Gulp... Gulp...
The sound of tea being poured echoed through the small room.
Saint Lumiel set down the teapot and slid the cup, now filled with tea, toward Elina.
"Please. Have some."
"Thank you."
Elina picked up the cup and took a sip.
There was no sweetness, only a faint hint of tartness from the mint. But Elina didn't complain.
To her, tea was best enjoyed as it was, without sugar or honey.
"Is the tea to your liking, Your Highness?" Saint Lumiel asked gently.
Elina nodded. "It's delicious. Thank you."
Saint Lumiel let out a sigh of relief. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip.
"So, can you tell me the purpose of your visit?" Saint Lumiel asked bluntly.
Elina was a princess—and one from the Great Velmora Empire, no less. Her arrival in enemy territory could only mean something important.
Elina could sense the wariness behind the question, but she wasn't offended. Saint Lumiel's caution was only natural.
