Chapter 24 – Sleeping Prince ⑨
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Yukishiro got into the car and headed over to Aoi’s hotel together with Nanase, who had come to pick her up from the Minato residence. Along the way, she informed Nanase that she had resolved the issue with her own family and had gotten them to acknowledge her as Yuuta’s second wife.
“That’s great news. For you as well as for Aoi-san. It’d be wonderful if our two families managed to build a cooperative relationship.”
“Yes.”
Yukishiro didn’t mention a word about Saori. Neither that she was trying to instate her as family head as soon as she married Yuuta. After all, this was an internal problem of the Minatos. And Yukishiro couldn’t afford to rely on Nanase for everything. Nanase didn’t ask what happened between Yukishiro and Saori either.
“Once the problem with Yuuta-sama has been resolved, you are going to return to the Minatos, right, Yukishiro-san?”
“Yes. That is the plan. Thank you very much for having taken such good care of me during this difficult period of time.”
“We will leave your room as is. Please come and visit anytime.”
“Okay! I too want…to create a space at the Minatos so that Aoi-san can come for a visit whenever she feels like it.”
“Hehe, I’m sure Aoi-san will be delighted if she hears this.”
Yukishiro wanted to share her joy and relief with everyone. However, the core of their group, Yuuta, still hadn’t woken up.
“Right now, Suzune-san…is heading to the hotel.”
“I…see.”
“She should arrive before us.”
“Alright.”
Just as Nanase predicted, Suzune had already entered the hotel together with Tomoe and Ayaka when the two arrived at the hotel. Hearing about the situation from the staff welcoming them, Nanase and Yukishiro went directly to the room where the others were waiting.
“Mother, Yukishiro-san…”
Aoi was obviously agitated and shaken while greeting her mother and Yukishiro. Apparently unable to sit still, she had been standing before the door opened.
“I’m back. And it’s fine now, Aoi-san,” Nanase hugged her daughter tightly to calm her down after perceiving Aoi’s state right away.
Aoi managed to regain some of her composure in the bosom of her mother.
“Tomoe-san and Ayaka-san brought Suzune-san here ten minutes ago. Right now they’re in a different room,” Manami updated Nanase.
“Let’s talk about Yukishiro-san’s situation before facing Suzune-san,” suggested Nanase.
“Okay.”
Yukishiro explained that the problem with her family had been resolved and thanked everyone once more for their support. Her happy news helped calm the strange mood that had dominated this room since Suzune arrived at the hotel. Even Aoi showed a smile.
“Congratulations, Yukishiro-san. It’s really great to see that everything worked out.”
“It’s all thanks to you, your family, and friends, Aoi-san.”
Aoi and Yukishiro hugged each other, sharing the joy. Usually, Aoi would have used this chance to switch to an intense skinship, but as might be expected, she didn’t do so now. In contrast, Yukishiro tightly hugged Aoi.
“Aoi-san, you’re afraid to meet with Suzune-san, aren’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“I’m scared as well. Meeting the woman who had harmed Yuuta-sama…but even so, let us do our best for Yuuta-sama’s sake.”
“…Okay.”
Since they suspected that the reason Yuuta remained unconscious was deeply linked to the past incident with Suzune, having Suzune meet with Yuuta might trigger a reaction. It was a somewhat drastic measure, but at this point, they had no other options left. If this failed as well, a method they all wanted to avoid at all costs, namely taking Yuuta to Mir, awaited them.
“How is Suzune-san’s state?” Nanase asked Manami.
“She seems quite disturbed as she cannot understand the situation.”
“You still haven’t told her about Yuuta’s condition, have you?”
“We haven’t.”
“Did Lilith-san say anything?”
“She mentioned that we should have the two meet this evening.”
“I see…”
The clock showed 7 p.m. They’d take Suzune to Lilith’s research institute in one hour. Being forced to meet Yuuta as soon as she arrived might be too rapid a development for Suzune, but there was no meaning in delaying things any further. After all, it wouldn’t change anything whether they confirmed Yuuta’s reaction to a meeting with Suzune today, tomorrow, or any other day, for that matter.
“You were planning to meet Suzune-san before having her meet Yuuta, correct?” Nanase asked Aoi, who was still being embraced by Yukishiro.
“…Yes.”
“I don’t think you have to force yourself to meet her. Even if you meet and talk with her, it won’t change anything about our plans to make her meet Yuuta, Aoi-san.”
“…But…”
“It sounds like Suzune-san is also quite shaken at the moment. If you meet her now…and confront her with all the emotions you bottled up, Suzune might lock her heart,” Nanase gently stroked the heads of Yukishiro and Aoi, adding, “I will go and have a talk with Suzune-san. Tomoe-san, Ayaka-san, and I will be bringing Suzune-san to the institute, so please go ahead and wait there for us.”
Lilith had given her permission for Aoi and the others to be present during Suzune’s meeting with Yuuta. Aoi nodded at Nanase’s words.
“Okay, see you later at the institute,” said Nanase, then left the room, heading to the room where Suzune was waiting.
Aoi, Yukishiro, Manami, and Moe talked for a bit before traveling to the institute.
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Two prison guards of the Kanegawa Penitentiary were standing in front of the room with Suzune in it. From the prison’s point of view, their superiors had suddenly instructed them to bring out a criminal who was sentenced to life imprisonment. As such, it’d be a huge disaster if Suzune used this chance to run away. Because of that, two guards were accompanying her.
“I’m Nanase, the family head of the Yoshiwaras. Could I enter the room?”
“Please wait a moment.”
It was unthinkable that they didn’t know Nanase. One of the guards immediately opened the door and informed Tomoe and Ayaka about Nanase’s arrival. Once Nanase went inside, she found Tomoe standing at the wall while Ayaka got up from her chair. And seeing Nanase enter, Suzune, who had been confused by the whole situation to begin with, became even more confused and surprised.
Suzune had read many romance stories that used Nanase as the motif. And right now her target of yearning was right in front of her.
However, Suzune was the criminal who had sexually assaulted Yuuta, the fiancé of Nanase’s daughter Aoi. At this stage, Suzune didn’t know what she should do.
Looking at Suzune, Nanase couldn’t believe that she was a woman who would commit a sex crime. She appeared to be gentle and calm. The same had the women around Suzune said before she carried out that offense.
Nanase addressed Suzune with a calm and firm voice, “Nice to meet you, Suzune-san. I’m Nanase, the family head of Eternal Yoshiwara.”
“Y-Yes! Ah…nice to meet you too…I’m Suzune.”
“You must be surprised by all the sudden events.”
“…I am.”
“I will promise you, as the family head of the Yoshiwaras, that we won’t do anything that might harm you. No matter what happens.”
“I-I’m, umm…a criminal, so, you see…”
“Nihon is a country where the rule of law prevails. You’re atoning for your crime by being imprisoned. There’s no need for you to depreciate your own value.”
The only one having the right to blame Suzune is Yuuta, believed Nanase. As a woman myself, I cannot forgive Suzune’s crime, but it would be wrong for me to selfishly vent that anger at her.
“We would like to move you to a certain place in a little while. Yuuta-sama is staying over there.”
“E-Excuse me…am I really going to meet Yuuta-sama? Is Yuuta-sama wishing for this?”
It was only natural for Suzune to be bewildered, since they still hadn’t told her why she was meeting Yuuta. Nanase went on and explained the reason to Suzune.
“Right now, Yuuta-sama is asleep, unable to regain his consciousness.”
“…Eh?”
“His life isn’t in danger. Rather, his body is perfectly fine. But he remains unconscious. The reason for this is unknown.”
“N-No way…”
“Yuuta-sama…has been attacked by headaches every now and then.”
“Headaches?”
“Yes. As far as we know, this time was the second occurrence of Yuuta-sama fainting due to those headaches. The first time happened in October last year during his class trip, and…it occurred at a time when he was talking about the incident with you, Suzune-san.”
“Huh…?”
“Tomoe-san over there had talked about the events of that time in front of Yuuta-sama. With that as a trigger, my daughter Aoi-san and her friend Manami-san asked about the details of that incident afterwards.”
Still, it was Tomoe’s blunder. For this reason, she was currently biting her own lip, regretting her own mistake of that day.
“Back then, his loss of consciousness was temporary, and he woke up even before the doctor arrived.”
“……”
“And this time Yuuta-sama was having fun during his class trip in July. But when we were watching the fireworks display at the end of July, he acted oddly and lost consciousness just like that. Ever since then, he hasn’t woken up.”
“E-Even during the firework display, he talked about it…?”
“No. At that time, he hadn’t talked about the incident with you at all. We believe the headaches stem from the incident, which is a painful memory for Yuuta-sama. We don’t know why he collapsed while watching the fireworks. And neither do we know why he isn’t regaining his consciousness.”
“So…what am I supposed to do?”
“The doctor, who is examining Yuuta-sama right now, has suggested that it might trigger some sort of reaction if we make you meet Yuuta-sama. After all, there’s no doubt about that incident being one of the causes for his headaches.”
“N-No way…”
“You can probably call it a drastic measure. But, rather than hoping for Yuuta-sama to wake up one day, we thought that we should try having him meet with you, Suzune-san. This all might be very abrupt for you, but could you please meet and talk to Yuuta-sama for his sake?”
“Talk…you want me to talk to him…?”
“Yes. Yuuta-sama’s consciousness might respond to your voice. It also might not respond at all. Of course, we don’t intend to blame you, no matter what the outcome of the meeting is. In the end, this is a selfish wish from our side.”
Once Nanase finished speaking, Suzune finally understood the situation. Now she knew why she had been brought here and why they were trying to have her meet with Yuuta.
“Yuuta-sama is unconscious…all this time…”
Yuuta had been hurt by her own foolish and disgusting behavior. After learning about Yuuta’s engagement with Aoi through Nagisa’s and her mother’s letters, Suzune believed that Yuuta’s emotional scars had healed, allowing him to spend his days in happiness. But Yuuta wasn’t waking up. And if there was a 1-in-10,000 chance for Yuuta to regain his consciousness by meeting with her, Suzune wouldn’t hesitate to give the attempt a go.
“Very well. Please…let me meet with Yuuta-sama.”
“… Thanks. In thirty minutes, we will depart for the place where he’s currently.”
“Okay… U-Umm, could you tell me about the firework display back when Yuuta-sama collapsed?”
Tomoe took over the explanation. She told Suzune everything about that day until their departure.
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Translation Notes: