CH 24

Since arriving at the Styx Kingdom, Eleni had only gone to the temple once and spent the rest of her time shuttling between her assigned bedroom and the large bathhouse.

She was still not used to the new environment and her body lacked proper nutrition, making it difficult for her to move around. Besides, having spent a quiet life in a remote monastery, Eleni didn’t mind staying indoors and being still.

Moreover, she couldn’t possibly be bored in a bedroom larger than the one she had spent ten years in, with Thanasios and the maids taking good care of her. Thanasios prioritized taking care of Eleni’s meals and baths over his political duties, and Eleni was very satisfied with the current situation. She couldn’t count how many times she had been moved and how happy she was.

In the morning, Thanasios would come to the bedroom and have breakfast with her. Until lunchtime, she would read books, chat with the maids, and have lunch with Thanasios. After lunch, she would take a bath with Thanasios and take a nap. She would receive a medical examination, listen to instructions on diet and exercise, and report to Thanasios during dinner. Since the lifestyle in the monastery was early to bed and early to rise, Eleni would fall asleep soon after dinner and sleep soundly in bed, watched over by Thanasios.

After living like that for three or four days, Eleni’s cheeks began to turn pink. Although she was still not completely healthy, the doctor suggested that she was starting to get used to the environment and could possibly move on. When Eleni reported this to Thanasios during dinner, he said:

“Well, then it’s time to give you a room.”

“A room? Do you mean a different room than the one I have now?”

“That’s just a bedroom. For now, we’ll renovate the rooms on both sides and put in a dressing room, lounge, and study. The most important thing is the dressing room. You’ll need a lot of clothes from now on. Will one closet be enough? Probably not. Should we move to another floor?”

Even though Thanasios was throwing unfamiliar words at her in rapid succession, Eleni didn’t understand any of it. When he said that the room, which was large enough to fit the entire monastery, was just a bedroom, Eleni was stunned by the difference in perception.

“Oh, I almost forgot. I’m calling the tailor tomorrow morning to make clothes for you. You’ll take a bath first thing in the morning.”

“Y-Yes.”

“For now, we’ll have them make the minimum necessary clothes. I’d like to make clothes that suit your taste, but for now, you’ll have to be patient.”

Thanasios, who was becoming enthusiastic, noticed Eleni’s stunned look.

Eleni didn’t say anything. She should have been used to it by now, but there were various misunderstandings between Thanasios and Eleni. Even an ordinary citizen would be surprised by Eleni’s selflessness and ignorance, despite being a princess and a former nun. And for Thanasios, a prince of a great nation, Eleni’s indifference to such worldly matters was akin to that of an innocent child.

Even when Thanasios tried to provide Eleni with what she needed at the royal palace, she would tilt her head and wonder why someone like her was being treated so well, and would apologize for being unworthy of such consideration.

Gradually, Thanasios began to understand the situation. He realized that he needed to treat Eleni as an individual, rather than just a lady or a large dog.

“…Eleni, it seems like you’re trying to say that you don’t need to put up with this.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not very familiar with clothing, and I only had that tunic, so I think the clothes I received just now are enough.”

“That outfit was just hastily gathered old clothes…no, yeah, my bad. I mean, I should make what you need when you need it. But, it’s just a matter of making clothes that you might need right away. You can’t go to ceremonies or parties in your everyday clothes, can you?”

Eleni nodded in agreement. When Eleni had to attend a ceremony or party, Thanasios would surely be there. In order not to embarrass Thanasios who was standing next to her, she needed to dress up as well. Eleni understood that much.

However, Eleni looked at her thin wrists and fingers and thought to herself.

“I need to gain weight to look good in clothes.”

“Oh, well, eat a lot and you’ll grow.”

“Yes, I’ll grow.”

As it is now, she looked like a withered tree wearing clothes. Eleni tried her best to eat the basil sauce chicken sauté that was served as the main dish.

She still couldn’t finish a meal for an adult woman, but she moved her knife and fork for Thanasios. She stopped in the middle because she was too full and was about to cry, and Thanasios stopped her, which was part of the routine.