On the 8th of the Month of Fire, I woke up unusually early. Perhaps I had been sleeping lightly, but when I finally got out of bed, the world outside my window was still shrouded in pre-dawn gloom. A glance at my pocket watch confirmed it was only four in the morning.
Even though it was early, I didn't feel sleep-deprived. Back on Earth, I’d stayed up late every night on the computer or watching TV, but here, I went to bed much earlier. My new lifestyle was certainly healthy, though I was starting to crave some form of entertainment. The next time I went into town, I figured buying a book might be a good move.
With those thoughts drifting through my mind, I headed down the hallway toward the dining hall, hoping to find something to drink.
Given the hour, there were few servants around, and the wide corridors felt strangely quiet. Lilia-san’s staff was divided into two groups: those who commuted from home and those who lived on-site. At this time of day, I only ran into the live-in staff.
It had been over a week since I arrived in this world, yet I still couldn't match most of the servants' names to their faces, with the exception of Lunamaria-san. This was especially true for the people I saw at this hour. Most of them were squires handling night watch or early morning patrols, and I didn't recognize any of them.
Surprisingly, Lunamaria-san—despite being Lilia-san’s personal attendant—wasn't a live-in employee. She commuted from a house near the mansion where she lived with her mother, so I never ran into her during the dead of night or the crack of dawn.
However, I wasn't a total stranger to everyone. As I reached the dining hall, I spotted one of the few people I actually knew.
"Good morning, Sieglinde-san."
"..."
In a corner of the dining hall sat a red-haired woman, alone, tilting a cup of black tea toward her lips. It was Sieglinde-san, the woman who had acted as my guard and guide when I visited the city two days ago.
Hearing my voice, Sieglinde-san—who could not speak—set her cup down and returned my greeting with a polite bow.
"Were you on the night shift for security?"
"..."
"I see. Good work out there."
"..."
Since she lived on the premises and had a sword leaning against the chair next to her, I’d guessed she’d been on duty from midnight until dawn. She nodded in affirmation. The fact that she was drinking tea now suggested her shift had ended and she was unwinding before heading to bed.
After bowing again in response to my thanks, she looked at me and tilted her head curiously.
"Oh, I just happened to wake up early. I thought I'd come grab a drink."
"..."
"Eh? Thank you. In that case, I'll take you up on the offer and join you."
"..."
When I explained why I was there so early, Sieglinde-san went over to a nearby serving cart—much like the ones used in Earth's hotels—and took out a fresh cup and a teapot. She pulled out a nearby chair and gestured for me to sit.
Sensing her hospitality, I offered my thanks and took a seat. She placed a cup in front of me and poured the tea with practiced, graceful movements.
"Thank you... This is delicious."
"..."
The tea was served at the perfect temperature, warm enough to soothe my groggy body without being scalding. It tasted different from the tea Lunamaria-san usually brewed. It had a faint, gentle sweetness—not from sugar, but perhaps from a fruit. It was a subtle flavor that complemented the tea perfectly.
"It has a really nice, gentle sweetness to it, doesn't it?"
"..."
"Is that... dried fruit?"
"..."
When I shared my thoughts, Sieglinde-san smiled and showed me a small jar containing what looked like dried fruit pieces. Apparently, this fruit was the secret behind the tea's sweetness.
She smiled again at my curious expression, then pulled a small slip of paper from her pocket and wrote something down with a pen.
"I added some dried Riple Fruit."
"I see. That explains the sweetness."
If I recalled correctly, Riple Fruit tasted a lot like apples. That essentially made this apple tea. Still, the way the flavor harmonized so perfectly and the care taken with the temperature were clearly the result of Sieglinde-san's skill.
"This is impressive. You're really good at brewing tea, Sieglinde-san."
"..."
When I gave her my honest praise, her cheeks flushed slightly and she shook her head in a humble gesture. Even an amateur like me could tell this wasn't a flavor you could produce without real experience.
Given her tall, slender frame, refined features, and background as a skilled former knight, I’d initially imagined her to be a strictly martial person. It felt almost rude to think of it as "unexpected," but Sieglinde-san was actually quite domestic.
"Oh, that reminds me... I received some tea leaves a while back, and they were incredible. I was wondering if you might know what kind they are?"
"...!?"
I suddenly remembered the tea Shiro-san had given me. Since Sieglinde-san seemed to be an expert on the subject, I figured this was the perfect time to ask. It was so good that I was hoping to buy more if it was sold in shops.
However, the moment I took the small jar out of my Magic Box, Sieglinde-san’s eyes widened in shock. She reached out, gesturing for me to let her see it. When I handed her the jar, she examined the leaves from every possible angle, her expression remaining one of pure astonishment. Finally, she picked up her pen.
"I believe this is Glorious Tea. It is my first time seeing it in person..."
"...Is it a rare tea?"
"It is a tea that only exists in the God Realm. It's a legendary variety often called the 'Miracle of the Gods.'"
"...Wait, is it extremely expensive?"
"It almost never reaches the market, but if one were to buy it, a single cup would likely cost no less than tens of thousands of R."
"...I-Is that so?"
Shiro-saaaaaaan!? What kind of insane gift did you just hand over so casually!? Tens of thousands of R per cup? That’s like millions of yen for a single serving of tea. It was so far beyond my common sense that I couldn't even process it.
Sieglinde-san looked like she was staring at something truly unbelievable.
"To be honest, a Goddess gave it to me. I had no idea it was that valuable..."
"...!?"
When I explained the source, her shock only intensified. Apparently, receiving gifts from a Goddess was a truly extraordinary event. She looked fascinated by the Glorious Tea and continued to study the leaves with interest even after I finished my explanation. Eventually, she handed the jar back.
"Um, Sieglinde-san. If you’d like, would you care to have some?"
"...!?!?"
I could tell she was either a tea lover or at least deeply curious, so I made the offer. She panicked, shaking her head vigorously. She was clearly hesitating because of the astronomical price tag. However, she’d already shared her own tea with me, and I’d wanted to thank her for the tip about the jam cookies the other day anyway. I decided to rephrase the offer.
"Actually, how about this? I really want to drink this tea because it's so good, but I have almost no experience brewing it myself. I’m not confident I can do it right. So, would you mind brewing it for me? In exchange for the help, I’d like you to share a cup with me."
"..."
Sieglinde-san looked conflicted for a moment, her eyes darting between me and the small jar. In the end, her curiosity won out. She bowed with an apologetic expression, took the jar from me, and began the preparations.
As expected, she was a pro. Her movements were practiced and efficient, and soon a heavenly aroma filled the air. By the time the tea was ready, she had also brought out some snacks. She set a plate of delicious-looking cookies in front of me alongside the tea.
I took back the jar—which was now about a third empty—and took a sip.
As I thought, this tea was on a completely different level. I could finally understand why people called it a "Miracle of the Gods."
"How is it, Sieglinde-san? What do you think?"
"..."
She didn't need words to answer. Her blissfully happy smile said it all. She usually had a somewhat cool, stoic impression, so seeing her show such a genuine, joyous expression was a rare treat. It made me glad I’d been a little pushy with the offer.
I reached for a cookie while savoring the tea. It was incredible. It didn't taste like an expensive, high-end confection; instead, it had a rustic, comforting sweetness. It was exactly the kind of simple, homey flavor I loved.
"These cookies are great, too. They have such a warm, comforting taste."
"..."
When I told her that, Sieglinde-san looked bashful again and wrote on her notepad.
"I made them as a hobby. I am glad you enjoy them."
"Wait, you made these yourself, Sieg-san?"
"..."
"That’s amazing. You're not just good at tea—you're a great cook."
"..."
I was genuinely impressed. These cookies were baked so perfectly I would have believed they were from a high-end bakery. Her skill was obvious. Of course, she went right back to shaking her head in embarrassment, looking like she wanted to disappear.
"You know, Sieglinde-san..."
"You may call me Sieg. My friends do."
"...Then, let me ask, Sieg-san—is baking a hobby of yours?"
"..."
"I see. Actually, I tried my hand at it once, but it was a total disaster. If you don't mind, could you give me some pointers?"
"..."
"What did I try? An apple pie... or, well, a fruit pie. But it ended up completely flat."
"..."
"Ah, the baking method... I see. So the dough won't rise properly unless you chill it first?"
"..."
Dear Mother, Father—I’ve managed to get a little closer to Sieg-san. Despite her sharp, dignified appearance, she’s actually a very domestic woman.