How About a Refill? ~The Elegant Tea Party of the Grand Witches~ - Chapter 26

~ Correspondence between Miriam and Emilio ~

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Dear Miss Miriam,

How did you find Lady Beatrice’s tea party today?

To be honest, I’m always waiting for when you’ll come to a tea party again.

Your kind older brother doesn’t really allow us to converse properly. So I’m glad that I can use the carriage ride to your house as an excuse to talk to you.

I’ve found a rare friend in you so I would like to get to know you more. You and I are ‘kindred souls’ after all!

What are your favourite things? Your favourite flower or sweets, anything is fine so please let me know.

Your Friend,

Emilio

PS: By the way, I like the biscotti from ‘Prodotti da Forno’ located on 3rd Avenue. I sometimes sneak out of the castle to go buy some. Keep it a secret from Leo.

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To His Highness, the First Prince, Emilio Vittorio Begget Avilier,

Thank you for escorting me to my house today.

Even though it’s only for a short time, I’m deeply honoured to spend such a fun time with Your Highness.

I also shop often from Prodotti da Forno.

Even if I say so, I actually send my maid to buy pastries for me. I was really surprised to read you went by yourself to shop there. (I think my brother would also be shocked.)

I always look forward to their amaretti or crostata; I’ll try their biscotti next time.

I like small flowers like erica or mimosa. Rather than just one flashy flower in a bouquet, I prefer bouquets with smaller flowers that, when put together, have their own brilliance. 

I was very happy to be escorted back home today by Your Highness. However, I feel it is not courteous of me to have you escort me back every time.

If I get invited to the palace again I’ll send my regards from there. You must be busy so you don’t have to accompany me back home.

Miriam Farina Caparoni

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Dear Miss Miram,

It is no problem for me to drop you back home.

You can think of it as a selfish request from me, but please don’t decline my escort.

It won’t be an exaggeration if I say the time I spend with you is like a soothing balm for me as it gives me a small reprieve from my demanding work.

You can think of it as saving me so won’t you let me accompany you back again from now on?

Also, I know it’s the address for the letter but I feel a bit isolated when you call me by my title or address me as ‘His Highness’.

Won’t you call me by my name, ‘Emilio’?

Looks like I ended up making nothing but requests! If you have any requests as well let me know, whatever they are!

I tried the amaretti you mentioned before. I think I’ll get addicted to the slightly bitter almond flavour of it!

I’m very pleased to make this new discovery!

Today, I got a bouquet of your favourite flowers for you. I’ll be happy if you accept them.

I’ve become a devoted amaretti fan.

Emilio

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Dear Prince Emilio,

Thank you for the lovely campanula bouquet. I love the bell-like small flowers; they are so cute!

I’ve put them by the window in my room. Everytime I look at them I remember the conversation we had together and my heart feels at ease.

I understand your feelings about sending me back home!

If it provides even a little comfort in your busy life then I would gladly accept. 

I’ll also inform my family about this.

So you have become an amaretti fan. Reading that made me laugh. Please forgive my disrespect. 

Biscotti is quite hard isn’t it? The shop attendant recommended that I eat it after dipping it in espresso. However, to my embarrassment, I find espresso too bitter so I ate it with milk instead.

It was the first time i tried eating something after dipping it in a drink so I was very excited.

I want to go to the shop by myself someday too.

Miriam Farina Caparoni　

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Miriam gazed at the campanula flower placed on her window with Emilio’s letter clutched in her hands.

The summer sun shone brightly through the window. The flower petals shook gently at the occasional breeze that flew in. 

Everytime the lilac flowers shook, Miriam was reminded of the ride earlier. She remembered what Emilio had said, his smiling face across from her inside the carriage, and his eyes looking directly at her. 

Miriam had slowly opened up her heart to him ever since she started exchanging letters with Emilio.

She had been a bit stiff with him at first since he was the First Prince of the kingdom. But her heart had slowly softened at his humble and calm behavior towards her.

“This really is a pretty flower. It might become my favourite.”

Miriam pulled out stationery from the drawer and picked up her pen.

She immediately started writing the reply to the letter that had arrived today.

“Prince Emilio is really very kind. He even  treats someone like me so well. The woman who marries him in the future must be very happy.”

She thought of Emilio as she wrote her letter. He would probably find someone to love someday. It might happen soon.

Until when will they keep sending letters back and forth like this.

Her chest heart when she thought of that.

She couldn’t tell what this feeling was.

It would still be a little while before Miriam realised what the feelings she had for Emilio were.