Rina arrived at the restaurant as instructed earlier in her phone call. She had on a nice suit with heels she grabbed from home. She couldn't afford to shop in less-than-professional clothing without facing repercussions. She was anxious to see Lady Yozora. The idea sent shivers down the back of her neck, like a Shinigami was behind her, waiting to repay her soul.
The Yozora family was infamous, not for the best of reasons. They were not one of the Five Families, a stain on their family name prevented them from gaining the approval for them to enter the inner circle of the Five to add to their numbers. Rina knew better than anyone what that stain was, it was her. Even if her identity wasn't revealed, the announcement of an illegitimate child through forced birthing was well-known and caused their reputation to plummet deeply, ruining past chances to join.
Rina entered the restaurant after steadying her nerves. She was greeted by the hostess who knew what she was there for, and she was led to the VIP section where Lady Yozora was sitting drinking her tea away from everyone.
As Rina walked to the section, a young boy around seven saw her, he was glowing with kindness as he ran up to hug her. He was innocent-looking with combed black hair and black eyes, the sight of him made Rina feel better with all that was running around in her head.
"Hi, Rina Nee-San." Rina gave a weak smile rubbing the young boy's hair doing her best not to make him worry for her.
"Hello, little Sen-Chan."
"Rina Nee-San are you here to see Obaa-Chan?" Sen asked her keeping his innocent smile intact and continuing to hug her side.
Rina broke for a second hearing him ask her that, she put back up her fake smile to keep Sen from knowing what was about to happen to her.
"I am. Stay here little Sen-Chan, I'll play with you later once I'm done. Promise." Rina put out her pinky to him. The gesture of a pinky promise was all it took for him to agree and let her continue, ignorant of the plans that were being conducted soon.
Sen wrapped his pinky with hers, his love for Rina was genuine. He had known her since birth and was the only member of the family to be treated as an equal. Not a black mark to his family name like she was. He let go of her when his caretaker called him over to finish his study books for his private schooling. Sen waved as he went back to his books as instructed.
Rina always felt joy seeing him when he was around. They were not siblings, they were cousins, but Sen always looked up to Rina as a big sister. He loved her as one and even asked if she could be adopted as his big sister at one point since he was an only child.
Rina continued to the VIP room not wanting to keep Lady Yozora waiting, Lady Yozora's assistant Misora was outside the door standing guard staring Rina down.
Rina did not like her, she had utter disgust for Misora. Misora always viewed Rina as garbage even when she was a kid, just trash that was lucky to be recycled into something somewhat better. Misora gave a smirk of contempt and arrogance greeting Rina as she welcomed her into the room, Lady Yozora was still sipping her black tea while going over the family finances of the year.
Rina greeted her in a respectful bow, Lady Yozora didn't respond, she was looking at the finances still with solid focus. Rina took her seat as instructed, she was silent as she waited for Lady Yozora to speak first.
Lady Yozora finished the finances after finding nothing wrong with the numbers, and she handed them to the family CFO to turn in telling her to leave the room immediately to speak with Rina. Lady Yozora looked down as she spoke to Rina, she never once looked her in the eye, even when she met her for the first time she had a cover over her face to avoid eye contact.
"You seem well. Have you been taking care of yourself?" She asked Rina an empty and fake question just to start the conversation.
"Yes Yozora Oku-San, I have a job to provide myself with financial stability till I graduate. My grades are good, nothing bad in my life that would hinder you in the future." Rina responded, keeping her tone as obedient as possible.
"I see."
Lady Yozora always sounded cold when she spoke. Her voice contrasted with her appearance. She was well into her late 80s but she looked close to mid-40s. Her family has been meticulous in their selective breeding arrangements since they first came to power. They picked the best in people who excelled in certain fields to raise the next generation into superior beings whether it was intelligence, physicality, or perfect health. Ones who could surpass Prime Calibers through superior genetic traits than power alone.
"The arrangements have been made. You'll take part in the arranged marriage within the next five months." Rina's face went into a state of disbelief. It was going to happen for her. Her worst nightmare came true since she was told this was a plan set up years prior. Though she still didn't believe it was this soon. She was eighteen yet, not even an adult. It felt like she was going to have her youth robbed from her in an instant.
"Yozora Oku-San, pardon my rudeness, but I don't see how this will help the family. As you said, I'm illegitimate. What family would take me as a bride? I'm not worth anything to you."
Lady Yozora drank her tea, her authority would not be challenged, in the Yozora family, her word was absolute law that would not be questioned or defied.
"You have no say. You're indeed illegitimate. However, you're the eldest in my living grandchildren's line. Only you and Sen are left after the other were 'let go' due to uselessness. If your foolish Primary Mother did not force birth injections in multiple partners in a futile effort to grant me a male heir, this situation would not exist. Sen is too young to be the leader of the family and has yet to awaken either as an Esper or a Caster, if you do this you'll be temporarily in charge till he's of age and has shown signs of power. You're Birth Mother was innocent true, but she was a commoner who barely made money making kimonos for others."
Rina felt grief hearing the words. Her Birth Mother was kind, she knew that the day her Birth Mother died was when she told Rina the truth, it was when she had her first panic attack, that she recognized it in Kousuke the other night.
"That said, you have our blood in you. I want our family recognized and entered into the inner circle of the Five Families. To do that, you'll marry into the Kurogane family. They're the only ones who will accept you since they have a son they wish to use for their purposes."
The son they were referring to was Allen Kurogane. He was the only male in the current family at age 26. Allen had yet to find a partner do to his being of mixed race and having heterochromia in his hair and eyes. He wasn't bad by any means he was a decorated chief, even served in the French Foreign Legion to get a dual citizenship in France to learn how to be a pastry chef. The problem with him was that he was aloof and lazy in family matters, no one wanted a lazy freak as he was called. "They'll even take you to help out the situation long as you stay with Allen. You don't have to worry he won't do anything illegal to you, you should be grateful someone wants you at all." Lady Yozora told her without a single shred of emotion in her words. Not even a molecule of empathy in them.
Rina didn't want this. Being married just to erase a mistake in the Yozora family wasn't her problem. She wanted to live her life her way, not as a tool for Lady Yozora's schemes.
"Obaa-Chan I can't…." Rina didn't even realize how she slipped in saying that. It was a grave error on her part to call Lady Yozora 'grandmother' so carelessly.
She couldn't finish the sentence, She felt a terrifying pressure choking her if everyone around her suddenly turned gray from the pressure. Lady Yozora didn't break her cold, emotionless facial demeanor, her tone of voice was the same. But the intensity from her was horribly strong. Rina had to use every bit of strength in her body that didn't flee in fear to keep a straight face.
"Who said you could call me Obaa-Chan? You are not allowed to call me that till the marriage is finalized. You realized kindness from me as a child, training even, till Sen was born. But make no mistake. You are not my real family till the shame you created is gone. Is that clear...Kisaragi Rina."
Rina felt it, the emphasis on her family name from her Birth Mother being said with hate in it. The disrespect behind the words stung her soul.
Rina didn't say a word anymore after that. She watched as Misora handed Lady Yozora a file, and Lady Yozora opened it to show Rina's photos, which were of her and Kousuke. Rina's eyes almost popped out of her head. She was right in that she was being surveilled. The noise she heard when she was at Kousuke's house wasn't just a random sound, there were photos of Kousuke from the Christmas party night, him during his morning runs, including information on his background, the people closest to him, and his mothers.
"Is this why you won't do it? This boy the reason?" Rina wanted to speak, but Misora placed a hand on her shoulder, her hand squeezing down on Rina's shoulder causing immense pain in Rina's arm.
"I've looked into him. Hayashi Kousuke, the son of Hayashi Akane and Mana. The Primary Mother Akane died due to terrorist action in official reports. The Birth Mother Mana is currently missing, practically an orphan child. What intrigues me is his physical gifts and combat abilities. A Prime Caliber from birth, trained in the Gouki Ryu by Kuramori Megumi, a graduate of the Deity of Killers Program codenamed the Queen of Bloodshed. And a user of blue flames, a very rare trait now almost next to purple flames. I personally don't see a value in being with him with no financial or social benefits. But, his potential to breed a stronger generation is of value. I propose a deal. Should you wish to remain free from us and live as Kisaragi Rina we will have this boy for ourselves, he can be used to be partnered with Sen's Mother to give her a natural insemination and more in time. If you want him to be left alone you'll go through with the marriage as agreed. So, what is your decision?" Lady Yozora said all this as if she were a real Demon Lord in human flesh.
Rina was distraught, Lady Yozora was playing dirty. There was no underhanded tactic she would stoop to in order to raise the family status and get what she wanted. Rina clenched her hands into the skin again, breaking the surface with her nails. She wanted to be free of her family's grip, but not at the price of damning Kousuke in the process.
"Yes, I'll do it. I'll go through with the marriage. Please excuse me, I promised Sen to spend time with him before I head home." Rina had to make an excuse to leave the room before she completely lost her composure.
Lady Yozora waved her hand for Misora to release Rina. Rina rubbed her sore shoulder before taking a bow as she took her leave. Misora chuckled at her, Rina stopped in place, as she felt disrespected greatly even from that act of pettiness aimed at her.
"What's so funny?"
"Hehehe, was thinking. You have good taste in men. So few are left in the world as is. But this one looks delicious. I wouldn't mind a taste of him myself." She said with lustrous eyes licking her lips as she looked at the photo of Kousuke shirtless during his fight with Megumi.
Rina lost her composure, which was crossing the line for her, more so she needed to let her anger out badly. Misora didn't see it in time, a pair of chopsticks was perfectly aimed at her eye. The tips barely missed the white of the eye, just enough to scare Misora.
Misora looked at Rina, her eyes were squinted like fox eyes, the expression on them filled with killer rage burning at Misora.
"If you so much as touch a hair on his head I'll make you regret it. You forget, who was the one that gave you that scar on your throat, say another word about Kousuke and I'll finish what I started as a kid."
Misora could see it, Rina wasn't bluffing. She was great at hiding the fact that she herself was a killer. Not like Megumi was, but she could kill Misora without blinking if she wanted.
Lady Yozora waved her hand again, Rina saw the signal, and she threw the chopsticks to the ground before taking her leave.
Misora gritted her teeth in rage and was ready to pull out her gun before Lady Yozora stopped her.
"Leave it, it was a bad taste on your part."
"Yozora Oku-San, are you going to allow that? She was disrespectful in front of you. How could you let that happen?"
"Did you really think you would defeat her if she got serious? I had her trained when she was a child to originally become a bodyguard to me along with the surgery to graft our family's treasure into her, now she belongs to Sen as his shadow. Besides she brought us a great present."
Lady Yozora looked at Kousuke's photos. Her cold eyes filled with overwhelming greed.
"Lifestyle aside. The boy's power is the most interesting. Being trained by the Queen of Bloodshed herself, the black flame user who killed a Grand Lich with her bare hands is an achievement on its own, a Grand Lich is not a threat to take likely. The Gouki Ryu is a style that no one has been trained in publicly either, the style can only be taught to one student at a time. Only Kuramori Megumi and the boy are the only known living practitioners, the teachings he could give our forces with that style would be greatly beneficial. But the best find is the flames he uses. Tell me what the basic principle of flame magic is." Lady Yozora asked to see if Misora was paying attention.
"Flame magic has two unique properties. Yellow flames can give an energetic boost to the user like a strong flow of adrenaline. They can also dispel status ailments that affect movements like paralysis. What do blue flames produce exactly? There's very little information on it." This was true, blue flames were hardly ever used now so the details of them were very thin.
"Blue flames are unique in that they're perfect for someone who is a pure fighter. Blue flames empower the user's fighting spirit, they increase their efficiency at fighting a hundredfold. A Skilled punch can feel like you're being hit by a cannon. It unlocks the fire within a user's soul so to speak, the torch inside that dispels darkness within to grant immense strength. The other one is the most obtainable, the power of Rejection."
"Rejection Yozora Oku-San?" Misora asked in confusion.
"Yes. Whatever those flames touch, they burn away damage to the body. Unlike healing, they rejectthe damage, reversing the body back to its original state. If an arm were broken, it would reset the bones back in place as they were originally. Other ailments like poisons would be expelled as long as the user has a high enough level to get rid of them. However, because it's Rejection it doesn't mean it heals the body perfectly of permanent forms of damage like terminal illnesses. If the user had diabetes since birth before obtaining the flames, that condition would still exist even after the flames rejected an injury. They can only repair immediate damage keeping in control, however, it's not a long-term cure and it can't prevent fatal injuries that are unavoidable. However, using the Rejection ability can also expel a negative attribute inside a person's body. Say an unnatural desire to murder or insatiable lust, the Rejection expels those traits from their souls. This is all I could gather for now since the details of the magic are scarce unlike the other elements that have definitive answers."
"I see. But that boy had burns before didn't he? In the reports, they detailed that he did it to himself. How could they reject that if it was there for a prolonged period of time?" A question Misora needed to know since she was already confused.
"Because the flames caused them. Every spell is like a double-edged sword for Casters. A risk of having magic overflow from out-of-control spells or death on the Caster if the spells have gone too far in regaining control. Blue Flame's side effect of going out of control is that they can reject the user themselves. If a user becomes emotionally unstable or in a berserker state the flames reject the body that controls them. Damaging it terribly by destroying the skin, the muscles, and down to the bone till nothing but ash is left. Those injuries can't be healed by magic or medicines. Only the flames that caused them can reverse that. More than likely that boy didn't have that control yet, from the footage of his match with Kuramori Megumi he lost control and nearly killed himself in the rage. Surprisingly he survived a fatal blow from her and even healed his self-inflicted damage, either he must have leveled or learned to use them more effectively than he did as a child in the moment of the match."
Misora was in awe, a power like that for a fighter was ideal. With refinement that could make them invincible or help a fallen comrade affected by drugs. If Lady Yozora had that in her employ they could study it further and how to get more users like Kousuke under their control.
Misora looked at Lady Yozora when she finished her thought, Misora was shaken at the sight. Lady Yozora didn't have an emotionless expression anymore.
Her eyes gaped open, a smile on her face with wickedness, she was like a demon who had found a soul it wanted to harvest.
"Hayashi Kousuke, my bastard found a great find in you. You'll be a great tool for the next line in our family. I can't wait to meet you personally."
Lady Yozora licked her lips, she found another step in strengthening her desire for a powerful family that would rule over the others, an ambition she had desired since childhood.