✦✦✦Idle Asides, No. 1: Reflections of Husband — from Cercis’ Perspective✦✦✦

I had planned out the whole affair, expecting to unwind around town with Viola, but her reaction suggested she was displeased. I thought I’d buy her something to wear around the house, so I took her to Madame Fleur’s boutique... but I ended up only buying things for myself. Then, when we went to a popular jeweler’s, she said she didn’t need any new jewelry either—and here, too, I only made purchases for myself.

It was so odd. I only wanted to buy her a gift.

I learned today that gifts that any other girl would be delighted to receive somehow do not appeal to Viola. I genuinely liked the shirt she picked out for me, though, and the cufflinks, although simple, will add a touch of elegance to anything I wear. I quite...no, rather liked those, too. It would appear she has good taste.

I’m glad that I was able to learn her preferences today. She is unlike any other girl I’ve ever known. Indeed, I think there will be many times where we don’t see eye to eye.

I’ll reflect on how I can better consider her feelings and preferences going forward and shall commence research at once. I will understand exactly what you like, Viola!

First, I will have to gather intel from those closest to her: Rohtas, Dahlia, and Mimosa. It makes me green with jealousy to think of it, but they spend more time with her than I, and so probably know things about her that I do not. Time is of the essence; the mission starts now.

«Dahlia’s Statement»

I called the head maid, Dahlia, into my office for questioning first.

She’s level-headed, so I ought to be able to get some objective information from her.

“What sort of things does Viola like?”

“You wish to know about Madam’s personal preferences?” I could see the shock written plainly across her face; I was the last person she expected to ever ask such a question. Her sharp eyes opened ever so slightly wider.

“I do, yes.”

“What is it you’d like to hear about?” She schooled her expression just as I thought she would and inquired further about my intent.

“Anything at all. Er, rather, let’s start with her hobbies.”

“Her hobbies... I am inclined to say that she does not have any in particular. However, she does seem to enjoy cleaning and decorating.” Dahlia raised her hand to her mouth in a loose fist as she contemplated Viola’s general habits, answering carefully.

There are certainly more flowers and greenery both inside and outside the manor since Viola arrived, and I’ve noticed some handmade throw pillows and duvet covers, I recalled.

“I see. Has she expressed interest in anything else?”

“Cooking, I suppose. She often watches the cooks in the kitchen.

Now that she mentions it, they’ve been serving regional cuisine for some time. I seem to recall that being Viola’s idea, too.

“Noted. Thank you for your time.”

Intelligence gathered from Dahlia pointed to Viola enjoying cleaning and cooking.

«Mimosa’s Statement»

The next person I spoke to was the person closest to Viola—her personal maid, Mimosa. We never interacted much so I did not know a lot about her, but she seemed like a nice girl.

I never imagined she was married to that brute, Bellis. Married people ought to be more obvious about the fact that they’re married! Look how it turned out for me, jumping to the wrong conclusion in front of everyone!...No, now isn’t the time to be opening up old wounds.

I fired off at Mimosa the same questions I had asked Dahlia.

“Would you mind telling the kinds of things Viola likes?”

“What Madam likes?” Her already large eyes opened even wider. Her expression was just as easy to read as Dahlia’s.

You never thought I’d ask this, either! Er, I mean, yes.

“Yes, things like... fashion and whatnot.”

I’m sure I’ve heard Viola say that Mimosa recommends this or that when it comes to clothes and beauty, so I’ll ask her about those.

“She prefers tidiness and modesty over glamor, and tends to choose simplicity over flashiness. This goes for everything—clothing, of course, but even food,” Mimosa replied without batting an eye. The answers must have come so quickly to her from all the time she spent with Viola.

“I see, then. Is there anything else?”

“Anything else? She likes flowers, but she seems to prefer more quaint and rustic varieties. She decorates the house with lavish flower arrangements, but puts more subdued, less imposing kinds in her own room.”

Damn! What an embarrassing date I must have seemed to her!...Ah, well, it’s too late now.

“Understood. Thank you for your cooperation.”

So, according to Mimosa, she does not like flashy or eye-catching things and prefers simplicity.

«Rohtas’ Statement»

The butler, Rohtas, was last.

Not a thing in this entire manor gets past him, so I’m sure he possesses both objective and thorough information on Viola.

“What are your thoughts on Viola, Rohtas?”

“Mine, sir?”

“Yes. Objectively speaking, what kind of person is she? You spend more time with her than I do. Tragically.”

Indeed, it is nothing short of a tragedy, but there’s not much I can do, seeing as she’s at home all day.

The butler appeared to think for a moment before responding.

“That is true, I do. Broadly speaking, she comes from a humble upbringing. She is not drawn to luxury.”

“...I got that impression, yes.”

She wasn’t exactly wowed by those expensive dresses or jewelry. In fact, she turned them all down.

“She is very friendly. She opened up to us servants quickly.”

“...She hasn’t opened up at all to me...”

What’s with her? She’s still distant with me after all this time.

“It’s just a matter of time, Master.”

Did...did Rohtas just look at me with pity!?

“Perhaps it’s my imagination, but I don’t think time is the only issue...”

“If you think that may be the case, might I humbly suggest that some self-improvement may be in order?”

“Rrgh... That’s why I’m talking to you right now. To try to understand her better. I want to see my lovely wife happy.”

“Oh, isn’t that a nice thought..”

Was he always this sharp-tongued? I just said that I knew I needed to improve!

“Something else just came to mind, Master.”

“...What?”

“Madam hates wasteful spending.”

Queue more war flashbacks to our terrible ‘date.’ It’s like a knife to the heart!

“You could say she prefers to amass memories rather than physical objects.”

Oh, no. Physical objects were all I tried to give her.

I felt the figurative knife twist deeper.

“She feels such things are priceless.”

He even had a rebuttal ready!

Everything I did...was precisely what she wouldn’t have wanted.

“...Please, do try harder from now on,” Rohtas tried to comfort me as I hung my head.

“...I will.”

He’s right. I can’t let this discourage me. But after talking to those closest to Viola, I feel like my heart’s been crushed. Nay, I dare say it has been completely shattered since my conversation with Rohtas.

I only did the exact opposite of what she liked! But, don’t girls like it when a man’s assertive? I guess my research has only made me realize how little I actually know about her.

From now on, I’ll take my cues from her. I promise.

13 — More Spending is Not Amending!

My first ever date with Mr. Fisalis was soul-crushingly exhausting, if I’m going to be frank. It wasn’t pretty. He didn’t have any inkling of what a commoner like me would enjoy.

I went back to my room and let myself flop onto my sofa like a sack of bricks. Every cell in my body was tired.

“Phew...! What a day.” I stretched out on the couch, taking a deep breath in an attempt to lift the stagnant feeling hanging over me. Finally, it felt like my blood was pumping again. I had been dragged all around town to places I didn’t want to go, growing more and more stressed as the day wore on.

“Did you have a good time today, Madam?” Dahlia asked with a snicker as she handed me a cup of warm herbal tea. I received the cup with both hands and took a moment to savor the aroma. It seemed she had chosen herbs with strong calming properties; I could feel my frazzled nerves being soothed by the gentle, fragrant steam.

“Kind of?” I replied, intentionally vaguely; I was worried a flat ‘no’ would be inappropriate.

“Are you asking me or telling me, Madam?” she pressed, her stiff smile suggesting that she already knew my real answer.

“I know Mr. Fisalis was trying to do something nice by asking me to go out with him, but we didn’t even go to the places I wanted to see and... I don’t know. I mean, regular noblewomen would be thrilled to have their husband take them to expensive boutiques and trendy jewelry stores, right? But I’m just not on the same wavelength as rich people, I guess.”

“I can only imagine.”

“It’s like he doesn’t know that you can’t buy other people’s happiness with expensive presents. I pity him, in a sense, having to grow up around people who thought that way. Sorry, that was a little bit forward of me, I suppose.”

Well, between their fortune and influence, and in Mr. Fisalis’ case, his flawless good looks, rich people really do have a lot going for them. Plus, if he was only ever approached by people who were dazzled by his power or appearance, that had to have had an effect on his sense of values, too.

Meanwhile, someone like me, who never had money, power, or looks to fall back on, has always valued emotional wealth more. Spiritually rich is a good way to put it! Appreciating the little flowers by the side of the road is enough for me. After all, there are far more of those little flowers out there than there are exotic, stunning blossoms! I say we should find happiness in the everyday things! But I suppose that’s a way of looking at the world that Mr. Fisalis wouldn’t understand.

Dahlia’s eyes opened wide, as if something just clicked into place.

“No, what you say is true. You were not out of line in the slightest. In fact, I’m glad that you understand Master so well.”

“You are?”

“Indeed.” Dahlia nodded fervently.

“Oh! Thank you for that medicine! It definitely got put to good use. You were really prepared for everything, weren’t you?”

“I’m pleased to hear that it was effective. Rohtas actually notified me beforehand that Master had made a reservation at that establishment.”

“Oh, so he had made a reservation. Still, that would’ve been the end for me if you hadn’t helped me out there.”

“I’m glad you found it useful. It’s my pleasure to serve you in any way I can when you are here at the manor, but it pains me that I can’t come to your aid while you’re away.”

I really can’t thank Dahlia enough for her concern!

“I feel the same. The food at that restaurant really was superb, but I have to say... I think I still prefer Cartham’s cooking.”

“I’m sure he’d be glad to hear that,” Dahlia said with a happy grin.

Just thinking of how close the two of them were made me smile as I reached for my cup of tea. Now that it was cool enough to drink, I had a sip. I felt the day’s weariness melt away as the mild taste of the herbs hit my tongue.

Just as I was thinking to myself what a good job Dahlia had done with my tea and I was finally beginning to relax, Mimosa came in and said, “Your bath is ready, Madam. Take it easy for the rest of the day. When you’re done, I’ll give you a massage to help you unwind.”

Could I ever turn down Mimosa’s healing touch? Nay, I could not!

And thus when I eventually climbed out of the tub it was straight into the arms of Mimosa’s cheery Spa Squad for a full-body massage. Ahh, heaven... zzz.

“...Madam. Madam, it’s morning...” I could hear Dahlia saying, but she sounded far away. Am I dreaming? I wondered groggily, unable to form clear thoughts.

“Nngh... Let me sleep just a little longer...” I begged. I’m sure it sounded more like, ‘hfeufh...sdkjfsdgjh...’ to Dahlia, though.

“You’ve...since...last night...” Dahlia’s voice went in and out of focus as my brain pleaded to go back to sleep.

I don’t have any special plans for today, so can’t I sleep in? You know I always wake up on time otherwise. I’m just really worn out from yesterday...

Cue embarrassing snot bubble.

Just how long have I been asleep?

When I finally opened my eyes, feeling refreshed at last, the sun was already well overhead. I managed to sit up in bed and was staring into space when Dahlia appeared, carrying a tray with a pitcher and cup.

“Ah, you’re awake, Madam.”

“Good morning, Dahlia. Looks like I succeeded in sleeping in.” I took some of the herb-scented water from her and took a drink. The fresh taste moistened my throat and cleared my head. It was so good, I took several deep gulps.

“Er, I tried to wake you at your usual time, but you told me to let you sleep longer, so I let you be. You must have been very worn out from yesterday,” she said with a smile as she poured me more herbal water once I had drained my first cup.

“I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“Well, it was quite a departure from your regular activities, after all.”

“True.”

“You’ll get used to it soon enough.”

“Oh, no. I don’t think I ever will. Not in my whole life.”

My passionate dismissal only earned me a grim smile from Dahlia.

Finishing my second glass of the herbal water, I handed the cup back to Dahlia and got out of bed. I had no idea what time it was, but since I couldn’t just lie around in my pajamas forever, I headed over to my dresser, where Mimosa was waiting.

The weather was fine; the comforting sunlight spilling from my window drew me over to its warmth, and from that window, I saw it.

“...What’s that?”

The window faced the garden, looking out over the always-beautiful greenery, but something about the view was different that day. Normally, I would see the gardeners working on the grounds—a tranquil sight to wake up to, for sure—but that day, there were many, many more people.

And they were all crowded around the cottage.

As I’ve mentioned before, the cottage was located so it was hidden from the main house—although who decided that, I don’t know. But its placement and the arrangement of the trees around it were planned down to the last detail, hiding it completely from view; that meant when Mr. Fisalis and Miss Calendula were living in it, you would have never known they were there, unless you were some peeping Tom.

To put it nicely, it was a bonus room, of sorts; to put it not-so-nicely, it was a secret clubhouse for cheaters. Yeah, that’s got to be it. I’m gonna go with it being built with the former purpose in mind.

Mr. Fisalis has been living in the main house since Miss Calendula left, so why are there all those men over there making such a racket?

They were dressed roughly like gardeners or some other sort of laborers.

Did we always have this many gardeners?

When I asked Dahlia what was going on in the garden, she said, “Master decided to renovate the cottage, for some reason. The builders have been in and out since this morning.”

“Oh, I see. I wonder why he’s renovating it all of a sudden. Was it starting to deteriorate?” I thought it looked to be in good shape from the outside. Unlike my parents’ house. Sob.

“No, it’s not that old yet. From what Rohtas told me, they’re moving walls, tearing up the floor, and replacing all the furniture.”

So he’s redoing everything even though it’s still in perfectly good shape? What’s he doing wasting more money? I really don’t get rich people.

“I see.” There is no understanding that man. Oh well, it has nothing to do with me, so I might as well get dressed and eat something.

Exactly! I fell back onto my preferred reasoning: that this was not my problem!

“I’ve decided to remodel the cottage. I figured it must harbor a lot of unpleasant memories for you, so I thought I’d just redo the whole place to see if I couldn’t change the vibe,” Mr. Fisalis told me with a big smile when I saw him for the first time that day at lunch.

He’s remodeling it for me—or rather, because of me?

I felt dizzy at what must have been my soul leaving my body in shock at the sheer scale of the project he’d decided to undertake.

I mean, I’m not the one causing the problem here. You are.

I wasn’t just dizzy, I was upset.

Are you using me as an excuse to clear your conscience?

“You didn’t need to do that! It didn’t bother me at all!” I managed to respond, flustered.

I didn’t have any bad memories attached to the cottage, having kept my distance from Mr. Fisalis and Miss Calendula from the get-go. I didn’t think about the cottage at all, really.

Mr. Fisalis replied in a calm tone of voice that was completely at odds with how I was feeling myself.

“I just don’t want you to be reminded of all the times you were there,” he said like this was obvious, although there was a major flaw in his logic.

“But I never did go there. Not even once.”

“Oh.” He froze for an instant.

How do you forget that? Er, well, there was that one time I accidentally spied on you and Miss Calendula, which is why I can’t help but think of the cottage as a love shack.

It didn’t take long for him to regain composure and assume a serious expression once more, though.

“Oh, well then... the cottage itself will become a bad memory. Yes. So, uh, we might as well rebuild it, right?” he mumbled.

Did I hear him right? Did he just say ‘rebuild’?

“Oh, nonononono, you don’t need to rebuild it! It doesn’t hold any bad memories, so please, just limit yourself to remodeling!” I pleaded, clinging to his clothes.

“But, this way you won’t have to...” he persisted.

Argh, he is so stubborn! Do I have to spell it out for him? IT’S. NOT. NECESSARY.

“I’m fine with it as it is! Rebuilding it will only stress me out!”

Stop blowing your money on stupid stuff!

“If you insist, then. Have it your way. I can always fill it with new memories of my time with you...”

“Good! Then we can finally eat now! Our food’s gotten cold!”

What was up with him getting snippy all of a sudden? Oh well, at least now I can have my lunch! Why are you hanging your head like that, Mr. Fisalis?

Mr. Fisalis went back to the cottage to oversee the work, saying he wanted to give the directions himself. He asked me if I wanted to come along, but I politely turned him down.

“He didn’t have to go and remodel the cottage. Like, how much does he have to spend before he’s satisfied? What will happen if his family’s financial situation goes downhill? I’m sure that would never happen, but I still think he should consider his family before he acts.”

“...You seem to have a lot on your mind, Madam.”

“Did I say that all out loud? Wehhh.”

“You did.” Rohtas only roasted me with the utmost care. “There’s no need to worry about a minor expense like that plunging us into financial ruin...” he added, just as calmly.

“There isn’t? But still, I don’t think he should have decided to renovate the cottage all on his own.”

“He is the head of the family; therefore he can do as he pleases with the manor. He has already told his father that he’s welcome to stay in the cottage when he comes to visit.”

Was that Mr. Fisalis’ idea or his father’s? The work began very quickly, after all.

“I think I understand.” Please, do whatever you want.

Rohtas let out a soft chuckle at my defeated expression.

“Think of this as his way of atoning, and do with that what you will,” he followed up.

Rohtas may say it’s atonement, but I honestly don’t think all that highly of it. I can’t say I understand his logic, either, but I’ll let Mr. Fisalis go until he’s happy, like Rohtas suggested.