14 — Mr. Fisalis’ Room

We’d been running around the house getting ready to flee— I mean, getting ready for vacation, and Dahlia had finally explained the point of the trip. Before we knew it, it was past lunch time. A maid came to get me at my regular lunch time, but it didn’t feel right to stop the job mid-way through, so I put off my lunch until later in favor of packing. Besides, Stellaria and Mimosa were the ones doing most of the work! I could never be so cruel as to abandon them just to go eat lunch.

While we were packing, a message from Madame Fleur arrived saying that the clothes commissioned for me would be delivered that evening.

They really must have been firing on all cylinders or something... I’m really grateful to them, though. I’ll be sure to actually use these clothes, not like the other ones I ignored.

My luggage was quickly packed away into the suitcase under Stellaria’s command. All that was left was to pack the new outfits when they arrived from Madame’s boutique.

“That should do it,” Stellaria said with a satisfied grin, dusting off her hands with a brisk clapping motion.

“You did splendidly! Thanks so much. I’ve never packed for a long trip before, so I’d probably have no idea what to do if you two weren’t here.” I gazed, impressed, at my luggage in all its tightly-packed glory. The clothes and shoes pulled out from the deepest corners of my closet had been neatly put away in the suitcase (and accompanying shoe trunk). Clearly the work of a true professional.

Lemme get a good look... so I can steal your secret technique for myself.

Mr. Fisalis came home from work just as we were finally headed downstairs to the dining room for lunch. To be more accurate, the front door opened at the exact moment we were on our way down the staircase.

“Master has just returned home, Madam,” Rohtas called, when he caught sight of me.

“Is it that late already? Welcome home, Mr. Fisalis!” I greeted him as I hurried down the stairs.

Now that I think of it, though, Mr. Fisalis did say this morning when he left that he’d be back after lunch. I told him I’d eat lunch before he got home, too, but now it looks like I’ve waited for him without meaning to!

“Thanks, Viola, I’m glad to be home. I finished work right on schedule today. Now I can officially start my vacation tomorrow,” he smiled, clearly in a good mood and very excited about his vacation.

“I’m glad to hear all your work is done—I know you’ve been working really hard. Er, I was just about to have lunch. Would you care to join me?” I asked him, hoping to avoid wasting the servants’ time by making them prepare and wait on two separate lunches. The sudden thought of having to eat lunch all alone made me a little blue, too, to be honest.

I should consider this a bonus: I get to avoid eating alone! Oh, but Mr. Fisalis might have already eaten at work. It’s way past when most people have lunch.

Mr. Fisalis beamed at my invitation. Guess he’s in an even better mood, now.

“Don’t tell me... you waited for me to come home, Viola?” he asked with tears in his dark brown eyes.

That’s what you think I did?

“No, I’ve just been so busy packing for the trip that I didn’t have the chance. I was going to go eat now so that Cartham won’t scold me for keeping him from cleaning up... Um, is everything alright, Mr. Fisalis?”

The light from Mr. Fisalis’ eyes vanished in an instant and his head hung heavily when I told him the truth. But then, shoulders still slumped, he mumbled something like, “Oh, I see. Of course. That makes sense...”

“Mr. Fisalis?” I couldn’t hear him very well, so I stepped closer and wiped around his eyes with the cuff of my sleeve, gazing at him.

“It’s nothing. My eyes are just, uh, sweating a little, is all. It was very bright out,” he replied with a forced smile.

As I was eating some fruit for dessert after my delicious lunch with Mr. Fisalis, the conversation turned to our trip preparations.

“So, are you all packed, Viola?”

“Yes, more or less, but Stellaria and Mimosa helped. Once my clothes from Madame’s arrive later today, then we’ll be totally done.” Her message said they wouldn’t be delivered until this evening, so we have more than enough time to finish the other prep work.

Mr. Fisalis listened quietly, but with a smile, as I filled him in, but then out of nowhere he suggested, “In that case, I’d better pack my own things this afternoon. Oh, I know—why don’t you help me?”

Wha—? Did he seriously just ask me to help him pack? I couldn’t even pack my own bags by myself, and now he wants me to help with his! Oh, wait... he must not know that I didn’t pack my own. But, no, that’s something he should tell his maid to do!

Hmm, I’m letting myself get too worked up about this. My sincere apologies.

I blinked in surprise and did a double-take before staring long and hard at Mr. Fisalis.

“When I say help, I just mean helping me pick my outfits. I wouldn’t make you do the maid’s job or anything like that,” he added with a laugh, correctly interpreting my surprise.

Whoops. Got ahead of myself, I suppose. So he wants me to coordinate vacation looks for him? I’m going to have to give that a coordi-nay.

Oh gosh, I can’t believe I actually just thought of a dad joke that embarrassing.

This is uncharted territory. I’m entering the danger zone. And the presence of mind I had earlier has gone totally AWOL. I can’t even choose what I’m gonna wear, and he wants me to choose for him. He’s asking for the impossible.

“For example, back when we went shopping together, the clothes you selected were rather nice. You always look so stylish yourself, too, and you choose accessories that look good with all your clothes,” he said, showering me with praise—who could say why—as my cheek twitched furiously.

You mean... whatever Mimosa put on me that day looks stylish. And as for that time you and I went shopping together, I chose those pieces on the spur of the moment. And I wasn’t picking based on my good taste—they were just the safest choices in the store!

And any personal taste you think went into my casual clothes was actually Mimosa having the time of her life choosing clothes for me, so it was her style you love so much! I’m basically her dress-up doll, from head to toe! My preferred look is my maid’s uniform.

Great, now he’s gonna find out that I’m a tasteless yokel! ...But then again, do I really care if he does?☆

It’s not like I can take Stellaria and Mimosa with me to help him get ready, either. That would only make his own maids feel bad about their work. Hmm, what to do? Having to pick outfits for him with absolutely no warning is just setting the bar too high.

As I tried to come up with a plan of action for Mr. Fisalis’ sudden request, I spotted his maids out of the corner of my eye. I hadn’t noticed them before because they were waiting demurely behind him, but they smiled and flashed me a line of discrete thumbs-up.

Ohhh! They’re encouraging me. Everything will be okay. They’ve got my back!

“I don’t know if I’ll be of any help, but sure,” I answered reluctantly.

“We can get to work while we have our tea in my room, then. Bring the tea set to my room,” Mr. Fisalis directed Dahlia.

“As you wish, Master.”

Now that I think of it, this will be my first time going into Mr. Fisalis’ room. During those unavoidable times where we shared a room, we always slept in mine. I know I always say “my room,” too, but it’s officially the “master bedroom.” I just keep forgetting.

Mr. Fisalis’ office was right next to my bedroom, and his own bedroom was on the other side of it. When we parted ways before going to bed, the door to his room was as far as I’d go. I hadn’t ever actually gone inside.

Even during my cleaning and decorating, that area is out of my jurisdiction.

“Please, come in,” Mr. Fisalis said as he suavely opened the door and ushered me in.

“Thank you,” I replied as I stepped into his room.

The bedroom’s chic color palette was completely unlike my own. Although it seemed like poor manners, I couldn’t help but curiously wander around, looking at this and that.

The room is a bit smaller than mine, but it doesn’t feel cramped at all. I decorate my room with flowers and handmade throw pillows, which give it a bright and natural feeling, but in contrast, all the furniture here is dark wood and very refined. It definitely makes the space feel calm. It really does read as a man’s room—not a hint of cuteness here. His bed is narrower than mine, too, but it could still easily sleep three people. My bed could fit five or six—meaning I’ve somehow managed to have both a bigger room and a bigger bed than the actual head of the house. I feel like I should apologize or something.

Anyway. Putting aside my feelings of guilt (not like it really matters anyway)...

“Oh, right. This is your first time in my room,” Mr. Fisalis commented when he noticed me poking around. “Sorry it’s so gloomy in here,” he continued with a bit of a snicker.

“Gloomy? Not at all. I was thinking that it’s very refined, actually.”

“You think so? I know—how about you make a throw pillow for something for me? It’s sad my room doesn’t have something you made that’s only for my room.”

What did he emphasize “only” like that for? Hmm, maybe it’s because this is the only room left untouched?

“Sure, if you’d like one.”

“I’d love one. I can’t wait to see it.” We solidified our pillow plans as he led me to a door in the back of his room.

“I think if you choose five or six outfits from here for me to take, that should be good.”

“Yeah...”

He opened the door to reveal a dressing room much smaller than mine, but still amply sized and elegant, nonetheless. Although I was already feeling overwhelmed, I looked at the clothes hanging there one by one; everything from the handsome formal wear he wore at parties to outfits for his days off were hanging in long, neat rows.

His knight’s uniform is here, too, of course. Is this the spare for when the other is being washed? He’s got quite a few things in black, white, navy, and blue—more than half of his whole wardrobe, it looks like. Maybe these are his favorite colors to wear. So, I’ve got to choose from what’s in here...

I had just paused, a bit puzzled about how to start, when Mr. Fisalis’ maids marched into the dressing room with such gusto and pomp that they might as well have been leading the king himself through town.

“Pardon us!”

“I have Master’s bag here.”

“Let’s start by collecting the smaller items!”

Oh, thank god! Perfect timing, ladies!

Mr. Fisalis and I stepped out of the dressing room to get out of their way. We were then guided over to a supremely comfortable sofa, where I took a seat next to him. The tea Dahlia had prepared was waiting for us there. I watched the maids scurry around, this time with Mr. Fisalis by my side, as I helped myself to some tea.

Wooow, I should have known his maids are packing pros, too! It looks like his luggage is the same style as mine, just in a different color. Mine’s a lovely shade of pink, whereas his is a chic black.

The maids quickly pulled pajamas, underclothes, and other necessities from Mr. Fisalis’ dressing room with practiced ease and efficiency and packed them into the suitcase.

Compared to Mimosa and Stellaria who, despite taking the task seriously, clearly enjoyed deciding what shoes and jewelry to pair with what outfit—and had the time to do so—Mr. Fisalis’ maids don’t seem to have that luxury... and they don’t look like they’re having fun, either. I think they’re doing just as good of a job, though.

Once they were mostly done packing the basics, the maids moved on to selecting and packing outfits for Mr. Fisalis to wear.

“What do you think of these pants with this shirt and this jacket?”

“Oh, how handsome! I think they look great together. And that shirt from earlier would match those pants, too.”

“Could he wear the shirt untucked for a more casual look, too?”

“Yes, it’ll look wonderful in a more relaxed style, too.”

“And boots would go well with these breeches, don’t you think? And loafers with these pants? I’ll go ahead and pack your deck shoes, too.”

“Those all sound like good ideas.”

The maids picked out pieces one by one and brought them to me to ask for my opinion. And of course I said yes to all of them! They had great eyes for fashion! By all appearances, I was choosing outfits for Mr. Fisalis, even though I wasn’t choosing anything at all.

Mr. Fisalis, for his part, drank his tea elegantly—and most importantly, without butting into our very important work—listening to the maids and me as we decided what he would wear. The maids then packed everything, one item after the other, into his black travel bag.

Hmm, with the maids doing most of the work, it feels more like I just came to his room for tea.