56 - Chapter 56
Everyone was surprised by the voice and looked at the stranger.
Ryan was no exception. Eloise saw that he still had his professional habits, as his eyes changed the moment he heard the loud noise and he reached for his waist.
Then, realizing he didn't have a gun, his eyes turned sharp, as if he was about to pounce.
But that atmosphere was only temporary.
"Richard...?"
Ryan's expression twisted as he looked at the stranger.
"Oh my, do you know him, Sergeant Thornton?"
Before Ryan could answer Mrs. Suberton's words, Richard quickly approached, opened his arms, and hugged Ryan.
"Ryan! My friend! I came near here for a vacation and thought of you. I had a difficult situation on the way, but I was able to come safely with the help of a kind person in a nearby village! I am just grateful that God has safely led me here."
Mrs. Suberton's face bloomed with a smile at the stranger's words, who patted Ryan's shoulder and greeted him heartily.
She seemed very pleased that he thanked God first, unlike the young people of today.
Unlike Mrs. Suberton's warm gaze, the words exchanged between Ryan and Richard were harsh, out of the sight of others.
"Crazy, what the hell are you doing?"
"Haha, smile for now, Sergeant Thornton. And I'm not the only one who came. Philip came with me too."
"What?"
At Richard's words, Ryan looked behind him.
There was no way. Unlike Richard, who acted recklessly, Philip was the one who would stop him from coming like this.
Ryan suspected for a moment that Richard was lying and looked at the front door.
His suspicion was put to shame as Philip was seen entering the front door. But he wasn't alone. He was escorting a woman with crutches, holding her hand.
"Abigail?"
At Eloise's surprised voice, Ryan pushed Richard away, who was trying to hug him again, and looked at the two people coming in.
'Is that woman Abigail?'
She was the woman who had been bothering him ever since he felt her gaze in Feltham. But the woman who was coming in with Philip now didn't seem to be much of a threat. More than anything...
"Abigail!"
"Eloise."
"You're here! Mrs. Ogilvy was worried because she said you wouldn't be able to attend today. Are you okay?"
Seeing her smile brightly at Eloise's worried words, she didn't seem to be someone who would harm Eloise, at least.
Of course, people aren't always what they seem, but Ryan generally trusted his intuition.
'But why was she glaring at Eloise back then?'
He definitely felt a stinging gaze in Feltham. She disappeared in an instant, but she couldn't escape Ryan's sensitive senses.
Then Ryan and Abigail's eyes met.
At that moment, Ryan realized that the person Abigail had animosity towards was not Eloise, but himself.
'Why?'
He felt wronged the moment he realized that. It was the first time he had seen her face today.
There was no connection between her and him to harbor animosity, so why was she still unable to hide her hostile gaze towards him?
But Abigail soon withdrew her gaze. It seemed that she thought she was staring at Ryan too much.
Meanwhile, Philip also came to Ryan and greeted him.
"It's nice to see you again after a long time, Sergeant Thornton."
Unlike Richard, Philip politely greeted him.
Of course, that didn't brighten Ryan's expression.
Then Mrs. Suberton, who was watching this situation with a surprised face, said with a smile.
"Oh my, two unexpected guests at the Banquet. I never thought this would really happen when I read it in the Bible. I sincerely welcome the two of you, who were guided by God."
At Mrs. Suberton's words, everyone looked as if they remembered something.
In the Bible, two angels sent by God hid their divine appearance and roamed the villages of humans.
Everyone turned them away, but only one house let the angels in.
They said that they were holding a Banquet because there was a celebration in the house today, and gave the angels the seat opposite the host, which could be said to be the most important seat.
They served them a lot of food, gave them new clothes and shoes, and even gave them travel expenses before seeing the angels off.
Just before leaving, the angels revealed their original appearance and blessed the families who had treated them, saying that they would never starve or be impoverished until they came to God's side, and that when they returned to God's side, a place would be prepared for them in the most comfortable place in heaven.
Therefore, in Albion, there has been a custom of treating guests who come to the house on a day when there is a happy event, not just a Banquet, with the utmost care.
Sometimes, people would deliberately pay to hire someone to come as a guest, hoping to receive a blessing.
But the hosts of the party still hoped that there would be a guest who would suddenly visit that day, as if guided by God, even though they had not been notified.
And now, what everyone had been hoping for had happened in front of Mrs. Suberton.
It wasn't just Mrs. Suberton. Not only the people who were still in the hall, but also some of the people who had gone to the Banquet hall returned and were very pleased to see this sight.
"Unexpected guests at the Banquet."
"This really happens."
"They say they were Sergeant Thornton's military colleagues and happened to stop by."
People were delighted and informed the people in the Banquet hall of this fact.
While everyone was amazed, Ryan smiled and grabbed Richard and Philip.
"To come here exactly today out of all those days. What a great coincidence."
His face was smiling, but his voice wasn't.
Then Mrs. Suberton clapped her hands lightly and called Mr. Palmer.
"Mr. Palmer, we have guests guided by God at the Banquet. Can you ask the people who went in first for their understanding and prepare seats for these two?"
"There will be no problem with the tableware or food, but..."
At Mrs. Suberton's words, Mr. Palmer's face showed a troubled expression.
The problem was the seats for the guests.
Of course, it wasn't impossible. But this year, the number of invited guests had increased compared to last year, so the tables had to be arranged so tightly that they were really packed.
So much so that Mr. Palmer cautiously said that next year, he would have to adjust the number of people at the Banquet or purchase additional tables with the same width as the existing ones.
In any case, the tables at today's Banquet were cramped.
But to put two more people there. At this rate, the attendees would have to sit so close that their arms would bump into each other.
Then Eloise and Abigail, who had been whispering to each other for a while, raised their hands.
"What's wrong?"
Mrs. Suberton asked urgently, wondering if the two had a good idea.
"What if we skip the Banquet?"
"What?"
"If the two of us skip it, the attendees can just move one seat to the side, right? Then there's no need to set the tableware again."
"But what are you going to do?"
Then Eloise and Abigail held hands and smiled at each other.
"We've been attending this Banquet since we were kids, right?"
"That's right, ma'am. And as you know, I can't sit on a hard chair for long. So I always asked for your understanding and left my seat early to go to the Reception room every time."
"That's true, but..."
"So we'll be in the Reception room. More than anything, they're guests guided by God, so they have to attend. Right?"
Eloise and Abigail smiled as if they really didn't care about the Banquet, so Mrs. Suberton hesitated for a moment and said to Mr. Palmer.
"Mr. Palmer, did you hear that? Go to the Banquet hall and ask the guests for their understanding and ask them to move one seat to the side from the center to the opposite side. The center is..."
Mrs. Suberton thought for a moment and said.
"Miss Julia and Miss Patricia. Move one seat to the side around the two of them, and the guests can sit opposite Sergeant Thornton."
At those words, the faces of Julia and Patricia, who were standing in the hall, hardened.
It was the seat opposite the host that everyone wanted and that they had gotten, making them unknowingly proud.
That seat had become the seat of the suddenly appearing guests.
Contrary to people's expectations that Ryan would grab the hand of one of the two and come in, Ryan grabbed Mrs. Suberton's hand.
And the Banquet began with the suddenly arrived guests grabbing the hands of Julia and Patricia, who had a tearful look on their faces, and coming in.
