I'm sorry it took me so long to post a summary. I had a little crisis of conscience with respect to "Kisu Yori mo Hayaku" and then got sucked into "Zettai Heiwa Daisakusen." All the while, I've been playing Warhammer Online religiously. I will get to KYMH later this week. So for now, here's a summary of "Zettai Heiwa Daisakusen" (roughly translates to "Grand Military Tactics for Absolute Peace"). Chapters 1 -3 are out there in the usual places online.
This chapter begins with Johannes and Yuda touring the city. A tour guide is narrating about how the city of Judecca has been rebuilt since the royal couple settled there 6-month ago. The is walking down the street hand-in-hand while crowds shower them with blessings. The narrator continues that extremists opposed to peace have recently increased their activities.
As usual, after they are out of public view, the lovey-dovey couple act is dropped. They quit holding hands and this time Johannes turns and walks away quickly. He loosens his tie as Yuda looks on shocked. She turns to follow him, now worried because the routine has be broken. She asks Johannes what he's rushing off to do. He replies that he has to return to work because of terrorist activities. He says he can't let the city be destroyed again. Yuda asks whether this means that he will be busy. Johannes responses, "Yes, quite busy." Yuda is embarrassed that this has affected her. She asks herself why she feels this way. She thinks, "At first I hated Johannes-sama, but now that we live together, I don't think he's as bad as I thought at first. I'm trying to compromise a bit ..."
Later on, Yuda encounters Johannes in the hall. He is dressed in his uniform. Yuda follows him around, looking very much like a child. "Johannes-sama! Johannes-sama! Have you found a way to guard the city? Are you going to the courtyard?" she asks. Johannes isn't paying her much attention as he reads through a stack of papers while walking. "Yep, I'm going now." Yuda frets that he won't look her in the eye. Frustrated, she resorts to completely childish behavior. She calls his name and then throws a paper airplane at him, hitting him squarely in the forehead. Johannes unfolds the airplane and in it, Yuda has scrawled, "Johannes is an idiot." Now she's done it and Johannes looks at her with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "He's coming!" She's anticipating his attention as she takes off running. "Who are you calling 'idiot'! Wait you shorty!" is the situation she's waiting for as she runs away, but he doesn't take the bait and instead continues walking to the courtyard. Yuda is now distressed.
Alone in her room, she sits curled into a little ball wondering why Johannes is avoiding her. She recalls that he told her, "I love you so of course I want to be near you and I want to touch you." She thinks, "Even though he said that, why? (do I run away)" as she remembers her cruel treatment towards him and then concludes, "of course, he'd avoid me. If I continue, he'll hate me ..." While confused, it seems that she's coming to a revelation about her feelings. She then vigorously shakes her head, banishing the thought. She's up again, prowling the halls in her hooded coat. "There's no way I like Johannes," she assures herself. Johannes' guards look on as Yuda paces back and forth in front of his office door. Johannes guards are amused because she's been pacing at the door for over an hour. They decide to tease her a little and ask her if she wants them to call Johannes from his office. Yuda takes off running saying that she was just passing by and not to bother.
Yuda goes out into the garden and while watering plants wonders why she can't calm down. Her handmaidens come out to the garden to tell Yuda that Johannes is looking for her and that there are guests to receive. Yuda blushes furiously. She is pleased that Johannes has called her. Johannes is already in the receiving hall when she arrives. She excuses herself and then Johannes introduce the guests, Thomas Claspel and his daughter Isabel. Thomas is the head of many national businesses. Yuda is struck by how pretty Isabel is. Johannes shares one of the threatening letters the terrorists has sent with Mr. Claspel. Mr Claspel pledges the support of his people to help quell the terrorist problem and then asks about the princess, Yuda's safety. Johannes pulls Yuda close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, and then assures them that no trouble could happen and pledges that even if the peace fell apart it would not impact his engagement to Yuda. Isabel says in response, "The rumors are true. You two are close." Johannes replies, "She is the most important person in the world to me." Yuda blushes. There's a tinge of sadness on her face. "I need to be calm," she tells herself. "As always, it's a performance."
The greeting is now suddenly over and Johannes guides Yuda out of the room as he instructs his guards to escort the Claspels back to their mansion. As soon as they leave the room, Johannes releases Yuda and tells her that he will be away for a while. Yuda worried about the terrorists asks, "What if something happens. Should I tell our people that you won't be coming back for a while?" Johannes looks back at Yuda. He's a little surprised. He says, "What's with that response? Are you afraid you'll be lonely?" *Bingo* Yuda blushes and then avoiding his gaze retorts, "Even if you are not here, I would be quite the opposite of lonely. I'd be relieved!" Johannes response, "Oh, so not cute!" He continues, " Whatever ... All because of that blond beauty we greeted a little while ago. " Yuda fires back, "Even if you partner with that uncute woman, I'll get by here just fine. I couldn't care less if you come back!!! Stupid Johannes!!!" Johannes is knocked back on the floor by Yuda's outburst. As she leaves, Johannes asks himself, "Why does this always happen." Yuda doesn't go very far after leaving. She stops and looks around the corner at Johannes office door. She looks very sad and remorseful. "Stupid Johannes." she mutters.
Later ... Yuda is tending to the sick at a hospital. Some men at the hospital are looking at a newspaper with a picture of Johannes accompanying Isabel on the front. They discuss whether the relationship is a lie and say that it's only a matter of time before he leaves Yuda for the blond beauty. Yuda's self esteem takes a blow as she compares herself to Isabel while looking in a mirror. Her handmaidens and a messenger find her in a corner crying. The messenger requires her signature and informs her that Johannes has been invited to a party at the Claspel's mansion and that Johannes has already declined the invitation for Yuda. Yuda's handmaidens are peeved and decide that Yuda will go and show that she is prettier than Isabel.
It is the night of the party and Johannes is dressed in black and going over some papers. Isabel offers him a drink and he declines, telling her that he is still working. She asks him to dance and he cordially declines. The onlookers think that Johannes and Isabel make a nice couple and denigrate the "desert princess." They think it's best that Yuda didn't come. But then, from a car, Yuda arrives. She's dressed in form fitting mermaid dress with elegant boots, looking cute as can be with some flowers in her hair. The crowd is surprised by how beautiful Yuda is. Yuda is blushing like a maiden. Isabel is shocked and Johannes looks completely freaked out -- like his heart has just sunk into his shoes. Yuda panics because she doesn't know how to interpret Johannes' expression. Johannes, looking totally shaken, grabs Yuda by the wrist and drags her out of the room. Outside, Yuda asks what wrong. Johannes tells her that he didn't want her to come because it's dangerous. Yuda bursts into sweet tears -- she's so sad and dejected. Johannes looks even more messed up because he's just understood what happened, but is powerless to do anything about the situation. Yuda takes off running, thinking, "I knew I shouldn't have come." Her confidence shattered, she finds a place outside to hide and cry about how good Johannes and Isabel looked together.
Then she hears voices from behind the wall. A group of men is moving some large boxes. The boxes are filled with weapons and the men talk about a plot to attack to incite the Southern country so the war can resume. Yuda, finally understands the danger and decides that she needs to tell somebody about the men. As she gets up to leave, Isabel comes up from behind her and drags Yuda away. Inside, Johannes' guards enter. Johannes asks if they've found Yuda and they inform him that they have found what they are looking for and that they can begin arresting people. However, Yuda was taken into the inner part of the mansion. Johannes instructs them to act carefully, so as not to cause a ruckus that will allow the criminals to escape in the confusion or or arouse the curiosity of the public. The guards apologize about Yuda and Johannes laments that Yuda seemed so happy in her dress.
Johannes is interrupted by a servant that tells him that Mr. Claspel wishes to speak with him. He is led to room where Mr. Claspel and Isabel are keeping Yuda hostage. The situation is tense and they exchange words about how Isabel isn't Claspel's daughter and Claspel explains that the end of the war has been bad for business and job creation. He then tells Johannes that if he wishes for Yuda's safety, then he should forget about the arms deal and leave the premises. Yuda is upset and feels that this situation is all her fault. She put people in danger and, therefore, she is not qualified to be the princess. Isabel is pointing a gun to Yuda's head. Seeing that there is no hope in the situation -- Yuda believes that Johannes will sacrifice her -- she bites Isabel's arm to free herself and then heads for the the window. Johannes calls out to Yuda to wait a minute. Yuda looks back with tears in her eyes and then jumps. She is diving head first into a pool. Isabel turns to shoot Yuda in the back and Johannes violently stops her. Yuda is sinking in the water and it hurts and she thinks that she is going to die. And then then Johannes' hand appears and he pulls her out of the water. He sets her on the ground on her back and sits next to her. Freaked out he yells, "What did you intend to do?" Yuda tries to explain, "Because of me, you.." but she is interrupted. "What was your point!?" Johannes looks terrified. "Don't do anything that dangerous again!!!" he yells. Yuda is shocked. Then the guards find them and inform Johannes that they've arrested the Claspels and rounded up the terrorists. Johannes begins to walk away. He has completely lost his composure and still looks totally freaked out. Yuda pulls him by his sleeves (-- don't go ...)
Johannes turns around to see Yuda bawling. He asks her why she's crying. Yuda responds, "I hate you. Your touch disgusts me" Johannes returns, "then I won't get near you or touch you." Yuda is still crying. "Now what?" Johannes asks. Yuda says, "But when I'm with you my heart pounds and I can't calm down. I become irritated and I can't stop crying. I don't understand what this is. It's horrible. Even now I don't understand. I've had enough. Johannes-sama, I hate you so much. I hate you ..." Johannes looks at her with kind soft eyes. He's blushing now at her weird confession. "I already know," he says. "You hate me." He then picks her up and hugs her closely and tightly. Yuda thinks, "When our skin touched, it was warm." She continues, "I thought I died painfully, but I feel strange and relieved" Her arms that were awkwardly outstretched before now wrap around Johannes tightly. The chapters ends with Johannes and Yuda sitting on the ground, still hugging tightly. Johannes looks stupidly happy and Yuda's looks as though her mind has been blown. The guards remark that they've been at it for an hour and wonder if Yuda will have another "teething fever." (
link culture note on "teething fever" -- see modern translations under Japan.)
**I will proofread this tomorrow. Sorry if this is totally mangled.**
