Noble Young Wife

After Karl finished explaining the details of the trial production of the Minin Cannon, he was about to turn and leave the noisy yet vibrant workshop when he suddenly saw a simply dressed but neatly organized young woman carrying an intricately woven rattan lunchbox, looking in Hector's direction with a hint of shyness and concern on her face.

Hector saw her too, and the serious expression on his face softened instantly, even showing a faint blush.

He walked over quickly, took the lunchbox naturally, and whispered something to the woman, who nodded slightly and stood quietly to the side.

This heartwarming scene piqued Karl's curiosity. He stopped and asked with a smile, "Hector, who is this...? I don't think I've seen him before."

Hector rubbed his hands together somewhat awkwardly, glanced at the woman beside him, then at Karl, and introduced her with a mix of unease and happiness in his voice, "My Lord, her name is Helena, and she... she fled from the Fran City in the south a while ago."

Hector spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing those around him, or perhaps afraid of touching upon Helena's past pain.

He paused, his brow furrowing slightly, his tone softening with pity. "I heard her say that she was originally a young lady from a fallen noble family in Fran City. Her fate was tragic; her husband contracted a serious illness and passed away less than two years after she got married."

"Her husband's family never looked down on her declining family background. As soon as her husband left, her heartless brother led a group of people to break into the house and seized all the dowry and land she had left, leaving her not even a piece of clothing to cover herself."

"She endured a long and arduous journey, hungry and trudging through muddy roads, finally managing to escape to our Northern Territory. She's truly pitiful..."

Hector's apple bobbed as he spoke, and his gaze towards Helena softened further. "When I saw her at the city gate, she was huddled in a corner, her lips purple from the cold, and she could barely stand."

"I couldn't bear to see her, a weak woman with no one to rely on, so... I often brought her some Black Bread and hot soup, and found some old clothes left by my mother for her to wear."

His voice gradually softened, and a satisfied smile appeared between his brows, as if he were reminiscing about some warm scene. "Later, she always said she wanted to thank me, so she often came to my messy little wooden house to help out."

"As you know, I'm a bachelor, and I'm usually busy with the workshop. The things in the house are piled up in a mess, and I rarely light a fire in the stove, maybe once every ten days or so."

"But after she arrived, she polished those old wooden tables and chairs until they shone, put the scattered tools in neat order, and always brought me a bowl of steaming hot vegetable soup when I finished work."

Hector grinned, revealing a set of neat white teeth, his smile simple and sincere, "You haven't seen it, but she kept that cabin spotless, with smoke constantly billowing from the chimney, and even the air filled with the aroma of bread."

"When I get home from work, I can smell the aroma of food as soon as I open the door. I no longer have to eat dry, hard Black Bread, or stare blankly at a cold stove. I think... this kind of life is pretty good."

"I don't need to be rich or wealthy, or live a life of luxury. As long as I have someone to talk to at night and a bowl of hot soup when it's cold, I'll feel at ease."

As soon as Hector finished speaking, Helena gently lifted her skirt and stepped forward. Her movements were slightly awkward, but it was still clear that she had received a good aristocratic upbringing.

She curtsied slightly, giving Karl a perfect ladylike bow. Her voice was as soft as a spring breeze rustling through a meadow, tinged with barely concealed shyness. She said in a gentle, soft voice, "Greetings, Your Lord. Thank you for taking in a homeless refugee like myself, and thank you for understanding Hector's hardships."

Karl looked Helena up and down. Although she had weathered many storms and dressed simply, the elegant air of her former self was still faintly visible in her features, and her eyes were clear and gentle.

Karl looked at the perfect couple before him and couldn't help but chuckle.

Hector looks mature for his age, but he is actually not even forty.

In recent years, his status in Carnford has risen steadily, and he is now the undisputed number one person in the munitions factory, having trained more than a dozen apprentices who have graduated.

Now, with his monthly salary as workshop foreman and the training fee for instructing apprentices, he earns at least several dozen Silver coin a month.

Previously, Karl thought that given Hector's personality, he would most likely marry a widow with a son from the territory. At that time, he was secretly worried that Hector's hard-earned money would be stolen.

Who would have thought that Hector would be so lucky as to pick up a fallen Noble young wife on his way home from work.

Ultimately, it was Hector's kind heart that allowed him to give this lonely and helpless woman a meal.

He's a bachelor who doesn't spend much money except for the occasional drink to drown his sorrows. Now that he has Helena, with a little more effort in the next few years, having a child shouldn't be a problem.

Karl chuckled and patted Hector on the shoulder, his tone earnest. "That's good, Hector. Once you move into Stockaded Village Number One, choose the best house, and welcome Helena in with great fanfare. Find an opportunity to hold a simple wedding, and invite familiar neighbors and coworkers to witness it."

"Now that you're the workshop manager, you enjoy excellent benefits. Holding a ceremony won't cost much money, but it will give you a legitimate reason to do so. This is both a sign of respect for Helena and a way to give her a respectable explanation."

Hector was completely taken aback by the fact that the Lord was so concerned about his private affairs and so thoughtful, and was immediately flattered.

A simple smile spread across his dark face, and he nodded vigorously, saying loudly, "Yes! Lord! You're absolutely right! Since you've said so, I will definitely hold the wedding! We'll hold it as soon as my house in Stockaded Village Number One is completely finished!"

"Okay, I'll definitely come then." Karl agreed with a smile, nodded to Helena, and then left the workshop in a cheerful mood.

Watching the Lord walk away, Hector and Helena walked to a relatively quiet corner of the workshop and sat down next to a pile of timber where they could get some sun.

Helena opened the lunchbox, inside were simple Black Bread, some bacon, and vegetable soup, yet it was steaming hot and smelled delicious.

As Helena served Hector soup, she whispered, "Hector, the wedding... really doesn't need to be so extravagant. You don't earn money easily, so let's... let's save as much as we can."

Hector took the soup bowl, brought it to his lips, and took a sip. The warm soup slid down his throat, warming his stomach and his heart.

He looked up at Helena, shook his head firmly, and his dark eyes gleamed with an undeniable light.

He put down the soup bowl, reached out and gently took Helena's hand. Her hand was a little cold, so he carefully wrapped it in his own rough palm, and said in a low but very serious voice, "No, Helena, absolutely not. The Lord is right. You used to be a lady from a respectable family, well-educated, and should have lived a life of luxury."

"But now, you're living in a simple wooden hut with a rough man like me, wearing coarse clothes, eating Black Bread and vegetable soup. You've already suffered enough. This wedding can't be skipped anymore."

Helena looked at the unwavering determination and hidden tenderness in Hector's eyes, her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes. Finally, she nodded gently, a happy and relieved smile appearing on her face.

In this turbulent Northern Territory, finding a man who cherishes her so much is perhaps the greatest blessing in disguise.