A Peaceful Solution
Lux’s Side
When both of them said they would do an ahhn for me and held food out to my mouth, I wondered what was going to happen. But afterward, nothing unusual occurred, and the three of us were able to enjoy the delicious dishes before us together.
“The food from Florence-san’s household is so delicious! I can really tell how much care goes into selecting the ingredients!”
Of course, the meals prepared by the cooks of the Rodwell family are also delicious, but the food from Florence-san’s house has a different kind of flavor.
“Thank you very much… As I mentioned before, the Duke Florence House also engages in agriculture, so we take great pride in the variety and quality of our ingredients.”
“I see…!”
So that explains why there were vegetables and fruits I had never seen before!
Being able to taste them directly like this made me truly understand how remarkable Florence-san’s household really is.
“Well then, Lux-sama… how about some tea after the meal?”
“Th-this food alone already feels like such a luxury, but would it really be alright for me to receive something like that as well?”
When I asked a little uneasily, Florence-san smiled gently and said,
“Yes, in fact, if we did not at least do this much, it would be a disgrace to the name of the Duke Florence House.”
“Ah! Then… I would like to have some!”
“Understood… In that case, I will prepare it right away, so the two of you please wait here in the dining hall…”
“Please wait!”
Interrupting Florence-san as she rose from her seat, Siana spoke, and she too stood up from her seat.
“Florence-sama, I would also like to prepare after-meal tea for Master, so may I be allowed to use that place as well?”
“Yes, there is no reason to stop a retainer from preparing tea for her master, so of course I do not mind. In that case, shall we go together?”
“Thank you very much! Then Master, I will prepare tea for you together with Florence-sama!”
“Yes, thank you, Siana.”
When I said that, Siana smiled happily.
As a guest, perhaps I should simply stay seated and wait for Florence-san to return, but just knowing how much Siana was thinking of me made me feel glad.
Then, after both of them bowed their heads to me once, they left the dining hall. While waiting for their return, I spent the time looking at the plants and the beautiful landscape paintings in the room.
“…Come to think of it, both of them like tea, and I remember they said they had gotten excited talking about it before. Maybe even now they are happily chatting about tea together.”
Just imagining that made even the time I spent waiting for them feel very pleasant.
Siana’s Side
Siana and Floria walked together down the corridor of the Duke Florence residence, heading to the kitchen where all the tea leaves and utensils needed for brewing tea were kept.
There were servants of the Florence house stationed here and there along the corridor, but since the preparations for that night’s meal were already finished, the kitchen itself was empty.
In other words, this was the first time since arriving today that Siana could finally speak her true thoughts.
“You are really getting carried away just because I cannot move freely. You brushed shoulders with Lux-kun and even tried to do an ahhn with him. What exactly are you trying to prove by that?”
While preparing to brew tea, Siana said this, and Floria, who was also preparing tea beside her, replied.
“I had no such intentions… I would have done the same even if the Third Princess were not here… However, because Lux-sama put into his mouth at the same time the dishes offered by both myself and the Third Princess, I inadvertently allowed the Third Princess to do an ahhn with him as well. That was careless of me.”
“Do you really think I will let you do as you please? I am sure you are plotting something else for tonight, but I will render it all meaningless.”
“…”
When Siana said this, Floria briefly stopped her hands as she was preparing the tea.
Then, after a pause, she spoke.
“Third Princess… do you remember what Violet-sama once said? That she did not really understand why the two of us were in conflict?”
“Yes, though I do not know why Violet would think such a thing.”
“I thought the same as well… but if the Third Princess is willing to accept the proposal I am about to make, then I would like to avoid being in conflict with you from now on.”
Florence wants to avoid being in conflict with me…? But just recently, we both openly declared our wish to be engaged to Lux-kun. What is the meaning of this sudden change?
Though doubts arose in her mind, Siana spoke to Floria in order to clear them up.
“I will at least hear you out. What is it?”
When Siana said this and stopped preparing the tea, Floria looked her in the eyes and said,
“I would like the Third Princess to give up on being engaged to Lux-sama.”
“What!? There is no way I could…”
“But in exchange, regarding the matter of concealing your true identity and remaining at Lux-sama’s side as Siana, his maid, I will no longer say anything… In this way, we can both stay by Lux-sama’s side without conflict. Will you accept this as my proposal for a peaceful solution?”