Chapter 29: Chapter 29 - Green Poppy Request ( Part 5 )
The Royal Palace of Seraiya was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
The type of peaceful when something disastrous will happen soon.
Or Princess Lilia was bored.
Or both.
Today was the second one.
Inside the royal gardens, Princess Lilia KingHeart was sitting under a tree, annoyingly kicking her legs.
She hasn’t seen Jennie almost whole day.
Unacceptable.
Terrible.
Needs to be fixed immediately.
"Where is she?"
Lilia was glaring at the maid.
The maid wanted to cry.
"I-I don’t know, Princess."
Lilia was clicking her tongue.
Useless.
All of them are useless.
Except Jennie.
While...
Exactly at this moment...
Source of her frustration was moving towards the palace, carrying a huge sack over her shoulder.
With mud.
With dust.
And a little bit stinking like a swamp water.
Jennie looked exhausted.
Green Serpent was easier than the road back.
Mainly because Green Serpent didn’t require her to carry flowers for hours.
Inside her head, Excalibur was speaking.
"Master looks tired."
"I had a fight with a giant monster."
"The flowers look like they suffered more."
"..."
As usual, Excalibur was right.
Guards of the palace instantly noticed her approach.
Their eyes were widening.
"Lady Jennie?
The young girl was waving.
One of the guards was pointing at the giant sack.
"What happened?"
"Gardening."
"..."
Guards weren’t asking any further questions.
They had enough experience in talking with Jennie that additional information wasn’t making anything better.
Several minutes later...
Jennie was standing in front of the most terrifying woman in the kingdom.
Martha Morius.
Head Maid was sitting at her desk.
Examining some documents.
Making schedules.
Ordering everything in the palace.
Typical activities of a person with an unstoppable power of nature.
Without looking up, she was speaking.
"You’re late."
"I’m still alive."
"That was expected."
Jennie was frowning.
"Your trust is touching."
Finally, Martha was raising her eyes.
"Do you have the flower?"
The question contained a special meaning.
Hidden assumptions.
Because Martha knew the answer.
Or rather...
Thought she knew.
Green Poppy was legendary hard to get.
For even experienced adventures.
For Green Serpent scared away everyone.
In Martha’s opinion, Jennie was returned without the flowers.
She will learn a good lesson.
Everyone will move on.
Life will go on.
Jennie was putting the sack at the floor.
THUD.
Office was trembling a little bit.
Martha was blinking.
Jennie was untieing the rope.
Opening the sack.
And turning it over.
The flowers are pouring out.
One.
Ten.
Twenty.
Fifty.
Hundred.
Perfect Green Poppy Flowers were falling like the tiny emerald ocean.
Every single crystal bud is undamaged.
Every flower is undamaged.
Not a single petal is harmed.
Silence.
Total silence.
Martha was staring.
The flowers were staring.
Jennie was waiting.
Several seconds passed.
More seconds passed.
For maybe the first time in history...
Martha Morius has no immediate answer.
The Head Maid was adjusting her glasses.
"..."
Once again pause.
"...How?"
Jennie was smiling.
"I’ve picked them."
Martha looked seriously offended.
This explanation means nothing.
Jennie was pointing on the flowers.
"Assignment was to collect Green Poppy Flowers."
"Yes."
"I’ve collected Green Poppy Flowers."
"Yes."
"Assignment is finished."
"..."
It was logically flawless answer.
Martha was pinching the bridge of her nose.
It was showing her emotional damage.
Finally, she was standing.
Moving toward the flowers.
Examine them.
And examine again.
Perfect.
Each of them.
Martha became suspicious.
Extremely suspicious.
Green Serpent was famous for protecting these flowers.
Maniacally.
Violently.
But Jennie is standing in front of her completely undamaged.
No injuries.
No scars.
No fear.
No worry.
Just relaxing face of a person who enjoyed a pleasant afternoon walk.
Martha was deciding not to ask about it.
She values her sanity.
"Come with me."
Jennie instantly becomes nervous.
Because these words mean only one thing.
Work.
A lot of work.
A short time after.
They were arriving at the royal kitchen.
The largest kitchen in the palace.
Maybe in the entire kingdom.
Dozens of cooks working at the same time.
Big ovens glowing hot.
The scent of fresh bread filling the air.
Servants running around, delivering ingredients.
Entire room looking like a battlefield.
Battlefield of food.
In the middle of the kitchen was standing Martha.
Holding a Green Poppy Flower.
"Today."
She announces.
"We’re preparing Crystal Bloom Tea."
Several cooks become excited.
The tea was famous in the entire kingdom.
Rare.
Expensive.
Elegant.
Favorite among royalties.
Jennie was watching with curiosity.
Even after two lives, the process of making tea seems mysterious.
Process turned out to be surprisingly complex.
Crystal bud must be carefully divided.
Petals must be prepared precisely.
Water with mana must have special temperature.
Everything must be perfect.
Jennie quickly understood why Martha was valuing these flowers so much.
Hours passed.
Finally.
Tea was ready.
Crystal Bloom Tea.
Shining liquid inside elegant porcelain cups.
Mana particles floating inside the tea.
Pleasant floral smell filling the air.
Entire kitchen was smelling great.
Even Jennie was admitting this looks impressively.
And now comes the final test.
Queen Celestine was coming into the kitchen.
The Queen of Seraiya had timeless beauty.
Silver blonde hair.
Kind eyes.
Graceful position.
Absolutely graceful.
She accepted the cup from Martha.
Takes a sip.
Then another.
Silence.
Everyone was waiting nervously.
And finally, Celestine is smiling.
Warm smile.
Genuine smile.
"Perfect."
Whole kitchen becomes relaxed.
Martha is pleased.
Cooks are proud.
Jennie is hungry.
And then the Queen was asking a question.
"Who gathered the flowers?"
Martha was looking at Jennie.
The Queen following her look.
"Oh?"
Jennie was politely bowing.
Celestine was smiling wider.
"Wonderful work, Jennie."
Praise was simple.
Gentle.
Sincere.
But somehow it sounded more meaningful than most noble rewards.
Jennie scratching her cheek awkwardly.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Unfortunately.
At this exact moment.
Disaster happens.
Kitchen doors were bursting open.
Princess Lilia appeared.
Like a storm.
Young princess immediately ran toward her mother.
"Mother!"
Then she notices the tea.
Then she noticed Jennie.
Then she noticed smiling at her mother.
Lilia freezes.
Dangerous silence follows.
The princess slowly pointed.
"Why are you smiling at her?"
Celestine is blinking.
"Because she helped collecting flowers."
Lilia is narrowing her eyes.
Very suspicious.
"You are smiling too much."
"...What?"
"That is my smile."
The Queen was staring.
Jennie was staring.
Martha was staring.
Whole kitchen was staring.
Lilia crosses her arms .
"She steals my attention."
"That’s my tea!" came the instant response from Jennie.
"I literally just had a battle with a monster to get that."
Then, the princess moved tightly against her mother. And, in a possessive fashion, latched on to her mother’s arm like a territorial feline.
Celestine giggled softly in amusement.
It dawned on Jennie.
Princess Lillia KingHeart.
Future legendary champion.
Holds a Legendary Divine Mark.
Royal brilliant one.
Jealous of tea.
The entire thing made her chuckle inside.
And, somewhere within the strands of her hair, watched quietly Excalibur.
"Humans are an interesting species."
And, for once in her life, Jennie completely agreed.
