56: A ‘Pleasant’ Tea Party
“Leticia, while the meat is good, how about some sweets and tea? It is a tea party, after all.”
Louis had a point.
While I was enjoying myself, it was strange to have meat at a tea party.
A subtle tension crackled in the air between Knight Commander Felix, who had offered the meat, Prince Konrad, who had likely chosen sweets he thought my sister would like, and Chief Physician Louis, who had smoothly inserted himself into the conversation.
I felt relieved at the return of this familiar tension.
While it was questionable to find comfort in such an atmosphere, it at least meant that these men weren’t willing to concede when it came to my sister, which boded well for her future.
Leticia nodded with a smile.
“That sounds lovely! —Elder Sister likes sweets too, don’t you?”
“…She does?”
“This one?”
“…………”
Konrad and Felix looked at me as if they had never heard of such a thing, and Louis fell silent again with that… indescribable expression. What was with that look?
“…Yes, I do.”
I did like sweets.
The burden of being the head of a ducal family weighed heavily on my shoulders.
So, food, especially sweets, was one of my few comforts.
Bathing, one of the few times I could relax, was another.
And my sister’s existence also motivated me.
However, that was also a source of heartache, so it was complicated.
But… how did Leticia know I liked sweets?
As I was wondering, Leticia continued.
“Elder Sister’s expression softens when she’s having tea or dessert. It’s cute.”
She didn’t have to say that out loud… did she?
All three of them were making strange faces.
Stop with the lukewarm stares.
It seemed my training hadn’t been thorough enough.
Well, I wasn’t actively trying to maintain a constant frown.
Since she was always watching me to learn proper manners, it wasn’t surprising that she noticed such details.
…But… cute?
It was a word I wasn’t used to hearing, so it made me a little happy.
Perhaps my mother and Ciel had said it to me when I was younger.
I had heard it as a social nicety, but it usually meant something like, “You’ve grown up.”
It was nothing more than flattery, to curry favor with my father—with the Vanderwaals’ power.
But my sister’s ‘cute’ didn’t sound like flattery.
However…
I chuckled.
“You’re much cuter than me, Leticia.”
“…Huh?!”
My sister made a strange sound.
“N-no, I’m… not even close to Elder Sister’s level…”
Leticia blushed, holding her hands out in front of her and waving them back and forth.
That gesture was also cute.
No, wait, it was unusual.
My sister’s actions united the four of us in thought.
It was the other way around.
I was the one who wasn’t even close to her level.
Well, thanks to Ciel’s efforts, I was… presentable.
But was cuteness solely determined by appearance?
――Of course not.
Cuteness was determined by one’s heart, actions, and demeanor.
In that sense, my sister was genuinely cute, through and through.
Universally loved—she was someone who should be loved, who deserved to be loved.
A world where someone like her couldn’t find happiness was wrong.
That’s why I followed fate.
Because in this world, where those who lived honestly and righteously weren’t always rewarded, I wanted righteousness to prevail.
“Come on, Elder Sister, let’s go!”
Leticia took my hand and pulled me along.
Why me, though?
She could have chosen any of the three.
…After gaining freedom of action, she should have been accumulating [Individual Events] and favorability points…
The next event was a [Common Event].
While it wasn’t the event where she chose her ‘final partner,’ it was an important event where all three appeared simultaneously, and a ‘choice’ had to be made.
Only the events with the chosen partner would become ‘canon,’ and the events with the unchosen partners would be erased.
This was the first of only three such [Choice-Based Common Events].
As her older sister, I was anxious about who she would choose.
…Though the three men behind me were probably more anxious than I was.
The three exchanged glances and followed us.
I was relieved to see that the table laden with sweets and tea was a standard tea party setup.
While this prince could be foolish sometimes, he was also, to give him credit, flexible.
Though he could be foolish sometimes.
Glancing at Prince Konrad, he seemed somewhat dejected.
He had probably intended this to be the main event.
He had been disrupted by Knight Commander Felix, and Chief Physician Louis had seized the opportunity to invite Leticia. Poor guy.
Well, I had stolen the spotlight from Chief Physician Louis during the [Sickbed Event], so perhaps this balanced things out.
“There are so many delicious-looking treats; it’s hard to choose.”
I was too captivated by Leticia’s cuteness to be concerned about the sweets.
Even so, this was familiar territory for me.
Choosing tea and sweets based on my mood, while admiring my sister, was easy.
The other three, naturally surrounding Leticia—and me—casually made their selections.
Once everyone had chosen, Konrad spoke.
“[Lady Leticia, shall we have our tea at that table?]”
While today’s event was a stand-up reception, tea parties sometimes had tables and chairs for those who were tired or wanted to have a more private conversation.
Usually, there weren’t enough seats for everyone due to space limitations or to avoid creating a desolate atmosphere, and those of lower rank would offer their seats to those of higher rank, and so on.
However, since everyone present was among the highest-ranking individuals in the kingdom’s power structure, such considerations were irrelevant.
Besides, this prince had a reputation for being competent. While the courtyard didn’t look empty, he would have ensured there were enough seats, and he would have prepared a suitable spot to invite Leticia.
“Yes, I’d be delighted.”
“This way.”
As expected, an elegant white table had been placed in the center of a gazebo, the hedges providing a pleasant sense of privacy.
The maids, prompted by Prince Konrad, brought three additional chairs.
It seemed he had hoped to be alone with my sister. That sneaky…
…However, I found his efforts almost… endearing.
As her older sister, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with his intentions towards my sister, but his clear desire to treat her well made my feelings complex.
The tea party proceeded pleasantly.
While there were occasional sparks of rivalry and subtle power plays, it remained within the realm of ‘pleasant.’
The initial struggle for the seat next to my sister ended when she helped the maids arrange the chairs so that we were facing the three men, with the maids assisting. It resulted in a configuration where she and I were side-by-side.
I felt like I was being subjected to resentful glares, but I decided to ignore them.
Since the guests included family members, it wasn’t unusual for us to sit together.
Konrad, the host, took the center seat, with Louis next to him, subtly closer to Leticia, and Felix stuck next to me.
When it came to conversation, Konrad definitely had the upper hand.
While my sister’s manners were still a little rough around the edges, they were passable.
Well, everyone here was biased towards her, so even her mistakes were likely seen as endearing, which allowed me to relax.
And then, I suddenly realized.
…My sister was starting to resemble me.
To be precise, she was acquiring the graceful demeanor of a noble.
But since she had learned by watching me… perhaps it meant she was becoming more like me.
I felt a surge of happiness.
Even after I was gone, the knowledge, education, manners, everything I had taught her, wouldn’t be wasted.
They would protect her.
Sensing the warming atmosphere, Konrad spoke.
“[Lady Leticia, would you care to join me for a horseback ride sometime?]”
…It was the lead-in to the next event.
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