Ch.40 Visitors Again

The first tea party ended successfully,

“Another time please by all means come to my house!!”

With these unanimous words, the ladies returned home in good humour.

At once the feeling of my mentality having completely splintered and fallen was intense so, for tidying up I am allowed to hurriedly retire to my room.

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I am in my usual home position of diving into the soft and comfortable couch.

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“When did I end up becoming a neat and sweet, madam~?!”

I writhe in embarrassment while I grip a nearby cushion close.

“Well, Mistress. That is not incorrect,” Mimosa watches over me, who is cowering, with a smile.

“How can I have the nerve to participate in parties and the like in high society anymore? I am  too embarrassed! I will return to being a shut-in again like I have until now!”

My face is buried in the cushion, my head (face) is hidden but my bottom is sticking out.

“However it seems that will be difficult,”  Dahlia says to such a me, lowering her eyebrows apologetically. Good gracious, what could be difficult? I lift my face from the cushion and blink several times at Dahlia who is saying strange things.

“Why?”

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“Yes. Party and tea party invitations will steadily be delivered more than recently.”

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What.

“NO~~~~~!!!!”

I thought it would be the reverse. In contrast to me who is greatly perplexed Dahlia states the truth with a faint smile.

“It seems Mistress’s status in high society has risen rapidly, since the evening party the other day. Not just because of that awakening of the Duke’s, more than that, it seems that Mistress’s own charms are being very praised……”

What.

“NO~~~~~!!!!”

Please do not say anymore? Because I will really end up having a out-of-body experience!

I cover my face with a cushion and, cover my ears. Please do not speak of the dark history in front of everybody?!

“There there, Mistress. It is not necessary to participate in all of them.”

“Really?”

Dahlia says with a gentle tone of voice and rubs my back like she is soothing me who is greatly disturbed.

“Yes. Because not all of them will be only invitations from entirely good intentions. In exchange with even just a friendship with Physalis you gain prestige in society so, there are also families who are aiming for that.”

She is speaking with a gentle tone but, the contents of what she is saying are frightening.

Scary! High society is scary! Until now because I was a declining aristocrat, I was completely left out from such a muddy high society so it was quiet. For the super first-class there are super first-class hardships.

Despite being on the couch, I unintentionally slide back and my cheeks twitch.

“Mistress you do not have to be so worried! Because it will be properly dealt with by Lotus and I,”  she says with a dazzling smile to me who is spooked at hearing the behind the scenes of high society. To the side of Dahlia, Mimosa is also vigorously nodding and, is smiling in a similar way.

What will be dealt with how? ……no, I cannot interfere with nice smiling faces of Dahlia and Mimosa. Uh huh. It’s okay. They are extremely reassuring wicked smiling faces!

“……thanks. I will rely on you.”

Aah, I will be protected by everyone!

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In the meantime, one of the Duke’s attending maids turns up to notify of the Duke’s return home.

“Excuse me Mistress. The Duke has returned”

“Aah, is it already that time?”

It is not the situation to be struggling with such things as the scary high society and my dark history. Today I had a tea party so as such I am dressed up so I do not have to get changed but, I was idling on the couch so my dress is quite dishevelled. I hurriedly get up from the couch and, I am fixing and grooming the wrinkled dress when,

“Umm~. Still more… there are visitors……”

The maid hesitantly advises with upturned eyes.

“Oh, who is it?” Dahlia asks the maid with her usual stern head-maid face,

“They are the Duke’s coworkers”, The maid returns to her normal serious work face and answers.

“Coworkers… so that means, knights?” I ask the maid while Mimosa fixes my clothing.

“That is right. They are from the special duty division.”

“Oh~! We have to hurry at once. ……thanks, Mimosa. Now, let’s go”

Mimosa rapidly fixes me up as far as makeup, and I hurry to the entrance way. However what is this? It is the first time the Duke has brought friends over.

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“Welcome home, Duke!”

I go towards the entrance way in a half run.

As always the Duke is talking with Lotus but, today,

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“Hello~ Madam!!”

“Excuse us for disturbing you~!”

“Wa! She is really a pretty person!”

“Uo~, she genuinely is~!”

“She is a dreamlike Madame~!!”

“Kyaa~, she is a beautiful person~!!”

There is a noisy crowd of people talking. Exactly how many people did he bring along? I mean, what is a ‘dreamlike madam’?! ……*cough* I have become unsettled.

In the normally peaceful entrance way, there are people wearing the knights uniform being noisy. No sooner than I show appearance in the entrance way, the knights surround me. How many people are there? There are also women.

“Uh, umm~!”

Wai, …  d o n o t  c r u s h m e !!

I am tall and thin but, I am surrounded by knights with better statures and builds than me and I have no way out!!

I am panicking when,

“Hey!! Do not swarm Viola!”

Saying this the Duke pulls me towards himself by my shoulder with a jerk and rescues me from the encircling net.

Ho. I’m saved.

“Wel… welcome back Duke! This is also very well-attended……”

I say welcome back again while looking up at his nearby beautiful face mixed with a wry smile,

“I am sorry it is without warning. They said they must come no matter what and would not listen…… They are my subordinates from the special duty division.”

The Duke is weary.

“Oh, is that so? Then we must show hospitality,” I say while looking out over the faces of the knights and, everyone’s whole face is smiling and they are nodding every moment. This feeling of being looked at with judgy eyes, is my persecution complex, right?

“No, it is okay to give them alcohol and drinking snacks instead,” The Duke gazes with half-open-eyes at the these knights.

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“Huh~!? Leader is cruel~!!”

“Madam is an angel~!”

“Blow it up~!”

Wow, it is a storm of booing.

Well, for now I peel off the Duke’s hand that has been tightly embracing my shoulders *rip*,

“That’s not going to happen. They are people who assist the Duke so we will courteously show hospitality! Everyone, please wait just a minute in the salon. Rosa, please lead everyone to the salon.”

“Yes, Mistress,” I give out directions to one of the Duke’s nearby attending maids.

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Immediately there is a huddle after the Duke and the knights are driven from the entrance way.

“Lotus, how many people were there in total?”

“Altogether there is 15.”

“As I thought! Thanks. Well then, please request Carthame to prepare the meal. To buy time something like hors d’oeuvres will be fine! Ah, also plenty of alcohol.”

“Certainly.”

As soon as I say this Lotus hurries to the kitchen. To see him off are the next instructions.

“Dahlia has arranged the maids but, today please send around some people to the salon as well.”

“Understood. I will also immediately prepare some tea.”

“Thanks!” saying this, Dahlia disappears in the direction of the servant dining room.

“Mimosa and I and, afterwards with the helpers from Dahlia, will show hospitality,”

I instruct the left-over Mimosa.

“Certainly.”