Chapter 12
“What’s wrong, Sophie?”
Arthur asked as he noticed Sophie suddenly staring outside. Following her gaze, he too turned his head.
There stood Arabelle, a girl like a precious younger sister to Arthur.
“…Ah.”
Arabelle, whose eyes met Arthur’s, looked flustered and hesitated.
“Arabelle?”
“Do you know her?”
“Yes, she’s like a younger sister to me…”
She was stunningly beautiful with cream-colored hair and blue eyes.
At a glance, they looked so alike one could mistake them for siblings.
“Arabelle.”
Arthur called out to her from afar.
“Why are you here? Come over here for now.”
Though his voice was gentle, there was a subtle tone of irritation in it. Arabelle, noticing it, cautiously walked towards the apothecary.
“U-uhm… Brother…”
Arabelle was too embarrassed to finish her sentence, having been caught by Arthur.
Such a child.
Sophie’s first impression of Arabelle was that she was like a child pretending to be an adult.
Dressed up, using somewhat mature speech, but she couldn’t hide her youthful immaturity.
“I was curious about how your illness was cured, brother.”
“Ah… you followed me here, didn’t you.”
Arthur had already guessed. He knew Sophie didn’t like many visitors.
He had planned to bring Arabelle only after getting Sophie’s permission.
He hadn’t expected this day would come so soon.
“I apologize. I meant to keep it a secret.”
“No, it’s fine. If she’s like family, I don’t mind.”
The situation had already unfolded. Not wanting to hurt Arabelle’s feelings, who kept glancing around nervously, Sophie pretended to be fine with it.
This was one of those moments where an adult had to show patience.
Despite feeling uneasy about the growing number of people visiting the apothecary, she shrugged it off.
Once the curse was lifted, peace would return.
Sophie went into the greenhouse to make tea.
“Is this an apothecary? Is this where you received treatment, brother?”
“Strictly speaking, I just drink tea here.”
Arthur couldn’t lie to her, especially since she came all the way here. He ended up telling Arabelle the whole truth.
“T-tea?”
Following Arthur inside, Arabelle curiously looked around the mysterious apothecary.
“…Your Highness the Prince?”
And there, she also met Prince Valentis.
“Why is Your Highness here?”
“For tea.”
Valentis answered briefly as he sipped his tea.
Why on earth was the prince here?
Arthur smiled faintly seeing Arabelle’s obvious bewilderment.
“The owner here is the one who helped me. She’s a spirit mage. Drinking tea brewed with the herbs she grows has an effect.”
“R-really? Just that alone?”
Arabelle couldn’t believe it.
“I can’t explain the details, but even His Highness the Prince is here for a similar reason.”
Arthur asked Arabelle to keep it a secret.
“Tea, huh…”
Was her brother joking? Arabelle was baffled.
Tea was something she often drank. Not just nobles, but even commoners enjoyed it.
And yet, a mere tea could cure such a terrifying curse?
“Arabelle.”
But Arabelle always trusted Arthur. He had never lied to her.
To her, Arthur was the most trustworthy person in the world, someone her eyes naturally followed.
“You must keep this a secret.”
In the end, she nodded to his request.
* * *
Arabelle watched Arthur sit comfortably like it was his usual spot.
Even his knights waited relaxedly for Sophie’s tea.
“But I still can’t believe it.”
Sophie smiled faintly at Arabelle’s words.
“This feels like just a regular tea house…”
“It’s not a tea house, it’s an apothecary.”
Sophie gently corrected her and busied herself. It seemed better to show than explain with words.
“Please take a seat. I’ll bring the tea.”
“I forgot to introduce myself.”
The cunning Arabelle quickly decided it would be wise to stay on good terms with Sophie.
Especially for Arthur’s sake.
“I’m Arabelle of the Marquis Dashwood family.”
“Please, just call me Sophie.”
Since Arthur showed respect to Sophie, Arabelle did too.
She didn’t want to appear rude or arrogant in front of Arthur.
Arabelle’s courtesy made Arthur smile with pride. Exactly what Arabelle aimed for.
She had thought he might scold her for secretly following him, but thankfully, he didn’t.
“If it’s not too much trouble, could I have a cup of tea as well?”
“Of course.”
Along with her request, Arabelle carefully observed Sophie. Her posture and mannerisms gave off a faint noble air.
She seemed well-versed in etiquette.
Just who is she really?
Moreover, Sophie was undeniably charming. Almost like she embodied all of Arabelle’s ideals.
Without doing much, Sophie carried elegance and grace, and people naturally liked her.
[Miss Sophie! We brought all the dried tea leaves!]
[We brought them! All of them!]
With bright squeals, oval lights floated in carrying leaves dangling below them.
Startled by the sudden appearance of spirits, Arabelle screamed and clung to Arthur.
“Ah…”
In Arthur’s arms, she stayed flustered for a moment.
Yet, even with her face flushed, she didn’t miss the opportunity.
“I’m scared, brother!”
“It’s okay. These are spirits.”
“Spirits?”
Ah, she likes Arthur.
Sophie realized. If you’re going to flirt, do it somewhere else.
Sophie shot them a briefly cold glare, then made eye contact with Valentis.
Valentis also looked annoyed watching the two stick together.
“I’m an earth spirit mage. These are earth spirits that help me.”
Bringing the kettle and tea leaves, Sophie smiled softly.
Sitting opposite Valentis, Sophie prepared to pour the tea.
“I’ll have another cup.”
Valentis raised his empty teacup.
“You speak like you’re at a tavern. Bring a new cup, the aromas might mix.”
“Fine.”
Goodness…
Arabelle was shocked seeing the prince obediently follow Sophie’s words.
Moreover, Valentis casually took a cup from the shelf with practiced ease.
He clearly wasn’t new at this.
“I have a question…”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“Is there some special way you brew the tea?”
Arabelle also often brewed her own tea and had a good knowledge of tea leaves and preparation.
Thankfully, the leaves here seemed of top quality. Even before full steeping, the aroma was rich.
“No, it’s just brewed in the usual way.”
“Really? It doesn’t seem any different…”
Ordinary leaves, ordinary brewing.
Just this kind of tea could ease Arthur’s curse? Arabelle found it hard to believe.
“It’s curious, isn’t it? Honestly, I find it curious too.”
Sophie said gently as she poured her own cup.
“I don’t know the exact reason either.”
“…”
“But after seeing that it works for His Highness and the Duke, I just keep making it.”
To Arabelle, Sophie was still someone to be wary of. But slowly, she felt Sophie wasn’t a bad person.
Still, she wouldn’t let down her guard easily.
“It’s quite cold outside, isn’t it?”
Sophie handed a cup to Arthur.
“Yes. I should start dressing warmly now. Should I get you something to wear too, Sophie?”
“…No thank you, Your Grace. Even if I’m penniless, I can still afford clothes.”
“Pfft. I just wanted to give you a gift.”
Arthur looked genuinely happy as he enjoyed his tea and teased Sophie.
“Can’t you just drink tea quietly for once?”
Even Valentis chimed in.
“Keep your mouth shut and drink. Isn’t that the proper etiquette, Duke?”
“How can I drink tea with my mouth shut?”
Arthur and Valentis even began a pointless argument.
With Sophie stuck in the middle.
The three of them looked oddly close.
Such a scene could never happen at the palace.
Arthur and the Prince, drinking tea together.
“If you keep fighting here, I’ll throw you both out.”
At Sophie’s dry voice, both men fell silent.
The two strongest men in the empire couldn’t argue back in front of Sophie.
Arabelle carefully took a sip from her cup.
‘It’s delicious…’
Objectively, the tea really wasn’t bad.
By now, she’d grown used to the light of the spirits and enjoyed this time, even without much conversation.
Especially since Arthur was here.
Just being in the same space with him made this moment precious.
‘I think I can do it too.’
Arthur said the tea only worked when Sophie brewed it, but Arabelle somehow felt she could manage it.
She didn’t want to see Arthur constantly gazing at Sophie.
Wouldn’t it work if she brewed tea with these same leaves?
That way, Arthur wouldn’t need to come here anymore.
“This tea is truly delicious.”
“Isn’t it?”
Hearing their conversation, Sophie smiled and said thank you.
Arabelle responded with friendliness.
“Could you teach me how to brew tea too?”
Arabelle’s request left Sophie uncharacteristically flustered.
“Eh? Me?”
“Yes, I’d really like to learn from you, Miss Sophie.”
“I feel like you’d already know better than me how to brew tea, Lady Arabelle.”
“No, I’m sure there’s a lot I can learn from you.”
Keep your enemies close if you want to win.
Recalling how she survived social circles all these years, Arabelle steeled her resolve.
“From how to nurture plants to everything else, I’ll learn it all from you.”
“How admirable.”
Arthur found Arabelle’s earnest request to Sophie adorable.
It had been Arabelle’s secret weapon to stay close to Arthur all this time.
Arthur liked people who stayed humble and eager to learn.
“So please, I’m asking you.”
Even as she asked, Arabelle kept stealing glances at Arthur,
“And also… because I want to know what kind of person Miss Sophie really is.”
With a bold and challenging gaze, Arabelle stared.
What a headache.
It’s like a mother-in-law scrutinizing her future daughter-in-law.
‘This is really getting bothersome…’
Sophie sighed deeply.
Somehow, things just kept getting more and more troublesome.
