woke up chapter 5

Heehee, Mom’s lap is so warm. I love it.

Ariel, nestled snugly against Iris, a contented smile on her face, suddenly raised an eyebrow. A strange scent had drifted her way. What’s that weird smell? Is that…burnt meat. As if on cue, Rodbrill shrieked.

“Oh no, Auntie! The stew’s burnt!”

“My stew!”

“My meat!”

Ariel and Iris sprang up simultaneously and raced towards the kitchen. The sight that greeted them was a charred, unrecognizable lump in the pot – the remains of what was once beef stew.

“My meat…” Ariel murmured in despair. Having been deprived of meat for years, the sight of the ruined stew was a devastating blow. Maybe it’ll still taste like meat if I eat it like this? Burnt meat is still tasty! Noticing the renewed sparkle in Ariel’s eyes as she stared at the pot, Rodbrill yelled, “Auntie, El’s going to eat the charcoal again!”

“El, no burnt food.”

Ariel nodded glumly.

Just then, Baron Fay, with a familiar, reassuring smile, brought in a loaf of bread.

“Let’s have white bread for lunch today!”

Ariel’s head shot up.

“Wow, white bread!” Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the fragrant loaf and the accompanying butter. And butter too! That’s expensive! Accustomed to meager portions of rye bread, Ariel beamed.

“…El, are you alright?”

“…El, are you just pretending to be happy because you don’t want to embarrass me?”

“Are you…blind? This is white bread, not meat.”

The barrage of concerned questions snapped Ariel out of her reverie. She blinked, her eyes wide. I guess I wouldn’t even look at anything that wasn’t meat when I was little. She scratched her cheek, slightly embarrassed by her past behavior, but decided to embrace her eight-year-old self.

“I’m going to try to be less picky from now on!”

“Does that mean you’ll eat broccoli too?” Rodbrill asked, glancing at the roasted broccoli on the table. Ariel smiled sweetly.

“Less picky.” She hadn’t said she’d stop being picky altogether.

You eat the broccoli, you broccoli-looking thing. Ariel’s pointed glare made Rodbrill pout.

“El, Rod. About our walk this afternoon…” Baron Fay trailed off, looking at Ariel. She nodded eagerly. A walk sounds great!

“…I’m afraid we’ll have to cancel.”

“What?” Rodbrill’s face fell before Ariel could react, looking as dejected as a puppy denied a walk.

“I’m so sorry. I took the day off specifically for this. I just received word that a Maegul has invaded Devrante.”

Devrante was a name Ariel knew well. A territory on the northernmost edge of the kingdom. She had traveled there several times to gather rare winter herbs. It was dreadfully cold.

Oberon, where Ariel was born and raised, lay in the heart of the north, but thanks to an ancient Elven King’s blessing, it was shielded from winter’s harsh grip. Except for the three days known as Winter’s Rest, the climate was pleasantly cool, making it a desirable place to live. Its natural beauty also made it a popular tourist destination.
Devrante, however, was the complete opposite of Oberon – bitterly cold. And now, with the added threat of a Maegul, an ancient demon, Ariel could only imagine how dire the situation must be.

Her grandfather, steward and vassal to Marquis Steffen, the lord of Oberon, would be especially busy. A thought suddenly struck Ariel. Was the Maegul appearing this early?

In her memories, the war with the Maegul hadn’t begun in earnest until she was fifteen. That was when her childhood friend, Etheldred, had left for the battlefield. Even before she returned to the past, she had read news articles about him, announcing the end of the war and Etheldred’s elevation to Duke for his service.

“Are you going too, Auntie?” Rodbrill asked Iris, his expression hopeful. Iris nodded apologetically.

“They need all the healers they can get. Many have been injured.”

“I was looking forward to our day off,” Rodbrill lamented, then nodded resignedly. “But duty calls.”

Ariel looked at him with newfound respect. He was still so young, yet he understood the importance of duty.

Then, with a bright, albeit forced, smile, Ariel added, “I can play with my friends!” She didn’t want to burden her mother and grandfather, whom she’d only just reunited with.