On the eighth day of the Fire month, I woke up unusually early today—maybe because I didn’t sleep very well. When I woke up, it was still dark outside, and glancing at my pocket watch, I saw it was only 4 AM.
Although it’s early, I don’t feel sleep-deprived, probably because I went to bed earlier than I usually would on Earth, where I’d typically stay up late on my computer or watching TV.
I know it’s good for me to live a healthier lifestyle, but at this point, I’m starting to feel like I need something to entertain me. Next time I go into town, maybe I should pick up a book or something.
With that thought in mind, I walked down the hallway toward the dining room to get something to drink.
The wide corridor feels peaceful, and the number of servants I see is relatively low, likely because it’s still early. There are two types of servants working at Lilia-san’s mansion, those who commute from home and those who live here. The only ones I see at this time of day are the live-in workers.
Even though I’ve been in this world for over a week now, I still can’t remember the names of the servants based on their faces—aside from Lunamaria-san, of course—especially those who only patrol at night or early in the morning… They’re the so-called thanes, and there are hardly any of them that I know.
Incidentally, although it was quite surprising, Lilia-san’s personal servant, Lunamaria-san, seems to commute from her home rather than live in the mansion. She stays with her mother at a house not far from here, so I won’t be seeing her late at night or early in the morning.
However, even though I haven’t interacted with many people, there are still a few I recognize. When I arrived at the dining room to get a drink, one of the few people I had interacted with was there.
[Good morning, Sieglinde-san.]
[…………….]
A red-haired woman tipped a cup of tea alone in the corner of the dining room. Spotting Sieglinde-san, who had escorted me and guided me around the town the day before yesterday, I greeted her.
Hearing me speak, Sieglinde-san, who can’t speak, puts down the cup in her hand and returns my greeting with a nod.
[By any chance, were you in charge of night security?]
[……………..]
[As I thought, good work.]
[……………..]
Sieglinde-san is a live-in worker, and seeing the sword that was propped up next to her seat, I asked her so, thinking that she was in charge of the midnight-to-dawn security, and Sieglinde-san nodded in affirmation.
The fact that she’s drinking tea now probably means that the time she’s in charge is over and she’s now taking a break before getting to bed.
After she bowed her head hearing my words of appreciation, Sieglinde-san looked at me and made a gesture of tilting her head.
[Ah, I woke up a bit early and thought I’d like something to drink.]
[………………]
[Eh? Thank you. Well then, I’ll take you up on your kindness and join you.]
[………………]
Sieglinde-san was nearby when I explained why I was visiting the dining room so early in the morning. She brought over a new cup and a pot of tea from a trolley—though I’m not sure what it’s called in this world, it’s similar to those service wagons used in hotels on Earth. She pulled up a nearby chair and suggested we sit down.
Understanding Sieglinde-san’s intent, I thanked her and sat down. She placed the cup in front of me and expertly brewed a cup of tea.
[Thank you very much… It’s very good.]
[…………………]
After thanking Sieglinde-san and sipping the tea she made for me, the warmth of the drink, not too hot but brewed at the perfect temperature, helps shake off my lingering sleepiness.
The taste is different from the tea Lunamaria-san usually brews for me. There’s a slight sweetness to it… but not the sweetness of sugar. Perhaps it’s a fruit? It has a delicate sweetness that doesn’t overpower the tea’s flavor.
[Somehow, it has a slight, gentle sweetness to it.]
[…………….]
[Is that… from dried fruit?]
[…………….]
When I mentioned how it tasted, Sieglinde-san smiled and showed me a small bottle containing some kind of dried fruit. It seems that the fruit in the tea is the source of the subtle sweetness.
Sieglinde-san smiles again as I gaze at the bottle with interest. Then, she pulls out a small piece of paper from her pocket and writes a few words on it.
“It contains dried ripple fruit.”
[Heehhh… So that’s why it’s sweet.]
If I remember correctly, ripple fruit has a taste similar to apples from Earth. In other words, this tea is like apple tea.
But the exquisite flavor and the perfectly adjusted temperature, making it so easy to drink, are thanks to Sieglinde-san’s excellent skills.
[I’ve learned something new again. Sieglinde-san is really good at brewing tea, huh.]
[…………………..]
When I shared my honest impressions with her, Sieglinde-san’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she shook her head in a bashful manner. Even as a novice, I could tell that this flavor wasn’t something that could be achieved with just a bit of practice.
Looking at her slender, tall, and well-defined face, I had imagined she might be something like a martial artist, given that she was once a skilled knight. So, I was surprised—though it may be rude for me to say, Sieglinde-san might actually be more of a family-oriented woman.
[Ah, speaking of which… I got some tea leaves a while ago, and they were so good. Do you happen to know what kind of leaves they are?]
[…….!?]
Suddenly, I remembered the tea Shiro-san had given me earlier, and since Sieglinde-san seemed to know a lot about tea, I decided to ask her. I was hoping to find out if the tea was sold somewhere because it tasted so good, and I’d love to buy more… But when I pulled out the bottle from my Magic Box, Sieglinde-san’s eyes widened in surprise for some reason.
She reached out her hand for a closer look, so I handed her the bottle of tea leaves, and she examined it from various angles. After a moment, she still wore that surprised expression as she picked up her pen.
“I think this is called Glorious Tea. Though it’s the first time I’ve seen the real thing myself…”
[……Is this a rare tea?]
“This tea only exists in the God Realm. It’s a phantom tea that was even referred to as God’s Miracle.”
[……Could it be something very expensive?]
“I doubt it’s something you’d find on the market, but even if you did manage to buy some, I’m sure it wouldn’t cost less than tens of thousands of R for a single cup.”
[……I-Is that so.]
Shiro-saaaaannnnnnn!? Why on earth did you casually give me something so outrageous like it’s just a souvenir!? What did she mean by it costing tens of thousands of R for a single cup? A cup of tea worth millions of yen is already beyond any tea I should ever be aware of…
Even Sieglinde-san looks like she’s seen something unbelievable…
[It’s actually the tea that the goddess gave me. Though I didn’t expect it to be this expensive…]
[……!?]
When I mentioned that the tea leaves were a gift from the Goddess, Sieglinde-san’s face showed surprise once again. As I thought, it’s really rare to receive something from a Goddess.
I’m not sure if Sieglinde-san was interested in the Glorious Tea or not, but after I finished explaining, she stared at the tea leaves with noticeable interest before handing the bottle back to me.
[……Errr, Sieglinde-san. If you’d like, would you care to have some of this tea?]
[……!?!?]
I could tell she really enjoyed tea and was quite intrigued, so I offered it to her. However, Sieglinde-san panicked at my suggestion, shaking her head vigorously.
She’s probably holding back because this tea is apparently very expensive… But I wanted to thank her for the lovely tea and the delicious jam cookies she’d mentioned, so I decided to rephrase my offer a bit.
[Err… how about this? This tea is so delicious, I really want to drink it… but honestly, I have little experience in brewing tea, and I’m not sure I can make it well. So, could I ask you to brew it for me, Sieglinde-san? In return, you can drink it with me?]
[…………….]
After hearing my suggestion, Sieglinde-san seemed troubled for a moment before her gaze landed on the bottle I had offered her.
Finally, her curiosity seemed to win out. With an apologetic expression, she gave a small bow, took the bottle from me, and began brewing the tea.
As expected, she was very skilled at it. She moved with precision and confidence, and before long, a pleasant aroma filled the air.
A little while later, the tea was ready, and Sieglinde-san had even prepared some sweets. Delicious-looking cookies were set before us, accompanying the tea.
After receiving the bottle from Sieglinde-san, which now had about a third of its contents gone, we began drinking the tea.
As I expected, this tea is extraordinary. It’s easy to see why it’s called something as grand as “God’s Miracle.”
[Sieglinde-san, what do you think? How does it taste now that you’ve tried it yourself?]
[……………..]
I asked her about the tea, but even without a response, the smile on her face spoke volumes, showing a happiness that came from the depths of her heart.
Seeing the usually composed Sieglinde-san break into a rare smile was enough to make me feel that suggesting the tea had been worth it.
As I thought this, I brought a cookie to my mouth… This cookie is also quite delicious.
It’s not something that screams “luxury,” but it has a comforting, homely flavor. A simple taste that’s gentle on the palate, and one that I personally really enjoy.
[These cookies are also very tasty. They give me a sense of warmth.]
[……………..]
When I shared my thoughts on the cookies, Sieglinde-san looked a bit embarrassed again, scribbling something on a small piece of paper with her pen.
“I made them as a hobby, but I’m glad they seemed to suit your palate.”
[Eh? Did Sieglinde-san make these cookies?]
[………………]
[……That’s amazing. Not only are you great at brewing tea, but you’re also an expert cook.]
[………………]
To my surprise, these cookies were apparently made by Sieglinde-san.
They’re so beautifully baked that if she had told me they were store-bought, I would’ve easily believed it. Just that fact alone speaks volumes about Sieglinde-san’s cooking skills.
As usual, the person in question vigorously shook her head in embarrassment, to the point that I could hear the air move with the motion of her head…
[Sieglinde-san……]
“You can just call me Sieg. That’s what my friends call me.”
[……Well then, once again, Sieg-san, is baking your hobby?]
[…………..]
“Heehhh… I actually tried baking a little bit in the past, but I couldn’t get it right at all. If you could give me some tips and tricks, could you teach me?”
[…………..]
“What I tried making before? I tried making apple pie… err, a fruit pie, but it kind of turned out flattened in some spots…”
[…………..]
“The baking method, huh… Fumu fumu, it’s tough for the batter to puff up once it’s cooled, right?”
[…………..]
Dear Mom, Dad—I’ve gotten to know Sieg-san a little better. Despite her cool appearance—She was a very homely woman.
<Author’s Note>
Sieglinde is a homely elf…… In terms of position, she’s quite the common one, don’t you think?