29 — New Information

Mr. Fisalis didn’t move from my bedside, even at Rohtas’ urging.

“I can’t abandon her when she’s this ill. She’s so pale. I don’t think I could do so even once I’ve calmed down...” he persevered. I didn’t understand why.

“But, did you not have an important meeting today, Master?” I knew I could count on you, Rohtas. You know Mr. Fisalis’ schedule inside and out.

Mr. Fisalis stubbornly refused to move from where he knelt beside my bed, clasping my hand. It didn’t even seem like he had acknowledged the mention of an important meeting at first.

“ ...fine. But keep me updated on her condition.” He glared at Rohtas, whose calm expression never wavered, with a look of betrayal.

Wait, no. This isn’t bad enough to be called a ‘condition.’

I listened, rendered helpless by my stomach ache as well as its embarrassing cause, to their conversation from under my duvet.

“I shall indeed,” Rohtas politely confirmed. Having unwillingly agreed, Mr. Fisalis turned to me again, and squeezed my hand that was held in his once more.

“I have no choice but to go, but I promise I will come home as soon as I can. Rest, until then. Dahlia, be sure to call for a doctor if her condition worsens.” He was smiling even though he seemed worried.

He finally released my hand, and then, taking his coat from a maid and putting it on quickly, reminded everyone, “Please, keep a watchful eye on her,” before exiting the room with Rohtas in tow.

“Ahh, it reallyyy. Hurts,” I groaned weakly once Mr. Fisalis was gone. The pain still had not let up.

“Mimosa ought to be back soon. You only need to bear it a little while longer,” Dahlia said as she gently rubbed my stomach.

“This wouldn’t have happened if I had cut down the number of dishes. I’m terribly sorry for not taking you into consideration,” Cartham said in a despondent tone.

“And if only I’d had the sense to say something... Please forgive me,” Dahlia said regretfully with a frown.

There the two of them were, groveling—but I was one one who’d actually messed up!

“No, no... ouchhh.” I wanted to speak, but couldn’t get the words out.

“You don’t need to say anything, Madam!” Dahlia forbade me, flustered.

Just then, there was a rapid knock on the door and Mimosa came hurrying in.

In her hands was a cup of green liquid; she had mashed the herbs into a drinkable medicine for me. There wasn’t time for her to boil it, but for an emergency like this, it would have to do.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting! Drink this, Madam!” She passed the cup of liquid to me. It was a dark brown color.

Dark brown... like...

It was thick and had such a strong grassy odor from the many herbs mixed in it that it nearly numbed my sense of smell.

Drink this and you’ll feel better.

But it looks nasty.

And I could always just... not drink it.

But I don’t really have a choice if I want the pain to go away.

I played this argument with myself on loop in my head as I pondered the cup in front of me.

Won’t drinking this only worsen battlefield conditions in my stomach? I was about to refuse, but when I happened to look up, I was met with the grave expressions on everyone’s faces, and realized I had no choice but to resolve myself to it.

Mimosa pulled me up into a sitting position and put pillows behind my back for me to lean into. I shut my eyes tightly and downed the herbal medicine in one gulp.

The fresh tasting herbs and camellia juice made the concoction less bitter than I expected.

I shouldn’t be surprised that Mimosa and Bellis would come up with something that went down easily. And thank goodness for that.

The medicine took effect immediately, and my stomach started to feel better.

There’s still some pain, but at this rate, it feels like my cramps will subside soon.

Phew.

“Ahhh. Thanks. I feel a bit better. Ah ha... That gave me a scare. I’m sure yesterday’s exhaustion didn’t help, either.” I was able to talk without as much strain and struggle as before.

“Oh, what a relief! Let me give you a massage to help it along,” offered Mimosa with a weak smile.

She had been pale from worry when she ran out of the room, and collapsed in relief when my condition improved. Even so, she got right to squeezing the pressure points along my back.

“Ahh... it’s working. That feels great.” Right there, behind my stomach. I was in heaven.

“It is such a relief that you are doing better,” Dahlia sighed. “But please do rest a while longer. I will bring you more medicine before lunch,” she said, her expression no longer panicked.

“I will. Thank you.”

“Please relax inside, today.”

“But if I don’t get some exercise, I won’t digest anything. May I go out to the garden as long as I take it easy?”

As soon as I said it, Dahlia’s face turned sullen once more.

“ ...do not overexert yourself,” she reluctantly agreed with me, although I could all but hear the “for heaven’s sake, Madam,” in her sigh as she did.

I mean, there’s no reason to stay in bed all day over fancy food poisoning. Exercise probably makes for even better medicine.

“I won’t. I’ll just plant the new flowers that arrived.”

It’s not as if I’m going to do laps! I never said I’d do something that would make my ribs ache even more.

I looked up at Dahlia with my puppy dog eyes on full blast; her expression was one of resignation.

“Very well. Mimosa, keep an eye on her.” Dahlia exchanged a glance with Mimosa and then nodded.

Hmph, doesn’t she trust me?

“Of course, will do!” Mimosa nodded exaggeratedly in affirmation.

I fell asleep after lying back down for a moment, and when I woke up, my stomach was all better.

I still feel bloated, but as long as I’m not in pain, I don’t consider that a problem!

“Ah, you’re awake. How is your pain?” Noticing that I had woken up, Dahlia came over to check on me.

“Er, it’s all gone now. Thank you. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Even the cramping is gone—I’m back to 100%.

I was somewhat stiff, though, since my whole body had been under so much stress.

“After you rest a bit more, I’ll bring you a decoction. What will you do about lunch?”

Since we had the time now, Dahlia was going to prepare a boiled medicinal drink for me. It’s similar to tea, and since it’s easier to drink than plain crushed raw herbs, I thankfully wouldn’t have to steel myself for it.

“I’ll hold off on lunch. I think I’ll just have a light snack instead.”

“As you wish,” Dahlia said before leaving to issue the many necessary instructions.

I changed into my uniform and went out to the garden after I drank the decoction.

I’ve got to make sure I move around today to help move things along on the inside! I’ll pull weeds and plant flowers, just like Bellis showed me.

Demon King Bellis was unquestionably at the top of the hierarchy in this floral fiefdom! Planting the wrong thing in the wrong place would only bring about his wrath. If I wanted to garden just for fun, he had set aside a little area just for me to plant things however I pleased.

I knew the garden would come out balanced and cohesive so long as I followed his instructions, so I refrained from imposing my own preferences on how to arrange the flowers.

After a while, I was hungry.

Coincidentally, Bellis had just said, “It’s getting to be about time for my break. Are you and Mimosa going to the dining room?”

“Oh, you’re right. Let’s call it a day. I’ll be in trouble if he comes home early.”

I stood up and brushed the dirt from my knees and skirt.

There’s a light meal waiting for me in the dining room (and by that, I mean the servants’ dining room, of course), so I’ll call it quits for today.

“Bellis, I put your tea on the table in the greenhouse. Let’s head back, Madam,” Mimosa prompted me.

Many maids’ break times overlapped, so there were several of them in the servants’ dining room making tea for themselves and eating snacks.

“Are you all better now, Madam?”

“You’re under no obligation to finish all your food, so please don’t feel like you have to.”

“That’s right!”

The maids sighed in relief and called out to me when they saw that I was doing much better.

“I’m sorry for worrying you! I’m feeling fine now!” I replied as I took my seat with my snack.

“I wonder if you were still tired from yesterday.”

“That’s a possibility.”

She’s right—that’s certainly possible. I was both mentally and physically exhausted, after all.

Not to mention the quality and the quantity of the food (mostly the quality, though), coupled with Mr. Fisalis’ presence—I didn’t stand a chance against the enemy intestinal forces.

I nodded in agreement when their statements jogged my memory, as I wolfed down my snack.

“Speaking of yesterday, Mr. Fisalis’ companion was certainly in a mood,” the personal maid who had been assigned to the cottage the day before said, with an exasperated look on her face.

“You can say that again. It started after Mr. Fisalis suddenly announced that he’d stay overnight here at the main house.”

“Yup.”

“She’s been in a right awful mood since he started coming here every night for dinner.”

Everyone was getting worked up, but I for one could understand why Miss Calendula would feel that way. She has to be lonely if Mr. Fisalis started avoiding the cottage in favor of the main house after they’d had a fight. You couldn’t exactly expect her to be in a good mood.

All the same, it wasn’t right for her to take her anger out on others.

“I don’t think she’ll start any trouble over here, so I’m not too worried, but she’s constantly frowning these days, isn’t she?

“The way she was obsessing over her appearance, though. That’s how you cause wrinkles, not prevent them.”

“It seems like she isn’t getting whatever dresses or jewelry she wants lately, either.”

“Probably because she already has all she could ever need.”

“Right?”

Mr. Fisalis’ personal maid wasn’t the only one venting anymore; other maids had joined in the conversation.

I had been focused on my food, only listening silently to the exchange up until that point, but then I decided to ask what I had been wondering about all along.

“Haven’t Mr. Fisalis and his girlfriend been fighting?”

“What? No?” All of the maids who attended to Mr. Fisalis responded, in unison, flabbergasted.

“Ah, I see. Then why has he been coming here for dinner every night?” I asked with a tilt of my head.

If it’s not a fight, then what in the world could it possibly be?