35 Chapter 33 (1/2)
The dinner went quietly and smoothly, and even though Evangeline didn't have any will to do it, she still needed to say it out of politeness. She still had manners after all.
”Let me wash the dishes.”
Eric halted from cleaning the plates on the table as he watched the woman sitting comfortably in front of him. Then he resumed cleaning the clatter and walked towards the sink to wash the dishes.
”No need. You're my guest. Feel free to make yourself at home.” For Eric, he was worried that the small reserved plates he had would all be broken once he let the woman touched it.
However, he still indulged her nonetheless.
”Why don't you start making tea instead?”
Eric placed a teapot that already had hot water inside it and prepared the cups on the table as well as condiments and a box of sachet bags of tea.
With this, I'm sure she won't be able to break things...
...I hope.
”Alright.”
Eric breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Evangeline, with poise and elegance, started to prepare the tea.
He softly chuckled and went to wash the dishes.
Evangeline secretly frowned when she saw the cheap bags of tea and the inside of the teapot, she slightly hesitated for a moment before asking.
”Eric.”
”Yeah?”
”There is no strainer in the tea top, and what is this box of sachets that had tea imprinted on it? I don't see any dried herbs nor flowers for the tea.”
”.....”
Eric tightened his lips to held his laughter.
”Alright, wait a sec.” Eric quickly finished washing the dishes, dried his hands and walked towards Evangeline's side and sat beside the chair next to hers.
”Is this some kind of that readymade tea that I heard of? The commoners use to have?”
Evangeline narrowed her eyes at the piece of paper on her hand and watched it curiously like something would pop up from it.
Eric slightly shook his head with a smile played on his lips as he demonstrated how to make some commoners tea. He ripped that piece of paper and pulled out a small sachet bag.
”You don't need a strainer for this. See the screen that held the herbs inside?”
Evangeline nodded, eyeing that piece of sachet curiously.
”It's the strainer, and it works like this.” Eric put hot water on Evangeline's cup and directly place the sachet bag inside the teacup.
”And see this thread here? You pull it up and down like this, so the herbs would shake inside, spreading the flavor.”
Evangeline watched with great interest as the colorless water began to change its pigment and an enticing aroma of herbs filled the room.
”Fascinating.”
Eric chuckled and handed the teacup to the woman.
”You can add milk and sugar depending on your taste. Here's the milk and here's the sugar.”
Then Eric left Evangeline to explore on her own as he too prepared his tea.
Minutes later, Eric was already enjoying his second cup, and when he peeked at Evangeline beside him, he was amused to see that the beautiful woman was still playing with her sachet bag of tea, pulling it up and down as if being tranced by it.