Illness-san had apparently been prepared to some extent, as she returned almost immediately, pushing a cart carrying a full tea set.
"Come to think of it, Illness-san," I asked, "do you often create your own original blends of tea?"
"That is a difficult question..." she replied in her usual slow, soft cadence. "For example... when I serve tea to Milady or to you, Kaito-sama... I make adjustments to suit your individual preferences. But whether those truly count as an 'original brand'... I honestly can't say."
"Ah, I see. It really is hard to draw the line between a simple arrangement and a unique blend."
Defining exactly where a custom arrangement ended and an original blend began was indeed tricky. If you set out with the intent to create something new from scratch, it clearly qualified as an original blend. But when it came down to fine-tuning a taste to someone’s liking, the distinction became murky.
"What about when you're just drinking it yourself?"
"I don't usually deviate much from retail products. I enjoy tea, of course... but I'm not particularly fussy about the specifics."
"I see. Well, what kind of tea do you usually reach for when you're alone?"
"There are many among the nobility who find it common or unrefined, so I rarely serve it in the mansion... but I actually quite like flavored teas."
"Oh, I'm a fan of fruity teas myself. They might be a bit different from 'authentic' black tea, but I think they're great."
Flavored tea involved infusing black tea with the scents and tastes of fruits, flowers, or spices. Because it utilized ingredients other than pure tea leaves, some purists viewed it as an unorthodox or inferior way to enjoy tea, but I’d always been fond of it.
Apple tea was a perfect example. Since I personally loved apples, seeing it served always made me a little happy.
Among my acquaintances, Rosmiel was the one who drank flavored tea most frequently. In her case, she seemed to prefer floral scents; whatever tea she served always carried the fragrance of some flower or another. On the other hand, Jutia-san seemed to be a purist, as I’d never really seen her drink anything flavored.
Then there was Camellia-san. Her tea always had a uniquely soothing aroma, so perhaps that was a flavored blend too? I decided to ask her if the opportunity ever arose.
"In fact... I’ve prepared a flavored tea for us today."
"Hmm. Based on my image of you, Illness-san... is it rose?"
"Oh my... you saw right through me. Yes. It is only a subtle touch... but I used a hint of rose."
As Illness-san smiled while preparing the tea, I found myself naturally smiling back. Her choosing to add a rose scent to her original blend was perfectly in character, but more than anything, a specific realization made me happy.
This blend reflected Illness-san’s own preferences. Given her personality and skill, she could have easily prepared something perfectly tailored to my tastes, but for today, she hadn't.
It was a little embarrassing to put into words, but the chance to learn about her personal likes felt incredibly precious. I was truly looking forward to discovering what kind of flavors she enjoyed.
As I sat there lost in thought, the preparations were completed, and a teacup was placed before me.
Serious-senpai: "I’ve been getting the feeling for a while now that Kaito is starting to consciously view Illness as a romantic interest. Being so happy just to learn about her tastes... it’s scary. One little push and he's going to turn into a total sap for her..."