Yasashī Shinjitsu to Seiryaku Kekkon Vol I Chapter 12

‘Forsomeone who is going to be the Empress of a country, to be surrounded by onlymaids…?"

‘Hm…’

U

sually,there was a cla.s.s hierarchy. There were some cla.s.sed that were allowed to speakto royalty, and royalty could speak amongst themselves. Matilda was unsure of the social structure ofBarenshiaga, so she held back on having conversations with the maids because ofthat. Leandroth undid the fastening in front of Matilda’s dress, his fingersbrushing against her skin leaving tingling sensations.

‘Well, don’t you think?’ he asked huskily

‘Ah~ ah~ that…’

The dress was a form fitting one; a thick winecoloured material that fitted tightly from under her bust to her knee andsoftly draped down to the floor. Leandroth pulled down her chemise and drew herbreast out and took it into his heated mouth.
She gasped at the sensation. Her body arched back. He suckled on the breast,whilst he teased the other through the dress with one hand and fondled herb.u.t.tocks with the other. Matilda cried out without thinking. She covered hermouth with her hand, how could she be so loud. It was lunch break at the office;anyone could come in at any moment! Yet, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were exposed and fondledin such a place and she was moaning loudly in response. It was too much; shewas confused by her reactions. Leandroth pulled away,

‘Mattie,I"m sorry. I got carried away.’ He said huskily. He gave a final lick to the exposedrose coloured bud, dropped a quick kiss to the other breast and gave her a deepkiss. Her body responded and her exposed breast jiggled invitingly.

‘Ah, I want to take you to bed right now.’

‘Ohyou idiot!’ she said without spite.

‘Yes,I am stupid; I am unable to resist your charm. I am a little fool for you,’ Leandrothsaid jokingly as he put her expertly back together again. Matilda was a littledisappointed. It had been almost like a daydream that that she had her bodyexposed in the office. Without the longing ache in her nipples and lowerabdomen, she would have hardly believed it happened.

‘Butyou are too defenceless; I just want to jump you all the time. So bear that inmind when you embrace me defencelessly again, I might not be able to stop.’ Hegrowled as he fondled Matilda’s breast over her dress.

"They feel so soft and comfortable. No more, seriously this isunsightly of me.’ Leandroth said as he reluctantly let her go and turned away.
Watching him, Matilda said.

‘Ijust wanted to hold you,’ in an apologetic small voice. Leandroth stared ather, his eyes wide. Has she said something strange?

‘Mattie,’

‘Yes,’she replied. His eyes shone like stars. She really thought it funny that he didnot have ears and a tail. It would be so fitting.

‘Ilove you.’

Matilda’sface blushed bright red at such a straightforward confession.

‘Thankyou very much.’ she said, ‘That…’

‘Hmm?’

Shecovered her mouth with her hands then put them back down holding them in frontof her as she turned away shyly and said softly, so softly if he hadn’t had allhis attention on her he would not have heard,

‘Ilike you very much too.’

Sheclosed her eyes, relieved that she had managed to convey her growing feelings.She heard a chair sc.r.a.pe the floor loudly, she opened her eyes to find herselfin Leandroth’s arms,

‘Mattie…’

In his warm arms, she breathed a sigh of relief. But his hug was really tight,she felt slightly claustrophobic, had he been anxious about it?

Shewas a Princess who came to be married in a foreign country without her personalmaids or a lady in waiting. Amid expectations and uneasiness, having a husbandwho was naturally easy to talk to would naturally allow feelings to grow. Butshe did wonder if he had interest in other women…Or had he been trying to makeher jealous?

‘Sowas it my female general – one of the ladies you saw in the garden?’

‘Ah…’

‘Orone of the court ladies?’

Shethought of what she had come up with, Leandroth was still.

‘I"msorry.’ He rested his cheek on her head.

‘Iwill introduce you soon. I wanted to choose people who are friendly and easy toget along with for your court.’

Matildaput her arms up between them and pushed him away. He looked down at hercuriously. She raised her hands and pinched Leandroth’s cheeks,

‘Thisis a punishment for not telling me earlier!’

Asshe spoke, she pulled the pinches up and down, left and right, left and right,then drew a circle and pulled down to release it last. She even sang a childish ditty as she did it.

Becausehis face was hard to pinch, she had to use a lot of strength but she didn’tmind.

Shemay not have laughed like this since she was a child.

‘Iwill forgive you with that. We are closer now, comrades even; so there will beno more secrets.’

Leandroth,who had been ma.s.saging his a.s.saulted cheeks, hugged Matilda again.

‘That’swonderful. I will quickly finish my work. Wait for me.’ He said excitedly,kissing her forehead.

Inher head, a voice said she was in trouble, but her heart wasn"t listening.Matilda put her arms around his strong body and said really quietly

‘I"m waiting.’

◇

When they returned to the office, they called the chief of staff first. She wassomeone that Leandroth thought was on his side,

‘Pardonme, your Highness.’

‘I"msorry for pulling you from your duties, I am sure you are very busy. Pleasehave a seat.’ Matilda was standing near the windows, she smiled and indicatedthat the woman

‘Icannot to that.’

‘Iwould like to speak with you as Leandroth’s nurse maid. Please forget ourstatus; if you don’t sit, I wonder if I can…’ Matilda said gently.

Shewas undoubtedly troubled,

‘Julia1, sit down. If don’t I will order you to.’

‘Certainly…yes’Julia the Chief of Staff sat on the sofa and stared at Matilda

‘Leanntold me you are totally on his side, so he told me to consult you if I had anytroubles.’ Matilda said, keeping a bright smile on her face. Julia lookedpanic-stricken and glanced around.

‘Leann said it would be okay. He said you started from the bottom, so you willunderstand.’

Juliaraised her face, and her stoical mask returned, and apologised,

‘I"msorry to have been rude in your presence.’

‘Youmay want to talk to Leann but you’ll have to talk with me for a while. Forgiveme.’

Juliaclutched the skirt of her livery

‘Idon’t think I will be trusted right away by asking you to believe in me, butfor the time being, I want to make a declaration…’

‘Declaration,your Highness?’

‘Yourprecious Prince, nay, he is now your majesty the Emperor Leandroth. I want tomake him happy.’

‘PrincessMatilda…’

Julia’seyes opened wide in surprise (Zuben: too many wide open eyes up in this here place)

‘Therefore,I would like to start with well-being.’

‘Well-being,your Highness?’

Why the question? Why the widened eyes? Hasshe said anything strange?

‘Tobe happy in life you need a few things: First of all, good health, nonstressful lifestyle, a good diet and moderate exercise. And not to be sedentaryin one’s old age!’ She said clenching her fists in a strong fighting poseunconsciously, for emphasis.

‘InIcecoreta, I a.s.sisted my father the King, so I know the most important thing isthe well being of the ruler. Not sleeping for nearly two days is not joke. Evenif he is able to bear it with youth at the moment, one day he will collapse.’

‘Soone of the things I would like to propose is proper means. I do want you to becareful not to be dismissed. But if that happens, I want you to draw on theauthority of the Emperor.’

Juliastared in surprise, her mouth agapes at him. Iwonder what I am saying something strange? (Zuben: How much wider is thiswoman"s mouth going to open?)

Matildawas becoming really anxious about this.

‘PrincessMatilda, what did his Majesty say to you?

‘Thatif he complains about something someone’s head flies…’

Didthe flying heads not mean a dismissal? AlthoughLeandro"s speech is mostly refined and upper cla.s.s, there were phrases he’d usethat she would not understand. It wasdue to growing up in the battlefield from an early age, he spent hispre-ruling days with mercenaries and ordinary people, so sometimes his speechturned rough and wild. But it was rather pleasing, especially when he was excited.

‘I"mafraid to say, but when he says that the head will fly…’ Julia paled furtherand her fingers tightened on her livery skirt.

---The neck flies. Beheaded.

Matildafrowned as she knew what was not said.

‘Arethey trying to make the Emperor look like a tyrant?

‘Theyare like a child with a sharp knife; it is fun to use it to cut anything’

‘Theyare foolish. There is a small story called the Equal Inheritance of the RigeonGarden from my home town, you may have heard of it.’

Matildashook her head, ‘No,’

‘Fourgirls were born to a family that owned extensive orchards. The garden wasdivided into four, one for each child. They decided to also divide the houseevenly between them. But such an arrangement is not sustainable forever.’ Juliacalmly said. (Zuben: Anyone who understands this j.a.panese parable needs toexplain it to me)

Matildanodded in agreement.

‘Itseems that there are such idiots that are caught up in satisfying themselves inthe now, playing with power.’

Matildafrowned, deep in thought so much so her head ached, the pounded her fist intothe armrest.

‘Hmm,shall I show myself as the Princess?’

Itlooked like her current status of the emperor’s lover seemed to have power.

‘Chief of Staff Julia, I would like to dismiss the Chamberlain and the HeadChef. I would like a list of potential enemies and potential replacements. Doyou think this is possible?’ Matilda asked, Julia frowned, rea.s.sessing theyoung woman before her’

‘Ithink I begin to understand why our Majesty chose you.’

‘Huh?’she said puzzled, it seems this woman was misunderstanding something.

Zuben:

[1]Julia the Chief of Staff. That name was bestowed by me on the originallynameless and formless Chief of Staff. This writer doesn"t seem to see fit to describeher characters or name them. Only Leandroth has had proper realisation. Idebated all through the edit whether to give “Julia” form, but I decided Iwould be imposing my imagination on the readers; it is not my own book. But Isure as h.e.l.l wasn"t going to keep calling her “chief of staff” every time Iwanted to indicate her.