Chapter 14: Red Tea

In a land where the sun kisses the sky,

Soldiers march with courage, heads held high.

Their strength supports the beauty of the day,

In a world so strange, in a different way.

Oh, the beauty of the day, so bright and fair,

Soldiers stand with valor, hearts full of care.

In a weird accent, we sing and say,

They're the heroes who light our way.

The sun was brightly shining over the land, providing warmth to the people. The birds in the sky seemed to be very weird, at least from the perspective of an earthling like me.

These birds had colorful feathers, some being blue, some pink, some red, and some even a mixture of all these colors. Indeed, even though this world had many things similar to the Earth, maybe was a parallel universe, there were many things different too.

There was a scent of raw seeds and nature around here. This place was a bit different from other districts as the members of the Indus Federation stayed here, and they specialized in making herbal tea or growing organic things. They mainly got their income by selling the plants that they grew with a lot of care.

As I thought of all of this, my eyes were naturally attracted to the outside. I looked at the scenery that was flying past me. Even though this carriage was a bit small, it was alright for two people to sit.

A peaceful atmosphere had been generated due to me and Evan not talking about anything and just enjoying the peaceful of the environment.

The rhythmic sound of the carriage, the constant singing of the unique birds in this world, ahhh, it felt truly satisfying. Life was all about finding joy in these small moments.

The birds in this district were quite numerous. In the district where I lived, there wasn't even a single chirp from a bird.

Le' Mo'detoure' Gresi. After a few more minutes, it seemed like we had finally reached our destination. Stepping out of the carriage, I paid the fixed amount, 25 shillings. Some might consider this reasonable since the carriage driver brought us from another district, but I still couldn't help but feel it was a bit of a rip-off. 25 shillings, that's like a quarter of a pound!

"Sir, why are we here?" Evan asked with confusion but there was a hint of excitement too. Sigh, I had to teach this kid how to control his emotions and facial expressions properly. He was smart but also immature and foolish. His mind was calculating yet he would ignore a few things when he got excited.

"Well, you wanted a pistol for yourself, didn't you?" As soon as he heard my words, it was as if Evan's body froze. It took him an entire second to realize what I just stated. And as soon as he did, excitement erupted within him.

"We are here to get me a license?" He questioned while trying to keep his voice in check. Though he did have a gun license it was very restricted and wasn't like mine with a few freedoms.

"Nah, we are here to get you a real pistol. The license can wait for a few days, for now, you have to do with what you have." I couldn't help but give a slight smile as I felt his excitement.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Pistol? Won't that cost a lot of money?" Ha! Just look at this brat! Money was to be spent on what you like, what was the point of saving it if you can't spend it huh?

"Don't worry, you getting a pistol for yourself is considered as a help to me. We are investigating The Ripper, and so it might get a bit dangerous, so the expenses are on me."

"Is that so?" Questioned Evan as he put on a face that suggested he was pondering deeply about something. He then placed his clenched fist and smashed it on the other palm as if he understood something.

"Well, sir if you do insist me on doing so then surely I will, how can I decline you, sir?"

"Alright, enough with that smirk," I said, rolling my eyes. As I spoke, I turned and started walking. The streets here were quite different from the ones in the middle and upper districts.

The roads were poorly maintained, the architecture lacked grandeur, and the buildings seemed to be constructed from more modest materials.

The streets were littered with puddles, which, surprisingly, was a better state of maintenance than the lower-class districts. How did people even live there?

In this district, at least, there was more open space with fewer houses. I carefully navigated my way around the puddles as I continued walking.

Passing by a flower store, a pet store, and Sweet'se'I bakery, I examined the buildings along the way. After asking a few people for directions, I finally arrived on Lee'Zwr street.

A few more steps, and I spotted the Bernive store. It was time to procure some firearms, but there was another reason for my visit – to meet the Bree family.

The tea store looked above average for its kind. It emanated an impressive aura that you wouldn't typically associate with a tea shop. The fresh scent of tea leaves filled the air, and it was so invigorating that I discreetly discarded my cigarette to avoid tainting the environment with tobacco odor.

Upon entering the store, my gaze was drawn to the walls, which featured a relatively simple yet classic design dominated by a combination of black and red.

It was rather surprising that, even though noon was approaching, the tea shop was bustling with activity. A lively crowd of people chatted, sang, laughed, talked, and occasionally argued. This establishment was clearly renowned, unlike those quiet cafes where patrons enjoyed their drinks in peaceful silence.

I took a seat at one of the tables, shifting the chair slightly as I settled in. Evan, on the other hand, chose the table opposite to mine. Although the tables here weren't particularly extravagant, they appeared solid and dependable, unlikely to break easily.

In the center of the table, there was a menu. "Feel free to order whatever you like," I offered, and Evan nodded before picking up the menu to make his selection. After waiting for about a minute, a waiter finally arrived at our table. He gave us a quick glance and then inquired, "You both seem to be new here, is that right? Have you made up your minds?"

Evan swiftly responded, "I'd like the Northvilues'Le Tea with the special side dish," evidently intrigued by something called a special side dish on the menu.

"Well, sir, what can I get for you?" the waiter asked, his gaze on me, but I remained silent.

"Sir, would you like some suggestions?" he inquired once more. This time, I looked at him and simply said, "Just a glass of water."

"Of course," he acknowledged, jotting down our orders before heading off to tend to other tables.

After a few more minutes, the waiter returned with our orders. He placed a cup of slightly bluish tea in front of Evan, accompanied by a small bowl of green paste that had an oddly appealing look to it. There was also a plate with several slices of bread and a small knife for spreading the green paste.

He set my glass of water down beside me and promptly whisked the tray away. Evan took a sip of the tea and commented, "Mmm, bitter." I asked, "You don't like it?" while I downed my glass of water in one gulp.

He replied, "I do like it. There was a special note on the menu mentioning that this tea would be bitter, and that's why I ordered this side dish to balance it." He spread the green paste over a slice of bread and took a bite, wearing a satisfied expression on his face.

"That's good for you," I remarked as I abruptly stood up. "Here," I added, handing him two five-shilling notes and one ten-shilling note.

"I'll be back in a little while. Enjoy your meal and order whatever you like, within reason."

I then quietly walked toward one of the waiters who seemed confused by my approach. "I want to meet the one in charge of this store."

"Is there some kind of problem?"

"No, just wanna meet him," I said to which a frown appeared on his face. However, he nodded nonetheless.

"Is there an issue, sir?" After a brief wait, the waiter returned with the owner of the store, a man in his thirties. "I heard you wanted to speak with me."

"No problem at all," I replied casually. "Just that old geezer sent me for a packet of red tea."

"Oh! So you're here for a packet of red tea? Those two informed me about this yesterday. Of course, sir, please follow me." As he said this, I glanced over at Evan.

"Sure, let me just bring my companion."

My initial plan was to leave Evan here while I conducted the business, but I just had a change of heart.