“Rest and leisure are indispensable, no matter the time or place. Even without elaborate ceremony, simple meditation and savoring a cup of fragrant tea can provide ample mental respite.” The professor in charge of the Tea Ceremony Lecture was a gentleman known as Sir Otto Gray.
“To pause your busy steps, even for just five minutes, or even one minute of quiet relaxation, is the essence of this lecture.”
This gentleman, past his prime, wore a grey suit impeccably. His neatly trimmed beard, slicked-back grey hair, and gold-rimmed glasses made a striking first impression.
As Otto poured freshly brewed tea into an exquisite ceramic teapot, he continued his gentle explanation. “In fact, there are cases showing that after introducing tea breaks for the Wall’s Patrol Squad, their work efficiency improved significantly.”
The old gentleman clapped his hands lightly, and maids in white aprons and black dresses appeared, pouring tea into the empty cups before each student.
“Today’s tea is Carlon Green Tea.”
The aroma of the tea was fragrant and soothing, enough to relax one’s mood just by smelling it.
But Erika was skeptical. Could simply sitting here drinking tea really earn an A-grade in a course… was that right?
Emil seemed to have the same doubt. She downed her cup of tea in one gulp and said, “This class is so boring. Getting an A for just sitting and drinking tea all semester? What kind of course is this?”
The water temperature was around sixty or seventy degrees Celsius, but judging by the Big Guy’s expression, it didn’t seem hot at all.
Just as Erika was marveling at the Big Guy’s extraordinary oral structure and resilient esophagus, Miona Drako, who had elegantly raised her teacup, took a delicate sip and spoke calmly. “That’s what A-Class Courses are like. The ability to attend this lecture itself is proof of one’s capability.”
Her words reminded the young girl of the Course Selection War, that conflict without gunpowder. Everyone argued until their faces were red and necks thick to snag the better courses. In the end, it was F-junior who had kindly sponsored her spot in this course, otherwise she wouldn’t have had the chance to attend.
So Miona’s statement wasn’t wrong. Those who could secure an A-Class Course wouldn’t be surprising if they easily achieved A grades in other courses as well.
However, Emil didn’t seem to agree. She sneered at the silver-haired girl. “Proof of capability just by selecting a course? That’s utterly laughable. That kind of thing can only be known by crossing hands personally.”
As she said this, her gaze was already scanning the room as if looking at desserts, openly appraising the other powerful students in this class.
“Have you heard? Apparently, they discovered something huge on the other side of The Barrier this time. Seems like a giant structure.”
“It’s really tantalizing. Rather than wasting time here, I’d rather go see what’s going on.”
Even after reaching Mithril Rank, Erika still felt like half an outsider among them. Because most of these guys wore gold-colored badges, their rankings at least within the top 100. Their appearance and aura were simply incomparable to those of Bronze or Silver rank.
And it wasn’t just senior, veteran Gold Ranks here. Among the new students, there were also no shortage of strong individuals.
Although Emil had discerning taste in aesthetics, she had also realized this. Her earlier expression of dissatisfaction with the boring class vanished.
A competitive, combative flame ignited in her eyes. The golden-haired girl bared her sharp canine teeth and chuckled lowly.
“Looks like there are quite a few decently strong guys. All of them are skilled hands. There are quite a few formidable characters here. I’m getting a bit itchy to fight.”
“Emil, my dear cousin. Since you’ve come to the Ark, how about finding a fine young gentleman here as a partner?”
“Huh? What?”
Hearing Evelyn’s seemingly random remark, the Big Guy slightly furrowed her brows. Her Majesty the Queen herself continued to leisurely sip her green tea and spoke casually.
“As a young lady of a prestigious family, reaching a marriageable age yet remaining unmarried for so long… isn’t that disloyal and unfilial to the Royal Family and one’s own Family? This is also recorded in the ancient Noelle mural, ‘Lily Painting’.”
What was the ‘Lily Painting’? Was it a painting like ‘Sunflowers’?
Still, the topic brought up by Evelyn was indeed interesting. At this Tea Party, topics of romance were certainly worth discussing, let alone matters of marriage.
The three most prominent young ladies of Noelle present here, by the Kingdom’s legal standards, had all reached the marriageable age, blooming like gardenias.
For them, marriage and romance were naturally extremely important and indispensable gossip topics for a tea party.
“…”
Even Miona Drako, who seemed completely uninterested in this gathering and was only focused on drinking tea to steal credits, occasionally stole glances at Emil and Evelyn’s expressions, pricking up her ears to listen to their conversation.
The Big Guy crossed her arms with a displeased look, her tone dismissive. “Of course I know that. But there has to be someone I like first. Let me state one thing clearly: I don’t have a man I like!”
Emil seemed to want to quickly end this topic and make a clean break, as if she wasn’t fond of this kind of gossip. But Evelyn was quite persistent.
“What about the Southern Governor who proposed to you before?” The Southern Governor? There was such a person?
Since this was an anecdote even Erika didn’t know, her pointed ears immediately perked up, twitching.
The Big Guy was, after all, a young lady from a prestigious family. Just by appearance, she was undeniably within the top five in the Kingdom. It was only natural for such a beauty to receive marriage proposals from all directions.
In an anime, she’d probably be the popular girl who gets a shoe locker full of love letters every day at school, right?
The golden-haired beauty just shook her head with a look of disgust. “You mean the one from five years ago? That guy was much weaker than me, and a wrinkly old man to boot!”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why I’m telling you to choose here at the Ark. There are many young and powerful Heroes here, Emil. If you are loyal to the Royal Family, then have several little Lionesses to strengthen Noelle’s national power.”
“Hmph! I know my own limits.”
Probably only her cousin Emil could be so disrespectful and casual with Evelyn. As the Queen, she didn’t seem to want to press her elder clan sister further and just silently drank her tea.
“But, speaking of which, there really is someone I’ve been… a little bit interested in lately.” Unexpectedly, the Big Guy spoke up again.
“Oh?”
Evelyn showed a surprised expression.
Even Miona, who had been silent beside them, couldn’t hide her heightened interest. “Miss Lyonesse, you have someone you’re interested in? Didn’t you just say you didn’t have a man you fancied?”
As soon as these words were spoken, a sharp glint flashed in Evelyn’s eyes, and her teacup froze mid-air.