After the morning lessons end, I’d usually have lunch. But today, with a tea party ahead, I head to the venue without eating anything.
I asked the morning instructor, and it seems attending the tea party itself is indeed the task. It’ll just be the host and me, so that eases my nerves a bit. The host, the young lady of the Ashley Marquisate, apparently studied etiquette under the same instructor as me. That connection led her to help with this task. For a marquis’s daughter, someone of such high rank to assist with someone else’s assignment seems unusual, but she reportedly agreed to it without hesitation. I’m grateful.
Still, having such a high-ranking lady help me makes me a little nervous. Will we even get along? Lately, I’ve been chatting with Marie-san and the others about fashion, so I think I can hold a conversation about trends to some extent. But I also feel like I’ve still got a long way to go.
The tea party venue is a gazebo in the garden. It’s Western-style, so you could call it a gazebo too. The idea is to enjoy the autumn garden while chatting, I suppose.
Guided by Marie-san, I walk through the neatly tended garden. From a distance, I spot the gazebo and see someone, likely the host, already seated. She notices me too, rising from her chair and stepping out to greet me.
“Liz?”
As I get closer, I can make out her face, and I’m shocked to recognize it. It’s Liz standing there.
“Welcome to my tea party, Sei.”
Liz smiles brightly, as stunning as ever. Her smile also has a hint of satisfaction, like she’s pulled something off perfectly.
“Um… thank you for inviting me today?”
I manage to squeeze out a greeting. Forgive me for letting it turn into a question, I’m just that surprised. At Liz’s urging, I take a seat, and the maids waiting nearby pour tea into our cups. I stare at it dazedly until Liz speaks.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you in a dress, Sei. It’s a refreshing change from your usual look.”
“Oh, uh, yeah, I guess.”
“It’s very beautiful and suits you wonderfully.”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
Being complimented on my dress feels a bit embarrassing. No, wait, that’s not it.
“The Ashley Marquisate’s daughter?”
Right. The one who invited me to this tea party is supposed to be the Ashley Marquisate’s daughter. From her earlier “my tea party” comment, it seems Liz is that daughter… Now that I think about it, didn’t she introduce herself as “Elizabeth Ashley” when we first met in the library? I’ve been calling her Liz ever since, so I completely forgot about her family name until now. Tilting my head in confirmation, Liz flashes another bright smile.
“Didn’t I mention it?”
“I didn’t hear anything about you being a marquis’s daughter!”
I slump in defeat as I reply, and she giggles. She totally knew, didn’t she?
“I heard you’re hosting this tea party as part of my lesson task.”
“Yes, that’s right. You haven’t been coming to the library at all lately, Sei. So when the instructor mentioned it, I happily agreed to help.”
Since starting lessons at the palace, I’ve naturally drifted away from the library. The reason’s simple: I’ve been too busy with classes. It seems Liz kept visiting the library even after I stopped going.
Now that she mentions it, the library was our only point of contact. We never planned to meet, just showed up whenever it suited us and chatted if we crossed paths. So lately, I haven’t seen Liz at all.
“Sorry about that. I’ve completely stopped going recently.”
“It’s fine. You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”
“Yeah… By the way, are there no other guests besides me?”
“It’s just the two of us today. Now, let’s enjoy some tea and talk at our leisure.”
And so, the tea party begins. Since it’s part of my lesson task, I mind my manners as I take my first sip of tea. Today’s tea has a faintly Darjeeling-like aroma. All the tea served at the palace is delicious, but this Darjeeling-esque one is new to me.
“This tea’s delicious. I don’t think I’ve had it before.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste. It’s from a farm my family has a contract with.”
“Oh, wow.”
As expected of a marquis family. They probably have an exclusive deal, right? Not just the tea, the sweets laid out are adorable too, all prepared by Liz for today. They’re a bit sweeter than I’d prefer, which seems typical of this country’s desserts. Since I’m drinking the tea plain, it balances out nicely. For something that’s just an extension of a lesson, it feels like a lot of effort went into this.
“Of course! It’s my first tea party with you, Sei, so I went all out.”
When I mention that, Liz smiles happily in return. She says she always prepares properly for tea parties, but this one with me is extra special. Not knowing my tastes, she picked all her own favorites this time. Liz’s appearance, though still maturing, hints at a future as a glamorous beauty, and her usual dresses are bold and vibrant. But looking at today’s sweets, she seems to prefer cute things. The berry-themed treats are mostly pink, decorated in an adorable style. When I point that out, Liz nods shyly. It seems the clothes she wears are chosen to suit her, even if they stray from her personal taste a bit. Since it’s just me today, she went all-in on her preferences, she admits. As we dive into conversation, the topic shifts to recent events.
“I recently overheard something about the Saint…”
Liz starts speaking. I’m mid-sip, so I struggle not to choke.
“The Saint?”
“Yes. They say she’s an incredible healer with recovery magic, saving many knights.”
“Oh, uh, really?”
“They say even limbs lost in battle were restored thanks to her. The knights she healed are beyond grateful, apparently.”
“Huh.”
“Restoring lost limbs? That makes her the best recovery magic user in the kingdom. Yet the Saint never boasts, she’s so humble, and the knights practically worship her like a god.”
Yeah, I kinda want to bury my head in my hands. Worship, huh? That’s the Second Knight Order, isn’t it? I want to believe the Third Knight Order’s still sane. Listening to Liz, I’m tempted to play dumb and wonder who she’s talking about, but that’s not an option.
“I didn’t know you were so skilled with recovery magic, Sei.”
“Uh, yeah, I guess…”
Liz smiles brightly, and I wonder if I should just come clean. We’ve never really delved into personal details before. There wasn’t much need, which is the main reason, so maybe this is a good chance to open up a little.
“I only started using magic recently.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I didn’t need to before.”
At that, Liz keeps her faint smile and stares at me. What’s up?
“You didn’t use it partly because there was no magic in the world you came from, and it wasn’t familiar to you, right?”
“Huh?”
“You were summoned too, weren’t you, Sei?”
My eyes widen in shock.