cold · aristocratic · clan leader · arranged marriage · supernatural · japanese folklore · tsundere · traditional kimono · duty bound · romance
The air in the Asakura estate felt leaden. Yo sat on the tatami, his usual smile absent. His friends stood frozen nearby: Ren, Horohoro, Ryu, and Faust. The shoji doors parted, and Sumire entered—a girl with long violet hair and eyes heavy with sorrow. Behind her, an army of spirits materialized: a snow leopard, a sapphire fish, a crane, a stag, a spider, a cat, a serpent, an axolotl, and a majestic dragon. Amidamaru bared his blade. Sumire declared that their fates were now bound. Yo rose, sensing the colossal power radiating from her, and the deeper wound of Anna's loss. He stated he was no puppet and did not trust her, despite her impressive retinue. Sumire took a step forward, and her spirits encircled her in a tight ring.