Nebula drifted toward Illness as she made her way down the corridor of Kaito’s home.
"Illness-san, Master has a guest."
"So it seems. Shall I prepare some refreshments?"
"Yes, please. Master referred to her as Rosmiel-san; are you familiar with her?"
"I am aware of her as one of the Seven Princesses, but since we have never met, I am unfamiliar with her tastes. It would be best to stick with a classic, well-rounded blend."
Illness had already detected the visitor’s presence through her magic power and was already headed toward the kitchenette. As the two walked together, they continued their discussion.
"Based on the atmosphere, I believe she came to offer Master her thanks."
"I see. In that case, it would be best to wait a short while before bringing out any sweets."
"I agree. There is a possibility she brought a gift of her own, so that is the safest course of action. Also, she seemed to be quite fond of flowers."
"Is the meeting taking place at the terrace seating?"
Entering the kitchenette as they spoke, Illness skillfully took a tin of tea leaves from the shelf and began preparing the water. At nearly the same moment, Nebula moved to the cupboard where the cups were kept, a thoughtful look on her face.
"Yes. Since they are on the terrace, the shadows will shift soon as the sun begins to dip. Brightly colored cups would be the best choice."
"Indeed. Since this is a private visit, it should be fine to choose a design with a bit of personality."
"Then... perhaps these?"
"As expected, you have excellent taste."
Seeing the cups Nebula had selected, Illness praised her for making a choice so perfectly suited to the time and place. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she opened a different cabinet and took out a small glass jar.
"Since we have the opportunity, why don't we set out some of that sugar Nebula made?"
"Oh, that’s a wonderful idea. It’s shaped like flower petals, so I think she’ll really enjoy it."
The two conversed cheerfully as they worked, and in no time at all, the black tea was ready. Nebula waved as she saw off Illness, who pushed the service cart out of the kitchenette.
I led Rosmiel-san toward the terrace seating, which overlooked the garden’s full expanse. As we walked, we shared a bit of light conversation—or rather, Rosmiel-san broached a topic herself with a somewhat cheerful air.
"Kaito-kun, your garden is incredible. I-I think a truly master gardener must be looking after it. The flowers in the beds, especially... they were absolutely lovely."
"I’m certain they’re top-tier. To my shame, I don’t know much about the specifics myself, but lately, Nebula—the spirit who greeted you—has been the one primarily in charge. The person who manages the mansion with her has been full of praise for Nebula’s skill as well."
"I-I really think she’s amazing. It isn’t just the variety of species; even with flowers of the same kind, she seems to subtly adjust the way she cares for each individual bloom. She’s truly drawing out the unique charm of every single flower to its fullest potential."
Being a spirit, Nebula’s affinity for plants was apparently remarkable; even Illness-san had mentioned that watching her work was highly educational.
Considering she was at a level where even a flower lover like Rosmiel-san was heaping praise on her, her talent must have been truly extraordinary. In fact, the flowerbeds Nebula tended really did seem more vibrant than anything I’d seen before.
"The flowers certainly do seem very lively. I suppose that’s because she cares for them one by one?"
"Y-Yes. Flowers are just like people; even if they’re the same species, they each have their own personality. If you care for them according to their individual needs, they’ll show you their healthiest, most beautiful selves."
"I see... Even though it’s my own garden, I’ve never looked at it that closely. If it’s alright with you, could you teach me what I should be looking for?"
"Yes, i-if you think I’m good enough. First, um... those flowers blooming over there are..."
Perhaps because we were on the topic of her beloved plants, Rosmiel-san became quite talkative, and her expression softened into a faint smile.
I’m sure she was still nervous, but since there were hardly any servants at my house, it might have been a place where even someone as socially anxious as Rosmiel-san could feel somewhat at ease.
As we sat together on the terrace, Rosmiel-san suddenly produced a small bag.
"...U-Um, Kaito-kun. Y-You see, I-I baked some cookies. P-Please... if you'd like..."
"Oh? You went through the trouble of making these for me? Thank you so much!"
"I-I-I don't usually eat, so I'm n-not very good at cooking. The shapes might be a little strange, but... the f-flavor, Lia taught me how to make them and even did the taste-testing, so I-I think they should be alright."
"Thank you, I’m happy to have them. Since I’m having some black tea prepared right now, I’ll enjoy them with the tea."
"I-I'm so glad you're happy."
Seeing Rosmiel-san breathe a sigh of relief, I couldn't help but feel that her appearance and her actual personality didn't quite match. She looked like a cool, refined beauty, but her character was timid and undeniably cute; the gap was quite significant.
Regardless, I was just glad that we were able to converse more steadily than we had back during the White God Festival.
Serious-senpai: "Sugar made by an Absolute One? That sounds dangerous enough on its own, but the fact that the atmosphere between him and Rosmiel is getting this sweet is what really terrifies me..."