Unprecedented Behavior

The kitchen was very large, more like a hall than a room for cooking, though it had relatively lower ceilings. There were rectangular tables that were arranged in groups, and servants loitered around them, laughing boisterously.

"Feixin!" Eyrie finally arrived at the entrance of the kitchen.

Her voice startled many people that were eating, and they peered over with intrigue. When they saw who it was, they immediately looked back down and continued eating their food, pretending that nothing happened. But they had stopped talking.

Those that sat at the same table as Fei silently slipped further away from the bodyguard who was called on.

"Miss Eyrie." Fei looked up from her meal, unsurprised. She had heard the click-clacking of Eyrie's steps a long while before the girl called out to her.

Eyrie frowned as she arrived in front of the table where Fei sat. "Why did you leave me behind?"

She paused, waiting for Fei's answer.

But Fei didn't seem one bit apologetic and was eating without a care in the world. "I did not, Miss Eyrie." She truly did not.

Hearing the stroke invoking answer, Eyrie took a deep breath to calm her anger. "I was lost because of you. If it weren't for those girls there," she pointed at the three maids that stood behind her, "I probably would not have found the kitchen until the next day."

Fei put down her spoon and thought for a second. "Miss Eyrie, please forgive me. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

After thinking about it, She decided to relent and admit her faults. From her observations, Eyrie seemed to have a weaker physical state than most humans. Perhaps she did walk too quickly in her rush.

"Ah? Uh- Yes, I would like to have lunch with you…" Eyrie couldn't react properly for a second. … Isn't this a little too easy?

"In that case, you can go to the kitchen counter and receive a food portion."

Huh? She blinked and turned towards the 'kitchen counter.��

It was only at this point did Eyrie notice the silence that pervaded her surroundings. Every other servant aside from Fei stared at her with astonishment, forgetting about the food in front of them and the conversations they had had before her arrival. Their thoughts spilled openly, and Eyrie knew what they were thinking at a glance.

Who has ever heard of a mistress of an esteemed household that dined with servants?

She blushed, a red flare that flamed her cheeks.

"Miss Eyrie, please hurry up if you wish to have lunch. My break ends in 6 minutes and 20 seconds." Fei broke the awkward silence.

She wanted to kindly remind Eyrie of the time since if she dawdled for too long, they couldn't have lunch together.

From her observations, the Rochester family dined for at least half an hour each night. Although Fei wasn't sure about how Eyrie dined, since she ate alone in her room most of the time, there shouldn't be too big of a difference.

Eyrie snapped out of her embarrassment and shot Fei an odd look. S-Six minutes? She turned back to the kitchen counter, where she found some unappetizing plates of food. There were three choices: pea soup, steak, and kidney pie, and rice pudding.

It's been over 20 years since she had been served with such food. Eyrie wrinkled her nose subconsciously.

At this moment, one of the kitchen maids, who was in charge of giving out the lunch servings, shook out of her daze and immediately scurried in front of Eyrie.

There were beads of sweat on her forehead as she spoke. "Eldest miss Eyrie, would you like for the chef to prepare a meal for you?"

Seeing how her Miss did not reply, she berated herself quietly and added, "Someone will send the meal to your room as soon as the preparation is done."

"I will eat right here, right now. Give me something simple." Eyrie gritted her teeth.

She was serious about wanting to eat in the kitchen!

The servants that witnessed the scene uneasily gulped down to relieve their dry throats.

The kitchen maid could not find the right words to refute her mistress' orders. In the end, she nodded and disappeared into the inner depths of the kitchen, where the head chef took control.

A few minutes later, Alver, the cook returned in the kitchen maid's place with a cart that carried seven plates of lavish cuisine. He carefully placed each plate at the table where Eyrie stood by.

"Please, Miss Eyrie, take a seat." As he spoke in a distinctly French accent, he removed a white cloth from where it hung on his arm and spread it across an empty seat.

The plates that the chef served were the leftovers from yesterday. He tried to make it as luxurious as possible, but it seemed obvious at a glance that it wasn't up to the 'normal standard.' He was anxious that the eldest miss might find fault within him.

Contrary to his thoughts however, Eyrie was somewhat relieved at the occurrences, though it did not meet her expectations for a SIMPLE meal.

She smiled politely and proceeded to sit down. "Thank you, Alver."

Soon, an empty plate along with silver utensils were delivered to the table, and Eyrie began to eat in a dainty fashion while flashing uncertain looks at Fei, who was the only other person that sat at the same table as her.

All of the other servants had long scampered to the other corners of the gigantic kitchen; none dared to make a sound, resulting in a heavy silence.

But barely moments after Eyrie touched her food, Fei abruptly stood up and walked away with her food tray in hand.

Eyrie followed Fei using her eyes in confusion. She had an ominous inkling.

Sensing her gaze, Fei responded calmly, "My lunch period has ended, I need to arrive at the library in five minutes. Please excuse me."

"…"

Without a word more, she placed the empty tray on the kitchen counter and left, much to the shock of basically everyone else in the room.

T-T-The audacity of this girl! People couldn't believe their ears! Should she be commended for her courage or be mocked for her stupidity and ignorance?

Perhaps the only person that was not surprised was Eyrie, who had gotten used to Fei's behavior after two similar scenarios. She sighed inwardly and got up as well.

"Allow me to accompany you to the library."

Just as how Eyrie's lady's maid and Fei's instructor had been stunned; similarly, those that were in the kitchen felt another crack in their mentality.

… Is this how the eldest miss of the Rochester family should behave?