Tea
Lux’s Side
I was shown into the guest room, so magnificent that I couldn’t help but stop in my tracks.
Every piece of furniture was a pristine white, accented with golden patterns in just the right places. A graceful sofa and table were arranged in the center, a lavish painting hung above the unlit fireplace, and beneath it all lay a rug woven in intricate white and gold.
As Felisiana-sama took her seat on the sofa, she turned to me, still rooted to the spot.
“Lux-kun, won’t you sit here on the sofa?”
“Y-Yes!”
I quickly did as Felisiana-sama asked, sitting across from her with the table between us.
Then she spoke to Violet-san, who stood quietly behind her.
“Violet, would you prepare some tea?”
“Right away, Ojou-sama!”
With that cheerful reply, Violet-san stepped out of the room.
Before even a full minute had passed, she returned, balancing a circular tray with two cups of tea, which she placed neatly before Felisiana-sama and me.
“Huh…!? Y-You’ve already made it?”
My surprise must have shown, because Violet-san responded brightly,
“Yes! I’m quite good at making tea, you know!”
“Th-That’s amazing… May I try some?”
“Of course!”
Encouraged by her smile, I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip.
It was sweet, yet full-bodied. I could tell a lot of skill went into it.
“It’s absolutely delicious!”
I placed the cup gently back on the table and said so. Violet-san bowed her head once and replied,
“Thank you so much!”
Felisiana-sama followed suit, sipping from her own cup before speaking.
“It’s lovely. You’ve outdone yourself, Violet.”
She set her cup back down, and Violet-san bowed once again.
“Thank you very much, Ojou-sama!”
“It’s really impressive. The only tea I’ve had this good was from Siana or Florence-san.”
The moment I said that, Felisiana-sama and Violet-san’s eyes flew open, and they froze briefly. Then, just as quickly, Felisiana-sama spoke up.
“L-Lux-kun… You’ve had Florence-san’s tea before?”
“Hm? Yes, I was served some when she visited the Rodwell family’s mansion.”
“I… I see.”
Something in Felisiana-sama’s demeanor shifted. Was something wrong?
As I puzzled over it, Violet-san spoke next.
“R-Rodwell-sama! Are you saying the tea I made is on the same level as Siana-san’s or Florence-sama’s?”
“Yes. Siana and Florence-san’s tea is truly wonderful, but yours is just as…”
I hadn’t even finished my sentence when Violet-san swiftly gathered the teacups back onto the tray.
“Excuse me! I’ll brew another pot immediately!”
“W-Wait, what!?”
With a quick bow, Violet-san left the guest room.
Watching her go, I turned to Felisiana-sama and asked,
“W-What happened to Violet-san?”
“She’s more competitive than she lets on. If someone says her tea is equal to that of another master, it really sets her off.”
Felisiana-sama murmured something under her breath, too soft to catch, but I understood this much. Violet-san hated to lose.
A question rose to my lips, and I voiced it without thinking.
“Felisiana-sama, do you ever brew tea yourself?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Really? I’d love to try a cup made by you someday!”
At that, Felisiana-sama blinked in surprise, falling silent for a brief moment.
And in that instant, I realized how rude I’d been and scrambled to apologize.
“Ah, I’m so sorry! It was rude of me to ask Felisiana-sama to brew tea for someone like me!”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t take it that way. It’s just that, if that day ever comes… then surely, the bond between us will be much deeper than it is now.”
I didn’t fully understand what she meant. But her words carried a quiet weight that lingered in the air.
The day I get to taste tea made by Felisiana-sama… Maybe by then, just as she said, the connection between us will have truly deepened.
A little later, Violet-san returned with the tea, and Felisiana-sama and I enjoyed a peaceful, pleasant time together, sipping from our cups.