Chapter 1251. Sakurako – The Young Lady That Wants to do Prostitution / Scratching a Gem

「 What will happen to Sakurako? 」

Mariko asks. The old Kaan;

「 I wonder? Kanzaki house has agreed to take back Satoko-kun and her son, Noriyasu-kun, but…

Sakurako-san is Kanou Noriaki-san’s daughter from an affair.

She’s not Kanou Satoko-san’s daughter.

Her parent just got dethroned from being the head of the house.

Her mother’s returning home with the son.

However, Sakurako-san;

Sakurako-san’s home and Kanzaki house both know that she’s not Kanou Satoko-san’s daughter.

Where should Sakurako-san live from here on?

Is there a place for Sakurako-san in the Kanou house where there’s an ongoing major reform?

「 If possible, I want to take Sakurako with me too 」

Satoko-san said.

「 I’ve raised Sakurako as my daughter and that sentiment will not change 」

「 Mother 」

Sakurako-san starts to tear up.

「 I’m sorry Sakurako. I never told you the truth, and as for your birth mother as well 」

Sakurako-san knew that she’s a child of an affair.

However, she was never told how her birth mother was kicked out of the Kanou house and died in a miserable situation as a prostitute.

「 I’m really sorry. Sakurako, I’m sorry 」

「 Mother!! 」

Sakurako-san hugs her mother and cried.

An adult who apologized to Sakurako-san genuinely finally came.

No, Kanou Satoko-san is from the Kanzaki house, and she’s educated as a daughter of the nobility.

She couldn’t go against her husband, the head of the Kanou house until now.

No matter how absurd his demands are.

「 Thank you, Mother, 」

Sakurako-san wipes off the tears from her face and told her mother.

「 But, I, Sakurako can’t come with Mother and Noriyasu in the Kanzaki house 」

That’s…

「 It will make it hard for Mother to return to the Kanzaki house, won’t it? I don’t want mother and Noriyasu to be ashamed because of me 」

When Kanou Noriaki ranted at Sakurako-san that it’s her fault…

Kanzaki house gave their daughter in marriage to the Kanou house, a family with great lineage, and then, the head of the house is confined due to the case of Sakurako-san, the child of an affair… as such, Kouzuki and Kaan house don’t look at them nicely.

I’m sure that some people in the Kanzaki house would treat Sakurako-san poorly too.

Sakurako-san’s mother and brother who brought her will also get cold treatment.

「 You don’t have to mind them, you’re my daughter after all 」

Kanou Satoko-san said, but…

Then…

「 Grandfather, can we have Satoko-sama, Noriyasu-kun, and Sakurako taken in our custody instead? 」

Momoko-neechan asks the old Kaan.

She’s thinking of taking the three of them together in the Kaan house instead.

「 That’s unreasonable 」

Old Kaan speaks with a strict tone.

「 Even if Kanou Noriaki-kun is confined by the vassals, Noriyasu-kun, Noriaki-kun’s son is still qualified to take over as the head of the family as his legitimate son 」

Sakurako-san’s brother is from a different mother.

Kanou Noriaki-san and Kanou Satoko-san’s son.

「 If the Kaan house takes custody of Noriyasu-kun, then that would mean that Kaan house is taking the legitimate heir of the Kanou house as a hostage. In our society, that means taking him as a subordinate 」

「 Yes, it’s the same when Imagawa Yoshimoto accepted Tokugawa Ieyasu, the legitimate son of Matsudaira house, as a hostage during the warring states period 」

Mariko said.

「 Kanou house is in the same rank as the Kaan and Kouzuki house. If we were to take custody of a boy who’s eligible to inherit the Kanou house then Kanou house would be downgrading themselves and will be considered as a vassal of the Kaan house. Can the Kanou house’s branch families and vassals accept that? 」

They won’t.

Kanou house has nothing but their social standing and their pride.

「 Meaning, Kouzuki house can’t take Sakurako-kun either. You too boy. Kuromori house is supposed to be linked with the Kouzuki house. You can’t take the three of them either 」

I guess I can’t take custody of them in the Kuromori mansion either.

「 That said, Kanou house will undergo major reforms in the future. Satoko-kun, Noriyasu-kun, and especially Sakurako-kun don’t have a place in the Kanou house as of now 」

Those who can’t forget the glory of their past will resist the reform. Satoko-san, who came from another house, and Sakurako, whose mother is a commoner, can’t stay in that house.

「 The orders from Kanzaki house were for Satoko-kun to bring her child, that’s the reason. Kanzaki-kun is worried about you. He’s trying to save face as a noble family, but as a parent, he wants to protect Satoko and her family 」

Kaan-san said.

「 I’m thankful to Father 」

Satoko-san said.

「 If the Kanzaki house head asks for the transfer of his daughter at this time, then the blame will be put on Noriaki-kun’s failure. That will bring the damage to Satoko-kun to minimum 」

Even if the reason is unknown, the fact that Kanou Noriaki did something would soon be known to the rest of the nobility.

The fact that Kanou Satoko-san went back to her parent’s home probably meant that Satoko-san was also a victim of Noriaki-san and the head of the Kanzaki house is angry.

「 If that’s the case, then that’s more of a reason why I can’t go to the Kanzaki house with Mother and Noriyasu 」

Sakurako-san said.

「 I’m not grandfather Kanzaki’s granddaughter in blood. I can’t rely on the sentiment of blood on someone who isn’t a blood relative of mine 」

Hmm.

What do I do?

Kaan and Kouzuki house won’t do. Kuromori house can’t take Sakurako-san either.

That said, she can’t stay in the Kanou house either.

「 Let’s see, Satoko-sama and Noriyasu-sama can return to Kanzaki house… 」

Mariko said.

「 Kanzaki house is Satoko-sama’s home so I think that’s the best choice, and then… 」

Mariko looked at Sakurako-san and smiled.

「 Sakurako can come to our place, in Torii house 」

Mariko’s house?

「 The status going up or down is only considered between the nobility, right? 」

Mariko asks Kaan-san.

「 But since Torii house isn’t in the nobility, all the noble houses are in the higher rank. So, we’ll take Sakurako from the Kanou house, and then the Torii house will provide her with a place to live in 」

「 Mariko, are you sure? 」

Momoko-neechan asks Mariko.

「 There should be no problems. Father will listen to all my requests and if it’s Sakurako, then she’s welcome in our house! 」

Her mother is from the Kanou house after all.

They want to make ties with the nobility so they’ll gladly welcome Sakurako-san.

「 Hmm. A common house welcoming a daughter of nobility? I think that Kanou house will be able to accept that 」

Kaan-san agreed.

「 The reform of the Kanou house is a joint force between the Kanzaki and Torii house, isn’t it? If that’s the case, if Noriyasu-sama, the heir of the head is going to Kanzaki house, then it won’t be strange for Sakurako, the daughter to be in Torii house’s care 」

Mariko speaks to Kaan-san with a smile.

「 I see. Mariko-kun, I never thought that you had this much political sense 」

Kaan-san smiled back.

「 I think it might be a great idea to put Mariko as the next head of the Kanou house as mentioned earlier 」

Wait, Mariko’s going to be the head for real?

「 Isn’t that right, Grandfather?! 」

Momoko-neechan speaks happily as her protegee is praised.

「 No, to tell the truth, Kouzuki and I think that the next head of the Kanou house should be decided at least in ten years 」

So there will be no head for ten years?

「 It’s better to leave Noriaki-kun, who is “recovering from his illness,” as the head of the house, and not have a head of the house to manage the affairs inside. Well, there have been cases like this in the long history of nobility 」

Kaan-san said.

「 With Kaan house in such inner turmoil, and if you add the succession dispute, it might destroy the house for real. That’s why rebuilding the house is the top priority for the moment 」

Oh, I see.

It’s definitely bad if they get into family trouble.

「 Therefore, Satoko-kun, it’s still possible that your Noriyasu-kun will become the next head of the family, or they may select someone suitable among the branch families. Naturally, the idea mentioned earlier to have Mariko-kun from the Torii house become the head of the family also has merits. We will decide all this after watching the Kanou house and each of the candidates grow over the next ten years 」

During that decade, Kanzaki house would be supporting Noriyasu-kun as he is their blood.

Kanou house might choose a potential successor from within the family.

Then, Torii house might try to push Mariko for real.

But, as long they create a rule of “undecided until ten years,” then each of the factions will focus their efforts towards the rebirth of the Kanou house for the next ten years.

「 In any case, being involved in the reestablishment of the Kanou house will be beneficial to each of the factions. You can rest assured that Kouzuki and I will make the adjustments so it doesn’t go in the wrong direction 」

Then.

「 Grandfather, is there no chance for Sakurako-san to become the head of the Kanou house? 」

Momoko-neechan suddenly asks Kaan-san.

「 Unfortunately no. Sakurako-kun has no one influential backing her at the moment 」

Kaan-san said, Sakurako-san trembles.

Her birth mother is a commoner and is already dead, so she has no backer.

「 Therefore, Sakurako-kun is free. You should live the way you want 」

「 Kaan-sama? 」

Sakurako-san’s surprised.

「 Whatever anyone says, Sakurako-kun will always be a daughter of the Kanou house. Therefore, Kouzuki and I guarantee Sakurako-kun’s status in the nobility. However, Sakurako-kun needs not to carry the duty as a daughter of the nobility 」

That means…

「 Sakurako-kun has no duty of marrying another noble family for the Kanou house. No force will try to use Sakurako-kun 」

Kaan-san said.

「 That’s a problem. I can’t have the privilege if I don’t carry the duty 」

Sakurako-san talks back in panic.

「 In Sakurako-kun’s case, you’re not exempt from the duties as a daughter of nobility, but our society doesn’t have anyone that can obligate you 」

Kaan-san replies in a low tone.

「 The head of the Kanou house will be gone for ten years, there’s nobody to order you around. Neither Kouzuki nor I can’t make demands to Sakurako-kun, the daughter of the Kanou house 」

Kaan, Kouzuki, and Kanou, the big three nobility that’s equal in rank.

The head of Kaan or Kouzuki house cannot force the daughter of the Kanou house to marry anyone.

Well, Kaan-san and Jii-chan are both influential people so they can force it, but…

「 Kouzuki and I both have our pride as the head of nobility. So we’ll never do that 」

Kaan-san asserted.

「 Maybe someone in the Kanou house will force some demands on Sakurako-kun, but they believe that the Kanou house owes you far more due to what the house did to your birth mother. If they ask Sakurako-kun to devote her life to the Kanou house, then I will punish them personally 」

So Kaan-san will make threats so the Kaan house would leave Sakurako-san alone.

「 You’re free, Sakurako-kun 」

Kaan-san says with a smile.

「 You can live with Mariko-kun in the Torii house as you please. Pick whatever study you want, and do whatever work you desire. You’re also free in love 」

「 But I… 」

Sakurako-san looks down.

「 You should live your life freely for your mother’s share too 」

Kaan-san said, then Sakurako-san had a realization.

She gave birth at a young age from adultery, her child is taken away, and she’s kicked out.

Her family disinherited her, and she died a prostitute. That’s Sakurako-san’s birth mother.

「 Kouzuki and I can’t support Sakurako-kun publicly, but we’ll give our support no matter what happens. If you’re in trouble, then you can talk to us 」

The old man said with a smile.

「 Oh? You don’t mind if Misuzu or I help out Sakurako, do you? Although we carry the name of the Kaan and Kouzuki house, we are Sakurako’s sworn sisters 」

Momoko-neechan said with a smile.

「 Naturally. I won’t speak up about whatever you do with your personal friends. Nobody outside will complain either 」

Kaan-san promised.

「 Okay, Sakurako will come to Torii house 」

Mariko said.

「 No. I want Sakurako to come. It’s my wish so it’s a problem if you don’t come 」

「 Mariko 」

「 In Torii house, Sakurako will stay with me so you can take your time and think about your future. You and I are still in high school, so we still have at least a year to report our future plans on school 」

Mariko speaks to Sakurako-san kindly

「 Thank you, Mariko 」

Sakurako-san thanked Mariko.

「 Satoko-sama as well, you can come together with Noriyasu-sama and play. Torii house will welcome you 」

Mariko told Kanou Satoko-san.

Instead of Sakurako-san coming to the Kanzaki house to visit her mother and brother…

There are fewer problems for the mother and son from the Kanzaki house to visit the Torii house, which isn’t from the nobility.

「 Okay, now we’re over with that case. Are there any more issues? 」

The branch family and vassals of the Kanou house have confined their head, Noriaki-san, and dragged him down from the position. He will probably be locked up somewhere until the next head of the family is decided.

Noriaki-san’s wife, Satoko-san, and her son Noriyasu will head back to their home at the Kanzaki house.

Sakurako-san will be in Torii house’s care, together with her cousin Mariko.

Then, Kanzaki and Torii house will be reforming the Kanou house with their personnel and funding.

The next head won’t be decided until ten years.

「 If there are no more issues, then we’re dismissed. Boy, call Taichi and Fujimiya-kun 」

「 Okay 」

I opened the door and called the two.

「 Oh, Fujimiya-kun, prepare a room for Satoko-kun and Sakurako-kun. I think they want to have a mother-daughter talk where we’re not present. Oh, bring Momoko and Mariko-kun with you. It may be awkward to have it just the two of them so keep them company as long as you don’t interfere 」

Kaan-san told Rei-chan and Momoko-neechan.

「 Certainly. Please come with me Kanou-sama, Sakurako-sama, Momoko-sama, and Mariko-sama 」

Rei-chan tries to lead Sakurako-san and her mother out of the room, then…

「 Uhm, Kaan-sama 」

Sakurako-san looks at me worriedly for some reason.

Kaan-san smiled at Sakurako-san.

「 Don’t worry. It won’t happen as you imagine, Sakurako-kun 」

「 But… 」

She looks at me again.

「 Let’s go, Sakurako-san. It’s okay, let Grandfather take care of it 」

「 Kou’s a bold man so it’s okay. Totally okay. Satoko-sama, let’s go 」

Momoko-neechan and Mariko urges the non-blood-related mother-daughter of the Kanou house

「 If you’d excuse us, Kaan-sama 」

Satoko-san bows her head to Kaan-san.

「 Yes, everything will go well, worry not 」

「 Grandfather, we’ll take our leave 」

「 Excuse us 」

Sakurako-san still looks at me worriedly even after bowing at Kaan-san.

「 Sakurako-sama, let’s go 」

Rei-chan called Sakurako-san…

Momoko-neechan and Mariko bring Sakurako-san and her mother out of the room.

Yamada Taichi remained in the room.

Now there’s only Kaan-san, Katsuko-nee, Misuzu, Taichi-san, and me left.

◇　◇　◇

「 Do you know what Sakurako-kun’s worried about? 」

Kaan-san asks me.

「 No, I don’t know 」

I replied.

「 Sakurako-kun was thinking that I would be scolding you harshly after she leaves 」

Me? Scolded harshly?

「 That’s because you accepted Sakurako-kun’s prostitute play and enjoyed her body 」

Oh.

So that’s it?

「 I don’t know the details but either way, you enjoyed what happened, didn’t you? 」

Well…

I came inside her and had her drink my semen.

Then, I shot twice without pulling out right after deflowering her.

After that.

「 I’ll take responsibility for that 」

I replied.

「 What is it, are you abandoning Misuzu-kun and marrying Sakurako-kun? 」

No, not that.

「 That’s not it. I can’t marry her but for as long as I’m alive, if Sakurako-san’s in trouble, then I’ll come and help her, no matter where in the world I’m in. That’s my resolve 」

「 Hmm, are you serious? 」

Kaan-san looked at my face and said.

「 I don’t have sex with women without that kind of resolve. I take off my briefs with that kind of resolve 」

「 You make some strange speeches. Taking off your briefs with that resolve, I see 」

Kaan-san smiles wryly and looked at Misuzu.

「 Misuzu-kun, are you sure that you want this kind of man as your fiance? 」

「 I only follow Danna-sama. Or should I say that I’m in love with Danna-sama’s personality 」

「 On how he has no faithfulness? 」

「 On how he has the determination to make all the women who feel he must love happy. Danna-sama never says that he can’t do any more than this, or I can’t maintain myself if I exceed my tolerance. On women he loves, he loves them without cutting corners. Besides, I believe that Danna-sama can still love a hundred, or maybe two more loving women 」

Misuzu’s misunderstanding me as a superman?

「 Does the Kuromori house think the same? 」

Kaan-san asked Katsuko-nee this time.

「 Yes. This man only chooses good women. I don’t know if it’s his nose or his eyes, but… 」

Katsuko-nee speaks with pride.

「 He shows no interest in women without substance. He only picks the lovely, the kind, and with great talents. All the girls he found are wonderfully attractive and talented. The Kuromori mansion is now a [Ryouzanpaku] place for the bold and ambitious women 」

Katsuko-nee replied, Kaan-san;

「 If I recall, the Ryouzanpaku had 108 people 」

「 Our girls are different from the free-loaders of the Ryouzanpaku. They’re family, and they’re ready to build the house around him. They all can accomplish something in the years to come, and that means that every time he brings a woman home, the Kuromori house grows bigger and stronger 」

「 How can that place be full of women and not get fights? 」

Kaan-san asks.

「 That’s because it’s our family precept to be on good terms with everyone. Those who can’t follow will be chased away, or should I say that they will lose his love, and so they all choose to work together to protect the family 」

「 Hmmm. I see 」

Kaan-san looks at me again.

「 I think of women as beautiful gems 」

Women, gems.

「 A beautiful, yet fragile gem. A tiny scratch on the bead and it starts to crack and break 」

That’s the woman’s heart.

「 And, the noble daughters are much frailer than ordinary women. They’re too guarded that it’s easy to hurt them. When they’re scratched, they will break easily, and so scratching the gem is what I’m most afraid of 」

Kaan-san speaks with a lonely expression.

「 I think that Kanou Noriaki-kun has left a deep scratch on her gem. If so, then the most important thing we should do is to make sure that the wound doesn’t grow and break her heart 」

Kanou Sakurako-san’s wound in her heart.

「 Sakurako-kun already had the wound from the guilt of being a daughter of her father’s infidelity and hiding it from the world. 」

Sakurako-san’s gem had a deformation from the start.

「 Even so, she didn’t know anything about her birth mother, and so Sakurako-kun had hoped that her birth mother should be living happily somewhere else 」

But…

「 But Sakurako-kun discovered the truth. What Kanou Noriaki-kun did to her birth mother, and what he didn’t do 」

She gave birth to the child and is chased out of the Kanou house.

Giving her a small amount of money and never supporting her afterward.

「 Sakurako-kun is a daughter of the nobility. She’s a noble lady. It must be a shock to her to learn that while she’s living peacefully and comfortably in the Kanou house, her mother fell to poverty, became a prostitute without her knowledge, and died as one 」

Kaan-san looked at me.

「 She has a deep scar on her gem. When Sakurako-kun learned the truth, she became desperate and decided that she wanted to engage in prostitution to understand her mother 」

Kaan-san knows it all.

I thought that this hotel is exclusive to Jii-chan that there’s no wiretapping?

No, maybe that’s what they made us believe.

Jii-chan and Kaan-san might’ve been observing us all this time?

It’s Jii-chan who picked which room to use.

Maybe there was a surveillance system in the room that only Jii-chan knew about.

「 To put it simply, Kouzuki and I agree that it’s better to let you deal with Sakurako-kun 」

Kaan-san said.

「 If it hadn’t been you, and it was some useless man, I’m sure that the wound in her heart would’ve been worse as he deals with Sakurako-kun’s desperation. She could’ve been tricked by someone and become a real prostitute. But if it’s you, we feel that you will let Sakurako-kun stay as a young lady of the nobility 」

That’s what I was afraid of too.

「 Unlike gems, the wounds in the human heart can heal a bit over time. If the initial treatment is well, then the wound will not spread or deepen 」

「 I can understand that 」

Katsuko-nee said.

「 But the scars remain, wounds heal but don’t disappear. If they receive a shock in the same place then the wound will grow 」

That’s true.

Emotional scars never go away.

「 Sakurako-kun has withstood it thanks to you. However, that doesn’t mean that her wound has healed 」

That means?

「 Is she going to prostitute herself again? 」

I asked.

「 It’s more of an atonement. If Sakurako-kun’s birth mother was still alive, then she could’ve recovered it as much as she wants. She could atone for the sins of not knowing that her mother was in need by devoting herself to her. However, Sakurako-kun’s birth mother has passed away already 」

So she can’t serve her late mother.

Therefore;

「 To know the pain of her mother, Sakurako-kun will try to prostitute herself again to blame herself for not knowing anything 」

Sakurako-san’s image of her mother is nothing but a prostitute.

「 Therefore, I separated Sakurako-kun from the Kanou house earlier. She has to be taken off the Kanou house’s watch and check her ourselves 」

Kaan-san told Sakurako-san that she’s free.

「 I would like to ask you to continue being Sakurako-kun’s partner in her prostitution play. Someone has to relieve her from the unpleasant emotions that suddenly arise her in secret 」

Sakurako-san will occasionally want to prostitute herself again.

Therefore, I have to deal with her unstable heart each time.

All without the Kanou, Torii, and Kanzaki house knowing.

「 This wound of hers might never heal. Sakurako-kun might still seek prostitution from you even after finding her love and marrying. If that happens, I hope that you can keep your secret trysts with Sakurako-kun. You’re the only one I can ask 」

I know well that the wounds in the heart don’t heal that easily.

「 I’d like to ask Misuzu, your fiancee, and Kuromori house too. Please, let him… 」

Only I can stabilize Sakurako-san’s mind by secretly playing prostitution with her without other people knowing about it.

「 I don’t mind. I know that we have to hide that Sakurako-san’s doing such things for the honor of the Kanou house 」

Misuzu said.

Katsuko-nee;

「 Kuromori house refuses 」

She replies with a smile.

「 Why? 」

Kaan-san’s surprised.

Katsuko-nee grabbed my shoulders.

「 This boy isn’t a prostitute, he doesn’t have sex just for the convenience of the nobility 」

Then, to me.

「 You can’t think that “You need to have sex with her because there’s no other way!” That’s not good for you, and for Sakurako-san too! 」

She looks straight at me.

「 If Sakurako-san has resolved herself to become his woman and a member ofo our family, then she doesn’t need to do any more prostitution play! 」

I…