"Should I take this one away?"
Ren stood beside the empty chair with a cup in his hand. The tea was weak enough to see the bottom through it. I looked at my own cup. Darker. Half finished.
"I asked for two?"
"Yes, young master."
The inspection notice lay open beneath my elbow. I remembered asking for hot water while reading the preparation instructions. I didn't remember adding the rest.
"Then take it."
Ren put the cup on the tray without pouring it out. I went back to the same line I had read three times already. No unreported circulation aids before examination.
That was easy enough. I hadn't bought any. Not having taken one saved me from deciding how to answer that part of the form.
"Will you be receiving someone later?" Ren asked.
"No."
He nodded. The cup stayed on the tray beside him.
I looked up again. "What?"
"Nothing, young master. I was checking whether to leave the second setting."
