“Do you have such an acquaintance? Oh, are you talking about the lady from the Poierbach family?”

Oh, that could work. I hadn’t thought of that, but thanks to Klaus, I remembered Evangeline.

Good, I’ll ask Evangeline for help. It’s a chance to get closer, and it kills two birds with one stone!

“I believe she’ll be willing to teach me, considering the rapport we developed during the banquet.”

“Really?”

Klaus looked at me meaningfully.

I felt uneasy. Whenever he makes that face, something’s bound to happen.

“Then next time, you can brew the tea. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Me? Oh, yes…”

I knew it. Why is my gut feeling always right?

Klaus chuckled.

“I was thinking of teaching you myself, but I didn’t want to intrude if you had other plans.”

“Other plans? I don’t have any, actually.”

Honestly, it was more about seizing an opportunity to get closer to Evangeline.

But Klaus seemed to have read my mind.

“Hmm, really? I thought you might be trying to get closer to the daughter of the Poierbach count.”

“…No, that’s not it.”

Damn, caught off-guard, I couldn’t manage my expression.

Klaus looked straight at me with his purple eyes, a smirk curling his lips.

“Just make sure you learn properly and not just idle away in chit-chat. I’ll check on you myself.”

“Yes, really… Thank you…”

Klaus is not a bad human being, but sometimes he’s just too mischievous.

However, the tea he made was delicious.

After finishing my workday and returning to my quarters, I wrote a letter to Evangeline, expressing my desire to learn tea-making and mentioning that the prince would be inspecting.

Then I hesitated for a moment.

“Should I inform Lumi?”

Would it be better to let her know that I’ll be accompanying Klaus to the Empress’s palace in the future?
Ordinarily, I would have immediately sent a telegram to Lumi without a second thought. But after our intense argument a few days ago, I didn’t feel like contacting her.

My head says I should be the bigger person, but my emotions are still a tangled mess. I’m still hurt by Lumi.

After much deliberation, I came to a conclusion.

“What’s the use in telling her?”

The decision for me to accompany the prince was already made by his command.

Informing Lumi about this now wouldn’t change anything. I’d be lucky if she didn’t just get annoyed with me.

I tidied up the blank sheet of paper spread out on my desk and neatly put it away in the drawer.

Let her be surprised. I’m not Lumi’s servant, obligated to report every little thing.

It’s not like she’ll kill me for not telling her this minor detail.

The time soon came.

As usual, I was sitting across from Klaus, deeply engrossed in work, when the steward approached us cautiously.

“Your Highness, a message has arrived from the Empress’s palace.”

“Oh? From Mother?”

Klaus took a small envelope from the steward while still holding some documents in his other hand. He opened it with a look of displeasure.

A wry laugh escaped him.

“Feeling lonely again, I suppose. She wants to have tea together this afternoon.”

“Will Lady Elfriede be joining too?”

I asked cautiously, and he nodded slowly.

“Most likely.”

We exchanged glances, bracing ourselves for what was to come, as if heading into a decisive battle.