-115-
The man who approached was none other than Marquis Iven. I couldn’t believe it—but here he was, standing right in front of us.
“It’s truly an honor to have both of you visit my café. I was surprised when I saw you from outside,”
Marquis Iven stepped forward confidently, greeting me and Lucius far more warmly than I had expected. A noble from an opposing faction acting this friendly? Curious, I raised an eyebrow, and he noticed, giving a slight, knowing smile before speaking to me.
“It’s been a while since I last saw Your Grace, the Duchess. I met you a few times at the royal palace before you married the Duke—do you remember?”
“Excuse me?”
He claimed to have met me before? Well, if it was before my marriage, it must have been the previous Tianna—the one I had possessed. Marquis Iven, huh… The memories of that Tianna are hazy to me, right before the possession. Still, I didn’t want to simply say I didn’t remember.
“Ah… I think I remember a little. We met at a palace party, right?”
I hesitated briefly, then pretended to recall. If we had met at the palace, it was either at an official audience or a party. “A few times” could mean both.
Nervously, I waited for his response. To my relief, he smiled and said:
“That’s correct. The first time was three years ago, introduced by Duke Celeste, and the second was last year. Hmm… seeing you now, you seem quite different from back then, the atmosphere and all.”
“Really?”
I felt his gaze studying me as I sat. Since he had met the previous Tianna, he probably noticed the differences in me. But if our first meeting was three years ago, that Tianna wasn’t the possessed one. Then she must have known the original Tianna.
‘I can’t quite tell from his expression,’ I thought.
His calm face didn’t reveal much emotion. Makes sense—he’s clever and cautious. Showing what you think openly can often be a disadvantage.
“Yes… there have been plenty of rumors. But in the end, it seems Marquis Calvino was right.”
Of course, he had made it easy for people to believe. Marquis Calvino had done a great job spreading the “real” rumors.
He smiled, seemingly amused by the results, then glanced at the table where Lucius and I were seated.
“By the way, have you tried the flower teas at our café?”
“We’ve ordered and are just waiting for them,” Lucius replied, noticing that he asked because the table was empty. Iven glanced at him, smiling slightly embarrassed.
“Ah, I see. We serve flower teas made from blossoms we grow ourselves. The flavor is deep and refined, and I sincerely hope you’ll try it.”
“You grow the flowers yourselves and make tea leaves from them?”
“Yes. We recruited a skilled horticulturist and a tea sommelier. The horticulturist cultivates flowers in a nearby, carefully tended garden, and the sommelier selects and processes them into tea leaves.”
“…That sounds like a lot of work. Quite impressive, really.”
Impressive? Hardly. This is just blatant copying. A skilled horticulturist grows flowers, the sommelier processes them into tea leaves—exactly what Baron Evit Jun did with Lina’s flowers.
From the moment I noticed the café’s decor and concept, it was clear—but to boldly admit copying everything so openly?
“Haha. I don’t do much myself. It’s thanks to recruiting talented people. Still, I oversee every step, from flower cultivation to tea leaf preparation. The quality of tea depends entirely on the care put into each step.”
“Uh-huh…”
He spoke excitedly, flashing a confident smile, which only made me frown slightly.
So much “care,” he says… He really exudes pride. Anyone would think he invented this flower tea himself. And to think he had plans to contract with Baron Evit Jun—almost like he was planning a slave contract.
‘He might be the most duplicitous person I’ve met so far,’ I thought.
Even Marquis Calvino hadn’t been this two-faced. He’s shamelessly confident despite his theft. Keeping my irritation in check was becoming difficult.
“Excuse me. Your special menu item of the week, Lavender Flower Tea, has arrived.”
Just as I narrowed my eyes at Iven, the manager arrived with the tea. Finally. Despite the awkwardness of Iven showing up while Lucius and I were talking, it had taken about twenty minutes.
“Oh, it’s here just in time.”
Iven smiled warmly as the manager approached, covering the tray with a large teapot and three cups.
The teacups were small, deep, and round—similar to designs I’d seen before. I clenched my teeth internally. Even the cups… copied.
Suppressing my grimace, I watched as the manager poured the tea into a pale purple cup.
‘The aroma is quite strong.’
The tea poured a pale yellow-green, and the distinctive scent of lavender spread through the air.
“You ordered our special of the week. Excellent choice.”
Iven, who had been standing aside, spoke suddenly.
“This Lavender Flower Tea was specially prepared to commemorate the café’s opening. We selected the finest lavender from our garden, and only the sommelier I personally recruited brews this tea.”
“…I see.”
Ah, so this is clearly a challenge to Café Roland’s “Blue Rose Tea.” And he emphasizes that only this lavender tea is brewed by his sommelier—so others are brewed by different staff? At the capital branch, Baron Evit brews all the teas himself, monitoring temperature, steeping time, and leaf quantity. The sommelier’s skill is crucial for consistent flavor.
‘Same goes for coffee and black tea.’
Even using the same method, each person leaves their own “touch.” The flavor subtly—or obviously—changes depending on who brews it. If each tea tasted differently every time, it would be a problem. People’s palates and preferences don’t easily change.
“Please enjoy your time, both of you.”
The manager placed the remaining teapot on the table and stepped back. I carefully picked up the steaming cup, and Iven spoke, watching Lucius and me.
“I sincerely hope you enjoy our special flower tea. You’ll notice a taste far superior to ordinary teas.”
“That… sounds promising.”
‘Far superior to ordinary teas?’ He’s insulting Baron Evit’s tea before even tasting it. Using Lina’s flowers and calling it “ordinary”? I understood the slight, and it made me even angrier.
‘I guess that’s why Lucius dislikes him—neither the wife nor the husband has good character.’
I restrained the urge to set down my cup. Lucius’s frown deepened, his hand twitching as if he wanted to pour the hot tea on Iven.
‘Just one cup… let’s see.’
Even if I wanted to run away, I couldn’t. One cup, just to judge. Could it rival Baron Evit’s tea?
The rich lavender scent hit my nose. I lifted the cup and took a slow sip, enduring the slight dizziness from the strong aroma.
The warm tea flowed into my mouth, releasing the fragrant lavender, stimulating every corner of my palate. It felt as if I were standing in a lavender field. Nutty, slightly bitter undertones lingered. Lucius and I set our cups down simultaneously after a sip.
“Hmm…”
“…”
Seeing our neutral expressions, Iven cautiously asked:
“Well? How does our finest lavender flower tea taste? Rich aroma, deep and luxurious flavor, isn’t it?”
“Yes… it’s not bad, I suppose.”
“I knew you’d say that. Not bad…?”
He paused, confused, then smiled lightly as if correcting himself.
“It really is not bad. That’s all I can say.”
Yes, it wasn’t bad. But that was all.
