16 — Good News

16 — Good News

Mimosa was sick in bed, but thanks to the latent talents of her Spa Squad, I was able to transform into an elegant duchess. I would be able to go to the party, after all.

“Whoaaa! They made me look like... me!” I exclaimed, looking at myself in the mirror in awe.

“It’s not all that different from how you normally look, is it? But this is you at your most ‘you,’” Dahlia said with a smile—but it had to have just been flattery, right?

Anyhow, I was ready to go out!

“Since we have some time, I think I’ll stop to see Mimosa and show her how I look before I go. Would that be alright?” I asked Dahlia, hoping that being able to see the fruit of her detailed notes might make Mimosa feel better.

“That should be fine,” she agreed. “We still do have a bit of time to spare... Oh, Madam.”

“Yes?”

“About Mimosa...”

“Did the physician come to see her?”

“Yes. He came while you were getting ready. He suggested that it might be morning sickness.”

“M-Morning sickness?! Really?” That means... “Mimosa is pregnant?! Ohmygosh ohmygosh!” Ahem. I really ought to have controlled my emotions better.

“Indeed,” Dahlia replied, unfazed by my flailing. Her face softened, though! I saw it! She’s happy, too!

“I’m so happy! We should do something to celebrate! If only I didn’t have to go to the party, I could do something special with everyone here!”

“You are going to the party!”

“Darn it. It was worth a shot,” I pouted.

“We will have to have a little discussion, later...” she finally said with a stern smile.

According to Dahlia, there would be many more days when Mimosa wouldn’t feel well, and she wouldn’t be able to attend to me consistently. Normally, a woman would rest at her parents’ home. But Mimosa’s parents were commoners who ran a tailoring business, and since their business was doing quite well, they would likely be busy running the shop, and Mimosa wouldn’t be able to rest.

“If she can’t rest at her parents’ house, can’t she just stay here at the estate? She has a place to sleep, she gets three meals everyday, and she can distract herself with appropriate work, depending on how she’s feeling. And should she take a turn for the worst, she won’t have to worry because we have a physician on call.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Madam. Mimosa will be grateful to hear that you said she may stay.” Dahlia breathed a sigh of relief. I guess she had been worried about Mimosa, too.

“We can check on her when we go to show her your dress and hair.”

“Sure!”

And so the two of us headed up to Mimosa’s room on the third floor, where all the servants stayed. When we knocked on the door to the room she shared with Bellis, Bellis’ voice answered.

He opened the door quietly to reveal Mimosa lying in bed. Bellis perched himself on an almost comically small chair next to the bed. He looked less like a concerned husband and more like a bodyguard. Like if someone so much as looked at Mimosa the wrong way, he would rain icy hellfire down on them. Er, okay, maybe I’m overthinking it.

“How are you feeling, Mimosa?” I asked, poking my head through the door.

“Oh! Goodness!” I must have startled her. “You didn’t need to come all the way up here, Madam.” She tried to sit up, but Bellis quickly stopped her.

“Sorry for surprising you. You don’t have to get up; I’ll come over to you. I came to show you how my look turned out. So, what do you think?” I did a little whirl to show her the full extent of my transformation.

“You look absolutely stunning! Nnnrgh, I wish I could have done it myself!” Mimosa replied, eyes sparkling as she bit the corner of her quilt in frustration. I knew she’d like it! I felt my face turn warm seeing her like that while knowing what Dahlia had told me.

“So, do you think I’m set to go to the party?”

“But of course! You’ll be the prettiest one there!” All right, I got her seal of approval.

“It’s a shame you couldn’t help me this time, but I’m excited for you to be able to for the next party. So, um, I hope your morning sickness goes away quickly!”

“M-Madam...” Now it was Mimosa’s turn to blush. It must have been a little hard on her to have cycled through so many emotions in the short time I had been in her room.

“Oh ho ho, I heard all about it, Mimosa! Congrats! On that topic, personally, I’d like you to stay here with me, but what is it that you want to do? Would you like to go to your parents’ house?” I asked her, thinking back to what Dahlia had said.

“I’d like to stay here, too, but...” her mood suddenly turned gloomy, and she looked down at her hands as they tightly gripped her quilt. She’s really not feeling talkative today, huh?

“Well, then I’d like you to stay. Even if you’re just as my companion. That way you wouldn’t overexert yourself.”

“You really mean it?!” Mimosa sat up, her face aglow with joy.

...And at the very same moment, I felt an icy cold stare shoot through me. When I nervously turned to the source of said dagger-like stare, I swear I saw blue flames flickering in Bellis’ eyes and felt an aura like a blizzard billowing off of him and his little chair. Oh, jeez, there I was, making her overexert herself.

“Of-Of course!” I assured her, as the arctic chill seemed to seep through my clothes and into my very bones. “And, uh, I can always ask another maid to be my gardening buddy! And another to do my hair and makeup when I need it done in a rush! You won’t have to lift a finger, I promise! Ah ha ha ha!” Oh, gosh, I hope he doesn’t need any more convincing.

“That sounds reasonable,” Bellis said, his voice a low grumble.

“Er, well, we can talk about it more when I get back. I have to get going now, off to the Royal Palace...”

“Try to have a good time, Madam! I know you’ll be fine! I’ll be waiting!”

After we all said our goodbyes, I saw myself down to the entryway, ready to go to the Royal Palace.