Hikari and Mirai sat around a small campfire at the edge of the forest after a long day of walking. Mirai sat cross-legged in a meditative pose, her eyes closed and her hands resting on her thighs as she tried to trigger her transformation once again. A minute passed, then two, with no change. She opened her eyes and let out a tired, exasperated groan. "Ugh, this is so hard. Nothing's happening."

  Hikari handed her some roasted food. "Well, you said it's your first time and you don't really know how it works. It's only natural that it'd be difficult."

  Mirai took the food. "You're right, but I'm just so eager to master it. I've tried for years and never pulled it off—I've never even sprouted horns before. I wonder what made it trigger now of all times."

  Hikari took a bite of his food. "Come to think of it, you don't look like a typical demon. That’s probably because you have Spirit blood from your ancestors."

  Mirai nodded. "Yeah." She glanced down at her left arm, thinking out loud. "I'm not entirely sure, but maybe it had something to do with the sword that was in my arm. Before, whenever I tried to transform, I'd feel this... thing inside me. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it felt conflicted. Like fire and water fighting over which one gets to come out."

  Hikari rested his chin on his hand in thought. "Yeah, that's a plausible theory. When your arm was severed, you said you lost a piece of your soul with it. Maybe that was the part holding back the transformation."

  A look of curiosity crossed Hikari's face. "Mirai, now that I think about it, you mentioned this ability is inherited from your mother's side of the family. You've never really talked about her before. I only know the brief things you've told me about yourself and your father. But your mother and her bloodline... aren't they incredibly powerful? Especially since they founded a mighty kingdom that's stood strong and stable for centuries."

  Mirai's expression soured, and she pushed her food away. "Personally, I hate talking about my mother. She hates me for no reason."

  Hikari raised an eyebrow in surprise. Mirai let out a long sigh. "She was always against me. She'd fly off the handle and punish me all the time, even when I didn't do anything wrong. Or, well, nothing that bad, anyway."

  She paused for a moment. "Listen, you be the judge, Hikari. I'll tell you a few stories about how unfairly she treated me, just so you understand that she genuinely hated me for no reason."

  Hikari shifted his weight, clearly curious. "Are you sure? I don't really want to make you drag up bad memories."

  Mirai waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine. It's not the end of the world or anything. I just want someone to give an honest verdict. Maybe you'll actually understand, because no one else ever does."

  Hikari listened intently as she began. "The first one. Since we're on the topic of transformations, I'll tell you about the first time my mother showed me her form and tried to train me."

  **Many Years Ago**

  In an empty training courtyard, Mirai and Elene stood alone in the center. Mirai looked thoroughly bored and unbothered.

  "Alright, Mirai," Elene began. "Today, I am going to show you something. An inherited trait that is considered the most powerful combat ability our family possesses."

  Mirai's face instantly lit up with excitement. "Really? Something new? Have I seen it before?"

  Elene smiled with quiet confidence. "Yes. And not only that, I will explain it to you in full. First, you must understand that this is neither magic nor a spiritual technique. It is purely physical, and it is awakened only through our blood. It is a technique exclusive to us, passed down for centuries to this very day. And it is your duty to inherit it."

  Mirai scratched her head. "What about Lars? Why isn't he here?"

  "Lars's body is too frail to handle it," Elene replied. "If he tried, it would completely shatter his body. The physical toll of this ability is immense." She stepped forward. "Watch closely. I will initiate the transformation."

  Elene began to change. Her form shifted; her black wings grew massive, her horns lengthened, her nails elongated into razor-sharp claws, and her teeth grew jagged and fierce.

  When the transformation was complete, she looked down at Mirai and spoke, her voice deeper, entirely different. "This is the transformation. It multiplies one's physical strength, durability, and speed exponentially. It is—"

  "Eww!!!" Mirai interrupted, her face scrunched up in absolute disgust. "That is so gross. You look so ugly! Oh my god, you're uglier than our guard dogs. Is that really you? Is this your true form? Does Dad know you're this ugly?! Ugh, I definitely do not want to look like that. Wait, actually, I have Dad's blood and I don't have horns, so I won't be as ug—"

  In the blink of an eye, Elene was standing right in front of her. She grabbed Mirai by the throat, lifted her into the air, and delivered a devastating kick. Mirai went flying, smashing straight through the courtyard wall and soaring across the city, screaming the whole way.

  **Present Day**

  "I broke a few ribs that day and landed way outside the city limits," Mirai said, pointing a finger for emphasis. "See, Hikari? She hit me that hard and broke my bones for literally no reason. I didn't even do anything wrong! She was just objectively ugly. So, what do you think? Didn't she treat me unfairly?"

  Hikari fell silent, giving her a very strange look. "Umm... yeah, she was definitely wrong to hurt you like that."

  "Right?!" Mirai cheered enthusiastically. "You get me! Dad was the only one who took my side and said Mom went too far. Everyone else was against me."

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  She leaned in. "Okay, I have another story, and this one is super important. Listen closely. It was during a banquet—a formal meeting with the vampires. It was my very first time meeting them."

  **Years Ago**

  Inside the vampire castle, Mirai walked alongside her parents.

  "We are honored by your presence, King Aizen, Queen Elene." They were greeted by the Vampire King and Queen.

  From behind the royal couple stepped a young girl, about Mirai's age, with short red hair. She wore a long, modest, yet incredibly elegant velvet dress that screamed royal luxury. She stood with a perfectly straight back, her chin tilted up in blatant arrogance, and looked down her nose at Mirai.

  "My name is Scarlett," she declared, her tone dripping with haughty superiority. "Princess of the Vampires. The absolute elite of the Moon Nobles. You should feel honored to stand in the presence of the purest bloodline in this world. My blood carries the ancient legacy of the night. We nobles represent the absolute pinnacle of evolution and refinement, where no other race could possibly—"

  "Are you done?" Mirai interrupted, deadpan, looking at her with half-closed eyes.

  Scarlett blinked in shock, stumbling over her words. "W-what? How dare you interrupt—"

  "Nobles?" Mirai continued mockingly, crossing her arms. "What 'refinement' are you even talking about? You're just vampires. Meaning, you're basically giant, blood-sucking mosquitoes. It's disgusting."

  Scarlett's eyes went wide, and loud gasps echoed from the courtiers in the hall. But Mirai didn't stop; she just kept going in her usual dismissive tone.

  "I mean, even our guard dogs back at the palace eat properly cooked, high-quality food. But you guys just slurp raw blood like insects. What the hell is so noble about that? Do you just not have chefs or something?"

  A deathly silence fell over the hall. Scarlett froze, utterly paralyzed by shock. Meanwhile, Elene's face had gone completely blank, radiating a terrifying aura of barely suppressed rage.

  **Present Day**

  "I got grounded in my room for a whole month. They chained me up with magic-sealing cuffs, and Kazuma-sensei was brought in to lecture me on manners and rules every single day. And I was completely banned from eating sweets the whole time."

  Hikari stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

  Mirai went on, "See? I get that I messed up by not knowing that the Moon Nobles don't actually drink blood like that. That’s why Mom got mad. But that wasn't really my fault! Okay, yes, maybe I slept through that specific class at the academy and missed the lesson on vampire history, but I still didn't deserve to be punished that harshly!"

  She smiled fondly. "But Dad saved me. He sneaked sweets into my room every day in secret. So? What's the verdict? Mom was totally unfair, right? She really just hates me for no reason."

  Hikari stayed silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "Umm... well... wait, Mirai, do you actually understand what you did wrong? I mean, how could you say something like that during a diplomatic visit?"

  "How was I supposed to know?!" Mirai retorted. "I literally just told you I slept through the class! Plus, Scarlett was being incredibly annoying. Just a stupid, arrogant girl who thought she was better than everyone else. That's why I said it. Anyway, whatever, forget about that one. I'll tell you about another time."

  "Hang on," Hikari interjected. "Make sure this one is a bit different. Something that doesn't involve comparing people to dogs."

  Mirai tapped her chin in thought. Then her eyes widened as she remembered something. "Oh! Yes. This one is really important! You have to hear this!"

  **Years Ago**

  At the very top of the royal palace, Mirai stood alone, looking down at everyone below her—the guards, the sentries. Her eyes practically sparkled with intense excitement. Beaming, she raised her hand toward the sky with absolute confidence and shouted, "I finally did it! I invented a completely new spell! One that no one has ever made before!"

  Above the courtyard, dark, heavy clouds began to gather at an unnatural speed, crackling with arcs of blue lightning. One of the guards looked up, his heart sinking. "Princess Mirai, what are you—"

  "Lightning Rain!" Mirai screamed proudly.

  At that exact second, the rain poured down. But it wasn't normal rain. Every single drop was a live electrical spark. Thousands of electrified raindrops plummeted onto everyone surrounding the royal palace.

  "Aaaaaah!" "help!" "Princess, stop!"

  The guards dropped one by one, their bodies twitching from the violent electric shocks. Their hair stood on end, and their armor literally smoked. The ground itself was scorched black in several places. Only the absolute strongest among them managed to stay on their feet.

  Mirai stood right in the middle of the electric downpour, perfectly protected by a magical barrier she had cast on herself beforehand. She looked around in pure delight. "It worked! It actually worked! Did you guys see that?! Every drop carries electricity!"

  But her joy was short-lived. A voice as cold as ice cut through the air. "Mirai."

  Mirai whipped around. Elene was standing right behind her, arms crossed. Her face was completely devoid of emotion—which was the worst part.

  "M-Mom! Did you see?! I invented—"

  "Your room. Now."

  "But I—"

  "Now."

  **Present Day**

  "I was banned from training for two whole months, forbidden from using any offensive magic for three months, forced to personally apologize to every single guard, and my allowance was docked to pay for their medical bills."

  Mirai threw her hands up in frustration. "Can you believe that, Hikari? I invented a brand-new spell! One nobody had ever thought of! Mom should have celebrated. She should have been proud, or thrown me a party or something! But instead, she punished me. She just hates seeing me succeed. It's so obvious she hates me and doesn't want me to advance. Meanwhile, Dad patted my head in my room and told me he was proud of me."

  Hikari stared at her in stunned silence for several seconds, his face completely blank. Finally he said slowly, "Mirai... are... are you being serious right now?"

  "Of course I'm serious. Why do you ask?"

  Hikari just buried his face in his hand. "Never mind. It's nothing."

  He honestly had no words left. After a moment of silence, he muttered quietly under his breath, "I think... I think her mother was actually incredibly patient with her."

  Mirai sighed loudly and turned her back to him. "Alright, enough talking about the past. Let me try transforming again."

  She stood up, squeezing her eyes shut in intense concentration. She planted her hands on her sides and started taking deep breaths. A minute passed. Then two. Nothing. No horns, no wings, no claws. She snapped her eyes open in sheer frustration and glared at her arms. "Why isn't it working?!"

  Watching her, Hikari offered, "Mirai, you said that was your very first time transforming. Maybe... maybe it requires a specific trigger."

  "A specific trigger?"

  "Yeah. Think about it. When exactly did you transform? You were in a coma and had lost a massive amount of blood. Maybe the transformation only kicks in when you're in actual danger."

  Mirai thought about this for a second before a sudden burst of enthusiasm lit up her face. "So... I just need to put myself in extreme danger!"

  "No!" Hikari yelled instantly. "That is not what I meant! Do not do anything reckless!"

  Mirai sat back down by the fire, looking slightly annoyed. "Fine, fine. I won't do anything right now. But remember, you can just heal me as long as my head doesn't get chopped off."

  A brief silence settled over them. The fire crackled softly, and the night around them was peaceful. Looking up at the stars, Mirai declared, "Either way, I'm going to master this transformation, no matter what it takes."

  Hikari smiled. "I know you will. And I'll be here to help you."

  She looked at him with a genuine smile. "Thanks, Hikari."

  After a quiet pause, Hikari asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice, "By the way... did your dad really sneak you sweets in secret?"

  Mirai's smile turned nostalgic. "Yeah. He did it all the time. My dad... he's the only one who really understands me."

  Hikari nodded slowly. Or maybe... he just spoils you way too much, he thought to himself. But he didn't say it out loud.

  Mirai lay back on the ground near the fire, using her arm as a pillow. "Sleep well."

  Mirai closed her eyes, and within a few minutes, Hikari could hear the quiet, steady rhythm of her breathing. He sat keeping watch over the fire, looking at her with a faint smile.

  "What an interesting family," he whispered to himself. He then turned his gaze toward the distant horizon, where the desert—and their journey to find the Wind Armor—awaited them.