Name: Akirama no Yumeha
Magic: Yōkai --Circle 1-- 14%
Mana Amount: 149
Unique Ability: Shinketsu no Musubi
Soul: 60
At the Akirama family's training field, Enrico watched Yumeha, who was visibly nervous, desperately wondering if he had changed his mind.
'Did he regret it? Please let it not be that…'
'She really is just like me.'
In history, Yumeha had a lower potential than Enrico, but her magic would be inferior to his if Enrico evolved to the same Circle she had. But now, with the bond formed, that was no longer the case. Thanks to his Fire Pact, their potentials were now the same — they were well-matched in their bond.
"Yumeha, you couldn't use magic properly before, right?"
"Yes, Master, but now I should be able to — thanks to you."
It was clear Yumeha was trying to please him, and Enrico realized it immediately, already understanding why.
"Alright, then try."
"Yes, Master."
Yumeha tried to use her magic while, a little farther from the training field so as not to be seen but still able to hear, two girls watched in hiding — Rina and her friend Aoi. Rina had come to talk with Enrico, but the servants said he had taken Yumeha to train before entering the dungeon. On her way to the field, she ran into her friend.
Aoi had black hair and wore a white mask painted with a fox face.
"So this is the one you want as your Ketsumei? He's my type."
She spoke that way, but behind the mask, her tone was cold and distant.
"Yes, he is… and please don't talk about my Ketsumei like that."
"He's not your—"
With a dark glare from Rina, Aoi fell silent. They saw Yumeha trying to use magic and attempting to launch an attack with her sword, but she failed and appeared desperate. Rina watched, already expecting this, since Yumeha trained but couldn't use her limited magic effectively. Aoi shook her head in confusion, not understanding why Enrico had chosen her.
"That's not how your magic works, Yumeha."
"What do you mean… Master?"
Enrico took her hand and pointed to the center.
"Your magic is different from others because, to use it, you first have to summon — and from there, create a Yōkai."
Enrico began explaining more clearly.
Unlike most mages who simply sensed magic in the center of their heart, channeled their mana, and shaped their spells after learning the elemental function of the spell, Yumeha Akirama's magic was… different. It wasn't about casting spells or learning formulas of an element. Her magic required one thing first: creation — to generate a new existence. That existence was a Yōkai.
The Akirama Clan from a thousand years ago, from whom she descended, held an ancient spiritual lineage with the yōkai, mystical creatures that once lived between the planes of reality and were later exterminated by evil gods. Not only were yōkai extinct, but so were any other types of spirits capable of forming contracts with humans.
Now, for Yumeha to cast even a single spell, she had to first birth an artificial Yōkai — an entity formed by merging her mana and spiritual state.
The process was always the same — and always delicate.
First, Yumeha had to enter a deep state of concentration. She would isolate herself from the world and allow her mana to flow, forming a spiritual core at the center where the circles lay. This core, through emotion, intent, and even fragments of memory, would take shape as a yōkai. Each one was unique. None could be recreated the same way.
And after the yōkai was created, the most important decision had to be made: once formed, that yōkai could only exist in two ways — either as magic itself, where its abilities would be absorbed by Yumeha and used as spells, or as a summoned being, where the yōkai would gain physical form and act alongside her of its own free will.
The decision was crucial — and permanent.
"That's how it works. Now try again."
Yumeha opened her eyes, astonished that he knew how her magic worked. Maybe that was why he chose her — if that were the case, she was even more grateful, because now she finally knew how to use her magic. She sat down and began trying to create her first.The two hidden behind the trees were surprised when, after a moment, a red aura emerged from her. Even through the mask, Aoi's surprise was visible — how could someone know a person's magic after only about a day, according to what Rina had said?
Rina, seeing this now, no longer doubted her father's words. Seeing it with her own eyes, she was certain Enrico knew the future. She bit her lip, drawing a little blood, thinking that if she had been chosen, she could evolve even faster and help her father improve Tsuyokuni's territory. With him, she could be even stronger than she would be in the future. Her eyes hardened with determination.
"He will be my Ketsumei. I'll make sure of it."
Yumeha was breathing heavily as the aura turned into a black mist trying to take shape. She began losing focus but heard Enrico's calm voice.
"Yumeha, since it's your first, just focus on forming it little by little."
With those words, she steadied her breathing and slowed down. Deep in her heart, she still heard the words spoken by the servants, citizens, and even her brother Soushi.
'Impure… she's tainting the Akirama name… she's Kurohana's daughter, so why does she seem so filthy?... she must be the child of some crea—'
Those cruel words from the servants, citizens, and even her brother — who also didn't have great potential but was still better than her — haunted her. Why was she considered filthy?
In front of her, something began to take shape. A small, slimy creature with a long tongue and deformed body, as if born from the filth others saw in her.
"Akaname... I thought so. That hasn't changed."
"Akaname — is that its name, Master?"
"Ah… yes, sorry. You were supposed to name it."
"No need to apologize, Master. That was the name I was going to give."
She looked at the grotesque-looking creature, but she didn't care — it was her first magic. She reached out, and it transformed into an amulet that she then placed around her neck.
"You can make more since you're in Circle One. I'm curious to see what the next one will be."
Enrico smiled at her, and Yumeha returned a happy smile.
"Yes, Master. And really… thank you for being my Ketsumei."
Yumeha returned to concentrating, and Enrico just sat and watched her, curious — since things had changed, the next one could be different from the original story. Rina and Aoi remained silent, having seen the happiness in Yumeha they had never seen before. They decided to leave and let the two be. Rina resolved to talk to him later.