Page 117 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Tenma raised his head. “She’seleven.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“She’s even younger than Isla was, and Isla was practicallya baby!”
Ginkgo snorted. “Be glad Isla didn’t hear you say that.”
Tenma laughed a little, relaxed a little.
“Out with it, Tenma.”
“She proposed.”
Ginkgo was stumped. “Lilya has a crush on you?”
Tenma slowly shook his head. “This wasn’tthat. Not ablushing girl making her first confession. This was a calm, calculated bid. She’sgoing to have Glint work up a contract.”
“And you came to me … why?”
“Talk some sense into her!”
“Oh, I’ll talk to her,” promised Ginkgo. His mind wasracing, and he kept coming around to the same conclusion. “So … you’re turningher down?”
“Of course!”
“What’s your reason?”
“She’seleven.”
“Age difference. That’s all you’ve got?”
Tenma gaped at him, glasses askew.
“For an uncertain entity like you, it’s not a bad deal,landing a beacon bride. Your future home would be in a secure location. Most ofthe household is conversant in Japanese. And the amenities are topnotch—beachfront property, onsen baths, and a live-in nanny. That’d be me.”
“The age gap. It’s nearlyfifteenyears.”
“That works in your favor. A young wife will boost yourprogeny projections.”
Tenma shook his head. “Why are you even considering this?”
“Because I think Dad would approve. Put bluntly, you’d be astrategic acquisition for Stately House. And Glint’ll probably be giddy,matching the Amaranthine Messiah with a girl whose birth established a dynasty.”
Tenma rested his head on Ginkgo’s shoulder. “You reallythink they’d allow it?”
“You really expected bloodshed?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not going to kill you for putting your signature on acontract. And I’m not going to criticize Lilya’s choice until I hear herreasoning. Realistically, you’d stick to your itinerary and come back whenshe’s sixteen or seventeen. Do the whole courtship thing, then.”
“W-we’d be family?”
“You and me? Sure. Along with a few dozen crossers, a partialherd of horses, a sedge of cranes, a nest of mice, one honeybee, two grumpybear brothers, our French butler, and several members of the AmaranthineCouncil. Yay, verily, our Kith shelter runneth over, and we’re always expanding.”Ginkgo gently reminded, “Once he’s back safe, Inti will also be calling StatelyHouse home.”
After a long silence, Tenma admitted, “Sounds too good to betrue.”
“What was that future wish you shared with Lilya? What doyou truly, actually, honestly want?”
