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CHAPTER18
“Shasha, what are you reading so seriously?”
I was rubbing my eyelids when Eki’s face suddenly popped up, making me jump.
I didn’t even notice her entering the room.
“Oh, Eki. I was reading a book Myron gave me.”
“…Oh my!”
Eki leaned over to look at the book, but suddenly pulled back, covering her mouth in shock.
At first, I thought she reacted to the horrible contents of the book.
But actually—
“Shasha, your face looks so dark and scary! I thought something terrible happened.”
Turns out it was my expression that scared her, not the book.
I glanced back at the book.
Myron had told me his hobbies were tea leaves and pretty teacups.
I believed him without doubt.
The book was over 500 pages, heavy and handwritten with ink stains.
It even had real samples of tea leaves glued inside.
But the problem was…
“Eki, what is this black wriggling tentacle supposed to be? A tea leaf?”
The sample looked alive—plump, shiny, almost moving. Not dried at all.
It was horrifying.
The text below it wasn’t in any language I understood.
Eki peeked and said seriously:
“Shasha, how did you know this came from hell?”
“Eh? From hell?!”
She flipped the page and showed me a picture.
It was a giant plant the size of a three-story building.
The flower had a huge mouth with sharp teeth, and the stems were all black tentacles.
“This is its true form,” Eki explained proudly.
Apparently, this terrifying plant had a fragrance everyone loved—even the Duke.
But to me, it smelled like rot.
In fact, it smelled exactly like the tea the Duke once forced me to drink.
I wiped the sweat from my neck.
The book description read:
“From this black tea, a luxurious fragrance arises.”
No way! How could this be called fragrant?
Eki cheerfully added:
“Don’t worry, Shasha. If you’re attacked, I’ll protect you.”
I looked at her small hands clutching a stuffed snake toy.
Honestly, not reassuring at all.
Then she casually mentioned:
“Oh, and that flower over there? If you eat it raw, your soul will die. But it’s fine if you soak it in 10,000-degree boiling water.”
Excuse me, what?!
At that point, I made up my mind:
“I will NOT rely on this book for tea leaves anymore. I’ll just go out and buy them myself!”
Thinking maybe teacups would be safer, I flipped ahead.
But the designs were no better.
One teacup looked like it was splattered with blood.
I quickly slammed the book shut.
“Why, Shasha?” Eki asked.
“That teacup looked really pretty!”
Pretty? No, not at all.
I sighed.
Clearly, Myron’s taste was useful for food but terrible for aesthetics.
He was indeed born to be a chef, not a decorator.
That night, I decided: instead of reading the rest, I’d just ask the Duke directly.
The next morning, after chores, I finally asked him while cleaning his office:
“My Lord, may I personally go and buy tea leaves and teacups? We seem to be running short.”
The Duke barely looked up.
“…Do as you wish.”
His indifferent reply stung a little, but I bowed politely.
“Thank you, my Lord.”
I turned to leave, holding the doorknob, when suddenly—
