"C-c-can you pass the salt, darling!?"

"O-o-okay, darling. H-here you go!"

"Hmm. Interesting, I thought with Lord Fynn's love of money, the pay of the guards would be meager. So tell me, Robert, how can you acquire salt with such a measly salary? I must say you are living quite luxurious"

Currently, Albert was helping his wife prepare some meals so they could start eating. It was a good thing that Albert spent some of the money he got from Lord Fynn to buy some improvements on their food, if not, then he would surely want to die today.

It was just like any other day, except for the fact that a Princess of the Royal family was currently breathing down their necks and watching them cook. The guards that were inspecting each ingredient did not help to alleviate their nerves.

"L-lord Fynn is quite generous, your Highness", Albert replied respectfully. He tried to calm his nerves as much as possible, as the Princess might get offended if he somehow says something wrong.

"Hm? Is that so?"

What's with this situation!? Albert shouted in his mind. He then took a glance at the table, where the special prisoner was already sitting and waiting for the food. And at her daughter, who was currently brushing the special prisoner's long golden hair. Her daughter's smile was wide. As if she was playing with a life-size doll.

Albert could not help but feel warm ins-

Wait… Daughter!? Why is she there!? Albert's eyes grew wide as soon as he realized what her daughter was doing. But his eyes grew even wider when the special prisoner started to slowly raise his hand.

Albert was about to rush towards them, afraid that the special prisoner might do something. But the special prisoner… just patted her daughter's head.

"Eh?", Albert was stunned, not knowing what to do as he looked stupid with his arms reached out.

"Hmm..", the Princess furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at the special prisoner. Is he really a cursed child? The princess wondered.

It took a few more minutes before the food was ready, but even after they were finished cooking, the situation did not become better.

As a matter of fact, it became even more awkward.

There were guards surrounding them as they sat around the dining table, making it hard to even pick up a spoon without a guard flinching.

"Why are you not eating?", said the Princess, who was now currently seated on the other side of the table beside the special prisoner.

"T-this…", both Albert and his wife stiffened as they held their cutlery on their hand. In which the guards once again dutifully flinched as they looked at the couple with watchful eyes.

"W-were waiting for you, your Hig-"

*SLURP*

The couple's eyes then turned wider as they nervously looked at the source of the slurp. There, they saw their daughter drinking the soup, not even bothering to grab a spoon. They were about to reprimand her but paused when they saw the special prisoner do the same.

They then noticed Princess Sofia staring at their daughter with her eyebrows knitted.

"P-please forgive our daughter, your highness!", both Albert and his wife kowtowed repeatedly.

After a few more seconds of observing their daughter, Princess Sofia finally spoke up, "Hmm. So, the food is not poisoned, then", said Princess Sofia as she picked up the spoon in front of her.

"Why are the both of you still not eating?"

"No no, of course, your Highness!", so that was why the Princess was not eating! The couple thought. They then proceeded to eat. Although the food somewhat tasted bland, as all they could taste was the nervousness they were feeling right now.

But of course, the mood remained as awkward as before.

The female elf that was just standing behind Viel and not eating anything made it even more so.

"So, Half-elf, where did you come from?", the Princess asked the special prisoner.

"You dare call the Great Spirit a half-elf!?", Ilrina suddenly shouted, making Albert and his wife almost throw up the food that were in their mouths.

As soon as Ilrina shouted, the Princess raised a small orb which instantly shut Ilrina's mouth.

That was right. For the price that the Princess bought the special prisoner, she asked Lord Fynn to give her another Binding collar. Which she then promptly placed around Ilrina's neck.

"Interesting, so are you not a half-elf? Are you human then?"

"How dare you call- uck", once again Ilrina shouted, but before she could finish her sentence, a very small trickle of lightning slightly fried her neck.

Albert's daughter laughed at Ilrina's antics, not knowing what was really happening.

"Oh, is that funny, do you want me to do it again?", said the Princess as she smiled at Albert's daughter.

In which Albert's daughter happily replied, "Yes!"

After a few more minutes of this, Albert and his wife could finally somewhat relax as they finished their meal. Anymore and they were sure that they could not take it anymore.

"T-thank you for dining with us, your Highness!", Albert and his wife bowed respectfully towards the Princess. Their daughter did the same as she tried to imitate them, "It was an extreme honor to have been graced by your presence!"

"Hmph", Princess Sofia nodded arrogantly towards the two, "Of course it is an honor, cherish this moment for all your lives"

Albert looked at the special prisoner with a conflicted expression. He did not know whether to thank him, as dining with the Princess really was an honor that one might not even experience in their lifetime. But it was also the most intimidating day in his entire life.

He thought that he could pass out and die at any time.

The special prisoner noticed that he was looking at him. Albert waited if he was going to say something, but alas, he just looked to the side without a hint of expression on his face.

Albert could only smile wryly. It would seem that even after 5 years of talking to the special prisoner, even after they were about to go on their separate ways and probably never seeing each other again, the prisoner still refused to say a word to him.

Princess Sofia then approached Albert's wife, which made her almost fall down on her knees. What is it now!? She thought.

The Princess then looked at Albert.

"Robert, was it?", The Princess queried.

"I-it's Albert, your Highne-"

"I don't care", Princess Sofia interrupted her, "The food your wife cooked is not bad. It can't be compared to our food in the Royal palace, of course. But not bad for a poor commoner"

Although Albert and his wife did not know if the Princess was praising them or mocking them, they still bowed their heads to thank her.

"T-thank yo-"

"I will tell Lord Fynn to promote you to Head of the Guards"

"!!!", Albert and his wife could not help but look at each other. Did they hear that right, did he just instantly get promoted!?

Albert then slowly looked at the Princess, who actually seemed to be serious in her words.

"T-thank you, your Highness. I will never forget this kindness!", Albert said as he groveled on the ground, touching the Princess' shoe.

"Get your hands off me"

"Of course", said Albert as he quickly backed away. Not daring to look at the Princess in the eye anymore.

The Princess could not help but scoff as she looked at Albert's retreating figure. "Let us go, then. We have a long way ahead of us"

The Princess then waved her hand as she ordered the guards for departure. She turned away and walked towards the carriage that the guards have prepared for them, she did not even look back even once.

So, this was it, huh? Exhaled Albert.

This was probably the longest day of his life. He could not believe that a lot of unbelievable things have happened in just a single day, and he even managed to get a generous promotion from it.

"Eeh? Big brother Viel is leaving?", Albert's daughter began to cry as she held onto the special prisoner's leg. Ilrina stared at the little child with fierce eyes, but the daughter seemed to be oblivious to it.

"!!!"

Viel!? Was that the prisoner's name!?

Even Princess Sofia, who was already in the carriage, could not help but show her head as she heard the little girl's words.

Only Ilrina did not have any kind of surprised reaction towards it.

And seeing as how the special prisoner responded to the little girl, it would seem to be that that was really the case.

Viel.

So that was his name.

Albert could only release a sarcastic sigh.

5 years. He spent 5 years talking to the special prisoner, and not even a murmur was heard.

And yet her daughter spent only an hour with him and she already knows his name. Life really was unfair. Maybe he should have brought her daughter to the cell, Albert thought as he slightly chuckled.

Her daughter then reluctantly waved goodbye to Viel as he turned his back, slowly walking towards the carriage.

So, this is goodbye then. Albert could only smile as he looked at Viel's back.

He remembered the first time that Viel was brought in, he was covered in ash from head to toe. No bigger than his daughter right now.

And now seeing him leaving like this, it truly was quite a sight.

Albert was about to go back inside his house, when he noticed that Viel stopped walking.

And finally… Finally.

"Goodbye then, mister. Thank you for the meals"

After 5 years, Viel finally spoke to him.

Albert almost choked as he could not believe what he just heard. And the only thing he could really do was smile and say,

"See you around… kid"

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