Chapter 11 – Sleeping Prince ①
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Yuuta didn’t wake up even one week after falling unconscious. He was sleeping peacefully with the condition of his body being stable.
Meanwhile Aoi, Manami, Tomoe, and Yukishiro were gradually withering away as they watched over Yuuta in his sickroom. As they were constantly on edge, their exhaustion had accumulated. And although they took turns and slept in the hospital, their hearts and minds could never get any real rest.
Days of waking up, rushing over to Yuuta’s sickroom, worrying over him at his bedside, and eventually going to sleep repeated themselves.
On the other hand, the class trip had been suspended, causing the other girls to go back to their respective homes. Of course, Nanase and Boss had been immediately informed about Yuuta collapsing. However, neither could act right away as Nanase was in the midst of her talks with the Minatos and Boss was negotiating with the Mir Kingdom as vice prime minister. They spent the last week sharing information while staying in contact with the girls at the hospital.
On the eighth day, today, Ayaka was visiting the hospital. Tomoe greeted her as soon as she arrived.
“Good work. It must have been difficult.”
“Yes. At this point we don’t know what we should do anymore.”
“TOmoe, you must get some rest yourself as well.”
Seeing the dark bags under Tomoe’s eyes after meeting her for the first time in a while, Ayaka fully understood how much of an emotional and mental strain the last week at the hospital had been. Ayaka herself also suffered a tremendous shock when she received the news of Yuuta having collapsed. Moreover, as he remained asleep for the days to come afterwards, Ayaka couldn’t catch much sleep out of anxiety and worry either.
Ayaka needed a whole week to hurry to Yuuta’s side because she had contacted a certain person and talked with them about various issues. And Aoi and the other girls eagerly awaited the answers which Ayaka would bring them.
“Yukishiro-sama still doesn’t know about that matter, correct?”
“It’s been decided that Yuuta-sama would tell her in person… Apparently he planned to talk to her before the second term began.”
“I see. Given the current situation, I think it’s necessary to brief Yukishiro-sama as well, though.”
“Yes, I believe so too.”
“I guess…first I will take a look at Yuuta-sama.”
Once she entered Yuuta’s sickroom, she found Aoi, Manami, and Yukishiro watching over him. A pang of hope crept onto the faces of Aoi and Manami when they saw Ayaka arrive. As far as Yukishiro was concerned, Ayaka was no more than Yuuta’s caseworker before Tomoe took over, as such she didn’t understand why the two other girls would show such expressions.
“Yuuta-sama…,” Ayaka called out to the sleeping Yuuta.
But, only calm breathing came back in response. Gently clasping his hand, she could feel his body’s temperature. Ayaka quietly wiped her tears away and faced the three girls.
“I have something to tell you. Let’s go to another room.”
“So be it.”
After relocating, Ayaka heard about Yuuta’s current condition from his doctor. And once the doctor finished her explanation, Ayaka addressed Aoi, albeit not with what Aoi hoped to hear.
“We will get Yuuta’s data about his condition from the hospital and check it ourselves.Going by the medical examination by our hospital’s staff, we have also judged that Yuuta-sama’s life isn’t in danger.”
“Okay.”
Yukishiro didn’t understand to whom Ayaka was referring with “we,” but for the time being she focused on listening to the story.
“Our suggestion is to take Yuuta-sama to the Research Institute of Genetics.”
“Research Institute of Genetics…what are you going to do after transferring him there?”
“We will have Lilith-san personally examine Yuuta-sama.”
“Why can’t she come to this hospital?”
“Lilith-san has also taken a look at Yuuta-sama’s examination data. Based on that, she told boss to bring Yuuta-sama to her Research Institute of Genetics.”
This was hard to swallow for the girls. They’d understand it if Lilith came to this hospital to examine Yuuta, but taking Yuuta there wasn’t in their interest. Especially given that they didn’t know what would be done to Yuuta at that institute.
“Will Yuuta-sama wake up, if he is taken to Lilith-san’s research institute?”
“That is something…we don’t know.”
“You don’t know? And yet you tell us to have Yuuta-sama moved?”
“Yes. Lilith-san told us to first bring him to her research institute. She added that she wouldn’t be able to accurately examine him anywhere else.”
The Yoshiwaras had equipped this hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for Yuuta’s sake. It was unbelievable that this place wouldn’t suffice for an examination. And even if something was missing, they’d do everything to prepare it right away.
“I cannot agree to this. Why can’t she examine him unless it’s at her own research institute?”
“I also asked about that…”
Ayaka also felt uneasy about having Yuuta examined by Lilith. And she knew that Aoi would feel the same uneasiness as her. But, it wasn’t as though they had any other option.
“If you tell us what equipment and facilities are needed, the Yoshiwaras will definitely prepare them. If you say that it’s special equipment, we can transport all of it to this place.”
“Aoi-sama, I do understand your reservations. I feel the same. If possible, I would get Lilith-san to come here and examine Yuuta-sama in front of us all. But, as a result of the talks between Boss and Lilith-san, I was told to bring Yuuta-sama to the research institute…”
Yuuta should be an irreplaceable being for Dreamseducers as well. They’d never take his life or health lightly. Ayaka and Boss were in a different position than Aoi and the other girls, but Aoi still believed that they all shared the wish to cherish Yuuta.
Going by Ayaka’s state as well as words, and considering that she needed more than a week to come here, one could guess that a fierce debate had taken place within Dreamseducers. Thinking about it normally, it was crazy to take any risks by moving Yuuta in his current state. Rather, Lilith should be coming to Yuuta.
But, Lilith, the person who might change the situation with Yuuta for the better, was saying that she could only examine him at her research institute. In that case, there was no other choice but to move Yuuta there.
“Lilith-san…is going to examine Yuuta-sama for the sake of him regaining his consciousness, right?”
“Yes.”
“We can watch over him while she does so, can’t we?”
“That’s…”
Boss had already confronted Lilith with that very question.
Ayaka answered with an expression full of mortification, “She said no.”
“WHY!?”
“She said that she didn’t have any intention to show it to anyone else.”
“Lilith-san belongs to Dreamseducers, doesn’t she? Why doesn’t she obey the orders from her superiors?”
“Well…”
Ayaka didn’t understand that part either. Lilith was considered the key personnel for Nihon’s super confidential project. Though, Ayaka believed Boss and Lilith shared a relationship that differed from being boss and subordinate.
Manami calmed Aoi. Even if she shouted at Ayaka, it wouldn’t change anything in the situation. But, even while knowing as much herself, Aoi vented her frustration and anxiety at the older women for a lack of another possible outlet.
At this point, Tomoe addressed Yukishiro.
“Yukishiro-sama.”
“Y-Yes?”
“I think you have been struggling to follow this discussion.”
“Yes. Just what does all of this mean?”
“Originally it was scheduled for Yuuta-sama to tell you himself. Before the beginning of the second term. But, given the current situation, we will provide you with the explanation. About Yuuta-sama.”
Tomoe briefed Yukishiro on the information related to Yuuta’s memory manipulation. Ayaka supplemented Tomoe’s explanation whenever necessary.
Hearing about the shocking truth revolving around Yuuta, who used to be a shut-in, Yukishiro became speechless for a while.
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After listening to the end and calming down from the shock, Yukishiro said to Aoi while brooding, “If we entrust Yuuta-sama to Lilith-san in a place, where we can’t watch over him, she might manipulate his memories once again. Or she might do something else similar to that.”
Aoi nodded slowly.
“Ayaka-san’s organization said they can’t manipulate Yuuta-sama’s memories anymore, but it’s not like they provided any proof for that.”
“Indeed…”
“If we don’t verify whether they really can’t manipulate his memories a second time by having them release all the documents pertaining to Yuuta-sama’s first memory manipulation, we can’t leave Yuuta-sama in Lilith-san’s hand, now can we?”
“That’s…”
“In the first place…Ayaka-san, can you yourself actually tell whether it’s really impossible to manipulate his memories once again?”
Ayaka didn’t say anything in reply to Yukishiro’s question. Yukishiro’s objection was very logical, but seeing how she couldn’t tell the other the truth, she couldn’t answer anything.
No, even if I do tell them the truth…I don’t understand the technology and theory behind it.
In short, the result would be the same. As technology kept advancing, most people wouldn’t be able to tell how it would be used, but since it was convenient, they would keep using it nonetheless. The same applied to gene manipulation during a woman’s pregnancy. It was carried out to have the woman give birth to a superior child, but most women likely didn’t know how that gene manipulation actually worked. The state said it was a technology that followed regulated safety measures, but hardly any woman had a way to know whether they were telling the truth.
Even the personality transplantation of a male from the Old World…here dubbed as Yuuta’s memory manipulation was an outcome from the state’s top secret project. The only guarantee for its safety and reliability were Lilith’s words on it.
From the standpoint of Aoi and the other girls, it was hard to completely trust her since Dreamseducers were the ones to manipulate Yuuta’s memories in the first place.
But.
It was also true that they currently had no other reliable method.
The doctors, trusted by the Yoshiwaras the most, had come to this hospital and examined Yuuta. As a result, they couldn’t identify the cause behind Yuuta remaining unconscious. Their only diagnosis was that Yuuta’s life wasn’t in danger because his body remained in good health.
At this rate, Yuuta might wake up one day as long as rested at this hospital. It could happen today or maybe tomorrow. However, no one could tell when it would happen. And this also meant that the possibility of him never waking up was existent as well.
Aoi’s bitter expression represented that reality quite well.
“I don’t know about the details of the memory manipulation performed on Yuuta-sama. I think Lilith-san is the only person knowing the full account. I also understand that you cannot trust us. But, Yuuta-sama’s headaches should be deeply connected to the memories of that incident. It’s only natural to be suspicious of anything we, the ones who manipulated Yuuta-sama’s memories, have to say. However, please…please allow Lilith-san to examine Yuuta-sama. I beg you!”
Ayaka bowed very deeply. Silence reigned in the sickroom as there was no reply from Aoi. Without raising her head, Ayaka went down on her knees and kowtowed.
“Please!”
In the worst case, Yuuta will never wake up. Ayaka had been told by Boss that they’d definitely get Lilith’s full cooperation. There was no guarantee that Yuuta would wake up just because Lilith examined him, but even so they might be able to learn something new about his condition.
“Ca-…”
A voice rumbled down at Ayaka’s head. That voice was quivering.
“Can you promise…ugh…”
Ayaka lifted her head slowly. Thereupon she saw big tears streaming down from Aoi’s eyes. Her voice was shaking, she was tightly clasping her hands, and her eyes were firmly pinned on Ayaka.
“…that you won’t cause any harm…to Yuuta-sama…that you will examine him properly…”
Ayaka’s promise would have no meaning. Aoi knew that. Yet, she still asked.
“I promise! I vow on my life that I will never allow any harm to befall Yuuta-sama!”
Several seconds of silence followed. Then after firmly pressing her lips shut, Aoi finally said, “We will prepare…for Yuuta-sama to be moved.”
She couldn’t rely on anyone else. The one who had to make the decision was Aoi. Even if Nanase had been present, it would likely have been Aoi’s duty to make the final call. Seeing how Yuuta himself wasn’t conscious, someone had to decide for him. And it was expected for Aoi to carry that responsibility.
“We will take Yuuta-sama to a hospital related to Yoshiwaras which is close to the Research Institute of Genetics. That doesn’t mean it’s decided that Lilith-san will be allowed to examine him. But…for now we will move him close to her institute…”
“Okay…”
Even though Aoi could trust Ayaka, she couldn’t trust Lilith. She was the doctor and scientist who had carried out the memory manipulation procedure. Aoi couldn’t yet make up her mind whether…Lilith was someone worthy of being entrusted with the most beloved person in her life.
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Translation Notes: