act10d5

Tea.

Ah, thank you!

Mmm...It smells fantastic. A fine tea indeed!

By the way, you took quite a while to open the door. Are you busy, Istina? Are we interrupting you?

We could always come back later. I really only came to return this book.

I'm not busy. Don't worry about it.

Not with anything pressing anyway.

Oh...?

Relax. If Anna says we're not bothering her, we're not bothering her.

Anna doesn't lie about things like that, now does she?

Hehe. Glad to hear it!

Oh, but I never expected you were the type to lock your door. How cautious.

And handy! That kind of caution will serve a junior detective well!

I've been very clear with you that I'm not interested in this junior detective nonsense.

And besides, I just happened to have a reason to lock the door this time.

But I'd think you are the type to lock your door, actually. Anna's always been the most cautious of us.

Don't tease me, Natalya.

Heh heh. I just can't help myself with that adorable face of yours.

...*Sigh*.

Anyway, it's quite nice that you take high tea in the afternoon. As it should be!

You really have a thing for tea, huh...? Your face, with that expression, it reminds me of freshly browned toast.

What? What's that supposed to mean?!

I suppose it means you look silly.

Oh? How dare you? That's over the line!

Hmph. No matter! Look how magnanimous your senior detective is. I even brought you biscuits!

Oh? Biscuits? Now that's unexpected...

Is it?

Sorry, I didn't expect you to bring snacks. I figured you only came to mooch some tea. I misjudged you.

I'm not some freeloader!

Look, I prepared an extra special thank you gift! With Hibiscus's famous vegetable scones——!

Very good. Let's see you off now. Hurry on back where you came from.

Right now, immediately, through the door and to the right. Have a nice day.

Hey now, you needn't be so forceful. The scones are delightful, I promise.

Here, try one.

No thank you... Really, stop, I... Don't just shove it in——

Mmmf! Mmmrrfff...!

Ahahahahaha! Now this is what I meant by you two getting along. I'm jealous.

Utter nonsense. You think we're getting along? / Hehe, like two peas in a pod, eh?

Eh?

Huh?

Not that we get along poorly, I'd say we just...

I had this all wrong. We don't like each other at all!

Hahahahahaha!

Na- Natalya!

Haha, pffft, hahaha! S- sorry, I just... You two clearly connect on a deeper level than I thought. Pff-hahaha!

Uh.

...*Sigh*.

There's no way we could be that funny. But whatever... May's here to give back my book. What brings you over, Natalya?

Me? I've had some things on my mind lately. Things I want to talk over with you.

Oh? Important things? That's not like you. Especially to have you come to me.

Hey now, I've always been close to you, Anna.

But it's really nothing that important. We can come back to it later. Let's enjoy our tea time for now.

Yes, let's.

Woah, May! Be careful! Don't go prancing around with your teacup. It'll spill.

I'm not a child! It won't spill.

*Sigh*...

Sorry, I wasn't expecting guests, so the room's a bit messy.

There isn't a good place to entertain guests in the dormitory. But you don't have to stand there, Natalya. Just sit anywhere, like May.

I'll take you up on that.

But Rhodes Island does provide nicely furnished dorms. Clean and tidy ones at that.

You're right that they don't make for good house parties though. Not like we used to have.

Those were more banquets than parties.

Oh? Banquets?

What's the difference?

They're completely different!

Are they?

Absolutely.

Ooh, a banquet sounds lovely...

Let's not get carried away.

That was another time. The big house, the lifestyle, none of it has anything to do with who I am now.

And that Sonya, she always teases me about it. Tactless.

If it weren't for you, Anna, I'm sure Sonya would be butting heads with everyone left and right.

I honestly think we live quite well right now. It's leagues better than when they had me on undercover investigations.

And by the way, Istina, your room is already very clean. You've got so many books, and they're all so well-organized.

We're still in the midst of setting it all straight. And Gummy's always been rather fastidious.

That's true. Our Gummy does like to sort things.

Even back in those days, in a place like that, she'd still keep everything we gathered all nicely sorted.

Same as she ever was.

A place like what...?

But a tidy roommate could be great, or I suppose it could be hell.

Oh, and who's this lovely little doll here?

Don't touch her!

Eep!

Wh- what's the matter? You scared the life out of me.

You didn't have to be so rough.

My... apologies...

It's just, this is something very important to me.

That's...

Anna, didn't that belong to...

So you took the doll with you, you——

Please stop talking, Natalya.

Stop talking.

I'm fine. Don't worry.

...Anna...

Stop talking.

I heard about it... what happened back then...

There was nothing anyone could have done. No one could have known.

Stop talking!

...It was tragic. But we all know it wasn't your fault.

Shut up!!