Chapter 37 - Socialising is a Aristocrat’s Job (2/2)

I am wearing a slightly calm violet dress. Again it is a gem of all the haute couture madame and Mimosa’s might. This is also a design that more than covers my flat chest. It switches up below the chest, the silhouette elegantly drapes out, the design is already at the level of worship, madame!

It is the wish of the Duke, who is escorting me next door, to be ‘a perfect pair this time again’ but, there I do my best to avoid him and, I do not commit myself to the technique of matching our colours everywhere.

We turn towards the assembly hall of the evening party, after giving our greetings to the host of tonight, the married couple of the Argentea family, and to their sons, the Duke’s childhood friends. Tonight also, I am ready just in case I am faced with the false charge ‘someone like you!’. Come at me anytime!

When we tread one step into the assembly, at once everyone’s gazes fly over the Duke and I. Ah~seriously, you are burning with your gazes so~please~stop~!

However as if maybe dodging my readiness, I am broken by dance invitations from gentlemen regardless of age.

“Duchess today you are also beautiful. Well, will you dance one song with me?” and,

Women’s group invitations from a bunch of madams.

“Leave the men alone and come chat with us.”

For the time being, with the mind of ‘this is socialising, this is a aristocrat’s job’, to every invitation I answer “with pleasure” and smile sweetly!

While I am working hard at my socialising job, it seems the Duke is also busy dancing and chatting while also tentatively watching over with me with a anxious gaze.

I am dancing with intense concentration, ‘don’t make a wrong step’, ‘don’t miss a beat’ when,

“However, Duchess you are skilled at dancing”

My gentleman partner praises me. Um, can you not talk to me too much? Because I will take the wrong step!

“Is that so? Am I not frantic with not making mistakes?”

This is serious. Things like chatting while dance, for me this is a fairly high class skill. Because it is at the level of doing things like not letting the recent smiling mask pasted on at length to come unstuck!

“That is not the case. There is no one who is handling dancing so easily with such composure,” says this partner, smiling. Sorry, I forgot his name.

“It is very kind of you to give your praise,” I hide my eyes and feeling slightly awkward like I show shyness.

“Most likely you have learnt from a good dance teacher”

“Yes, a demon……”

“Demon?!”

“No, it is nothing! Ohohohoho~ He is a extremely good teacher!”

“Right.”

Dangerous, dangerous. ‘Demon coach’ or the likes of that slipped out.

I cover my verbal slip with a laugh and, afterwards I am able to safely finish dancing while talking harmlessly. Let’s be careful.

In the women’s groups with the madams, it is only people who seem are not too different in age to my mother, it is now more of a ‘ladies group’ than a ‘women’s group’. Everyone is kind but, what should I say? Is it a generation gap? The conversations don’t meet? Because they like gardening but it is only as far as bonsai trees, I do not yet have a desire for that yet!

I casually take a glass to moisten my dry throat and I am drinking, with my mind flying off somewhere when,

“Mistress, your conduct is very pretty.”

My actions are praised by a countess from such-and-such a place (I cannot remember her name).

“Is that so?”

I do not remember doing such praiseworthy like things so I look slightly doubtful.

“Yes, Mistress your conduct is very elegant in its entirety! It is to the extent of wanting my daughter to also follow your example,” so-and-so marchioness (similar to before) also declares her thoughts of agreement and, gives a big nod.

“Undoubtedly it has assuredly been firmly attached to your body,” says the countess again. It has been attached to my body or perhaps I should say, it has been driven in……

Anyway the harvest of today’s evening party. It has been confirmed that the ‘rainy day customs’ in their entirety have not been pointless. I must respect the servants! Yeah, it is good I listened to everyone’s words! I will follow them from now also!

While doing this and that I interject my aidzuchi[1] into the madams’ conversation when,

“Viola, it has been a while!”

My name is called from behind me with a voice like a nice bright bell passing by. Oh? I have a memory of hearing this voice? I turn my head back while thinking this and, there is Iris from the Sanguinea marquee house, who I was acquainted with at several intervals at the evening party last time, narrowing her almond eyes in delight.

Today also she has a lovely baby blue fluttering dress. Uh huh, she is not different from my impression of her the other day!

“Well, Iris. how do you do? ……everyone, please excuse me for a little while.”

After I excuse myself from the ‘ladies group’ with a single word, I go towards Iris’s spot.

T/N: [1] 相槌 – aidzuchi speech used when listening to a person speak in Japanese to “show” you are “listening” (not necessarily understanding), it is mostly things like ‘yes’ ‘uh huh’ etc.