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“Cherry Rose requires a lot of care when drying, as the temperature and humidity of the air can affect its taste and aroma.”
“That explains it. I was wondering why it came out differently all the time.”

Claus was inside the waiting room, together with a maid of the palace.

(They seem lost in their conversation.)

The table was covered with tea cups, way more than one would expect to be offered to a guest. Judging by their conversation, they were discussing the various herbal teas in the cups.

Both of them were so passionate and into the conversation that they did not notice Mira’s arrival.

(What is this I see? They’re getting along so well!)

One of them was Claus, a burly man with looks that could make a child cry. The other was a pretty maid, with a relaxing aura to herself.

Having intruded on them like that, Mira silently retreated to the cover of a shelf, spying on them.

“You prepared this Yellowline Grass incredibly well. It’s quite difficult to get this color.”
“My grandmother taught me how to prepare it. I’m really proud of it myself. Thank you.”

Claus’ praise made the maid smile with a hint of embarrassment, clearly at ease in his presence. Maybe there were so many other strong men in the palace that she was not intimidated by him.

He also noticed that, as he appeared even more embarrassed than her.

(Is this what I think it is?! Were they destined to meet here?! There has to be a spark here!)

Both of them were invested in their conversation, constantly looking at each other as well. And to top it all off, Mira could hear the echoes of Martel’s happy shrieks in her mind.

The tea served there had been the catalyst for that entire conversation, at least judging by what they said now.

Claus was the director of the Fifty Bells Branch, turned manager of Everforest Garden, a store that sold the best products from the forest, making him very knowledgeable about herbs.

That knowledge meshed together with the tea the maid served, leading to the current situation.

(And this is all thanks to me getting lo… Thanks to me taking a detour.)

Their conversation would have been cut short much earlier if Mira had arrived on time, so she was convinced that she was the one responsible for this development.

Feeling like she was some sort of cupid, she silently left the room, then knocked loudly on the door and stepped back in.

“I’m sorry for taking so long, I accidentally went to the wrong place, so I had to take a detour.”

The maid quickly moved to the side, remaining silent, and Claus stood up looking faintly disappointed, as Mira acted like she had just arrived.

“That’s understandable, this is a really big palace after all.”

Claus replied as Mira approached, and the maid quickly put away all the tea cups from the table.

Mira pretended not to notice all of the cups, adding, “And it has a really weird layout too, so you better take care when leaving. Or maybe you could ask her to show you the way?” and looked at the maid.

Still clinging to her made up role of cupid, she tried to find any reason to bring the two together, even if it was a little forceful.

“That…is a good idea. I just kept looking at everything since it’s my first time here that I hardly paid attention to the path I took. I’d appreciate some help when leaving.”

Claus also mentioned how he believed he could get lost, so he more than happily accepted Mira’s suggestion.

“Of course, I’ll be ready when the time comes then.”

The maid had also heard everything, and readily agreed, adding, “I’ll leave you to it now,” leaving only two cups on the table, for Mira and Claus, and leaving with the rest. All of her actions were swift, her feet almost gliding on the ground as she left elegantly.

(She also seems to be into him, my cupid abilities are so good too!!)

“So, did you bring the thing?”

Mira felt quite proud of herself for bringing them together, but pretended not to notice a thing as she changed topics.

“It’s over here…”

Claus’ eyes followed the maid for a little while before hurrying to pick up a bag he had left next to his seat, producing a large box from within.

“That was such a curious experience. First, it said it would become easier to carry, and then it shrunk all of a sudden.”

He related what happened when Kagura’s shikigami Piisuke arrived, as the shikigami spoke to them before quickly shrinking to the size of a sparrow.

“Ohh, ohhh, it’s been a while since this happened.”

Piisuke let out a short chirp before flapping its wings to make a beeline to Mira’s head, almost like that was its designated sitting spot.

“Alright, delivery confirmed. And thank you again for taking the trouble of coming all this way.”
“Don’t mention it, it was no bother at all. If anything I appreciate the opportunity to go outside for once.”

Claus appeared just as grateful as Mira. His daily routine left him shut away in his office filing paperwork all day long, as his appearance often spooked clients. Being able to get some fresh air and spend time outside was a welcome change.

And Mira was convinced that he was also glad that he had met that maid from earlier.

“Hmm, that’s good to hear then.”

Mira’s ego inflated even more, as she had essentially granted them the opportunity to meet, and to establish a connection. She would also continue cheering them on while watching from afar.

“I must head back now, but as you mentioned, it’s not often that you get to spend time outside, so try to make the best of it that you can. It’s getting rather late too, so maybe you could have lunch here as well?”

Mira emptied her herbal tea cup, took a deep breath, and once again tried to push those two together, essentially hinting at the possibility of a lunch date.

“Well… Yes, I might as well do that since I’m here.”

It was hard to tell whether he realized what Mira was doing, but he did seem pleased with the idea. Either way, the rest would be in his hands, so Mira said a quick good bye and headed out the waiting room.

The maid was waiting right outside, so Mira told her, “Please look after him,” once again gently nudging them together, and then headed to the office where Alma waited for her.