Side Story: Tea Time

A PICTURESQUE LAKE.

There was no wind, so the lovely, mirror-like surface of the water reflected the sky as boats floated across it. Children with beautiful blue hair played at the waterside, basking in the reflected rays of sun. Nearby, people relaxed at gazebo-esque rest spots that were set at regular intervals. Most were older men and women, but in one spot, a woman and a girl, each with differentcolored hair, were sitting down.

The girl wore a simple but elegant white dress, while the woman sported a red dress that looked easy to move in. They sat in chairs on opposite sides of the table. The blonde woman in the red dress was Viscount Panamera Carrera Cayenne, the current head of her family. The white-haired girl in the white dress was Arte On Ferdinatto, daughter of Count Ferdinatto. Having both been born into noble households, it was not merely their attire that differed from the average person’s, but also their gestures and mannerisms.

Each elegantly held a teacup in one hand, enjoying their beverage and their conversation with the other. It was a textbook example of a noble tea party.

However, what they were discussing was anything but.

“And that’s what Lord Van said…”

Arte had been talking about Van for nearly ten minutes straight, leaving little room for Panamera to do anything but occasionally toss in an interjection. When they first sat down to chat, Panamera had discussed recent affairs, but once Arte was finished talking about her own life in Seatoh Village, she shifted the topic of conversation to everything Van had ever said and done, making their tea party tremendously one-sided.

At last Panamera spoke up, a smirk on her lips. “This is truly unbelievable.”

Arte closed her mouth and gave the older woman a puzzled look. Panamera’s smile only deepened.

“When I think back on how you looked when I first met you in Count Ferdinatto’s territory, this whole situation is unbelievable. Your standard of living might have decreased, but you are so much more expressive than you ever were before. Honestly, you’re a different person now. I suspect the reason for that is less your environment than it is Baron Van?” she asked, seeking confirmation.

Arte looked down, abruptly turning red as a cherry. She frowned and cast Panamera a troubled look.

Panamera simply laughed, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. “I have never seen you look at me like that before! Worry not, you don’t need to give me an answer. I think I’ve already figured it out. But wow, eight years of age… No, was it nine? That boy will be a monstrous playboy when he gets older,” she said, still chuckling.

Arte shook her head. “Lord Van is tremendously kind, so he’d never… Wait, what if he’s so kind that he can’t turn down wedding proposals and ends up with multiple fiancées?” A dark expression crossed her face as she imagined the unthinkable.

Panamera snorted another laugh. “I would not call that kind, but indecisive. Though it is true that, depending on the position of the person putting forward the proposal, Baron Van may not be able to turn them down. It’s common practice for high-ranking noblemen to take three or more wives. I suggest you prepare for that possibility.”

Her expression as she explained this was teasing, but tears formed in Arte’s eyes. “B-but…! I…would not like that…but what if they were someone who’d been chased from their home, like I was?”

Perhaps her imagination was simply too vivid. She was now grappling with scenarios that had yet to occur.

Panamera could only laugh at it all, waving one of her hands. “Either way, that is far in the future. You should rest easy. Can you really imagine that boy attempting to seduce woman after woman? If anything, he would come to you for help… Hmm?” While Panamera attempted to soothe Arte’s fears, someone new appeared at the lake. She waved to him and called, “Lord Van, over here!”

“’Kay!”

The boy, hearing his name, trotted obediently in their direction with Khamsin and Till in tow. Having yet to notice Arte and Panamera sitting by the lake, he headed instead toward some apkallu children in a boat on the lake nearby.

“My dear fiancé, I want a small one of these. Five of them,” said the little apkallu girl.

Van narrowed his eyes. “I’m not your fiancé… Wait. You want small boats? Not big ones?”

The apkallu girl, Lada Priora, nodded. “Each person can use one, so there won’t be any fights. Dear fiancé, I will reward you with a glowing magic stone later. I want five.”

“Ah, I get it. You’re mediating for the kids. I suppose these are kind of like toys. Okay, I’ll make them for you. Also, I’m not your fiancé, okay?” Even as he cheerfully got to crafting the small boats, he made sure to emphasize that important point.

Panamera watched in silence, then turned a sympathetic gaze toward Arte. “If he is willing to wed an apkallu girl, then I wouldn’t be surprised if he had dozens of fiancées in the future.”

“Th-that’s not…”

In the end, Arte was unable to deny that it was possible.