Chapter 9
The long-awaited day of the tea party finally arrived.
Following the dress code written on the invitation, I wore a black dress and arrived at the Angus Count family’s estate.
A servant led me into the rose garden.
Under a white gazebo, several young ladies were already enjoying tea.
Vivian, seated in the center, spotted me and smiled.
“Welcome, Miss Aisha. We thought you weren’t coming, so we started without you.”
“I arrived on time.”
“That can’t be. The invitation clearly said nine in the morning.”
I looked at Vivian quietly.
Just like before, she must have written a different time on my invitation to make me look rude and late.
Vivian smiled sweetly.
“But what does that matter? I’m just happy you came. Please sit beside me.”
I sat next to her.
She began introducing me to the others.
“This is Miss Aisha Ambervia. She’s from the countryside and may not know much, so please take good care of her.”
The young ladies in pastel-colored dresses looked at me stiffly.
I asked them calmly,
“Why do you all look like that?”
“…Your dress is beautiful.”
They said that, but their expressions were uncomfortable.
It made sense.
Black dresses were usually worn for mourning. Wearing black to a tea party was inappropriate.
Vivian must have written a different dress code on my invitation on purpose.
From their perspective, I was a late, poorly dressed guest.
I replied calmly,
“Thank you. I’m glad I followed the dress code. Your dresses are colorful and pretty… but they don’t seem to match the dress code.”
They looked confused.
“What do you mean?”
“We wore what was written on our invitations.”
I deliberately placed my invitation on the table.
“This is the invitation Lady Vivian sent me. It says lunch, and the dress code is black.”
The girls passed it around and read it carefully.
“It’s real. The Angus family seal is here.”
“It’s different from ours.”
Vivian quickly tried to smooth things over.
“It must have been a mistake by the scribe. I’ll dismiss them.”
So that’s your excuse.
Just as I was thinking that, Vivian changed the topic.
“Shall we try a new tea?”
At her signal, servants brought fresh cups and tea.
“I saved this special tea for when Miss Aisha arrived. It’s a rare import my father obtained through trade.”
The mood began to settle.
The girls chatted while tasting the sweets.
“The ball at the Romen Count family was so extravagant. The dress code was gold—it felt like the palace.”
“The marquis’s party was amazing too. I’ve never seen so many handsome heirs in one place.”
Vivian added sweetly,
“Let’s not talk too much about that. Miss Aisha hasn’t been invited to such places. She might feel left out.”
This childish script didn’t surprise me.
“It’s fine. I’ve been to the palace and see noble sons every day. I won’t feel left out.”
Their eyes widened.
“You’ve been to the palace?”
“What was it like? Is it really covered in gold?”
“Are there many handsome knights?”
Only upper nobles invited by royalty could enter the palace.
To most young ladies, it was a dreamlike place.
“Yes. The pillars are gold, and the stained glass behind the throne is beautiful. There are many impressive knights.”
I knew the palace well from my time pursuing Crown Prince Caliton.
Questions kept coming.
“How did you get to visit?”
“I’m Lord Cyprian’s disciple. I live in the Moon Tower.”
Their eyes grew even wider.
“You’re Lowell Cyprian’s disciple?”
“Yes. I’m studying magic under him.”
“Unbelievable!”
“So you’re a mage?”
Suddenly, all attention was on me.
“They say Lowell Cyprian is the greatest mage in the empire.”
“Is that true?”
Vivian bit her lip.
To shift attention away from me, she changed the topic.
“Have you heard that the Duke of Miguel’s heir changed his fiancée?”
The girls immediately leaned in.
“They seemed so in love!”
“They say the count’s daughter was caught secretly meeting a servant.”
“How shameful.”
“Miss Aisha, have you heard?”
Vivian looked at me with fake sympathy.
“Ah, perhaps you wouldn’t know, since you just came from the countryside…”
I nearly laughed.
I lowered my voice.
“Do you know the hottest story in the palace right now? The captain of the royal guard and a marquis’s daughter are secretly dating.”
The girls gasped.
Secret romance. Status difference. Palace setting.
Their favorite themes.
“The captain is from a loyal noble family and is supposed to marry someone chosen by the royal family. But he fell for the marquis’s daughter. The royal family won’t ignore that.”
This was side information I learned from playing multiple routes.
The girls whispered excitedly.
“That’s crazy!”
“What will happen?”
“I hope they end up happy!”
But I wasn’t done.
“Lady Vivian, you’ve heard that His Highness Caliton adjusted noble tax rates recently, right?”
“Ah… of course.”
She clearly didn’t know.
Most young ladies cared more about romance than politics.
“It looks like tax reform, but it’s actually to balance old nobles and rising merchant nobles. If commercial nobles gain power, traditional nobles lose influence.”
Silence fell.
They stared at me, stunned.
“I spoke too much. Some people assume someone from the countryside wouldn’t know high society matters, so I just shared a little.”
“…You seem to know everything.”
“I’d love to meet you more often.”
They now looked at me with admiration.
Vivian’s face had turned pale.
Her hands trembled in her lap.
You shouldn’t have picked a fight.
Then our eyes met.
She forced a smile.
“By the way, Miss Aisha, you haven’t taken a single sip of tea.”
Of course not. Mine is poisoned.
“You should try it. It’s delicious.”
“No, thank you.”
“I prepared it especially for you…”
I replied,
“I think my cup smells strange.”
“Strange? What about the rest of you?”
The other girls smelled their tea.
“It smells fine.”
“Very fragrant.”
Vivian looked at me as if to say, See?
“I’m hurt. I worked hard to prepare this.”
Some of the girls frowned at me.
“You should apologize.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the tea.”
I shrugged.
“Maybe not. By the way, I switched my cup with Lady Vivian’s earlier.”
“…!”
Vivian’s eyes shook violently.
She jumped up and shoved her fingers down her throat.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
“Lady Vivian?!”
“Are you alright?!”
The girls stared in confusion.
I looked at Vivian, kneeling on the ground and gagging, and said brightly,
“Oh my, I was joking.”
