Chapter 39

Ch . 39 Tea Party

*Chun, chun [chirping]*, *pii, pii [wind sounds]*

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The weather is peaceful and the wind carries a strong smell of verdure enough to induce drowsiness . It gently passes on between us .

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This is the garden the Physalis household takes pride in .

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On a table that as been specially prepared there are many sweet smelling sweets and amber coloured tea is steaming deliciously .

Today is a lucky day, for the first time a tea party is being held at the duke family’s home .

This time the invitees are four people; first of all, the daughter of marquis Sanguinea, Iris, who looked after me at the party–and the daughter of marquis Nasturtium, the daughter of count Crocus and the daughter of count Columbine . From the start they are the ones who it bring up,

“However I was surprised at the evening party the other day!”

Ohohohoho, Iris laughs with a rolling bell like lovely tone .

Around the table, everyone is gracefully enjoying their tea .

“Viola, the Duke is doting to that extent?”

The Daughter of count Crocus faintly smiles .

“There were various rumours but, with that... they were swept clean!”

“It was my first time seeing such a Duke . ”

““““Right~!!””””

The young woman look like they are enjoying themselves having a lively conversation in high spirits but, in contrast, my face is twitching . Please-stop-! Because for me that is nothing more than dark history!!

“That, that is not it, ah, hahaha......”

Although dejected, I feebly laugh .

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That evening party .

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In the presence of everyone the Duke ended up swiftly ‘Wife boasting’ .

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What a humiliation it was! My soul or something had a out-of-body experience .

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Verbena fell into the bull’s-eye of a trap and ended up stepping on a landmine .

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The three of us were the center of attention but, the ones who broke it up were the hosts of the evening .

“Hey, give up already~ . Sorry for hindering you, Cercis!” the Argentea siblings say with a nice smile while dragging out Verbena .

“It’s okay! The conversation is still lacking but, maybe at some other time!”

The Duke smiles refreshingly with his hand held up . Wait a sec! There won’t be a next time! So stop?

It is not the time to be having a out-of-body experience so, I hurriedly restore my soul to my body and come to my senses .

“Aah, Vi- . Are you alright? Verbena didn’t do something to you did she?”

Feeling anxious the Duke examines my expression but, I cannot say that I greatly suffered from your soul attack more than Verbena .

“There is nothing . Because Duke, you entered between us”

I answer while my mouth twitches,

“It is good I came in time”

Again he smiles refreshingly .

“By the way, it seems you were looking for me, was there something?”

“Eh? Ah! That’s right . Umm, I think I want to give a tea party at home but, what do you think?”

Oh, yes . My business was completely dispelled by Verbena’s drama .

The Duke has a dubious face for a moment to my sudden talk of a tea party but, instantly it becomes his original smiling face,

“That would be nice! By all means please invite your friends”

Immediately the OK appears .

“Yes . Thank you . ”

“If you tell Lotus and Dahlia they will immediately make preparations . They will surely be delighted to do so . ”

“Yes . ”

Why, they would be delighted, I decided not to go into right now .

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......oh . I ended up recalling the dark history .

Nothing was more noticeable than from that day on the gazes of everyone around me changed from being prickly to heart-warming!

“Viola?”

The daughter of marquis Nasturtium dubiously looks at me who has taken a small trip in wrong direction .

“Ah, sorry! The weather is too nice so I ended up zoning out”

Ohohohoho~ .

Like that, today’s tea party was held .

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“Well, still, I am glad it seems it has settled down”

Fufufu, Iris smiles . Today also she is wearing lovely fluttering pink .

“Thank you”

“Right, right . Although it is Verbena, the Argentea family and Physalis family get along very well and the sons are also childhood friends so, in that way Verbena was a highly plausible candidate for the wife of the Duke of Physalis”

“Oh, was that right?”

Me, who mostly did not show my face in high society, does not take part in things I have no interest in, so I do not know such things as the gossip and this and that .

I lend my ear to Iris’s explanation but, it is good enough information for me to admire this person~

“But in actuality there was no such things as an engagement and, Verbena was smitten with the Duke but the Duke......well? And, moreover the one suddenly proposed marriage to was not herself as she thought but Viola who had not had any interactions at all until now . She was probably mortified . Her age is also 20 which is around the time you feel a little impatient . ”

“Right~”

Or perhaps it should be said that, no matter how much that brute......er, rather the Duke is, there is no way he could say ‘let’s have a contract marriage’ to someone who truly likes him . Her pride also seems high, for her to do such a thing would be like running headlong into a quagmire . Therefore the Duke chose me not Verbena .

“Well, I cannot say that just about Verbena . I am also already 20 . ”

Sticking out her out her tongue Iris comes out with her age

“I am also 20,”says the daughter of count Crocus .

“I am 21,” says the daughter of count Columbine and,

“I am 19 . ”

Out of the group of people the daughter of marquis Nasturtium is the youngest .

Uh huh, everyone certainly is approaching the risky marriageable age .

““““So we diligently participate in evening parties and, we must get gossip and fine men!””””

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Again they harmonise beautifully but, this also a very carnivorous remark .

“Talking of being invited to today’s tea party, many people were envious of me~”

The daughter of count Crocus smiles while she drinks her tea .

“Huh? Of our house’s tea party?”

Why? I look slightly doubtful and,

“There are a lot of people who wish to become close with you, Viola . ”

“Eh? eh?”

The doubt increasingly deepens at the daughter of count Columbine’s words .

“Neat and cute, behaves gracefully and is good at both dancing and socialising . Wanting to become close with such a lovely person is natural, isn’t it?”

“Huuuh? That...who are you talking about?!”

I end up greatly opening my eyes .

Who on earth is she describing? If I’m not mistaken she is supposed to be talking about me?

A completely different person has been formed?

“Of course naturally it is Viola!”

Iris declares .

Wait, wait a minute, let’s calm down, me . Have I not somehow become some great thing? I mean, it is a dreadful misunderstanding .

“I, I, am not such a personnnnn!”

I already have teary eyes .

“You do not have to be humble to such an extent? In actuality you, Viola, are a extremely lovely person,” Iris smiles and her almond eyes narrow .

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Heeeeee! With both the other day’s black history and this misunderstanding, I cannot show my face in high society anymore~!!