Upon seeing Leon staring intently at her, Olivia suddenly felt an urge to ask why he was looking at her so closely. Her thoughts raced—had she done sothing wrong again? However, to her surprise, Leon extended his hand and, with a gentle smile, said:
"Would you care to join for tea?"
Hearing this, Olivia looked at him in utter confusion. Ever since she had beco an honorary student at the academy—the only commoner among the elite—her life there had been a challenge. Many students disliked her presence; at best, they ignored her, and at worst, they openly mocked her. And now, one of the nobles was inviting her to tea, offering his hand with genuine warmth in his gaze.
Doubt gnawed at her, but as she looked at his outstretched hand and soft smile, she finally made up her mind. Carefully placing her hand in his, Olivia stood up from the ground, where she'd spent the past few minutes after yet another "accidental" fall orchestrated by her detractors.
Leon wasted no ti and led her to a small room nearby.
When they stepped inside, Olivia froze in astonishnt.
Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of an exquisitely set table. Everything on it looked like it ca straight out of a luxury culinary magazine: delicate porcelain teacups adorned with golden patterns, silver spoons, crystal jars filled with jams, and, most strikingly, the desserts. There were perfectly layered cakes, pastel-colored macarons, airy éclairs with cream, handmade chocolate truffles adorned with gold leaf, and elaborate tarts topped with fresh berries.
Olivia suddenly felt out of place. She was overwheld by the opulence. "Am I even supposed to be here?" she wondered.
But Leon, noticing her hesitation, gently nudged her toward the table and helped her into a comfortable chair. He poured her a cup of aromatic tea, its warmth and fragrance imdiately calming her, and then slid a plate of desserts closer to her.
"Please, try so. I hope you'll like it," he said, doing his best to appear the perfect gentleman.
Olivia initially wanted to politely decline or take only the simplest dessert. But as soon as her eyes landed on a cake with thin layers of chocolate mousse and vanilla cream, topped with a delicate glaze and fresh raspberries, she couldn't resist. She cut a small piece and, hesitantly putting it in her mouth, froze.
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed with delight.
"It's so gooood!" she exclaid, her hand instinctively covering her mouth.
She closed her eyes, savoring the taste. The creamy layers seed to lt on her tongue, wrapping each bite in sweetness with a subtle tartness from the berries.
"I've never eaten... anything this delicious in my entire life!" Olivia said, unable to hold back her emotions.
Tears of joy welled up in her eyes as she took bite after bite, completely forgetting everything else around her.
Leon, sitting across from her, watched her reaction with a soft smile. Her genuine surprise, unfiltered joy, and fleetingly funny expressions filled him with a warm sense of contentnt. "After all these years of hardship and trials, I finally get to see such a beautiful face. Olivia is unbelievably adorable..." he thought, almost srized by her natural charm.
An overwhelming urge arose in him to reach out, to pat her head, to feel the softness of her hair or gently touch her flushed cheeks. But he restrained himself, not wanting to make her uncomfortable or ruin the harmony of the mont. All he could do was silently enjoy the sight before him.
After a brief pause, determined not to let the mont pass without starting a conversation, Leon decided to formally introduce himself.
"Let's get to know each other. My na is Leon Fou Bartfort," he said with a friendly smile, bowing his head slightly in a polite gesture.
Olivia, who had been entirely engrossed in the desserts, suddenly froze mid-bite. She beca flustered, realizing she had completely forgotten about manners.
"M-my na is Olivia," she replied awkwardly, her gaze darting between the plate of desserts and Leon's face. She felt awful for being so focused on the food that she had practically ignored her host.
Leon let out a lighthearted laugh, noticing her embarrassnt.
"Well, it's a pleasure to et you, Olivia. I hope we can get along and beco friends," he said warmly, extending his hand to her.
Those words eased Olivia's nerves a little. She was genuinely happy at the prospect of finally making a friend, especially after spending more than a week in isolation at the academy. Her face lit up with a sincere smile as she shook his hand.
"The pleasure is mine, Sir Leon," she said softly, her voice tinged with restraint as she looked hesitantly at his outstretched palm.
Leon gently corrected her, releasing her hand.
"Please, don't call 'Sir.' Just Leon will do."
Olivia hesitated, unsure of what to do. After all, he was a noble, and she was a commoner. Addressing him by his first na alone felt improper to her. But Leon's next words made her waver.
"Friends don't bother with formalities," he said calmly and sincerely, looking directly into her eyes.
Those words seed to dissolve the tension within her. She relaxed a little, realizing that he wasn't just a condescending aristocrat but soone who genuinely wanted to treat her as an equal.
"Then call Livia. That's what my friends call ," she said with a slight smile, her voice trembling with a hint of uncertainty, though her eyes now sparkled with joy.
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