After a short while...
The glowing blue contract lines gradually faded away, dissolving into the body of the Demon Ancestor itself.
The contract was complete.
As the contractor, Yumiko felt it instantly.
The overwhelming power… the depth… the presence of the Demon Ancestor surged through her body for the first time, making her heart tremble uncontrollably.
But more than the power—
What struck her most was the warmth behind it.
She could feel Yami Tsukishiro's concern.
His protection.
His intention.
Her expression softened without her realizing it.
Her vision blurred slightly as she reached out on her own and gently held Yami's head.
"..."
At that exact moment—
The door to the training room quietly slid open.
Kato Megumi, who had just arrived, froze the instant she stepped inside.
She heard Yumiko's faint, almost whisper-like voice.
"Yami-kun… I think I…"
Her words trailed off.
Megumi stared at the scene in front of her.
A scene she definitely shouldn't be watching.
Without a word, she instinctively suppressed her presence even further, slowly closed the door again, and turned away.
This was the third time.
After hesitating for a second, she chose to leave silently.
...
After everything settled down, Yumiko was drenched in sweat.
Yami originally planned to escort her back to the dormitory.
But she tightly clung to his arm instead.
She didn't want Yui to see her like this.
Left with no other choice, Yami brought Yumiko back to his private villa instead.
Even after arriving, Yami didn't do anything inappropriate.
Despite that—
Yumiko still insisted on bathing alone.
Partly because she was embarrassed.
And partly because she knew… if things continued, she might really collapse.
Her body was already close to its limit.
Thankfully, Yami Tsukishiro had no intention of pushing further.
If she didn't know what she wanted, he wouldn't force it.
Normally, he was extremely good at taking care of others.
Only when dealing with people like Shion, Kaen, or Ella—those who didn't require restraint or consequences—would he ever go all out.
Half an hour later—
Tap. Tap.
The bathroom door opened.
Yumiko slowly stepped out, wearing a bath towel and slippers.
Her hair was still damp, droplets sliding down the ends and leaving faint marks on the floor.
"Yumiko," Yami asked gently,
"Want me to dry your hair?"
"O-Okay…"
She nodded shyly.
She sat down on the soft sofa, shoulders relaxed.
Yami carefully blow-dried her hair, his movements gentle and patient.
The room was quiet, filled only with the soft hum of the dryer.
Yumiko picked up the phone beside her.
After unlocking it—
She froze.
A flood of messages from Yui filled the screen.
Concern.
Worry.
Repeated questions.
Guilt washed over her all at once.
Yami noticed immediately.
He glanced at the screen and spoke softly.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure Yui becomes your good sister."
Yumiko felt warm hearing that—
But also strangely flustered.
"Good sister…"
The words made her think of the bond between Yui and the others, the time they'd spent together.
And yet… there was another meaning hidden in those words.
Her cheeks flushed.
She lightly smacked Yami with a fake stern look.
"Don't bully Yui!"
Yami laughed quietly.
"Alright. Then her good friend Yumiko will take that 'bullying' instead."
By the time he finished drying her hair, he set the dryer down and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
Yumiko didn't resist.
She leaned into him obediently, feeling his warmth.
"Yami-kun…"
"Can you just… hold me like this for a while?"
Her voice carried quiet dependence.
Yami nodded.
"Of course."
He didn't do anything else.
They simply rested together on the sofa.
...
Night fell.
Lanterns lit the academy grounds.
Yumiko finally returned to the dormitory, her body relaxed yet faintly sore.
"Hmm?"
A familiar figure watched from behind.
Hayasaka Ai had just returned to the villa.
She stared at Yumiko's retreating figure, puzzled.
"Why is she coming out of Yami-san's villa so late…?"
She recalled not seeing Yumiko in class that afternoon.
Her curiosity quietly grew.
...
Back in the dormitory—
Yumiko barely had time to breathe before Yui grabbed her shoulders.
"Yumiko! Where did you go this afternoon?!"
"You didn't come to class, and you barely replied to my messages!"
"What happened?!"
Yui's voice was full of worry.
Yumiko tried to explain—
But Yui didn't give her a chance and shook her harder.
"Hiss—!"
Pain shot through her body.
She gasped sharply.
"Ah! Did I hurt you?!"
Yui panicked immediately and let go.
Guilt tightened Yumiko's chest.
She knew the real reason for the pain.
It wasn't Yui.
It was the aftermath of Yami.
Forcing a smile, she said stiffly,
"It's fine… I went home earlier."
"Oh! That reminds me—I'm going home this weekend too! I miss my mom's cooking."
Yui smiled and touched the black bracelet on her wrist.
With Yami's magic bracelet, travel through the shadow gate was effortless.
A special privilege for academy students.
"Yeah… me too," Yumiko replied weakly.
She yawned.
"I'm tired. I'll sleep first. Good night."
"Okay! Good night!"
...
Friday Morning
Sunlight streamed through the windows.
Today was important.
The Potential Academy Ranking Assessment had arrived.
A comprehensive internal evaluation meant to measure each student's growth.
The training grounds quickly filled with anticipation.
Mizuki adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.
He carefully explained the rules.
Tension filled the air.
"Chisato—Yor! Step forward!"
Two girls walked out.
Chisato bounced with excitement.
Yor moved calmly, eyes sharp.
"Begin!"
The instant Mizuki spoke—
They lunged.
Metal clashed.
Daggers and kunai collided, sparks flying.
A fierce close-quarters battle unfolded.
When weapons fell, both entered their peak states.
Golden light erupted from Chisato.
Blue rune-like patterns spread across Yor's body.
Fists collided.
Shockwaves shook the ground.
The crowd stood frozen.
Yami quietly evaluated their power—
Each punch could level buildings.
Yor fought with everything she had, but in the end—
Chisato won.
Starlight descended, healing Yor's injuries.
"Winner—Chisato."
The matches continued until afternoon.
Final rankings were determined.
And yet—
One name was missing.
"Eh?" Yui blinked.
"Why didn't Yumiko get assessed?"
Mizuki frowned as well.
Because Yami had deliberately left her out.
Yami smiled faintly.
"I know Yumiko is special."
"Chisato. Yumiko. Step forward."
Yui's eyes widened.
"Yami-kun—you're not making them fight, right?!"
No matter how you look at it...
That matchup made no sense.
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