3 bar menu

Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 3 Chapter 1 Part 3

Unlike Neptune, she had big and dark blue eyes.

Gently picking up the edge of her apron, she curtsied at Elizabeth politely.

Overall, she was pretty, elegant, and above all else, beautiful.

「—— Good day to you, Your Majesty. I hope that you are well today as well. It is I, Belfast, the Head Maid of the Royal Navy’s Maids Corps.」

The second Light Cruiser of the Edinburgh Class, Belfast opened her lustrous lips and slowly turned her face towards Elizabeth.

「This time, I have here because of an order from Your Majesty……」

Finally, Belfast also realized that Neptune was also in the room with them, and her eyes opened wide.

「Neptune-sama?」

She tilted her head seeing the literal pile of sweets on the table.

From the look on her face just now, it was clear that the Head Maid did not seem to understand what the current situation right in front of her eyes was.

「Bel. just when I was thinking about taking a short rest from my work, this here Neptune arrived and brought me some sweets to eat on my break.」

Elizabeth explained the situation to Belfast in short and precise words.

「Hmm, I see. So that’s what this is all about.」

「As for you, Neptune. I have already promised to talk to Bel about a certain other matter at this hour.」

When Elizabeth explained the situation to Neptune as well, Belfast frowned regretfully and looked down at her feet.

「It looks like I was a little late. And here I was, preparing some delicious tea for Your Majesty so that you could enjoy it during your break from all that paperwork……」

「Hoo, the tea, you say? No, that’s actually perfect, Bel. Great timing as always.」

Elizabeth shook her head upon hearing Belfast’s regretful words.

「Great timing, Your Majesty?」

「Yeah, that’s right. Say, this can contains some tea leaves, right?」

Elizabeth nodded and pointed with her finger at the serving cart that Belfast had brought with herself into the room. It was the can that had a drawing of a tea cup on a yellow label.

「Yes, Your Majesty. Very perceptive of you. Those are Assam tea leaves.」

Belfast answered while picking up the can.

That particular can was familiar to Neptune. She has seen that in the dormitory’s kitchen cupboard a number of times before. While those leaves were fairly ordinary and inexpensive, they were from a well-known manufacturer.

「In that case, can you pour me a cup of tea right away? I was thinking of eating some chocolate cake next, but before I am going to do that, I was thinking of washing away all that sweetness that fills me at the moment.」

「Yes, Your Majesty. Right away.」

As soon as she bowed her head and said those words, Belfast began preparing tea without a moment of waste..

As for Neptune, she just narrowed her eyes and stared at the Head Maid, watching closely her every single move. She paid especially close attention to the can of the tea leaves.

「…… Yeah, I knew it. No matter how you look at it, it’s just some cheap tea.」

Then Elizabeth took a quick glance at the can of tea leaves that Belfast was busy preparing, and judging by the look on her face, she must have wondered about that fact as well, because it did not slip her attention just now.

Both of them seemed to have been wondering why would Belfast even choose such a thing to be served to Elizabeth.

「I am sure that there are far better and far more suitable tea leaves being stored in the dormitory’s kitchen.」

Still unable to understand the Head Maid’s reasoning, Neptune returned her gaze to Belfast’s hands.

Would something like that really satisfy Elizabeth’s palate?

While she was wondering about that, a cup of freshly brewed tea was gently offered in front of Elizabeth once Belfast was finished with brewing it.

Without hesitation, Elizabeth picked up the teacup, and she slowly inhaled its vapors, then took it to her mouth and took a sip little by little.

「Yes, I knew it. When it comes to things like cakes, you cannot possibly hope to beat Assam as a drink to accompany them. It’s the best.」

When she put down her cup with a sigh of relief, Elizabeth nodded her head in apparent satisfaction.

「It just goes to show that the tea that you are brewing is the best and just as great, no matter what day it is.」

「Thank you, Your Majesty. Those words really honor me.」

It is a very natural exchange between the two of them.

But even looking at such a natural and serene scene, Neptune somehow was feeling nothing but discomfort deep down inside of her chest.

—— Neptune used to drink that tea in the past as well, but she did not remember that it was any good. Or at least nothing to be singing such praises about it.

On the other hand, just the thought that Elizabeth could have been pulling both of their legs here was utterly inconceivable to Neptune.

「Are you trying to say that the Head Maid has a special brewing method when it comes to tea……?」

At first glance, it did not seem like she was doing anything special with those leaves. And Neptune was sure of that, since she was paying Belfast’s every single move a close and undivided attention all the time. So if the Head Maid was doing something that was out of the ordinary, Neptune would have known about that..

However, other than that, for example, the temperature of the hot water and the amount of tea leaves placed in the teapot…… Things like that can’t be accurately known just by looking at it, so if there was some kind of trick around that part of the process, Neptune could not really help it, I couldn’t help it. There is no way that she would be able to tell.

「…… This honestly feels as if you just happened to cast some sort of a magic spell on that tea.」

Neptune was really reluctant to admit that fact, but even so, she mumbled those words under her nose.

As she put away the bottles of whisky and the cans of coffee beans, she was wondering if there was anything else that she might have overlooked.

「When spring comes into full swing, we will have another annual tea party, so please look forward to that time as well.」

「Huh?」

Elizabeth’s sudden remark made Neptune’s hand slip due to the sudden shock while she was putting one of the whisky bottles away.

When she knocked over the bottle with a loud thud, Elizabeth was surprised and turned towards Neptune.

「What’s wrong, Neptune?」

「I-It’s nothing, Your Majesty! It’s just that my hand slipped, that’s all.」

Luckily, the whiskey bottle was still unopened, so it was not broken and none of its contents spilled.」

But that does not matter here.

Even if this bottle were to explode in front of her right now, it would certainly not be enough for Neptune to even notice that. For the violent turmoil that she was feeling inside of her chest was far more unnerving.

「…… W-Why is this happening right now of all times!? I don’t get it! I don’t get it at all……!?」

Raising the fallen whiskey bottle, Neptune resumed her process of cleaning up.

「…… I would rather have the taste of black tea made with cheap tea leaves than the sweets I prepared with all my might to get recommended……Is that what this is all about? Is it really possible……?」

As for Neptune, there was no way she would know any tricks meant specifically for brewing tea, but that was only because she would never actually prepare it for anyone else besides herself.

That’s why it was important to offer even the finest cup of tea, using carefully selected high-quality tea leaves. That was her honest thoughts here.

「…… Neptune-sama, are you sure that you are alright?」

Belfast’s hand gently rested on his shoulder and Neptune came back to her senses at that exact moment.

「Yes, I’m fine. No need to worry about me.」

Of course, she was not okay in the slightest, and it was a pretty big deal to her, but there was no way that she would be able to tell anyone that.

But if that was really the case here, that would mean that Belfast was going to be her rival for the position of the waitress during the annual Royal Navy’s Tea Party.

As she gently shook the Head Maid’s hand off of her shoulder, Neptune thought for a moment out there.

Even if she used exactly the same tea leaves, would Elizabeth drink the tea she brewed and had the same reaction as when the Head Maid served her tea?