KFN A1C8 - Eggs! I want eggs!

The chicken coop is filled with its inhabitants' squawkings. Some of the fowls looked dazed, some minded their own business and scurried about. The air is afoul with chicken poop/shit manure. Lin Ling pinched her nose as she carefully chose where she tread. Her eyes busily scanned for her ticket to return home.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?"

As she was engrossed in her search, Arthur's quizzical voice appeared from her back. (TL: I swear, this author like to use 'voice appeared from her back...')

"Looking for eggs..."

She replied casually.

"Eggs?"

Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"I do not know why, but hens do not lay eggs during this time period."

"Whaaaaaattt?!"

Lin Ling yelped at this news. Surprised at this, she slipped and fell into a stack of hay. Lin Ling struggled to push herself back up, only to feel her hands came in contact with a gooey substance. She merely looked at her defiled hands, and the corner of her lips twitched in disgust.

She really is an incredible case of bad luck!

Arthur's eyes showed a flash of ridicule at the girl.

"I find it unbelievable that you'll be a boon to me in the future, like Merlin said."

Lin Ling find herself angered at his remark. Who would want to come to this fantasy world anyway?! There's no books, no television, not even a computer! I have to eat with my hands too! I was brought to this place without my consent! I want to go home! I want to leave this boorish place...

Her heart ached at the thought. Unable to control her feelings, she let it all out. She wailed all the while muttering an incomprehensible string of words.

"I want to go home! *sniffles* I miss mum and dad! I want to go back to my world... Away from this ghastly place... *sniffles*"

In this dirty chicken coop, a girl now sits within a mess of haystacks and chicken manure, bawling her eyes out. Even Arthur find this situation somewhat hilarious. However, upon hearing that she wishes to go home, Arthur's expression became somewhat complicated.

"Don't cry! Even I was sent here by my father! Aren't you old enough to leave your parent's side already?"

Lin Ling ignored him and continued to weep.

"You are such a crybaby! Keep crying then! I do not need a crybaby as my aide!"

Arthur's tone is clearly not happy at Lin Ling's continous weeping.

"Can't I even cry in peace here..."

She sobbed at his tone.

"No. Now that you are here, you must accept the situation. Even if you are a woman, be a brave one."

As he said this, his demeanor did not match his outer appearance. It was a matured air, unbefitting of the 7 year old boy.

She sobbed and raised her head to look at the boy, then whispered to him.

"Hey rascal... Do you have a handkerchief?"

"No."

He frowned.

"You are so stingy! If it's not for me, you'll still be a fruit candy!"

Her reply quickly faded, as a white embroided handkerchief flew to her side, accompanied by Arthur's voice.

"Don't you dare mention it again!"

She took the handkerchief while staring at the back of the boy as he leaves the area. Her mood now feels much better than before.

With a maid's help, Lin Ling took a bath and put on a clean dress. Perhaps it has something to do with her previous situation, she still feels as if her body still stinks of that chicken coop. She turned to talk to the maid, only to find her wistfully looking out the window.

Following the maid's line of sight, Lin Ling saw Merlin with his eyes closed. His face serene, the wind gently whipped his sea blue hair. (TL: I get it author-san, he's all blue! Stop mentioning how blue he is!!)

As though noticing eyes on him, his eye lids flickered open, revealing an equally stunning blue eyes. He returned the maid's stare, almost causing her to faint on the spot. Lin Ling too, felt heat rushing to her face.

Just who is this mysterious Merlin?

Soon, it's dinnertime.

During the medieval ages, dinnertime is an important meal to European aristocrats. However, there are not many dishes available even to an upper class family. This era currently lacks a plethora of seasoning. The common ones include cabbages, onions, garlics, and parsley/celery. Even an aristocrat family have the most common of dishes available in this era; potatoes, barbecued meat, bacon, spinach, lettuce and other vegetables.

Lin Ling peeked at the dinner table's occupants. Everyone is quietly picking at their own plate. Merlin too, is eating his plate's spinach graciously with a quiet smile plastered on his face. Seeing such a handsome man eating his vegetables with only his hands brought on a complicated feeling to Lin Ling. The corner of her lips twitched at this scene.

Looks like before she go back to her world, she must somehow create a pair of chopstick or a fork. Else, she'll be eating with her hands all day long! The thought of this made her really upset.

She took a large bite from a piece of bread. Lin Ling then noticed braised pork, complete with pig ears and intestines. During the European medieval ages, every part of the pig is not wasted. TL:

After finishing her bread, she began cutting the pork meat on her plate. Remembering this morning's incident, she did the task carefully.

Unfortunately, the chef chose to give her a plate of pig ears instead which impressively, refuse to yield to Lin Ling's careful slicing. Lin Ling then tried to add more strength to it.

Once again, she heard the "biu" sound and the pig ear she was desperately cutting flew up and high. Shocked, the first thing she did was to look at Arthur who was sitting opposite to her. Seeing that his face is safe, she sighed with relief.

Phew, thank God...

At least she missed. As soon as she thought of this, she raised her head to look at him again, and froze on the spot.

Well, it's true that his face is spared. But what of the extra slab of meat on his head?

She felt a sudden chill run down her back. Could it be...?

Merlin grinned, and Kay could not hold back his laughter.

Arthur calmly wiped his hands, and removed his "hat". He put it aside and continued eating as though nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry... I really did not mean it..."

Annoyed, Arthur stared at her. Lin Ling shuddered. His stare is really scary...

"If there is a third time..."

Arthur suddenly spoke up.

"You'll regret it."

Only God knows how regretful she is. But, she regret playing this game the most!

Lin Ling managed to survive through dinnertime, quickly left the dining hall and visited the garden for a breather.

TL: Oh god here comes the decorative words.

The layout of the garden is fairly simple. White stones are piled in a manner that adorns the ground, surrounded by different types of flowers. The moon shone down on roses and tulips alike. In the very center of the garden, stood a cherry tree. Cherries still hang from it's branches, the summer breeze blow past the leaves, causing the leaves to rustle in the wind.

She could not help but extend her hand out to pluck the cherries. Just as she almost did that, a young boy's voice appeared from her back.

"My mother planted that tree."

Startled, she turned her body just to see a brown haired boy standing behind her.

"I'm sorry, I did not know..."

"It's okay. If you want to, just take some."

Kay revealed a hearty smile.

"You said your name is Lin Ling?"

As soon as he said this, Kay's eyes glinted with curiousity.

"You look so different from us! Black hair and black eyes, this is the first I've seen it!"

Seeing that he is only ** years old (TL: The ** is also from the raws.), moreover he is more easy to talk to compared to Arthur, she replied casually as well.

"That's because I'm from a foreign country."

"A foreign country?"

Kay got even more curious from her answer.

"Can you tell me about your country?"

"Yes, of course..."

Lin Ling sat at the foot of the cherry tree together with Kay, and began telling stories about her country in simpler terms. Not long after she started, Kay is already sound asleep.

... Seriously, is her story that boring?

"I almost fell asleep listening to your story."

Arthur's cynical voice appeared from the back of the tree. Lin Ling was surprised at his sudden appearance. (TL: See!! The "back of" appears again!)

"Why are you here?"

"I was here before you."

Arthur never moved from his spot as he replied, and added.

"An idiot like you wouldn't know anyway."

"Ah yes, that handkerchief. I'll return it to you once I washed it clean."

Lin Ling suddenly remembered the handkerchief.

"Just throw it away." He coldly raised his eyebrows in disdain.

"I won't use back the things you've used before!"

"What do you mean by that?!"

She felt depressed from his words.

"You are so young, yet your words are so barbed!"

"Mind your own business!"

He replied coldly.

"I'll be frank. Though it's Master's words, I do not believe it! That nonsensical thing about you being from another world... In my eyes, you're a crybaby. And I hate crybabies the most."

Arthur stood up as quickly as he said the words.

"I, Arthur, do not need people like you by my side!"

Staring at his shrinking back as Arthur walked back towards the castle, Lin Ling muttered quietly to herself.

"I hate myself too..."

How do I make myself more courageous? I, too, do not know the answer.