Risou no Himo Seikatsu - Vol. 16 Ch. 66 - The Seed Passed Down

[cfusion25]

Man, they’re really not buying that zenjirou is committed to one woman. Like he’s from a different world so they should know he has different standards. But i guess royal society trumps that.

Its more like, it doesn't matter how devoted Zenjirou is to Aura. Its clear from the way he has been presenting himself that, so long as they don't push him too far, Aura makes the final decision and her decision making is from the position of a monarch. Given that Aura accepted Freya, it is clear that so long as the marriage provides the kingdom adequate benefits, Zenjirou's feelings are easily ignored.

Now, they don't know if a second concubine would constitute "going to far" but it is a minor risk considering the benefits from their standpoint.

 

[YamiRi]

oh poor Lucrezia.. She is going to face Aura and being scrutinized to bits
A kid like her won't be able to compete with Aura and Freya.
But the time will come when Zenjirou finally can look at her but it might be very long. After all, she just want status, not even heir, so she will take her time.

 

[YoraeRasante]

I feel like the minority here that does like Lucrezia.

Sure, she acted a bit show-offish about the other girls earlier, but I saw her always pointing out "flaws" in the other girls that, ironically, are exactly to Zenjirou's liking as trying to pull herself up.
I don't know, I just think that level of "girl failure" kinda adorable and would make a nice contrast with how competent the other main girls are.

But again, I took a liking to her in her first appearances, before she was so deeply ingrained with the story's currently local politics. So that may be coloring my opinion as more positive.
...
and I may have a sweet side for girl failures.

I never get tired of Lucy badly playing games against masters in the art and getting slapped down every time. She’s so bad at this that it’s endearing and I want Zenjirou to keep her for comic relief.

She can hang around the Inner Palace and pout that Zenjirou won’t sleep with her for some reason while Aura and Freya bat her back and forth, it’ll be great.

I agree with that. She's a refreshing contrast to the rest of the subtle political games.

You get me.

Also, didn’t Zenjirou just promise himself not to get fooled by this kingdom again? Wondering how he’ll turn the tables on this one.

Considering the revelations in this chapter, don't think there is any need, or good.
After all, what they want is to exactly make his country stronger and friendlier to them, so they can be better protected when the Fire Church Nation attacks.

 

[Lady_Luck]

They are from the north, so they should know how the church works, or at least used to.

Exactly this. He even said he does not know the church's "current" stance is. That implies he knows what their past stance was.

 

[Wizardrone]

thats cool

 

[AkiTooru]

Don't get me wrong: everything so far has been interesting and enjoyable... but I feel like we're further and further away from the easy-going isekai that was promised to us on the tin.

New title suggestions:
"My ideal slow life is being threatened by all this political drama" <- kinda sounding like a 2010's anime
"My ideal slow life in another world: all this political drama is getting in the way of my private time with my beautiful wife" <- modern isekai title on the short side

 

[stephen01king]

Not sure if am too stupid for what this manga has become, but am really not enjoying these last few arcs

It's probably just not to your taste, and that's completely fine.

 

[stephen01king]

I'm pretty sure that setting up your neighbour to be your meat shield while you sit back and safely play support instead of actively participating in the war is pretty antagonistic behaviour. At the very least, I would immediately mark as hostile anyone that did such a thing to me.

They're not, though. Their neighbour is going to be attacked regardless of what they did, from what they understand of the Church.

What they're doing now is setting up a stronger alliance that can resist any invasion attempt by countries from the northern continent.

The opposite of what they're doing is to let Capua fend for itself and fall to the invasion, which will then allow the northern countries to use Capua as a foothold in the southern continent.

 

[NotSomeone]

That’s not what they’re doing at all. The Northern countries coming south will happen, and when it does, they’ll either come to trade or invade.

So priority one is to demonstrate, via Uppsala, that trade is the lucrative and correct choice. But they need to plan for an invasion too, just in case.

If the war started tomorrow, it would be the Northern Church nations vs. Capua. Capua would be isolated, lose, and then from that beachhead, Sharowa-Jilbel would be easy pickings. So that’s not the war they want. What they want to do is cut off Uppsala from the other Northern nations (they don’t know it’s already on the outs with the church), have the Uppsala and Capua alliance go through, and make a Capuan alliance of their own via Lucy. If they can get all of that in place quickly enough, the North would be facing the prospect of a two front war with Uppsala on one side and Capua and Sharowa-Jilbel on the other. Which is a much dicier proposition, and makes war a lot less likely (and trade, therefore, likelier).

Their plan is to engineer events so that they can actively participate. From a purely self-interested standpoint, of course, but such is politics. They want to be able to help Capua.

Not only that, but the Capua - Twin Kingdoms - Upsala alliance is (probably) strong enoug for the northern countries to not bother trying to invade them.
Also, Capua is developing the technology to make marbles and the Twin Kingdoms really don't wanna lose the prospect of having those.
Having the north colonize the south would be a lose-lose for everyone in the south. The Twin Kingdoms' plan is not only to create multiple alliances in the south to make it so the north does not bother to invade BUT they also want to get out on top of said alliances and negotiations
AS THEY SHOULD, this is politics we're talking about.

 

[dereth]

That’s not what they’re doing at all. The Northern countries coming south will happen, and when it does, they’ll either come to trade or invade.

So priority one is to demonstrate, via Uppsala, that trade is the lucrative and correct choice. But they need to plan for an invasion too, just in case.

If the war started tomorrow, it would be the Northern Church nations vs. Capua. Capua would be isolated, lose, and then from that beachhead, Sharowa-Jilbel would be easy pickings. So that’s not the war they want. What they want to do is cut off Uppsala from the other Northern nations (they don’t know it’s already on the outs with the church), have the Uppsala and Capua alliance go through, and make a Capuan alliance of their own via Lucy. If they can get all of that in place quickly enough, the North would be facing the prospect of a two front war with Uppsala on one side and Capua and Sharowa-Jilbel on the other. Which is a much dicier proposition, and makes war a lot less likely (and trade, therefore, likelier).

Their plan is to engineer events so that they can actively participate. From a purely self-interested standpoint, of course, but such is politics. They want to be able to help Capua.

Is there a single reason to not tell Capua about the potential invasion brewing other than self-interest at the cost of Capua's (and Uppsala's) wellbeing as a nation?

That's the behaviour of opportunistic rats. In other words, vermin. Or enemies, if you want to be polite.

You can pretend to be really knowledgeable about international politics all you want, you can call it business as usual in the world of politics, and you wouldn't be that wrong, but it still it doesn't hide the fact that they are being inhuman garbage for setting up the board in such a way that they reap maximun benefits while others take the risks and suffer the most damage.

Prince Geppetto says at one point that it's all to prevent their continent from becoming a gold mine for their northern counterpart. I'm calling bullshit on that.

 

[razxiko]

what the fuck is even the goal here?
they want to instigate a diplomatic break between the northern church and Upsala. but for what gain? making sure that Capua does not get northern technology, because Upsala may get destroyed worst case? but they want to get marbles, which they can only get from Capua? I doubt Aura will be happy about the weaking/destruction of their northern partner.
they are hoping for trade, but they are aware that this may cause a war between north and south AND they know the south is less technologically advanced.
they are gambling the peace of several countries for what? faint hopes of also getting a northern trade route? they could have just send a ship north in hopes of achieving trade that way... (and if your ship technology is lacking then just spend money on research).
this all seems like dice rolling veiled as diplomatic chess play.

No, what they want is a country that has the capability to at least deter the church from even moving to the continent. They are trying to help both Capua and Upsalla. That's why the navigation tools are given to Upsalla and Capua is having more access to magic tools. They are not gambling anything. They KNOW the church will come in the future and they are landlocked so why would they send a ship? Are you even reading the same story??

 

[razxiko]

Is there a single reason to not tell Capua about the potential invasion brewing other than self-interest at the cost of Capua's (and Uppsala's) wellbeing as a nation?

That's the behaviour of opportunistic rats. In other words, vermin. Or enemies, if you want to be polite.

You can pretend to be really knowledgeable about international politics all you want, you can call it business as usual in the world of politics, and you wouldn't be that wrong, but it still it doesn't hide the fact that they are being inhuman garbage for setting up the board in such a way that they reap maximun benefits while others take the risks and suffer the most damage.

Prince Geppetto says at one point that it's all to prevent their continent from becoming a gold mine for their northern counterpart. I'm calling bullshit on that.

They just have started having normal and closer relations with the Capuans. It's normal to not reveal everything from the start plus they don't know when (Church) will come but know they will

 

[isoycrazy]

Is there a single reason to not tell Capua about the potential invasion brewing other than self-interest at the cost of Capua's (and Uppsala's) wellbeing as a nation?

Self-interest in keeping Capua from being an ally to the north and ignored in their conquests. That would be worse for the Twin Kingdom than the north running over Capua.

 

[GridLite]

i don't give a flying fuck whether they have grand intention by tricking mc but i hope they get their just deserts for tricking him.

 

[BKNY_STEVE]

I refuse to fucking believe that Lucrezia actually fell in love with Zenjirou. There was never a development like with Freya where she fell for him because of his character and how he treated her as an equal. Jfc I really hope she doesn't become a concubine.

Of course she didn't, not in a romantic sense. Look at her reaction when she heard Freya suggest a "special status"; she doesn't care about Zenjirou at all, not as a man, not even as a human being. However, that doesn't matter, he's an eligible royal, and there aren't many of those available. As a royal, being his concubine will restore her status as a royal of the Sharowa family. Therefore, she loves him, not for who he is, but for what he can do for her.

This doesn't mean Lucrezia is an evil person, she's a powerless person trying to better her status by the best way she can. Freya loves Zenjirou as a man, but that's because he isn't a man of this world and accepts her as a capable person, doesn't dismiss her as "just a woman" and supports her dreams and atypical behaviors. Aura married him to keep the Capua bloodline going, BUT not end up losing her own power to a typical Capuan man, and only fell in love with Zenjirou as a byproduct of being married to him and getting to know him. There's really little difference between any of these women, really.

I previously predicted that Lucrezia has a strong shot at becoming Zenjirou's concubine:
"Lucrezia still has a shot, given what Aura's said earlier:"

https://imgur.com/a/xohTQSg

 

[Elaborate]

I enjoy the political machinations on display here.

The key is that all the players want different things, but these goals don't necessarily contradict each-other, so then it's a matter of negotiations and tit-for-tat and manufacturing situations where you can honourably ask for what you want.

It's refreshing and realistic compared to other mangas where the protagonists and antagonists are the only ones with plans.

 

[NIBBAHOTBUNS]

lol everyone in here saying "oh i love how politically advance this series are" ahm no? its almost generic and more predictable, in the first glance you will notice it even not coming into picture, like is there more to this manga? is this boring manga still ongoing with this shitty and generic plot. Im like reading a work of a 10 years old, like bro cmon this shit has more loopholes than our fence, the author is even conflicting the ideas and the story itself, its like the author forgotten what the story or what the characters or the plot doing. Its a headache to read this abomination of a manga, isekai ntr is more entertaining than this shit and you need to throw your brain in the bin just to read this unbearable manga

 

[TexLovera]

I'm not sure I've ever read a manga with so many layers of diplomatic/palace machinations, at least outside of those set in historical Japan. I'm quite enjoying it.

Thanks for translating this guys!

 

[TexLovera]

lol everyone in here saying "oh i love how politically advance this series are" ahm no? its almost generic and more predictable, in the first glance you will notice it even not coming into picture, like is there more to this manga? is this boring manga still ongoing with this shitty and generic plot. Im like reading a work of a 10 years old, like bro cmon this shit has more loopholes than our fence, the author is even conflicting the ideas and the story itself, its like the author forgotten what the story or what the characters or the plot doing. Its a headache to read this abomination of a manga, isekai ntr is more entertaining than this shit and you need to throw your brain in the bin just to read this unbearable manga

Which for some odd reason you continue to read...

 

[Kitosen]

Thanks for the chapter!