CHAPTER 8 - SCHEMES AND BLACKMAIL
"Rejoice, young lady, for today is a great day! You have just been designated as a procreator to Master Tsuruga!"
Setsu's face. Setsu's face. Setsu's face.
###
Even though I knew the decision was made, listening to Lory's words to her made my heart race.
Once more, I ask myself who is she. Since coming back to Kyoko after a long, surprising and strenuous meeting, I watch as she again dazes me with a complete change of posture and body language.
Except for a brief glance at Rick and Yashiro, in which she realized that we were surrounding her, and a slight spasm in her left eye for the novelty brought by Lory, she remained calm and exuding boredom.
"Hm? I think I did not understand what you said"
All my predictions about her reaction fell apart. I expected shouts, curses, more of that strange explosion, and the two of us struggling on the floor again. I even expected a sarcastic grin, harsh words and accusations, but the tranquility she is now showing has never crossed my mind.
"Well, then I repeat: you will go to the Tsuruga territory as a procreator to Ren!"
Will my heart skip a beat every time I hear this statement?
Lory reiterated the news with a broad smile and arms open wide, as if he expected recognition from her. As if he were the most magnanimous person on the face of the damn Earth and Kyoko, the luckiest.
She puts her hand on her hip, leans on the other leg, tilts her head to the side and looks from Lory to me. She examines me slowly and minutely, from head to toe, and I cannot begin to enumerate how such behavior is bizarre.
Women do not examine men. The boldest ones look in their eyes, but never for long. It is accepted that girls, when very young, regard the adults, but they are expected to learn quickly to be sheepish. Procreators seduce the nobles when it is in their interest to be taken as wives, but always submissively.
Kyoko examines me, however, as if she were the Master and I the procreative candidate, which unusually excites me.
"No, thank you"
I do not know if Rick choked on the shock or trying to contain a laugh. Probably a laugh.
"Oh? Did not you like Ren?"
I should have guessed Lory would not miss the chance to make me miserable.
"It's not a matter of liking or not liking..."
Now she walks slowly around me, appraising me one more time, and I wonder if the presents are even realizing how her disrespectful behavior poses a risk with which we need to deal with caution, or if they are too entertained with my "public humiliation" to realize that such behavior cannot even be tolerated, let alone encouraged.
After all, we are far from making the changes we want to make so that it is safe for any woman to act in such a way, especially with a Master.
"... but I've had the unpleasantness of dealing with Clan members before. An heir and a Master, to be more exact"
"Yes? And the experience was bad?"
Lory, hell, you know the story better than anyone else! Stop fooling around and close the subject! is what I need to restrain myself from saying. I am in his territory, I cannot be (more) disrespectful. Especially in front of other people.
Such courtesy, however, does not extend to me. Especially since now, thanks to Rick and Yashiro, he knows I've already intended to kill his Counselor. Even though I am a Clan Master, I cannot escape Lory's punishment.
No, I'll be ridiculed in front of my brother, my Counselor, Ruto and... Kyoko. And I must bear with it.
"Bad is an understatement: one did not know how to fuck, the other did not know how to kill. I cannot say I was impressed"
Rick was not prepared for Kyoko's words, hence the roar of laughter. Yashiro struggled not to laugh, concern not shared by Lory, whose laughter joined Rick's. Hell, I know I have a badly restrained smile on my face, but we cannot remain accepting of her expressing herself freely, however much I want nothing more than to know all her thoughts.
Nevertheless, it is not safe. She must learn to control her own sincerity so as not to attract more attention to herself.
"Yes, yes, I see. Well, I understand you do not trust Clans, Masters... men! But I assure you that you will be safer with Ren"
"Why, how silly!"
It seems that, just as Lory has recovered from the jest, Kyoko has also decided to speak seriously.
"Do not waste your time trying to convince me that you are thinking about my safety, because I will not fall for small talk! Much less do I have to resign myself to being a procreative just because you're saying it! Why, no matter how many Masters come together, you do not have the authority to designate me as a procreative or whatever!"
As Lory imagined, she knows the laws. However, I hoped it was not the case.
I deeply wished we did not need to use the trump card Lory has to convince her to cooperate with our plan for her.
A trump card that has left my head spinning since Lory revealed it hours ago.
"Do you think I do not know that a woman only becomes a procreative if she is offered as such by the legal guardian? Well, my legal guardian is the patriarch Fuwa. Did you ask for his permission before you decide on my future? "
"No of course not! Kyoko, if we did that-"
"I do not give a damn, Ren!"
"You need protection, do not you understand?"
I vaguely realize that we're screaming at each other and being watched closely, but I do not have time to care. Stubborn and infuriating woman!
"Of course I understand! Moreover, there is no better protection than being hidden where I was before, doing what I did before! Before this whole bustle begins, before you keep me prisoner here!"
"Oh, so it's our fault? You invade Lory's palace as if you were crazy..."
"How dare you!"
"...without considering the fact that the place was full of nobles and create a fuss and now you say that it is our fault?"
She opens and closes her mouth a few times, panting and stammering. I cannot control my triumphant expression, even though I know I'm only unnerving her more.
Without arguments and feeling harassed, she attacks me.
"... I would not spread my legs for you even if you were the last man on Earth!"
The tone of voice, more than words, are like razor sharp.
"Careful, Kyoko. The way the world is, it's not such an unlikely hypothesis"
I need a dose, urgently. I turn my back on her and walk away to where I know Lory holds a jar. I feel that I continue to be observed, so I make it my mission not to let them see my shaking hands.
It is not easy for me to discuss with a woman. I never needed it, and I doubt even Lory, the eldest of us, needed it. It's exhausting, since all my education was aimed at protecting the health and integrity of women, but there is something in Kyoko that is exasperating and makes me constantly anxious.
"Kyoko, I know you understand the risks in case the Fuwa Clan finds out you're alive. And as much as you think you'll be safe in your usual hiding place, your foray into my palace and the commotion that followed had important witnesses. The Council summoned me and I had no choice but to confirm that a Digger had invaded my palace, that he was captured and that he died after Yashiro and Ruto extracted the truth from him"
"What… truth?"
"That he just tried to take advantage of the distraction of the party to steal, nothing more"
"And the Council believed? Without seeing the body? "
Do not tell her, Lory.
"Clans do not reveal their interrogation techniques, my dear. They are very well kept secrets"
Shit.
Kyoko's expression of contempt at the new information bothers me deeply. It is a cruel world, I would say even inhuman, by irony. Still, I did not want her to know the cruelty of the world in which I live.
It's already too much that she knows the cruelty of the world in which she lives.
###
"So if I am following rightly, you expect me to accept whatever fate you have decided for me in gratitude for having hidden my existence. Am I right?"
"Exactly!"
Lory's smile is almost childlike.
"This is bullshit! Do you think I'm going to believe you're having so much trouble for me? Pffft… right! I am well aware that you just do not want the world to know that I am alive so as not to muddy the impeccable curriculum of 'Master Tsuruga', who not only failed fabulously in his work as a judge but also received undue awards!"
"Well, that would be a problem for us, no doubt. It would also be a problem for you if the Fuwa Clan demanded you back"
"They will not demand me back"
"Oh?"
I smile. Is it possible that I predicted something before Master Lory?
"They will not admit that I am Kyoko. If they did, they would also have to admit my testimony and face the trial for rape and attempted murder "
It's Lory's turn to smile, which makes an uncomfortable chill run through my body. What did I miss?
"They would not have, no"
"...What?"
"Kyoko, you are a woman who spent six years living as a Digger, a fact unheard of and unwanted by the Council. It would be enough for the Fuwa Clan to claim that you lost your mind when you were attacked by the Exiled Ren punished for the Council labeling you as crazy and discrediting your words "
I feel the bile creep up my throat and I almost vomit.
"It would be difficult for the Council believe your words as opposed to the word of the Fuwa Clan and Ren; with your life history creating an uncomfortable situation for the Council, you would become the perfect example of 'how a woman should not be' if they discredited you publicly. In front of the two choices, what do you think they would prefer? Punish two clans, or label your story as fanciful and still use your case to illustrate to women how independence is harmful to them?
"My eyes burn and my body shakes. I do not think I've ever felt such hate in my entire life.
Listening to Lory give me another demonstration of how this world is corrupt just increases my willingness to end them all.
"That is, the victim's word is of no avail, if the word of two Clan Masters is according to the will of the Council. Is this what you're telling me, Master Lory?"
I hope they realize at least a fraction of all the contempt I feel for them.
"Unfortunately, my dear"
"Unfortunately? Unfortunately? Do not pretend you care! And I'm not your dear!"
"Kyoko, calm down!"
"Calm down? Calm down? Says the man who killed the only person who has ever helped me!"
###
I clench my jaw and drop the hand that I impulsively extended toward her. I know I ask too much of her when my own blood is boiling, but she seems so desperate that I fear for her sanity.
"Kyoko, my dear, you are not in a position to refuse"
Lory, stop.
"The hell I'm not! Now that the Council thinks the invader is dead, there is no reason for me to need protection. Do not think gratitude will motivate me to accept your plan, when it is evident that you have as much to hide as I do, since you have blatantly lied to the Council! "
Kyoko, just stop.
"We do not"
Lory, that's enough.
"Hm?"
"I said we do not have as much to hide as you do"
Tsk.
After observing Kyoko and her many faces, I finally can decipher some signs in her expression. For example, the expression of the moment is one of caution and fear.
"What are you talking about?"
"I am talking about an agreement: of your cooperation and of our cooperation"
I wish I could get away from here, but my position will not allow me. Damn, I cannot even demonstrate how much pressure Kyoko this way bothers me.
"I already said that I have no reason to-"
"Maria"
I stop breathing. Kyoko stops breathing. Lory takes an indulgent glance at both of us.
"As a Council member, there are certain obligations that I cannot neglect. And hiding information about clan lineages is one of them"
"...I do not know what you're talking about"
I need to concede that Kyoko almost managed to be convincing. Maybe if she could use a voice louder than a whisper...
"You cooperate with us, and I swear the Fuwa Clan will never lay hands on Maria. I swear your daughter will be safe"
N / A - The next chapter is almost done and has more explanations. This and the next were the hardest chapters for me so far, because I keep trying to add some fluffy touch to the plot to brighten the dark side of the story, but for now it's dark, really. There's no other way. = P
Thank you Ashenvale for the clarification. I am glad you are enjoying the story more than the hassle of the mistakes I am probably making.
Once again, thank you for the kindness of readers, followers and especially those who took the time to comment. Especially ktoll9 and mutemuia, which accompany me since the first fic and were the incentive for me to post this fic in English.
Kisses!
