The day of the tea lesson assigned by Klaus had arrived.

Originally, I was supposed to visit Count Poyerbach’s house, but since I had used up my holiday to meet Lumi, Evangelin came to the palace with a tea set.

“Lady Evangelin, you didn’t have to go to this extent…….”

“His Highness the Crown Prince said he would test it, right? Then there’s no time to waste.”

I didn’t know why she was so proactive, but it turned out well in the end. It meant that Evangelin was paying attention to me.

To be honest, now that Lumi’s request to seduce Evangelin had fizzled out, there was no particular need to get close to him.

Still, networking is something that might come in handy at any time. So, it’s best to build as many connections as possible.

And anyway, I needed to take the tea lesson. Klaus had even said he would test it himself, and I had to maintain my dignity in front of him.

We sat opposite each other in the lounge of the Finance Ministry building where Count Poyerbach worked.

Evangelin laid out the tea set on the table. For some reason, his face was slightly flushed.

“Actually, this is my first time teaching someone tea.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Don’t worry, though. When it comes to tea, I’m more confident than anyone.”

Evangelin said, his hazel eyes sparkling.

“…….”

I looked a bit nervously at the tea set.

I was a coffee person through and through. I would drink decaffeinated coffee rather than tea when I couldn’t have caffeine.

But tea was the trend here.

Nobility society is very sensitive to trends. So, both nobles and some wealthy commoners enjoyed tea very much, to the point where they would spend all day with a teacup at their lips.

Evangelin opened several small jars.

“Let’s start with the types of tea, shall we? Broadly classified by color, the ones we commonly drink are black tea, green tea, and dark tea.”

According to him, there are also white tea, yellow tea, and blue tea.

But they are not consumed in the empire. Also, nobles generally prefer black tea, while green tea is familiar to commoners.

“What about dark tea?”

“Dark tea is made by further fermenting finished green tea. The older the dark tea, the more valuable it becomes. There are some that have been fermented for over 100 years.”

Evangelin replied, then smiled shyly.

“Actually, I haven’t had the chance to try dark tea myself, it’s so rare.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Um, but you, Sir Musel, might have tried it. I heard His Highness the Crown Prince likes dark tea.”

“Ah, yes…….”

Oh dear, even that precious dark tea would be treated like cheap tea by a ‘tea ignorant’ like me.

Evangelin continued his explanation earnestly.

“The next step is to find your favorite flavor of tea. Trial and error is, of course, necessary.”

Tea varies not only by the type of leaf but also by the region of production, even if it’s the same leaf.

That’s why Evangelin always buys the local specialty tea when he travels to different regions.

Evangelin took out tea leaves from the jars and made several cups of tea.

“Now, let’s find out Sir Musel’s preference.”

“Haha, I’m a bit excited. To find a tea that suits my taste.”

I slowly savored the tea, one sip at a time. Evangelin diligently noted down my comments about the taste of the tea.

“Um, this one is a bit bitter.”

“Oh, this one has a slightly sweet aftertaste?”

“Hmm, this tea has a quite nutty flavor.”

Evangelin grinned as if he had figured something out.

“It seems Sir Musel definitely prefers black tea. Especially those with added flavors like fruits. There are teas made with added scents to the leaves.”

“Do many people prefer that kind of tea?”
“Yes, many people enjoy it as it’s a safe choice. Usually, people start with flavored teas or herbal teas and gradually move to teas without added flavors.”

Evangelin picked up a teacup and took a sip.

“Um, it’s delicious as I thought. I like to cool down these flavored teas a bit more and enjoy them.”

I kind of understood. Cooling down a fruit-flavored tea would give it a juice-like feel.

“Is there a specific order or procedure to follow when drinking tea?”

“I’ve heard that on other continents there are strict protocols for tea ceremonies. But not in our empire. Here, it’s just about enjoying delicious tea.”

Evangelin smiled softly.

“However, if you want to give the impression of serving your guests more attentively, it’s better to brew the tea yourself rather than having servants do it. It’s even better if you mix the tea leaves with your own recipe.”

“I see.”

I nodded, storing the information in my head.

“Well, that’s enough for the theory lesson.”

Theory lesson? Does that mean there’s a practical part too?

My bewildered expression seemed amusing to Evangelin, who laughed heartily.

“You don’t have to be so surprised. Today, I want to let Sir Musel taste a special blend of tea that I’ve prepared myself.”

“Oh, that would be an honor. Thank you.”

“Ha-ha.”

Evangelin began skillfully mixing the tea leaves.