Yasashī Shinjitsu to SeiryakuKekkon Vol IIChapter 28
T
hey ran fast down the palace corridorsheaded to the Marquis Bellmud’s rooms.
‘Leann, go ahead of me.’ Matildasaid when she noticed Leandroth matching his running pace to hers. Leandrothshook his head and slowed down.
‘Mattie, wait!’
She wanted to hurry on, but he wasstopping her. On stopping, he gave her a quick tight hug and started runningagain.
The knights surrounded them,leading and flanking. Their personal court and the maids were running behindthem.
They stopped short at the doors tothe Marquis’ rooms. Matilda’s legs were so shaky she had to hold on toLeandroth’s arm to keep herself steady.
‘It’s okay if it is just Matildaand I,’ he said to the entourage behind them.
They both took a deep breath andLeandroth knocked on the door. It opened ominously, its creak echoing thoroughthe quiet corridor.
‘Matilda,’
She looked up to see Leandrothlooking down at her. His hand was trembling, so she held tighter onto him. Theyentered the room.
‘I was waiting for you,’ the whitehaired doctor said as they entered. (Zuben: You know they were elsewhere,right?)
On the bed, was the form of aperson covered with a white sheet.
‘…It’s a lie…’ Matilda cried.
He’d been smiling that morning. Ifhe wanted to die, he should have died when he struck his head a few days ago.
No way.
Her legs lost their strength, andshe nearly collapsed if not for Leandroth holding her.
‘Be strong, Mattie.’
Holding onto Mattie, Leandrothmoved closer to the bed.
The doctor checked the doors behindthem and then closed it securely as though he did not want the world to witnessMatilda’s distress.
She looked at the unmoving body.Why? She wondered. The sound of her crying filled the room, even if she wantedto contain herself, she couldn’t. She fell into Leandroth’s chest as she cried,but she heard an exasperated sigh over her head,
‘Grandfather, I can see the clothmove with your breathing.’
He gave Matilda a comforting squeeze with his arm around her,
‘Hey hey, I am dead.’ a voice said from the bed.
‘A dead man does not say he isdead.’ Leandroth replied, his tone droll.
‘It was a lovely show, though~’ themarquis said he pulled the cloth from his face and sat up.
Matilda watched him in shock.
‘It is a problem for a man who is trying to be cute at this age.’
‘What did you say?! A man ischarming.’
Before he could say anything else,Matilda threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
He was alive.
He was alive.
Despite her relief, her tears wouldnot stop. So she was laughing and crying.
‘No, it was bad.’ She cried. It wasa pleasure to say that to him, she rocked him from side to side.
‘You being alive is good.’
The doctor prepared three chairs.Leandroth peeled Matilda from the Marquis and sat her down beside him andhanded her a handkerchief.
She received it with a smile andwiped her tears.
‘So the reason, you performed suchan exaggerated drama, is that you want to retire from your duties as PrimeMinister?’ Leandroth asked.
‘I thought I would go to Icecoretaand become teacher grandpa to Matilda’s younger brothers.’ The marquis repliedlaughing.
Leandroth turned to Matilda,
‘Mattie…’ he growled.
Matilda unconsciously tensed andstraightened in her seat.
‘Hold on,’ Bellmud called,
‘Don’t scold Mattie. All my happymemories have disappeared from her. I don’t want to become a husk living in thepast. I have gotten tired of this life for a while now. So I decided to takeMatilda’s invitation, and see if I can start a new chapter in my life.’
‘I will be accompanying him,’ thedoctor said with a smile.
Matilda studied the doctor. Who wasthis person that sat calmly before the royal family with no deference?
‘Without Orlatta, this castle hasno place for me anymore. So I want to seek new memories in a new place.Princess Matilda, in your country you would have need of a doctor who has studiedSouthern Medicine. Would it not be better for me to accompany him, rather thanhim going alone?’
‘Count Ivrahim…?’
Leandroth looked at him like a hewas a disgusting insect.
He was a count?!
‘Orlatta and I were in love. Wepromised to be together after Leandroth was married.’ The Doctor Ivrahim said.
‘Eh…?!!!’ Leandroth and the Marquisexclaimed at the same time.
‘Oh you did not know? I should havetold you earlier.’ He said vaguely.
‘It could not be…’
‘That…’
The two men could not hide theirupset, which seemed to delight the white haired doctor. He grinned.
‘Orlatta was not weak. If she couldsee me now, she’d say, “Don’t wait for me, find yourself a new love. Don’twallow in worry.” She was an encouraging person. Oh dear, it seems his Majestyand the Marquis are misunderstanding something.’ He said with a laugh
So Orlatta wasn’t a weak person,Matilda thought to herself (Zuben: ¬.¬) No matter how much she was suffering,she seemed to have been someone who did not forget to smile and to love.
‘I have already handed over my workto one of my a.s.sociate doctors in preparation for my departure. Icecoretta hasa thriving herbalism research, it will be beneficial to go and study there. AndI can keep this old knight company as well.’
Leandroth expression was still coldand displeased like he’d taken some bitter medicine. Matilda held his arm andsaid,
‘Your mother sounds like she was areally nice woman,’
He turned to her and his expressionrelaxed,
Bellmud coughed and said,‘Leandroth, Matilda, send someone to my house to give instructions to my staffabout my departure.’
‘What about our wedding?’
‘Sorry but I won’t be attending. Apicture would be distributed eventually. I will see it then.’ (Zuben: Harsh)
‘Very well, stay with Bartholomewuntil you leave. I think that it will take a little while for you accompanyingdoctors to settle affairs here. What about your household, Count?’
The white haired count smilednonchalantly at the Marquis of Bellmud, ‘I have made my preparations. But youdecide what you would like me to do,’
The older man mumbled a bit, andthen said begrudgingly, ‘You can join me as my doctor.’
After that, they discussed othermatters pertaining to the departure. Leandroth called two of his trusteda.s.sistants discussed with them the arrangements.
‘Grandfather Bell, make sure you write,won’t you?’
‘I will. I promise.’
‘I wanted to talk with you more,’Matilda said plaintively to Bellmud. She turned to Leandroth and said, ‘Whydon’t you ask your brother to come here, in the meantime, I will draft a letterof introduction.’
She smiled as Leandroth stroked herhair and went to do as she bid.
‘Orlatta was a strong woman, evenin this bird cage of a life.’ Bellmud said quietly. Matilda wrapped thewrinkled frail hands in hers.
‘Hmm, a life that you are alwaysbeing watched…I can’t decide if it is terrible or a complicated feeling.’
‘Why did you not want to listen tothe count about Orlatta?’ (Zuben: cos writer sama doesn’t know herself)
Bellmud made an uneasy face,
‘I just didn’t want to listen tothe story of a lonely man who had only been well-behaved for a year who is justfeeling a small p.r.i.c.kle of remorse.’
It was funny to Matilda what astubborn person Bellmud was.
She hugged him once more and hegave kisses on both cheeks which she returned.
She prayed the clear blue skies ofIcecoretta would welcome Bellmud gently.
Leandroth took Matilda back to herrooms.
‘Mattie, why did you cling toGrandfather Bell so much?’ he asked in a small voice.
‘Why…?’
She did wonder why, she had neverhugged her father like that before.
‘I don’t think I ever hugged myfather,’
‘You’ve never hugged your father?I’m surprised.’
‘Yes,’
She wondered why people hugged.
The body temperature of anotherhuman was comfortable. Leandroth taught her that.
When they got to her rooms,Celestia one of her ladies in waiting came to meet them,
‘I won’t be going back to theoffice today, tell my staff and the courtiers. We will eat our meals here,’
‘Yes, your Majesty.’ She repliedwith a smile and the rest of the ladies withdrew.
Leandroth pulled Matilda to her bedroom and sat her on her bed. He knelt before her and took her shoes off. Hekissed her instep, eliciting a small yelp. He reached up and unlatched herstockings. Rolling them down, he stroked the length of her legs.
‘Ah, hold…L-Leann?’ she said as hewatched him trying to put her toes in his mouth. She pulled back quickly.
‘What are you trying to do?’
‘I was going to lick it.’
‘I don’t want that!’
He had her by the leg again and hishand skimmed the sensitive skin of her calf,
‘Hmm, don’t you…?’
He asked as he drew closer,
‘You can’t possibly – ah! Want to –to do –ah…’ Her voice grew smaller from embarra.s.sment as he kissed his way upto her knees moving her dress and petticoats out of the way. She made a cutesound when he kissed a sensitive part of her knee. It was as though that was asignal for Leandroth, for he rose and pulled her to him, sitting on the bed ashe stripped her of her clothes. He took off her brooch and her collar lace, andput them on the side table. The dress she wore this day was dark green a colourshe felt was soothing. Leandroth’s fingers trembled as he undid her b.u.t.tons.Soon enough, there was a pool of green around her feet.
She clung to his neck, ‘I like you,Leann,’ she said softly
‘Mattie…’
Matilda let go of him and began tounfasten his clothes.
‘Grandfather Bell said people’shearts were like fragile gla.s.swork, and we should learn to take care of them’
‘Hmm,’
‘I want us to be a pair that lasts;I want to know how to take care of you.’
‘You being near, is enough.’ Hesaid
‘I knew you would say that,’ shesaid with a wry smile, ‘But you know how easy it is for me to waver, you toldme to work harder.’
He looked down at her with laughterdancing in his eyes,
‘Though you have a lot ofconfidence in me,’ she continued, ‘I do not have confidence in myself. I don’tlike it but it is difficult to just grow confidence. And I don’t like myselfvery much, but coming here, you are kind to me, and you adore me and encourageme. Little by little, you helped me realise it is okay to like myself.’
‘Mattie…’
‘You’re amazing, Leann.’
A smile lit up his whole face,
‘Despite my behaviour, everyonetried to be friendly. Grandfather Bell made things easier by being frank withme and joking with me. He made me laugh.’
She pulled his clothes open (Zuben:That took a long a.r.s.e while) and ran a gentle hand across his chest, it wasstrong and solid.
‘I have come to the point where Ithink, it was only because I am woman I am able to meet you. But I want moremuscle; I’ve got too many fat bits.’
‘Just a little…’
She looked up at his words and shesaw his gaze was at her chest,
‘So adore me more…’ she said with asmile on her face, ‘I know that you love me, and I will adore you so that youcan also know that you are loved by me.’
‘Mattie…’
‘Let’s live well together our wholelives.’
The embraced each other tightly.
⚔Chapter 29