Book 7: Chapter 1: Rapid Development

Suzette, who has returned to the capital to collect information, contacted me once more.

She’s been doing her best to help us in the midst of her work as a parliament official.

With the help of Mio’s father, who’s also the ambassador, she seems to have obtained some useful information.

We had to wait for her with both anticipation and anxiety, with the expectation that we would get the details after we met her.

Useful information is a powerful weapon, but is also a dangerous one.

That’s why I am worried about her safety.

On the appointed day, Irene, the city mayor, and I went outside to greet Suzette.

Soon after, the carriage in which Suzette was riding appeared safely in front of the house.

Irene and I rushed out to greet her.

Suzette quickly got out of the same, slightly smaller carriage as before.

“Welcome back, Miss Suzette. I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

“Thank you for the good work. Please, come inside.”

“Y-yeah, thank you. It’s really good to be back.”

Mr. Suzette replied, albeit a little shyly, to the two of us who rushed out to welcome her.

“Then let’s go inside. We’ve already prepared some tea for you.”

And so, all the three of us walked inside the mansion.

Soon as we arrived in Irene’s office, the maid has already made the tea for us.

After waiting for her to leave the room, Irene immediately cuts out to the chase.

“Again, let me get to the point. What kind of information did you come with this time?”

At Irene’s serious eyes, Suzette nodded her head affirmatively.

“This. It seems that the head minister who is promoting discrimination in appearance has filed a divorce with his wife. That wife……..as you are expecting, is not very good looking.”

“I see……”

Irene could only mutter. The person herself has been persecuted for her looks, leading to her building the city as a place for women like her to go. I guess she has her own thoughts on the matter.

Even I, who wasn’t actually discriminated against, think it’s a terrible thing.

“Fortunately, the masses are still having a hard time to accept it as a valid reason for a divorce, even with all the discrimination being widespread. However, if this continues, it will just become a matter of time.”

I felt that Irene-san’s expression was filled with exasperation and more than that, sadness.

Even Suzette, who is being questioned, is having a bitter expression on her face.

She is also someone who has been discriminated against because of her appearance, but has managed to win her current position in the midst of it all. If this continues, her position will be removed from her, just because she is “ugly”.

“Well, they married and broke up this easily, but it couldn’t also be denied that the woman must have used her family assets and power to be with him.”

This chapter is created by rocheneorecormon of stabbingwithasyringe translations.

In the end, we still don’t know what they are up to. However, this is a good chance for us to get inside the crack made by those two.

“I just hope there’s something in there, like a secret that could shake up the ministers and the leading faction.”

“If there’s a secret we can obtain, we still don’t know if the secret is worth it, and if this goes poorly, it might set us a trap without us knowing instead. We’re still practically blind at this point. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s alright. I know it’s harder for you to move now, that their faction is going strong.”

Despite Irene trying to cheer her mood, anxiety could still be seen in their faces.

“Nonetheless, I don’t think I’ll ever get close to the minister.”  

Yes, that would be hard. Right after parting with his wife, he might have already had a new woman on his hands……wait.

The minister is not the only one who broke up with his wife.

“Besides, she also doesn’t have an official position in the country, which made her worth less.”

“Tomo?”

Noticing my muttering, Irene called out to me. I gave a small nod, then looked at them straight.

“You see…”

“What is it?”

I raised my voice, and Irene asked me back.

“The woman he had broken up with, what is she doing now?”

“The woman――Anette, is said to be living in the mansion the minister gave her as a substitute for consolation money. However, since the rumors were made to focus around the minister, no one is interested in her.”  

“As I suspected.”

It means the woman is not under tight security.

“Did you see something in her?”

Suzette asked as she cutely tilt her head in puzzlement.

“No, it’s just a hunch, but this Annette might know something.”

“And?”

Suzette urged me to continue.

“Like what the upper echelon is doing, or, for that matter, the minister’s own secrets.”

“Certainly, she was a family once, so there maybe some instances where they let their guard down with each other.”

Irene also supported me.

“Plus, she’s like us, someone who’s been discriminated against because of her looks, so maybe she can help us.”

“Let’s go meet Mrs. Anette.”

“She’s in the central though. And my lackeys can’t move about too openly, or we’ll get compromised.” 

“Then, I’ll go.”

“Tomo?”

“I have to do it sooner or later anyway.”

To me who agreed, Irene gave an anxious look.

“But, going to the center is something I can’t really agree. You’ll never know what’s out there. “

For Irene, who has been discriminated against because of her appearance, the center of the country probably doesn’t have a good image for her. However, that’s even more of a reason I think I should go.

“Haven’t you forgotten, Irene? I have the rarest black eyes and black hair. Annette might take an interest on me as well.”

“Tomo……”

Irene muttered. Then, after a moment, she looked straight to my eyes and nodded.

“That’s right……Even until now, things have turned around thanks to your influence.”

“Irene.”

I steeled myself for the important role I had been entrusted with.

At all costs, I’m going to see Annette and get some information from her.

“Well, now that Tomoaki is here, it will be much, much easier to infiltrate. Of course, you’ll have to learn on how to do it first.”

“I’ll be in your care.”

I bowed my head with emphasis, showing my strong determination alongside it.

“Ah, yeah……”

I guess I applied too much momentum, that even Suzette had trouble on how to respond to it.

“W-well, now that has been decided, let’s now proceed on how we’ll infiltrate the mansion.”

After a brief discussion, we decided to take a break.

“Alright, this would be enough. let’s call it a day from here.”

Irene then turned her eyes on Suzette.

“You must be tired; I’ll prepare the bath for you so you can relax.”

“Yeah, that will be much help.”

Soon as the bath is ready, the maids called for us, and we adjourned the meeting from there.

I’m not sure if it’s from the fact that I proposed going to the central, but either way, she seemed a bit depressed.

Support the translator by reading it at stabbingwithasyringe dot home dot blog.

Even though I intend to come back soon, it wouldn’t change the fact that I would still be leaving. 

I want to get rid of her worries before I head to the center.

And so, I changed my destination and headed to Irene’s room. I knocked three times, then called out to her from the other side of the door.

“Irene?”

“What’s wrong, Tomo?”

When I visited the room, she invited me in with a puzzled look on her face.

“Well, somehow, I just felt you’re a little out of sorts back there.”

“Ah……”

Irene’s cheeks flushed, as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Uhm, that is……”

“Just tell me anything. I’ll try my best to help.”

I spread my arms a bit and showed her an open chest. I want her to feel safe talking to me about it.

“I-it’s not a big deal. It’s just that I’m a bit worried about you going to the center and I feel a little……nu-uh. I feel very lonely.”

“Irene……”

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of love for her, the way she acted in front of me. Before I knew it, I was holding her in my arms.

Gently pulling her body towards me, I could feel her soft breasts change in shape as they got themselves pressed towards my chest.

The swell that symbolized motherhood, as well as her sweet scent.

It was like I’m the one being wrapped in here, even though I was the one who was hugging her.

“Tomo, you be careful out there, okay?”

“Yes Ma’am. I’ll definitely get some juicy intel and come back safely.”

“I believe in you.”

Irene nodded in my arms.

Let’s love her so much that she will forget how much she misses me.

And let’s carve it firm on her body so that it won’t disappear until I come back from the central.

With that in mind, I lead Irene towards the bed.

I could see her eyes glaze over as she squeezes my hand tight, signifying the loneliness still lingering inside of them.

I’m gonna need more stimulation to make her forget about this loneliness. Like I have never done before.

That’s right!

“Irene, would you like to go outside for a moment?”

“Eh?”

I headed on the direction outside of the mansion, gently pushing a bewildered Irene’s back.