18 — Let’s Go Home

So, it was not a letter of divorce that I received from Mr. Fisalis, but a pardon; I was finally able to clear my mind and, moreover, completely refill my tank so to speak, thanks to some relaxation at my parents’ house. Naturally, I was able to reduce the effects of my earlier sleep deprivation, too. My old, slightly hard (but don’t call it cheap!) bed was very relaxing. I didn’t sleep in it all those years for nothing. I ended up sleeping so deeply that I didn’t even dream.

What calmed me down the most, though, was being able to spend time with my adorable little siblings and talk with Mother. Well, I didn’t want to make her worry too much, so I kind of glossed over some things. Especially the parts about Calendula.

In short, I made a full recovery!

I had a happy dinner with my family (minus Father) and the family servants plus Mimosa, and then we enjoyed some after-dinner tea in the living room. Although... Mr. Fisalis hadn’t come to get me yet, even though he had promised he would.

Given how eager he was to get me home yesterday, I thought for sure that he’d leave work early, but maybe something is keeping him.

“I’m so glad that everyone at the Fisalis manor is so kind to me. I don’t know what I’d do if they bullied me for coming from a poorer family.”

“Your etiquette is terrible, so I kept worrying you’d be off making dumb mistakes and just causing trouble for everyone. I’m relieved that’s not the case,” Mother smiled. Oh, Mother, it’s just like you to slide in random jabs at me! It stings quite a bit, but I’m just gonna ignore that.

“It really is quite the manor, though, it’s so big and grand—oh, I know! Next time you and Father can come over to visit!”

“Is this our formal invitation? We’d love to!”

“I wanna go too!” cried Thistle, raising his hand.

“Me too!” agreed Freesia.

“I’ll have to ask Mr. Fisalis first, of course. The gardens there are so expansive you could get lost in them! Mimosa’s husband is the head gardener, and he’s great at his job and handsome to boot! He does have kind of a scary face, though.”

“And that’s Mr. Bellis, right?”

“Huh!? You know Bellis, Mother?” I asked, unable to hide my surprise.

How do you know the Demon King of the Orangery, Mother!?

“Know him? He came to take care of our garden! That Bellis!” said my mother, looking at Mimosa as if to say, ‘isn’t that right?’

This was the first time I’d had heard about any of this, though, so I looked at Mimosa too and asked, “Is that true?”

“It certainly is,” she smiled back, proudly gushing about her husband. I could understand where she was coming from, though. The way my parents’ garden had been so utterly transformed could be the work of no one else but Bellis!

“That explains how the garden looks so wonderful and sophisticated now! Just what I’d expect from him. Making a proper garden out of a patch of wildflowers and grass. What sort of strange powers must he...”

“He doesn’t use magic, Madam,” said Mimosa, staring at me like I was delusional. Guess that’s her way of saying, ‘keep your weird ideas away from my hubby.’

“Of course not,” I said, breaking eye contact with her, and shattering the image in my mind of a brooding gentleman in a jet black cloak that rippled around his legs in the wind as he gazed over a little garden overrun with weeds... Yeah, stopping there. Silly me, of course Bellis doesn’t have magical gardening powers! Gardening is a skill; it just takes someone with a green thumb and man power!

“...Ahem. Still, I can’t thank Mr. Fisalis enough for fixing up the family house, even though I had no idea he was doing so!”

He might be a duke, but to my family he was more like a savior, repaying their loan and fixing their house. Of course, I had known about the loan since it was in our contract, but having found out that he had gone so far as to repair the house, my opinion of him shot up like stock prices in a bull market.

“You’re right about that, Viola, so make sure you tell him thank you for us!”

“I will!” It’s not like I didn’t do everything else for you growing up—the cleaning, the laundry, the housework, looking after the kids.

Although I had resolved myself internally, Mother felt the need to give me one more little stab through the heart—I mean, a reminder.

“Please don’t break anything else, dear. Don’t make mistakes that we’d have to pay for.” She was smiling, but not in a happy way.

“...I won’t.” O Mother, prithee, cease thy deadly barbs, I couldn’t help but think.

Just then, Orchis cut short our conversation with such perfect timing I would have thought he planned it.

“Miss Viola, Duke Fisalis has arrived.”

I shot up from my chair. Orchis then led me to the living room where Mr. Fisalis was waiting. Judging from how he was dressed in tidy civilian clothes rather than his uniform, just like yesterday, I wagered that it had been Rohtas who had held him back. And considering what time it is, he’s probably already finished dinner, too.

Acting just as impulsive as earlier, when I blurted out how indebted I was to him in front of my whole family, I bolted over.

“I’m so sorry to make you come all the way out here again like this, Mr. Fisalis!” Argh, he looks like he’s surrounded by a halo of light today—even more than usual! It’s completely burning through my own twenty-dollar smile

First he looked surprised to see me act that way, but then his shock turned to wonder, soon followed by a soft smile.

“Did you have a relaxing time, Viola?” he asked, taking my hand that I spontaneously held out to him.

“I did, thank you! I’m feeling much better, all thanks to you!”

“I’m glad to hear it. Maybe you should visit your family now and again. Anyway, shall we get going?”

He pulled me toward him until the distance between us was next. to. nothing. When I looked up at him (he’s sooo much taller than me!), he gazed deeply into my eyes with an even softer smile, making my heart skip a beat.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what am I doing? I might have run over to him, yes, but since when do I get all worked up over just a little bit of intimacy? We had been physically close before—I’d had him practically glued to my hip—so why was I reacting like this? I realized I was blushing.

Unable to understand this inner turmoil, I pulled my hand back and casually made some space between myself and Mr. Fisalis, while suggesting, “Why don’t you have some tea?” and motioning towards the sofa.

“No, I’m fine. I’m already late in coming to get you, since I was slow to leave. I’ll have some next time,” he declined good-naturedly.

I was pretty sure his being held up at work and coming home late was connected to the servants experiencing an increase in work, so I meekly said, “Sure,” and nodded.

I’d come empty-handed for the most part, so once Mimosa had gathered my personal effects, I’d be ready to leave. She had everything ready, my belongings in her arms, and was waiting behind me in mere moments.

“I’m sorry to leave you in such a hurry like this, Madam Euphorbia. Please do come visit us next time.”

“I look forward to doing so.”

Mr. Fisalis and Mother exchanged goodbyes as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders to escort me out. His elegant farewell to her, complete with his typical gleaming smile, was an enchanting sight to behold. I couldn’t help but stare in fascination.

“Thank you for thinking of repairing my parents’ house. I had no idea you’d done that, so apologies for the late thank-you,” I told Mr. Fisalis as soon as the carriage pulled away, my family and their servants waving goodbye as we left. “The loan was part of the contract from the start, but I didn’t know you’d repair the house, too.”

When I looked at his handsome face across from me in the carriage, he seemed a little surprised.

“Mr. Fisalis?”

“Oh, er, sorry.”

“What’s the matter?”

You’re just too proud to say that you paid to fix my parents’ house out-of-pocket, is that it? If that’s the reason, then I take back my earlier thank-you’s.

“Well, no, I hadn’t planned to... How do I put it? It was an easy decision to make when I realized it would make you happy,” he replied with a strange smile.

Okay then.

Is it just me, or does he smile like a blooming flower at even the slightest bit of praise these days? I had always thought those sorts of expressions were kind of embarrassing on men, but when this guy smiles, I can practically see the flower petals drifting around him. That doesn’t happen when I smile... is where my mind wandered to.

His response was suspiciously vague. Then again, what it cost to fix the house was probably pennies to him. But me being me, since it had made my family very happy, I decided to pass on their gratitude.

“My whole family is very pleased. I can’t thank you enough!”

“Oh?” He gave another faint smile before quickly redirecting his gaze out the window in silence.

He was in such a good mood a few minutes ago; what happened? I just don’t understand men. Maybe he had a rough day at work, so he’s worn out now. I’ll be quiet too, then.

Mr. Fisalis usually had a lot to talk about, but now that he didn’t, it was dead silent. The only sound was of the wheels rolling heavily over the ground.

I guess I’ll just look out my window, as well.