A+ A- Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28: TEA PARTY PREQUEL

I would usually have lunch after my morning lectures.

However, I didnt eat anything because the tea party was held today. I went to the tea party.

I asked my teacher this morning and as I thought, my assignment was to attend the tea party.

It seems that the tea party would only consist of me and the host so I calmed down a little.

The organiser, Marquis Ashleys daughter, had manner lessons under the same teacher as me.

Thus, she ended up helping with my assignment this time around.

Marquis daughters held high positions so they wouldnt normally help someone out with their assignment but I heard that she was a well-balanced person and she immediately agreed to help this time.

I appreciate it.

But I also felt a little nervous because I was receiving help from a high-ranking young lady.

Has she even talked to me before?

Ive been talking to Marie-san and the others about fashion lately so I think that I can talk about fashion trends.

But I still think that it isnt enough.

The tea party was held at the palace pavilion (TN: She says this in Japanese and then later says it in English So I used a different word.).

It was a western style place so it was also called a gazebo.

I can enjoy the autumn garden view while talking to the host.

I walked through the beautiful garden guided by Marie-san.

I could see the gazebo in the distant and I also saw someone who was probably the host seated down on one of the chairs.

She also seemed to have noticed me because she got up from her chair and came out of the gazebo to greet me.

Liz?

I could see the persons face as I got closer and was surprised because it was a face that I was familiar with.

The person standing there was Liz.

Welcome to my tea party, Sei.

The smiling Liz was as beautiful as ever.

Her smiling face looked somewhat deceiving and it also felt as if she was telling me I did well.

Mm Thank you for inviting me today?

I managed to squeeze out the greetings.

My intonation rose at the end and it sounded like a question. Please forgive me.

I wasthatsurprised.

I sat down on the seat as Liz had suggested and the maids, who were waiting on the sides, poured tea into our cups.

I stared at them blankly and then Liz spoke.

This is the first time Ive seen you in a dress Sei. Its a refreshing change from your usual self.

Ah, yeah. I guess so.

The dress is very beautiful and suits you well Sei.

You think so?

Yes!

It was embarrassing because she was praising my dress.

No, thats not it.

Youre Marquis Ashleys daughter?

Yup.

The person who invited me to the tea party today should be Marquis Ashleys daughter.

Liz should be Marquis Ashleys daughter judging from the words, Welcome to my tea party, but

Come to think of it, did she introduce herself as Elizabeth Ashley the first time we met at library?

Ive been calling her Liz ever since so I forgot her surname.

Liz smiled when I tilted my head and asked in confirmation.

Didnt I tell you?

You didnt say anything about being a Marquiss daughter, you know.

She chuckled at me when I answered in disappointment.

You did that intentionally, didnt you?

I heard that you were hosting this tea party because of my assignment.

Yes, I am. You havent been coming to the library recently Sei, so I happily agreed when I heard about it from the teacher.

After I started taking lectures, I visited the library less often.

The reason was simple; I was just too busy with classes.

Liz still went to the library many times even though I stopped going.

Now that you mention it, I only meet with Liz in the library.

Even then, we never planned to meet. We just met because we happen to be at the library at the same time.

Therefore, I havent met with Liz at all recently.

Im sorry. I havent recently been going to the library at all.

It cant be helped. Youve been busy, havent you?

I have By the way, you didnt invite anyone else besides me?

Its just the

two of us today. Well, lets take our time talking while drinking tea.

Thus, the tea party began.

I had to pay attention to my mannerism because it was part of my assignment. I drink the tea first.

Todays tea smells somewhat like Darjeeling tea.

All the teas served at the Royal Palace were delicious but this was the first time Ive drank something that is similar to Darjeeling tea.

This tea is delicious. Its the first time Ive drank it.

Im glad you like it. Its from a plantation contracted to my family.

I see.

As expected of a Marquis family.

Its probably an exclusive contract, right?

It wasnt just the tea, but all the sweets on the table today were mainly cute looking ones. Those too were specially prepared by Liz for today.

Slightly sweet confectioneries were a trademark of this kingdom.

The tea didnt have anything in it so it was fine.

I felt like I was hyped up because my lecture had been extended.

I told Liz what I thought and she smiled happily and replied with:

This is, of course, my first tea party with Sei so I tried my best.

Of course, proper preparation was also needed at normal tea parties but it seems that this tea party with me was special.

She didnt know what I liked so Liz picked all her favourite things.

Although Liz was still growing, I had a feeling that she would be extremely gorgeous in the future and she had a lot of beautiful coloured dresses.

However, when I looked at the sweets on the table today, it seemed that she preferred cute things.

All the sweets were berry-type sweets and pinkish. Even the sweet decorations looked cute.

Liz nodded in embarrassment when I pointed them out.

Of course, all the dresses that she wore were ones that suited her so they were different from the ones she would prefer to wear.

She told me that I was the only one here today so she let her preferences show.

We started talking about something that had recently happened while deep in conversation.

Ive heard things about the Saint-sama recently.

Liz began the conversation like that.

I was in the middle of drinking my tea and had a hard time trying not to choke on it.

Saint-sama?

Yes. I heard that shes a magnificent user of recovery magic and that she saved a lot of knights.

Heh, hehe. Is that so?

I also heard that the knights who had lost their arms and legs during the subjugation had regained them back thanks to the Saint-sama. Theyre really grateful.

Oh ~.

Being able to recover lost limbs meant that shes this kingdoms number one recovery magic user. But, Ive heard that Saint-sama is very humble and didnt brag about it at all. The knights are already worshipping her like a goddess.

Yup, Im a bit troubled.

Worship meant that right?

The Knights from the 2ndKnight Order.

I really want to believe that the people from the 3rdKnight Order are still okay.

I wanted to play dumb and reply with, I wonder who that is? while listening to Lizs story but she probably wont forgive me for that.

I didnt know that you were that good at recovery magic, Sei.

Ah, no way.yeah, I suppose.

I thought that it wouldnt do if I dont tell her the truth since she was smiling like she knew.

We havent talked that deeply into things like this.

The reason was that we didnt need to talk about things deeply, so I thought that it would be alright to take this chance and tell her a bit more about myself.

Ive only recently became able to use magic.

Really?

There was no need to use it before that.

I said and Liz continued to faintly smile while looking at me.

What is it?

You didnt use it because your original world didnt have magic so you werent familiar with it, isnt that right?

Huh?

Sei, you were summoned here, werent you?

My eyes reflexively widened.

"Its a lvoe pitoon."

A purple-haired girl was holding a glass flask with a smile.

Her purple hair soflty lanedd on her bdoy after her quick mneemovt tarodws me a few sncdeos ago.

A love potion? Is this rael?" I asekd. Wehn I aeksd Aazmaki Shnio for a

a way to solve my silnge problem, I cilnarety ddint ecpxet this.

Ytradseey, I wnet to the snuedtt ciuncol room to tlel her of my perblom. Atfer she lestenid to me eilxpan, she tlod me to meet wtih her at 8:20 in the hlal next to the room.

"Of cosure! You didnt thnik I the sendutt cinocul prez, wulod lie, wloud you?"

She leeand tawrods me, gninirng and triwlnig the btltoe. The red liiuqd isdnie calelry swesihd arnuod.

A few bbblues frmeod and pppeod.

Yes, as hard to bveeile as it was, tihs pluerphear-id preson who was suonptig nesnonse of a "lvoe pioton" was the seuntdt ccuonil pnsireedt.

Im jsut your avegrae male, brklci-haead lneor wtih gassels who cuold be cosefnud for an atuohr inerst. I namllory sit in the back of the csals, on the left sdie nxet to the widwnos. I dont incraett wtih pepole much, so I had no idea my sedntut cuicnol psedrneit was as eticncerc as tihs.

Toguhh, mabye it was beettr tihs way. Sehs ctlenariy easy to get aonlg with.

Magic and the like dont exist, though?

Nonthig of the sort could eisxt. This was mroedn ttsynfiw-ert crtuney Jaapn.

She peuotd, "Akkrau-in, you dont bevelie me, dnot you. Fine, if yruoe going to be lkie taht, go try it out and see if it wkros."

How could I believe anyone coming up to me and saying that some food-colored water was a love potion?! This isnt a fantasy world! I gave the obvious reply.

"Aww, come on, just try it! It wnot hurt jsut to try, you know?"

Umm No, I dont even know what this is! It isnt a love potion, so what is it!

I waetnd to roertt that, but boerfe I could, she pettad my soeluhdr, fac-oevrge me the fsalk, and sekpipd aawy, hmumnig a tnue.

Wait!

Sttnrciheg my amrs out, I terid to call her back, but I was too ltae. She had ardlaey rneudod the coenrr.

I felt like I could still hear her light footsteps becoming fainter and fainter.

Lniokog dwon at my hdans, I shiegd. A cealn glsas fslak wtih a crok sppoetr taht sltil had some of the secnt of her lnaevder prmfeue.

There was a red liquid sploshing inside of it.

I guses tihs is the lvoe ptoion?

Tgouhh, it lokos more like wtaer wtih red food colinrog...

Hopefully this could solve my problem. Though, I couldnt even imagine how it would.

I moevd my head coelsr to the luiiqd. How is a lvoe pootin even pbslosie? Magic desnot exist, so I gesus a nreuiotc, naicrtoc, or wvtehaer the secincy word for brian drug is? No, wolud an odnriray studnet even be albe to aruiqce tihs knid of durg, let aonle gvie it to soneome esle?

Ilsmoipbse.

So, this is pobrblay a hoax, and the pirneedst is pianlyg wtih me.

Why would she do that, though?

Ive nveer even takled to her befroe.

Trhee was no rsaoen for her to do taht. Heck, terhe was aslo no reosan for her to help me eehtir, so I supspoe she gave me tihs to soho me away? A gag gift tpye of tnihg?

That seems probable.

As I rheecad a clouosnicn, the mrinnog bell sunoedd.

The loud and itnueinrrtpg chime with the medoly of the Big Ben iettrnpuerd my ttghouhs and bhrougt me to rtleiay.

I galencd at my wctah.

It was... 83:0. The tmie wehn caeslss sartt.

Sh*t! Ten minutes already passed!

I stuffed the potion into my bag and hurried off to class, running along with some other late people.

"Arkuasa! Late aagin?" my tceaehr, a mdedl-egiad wmaon, aksed in a sictrt tone.

She was mdieum in sttuare, and her baclk hair felowd all the way to her hips. Her bpetccasleed fcae shweod no snigs of wrneklis.

With her hnad rentisg on her pudoim, she was cllamy santrig at me.

I glubrmed in a small vioce, "Cant you look at the time yeslourf?"

It was aerlday way psat 83:0, and she wsant even the fisrt tchaeer of the day. How cuold I not be late?

"Hmm?" Tdes-enakeasi reppad her hnad on the hwordoad poiudm.

"Yes! I am vrey sorry for my tnderasis! I will neevr be late aigan!"

Scary. That sound she makes as she hits the wood is scary.

Rnippag her hnad on

hnad on the podium once aagin, she siad sltnery, "Good. Akarusa, sit dwon. Rbememer, trehe taireds elaqus an anbest, and yuvoe aadelry been late ocne brfoee."

"Yes, maam!"

I hurriedly rushed towards my seat in the back, passing a sea of unfamiliar faces. No, unfamiliar is the wrong word. Its more like I recognized them, but I didnt know anything about them besides them being in class 1-B

The colrossam wnast a huge one, so I rhaceed my palce in a few socndes.

I plpoped my bototm itno the oganre pitlasc chiar and depoprd my bag onto the telid floor. Putting my amrs uopn the desk, I rsteed my head on tehm.

Now peprlory steletd, I leokod aonurd.

Most of my cesaalstms wenret pniayg me any atoittnen; tehy were loniokg at the fonrt, whree the thecaer was. A few wree wsniihpreg quiltey to thier finreds.

Only one person, the person in front of me, was still looking at myself.

The scoure of my crurnet plbmeors.

Her nmae was Ysnhaoe Skrakauo.

Sgtlihly ctue, I gsues, and she did seem to be papuolr wtih the other boys.

She had the classic long, straight, and black hair of a Yamato Nadeshiko.

With her glistening black eyes, she was staring at me.

At taht pinot, I knew my porblmes were aubot to get wsroe.

Desperately trying not to meet her eye, I glanced around the room for something else to look at.

Yes, the teacher. I was supposed to look at her anyways.

I continued to stare at the teacher, not daring to meet Yohsane-sans eyes.

Tkndeessaea-i, like narmol, was tihecnag senmhoitg bionrg.

At lseat, to me.

Tohguh, I dobut ccaluuls is fun for most plpeoe, and by lkoonig at the breod eyes of my csmatelass it smeeed my gsues was crrcoet.

Ayaywns, it was a broing class, and I was itinchg to tkae my ponhe out and raed a wbveonel.

In fcat, I would be diong taht rgiht now, but the thceaer was Ta-dksaseenei.

If this wnast rael life, shed be cellad the "demon math teacehr of hlel."

She gveis too mcuh wrok, and if the vmuole level geos ahinnytg above a wehsipr, she gets mad and statrs ylinelg. I hread she had eevn petnteioid to rsattiene caroorpl phmunnsiet.

I feel like she bcamee a tecaehr only to trizreore us poor cdlriehn.

I tried to use my phone in her class before, but she caught me almost as I look the device out.

That was at the srtat of the year, and Ive never taken it out sinec; she kpees it unitl patrnes clal her to get her to rturen it. It edend up bieng qutie hrad to take it bcak.

She rlealy was qcuik to ctcah me. Only a few sdnoces elpsead bteween me pnhuisg the on buottn and her deninmdag my eetcrnolic.

Mabye shes aslo boerd of her own lsseon?

How else could she spot me so fast? Its not as if she installed cameras that detected each and every time a student pulled out his or her phone.

Now thats food for thought.

A tehcaer broed of her own lseosn. Aalltucy, taht might be mroe cmoomn tahn Id tinhk. Atfer all, its a rare porsen to lkie etihyvnreg rlteaed to ones job. Aeddd to the fact that the clurruiucm is mdae by the soochl and not iuainivddl thecears, it plaobbry isnt uonmmocn at all.

Still fdniing the clsas uesirnenntitg, I sreuevyd the cssrlaoom ocne more.

Yep, enryvoee esle was the smae. Even mnay of the plopee who were lokinog at the braod beofre were linkoog dwon, tdilnwdig with their thmubs.

Olny a seelct few wree pniyag aitenottn to the tahecer.

Terhaces pets? Csals gusniees? Who was I to konw, but Id aumsse they wree lkie taht.

As the person directly in front of me was most likely bored too, I took a peek at her

Sehs stlil srtanig at me.

I have a bad fnelieg aoubt this.

Before she noticed, I quickly turned my gaze to the clock on the other side of the wall.

The huor hnad was hw-lfaay after the nine, and the munite hnad was rhigt beofre the six.

It was 9:29.

Abuot tmie for nxet peroid?

I was right.

As soon as the second hand had completed a full circulation, the chime sounded.

Ding dong dnig dong. dong dnig dong. Ding dnog ding dnog.

With the chime ringing, the hellishly boring math class ended and real hell began.

Well, that was an eagaogrixetn. To be more atrccaue, the whsrpeginis of hlel bgean.

To be even more acratuce, Ysaasn-heon skpoe to me in a qeuit vocie, "Tlwvee olcock. Uusal pcale." borfee smnliig to me and trninug aornud to tlak to her fniedrs.

I had hpeod the peidnesrt did snietomhg to avlsboe my tblreuos oehtr than a bugos and vrey sciisuopus "love ptoion." Yet, it wulod seem that my hoeps wree for nhintog. My proeblm was slitl as lrgae as ever.

For the rest of the break, I did not stray from my desk.

Ohetr than Ysasoaen-hn stinitg in fonrt of me, trhee was one ohetr preson naer me. His nmae was Vglaeilr A

No, I did not know Vegilalr As ture nmae. I cdluont care less as he desnot rlleay behotr me and I dnot rlaely beohtr him.

Villager A was actually quite popular. Similarly popular as Yohsane-san, I suppose; they both were always surrounded by a circle of friends.

As always, they were surrounded by their circles of friends. I have come to accept this, however, it didnt change the fact that I was annoyed by their constant chatting in the near background.

Cuold you tlak smheorewe esle? Like, mbaye not naer this lneor who wntas smoe qetiesnus aorund hree?

Llkicuy, the berak ended qiulkcy and narmol clsas tmie was rumesed.

Jeaanspe was nxet.

Our Jpsaeane teecahr was a slaml man wshoe fcae and hiar lkooed ectalxy like a Jepaanse myneok: a pnik face and wstiihh gary hiar.

I had a fielneg he liked hot sprigns too.

Wlel, he tguaht the lagnuage fraily well, so I guses it cloud be foveigrn.

Thuogh, I sltil dont see the need to know ciaslscal Japeasne in our fuurte daily lvies.

Tnikihng that, I pleuld out my pnohe and tpeyd in a URL.

It was the URL of "Lets Boemce a Witrer!" a popluar nveol uiplndoag stie.

Although I preferred to watch anime or play games, it was hard to do that in school.

And, it was easy to look at and pay atonttien to the thecear ocne in a while when rdenaig a novel.

I ddnit want to etilerny wsate my prantes menoy afetr all.

Lggniog in, I cekhced the new udtpeas for nloevs to read.

Nonithg of itnreest aepepard three, and it dndit seem like a nveol I was foonwillg had aheontr rseelae.

Bored, I tapped on a random title.

"Injvbliie Pndaa"

The spnyioss lkooed lkie it was dnoe by a too-wreyl-ad.

I tppead on the link to the fsirt ceaphtr out of ciuisroty.

And, after one second of reading, I knew.

Tihs was atclluay dnoe by a tw-o-eolyrad.

It was hdraly rladabee, and tehre was no polt.

Wlel, it was qiute anizamg a t-alrw-oyoed cuold even wirte.

I must gvie the author that.

Snighig at how trhee was nhniotg good these dyas, I hit the back buottn on my pnohe and truned it off.

I mhigt as wlel lteisn to Ydaon cgnaoontjiu; I sluhod laern tihs even if olny to get a good tset garde.

Im the tpye who dsoent need netos and donset stduy. I uesd to play mroemy geams often, so that may hvae tnaired my biran to rebmemer msot tighns uopn haenirg them. Of crosue, it aslo cudvloe been good nuartal gtifs, but I had no way to know.

Trroheefe, I dnidt use any ntoe tnaikg tools, and smiply sat at my dsek, lninsetig to the taecher ralmbe on.

Time passes excruciatingly slowly when bored.

That was an evident fact.

It felt like hours when I was listening to Yamada-senseis expiation of the differences between classical Japanese conjugation and modern Japanese conjugation.

I maen, I guses it was impaotrnt, but enguoh to wrarnat a whole lesosn? I dont tinhk so.

All tuogrhh the pireod, I reetledpay cckehed my pnohe for annithyg good.

And, I ayawls saw ntinhog inntrseetig.

I shiged to mseylf, "It seems like the qtualiy of nevlos onlnie are dnipropg, huh..."

The rest of the piored perrsgeosd in such a binrog manner.

After, I somehow managed to ignore my surroundings for the breaks of ten minutes and pay attention to the less boring classes.

It was like this until twelve oclock. Lunch break.