Chapter 6 – Part 4

“Slacking off? No way! I’m guarding you, Erica, aren’t I? When I heard you were going to ‘Wynora’s Tea Leaves,’ I was the first to volunteer. The staff at that shop is really handsome, after all. So, I’m a regular there too.”

Isn’t the deputy commander’s work ethic a bit too lax? What’s going on with the discipline of the Imperial Guard?

“Dame Ramona, you also pretended to be a coachwoman when you went to the Emperor’s glass greenhouse last week. Is that a secret too?”

“Uh, well. I heard the son of the baron who manages the greenhouse is really cute, so I thought I’d check him out… He really was cute in person. But I got rejected.”

“Pardon? You got rejected?”

This sounds like it’s about the young lord of the Arbata barony.

“Yeah. He said he likes someone else. The way he talked made it sound like one-sided love, so I asked if the other person liked him back, and do you know what he said?”

“What did he say?”

“He said they both like each other but aren’t dating. What does that even mean? So I said, ‘If you’re not going to date them, why not go out with me?’ but he rejected me outright. I was really confident I could treat him well.”

You made a move on him at lightning speed in just a few days. There’s a limit to how fast you can be.

I thought I fell in love quickly, but I was nothing compared to her.

While I was at a loss for words, Dame Ramona changed the subject.

“Anyway, you’ll keep it a secret, right? It’s better for Erica to be with me than with that weak coachman.”

Then she tapped the scabbard under her frock coat and continued.

“The security around here is so good that I doubt I’ll need to draw this, but you know, it’s about the feeling.”

“Is it okay for you to leave the carriage and come with me?”

“I parked it in a spot that’s easily visible from the shop, so it’s fine. Even if someone messes with it, I’m faster.”

Even though the carriage was quite a distance away, she claimed to be faster. It seems there’s a reason why she’s the second commander.

While talking with Dame Ramona, we arrived at our destination, “Wynora’s Tea Leaves.”

The shop looked exactly the same as the last time I visited it, which was last autumn.

Roel, a staff member I hadn’t seen in nearly half a year, greeted me with a bright smile.

“Lady Erica! It’s been a while. I see you’ve come to the capital this spring as well.”

“Yes, Roel. That’s how it turned out.”

Although this time, I was here to work at the palace, not for the social season.

“Are you staying for two months again this time?”

“No, I’ll be in the capital for a while.”

Roel’s eyes sparkled at my reply.

“I’d be delighted if you visit often.”

Even if I can’t come to the shop frequently, I could always call them to the Crown Prince’s Palace. Roel might be more pleased with that, considering the sales.

Dame Ramona spoke to Roel.

“Roel, am I invisible?”

Roel’s expression immediately turned indifferent upon hearing that.

“I don’t see you.”

“Isn’t it a bit harsh? I’m probably more of a regular than Erica. She’s only been here in the spring and autumn, but I come here all year round.”

“You’re not here for the tea leaves.”

“Of course, I’m here to see our Roel.”

“And who’s ‘our Roel’?”

Leaving the two bickering as if it were routine, I began to examine the tea leaves and ingredients displayed in the shop.

“Chamomile, lavender, cinnamon, linden….”

Roel, who had somehow followed me, suggested.

“Lady Erica, we have some lavender from this year’s harvest in the back, not displayed up front. Would you like to see it?”

“Yes, I’d appreciate it!”

As expected from “Wynora’s Tea Leaves.” They’ve already acquired lavender, which hasn’t even bloomed in the capital yet.

Roel brought out a wooden box full of lavender from the back of the shop.

“Wow, the scent is amazing.”

“I’ll brew it into tea for you to sample.”

“Thanks, Roel. Then, could I ask for this lavender and some other herbal teas? Chamomile, all types, you know?”

“Of course.”

Dame Ramona, standing near the entrance, spoke up.

“Roel, just one cup for me too….”

“No.”

Roel’s firm response made Dame Ramona plead again.

“Roel, do you dislike me? I really like you.”

Roel replied with a sweet smile.

“I don’t like flirts.”

Dame Ramona, struck right where it hurt, became sullen.

* * *

I climbed the familiar stairs to the second floor and waited for Roel.

On the second-floor terrace, there was a small tea table where you could sample teas. It was like a VIP-only space.

Although Dame Ramona had been reluctant to stray too far from the entrance, she changed her mind after seeing the terrace.

“This place is really nice. If any suspicious characters linger, I can jump down and beat them up right away!”

Dame Ramona and I sat side by side at the table, snacking on some treats.

Soon, Roel came up with a large tray. I noticed that he had even brought a teacup for Dame Ramona.

“See, Roel is softer-hearted than he appears. I knew it from the way he always gave me extra.”

Roel poured tea into our cups and sat down.

“This is the lavender you chose first on the first floor, Lady Erica.”

I took a sip of the tea, which contained nothing but lavender, and assessed its quality.

“It’s definitely more fragrant than last year’s. I’ll buy this.”

“Thank you. And these two are chamomile.”

“The left one is from the Empire, and the right one is from the Eastern Kingdom?”

The Empire and Eastern Kingdom’s chamomile resembled Roman chamomile and German chamomile from my previous life.

“Correct. Which one would you like to try first?”

“Let’s start with the Eastern Kingdom’s.”

Ramona, a beat behind her, sipped the lavender tea and made a face before scooping a generous amount of honey into her cup and stirring it.

Roel, sipping his lavender tea elegantly, commented.

“I like to add just one drop of honey to my lavender tea. Only those who don’t know how to drink lavender tea would add a lot of honey.”

Ramona replied defensively.

“I only added one drop! If it falls in a lump, it’s still one drop, right? Don’t you agree, Erica?”

“I don’t think so.”

Ramona pouted at my response.

After that, we sampled chamomile, linden, spearmint, and peppermint in turn.

While Roel went downstairs for a moment, Ramona beamed.

“It’s really nice coming here with you, Erica! This is the first time I’ve ever sat across from Roel and had tea together. It’s also the first time we’ve talked for this long.”

Can this even be called a conversation?

Dame Ramona kept persistently flirting, and Roel kept firmly shutting her down.

Seeing Ramona smile bashfully despite it all made me feel a little sorry for her.

But then again, she was quite the flirt.

* * *

After drinking tea at the terrace table with the three of us, it was already early in the evening.

The edges of the clouds had taken on a yellowish hue.

I gauged the time.

If we left for the palace before the sun disappeared behind the building across the street, we could make it back in time for the Crown Prince’s evening tea. There was still some time left.

I shouted, “Roel, I’ll buy one tin of everything we’ve tried so far, and two tins of Imperial chamomile and lavender!”

From here to there, I’ll take it all. It was easy to be confident when spending the palace’s money.

Roel’s face lit up.

“Yes, Lady Erica! I think this is the first time you’ve ordered so much. Oh, by the way, I’ve recently acquired some rare tea leaves from the Western Kingdom. Would you like to try them?”

“If you’re offering me a taste of rare tea, I’d be grateful! I won’t refuse.”

Roel, delighted by my response, happily went back downstairs.

As I waited for Roel to return with the tea tray, I gazed out the window.

From the second-floor terrace, I could see several suspicious figures moving in the alley below.

They were huddled together, all wearing dark robes with their hoods pulled low, making them look even more suspicious.

The tallest one in the group was holding something that looked like a piece of paper.

‘They’re whispering about something, but it’s too far away to hear clearly.’

Dame Ramona had noticed them before I did and was keeping a close eye on them.

She squinted and observed each one of them closely…

And then suddenly, she let out a strange noise and ducked under the table.

I whispered to Dame Ramona, 

“What are they? Carriage thieves?”

“No, no, nothing like that. Let’s just stay hidden for now.”

“But didn’t you say earlier that if you saw any suspicious characters, you’d jump down and beat them up?”

“Don’t say things like that out loud!”