Chapter 102: A Chaotic Afternoon Tea

‘…Why aren’t you guys in the mountains? Why are you at the Midtown Tea Party Hall?!’

‘I helped you none the less!’

That damn god, screw it. Lara shut her eyes tight and cursed the god. In what might be her final, life-or-death moment, a familiar voice rang out nearby.

“Oh my, isn’t that Schomord Youngae?”

The elegant woman with vermilion hair draped in a flowing blue dress turned out to be none other than Countess Youngae, the host of this tea party. Could it be she came to rescue them? As Lara wiped the cold sweat off her brow and glanced at Countess Youngae, the countess smiled gently while standing next to the orc.

“You two seem to know each other. Ever since she arrived, this Youngae couldn’t stop hacking and coughing like she had a terrible sore throat.”

“Hiss, hack… hiss.”

“Now, please have a seat. Today I’ve prepared a special batch of black tea.”

Unfazed by the orc’s presence, Countess Youngae gently grasped the creature’s arm and led it to a seat. Standing behind them, Lara couldn’t decide what expression to wear. She longed to run away, but seeing Youngae smiling cheerfully around the tea table, she knew there was no escape to a life of solitude.

First, she needed to alert the host to the gravity of the situation. Lara hurried over to Countess Youngae and cautiously asked, “Could we talk somewhere privately for a moment?” before moving behind a nearby tree.

Unsure where to begin, Lara bit her rapidly drying lips. There was so much to say, yet she felt it best to get straight to the point.

“Excuse me, Youngae… With all due respect, that’s clearly an orc. He’s not an invitee—just some orc crashing a human party… Please, contact the Royal Knight Order…”

“Schomord Youngae.”

Countess Youngae interjected in a soft, soothing voice.

“I can see it’s an orc, just as well as you can.”

“Then… you should run away!”

“Have you forgotten the purpose of this tea party? I was told it’s a gathering meant to eliminate every trace of racial discrimination in the world.”

‘…No, the species itself isn’t human.’

Lara wanted to retort but refrained, not wishing to incur Countess Youngae’s wrath by pushing the matter further.

“If that’s all, then I’ll be on my way.”

Countess Youngae returned to her seat first, leaving Lara alone to carefully slink into a corner of the tea table.

“Everyone has been waiting, right? Hoho, then allow me, your host, to introduce these young ladies. Here we have the Orc Youngae, the Goblin Youngae, and the Troll Youngae. Since they arrived unannounced and I don’t know their names, I’ve dubbed them by their appearance. Is that all right?”

“Hiss…”

“Oh my, nice to meet you! I’m Robeca, the second daughter of the Bellion household.”

“Shh, shush… shush.”

“Hohoho, I’m Youngae from the Arioir Marquis household. You sound like you’ve got a pretty bad throat—mind taking care during this changing season? This special yuzu honey tea should help you recover.”

“Gulp, hiss, gulp.”

‘Are they even understanding me…?’

Lara sat in the corner, trying to ignore the surreal scene, though she couldn’t shake the fear that any moment one among the orc, goblin, or troll might suddenly lash out and harm a human.

As Lara feared, their inherent aggressiveness soon reared its head. It all started when one of the young ladies complimented the orc’s smooth, green skin and began stroking its arm.

“Hiss… shush… hiss!!”

“Eek!”

Reacting on impulse, the Orc Youngae immediately shoved away the young lady who had touched him and leaped onto the tea table. His furious stomping shattered cups and saucers, with several plates flying off the table. Amid the clattering din, Countess Youngae stepped forward to restore order.

“It seems this lady needs a lesson in decorum. Youngae, you might benefit from learning some proper etiquette.”

‘Shouldn’t she learn some basic social graces first…?’

Lara thought this to herself silently, though she kept her mouth shut. What surprised her even more was that the enraged Orc Youngae seemed to actually calm down noticeably—as if the tea party had turned into an orc-taming show. Despite the absurdity, Lara continued watching the scene intently.

Much to her astonishment, the tea party—not an orc-taming show—soon resumed in a warm, congenial atmosphere.

“Look at this, everyone. I brought it here to show you.”

“Oh my, what is this…!”

One of the young ladies revealed a square object wrapped in fine silk. Lara, peeking at it as if it were a work of art, widened her eyes in surprise. It was a portrait of Emperor Karlahee, seemingly enhanced to accentuate his features.

“I actually have a hobby for painting portraits.”

“Your skill is remarkable! Oh my, you’re so handsome.”

“Hiss…”

Amid the exchange of compliments, one pair of eyes remained fixed on the portrait—the Goblin Youngae, who was drooling unabashedly. Unaware of the scrutiny, the young lady who brought the portrait spoke shyly.

“I’ve long admired His Highness. Rumor has it he’s a tyrant of epic proportions, but I think he’s actually incredibly kind… Perhaps I’ve painted so many portraits that I can almost read someone’s fate in their features.”

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes, every time I see him, that’s always the case. Hmph. And my betrothed, Lady Elina I, is something I can’t help but envy…”

Before she could finish, the Goblin Youngae, now visibly agitated, sprang to her feet. In a flash, she lunged and snatched the portrait as if clutching a beloved child.

“Screeech! …Eek!!”

“Goblin Youngae! What on earth…”

The goblin’s fierce determination was unmistakable. She made it clear she would not let the portrait slip from her grasp—her behavior mimicked a scorned lover fiercely protecting her mate. It was as if she were willing to hire assassins or poison a rival’s drink to guard what was hers.

As the other young ladies hesitated to approach, gauging the tension in the air,

“Ughhh!! Hiss… hiss!!”

Suddenly, an enraged Orc charged straight at the goblin. In a horrifying turn of events that no one could have anticipated,

“Eeeeek!!”

“Aaah! The Orc Youngae has devoured Goblin Youngae…!!”

Chunks of torn green flesh fell onto one of the young ladies’ knees, and a cascade of bright yellow blood soaked the tablecloth and its surroundings.

In the chaos that ensued, the Orc Youngae finally lowered the goblin’s head that he had been biting. Cradling the portrait in his arms as if it were a treasure, he raised his head with a wary gaze.

“Hiss… hiss!!”

‘So you were in love too!’

Lara realized with dismay that this gruesome mess was nothing more than a love quarrel. Particularly, the young lady who claimed to be the ‘Emperor’s Secret Admirer’ seemed utterly shocked by the unexpected arrival of a rival. Nonetheless, Lara decided she would not back down and spoke up cautiously yet firmly.

“Surely, you didn’t fall for the Emperor as well, did you… Orc Youngae?”

“Hiss!! Sssst!!”

“Ah, I understand. I’ll give up, so please, calm down…”

There was no need for subtle power plays. Lara felt completely overawed by the sheer force of the Orc Youngae, who had dispatched his rival in mere seconds.

The Orc Youngae scanned the group with a vigilant look, as if checking for any other potential adversaries. One by one, the other young ladies shook their heads vigorously in denial. Finally, his gaze fell upon Lara at the far end.

“I swear I’ve never loved the Emperor! I really mean it.”

“Hiss… hiss…”

“Honestly, the Emperor’s nothing… just all talk with no substance…”

“…Lara?”

At that moment, an unbelievable voice reached Lara’s ears. A man appeared by the patron entrance, accompanied by a horse that snorted softly. The horse’s eyes looked utterly exhausted, as if it had been running non-stop for ages.

Whether he had escaped from a hunting contest or not, he wore unfamiliar armor. While Lara was busy with her shock, even Emperor Karlahee seemed flustered by the unexpected scene. Not only was Lara caught eavesdropping on an unguarded conversation, but the sight of scattered dead goblins around her only deepened her confusion.

She couldn’t begin to fathom what was happening, and in that bewildered moment, Lara accidentally let out a sigh.

“…Rahi, why are you here…?”

“I—I just missed you, that’s all.”

He stumbled over his words, and finally Rahi, with a sudden ‘uh’ motion, clapped a hand over his lips. Embarrassed by his own unintentional honesty, his ears flushed an intense red.

“Stop lying!!”

Before the awkward silence could settle further, a resounding voice burst from Lara in a desperate tone.

“I’m here to collect the money I lent you! Next month, you’d better pay me back with interest, so stop making such pitiful excuses!”

“Uh…? What? Money…?”

“Quit pretending! Here’s the cash! Now, scram!”

In a flurry, Lara fumbled into her handbag and threw a handful of banknotes onto his chest. “Take it and get lost!” she hissed at Karlahee with a surreptitious glance, though he only stared back with wide, astonished eyes.

“Hiss… hiss!!”