With a begging attack that is completely out of character, I forcibly join the maids during meals.
But it is a little earlier than mistress’s usual meal time……
To the apologetic Dahlia, I return a ‘I-say-it’s-impossible-so-give-up’ face, and with that to the servant dining room I GO[1] full of smiles☆ I don’t mind if it’s earlier or later! If I am not alone, it’s fine.
Here’s a bit about the duke’s housemaids.
There are fifteen maids in total. The two head maids, Dahlia and Mimosa, are exclusive to me and there are six with the Duke[2]. Those six provide assistance to the Duke, and his lover, Calendula, in groups of three, alternating every other day. The remaining seven are to attend any children born from here on out (but they won’t be my children~☆) and for when visitors come to visit. When there are no maid-like jobs, the maids do things like the laundry and cleaning together with the other servants. They take meals half at a time on a shift system because if they all came at one time, when they eat, there could be problems. It seems the shift changes according to the day. Lotus and Dahlia decide on it.
The above, is what Dahlia told me.
Even though I do not eat a formal meal, at the detached house my husband and Calendula eat proper meals, so the ingredients supplied are all splendid. They are all things that could not easily be seen at my parent’s home. To supply them was a luxury!! Even if they were supplied we wouldn’t have been comfortable with it.
The soup is the same as the one sent to the masters so, (although there are lots of delicious ways to make it), naturally it is wonderful. The bread is also the same. The salad also, with the exception of soft spots, while saying that, there are no complaints. Later today it will be scrambled eggs accompanied by bacon.
I’m eating this with the maids, whilst everyone is making a din! Aaa, happiness! This delicious food seems even more delicious!!
Everyone, good morning. From today I will be joining you. Your graciousness is sufficient so please do as you usually do
They allow me into the servants area, so before I sit down I gave my greetings,
Certainly, Mistress!
Everyone, aren’t you totally not doing as you always do? Well, that is natural. Because the mistress of the house, me, is suddenly here, in this sort of place.
I am sorry. In my selfishness I intruded on everyone’s precious relaxation time. I really desire that you pay no attention to me. If possible I do not even want to be referred to as Mistress……
I say, feeling despondent.
That’s not the case! Because everyone is grateful to eat with Mistress!
Said one of the Duke’s maids in hot haste.
That is right! Mistress never comes to this kind of a place so we are just surprised
It is right after you coming yesterday so we are still nervous
Other maids also unanimously say. I looked at the maids and it seems to be their true feelings. It seems everyone are just good people by nature.
Thank you. so, let’s eat
Yes
Well, I thought it would be better if they opened up more. If possible I would like to be called
Vii
but that is impossible, right?☆
The maids are all young people, so in the end they quickly opened up. Although everyone is older than me.
Finishing breakfast, I return to my room but today I also have nothing to do.
I finished writing the thank-you letters yesterday.
Hmmm. In what way should I pass today?
I stand alone in a daunting pose when,
Dahlia said, while making tea,
Allow me to show you around the estate today
Aah, that would be pleasant! The estate is very large and beautiful, right!
That will be real house exploration right?! Towards the, so to speak, ‘taking a peek’ into another person’s house, I’m thrilled, even I know that my eyes are sparkling. Aaa, but why don’t I have any consciousness of it now being ‘our house’!
The mansion, built in a U-shape, is a imposing stone building. Nantoca style[3] and so on, built by a M-era head of house and so on. I have absolutely no interest in those incantation like words, so they go straight through my ears. Sorry, Dahlia.
But the style of having been built in the previous M-era can’t be seen, it is a beautiful estate that has been reliably maintained. As for my parent’s home even if they wanted to maintain it they can’t because of the lack money, it is one step away from a dilapidated house. Uu (T/N: sniff/whine) . They cannot even be compared.
While walking down a long corridor
The first floor is roughly a public space
Is that so?
While ascending a stairway
The second floor is the duke family’s private spaces
That’s so, isn’t it. My room is also on the second floor
The third floor is the servant dwellings
How do you go to the third floor?
The main stairway only goes up to two floors.
At the end of the U-shape, there is a stairway exclusively dedicated for all the servants, we use that
I see, I see
I was guided through every nook and corner of the mansion while receiving explanations.
The very large and imposing mansion, is polished to a sparkle everywhere, the servant’s excellent work is acutely conveyed.
Somehow or another it’s desolate
While taking a rest standing alone in my room, after having received a tour of the mansion from start to end, my thoughts leaked out.
It’s too sparkling and beautiful. There is not, how should I put it, any feeling of life.
Oh!……Mistress feels it is like that
said Dahlia who, after slightly opening her eyes, hastily lowered her eyes with a frown on her face.
Ah! No, um, that is, it is very beautiful and I very much felt everyone’s effort to keep it beautiful!
I argue vehemently to such an altered Dahlia. It is just desolate, I am not criticising, I am not criticising, I am not criticising~~~!! It slipped out!!
I gloss over it with teary eyes when,
No, it really is. For so many years there was no mistress, of course the flowers have disappeared. It has been an estate just for existing, for many years, the master has also lived in the detached building, so here has become the desolate one
said Dahlia while sighing, fuu (T/N: fuu = sound of sighing).
Certainly, the house where the master does not live would become unlively.
Well then, if I can liven things up it would be good. I cannot let Dahlia make such a gloomy facial expression!
It’s okay! Because after this I will revive the mansion!
Oh! mistress!
She, taken aback, lifted her frowning face and looked at me.
If I did the cleaning and decorating with everyone it would be sure fun
……eh? Cleaning? ……Mistress will?
Yes! Cleaning and laundry and decoration!
Th, that is a different course of action that……
said Dahlia suddenly confused. Eh? Why? You also want to do the cleaning?
While I tilting my head, I stare at Dahlia then,
Oh, well. In a area that can be done……
She said with face like she had given up on something☆
Authors note:
Thank you for today as well（＾－＾）
For Viola who loved in such a non spacious house, with 5 family members crowded together, the Duke household is too spacious☆ if there is nothing to do then invent something for yourself!
T/N:
[1]: This is in english in the raws ﾍ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾍ)
[2]: The word she and the servants use to address Duke Cercis is
旦那様
, which can mean ‘husband’ or ‘master’ this works for the servants but for Viola ‘my husband’ seemed to personal in English for their relationship so I went with
the Duke
with a capital ‘D’ when she talks about him.
[3]: Nantoca style here is referring to ‘Queen Anne style’ (according to one Japanese article I found).
