Affection: Fate Of The Pair Chapter 12 Part6

Hi, and sorry guys – short intro this time as I have a 2 hour bus to my hometown to catch in 20 minutes.

I've written an update on why my project updates have been a bit slower on Patreon, but I don't have time to copy it here, so you can read it here:

Anyways enjoy the penultimate part of this chapter~

"Arthur Gosford."

Giving out his name in a voice of low tone that carried well, he requested "As the leader of the Gosford Family I would like to speak with your leader."

Answering that request, his uncle took a step forward.

"Takahito's uncle Jinguuji Takao."

Giving out his name in English, he stared at Arthur with a sharp glint in his eyes.

Subsequently after his uncle had deliberately spared time to observe Arthur, as if appraising the Alphlike disposition that drifted from all over him even though the face and body was covered all over in wounds, he opened his mouth.

"This is our first time meeting, right?"

He imagined his uncle had determined that he had not seen Arthur's face during the attack 17 years ago.

"That would be so."

"That injury?"

"He fought with his packmates and was wounded."

Before Arthur could open his mouth, Takahito answered.

"He also lost his left eye at that time…"

"With his packmates?"

"In the Gosford family besides the siblings Arthur and Eugene there were still two more people, but one of them died in a fight with Arthur and the other one was injured and separated from the family."

Thinking that it would be emotionally painful for Arthur to speak of the events that lead to here himself, Takahito volunteered the explanation instead.

"In other words, there was discord within the pack and out of the four members one died, one broke away and two remained?"

Takahito nodded his head in affirmation and added.

"Arthur fought with his packmates for the sake of protecting me. The two members were in cahoots and were planning to try to steal me away."

When his uncle, who had listened to his words, knew that Arthur had saved Takahito, his severe expression softened a little. However, soon it stiffened again and he resumed the questioning.

"Why did those two members try to steal you away?"

"That is…"

Hesitating for a moment, he resolutely informed them.

"It's because I'm an 'Eve'."

The place became noisy at Takahito's utterance.

"Taka…is an 'Eve'?"

Kizuki shouted in j.a.panese and his parent's faces paled.

"You're lying?"

Emitting that in a disbelieving voice, Kizuki grabbed both of Takahito's arms.

"When I hugged you earlier, I noticed that your 'scent' had changed, but…is it because of that?"

That was probably because he had entered mating season, but he decided to remain silent about that for now.

"…I mean, we haven't clearly determined that.  But seeing that I have mom's blood, the possibility is not zero. Betting on that possibility, the Gosford's kidnapped me. The Gosford's have been unable to create children with human women. With thing like this they could only wait for extinction."

"Perhaps…I had thought, but as expected it really was the case?"

Having heard Takahito's explanation, his uncle dropped in an understanding tone. Grand uncle and Tsuzuki exchanged glances and nodded at each other.

Since they had reached the step of narrowing in on the kidnapping having been the handiwork of the Gosford Family, it seemed like they had also build up a rough hypothesis in relation to the reason for it. However, if his mom knew that, he would blame himself since those were his own genes. Takahito guessed that's why they had not told it to Kizuki and their parents.

"This kidnapping play was a reproduction of the one 17 years ago."

"17 years ago, in exchange for the 3 people who had become hostages, there was a pact made between the Jinguuji and Gosford families, right? But the one who had made that pact with Tsukiysan - the head of the family Oswald - he had died, and Arthur had become the new Alpha…"

"Taking advantage of the change in leaders.h.i.+p they deemed the pact invalid and once again planned to kidnap the 'Eve', you mean?"

His uncle muttered quietly.

"Receiving even a little more time would be good to them I suppose."

Having listened to the exchange in j.a.panese in silence, as if he had been waiting for a suitable time Arthur got the ball rolling.

"To start with, I would like to apologize to everyone here and those family members in j.a.pan. We abducted your precious family member Takahito and brought him to UK. Afterwards, we confined him in the Gosford private mansion. Because of this we have caused the Jinguuji Family heavy emotional pain for which I would like to apologize. I am immensely sorry."

Speaking out words of apology, Arthur bowed/hung his head (T.N. could be either).

Takahito was surprised by Arthur expressing his deep feelings of apology in j.a.panese style.

(That Arthur lowering his head…)

Raising his head after a little while, Arthur stared directly at Takahito's mom and dad with the one right eye that still remained.

"I would once again like to express my apology to Takahito's parents. I am truly sorry. I have reflected upon whether I should demonstrate my feelings of apology in some sort of form…being aware that this is rude, I have been pondering about compensating you as much as possible. Of course, I very well understand that this is not a thing that could be made up for with money, but…"

"Naturally! You can't just simply resolve it with money!"

Kizuki, who looked like he did not know how to vent his anger, emitted in an irritated voice. Arthur, whose apology had been interrupted, moved his gaze to Kizuki.

"You're Takahito's sibling, right?"

"I'm his older brother…but"

Arthur a.s.sented.

"I also do not think I would receive your forgiveness in a brief s.p.a.ce of time by just doing this. However, with our family in a devastated state, currently there are not that many things we can do. We can only continue to diligently put in effort to convey our desire to compensate you."

Even though he was in an overwhelmingly unfavourable position, Arthur did not lose dignity, and seemingly sensing the Alphlike aura coming from him, Kizuki sullenly sunk into silence.

"I'm requesting that from my side as well."

Arthur being blamed by his close family was emotionally painful, and unable to take it Takahito slipped in a word. Because he knew Arthur would certainly not make excuses for himself.

"I'm not saying you should immediately forgive Arthur and Eugene, but…I also want to make you understand that the Gosford's were so driven into the wall they had no choice but to do this. Moreover, because of this matter Arthur lost two of his packmates who were his cousins and one of his eyes. I think he has been punished enough."

"Are you defending him!?"

"Kizuki, calm down."

His uncle warned Kizuki, who had suddenly lost his temper. When Kizuki went silent with a gulp, his uncle pierced Arthur with a severe glance.

"No matter what reason you had, taking away a person without their consent is a crime. It is not a thing that can be forgiven. As the representative of the Jinguuji Family, I cannot forgive you who were the ringleader of this kidnapping."

Takahito s.h.i.+vered at the raging aura that rose from his uncle's body as he declared that in a low tone. Because this was his first time seeing his uncle so angry, his spine froze instinctually.

(As expected…they won't forgive him. No matter how he apologizes…)

He imagined Arthur felt the same. Arthur closed his eye, and sighed with a puff. A shadow of fatigue was hidden in that side-profile, and Takahito sensed that his endurance and energy were approaching their limit.

As if mustering the last of his strength, opening his eye again, Arthur spoke back to his uncle "Your anger is natural."

"I understand that I have no room to object."

Accepting the reply given in a pained voice, his uncle ascertained.

"You don't have any plans to fight with us, is it fine to interpret it as that?"

"Yea…any further act of retaliation would just be a mutually disadvantageous spilling of blood."

"Understood. For us the Jinguuji the thing more important than anything is to safely return Takahito to our side. This time, I want you to swear as the new leader of the Gosford Family to never again have anything to do with our family."

Takahito gasped at his uncle's demand.

As he was the top person of the Jinguuji Family it was a natural request. Takahito knew that things would come to this.

Arthur's face distorted in pain. Sharing his lover's distress as if he'd picked it up in his hands, Takahito's heart also ached sharply.

If he said he was going to stay here, they would deem him a traitor. He imagined his uncle would not forgive him.

Once again he got the feeling that living with Arthur would mean breaking off relations with his family.

He would never be able to see his family…

(And yet)

Preparing for the worst, he clenched his fists and shook his head.

"I won't go back!"

Oh, Takahito, you rebel~

Also for those commenting on Takahito being all Stockholm syndrome about this, I will just say to you that it's kind of a Jinguuji Family tradition. He's not the first to choose love above family and be worried he'll be separated from his lover. If I ever get to translating the other novels about his parents and uncle, you'll see what I mean~ *wink*

Anyways, see ya soon~
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