“Katarina, you’ve been invited to a tea party, would you like to give it a try and go?”
“A tea party?”
I listened to father while talking with a mouth full of bread. And, since mother glared at me, I swallowed the bread in a hurry.
“That’s right, a tea party. Since you’re nine years old already, how about trying to attend one?”
Tea parties here, seem to be common here for noble children around nine or ten years old to have in order prepare them for their social debut at age fifteen. It serves the purpose of allowing noble children of similar age to interact with each other.
“Uh……”
“Impossible! Katarina has no manners whatsoever!”
My reply was forcibly interrupted by my mother.
“Well, even if that’s so…… it might be beneficial for her to learn by getting some real practice once in a while. And this time, it’s our relatives inviting us, instead of some other family, so I think it’ll be perfect for her first time.”
Father glanced at me briefly. Huh? What did father just say? Why is he looking away?
“……Indeed, maybe if she got some real experience, she could learn some etiquette……”
Mother looked at me with empty eyes. Why does she have those eyes?
“Oh yes, how about letting Keith tag along. If Keith goes, I’ll be relieved.”
“Yes, indeed. I’ll be more at ease if Keith goes too.”
Mother agreed with what she considered to be father’s good idea.
In the few months since Keith’s come here, his evaluation has been quite excellent, unlike his older sister.
“Keith, would you go along with Katarina to her tea party?”
“Yes, I’ll be more than happy to accompany nee-san.”
Upon being asked by father, Keith replied with a smile.
Huh? Even though I’m the older sister? Why am I being accompanied by Keith like a burdensome useless child?
Even though there were many points that were hard for me to swallow, thus I went together with Keith to attend my first tea party.