ALL NOVEL 29: Riol's Departure
It’s time for afternoon tea.
Well, we don’t have anything luxurious like that in our poor house.
It’s just the usual afternoon tea time.
I got caught by Lady Cecilia after she changed her clothes.
Or rather, I was constantly held captive by Lady Cecilia’s maid.
I couldn’t escape their excitement.
They carefully combed my hair until it was shiny and smooth.
Thanks to that, my cuticles have revived!
Is the comb coated with camellia oil or something?
My stray hairs are neatly settled, it’s amazing.
“In the letter I received, it said the rose garden is at its peak, right? Sometimes I want to go out for a break too, don’t you think it’s unfair that only my father-in-law gets to?”
Lady Cecilia said, holding me on her lap, full of complaints.
“Yes, that’s right.”
I smiled vaguely and nodded.
That’s a bad habit of a former citizen of the Hinomaru country.
When in doubt, smile and dodge.
“Here, ah~”
Chew, swallow.
“Do you want some fruit water? Oh, let’s clean around your mouth~”
I’m being treated like a baby!
I may look like a child, but inside I’m!
…a child.
Sorry.
I’ll just go along with the flow.
Lord Leon, sitting on the opposite sofa, watched us with a warm smile. Even though he’s dressed casually now, he still exudes a noble aura.
My dad is cool too, but Lord Leon has an added touch of sophistication.
In ten years, my dad will probably have that same presence.
Lord Leon is my mother’s older brother, so he’s an uncle to us siblings.
I heard that Lady Cecilia and my mother were very close, like sisters.
My mother passed away young, and they were very saddened.
Everyone cherished my mother dearly.
So, it’s only natural that their doting affection would turn to me, who resembles my mother?
But being overly pampered is a bit…
My mouth was thoroughly wiped with a napkin.
…Please be gentle.
In the end, that day I was taken to the couple’s bedroom and ended up sleeping between them!
Isn’t that a bit too free-spirited!?
Riol, help me!
…No one came to help, sniff.
Even the spirits didn’t come near.
Left alone, I had to sleep while being held by Lady Cecilia.
The next day, we had a rose viewing.
Holding hands with me, Lady Cecilia, dressed in a calm mauve pink dress, was as excited as a young girl.
“How beautiful! I’ve never seen purple roses before! And these deep red petals are magnificent!”
She’s in high spirits. Gazing at the flowers and inhaling their fragrance, she was enraptured.
I understand that feeling!
I never get tired of seeing them every day!
By the way, purple roses are called blue roses.
There were also blue roses sold, but those were just white flowers that absorbed blue dye.
The deep red and purple roses are modern roses, which don’t exist in this world.
I cheated with the plant cultivation skill’s creation magic.
Hehe.
With white and pink leading the way, there are roses in various shades of red, purple, yellow, orange, and nuanced colors. Some even change color as they bloom, making them truly never boring.
As we walked under the arch towards the gazebo, the sight of the roses blooming as if descending from the heavens was overwhelming. Lord Leon and Lady Cecilia stood still, mesmerized by the view.
“This is what it means to take your breath away,” Lord Leon murmured contentedly with a smile.
Once we settled in the gazebo, we sipped the tea that had been prepared. Yes, for high-ranking guests, proper tea is served!
Today, I had Jeff prepare a fruit tea using radberries with a little twist. For the men, it was served unsweetened because they don’t like sweet things, right? As for me, I got a sweet strawberry milk tea. Mmm, delicious.
“Oh, this is delicious! This must be radberry! The fruit was also very tasty!” Lady Cecilia’s excitement skyrocketed.
“Yes, we have some. Shall I prepare it for you?” Before I could respond, Burton, who had been standing by, silently served the table.
Indeed, nothing was overlooked.
The radberries were large and neatly cut. The plate also included several other types of fruit. For the refined aristocrats, you can’t just plop a whole fruit on the plate. If it were just us, we’d bite into them whole!
Lord Leon and Lady Cecilia both enjoyed their servings. It was a delightful afternoon.
The next day, Lady Cecilia leisurely enjoyed another walk with me. Lord Leon was in the study with my father, discussing work matters.
The day after that, they returned to Ragnard, accompanied by Riol.
Knowing I wouldn’t see Riol for a year made me cry. Riol looked a bit troubled but smiled gently. For some reason, Lady Cecilia also threw a tantrum and cried, saying she didn’t want to leave. It felt quite chaotic.
Still, I couldn’t stop my tears.
“Haku, you’re such a sweet child. Write me a letter, okay? This time, make sure to write it yourself.”
Riol gently hugged me.
“I’ll try my best, so please reply.”
With a dazzling smile, Riol set off on his journey. Beautiful boys always shine, no matter the situation.
Later, the letter I worked so hard to write came back with corrections. Why!?