Chapter 20 - Awkward Dinner (1/2)

Mimosa and I hurriedly pursue the Duke and go towards the reception room, but oh dear! I wonder, what would be good conversation to make? I am not skillful in social interactions and I cannot imagine being able to fill the silent spaces~ Aah, I shouldn’t have sent Lotus to be a messenger. About now I’m regretting that!

It is not just us who are rushing down the corridor. The inside mansion servants are extremely  secretive and making a commotion. They are always together so it seems they know. Everyone is very flustered~. Because the Duke who wasn’t supposed to come back, came back!

The Duke is already at home on a couch in the reception room. Ah~again, how far am I supposed to tie the situation together? I feel uneasy.

“I have kept you waiting. Aah, I will make some tea”

“Yes. Please do”

First of all hospitality number 1, let us drink delicious tea. I think with this I will stall and yet,

“Mistress, I will do it”

Mimosa said smiling snatching away the tea utensils from my hand. What? Mimosa insists on me immediately going into personal combat with the Duke!?

“……please”

But making tea is essentially a maids job. I hand them over tearfully. Mmm~ is there possibly something besides this to prepare? That’s right, that’s right, hospitality number 2, eating delicious confectionery!

“Well then, I will prepare the tea cakes……”

I think of something good, and immediately go to return,

“I will do that as well”

Mimosa cut me down with a big smile. A~Ah

“……well, please”

I cannot let the disappointment show on my face. I stop the useless resistance, and with only a slightly stiff smile, and like the other day, I sit on a couch diagonal to the Duke.

However, my worry ended in absurd fear. Because, while the tea could not be prepared, Lotus called us to come! Well, relatively seriously, today I can see a halo shining on Lotus. Not just Lotus. Everyday the servants work harmoniously in high spirits with me, but of course they servants only the ruling power duke house could have, when it’s important their true strength is amazing~ I have fallen love with them!

We move to the main dining, arriving at one’s own seat.

The Duke is in the so-called birthday seat. He is seated in a seat of high distinction.. I am sitting in a relatively humble position. Well, thank goodness the main dining room is big~!  At first I thought ‘what is this uselessly big dining room table’, but now I feel grateful as long as my position is far from the Duke’s.

“What did you do today?

The end dessert was finally carried in, the Duke asked me a question. Hm? What have we been talking about until then? Until then we only talked about harmless and inoffensive things like ‘this is ‘delicious’ or ‘is this also local cuisine?’! The natural conversation is about cooking and enjoyment while cooking. Carthame and those servants under him understand this so they took the situation into consideration and made the smart move of working out the cooking and the gap between dishes to be brought in bit by bit. It’s like~ when I finish eating I am waiting for the next dish in high spirits? It is quite a~ doggy like dinner[1].

As expected the Duke made a dubious face, but I pretend not to notice and keep eating intently.

And it became the dessert part and the finally the Duke’s words from before.

“Today?”

“Yes”

“Today’s weather was very nice, so I went for a walk in the garden, had a afternoon nap. I also ate lunch on the terrace!”

Umm, I sugarcoat in various ways. Going to the garden is the truth, but I slipped in with Bellis and all the gardeners and did things like pull out weeds. The weather was good so as to not get sunburnt, while I did it Mimosa nervously stuck to me with a parasol. As a result everyone had a cooked picnic, I was tired so I indulged in slumber on the terrace.

A place I made pretty, with my favourite flowers growing is a fun thing, a fun thing!  ……ah, I cannot say this to the Duke.

Ah~, thinking about things like wondering if those flowers will bloom soon, I unintentionally [sweetly] smile.

“It sounds fun above all. The garden, has completely changed”

My smile is probably strange, I am steadily-like watched and properly meet in the eyes. Moreover a glittery smile is attached.

“That is right. Because Bellis has helped me improve it in various ways”

However listening to my speech, immediately that glittery smile is put away.

“Hmm. is that so?”

Oh?. a somewhat indifferent reply while shaking. Ah, he politely brought up the subject! So he did it to broaden the conversation. Sorry, I wasn’t tactful in various ways.

After that the Duke silently drank the after-meal tea. His long legs are crossed, him leaning his back on a chair relaxed truly makes a picture.