YasashīShinjitsu to Seiryaku Kekkon Vol IChapter 11

‘Puppet?’ 

S

he asked. Matilda tilted her head inthought. She heard that word back in her home country, but her kingdom’sevaluation of Balenciaga and Leandroth was favourable.

Matilda shook her head to indicate nosuch thing had been heard. She placed her fork on her exquisite china place andpicked up her tea cup.

‘What about the rumour that my youngerbrother and I are children of a mistress Princess, and not the previousEmpress?’

She nodded.

It was well known that the previousEmperor and Empress could not bear children, so they adopted the children ofthe Emperor’s sickly mistress; also a Princess in her own right. (Zuben: Whyare these women always sickly? If they are not they are usually mercenary.)

Leandroth heaved a great sigh.

‘Her illness was caused by a disease,’

Matilda tilted her head, trying todecipher his mumbling.

‘I will tell you about her1,but it is not like you may be imagining.’ He said darkly,

The words came out as though they wereforced through him. The way he said “Her”, it was disdainful and bitter; what astrange way to refer to his mother.

‘Also, the former emperor is notresting from illness in the Rikyu Palace.’

‘Not ill?’

Leandroth’s words were becoming toopuzzling.

‘No, there is no sickly emperor, noconcubines either. The former emperor, who everyone called the MercenaryEmperor and the woman he loves the most, are now travelling the world as a comedian.’

‘Eh?’

Although he was only joking, the wayMatilda’s eyes rounded at the words seemed to amuse him greatly. (Zuben: What?He was only joking? Here I was thinking that was a good way to retire one’sself.)

‘Our mother is deceased now; only theprevious Empress remains alive.’ Leandroth said coldly. He looked distant and acold aura blanketed him. (Zuben: Me no understandie)

Matilda takes a breath on itscoldness.

‘For the Emperor, the Empress let himhave a harem because she could not have children. She was in agony, not beingloved or favoured by the Emperor. But she distracted herself from her pain, byraising us.’

His distant gaze, started to waverslightly.

‘The former Empress was a good motherto us. I loved her very much.’

Leandroth was very still.

‘I think that Mother-in-Law loves youand Bartholomew.’ She said quietly.

‘Why do you think so?’ Leandroth’svoice trembled. Matilda pretended not to notice and put her cup back on thesaucer. She spun the cup as she tried to find the words. She looked right athim and smiled,

‘Because, Leann is an easy person tolove.’

Leandroth was someone who didn’t puton a façade. He was true to himself and those he had dealings with. That firstnight was admittedly bad behaviour, but he had been kind after. Of course therewere things she did not agree with, but overall he was a good person.

Leandroth stared back at her, his cheekbonesdyed lightly vermillion. He turned away and said

‘Thank you, Mattie.’ The sentimenttouched Matilda deeply.

‘So,’ he continued, ‘my grandfather,the empress’ father, Marquis Bermud currently serves as the Prime Minister. Heis just and fair. He was a fantastic knight and swordsman. Balto and I look upto him,’

‘Yes, I know,’

‘It’s funny how things have turned outsince my birth Mother died.’

Matilda looked at Leann.

‘The reason I do not mind even thoughtof as a puppet Emperor is that whoever is ruling, the people don’t actuallycare as long as there is peace, abundant food, taxes are not high and they areable to pay. It is the same either way.’

Leann laughed mirthlessly.

‘It has been this way since the reignof the previous emperor. Since it wasn’t troublesome, I did not say anything.It makes life easier.’

‘Because it is easier…’ Matilda saiddrumming her fingers on the table.

‘Does that bother you?’

‘If it is too troublesome to do it,you don’t bother?’

‘I don’t want to tire myself, if Ican.’

‘If you don’t want to get tired,shouldn"t you improve efficiency?’

‘How do you think I should go aboutimproving efficiency?’

‘Consider the whole thing, you willsuffer at first, but it should become easier with time.’

Leandroth laughed, ‘I guess I"m goingto have to work a bit harder. You really are good...’

‘Eh?’

‘How would you overcome the possibleconflict with the Prime Minister?’ Matilda asked

‘I don’t think the Prime Ministerwould be a problem, but there are those idiots who have been undermining the PrimeMinister and misusing their authority. Get rid of those, return pertinentgoverning affairs to the Emperor’s Office and we go from there.’

‘That’s…’ Matilda was going to saymore but she held back. Leandroth laughed.

‘Of course, it would not be easy, butit is worth the trouble in the long run. I will have to work harder.’ He saidwith a wry smile, and continued laughingly, ‘So it is Mattie’s job to kick mybehind into gear.’

‘So, is this why you chose me?’ sheasked.

‘No.’ He said, ‘Because you are a ladyof age, you accepted my marriage proposal. Even though it will be troublesome,I want to try hard for my people. So I can stand tall beside the Prime MinisterPrincess. In short, you are the saviour of Barenshiaga.’

Matilda shrugged her shoulders; shecould not take his words seriously. However, but he was able to guess herthoughts,

‘I am not interested in ruling. Iwould rather give it all to my brother. But I made a promise with him…’

‘A promise?’ Matilda asked. Leandrothlooked at Matilda’s inquisitive expression and laughed mischievously.

‘Being the Emperor is troublesome, butif we marry the one you love, we will do our best as royalty.’ (Zuben:Sometimes these writers make zero sense what so ever. If someone makes bettersense of this part in the raws; let me know)

‘What?’

‘Using our power, we will notcompromise on who we marry. We will work hard for the government and thepeople. My brother runs the military and I am a politician.’

Matilda’s mouth drops. She would liketo use these silly brothers as an example to those to run themselves raggedover succession.

‘Troublesome…’

‘Eh~ Why are you reacting to that? Ifyou want to react, I want you to respond to “I love you the most.”’

He really had no shame.

‘Who do you love the most?’

‘You.’ The reply was as expected.

‘And the other Princesses?’

‘What about them?’

‘There was an old woman amongstthem…?’

‘Ah~’

‘And that overly friendly one?’

‘Are you jealous?’ He asked smiling asmile she found totally obnoxious. Matilda turned her head away from him.

She gave a long suffering sigh andsaid, ‘I have been told by everyone that they are beautiful, lively andwonderful women. Rather than being jealous, I just want to know where I standin your eyes.’

‘The one I love the most.’ He saidwithout hesitation over her.

She looked up, surprised. Leandrothgave her a heart fluttering smile, his laughing eyes were gentle, 

‘You areattractive to me,’

Her heart thumped at his words and sheblushed. Why does this person say such embarra.s.sing words so easily; one afteranother like a babbling creek?

Matilda sealed her lips.

Then, she closed her eyes and raisedher chin proudly,

‘Please apologise,’ she said as sheopened her eyes.

‘Huh?’

‘Please apologise for the firstnight.’

Matilda’s face was flushed red, butshe kept her gaze steady. Leandroth looked at Matilda’s serious expression.

‘You know how intimidating coming herewas,’2

‘Yes,’

‘So please apologise for touching mybody when I was unconscious.’

Leandroth remained silent. (Zuben:Why, bruv? Oh yeah, I think I remember him saying he wasn"t going to apologisefor diddling her senseless, but I can’t be bothered to check.)

‘Now that I am sure that you love me,I would not mind if such a thing happens again, but things were different then,so I want a proper apology from you…for you.’

‘For me?’ Leandroth asked sweetly. ButMatilda was not tempted to back down.

‘Yes, I want an apology; I am notasking for much, I just want to forgive the “you” then.’

‘Mattie…’

‘I don’t want to have any left-overill feelings between us. If you will apologise, I will also apologise fortrying to take my own life with poison.’

She had no choice but to compromise.She wanted her parents’ affection like a child, but she had become invisible tothem. She decided to die without thinking of Leandroth’s feelings, because shethought that it was an arbitrary political marriage.

Death…was not a path she should havechosen so easily. (Zuben: Wow! Really?)

His big hand caressed her cheek as hesaid, ‘Mattie, I am sorry.’ He apologised like a child.

Yet somehow her heart ached. Shelooked up and her husband looked like a big golden dog that had just beenscolded by his master.  She stood upwithout thinking and hugged his head to her chest.

‘I forgive you and I am sorry too. Ifyou truly want me, then I…’ Matilda did not finish her sentence. (Zuben: Can’timagine what she’d like to say *wiggles eyebrows*)

‘I"m sorry; I will be depending on youfrom now on.’

She shook her head to tell him it wasokay. Because her father desired, she lived. Now Leandroth wanted her, will shelive? A cold shiver ran down her spine at her morbid thoughts.

‘Oh my! b.o.o.b jiggles~’ an easy goingvoice said from between her arms. She looked down at Leandroth who had buriedhis face in her cleavage and was now kneading with one hand and caressing herb.u.t.tocks with the other.

‘I am quite happy to be dependent onyou,’ he said cheekily. Although they were separated by layers of clothes,Leandroth found her nipple easily and began to tease her. Pleasant sensations crawledthrough her.

‘Ah, it’s a pity it’s not night, wouldyou be angry if I take you here?’

She looked down at him with her headtilted to one side,

‘That’s sudden-Ahn~’ Her reply was cutshort because Leandroth pinched her nipple and her legs nearly turned to jelly.How was he able to tell where her nipples were through her clothes. (Zuben:Look at your b.o.o.bies, honey. You might find you have “nerps”)

‘Did you not think it strange?’

‘Hmm?’

Words from Zuben:

For your life affirming needs, gets.e.x!

Her suffering was so great that sheneeded to poison herself! It was simply ‘Wah! Daddy doesn"t love me. Wah! I"mh.o.r.n.y but hubby don’t care! Wah! I"m a jealous type! Death becomes me!’

So many “I"m sorrys” man! What a drag.

Still, it’s a good thing she got anapology though. That first night was just weird as f.u.c.k.

[1] This was really “that person” inthe translation, but I dislike that phrase. So I chose to say “her” instead.You can still convey bitterness and anger.

[2] That line really is not what wassaid, but the original made no sense so I changed it.

This chapter is heavily revised! Ify’all were reading ahead with Google translate or know j.a.panese more than I do;my knowledge = 0, you will note that I have embellished and redesigned. I havechanged the story to match what I imagine is going on and how I feel it shouldread like based on the mangled translation I got from three translating software.It may not be fantastic. But I think its aight!

And there is no hanky-panky for thenext few chapters after this one. Colour me disappointed. And they are harderto edit ‘cos three translating programs can’t do complicated. Le sigh.