At Olivia-san's suggestion, we moved to her room—a place known as the Pope's Chamber—to enjoy some tea.
The interior was much the same as I remembered, though a small side table, the kind one might use for a bottle of wine, had been added next to her luxurious chair. It was clearly designed for a single person. I was glad I’d had the foresight to buy that set from Alice.
"Olivia-san... it would be a bit awkward for me to be the only one sitting while we drink," I began.
"Eh? B-But there is only one chair... Ah."
She looked confused for a moment, then paled as the realization hit her. Before she could spiral further, I pulled out the table and chair I’d purchased from Alice.
"I’ll give you this set, so let’s use—Wait, Olivia-san? What are you doing?"
Before I could even finish my sentence, Olivia-san dropped to her knees and lowered her head in one fluid motion. It was a dogeza. She did it so naturally, with such practiced ease, that my reaction was a beat slow.
"D-Due to my sheer lack of foresight, I have forced Miyama Kaito-sama to spend his own funds—!"
"Alright, stand up."
"U-Um? Miyama Kaito-sama!?"
Realizing this could turn into a long, drawn-out ordeal, I grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to her feet.
"If we spend all our time on this preamble, it’ll take forever. Listen, okay? This isn’t lèse-majesté, and I don’t feel inconvenienced in the slightest. I'm not uncomfortable, and I'm certainly not angry. There’s no need to apologize."
"A-Ah, n-no, but..."
"Besides, this chair and table are a gift to thank you for officiating the wedding for Mitsunaga-kun and his bride today. There’s no problem at all. Understood? Now, give me an answer."
"I-I understand!"
"Good. Then I’ll be looking forward to that tea."
"Y-Yes!"
As I thought, it was better to be a little forceful when dealing with her. In this case, I had expected this reaction the moment I mentioned the furniture, so I’d already planned how to handle her during the walk over.
Though still visibly bewildered, Olivia-san was swept along by the momentum and went to prepare the tea. I set the table and chair in a suitable spot and took a seat.
"Miyama Kaito-sama, I have several varieties available. Which would you prefer?"
"Oh, you have a selection? Let’s see... Hojicha, Gyokuro... Matcha? You prepared Japanese tea for me?"
"Yes. In anticipation of the day I might serve you, I learned the fundamentals from Mizuhara Kaori-san. Afterward, I ordered various books to further my studies. Sencha, Gyokuro, Matcha, Tamaryokucha, Kukicha, Mecha, Genmaicha, Bancha... I have learned the basics of each and had them shipped from across the lands. I believe I can prepare whichever suits your preference."
She was incredibly diligent. To think she had studied the teas of my world to that extent just to host me... She spoke of them as if they were common knowledge, but she was naming varieties I hadn't even tasted myself. I had a feeling she was already more of an expert than I was.
I wondered if she could actually perform the tea ceremony for Matcha as well. It seemed likely. She wasn't the type to half-measure anything involving my hospitality.
"Hojicha, please."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
I wasn't quite sure what Kukicha or Mecha were, so I stuck with something familiar. Still, it was surprising to see so many types of Japanese tea in this world. I’d been drinking mostly black tea lately, but I missed the taste of home. I made a mental note to buy some green tea for myself. If I asked Noin-san, she’d probably know the best shops. She definitely seemed like the type to have high standards for that sort of thing.
As I mused, Olivia-san returned from the back pushing a tea cart. She had a teapot, tea cups, and even coasters—the setup was remarkably authentic.
However, seeing someone like her—a silver-haired, blue-eyed woman in magnificent priest robes who looked every bit the Saint—brewing tea with a traditional teapot felt like a bizarre clash of cultures.
"Thank you for waiting. Hojicha is best served at one hundred degrees, so it is quite hot. Please be careful."
"Thank you. It smells wonderful. Ah, Olivia-san, please sit in that other chair."
"I understand. I shall join you as soon as I have prepared the snacks."
Snacks... I wondered what she’d picked. Crackers? Japanese confectionery? Personally, I was hoping for something sweet, but...
"Here you are."
"..."
She set down a plate of cookies. Not that they didn't go with tea, but because I’d gotten my hopes up for something Japanese, I was a little disappoint—Wait!
"A-Ah, u-um... did I commit some blunder?"
"Not at all! Truly! I was actually just thinking about how much I wanted cookies! I was just shocked because you served exactly what I was hoping for!"
"I-Is that so? Thank goodness..."
That was a close one. People often told me my thoughts were written all over my face, and I must have let my disappointment show. Olivia-san had looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Fortunately, I’d noticed in time to smooth things over. We hadn't seen each other in very long, so even if she had been studying intensely, she probably hadn't gotten around to the confectionery side of things yet. If anything, the fact that she’d mastered the proper brewing temperatures for Japanese tea in such a short time was the real miracle.
I remembered I had some Japanese sweets in my Magic Box. Maybe I’d pull them out a little later.
Serious-senpai: "As a side note, Kukicha is exactly what it sounds like—tea made only from stems. It’s known for its refreshing aroma and characteristic sweetness. In some regions, it's called Bocha. Mecha, on the other hand, is made by selecting only the tender tips of the tea buds. Since these are usually sorted from the first or second harvests of the season, they are packed with the umami typical of high-grade teas. It has a very bold, concentrated flavor, so it’s definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of tea!"