Ch.23 Concerning the Evening Party

Am I participating in the evening party? Not to boast, but I have set foot in the royal palace, and so forth, once at the time of the wedding. My parents, with minimum socialising visited several times, but they could not afford to bring me with them.

“Is it an, option?”

Maybe not understanding the meaning the Duke makes a taken-aback expression.

“Yes. I think in the first negotiation there was not talk about going out to social occasion”

I explain about the reason I said option. When the contents of the contract were explained, nothing was said about social events. I think, surely, it is an option [outside the contract].

It is a noble duke house, so it seems that there has been a lot of social and evening party invites so far. (Mimosa discussion).

But to those it seems he participated by taking Calendula with him (Dahlia discussion).

So this time I expected he would do the same as usual, but as he is still eating dinner here, I guess the Duke has not made peace with Calendula. Therefore him not inviting her to the evening party, equals taking me, probably.

In listening to the core of ‘Are you fighting or something with her?’ once and for all, I think there is something,

“U-mm, errr, are you not going with her?”

I gently try ask.

“Yes, well”

The Duke answers evasively

“Is she unwell?”

I try asking, getting to the core a little more,

“No, well, yeah. Something like that”

He answers, evasively, and furthermore, he does not meet my gaze. This is certainly fighting!

However thinking properly, this is a official evening party invitation from the royal family. It is not like a private meeting held at a noble household somewhere. It is a formal event, so would not  attending with Calendula be clumsy? Therefore those that think that the Duke reluctantly brought the conversation to me are right.

So the Duke’s evasive responses!

Well I have consented a little inside me, so I look up at the Duke staring straight at those dark beautiful eyes,

“Understood. When is it?”

I tightly nod.

“In two weeks time”

Maybe because he obtained my consent, the Duke, who had a flustered feeling up till now, his eye’s focus and meet mine. If it is in two weeks time, there is plenty of time. Eh? Plenty for what? It is plenty for deciding on various preparations! There will be interactions with young women who are predicted to be mainly set on being unkind. It is probably destiny? But well, that boohoo.

“Understood. Mimosa, is there a dress?”

Listening to the Duke’s reply I look over shoulder, I confirm with Mimosa who is in waiting there.

Because there are a lot of dresses that I have not yet even looked over in the clothing room wing! In accordance with what I originally declared, I frequently wear the same dresses that are simplistic and easy to wear. I carefully ignore the begrudged Mimosa’s looks. Of course my most favourite after all is said and done is the uniform.

“Yes, is it okay”

“Also a way of accessorizing?”

“Of course there is”

Mimosa nods smiling sweetly. It seems ‘fufufu~ I can dress her up without going easy~’ can be heard from Mimosa’s mind. I have become worried about what kind of special make-up she will apply.

The Duke silently listened to such an exchange of Mimosa and I but,

“No, this I say is unreasonable so let’s have a dress made new”

He proposes, furnished with a pleasant and sparkling smile.

Huhh? A new dress in addition? Although there is a great amount of new dresses?

Will I not be cursed to be a wasteful monster!!!

“No! That is unthinkable! There are many still like new dresses that have been prepared here, the dresses I received at the time of the marriage is like a mountain, so a new one would be wasteful!”

Moreover from looking at each and every dress, they are delicate and workmanship has been put it them, in short they are only high-class items using the highest grade fabrics! Although there are new articles, still a further one will be made new?!

This gap in money sense, it’s probably a big deep unfillable crevasse? Giving a sidelong glance to me, who became dumbfounded and protesting, Mimosa delightfully answers,

“Certainly. I will immediately arrange a dressmaker!”

I have never before seen Mimosa smile like this at following the Duke’s instructions!

I am in a daze at Mimosa’s sudden change,  in contrast, the Duke faces Mimosa, giving one satisfied nod, then this time he faces Dahlia in waiting on the other side,

“Having new jewellery made in addition to this would be good. Dahlia, please arrange this”

The Duke carelessly instructed.

“Certainly”

Dahlia also follows the instructions normally.

Nonono, wait a minute! but I don’t remember saying yeah?

“Eh, wai, wait a minute please! Because there is a lot of kinds of jewellery that has yet to be worn!

It is again a curse decision! Squandering I oppoーse!  Waste I oppoーse! Luxury is my opponentー!!

Those three people completely ignore impatient me, and talk about arrangements for merchants. Somehow the position is not reversed like usual? I feel like I have been left behind?

“Ah~[exasperation], I wonder why it is a evening party? I don’t need a new dress!  I rarely use jewellery!!”

I am more angry about this wastefulness than attending the evening party and so on. So this is the rich’s ordinary!

I wiggle on the couch in my room in a huff by myself my anger not being smoothed over.

“Companion-sama is constantly having dresses and jewellery made new, so it would be good if Mistress also does it without reserve! Rather it is good to pester even more”

Looking at Mimosa saying that, she is broadly grinning. Uh huh, is that a black smile?

“Is that so, you know this well”

“Very, it is information from the maid who accompanies Master”

Ooh. An information leak

“Well, the kind of bills also show it”

Dahlia also nonchalantly added. She is expressionless so she is ordinarily scary.

“Is, is that right. Did he always participate evening parties with her?”

I have often said it, but it has been 4 months since the wedding. During this there probably has been a dime a dozen evening parties and such held.

“Yes. However Master is busy with work related things, so even if he participated it was around 2, 3 times in a month”

As expected of Dahlia, as a head maid, she knows the Duke’s schedule very well.

“A evening parties at the royal palace? Did he participate in those with her as well?”

“Still there are social rules, so, so far he has participated alone. Besides evening parties at the royal palace, this time will be the first time after the wedding”

“Is that so”

I nonchalantly chime in with remarks to information I’ve heard for the first time, but there Dahlia and Mimosa came all the way over.

“So, let us make new a dress and jewellery, without fail”

“Let us”

Smile.

Dahlia and Mimosa’s full face smiles are SCARY. I almost fell off the couch at the tempo of their stepping back.