Chapter Eleven

Mariaisabelle grumbles to herself as she helps Emeren cater to the pigs. The disgusting aminals seem to enjoy themselves as they wallow in their own filth and muck. Times like these were when she misses the castle.

The fine dining, spices, the elaborate clothes, and the wonderful decor. These are a few things that she wishes she can bring. Her new life is much simpler, but there are some things that it cannot replace.

"How can your family surround yourself with such filth?" Mariaisabella cries out. Emeren chuckles as he merely pours the pig feed onto the pen's floor. Nausea fills Mariaisabelle as she watches the swine push and shoves to eat off the floor.

"It is our way of life. We Stanzolio men do not have a lot of money. Unlike the rich, many of our earnings are given away to the state," Emeren politely discloses. Mariaisabella, not knowing what to say, still pouts.

Usually, Emerenzian and Emery will be feeding the drove of pigs. But because Emerenzian is at Mariaisabella's home, Mariaisabelle is taking his place. The first days were the worst. But Emeren has come to enjoy the fair lady's company. She made him laugh and will tell stories of the rich folk.

Mariaisabella is wearing boots and overalls over Emerenzian's spare white shirt. If Mariaisabelle told herself one year ago that this was her future, she would be livid.

"My father seems to like you," Mariaisabelle looks at Emeren and scoffs. The boy is either blind or stupid. Every time they will encounter each other, the two will bicker. Emeren chuckles as he gets out of the pigpen. He lends the fair lady a hand as she jumps over the fence.

"Please. That man loves to tease and mock me for my rich upbringing," Mariaisabelle replies.

"But you are the only woman who has challenged him since my mother. You've piqued his interest. And he has never been interested after her death," Emeren reveals. This piece of information makes Mariaisabella stop. She never thought of that. The man seems so focused on his sons and his farm.

So why is he dedicating time to Mariaisabelle?

"Besides, he has been recently cleaning himself when you come over," Emeren adds. This cannot be a coincidence. Her mother used to tell her that the father hates being clean. He will only do it when something important is happening. This means only one thing. It seems that Emerenziano has taken a liking to the woman.

Her cheeks redden at the idea of being with Emerenziano. The man was handsome. He looks much like his sons, but his older face is tarnished with the scars from his job. Usually, those imperfections will disgust her, but she admires them.

In fact, they fill her with curiosity. What other parts of his body are covered in scars, and how did he obtain them? This question still lingers as Mariaisabelle and Emeren groom the horses, collect cow's milk and retrieve the eggs from the chicken coop.

As they bring the materials to the front of the house, the fair lady notices her younger sister coming towards the two.

"Salutations. Mariaisabelle, do you happen to have my vial of perfume?" Maria asks. Mariaisabelle nods as she remembers borrowing it from her the previous day. She must have forgotten to leave it in the home.

However, when she and Maria walk into the farmhouse to retrieve it, Emeren follows behind. When Maria finally has her gift from Emerenziano, she smiles at the boy and returns home. Emeren blushes and watches Maria leave.

Emeren's actions do not go unnoticed, and Mariaisabelle smiles at him.

"Emeren, you seem to take a liking to my sister," Mariaisabella's observation makes the young farmer blush even harder. This further confirms her theory.

"I- She is so smart. A-and she is so sweet. I don't think that she will want to be with an illiterate farm boy," Emeren admits. His admission makes the fair lady roll her eyes. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see Maria's liking to Emeren.

However, the saying is that love is blind.

"I'm sure she likes you. You do not have to be rich, smart, or powerful. All you need is love," Mariaisabella reassures. She has been in the background and has seen Maria's misery firsthand. She can say that Emeren makes Maria happy.

Emerenziano is at the market selling goods, so this gives Mariaisabelle enough time to churn butter. She pours some of the milk into the wooden contraption and begins to push and pull. It takes a good hour for her to finish churning.

She then collects the butter into a wooden tub. The tub is then placed in the cooler. After a long day of work, it still isn't over. Because Mariaisabelle then has to cook. She looks at the stove as she remembers not knowing how it worked when she first stayed over at Emerenziano's home.

She bundles a small pile of wood and tinder with rocks surrounding it. Then, with flintstones, she creates a spark that catches on. The fair lady then blows into the tinder, helping it spread. Once she knows that the fire will not go out, she hangs the cauldron above.

Before starting her work on the farm, she had already chopped the necessary vegetable to make her broth. All she had to do is dump some water, the vegetable, and some brine meat.

Now all she has to do is wait.

In the corner of her eye, she sees some dried rosemary. For some unknown reason, she adds some inside.

Everyone, including her mother and sisters, enters the small farmhouse. With a ladle and bowls, she hands everyone their portion. The fair lady gleams as everyone (even Emerenziano) goes to the cauldron to get another serving.

This will become a regular thing. Mariaisabelle will cook (in either her home or in the farmhouse) and eat with everyone in glee.

Mariaisabelle misses some things from the castle. But it will never give her the one thing that she has here.

Being a part of a happy family.