“Happy Birthday, young mistress!”

The festive lights, the music, and the sudden acclaim nearly made Yuriko form her sunblade, and it took a rather long moment before the words registered in her tired mind. It was the Sixthday, the last day before Restday, and she had just come from a rather gruelling study session. And the weekend trip back to Aerule Garden had not been easy on her either. Miya had insisted on taking a flying shuttle on the way back instead of sensibly taking the Sky Tram. With her as the pilot. The shuttle was long enough that it could seat three, four if they really squeezed together, and Reinhardt had cajoled his way to sitting behind her. So, squeezed between her cousin and the exiled prince, and the turbulence of the afternoon skies, she hadn’t managed to rest on the short but exhilarating trip.

“Oh…thank you,” she finally managed to say.

The attendants broke out into applause and cheers. Ryoko and Saki, her personal attendants, guided her to the main table where Mum, and the Prima Elisha, clapped demurely. She was seated at the centre and promptly served a bowl of cream soup and a flute of fizzy wine.

Music, from a four-piece string band, filled the Great Hall. The tables were arranged such that there was a wide central space and the reason for it soon became apparent. A troupe of performers, dancers, acrobats, and jugglers, started to perform as soon as Yuriko sat down. They were clad in form-fitting clothes that showed off every muscle. The men’s upper bodies were bare, and the women performers might as well have been with how skimpy and tightfitting their outfits were. Yuriko didn’t know if she should stare, as the other members of the clan were doing, or just focus on her food.

“Happy fifteenth birthday, my dear.” Sadeen hugged her around the shoulders and planted a rather wet kiss on her cheeks. “Ahh, It’s been nearly seven years, hasn’t it?”

Since Mum had greeted her on her actual birthday, yes. She just smiled and hugged her back. The feast continued, with the servings coming in little plates. There were fifteen in all, ranging from several soup courses, salad courses, meat, fish, then dessert. She could have gone for heartier servings, honestly.

As the evening progressed, the dancers grew bolder. They revealed well-oiled skin, gleaming in the dim lights. Most of them gave her a smouldering stare and, along with the wine, Yuriko felt fuzzier and fuzzier. A simple application of Recovery could have wiped away the intoxication, but what would be the point of enjoying the drink? At least she had better control of her body now. A year back and even the slightest alcohol in her drink would have been immediately burned away. Her stronger Anima and the Radiant tempering saw to that. Well, she could hold back the cleansing effect if she willed it, but she also knew that the slightest sign of danger would have her body immediately initiate a purge.

Near the end of the festivities, a group of attendants carried a low table into the Great Hall. It was laden with gift boxes and…were those letters?

“Ah, of course,” Mum beamed. “You’ve set a record, my dear.”

“Eh?”

Prima Elisha snorted but still couldn’t keep the smirk off her face.

“What record, Mum?”

“Well…” Sadeen grinned, “since you’ve attended the Academy a couple of weeks ago, we’ve received…er,” she looked at a crystal screen at her side, “Ah, five hundred twelve.”

“Five hundred twelve. Of what?”

“Why, marriage proposals, of course.”

“Eh?” Yuriko nearly spat out the mouthful of wine. Her Anima flared and burned away her tipsiness. “Ma-marriage proposals?”

“Yes. There were actually nearly seven hundred but more than a hundred did not have a greeting gift included, so their sincerity is in question.” Mum shrugged, then laughed uproariously at Yuriko’s stunned expression. “Were you expecting more?”

“No, I didn’t expect any at all!” Yuriko spluttered. “How come I’ve only heard of this now?”

“Hmph, you should have taught her this, Sadeen,” Elisha harrumphed.

“Well, I’ve been busy. Anyway, isn’t it your granddaughter’s duty to educate my little Yuriko?”

“Mum!” Yuriko yelped.

“Yes, yes. Well, most people in the Capital send proposals to the clan. We’re in heavy demand.” Sadeen shrugged. “Not that we entertain it. Ah, when was the last time we’ve had a marriage?”

“Yours,” Elisha said with a grunt, “and you eloped. It wouldn’t have counted if you actually hadn’t stayed celibate when you came back here. Hmph. What you see in that man, I hardly know. Davar’s a second rate clan, and you know it.” The Prima glanced at Yuriko then amended. “Ah, but since you had Yuriko through him, I suppose it proves the strength of his loins.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Sadeen sniffed. “I meant even those who aren’t core members.”

“Marriages? About two hundred, over the last two decades.”

“Is that high or low?” Yuriko murmured.

“Normal. Now, the number of Offspring Agreements is higher by a dozen times or so.” Sadeen shrugged.

“Offspring Agreement?” Yuriko asked, but her heart sank as she had an inkling of what that meant. Some boys back in the academy had that term on their lips.

“A union that lasts until the parties have children of either gender. Or up to four, in the case of same-gendered children,” Sadeen said.

“That’s…” Yuriko swallowed. “How? Why?”

“A discussion for another day,” Mum said firmly.

“...alright.”

Sadeen smiled. “Well, have a look at these anyway. It’s rare to receive this many in such a short time, hie hie! Ah, but it’ll likely continue as you grow older.”

“I suppose,” Yuriko muttered.

She honestly wasn’t even sure if and when she would marry. She didn’t want to start a family even if she was already in her majority. Ah, if she becomes a Knight then she would be into her majority regardless of her actual age. Knights were considered full adults in society and were more than capable of deciding their own business.

Ryoko picked up a gift box at Sadeen’s prompting and presented it to Yuriko. The box was barely an inch to a side and there was a paper flower on top. As soon as she touched the box, the flower unfolded into a letter and she skimmed the contents, face heating up as she read the…shameless words.

“Lady Yuriko Mishala,

Words cannot describe your beauty and its effects on my person. I find myself staring at you and at your images whenever I have the chance. I cannot bear it anymore. My heart burns for the pleasure of your touch, the fragrance of your breath, the honey of your lips, and the sweet fire of your touch.

I would ask for your hand in marriage, even if only for a few nights. Let me have the pleasure of your company, let me have the pleasure of your touch, and I swear that I will be your man until the ends of the planes. I would do anything, anything! Just to hold you dear…”

Sadeen snatched the letter once Yuriko blushed all the way down her neck and across her bosom. “How bad is it?” She chuckled. “Ooh, this is nice.”

“No, it’s not!” Yuriko spluttered.

“I meant the gift.”

The opened box revealed an ornate brooch, gold with precious stones on the setting. It was actually quite garish, Yuriko decided.

“Well, if you don’t want it you could always sell it back to Sarifa’s Jewelry.” Elisha shrugged, then added, “Under no circumstances should you wear any of these unless you want to give the sender a chance.”

“Oi, this one’s from a lady.” Sadeen chuckled as she read another letter. “And even more racy than the last one.”

Yuriko eyed the pile of gifts, each one with an elaborately folded letter. More than a few were of flowers, while there were some in animal shape. Why, there was even one shaped like a phallus! She shuddered. Still, she couldn’t just ignore these. These people have poured their hearts out to her, and even spent good coin on these gifts. She should return them though, as she had no intentions of getting entangled in this.

“Oh, those are yours,” Mum said. “You don’t have to return them. Clan policy. Serious proposals must come with a greeting gift, otherwise, they won’t be entertained at all.”

Yuriko sighed. “Do I have to read all of these letters, too?”

“Up to you.” Mum shrugged. “Well, it seems like your Mien is in full display. I think it’s about time we set about training you to control it. We have enough observations to figure out your range and preferences. We’ll begin tomorrow.”

“Yes, Mum.”

“So, do you have a wish?”

Yuriko let out a pained sigh. “Yes, Mum. I want to return to Rumiga.”

“You miss your brothers? Well, so do I.” She shook her head. “I’m afraid that’s out of the question, at least until you’ve finished your training for the Mien. But, if you wish, I can ask the Progenitor for dispensation.”

“Please. Ah! Do you have word of Da?”

“Yes,” Mum answered and gave Elisha a sidelong glance, “but it’s nothing too concrete. I have a bearing but not distance.”

“But, is he alright?”

Sadeen smiled gently. “Yes, his thread in the Fateweaver Loom is intact and shows no sign of fraying.”

“Oh.”

Fateweaver Loom. It was one of the Empire’s treasured artefacts. Not much was recorded about it in the books though.

“I should have a firmer answer in a few weeks,” Mum continued. “And I’ve been lobbying to be allowed to come to his aid.”

“You shouldn’t,” the Prima said fiercely. “It's too dangerous. Even on the Silver Tiger.”

“I know. But I won’t just leave my husband adrift,” Sadeen said stiffly. “Besides, the Loom is starting to unravel the circumstances and secrets of his location. The Progenitor said it might be worth risking a trip.”

“She did. Oh.”

“You see, my dear,” Sadeen patted Yuriko’s shoulder, “we’ll get your father back. And my, how you’ve grown in the last couple of weeks.” She added ruefully. Yuriko was now taller than her Mum by half an inch. “Your father’s blood is quite strong.”

The festivities wound down, and the plates were cleaned and sent back to the kitchen. The hundreds of gift boxes were opened and their letters read. Most were quite explicit in their contents and Yuriko wondered why these people were so bold to write down such desires openly. She’d been treated to so much raunchy talk that she half wondered if what they’re asking for is really that pleasant. Curious.

Her eyes lingered on a pair of performers, acrobats male and female, whose outfits were basically just enough to cover their genitals and the woman’s breasts. Their skin was a pleasant tan, and their muscles stood out and looked quite enticing. The man caught her eyes and he grinned as he started flexing and posing his muscles. The woman grinned and joined in. Yuriko averted her eyes but felt heat suffuse her entire body. What was happening to her?

Puberty? You got it late, but well, looks like we’re in for some rather interesting times. Damien chuckled.

Yuriko shook her head. Whatever it was, she hadn’t really given it much thought. She was too busy trying to grow stronger so she could go and help her Da.

Ah, but isn’t she here now in Realmheart, where the greatest strength of the Empire lay? Mum said she would go off to her Da’s aid in a few weeks, once she had the coordinates and the Progenitor’s permission. Who the Progenitor was, she didn’t know, only that the woman was probably a powerful Ancestor and of greater rank than even the Prima. Miya had filled her in on a few details, but by no means was it extensive. From how Mum and Elisha acted, the Progenitor seemed to have the final say in things. Odd, that.

Well, with help going Da’s way, was there really an urgent need for her to forcefully grow her strength?

Probably, unless you want to find yourself on the wrong end of an arranged marriage. I don’t relish the thought of you having a middle-aged man as a husband much less be in your mind while he plows you.

‘Damien!’ Yuriko thought furiously.

Well, that’s not really the worst-case scenario, but you get the idea. And based on the number of proposals thrown your way, and the fact that it had been directed at the clan instead of you, well, it’s only a matter of time before someone gives them a gift that’s hard to resist.

And it was with that chilly thought that her birthday passed. It served to strengthen her resolve though.

Ah, she was looking forward to a reply from her friends. It should arrive in a couple of weeks or so, and she was so eager to hear from them.