Three long days had passed since Matthias left for training. Now, he stood before Odelliana.
“The basic training went smoothly,” Mrs. Magdalene reported. “The boy is exceptionally bright and learns quickly. We planned a week of training, but he mastered the program early.”
“Really?” Odelliana raised an eyebrow.
“Indeed. He’s intelligent and nimble. I believe he’ll be a valuable asset, Miss Odelliana.”
“Thank you for taking such good care of him, Mrs. Magdalene.”
“Of course. Don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything you need.”
Odelliana knew complaints would fall on deaf ears. She smiled politely as Mrs. Magdalene left. While she yearned to dismiss the knights assigned to her, she understood Mrs. Magdalene wouldn’t be able to intervene. The woman’s sympathetic glances were another burden.
“Come in, Matthias,” she called. “The clothes suit you well.”
His hair neatly trimmed and grime scrubbed clean, Matthias stood transformed. He wore a black tunic and brown trousers, the typical squire uniform. He seemed far removed from his slum origins.
No wonder the maids blushed at his arrival. This handsome young man was sure to become a heartthrob, stirring up whispers throughout the social circles.
“Have you been here all day?” asked Matthias.
“This is my new home,” Odelliana replied as Mathias took a quiet look around. He couldn’t stifle a chuckle at the meager room, furnished only with a bed and a single blanket.
“It’s worse than the servants’ quarters,” he remarked.
“Apparently, this building was abandoned,” Odelliana explained. “They hurriedly repaired it for my arrival, but this is the best they could manage.”
“Doesn’t this treatment bother you?” Matthias questioned.
“Not at all,” Odelliana assured him. “I didn’t expect special treatment. This is perfectly adequate.”
Matthias remained silent, unconvinced.
“This place isn’t ideal,” she conceded, “but isn’t it a step up from your old shack?”
“The streets don’t bother me,” he countered, “but it’s unacceptable for my master to live in such a shabby place.”
Well, compared to the ramshackle room where I was born, this feels luxurious, she thought. There’s no need for shock.
“Disappointed?” she asked.
“By what?”
“My situation,” she clarified.
“Not disappointed, but surprised. You’re treated worse than I imagined.”
He pondered how Matthias would have reacted to witnessing her ordeal at the Hirschberg Forest mansion firsthand. If this basic living situation shocked him, the sight of her locked in a filthy, cramped room would have been horrifying. He might have even run away, seeing no way to help.
“Honestly, this seclusion suits me perfectly. It’s far quieter and more private than I anticipated. No one bothers me here, not even my family. That’s precisely what I wanted – no unwanted attention, and a peaceful environment. Believe me, I’m not forcing positivity.”
At first, the blatant neglect had stunned her. But after a few days, the tranquility and a strange sense of coziness had begun to grow on her.
“Here, I can focus entirely on you, without the prying eyes and judgments of others. Staying in the main residence would’ve been stifling, filled with restrictions.”
The knight exam loomed large. With just five servants and guards who patrolled the perimeter but didn’t pry within, this secluded place offered the perfect training ground. Who cared what transpired within these walls, anyway?
“If this is what brings you comfort,” Matthias conceded, “then I understand.”
“You seem relieved,” Odelliana noted, a hint of amusement in her voice.
“Perhaps it’s not so terrible after all,” he admitted, a hesitant smile playing on his lips.
“Exactly! The main residence is a constant bustle of activity. There, proper focus on your training would be impossible.”
“True. This remoteness… it’s almost like a hidden sanctuary. No one would suspect a thing, should something happen.”
A shadow of regret crossed his features. “It’s a shame we’re not entirely alone, though.” Even the presence of the five servants seemed to grate on him. He’d always been a solitary child, preferring his own company to the chaos of crowds.
