By the time I woke up, the hallway outside my room was bustling with activity.
A different servant woman, not Yutte, was sitting on a chair right by the door, waiting for me to wake up. She looked like she hadn't quite reached her twenties yet, with a friendly, approachable demeanor.
When I climbed out of bed and pushed aside the surprisingly heavy canopy curtains with a grunt, she smiled warmly at me.
"Good morning. How are you feeling?"
"I don't seem to have a fever, but I wouldn't say I'm in peak form, so I'll just stay quiet here until my family comes to pick me up."
She giggled.
"Last night's dinner was quite the commotion. When word got out that the young lady and Miss Mine had made the sweets served for dessert, your whole family was eager to meet you. They were all saying they wanted you to work at their shop — it was quite lively."
No, no, miss. This is no laughing matter.
Could it be that I narrowly escaped trouble because I was asleep?
Does this mean I should stay cooped up in my room today?
Even the way she brought up how working at their shop would secure my future made her seem like an accomplice in their scheme to rope me in, and I grew a little wary.
"Um, it's quite noisy outside the room, but..."
When I glanced toward the door to change the subject, she deepened her smile with an "Oh."
"The young lady has already finished an early breakfast and is getting ready. Once you've changed, I'll escort you to the dining hall, Miss Mine."
"I'm terribly sorry to ask, but could breakfast be brought to this room? I'm not feeling my best, so I don't need much, and eating with people I've just met makes me nervous. I won't be able to swallow a thing..."
Having skipped dinner, I was honestly starving. But the thought of eating breakfast surrounded by Frieda and the Guild Master's family — whose intensity I could already guess just from meeting the two of them — made my stomach ache.
I'd probably lose even the ability to eat.
"Haha, I understand. I'll bring it here then."
She handed me some of Frieda's old clothes to change into, then left the room.
The moment I was alone, I clutched my head and crouched down.
This is bad. Something strange is going on.
I knew the Guild Master and Frieda had their eyes on me. But what was this about their whole family noticing me too?
Was it because of the quatre-quarts?
But if they had sugar, they'd surely already have sweets, right? They'd served me something like a thin-crust pizza with nuts and honey drizzled on top before.
This is something I really don't want to think about, but could it be that sugar was still only just beginning to circulate and sweets culture hadn't developed yet... No way, right?
While I was clutching my head in anguish, I heard her footsteps returning with breakfast. I immediately stood up and greeted her with a perfectly neutral expression.
"Well then, please take your time."
She'd apparently figured out my preferences from yesterday's breakfast. White bread with jam and honey, sweet fruit juice on the side. The soup was a bit light, but the bacon and eggs were a generous serving.
With those observational skills, they'd have my weaknesses figured out in no time.
"Let me eat."
After breakfast, I should probably stay in my room under the pretense of being unwell until my family arrived. The Guild Master and Frieda alone were already threat enough — dealing with their whole family on my own was out of the question. I desperately wished I could summon
As I ate breakfast alone, contemplating how to handle the rest of the day, Yutte burst into the room.
"Good morning, Miss Mine. How are you feeling?"
Quite a flurry of activity for someone just checking in on my condition. I'd had the impression she was someone who rarely spoke unless absolutely necessary, so I nearly dropped my bread as I answered with boneheaded honesty.
"I don't have a fever?"
"Would you mind helping the young lady get ready? I'd like you to teach me how to attach the hair ornaments."
"...I don't mind, but could it wait until after breakfast?"
Since I was the one who made the hair ornaments, teaching them how to attach them fell under after-sales service. It shouldn't lead to anything excessive or draw any weird attention.
I finished breakfast relatively quickly and headed to Frieda's room under Yutte's guidance.
Frieda's room was on the third floor. According to Yutte, the second floor was the Guild Master's generation's living quarters, while the third floor belonged to the children and grandchildren.
They were connected by an internal staircase and ate together, so it didn't really feel like separate households.
"Young lady, I've brought Miss Mine."
"Come in."
Frieda's room had a folding screen near the door. If you walked around it, the layout was similar to the guest room — a canopied bed in one corner, and what appeared to be a writing desk on the opposite side.
In the center of the room was a small table with several chairs. The curtains and bed canopy were in girly colors like red and pink, but the room was strikingly simple, with no dolls or knick-knacks.
Today, the table was lined with numerous hair ornaments and combs, and Frieda sat in a chair having her hair brushed.
With her fluffy cherry-blossom-pink hair let down and carefully brushed, Frieda looked like a life-sized doll.
"Morning, Mine. Feeling better?"
"Morning, Frieda. I don't have a fever, but I wouldn't say I'm at my best."
I reported my condition honestly, hoping to avoid being asked to do anything strenuous.
Frieda's expression clouded slightly, and she lowered her gaze.
"I see. I'm sorry for summoning you. Since Mine was the one who made the ornaments for my sister, I thought maybe Mine was also the one who did her hair."
"I was, yes?"
"Would you mind doing the same hairstyle for me?"
Turi's hairstyle was a half-up look with braids running from both sides toward the center. It wouldn't look bad on Frieda, but since I'd made two hair ornaments and twin tails were adorable, I was hoping she'd go with those.
"Hmm, since I made two ornaments, why not do a different style — twin tails? I'll put in the braids for you, okay?"
"I leave it to you, Mine."
"Please, I'd love to learn as well," Yutte added eagerly, her eyes gleaming.
I asked Yutte to part Frieda's hair in half with a comb, then braided the right side up to just above the ear while explaining the technique.
"Scoop from here, combine it with this section, and braid by twisting like this."
"Scoop from here, combine with this one, and like this?"
Yutte started on the left side, watching my method. As expected, someone experienced made it look easy.
My hands were small and not exactly dexterous, so the hair kept spilling out of my grip no matter what.
With Turi's wild, curly hair, any unevenness or looseness still gave off a reasonably luxurious look, but with Frieda's silky hair quality, every imperfection stood out painfully.
"Once you've got the hang of it, I think it'd be better for Yutte to do both sides. My hands are so small, it's hard to gather the hair properly."
"True, it must be tough with hands as small as yours, Miss Mine. All right, let me take over the braiding then."
Once her fingers learned the pattern, Yutte braided with smooth, practiced ease. Having worked with this hair before, there were no awkward bumps. The parts were cleanly divided with a comb, so unlike when I'd done Turi's hair, the parting looked neat and crisp.
...Ugh, having my own clumsiness flaunted like this was painful to watch.
"This is how it's done — if only I'd had a bit more time to practice..."
Looking at Frieda's completed braids, Yutte muttered with genuine frustration.
I was staring wide-eyed at Yutte's intense emotional display when Frieda gave me a wry, apologetic smile.
"Yutte had actually planned to consult with Mine last night and practice all night long, apparently."
"Oh, that's because I was exhausted and fell asleep early... I'm sorry."
When I apologized, wondering if my frailty had caused trouble, Yutte shook her head vigorously.
"Not at all. That was a matter of health — nothing to be done about it. I only wished I'd known sooner, so I could have decorated the young lady even more beautifully."
Ah, so Yutte's hobby was decorating Frieda like a life-sized doll. She was cute enough for it, too. I could relate — I'd gotten carried away putting my heart into those hair ornaments myself.
Then, finishing the braids at the ears, Yutte threaded the prized hair ornaments through the ties she'd secured, making sure they wouldn't fall off.
Four deep-red miniature roses were arranged so that at least one bloom was visible from the front, side, and back. Against her pale pink hair, the small white flowers — meant to evoke baby's breath — looked like white lace, making the red of the roses pop. Here and there, glimpses of green leaves provided just the right accent.
"Hmm, better than I expected! They're perfect for you, Frieda."
"How lovely you look, young lady."
As the servant woman who'd been helping with preparations chimed in with praise, Yutte brought today's outfit and held it up before Frieda.
When Frieda stood, the servant swept the chair aside. In an instant, everyone shifted into formation to dress her, and I hastily scrambled out of the way.
Frieda raised one arm and the opened garment was slipped on; she raised the other, and it was threaded through just the same. Several people worked together to fasten buttons and tighten ties — all Frieda had to do was stand there as her outfit came together.
Watching a lady's dressing ritual play out right before my eyes, the kind you'd see in movies and books, I let out a long sigh.
Without years of practice, there was no way this would go smoothly. It took experience on both sides — the dresser and the dressed. If it were me, I'd probably end up elbowing whoever was standing in my blind spot every time I raised or lowered my arm.
Frieda, who was in the middle of being dressed, looked over at me and beamed.
"Mine, if you'd like, why not watch the
The glass in the guest room assigned to me had been wavy, but Frieda's room had perfectly clear, straight windows with an excellent view.
This room's windows offered a prime view of the procession entering the
"Are you sure?"
As my gaze darted between the window and Frieda, she grinned.
"Of course. If you'd rather not be alone, I'll have Yutte stay with you."
I'd been feeling a bit uneasy about staying in someone else's room while they were away, so Frieda's offer was a godsend.
"That would actually be a relief."
"Please, let me stay with you."
Yutte's face lit up. She probably couldn't wait to see Frieda's grand appearance from this window — or any window for that matter. If Frieda declared that she was to stay with me, Yutte could watch the ceremony from here without any awkwardness.
"Thanks, Frieda. I'll watch from here."
While we were chatting, the boot-dressing had apparently been completed too. The women who'd been crouching at Frieda's feet rose in unison and stepped back a pace.
"Young lady, you're ready."
"Is everything in order?"
Frieda, now perfectly turned out, gave a graceful spin on the spot.
A white dress with a warm, fluffy fur trim around the neck. The occasional embroidery was in bright reds and pinks. It all matched beautifully with her hair color and ornaments.
"Oh my, how adorable."
"Amazing, amazing! Frieda, it looks so good on you!"
"Young lady, your family has arrived."
While everyone was showering her with compliments, the family — having been informed that Frieda was ready — began filing in. The first to appear from behind the folding screen was the Guild Master.
"Oh, Frieda! This is splendid. To wear such magnificent flowers at this winter's Baptism Ceremony — you look like a messenger of the heavens, or a goddess bringing the buds of spring. Utterly adorable. That's my granddaughter!"
"The hair ornaments Grandfather gave me suit the look too, don't they?"
Frieda gently touched the hair ornament and smiled, and the Guild Master's stern face broke into a warm grin.
"Ah, they look wonderful. Your happy smile is worth more than anything."
As if waiting for the Guild Master to finish his initial round of praise, Frieda's family filed into the room one after another.
"Wow, Frieda! That really suits you."
"You're the cutest girl I know."
Two boys, probably in their early teens and slightly older than Frieda, showered her with compliments.
...Wait? I'd thought Frieda wasn't used to being praised, but her brothers seemed perfectly natural about it?
While I tilted my head in confusion, Frieda looked up at her brothers with an expression that was far from flattered.
"...Why are you two here?"
"What do you mean, why? It's Earthday today, so no work. We said we'd all celebrate together, remember?"
"I heard you say that, but those words had never actually been fulfilled before, so I didn't really believe you'd be here."
Wow, her brothers had never kept a promise to her before. No wonder she was anxious and assumed their compliments were just surface-level.
The brothers seemed to notice Frieda's distrust, their faces going pale as they scrambled to make excuses. Watching the children's antics with complete composure, their utterly unbothered parents focused on Frieda's hair ornaments instead.
"These hair ornaments are incredible."
"Yes, I want some too. They're simply exquisite."
While I was watching this chaotic family scene, the Guild Master suddenly crouched down right in front of me, his face looming close.
"Oh, Mine!"
Crap! My plan today was to stay hidden in my room and avoid running into this family!
I let out a squeak and tried to back away, but the Guild Master grabbed my hand firmly and began to speak with tears of emotion in his eyes.
"You did wonderfully. I thank you, Mine. Frieda has never looked so happy wearing something I gave her. Just as you said — a joyful face is worth infinitely more than a surprised one."
"I-I did my best too, so I'm happy you're pleased."
H-H-Help me! Benno, save me!
"It's not often I find someone to share this kind of emotional moment with. From now on, I'll consult with Mine whenever I give Frieda a gift. By the way, Mine, there's something I wanted to ask you... Guh?!"
The Guild Master was shoved aside, and for a brief moment I felt relief — but it lasted only an instant. A multitude of faces replaced his, all crowding toward me at once.
"So you're little Mine? I've heard all about you from Frieda and Father."
"Yes, um..."
I was about to give a proper greeting to Frieda's father, but he spun me around, and in the blink of an eye, Frieda's mother was standing right in front of me.
"Thank you for being such a good friend to Frieda. She's been so happy these past few days — her smile has grown so much. As her mother, I want to express my gratitude."
"Th-the pleasure is mine..."
Before I could say more, the two brothers shoved their faces right up close.
Please! Give me at least enough space to reply! Also — your faces are way too close!
Frozen in a state of panic so intense I couldn't even make a sound, I went cross-eyed while the brothers poked me and ruffled my hair without a shred of hesitation.
"Huh, so this is Mine. I'd only heard stories — I wasn't sure you were actually real. You're not an exaggeration after all."
"Even though she's apparently been here for days, it's our first time seeing her? Mine, your mouth is flapping open and shut like a fish?"
Am I some kind of rare monster with an extremely low encounter rate!? An endangered creature!?
"Brothers, it's almost time, isn't it? Let's go downstairs. Let Mine go."
The one who reached out to rescue me from being manhandled was Frieda. She really did look like a goddess today.
"That's right. We can't be late, so we'd better head down soon, right?"
As I was slowly trying to inch away, one brother grabbed my right arm in a firm grip. The other seized my left immediately.
"Come on, Mine, come with us. Let's celebrate Frieda's Baptism Ceremony."
"No, I'll stay here..."
"You're our guest, so there's no problem with you coming along."
"Exactly, celebrations are more fun with more people."
Captured with an arm hooked under each of mine, I shook my head furiously, but this forceful family wasn't listening to any objections.
Is this in their blood!? Do the Guild Master's relatives carry a gene for ignoring what people say!?
While everyone watched with heartwarming smiles, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil, only Frieda sighed and stepped in to rein in her brothers.
"Brothers, you were scolded for fussing over me too much before, weren't you? Don't fuss over Mine either — she's Self-Eating just like me. Her family is coming this afternoon, and it would be trouble if she developed a fever or collapsed."
"But we want to get along with her while we can!"
"Mine still isn't feeling well, so she'll be watching the ceremony from this room's window. She can't go outside. Even though she'd really like to..."
Her brothers seemed to recall the old Frieda — unable to go outside because of her Self-Eating condition, not knowing when she might collapse, watching the world outside with longing through a window. Their mood shifted to sudden solemnity, and they released my arms.
"Now then, everyone. The bell will ring soon. We need to present the young lady outside."
At Yutte's words, the family swarmed around Frieda and filed out. I watched them go with the same feeling as watching a typhoon pass by.
It was definitely the right call to skip eating together. If I'd been bombarded with questions and smothered with attention like that, I'd have been bedridden for days.
"Miss Mine, are you all right? They're not bad people, but they can be a little... overbearing."
A little is an understatement.
I kept that retort to myself and moved toward the window.
Even with the fire going in the hearth, the window side was cold. I wrapped myself in the shawl Yutte had brought and looked down below.
It was clear, with occasional flurries of snow drifting past. The glass fogging with each breath told me just how cold it was outside.
Beyond the window, Frieda — now outside — was being showered with admiration from the neighbors, standing out like a queen. Surrounded by her family, she wore the happiest expression I'd ever seen on her.
Watching from above, with so few children wearing decorations, the hair ornaments I'd made stood out remarkably.
No wonder Frieda had said she spotted them from the window.
Turi must have stood out, too. With how cute Turi was, everyone must have been talking about her.
As I gazed down at Frieda's Baptism Ceremony, my mind kept drifting back to Turi's ceremony for some reason.
I kept thinking about how Father had dreaded going to the meeting, and how Mother had worn her one good outfit and smiled. I suddenly missed my family so much.
"Miss Mine, you don't look well. What's wrong?"
"Seeing Frieda look so happy with her family makes me miss my own. Even though they're coming to pick me up this afternoon."
As if they'd been waiting for the noon bell, my family arrived to pick me up. Father's love — usually a bit overwhelming — warmed my heart.
"Mine, were you lonely? I was lonely, you know."
"A little. Just a little bit, I was lonely."
Frieda's family invited us to stay for lunch, but Mother firmly declined, saying we couldn't impose any further. My own whining that I wanted to eat Mother's cooking for the first time in a while was the final straw, and we were able to head home without being pressed to stay.
"I wanted to have a fancy meal too..."
I smiled gently at Turi, who puffed out her cheeks in protest.
"Sorry, Turi. I'd rather have Mother's cooking than the fancy food at Frieda's house."
"
Perched on Father's shoulders in high spirits, the whole family headed home.
Our home was shabby and poor, having been left empty for only a few days, but I was deeply relieved by the total absence of tension within its walls.
Frieda's house had been packed with luxurious meals, a magnificent bath, fluffy bedding, and all sorts of wonderful things. Each one was appealing and utterly tempting, but they left me exhausted from the constant tension.
Despite being beautiful and convenient, for some reason, I never felt like I wanted to live there.
Ah, somewhere along the way, "home" for me had become this place.
My stay at Frieda's house ended with me surprised by the change within myself.
Mine, seeing Frieda surrounded by her family, felt a touch of homesickness. She was startled by the shift in her own heart.
Next time: winter living. The real cold sets in.