Chapter 38: Etiquettes
Notice what?
Tomoe stared at my clothes. "You’re wearing long sleeves to hide the bruises you got today, aren’t you?" I wore long sleeves dress because it’s uncomfortable with the bruises I got, but that doesn’t an I’m trying to hide them. "Haven’t the lady learned that the boss’s wife must have no scar on her body?"
What? Then I can’t be Night’s wife anymore. "I already have a scar," I said.
"And now you’re even talking back to your teacher?" W-What did I do? Why is everyone so mad at ? "Won’t you apologize, lady Noelle? I can’t believe this."
I’m the one who can’t believe that I’m being scolded just because I stated sothing she needs to know. "I’m sorry." But I’m not in the mood to explain my side anymore. If it’s an apology she wants, then I’ll apologize.
Tomoe sighed as if she was not satisfied with what I said. "Anyway, let’s start the class. Today I’ll be teaching you simple flower arrangents." She said. "The wife’s boss shall be calm and collected like the water in a lake, elegant and graceful like a water lily, and obedient like a loyal servant." I’m hearing this kind of talk again.
With that, Tomoe showed
the fundantal way of arranging flowers. I’m already familiar with it since my mother has always made flower arrangents before. "Since you’re good at learning flower arrangents, we’ll work on your proper posture and etiquettes right after." She said.
’Sothing that I can finally use here.’ I thought as I continued following her instructions. It’s not that I’m questioning Tomoe’s teaching abilities, but shouldn’t she have started with the etiquettes first instead of brewing tea and flower arrangents?
"As you might already know. Bowing to people as thank you and even as a greeting is the most well-known custom in Japan," Tomoe said after we were done with the flower arrangent. She didn’t even complint
on how good I was with my hands.
’She’s like the exact girl version of Night. They’re both perfectionist teachers. They really suit each other.’
"Since you’ll beco the wife of the next boss of this yakuza group, you must learn the customs and etiquettes of Japanese people." Her fake smile made
gulp.
"Let’s talk about table etiquette. Since lady Noelle often dines with grandfather, you must learn to say our customary phrases before and after a al." Tomoe clapped her hands, and then her attendants arrived holding trays with foods on them. "We say ’itadaki-masu’ before starting eating. It ans that we humbly receive the food in front of us. We also put our hands together while saying that phrase." That’s what Night said before. He didn’t explain it to , but he called
manner less because I didn’t say that before eating. ’I’m not even Japanese.’
Tomoe made her attendants put the tray of food in front of . "Here, you try it." She said, still with that fake smile on her face. Can’t she just stop smiling? "What are you waiting for?"
I gulped as I put my hands together. "I-Itadakimasu." After doing it, I looked at Tomoe, and she signaled
to start eating. ’But I don’t want to eat right now.’ Despite that, I still did what she told
to. It’s like she’s almost forcing
to gulp down everything on my plate.
"After the al, we say ’gochisousama deshita,’ which can be translated as ’Thank you for the al.’ Tomoe said while watching
struggle to finish the food her attendants prepared. "Since lady Noelle doesn’t have Japanese blood flowing in her, it will be less embarrassing for you if you learn all these things." She flashed her fake smile as she kept telling
to finish everything.
"G-Gochisousama deshita." I said after finishing three plates of food. I feel like I’m going to puke.
Tomoe giggled. "Okay, let’s take a short break. I’ll be back after 30 minutes." She said as she stood up from the floor and went out of the room. After hearing her footsteps slowly getting farther away, I quickly stood up from my seat and rushed toward the bathroom.
"Y-Young miss?" I heard Rika call for
as she followed .
The mont I got inside the bathroom, I quickly barfed into the bowl and felt Rika holding my hair for . "A-Are you okay, young miss?" She’s rubbing my back for
while I continue throwing up. It hurt my stomach and throat, and I sat on the bathroom floor after throwing it all up. "Does the young miss want to et the doctor for a checkup?" Rika asked, but I shook my head as I leaned on the wall. Tomoe must have intentionally made
eat all of that.
Staying in this place drains the life out of , and there are people here who keep testing my patience. "Why did lady Tomoe do that? It’s not like her to force soone like that." Rika said as she massaged my hand, calming
down. "Should I tell lady Tomoe that the miss doesn’t feel good and she can’t attend the lessons anymore?"
I quickly shook my head. "Don’t." If Rika does that, Tomoe will only feel satisfied with what she did. Even though I’m stupid and na??ve, I can see how much she doesn’t want to teach . She must have started with the hardest thing to learn instead of starting from sothing easier. "I want sothing light for dinner today." Or I don’t even want to eat anymore because of this. Don’t tell , Tomoe’s going to make
eat again?
"Are you sure you’ll be okay, young miss?"
I reassured Rika with a smile as I pat her head. "I’ll be fine, as long as you stay in the room with ." That way, I can ensure Tomoe won’t do sothing drastic to . Rika helped
stand up from the floor, but she noticed my skirt had been wet after sitting too long on the bathroom floor.
"This won’t do. Let us change your clothes, young miss." She said. I just agreed.
We went out of the bathroom, and I bumped into Night which almost made
fall on my butt if it wasn’t for Rika, who caught
from behind. My forehead creased as I was about to ignore Night, but then I saw how he was wearing that familiar black suit with his hair pushed back.
’I-Is he going to go kill soone again?’
It’s none of my business, so I decided not to say anything and just passed Night by. There’s no use talking to him since he’ll again lash out his anger at
this ti.
After changing clothes, Rika and I returned to the room where Tomoe was already waiting. "Now you’re back, lady Noelle, let’s start learning how to properly use chopsticks." She said. "It might be fine to use a spoon and fork in this household, but when you visit the main house in Japan, you can’t be the only one using different utensils. It’ll make the other mbers view you as soone rude."
Just because of different utensils?
That’s how Tomoe started teaching
how to use chopsticks and the things I should prevent doing while eating. "Grandfather might be tolerant with the lady, but the other high-ranking mbers won’t be like that. You’ll get hurt if you don’t show them you are worthy of your position." She said.
It felt odd because of how genuine that sounded, but it still ca from Tomoe, who’s supposed to hate
so much for taking her place away. "You’ll get scolded by uncle Ichiro if you don’t show them proper etiquette and manners," Tomoe added.
Before, I was always allowed to reject the things I found hard to do because my dad was kind and gentle toward . But that’s not how the real world works. "That’s right. You’re doing great." It’s peculiar. Tomoe was just chuckling before after making
eat too much. But now it feels like she’s helping
genuinely. Did sothing happen to her?
"That’s all for today. You must practice using chopsticks every ti you eat to help you improve." Tomoe stood up from her seat, and I also did it to bow and give her respect.
"I apologize for making you overeat." She said as she gave
sothing in my hand. "I often drink this whenever I have a stomachache. Then, I’ll leave first." Tomoe said as she left the room with her attendants. What was that? Talk about moody. She’s giving
mixed signals. Does she hate , or is she earnestly helping ?
Before Rika and I could leave the room, Kenji opened the door and greeted
with a smile. "The oyabun will be arriving for dinner, and he wants to dine with the young miss and lady Tomoe." He said.
Great, just when I planned to not eat much for dinner.
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