17 — Eating Together

Now that I thought of it, this was my first time eating in the main dining room since I had arrived at the Fisalis house. I had been eating with the servants in their dining room since my second day, unable to bear eating alone. I had even eaten breakfast there that morning and was already very at home in there, but that was my little secret.

We had started to move to the dining room with Rohtas leading the way, followed by Lord Fisalis and Mr. Fisalis, and then Lady Fisalis and I, but Lady Fisalis suddenly stopped just as we were about to leave the entrance hall.

“Goodness, what beautiful flowers! I had no idea we grew this variety!” she exclaimed, looking back and forth between me and the flowers.

What had caught her eye was the vase of flowers I’d placed in the entryway that morning.

“Bellis ordered these for me recently,” I said, once I understood what she was looking at.

“Ehh!? Bellis did!?” In stark contrast to my casual answer, my mother-in-law’s shock seemed like quite an over-reaction.

“That’s right. Bellis kindly orders and raises the flowers I like.”

That Demon King has a green thumb for sure, and has been doing a great job raising them. It’s so unfortunate that he has such a scary face and antisocial attitude!

My mother-in-law interrupted my thoughts of Bellis’ appearance, though.

“My word! You can actually talk with Bellis!?”

She held her face between her hands as her twinkling sapphire-like eyes fixed on me.

Isn’t she getting a little worked up over nothing?

“Mmhmm, he’s a really nice guy.”

“I’m impressed, Viola. That Bellis is moody, and shy, and frightful. Nothing about him makes one want to talk to him whatsoever. Oho, the flowers are so wonderful.”

She loves them, Bellis!

I mentally thanked him, facing toward the greenhouse.

Then my mother-in-law’s face completely shifted from shock to a gentle, sparkling smile. It seemed as though something inside of her approved. Perhaps she’d had some hurdles to clear with Bellis, but I wasn’t sure.

My in-laws couldn’t stop looking around either. Lord Fisalis, who had been ahead of us, turned around, looked at the flower vase again, and smiled. I thought he hadn’t noticed it was even there.

You know what they say, though: that it’s us women who are acutely aware of subtle changes.

“I’m glad you think so! I’m sure Bellis would be happy, too.”

Their compliments made me so happy, because they were complimenting Bellis too!

“Are you saying you’re the one who has spruced up the house, then, not Bellis?” asked Lady Fisalis.

“Me?”

“Yes,” she giggled.

I mean, I was the one who decorated the place with gorgeous flowers, yes, but saying that would feel like taking credit for Bellis’ efforts, too.

We were standing there in front of the vase, admiring the flowers, when Mr. Fisalis said, “Let’s get going. Our food is getting cold,” in his usual cool voice. We departed for the dining room a second time.

Mr. Fisalis had been there the whole time! He was so quiet until just that moment (he hadn’t said anything, I mean) that I thought he’d disappeared into thin air.

We were following Mr. Fisalis and his father, so I was able to smile as I watched the younger Fisalis looking this way and that.

It’s your own house, but it doesn’t seem like it, does it? It really has been a long while since you’ve been in here, huh?

This was the first time he’d been inside these rooms since I’d arrived. I’d decorated with flowers and switched out the textiles and furniture. I had a good time customizing everything with the servants, so the overall tone had changed considerably.

My in-laws couldn’t stop looking around either.

“I say, everything’s been totally rejuvenated! It feels so much brighter!”

“That’s right! You have excellent taste, Viola!” They showered me with praise.

It was only Mr. Fisalis who remained silent. As usual.

No sooner had we taken our seats in the dining room than the maids waiting on us brought out the food.

There was no way I could get away with eating a servants’ meal today, so it was back to one-on-one combat with my GI tract.

Pro-bio-tics! Go, pro-bio-tics!

We had discussed the menu with Cartham before we ordered.

“I’d like half-size portions for mine.” I’d secretly asked Cartham and the maid in charge of serving, beforehand!

“Oui, Madame.”

“Understood, Madam. We’ll make sure not to mix up the orders!” the maid agreed.

“The main dish today is veal with herbs, served with a Rheinian sauce.”

Rohtas gracefully set my father-in-law’s dish in front of him.

Ah, so today’s foods were proposed by an apprentice from the Rheine region! That region is known for its rather intense spices.

I had learned the characteristics of each region’s cuisine as a result of eating dishes from different regions every day. I wasn’t sure where or when I’d use that information, though.

I really wanted to eat what the servants were having today, darn it!

My plate was brought to me while I was still lost in thought, wishing I was eating in the servants’ dining room. The meat was roasted until golden-brown and delicious—not to mention that it was juicy and succulent, too. The flame must have been expertly controlled; that is, the heat was cut off at the point of maximum juiciness.

Cartham, you really are a master ch— ... nope, just gonna keep eating.

The Rheine region was known for its use of herbs, and their characteristic aroma really stimulated one’s appetite!

Assuming the role of culinary critic as he stared at his plate, my father-in-law commented pleasantly, “Well now, isn’t this Rheinian regional cuisine?”

“Indeed it is, sir,” Rohtas responded.

“I knew it. I was there on holiday at one point; their food was so delicious.”

“Oh, it really was.” My mother-in-law locked eyes with my father-in-law and they both smiled and blushed...

Please, get a room, you two.

I had heard that they were still very much in love, but they didn’t need to show it off in front of me...

Blegh, too much PDA.

“I never thought we’d be eating this at home,” Lord Fisalis said, leaving his wistful two-person dreamland.

“I agree. They’ve really added a range of regional dishes to the menu lately. Have you noticed, Vi?” Mr. Fisalis abruptly said, breaking his silence.

And he used my nickname! Eeek! I was so surprised!

He’d been so quiet, I was totally unprepared for it.

Now that he’d mentioned it, the servants’ (and my own) culinary adventure had also extended to the meals served to Mr. Fisalis and his girlfriend. I wasn’t sure if that was something they’d pick up on, though.

I had the vague impression that it was the sauce and cooking method.

“Er, um, well... the cooks have been teaching me things. The apprentice cooks have come here from all over, and whatnot.”

I didn’t go into detail—just sort of beat around the bush.

Or, more precisely, I never considered that Mr. Fisalis would even notice the change, so I wasn’t able to hide my surprise when he did. Even Rohtas and the other servants were surprised, but of course, they didn’t show it.

“Ah, that explains it.” Mr. Fisalis’ eyebrows perked upwards in acknowledgment.

“They’re really onto something, Viola and Cartham,” my father-in-law praised. I’d just wanted to eat interesting new food, though.

Oho, some constructive criticism for my thorough studies!

“So you call Viola ‘Vi,’ then, Cercis?” his mother innocently asked.

That’s what you latch on to? Even though we were talking about regional cuisine? You know, about what I learned from the chefs? And you immediately jumped to my nickname!

“Yup, that’s right,” I responded, smiling at Mr. Fisalis like nothing was wrong, but I was actually on the verge of falling out of my chair.

Why, yes. You call me that. All. The. Time. Right? I grinned.

“That’s so cute! Do you mind if I call you Vi, too?”

Who could say no to my mother-in-law’s pearly white smile?

“Oh, of course,” I smiled back, my slightly-less-pearly-whites at full power.

It costs nothing to smile, and I’ll be darned if I don’t like saving money.

There’s no hidden dark side to a smile. Nothing questionable about a smile from a nearly bankrupt earl’s daughter.

Right?

Her stunning smile, too beautiful for my mere mortal eyes, made me feel kind of insignificant.

Once we finished our laid-back lunch, we moved to the salon, which turned out to pique my in-laws’ curiosity even further.

No, really. The second they set foot in the room:

“Is this... the furniture I brought with me when I got married?” Lady Fisalis caught sight of the tea table and walked over to it, her eyes fixed on it.

“It is. I saw it in storage and fell in love with it immediately... Sorry for taking it out without asking you first.”

“Why are you apologizing? I’m thrilled you like it. Seeing it now after so long, it does look rather cute and retro.”

She ran her finger over the parquetry in the tabletop, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, I was just taken by how cute it was!”

More than merely ‘taken,’ I had fallen head over heels for it.

As a result, my renovations weren’t just limited to the table, but the entire set: the sofa, chairs, everything.

Then, as if to confirm what she was feeling under her fingers, my mother-in-law slowly touched the upholstery before sitting down on the sofa. She then took one of the throw pillows the servants and I had crafted so painstakingly.

“What’s this?” she asked with a tilt of her lovely neck.

“It’s something I’ve been amusing myself with. I found a plant in the garden that’s good for making dye, and I just...”

Noble ladies usually get angry or momentarily put off at the sight of such working class efforts, but she was different.

“Isn’t this wonderful! You included the family crest, too. This is excellent work, Vi!”

For some reason she was spilling over with praise for me. Phew.

Her enthusiasm never waned until at last, overcome with emotion, she was moved to tears.

Mr. Fisalis had been standing with his parents when they entered the salon, but he had gone quiet again, and remained so for some time.

It seemed like perhaps going dead silent was his brain’s way of processing new information.

Just something I noticed from personal observation.

Even though he knew that I’d taken the liberty of adding my own personal touches to the manor—he’d heard about it through Rohtas, and I had brought it up myself (albeit rather in a rather sugar-coated way)—he’d never seen the results, and so wasn’t aware of the extent of the change.

Anyway, on to the results of the house call from my in-laws.

I’m happy to report that I really like them!

And I’ve become a good wife! I’m gonna give myself a pat on the back!

18 — A Lot to Talk About

That night:

After Mr. Fisalis and I escorted my in-laws to their room, we retired to our own room.

Wow, I’ve been in the same room as him the whole time his parents were here today. I won’t have even a moment’s break from him, but that’s all part of the mission.

I’ve got no room to complain, though, so I might as well accept my fate.

I followed behind Mr. Fisalis as he walked silently.

Wait a sec.

He opened the door to the master bedroom, then stopped.

“...Did you...?”

Although he had been about to walk in, he stayed in the doorway with his hand still on the doorknob and looked around the room.

“Yes? What’s the matter?” I asked, from slightly behind him.

Did he have a problem with the room? I’d had the cot brought in like he’d asked. I could see it clearly from my vantage point at his side.

“No... it’s just so different from what I was imagining,” he muttered.

Oh, so the room just looks different from what he was expecting.

Now that I think of it, he hasn’t been in here since the day of our wedding. The furnishings haven’t changed since then, but I’ve definitely made it my own!

What had caught his eye were the numerous crafts I’d made with scrap fabric that were scattered across the room.

There were more throw pillows, of course, but also a duvet and a little lap blanket.

Stitching happily with the maids made for prolific output.

We had all worked on the curtains, though, dyeing and reusing a bunch of leftover fabric.

Everything came out stunningly, if I do say so myself!

“Oh, er, we had a lot of beautiful fabric laying around, so I put these together when I found the time!”

Deep down, I was really proud of what I’d made. Then, as if something had jolted his memory, Mr. Fisalis mumbled, “The handkerchief you gave me was very nicely made, too.”

“I’m honored that you like it!”

Oh, what’s this?

He just looked at me now.

He liked it that much.

“Really, though, this is entirely different from what I was picturing...” he murmured again. He had his fist to his mouth, as if in thought.

“Should I have left it as it was?”

I’d be miffed if he told me then, of all times, that he didn’t like it.

“No, not at all.”

The sharp look in his eyes relaxed somewhat as he looked at me.

The room had been mostly white and decorated simply, but thanks to the patchwork crafts I’d made, it now sported a country aesthetic. With the addition of my favorite flowers, I had turned it into a comfy space to call my own.

“Please do come in,” Dahlia stepped out of the little room where I kept my clothes. She must have been tidying up.

An “excuse me,” from just behind us in the hall alerted us to Mimosa’s presence. We let her through so she could carry her tray of tea into the room. She set it down on the table by the sofa.

I didn’t intend to chat with Mr. Fisalis while we had our tea, though.

I couldn’t turn down the tea Mimosa took so much time to make, after all, just to talk to him! The tea would command my full attention!

Mr. Fisalis sat down on the sofa first and, after a brief moment of thought, I took the chair catty-corner to him.

Let’s avoid facing him directly.

He sat back deep into the sofa and elegantly crossed his legs. He looked so good it was absurd.

The tension in his neck suddenly relaxed, and he said, “Today was nothing but surprises,” as he stared at me. Rather than saying it in a surprised tone, however, he said it with his usual eloquence and a smile like a marble statue. That was basically how he looked all the time.

“What was it that surprised you?”

Now that I mentioned it, he did stiffen up and go dead silent several times when he was trying to process information.

“I was most surprised by how different it feels inside the manor now, I suppose.” His gaze still wandered all about the master bedroom as if he was mentally cataloging all the changes.

I hope you don’t mind if my eyes wander a bit, too.

Hopefully I didn’t go overboard, changing out all the furniture and decorating.

Reaching for the tea that Mimosa had brought, I gracefully brought the cup to my lips. With slightly upturned eyes, I nervously asked, “...did my changes ruin the mood?”

After he took a gulp of his tea, he responded, without looking at me, “No, if anything, you’ve enlivened it. Thank you.”

He shut his eyes, apparently enjoying the aftertaste of his tea.

His long eyelashes cast a shadow on his cheeks.

Why are they longer than mine, dangit!?

Putting my desire to pity myself aside, I was relieved when he didn’t fault me for all of this.

“Oh, I’m glad. I really did have a good time decorating the manor with the servants.”

“Ah, it did seem like the servants have been enjoying themselves, as of late.”

I said nothing as he gazed at me with eyes opened ever so slightly, and I stared back at him in utterly graceless puzzlement.

The servants always enjoyed themselves, though.

With a slight tilt to his head, he explained, “They’ve been decorating the cottage with flowers, too. I hadn’t really thought about it before—to think that the maids who did such tedious work would do something like that, too.”

“I see now. I recall that your personal maid has been taking our leftover flowers.”

“Callie was shocked.”

Oh, so now you’re bringing the girlfriend into the story.

In other words, Mr. Fisalis didn’t notice any change, but she did.

Hehe, of course she did!

“Was she?”

“And at the food, too.”

“Oh, that was...”

“I didn’t notice anything at first, but Callie did right away. I guess because she’s been to so many different places, she’s familiar with foreign cuisine.”

Woo boy, why are you still talking about her?

Although his expression had been neutral up until now, as soon as the conversation turned towards his girlfriend, his heart seemed to melt and he couldn’t stop smiling.

Is this him gushing about his girlfriend? At that moment, I felt a chill coming from Dahlia’s place by the wall, but Mr. Fisalis went on blabbering about Calendula without noticing.

I decided to pretend like I didn’t notice Dahlia, either. I looked away from the two maids radiating all that dark energy.

“You can continue to do as you please. Money is no object, either.”

What a snobbish thing to say.

“There’s no need for that! I didn’t come here to spend money.”

“Er, but...”

Maybe a girl’s never told him that she didn’t want his money.

He gazed at me softly.

“There are so many wonderful things here, even without more money. That’s more than enough for me!” I declared.

If that wasn’t the story of my life!

“...So, it’s not money...”

He stared at me, dumbfounded, for some time, as if something in his soul had snapped and washed over him in a flood.

I wondered if that was really what it was, though.

Eventually, he came back to himself and squinted at me.

“...I see. Well, since I must go to work tomorrow, I’ll leave my parents to you. They’ll be staying here tomorrow, and then return home the day after. Please do your best to attend to their needs,” he told me, sounding grateful.

I was stunned. This was out of character for him.

I smiled back at him, not revealing my shock.

“I will.”

Because if I can get through tomorrow, I can go back to playing a carefree servant! I’ll give it everything I’ve got!

“Shall we try and get some rest, then?” he asked.

“Yes!”

Mr. Fisalis then excused himself to the ensuite bathroom near the office. I had prepared everything in there ahead of time, as usual.

It had been determined that Mr. Fisalis would bathe and get ready for bed in the office and his unused personal room next door.

I was keeping that line between us absolutely clear! No gray area to be seen!

That rather normal-seeming conversation we had, however... we hadn’t had one like that ever since he came to me with his offer... er, proposal. The day he came to me with those fiendish terms and conditions!

The next day:

I had breakfast in the main dining room with my in-laws and Mr. Fisalis. After I saw Mr. Fisalis off on his way to work, I headed out to the garden with Lord and Lady Fisalis, Dahlia, and Rohtas. My mother-in-law said that she wanted to see how much the garden had changed, too.

To put it simply, the garden had been completely rejuvenated.

There were still some of my mother-in-law’s preferred austere flowers, but at the request of the servants and I, Bellis had brought in more showy varieties. The temperate, sun-drenched garden now mesmerized with its deep greens and kaleidoscope of colored flowers.

I was a bit worried that I’d removed all her favorites, until my mother-in-law exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, you’ve made the garden so gay and splendid, too!!”

The way her eyes sparkled with praise made my worries seem like nonsense.

Phew.

“I couldn’t have done it without Demon King Bellis and all the hard work he puts in everyday,” I quipped.

“Hmm, you’re able to get through to Bellis that well? You’re something else, Vi. He has a handsome face to be sure, but didn’t his lack of social skills make him hard to get close to?”

You said that yesterday, Mother.

I wondered if it wasn’t her who had a hard time approaching people.

“Hmm, yes, at first. But by working with him and seeing how he interacted with Mimosa, I was able to tell that he was a nice person, deep down inside!”

“Oh, I don’t know how to thank you, Vi!” Lady Fisalis was deeply impressed, somehow.

Her eyes quickly started to fill with tears, looking like dewy star sapphires, and I wondered again if this was some form of approval from her.

And then all of a sudden she’d swept me into a tight hug.

Ergh!

She was surprisingly strong for someone who looked so delicate!

“Y-you’re welcome.”

My father-in-law strained to smile at his wife as she crushed me until it was obvious that my voice was cracking. “Dear, if you hug her that tightly, you’re going to hurt her.”

Squeezing your daughter-in-law to death isn’t a good look! Please stop! I don’t know if the voice inside my head reached her, or if it was her husband’s words that brought her back to her senses. She said “Oh, I beg your pardon. Oh ho ho,” as she loosened her grip around my airways.

“...not at all.”

She nearly killed me!

Ambling along in the garden, we soon found ourselves near the cottage.

Oh, crap.

...I started to panic and got flustered.

Oh no, I wasn’t paying attention and now we’re at the cottage. What do I do? I called out to Dahlia with my eyes.

My father-in-law was staring distantly at the thicket where the cottage was hidden. “We didn’t know what to think when we heard that he was associating with a vagrant dancing girl.” And with that, the mellow feeling we’d been enjoying until that moment went completely out the window, replaced by something awkward and heavy.

“I, um.” I stumbled over my words, unsure how to respond. I didn’t want to say anything that would make it worse.

I’ll wait and see what Lord Fisalis says, for now.

“No matter how opposed to it we were, he stubbornly refused to part with her. We admitted defeat, more or less. We couldn’t believe our eyes, then, when all of a sudden, a letter came that said he broke it off with her and decided to marry the daughter of the Euphorbia family. We turned that letter over and over, up and down, just... shocked.”

I could see the emotion in my father-in-law’s eyes.

You sent them a letter brimming with lies, Mr. Fisalis.

I kept my mouth shut and murmured my agreement back.

“When Rohtas confirmed it, we knew it was true,” he continued.

Et tu, Rohtas? I gave the butler some intense side-eye, but he wouldn’t meet my gaze. This was premeditated!

“Everything turned out splendid, though, when he found a nice girl like you,” Lord Fisalis said, slowly turning his gaze away from the thicket and towards me. I gave him a broad smile in return. I was relieved when the earlier awkwardness lifted, even if just for a moment.

...no, what I really wanted was to be able to tell him the truth to his face.

“He’s right. Even though we doubted our son’s taste in women for a time.” Goodness, Mother, way to tear your son down. But then again, only real parents and children can say something so brutal about one another with a smile on their face.

So Mr. Fisalis and his girlfriend are very much still together, but he and Rohtas are hiding that fact, and I can’t afford to say anything that would arouse suspicion.

But considering what my mother-in-law said—that I was chosen by a man with no taste in women—it seemed like she thought that Calendula was not a good person. A debt-ridden, poverty-stricken earl’s plain, average daughter and a wealthy duke?

No matter how you sliced it, it looked like it was all just about money and self-interest.

Being plain is so depressing...

As I stood there wallowing in my own private bubble of self-pity, my father-in-law said to me with a smile, “We wish him nothing but the best from here on out.” I felt as though I had no choice but to agree.

Ah, well, there’s no need to worry, Father.

Our contract is airtight, after all!