6 — More Guests

My first tea party came to a close with everyone urging, “Do come visit me, next time!” as they happily made their way home. My mental stamina worn very thin, I left the cleanup to the maids and headed back to my room.

The moment I stepped through the bedroom door, I assumed the position and dove headlong into my cushy sofa.

“Did I become a lovely, elegant wife somehow?” I asked myself as I clung to a throw pillow and flailed in mental anguish.

“But, Madam! They weren’t wrong in saying so,” Mimosa said, smiling over me as I suffered through my personal crisis.

“Do I dare show my face in public again? I’m so ashamed! I want to go back to just being a shut-in!” I cried, burying my face in the pillow with my butt in the air. Totally undignified.

“You will have a difficult time living that way,” Dahlia chided, unapologetically shoving my butt back down. How would it be difficult, I wondered, removing the pillow from my face and blinking up at Dahlia.

“Why?”

“Well, you’ve had invitations to tea parties and get-togethers flooding in over the past few days.”

Heck.

“Nyet!”

I thought I would fall off the sofa.

Dahlia laid out the facts with a faint smile on her face, an emotional one-eighty to me holding my head in panic.

“Your popularity in high society has soared since that soiree the other night. How shall I put it... not only did Master finally come to his senses, but it seems he praised you with intense passion, Madam...”

Double heck.

“Nyeeet!”

Stop talking! You’re killing me! I can practically see the pearly gates!

I buried my face back into the pillow and covered my ears.

Stop bringing up my dark past!

“There, there, Madam. Just because you have received invitations does not mean you are required to attend all of them,” Dahlia gently assured me, stroking my back as I trembled frightfully.

“Really?”

“Yes. Not all of them were sent with good intentions, you see. Even if the invitations are from families that are friends with the Fisalis family, it’s possible that they are only seeking to advance their own station.”

She spoke with a kind voice, but what she said was frightening.

High society is terrifying!

Having been impoverished until marrying Mr. Fisalis, I was completely unfamiliar with the darker side of high society, and I’d been all the happier for it.

Mo money, mo problems, as they say.

Even though I was on the sofa, I reflexively scuttled away, cheeks twitching.

Seeing that I was frightened to hear of society’s underbelly, Dahlia said, “There’s no need to worry, Madam. Rohtas and I will handle it with due diligence,” with an unusually radiant smile.

Mimosa nodded fervently next to her and smiled in a similar manner.

Handle what? How?

...I can’t press Dahlia and Mimosa for details when they’re smiling like that. I’m sure everything will be fine. Those are very reassuring, dark grins on their faces!

“...Thanks, then. I’m counting on you.”

Ahh, everyone’s protecting me!

While I was busy killing time, one of Mr. Fisalis’ personal maids came to inform me that he had arrived home.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Madam, but Master has returned.”

“Oh, is it that late already?”

There was no time to panic about dark underbellies or pasts.

I didn’t need to change my outfit since I’d worn my usual clothes for the tea party, but my dress had become somewhat disheveled after lying on the sofa. I quickly got up off said sofa and, as I was smoothing out my dress and making myself presentable, the maid added, “Er, also, Master did not come home alone. He actually has guests, as well...” All the while, she stared at the ceiling uncomfortably.

“I hadn’t heard anyone was coming to visit. Who is it?”

“They are Master’s colleagues.” Dahlia said in a crisp manner befitting her role as head maid, apparently listening in.

Mr. Fisalis’ maid’s expression returned to its usual professional look and she responded, “By colleagues, you mean knights?” I asked the maid as Mimosa adjusted my clothes. Mr. Fisalis was the commander of an intelligence agency, a special division, within the military.

That would make his ‘colleagues’ his subordinates within the division, then. Or could they be military not belonging to his division?

“Yes, they’re from the special division.”

Okay, so they’re his subordinates.

I exhaled in relief that they weren’t higher-ups.

“Oh! We’ve got to get a move on. Thanks, Dahlia, Mimosa. Okay, let’s go.”

Mimosa went over my face with the powder puff one more time before the three of us hurried out.

What could this be about, though? This is the first time Mr. Fisalis has brought guests home.

“Welcome home!” I called to him as I trotted to the entryway. He was there talking with Rohtas as usual, except this time...

“Hello, Madam!”

“Sorry for barging in!”

“Wow, she really is gorgeous!”

“Whoa, she’s the real deal!”

“She’s like the ideal wife!”

“Eeee, she’s so lovely!”

A veritable explosion of chatter.

Just how many people did he bring home? And what does he mean by ‘ideal wife’!?

...Ahem. Mustn’t let myself get worked up.

The normally tranquil entrance was full of noisy folks in uniform that day.

I was surrounded by knights from the moment I appeared. There were even women among them!

“I haven’t gotten a look at ya since the commander’s wedding!”

“You looked so gorgeous then, but seeing you up close, I can tell you’re more the cute type!”

“Wow, you smell so nice~”

“This must be a dream! I feel like if I try to hug you, you’ll disappear!”

“Yo! You can’t just say stuff like that, you creeps! You know what I do to people who harass women!”

“Go sit down!”

“Eeeek! Yes, ma’am!”

“Er, you...!”

Stop squishing meee!

I might be tall and thin, but I was totally stuck between a bunch of even taller, beefier knights!

I was just about to lose my cool when Mr. Fisalis pulled me toward him with one arm around my shoulder, saying, “Hey, stop mobbing Viola!” as he rescued me from my captors.

Phew, safe at last.

“We—welcome home, Mr. Fisalis. I see we have more guests...” I repeated with a strained smile, looking up at everyone’s beautiful—but way too close—faces.

“I’m sorry for not letting you know ahead of time... Anyway, these are my subordinates from the division,” he said with a worn-out expression as he watched them chatter away.

Looking over the lot of them, I replied, “Oh, well then. I’ll have to get some refreshments ready.” They answered with wide grins and enthusiastic nods.

“No, just give them some alcohol and snacks,” Mr. Fisalis said curtly, gazing at them with narrowed eyes...

“What!? You’re so cruel, Commander!”

“Why can’t you be more like your wife? She’s an angel!”

“Yeah! Eat my shorts, Commander!”

...only to be met with a wave of insults.

For the time being, anyway, I peeled Mr. Fisalis’ arm from its place around my shoulder and said, “I will do no such thing. You all look after Mr. Fisalis, so I’m going to treat you all properly! Take a seat in the salon, please—it will just take a few minutes. Rosa, show them to the salon, if you would,” I instructed Mr. Fisalis’ maid, who was standing nearby.

“Yes, Madam.”

Once Mr. Fisalis and the knights were escorted out of the entryway, Rohtas, Dahlia, Mimosa, and I quickly huddled together. It had been a while since we had done this, but we fell back into the habit easily.

“How many people in total showed up, Rohtas?”

Start with confirming the guest count. Rohtas ought to know that.

“Fifteen in all.”

“I thought you’d know! Thanks. Tell Cartham he should prepare some food. Some hors d’oeuvres would be fine in the meantime! Oh, and plenty of booze!”

“Right away, Madam,” Rohtas confirmed before promptly hurrying to the kitchen.

I watched him leave and then began with the instructions.

“Dahlia, arrange for some maids to be assigned to the salon for now.” During the Cercis Shift, when Mr. Fisalis was the only guest, Mimosa and I could take care of him just fine, but today we have fifteen plus him.

This is a job for more than just the two of us. I need backup.

“Understood. I’ll prepare some tea for the maids,” said Dahlia, jogging off to the servants’ dining room.

That just left Mimosa.

“You and I, plus the backup Dahlia sends, will entertain everyone in the salon.”

“Yes, Madam!”

“Alrighty! Go team!”

I imagined myself strapping on a helmet, ready to do battle (again), and forward-marched to the salon with Mimosa at my side.

«MISSION BRIEF: Emergency Guest Shift now deploying. Apply the skills you learned during Cercis Shift.»

There are a lot more guests here today than we normally have over, though...