Tea Party

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Volume II: Summer

---

As the spring quarter draws to a close, the summer holiday begins for the Rhine Empire.

For the noble class, this is the social season.

Lords and Ladies await letters from friends and acquaintances.

Banquets open in the palace for those who desire to enter the viper's pit.

For many, it is time to hold celebrations and send out invitations.

Summer is the season for high society.

In the Noble Academy, rumors of a private invitation to the Odum Manor are spread. Many students desire to get their hands on one of these mysterious invitations.

Can you imagine what opportunities you can gain just by associating with an Odum?

--Or well, a 'sane' Odum.

Unbeknownst to them, the invitee is the once-infamous scummy troublemaker of the school.

Nazareth Everette Odum.

And as for those anonymous students who were 'lucky enough' to receive such an exclusive invitation--

It's none of anyone's business if they just so happen to be close friends to the once crazy bastard.

---

"Lester! Over here!"

Neo called out to the boy. He was last to arrive at the tea party.

They all sat inside Alyousia Sanctuary.

Servants--about as many as they could fit in the over-crowded garden house--carried dessert trays and various tea flavors from the Manor into the greenhouse whenever the food and drinks ran out.

It is difficult to keep up with the appetites of five growing teenage boys.

The day before, Rainier and the other servants helped Neo clear out some space in the greenhouse.

Neo originally wanted to have a picnic in Mummy's Sanctuary with his companions, but his father thought it might not be comfortable sitting on the ground all afternoon.

Thus, a few chairs and sofas were brought into the greenhouse along with a large coffee table.

Rainier, being the Capable Servant that he is, also somehow managed to move a tea cart inside.

With all the stuff they were shoving into his beautiful Sanctuary, they had to bring out the large bonsai tree to make room.

It is currently sunbathing outside the door.

Father may or may not have teared up at the state of the bonsai tree. He had gifted the tree to Neo when he first received the greenhouse.

Neo didn't have the heart to tell him that the tree served no purpose to him other than to look like a pointless decoration that required high-maintenance.

It had grown thrice its size, hogging up all the space within the Sanctuary, which made the baby yew tree he received from Sutton deeply upset.

The poor thing had uprooted itself twice.

Neo had to re-pot it and place it in the nursery section of the greenhouse...

Lester was led by one of the maids overseeing the tea party into the greenhouse.

"Brother Naza!"

Neo smiled brightly as he moved over to make room for Lester. "I'm so glad you were able to make it. Is your grandfather doing alright?"

The grey-haired boy nodded, feeling rather shy as four pairs of eyes landed on him.

Neo noticed the way that the usually loud-spoken boy shrunk in on himself, most likely intimidated by his older companions.

"Let me introduce you." He gestured to his companions. "This is Tybalt, Royce, and Finneas. And you already know Julius from our meetings."

Julius is the only person in the room whom Lester was able to recognize.

The grey-haired boy musters up a half-hearted smile, though it came out rather aggressive. "I am very pleased to meet you."

There was a brief pause of silence as Tybalt, Finneas, and Royce exchanged glances.

Julius ignored them, drinking his tea elegantly whilst hiding a small smile behind the rim of the teacup.

For a moment, Lester thought he was going to be rejected, until--

"Bwahaha!"

"Tybalt!"

Neo chastised the lavender-eyed teen.

Said teen merely grinned.

"He's so tiny and cute! When you told us he was a swordsman, I was expecting someone with Aurelion's temperament!"

What?! Is he claiming Aurelion isn't cute?!

Before Neo could fight for Aurelion's dignity, Tybalt swung an arm around Lester's shoulder, his smiling growing ever bigger.

"You don't need to mind your manners here, Little Letty. This is barely a tea party."

Leave it to Tybalt to break barriers and give shitty nicknames.

Truly, he lives up to his sly and cunning reputation.

"L-Letty? Wait, I'm not little!"

The atmosphere retained its previous cheer.

Lester and Tybalt fell into conversation.

A servant brought a teacup over for the Dartmouth heir and a plate of cakes. He settled into the environment neatly.

On the other side of the coffee table, Royce and Finneas took up a sofa of their own.

The two of them were playing Uno.

Finneas was losing. Badly.

"This is a shitty game!"

"It's only shitty because you're shit!"

Neo's smart enough to leave the two of them alone to duke it out.

After Royce blatantly plagiarized the game from the Modern World and introduced it to the group, it became a hit among the student population.

The only person who's still having a hard time grasping the rule is, unfortunately, Finneas.

"Any words from Elliot?"

Neo chose to converse with Julius, who has a chaise all to himself.

It was by far the most comfortable-looking furniture in the greenhouse, but as the rule states that the person with the worse constitution gets dibs on the most comfortable chair, he won.

Finneas was a second runner-up in that field of competition, but his seasonal illness passed quickly after resting for a week in his manor. He's now filled with overwhelming vitality.

Julius took slow sips of his tea.

Every once and a while, he would eat cake.

His movements were all graceful and elegant, without a single flaw.

When he arrived at the manor, everyone pretended not to notice how the servants watched the blonde like a hawk.

An Elysium in Odum Territory?

Preposterous!

Nazareth had apologized for the slight tension, but the blonde waved it off. It's not like he's going to murder anyone.

Julius stirred some cream into his drink. "He won't answer any of my letters. It's like he's pretending to be a ghost. Lying low and dead."

He hears Nazareth sigh. "He refuses to talk to me as well. I sent him an invitation, but he hasn't responded."

"Do you think..." Julius trailed off, his gaze meeting the other. Perhaps...

"What?" Nazareth blinked, confused.

Elliot may be a Moores, but the other half of his blood comes from the underground syndicates. His silence has been suspicious, eerily questionable, even. Now, they can only pray that he doesn't do anything drastic.

The blonde tightens his grip on his fork.

Especially with the influence of his mother...

Julius shakes his head, looking as if he had thought about something unthinkable. "No. Maybe it's just a family issue. I heard that his brother is not in good health."

"Is he... does he have a similar constitution like yours?" Neo can't help but ask.

There are so many people who have unstable health conditions in this world.

It makes him even more determined to find treatments for them.

Another shake of the head. Julius didn't look the least bit offended by the question as he responded honestly. "No. Apparently, he was born frail. That's why many people think Elliot's going to succeed as the next Viscount Moores."

Neo looks down at his cake. "Elliot's family..."

After stating this, he and Julius both stopped talking.

The two of them know of Elliot's deepest desires.

And the Moores Family...

If only he had been born to a mother who loved him fully and a father present in his life.

---

By late noon, Aurelion and Guinivere joined the tea party.

They brought their own sofa as well...

"Mother and Father's wedding anniversary is coming soon," Aurelion announced, gaining everyone's attention. "It's a few more weeks from now, I believe."

Neo joined in, listing off the summer holidays being held in the Odum Ducal. "The territory will be celebrating the anniversary. And then after that, we have the Midsummer Festival and the Sower's Feast..." He trailed off.

Hmm, what other social events are they required to attend this year? He has all but forgotten the ones he used to go to, to stir up trouble.

"Are you all going to the Unification Banquet next month?" Finneas asked.

Ah, yes. There are other celebrations outside the territories as well.

Guinivere offered up her own input. Being the only girl in the group didn't affect her ability to speak out. As expected of Vespera's daughter.

"I heard a lot of the ladies in the Academy are going to use the Banquet to debut this year. They're also looking for escorts who might take them."

The conversation soon turned to all the balls they will have to attend. These dances are mandatory for every noble. Even Tybalt and Lester have to attend despite their lower ranks in status.

"The Emperor's birthday comes after that. It's in the third month, along with his and her majesty's wedding celebration."

"Don't remind me. My family got invited to so many balls this year. My feet are going to die by the end of summer." Royce looked like he wanted to cry.

Neo enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere around him.

The summer heat was warm, but the greenhouse was slightly cooler, the temperature maintained strictly the same throughout the year.

The tall plants and the medicinal trees also provided ample shade from the sun.

As the conversation moved toward out-of-country social events, a young maid approached him nervously, a tea kettle shaking slightly in her hand.

"M-more tea, Master Nazareth?"

"Of course, Ethel. Thank you."

Ethel Thomas.

A mousy-looking maid with round glasses and braided pigtails. She was homely-looking, but appearance can be deceiving.

She is a Capable Servant.

In the past, Neo hadn't taken the time to notice her.

Despite being a Capable Servant, her competency was masked by her mouse-ish demeanor and shy stutter.

Father hired her immediately after she graduated from the Servant Academy.

That was two weeks ago.

Her character reference was flawless and she was able to impress both his father and Vespera.

Not to mention that she is Rainier's junior by two years, so it is possible that they had classes together.

Neo is impressed by her presence in the Sanctuary. It looks like she had finished her training with the other maids and servants and quickly climbed up the ranking to personally serving him and his siblings.

Incredible and talented, indeed. Rainier and her should be friends.

"...It is my honor, Master Nazareth..."

Ethel replied, the teapot in her hand quivering as she lifted it.

Neo sighs to himself as he allowed her to fill his cup.

Ethel is competent, yes, but she seems to be very intimidated by him.

The maid quietly retreats behind the other servants, going back to minding the tea cart.

Taking a thoughtful sip, Neo couldn't help but muse.

But she is very good at making tea.

There is something in it that is remarkably sweet--wait.

The room is spinning before he realized it. He breaks out into cold sweat.

Neo feels sluggish, confined in this space full of people.

"Young Master, I brought the cheesecake." Rainier appears beside him.

Neo has a hard time focusing as he tries to speak.

The antidote...

"Rainier, I need you--"

The taste of iron suddenly filled his mouth.

Time is moving again as his senses return.

He puts his hand over his lips in confusion but feels something warm seeping out from between his fingers.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Drops of blood fell onto his lap.

Aurelion and Guinivere had turned just in time to witness what was happening.

A loud screech echoed out.

It came from Guinivere, who looked at him with fear in her eyes.

Rainier's face dawned with horror.

Clang!

In his haste, Julius had knocked over a tray of desserts and spilled his tea all over the table.

"Nazareth!"

He stood up abruptly, an uneasy expression crossing his face.

Rainier falls to one knee and gently pries Neo's hands from his mouth.

The table falls into an uproar.

Servants scrambled, sending someone out to get the Duke and Duchess while they closed up the Sanctuary.

The remaining servants pull out weapons from who knows where and circled the group, protecting the children.

Neo could see Ethel from the corner of his eyes.

Was it her?

The maid's gaze sharpened with hostility as she brought out a dagger from her boot. She seemed to be surveying the surrounding, looking for a potential attacker.

It doesn't look like she's aware of the poison...

"Cup..."

Neo tried to tell Rainier, desperation shone in his gaze.

Rainier seemed to understand and took the cup he had been drinking from.

Neo looks down at the blood rapidly pouring from his lips.

He looks at his lap, where blood stained his clothes and hands.

He stares, almost in a daze, as he sees the sight of red.

"Rainier..."

Cornflower blue eyes widened. It looks like Rainier has noticed his state of weakness. The servant quickly helps to stabilize his swaying body, scared that he would fall over.

"Ethel... The teapot..."

Neo whispered faintly.

Black began to spot his vision. It was similar to his death in the Modern World.

He suddenly feels so tired.

The suffocating feeling in his lungs and the heaviness in his head intensified. It felt like someone had stuffed him with cotton and drowned him in glue.

"Young Master...!"

There is ringing in his ears.

The world is fading around him and he feels himself drowning. The ground is getting closer and closer--

---

The door of the manor bursts open.

"Where is my son!"

Gareth and Vespera are on a warpath.

After being notified about the situation, the husband and wife left the palace in due haste, forgoing the carriage in favor of Vespera's prize war stallion, Stygian.

The two of them, on Stygian, managed to shorten the three-hour trip from the Manor to the Palace down to an hour and a half due to Vespera's quick maneuvers and illegal horseback riding skills.

Many servants gathered at the entrance to greet the Duke and Duchess before the personal ones led the couple to Young Master Nazareth's bedroom.

In the bedroom, surrounded by a team of healers and his siblings, Nazareth laid unmovingly still. He was pale, paler than he should be, and looked deeply uncomfortable.

"Your Excellency!"

The head healer approached him when he noticed Gareth and Vespera's presence.

Gareth's face was practically a block of ice as he faced the healer.

"What's wrong with my son?"

The healer wasn't intimidated. He was a healer in the Lesser Krieg War and has seen many things. An Odum father being worried for their child? That's nothing compared to the battlefield.

"We have managed to stabilize his condition. One of the servants found poison in his drink, so we presume he was the intended target."

"Eug...Ugh... Ack!"

From the bed, Gareth saw that Nazareth had sat up and begun coughing into a bucket.

On a closer inspection, the bucket looked like it was filled with blood.

He was quickly at his son's side.

"What is happening to him?!" He demanded.

One of the healers looked nervously at him.

"It's the side effects of the poison, Your Excellency. Vomiting blood, delirium, hallucinations..."

The healer began to trail off when he noticed that the Duke's face grew darker and darker at his description.

"Um..."

"Are you telling me our son is going to suffer through the night?"

Vespera demanded, her voice chillier than frost. She raised an imperious brow, making her face no-less frightening.

The poor healer was only an apprentice. Facing these two intimidating people... he didn't know what to do!

"A week, Your Excellency. It will take a week for the effect to wear off."

Before the Duke and Duchess could kill him, the Young Master was moving again.

"Mummy... Ma... Pa..."

Ma? Pa?

Is he asking for his parents?

The Duke and Duchess dismissed his presence and placed their attention back on their eldest son.

Guinivere and Aurelion watched silently, both of them wearing identical expressions of ice.

No one dared go near the two siblings, their cool presence driving off anyone who dared to console them.

They were right there.

Right next to their brother.

They could have done something!

Nazareth was moving one moment, and then the next, he fell limp again, unconscious.

Regardless if he was awake or not, the knot on his brow seems to tighten with every moment.

The healer said he would suffer the symptoms for an entire week.

It was too painful to watch.

If a tear slid down Guinivere's cheek, no one cared to mention it.

If Aurelions' eyes grew red and his lips trembled just ever so slightly, they pretended not to notice.

After all, Odums are strong, both in heart and mind.

And if they cried every once and a while, it just means their body simply can't hold the sheer amount of strength inside them.

How admirable.

---

Royce had a blank expression on his face when arrived home. He mustered up a smile when greeting his mother and aunts, but he hurriedly left for his bedroom.

His hand, which has been clenched into a tight fist since he left the Odum Manor, finally loosened.

Worry ate at his heart as his mind raced.

Neo always has a plan regardless of setbacks.

He looks out the window and sees the bright sun.

The day still shines brightly and evening will not come for a few more hours.

The beautiful day feels like a mockery of Neo's situation.

Royce snorted.

Don't they know that Nazareth used to have a reputation for poisoning people to death?

Maybe Aurelion has had a few instances of poisoning for his assassination attempts and a whole lot of kidnapping and gang incidents, but to those that seem insignificant in Nazareth's eyes, they were gotten rid of swiftly with a drop of Yewler Powder or Ashroot Syrup, or whatever plant Nazareth can find to murder people.

He's been doing this since they entered the Noble Academy. He would have built up a dangerous image to those who try to harm him, regardless if they came back to this lifetime.

Royce narrowed his gaze and looked out the window once more.

Whoever is aiming for Neo's life must be an idiot.

After all, despite his past reputation and method of murder, no one knows medicine like Neo.

---

"How could you let this happen?"

Rainier bowed his head low as Master Gareth interrogated him.

He, along with the rest of the servants who were serving in the Sanctuary, were all brought into the Duke and Duchess's office for questioning.

"I have no excuses."

He could only say.

The glare coming from Master Gareth fell on him like icicles.

"You are his personal servant, yet you didn't even take notice of the food. Has ANYONE checked the food and drinks before it was served?"

Rainier thinks back to the kitchen. The poison testers all confirmed that the food and drinks were deemed safe before it was brought to the greenhouse.

"Yes, My Lord."

There was a cold silence that passed and it took everything for Rainier to not ask about Young Master Nazareth's conditions.

"Your paycheck will be cut until winter."

"Yes, My Lord."

"And," Master Gareth stared at him grimly, sapphire eyes shining with a knife-like light. "I'm removing you from serving Nazareth."

The world seems to pause. It sounds like a death bell chime has entered his ears when Master Gareth uttered those words.

"... Yes, My Lord."

"You're dismissed."

Rainier left quickly, trying hard to hide the shaking in his hands.

He can't serve the Young Master anymore? What does that mean for his position in this house? What is a servant to do when they are no longer the servant of their master?

To be removed from his position as the Young Master's valet and personal servant...

Rainier suddenly feels like he has no place in the world anymore.

---

"That was harsh."

"I know."

"Nazareth will re-instate him as his servant once he retains his health."

"I know."

"Then why bother?"

Vespera poked holes and bluntly stated facts.

Gareth is weak to her arguments.

The Duke groaned into his hand.

"Let it be a lesson. Rainier has grown comfortable in his role as a servant. Nazareth treats him as a friend, an equal, and although there is nothing wrong with that, Rainier has to understand that his loyalty is still questionable. Our son has hurt that servant deeply and we know that there is no forgiveness. No one expects there to be any forgiveness because Nazareth had been in the wrong. But that is the problem. We need to know how deep Rainier's loyalty will go for Nazareth, and how deep Nazareth's loyalty will go for Rainier. That is what a true trusting relationship between a servant and their master is, and from what I am seeing, they are only mere friends."

Vespera couldn't understand Gareth's reasoning. Nazareth and Rainier seemed fine to her.

"You want them to be more than friends?"

"No!"

Vespera gave him a pointed look.

Gareth realized how his reasoning sounded like and immediately denied it. "No one's getting married! I'm just saying that Rainier must prove that we can trust him to take care of Nazareth."

"Uh-huh."

"Vesp!"

Vespera took a delicate sip of wine and brought out another servant file from her desk.

"Send in Ethel Thomas."