Aristia's mouth fell open in disbelief.
Instead of the roasted meat and polished aristocratic meals she had expected, laid out in front of her was plain porridge— it was just oats cooked in water, without honey or butter— dry bread— also without butter or cheese— thin vegetable broth— which was just watery soup with only a few turnip and cabbage pieces— boiled beans, and plain boiled fish with no herbs or sauces.
They basically removed the richness, sweetness, and indulgence she usually got, but there was enough food to fill her stomach.
[Leave out filling my stomach, just the look of it doesn't whet my appetite.]
She stared at it, and her lips kept twitching. "…This is it?"
[Seriously. Is this a joke?]
The maid replied with a straight tone. "His Highness's orders. It's punishment."
Alaric leaned over from the opposite side of the table, looking into her bowl of porridge. "…That looks like pig feed."
