Fortune/Misfortune

By evening, No matter how hard she tried, she could not hold the doll. She gave up feeling frustrated but Kairi didn't allow her to leave until she picked up the doll.

However, Kairi on the other hand who came and observed Yoshi from time to time is amazed by Yoshi.

The 'doll' is a simple shikigami that has orders to repel small amounts of cursed energy channeled into it. Unless Yoshi channeled overwhelming amounts of cursed energy into it, the doll can't be touched.

Cursed energy is a volatile energy and is initially difficult to control, especially in Yoshi's case who has an immense amount of it constantly leaking from her body.

Yoshi can only channel a few threads of cursed energy in the morning but now, she's channeling a wide stream of it.

Kairi has to subtly change a few dolls with improved power because the dolls nearly got destroyed by Yoshi.

"Yoshi, that's enough for today. Look what I bought for you"

Kairi waved her hand as she was holding a really cute-looking cat doll which is not a shikigami in her hands and gave it to Yoshi. Yoshi feeling frustrated with the 'doll' immediately took the cat doll given to her by grandma.

"Now, Let's eat. You can play with the doll the whole night"

That night Yoshi slept holding her doll cat as she was mentally exhausted due to the training.

The next day morning, Yoshi stood in their courtyard with her cat doll in her hand, though she was not at all happy to be in this place.

"Grandma, I have Ko-chan. I don't want magic doll-chan"

Kairi looked amused "Oh? Have you already named it? Alright then, what if I can make Ko-chan run away from you?"

"Ko-chan is alive?"

Kairi didn't answer her but instead channeled her cursed energy into the Cat doll and chanted "Move, Ko-chan~"

The doll's tail twitched, the 'eyes' on the doll along with its face became more animal-like, and it jumped into Kairi's arms.

"Ko-chan!"

Yoshi tried to grab Ko-chan but he avoided her and climbed onto Kairi's shoulders which Yoshi couldn't reach. Yoshi looking at it immediately shouted, only now noticing the lump of cursed energy inside Ko-chan which she failed to notice yesterday.

"Grandma! Why do you take away all my dolls? Yoshi doesn't like you anymore"

Ko-chan climbed down as it purred on Kairi's arm.

"Now now~, who said I took him? Ko-chan came himself towards me. Now, if you want Ko-chan back, all you have to do is channel your cursed energy into him"

"Really?"

Yoshi whispered trying to channel her cursed energy into Ko-chan but due to her unstable emotions, she couldn't control her cursed energy properly. She remembered this feeling yesterday and knew what she had to do to properly control her cursed energy.

But controlling her emotions is not easy, especially as a 4-year-old child.

"I will leave Ko-chan here, if he doesn't go back to you by your lunch, I will take him back"

With that Kairi left the courtyard, leaving behind the cursed corpse Ko-chan who nimbly avoided Yoshi.

Yoshi took some time to control her emotions and by the time, Kairi came back she managed to channel her cursed energy into Ko-chan, taming the cursed corpse.

"Grandma, look! Ko-chan likes me now"

Yoshi smiled brightly as she showed off Ko-chan sleeping on her neck.

'It's not even been two days, She's that good? She's better than what I anticipated' Kairi feeling impressed with Yoshi praised her with a pat on her head.

"Good girl~. Now that you have better control over your cursed energy. Let's talk about your innate cursed technique. Yoshi, to activate your technique, circulate your cursed energy in a forward direction into the unique 'spot' you feel inside you, along with it, a few words and gestures will come to your mind. Just do what you feel, okay?"

"Mm"

Yoshi did as her grandma instructed, She channeled her cursed energy in a spot where she felt empty, when that happened she felt new instructions, words, and hand seals which are unique. She instantly knew how to do all of them but she didn't understand why or what that meant. Still, she followed her grandmother's instructions.

"Ebisu, Bishamon, Benzaiten, Jurojin, Hotei, Daikokuten, Fukurokuju"

As she chanted, her hands did 7 different seals corresponding to the words.

Seven cards with black and red colors covering each of them manifested, with the first five of them being blank cards and the next two cards having unique symbols and patterns. The cards with symbols have unique designs on them. One card has a black substance surrounding the unique symbol, while another card has a river with one path that is divided into various paths around the symbol and finally becomes one path.

Nearly one-fifth of Yoshi's vast cursed energy is depleted in the process. Yoshi felt a connection with the cards.

"Yoshi, can you explain to me about your technique? Just recite the information you just felt "

"I can't speak about the first five cards Grandma, but I can say fate and trials about these five cards. I can speak about the last two cards, they are Daikokuten and Fukurokuju. Daikokuten means demon slaying, and Fukurokuju means fortune. And the cards stay with me for a day"

Yoshi did know about the technique completely but she can't exactly understand complex things about it. Knowing doesn't mean understanding, especially for a kid who doesn't have a broad vocabulary or knowledge. So, she tried her best to explain.

However, the meager information is enough for Kairi who pieced it all together.

'That looks like a high-level versatile cursed technique. A technique that grants 7 cards with 7 different abilities all related to the gods of fortune considering the names she uttered but that's just how her memory made it easier to activate her cursed technique. Still, having a cursed technique related to fortune isn't surprising but a versatile technique is definitely a desirable technique. '

All sorcerers who came from the Shifuin clan have divination or fortune-telling-related cursed techniques even if they have unique innate cursed techniques. They were fortune tellers before they got into the cursed tool trade. But Yoshi's technique shows incredible potential to be versatile.

'I already seen Daikokuten in use, a malleable substance that can turn into weapons. The Fukurokuju is probably a standard divination technique. The cards probably have some conditions that have to be overcome by Yoshi herself without outside help just like she had one card when I found her and she unlocked the second card after the operation'

"Yoshi, use the daikokuten card" Kairi ordered as she wanted to know more about the technique.

A huge amount of black liquid substance emerged from the card, it slowly began filling the yard, yoshi tried to control it but, the most she could do was shape the liquid into weird shapes that hardened or melted. Yoshi found it difficult to control the liquid.

"Grandma, It's not listening to me~"

"Okay. Try to take back the liquid into the card "

Yoshi tried to control it but she couldn't do it.

"Grandma, I can't control it. It's not listening to me"

Yoshi uttered as she tried her best, fortunately, the black substance stopped producing but Yoshi still couldn't control it.

"Yoshi, try canceling your cursed technique. Just think about not using the technique any more, command it"

Yoshi focused and the cards vanished indicating she cancelled the technique, making the liquid vanish. Seeing such a potentially powerful technique on full display, Kairi had a deep thought.

' I didn't sense any usage of cursed energy when she's controlling the substance or when the liquid is expelled from the card. That means the core of the technique is creating the cards that are imbued with power. She's just releasing the power contained within them and manipulating it.'

'When she used the technique before to summon two or one cards, only a little amount of cursed energy was used but now that she completely manifested the technique, it's a different story'

'This technique did consume a lot of cursed energy but that's a worthy trade-off. Considering she doesn't need cursed energy to use it after creating the cards once and the cards last a day, she can activate the technique 6 times, taking many factors like her suppressed cursed energy, bad control, and her locked cards. If she unlocked her full potential... I can't wait to see the day'

Seeing the silent Kairi who stayed silent while thinking, Yoshi asked "Grandma, Have I made you upset?"

It's enough to get out of her stupor. Kairi dismissed her thoughts "Yoshi, you did a good job. I'm not upset, I'm proud of what you can be in the future"

Yoshi nodded as she understood partially what her grandma meant. Kairi observing her behaviour of Yoshi thought

'I should wait till she's little grown up a little. She can't understand many things I will teach her at this age.'

"Yoshi, channel your cursed energy into this thread. Your initial training will be to master your control over your cursed energy till I'm satisfied with it"

Kairi conjured a thread and gave it to Yoshi, she left as she had work to do.

Yoshi tried to channel the cursed energy through the thread but her main focus remained on her inability to control the liquid, making it difficult for her to control her cursed energy properly.

That night, Yoshi once again used her innate cursed technique.

Seeing the Fukurokuju card, she thought long. The memory that she embarrassed herself in front of her grandma as she was unable to control the Daikokuten card played again and again in her head.

'Grandma is so cool but I'm so useless'

Her emotions are turbulent making the cards wane and wax out of existence. She controlled her emotions enough to stabilize the technique and then, she saw multiple ethereal threads appear in front of her eyes, though it is beautiful to look at, at that moment, she only had one thought.

'I wish I could fully control my cards'

At that moment, Yoshi felt like her body part froze in its place but she couldn't exactly tell where or what. The cards vanished from existence she immediately ran over to Kairi.

"Grandma!!!"

Kairi was currently working overlooking documents in the main hall when a desperate Yoshi crashed into her room.

"Grandma! I can't control my cursed technique! I lost it!"

Kairi as if expecting it sighed and calmed her granddaughter and after Yoshi calmed down she explained "Grandma, I wanted to control the cards and then suddenly, I can't control my technique anymore"

Kairi sighed in disappointment' I already divined she will face a misfortune soon but to think that it is a binding vow. She probably wished for the control of her innate cursed technique without determining the price. It must have sealed her innate cursed technique but how long will it be sealed?'

"Hmm, So, the calamity is a self-binding vow huh? It's okay, Yoshi. I already foresaw it. Don't worry, everything happens for a reason. I should have explained the concept of binding vows for you carefully beforehand"

Kairi is someone who looks for good in bad. So, even if something terrible happened she didn't feel worried besides..

"Grandma, you already know?"

"Of course, Your grandma can see your future. That's our shifuin clan's primary specialty"