fluvia 91: Fluvia and the Tea Party

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Chapter 91: Fluvia and the Tea Party

There’s silence reigning over the tea party.

Well, of course.

Throw a mix of young boys and girls together and tell them to act all prim and proper and this is how it will turn out.

Even Brother seemed a bit put off by the situation.

While everyone was nervously sipping tea, Violette-chan leaned towards me and whispered,

“Ne, ne, Fluvia, the dress you sent me is so pretty! See?”

“Oh my, I’m glad you liked it, Young Lady Violette. It was worth making if it makes Young Lady Violette look so cute.”

Fufu, of course we’d give the Duke’s house some priority, especially since Violette-chan sometimes tags along with the Princes when they come visit us at our Capital estate.

“…Hey, Violette, you shouldn’t be whispering at the table, right?”

“Muu…”

Violette-chan inflated her cheeks and pouted as Prince Anthony scolded her lightly.

Well, she’s only 4, so forgive her this much.

“My! Is Young Lady Violette’s dress also from the Rosetta Atelier? It looks so perfect on Young Lady Violette. Ah, my dress was from Rosetta Atelier as well.”

Oh, Young Lady Orsella is actually quite gifted with girl talk, but it appears she didn’t know what to talk to boys about.

“Young Lady Orsella’s dress makes is pretty. I like the blue, it’s like the sky!”

“Hehe, thank you.”

“Come to think of it, the Rosetta Atelier is doing very well, isn’t it? I heard they started partnering with the Perry Trading Company for distribution.”

While listening to Young Lady Orsella talk to Violette-chan, Prince Anthony caught on to a topic we could discuss.

“Ah, yes. The ready-made clothes are easy enough to ship to other places, and as long as a competent tailor is available to adjust the sizes, there should be no problem with the decrease in quality.”

I respond.

Young Lady Orsella clasped her hands together.

“I was so happy when the Polyantha Ateliette opened a branch store in Gladston! Ever since I saw Lady Estella’s snow blossom dress, I’ve loved the Rosetta Atelier! It’s too far for me to have a dress tailored, but I begged Father for my debutante dress to be from Rosetta Atelier!”

The Viscount’s daughter is a true fashion lover.

I smile.

“I’m so happy you love it! My dress and Brother’s suit will also be from Rosetta Atelier. Prince Anthony, where will you be getting your suit from?”

“Ah… Designer Dryden came to take measurements the other day…”

Prince Anthony and the other boys are understandably less interested in this sort of discussion, but Prince Anthony’s trying, at least.

Rather, it was probably too early for Young Lady Birenna to attend a gathering like this, and now it feels like Young Lady Orsella is a little too young to be interested in boys, leaving the Princes out of the conversation and happily chatting with the girls like this.

“Um… I heard that Young Lady Fluvia designs makes a lot of the lace and dresses in the Dellarose Earldom. Is that true?”

Young Lady Iressa asked, somewhat doubtfully.

I’d be doubtful of it, too.

What the heck, even ignoring the fact that I’m eight years old, one person making a majority of the lace from our Earldom?

Although she didn’t say ‘majority,’ I suppose.

But I had just been scolded by Father about letting others look down on me, so how should I answer?

After all, it’s true that I played a large role in the development of lace and dress fashion, just not in the production.

“Hm, well it’s not wrong, but it’s not right either…”

“Eeh? Isn’t it all lies? Papa said that all that stuff is just pro – propa – properanganda. It’s something all the nobles do to make themselves look better, but it’s okay, because we’re nobles, in fact lower class people should feel prive-ledged for us to use their deeds as ours.”

Young Lady Birenna puffed her chest out proudly as she interrupted me, acting like she’s letting us in on a secret.

Those words are definitely parroted off of her father, aren’t they?

“…”

At this point, Prince Anthony should say something to her as the host, both for cutting me off (not just because I’m an Earl’s daughter, but also because it’s simply rude) and for saying something so scandalous, but it can’t be helped.

Both he and Prince Alex are too shocked that someone would blatantly say something like that.

Even though they should be tutored by various nobles and officials, it’s likely that the King and Queen are only allowing them to come into contact with those with more upright personalities.

Or like, I’d hope parents would want to avoid letting their children meet nefarious types, the Royal Family or not.

Either way, expecting an 8-year-old to delicately reprimand someone while hinting they shouldn’t say things like that and changing the subject is surely out of Queen Ria’s expectations for her boys, so I suppose the elder lady – er, elder sister should deal with it.

Pasting on the customer service smile I’d honed to an artform back in Japan, I said,

“I see, how interesting. Then does that mean your Papa does that a lot?”

“Yes! Like when there’s a new product, or when there’s a good deal going on. Papa’s always saying it’s all thanks to him being the Baron and providing for them, so it’s only natural that he take credit for the best ideas!”

Hoho… this is quite interesting to hear, isn’t it, Papa Baron Tishra?

I had heard of more and more nobles coming up with ideas and products in imitation of our House’s achievements, but I would like to believe that most of them are working with craftsmen and merchants, and not stealing their people’s work.

I wonder how I should take Birenna Tishra’s words; after all, Young Lady Birenna’s words could be exaggerated.

However… perhaps I should have Lysander and company investigate.

Technically it would be Hortence’s problem if there was something criminal going on, but it can’t be helped if there are dissatisfied craftsmen and merchants migrating out of the Tishra Barondom as soon as they get the ‘chance’.

And it just can’t be helped at all if some of them decide to immigrate out of Hortence to Dellarose – poaching talent? Now what might you be talking about, ohohoho~.

“…That seems wrong. Peoples’ accomplishments are their own. Even if a noble helps them, the people have their own rights too.”

Young Lady Iressa looks rather angry as she said that.

She’s the daughter of an Honorary Baron who gained nobility from his own achievements, after all~. Of course she’d feel differently about this.

“… That’s true. Young Lady Birenna, it’s better to give people credit where credit is due, don’t you think?”

Ah, as expected of Prince Anthony.

My cheeky Brother’s flippancy may have rubbed off on him a little, but he’s actually quite savvy when it comes to political maneuverings.

Unfortunately, Young Lady Birenna isn’t capable of understanding his intentions.

“Eh? That’s wrong! Papa said that even if common people get recognition, it’s not like they can use it~? It’s enough if we recognize it and use them ac-accordedly.”

Young Lady Iressa looks absolutely furious, and Prince Alex doesn’t look too happy either.

Although Young Lady Birenna’s words still obscure the situation enough, they sound pretty damning for Baron Tishra, after all.

My, my.

I feel like Young Lady Birenna’s IQ and EQ are both a few years behind a normal 8-year-old, especially when you consider that she’s the daughter of a noble.

It feels like she’s on Violette-chan’s level – no, a much less-refined Violette-chan?

Violette is being raised as the daughter of the Duke, after all, so she’s a little more mature than your normal 4-year-old.

“Papa also said that the Dellarose family are too unfair, making up a story that’s so ridicu-us that no one should believe, and fooling everyone, since there’s no way a kid can develop something like lace, right~?”

“… I’m surprised to see someone thinks that way,”

Is all I said.

It’s clear she’s just parroting what she’s heard, so I’m rather curious as to what she’s been overhearing.

“It’s because Papa’s smart, unlike everyone else who let’s themselves be fooled by some incomtent fools. After all, Young Lady Fluvia, you’re an invalued-!”

Bam! Young Lady Birenna pointed at me with a smug look on her face.

Invalued? Ah… invalid.

Although I’ve not debuted, I’ve been showing up at all the events that require the Earl’s full Household, so it should be obvious that I’m perfectly healthy to the nobility, at least.

“You had brain fever, after all, so there’s no way for the daughter of an incomtent Earl who doesn’t have any brains and can’t run a territory if his life depedded on it be able to develop something like lace. It’s probably all the ideas of that Steward who cheated his way through…”

Oh my~ that right there is highly punishable content~.

Badmouthing an entire Earl’s Household, oh my~ Or rather, Papa Tishra, this is just your drunken ramblings, isn’t it? You just showed your daughter such an ugly thing as getting shit-faced and verbal spewing, didn’t you?

But even if this is just overheard venting, it’s making me quite upset so I’m not going to stop her~.

Kree kree kree

When I glanced downwards, I saw Brother’s fists clenched tightly.

It seems he’s feeling the same way, as his smile has become quite bloodthirsty, startling the young ladies and the birds.

As for the young gentlemen, er, the Princes, Prince Alex is also blatantly hostile towards Young Lady Birenna, but Prince Anthony takes a deep breath.

“Young Lady Birenna, I ask you to curb your tongue at my tea party.”

Ooh… what a refreshing smile, just like a shoujo manga’s prince – but somehow, it’s a little scarier than a normal smile.

He’s also not trying to be delicate about things anymore as he makes a demand.

It’s a very dangerous atmosphere around the table.

Of course, there’s one person who’s completely unable to detect the danger.

Unable to read the mood, Young Lady Birenna said,

“Ehh? But you should say things if you’re aware of them, right?”

“-! Young Lady Birenna, it’s not good, t-to, to say such things about an Earl’s – about Young Lady Fluvia-!”

Young Lady Orsella tugged at her hands nervously as she tries to cut Young Lady Birenna off.

Although she seems annoyed at Young Lady Birenna’s overly childish mannerisms, it seems that out of all of us at this table, it’s Young Lady Orsella who was the most strictly instructed about insulting those with higher statuses’ than herself.

She looks absolutely terrified at Young Lady Birenna’s dishonorable conduct.

“Eh? But since she’s sitting to my left, it’s okay? That’s what Papa said; people sitting to your left are below you, so you don’t need to worry about them.”

“L-left-? No, what’s … I mean…”

Young Lady Orsella is so shocked that there’s someone this uncouth and unknowledgeable despite it being the eve of her debut (essentially), that her cute-but-noble expression gave way to a blatantly cute-but-dumbfounded look.

Haa…

Unbelievable.

It’s one thing to act childishly and another to have loose lips, but for Young Lady Orsella to have both… no, rather, more importantly, does she not even know the very basic hierarchy of nobility?

Young Lady Orsella and Young Lady Iressa’s eyes are nearly popping out of their heads, so I’m not the only one who thinks an eight year old should be capable of memorizing something this simple.

Royal Family > Duke > Earl > Viscounts > Baron > Knights > Counts

Although there are some exceptions and special cases, like honorary nobles, you only really need to know that much to get by.

Well, I’m not Young Lady Birenna’s tutor and I’m not really feeling pleased with her, so I’m not going to bother teaching it to her, though.

Instead I say,

“I see, I see. But Young Lady Birenna, even though I’m to your left, this is a round table, you know?”

Young Lady Birenna made a, ‘Ah-!’ face like she just realized it and then looked at the table in bewilderment.

It’s true that guests are seated according to the hierarchy Birenna described at a grand table, that is at a long rectangular table with the host or guest of honor at the head of the table, but it’s slightly different at a round table.

In the first place, inviting guests to a round table is to foster a sense of unity, so although it’s customary to seat people of higher status closer to the host, with the guest of the highest standing to the right and the guest of second highest standing to the left, it doesn’t really matter, since the person of lowest standing would be seated directly in front of the host.

In fact, at small gatherings like this one, it’s not uncommon for people to disregard the hierarchy seating customs altogether.

Of course, the seating arrangement has been adjusted for this tea party as well, since ordinarily Brother and I would be seated at His Highnesses’ direct right.

This is just what happens when you take the objective of the tea party and Violette-chan’s presence into account.

… But I digress.

The plain and simple fact is that Young Lady Birenna is getting herself, well actually her Papa, into a lot of trouble just because she hasn’t bothered memorizing the basics of noble hierarchy.

Now that she finally started looking around the table, Young Lady Birenna has finally noticed the dissatisfaction that’s being directed towards her.

Even little Violette-chan is looking at her like she’s seeing something disgusting.

She’s likely never had negative attention before, and the look of shock in her eyes, followed by childish anger, showed that she couldn’t understand why everyone was looking that way at her.

“What? Birenna hasn’t said anything wrong! Only people who are easily tricked wouldn’t understand, so Birenna isn’t at fault at all-! Everyone should just leave!”

Young Lady Birenna turned her face to the side with a ‘hmph’.

I put my hand to my cheek and tilt my head.

“My, my, Young Lady Birenna, but this isn’t your house. Don’t you think it’s improper to tell other people to leave it?”

Young Lady Birenna’s lip quivered, before she finally yelled,

“I’m leaving!”

Young Lady Birenna’s maids were pale as they followed their angry young mistress off of the terrace.

What was the point of sending so many maids if they’re not going to stop their mistress from acting improperly?

…No, for that matter, what the heck was the point of sending such a train wreck, Baron Tishra?

This might be an informal tea party without adults, but that doesn’t mean that impropriety will be tolerated.

The Royal Palace maids are the Queen’s eyes and ears, after all, and there could be dire consequences for the Birenna Tishra when they report back to her.

It’s the Queen’s job to bless the debutants, after all, and she is also the judge for allowing children to debut.

She is given two ‘opportunities’ to judge the children before the actual event during two debutant-only parties, one for the higher nobility and one for the lower nobility.

It’s normally just a formality, especially since having a delayed debut is extremely harmful to a noble’s reputation, but Young Lady Birenna insulted both an Earl and displayed lese majeste at the Prince’s tea party.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable for the Queen to take offense and delay Young Lady Birenna’s debut.

Haa…

I’ll have to ask Lysander to look into the Tishra Barondom after this, what a headache.

“My Lady, My Lord, I’ve arrived.”

At the silent tea party with an awkward atmosphere, Tyrabeth has finally arrived after finishing her errands.

She tilts her head slightly, curious about what has occurred, but merely gives a slight bow before presenting me with the items I had asked for.

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<a/n: Changing the ‘Governor’ rank to ‘Count’ rank because … because.
I’m realizing Fluvia’s the type to just smile and nod along without disturbing the peace, lulling her ‘victims’ into a sense of false security before suddenly their house, dog, car, and lover are all gone and they’re left wondering wtf happened.
Also, she starts being an ‘ara, ara’ onee-san when she’s actually angry.

Well, this 8-year-old segment is in here for a very specific reason, and it’s not face-slapping.
In the first place, there’s no way Fluvia would be proud of winning an argument with an 8-year-old while being a 4- eternally 20-year-old woman inside, but conversely, there’s no point in taking an adult who’d pick on an 8-year-old seriously, so there’s no good opponent for her atm.>