Chapter 104: IN THE BLANKET OF FOG

Chapter 104: IN THE BLANKET OF FOGIn the early hours of the morning, when the land was covered in fog and the sky rolled with gloomy, dense clouds, a knock sounded on one of the houses in one of the streets in Belonmusk, Amberale’s Capital.

"Stay here. I’ll see who is at the door. It’s so early in the morning. I wonder what could be wrong." A woman’s voice sounded. She seemed to be talking to someone.

Her heavy footsteps could be heard from outside the house. She opened the door, leaving a slight space open that allowed only her face to show.

She stared at the stranger with a guarded look. He was dressed from head to toe in dark clothes and was wearing a hat that prevented his face from being seen. Only his mouth was visible. Coupled with the fog, it was hard to see the man.

"How can I help you?" The woman asked with uncertainty, staring at him warily. Her hand on the doorframe tightened and she closed the door a little bit more.

"Contestant number fifty four, Theresa Baker?" The man asked the middle aged woman who opened the door.

"Yes... That’s me. How may I help you?" The woman replied with a little bit of confusion.

"You have been accepted to work as a cook in the new restaurant. You are expected to come to Broughton Hall on the seventh of the next month." The stated plainly.

Before the woman could ask anything, the man retreated into the fog.

She continued to stare at the fog in disbelief. Then, she slowly closed the door and turned around, blinking numerously.

"Who was it, Mama?" A boy of about twelve years old asked, coming up to her with a candle in hand.



It was still early in the morning and the house was not lit.

They had been woken up by a knock and only a candle had been lit. Its light flickered dimly.

As he stood in front of his mother, the golden candle light illuminated her face that was still stunned and not focused on him.

"Hmm?" His mother asked dazedly.

She shook her head, then smiled. "I was accepted."

It took the boy some time to realize what she was talking about, then his face bloomed into a smile.

"Was that what the person at the door wanted to tell you?" He asked and his mother nodded in answer.

"Mama was accepted?" A five year old girl rubbed her eyes sleepily. She had just been woken up by her mother and brother.

Her mother turned to her. Because of the news she had just heard, she had forgotten to lower her voice so as not to wake her little one.

"Yes," she nodded in reply to her daughter with slight tears in her eyes. She wiped it with her sleeves and hugged her children. "Now mama can take care of you."

She looked up at the ceiling in thought, thanking Lord Nerin for answering her prayer.

She was the only one left to take care of her children. Her husband had died when her daughter was little and they had been striving to make ends meet. They were barely surviving from the vegetables she traded. She had been going to different noble households and wealthy families for a job as a servant but wasn’t accepted.

One day, she heard that someone was looking for people to work for him with good pay and was holding an examination to test people’s cooking abilities, and she had gone to try out even though some of her neighbours tried to discourage her.

She had been disappointed when she hadn’t received any news and thought that she had not passed, but alas, she had.

She had heard a lot of good things about the new restaurant and she at least wanted to try. She didn’t want to lose the opportunity and live in regret afterwards.

Another set of tears flowed down her cheeks again.

Suddenly, they were wiped off. "Don’t cry, Mama. This is a happy news."

Her son put down his hand, looking at her with small silvery tears crinkling in his own eyes, and a smile on his lips.

"My little man," she nodded, holding back her emotions. She wiped another tear tt strayed down her face. "Indeed it is, my son. You’re right."

***

Several houses away, the dark clothed man knocked on another house. He waited for a few seconds before the door was opened.

"How may I help you?" A young lady asked.

"Contestant number eighty seven, Fiona Decker?" The man asked.

"Yes?" Fiona replied. She could guess from his question that the man was here bearing news of the examination. She just wasn’t sure what the news was.

"You have been accepted to work as a cook in the new restaurant. You are expected to come to Broughton Hall on the seventh of the next month." The man repeated the same words he had said to the first woman.


"Oh my." Fiona said, pleasantly surprised.

"Who is at the door, Fifi?" Finn approached from behind his sister and stared at the man warily. He nudged his sister and she moved to the side with a roll of her eyes, allowing him to stand in front.

Her lips curled in amusement as she glanced at Finn. This was a messenger with news from the restaurant.

’So protective when I’m the older sister.’



"I suppose you are Contestant number eighty eight, Finn Decker?" The early morning visitor asked.

"Yes." Finn nodded.

"You have been accepted to work as a cook in the restaurant. You are expected to come to Broughton Hall on the seventh of the next month." The man repeated his words.

Finn raised his brows in surprise, exchanged glances with his sister, then turned and nodded at the man.

"Thank you for bringing us this news. We will make sure to be there." He nodded, watching as the man retreated into the fog.

He closed the door.

"Well... Aris did say we would receive news if we passed..." He said to Fiona.

"I just didn’t think it would be in this manner," Fiona said with slight amusement.

The dark clothed man continued to share the same news to various houses.

He stopped at a house. "Contestant number five, Nathan Turner?"

He was a bit surprised to see a boy of about fourteen years appear but he didn’t show.

"Is there a problem?" The young boy whispered, peeping out from a crack in the door.

"You have not been accepted to work as a cook in the restaurant." The man paused his words, watching the boy’s reaction.

The boy looked downcast. "I see."

He was about to close the door when the man continued,

"Come to Broughton Hall on the seventh of the next month." The man then retreated.

The boy was surprised and confused. He had questions but the man was already gone.

Nevertheless, he decided he would go.

That was how the man visited the news of all those who participated in the examination, whether they passed or not, men, women, and teenagers alike, just as he was ordered to do.

After he had left the house of the last participant, he jumped on a roof and disappeared.

On another roof, a figure stood. "Her plan is progressing smoothly." They turned around and disappeared into the fog.

***

In the Grand Duke Mansion.

The dark clothed man jumped down from a tree and landed on the ground behind the mansion. The fog had almost cleared away now.

He headed towards the training grounds where someone was waiting for him. When he arrived, he stood in front of Aristia, who was sitting on the bench, and took off his hat.

"I have completed your orders, Princess." Lucas bowed.

"Good job, Lucas. You can return now." Aristia dismissed him.

Lucas bowed and left.

Aristia turned to Owen who was standing behind her. He should have been the one to go instead of Lucas, but he was still too young.

"Have you delivered my letter to the owner of Osric Caravans?" She asked.



Owen nodded. "Yes, Princess."

"What about the other one I asked you to deliver?"

"I have delivered it. We will receive news soon." Owen replied.

"Good." Aristia nodded.

The month had almost ended. It was remaining a month and a week until December. The restaurant had already been completed, now it was being designed and cleaned.

Another week would mark the end of the month and entry into the new month of November.

Aristia was pulled out of her thoughts when Adeline wrapped a shawl around her shoulders.

"It is cold, Princess." Adeline said, worried for her Princess’s health.

"You worry too much, Linny. Winter has not even arrived. It is time for my training with the Captain." Aristia said.

They were still in the season of Autumn, also called the harvest season in this world, as it was when farmers usually harvested their crops.

The Captain arrived at that moment and Aristia began her training. She had to be strong to survive alone in this world. She wasn’t planning to stay with the Grand Duke and his wife forever if she was to remain in this world.

As she thought that, she subconsciously ignored the feeling of unwillingness she felt.