Having retired back to the palace Kotori spent much of their time thinking about the presence she had felt in the dungeon. She was currently walking with Tyrella and her spirits had already gone ahead back to their quarters.

[I wonder if I go back and check it out]She thought. Kotori had a feeling that this wouldn’t be the last time she confronted the presence.

While walking back Kotori spotted a familiar figure.

[Eh? Isn’t that Delia.] Kotori thought. She had sometimes spotted the other candidates walking around the airy palace but she avoided them for obvious reasons. Especially, Ryla who always gave Kotori a sense of unease.

Delia was of course including in this list but this was the first time that Kotori had seen her alone. Typically she would be accompanying Zacaraih but here she was alone with a sole Queen’s guard.

Kotori didn’t actually have much ill will towards Delia. She was a figure that struck so little danger Kotori barely registered her as a threat. Besides, Kotori knew that Delia didn’t really have much free will of her own.

“Hello, Delia!” Kotori said cheerfully. She could see the Queen’s guard at Delia’s side tense up.

“Don’t worry bout’ me I just wanna say hi” Kotori said assuaging the guard’s fear. For a moment Kotori was struck with a sense of déjà vu

[This feels familiar…] Kotori realized that she was doing the exact same thing that Hectaire had done to her earlier.

[Mhmm, It would do no good to scare Delia like Hectaire did to me.] Kotori thought. She decided to be as inviting as possible.

“Would you like to have some tea?” Kotori asked.

Delia looked shocked

“Umm, Uhhh” She started to say.

[She really is polite] Kotori thought.

“Come it won’t take long.” She said grabbing Delia’s arm.

“Eh!” Delia squeaked as Kotori pulled Delia toward their rooms.

While pulling Delia, Kotori suddenly had a thought.

Delia initially resisted and then relented as Kotori pulled her towards their room.

Kotori asked the maid at the entrance of their section to the palace to prepare some tea. It was something she had gotten used too. Having her needs met by the servants in the palace was quite nice. Although, Umi seemed to be taking notice of this fact and was busy observing the maids and miming their actions. Having declared that the only person to serve Kotori would be her.

Once Kotori pulled Delia into their living area Delia sat down at the table looking quite uncomfortable.

That was when Kotori realized.

[Oh, I over imposed on her.] For a moment Kotori felt like one of those wandering salespeople who would force themselves into your house to do product demonstration. Although instead of forcing her way into a house she had forced a person into her house.

Thankfully, Fawks was out of the palace right now, a rare sight especially considering his NEET behavior as of late. He had suddenly said that he needed some fresh air and left the palace. That free-flowing spirits of his didn’t stay down for long it seemed.

“Kotori why is Delia here?” Amelie said noticing the fact that Kotori had brought a visitor.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff!” Kotori said putting on a confident smile. It was a farce of course.

[I can’t tell Amelie I accidentally dragged her here!]

“Okay…” Amelie said her face still unsure. It was a reasonable reaction; Delia was technically one of their enemies.

Soon a maid entered bringing a tea cart and some snacks. The tea snacks were piled on the tiered platter with the sweets in ascending order from sweetest to least sweet.

This was to prevent one from eating something too sweet and then ruining their palate. Sugar was actually quite expensive in Eris since much of it had to be imported so Kotori was trying to mooch off the royal family as much as possible.

The were also three teapots prepared which contained three different types of tea respectively.

One, of them, was an earl grey sort of western-style tea, another was an eastern Sencha and the last one was filled with an herbal medical tea. Kotori chose the Sencha but Delia chose the earl grey.

Delia didn’t add any sugar to her tea and only a small amount of milk. She slowly stirred the contents of her cup looking downward without meeting Kotori’s eyes.

Kotori herself was silent.

[What do I talk about!] She suddenly thought. Although she had invited Delia to tea she didn’t prepare any conversation points beforehand. She could only sip her Sencha and smile invitingly.

The high-quality sencha was pleasantly bitter, with floral notes, and warmed her throat.

Delia only sipped her tea and didn’t speak. There was a high amount of tension that even Amelie who was in the room could feel.

[This isn’t working!] Kotori thought. She wanted to create an inviting atmosphere and hopefully get Delia to speak but it was not working.

[Um what was it? The four main pillars of small talk? Wasn’t it like family, work, fun, and hopes?] Kotori thought to remember the things she learned in her past life. Kotori of course was a recluse who didn’t talk much but she still had to occasionally make small talk for events that’s she was invited to.

[alright, let's just ask something nice and open-ended!] Kotori decided.

“So, what was your family like?” Kotori suddenly asked breaking the silence.

Kitsura

🎵 Hey there Delia what's it like in Xernos city?🎵 

 

New novel seems to be doing well.