NOVEL NEXT Chapter 242 Tea Time
As Zero and Yoko were discussing when and how they would begin working on the two projects suggested by Zero, they heard another knock on the door. Before they could say anything, Nova burst into the room and jumped onto Zero’s lap.
“Nova, please don’t run in the castle or you might trip and hurt yourself,” said Zuria Torin as she entered the room moments later, seemingly having followed Nova.
The Duchess stopped in her tracks when she saw Zero and Yoko also in the room. She straightened her appearance and gave a courtesy as she said, “Hello, Sir Zero and Madam. Please forgive my rudeness in coming in here without knocking.”
Zero chuckled and responded, “No need to apologize, Lady Zuria. You have been looking after this troublemaker. Please allow me to introduce you; this is Yoko Belnades, she is Nova’s mother, and that little one is called Avarus, our son. They’ll be joining me in staying here, so we thank you for the hospitality.”
Yoko nodded her head in Zuria’s direction and said, “Please do forgive Zero; he’s quite new to being a father, so he tends to leave Nova’s care to others. Now that I’m here, I’ll make sure he doesn’t always push her onto you.”
Zuria shook her head and said, “Oh no, I don’t find spending time with her burdensome or anything of the sort. I actually enjoyed the time we’ve spent together and look forward to spending some more in the future. We actually came here to invite Sir Zero to join us for some tea. Madam Belnades, would you also care to join?”
Yoko smiled warmly at Zuria, appreciating her kind words and the genuine care she had shown towards Nova. "Thank you, Lady Zuria," she replied graciously. "I would be delighted to join you both for tea. It would be a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better and spend some time together."
Zero gently lifted Nova off his lap and placed her on the ground, reminding her to behave and stay with Zuria. "You heard Lady Zuria, Nova. Behave yourself and enjoy some time with both of them," he instructed, giving her a playful wink.
Nova nodded enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Okay, Papa! I'll be good!" she exclaimed, giving Zero a quick hug before turning to Zuria.
Zuria smiled warmly at Nova, extending her hand towards her. "Shall we go, Nova? I have some tea waiting for us," she said kindly.
Nova eagerly took Zuria's hand and nodded. "Yes, let's go! I like tea!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm contagious.
Yoko watched the interaction between Nova and Zuria with a smile, grateful to see her daughter comfortable and happy in the company of others. She then turned to Zero who was about to leave and said, "Where are you going? You’ll, of course, follow me to join them, right Zero? It's a perfect opportunity for us to socialize and catch up."
Zero nervously laughed as he nodded his head in agreement. "Sure, Yoko. But won’t the noise wake up the child? How about you let me watch him, and you go ahead," he replied. "Besides, then you can have a 1 on 1 discussion with Zuria."
“Stop trying to weasel out of this opportunity to spend some quality time with your daughter. Avarus will be fine; I placed a silencing barrier around him. We can hear him, but he can’t hear us. It’s pretty obvious when you consider how animated our previous discussion was. If that didn’t wake him, then a simple tea party won’t. Besides, I remember someone promising to spend more time with Nova previously,” rebutted Yoko.
Zero sighed, realizing that there was no way to escape the tea gathering. He followed Yoko, who went after Zuria and Nova. Yoko seemed ready to enjoy a pleasant tea gathering and embrace a chance at new connections. Zero, on the other hand, disliked sweet things, so he wished to avoid this, but understood that there was no way to avoid this even if it meant enduring something he wasn't particularly fond of, such as sweet tea. With a resigned expression, he followed Yoko, catching up to Zuria and Nova.
As they entered the tea room, the aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the air. Zero took a seat next to Yoko, trying to hide his mild discomfort while maintaining a polite demeanor. He glanced around the room, noticing the intricate decorations and the soothing ambiance.
Zuria, with her graceful poise, poured tea for everyone, including Zero. She passed him a delicate teacup with a smile. "Please, enjoy the tea, Sir Zero," she said warmly. "It's a blend of local herbs and flavors, carefully chosen to create a harmonious balance."
Zero nodded appreciatively and took a small sip of the tea, trying his best to hide his distaste. To his surprise, the tea had a subtle, refreshing taste, different from what he had expected. He looked over at Nova, expecting her to dislike such a flavor, but found her drinking it happily. He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for Zuria's attention to detail.
There was a knock on the door, followed by one of the maids who had attacked Zero previously wheeling in a cart filled with desserts and sandwiches. The maid then cleared the excess tableware and placed the tray of snacks before bowing and exiting the room.
Engaging in polite conversation, Zero listened intently as Zuria shared stories about the castle, its history, and the surrounding lands. He found himself realizing that there was much to learn from the people of this world. Yoko, who was actively engaged in the discussion, had Zuria share her insights by asking questions about the local customs and magical practices. She smiled as she listened to Zuria's enthusiastic answers, appreciating the opportunity to deepen their understanding of this new realm.
As the tea gathering continued, Zero found himself gradually relaxing and becoming more comfortable. He looked over and noticed how Nova was happily enjoying her tea and nibbling on the snacks, her eyes filled with excitement and curiosity. It warmed his heart to see his daughter embracing new experiences, especially since she had such a teary departure from the last world.
With a smile, Zero turned to Zuria. "Thank you for inviting us to this delightful tea gathering," he said sincerely. "I must admit, I was hesitant at first, but I've come to appreciate all that you’ve done to make us feel at home. Your company has been truly enjoyable, and I hope you’ll invite us again in the future."
Zuria returned the smile, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "The pleasure was mine, Sir Zero," she replied graciously. "There isn’t much to do in the place, so I’m always alone. Rather, I should be thanking you all for joining me. It’s been such a long time since I enjoyed myself like this. I hope you’ll join me whenever you’re free."