Splash!
The warm tea splatters all over Jasmine's face.
"Ha! There you go. A fitting look for you."
"...!" Jasmine's face crumples into a frown, a beautiful one at that, with her fingers digging into her wet dress.
'How did this even happen?'
Let's go back to the start.
Warm Monday morning in January, a sunny day with white clouds lightly scattering around the bright blue sky. In short, perfect weather for a garden tea party.
I immediately got up to go out to do my usual morning jog, before washing up and wearing the modest but elegant clothes that my mother personally picked out for me. Long-sleeved dress, dark emerald green in color with black and white embellishments on the skirt.
Since there was not much to do with my hair, a small golden feather clip was placed on the right side of it. After wearing minimal accessories, I went out to the garden where the gathering is going to commence.
I am fairly excited, much more so than I have expected. The cause of it is the appearance of Jasmine de Vanderwale.
Even though I have lived here for 18 years, I have never once seen the Vanderwales properly and even if I did, I would've probably glanced over them since the old Nera wouldn't care about that kind of thing... Although, I do feel like I'm forgetting something crucial here.
Gosh, my new memories with Jessica are mixing up all I have in this life. Hopefully, it wasn't too important. Adding the fact that I also rarely came to said gatherings is another reason.
But I do care now! I will most definitely remember her face!
Looking at the list of guests that the servant handed me again, I see another name that made me smile. Well, let's make that two people that I'm excited to see.
Lady Felya cu Ountry, a cousin from my mother's side and daughter of the current Count, my mother's brother. Her hair has the same shade of light blue as my mother's, almond-brown eyes, and light brown skin. Another beautiful woman from Count Ountry's household.
Same age but despite having so many differences, we've managed to become close because of those.
The Count Ountry household raises their daughters like treasures and they are taught the best etiquette, and high societal manners are engrained to their brains. The best example of that is my mother, Peryani.
Felya would often teach me basic lady etiquette and I'd teach her basic swordsmanship since she was interested in it. Her parents allowed her to learn a bit since they trusted me and the Ponterises. Basically, it's a win-win for both of us.
She did send me letters last year but I couldn't reply immediately. I didn't even talk to my direct family at that time. But before I started to go to the library, I replied to her letters to tell her I'm alright and we'd been sending one to each other much more often.
Unable to come here straight away since she's a lot busier these days, as the heir of the Ountry family. Now we have a good excuse to meet since it's my first time hosting such an event.
The servants around me are busy fixing the table and chairs, as well as the simple decorations around the garden. The flowers are well-kept and the bushes and grass are well-trimmed.
Everything is perfect.
"My lady, some ladies have started to arrive." A maid tells me and I nod.
"Let them in."
I breathe out in an attempt to calm my nervous heart.
'It's going to be alright,' I whisper in my head.
"Felya!" I lightly hug my cousin as she arrived, then she does the same. If it was just us and the family, I would've given her a big hug.
"I'm glad to see you're better now, Nera." Felya gives me a gentle smile.
I would've talked to her much more, but I had to greet the others, so I guide her inside the garden and then head back over to the other ladies.
Although I was higher in position than most of the ladies invited, me being a Marquess' daughter, I was still the host. Even if that wasn't the case, I would've been too antsy to not greet them... thanks to my past life as Jessica, I guess.
All of the ladies arrived, personally greeting each of them.
Except for one.
"Jasmine isn't here yet..." I mumble, looking at the crystal bead clock on my wrist, of similar nature to a Smart Wristwatch, and it was already 15 minutes late.
I'm sure the other ladies are curious but I couldn't wait for her any longer, so I started the party. I ask the servants to bring in the food and beverages.
After letting out a quiet but big breath, I walk to the front of the long table, then give a small curtsy to everyone. "Greetings, I am Nera mi Ponterise, may the goddess bring her blessings upon you. I may have already greeted all of you earlier, but it's only courtesy to greet again." I stiffly smile.
Oh, goddess, their eyes are piercing through my skull.
"Thank you for coming, and since this is my first tea party, I hope you give me your graces and leniency. Please enjoy the snacks that I picked for us to eat, along with the tea my mother chose for us. You can go ahead and start now." Making my tone and pronunciation as elegant as possible, or at least I tried to.
I practiced that for days! Thankfully, I didn't fumble. Hahaha!
Relieving my nerves, I see the ladies smile and proceeded to eat the food in front of them. I don't really have a reputation outside of being a Ponterise, so I hope I make a fairly okay first impression. Of course, food is a good shortcut to that!
Various 'This is delicious!' start to come out and I smile at them in reply.
"Is this from Madame Parcei's?" A lady asks.
"Yes, my lady." I gently place a hand on my chest with a grin.
"I heard they didn't take orders for a week! It must be because of you..." One other lady jokes and a giggle comes out of everyone's mouth including mine.
"I have requested to make our order the best ones, after all..." I reply. "Please, enjoy more."
Thank goddess I chose to buy from the best pastry shop in the capital, even though they were swamped with orders, it was easy for me since I was a Ponterise! One of the many things I love being about being a high-standing noble.
But despite grinning and replying cautiously to my guests, I was worried.
Did Jasmine not receive the invitation? Is she in trouble?
I sip my tea in an attempt to hide my concern.
Suddenly, someone bursts into the garden, making everyone's heads turn in that direction.
A silver-haired, grayish, and ashy, woman is in our sight.
"I apologize, Lady Ponterise!" The lady abruptly speaks between her breathes, while giving a 90-degree bow.
As I move to get up and greet her, I hear a few comments from the ladies.
"Oh my, how rude..."
"How can she not know how to properly bow? It's the basics."
"Hmpf. Once a commoner, always a commoner."