Chapter 117
Interior Decoration of the Italian Restaurant (1)
Proofread by Ruriko
As an attendant, Rosina starts to work on her weak points: calculation and paperwork . Delia, who does the rough work alone, purses her lips discontentedly . But Rosina is almost an adult and can read and write, and thus she can relieve Fran of some of his work . So Delia does not complain about her .
I know Delia is happy for her time of playing Fespiel is guaranteed . I also notice the fascinated look on her face when she is gazing at the Fespiel . "How about asking her to teach you?" I said to Delia . "No! Geeze!" She snarls though, I know she must have no time .
Besides, as Wilma told me, I pay attention to correct my behavior carefully while learning from Rosina .
However, every of my actions is different from hers . Rosina has a deliberate manner, and even walks at a light and elegant pace like she was dancing . She does not move fast, but is always unhurried like floating clouds and flowing water . It's an unbelievable pace .
Even her ways of tilting her head and holding a pen, the lower hem of her clothes… each and every detail of her move is elegant . However, it makes people feel utterly natural, not haphazard at all .
"Is Rosina's deportment acquired by learning?"
"Calculation is more difficult than deportment . How did Miss Maine acquire the ability of calculation? Could you please tell me?"
She looks at me and grins . Only practice can overcome weaknesses .
As Rosina admonishes us, Delia and I began to pay attention to our own behaviors . Because Delia's goal is to become a mistress, I find her learning faster than me .
This day, I receive the invitation from the Head Priest for lunch . The appointed time is 10 days later . The invitation says "Please take the musical instrument with you . I want to know how your Fespiel training goes on . " After the special training with Rosina, I complete the first task which the Head Priest imposed on me – to be able to play the Fespiel fluently within 3 days .
. . . The goal and the deadline give me the actual feeling of growth .
I present a suit of clothes for going out to Rosina, my Fespiel tutor, as the reward, and a pile of paper to Wilma, who have finished their cards, for her to sketch .
"Mr . Benno, when will you introduce me to the ink workshop?"
Because I want to make ink before winter comes . First, I want to visit the ink workshop before making the ink . On my way to the temple, I drop by the Gilberta Company and ask Mr . Benno . He shakes his head slightly .
"The ink workshop visit can be postponed . It's about the time to finish the restaurant . I want to talk with you about the interior decoration . "
I think he will bring me to the ink workshop . However, in some way, he brings up the topic of the Italian restaurant .
"How are things going on with the restaurant?"
"The exterior engineering is completed . We will finish the interior work next . I need some advice on the tapestry and art decoration which copy the nobles' area of the temple . Please do bring along Fran . "
It seems that Mr . Benno wants to know Fran's advice, so I seem redundant . Because I know little about the interior decoration for the nobles, I have nothing to say .
Thinking about this, I suddenly recall one person . Among my attendants, there is another one who may know the details about the work of art and interior decoration .
" . . . If you need some advice about the work of art, why not bring along Rosina? Though she is my new attendant, she was highly appreciated by a noble who likes art . She is a gray-robed priestess who behaves more noble-like than the lower-class nobles . I think she may have some advice from a female noble's perspective . "
Fran gets good educated from the Head Priest and knows how the nobles should behave . But he is a prim person, who has little flexibility . The Head Priest doesn't like futile endeavors and tends to the thought of "the simpler, the better . "
On this point, Rosina is well educated by an art priestess, so she has a recreational instinct on anything . Besides, she has a good taste for arrangement of things and their presentation . Since Rosina comes, there are more flowers in our rooms . Things are not only stored in the cabinets, but are also displayed orderly .
"Well, that's good . Tomorrow afternoon, there will be a horse cart to the temple . So let's go to see the restaurant by it . Then Hugo will also go to the restaurant . The rest people should be in charge of tomorrow's meals . "
"Ok . "
I'm disappointed for my request for visiting the ink workshop was unanswered . But it is a happy thing that the restaurant will be ready soon . "I cannot wait for it . " Lutz and I reply together . Then we decide to go to the temple and tell others the plan for tomorrow .
"Tomorrow afternoon, Mr . Benno will send a horse cart to catch me . He wants me to visit our restaurant . Will Fran and Rosina come with me?"
"Ok," Fran and Rosina nod .
"Besides, Hugo will come together to see the kitchen . Please tell Hugo to go to the Gilberta Company and he need not work tomorrow . . . . How is the new cook?"
"Because Ella is with him, there won't be any problem for him to carry out his work . "
Fran goes to inform Hugo and others . The new cook looks nervous, but he will make it . Because Hugo once worked with Ella to be in charge of cooking and they did everything very well, I think there will be no problem this time .
The next day, after lunch, Fran and Rosina get dressed . I take off the blue robe with the help of Delia, and put on a noble-like blouse with broad cuff . Because Hugo will go to the restaurant as well, it's necessary to wear formally and behave gracefully .
"I want to go there too, geeze! I don't want to stay alone at home . "
"Excuse me, Delia . We need Rosina's advice this time . "
I meet the piteous look of Delia, who is helping me prepare the visit . I don't know how much information the Temple Chief has learnt, I just cannot bring along Delia indeed .
Besides, I leave Delia alone at home because she doesn't want to go to the orphanage and would rather improve herself alone than go to the forest . She seems to have forgotten that completely .
"Do I need to give Delia a reward for staying at home and doing the housework?"
After speaking with Delia, I get on the horse cart sent by Mr . Benno with Fran and Rosina .
Fran is in light brown as usual . Rosina wears a moss green one-piece and a dark green bodice embroidered with geometric patterns . It fits her fluffy chestnut hair so well that she looks like a girl of noble birth .
When Rosina served Miss Christine, she only wore the gray-robed priest's clothes when going to the temple . When I praise Rosina, she tugs at the train of her skirt blushingly and says, "I'm over praised . "
. . . Her shyness gives me a gentlewomanly impression . It's lovely, but I doubt if I can imitate that manner . No, I don't think I can .
Inside the horse cart, I introduce the Italian restaurant to Rosina and tell her the work today .
"We are going to create an atmosphere of the nobles' cafeteria in the Italian restaurant . Because I consider the guests to be the rich class like the bosses of those big retail stores . So I want to pay more attention to its interior decoration . As I suppose that the nobles will come for dinner, I need Fran and Rosina's advice . "
" . . . May I take it as preparing Miss Christine's room?"
I nod at Rosina . I also ask Fran to give advice as if he is preparing the rooms of the Head Priest or the Temple Chief .
"So, we will tell our opinions . I hope Miss Maine do not speak too much . Because Hugo will be here, please express your opinion through us . "
" . . . Alright . "
Since I have the business relationship with Mr . Benno, somehow we get familiar with each other . So, I always talk a lot . I must have what I want to say today noted on my tablet .
. . . I don't want to be a well-off girl . I cannot even talk freely . . .
When the horse cart approaches the exterior-completed restaurant, Lutz is waiting outside . Today I pretend to be a noble, while Lutz acts as a merchant apprentice who is ready to serve a noble responsively .
"I am glad to see you . "
"Thank you for your hospitality . "
After finishing the farce-like greeting with Lutz, I follow him in . We restrain ourselves from laughing at each other's stage face .
When we enter the big decorative wooden door, we can see a small hall like the one of the first floor of my house .
"This is the lounge for ushers and check-out . The left area is the kitchen, and the right one is the dining hall . "
As Lutz is speaking, he points at right . The door may be installed later . Then we see the white wall with holes at the four corners . Mr . Benno is inside the cafeteria .
"Miss Maine, I am glad to see you . This is the dining hall of our restaurant . "
Mr . Benno also uses the formal words for greeting .
Mr . Benno says the interior is decorated according to my room, because it's the first accessible room as a model .
" . . . It's out of taste . "
"Of course, the retaining walls will be built . But the carved retaining walls have not been delivered yet . "
Because I'm limited in speaking, I can only note "delivery time of the retaining wall" on the writing board .
"Things like retaining walls and decorative shelves have been decided, but the art objects to be displayed on the shelves have not been decided yet . We have chosen some tapestry, pictures, sculptures and plants . How and where should we display them? I wish to hear your opinion . "
While Mr . Benno is saying so, Fran's gaze focuses on Fran and Rosina .
"What kind of decorative shelf will be placed here?"
"It will be different according to the size, width or color," Mr . Benno answers .
He is a merchant who often deals with the nobles and knows their latest fashion elements . However, as expected, the art objects, decorations and art taste are entirely Rosina's things .
Besides, Fran submits an alternative plan of Rosina's for lower cost . Thus, we cut those unnecessary and over-luxurious items .
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