CH 493.2

Let’s make some snacks!

“Okaasama, it’s Cristea.”

I knocked and called out, and Okaasama’s personal maid opened the door.

She asked me to sit down, so I did, and her maid quickly began to prepare the tea.

“You were strolling through the garden for quite a bit.”

“I apologize. I went to make sweets in the kitchen after.”

“… Sweets, you say?”

Okaasama looked at me with sharp eyes. Hieh!

“Y, yes. They were just simple cookies, though.”

There was no way Okaasama would let it go when she heard it was sweets..

The maid who was brewing tea beside her also stopped moving for a moment.

I have to serve them now, yeah.

I asked the maid to bring out a plate and took out the two kinds of cookies from my inventory.

“One is a cookie with black tea leaves and the other is a cookie with matcha tea mixed in.”

I was glad that the maid received them with sparkling eyes when she brought a small plate and I handed her a few pieces to try.

“Oh my… I wonder if these dark grains are tea leaves? They don’t look too good, but the taste is wonderful, with a soft scent of black tea.”

Okaasama happily drank the tea and then picked up the matcha this time.

“The slight bitterness with a hint of buttery flavor… it’s not too sweet, so it’s easy to eat. This would go well with a cup of Yahatul tea.”

As expected, she talks a lot when Otousama is not around. I guess she is trying to avoid having the same impression because he usually says everything.

“I’m glad they are to your palate. Umm, what is it that you wanted to see me about…?”

“Eh? Ah, oh my, that’s right, hoho…”

Okaasama… she was so engrossed in the cookies that she forgot, didn’t she?

“… Ahem. For the time being, we have sorted through the invitations that we have received.”

When Okaasama pointed her hand in front of her, I saw a pile of invitations about to start an avalanche.

“Eh.”

That was fast. You mean you finished sorting through that amount?

“O, Okaasama, those are…?”

“You don’t have to accept all of them. I will refuse on your behalf.”

“What?”

Nono, if there are so many, there surely are some that would be bad to refuse, no?

“They are all from neutral or hostile factions. Our faction is well aware of how much the Stewart loves you, so they just sent a letter saying, ‘We would love to see you when the opportunity arises.’ They are going to invite you to a tea party at our home sometime soon, so be sure to join us then.”

“O, okay…”

I was a little relieved, but I had to attend the tea party after all.

“As for the rest, it’s all from people who we know are planning to do something bad to our household… How could ‘he’ allow such a thing?”

Ah… ahh~ Yes, Otousama, I see.

How could our doting Otousama allow me to accept invitations from such households?

Even if he did, he would probably have me be accompanied by Oniisama as a escort, or something like that.

“He had refused the royal family in the past many times, so how could he not dare to refuse others?”

I see, that’s true.

It seems to me, though, that not only a few people have strange thoughts because of his very opposition of the royal family.

“That being the case, do not casually accept invitations to tea parties back at the academy. Oh, the tea parties in the salon wing of the academy are not part of that, but I will give you this list of households to watch out for later, for your reference.”

“Y, yes…”

I glanced at what appeared to be a list that had been written by Okaasama.

I’m thankful that I don’t have to attend any other tea parties, but it might be hard to remember the list if I would like to go… ugugu