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“Iori-san, would you like another cup of black tea?”

Iori

“Yeah—I mean, why yes that would be lovely...”

Asuka-senpai, scion of the Senjuin family and the one who organized this tea party, came over to speak to me.

I almost answered her in my normal way of speaking, but quickly corrected myself into speaking more ladylike.

Asuka

“You're not nervous about being here, are you?”

Iori

“Well, maybe a little yeah...”

Asuka is the head of a student organization known as the 'Friendship Sorority'. She's a well known figure in this school who some even call 'Empress of the Rose Garden'.

Becoming a member of this organization isn't easy, but almost every student here aspires to do so. It's like a sort of miniature secret society.

Even amongst a student body filled with members from prominent families, as the leader of this organization Asuka-senpai commanded an unparalleled level of respect.

She had the kind of elegance that only those born into great family possessed. An overwhelming level of charisma particular only to those in the upper echelons of society. Naturally, this made me uncontrollably nervous.

Nobility emanated from every inch of her person. It was no suprise why the other students called her “Empress.”