Ch.16 The Visit
A week after then.
We were very busy making preparations……but this was not the case, other than preparing the guest room for my parents-in-law’s visit and bringing a cot into my room, I spent my daily life as usual. There was no such thing as ‘Visitors are coming! We have to do an immense tidy up!!’. Because everyday, everyone, enjoyably cleans and decorates!
And then finally the appointed day of the visit.
In order to ‘Let us eat lunch together’ my parents-in-law’ arrival is planned for the afternoon, so in the morning I replaced the flowers in the mansion. They are flowers that I told Bellis to order and grow. They bloomed beautifully with great trouble, so I think they are perfect for hospitality.
As expected, today I cannot wander aimlessly in a servant’s uniform, so I wear an orange dress Mimosa has carefully selected. When I tried to do my usual habit of rolling up my sleeves I was scolded.
Ah, of course the Duke has not yet shown up? Surely at this time he is probably reluctantly parting. It would be disagreeable to be ‘kicked by a horse’ so my course of action is leave to it alone.
“I wonder with this the preparations are completed?”
The dining room table is also decorated with flowers, also Carthame is at this time in the kitchen and if the highly praised lunch is lined up it will be perfection! The preparations have been done to this point so I asked Mimosa.
“Yes, it is flawless! Now all there is to do, is to wait for their arrival.”
As soon a Mimosa finished saying this, the dining room door opens,
“Mistress, it seems the previous ducal couple has arrived.”
Lotus called out to us.
“Understood. Let’s hurry. We have to greet them.”
I put on a ‘OK-I will do my best-’ fighting spirit. The mission of the perfect wife has already begun!
Oh, I forgot the Duke.
“Lotus. The Duke is?”
I said, having left the dining room while going towards the entrance way at a quick pace.
“Just now a maid with the Duke has gone to call him”
As expected of Lotus, there is no oversight.
“If that’s the case that is excellent”
If you are late please give your own excuse~
Meeting the parents-in-law at the entrance way.
I have not met up with my parents-in-law since the wedding. I am a little nervous.
These parents-in-law. I heard they handed over the peerage to the Duke when he turned twenty and simultaneously left this mansion, after that, in the territory, the married couple are, with no outsiders present, spending their time all lovey dovey. (Conversation with Mimosa)
The Duke’s job is a knight and moreover he is an elite so he is sometimes busy, the management of the territory is wholly done by my father-in-law. (conversation with Lotus)
I drag that information out of the corner of my brain and revise them.
While doing this Lotus quietly opened the door to the entrance way.
And then I entered and……
“Well, Viola-chan! It’s been a long time! Have you been well?”
While smiling and laughing, my mother-in-law rushed over to me. Yeah, she has a beautiful youthful face that does not look like she is in her forties and furthermore has a twenty four year old son!
From the left open door light was flowing in, shining from her back, it is completely like a halo shining. Her beautiful golden hair glistens and dazzles my eyes, in comparison to outside and the slightly darker entrance way, I can see it slightly flickering. Well, that seems to not be the only reason. The Duke’s beautiful molding was handed over by this person. Admitting a glittery beautiful aura is good but, my plain manner is promoted, so I want to refrain from her coming very close.
“I have heard various stories from Lotus. It seems you are doing splendid”
A tall-statured gentleman with calm dark narrow laughing pupils, my father-in-law, enters at ease after my mother-in-law. [The Duke] got his stature and colouring from him. His slightly curly dark hair is neatly combed down, his figure is stylishly dressed in apparently well tailored clothes, he is even charming enough to promptly deceive young women. While embracing mother-in-law’s shoulder, getting close, he moreover seems like a sample of a gentleman.
I suffer from understanding how that (brute) son[1] was completed, from these two gentle people
……that quickly slipped out.
No, more than that mother-in-law’s words from before. What kind of ‘various’ is ‘various’? Was it a frank ‘various’ or was it a sugar-coated ‘various’, which one was it? I will have to carefully talk about this later!
Well, setting that aside, I have not also greeted.
“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, welcome. It has been a long time. By all rights it should have been me who came to you, I am very thankful for you coming all the way from afar.”
Hooray! I said my greeting without fumbling!! I kept a triumphant pose for sure in my heart but I couldn’t stop a smile of satisfaction.
In contrast to my satisfied smile, my father-in-law was smiling bitterly. Surely, if I continue more than this then I will certainly bite my tongue. I also want to avoid a bloody tragedy.
“That is right, isn’t it. Sorry.”
I obediently agreed to do as I usually do.
“Like that is good~! Because we are are roughly parents and child”
My mother-in-law also agreed.
“Very soon the lunch preparations will be put in order, so let us go to the dining room. Today Carthame has been in high spirits!”
I returned back to my usual tone without reservation, but when I thought to guide them to dining room and exchange a look with Lotus,
“Sorry for being late. I was taking a stroll in the garden for a short time”
Everyone looks back at that voice all at once, when the entrance way door is once again opened gallantly and the Duke enters.
……ah, I forgot this person.
Unconsciously careless, with my usual habit, I dispelled the Duke’s existence. Close callー. Right right, the maid went to go call him.
And, is that an excuse? ‘Liar’ can be heard penetrating into the minds of all the servants present!
“Is that so? It has also been a while since we last saw you.”
Ah, father-in-law, ignored the hello excuse!
“Yes, it was been a while”
The Duke just like father-in-law refreshing smile with narrowed eyes.
“You look well, it is good”
Mother-in-law is also smiling with delight. These two people of similar beauty lined up, is a sight for sore eyes! [T/N: seeing something beautiful or precious] for a mediocre girl like me, I am just a smidgin jealous. There is so much glittering, I wonder should I try wearing sunglasses.
However, it is not the case, it is a deeply emotional reunion. Ah, I do not feel moved at all.
“Everyone, it seems the lunch preparations have been setup,”
Lotus cut in with clever timing.
Authors note:
Thank you fo today as well（*＾－＾*）
The Duke, his existence is weak of course……
T/N:
[1] ‘son’ and ‘brute’ here are one word in the original, using the kanji to mean ‘brute’ and the reading of the kanji to mean ‘son’.