I Became the Butler of the Seventh Princess, Who’s Regressing Into a Child - Episode 5

Episode 5

“The key is to warm the tea leaves just a little first. Before putting them in the pot, lightly expose them to steam to bring out the aroma.”

She poured a small amount of hot water into the teapot, swirling it around to let the steam pass over the tea leaves. In that moment, a faint sweet fragrance gently filled the room.

“After that, it’s important to use water at the right temperature. If it’s too hot or too cold, it won’t work. Let the water cool down a bit before pouring it.”

Karin slowly poured the cooled water into the teapot. The tea leaves floated up lightly. After a short while, began to sink slowly into the pot.

“Now, wait a little while for the tea to steep. It’s about three minutes. This tea needs to brew slowly, so don’t rush.”

The time passed as the tea brewed steadily in her hands. After three minutes, Karin removed the tea leaves from the pot and placed them into another teapot nearby.

“You can use these tea leaves a few more times, but the first cup is only for Lady Luciana.”

“Then why did you put them in another pot?”

“Well, it’d be a waste to throw them out, so the servants drink it.”

Karin winked as she shared this thrifty tip.

…Well, as long as there’s no problem, I guess that’s fine.

“And that’s it. Now, make sure not to interrupt Lady Luciana’s work and be careful about the timing when you serve the tea.”

As she poured the tea into the cup, Karin took a deep breath, savoring the aroma. The refreshing, sweet scent tickled my nose.

“…Got it. Thanks.”

“Well then, shall we return to the office?”

“Understood.”

Karin placed the teacup on a tray and walked away gracefully. As expected of a servant of the Seventh Princess, her movements were refined and elegant.

After knocking, we returned to Lady Luciana’s room. Karin quietly placed the teacup at the edge of the desk so as not to disturb her.

“Lady Luciana, I’ve brought your tea.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Lady Luciana paused for a brief moment, reaching out for the tea and taking a small sip. Her graceful manner was captivating. After exhaling softly, she quickly returned her focus to the documents in front of her. Every one of her movements was precise, without any wasted effort.

Her sharp eyes scanned the papers, as she either signed them or pressed a seal onto them.

Karin approached the desk and spoke up.

“Rondo, next we’ll help organize Lady Luciana’s documents.”

“Got it.”

I picked up a stack of papers piled in one corner of the office and began sorting through the ones Lady Luciana had already reviewed. 

…Still, there are a lot of documents. When I took a peek inside, it seemed like they were daily reports on the state of the domain.

“There’s this much paperwork, huh…”

“Managing the territory involves a lot of detailed work. Especially things like tax collection or monitoring the residents’ livelihoods—making even a small mistake can lead to major problems. These papers go over here.”

…I slotted the daily reports into the neatly arranged shelves. Despite being in a different world, it seems they have fairly advanced printing technology. Well, in games, there were jobs that involved creating magic scrolls. So maybe that’s related.

As we continued sorting papers and serving drinks, Lady Luciana’s workday was coming to an end.

“That’s it for today. A day without meetings is nice and easy.”

Lady Luciana stretched her back slightly and let out a breath. Karin handed her the tea she had prepared earlier.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Ah, thank you. So, Rondo, do you think you’re getting the hang of the job?”

“Yeah, I think I’m doing okay so far.”

…To be honest, I haven’t found the job particularly difficult. The routine consists of organizing documents as they pile up, watching for when Lady Luciana needs a drink, and following Karin’s instructions. Apparently, when nobles visit for meetings, I’ll also have to prepare drinks and assist with welcoming and guiding them.

“You’re picking it up quickly. Toward the end, you were even handling some tasks on your own… looks like we’ve stumbled upon quite a find.”

“Lady Luciana has a keen eye, as expected. Where did you meet him?”  

Karin asked casually. I felt my face twitch in response. However, Lady Luciana seemed unfazed and answered with a smile.

“It was at a shop in the town I visited recently. I observed him and thought he seemed quite capable, so I recruited him on the spot.”

…Well, that’s not exactly a lie. Though I don’t remember her having a chance to judge my work skills at that shop.

“I see… impressive as always, Lady Luciana.”

“Even if you flatter me, I have nothing to offer in return. I’m going to take a bath. Please prepare it.”

“Understood. Well then, Rondo, next up is helping with the bath.”

“…Huh? Am I supposed to help with that too?”

I asked without thinking. Not that I really mind, of course. But, I mean, I’m a guy, so wouldn’t Lady Luciana be concerned about that?

“Don’t worry about it. I’m used to having servants bathe me.”

“See?” 

“…I see. Understood.”

In that case, I’ll just enjoy this to the fullest!