Rosie's Games

Chapter 262: The Purple Petals

Wugari

"This is the oldest tea maker in Wugari," Duke Lucas said just as the carriage stopped. Rosalind immediately looked outside the window. She saw a quaint little shop with a sign that read 'Madame Sula's Tea Emporium' in a script that looped elegantly.

It was not as large as she had expected. It was small and cozy, with a warm glow emanating from the windows.

Lucas helped her out of the carriage and took her inside. Almost immediately, a heavy air with the rich, earthy scent of the bitter tea leaves and spices hit her.

She smiled and looked around. The shelves to her right were lined with jars of loose bitter tea leaves in various colors.

"Those are"

"The same tea, different colors," Lucas said. "Shall we?"

A gentleman with a cheerful smile greeted them and led them to a table with a view of living trees! Towering tea trees, unlike anything that she had ever seen before, were standing just outside at the back of the teahouse. Surprisingly, she did not notice the trees before she went inside.

Its leaves were black, broad, and glossy. It shimmered from the light as if welcoming her with its warm embrace. It was beautiful.

"That is the oldest tea tree in Wugari." Lucas calmly said. It had been here for centuries. It was said that a powerful sorceress enchanted it in the past. A person who was not born in Wugari could not see it from the outside and the cold could not penetrate the tea. They said that the sorceress loved the bitter tea so much that she did not want to run out of its leaves. So, she used her darkness to enchant it."

"That's wonderful," Rosalind said. Could she do the same with her food? Right now, her problem was the fact that she could not store her cakes and keep them with her. It was such a waste.

However, what if she could use her darkness to preserve it? What if she used her darkness to create her own store with preserved goods? That would make it even better, right?

She could definitely do that once she retired!

"What?" she asked him when she felt his gaze on her.

"Were you thinking about preserving food?" he asked, his face serious.

"Can it be done?"

"You should not ask me. I know nothing about your abilities."

"You are lying," she rolled her eyes. Someone who does not know about her darkness would not absorb it from her body to prevent her from exploding.

"I am telling the truth."

"Right. Then would you be so kind as to tell me how that happened in Lonyth?"

"Ah, the tea is here! Thank you." Lucas smiled at the man who served their tea. "Isn't this the new pastry that Madame Sula just came up with?"

When Rosalind she heard the word 'pastry' her eyes immediately went to the tray. It was as if she had already forgotten the question that she just asked. It looked delicious.

On the plate was a pastry that sat on top of delicate lavender petals. It was a work of art.

She immediately took her first bite and just as she expected, it was indeed full of flavors that she had not tasted before. She was not sure what flowers they were, but the flavor of both sweetness and sour exploded in her mouth.

She smiled.

"This is delicious," she uttered.

"Of course," Lucas responded.

"There is only a plate," she said.

"Did you want more? We can"

"I was talking about you." Rosalind knew that he was not a big fan of sweets. She recalled him telling her how he hated them.

"Do you want a slice?" she asked. Without waiting for him to respond, Rosalind used her fork to take a small piece of the pastry and held it towards him. Then she waited for him to take a bite.

For a few seconds, he hesitated. Then he took it.

Victory appeared in her eyes as she leaned back and smiled. "It was not that bad, right?"

"Not bad."

"You look like you just swallowed a knife."

"I am those petals are not for me."

"Huh?" She looked down and stared at the purple petals. Then she blinked. Something about it seemed so enchanting, so beautiful. She tilted her head before she turned to look at him.

"Where did they get these flowers?" she asked.

"Way up North," he answered. "In the beast's lands."

Rosalind blinked. Then does that mean the flower had darkness on it? Why would they serve something like that to the people?

Lucas did not answer but it was pretty obvious that his face was now a bit flushed. It seemed like he had too much alcohol. What is going on here?

"Are you alright?" she hesitated. This is supposed to be a fun and quick experience. Yet, for some reason, she managed to ruin everything.

"I will be. We should leave this place."

Rosalind nodded without saying anything. If it was too dangerous then why did he eat it? He could have told her that he did not like it or that it was dangerous for him to take. She would never force him!

Instead, he took it and acted like it was something that he could eat.

They stepped inside the carriage and Lucas leaned back, closed his eyes and his breathing became sparse. Rosalind checked his pulse and realized that it was indeed beating very fast.

Without thinking, she walked back towards the shop and found the same server.

"The petals that you just serve us. What is it?"

"Oh ah." The waiter looked surprised. "Did His Grace not inform the lady about its effects?"

"Effects?"

"The pastry was made for newlyweds," the server awkwardly said. "It is meant for lovers who want to have a good night in their bedroom."

Rosalind frowned. The flowers would not have an effect on her because she was immune to any foreign substances in her body! However the Duke was not!

.....

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