his fingers, and a man who had been at the back of the hall walked forward, with a very serious countenance. “Don’t hesitate to ask me anything, Arielle. Montfort, have the chef make a roasted duck, please. In the meantime, get our lady a cake to start. You like cakes, don’t you?’

Ari opened her mouth, and closed it again.

“Maybe you should ask Wulfric,” Edward said, and he didn’t back down when his brother sent him a sharp look.

"I do like it, but I cannot have it for breakfast,” Arielle responded. “Thank you.”

Lord Wesley stared at her and then at Elric to say, "My, she is quite the picky eater."

Elric shrugged. "She likes what she likes. Makes life simpler in some ways.”

"Yes, but then you miss out on so much, including much more exotic meals," Lord Wesley said. "We have so much to offer, and it's lunch and dinner somewhere in the world."

"But not here," Arielle said. Here was relevant for her.

The lord gestured. "Look at the Black Pudding, how it glistens. Are you sure you don't want any of that?"

Arielle shook her head.

"What about the Shepherd's pie? Or the Amosin? That's been roasting for a week, falls off the bone"

"No, thank you."

"Well, you can't just sit there without eating anything. The duck might take some time to be done."

"I'll eat the oats while I wait." The first server had returned with the plain oats, and she usually liked to eat that first anyway. She picked up the spoon.

Lord Wesley didn't seem satisfied. "But we have other things you might like if you only give it a try. Like the Melon fruit pie, or the Toasted Mangelion or–"

"She already said she'll wait, Dad," Wulfric said at the same time as Elric remarked, "Arielle is very specific in her wants, Wesley. Insisting won't work on her and will only make her uncomfortable. She's fine waiting."

"I see." Lord Wesley looked more puzzled than offended as he stared at her, as though he were trying to solve a puzzle. Then he continued to eat in thoughtful silence while Montfort swept away the plate of duck and handed it over to a servant before stepping back again.

The other servants stepped back too, to the walls and watched them eat. It was a little discomfiting.

“How has the school year treated you, Arielle?” This was from Lady Wesley, whose voice was as pleasantly reserved as her husband's was loud.

“Fairly good," Arielle responded as she took a spoonful of the oats.

“The first-year exams, I've heard, are quite difficult."

“Yes, but I passed almost all of them.” Ariele was somewhat preoccupied with getting her mouth used to the taste of the oats. They were not the same ones the academy served. She was chewing them slowly and focusedly, but they did not feel as gritty as the ones at Erynwall. They were a tad too smooth.

“Oh, you must be so clever,” Lady Borjas said "I’ve heard you’re very studious. I myself struggled with my arithmetic back in the day. Magic school would be a magnitude harder."

Arielle nodded.

"And learning spells...I mean, even Wulfric had issues with his first-year spells, and he's the cleverest boy I know."

"Mother..."

"Oh dear, did I embarrass you? Sorry, it's just that I remember him poring over the textbooks, sketching spell forms, making attempt after attempt. He was not a fast learner, but he’s a very determined boy, a hard worker, and he usually achieves everything he sets his mind to. He's also very caring, although he likes to pretend otherwise. Also, you know, by the end of the first year he’d learned a whopping twenty spells, can you believe that?"

"Edward had thirty-five," Lord Wesley mentioned. "I think a record for his year. His grimoire is quite impressive even today, and he will likely make a good practice partner for a talented mage such as yourself." He beamed at his son, then turned to Arielle. "How many did you memorize, Arielle? It must be a lot considering your performance in that battle against Anne."

"The textbook," Arielle said distractedly.

Lord Wesley cocked his head. "You memorized the textbook?"

She almost said yes, then remembered the other lesson from Vittoria. Don't brag about your accomplishments, especially if they are out of the norm.

"What she means to say is that she read the textbook," Elric said. "Arielle knows about thirty-five spells."

"Ah. Same as Edward. They have a lot in common, do they not?”

“Wesley…”

“Just making a harmless comment, Elric. No insinuation.”

Elric shot him a disbelieving look and went back to his meal.

"Which spells have you learned?" Lord Wesley said. "Let's see if there's more overlap between you and Edward or you and Wulfric."

“What's your lean?" Lady Borja added.

Arielle opened her mouth, but then Lady Wesley interrupted.

“Perhaps you both should let the girl finish her meal before you interrogate her.” Her tone held quiet command.

“Ah, of course, my better half,” Lord Wesley said. “Always so considerate. In the meantime, Elric, how was your trip to the demon realm?”

“It was…eventful,” he said.

"You went to assist Gio, right?"

"Well, I’m not sure I was supposed to assist so much as I was supposed to stop Gio from massacring half the demon population and starting an interrealm war.”

“They started it by interfering in our affairs first."

“Yes, but Gio responded by killing any demon who so much as looked at him wrong, rather than focusing on those who wronged us, thereby exacerbating our problem,” he said "Anyway, I’m glad the investigation is over.”

"Is it?”

“More or less,” he said. “I believe we’ve exterminated all relevant parties in the invasion.”

“Good. I heard some families might be implicated in assisting their advance into Earth."

"Yes, but that information will come out in good time."

The oats were the wrong texture.

Arielle had taken two spoons to confirm, and she didn't think she wanted any more. She didn't know what exactly it was about them, but they were both crunchier and smoother than the ones she was used to. She didn't know what to do now. Did they serve another type of oats? She doubted it.

"After the meal, Wulfric," Lord Wesley said. "Why don't you show Arielle around our estate and to her guesthouse?"

"Isn't that the job of our charming and handsomely paid butler?" Wulfric said.

"You can help him do it."

"I doubt Montfort needs help with something he's been doing since before I was even conceived."

"I believe Arielle might want younger, more handsome company."

"Really, Father?"

"What?"

"Subtlety is a lost art on you," Lady Borjas said.

"Subtlety doesn't get his butt moving," Lord Wesley said.

"Montfort wouldn't want me interrupting them," Wulfric said.

"Yes, he would," Lord Wesley said. "Isn't that right, Montfort?"

"It would be my delight," Montfort said.

"See? His delight, he says."

"And I'm sure he meant every word of it," Wulfric countered.

As the conversation continued, Arielle lifted another spoonful and considered her dilemma. She wondered if she should attempt to be polite and simply wait for the duck, or if it would be more impolite not to continue eating. How many attempts should she make to pass the threshold for politeness? They had not gone over that in detail with the dean and Vittoria. Also, if she didn’t finish it, would it be thrown away? That would make her a wastrel, which she didn’t want to be. But what if the next bite made her gag?

It was impolite to spit out food that one had chewed, so if she tried it and didn’t like it, she would have no choice but to swallow it.

Unless…

Unless she made a spell that could surreptitiously get rid of the food in her mouth.

Hmm.

***

Edward watched the conversation between his father, Lady Borjas, and Wulfric with the highest level of amusement he could manage without outright laughing.

It was fun to see his brother so flustered and annoyed. Wulfric was usually cool and collected and had a smart comeback for everything. Edward was typically the one on the other end of the teasing.

This time was different.

Because Wulfric had a genuine crush on someone for the first time in his life, and he clearly didn't know how to handle it.

It was so different seeing him like this, clumsy in his affections and annoyed about it. Lord Wesley and Lady Borjas could probably tell and were doing everything to throw him into Arielle's lap.

Meanwhile, Arielle was staring at her spoonful of oats with the same intense consideration some people reserved for planning warfare.

She was certainly an odd one, but he didn't think, as they'd assumed prior, that it came from snobbery. He didn't think she disliked them either.

She just had absolutely no interest in their father’s wealth, which Lord Wesley was clearly struggling to understand as he kept throwing more outlandish offers at her. She had no interest in Wulfric either, which gave Edward a sick sort of satisfaction.

He decided to play with that knowledge since, for the first time, the shoe was on the other foot.

"If Wulfric doesn't want to, I can show her around," Edward said, as he cut into his stuffed hen.

That stopped the squabbling in its tracks.

"You can?" Lord Wesley said.

“You don’t have to, Edward," Lady Wesley said.

“I know, Mother.” Despite their father’s flagrant wishes, his mother had never pushed him to associate with Arielle, always reminding him, as always, to do his duty but also follow his heart.

While his heart had no interest in Arielle Blacksoil, he did see her as a useful tool to make Wulfric a little miserable.

As his brother gave him a look of shock and suspicion, he barely stopped the snicker from escaping him. But he did anyway. Snickering like an imp at the dinner table would be very undignified for a future lord.

"If my brother doesn't want to, I'd like to show Miss Blacksoil around. If she's amenable, that is."

"Arielle, are you amenable?" Lord Wesley asked. It was clear, at least to Edward, that he hoped that if Wulfric’s charm failed to win Arielle over, then perhaps Edward would tie her to their family.

"Okay," she murmured, and then she put the spoon of oats in her mouth.

"Ah, I see." Lord Wesley's eyes glowed. "Wonderful."

Edward kept watching her, so he noticed something odd. Ariell hardly chewed the food and didn't obviously swallow, yet she took another spoonful.

And another.

And another.

"You must like it," Lord Wesley said when he noticed.

"Yes," she responded, her eyes flicking to the ceiling slightly before they came back down. "I like it."

The doors opened, and a roasted duck was rolled in, smelling mouthwatering. It was taken to Arielle, and one of the footmen followed to whisper something in Montfort's ear. Montfort nodded once, and stepped forward.

"My Lord, I'm told our lady’s guest has arrived," Montfort announced. "Maus Jaybalm.”

“Maus!” Arielle popped up in her chair, showing more excitement than she had about anything else that had been offered, including the estate and the island.

"He's here!” She turned to Elric. "Can I go see him?"

"I suppose," Elric said, then glanced at Lord Wesley.

Lord Wesley seemed taken aback by her enthusiasm. "Yes, Montfort can take you to him. But the duck...would you like to try some first–"

She was already shaking her head. "No. It's fine. Let's go."

She didn't wait for Montfort before she spun on her heel and headed for the door.

Montfort and Lord Wesley shared a puzzled look, and he bowed before he followed.

***

There was a second of silence to acknowledge Arielle's abrupt departure.

Lord Wesley stroked his chin.

"This ‘Mouse’ Jaybalm," he started. "I did a full check on him, and he’s not from any prominent family, nor is he a notable student in any way. In fact, I believe his parents are a steward and a seamstress in the Order of the Dutiful Mole.”

“Yes,” Elric said, cheerfully. "He’s also one of her best friends, and Arielle truly adores him."

"Adores? Huh..."

"He's the one she asked to the ball right after turning down Wulfric?" Edward said. "Right, brother?"

Wulfric gave his brother a death glare so fierce that this time Edward couldn't help it. A smile escaped.