Since that day, Setis had developed a new habit—every morning, shortly after Li Yuan finished washing up, there would be a knock at his door.
On the first day, she had a very natural expression, simply standing at the door and asking, “Do you plan on going out today?”
Li Yuan replied truthfully, “I should go check on the teahouse.”
Setis nodded as if she were just asking in passing, then turned to leave, though she added one last thing before she went: “Then remember to come back tonight.”
In the evening, shortly after Li Yuan returned to the guest room, the same knock sounded at the door. When it opened, Setis stood in the hallway, her gaze scanning him once before she gave a small nod.
“You’re back?”
“I’m back.”
“Everything go smoothly?”
“Yes.”
“Then get some rest early.”
With that, she would turn and return to her room, leaving Li Yuan feeling somewhat bewildered.
The second day was the same.
A confirmation in the morning, another in the evening. The questions changed every time, but their conversations were always brief, like... a routine ritual.
At first, Li Yuan found it a bit difficult to adjust.
Having always been a loner, the sudden appearance of someone “checking in” at his door every morning and evening felt off. But after a few days, he gradually grew accustomed to it.
Eventually, whenever he heard the light footsteps in the hallway, he would close his book in advance and stand up to open the door.
The Duchess saw everything but said nothing, only occasionally hiding half her face behind her fan to smile in the living room, her eyes full of curiosity. Reinhardt initially looked like he wanted to intervene, but after a few looks from his mother, he dutifully pretended not to see anything.
Duke Sebas, on the other hand, very much wanted to say something.
However, every time he cleared his throat to speak, the Duchess’s fan would gently tap the back of his hand. After a few times, the Duke could only stifle his frustration, though the looks he gave Li Yuan became increasingly sharp.
This continued for several days.
During the day, he mostly went to the Outer City to check on the teahouse’s progress, occasionally buying things to bring back to the Duke’s estate on his way. In the evening, he would return to the guest room to read and organize the tea and equipment needed for the shop’s reopening.
That night, Setis visited as usual.
After a few familiar words at the door, she returned to her room. Li Yuan closed the door and was about to continue reading when his transmission talisman suddenly glowed faintly.
It was a signal from the talisman he had given Hogg.
Li Yuan took out the paper, and a pale gold aura slowly lit up. A moment later, Hogg’s slightly weary voice came through.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, sir.”
“Lord Preceptor, please speak.”
“Your teahouse has been completed,” Hogg said with a hint of apology. “There has been too much to do these past few days, so I’m sorry I couldn’t go there personally. However, the construction team has handed it over. The layout is basically the same as before it was destroyed, though the interior space has been slightly expanded. If you have time, sir, I hope you can find a moment to inspect it.”
Hearing this, Li Yuan’s gaze drifted toward the window, feeling a sense of nostalgia... The teahouse was finally finished.
Although he had seen the progress several times before, hearing the word “completed” still gave him a feeling he couldn’t quite describe.
He smiled and replied, “Tomorrow works.”
“Good.” Hogg seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll have Angela deliver the keys. If there’s anything you’re dissatisfied with during the inspection, tell her directly, and she will immediately arrange for someone to fix it.”
At this point, Hogg paused, his tone becoming a bit more helpless.
“The palace is currently preparing for the memorial ceremony and the award ceremony, so I can’t leave for the time being. Once things settle down, I will visit in person to apologize.”
“There is no need for that, Lord Preceptor,” Li Yuan said gently. “I’ve already troubled you enough to get the teahouse finished so quickly. The ceremonies are more important; I understand.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the transmission talisman before Hogg’s low response came through.
“Thank you for your understanding, sir.”
The communication ended quickly, and the light on the talisman faded. Li Yuan tucked it away and sat at his desk, thinking for a while.
Now that the teahouse was finished, it was time to move back. Although living at the Duke’s estate was comfortable and Setis’s family treated him well, this wasn’t his place.
Once the teahouse reopened, he would return to his previously stable life.
He had planned to wait until tomorrow to mention this, but then he thought of how Setis had been checking on him every morning and evening. He felt he should tell her in advance.
So, Li Yuan stood up, walked to the door next door, and knocked. After waiting for a few seconds, he heard a flurry of somewhat frantic footsteps.
The door opened, and Setis stood inside. She clearly hadn’t expected the person at the door to be Li Yuan; her surprise was unconcealed, and she was still holding an open book.
“Wh-what are you doing here?”
After asking, she seemed to realize her tone was off and quickly stepped aside.
“Pl-please, come in.”
“Sorry to disturb you.”
Li Yuan nodded slightly and entered the room.
Setis’s bedroom was tidier than he had imagined. Several magic theory books from the academy were piled on the desk, along with several drafts of speeches for the award ceremony. Her staff leaned against the back of her chair, and the peace and soul-soothing talismans were neatly arranged on the nightstand.
Setis closed the book in her hand and set it on the table, then turned to look at him, her expression a bit unnatural.
“Looking for me this late... is something wrong?”
“Yes.” Li Yuan didn’t beat around the bush. “Lord Hogg just informed me that the teahouse has been rebuilt. Someone will deliver the keys tomorrow afternoon, and I can go inspect it.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Setis froze. She didn’t seem to process the meaning of the words immediately. It took a few seconds before she spoke, her voice lower than before—as if she were trying to confirm something.
“Does that mean you’re leaving the Duke’s estate?”
Li Yuan nodded, finding her focus a bit strange—shouldn’t she congratulate him on getting his teahouse back first?
“Most likely. Now that the teahouse is finished, I want to get the shop reopened as soon as possible. After all, I do miss the days of drinking tea and reading books.”
Setis’s brow furrowed, and she became visibly tense, her words coming out in a rush.
“You can drink tea and read books here. The estate has tea, tea sets, and books. I can have someone buy whatever you want. The backyard is very quiet, and you can use the study. If the guest room is inconvenient, you can switch to a larger one.”
Seeing her try so hard to convince him, Li Yuan felt as if he were playing the villain. And this girl seemed to be missing the point...
Though somewhat helpless, he shook his head.
“It’s not the same.”
Setis looked up at him, waiting for a reasonable explanation.
Li Yuan explained in a calm tone, “That place is... my home.”
The room suddenly went quiet after those words.
Setis looked down, the momentum she had been trying to maintain vanishing instantly. She didn’t argue or look for more reasons; her pupils simply dilated, and her gaze went blank.
Seeing her silent, Li Yuan felt his words might have been too blunt and a bit cold. After thinking for a moment, he added another sentence.
“But you can look at it another way.”
Setis didn’t look up, but her ears twitched slightly.
“The teahouse reopening means I’ll be staying in this city long-term,” Li Yuan said, trying to keep his tone gentle. “There will be plenty of chances to meet in the future. You can come over whenever you want to drink tea, and I can recommend some more interesting books.”
Setis slowly looked up, the light returning to her eyes. Although she still looked a bit dissatisfied, she snapped out of her daze and tilted her head.
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“You won’t just disappear without a word again?”
“I definitely won’t,” Li Yuan smiled. “I promised you that.”
Setis stared at him for several seconds, as if checking if he was just humoring her. A moment later, she gave a small nod, and her tense expression relaxed significantly.
“Then when do you plan to leave?”
“In the next few days,” Li Yuan replied. “I’ll go inspect it tomorrow, and if there are no issues, I’ll buy whatever else I need. Once everything is organized, I should be able to move back.”
Setis thought for a moment, then looked up again.
“Then I’ll definitely be a regular.”
“You’re welcome anytime,” Li Yuan nodded with a smile. “A loyal customer like Miss Setis is always welcome.”
The corner of Setis’s mouth moved, but she forced it back down.
“Then remember to save a seat for me.”
“I will.”
Having said what needed to be said, the conversation was over.
Li Yuan gave her a slight bow and prepared to leave. Setis watched him and whispered hesitantly:
“Good luck with the inspection tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
After the door closed, Setis stood by her desk in a daze for a while before slowly sitting on the edge of her bed. She rearranged the peace and soul-soothing talismans once more.
Then, pulling the blanket over her head, she muttered softly:
“Then I’ll go drink tea every single day.”
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