Yasashī Shinjitsu to Seiryaku Kekkon Volume 2 Chapter 25: A Statue for My Love

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After washing, getting dressed and having a small breakfast, she went to visit Marquis Bellmud. He was sitting up in bed, with pillows cushioning his back.

‘Have been crying?’ he asked when he saw her face.

Matilda’s cheeks bloomed red from embarrassment. It was shameful to have cried so much. (Zuben: ¬.¬)

‘It’s good to cry, but it is useless to keep doing it, isn’t it?’

Matilda smiled, she was touched. It was the first time anyone ever told her it was good to cry. Maybe 

this person was someone she could talk to about her confused mind.

She sat up and leaned on the bed,

‘I’m not good at relying and talking to others about things.’

Bellmud smiled and said, ‘Aren’t you human?’

‘Lord Bellmud is Leann’s grandfather…’

‘You can identify people, you have as much brain as a little dog.’ He said chuckling though his words were harsh.

‘A dog?’ she repeated tilting her head.

Did she have a wild instinct? (Zuben: Where the f is this author going with this nonsense meandering?)

‘Humans believe what they want to believe. Animals rely on their instincts. The former sidesteps deep thought. The latter is like a bet, what one believes is not limited and is friendly to all. (Zuben: Some writers really like to write shallow nonsense and dress it up as deep. But it might speak to someone out there. Google and I are confused.)

‘It sounds like a very scholarly answer.’ (Zuben: Don’t pat yourself on the back, dear author-sama)

Bellmud stroked Matilda’s head; he was very compassionate as though she was one of his grandchildren.

It was still confusing.

‘I want to believe but I cannot believe because I am not confident.’ She said in a small voice

‘It’s self defence.’

‘Self defence?’

‘You don’t want to be hurt, so the lack of confidence. It is an excuse not to engage with others. You are rejecting reality.’

‘Eh?’ She sat up.

‘Do you think that you would like to believe in that fool Leann, or do you already believe in him?’

It seemed like a riddle.

She put her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on her hand, as she chewed on Lord Bellmud’s comments.

I could be said that she believed him. She believed him but she was still anxious that the ball was going to drop and she would be left out in the cold.

She clenched her fist unconsciously.

She was rejecting reality. In other words, she was afraid of losing.

‘A glass figurine is beautiful from afar, but when you get closer you might find dust all over it. The keeper is careless, it has become dirty from neglect, and it can crack and break.’

‘Yes,’

‘A figurine can break someday.’ (Zuben: What are you getting at, o wise one?)

‘Yes,’

‘But if one owns it, one should know how to take care of it. So that dust doesn’t collect on it keep it in a glass box and protect it with an invisible string,’ (Zuben: What…? What does this have to do with anything?!)

Matilda smiled at the end of his words. (Zuben: At what?)

Leandroth expended great effort to get her father to accept his suit for her hand in marriage.

Leandroth’s actions matched his words to her. He patiently cared for her, trying to guide her, protecting her…almost as though she was a glass figurine he had acquired. (Zuben *sarcastic snort*)

She was stunned at this realisation. (Zuben: That you’ll forget tomorrow…)

He treated her gently and with kindness. He always wanted her near him.

Her face grew warm.

‘Grandfather Bell, what kind of person is Leann to you?’ she asked.

‘Leandroth? Hmm, he goes at his own pace with an incompetent smile on his face, but he is really rather ruthless. He rarely shows what he is truly thinking. I’m sure the Leann Matilda knows is quite different from the Emperor Leandroth.’

‘He is straight-forward and kind, innocent and gentle…’

Bellmud laughed, ‘Isn’t that how one treats the one they love?’

Her face turned even more red.

‘The Leandroth you know and the Emperor; neither of them are a lie. They are simply different sides to a person. There is no human that does not have more than one side to them.’ Lord Bellmud said. (Zuben: She’s 26 not 12! How can she not know this by now?!)

‘Leandroth really loves you. He looks like his walking on clouds these days. His heart is on fire.’ Bellmud said laughing.

Although, they were not related by blood, Matilda felt Marquis Bellmud and Leandroth were similar.

‘Yesterday, Leandroth had a truly happy smile on his face…’ Bellmud said as his gaze turned to the window looking out into the distance. It was a sunny day; the sky was vivid blue with puffy white clouds passing by. The trees were swaying in the light breeze.

‘Grandfather Bell, would you like to become mentor to two young boys?’

Leandroth hadn’t replied when she spoke to him about it. (Zuben: Because you turned into a brainless watering pot) He may not have liked the idea, but she was going to ask Marquis Bellmud anyway.

‘Mentor?’ he asked.

‘My brothers, they are ten and nine; children of my step-mother: Ebert and Clervo.’

She felt a bit of nostalgia at the thought of them.

Hopefully, her father the king would not mind if it was Matilda recommending the Marquis. It would be difficult to be fully welcome and assimilate into Ice-Coreta life as the Prime Minister of Barenshiaga, but as a retired knight, things might go better.

‘Step-mother?’

‘My mother died when I was young and father eventually remarried her younger sister. My brothers are her children.’

‘I see,’

‘It was rather painful for me to see my mother’s memories and influences disappear from the palace.’

She said with a sad smile. Bellmud returned the smile.

She continued, ‘I’m only suggesting it because I thought that Grandfather may be a bit lonely.’

‘My memories of her in this place would eventually fade… maybe sometime away would be good.’

‘If you choose to fly away, please send letters to me.’ She said earnestly as she grabbed hold of his hand.

The Marquis burst out laughing.

‘Did I do something…?

‘No, it’s the first time encountering such an aggressive lady.’

‘Grandfather is attractive…’

‘Shall we have a love affair behind Leandroth’s back…?’ He said jokingly but Matilda wondered if he was a bit serious.

‘Shall we exchange love letters between Barenshiaga and Ice-Coretta?’ she replied

The Marquis’ eyes sparkled with a strong inner light.

◇

She spent a little more time with Marquis Bellmud listening to stories of Leandroth’s childhood. When he looked tired, she left him to rest and went to see his attending doctor. She was informed of the Marquis’ condition; it was nothing serious therefore could easily be corrected with medicinal teas.

Matilda put a hand on her bosom and sighed in relief, ‘Maybe Orlatta-sama replied from heaven,’ (Zuben: ¬.¬)

The doctor laughed.

Although the laughter was calm^? It made her feel a bit uncomfortable. She could not clarify the source of discomfort. (Zuben: He thinks you’re an idiot.)

Matilda returned to her rooms. The reception room had been cleared for a large dining table, where her ladies-in-waiting and personal maid were all gathered talking excitedly. The table was laden with food and pastries of varying kinds (Zuben: There was a list)

‘These all look delicious,’ she said smiling at the ladies. They looked like they were having fun.

Agata pointed her hand out in a deferent pose at an empty seat near Augustina, ‘It is delicious. Please take a seat, Empress.’

She wanted to say she wasn’t Empress yet, but it would be unlucky to keep saying that. They were only following Leandroth’s lead, so she smiled and took her seat.

Leandroth arrived a little later.

All in all there were eight of her personal maids because two of them were looking after the Marquis Bellmud, her ladies in waiting except for two; who were off, Julia the Chief of Staff, and Matilda and Leandroth.

‘Please eat well everyone.’ Leandroth said with a smile.

‘Let’s eat after prayers.’

Matilda sent thanks to the spirits of the forest.

‘Matilda, this is delicious,’ Leandroth said as he put some boiled squid on her plate.

She ate it.

‘It is delicious.’

‘The chef cooked all this. Please let us know if you like seafood or what you don’t like. We well tell the chef.’ Julia said with a smile from her seat.

‘Thank you…’ Matilda replied.

‘Don’t just smile and say everything is delicious, we need to practice giving a proper opinion on aspects of the meal. I will ask you later, in the meantime, taste this…’ Leandroth said as he handed her another dish.

Her eyes widened. (Zuben: Is someone’s head going to roll?)

‘Huh? What do you mean?’ she asked Leandroth who was on her right side.

‘You’re listening to me without having to ask. It feels like we’re a proper married couple.’ (Zuben: 

You’re taking several giant leaps in fantasy land, Leann)

That was not an answer.

‘Let’s concentrate on eating now, we’ll talk about it properly soon.’

‘Leann…?’

I didn’t realise there was a purpose to this luncheon.

‘The meat dumplings are also delicious,’

‘Thank you, Leann, but you can’t avoid the bell peppers.’

‘So shrewd,’ (Zuben: In what land…?)

They laughed as they ate.

After the meal was finished, Leandroth began to speak as they reached for their desert,

‘I gathered everyone here today, to commence the Empress’ Salon. I hope that we can meet like this once or twice a month. I will not be able to attend all of them but I hope that the meeting would carry on without me. This is a social gathering but also an important meeting to discuss the direction the Salon is going to take.’

‘Your Majesty, what is the purpose of the Empress’ Salon?’ Julia asked.

‘I would like the salon to plan and manage the commissioning of a statue of the Beloved Empress that would be loved by the people.’(Zuben: Is this your grand gesture, Leann? This sister is too dense for that)

Zuben: This one wasn’t too full of WTF-ery. Although it was full of that shallow nonsense that is supposed to be profound, one sometimes comes across in manga and Japanese light novels. I’m not saying that it occurs only in Japanese instances. I'm just saying for a while I read and watched too much Japanese entertainment. 

Anyway…onwards and onwards.

Be well all x.

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Index ⚔ Chapter 26