Chapter 4 – Part 6

I followed her to see a pulley system attached to the lower framework of the glass greenhouse. Danute began to turn the handle of the pulley.

“If you do this, the windows above open. If you open this and the lower windows together, it lets the air flow through well.”

Seeing Danute struggle with the stiff pulley, Moze stepped in to help.

Looking up where Danute pointed, I saw one of the ceiling windows tilt open. It was a basic ventilation system utilizing the density difference of warm air.

“With this, there’s no worry even in summer.”

Indeed, the glass greenhouse required a lot of hands-on care. A caretaker had to constantly monitor the temperature and humidity and manually open and close the vents. Watering also had to be done by hand.

I followed Danute around, inspecting the mercury thermometers and the tea plant cultivation records.

“You water them a lot. The drainage must be excellent.”

“This spot is quite elevated within the palace grounds. And they said something special was done underneath to improve drainage… but I don’t know the details.”

Danute scratched her nose briefly before continuing.

“And the soil here is special, too. They have used this kind of soil since the greenhouse was first built.”

The special soil likely referred to its slightly acidic nature, as tea plants preferred well-draining, slightly acidic soil.

I asked.

“It must have taken a lot of trial and error to find soil that the tea plants liked?”

“Probably. The small greenhouse in the Rose Palace was originally a tea plant greenhouse. After succeeding there, they built this larger one.”

I had heard about the glass greenhouse in the Rose Palace. It was famously maintained by Duke Oscar, filled with unique and splendid plants that evoked the atmosphere of the Southern Kingdom even in the dead of winter.

It was a coveted place, as only a select few were invited, making it even more desirable. Those who had set foot in Duke Oscar’s greenhouse were envied by many.

So the greenhouse had originally been an experimental site for tea plant cultivation, later repurposed for ornamental use.

When did the royal family develop such a deep passion for tea?

“When was the greenhouse in the Rose Palace built?”

“I don’t know…”

Danute started counting the years on her fingers, her face scrunching up.

A stern voice sounded from behind.

“Eighty-three years ago, eighty-three years! How many times do I have to tell you that your great-grandfather hauled glass panels from the Empress’s palace back then?”

Baroness Arbata clicked her tongue.

“Things have improved so much! Back in my day, we had to climb ladders every summer to open the greenhouse roof… Oh, what a relief.”

Moze began to massage the baroness’s shoulders gently.

So that’s where he went.

Moze smiled awkwardly and asked me.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Sure!”

Baroness Arbata had Moze retrieve a few varieties of tea leaves from storage and personally selected one.

I returned to the table with Danute. It was the same table where I had earlier shared tea with the Crown Prince.

The setting had changed significantly. The tablecloth and tea set were completely fresh, and there were now four cups. The tea food had also been replaced with an assortment of soft cookies.

Moze said.

“I’ve boiled fresh water.”

The kettle was warm and heavy when I lifted it.

I poured a little water into my teacup to test the temperature. It was just right for brewing the black tea Baroness Arbata had chosen.

I warmed the tea set and brewed the tea before the water cooled further.

I poured the first cup for Baroness Arbata, watching the tea stream shimmer in the sunlight as it filled the cup.

Then I poured the tea into the remaining cups. The translucent, ruby-colored tea settled quietly in each cup.

To appreciate the natural flavor of black tea with nothing added.

Opposite, Baroness Arbata evaluated.

“Hmm, not bad.”

At that, Moze raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard you praise tea, Mother.”

If that counts as praise, what kind of harsh criticism does she usually give?

Soon after, both Moze and Danute sipped the tea and each shared their impressions, saying it was delicious.

I replied humbly.

“Haha, it feels even tastier drinking it here.”

Then an ordinary teatime followed. We chatted about various things while enjoying the tea and snacks.

I took the opportunity to ask all the questions I had while touring the glass greenhouse.

Baroness Arbata, as she appeared at first, was quite strict, but once we found common ground, the conversation flowed freely.

“It reminds me of the days when I was involved in building this glass greenhouse. I was about your age back then. Everyone was quite worried about building such a large structure entirely out of glass, even though a small glass greenhouse in the Empress’s palace was manageable…”

We talked until the sun slanted westward.

It felt more like I was listening rather than having a conversation, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

On the way back to the Crown Prince’s palace by carriage after leaving the greenhouse, I saw that the restoration work in the dining room, which was damaged yesterday, was in full swing.

“From outside, it doesn’t seem as badly damaged.”

Seeing the workers busily cleaning up the debris somehow put my mind at ease.

“Surely, there won’t be another hole in the Crown Prince’s palace, right?”

~~End of Volume 1~~