Ah, the dining room. A well designed area for eating and relaxation, at least I think it is. Unsurprisingly, the room is rather fancy, a bit too fancy for my liking, but this is a castle after all.
Just like Sylvia had said, there were butlers posted throughout the dining room. Three to be exact. I walked up to one of them, ready to ask for food, but I was interrupted before I had a chance to speak, which is to be expected.
"Why you are no Elf! How did you get here?"
The butlers immediately took up a defensive stance, ready to defend themselves from any attack that I might throw at them. Wouldn't the King have informed them of my arrival though?
Almost as if on cue, the King walked into the dining room from one of the many other entrances. He wore an immaculate outfit just as he had the day before, one that was befitting of a King. Seeing the King come in, one of the butlers in front of me quickly spoke.
"Your highness, a human has infiltrated the castle! You must retreat at once!"
The King looked from the butler to me, and that back at the butler again.
"Nonsense! This human girl is a guest of mine! I told the guards to spread the news of my special guest throughout the castle so as not to cause any alarm! Were you not informed?"
Hearing the King's words, the butlers awkwardly left their defensive positions and quickly stood up straight as they had been when I first entered.
"No, your highness. We were not informed of this."
The butler then turned from the King to me, before bowing down.
"I apologize for the misunderstanding madam. I swear to not make the mistake again."
"Lift your head. You have no need to apologize to me. You were merely doing what you thought was right based off of what you knew. It was an accident and nothing more."
The butler looked up at me from his bowed position with a slight sparkle in his eyes, but then quickly lowered his head again, thinking that it was wrong to look up at me.
"Thank you, madam!"
Hearing how I wasn't upset, he fervently expressed his thanks to me.
"There is no need for thanks. Also, didn't I tell you to lift your head?"
Hearing me speak, the butler awkwardly lifted his head.
"Good. Now if you will, could you please bring me something to eat?"
"Me too."
As I asked for food, the King also chimed in with his own request. Having received orders, the butler nodded his head once and then set off into another room, presumably the kitchen, to inform the cooks.
I guess the food had already been prepared however, as the butler returned only moments later carrying meals on silver platters for both the King and I, setting them on the table as we took our seats. The King sat at the head of the table, which is to be expected, while I sat near the opposite end, not wanting to be near him considering his nefarious plots to get me with Elizabeth.
Once the food had been placed down for me, I quickly began to eat, trying my best to ignore the staring that the King was doing. Why is he staring at me? Do I look weird, or is he just trying to understand me more for his plans.
Thinking about that sent a slight shiver down my spine. I don't want him to set me up with Elizabeth. I don't even want to date anyways, even if she is a little attractive.
Nope. No dating for me.
As I was eating my food rather quickly, another familiar face entered the room. It was Sylvia, the maid I had met only a few minutes before. She was scanning the room rather quickly until she laid her eyes on me. After seeing me, she smiled and walked over.
"I see you made it to the dining room! Now that I'm done with my punishment, I wish to know if you had any prob-"
As she was talking while walking, she suddenly tripped on her own foot and fell face first to the floor.
Yep, very clumsy.
I quickly got up to help her to her feet while she rubbed her face to try and help the pain from landing on it.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to trouble you."
"Please, this is hardly what you call trouble."
"I appreciate that. As I was saying, did you make it here okay?"
"I sure did thanks to your directions."
Hearing that she did a good job, Sylvia's face immediately brightened up despite having just fallen on it.
"Really? I'm glad to hear it! Well, that's all I came here for. Enjoy your meal!"
With that, Sylvia left the dining room, leaving me alone with the King who was still staring at me. When does he plan to stop, and why is he jotting down notes?
As I was thinking to myself, the door opened yet again, revealing Elizabeth. I guess she is finally awake. She looks pretty... In a normal way, of course.
Seeing Elizabeth, the King quickly hid the notes he had been taking under the table where they couldn't be seen. I guess it doesn't matter if I notice, just as long as Elizabeth doesn't know that he betrayed her.
Elizabeth walked up to one of the butlers and asked for food, and as the butler rushed off to fulfill her request, she took a seat at the table.
I was going to leave as soon as I finished eating, but maybe I should stay here just a little longer. Just in case another Elf were to be mean to Elizabeth, of course. No other reason.