Free Web NovelChapter 541: A Warm Breakfast After Years of Hunger
After having such a deep and peaceful sleep, Primrose woke up the next morning in a surprisingly good mood.
But it seemed she wasn’t the only one feeling happy. The women who had finally escaped captivity couldn’t stop smiling when they saw the large amount of food prepared on the dining table.
Their faces looked brighter now, and after changing into clean, proper clothes, they looked even more beautiful than before.
"A-All of this is for us?" Evelia asked softly, her voice full of disbelief.
After all, she was used to eating cold bread and tasteless meals every single day, so seeing so many different dishes in front of her felt almost unreal.
Primrose smiled gently before looking at the women one by one. "Yes. You can eat whatever you want. Since this is breakfast, the food isn’t too heavy."
"But if you get hungry again before lunch, you can ask the maids for food anytime or come directly to the kitchen," she added warmly.
Prudence, the woman with red hair and hazel eyes, suddenly burst into tears after hearing those words. "We... we’re even allowed to eat more than once?" she asked shakily.
[I was already grateful whenever we were given food once a day,] Prudence thought bitterly. [If I failed to roleplay properly, I wouldn’t even be fed.]
Primrose silently clenched her teeth, forcing herself to keep smiling despite the anger growing inside her chest.
"Of course," she said softly. "You can eat as much as you want. Just don’t eat too much too quickly, or your stomach will hurt."
After that, the women finally began eating the feast laid out before them. At first, they still looked shy and careful, but the moment they tasted the food, all hesitation disappeared.
One by one, they quickly reached for whatever dishes were closest to them.
"Don’t eat too fast," Primrose warned gently. "You’ll choke."
But they were far too focused on eating to pay attention to her warning. Some of them occasionally coughed or choked, yet their faces still looked full of happiness.
In the end, Primrose didn’t say anything else and focused on her own meal.
Beside her, Edmund ate silently. He looked calm on the outside, but Primrose could tell his mind was filled with thoughts and honestly, she wasn’t wrong.
[It’s already been a few days, but the children still refuse to eat together with the others. Moving them somewhere else probably isn’t a good idea either.]
[But if my wife and I return to Noctvaris, will they and Father truly be safe here?]
[I don’t want to trust the Emperor. It’s better if I protect them myself.]
[And why the hell does that woman look so similar to my wife?! That damn Averon! He must’ve forced her to act like Primrose too.]
Without saying anything, Primrose quietly reached for Edmund’s hand beneath the table, gently squeezing it to calm him down so he could at least eat in peace.
Little by little, Edmund finally relaxed and started eating properly again, but since they still had many things to handle, Edmund and Primrose finished breakfast earlier than the others.
"If you need anything, just tell the maids or anyone nearby," Primrose said with a gentle smile. "I’ll do my best to help you."
After that, she headed toward the children’s room, while Edmund went to meet the envoys from the imperial palace.
"Your Majesty, you’re here," Salem greeted as soon as Primrose stepped into the large hall that had temporarily been turned into a room for the children.
He looked much better now and no longer seemed as gloomy as before. The children also appeared to trust him more because they now allowed him to sit and eat breakfast at the same table as them.
"I wanted to check on all of you," Primrose said softly.
She then turned toward the children, her face carrying a warm and comforting smile.
"How are you feeling today?" she asked.
One of the children, Timothy, answered her question a little nervously. "We’re doing fine." She lowered her head slightly before adding in a quiet voice, "Thank you for the food, Y-Your Majesty."
Primrose smiled gently before sitting down on the empty chair beside Salem.
"I’m only trying my best to take care of my guests here," Primrose said warmly.
She noticed that the other children had started eating more slowly after she entered the hall. Some of them even stopped focusing on their food and quietly watched her instead.
[I’ve been here for a few days now, but she... still hasn’t done anything bad to us,] one of the children thought. [Maybe Salem was right. Maybe nothing bad will happen to us anymore in this place.]
[She really does seem kind and trustworthy.]
[I should’ve treated her better the last time she came here.]
The smile on Primrose’s face slowly softened as she heard their calmer thoughts.
"Did all of you sleep well here?" she asked gently.
The children nodded together.
A little girl, who looked around seven years old, spoke up shyly. "This place is warm, and the floor feels nice. My feet don’t even bleed anymore when I walk around here."
Salem leaned slightly toward Primrose before speaking through his thoughts. [The Count of Veloria often forced her to perform puppet shows. Every time she had to kneel on the floor, her knees would end up covered in wounds.]
Primrose quietly let out a small sigh before turning back to the little girl with a soft expression.
"I heard you like playing with hand puppets," she said gently. "Is that true?"
Just as Primrose expected, her question immediately made the older children uneasy.
[Is she going to force Josephine to perform puppet shows again?]
[I don’t think Josephine even likes puppets anymore. Her knees always end up covered in wounds.]
But to everyone’s surprise, the little girl’s eyes instantly sparkled with excitement.
"Yes! I really love puppets!" Josephine said happily. "They’re really fun to play with, but... I don’t like it when my knees get hurt. It hurts so much, and it becomes hard for me to sleep afterward."
Primrose’s expression softened. She leaned forward slightly and spoke in a gentle voice. "You know... you don’t have to hurt your knees anymore when you perform puppet shows."
"Really?!" Josephine’s eyes widened with hope.
Primrose nodded with a warm smile. "Of course. We can put soft cushions under your knees and lay thick carpets on the floor too, so you won’t feel cold."
She paused for a moment before asking softly, "What kind of puppets do you like? Or... would you rather have a big dollhouse instead?"
Josephine lowered her head shyly, nervously twisting the edge of her sleeve between her fingers.
"Can I... can I have both?" she asked in a small voice.
For a brief moment, the hall fell silent. The older children quickly looked at her with worried expressions, as if afraid she had asked for too much. Even Josephine herself looked nervous after saying it out loud, like she was already expecting to be scolded.
But instead, Primrose let out a soft laugh. "Of course you can," she said gently. "You don’t have to choose only one."
Josephine slowly lifted her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "R-Really?"
Primrose nodded warmly. "Really."
The little girl’s face instantly brightened, and for the first time since Primrose had entered the room, Josephine smiled without hesitation. It was small and shy, but it made the entire atmosphere feel lighter.
Beside Primrose, Salem thought. [Well, Your Majesty... I think you will be such a great mother.]
