Chapter 144: Chapter 130: Tea Party

“Oh my, what might this be?”

“I have never seen anything like this before.”

“But, it looks really delicious~”

Today, there’s a tea party organized by Rebecca-san in the Ruven House.

The participants of the tea party are naturally people of the nobility. Madams of various ages and young ladies slightly younger than me.

It’s a women’s party, so the only men participating are children. And yet, here I am participating and extremely uncomfortable. I’m sorry, but there is a reason for this.

“This you see, was made by Takumi-san. He’s an adventurer our House is a guardian of, but his cooking is top-grade. Now then, all of them are exquisite. Please, try them by all means.”

As requested by Rebecca-san, I came up with the menu today and made it with the chefs of the Ruven House.

Various mouth-sized sandwiches with jam, eggs, tuna and more.

Pound cakes made from a mix of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. The expanding itself was poor because of no baking powder, but it was made with plenty of nuts and dried fruit, so it was passable.

I also improved the tasteless cookie recipe of this world, made them into small containers, and tried to make fruit tarts by filling them with custards cream and fruits.

Of course, we also made the improved cookies and the chefs prepared various ice creams by trial and error.

“My! Rebecca-sama, it’s really delicious~”

“Truly.”

“Each of them are wonderful~”

The things we prepared were seemed to be well-received in general.

“Isn’t that right? Her Majesty and Her Highness the Crown Princess also praised them highly~”

“My, is that so?”

“But, with these articles, I can understand.”

As Rebecca-san said, today’s articles were tasted by Grace-sama and Aurora-sama.

While coming up with the menu for today, they suddenly appeared incognito in the Ruven House, and sampled the food. I was really flustered at that time.

I was hesitating to let them sample the food which I made as an experiment, but Grace-sama and Aurora-sama wanted to try it no matter what, so I had no other choice.

Well, they received it deliciously even though there was still plenty of room for improvement.

“Also, Takumi-san was kind enough to give permission to convey all things necessary for the sweets you see today to those interested.”

While the participants ate, Rebecca-san continued talking.

“My, is that true!?”

“I am so happy to hear that~ I would definitely like to ask for them!”

“Of course, I would like to take them home as well!”

Thereupon, the madams unanimously desired the recipes.

Winning the madams like this and building up their friendship with me. That was the purpose of today’s tea party.

To begin with, a great number of letters have apparently arrived at the Ruven House from people that intended to get close to me after the audience with His Majesty.

It was possible to decline and not get in contact with those people, but Matthias-san and Rebecca-san told me that rather than poorly hiding, it would be better to build up a friendship with them.

Thus, today’s tea party was carried out as we are starting by winning over women with sweets. Well, the people that are here today are people with whom Rebecca-san has a good relationship with, so I expected there wouldn’t be any problems. It appears we were able to grasp their hearts.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“U, umm......”

“Is something the matter?”

As the second half of the tea party approached and the inquiries about sweets came to an end, a girl of around thirteen or fourteen years of age called out to me.

“My name is Lilika Stanval.”

“Thank you for your politeness. I am sorry for my late introductions, I am called Takumi. So, what is the matter?”

“I wanted to thank you, Takumi-sama.”

“Thank me?”

I don’t know any noble young ladies. Therefore, this should be our first meeting.

N~ I don’t recall ever hearing a house name Stanval either. Someone like her wants to thank me?

“Yes! Thank you very much for giving me a Pastel Rabbit. I have always wanted to keep one.”

“Ah!”

She’s one of the people who received the Pastel Rabbits from Matthias-san.

“My! Lilika-sama got a Pastel Rabbit? Me too!”

“Sistina-sama also received one from Takumi-sama then?”

“Yes! I quite couldn’t get my hands on one and then we were contacted by Count Ruven-sama.”

Another girl, which seemed slightly older than Lilika-sama, about fifteen to sixteen years of age joined in. It seems that she’s also one of those who received the Pastel Rabbits.

“Are your Pastel Rabbits well?”

“Yes! It was cautious at first, but it’s completely attached to me now.”

“It’s the same at our place. Recently, it even lets me feed it on my lap!”

“Ah, mine does too! It extremely cute while eating~”

“Thank you very much for adoring them.”

“You don’t have to thank us! It’s only natural we adore them!”

“That’s right!”

From what they said, the girls are treasuring their Pastel Rabbits. Also, it seems the Pastel Rabbits also got attached to them.

“What color is your Pastel Rabbit, Lilika-sama? The color of my child is orange.”

“My child is light green.”

“A green one surely must be cute as well. Why don’t we let them meet the next time, if you are all right with that?”

“Yes! I would like to meet Sistina-sama’s child!”

“Of course.”

The two seemed to be acquaintances, but apparently didn’t interact that much before. But, they have completely hit it off thanks to the Pastel Rabbits. They seem like really close friends now.

“That reminds me, Takumi-sama is also keeping Pastel Rabbits, right?”

“Eh!? Yes, these children wanted to keep them, so......”

While watching them get along well, the talk has suddenly returned to me.

“Then, Takumi-sama went to search for Pastel Rabbits for his little brother and little sister? If I’m not mistaken, you are an adventurer, aren’t you?”

“Oh my? Then, we have received our bunnies thanks to these children?”

“That might be so~”

“......”

No, it’s slightly different...... well, I don’t have to correct every single thing, so let’s leave it at that~

“”Onii~chan.””

“N? What’s wrong, Allen, Elena?”

“Shiro, Pipi, Reamu.”

“Mimi, Chacha.”

Allen and Elena who were quiet until now suddenly brought up Shiro and others.

“What’s the matter with Shiro and others?”

“”Wanna play~””

It appears that the two wanted to play with Shiro and others after hearing all the talk about the Pastel Rabbits.

“Are those perhaps the names of the Pastel Rabbits you are keeping? You are keeping five of them?”

“”Yea!””

“Woah! That’s amazing.”

“Won’t you let us see them?”

“”Fine~ ―― Onii~chan!””

They didn’t say it properly, but Allen’s and Elena’s gazes are chanting “call them, call them” so I summoned Shiro and others. When I did that, it turned out terrifying.

“My! It’s Pastel Rabbits!”

“How adorable they are!”

When Allen, Elena, Lilika-sama and Sistina-sama started getting excited by the Pastel Rabbits surrounding them, other young ladies started steadily gathering.

Allen and Elena were supposed to be shy of strangers, but at a time like this, they adored Shiro and others together with the young ladies.

“My, my, you are surrounded by young ladies, Takumi-sama~ how popular~”

“......”

And, Rebecca-san who watched us smiled in a good mood.