Chapter 14: Tea With Someone I Can’t Like

‘Oh no!’

“…….”

“…….”

Inside the room, only Margareta was there.

We stared blankly at each other for a moment.

I thought I’d skillfully avoided that awkward encounter with Evan and made it back safely…!

I completely forgot there was an unexpected threat lurking in my own dorm room.

Margareta was lounging loosely on the sofa, embroidering a green handkerchief. Even as she glanced over at the sound of the door, her hands kept moving without pause.

On the long table sat a stack of the monthly magazine “Dress of the Month” from Salon ‘De Remont’, famous for being booked out years in advance, along with some high-quality black tea.

Steam was still gently rising from the teacup.

After a brief pause, I greeted Margareta with a nod and closed the door behind me.

I took off my cape and hung it up, then sat at the edge of the bed.

The sun was still shining brightly.

Feeling awkward, I gazed out the window, but then I heard a soft rustling.

My eyes were drawn in spite of myself.

Margareta set aside her embroidery and began preparing a teacup.

“Would you like some tea?”

Her tone was casual, so at odds with how she had raised her voice at Cecilia earlier that I felt uneasy. It was as if nothing had happened.

It wasn’t as if she had argued with me, so I shouldn’t care, but it still surprised me. Because… before I regressed, she had disliked me as well.

That was probably because I’d always helped Cecilia. We’d never had any personal entanglements, but with Cecilia between us, we’d harbored nothing but bad feelings.

Yet human hearts are fickle—when the three of us were together, I found Margareta’s impression unexpectedly agreeable, and sometimes even thought I understood her.

But alone with her now, memories from before the regression surfaced, making me feel uneasy.

I had always been the one left cleaning up after Cecilia was bullied.

And the groups led by Margareta were always the ones who made that mess in the first place.

“…If you’re offering, I’ll gladly accept.”

‘Still, there’s no reason to refuse her tea. We’ll be living together for a while… Just let it go. None of that’s happened yet, anyway.’

As she tilted the teapot, steaming black tea poured into the cup with a soft sound.

The subtle fragrance of the beautiful tea gently enveloped the room.

I stood up from the bed and took a seat on the sofa, diagonally across from Margareta. The plush leather cushions held me comfortably.

“Sugar? Milk?”

“Both, please. I’ll do it.”

“All right.”

The awkward silence was masked by the sounds of sugar and milk being added.

The sugar melted quickly, and as the milk poured in, a rich scent lingered at my nose.

A single sip seemed to ease my nerves.

A tea time like this, so suddenly. It was so awkward, I almost wished Cecilia was here.

Where had Cecilia gone?

As I glanced around the room, Margareta’s gaze followed me.

“Looking for Cecilia?”

Margareta’s voice was calm.

She didn’t sound like the person who had just been shouting at Cecilia. It felt like I was seeing this tranquil Margareta for the first time.

“Yes. Do you know where she went?”

“The boy with green hair called her out. Maybe for a walk.”

“I see.”

Ah, so she went with Hawkins.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Margareta suddenly asked.

Wait a minute. Isn’t there supposed to be context and flow in a conversation? How could she throw such an awkward question at me out of nowhere?

I couldn’t answer immediately.

“Uncomfortable, aren’t you?”

“…….”

Can’t you give me a little time to respond, Miss Margareta?

Frozen with the teacup in hand, I tried to maintain a composed and leisurely smile, but my fingers trembled. I forced myself to lower the cup slowly.

“What makes you ask that all of a sudden?”

Phew. Barely managed to get that out.

Margareta wore a bored expression.

“I can’t stand beating around the bush. Even if you call it rude, that’s just how it is.”

She shrugged and took a sip of tea.

“That’s my personality.”

Clink. She set her teacup down with a tap and crossed her legs.

“And I can’t stand people being uncomfortable around me, either.”

Margareta spoke with such a calm face that she looked anything but uncomfortable!

Right, Margareta, I’ve seen enough of you to know. If someone makes you uncomfortable, you just get rid of them so they’re out of your sight!

But still, asking so bluntly is just too much!

My throat felt scratchy as I swallowed my tea.

Margareta began to speak without restraint. As if she had no intention of managing her image, her expression grew openly sullen.

“To be honest, I don’t like Cecilia.”

“…….”

“But it’s not like I dislike Liana as well. How about you, Liana? Since Cecilia feels uncomfortable with me, does that mean you do too?”

Her bright yellow eyes stared at me relentlessly.

Of course! I wondered why she was sitting there so leisurely with her tea.

“I’ll be honest too, Margareta.”

“That’s what I hoped for.”

Margareta replied confidently. Somehow, it was as if she was certain I wouldn’t dislike her. I could sense a subtle camaraderie behind her triumphant smile.

I hadn’t expected to have a conversation like this……

But being honest seemed best. Unfortunately for Margareta… the discomfort I suffered before regression squirmed to life within me.

“Even if it’s not about Cecilia, I find you uncomfortable.”

“…….”

Margareta blinked in silence.

She seemed to be thinking or maybe even shocked, but I couldn’t tell which.

Yeah, back then I couldn’t say it because I hid my feelings and pretended everything was fine. But I really was uncomfortable! Margareta, because of how much you bullied Cecilia! Because I always had to take care of her, I didn’t even have time to look after myself!

Memories of being locked in the storage room for two hours flashed back.

‘Liana! The professor wants us to bring the supplementary textbooks. Let’s go together. Oh! If it’s a bother, maybe Gothic can…’

‘No, come with me.’

At the time when Cecilia and Evan were getting close, Evan had even ‘asked’ me for a favor. He wanted me to stay by Cecilia’s side and fend off the boys who kept approaching her with ulterior motives.

It was frustrating now, but back then, I was happy. I felt officially recognized as Cecilia’s best friend.

When Cecilia mentioned another boy, I didn’t even check which professor had sent her—I just followed her.

There were dense trees beside the storage building, which was about ten minutes from the main building.

‘Is this really the right place, Cecilia? Why would the textbooks for the theory class be here…?’

‘Yeah. The professor asked, so this has to be right. If he asked me, it must not be too heavy for the two of us! It’s probably just thin booklets.’

Following Cecilia into the storage room, I was first hit by the musty air and then…

Bang! The door slammed shut.

‘What the—!?’

‘Why did the door close?’

Cecilia tilted her head in confusion, and when I rushed to the door and tried to open it, it was already too late. Someone had locked it from the outside.

Damn it!

‘L-Liana. Are we locked in?’

Seeing Cecilia’s anxious eyes, I felt a wave of exhaustion and fear myself.

Cecilia curled up in panic, and I could do nothing but pound on the door until my hands were sore, unable to think of any solution.

I was angry at the childish prank, and even though I knew no one would open the door, I kept pounding anyway. The silence and darkness were terrifying; I had to break it, even if I hurt my hands.

Sure, maybe someone would come open it eventually! But who knew when that would be? I was scared. I can still remember the sound of my fists pounding on that storage room door in desperation.

If someone hadn’t thrown the key in through the window high up on the wall, we probably would have been stuck there until very late at night.

‘Who asked you to do this?’

Evan came rushing in late and scolded me with a stern look.

‘It wasn’t Liana’s fault. Miss Tolly… she said so.’

‘Tolly? Who’s that?’

Evan comforted Cecilia, but still glanced at me accusingly, as if blaming me for failing to protect her!

‘…The one who’s always with Margareta…’

‘Enough. Cecilia, you don’t have to say more. I’ll take you back to the dorm.’

‘But…! I missed class. I should tell the professor, or he’ll fail me.’

Cecilia shook her head, trembling, and Evan looked at me just as I expected.

‘Liana, maybe you could go explain for her? Would you?’

‘Liana, is that all right…?’

Her tear-stained face left me no room to refuse.

‘…Sure, I’ll go. Be careful. Please look after Cecilia for me.’

‘Of course.’

The two of them left for the dorm… and I ended up being stopped by Hawkins, who made me explain everything once more! Then, after sending him away, I had to go to the professor myself and explain the situation.

When I finally returned to the dorm, comforting Cecilia was my job, too.

Ah… The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

At myself, at those three, and especially at Margareta, who set it all in motion!

Hoo.

To calm my bubbling anger, I sipped my tea slowly. It was sweet, bitter, and savory all at once.

“…I must’ve misheard… What did you just say?”

Margareta finally spoke, as if she was sure she’d heard wrong.

Margareta, sorry, but I mean it.

“Even if it’s not about Cecilia, I said you make me uncomfortable.”

“…….”

I looked straight into Margareta’s bright yellow eyes and spoke each word clearly.

She blinked slowly, as if replaying what she had just heard.

As I took another sip of tea, I saw Margareta’s cheeks begin to flush.