— Where was I? — I pretend to think about it, briefly. — Uh-huh. So here we go. Immediately, branches are planted, at least three, usually five, rarely — six or seven, but no more. — Seeing my official rival's eyes wide with surprise, I deliberately specify. — Yes, there were cases when the head of the family had seven official wives. This does not include the concubines who were obligatory to reinforce the status. — I decided to add the last one, not so much out of the need to explain everything at once, but out of a desire to see Fleur's shocked face.
— In the future, branches will have a personal focus, an activity specification, and will earn/acquire gifts. For example, the combat branch learns combat magic, trains hard, develops a strong bias in this direction, and after a while can receive a gift that helps in combat or, on the contrary, protects. There are actually many variations. — I take a break for a sip of fresh tea.
— Then the head of the clan, for the family grows, sprouts ties with other clans, takes promising ancestors under its wing, acquires servants. — I am leaving out an interesting detail about how you can help create a family of servants, binding them forever to the service of the clan or a separate branch of the clan. I have suggested this option to Maggie, but she hasn't made up her mind yet, but I feel it will be as it should be. — The head of the family and clan will no longer be required to take so many wives, usually one to three, plus concubines.
— Why so many?! — Fleur frowned indignantly.
— It's simple. — I shrugged, causing the Fire Maiden to flash. — Some of the children from the main branch go to the side branches and vice versa, thus preserving the original blood, the legacy. — I leave out the detail that the main branch almost always collects the gifts of the side branches, except for highly specialized ones, like the gift of Whisper of the Seas, which allows you to literally communicate with the elements, but this heritage is only needed for sailors, for the rest it is useless. — The Japanese clan is a big family — or rather, it was originally conceived as such, but in reality it turned out to be the same caste system, quite rigid, even cruel, but I won't talk about that either. — where everyone is related by blood. As you can see, I have a burden of responsibility that I can't resist. — I waved my hands as if to express my helplessness, but both Fleur and Gabby, and even their mother, blinked strangely.
— So what is the legacy of the Hoshino family? — In a way, Appolyn's question is tactless, extremely so, but in Europe it is allowed, as there are eugenics programs that make it easier for birth mothers to find a mate for their child.
— I agree to tell, but in exchange for the same information about the Delacour line. — I raise an eyebrow as I sip my tea.
— There's no secret, — Pierre shrugs. — My family is famous for combat magic, mostly fire magic, and mental magic, also with a focus on combat, that is, structuring memory to improve the work of the mind as well as its defense. Because of this, my family is very close to the Veils. — At the last words, the man embraced his satisfied wife with a smile. — We are not susceptible to their charms, or rather, we know how to defend ourselves against them. — The man was silent, looking at me eloquently, waiting for an answer.
— The Hoshino family has always been warriors. — I smiled broadly, glanced at Fleur and Gabby, and realized how much I wanted this girl to be mine.
What's wrong with her? What's good about her? The breathtaking beauty of the women of this species, their magical power. But most of all, the girl's character. Yes, she is good, kind, feminine, strong.
Do I love her? No, but she is dearer to me than a simple friend, which is an indicator. And in general, circumstances in this world have developed in such a way that the romantic impulses in me have been extinguished in the Miyazaki clan, and in a very qualitative way. I'm not saying that I'm happy about it, not at all, but at the time of my hormonal awakening, I was surrounded by very ugly women, men, old men and old women.
I even had to bathe with them every day, and every day I had to see the unpleasant sight of their naked bodies. What does this have to do with romance? Well, quite simply, romance is born in feelings of sexual interest, grows out of human taste, first impressions, such as accidentally seeing breasts while leaning against a friend's sister, or a young friendly neighbor, or a teacher at school with whom you are secretly in love.
All these things leave an imprint as the body grows, because such vivid impressions are imprinted on the mind. The mind cannot be adult in a child's body, older — yes, but not fully adult, because a person lives in a physical body and is subject to its influence. And so I have been influenced. For example, in my previous life I liked brunettes and hair blacker than night.
In this one, I had to make a lot of effort to stay straight, not to earn disgust for women (it was not easy, and if not shikigami, through which you can watch from afar, and the inherent voyeurism of most men, I do not know what I got here), but the imprint remained, including the fact that now I like blondes and light shades.
And with a good feminine figure, because the boyish figures of most Japanese women have become taboo for me. That's enough, let's go back to our initial thoughts. And we've come to the conclusion that the trump card can be played.
— For a thousand and a half years, even the born actress Appolin's eyes went up to her forehead. — The Hoshino family and clan maintained the balance between humans and ghosts (i.e. Yokai, Ayakashi, Bakemono and others) on the Japanese islands with the help of combat magic, — a brief smile at Pierre. — Mostly fire magic. Thanks to that, martial arts and the longevity granted by the spiritual union with their totem animal, we have always been very strong.
— I don't quite understand... — Pierre and Appolin have already withdrawn slightly from the new information, but the girls still sit with their mouths agape.
— My family has always been equally close to humans and magical creatures, each of us has a beast sleeping within us, and if we are strong enough in spirit and wise enough to find a common language with it (the beast), we reach the level of strong, sometimes the strongest ayakashi, or fae if you prefer.
— Does this manifest itself externally? — asked a very interested Appolin.
— It depends on the level of unity. — I shrug. — According to my mother, — I add deliberately, in passing. — Some barely got as far as changing their eyes and teeth, some changed their fingers, grew powerful claws. My mother grew wolf ears and a wolf tail, changed her skin color, and my grandfather was able to turn into a full-grown tiger.
— So it's animagic? — The woman was a little disappointed in her feelings, but she didn't show it outwardly.
— No. — I shook my head negatively. — This state is closer to werewolves, because we do not become a simple dog or cat, but a magical werewolf, which only acquires the strength, not the weakness of simple animals.
— That's... — Pierre looked a bit confused, and understandably so, because such gifts had never existed in Europe, and turning a druid into a beast was the same as animagia. — Interesting. — the man found himself. — And you have your own training in these abilities?
— Sure, — I see where he's going with it, and I'm curious to see what comes of it. — But the problem is that my mother knows the techniques, but I haven't gotten into them yet. — If I see a legitimate question, I add it immediately. — It's a long story, and I don't think it's appropriate to tell it now. — Especially not to strangers.
— I understand. — the man nodded. — You, Sora, have told me many interesting and even surprising things today. But I see no reason to reconsider my offer, on the contrary, I think of Gabrielle ... — Gabrielle's words made Gabby freeze. — But we have no more children, and it is possible that Gabrielle will have to marry a young man who will join our clan, since you are under such an obligation. — Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gabby collapse, her head bowed, her face hidden behind her hair.
I hid a heavy sigh, for I am not blind, and I could see the little Vayla's posture, but I hoped to the last that it wasn't a romance and that I would be seen in the role of an older brother. I was wrong. You can't play that kind of longing and pain. And she's just a little girl, the same age as Astoria. I don't think it's going to end well for me.
— There is one option. — I begin to tell the story of my arrangement with the Greengrass family in a calm voice.
And the further I went, the more a little Vaila blossomed.