Chapter 47: The Tea Party
he next day, the café was missing its most popular employee—
Tina had successfully taken a day off.
Early in the morning, she sent Irene to inform the manager that she couldn’t work today and would return tomorrow.
To be precise, her body wasn’t completely incapacitated—she just couldn’t stand for long, making a full day at the café impossible.
Skipping work was one thing, but knowing a lovesick fool might be waiting daily, Tina decided to visit the inn to tell Althea she’d rest today.
Yet, arriving at Althea’s room, she found it empty.
The room was deserted. Tina glanced out the window toward the café—no sign of Althea.
“Strange, where’d she go?”
They’d just made plans yesterday, and now she’d vanished. Playing hard to get?
Too bad—Tina wasn’t falling for it. Less contact with Althea meant less risk of exposure, which suited her fine.
But—
Deep down, she couldn’t help worrying about Althea.
Whether due to past bonds or the compensation promised in a few days, Tina had to ensure Althea’s safety.
Then, she spotted a letter on the table.
Reading it, she understood why Althea wasn’t here.
“She’s at Valencia’s palace? Bold of her to go alone, unafraid of trouble.”
After finishing the letter, Tina decided to join the fun.
Sneaking into the palace with her current identity was impossible—a lowly maid wouldn’t be at a tea party.
But as a royal attendant, attending would be natural.
Tina had a great idea.
…
That afternoon, in the back garden of Valencia’s palace,
a grand banquet sprawled across the open lawn, with kings from various nations seated together at a lavish table.
At the head sat Valencia’s king, a robust middle-aged man.
To his sides were familiar faces from neighboring countries, minor kingdoms Althea had met long ago.
Scanning the group, she noticed the absence of a key figure.
Not just a king—an emperor.
The empire in the far north, controlling a third of the world’s forces, hadn’t sent its aging emperor to Valencia’s invitation.
Typical of their style—they cared little for pointless banquets, and the auction held no appeal for them.
Althea was just here to make up numbers.
Among the kings, she was the youngest. Despite Kellivir’s strength and territory, the older kings didn’t yet acknowledge her.
“Ahem, everyone’s here. Let’s begin the tea party.”
Valencia’s king spoke in his magnetic voice.
“You’ve all traveled far, and I’m sure you know the auction is just a pretext.
The real purpose is… Valencia recently discovered a mysterious mine containing purple crystals. Care to guess their potential?”
“Crystals are just trinkets. What use are they?” A gruff beastman king scoffed, feeling his time wasted.
“Can they be used for armor?” A dwarven king showed mild interest, seeing potential for his people.
“Hahaha, yes—and no.”
The middle-aged king elaborated, “You’d never guess—these purple crystals hold the power of witches, each brimming with immense magical storage.”
The atmosphere chilled instantly.
The mention of witches made everyone grasp Valencia’s intent—
Witches’ power was legendary. Ordinary people might master one type of magic—elemental, summoning, or mental—but witches effortlessly excelled in all, even creating unique spells beyond legendary quality.
And now, this power was in crystals, revealed to the public.
If used well, future apprentices could master diverse magics. For equipment, it could forge armor resistant to both magic and physical attacks, invaluable in war.
“So… what do you all think?”
Valencia’s king clapped, and attendants brought forth jewelry crafted from the purple crystals, displaying them.
“Look at this ring. The crystal’s smooth, vibrant—surpassing 95% of similar pieces as a mere ornament. But what if I said it’s also a weapon?”
He slipped on the ring, aimed upward, and unleashed a light beam after charging it.
“With slight activation, it amplifies the stored magic for powerful effects.”
The kings, initially dismissive, were stunned, witnessing the crystal’s potential.
If Valencia monopolized it, they could dominate, even annex neighboring nations.
But why share it before mining began?
“I propose a collaboration.”
The king paused. “As you see, Valencia, a land of witches, lacks advanced mining and crafting industries. Even in fifty years, we couldn’t fully utilize or refine these resources.
So, I ask for your aid. In return, we’ll share some of the crystals. How’s that?”
The meeting’s purpose was clear—not just an auction, but a call for partnership.
Collaborate with Valencia, gain access to these unique crystals, and provide technical support like miners or blacksmiths.
“Sounds good.” The dwarven king approved. “We’ll discuss shares based on results.”
“Count me in.” Another voice sided with Valencia.
“Me too.” Two-thirds of the attendees agreed.
“Kellivir will provide magic scholars to study the crystals’ properties.”
Althea followed suit—special resources were never a bad thing for her kingdom.
After the vote, the tea party’s opening concluded.
Valencia’s king laughed heartily, securing aid from many nations.
“That’s all I have to say. Now, enjoy the afternoon tea.”
He signaled attendants to serve desserts and tea to the kings.
Among them, Althea spotted a clumsy figure.
Familiar.
Unsure, she looked again.
The attendant, carrying a tray, could barely walk straight, clearly untrained.
As they passed, they tripped on a raised patch of grass, tumbling with the food onto Althea’s gown.
“You—”
Althea was about to scold but, facing the mortified attendant, found she couldn’t.
When did I get so soft?