Chapter 1342 - Garden of Myriad Flowers ④

After walking around the flower garden to some extent, we arrived at a wooden house…… Rosemary-san’s home. Describing it as a small house in the middle of a flower garden fits perfectly, and although it wasn’t that big, I felt that its appearance matched the flower garden.

Once inside, I found it to be another stylish space. The interior was tastefully decorated with furniture of calming wooden colors, and the space inside was nothing short of magnificent, not being gaudily wide, yet not cramped either.

This was a room that one would have to have a very good sense of style to create. Even if I used the same furniture and interior design, I wouldn’t be able to create this stylish atmosphere.

[It’s a stylish and beautiful room.]

[You think so? Hearing you say that makes me happy. Ahh, Kaito-kun, sit there and let me make you some tea.]

[Thank you…… Ah, that’s right!]

[Unnn?]

The timing is just right, so I decided to give her the cup I brought as a souvenir.

[Actually, our Nebula and Illness-san recently took up pottery making, and they made teacups for Rosemary-san for this visit.]

[Eh? Is that so?]

[Yes. And so, if you’re fine with it, here you go.]

[Thanks, it makes me happy…… Ohh, they’re very beautiful. They just started recently and made something this great? They seem to be designed with black tea in mind, and the rose pattern is so beautiful, so it would be no surprise if you said they were made by a skilled craftsman.]

Receiving the teacups with the beautiful rose patterns, Rosemary-san smiled, looking really happy.

If she is this happy, I’m glad I gifted them to her. Well, it was Nebula and Illness who made them……

[……By the way, you mentioned it being designed with black tea in mind?]

[Errr, for cups oriented towards black tea, basically, they should be thin, with a wide mouthpiece and a short height to bring out the flavor and appearance of the tea. On the other hand, coffee cups should be thicker, have a cylindrical mouthpiece, and be taller.]

[I see……]

Heehhh…… That’s the first time I’ve heard about that. Come to think of it, they do use different cups for tea and coffee. I was never really that fussy about drinking tea or coffee back then, and when I was in Japan, I used to drink coffee from a mug.

[……Well then, let’s use these cups right away. It seems just right, as you’ve brought me two.]

[Yes.]

[Kaito-kun, are you okay with rose tea?]

[Errr…… I haven’t drank much of them. I did have an acquaintance who likes herb tea, and they brew them as a blend……]

[I see, then, I guess the pink rose, which doesn’t have too strong an aroma would be better……]

I have many opportunities to drink tea, but not so much herb tea…… most of my experiences with them were when Dr. Vier serves them to me at her place. However, I don’t think I’ve had tea made from roses.

[……I’ve had rose hip tea before, but is that different?]

[That’s right. Rose tea is made from the rose’s petals, while rose hip tea is made from the small red berries that form after the roses bloom.]

[I guess that makes their taste quite different?]

[Rose hip tea is more sour and a little stronger in taste. Rose tea tastes sweeter, but they’re rather light, and its special feature is its strong aroma.]

With these words, Rosemary-san prepared rose tea using dried rose petals with her experienced hands.

The tea was a beautiful shade of red and purple, and combined with the transparent pot, it looked very stylish.

[Thanks for waiting. Well then, I’ll pour them into the cups…… Ahh, that’s amazing. When I pour tea in them…… the rosebud pattern in the cup bloomed beautifully.]

[If I’m not mistaken, they added some sort of mechanism where the pattern changes depending on the temperature.]

[I see, that’s amazing…… Ahh, sorry. Here you go.]

[Thank you.]

[Try drinking it normally, and if you think the taste is weak, add some honey, it will make it sweeter and easier to drink.]

It seemed that the souvenir cup was designed to bloom into a rose when tea was poured into it, and I couldn’t help but notice the vivid change in its appearance.

[……Arehh? Didn’t the color of the rose slightly change?]

[Ahh, it’s true…… Perhaps, it changes not only with temperature, but also with the passage of time? When you pour tea, the flower blooms and you can enjoy the changing color of the rose flower as time goes by. It’s really amazing.]

[How should I say this…… It kinda makes drinking tea fun.]

[Unnn. It’s pleasing to the eye, so it’s really lovely.]

Seeing Rosemary-san’s smile as she said that, my eyes were unintentionally captivated. How should I say this…… When she’s really not nervous, she feels more like a kind and gentle woman, giving me the strong impression that she’s a lovely person.

When she’s nervous and looks sharp though, she feels more like a cool person……

As I had such thoughts in mind, I brought the rose tea Rosemary-san brewed to my mouth. The scent of roses spreading in my mouth somehow felt elegant and pleasant, and drinking it made me feel relaxed.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai: [I wonder why, but it really feels like Rosemary-san is flirting with him here…… Could it be because she has really relaxed her guard around Kaito?]