Chapter 124 - Not Lovers

"Talk."

At Ara's imposing stance, Ryuu let out a heavy sigh. Then, a soft smile curved his lips as he reached out a hand to soothe the deep eleven in between her forehead. With her reaction like this, even if he felt a bit of a murderous aura towards him coming out of her, he found her very cute.

He wondered if this was what they called jealousy. Was Ara jealous of Emi? At the same time, he felt relieved that he had listened to Kazehaya's advice and gotten rid of the Makura – well, at least, the system itself if not the person.

"No, she's not an ex-girlfriend."

Upon hearing his answer, the slight lethal force directed at him dispersed as she relaxed, although she still continued to frown at him.

"Then what is she? What are you and Yayoi hiding from me?"

Ryuu retracted his hand and placed it on his side. "It's not like we're intentionally hiding it from you. It's more like we have no idea how to let you know without making you misunderstand. But it seems our silence made you worry more. I'm sorry about that."

Ara's scowl then vanished as she blinked. If Ryuu said it like that, how could she continue to be upset with him? However, now more than ever, her curiosity about this thing was so great, to the point wherein she wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing the truth.

"Then tell me. I promise I will not get angry," she said softly.

If Emi, the pretty girl was not his ex-girlfriend, then who was she?

The Koutaishidenka cleared his throat before he started his explanation. "You are aware that the Homura House goes way back since the Muramachi Era, right?"

Ara nodded. She already knew the history of the Homura House since the guide at the Old Homura House in Hakone gave them all the details.

"Well, the clan is considered noble, so most of the rules of the house are very archaic," Ryuu explained.

Again, Ara already quite understood that being an old clan of five centuries, the Homura House was bound to have old, strict rules.

"Well," Ryuu said as he inclined his head, looking as if he's trying to find the right words. "For generations, the heirs of the Homura House when they were born are given a female companion called the Makura. The girl would grow up with them and they were trained to…"

Ara arched a brow when Ryuu stopped talking.

The Koutaishidenka scratched the side of his head. "They were trained to be the lady of the house – or the concubine."

At the last word, Ara inhaled sharply, her eyes wide.

"Y-you mean she and –you – you a-are –" she stuttered as she pointed at Ryuu, but the latter had leaned over to clamp a hand over her mouth, and gently made her calm down and look at him with a shush.

"It's not what you think okay? Let me finish explaining alright? "Ryuu told her again and waited until she nodded before removing his hand and sitting up straight.

Ara hugged the puppy again as if to comfort herself.

"As I said, it's not like what you think," he said again. "We did grow up together – but together meant we were raised in the same place – here. But since the place is big, I rarely saw her – and honestly forgot about her existence until Gin-nii reminded me about her."

"You forgot about her?"Ara looked like she couldn't believe what he said. He didn't know why until she asked her next question. "You forgot someone that pretty?"

"It's what happened." Ryuu who couldn't really understand as he didn't see Emi like that just shrugged. "When we decided to finally approach your brother about the betrothal, that's the only time I remembered about her because Gin-nii said that it's better that I get rid of her to prevent a misunderstanding between you and me."

"Get rid of her?"Ara blinked several times as if she couldn't understand.

Ryuu raised his hand as if to tell her to let him continue. "I meant the system. I got rid of the Makura system last week by setting Emi free. By tradition, I should have a child with her before I marry you – but I made it clear to everyone that will only marry and have children with you in this lifetime."

Silence hung between them after that announcement.

Ara who was hiding behind the puppy had turned a deep scarlet hue. She totally looked embarrassed and at a loss as to what to say to him. Ryuu who had a questionable EQ surprisingly showed a lot of skill in the area. Her heart was not prepared it seemed.

Ryuu, on the other hand, realized what he just said and felt a bit embarrassed as well. His face may not look like he was, but his ears were also crimson.

He cleared his throat once more before speaking. "So that's how it is. Even if Emi and I were raised to be lovers, we never were. There was never any physical relationship between us. Do you understand?"

Ara nodded almost immediately.

"It's just that she was taken from her family as a baby and now that she was suddenly stripped off of her position, she has nowhere else to go. I offered her to live outside the Cedar Palace, and the Homura House will just continue to support her."

"Then why is she still here?"

Ryuu studied her for a while, checking if her question meant to criticize him for still letting Emi stay or if it was just a harmless question. If it was the former, he would immediately order for Emi to leave. But it was the latter.

"Because she said she wants to work," Ryuu answered. "But she was raised as a princess so she doesn't really have any skill except for housekeeping."

"Oh. So that's why she became Yayoi's apprentice," Ara commented, and Ryuu nodded.

"Yayoi took pity on her. I – I actually feel ashamed of how the Homura House had discarded Emi. For her to stay here, she was forced to be a servant. I stripped her of her title, and the luxury she had been receiving until recently. It was unfair since she was not at fault here – but my wish for you not to misunderstand was far greater. If I let her stay here and continue to support her like before, her status as a Makura wouldn't have changed. She would still be like a concubine."

"I see," Ara commented, looking very thoughtful.

Ryuu, however, was not yet finished. There was one important thing he needed to know from Ara with regards to the former Makura.

"But, now that you know, if you still don't want her here, then tell me honestly and I will make her leave."