Leaving the two of them behind, I picked up the freshly prepared bowl of noodles and made my way out of the kitchen.
Maintaining the same calm, professional demeanor as before, I walked over to Leslie's table and gently placed the bowl in front of her.
"Your order, Madam."
"Thank you."
Just as I was about to turn around and leave, Leslie looked up at me and spoke in a voice quiet enough that only the two of us could hear.
"Arthur..."
She hesitated for a brief moment before her gaze drifted to the simple uniform I was wearing.
"I don't know if I should ask this, but... when you told me I could find you at this inn, I thought you were staying here. But... why are you working here?"
There was a trace of concern in her eyes as she continued.
"If you're having financial difficulties, I can help you. Consider it part of my repayment for everything you've done for me."
For a brief moment, I was caught slightly off guard by her assumption. However, my expression remained unchanged.
"I have my own reasons," I replied quietly, offering no further explanation before turning the question back to her.
"But why did you come here?"
Leslie fell silent.
She lowered her gaze to the table, seemingly organizing her thoughts before finally speaking in a soft voice.
"I came here to meet you."
I looked at her silently.
"Why?"
"Well..."
Leslie gently clasped her hands together on top of the table.
"I wanted to let you know what we found after investigating the people who kidnapped us."
She paused for a brief moment before continuing, though this time her voice carried a hint of hesitation.
"And..."
A faint blush slowly spread across her cheeks.
"...I also wanted to meet you."
A slight frown formed on my face.
"What does your investigation have to do with me?"
The words had barely left my mouth when the sharp sound of metal scraping against its sheath suddenly echoed through the dining hall.
Shing!
Before anyone could react, the guard standing behind Leslie had already drawn the sword from his waist. In a single stride, he stepped in front of her and leveled the gleaming blade directly at me, his eyes burning with fury.
"How dare you speak to my lady in such a manner!"
His angry shout echoed throughout the inn.
In an instant, the lively atmosphere vanished.
The conversations that had filled the dining hall moments earlier came to an abrupt halt as every customer turned toward us. Even the workers froze where they stood, their eyes fixed on the sword pointed at an ordinary inn worker, while an uneasy silence quickly spread through the entire room.
Then, the silence was broken by a wave of hushed whispers that rapidly spread throughout the dining hall.
"What happened?"
"Why did that guard draw his sword?"
"Did that worker offend her?"
"She looks like she's from a wealthy noble family..."
"He's finished."
"An ordinary inn worker provoking a noble?"
"That guard is going to kill him."
The murmurs grew louder with each passing second as more and more customers rose from their seats, craning their necks to get a better look at what was happening. Even the workers had stopped what they were doing, their eyes fixed on the confrontation unfolding in the middle of the inn, while the once lively atmosphere was quickly replaced by tension and uneasy anticipation.
I remained where I was, my gaze calmly fixed on the sword pointed directly at my chest. Despite the tension that had suddenly filled the dining hall, my expression remained completely unchanged. In contrast, the guard's eyes burned with hostility as he continued glaring at me, his grip firm around the hilt as though he was merely waiting for the slightest excuse to strike.
Before the situation could escalate any further, a clear voice suddenly cut through the tense silence.
"Enough!"
Leslie rose from her seat, the gentleness that usually accompanied her voice replaced by unmistakable authority.
"Lower your sword."
The guard immediately turned toward her, still unwilling to back down.
"My Lady, he..."
Before he could finish, Leslie raised a hand, stopping him mid-sentence.
"I said..."
Her voice grew noticeably firmer.
"Lower your sword."
The guard stood frozen for a brief moment. Although the displeasure on his face was obvious, he ultimately lowered his head.
"...Yes, My Lady."
Reluctantly, he lowered the sword before sliding it back into its sheath.
"And wait outside."
This time, he didn't utter another word. After shooting me one final hostile glare, he bowed respectfully toward Leslie, turned around, and quietly walked out of the inn, leaving behind a dining hall filled with stunned onlookers.
None of the customers had expected the confrontation to end so abruptly.
I slowly swept my gaze across the dining hall.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on Leslie and me. The inn owner stood frozen behind the counter, still trying to process everything that had just unfolded, while Miguel had nearly half his body sticking out from behind the kitchen curtain, his mouth hanging open in complete disbelief. Even the other workers had stopped what they were doing, their attention entirely focused on us.
Suppressing a quiet sigh, I quickly understood the situation.
Turning toward Leslie, I respectfully lowered my head.
"I'm truly sorry, Madam," I said loudly enough for everyone inside the inn to hear. "Please forgive me if I have offended you."
Leslie blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting my sudden apology. However, as she glanced around and noticed the countless curious eyes fixed upon us, understanding gradually dawned on her. A playful smile slowly curved her lips as she realized exactly what I was trying to do.
Looking directly at me, she deliberately raised her voice so that everyone in the dining hall could hear.
"I'll forgive you..."
She paused for just a moment before the smile on her face deepened.
"...If you eat with me."
For a brief moment, the entire dining hall fell silent.
Then, another wave of whispers erupted throughout the inn.
The customers looked at Leslie in stunned disbelief. None of them had expected a young noblewoman to invite an ordinary inn worker to share a meal with her. Even the inn's workers exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand what they had just witnessed. From the kitchen entrance, Miguel nearly lost his footing, barely catching himself against the doorframe as he stared at us with his mouth hanging open.
I looked at Leslie in genuine surprise before leaning forward slightly and lowering my voice.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Instead of answering quietly, she simply smiled. Then, as though intentionally making sure everyone in the inn heard her, she raised her voice and repeated,
"Well? If you're truly asking for my forgiveness, then join me for a meal."
The corner of my eye twitched.
For a brief moment, I simply looked at her, completely at a loss for words. It was obvious she had done that on purpose. Seeing that there was little point in arguing any further, I shifted my gaze toward the inn owner.
The owner looked back and forth between Leslie and me for a moment before eventually giving me a small nod, silently telling me to accept her request.
Letting out a quiet breath, I looked back at Leslie and gave a respectful nod.
"...Very well, Madam. If that is your wish."
A satisfied smile immediately appeared on Leslie's face. She gestured toward the empty chair opposite her before speaking in a gentle voice.
"Then please... have a seat."