It was difficult to hear for loud voices filled the entire hall. The savory aromatic scent of food filled in the air, making it hard for one to contain their hunger. Rows of long wooden tables and benches filled the stoned floor. Moulin's ears could catch the creaking of the wood as almost a hundred people with alarming muscled limbs sat on those creaking benches.
Their laughs and their conversations were loud. Men and women alike, gobbled their food as they spoke to their companions with hearty smiles. Other slammed the tables with their wooden mugs as they boasts about themselves and the challenges and missions they have accomplished. Currently, Moulin was silently trying to carry a wooden tray filled with ten full mugs of wine and a whole roasted chicken, steaming delightfully. It was a funny sight to see such a slender person carrying something so heavy.
Staring at the food also made Moulin realize that he hasn't had breakfast yet.
He has spent a full hour in this inn-like dining hall, serving food, cleaning up tables, balancing plates, and picking up fallen utensils on the floor. He didn't even have time to stop and think as voices began to call for him from the people at the counters and the knights at the tables.
Moulin abruptly stopped in his steps. 'Wait, why am I spending so much time here anyway?'
"Oi! Here!" A loud voice boomed. At the far side of the hall, one large hand began to wave at Moulin.
Moulin blinked. He moved his feet and carefully evaded a servant girl carrying a stack of wooden bowls who almost bumped him.
The servant girl stopped and examined Moulin worriedly, "Sorry, Are you alright? You're not hurt?" Other servants began to look at him in concern.
A smile stretches on Moulin's face. "I'm fine, don't worry."
He has to admit, most of the workers here are friendly and caring. It made it fun to continue pretending.
Relief filled her face, and she nodded to him before hurrying to deliver the plates to the counters. The other resumed their work as well. The smile on the youth's face didn't fade away as he started to head to the knight's table.
"Ah, finally! I'm starving!" A blonde knight stared as Moulin carefully began to put the mugs and the plates of food on the table. The platter smoothly scraped the wood, and the bountiful scent of food made the bulky warriors drool hungrily.
Moulin poured wine on an empty cup and passed it over to the hand, reaching out for it. Fingers brushed. Moulin stopped. The youth lifted his silver eyes and stared at the man before him, who was scrutinizing him intently.
"What strange eyes you got there, lad." The man smiled. His handsome features looked even more captivating when he smiles. "I have traveled a lot, and I have never seen someone as enchanting as you. How come I only noticed you today?"
"I'm... new here..." Moulin slightly furrows his eyebrows and nods at the man. The table had gone silent.
Moulin retracted his hand, swiftly picked up the tray and left. He heard laughter bursting from behind him as he walked away. His lips twitches once he reached the kitchens. It seems some of those knights were heartbreakers. He leaned his shoulder on the stone wall and placed the tray on a rack.
While he wiped his hands on his dirty apron, he stared at the rowdy dining hall filled with strong people. What made him even more curious was the fact that they were carrying their weapons with them as they dined. There was an unsheathed sword on a table and a bow laid on top of it. There were also arrows that spilled from their quiver to the floor. A servant yelps when he felt his ankle pricked by an arrowhead.
Honestly, someone could get dreadfully hurt if this keeps up.
"Hey, did you hear about the Lord's return?"
