I walked through the garden, checking the fold of my sleeves and whether my hems were crooked.
"Your Highness Asha, you look fine."
"Yeah, I know. It's just... I can't seem to calm down, or rather..."
Ikuto gave a wry smile, and I felt my lips curling into a grin despite my embarrassment.
That embarrassment made me check my clothes again for no reason.
Restlessly pacing through the garden, I wore a dignified ceremonial outfit in blue-green.
A matching jacket and trousers with a black vest gave a mature air, while a deep yellow shirt added a touch of brilliance—an elegant ensemble coordinated by Her Highness the Consort.
And the reason for all this was that today, I had... received an invitation to a tea party from my younger brothers!
"I'm glad the perfume I asked Wald for arrived in time."
"Yes, though I am ashamed to say I am but a namesake in such matters. It seems Lady Nomariola is far more versed in these etiquettes."
Ikuto's job was originally to remain silent as a bodyguard, checking for dangers around me.
But he indulged my restlessness and continued the conversation.
What the maid Nomariola had told me was advice that strong perfumes were not recommended for occasions involving food and drink.
Previously, when meeting Diora, the princess of the Rukiusaria Kingdom, I had used rose extract.
Apparently, Nomariola had thoughtfully adjusted it so it wouldn't be overpowering.
At that time, she owed me no particular loyalty, so she simply did as she was told, treating it as her own fault if something went wrong later.
She must have been earnest about her job for the money, but I thought her capable even then.
"This time she gave me the advice out of concern, and Wald also told me that consumables for grooming could be covered by my stipend."
The three younger brothers had personally handed me the invitation letters to the tea party.
Thanks to that, I received advice from Nomariola about the clothes, and when Wald learned I had almost nothing regarding perfume and grooming, he handled it for me.
Both were earnest in their work, and though I felt sorry that one had been assigned to a sinecure and the other was a double agent for the duke, I thought, what good people they are.
"They seem unable to wait any longer, Your Highness Asha. Please try to calm yourself."
"Y-yeah."
Pointed out that I was fiddling with my clothes unconsciously again, I laughed off my embarrassment and faced forward.
Then I heard light, hurried footsteps.
"Ah, Brother!"
"It's Brother!"
"Hello, Werner, Fer. Thank you for inviting me today."
The energetic twins wore outfits of the same design but in different colors—white and black—today.
"Today, we helped prepare for you too!"
"We chose the sweets, and the plates, and oh, the flowers too!"
"Wow, I'm looking forward to it."
I took their hands.
The twins' bodyguards and attendants who had followed no longer reproached us.
We did this every time we met.
Though perhaps they were relieved that my hands were occupied instead.
Leading the twins, I headed toward the arbor.
This was where the twins had once gotten lost.
"Why did you choose this place?"
When I asked inadvertently, Werner and Fer, who had shed large tears at that time, looked up at me with smiles.
"Because it's where we first met Brother!"
"And we wanted to thank you for that time!"
I had collapsed from allergies and caused a terrible fuss, and both of them and Terry had cried loudly. I was the one who made them cry.
Yet here they were, saying such happy things with smiling faces.
"I'm so glad. I was truly happy to meet you two that day too."
"Yeah, ehehe."
"We're happy too."
When Werner laughed shyly, Fer expressed his feelings honestly.
"Brother! ...Welcome."
Terry ran out from the arbor, then stopped as if remembering himself and corrected his posture.
So I responded in kind, releasing the twins' hands for a moment.
"Thank you for inviting me today, Terry, Werner, Fer. I've been looking forward to this very much."
When I spoke from the heart, my younger brothers nodded with smiles.
Taking the twins' hands again, I entered the arbor.
Stepping onto the raised platform of the arbor covered in white cosmetic stone.
No voice reproached me, no gaze blamed me.
(Ah, I am allowed to be here.)
I was moved, almost alone in the feeling.
For this was a place I had once hesitated to even approach.
The arbor decorated with flowers and fabric, the polished tableware, and the lavish sweets that must have taken considerable effort.
Looking at this scene, I had once been able to do nothing but gaze from afar.
"Brother, please sit here."
"I want to sit next to you!"
"Me too, next to you!"
Terry tried his best to play the host as he guided me to a seat, while the twins, refusing to let go of my hands, chattered excitedly.
I had once told Ikuto.
That I didn't want to replace the younger brother who could have such tea parties, but simply wanted to be together with him.
And now, exactly at this moment, I was here together with them.
"Brother, what will you eat?"
"We should have tea first, Fer."
"Hey, the one with lots of milk is delicious!"
When Terry admonished him, Werner eagerly recommended his favorite.
It seemed they had prepared several types of tea.
"I'm not very knowledgeable about this, so I'd appreciate recommendations."
"Brother, there's something you don't know?"
"But Brother knows everything?"
The twins said such delightful things.
Was this proof that I was doing well as an older brother?
But I didn't want to put on airs and end up embarrassed, so I decided to be honest here.
"I'm not very familiar with food. There are many things I haven't eaten or drunk."
"Really? Then I'll teach you!"
"Me! I'll teach you too!"
The two began talking excitedly without stopping.
Though I'm a child now too, this energy is incredible.
Comparing them to the quiet Terry, I glanced at him softly, and he was looking at me too.
Terry really is perceptive.
He seemed to have guessed my past hardships from my earlier statement.
"Terry, what would you recommend? It would help if you told me."
"Yes... yes, I'll tell you. I'll help Brother."
Terry seemed to have regained his composure too.
While the twins recommended based on preference, Terry taught me along with knowledge of what flavors paired well with what.
"Could it be that you remember all the production regions too? That's amazing, Terry."
"Well, I had them explained to me when we were preparing."
"You listened carefully and remembered? If you chose them after that, then they're all recommendations. I'm torn about which to try first."
"Hey, I like the Massa with lots of milk!"
"I like the one that smells like apples!"
I remember Massa.
It was the black tea producing region that the bob-cut aide to my father had quizzed me on.
In other words, the twins were so accustomed to drinking high-quality black tea fit for imperial tribute that they could discuss preferences.
The Massa black tea was delicious, but here I had younger brothers who could teach me things I didn't know.
So surely it would be more fun to start with something unfamiliar.
"If it's apple, is it flavored tea? Then I'll have that first."
When I checked with Terry, he nodded.
It seemed there were no strict rules about which tea to drink first.
I was relieved it wasn't as rigid as Japanese tea ceremony.
With a full stomach, lively conversation, and the twins running out of energy—though I only heard this later.
Apparently, the three of them couldn't decide and ended up preparing multiple options.
Terry had told me embarrassedly that normally, one doesn't prepare multiple types of tea for such occasions.
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Next: Tea Party with My Brothers 5