Chapter 154: Chapter 140: A Date? Part 3

After enjoying the bread, Rebecca-san took us again, visiting a general and jeweler stores next.

“”This is~?””

“This you see, is a store that deals with tea leaves.”

“A store that specializes in tea leaves, is it? Still...... what a great amount.”

“”...... Tea~””

The interior of the store was slightly dim, a great number of jars was lined up on the shelves, and each jar was fully cramped with tea leaves.

“Does each jar lined up here have different kinds of tea leaves in them?”

Looking carefully, the jars had labels where the name of the tea leaves and the producing area were written down.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Heeh~”

While checking the jars on my eye level, Allen and Elena called out to me.

“Say, tea~ what’s that?”

“It’s a beverage. The one I occasionally drink. Ahh, come to think of it, I have never let you guys drink black tea, did I?”

“”Did not~!””

What Allen and Elena drink is generally fruit water. Therefore, they had no opportunity to drink black tea yet.

“Allen, will drink tea~”

“Elena wants to drink~”

“Eh, you want to drink it that much? But, don’t you two prefer fruit water?”

Having interest, the two demanded to drink the black tea.

However, thinking that the black tea would be too bitter for the children, I thought of pushing the fruit water, but――

“”Wanna dri~nk!””

The two won’t give up once something catches their interest after all~

“Fufu. Allen-chan and Elena-chan just don’t seem to be able to give up once something catches their interest, right~”

“Yes, indeed......”

It appears that Rebecca-san has seen through the twins’ characters.

“Takumi-san, it’s possible to drink the tea leaves you select here inside. You must be getting thirsty about now, right? Let’s take a rest.”

I see. Then, this store is something like a café?

Rebecca-san seemingly choose this store because she originally planned to take a rest.

“”Tea~!””

Being able to drink tea, Allen and Elena raised their hands in delight.

“My favorite one is the one from Clive. What will you have, Takumi-san?”

“Err, which should I choose......”

Rebecca-san chose tea leaves she usually drinks and immediately decided on her order.

But, there were too many kinds to choose from, so I was troubled.

“Well, with tea, you won’t find the one you like before drinking it first. How about choosing the same Clive tea leaves like me, for starters?”

Unable to let the troubled me unnoticed, Rebecca-san recommended the Clive tea to me.

“Indeed. I will try the Clive leaves too then. As for Allen and Elena......”

Rebecca-san’s reasoning was sound, so I accepted her recommendation and it was time to choose tea for the children, but I’m sure they would grimace were they to drink a straight black tea.

Hmm, would they enjoy it if it was milk tea or fruit tea?

“Rebecca-san, does this store have milk tea as well?”

“Milk tea? Do you mean pouring milk into the tea?”

............ Huh?

Rebecca-san showed a wondering expression to the words “milk tea”.

“Have you perhaps never tried to drink black tea with milk?”

“No, black tea should be drunk as it is, no?”

...... That seems to be the case.

Aetherdia seems to be quite fixed on the general concept of “As it is”, is it not~

Ah, is this perhaps connected with not being able to obtain fresh milk at all times?

“In my hometown, we drank black tea with milk and called it milk tea. I think the children would like it if made sweet.”

“Now that you said it, it doesn’t seem like a bad match. Why have I not tried drinking it like that before, I wonder? Say Takumi-san, what kind of tea leaves are suitable for milk tea?”

“Let’s see...... rather than tea leaves with a refreshing taste, tea leaves with strong aroma should be more compatible.”

“Oh my, the Clive tea leaves should be quite compatible then.”

Apparently, Clive tea uses tea leaves with a strong aroma.

“What do you think, Russel-san? Can I leave it to you?”

Then, Rebecca-san asked the store’s person to serve the tea with milk.

Not drinking it after returning to the mansion but drinking it here immediately, it seems that Rebecca-san is quite interested in milk tea.

“I am truly sorry, Rebecca-sama. This store has no milk, moreover...... I am not aware if there’s any correct way to do it, so I don’t think I would be able to serve you something delicious......”

The store’s person――Russel-san lowered his head to Rebecca-san in apology.

Making Russel-san lower his head just because I said something unnecessary makes me honestly guilty.

“Takumi-san, do you have milk on you by any chance?”

“Y, yes. I do!”

“Then, the milk tea method?”

“If it’s the most common one, then I know it!”

But, Rebecca-san wasn’t able to give up on the milk tea and directed her questions towards me.

“Err...... adding just a little more tea leaves than usual, or brewing the black tea for longer to make it taste stronger should be fine......”

Just adding normal temperature milk into it should be fine.

The method should be to boil the tea leaves with slightly below the normal amount of water, put the milk in and lightly heat it up, but there’s a specialist on tea here, so telling him to make the black tea stronger should be better. I can make the milk room temperature with magic, so there is no problem.

“Russel-san, how about it?”

When Rebecca-san asked again with a smile, Russel-san who heard that just making the black tea stronger would be fine acknowledged this time.

“I have kept you waiting.”

We proceeded inside and took a sit on the seats until Russel-san brought a kettle with black tea and cups.

“Oh my, Russel-san. You are short of one cup. Quickly bring another one please.”

“?”

Rebecca-san said such after seeing the cups lined up on the table.

Both I and Russel-san tilted our heads at Rebecca-san’s words.

“Since there an occasion, how about you ascertain the taste of the milk tea as well, Russel-san?”

“Eh!?”

Ohh, I see! Russel-san’s cup, huh.

Russel-san was surprised, but because I have requested something different from the usual request, I approve of her “as well” opinion.

“I want to hear the opinion of a tea specialist like yourself regarding the milk tea we are about to drink.”

“...... So you meant it like that. Thank you very much for your consideration, Rebecca-sama.”

When Rebecca-san frankly asked Russel-san to sample the milk tea, he didn’t reject. Thus, Russel-san brought another cup over.

“Allen and Elena, yours should be sweetened more. Sugar...... not, shall I put some honey in for you?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“”Yea!””

After Russel-san poured the black tea, I added room temperature milk and also added honey to the children’s cups. Then, we proceeded to drink.

“Oh my!”

“This is-!”

“”......””

Rebecca-san and Russel-san made surprised expression after drinking the milk tea.

Then, the two added honey and drank it sweet just like Allen and Elena.

As for Allen and Elena, both were sipping a little by little in silence.

“Oh my, oh my, it also tastes good when sweet~ Russel-san, what do you think?”

“I think that black tea as it is would be still better when wanting to feel refreshed after a meal, but adding milk during rest, especially the sweet one would be nice as well.”

It appears that milk tea suited the two’s tastes.

“”Seconds~””

Of course, Allen and Elena who emptied their cups with smiles also were pleased with the milk tea no doubt.

“The taste becomes different depending on both tea and people, doesn’t it~ Say, Takumi-san. Are there perhaps other ways to drink tea deliciously?”

While preparing another helping of the milk tea, Rebecca-san asked me about the tea arrangement.

“...... Let’s see~ Those I know about are fruit teas, in which you simply put fruits into the tea. I think that both raw and dry fruits would be fine. Also...... I have never done it myself so I am not that knowledgeable about it, but I heard of people putting things like mint and ginger in their teas.”

I replied while trying to remember.

I have never actually drunk them myself, but I have heard of mint tea and ginger tea.

Also...... wasn’t there a butter tea or something? No, was this for coffee?

N~...... it would be better to not say something I’m not certain of.

“Heeh~ there are many ways to drink tea, aren’t there~ But......”

Rebecca-san nodded in admiration to my words. However――

“Takumi-san, you are saying it unconsciously, but this is considerably valuable information, you know? Therefore, you can’t say things like these so simply.”

“Eh!? I, is that so?”

“That is so, gee!”

To not say information like that so easily...... I got cautioned.

Well, it’s not like Rebecca-san is angry or anything.

“Tell me, Russel-san. What do you think about the teas Takumi-san spoke about?」

“Let’s see...... I believe there would be a need to test the kinds of tea leaves, but neither doesn’t seem to have bad compatibility with black tea. Therefore, as Rebecca-san said, I believe this to be valuable information.”

“See, didn’t I say so?”

Both Russel-san and Rebecca-san were of the same opinion. However――

“However, even if I regret it now, this is not something I can keep to myself forever......”

If it’s tea arrangement, then I don’t think much will change even if the public is aware of it~

Rather, if I kept it secret, wouldn’t others swarm me with “What’s that?” questions when they see me drink it?

“Russel-san, if you’d like it to use as products in your store then please do so. I won’t mind.”

“...... Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“That’s so like Takumi-san” Rebecca-san looked at me with a lukewarm gaze, but I decided to entrust fruit teas, mint tea, and ginger tea to Russel-san.