Tea Time Slip-Up
The next morning, sunlight filtering through the window cracks tickled my eyelids.
"Mm..."
I tossed my heavy, sluggish body and opened my eyes.
Probably because I'd tossed and turned until dawn last night, my head felt foggy and blank.
Gripping my hazy mind, I sat up, and that's when I heard a rustling sound from beside me.
Aria was already up in the bed next to mine.
She was fully dressed in her uniform, sitting at her desk studying. Without turning on the light, probably to let me sleep.
"You're up early?"
At my groggy voice, Aria jumped in surprise and turned to me.
"Ah! Y-you're awake, my lady? Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah. You're as diligent as ever."
"Hehe... It's just habit now."
Aria smiled shyly. The desk was piled with thick major textbooks and notebooks filled with dense notes.
Is this what it takes to be a scholarship student? I couldn't even guess what time she went to bed or woke up.
I got out of bed and picked up my uniform from the chair.
Then, naturally, I spread my arms and looked at Aria.
We'd reached the point where words weren't even needed anymore.
She stopped what she was doing and trotted right over to me.
"Shall I help?"
"Please. I still can't get used to this damn thing no matter how many times I wear it."
I held my arms out, and Aria began fastening my shirt buttons with her familiar, deft movements.
Click.
The touch on the nape of my neck felt bolder than the first time.
No, probably not.
"My lady."
"Yeah?"
As Aria dressed me, she glanced at my wrist.
"That ribbon... did you buy it new?"
"Oh, this?"
I held up my wrist.
The ribbon Lilliana had tied over the bracelet from Charlotte.
I'd worn it yesterday too, but she'd been too distracted to notice until now.
"It's a gift."
"A gift? From who?"
"The person I'm meeting today."
"Oh..."
Aria's expression turned strange.
Envy? Or something else? Her eyes lingered on the ribbon before she bowed her head.
"It's pretty... It suits you perfectly, my lady."
"Yeah? Thanks."
The recipient myself had no time to even appreciate if it was pretty or not.
I slipped on my jacket and checked my appearance in the mirror, straightening everything out.
"Let's go eat. Can't be late today."
We grabbed a simple breakfast at the cafeteria.
The stares still poured in, burdensome as ever, but I was starting to get used to them.
Even better, the whispers seemed to die down a bit as I ate nonchalantly.
Like, She's got this infamous reputation, but seeing her in person, she's just acting normal—kinda disappointing.
Something like that, probably.
After eating, I parted ways with Aria and headed to the greenhouse.
The one at the edge of the forest path behind the main building.
I opened the door and stepped inside.
A wave of fragrant floral scents and humid warmth hit me immediately.
A garden bursting with countless blooming flowers.
And in the middle of the flowerbed stood Lilliana in a white dress, watering the plants.
Water droplets from the watering can caught the sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling, creating a rainbow.
It was like a masterpiece painting.
Pure, beautiful, saintly—the very picture of a saintess.
She really is pretty.
She turned at the sound of the door.
"You're here, my lady?"
She approached with a radiant smile.
"Earlier than last time today?"
"Yeah. Didn't want to be late."
"Good choice. I've been eager to see you."
Lilliana stood before me, scanning me from head to toe.
Her gaze lingered on my face, shoulders, and the cuffs of my sleeves.
"Hmm."
She hummed a little tune and suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Good."
Without hesitation, she rolled up my sleeve.
The pink lace ribbon tied firmly on my pale wrist.
Confirming it was still in place, her face brightened even more.
"You kept it on without untying it."
She stroked the knot with her thumb.
"I like that you keep your promises so well."
"Of course. It's from you."
I smiled awkwardly, and Lilliana took my hand, leading me deeper inside.
"Come this way. Today's task is a little different."
"What do I have to do today? More pruning like the other day?"
"No. Today it's... something more special."
She led me to the back of the greenhouse, under an arch thick with climbing roses.
There was a small table with two chairs, and on it, a pretty tea set and cookies.
"Today's job is this."
"Huh? This is..."
"Tea time."
Lilliana pulled out a chair invitingly.
"Have a seat."
"We don't have to work? Adrian sent me here for volunteer service."
"Work is fine, but conversation is necessary too, right? I felt bad making you work so much last time."
She sat across from me and picked up the teapot.
Pour.
Red-black tea filled the cup, releasing a fragrant aroma.
"I want to know more about you, my lady."
She pushed the cup toward me, gazing at me.
Her eyes were so clear, it was impossible to read her depths.
"The past month... how you've been, who you've been with, what you've been thinking. I have no way of knowing."
The red tea rippled in the cup.
"So I want to hear every single detail of your story, without missing a thing."
Lilliana said this with a beaming smile.
Even if she asked, my memory wasn't that great, and I didn't have much to say.
Besides, telling the truth would turn this tea party into a bloodbath.
What all happened...
Everything that stuck vividly in my memory was stuff I absolutely couldn't mention out loud.
I lifted the teacup to my lips to buy time.
The warm black tea soothed my tense stomach just a little.
"Even if you say that... nothing much happened. I was just confined to the ducal estate the whole time."
"Really? What about that girl?"
That girl.
I knew who she meant.
"She went further north midway, so we parted ways. Nothing special."
"Hmm... I see."
Her gaze flicked to my wrist.
"Then what about the story of your little sister who gave you that bracelet? I wanted to hear about it last time but didn't get to."
"Ah."
I knew this topic would come up again.
Unavoidable.
"Nothing much. She's just... my little sister. Name's Charlotte."
"Charlotte?"
"Yeah. She's super timid and shy. While I was confined, we hung out in the annex a few times."
"Hmm... hung out, huh."
Her eyes narrowed.
"So your little sister made the bracelet herself because she missed her big sister?"
"Yeah. Guess she was sad I was leaving."
I added, She's still a kid, and took a sip of tea.
Why was my throat so dry?
Lilliana peered intently into my eyes as if gauging the truth, then smiled sweetly.
"That's nice. Such deep sisterly bonds."
My answer must have satisfied her; her expression softened.
Crisis averted.
I sighed in relief and picked up a cookie.
But Lilliana's questions weren't over.
"Now, shall we talk about the present?"
"The present?"
"Yes. Where you're staying now. Is it uncomfortable?"
"Oh, C Dorm? It's better than I thought. A bit rundown, but livable."
"You're not alone, right? I heard it's a two-person room."
"Yeah. Got one roommate."
"Roommate..."
Lilliana set down her teacup and stared at me intently.
Her gaze went to my shirt collar, buttons, and perfectly tied ribbon tie.
"Come to think of it, you're dressed so neatly today, my lady?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah?"
She leaned in and tugged lightly at my ribbon.
A firm knot that wouldn't come loose.
"Did you do this yourself? Your handiwork is impressive."
Maybe because I'd relaxed, or because I remembered this morning...
I opened my mouth carelessly.
"Ah. No, not me."
"Pardon?"
"Couldn't do it alone. My roommate helped."
I said it proudly.
"She's got amazing dexterity. Thanks to her, it's easy..."
Mid-sentence, I froze.
The atmosphere was off.
The warm greenhouse air had frozen cold in an instant.
Lilliana's hand stopped on my ribbon tie.
"..."
She was smiling.
But it was nothing like before.
Oof.
Looks like I'd messed up big time.