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.“It would bring megreat pleasure to tell you the full tale, but may I first give the names of all present to him?”Lord Raiko nodded his consent.“You may.”Sadamitsu looked to Kintaro.“Kintaro, as you may have assumed, before you sits thehonorable Minamoto no Raiko, about whom I told you so much during our journey here.”Kintaro bowed at the waist to Lord Raiko.“My lord, I thank you for the kindness youhave bestowed upon an unworthy creature such as myself in allowing me into your home.”Lord Raiko laughed.“Sadamitsu, you’ve done a beautiful job teaching him the properand pretty things to say, but his tone is all wrong.I can hear arrogance in his every word, nothumility.”Sadamitsu sighed.“Forgive me, my lord.I did my best in the short time he’s been in mycompany, but I see I failed.He’s like a beast who can speak.”Kintaro gnashed his teeth, though he kept his gaze focused on the ground to hide hisanger.Sadamitsu had told him not to speak unless spoken to, and he’d given his word to conducthimself properly, but to remain silent while being belittled so took all his control.Theconversation called for his attention.Lord Raiko waved Sadamitsu’s words away.“It’s of little concern at the moment.” “Thank you, my lord.” Sadamitsu turned his gaze once again to Kintaro.“The manbeside me is Watanabe no Tsuna.Across from us is Urabe no Suetake.Together, the three of ushave the most honored position of all Lord Raiko’s retainers.He has bestowed upon us theunworthy title of shitenno, his Four Guardian Kings.”Kintaro lifted his eyes to Sadamitsu’s.“But there are only three of you.”Sadamitsu’s gaze fell downward.Kintaro sensed the shift in the atmosphere around them from light and cordial, toweighted and strained.Lord Raiko gave Kintaro a sad smile.“They are only three because my fourth bravewarrior left this world a little more than a year ago.He had been a man without equal in combat,but here in this very garden his end came to him by nothing more than a hornet’s sting.His bodyreacted violently to the insect’s poison and nothing could stop its spread.It was not a fittingdeath.He should have died in battle, like a true samurai.It is ironic no weapon of man coulddefeat him, yet the tiny sword of an insect stole his life.”Lord Raiko’s gaze flicked to Suetake, then back to Kintaro.“His death has left a horriblevoid because what makes my shitenno so powerful is each man is paired as lovers with hispartner.” Seeing Kintaro’s stunned expression, he said, “You do understand what that means,don’t you?”“Um, yes, my lord,” Kintaro said, though he wished he understood it better.“My Four Guardian Kings fight so gallantly in order to protect the one who is dearest tothem, who is also fighting at their side.And, of course, to protect me.” Lord Raiko laughed athis last statement.Kintaro managed a weak smile, his mind reeling at the information.Men loving othermen.If it took place openly here in the court of Lord Raiko, then it couldn’t be wrong.Thedesires he’d carried in silence for so long were nothing to be ashamed of.He cast a sidelongglance at Suetake.Sadamitsu cleared his throat.“My lord, if I may, I’d like to tell you how I happenedupon Kintaro to better explain his presence here.”With Lord Raiko’s consent, Sadamitsu launched into his tale of how he discoveredKintaro.Kintaro thought he embellished a bit, though the long story gave him plenty ofopportunities to steal glances at Suetake.Suetake, however, didn’t bother to spare him a secondlook.Lord Raiko stroked his pointed beard, his thoughtful gaze on Kintaro as Sadamitsufinished the tale.“I have to admit, even though I found your story greatly entertaining, I alsofound it highly fanciful.I must ask, how much sake had you imbibed when you thought you sawKintaro doing these things?”Tsuna chuckled under his breath.Suetake sat stoic.“I can understand your doubt, my lord,” Sadamitsu said.“If you would allow it, perhapsa demonstration by Kintaro would be helpful.”“I should find it very much so.”Sadamitsu scanned the garden, his gaze settled on a boulder near the pond as large as twomen.He pointed to it.“Kintaro, go and lift that boulder above your head.”Kintaro sprang up from his kneeling position and marched toward the boulder [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]