Chapter 15
“Is it black tea?”
“It doesn’t have a reddish tint to be called black tea, right?”
Chloe explained as she stood beside the chattering ladies.
“This is a tea called Milky Oolong (Golden Oolong). It is an unflavored tea, but the tea leaves themselves have a sweet, milky aroma.”
“Oh my! It smells like there’s milk in the tea?”
Even the noble ladies who were dissatisfied with the tea party guests at the Duke’s residence, who had been served only dried grass and water, were all shocked.
It was understandable. How could dried leaves smell like milk, not fruit or flowers?
The ladies, one after another, lifted their teacups and began to smell the aroma.
“Oh my god! It’s true!”
“It smells like rich milk!”
“Is it really the scent of the tea leaves themselves, without any fragrance?”
In the tea that Chloe had personally prepared with great care, a fragrance similar to condensed milk rose, mixed with the sweet scent of the tea itself. Chloe smiled.
“Yes, that’s right. I hope you like what I’ve prepared.”
The noble ladies all looked down at their teacups. None of them had yet brought their cups to their lips. Their aversion to ‘dried plant water that only commoners drink’ was so great.
The first of them to drink tea was Lady Fortnum, who was rather curious. She could not help but lift her cup and drink, unable to contain her curiosity.
“Oh!”
Lady Fortnum shouted.
“It smells really good! I like it.”
When the first person tried it, the rest was a breeze. The noble ladies, one by one, raised their teacups to their lips and exclaimed in admiration.
“How can dried leaves have such a sweet fragrance?”
“What a luxurious scent!”
“It goes really well with side dishes too!”
But even in the midst of all this, there was one person who couldn’t bring the teacup to her lips. It was Lady Belladonna.
Her face was one that could not hide its obvious displeasure. Unable to bear the childish teasing and jealousy, she cried out.
“That’s ridiculous! The leaves smell like milk? That’s impossible. They must have secretly added milk to them!”
“But your ladyship, isn’t the water in this tea very clear and clean? If there was milk in it, it would have turned opaque like a cloud.”
Lady Fortnum, who had been the first to put the milky oolong in her mouth earlier, retorted instead.
“That’s right, if she mixed it with milk, it couldn’t have tasted this clear. Thank you, Lady Battenberg. Thanks to you, I had a very unique experience today.”
Another woman thanked Chloe.
“No. I’m so glad you like what I’ve prepared.”
Chloe said politely.
The reason she chose this tea today was none other than this.
Today was a completely different day from other days, when she served tea to those who asked her to drink it first.
Most of today’s guests would not even know that she enjoys tea, and would look down on it, let alone try it.
In order for them to enjoy tea, it had to be easy to approach for those who were trying it for the first time, and above all, it had to be tea that would arouse interest and curiosity. It had to be tea that would make even those who looked down on tea try it out of curiosity.
And her strategy worked, as people were drawn to the uniqueness and mystery of Milky Oolong.
Chloe said to Lady Belladonna.
“Did you know, Lady Belladonna? Eastern culture is deep and fascinating in its own right. So I hope you can stop having the prejudice that Eastern culture is uncivilized. And…”
She smiled brightly.
“I hope you can properly tell your ladyship’s uncle what our tea tastes like.”
Suddenly, a burst of laughter broke out among the guests. They were all aware of the way Belladonna had teased Chloe at the tea party she hosted.
And Lady Belladonna… couldn’t say anything, and kept her mouth shut with a bright red face.
She was angry, but couldn’t say anything.
The tea party that Chloe had prepared with great care ended successfully.
***
The Duke and Duchess of Battenberg received an invitation to dinner from another noble family: Viscount Fortnum.
Compared to the duke’s family, the viscount’s family was nothing more than a humble family.
Alphonse, who had no interest in building up power and did not like social activities, would not have responded to such an invitation under normal circumstances.
But, ironically… he was concerned about his wife. Chloe’s eyes sparkled when she heard that an invitation had come from the Fortnum family.
Lady Fortnum had previously attended a tea party where Milky Oolong was featured, and had been very friendly in refuting Belladonna’s arguments on her behalf, which Chloe was grateful for. Chloe wanted to express her gratitude to Lady Fortnum by accepting this invitation.
Alphonse found it odd. He had known for the past thirteen months that Chloe had not been particularly fond of such social gatherings. And yet she was so eager to take the initiative and accept someone else’s invitation?
Last time, when she said she wanted to hold a party, he was a bit skeptical, but then he thought it was because parties were essential for a lady. But this time, it was different. She actively tried to accept an invitation that she didn’t have to accept.
Finally, Alphonse was interested. Not in the viscount couple’s first impression, but in what his wife would look like there. He accepted the Fortnums’ invitation.
“It is an honor to be able to serve the Duke and Duchess of Battenberg! I am not very prepared, but I hope that I will not be an embarrassment in front of the Duke and Duchess.”
Viscount Fortnum jumped up and greeted the duke and duchess. He looked very proud to be able to entertain them in this way. It was only natural. The Duke of Battenberg was notorious for not accepting invitation from just anyone.
Alphonse said, lightly shaking the Viscount’s outstretched hand.
“Thank you for the invitation. My wife was very pleased with the invitation. She must have a good impression of Lady Fortnum.”
“Oh my! You mean my wife? I can’t thank you enough! My wife was really looking forward to seeing the Duchess again.”
Chloe and Lady Fortnum, who stood a step behind their husbands, smiled brightly and exchanged silent greetings.
The couple moved to the dining room of Viscount Fortnum’s residence. Each person took their assigned seat, and the dishes were served one after another, starting with appetizers.
It was not as fancy as the dishes served at the duke’s residence, but it was a menu that was prepared with much care to accommodate distinguished guests.
“It’s so nice to see you again, Lady Fortnum. I’ve been looking forward to today.”
“Oh my, really? I too was really looking forward to it when I heard that Madame Battenberg was coming.”
“Haha, you can’t even imagine how much my wife loves Madame Battenberg. After attending the tea party you hosted last time, we talked a lot about you, Madame Battenberg, and the tea you served.”
