7. You’re Taking it Back?!
7. You’re Taking it Back?!
Mr. Fisalis has forbidden me from leaving the estate, and on top of that I’ve been told to behave, so what in the world am I supposed to do with myself?
“Guess I’ll go to the garden to take care of the flowers.”
The weather was lovely, and gardening was an in-law-approved activity, so I could be obvious about it. If I was in the gardens, I could take care of my flowers, or pass the time weeding! But then, just as I was about to make haste to the gardens...
“Please wait a moment, Madam,” Rohtas said, stopping me in my tracks
“Huh? What? Is something up?”
I thought he’d given u—er, I thought he approved of my gardening. Was it suddenly a problem today? I turned to him, confused as to why he’d stopped me
“Instead of gardening, let’s do some martial arts training.” Rohtas was standing behind me with a grand old smile. Wah, the pressure! He’s sooo intimidating! And there’s a bit (well, more than a bit) of darkness seeping out from behind his smile!
I can’t defy him when he’s like this... But I’ll still try!
“B-but it’s not raining today! It’s so nice out, the garden is calling my name!”
“There’s no rule saying that you cannot practice on a sunny day.” Rohtas was still smiling. My resistance amounted to nothing.
“...Okay.” I nodded reluctantly (or maybe I just hung my head in disappointment).
Rohtas just gave me another smile and a big nod of his own. Ah, the darkness is fading...
“Well then, I’ll go call for Bellis, so please get yourself ready. Stellaria, please dress Madam in traditional formalwear. Maybe overdress her a bit.”
“All right! How overdressed?”
“Put her in the heaviest dress she owns. It would be even better if it was covered in embroidery and jewels.”
“Okay. What about shoes?”
“Highest heels.”
“Understood!”
While I was standing there hanging my head, Rohtas and Stellaria were deciding how to dress me up.
“What?! What do you mean get ready?! Formal and overdressed?! What is happening?! I’m scaaaared!”
It seemed that I was going to practice no matter what, because Stellaria dragged me back to my room. And they said formal. Like, dressed to the nines! I’d been forced... er, I’d done a few training sessions all dressed up before, but this would be even more difficult! I’d be unsteady in my high heels, and the dress would be heavy and hard to move in.
All of my party dresses were light and easy to wear, but more traditional formalwear was made with thick, heavy fabric, and covered with embroidery and gems. Despite their elegant appearance, they were incredibly heavy, so they were only worn at important palace ceremonies like coronations.
But seriously, putting me in formalwear? I’m sorry, I’ve never been to a coronation before (since the current king came into power before I was even born), so I’ve only ever worn it after marrying into the Fisalis family, and then only during lessons. Even just that is basically torture for me.
And after practice, I knew they’d make me do more hallway sprints. Running at full speed from one end of the U-shaped hallway to the other! Bonus points for making the two sharp turns well or not☆
...No! It’s too hard! It’s tiring! Are prestigious duchesses supposed to do this much physical exertion?!
After a review of everything I’d learned so far while in formalwear and high heels, they really did make me do the hallway dashes. It was insanely difficult. I nearly gave up halfway through! Why are they making me go through this grueling practice? Seriously, why?! By evening, I was totally zonked out and dripping with sweat.
“I think I’d make a much better servant than a duchess. This sucks. It isn’t fun, and it’s hard!”
I had a quick bath to wash off all the sweat and got a healing massage from the Spa Squad before Mr. Fisalis came home. I just let it all happen, since I didn’t have the energy to resist. But it did revive me a bit, thanks!
“Once you’re used to it, you’ll be able to do it all in your sleep,” Stellaria comforted me as if it was nothing. That is totally impossible though!
“I’m never gonna get used to it!”
“Oh, don’t say that. This is all for your protection, Madam.”
“...When you say that, I can’t not do it...”
If anything ever happened to me, I’d cause the Fisalis family a lot of trouble, which also meant that I’d be causing the servants trouble and making them worry to boot. I wanted to avoid that at all costs. We’d already had that incident with the ruffians in Le Pied. If anything like that ever happened again, it wouldn’t hurt to be able to protect myself...
Which means I have no choice but to do my best.
I was back in business after my bath and massage. Just when I’d managed to regain a bit of stamina, Mr. Fisalis returned home. As always, I met him in the entranceway, and after seeing him off to his room to go get changed, I headed for the dining room. While I waited for him there...
“I apologize, but Master and the former Master are having a bit of a chat, and they have asked for you to wait a few moments for them,” Dahlia said, passing on the message.
“Oh, really? Okay.”
“They shouldn’t be long, but would you like some tea while you wait?”
“Okay... Maybe some herbal tea, to perk me up a bit.”
“As you wish,” she answered, and the maids waiting behind her instantly began preparing a pot of tea.
What could they be talking about that needed to be settled before dinner? Mr. Fisalis, both his parents, and Rohtas were nowhere to be seen, so they all must’ve been talking together. After yesterday, it might be about that stupid crown prince. Mr. Fisalis mentioned that he was going to lodge a complaint with him this morning, after all. Could it be related to that?
Whatever. Today was pretty peaceful, so they must’ve gotten everything sorted out. All I have to do is stay at home like always and wait here in the manor for that group of Aurantians to leave.
Although I was told it would only take a few moments, it actually took three full cups of tea for them to finally show up in the dining room. My stomach is full before I’ve even eaten anything. Both my in-laws and Rohtas followed Mr. Fisalis in, so I must’ve been right about the talk being between the four of them.
“I’m sorry for making you wait, Vi.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I was just relaxing here drinking some tea. Are you all finished talking?”
“Yes.”
Now that all of us were finally here, our food was brought out.
“Viola, last night I got a little ahead of myself and said you didn’t need to go to the next evening party—but we’ve decided you really must,” Mr. Fisalis said apologetically as he settled down for his after-supper tea.
W H A T ?!
I nearly spit out my tea. He said before that I didn’t have to go! He did, right? Can you really go back on your word like that?!
My mouth was just hanging open. I wanted to protest, but I was so shocked nothing would come out.
“U-Um, you said before that I didn’t have to go...” I managed to squeeze out, but it wasn’t much of a protest. Damn you, chicken-Viola!
“I’m sorry. I did say that, but the situation has changed,” he continued, still apologetic.
“...Situation?” What did he mean? Did something happen at today’s talk?”
“Yes. I spoke with the man earlier, asking him what in the world he was thinking, proposing to a married woman—and telling us to get divorced for our country, at that. I also said that we’d never divorce and I had ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION of marrying the princess.”
He really emphasized the “ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION” part.
“I see.”
“It seems that he’d cooled his head overnight as well, because he listened. He apologized to both of us and said that he’d give up and find his partner at the next party.”
“Wha?!” Wait just one second!
I was completely shocked again at what Mr. Fisalis said. Should the crown prince of a country really be finding his future queen at a party?! I mean, this isn’t at all like when some lady is looking for a husband, right? It seemed that the astonishment was written all over my face, because Mr. Fisalis chuckled at me.
“He won’t be picking at random! They’ve already got a list of potential candidates. He’d just be choosing one of them.”
I see. That makes sense. I should’ve thought of that... Aah, I was so worrie— Wait, no! Why does this mean I have to go to the party?!
“B-But doesn’t that mean I don’t need to go?”
I got that the crown prince would be choosing a queen at the party, but I didn’t see how that was linked at all to me going or not.
“I wasn’t thinking straight earlier when I told you that you didn’t have to come. Now that I’m calmer, I realize that His Majesty will be attending, and you were invited specifically. Don’t you see how it would be bad if you didn’t attend?” He was smiling, but for some reason I just got the impression he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Grr, I thought social events were optional! Ah, but... I suppose if we really can’t turn it down, I’ll have to attend.
“But... I didn’t know there’d be a second party,” I muttered, doing my best to resist.
“Would you like to see the invitation?” Full-on grin. I don’t need to see it, I know that it probably specifically says “Bring your wife, too☆” somewhere!
“...If you’ve got proof I’ve been invited by name, I guess I haven’t got a leg to stand on.”
“He’s apologized, so everything should be fine.”
...But don’t you find that a bit suspicious? Whoops, my true feelings are slipping out. But, seriously—I don’t really believe that those two royals would actually take the hint and apologize.
“...” Since I didn’t really believe that they’d changed their minds, I didn’t know how to respond.
“Don’t worry, Vi. I’ll protect you if anything happens,” Mr. Fisalis declared, looking straight at me. Once he’d said that, I really couldn’t say no.
When I looked at my in-laws, they just smiled and nodded. Rohtas did too. I’ve got no choice, then.
“Okay,” I agreed, incredibly reluctantly.
I’m still not exactly sure why Mr. Fisalis’s attitude about the situation changed, but everything should be fine if he’s saying he’ll protect me if anything happens. There were still things I was hung up on, but it’d be unacceptable for me to boycott anything the king himself was going to.
Okay, I give up. I’ll go.