Yuri Flags with the Heroine (Episode 9): Welcome to the Tea Party

Time passed in a blink of an eye and now the day of the tea party was upon me. I invited not only prestigious aristocrats but also clergy members and singers from the commoners to prevent Eugenie from feeling too out of place.

Even so, Eugenie seemed to be nervous, embarrassed to sit at the table.

“Who are you?” someone at my table asked. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Lady Rosalind invited me,” Eugenie said. “I recently moved to Rose Village, and she wants to honour my parents who died taking care of our clergy.

“Oh my, my condolences for your loss. Take comfort, dear: Lady Rosalind is a very kind person.”

The female guests do not talk to Eugene directly, but whisper to each other. It’s okay for her to be rude and not to speak and engage them, but I wonder if I should talk to her directly—like Randolph is. “Ah, you’re Eugenie!” he said. “I’ve heard about you from my little sister—you’re as beautiful as she described. My name is Randolph Stanley, Rosalind’s older brother.”

“No, there’s nothing special about me,” Eugenie said, “I’m just a girl–” she’s blushing red as she rushes off.

This is bothering me! But why? I should have wanted Eugenie to enter Randolph’s route.

Eugenie looked at me anxiously because of the troubles expression on my face. I shouldn’t react—it would be villainous to take these emotions out on her. Instead, I smile with a teacup in one hand. “What about today’s fruit cake?” I ask. “It’s homemade by my maid, Aira. We use berries harvested from Rose village.”

“Ah, so you do!” Eugenie said before she took a bite. “It’s very delicious. Thank you, very much, Ms. Aira!”

Waiting beside me, Aira quietly took a small bow.

Aira is a maid who has been working for my family since three years ago, and is two years my senior. She’s got dark brown hair with eyes reminiscent of green agate, and though she looks quite a bit like Eugenie, she is a quiet person of few words and with a stalwart work ethic.

“I-I love cooking, sweets especially,” Eugenie said. “Ms. Aira, can you give me the recipe?”

“I’d be happy to,” Aira said. “I will give it to you before you leave.”

“Hey, Eugenie: what kind of food do you usually cook?”I ask.

“Um, stews, pies…” she mutters. “Just normal food, really.”

“Pies and stews!” Randolph said. “How fortunate, both are our favorites. Right, Rosalind?”

“Yes,” I said, “Stews and pies made from wild game are very delicious.”

“… My apologies,” Eugenie said, “I don’t get much meat, so the only ingredients I’m used to are vegetables.”

“It seems to be doing wonders for your health,” Randolph said. “Right, Rosalind?”

“Yes,” I said, “vegetables are essential for good health.”

“… Fu-fu,” Eugenie said, “thank you very much.”

It seems that conversation gave Eugenie peace, her awkwardness was gradually disappearing. After the tea party, I took a break, I let my brother escort me and Aira to the courtyard. I will have to remain on the terrace to meet and entertain the ladies, though—alas, such are my duties as the hostess.

“She seems like a good person, Lady Rosalind,” Aira said.

“Indeed,” I say.

“But still, I wonder why you ever invite a commoner’s child to a noble’s tea party…” said one guest as she stroked her cat—Madam Lorimar, owner of the Calmford farm.

The Arch region is the land of the Marquis Stanley, but it is further divided among families below us in the nobility. Madam Lorimar was the wife of the Viscount of Calmford, though she’s become rather more fond of her cat since her husband died last year. Despite being a woman, she has quite the talent for agriculture and is adored by the territory, but her she thinks very highly of herself.

“A nobleman is a nobleman and a commoner is a commoner,” Madam Lorimar said. “We must maintain the line between them. I care for the farmers of my territory, but I would never dare bring them into my home. That’s why I don’t care who you are, Rosalind: I will never imitate you, inviting such a person and to your own table at the—ah!

It seemed that Madam Lorimar had stroked the cat harder and harder as she spoke, and the poor beast had had enough, jumping off her knees and running away. “Well, Minty! Wait!” she cried.

“Please calm down, Madam,” I said. “Aira: ask the other servants to find Madam Lorimar’s cat.”

“Understood, Lady Rosalind.”

“He’s called Minty, Minty!” Madam Lorimar cried. “He’s not just a cat!”

Madam Lorimar loves her cat like it was her firstborn child. The other guests are staring at me, wondering what I’ll do next. “I will also look for it,” I say, “I am familiar with Castle Stanley.”

“Oh, please do so, Lady Rosalind!” Madam Lorimar cried.

In the castle, we keep some cats to remove mice so I had an idea of where they might hang out. I managed to run into Randolph during my search. “Rosalin,” he asked, “whatever is the matter?”

“Well you see–” I started, but while I was explaining the situation, I realized that Eugenie was not with him. “Randolph, what happened to Eugenie?”

“She fell in love with the garden while I was giving her a tour and went off ahead without me,” Randolph. “I was just looking for her.

“Agh, seriously? You’re the gentleman here!” I cried. “It’s your job to watch over a lady, not lose track of her!”

“I have no defense, but that’s beside the point,” Randolph said. “I’ll look for Eugenie and Madam Lorimar’s cat.”

“Eeh…?” I mutter.

While I was talking with Randolph, I found a kitten crying on the roof of a guard tower along the ramparts. “Big Brother, look!”

“That seems to be the cat,” Randolph said. “But who’s that?!”

“Eugenie!?” I scream.

Eugenie was leaning out the window of the tower. She put her foot on the ledge, started shimmying towards the cat.

“That’s dangerous!” I wanted to scream—but I didn’t. It’d be worse to surprise her now, since Eugenie and the cat are about three floors up. If they fall, the landing will be far from pretty. As I and Randolph watched, Eugenie grabbed the kitten and returned to the guard tower.

“Oh my, Minty!” Madam Lorimar screamed as she came over and saw Eugenie and the cat. I was about to bite my tongue, but Eugenie went back inside the steeple through the window without a problem.

“Minty, oh, Minty!” Madam Lorimar cried. “Are you alright?”

“I think he’s okay,” Eugenie said. “He doesn’t seem to climb all that much, since he couldn’t figure out how to get back down.”

“Thank you so much, Miss!” the red-eyed Madam Lorimar said as she took Eugenie’s hand and shook it—very different from the attitude she had earlier.

“Are you alright, Eugenie?” I asked.

“Yes,” Eugenie said. “I’m sorry, I entered the tower without permission.”

“Never mind that,” I said. “What happened to the watchmen?”

“It’s just about time for the shifts to change,” Randolph said. “Hmm, I guess I overlooked something myself. Were Eric and Sam on duty today? When I arrived earlier, they were just playing cards; it appears I’ll have to give them some strict reminders. “

“Yes, but don’t forget, Big Brother, that you were also negligent today.”

“Ugh… how strict, Rosalind.”

“It’s a failure of a gentleman’s duty to leave a lady all alone!” I snapped

“No, Lady Rosalind,” Eugenie said. “I just fell so in love with the garden, I—“

“And in that time, Randolph was nowhere near you. Don’t make excuses for him, he’s clearly at fault.”

“I offer no defense,” Randolph said.

Madam Lorimar sighed in relief; she had been checking on Minty while we were speaking and found nothing worrying. “Thank you again, Miss,” she said to Eugenie. “I will invite you to my mansion next time.”

“Oh no, I don’t believe I deserve so many invitations to noble’s homes…” Eugenie started.

“Nonsense, you are a wonderful woman!” Madam Lorimar. “Please accept my invitation, as thanks for saving Minty. Ah, yes, please do come with also, Lady Rosalind. I believe that will calm Miss Eugenie down.”

“I will,” I said. “It will be no trouble at all, Eugenie.”

“Ah, I-I see! Thank you very much!”

There was a little trouble at the end, but at the end of the day, the tea party went smoothly. A thought suddenly occurred to me, so I asked Eugenie, “You were pretty light on your feet back there. Very confident, too. Are you used to acrobatics like this?”

“Yes,” Eugenie said, “I love to do them.”

“That’s surprising,” I said. The game’s Eugenie should not have been very active.

Eugenie laughs shyly, probably because of her lack of confidence. “Actually, my Lady, it’s a funny story. I’ve been to the Arch region when I was a child; at that time, I met another who was a very active and lovely girl… I wanted to be just like her, so I started to train, too.

“However, since I lived in a town, I didn’t have many opportunities to fight monsters. I couldn’t even undergo combat training, so I decided to focus on acrobatics instead.”

“Huh, is that so?” I asked.

A person Eugenie met in the Arch region when she was a child… Aaron? Eugenie and Aaron were set as childhood friends in the game, but there was no way it could be him. So, instead, it has to be… me?!

If that’s the case… what should I do? I still remember that time so clearly. If she did also—how happy would she be to meet me again?

“You have such wonderful memories,” I said.

“Yes… it’s a very important memory.”

I couldn’t tell her. I didn’t have the courage. And if I did… I’d still be disappointed, what with my plans and all. I said farewell to Eugenie at the front gate of the castle, and when I returned to the mansion, I headed to Randolph’s room.

“She’s a good person like you said, that girl who moved to Rose Village,” Randolph said. “It seems that the coming days will be quite a bit brighter.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” I said. “Do you like her?”

“Aaah, it’s more important to me that you speak with her so freely even if you’re of different statuses,” Randolph said. “I’m happy that you have a friend like Eugenie.”

Randolph seemed to like Eugenie, and Eugenie seemed to have a good impression of him. Originally, we were supposed to meet Eugenie much later, but a deviation like this is acceptable. With the way things are going, the story will not change that much.

Also, the game’s encounter is good, but I think today’s encounter was much better.

A gentleman and a lady meet at a tea party. The handsome brother and the beautiful girl Eugenie walking in the garden of the Stanley, a scene straight out of a fairy tale.

… Why do I feel so bothered about this?!

I had hoped that Eugene and his brother would make a connection like this, but when I picture them walking side by side, I feel troubled.

Am I jealous? Of who? Eugenie? Or Randolph?

I can’t say anything for certain right now, but at least I was aware of what I was feeling.

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