Chapter 220: Special Quest Completion (3)

“Apologies for the late greeting, Nine-san, Liliath-san. Thank you for coming today,” Her Highness Siesta, who completed her speech, came into the tent. She looked drained. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the knights that surrounded her.

“Thank you for allowing our company today, Your Highness Siesta.”

“Um.. what should.. Pleased to meet you once again, Your Highness? I still have trouble figuring out how fancy speech works so sorry for my discourtesy.”

“No, no, that is of no concern Nine-sama..” Her Highness Alytia said in panic, she also nudged Her Highness Siesta for some reason. The latter glared at her elder sister.

It seems the bond of their relationship had been restored. I’m glad.

“Then it’s alright to talk like this right? I’ll do my best to use a politer speech then.. “ Nine glanced at the two Princesses in turn. “Is there a bug on my face?”

“N-No. Your face is fine,” Her Highness Alytia stuttered.

I wonder how that is polite by his definition? 

“Liliath-san, I’ve prepared a booth as requested,” Her Highness Siesta said and guided me to the next tent.

“Booth? What’s that for?” Nine queried.

“It’s my special quest.”

“Oh. That reminds me, I haven’t completed mine either.”

There was a small place where I could brew the tea, and a stage where the tea could be served to the people.

I had requested a place to make tea, I didn’t expect Her Highness would prepare a place where I could serve tea. I had thought of going around to distribute.

The view beyond the tent was a sorry sight. Shabby tents, bonfires and litter all over the barren snowy land. It was a stark contrast to the time I helped serve cocoa drinks to the people during the evening of the school camp. 

“Do you need me to incite the people?” Her Highness Siesta asked, nervously. 

“That would be for later. I think I shall make the tea itself first.”

“Oh, hey. Making tea?” Nine’s girly voice bounced. 

“Nine, would you please leave?” I turned to her with a flat expression. I would be incredibly angry if Nine were to cause my quest to forfeit here. A lot of tea had been sacrificed for this!

“O-Okay.. um. Your Highness Siesta, is there anything I can help with?”

“There isn’t anything particular. My task is but to act as a figurehead. I might need to go around meeting with those refugees. Probably,” Her Highness Siesta said.

“Okay.. then it is alright to leave right?”

“I did not predict your arrival to begin with,” Siesta showed a troubled smile.

“Alrighty, sorry about that.. then I’ll be going..” 

Sounding lonely, Nine left. 

I turned to the table and took out the paper cups and arranged them on the table. Her Highness Siesta picked a sample and brought it close to her eyes..

“I’ve never seen this before? Is this..  paper?” 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is it? I find it hard to believe..”
I generated warm water with magic, filling 45 cups. Pulling out the boxes of tea, I brought out the individual packet one by one.

Unlike the ones in the modern world where the packets are wrapped in colourful individual tin foils, the ones here are wrapped in brown paper. And the tea leaves themselves would be poured into the water, there wasn’t a convenient bag to hold the tea.

“Is it alright if I help?”

“It’s alright Your Highness, there is no need to trouble yourself.”

“You really are from, Toren Kingdom,” She muttered.

I turned to her.

“I-It was a slip of my tongue!”

“You’re not wrong,” I replied. One by one, I opened up the papers and slid the tea into individual cups.

“Liliath-san.. it may be a little impertiniuos of me. But may I query about your past?”
My hands stopped. I allowed my mind to process a decision in a few seconds.

“Liliath Toren. I was the 4th princess of Toren Kingdom, but was never inaugurated to the public.”
“???”

“After I was kidnapped, I was brought to the modern world.. or it would be referred to as the heroes’ world.. though that wasn’t really the heroes’ world as the people there had these special abilities.”

Should I talk about it?

“How did you return to this world?”
“It’s.. because of Noel’s ability… “

Did my past really exist? Thinking back, it started to make less and less sense. There were many of these so-called plot holes. There were blanks in my memories which I could tell if it were because of trauma or some loose ends to this fictional-- non-existant me.

“We had to solve.. me,” I turned to Her Highness and smiled. 

That’s right. Having spent the time here for a fortnight now, I recalled that this was about me, a quest. The reason why we were brought here, the reason why Prune and Nine had been dragged into participating..

“Come again?” Her Highness took a paper wrapping and poured the tea into the next cup.

“I myself don’t really understand how I should explain myself. I might not even exist by this point..”

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I recalled Noel’s words to Nine a few days ago. It weighed heavily on me.

The truth that I was fictional. 

That my existence came about by random chance.

Of all the other girls his TALENT could’ve picked, I was chosen.

“Sorry,” I blurted.

I didn’t know if it was out of guilt that I knew of the truth or that I was even mentioning it to her. I don’t know.

Her Highness nodded away and decided to put the question aside. Together, we managed to complete the 45 cups of tea.

The special quest did not specify how I am to go about serving the tea. Previously, Miss Familia had helped, that did count as a tea served.

I turned around to the opening of the booth. I was surprised to see a few public officials and some clergymen lined up. 

“I called them over, it should make your work more convenient,” Her Highness said before exiting the booth.

“So you’re the friend Her Highness talked about? Pleasure to meet you, I’m..”

Before I could make sense of it all, the first customer had already arrived.
“Likewise, I thank you for aiding in the campaign. Enjoy the tea.”

“You don't need to be so low key. I’m glad to be able to receive a warm drink from a person like yourself… oh, what kind of cup?!”

I greeted the people one by one, most of which held government positions or positions in the church. I was a little concerned with how they treated the paper cup as if it were some sacred object. I should refrain from introducing new technology like these next time.

At this rate there would not be enough tea to serve to everyone.. what should I do?

“Excuse me, is it possible..”

“Yes?” I was just about to take the last few cups, thinking of an excuse to perhaps send the others away when a maid’s turn came. 

“...” she glanced at the last 2 cups. 

“Liliath-san...” Her Highness Siesta returned after leaving and explained how she wanted my help to.. “I had thought in case you didn’t bring the tea yourself, I arranged some for this occasion. Use it as you see fit. I may have brought a little too much..”

“So we just have to make the tea while Liliath does the serving right?” and I heard a voice I didn’t want to. Nine.

I turned to see a knight pull over a box filled with tea leaves. And there were stacks upon stacks of a few dozen wooden cups already on the preparation table.

There were also maids that came to help in brewing the tea.

Seeing how she had prepared all this, I had this uneasy feeling that it was Her Highness exploiting me, not the other way around-- to create a better reputation for herself. By raising my standard as someone volunteering to serve a drink, and by the word ‘friend’, it rooted my connections to Her Highness-- as the trick to increase the morale and impressions of the people.

Somehow...

Could Her Highness Siesta really be that capable? Or was I overthinking? I had no choice but to comply to Her Highness’ request. I wasn’t in a position to leave with so many eager customers waiting either..

I turned back to the maid once again. Putting the question aside, I realized I had to be quick with the last few lest Nine finds out about my intention.

“No problems, then please take these if you don’t mind?”

“And here’s a few more,” Nine-- the voice which I didn’t want to hear placed two more cups of tea on the counter.

The maid looked at the cup and glanced up at me, her silver hair swayed. I found the hesitation in her silver eyes, sparkling red.

“Please, don’t mind it, help yourself,” I said with a smile.

“Y-yes..”

She took the last two paper cups and left the scene. There was something peculiar about her.. I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Ding.

‘Liliath’s Special Quest Complete.’

“What kind of quest..” I heard Nine’s curse.

I chuckled.

With this, I could now choose to exchange those points for even more tea!

‘Nine’s Special Quest Complete.’

Huh?

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Author's notes:

Dotturndot here! Illustration of Miss Tsu in this link (on my instagram-- IDK if you remember her):

And also, special thanks to @Parsatag and @Alex for being my patron!

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