“Father, why did you cause such a thing! Even without going to that extend the country wouldn’t be falling apart that easily, would it now?”
This foul mouth belonged to my second son Aren.
I finally found him recently and took him in to the household.
Together with his twin sister Anjiu.
” .. I’m sure it won’t fall apart right away. However, the distrust towards Prince Leon, although I don’t know whether it’s right to call it that, is more or less what the n.o.bles feel. Rather than let that dissatisfaction grow over time and burst out in a big explosion, it would result in less damage if it got crushed while it is still little.”
“Even supposing so, there must have been other ways, or not?”
I don’t know whether it was because he had always been living as a commoner, but I liked this kid that didn’t talk in roundabout ways like n.o.bles.
“Aren, please don’t bother the Master that much.” [2]
Because Aren was biting at me this much, his mother, and also the woman that was my significant other, Alicia [3] entered the talk to stop him.
Previously, because I was too worthless, I had lost this most important woman and children.
And then, I who should have been feeling regret, I again towards this valuable family, used them to protect the pride of the aristocracy.
I had a wife out of a political marriage.
However, despite having married, not to mention affection, there didn’t even develop any trust among us.
I considered that if at least we had children this may change, but she didn’t desire even that.
That woman, for her own convenience, refused to bear children herself.
Hearing the reason I could be but astonished.
She refused to bear children in order not to destroy her own body.
This would have been grounds enough to be a justifyable reason for divorce, but this is where my wife had a proposal.
‘Produce children with my lady attendant then, and we’ll say that they are mine’, that is.
At first I obviously refused.
However, from the point of society divorce wasn’t accepted much.
Thus I leaned towards a simple thought, that if my wife didn’t feel like having children, this method would be the fastest, wouldn’t it.
That lady attendant was Alicia.
In truth she was a cousin of my wife, but her own house fell into ruin, and when she was in trouble because of that, the one who had saved her and made her her lady attendant was this wife.
Because Alicia’s face resembled that of my wife, it wouldn’t likely be discovered, and the first son that she granted me this way was Alek.
Upon the Dukedom finally having a successor even the employees were happy.
However, when Alek was 5 years old, my wife left the house in favour of an adulterous lover.
In the end, even with Alek having been born, she didn’t take care of him even once.
The one who did instead had always been his true mother Alicia.
With such a thing happening it I naturally got attracted to Alicia as if it was a matter of course.
This was the time I earnestly fell in love with Alicia, is what I think. [4]
To the me who had quickly proceeded with his divorce and turned bachelor again, marriage proposals came.
I refused these offers saying that it’s foolish for them to try and make people marry a man that made his previous wife run away, but with great misfortune Alicia heard the talk about marriage proposals.
Alicia, with excessive ability to take swift action, left the house 3 days later.
A letter addressed to me read thus:
『To the Master,
I have been greatly in your care so far.
I have heard the talk about welcoming your new wife.
If I stayed there I would end up becoming a hindrance.
I do not think I would be able to calmly look at the figure of the Master and new wife living together.
Therefore, though I do think it is rude to be in form of a letter, I hereby bid you farewell. [5]
Truly, thank you very much. The days I spent together with the Master and Alek are my treasures.
Sayounara
Alicia 』
Is what happened while I was away on a work related 2 day business trip.
Even when I asked the other employees no one knew where she was headed.
And also, I didn’t know.
That at this time, in Alicia’s belly there dwelled the lifes of a pair of twins.
I continued to search for Alicia for many years.
At one certain time, I noticed Prince Leon sneaking out into the city.
I, who had come across him coincidentally, decided to stealthily follow him.
It was just a whim at the time. I thought it would be troubling if anything happened to the Prince.
And there, I saw a child with a face resembling Alicia’s.
I unconsciously ended up following behind that child.
Thinking about it now, that was some rather shady conduct.
However, as a result I had finally been able to find Alicia.
Moreover, in a set with twins.
On that day, for the first time in a long time, I had not been able to sleep due to excitement.
I then went and explained to Alicia about the matter of those marriage proposals, that I hadn’t accepted any since then, and asked her whether she would be willing to once more live together with me.
Alicia, with a warm smile on her face, slowly nodded.
I would be able to live in happiness with my family.
Is what I had thought, but at this time worrying movements occured among the n.o.bles.
And I ended up using that important family as political tools.
And as for now.
I feel very apologetic towards Aren and Anjiu, however, I do not regret my actions.
Moreover, being confined forever to our territories, to the me right now that is more of a reward, if anything.
Together with Alicia that I hadn’t been able to spent any time with until now, I could now do so.
What extravagance this is.
As for Aren and Anjiu that I had gotten involved in my selfishness to an apologetic extend, I wished for them to live freely.
And, from time to time, for them to show their faces – would wishing thus, as expected, again be my selfishness?
Translator’s notes
The lesson learned: communicate with the people dear to you. It prevents misunderstandings. Which prevents wasted time. h.e.l.l, they must have been apart for 16-20 years. That’s one d.a.m.n long time to be separated from your significant other.
Also, I can guess why he isn’t giving a straight answer to Aren asking ‘there should have been other ways’ – it’s probably difficult to say that your true goal all along was a state sanctioned lifelong honeymoon with Alicia.
[1] アイン・ガヴェイン
[2] 旦那様 : Dannsama, also means husband, but she appends -sama to it so I went with the meaning of Master (of a household) instead. It could be either, though, especially considering her position.
[3] アリシア : Arishia
[4] He uses Ai, as opposed to other terms for his affection, signifying deep love. I interpret it that he liked her much before then, but only developed this deep love now. Otherwise I really can’t justify doing those things between people that don’t even crush on each other.