Stranger [3]

Noah’s room wasn’t anything to be ashamed of. Although it lacked any sense of aesthetic charm, it aimed for functionality and organization. A small, neat bed, an orderly desk beside the window, an open wardrobe next to the desk, a mirror with a basin opposite the bed. The remaining space included only a small bookshelf for the books he loved after reading them. Noah usually borrowed the books he read from the town library; if he liked a book enough, he’d buy it; if not, he’d return it. His room wasn’t particularly large by any means, but he was content with it nonetheless.

Now, Mrs. Aileen stood in the middle of the room, judging it with a tone of pity. As soon as she noticed his entrance, she turned her judgment into words. “The room is tidy, which is good, but where’s the beauty? Everything here is overly practical, with no personal touch or warmth. And the wardrobe, being exposed like this? It gives an impression of disorder even if everything is in its place. Perhaps adding a curtain or door to it would be better. And if you add some simple decorations, like a painting or a small plant, the atmosphere will become more comfortable and appealing. The room doesn’t need to be luxurious, but a little attention to detail reflects your personality. Or maybe this already reflects it?”

Noah said nothing—she was right; this perfectly reflected Noah’s personality.

Seeing his lack of response, she continued her judgment, this time about his character. “No, even with your calm demeanor, this room doesn’t reflect your soul, Noah. It’s as cold as its stone walls, lacking some beauty and life. Simplicity is fine, but a bit of beauty won’t hurt. I’ll take some time to help you inject some life into your dull room.”

She smiled at him as if she were offering him a lifelong favor, but it was likely just an excuse for her to delve into his room more deeply. Noah didn’t mind either—there really wasn’t anything for her to find about him. His room was his, and he could always rearrange it as he wished. Besides his work, all he had was time.

“I seem to have gotten off track a little.” She laughed lightly and approached his open wardrobe with steady steps. “Let’s see what you have.”

Mrs. Aileen’s enthusiasm didn’t last long. It quickly turned to bewilderment. She looked at him, “Is this all your clothes?” she said, somewhat shocked and sympathetic.

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“That’s all I need,” said Noah indifferently.

Noah’s wardrobe contained only the bare minimum of clothing: sleepwear, outdoor clothes, and the work clothes he was wearing now. Noah never felt the need to have a lot of clothes to choose from; the matter wasn’t about money but personality. This was one thing that hadn’t changed about him.

Mrs. Aileen pondered Noah’s words, her expression unreadable. With a sigh, she commanded, “We’ll buy you something decent and suitable.”

Noah tilted his head slightly to the side and inquired, “Won’t we be late for the festival? I can make do with what I have.”

“No, you can’t. You don’t have anything,” Mrs. Aileen gestured exaggeratedly towards the wardrobe. “Besides, this is just the first day of the festival. Although the castle is open to the public, there’s an unspoken tradition that no one enters it on the first day. You could say the festival starts in the central square, you’ll see when we get there,” she added.

Noah hesitated a bit before saying anything, but Mrs. Aileen answered his unspoken question, “Most vendors take advantage of this festival to boost their sales. So, my husband’s words that no one will open, well, a big white lie. Not like he needs advertisement for people to visit his store; it’s well known, and you know better.” She noticed his expression for a moment and added, “Don’t be too gloomy; you can take a few days off; there’s no harm in that.”

Her words held some truth, Mr. Edric indeed didn’t need advertisement. The antique artifacts he crafted had high demand, especially from the Imperial capital, where they placed large orders from time to time for resale there. One might wonder why someone with such talent would confine himself to a small town. If he took the step to move to the capital, it was almost certain he would become one of the wealthiest people in his field. Noah had once asked Mr. Edric this question but didn’t get a direct answer. He said his family was happy here. Later, Noah realized it was more about his eldest daughter Eyolian than the family as a whole. Noah never brought up the topic again, respecting others' boundaries.

Noah agreed to Mrs. Aileen’s offer. The two descended to the rest of the family downstairs. Of course, Mrs. Aileen took her time describing the dire state of his room—as she saw it in her eyes. Noah didn’t say anything about it; she also didn’t add any details that weren’t really there. She ensured everyone knew she would be in charge of redecorating and refurnishing his room, with the help of Eyolian, who seemed reluctant but didn’t voice her thoughts.

After a small chat, the small family and Noah headed to the town’s central square. Noah remained in his work clothes, even as Mrs. Aileen stated these were the only decent clothes he had. He said nothing about it and followed behind the small family in silence.