Renzou kept his gaze firmly on Enrico for a few more seconds. Then he took a deep breath and nodded, as if he had finally made a decision.
"Very well... you may begin the ritual, Yumeha."
Yumeha bowed before her father and approached Enrico. Her steps were slow and nervous, and she kept her head lowered. Around them, the other members of the Akirama family watched attentively, still trying to understand the reason behind that choice. Even the elders showed a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
Renzou continued looking at his daughter. Yumeha kept her head slightly lowered, as if she were afraid to believe that this was really happening. Perhaps, after so many years of being treated as someone worthless, she had finally been given an opportunity to prove that she was not useless to her family.
'Please... let no one interrupt.'
Yumeha took a deep breath. She had memorized those words and secretly practiced the ritual for years, always waiting for the day when she would have the opportunity to perform it. She extended her right hand and gently placed it on Enrico's back, exactly over the point where she could feel the flow of his energy, aligned with his heart. Her hand trembled slightly, but she forced her fingers to remain steady.
"By this promise that does not belong to time, by this bond that even fate could not sever, I dedicate my essence, my risk, my fire, to the bearer of the sealed name — Ketsumei..."
As soon as the final words were spoken, a soft light appeared on the ground, like a fine ethereal dust spreading around the two of them. A magic circle began to form beneath their feet, composed of unknown characters and ancient symbols. Several layers appeared on top of one another, forming a complex structure that seemed to respond directly to the presence of the two.
Then, a translucent stream of energy emerged from the circle.
It moved slowly, like a serpent made of light, first wrapping around Yumeha's arm before moving toward Enrico's hand. When it reached the boy, Enrico felt a sudden pain shoot through his chest.
"Ugh..."
The stream seemed to connect directly to Enrico's heart. A flow of energy traveled through his body and returned toward Yumeha, forming a visible connection between the two. Then the stream quickly spiraled around her hand and pierced her skin with an intense red glow.
A symbol resembling a chain appeared on the back of her hand, formed by black and golden lines intertwined like a small flower. The mark pulsed several times before completely merging with her skin.
Enrico slowly exhaled.
Yumeha also took a deep breath, relieved.
Then she felt something different.
An energy that had previously seemed distant now existed within her. Her entire body became warm for a few seconds, and a sensation of power traveled through her arms. For the first time, she could clearly feel her own magic.
Yumeha looked at her marked hand.
"So... this is the First Circle."
Her voice came out low, almost as if she still could not believe what she was saying.
Before she could continue, the magic circle began to disappear. The inscriptions slowly dissolved, transforming into tiny particles of light that vanished into the air until nothing remained but silence.
The bond was formed.
Enrico observed the mark on his own hand for a few seconds.
'Now I'm not just a foreigner. Now I'm part of the Akirama family.'
[Wait a second... what do you mean?]
'Well, normally the Ketsumei and the Musubinin end up getting married. So, in a way, I'm already halfway there. All that's left is to make it official when she turns eighteen.'
[So you're married... I need to leave for a moment.]
Enrico almost smiled.
'I didn't know you could get traumatized.'
The system remained silent.
Enrico, on the other hand, was strangely in a good mood. The choice had worked out, and besides that, he now had a formal connection to one of the most important families in Tsuyokuni.
Yumeha looked at him for a few seconds, still trying to process everything that had happened. Then she knelt before Enrico and bowed deeply.
She could not completely hide her happiness.
Her eyes were teary, and she had to take a deep breath to keep the tears from falling.
For the first time in her life, Yumeha felt that perhaps her future really could be different.
"Thank you for choosing me, Master Enrico."
"You don't need to thank me, Yumeha. And, please, don't call me master."
"Sorry, but I can't do that. At least not until I'm eighteen."
Yumeha lowered her head slightly. At that moment, there was only one thought in her mind: she could not waste the opportunity she had been given. She would become stronger. Much stronger. She needed to prove that she deserved the trust Enrico had placed in her.
Enrico knew that. In the future, when a demon believed in her for the first time, Yumeha had followed him to the end. Even at that moment, when she still possessed no strength at all, that determination was already beginning to appear.
The emperor watched their interaction before turning his face toward the boy.
"Very well. Then, Enrico, you should get some rest. I will send some people to help you with the dungeon today."
"Thank you. And, sir, I would like you to pay close attention to the last part of the letter."
Renzou slowly nodded. His gaze then turned toward Yumeha, who looked away for a moment.
"Stay with him properly, daughter."
"Yes, Father."
Enrico bowed and left the room. Yumeha followed shortly afterward, closing the door behind her.
Renzou remained silent for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the documents. There was something in the last part of the letter that he still needed to verify. He carefully reread the strategy until he reached the final section.
There was a code there that only high-ranking members of Tsuyokuni should know.
Renzou became serious.
The information did not only concern Tianlong's strategies. The code indicated that his own son, Akirama no Soushi, was a traitor who had been altering information to favor Tianlong.
Renzou did not show surprise at the existence of the code. What truly bothered him was the content it revealed.
"Everyone except Rina, leave."
The remaining members of the family left the room in silence.
When the door closed, Renzou made a small gesture toward Daigo, pointing in the direction of his own son. The commander understood that he should discreetly investigate Soushi. For a moment, he seemed confused, but soon realized that it was probably related to Enrico's letter.
Daigo nodded and left to carry out the order.
Renzou needed to be certain before acting. An accusation of that gravity could not be made based solely on a document, even if it came from someone who, until that moment, had not lied even once.
Only Rina remained.
She stood there with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed and her expression calm. Inside, however, there was a mixture of frustration and confusion that she could not completely hide.
'Why her? Of all people... Yumeha?'
Rina was considered one of the greatest talents in the family. She had reached the First Circle at a very young age and continued surpassing all expectations. Her potential was so high that Renzou believed she could become the next clan leader or, if he decided to grant the title to his eldest son, even eventually take the position of empress.
Even so, Enrico had chosen Yumeha.
"Rina."
Renzou's firm voice brought her back from her thoughts. She raised her face and kept her posture straight.
"Yes?"
Renzou observed her for a few seconds before walking toward her.
"I know what you're feeling. But this choice seems not to have been based solely on talent... it seems to be fate."
Rina remained silent.
Renzou's trust in his daughter was great enough for him to tell her about the boy's ability to see the future. Rina's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing that.
"Perhaps something happened in the future that made him choose Yumeha."
She did not respond.
Renzou continued:
"But even so, I don't intend to leave you out. In fact, I want you to accompany Enrico in the dungeon he asked for help with."
Rina raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Me? But isn't it a Faizes-level dungeon?"
"Yes. And don't worry. You will go with Takeshi, five of our elite guards, and your friend."
Rina blinked slowly.
She knew exactly whom her father was referring to.
Aoi, her training partner and best friend, who had recently begun showing signs that she might awaken to the Second Circle just like her.
"And more than that, Rina."
Renzou moved a little closer and lowered his voice.
"I want you to form a bond with him as Musubinin and Ketsumei."
Rina was surprised for a moment. Her eyes widened slightly, but soon her expression returned to normal. If her father was making that proposal, then there was a reason. After everything she had discovered about Enrico, she was beginning to understand the potential he could reach.
She nodded without hesitation, and Renzou smiled upon seeing her determination.
"Very well, daughter. You may go and prepare."
Rina bowed respectfully and left the room.
She completely trusted her father's words. If Renzou believed that Enrico possessed extraordinary potential, then she had no reason to doubt him. Now that she knew this, she would not allow an opportunity of that magnitude to slip through her hands.
If this really was something related to fate, as her father had suggested, she would simply have to make sure that this fate did not interfere with her own evolution.
Rina walked down the corridor with a determined expression.
"Very well... I won't let my Ketsumei get away."