The carriage moved back toward the inner city.

The walls of the Ackroyd family’s townhouse came into view.

The salon ‘The Millennium Olive Tree’ opened once every three months as far as Saena knew, and separately from the salon, Kirsten and Evian often held tea parties.

They alternated between holding them at the Ackroyd house and the Dimitri house, sometimes once a month, sometimes once every two weeks.

This time seemed to be the Ackroyds’ turn.

The carriage stopped briefly at the main gate and quickly passed through when Rupert presented the invitation he had been carrying.

Owning a spacious mansion in the Imperial City, where land prices are high, means you either bought the property before prices skyrocketed, have enormous wealth now, or both.

The Ackroyds’ townhouse seemed to fit that description, being very large and beautiful. And Saena suddenly realized this was her first visit to the Ackroyds’ throughout all her past life experiences. Despite the families being close.

“Wow…”

Rupert grinned as he assisted Saena, who was getting out of the carriage while expressing amazement.

“Have a good time, Miss.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

While hunting festivals and other outdoor gatherings might require escort knights to attend, tea parties did not. Rupert would rest in a designated lounge while being served refreshments.

“Saena.”

As Saena was following the servant’s guidance to the tea party venue, she turned her head upon hearing a familiar voice calling her from the stairs.

“Ah, Kayan?”

Come to think of it, this is where Kayan lives too. I momentarily forgot they were siblings.

“I heard you were attending today. You look pretty.”

“Thank you. Is it… too much?”

“No, you’re pretty.”

As she had felt before, Kayan seemed very natural at giving compliments.

“You seem really good at saying pretty words.”

“…Huh?”

“You must be popular with the ladies.”

Kayan’s expression became strange.

“I hope Sister Kiki likes it too.”

“…What?”

The words came out naturally.

“Since I came here invited by your sister.”

“……”

Kayan scratched his forehead slightly a few times before speaking again.

“…Sister will definitely say you’re pretty. She really liked you last time too.”

“Yes. She seems like a good person.”

Saena smiled slightly, remembering their previous meeting.

Kayan let out a small, light sigh, but Saena didn’t notice.

“…I’ll guide you.”

Kayan dismissed the servant, saying he would guide her himself.

“Aren’t you busy?”

Though Saena was a guest now, there was no need to specifically receive Kayan’s guidance. Just looking at Sage, it was obvious how demanding the heir’s training schedule was.

“It’s just for a moment. It’s not a problem at all.”

“That’s good then.”

As they walked, Kayan led Saena while briefly explaining about the old paintings on the walls and decorative items.

Since the Debov family also had quite a few old items, she felt a sense of kinship while comparing and looking around, finding it interesting as well.

“Oh, there are many interesting things. I’d like to take time to look at everything properly.”

“Come and look whenever you want.”

Kayan’s face brightened as he welcomed her to come anytime. However, Saena was distracted, focusing on the delicate patterns carved into a picture frame on the wall.

‘This looks like a pattern based on Arlesian…. It’s interesting and pretty that they carved such things into picture frames.’

“The Ackroyd family must have many ancient books and items in Arlesian too. Look, these patterns here look like Arlesian.”

“…This is Arlesian?”

Kayan came closer to look carefully at where Saena was pointing.

What seemed like patterns appeared to be actual letters upon closer inspection.

“…I always thought they were just patterns. No, I’ve never looked at them carefully even though I pass by here all the time, so I had no idea.”

“Well, maybe it’s natural– Ack!”

When Saena turned her head toward Kayan without thinking, she ended up banging her forehead against his chin. She hadn’t realized how close they were while looking at the picture frame.

“A-are you okay?”

As Kayan’s hand reached out hurriedly toward Saena’s reddened forehead.

“Oh my, oh my, little brother?”

Saena’s body slipped back.

Kirsten had approached and pulled Saena into her embrace.

“It won’t do to steal Saya away like this in the middle. I was wondering why she hadn’t arrived yet.”

Kirsten glared at Kayan, then stroked Saena’s forehead with her finger before glaring at him again.

“And even injuring her like this… Your fair forehead has turned red, hasn’t it?”

“No, this happened because of my mistake…”

Iit felt very strange as Kirsten blew gently on Saena’s forehead while stroking it with her finger. Her fingertips were incredibly soft, and an intoxicating floral scent wafted from her embrace.

It was the same scent that had come from Kirsten’s invitation before. For some reason, being in Kirsten’s embrace made her feel like her face was getting redder and redder.

“Let’s go, you don’t need to worry about that careless brother of mine.”

“…Sister!”

“You go get some good ointment and a cold towel. What if it leaves a mark on this pretty forehead?”

“…Alright.”

“It doesn’t hurt that much! I’m fine!”

It was embarrassing since it was just a bump, not a cut or scrape. If their forehead and chin collided, shouldn’t the chin hurt more?

“Does your chin hurt? Sorry.”

“Let’s go, Saya. Don’t worry about him. All he has is his sturdy body.”

Only Kayan’s sister could say such things about him…

Saena left an apologetic look to Kayan as she was practically dragged away. Kayan smiled slightly and nodded in understanding.

“Saya, that’s not right.”

“…Pardon?”

“When you come to the Ackroyds’, you should come to see me first. Not someone like Kayan.”

“Well, I happened to meet him on my way here.”

“Tsk tsk. Saya, do you really think that was a coincidence?”

“……”

What else could it be if not coincidence? Kayan just happened to be coming down the stairs.

She was about to ask more, but as the door to the tea party room opened, Saena closed her mouth.

“Hello.”

“What’s this, why are you only coming now?”

“That wretched Kayan intercepted Saya in the middle and monopolized her, you know?”

Grumbling, Kirsten led Saena to sit at one side of the tea table.

“He…llo.”

What Saena had imagined was an ordinary tea party.

Though given Kirsten’s extraordinary character, the attendees and proceedings might be far from ordinary, she still thought the basic format would follow a tea party’s framework.

This was beyond her imagination.

“Look how surprised she is.”

“Hehehe. Saya, are you surprised?”

To think it would be just a small gathering of four people.

“…I think I’m overdressed.”

Thanks to Martha’s insistence that one must dress even more perfectly when gathering with women, she had undergone all sorts of massages and baths since morning to get fully dressed up, but now she felt slightly embarrassed.

“No, you’re perfect. So pretty.”

As always, Kirsten praised her without reservation while giving her a smile that could melt anyone. Though coming from someone with such dazzling beauty, the words didn’t particularly resonate.

“I don’t even know all your charms yet, and you want me to share them with others? Hmm, what a waste, such a waste.”

“…Pardon?”

“You’re mine for now. I have no intention of putting you out there. So understand if the tea party is a bit small.”

Though the ‘you’re mine’ statement was somewhat burdensome, she seemed to be getting used to such flirtatious remarks after hearing them several times.

In fact, Saena herself welcomed such a small gathering more than a crowded one.

“Yes, it’s fine. I actually prefer it.”

She had attended with some nervousness, but that tension seemed to ease slightly.

Kirsten’s small tea party, attended only by those closest to her, appeared to be simply for close friends to gather and chat while giggling. To the point where Saena felt lucky to be included.

Still, first meetings were first meetings, and there was some awkwardness. It was natural since knowing faces didn’t mean being close, and one of the four was someone she was meeting for the first time.

One was Kirsten’s best friend, Evian Dimitri. It wasn’t surprising since she expected it.

The other one was unexpected. It was natural to be surprised after hearing her name during introductions.

“Floria of House Aberdeen.”

…Aberdeen? ‘That’ Aberdeen?

‘So she’s a lady of the Duke Aberdeen’s family?’

Though she had heard that Duke Aberdeen had a much younger sister, she hadn’t expected to meet her face to face in the Imperial City, so she felt dazed.

“My goodness, Lady Aberdeen. Pleased to meet you. I’m Saena of House Debov. I recently made my debut at the Founding Festival.”

“Yes.”

Floria was a lovely girl with a fluffy appearance that seemed ready to bloom, just like her name.

She had silver-gray eyes, reminiscent of rippling water under soft light, and melting pink hair that framed her face delicately. With her overall light complexion, large round eyes, and a slightly drooping puppy-like expression, she exuded a charm so endearing it made one instinctively want to hold her close.

However, her straight-backed, proud sitting posture and brief responses clearly showed she was indeed a duke’s daughter.