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Louisa stepped off the train with a slight shiver running down her spine. She had never imagined that her life would take such a turn. The countryside, with its vast expanses of fields and small houses scattered here and there, was far from the hustle and bustle of the city and the sophistication of her usual world. Her mother, in her desire to "straighten her out", had sent her here, to this remote village, to stay with her aunt Odile. Louisa had no real illusions about this stay, but she had had no choice.

She had barely set foot on the dusty ground of the small station when her gaze fell on the silhouette of a woman waiting for her. She smiled, a smile that seemed completely natural and sincere. There was no trace of hypocrisy, no artifice in her expression. That was her aunt Odile's air: a simplicity that was disturbing, but completely foreign to her.

"Welcome, my dear," Odile said, hugging her with a gentleness she was not used to receiving.

Louisa let him, a little surprised by this immediate affection. She hadn't seen her aunt for years, and yet it seemed as if she had never left. Odile smelled of lavender, and her perfume enveloped Louisa, like an unexpected caress. Her hair, silvered by age, was braided in a simple but neat cut. Her eyes, a peaceful blue, seemed to look at the world with benevolence, but also a certain curiosity, as if each moment were a precious gift.

"So, ready to discover life here?" Odile asked, her mischievous smile hiding a hint of malice.

Louisa hesitated for a moment. "I guess I have no choice."

"You'll get used to simplicity soon, my dear. There's nothing complicated here."

Louisa shrugged, a little jaded. She had always found this philosophy a little naive. For her, life was not a question of simplicity. It was a question of conquest, of achievement, of ambitions. The countryside, with its sheep and its endless fields, seemed so far from the lights of the city where she had grown up.

The drive was long. The road wound through lush green landscapes, but Louisa paid little attention to it. Her gaze wandered over the landscape, her mind drifting between the frustration of having to be there and the strange feeling she felt of being cut off from the world. It was a kind of involuntary freedom, and yet she had no desire to taste it.

"The people here are simple, but they have a kind of wisdom that is sometimes forgotten in the city," Odile continued, as if to break the silence that had settled. Louisa looked up at her, waiting to see if the conversation would take another turn. But her aunt just smiled without losing her serenity.

When the car stopped in front of a small stone house, Louisa felt as lost as she had at the beginning of this journey. The house seemed to breathe tranquility, but it seemed almost too quiet to her. The shutters were open, and the smell of fresh bread floated in the air, but nothing aroused her interest. She was not ready to abandon her world and her habits for such an ordinary existence.

"Come on in. I made you something to eat."

The meal was simple, but delicious: hot soup and homemade bread that crumbled under the fingers, a crisp salad of fresh vegetables from the garden, and to finish, seasonal fruits. Louisa ate in silence, absent-mindedly, casting occasional furtive glances around her. The house was tastefully decorated, but there was a simplicity that contrasted with the richness of what she was used to. The furniture was old, weathered by time, but it seemed full of history and warmth.

"I suppose this all seems... strange to you," Odile said, observing Louisa.