Chapter 18: Tea Party
“It’s a small room, but please come in.”
With that, the glasses-wearing girl Jun showed me to her room.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
As I said that, I entered the room. The room was slightly smaller than mine, and there was a bed and desk symmetrically on both ends, and a table and chair in the middle.
It seemed to be a double room, and Jun and Neese were sharing a room.
“It’s small compared to Rachel-sama’s room, isn’t it?”
Nice guided me to the table in the middle with a self-deprecating smile.
“No, that’s not true. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I don’t feel comfortable in rooms that are too big, and I actually like smaller places.”
Before coming to this world, I was an ordinary person and lived in a small apartment with my mother, so it was true that I didn’t feel comfortable in large rooms.
“Oh, I know what you mean! I also like small spaces like inside cupboards or closets.”
I don’t feel comfortable in places that are too spacious, but I’m not sure about inside cupboards or closets.
“I’ll make some tea now, so please wait a moment.”
Saying this, Jun took out a kettle with a cat illustration on it from the cupboard, picked some leaves from the small bottle, and poured hot water into it.
“By the way, Rachel-sama, what kind of person is Allen-oujisama?”
Nice leaned forward and asked me.
“That’s right, I’d also like to ask what Diva-sensei’s office is like.”
Jun asked, holding a pot and a mug. I see, it wasn’t just goodwill, but actually she wanted to hear about the person in question from me personally. For Neese the athletic girl, it’s Allen-ouji, and the glasses girl, Jun, it’s Diva-sensei.
But it felt like a girls’ night out, and I didn’t feel bad.
“No, he just called out to me so I’m not that familiar with Allen-oujisama… Only…”
I actually know him well. In the otome game world setting, that is.
“I’d love for him to stop calling me in front of Marchioness Koron… It’s bad for my heart.”
“Oh, that’s indeed difficult… if it were an ordinary citizen like me, I’d run away from the school…”
She looks good, but I can’t understand that train of thought.
“What about Diva-sensei? You went to his office, right? What was it like inside?”
Jun asked as she put the teapot down.
“Nothing in particular… It was a neat and tidy room, as if it was just for office work, but he was wearing a monocle on one eye.”
I wonder if he had bad eyesight to begin with, or if he had presbyopia. If it was presbyopia, it was a pity, as he looked young, about 30 years old.
“A monocle, huh? I wanted to see him like that for a bit. Maybe I should stop wearing glasses and wear a monocle like him?”
It’s true that Diva-sensei’s monocle might have suited him, but what about a woman’s monocle? I feel like I can’t really say anything until I see it for myself.
As I was thinking about this, Jun poured tea from the pot into a mug and handed it to me.
“I’m sorry for the rude way I poured it, but I don’t have a tea set…”
“No, don’t worry about it. Anyway, this mug is cute.”
I looked at the design on the mug she handed me. In the center of the white mug is a cute illustration of a cat saying “meow♪”. It seems to match the pot.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, it’s my favorite.”
Jun pours both Neese and herself a share, batting her eyelashes. After making sure everyone has had some, I bring the mug to my mouth. A sweet and sour aroma similar to chamomile fills my nostrils. Taking a sip, I taste a slightly spicy flavour similar to ginger.
“How do you like it, Rachel-sama?”
Jun asks, peering into my face.
“It has a strange smell and taste, but it somehow calms me down.”
I’ve only just drunk it, so the medicinal properties won’t take effect immediately, but I feel like the pain in my solar plexus has subsided. It must be mostly psychological, after all. I feel it seeping into my body.
“That’s good~ Judging from Rachel-sama’s condition, she seemed pretty exhausted.”
Jun smiles at my satisfaction.
“That’s right, when we first came here, we were really nervous, so we both drank it.”
Neese takes a sip and laughs.
“This is good, where can I buy it?”
My school life has just begun. But if it’s as the story says, there are still plenty of stressful events to come. I feel bad about coming to Jun’s place every time, so I’d like to get some if possible.
“There’s no need to buy it. You can get it for free, you know?”
Jun answers while looking at me blankly.
“What, really?”
Jun’s reaction suggests that it’s a plant that grows anywhere, like mugwort in Japan?
“Yes, it grows in abundance in the greenhouse on the school grounds, so you can pick as much as you want.”
So it’s a weed-level plant after all.
“Can I enter the greenhouse and pick plants as I please?”
“Yes, it’s a facility opened to students for research, so any student can enter at any time. If it were a rare plant, you’d need permission to pick it, but the ingredients for this tea are treated as weeds, so you can pick as much as you like.”
If I collect the actually thing once, I can ask Emma to pick some in the future, and it might be useful when I run into the forest like Leaf suggested if it gets dangerous.
“Then Jun-san, I’m sorry but can you tell me what they are?”
“Of course, if you don’t mind, should we take a look now?”
“Right now? The sun is already setting.”
“The greenhouse is always bright with magical light, so it’s fine.”
She’s already come this far, plus I wasn’t sure if our schedules would work out next time. I also didn’t have any plans for after this, and even if I did have dinner, it would be better to wait until my stomach pain subsided a bit. In that case, it might be best to just hang on to her kindness.
“Then, shall we?”
“With pleasure.”
Jun answered with a smile.
