Lady of the Lord From the East

[Edited] Chapter 9

After spending a considerable amount of time in the capital, Felix's manner of speaking had been influenced by the frivolity and exaggeration typical of nobles there. However, his overall demeanor was respectable, with upright eyes and a presentable appearance that earned him extra points in Wei Wei's eyes.

The evening's dinner was a grand affair, not limited to just a few individuals. Knights who had participated in the hunt were also in attendance, a customary reward following each hunting expedition.

Wei Wei was seated on the right side of Felix at the head of the table, with Felix's sister Dolores on her other side. Across from them sat an elder in priestly robes, Father Matthew. The knights were positioned at the far end of the long table, with empty space separating them from the rest of the guests.

Typically, unmarried female guests would be seated at the front, but this wasn't appropriate for this occasion.

The food served varied on both sides of the table. The main course for the dinner was the wild boar caught earlier that day. However, while the knights were served meat cooked from adult wild boar, those at the main seat were presented with roast suckling pig prepared from wild boar cubs.

Alongside the wild boar, the dinner table was adorned with bread, fruits, and vegetables. The bread was a type exclusive to nobles, appearing much harder and resembling biscuits or other flour-based products rather than the soft bread Wei Wei was accustomed to.

The fruits and vegetables were common varieties, but the eating habits differed significantly from later generations. People believed that eating raw fruits was harmful as they were considered cold, and thus, fruits had to be cooked before consumption. Only those of lower status would dare to eat fruits raw. On the contrary, vegetables were typically consumed raw.

While Wei Wei had encountered cooked fruit before, such as canned fruits from various countries, the cooking methods during this time were questionable. Glancing at the fruit soup on the table, her discerning nose detected an abundance of spices, notably pepper. If fruit soup was meant to be both salty and sweet, Wei Wei preferred the latter and rejected any added flavors aside from sweetness.

The vegetable salads consisted of a mix of cabbage, turnips, carrots, and onions. While she could tolerate raw cabbage, the idea of raw carrots and onions challenged her palate. Wei Wei wasn't fond of cooked carrots, let alone raw ones.

Wei Wei hesitated to indulge in the highly praised roast suckling pig served at the dinner table.

While the suckling pork was tender and expertly roasted, the lingering wild boar scent remained prominent. Despite the chef's efforts to mask it with spices, Wei Wei's sensitive nose still detected the smell.

Reflecting on her newfound pickiness about food since switching bodies, she humorously remarked, "I think my nose and mouth will starve me to death in this world sooner or later."

The system reassured her, pointing out that she now possessed the culinary skills to prepare food to her liking if she wasn't satisfied with others' cooking.

As the servants brought out the dishes and Felix signaled the start of dinner by picking up his knife, Wei Wei noticed the table setting included table knives and soup spoons for each person on the main side, while the knights shared a table knife at their table. However, Wei Wei still laid out her own tableware, even though it seemed unnecessary in this setting.

Wei Wei smiled apologetically at the curious onlookers who had gathered around her table. "I'm sorry, I'm not accustomed to the tableware here. May I use my own?"

Her hesitation stemmed from a lack of trust in the hygiene practices observed in the dining arrangements. She noticed that the servant's hands, who had just brought the cutlery, were dirty, and she harbored doubts about the cleanliness of the dishes as well.