CH 99

CHAPTER 99: INVITATION TO A BALL

In the end, Wilhelm-sama did not come back until late at night.

The following day, we could not talk for long at breakfast before he left for the garrison. Our only conversation went as such: “Good morning”, “Good morning, Carol. Well then, I will be going”, “Y-Yes.”

I knew he was busy, but was this not too much?

「……」

Ha~a, I breathed a small sigh.

Natalia was mostly finished cleaning the manor, and Mary did the laundry well. The maintenance of the garden was also nearly finished. As for making the meals, Natalia and Mary were enough for now without the need to hire a professional cook.

Or perhaps I could call over a cook from the ducal house who was training under Chris. If it was Chris’s apprentice, they should have inherited Chris’s palate.

I flopped down on the table while thinking so.

Fine, to be honest.

I was dissatisfied.

「……work, work」

「U-Um, Ojou-sama? 」

「……Nothing」

I stuck out my lips in a pout.

Was a wife this neglected? We must be more lovey-dovey……umm, so……was there no way to be lovey-dovey?

Like giving a kiss when I send him off on his way to work.

……imagining it was very embarrassing.

Mary was somehow puzzled at my strange actions.

「Pardon my intrusion, Ojou-sama」

「……Natalia? 」

After knocking, Natalia came in with a bow.

Today, Mary was the one waiting on me, and Natalia took care of miscellaneous duties such as cooking and cleaning. It seemed the only time we could talk together was every other day. When one of them was on a day off, the other had to do both duties, so they were quite busy. I needed to hire another person as soon as possible.

「Ojou-sama has a guest」

「Guest……? Oh, could it be…! 」

「Yes. Lilia-sama is here」

「Let her in」

「Yes」

I forgot. Speaking of which, today was when the academy was closed.

And every rest day, Lilia visits my house. Until last week, it was at the Ambrose ducal house. But starting today, it would be at this manor.

Soon after, Lilia came in with Natalia.

「Hey, Carol」

「Hello, Lilia」

「He~e, it’s a surprisingly nice residence. It’s been properly cleaned. Wilhelm-sama has always been a bachelor, so I was worried that he’s living in a terribly dirty place」

「Haha……」

Lilia said in amusement as she sat across the table.

Well, she was not wrong.

This was the result of our hard labor for the past four days. Mainly Natalia’s.

Then, across Lilia was Mary with teary eyes.

「U-Um…please, please, I beg you……! 」

「N-No, I should be doing the chores today……」

「Please! Just for today……! 」

「But we have to give word to Ojou-sama on this change……」

「T-That…I will report it later……! 」

Mary and Natalia were whispering something to each other.

They were probably trying to lower their voices, but I could still hear everything. I was not sure on the details, but it seemed Mary wanted to switch their duties.

Well, she would definitely want to.

Because Mary was truly terrified of Lilia.

However, letting Mary get away would be unlike Lilia.

Once again, she had a malicious smile on her face. Lilia is pretty when she is silent, so she should not to put on such a look.

「Deborah」

「Yes, Ojou-sama」

「Don’t you have a lot to talk about with Natalia? I allow it for today. You go with Natalia」

「……Yes, I understand」

Mary had a hopeless look on her face.

She looked at a loss at the backs of Deborah-san’s, Natalia’s, and Lilia’s heads.

「Well then, Mary, please make some tea」

「U-Um, Ojou-sama」

「Mary’s the one serving me today, isn’t she? 」

「Uu……」

Trembling, Mary said, “Please wait a moment……” and went out with heavy steps. Meanwhile, Deborah-san left with Natalia.

As a result, Lilia and I were the only ones in the room.

Kuku, Kukuku, an amused laughter erupted.

「Mary’s the same as ever. She could try getting used to it a little more」

「I think it is only natural if you intimidate her that much」

「Well, considering what she did, it’s still not enough. If Carol gives me permission, I’ll drive her to suicide」

「Please stop」

I would really be troubled if it went that far.

There were already too few servants in this manor.

And while Natalia said that she had a person in mind, they have not been informed of the situation yet.

「I’m kidding」

「I would be troubled, otherwise」

「So, how is it? Being a newlywed」

Suddenly, Lilia changed the topic.

Well, I had thought she would probably ask.

It was our first meeting since my marriage, after all.

But thinking back on it, I was also deceived by Lilia. I was the only one who did not know about the details of that wedding.

「Before that, I would like to ask you」

「Hn? 」

「Lilia knew Wilhelm-sama was back, did you not? 」

「……Aah, yeah」

Lilia scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

At that time, I was mentally ill enough to actually want to commit suicide. I did not want to remember.

But despite that…

Deceiving me like that in that state—.

「I mean, it really can’t be helped……His Majesty gave an order to not tell Carol」

「……Why? 」

「Prince Edward asked His Majesty, since he wanted to surprise Carol」

「This country, just where are they exercising their power on? 」

「If you’re going to complain, say it to Prince Edward. He’s the one who arranged everything, just so he could surprise Carol」

Yes, I was indeed surprised.

Apparently, the person I should express my complaints with was Edward-san. Lilia seemed to have been unable to refuse.

But then, Edward-san was a prince, and I was already married. I do not think we would ever meet again.

「On the contrary, you would」

「Is that so? 」

「Didn’t Carol also receive an invitation to a ball? 」

「Is it the royal court? 」

「Un」

I had not heard anything so far.

It was probably sent to the Ambrose’s main residence. Wilhelm-sama had married into our family, so this manor was treated as a separate residence of the Ambrose ducal house.

I would have Natalia confirm it later.

「Your family’s participating, so Carol will have to come. Whether you want to or not」

「Well……that is true」

I was just trying to be frugal, but if I were to attend the court ball, I would have to get a new dress.

Because there were customs.

In general, unmarried daughters must be dressed in a slightly brighter color, such as blue or red. On the other hand, if one is married, she must participate in a darker color, such as dark tones or black.

The dresses in my old home were all blue. If I wore those, the public would judge me as “a woman pretending to be unmarried and seeking a man.”

「When will it be held? 」

「If I’m not mistaken, it’s on the beginning of next month」

「Which is in about ten days……」

It was barely enough time to make a dress, but it could be managed somehow.

It could not be helped; I would have a word with Wilhelm-sama about having a new dress made.

「I see. I will attend with Wilhelm-sama」

「Well, I don’t need to be told that」

But still.

After all, I could make my first appearance in high society as Wilhelm-sama’s wife—!