Chapter 71: Tea Time

Taking a seat over at a shaded area in the Royal Garden, the princess's personal chef and maid pushed a cart full of sweets over.

As expected of sweets that were baked by the royal chef, they were all pretty and delicate. Setting the tray full of sweets on the table, the old maid began to pour tea for Earl and Sharon.

The soothing smell of tea lingered in the air and combined with the smell of fresh, blooming flowers. Earl smiled and praised. "What a wonderful smell. Where is this tea from?"

The old maid finished pouring the tea and answered. "It's from a dukedom to the east. I'm glad you like it, young lord."

"Is that so?" Earl's eyes brightened as he lifted up the cup for a sip. The warm, fragrant tea flowed down his throat, leaving him refreshed.

Meanwhile, Sharon dropped a few cubes of sugar before taking a sip of her own. The sweetness from the added sugar left her smiling happily.

Now that the old maid was finished with her task, the old chef took over. He was a simple-looking man with a large chef hat over his head.

"I recommend trying this first." He bowed humbly and took out two plates from the tray. On each plate were four beautiful caneles.

The caneles was a picture-perfect representation of what is seen in a recipe book. It held the shape of a small, striated cylinder with a small depression at the top. It was a slightly darker brown in colour and was slightly glossy in finish. The sun rays that shone down on it made the caneles look very appetizing.

"Caneles." Earl named the pastry. It was a classic french pastry from his previous world.

"I didn't expect the young lord to know of it. I learned the recipe to this food during my journey to the Beast Kingdom before I became a chef here."

It was no longer a surprise that things of his previous world would come from the Beast Kingdom in this world. The Beast Ancestor was really a man who knew how to enjoy himself, spreading his likes and interests for the residents of this new world to enjoy.

"I had the great chance of visiting the Beast Kingdom recently." He told the old chef as he took a bite of a canele.

He was first met with the crunchy caramelized crust. The flavours of the canele was gentle. It held a delicate balance of sweet and savoury. The soft insides melted inside his mouth and transformed into flavours of vanilla and a hint of rum.

Sharon watched Earl's blissful eating face and asked smugly. "It's good, isn't it?"

Whatever achievements her retainers had was essentially hers as well. And this included appeasing Earl's tastebuds.

"Yes, it's good." Earl nodded and took another sip of his fragrant tea.

The old chef's role was now done too. He was dismissed by Sharon.

"You guys can go away now. I don't like to be watched!" She told them which was not very honest of her.

She simply wanted to enjoy an uninterrupted time with Earl. The sight of his tending maids behind him ticked her off. Especially the dark elf.

Not only did the dark elf have the same silver shade of hair like her, the princess of Ablax, everything she did for Earl would make him look very happy.

Like right now as she is gently wiping her master's hands with a white handkerchief she took out from who knows where.

To this, the princess bitterly took a bite into the freshly made canele. The fine flavours of the pastry instantly turned her mood for the better.

Meanwhile, Earl was enjoying his time being tended by Aria. After finishing a plate of his sweets, she came by his face and gently wiped his lips with a handkerchief. She then went to the tray and asked, "Which one would you like next, master?"

"Why don't you surprise me?"

"Certainly."

The tea time with the princess came to an end when the royal tailor came to visit. She was an old woman who dressed finely, as one would expect from a tailor.

"Princess." She first greeted with a bow. "It's time to continue working on your dress."

"Fine." Sharon pouted and reluctantly stood up from her seat. "I'll see you later, Earl!"

"I'll see you soon, Princess." Earl nodded and returned customs.

The tailoring of the princess's dress was as one would've guessed, for the upcoming birthday celebration of the first prince. It was the biggest event in the Ablax Kingdom for the first time in a while.

The 10th birthday is the first step to growing up in the culture of this world. And for the first prince who is also expected to become a crowned prince after this day, it was a huge deal.

Earl had a hunch that something stupid like the flowers of the Royal Garden being changed to the prince's favourite flower was going to happen, which was the only thing he really cared about in the Royal Palace beside the princess and the queen.

On his way to exiting the Royal Palace, he had some fun with Aria.

Taking a step behind a big pillar that held up the ceiling of the passageway he was on, he grabbed Aria's hand and embraced her.

Holding Aria by the waist from behind, he kissed her neck and leaned against the wall.

"Master... Lily is watching." Aria blushed but she did not resist.

"It's alright. I'll take both of you at the same time eventually." Earl whispered into her elven ears, not forgetting to give it a little nibble. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Lily standing looking curiously. The only emotion behind those bi-coloured eyes of hers was curiosity. She was a curious girl.

"Master... That's lewd..." Aria whispered back and tilted her head to kiss her master on the lips.

Just as they were about to sink deeper into depravity, a childish voice interrupted them.

"W-what are you guys doing!?" And there he was. The first prince, Seth Ablax pointing at them with a blushing face.