Lily knew tea ceremonies, flower arrangement, painting and calligraphy seemed to have no affiliation with combat, but in reality, the disciplines have the effect of improving a warrior’s mental realm. During mortal combat, a warrior’s mental realm is critical to the battle. The mental realm can evolve into a creative concept, and that concept becomes a domain.
Lily’s Sakura Blizzard is one such domain, the effects have an enormous direct impact upon her combat. The art of tea ceremonies and painting greatly contributed towards her domain. Only by ceaselessly increasing one’s perception of the greater world can you understand the various mysteries of nature, such as flowers, flowing water, or wind and the rain, complicated yet simple looking phenomenons.
Of course, Lily’s natural talent and perception played a major role. However to comprehend a domain, one needs various insights and opportunities. Calming activities like tea ceremonies provide a good environment for enlightenment, one’s state of mind influences the chance of domain comprehension.
Lily never considered tea ceremonies or paintings to have any effect on soul resilience either.
The first time Lily ever heard of soul resilience was during her previous battle. Different people have natural differences in mind and soul strengths, but when facing a soul attack there are almost no defensive measures, most endure with spirit and will. Lily relied upon the soul attribute of the Phantom Sword to defeat the Carp Spirit and Sakanoue no Tamuramura whose power far surpasses her own.
If Lily faced a soul attack, she too would have no method to deal with it. This led her to wonder, if in the future she encountered an expert capable of soul attacks, how should she counter it? Soul attacks ignore all spiritual and physical resistance, shouldn’t there be a method to counter this weakness?
In the Heian dynasty, there are indeed methods to increase soul resilience, however the methods are too profound, Lily had previously never encountered them. Today, she met Masakado who introduced her to the method of improving one’s soul resilience.
Only… how was she to use tea ceremonies, painting and the precious grade 10 wooden comb to improve? It would not be too suitable for Lily to ask at the moment, it seems like she would only be able to slowly explore the methods herself.
“Lynne.” Masakado looked at her sternly, “I loath betrayal the most, can I trust your words today?”
With a level voice, Lily replied “Lynne would not dare lie to you.”
Masakado’s piercing eyes examined her only to find her as serene as water, her eyes without any fear or concealment. He gave a reluctant nod, “Um, that’s fine then, I also think you would not lie to me, but if one day I find that you have deceived me, I will show you no mercy.”
“Understood, if Lynne has uttered any lies, I will accept the punishment.”
She had faced enough danger that her mental state was beyond normal, she faced Masakado without hesitance. At this moment several different monks and demons came over to toast, so Masakado ended their conversation there.
The striped cat also came over, “Sister Lily, let’s dance.”
The mood in the pub stirred again, Lily was also overjoyed to escape Masakado and made her excuses to dance with the little ones.
During the dance, there was a tiny chubby kid who rubbed her thigh. Lily looked indifferent, however her heart was filled with rage. What a little daredevil, taking advantage of her while Masakado was present. Feeling the kid stick to her, she turned around and stared at him, eyes full of frost, however he returned an innocent smile with a hidden purpose.
The chubby kid walked to a hidden alcove sneaking looks at her with each step. Feeling a hint in his glances, Lily followed and in that dark hallway, the little kid turned and waited for Lily.
“You… Why were you so indecent?”
The chubby boy didn’t vocally respond, but a mysterious smile appeared on his face as he walked into the alcove, Lily followed.
Turning with a smile, the chubby boy whispered “Kagami Lily!”
Lily’s eyes narrowed as she grabbed her blade, “How did you recognize me?”
“Tsk tsk tsk, you don’t need to be so fierce little lady, if I wanted to expose you I could’ve just reported to Taira no Masakado, you would not have a chance to silence me. I know you’re very strong, you could snuff me in an instant.” The chubby boy shivered in exaggeration.
“What do you want?” Lily asked in a cold voice.
With a puff of white smoke, the chubby boy transformed into a fat raccoon complete with a leaf on the head.
“A raccoon?” Lily was startled.
“Hehe, sister Lily, I’m called Yuuta, though this is our first time meeting, you’re just as that sister described. I think in this Heian dynasty there would not be a second woman like you, so I dared to gamble. As expected… you are Kagami Lily.”
“That sister, who is she?” Lily heart trembled in anticipation
“Little lady, you’re that Land of Snow’s Uesugi Rei’s girlfriend aren’t you?” Yuuta snickered.
“Ah? What, what girlfriend?” blushing red, Lily ran over, lifted a foot out of her clogs and stomped down on Yuuta’s shoulder. “You have news on Uesugi Rei?”
“Owe!, don’t stomp on me, you’re totally exposed… but your legs really look good…”
“Shut it, answer quickly!”
“I’ll talk, I’ll talk, in the capital I was attacked by a group of drunk samurai, almost died but Uesugi Rei rescued me. I wanted to repay her, but she said the only thing she needed help with was contacting her girlfriend. A tall big breasted beauty called Kagami Lily, if you arrive in Heian-kyo I was to deliver a message.” Half of the raccoon’s face had been tread into distortion by her white foot.
“Sister Uesugi wants to send a message to me? What’s the message?” Lily urged.
“Let me up and I’ll tell you, I don’t have this fetish, even if it’s your beautiful foot I still won’t like it.” The raccoon’s face was red and his eyes squeezed into slits as he twisted under her foot.
Lily lifted her foot, “Hmph, I think you mean you like it.”
The chubby raccoon rolled to the side and stood up and replaced the leaf onto his head and with a bang of white smoke, the raccoon became that tall glamorous silver-haired Uesugi Rei.
Lily’s eyes narrowed, only…
That ‘Sister Uesugi’ may look just like Uesugi Rei… however two extra round ears rested on the head, and behind the black short skirt lay a furry fluffy raccoon tail, it was so ridiculous Lily couldn’t make an expression.
“Uesugi Rei said.” Racoon Yuuta acted out Uesugi’s attitude: “Tell Lily, don’t come looking for me at the Tanba province, I may not know what sort of existence Shuten Doji may be, but I’ll be careful. Tell her not to worry and protect herself! If she insists on finding me, then the moment we meet again is the moment I take her virginity. If her heart is truly ready, then feel free to travel thousands of miles to surrender herself to me1”
“Ah!??” Lily turned scarlet in embarrassment and ire.
“You perverted raccoon, how dare you speak such nonsense!” With one foot Lily punted him back to his original form, it was like a fat meatball ping-ponging around the room.
“Arghhh——Mercy! I’m speaking the truth, if there are any lies you can kill me! Either way, I was rescued by Sister Uesugi, if her woman kills me, that can count as my repayment.”
“Shut up! Who’s her woman?” Lily slammed a foot down on Yuuta’s chubby form.
Only Lily felt that Yuuta’s words weren’t too fake. That he could transform into Uesugi Rei’s form meant that at least he had met her, and those words… they could have really been uttered by sister Uesugi.
“Fine, I’ll believe you. But, if I find out you tricked me, I won’t spare you!”
“Come on, sister, I’m really speaking the truth! You don’t have to discipline me, I really won’t like it.”
“Disgusting!” Lily cursed, put on her sandals and walked to the doorway but stopped, “but… thank you.”
She tossed over two gold coins, “Take these, and go buy some snacks.”
“Thank you little lady, thank you sister Lily!” The raccoon grabbed the coins and whispered: “But I won’t be buying snacks, I’ll go to the entertainment district and play with a few geishas!”
“I say, do you really want to die?” Lily’s eyes turned sharp and looming.
“Ahhh, it’s a joke! I’m joking! By the way, the side door leads to the yard, sister should depart early to avoid trouble.” Yuuta spoke as he pulled open a small door.
Lily nodded “I’ll be in the Heian-kyo for a while, if sister Uesugi sends news, find me immediately. There’ll be a reward, I think… you should be able to locate me.”
The raccoon seemed to love gold coins, his eyes shined with anticipation “Thank you sister!”
Lily didn’t give her farewells to Masakado, she walked into the desolate courtyard ignoring the few drunk misbehaving demons and cut across the yard leaving from the rear.
Walking into the streets, she accelerated her steps while inspecting the surroundings for trackers and snapped open her sakura parasol. Only then did she return to Suzaku avenue.
Lily discovered dawn was approaching. The distant Heian palace seemed to be enveloped in the sun’s glow.
“Sister Uesugi…” Though sister Uesugi might have left those words, Lily couldn’t help but fear for her… but if she really traveled to find her, what if Sister Uesugi really fulfilled her threat…If it’s Sister Uesugi… she might really do it.
“Sister Uesugi… why does it feel like you don’t want me to find you…?”
