Chapter 109 - CH 89: PRELUDE TO A BLOODY FEAST (1/2)
”You… decline?”
Suzuka was a little stumped at this answer. It was like she never thought that such an answer could be possible.
Kuroha nodded as if it was a matter of course.
”To be clear I don't mind fighting you. But… See. My father always told me to never sign a contract without understanding what I am signing for. You play the mysterious by giving weird conditions. But the problem is. If I really want that information. I just have to insist a little with Momo and I am sure that she will tell me. So why should I take a risk here?”
Suzuka wanted to offer a rebuttal. But she found that she had none. After all, he was right. Who would take a bet with unknown risk when you had a far safer option? Finally, resigned she sighed and said.
”*Sigh* You win. Sit. I will talk. But this won't change the fact that we will have to fight together later.”
Kuroha nodded and simply seated on his butt. He could take the seiza position. But why kill your knees when you had better options? Suzuka though seated properly,
”*Ahem* So, the Yaoyorozu is a very old family. This family managed to grow to its current level thanks to different rules and what you might call selective breeding.”
She sighed,
”The first rule is about successors. It doesn't matter how many children the members of the main family have. Each of their children must have a difference of four years in age. The moment a child with a quirk related to transmutation is born, the couples must not have any children. All the children born with a transmutation quirk will enter a competition once they reach a certain age and the winner becomes the head.”
Her eyes were full of admiration,
”While it's a little harsh that only children with transmutation quirks can become heads, the fact that they must compete makes it so that each head is someone full of wits and talents. Wastrels and the like are not accepted in the family. In this generation, my master was directly announced as the next head simply because her quirk was the strongest transmutation quirk that ever appeared in the family. If she was a man she would have been obligated to get tens of wife in order to make more progeny.”
She coughed before continuing,
”The second rule is about outsiders. Marriage with outsiders is encouraged. But...Only those with rares and useful quirks. The family doesn't care about pure power, but a rarity. Such quirks are essential so that even those who aren't born with transmutation quirks can get a useful quirk for the family and make our genetic pool richer and more diverse. The Yaoyorozu is a patriarchal family. If the one who wins the competition is a woman, it's her husband who will be considered the head officially. As such the future husband must be accepted by the current head as well as the council of elders.”
After that, she began to blush. Then she lowered her head as she lifted a third finger.
”The third rule is about retainers. The hiragi family is a family close to the Yaoyorozu since a very long time. One simple reason is blood. Most members of the hiragi family have a blood relationship with The Yaoyorozu.”
She began to fidget a little at this part,
”The reason for this is that the head be it from the Yaoyorozu or an outsider. Must always i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.e a member of the hiragi family. The personal maid. By doing so, there will always be a blood relationship tying the Hiragi to the main house.”
She sighed as if a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. She never thought she would tell something so embarrassing one day. Well, she did, but she didn't think it would be under such a situation,
Kuroha, on the other hand, was thinking about all those information, finally, he sighed and asked,
”I have a question. I hope you can answer.”
”Go on.”
”One, If I don't get the father and elders approval then my relationship with Momo will be void? Even though we already did it?”
”The family doesn't care about things such as v.i.r.g.i.nity. Only blood matters. As long as she isn't pregnant, then it doesn't matter how much partner she has before she gets married. That's the true reason why she was given pills so soon.”
Kuroha tilted his head,
”I thought that as a patriarchal family it would be a little stricter.”
”This only applies if the woman is of our blood. Woman outsiders need to be completely pure.”
Kuroha sighed, before saying,
”Noble families are really weird. Anyway. About the third rule. I guess that since you're the personal maid then this falls on you?”
”...Yes…”
”Then I have two questions. Firstly, what do you think? Don't you want to fall in love?”
Suzuka lowered her head a short while before finally rising it, and said with a simple but clear voice.
”Of course I want to fall in love. But what is love? Do you know how many divorces happen every day? In some countries, the divorce rate is higher than 50% for couples less than five years old. Compared to that, all those who followed our traditions never had a problem. The head had absolutely no right to mistreat the personal maid since doing so would be an insult to the Hiragi family. Between the so-called love and a stable and happy family, my choice is easy. As such, I have never hated this tradition. Though I find it shameless.”
Kuroha nodded and waited for her to continues,
”Also. That third rule has a condition. THE CHOICE. The personal maid is given the power to choose. If she doesn't like the future head, then she can leave her position of personal maid. This position will be taken by someone else. This morning, Mistress gave me the choice.”
”I guess, this choice is related to your desire to fight me?”
”Exactly. While I do not love you. I do not find you repulsive either. What more, your quirk is both rare and powerful, making it so my child would have great genes without a doubt. But, this isn't enough. The father of my child must be able to protect us. Only by beating me will I accept you.”
Kuroha scratched his head with an awkward face,
”But...What if I don't want to do it with you?”
The scene fell in a very strange silence.
Suzuka never felt so humiliated in her life.