The tea party began once the guests had gathered on the terrace of Isis’s castle. The star of the show was, of course, the MK Royal. Ein moved with practiced efficiency, placing a perfectly brewed cup before each person. Then, in a rare departure from her usual routine, she took her own seat at the table.
Normally, Ein would have remained standing dutifully behind Kuromueina, but for this occasion, she had secured her master’s permission beforehand to join the group as a fellow guest.
Kuromueina personally felt that permission wasn’t even necessary and that Ein should feel free to join them whenever she liked, but the maid’s professional pride clearly dictated otherwise.
"The color, the aroma... both are truly magnificent."
"I agree completely. This is, without a doubt, a super-first-class black tea..."
Ein and Jutia, who had both been desperate for a taste of the MK Royal, stared at their cups with rapt attention, as if trying to etch every detail of the brew’s hue into their memories.
Isis watched them with a wry smile as she lifted her own cup. The others followed her lead and took their first sip of the MK Royal. For a moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped as everyone sat frozen in place.
"Whoa... this is amazing! I haven't had much black tea before, but I didn't know it could taste this good."
"I feel the same way. Like Vul, I haven't tried many varieties of tea, but even I can tell how delicious this is."
Vulpecula’s eyes sparkled with delight, and Spica nodded in agreement. Vulpecula was still young, and Spica had only recently manifested in a spirit body, so neither had much experience with high-end tea. Even so, the overwhelming quality of the MK Royal was undeniable to them.
"This flavor is staggering. The depth and the fragrance are incredible, but beyond that, the simple word 'exquisite' is all that comes to mind. It literally made my thoughts grind to a halt for a second."
"Yes, this is on an entirely different level. I can see why they only draw one winner a month. This truly is a masterpiece that deserves to be called 'overwhelmingly delicious.' I’m genuinely moved."
Sirius and Rasal were equally stunned by the tea’s perfection, a sentiment shared by everyone present.
"My, my. I’m quite fond of black tea and drink it often, but I’ve never tasted anything like this."
"It feels like a kind of ultimate peak. Of course, black tea has many different flavor profiles, so it’s hard to say which is definitively best, but there’s no doubt that this particular style has been refined to its absolute limit."
Polaris, a regular tea drinker, and Iris, a skilled cook who often brewed tea herself, were both struck by the taste. Iris evaluated the flavor as a pinnacle of the art.
Kuromueina wore an equally impressed expression as she turned to Isis.
"This is really something. I used to think Glorious Tea was the best in terms of pure flavor, but this clearly surpasses it. To be fair, Shiro made Glorious Tea fairly casually, so she could probably match this if she really put her mind to it... but either way, it’s no exaggeration to call this a miracle of God."
"Yes... it’s... very... delicious... It truly... lives up to... Kaito’s name."
While the others exchanged their thoughts, Ein and Jutia—the two who had yearned for this tea the most—sat with their eyes closed, tears streaming down their faces.
"It’s incredible... I’m moved to my core. To think there were still flavors of tea unknown to me... I’m so happy to have discovered this. Wouldn't you agree, Ein-sama?"
"Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. Despite all my years of study and practice, I feel as though I’ve glimpsed an entirely new horizon for black tea. It’s not just we maids who have no limits; tea itself is boundless. Even when we think we’ve reached the peak, the path continues upward. This was a magnificent experience—one that makes me truly excited for the future evolution of black tea."
Ein and Jutia both possessed mastery in the world of tea, having studied nearly every existing variety and refined their techniques to the utmost. However, the tea leaves produced by Nebula offered them a glimpse of untapped potential. From the revolutionary use of tea leaves that add miscellaneous tastes to other groundbreaking methods, the possibilities were expanding before their eyes. For these two enthusiasts, knowing there was still more to explore was the greatest joy of all.
"But... this isn't the final end for black tea. While it’s the peak of perfection for this specific flavor, there are still so many other varieties and countless possibilities yet to be explored."
"Indeed. Tea will continue to evolve, and we must ensure our own knowledge and skills evolve with it, so we never fall behind."
The two looked toward the future with shining eyes. Whether the others truly understood the depth of their passion was unclear, but for Ein and Jutia, tasting the MK Royal had been a truly wonderful experience.
Serious-senpai: While everyone else is talking about how it tastes, those two are already debating the future of the tea world. They really are hardcore enthusiasts...