Book 4: Chapter 23

School Festival and Mind Reading

“Welcome home, milady.”

Leaffa guided our first guests to their seats.

The lady customers were surprised to hear the words ‘Welcome home’ and ‘Milady’.

Our set-up was to simulate the mansion of the customers, with them as the proprietors.

That’s why instead of using ‘welcome’, we used ‘welcome home’.

This greeting is normal in the aristocrats’ mansions, and in the maid café’s of my previous world, but ordinary citizens find it unusual.

The lady guests were dumbfounded at first, but because of Leaffa’s perfect execution, they quickly got into the role.

When Leaffa was taking the order, the guests started to act like elite ladies. For example –

“I prefer a cup of black tea and some cake, please.”

And so on.

The maids and butlers were seriously doing their jobs, so the guests naturally matched their pace, creating an ambient atmosphere.

The next customer came.

“Welcome home, milady.”

The girl with the pony tail looked like she’s a student of this school.

It was Mai’s turn to guide the guest when —

“E, excuse me… Can that person assist me, please.”

We also accommodate requests for personal service for a fee in this tea house.

The girl requested for my service.

Eh, me!?

I switched with Mai while thinking that there really are people who have strange tastes.

“Thank you for waiting, miss. This way, please.”

Butlers do not lose their composure even for a moment. 

I remained calm as I guided the female student to her seat.

By the way, our butlers will address the female students as ‘miss’.

“May I take your order?”

“I am fine with whatever you recommend.”

Oh, so here it is.

“Would you like to have the Morning Set? If I may, I recommend black tea as accompaniment.”

I got the tea leaves that were exclusively used by Count Silveray’s household.

It was a high grade tea with a great aroma.

I provided it with no regard for profits.

“Alright, please give me that.”

This person doesn’t seem to immerse herself in the ambience.

Well, there were people like that, too.

“Very well.”

I noted her order, and then I moved to leave.

“Ah”

“Is there anything else?”

The girl suddenly called out as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she just mumbled ‘nothing’ with her head down.

Hmmm, butlers are supposed to read the atmosphere and discern what their masters want, right?

My older sister Charles possessed mind-reading skills.

My eldest brother Cain uses his extreme intuition to use the perfect method to meet the demands of the other party.

My other elder brother Leon has excellent discernment, so he can deduce what the opponent wanted to do just by observing their small movements.

But I don’t have any skill like that.

“…. Then I will prepare your order. Please wait for a moment.”

I left the table. I went to the kitchen to submit the order, and then I waited for a bit. 

I tried to understand what the girl wanted while waiting.

I looked at the girl.

Our eyes met, but she promptly turned away.

Seems like she had been staring at my back for a while now, since I was facing the kitchen.

She hung her head down, and there was a faint blush on her cheeks.

Hmmm, is this it?

Is she carrying a torch for me, or something?

….No, I shouldn’t be hasty!

I must observe her more!

Oh, speaking of, there was something that I wanted to try.

I released a bit of mana and thinly stretched it out.

I directed that mana into the girl’s head, until we were connected.

Other people will discover my mana if it is too thick, so I needed to make it as thin as possible.

If I’m not mistaken, the frontal lobe is responsible for thoughts and decisions, right? In that case, I will observe the movements of the front portion of her brain.

I can detect even the miniscule movements as long as it is within the sphere where I spread my mana.

I applied this concept.

I imagined the brain waves I saw on TV in my former world. I then tried to probe whether I can magically see the girl’s brain waves.

— I did it.

I saw the active movement of the girl’s brain waves.

Afterward, I tried to imagine how voices resounded in my mind during my telepathic conversations with Sylph and the other Spirit Kings.

Sylph’s telepathic voice echoes in this part of my brain, I suppose. I tried to convert the brainwaves of the girl into another form of wave and place it on that part.

My previous world’s incomplete knowledge, the experience of telepathy with the other Spirit Kings, my ability to micromanage my magic thanks to my occupation as sage, and finally, imagining my experience when Charles used that on me – with all of these combined, a miracle occurred.

“wa—-ted  to ——lk —–t ——”

——–!?

I voice resounded in my head; it’s as if we’re conversing face to face.

It was the voice of the girl who ordered earlier.

T, this is mind reading!

But I still can’t grasp what she’s saying because there’s too much noise.

Good timing, the food and drinks were ready.

I picked them up and made my way towards the girl.

“Thank you for waiting. Here’s your Morning set with black tea.”

“T, thank you.”

The girl glanced at me for a moment, but she lowered her head once more.

———-Now!

Once more, I connected my head to the girl with a thin string of mana.

‘don’t –ike —-black tea.’

Her voice was clearer than before.

Ah, perhaps she didn’t like black tea?

“Miss, was the tea not to your liking?”

“Eh!?”

I’m getting used to this.

I can roughly hear her inner thoughts now.

“I can see that you are not that happy with the selection. Would you like me to change the tea with something else?”

“No, I’m fine with black tea.”

Is what she said, but –

‘I wanted orange juice—- so. But I can’t say change—— late now.”

“Is that so, I understand. Please enjoy.”

I left her table again briefly.

Then I requested the kitchen to give me some orange juice, which I then brought back to the girl.

“Miss, would you like some orange juice? It is also delicious.”

“Ehh!?”

‘W, why!?’

“Miss, we were not able to offer what you wanted, so this is on the house.”

“H, how did you know I wanted orange juice?”

It’s because I can read minds —as if I can say that.

I recalled a line I heard from a movie in my past life.

“This is of no consequence. I am Miss’s butler, after all.”

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