“That Heavenly Oracle, as we all know, said that if the Three Great Arch-Demons were not eradicated, then the heavens would not be restored. Miss Kagami, look out the window, how long has it been since you saw the sun shining?”
“Lady Shenzu, when did the Heavenly Oracle order us to destroy the Three Great Arch-Demons? Not to mention, do we have the ability to destroy them? The Heavenly Oracle may simply mean negotiating to prevent those harmful actions.” Though Lily’s body was being affected by Shenzu’s strange smell and intense eyes, her mind was clear and her resistance against charming effects, naturally high. Of course, she wasn’t sure if Shenzu was using a charming technique, but she felt that Shenzu was far too unique.
“Hehe, Miss Kagami, are you playing with words?” Shenzu coldly laughed, “If you really want to prove your opinion, you should go find out how the Three Great Arch-Demons are harming the heavens, and how to stop them. It won’t be too late to make your proposal afterwards. What’s the point of arguing with me and relying on some vague wordplay?”
“That’s right! Kagami Lily, you may have some power, but it’s insignificant compared to Lady Shenzu! The Heavenly Oracle is only one sentence, if we rely on different understandings, then we’ll be nothing but a loose pile of sand, we wouldn’t accomplish anything!” An armor wearing female samurai accused.
“Yea, Miss Kagami, though you saved us sisters, we can’t agree with your view! Humans and demons, we’re natural enemies! To negotiate with them? Naive! Childish! You should go read more of those ancient stories, there are no shortage of foolish stupid women like you!” a scholarly looking female onmyoji cursed.
“Yes, I risked life and limb to rescue you from the claws of the Demon King Sugawa no Michizane, I was stupid, I was naive, that fine?” Lily’s temper also rose, if she had known, she would not have saved these cheap women!
“Hmph, that you saved us was destined by heaven, even if you didn’t save us, someone else would have!”
“……” Lily couldn’t bring herself to respond to such an illogical woman, she turned back to Shenzu, “Lady Shenzu, though I cannot prove anything with the Heavenly Oracle, I must ask, what are you using to prove your interpretation of the Heavenly Oracle. Fighting against the Three Great Arch-Demons means the sisters will make massive sacrifices, why are you so eager to send…” Suddenly stopping, Lily had an idea.
Most of the women looked at Lily with rejection in their eyes, they denied her view in its entirety.
But Lily had no time to care about their gazes, in her heart, an idea had appeared, a terrifying and scary idea. Lily quickly pondered over her idea, if what she had guessed was true, then it was far too terrifying!
“Impossible, it should be impossible.” Lily told herself, “But, it can’t be completely ruled out.”
“What? Miss Kagami, do you perhaps think that we’re all going to die? Though we’ve sacrificed, we’ve also achieved much, and now we’re going to target battles we’re sure to win. As for you, feel free to investigate, whoever’s willing to accompany you may follow you, I won’t stop them.” Shenzu approached Lily, a finger gently tapping her chest, and then sliding downwards.
Lily felt an electric current run through her body, numbing her. She grit her teeth and kept silent, this Shenzu, what method was she using? Lily kept a clear mind, her will strong enough to resist Shenzu’s effects.
“Does anyone want to accompany Kagami Lily?” Shenzu inquired.
The group of female samurai and onmyouji all stood aside, looking at Lily with cold eyes and indifferent sneering faces. They felt as if Lily’s opinions had completely disrupted their great deeds.
“That…” Mizue walked out, “I…I…”
Seeing the group turn their eyes to her, Mizue lowered her head, “I don’t know what you’re all talking about, but, Lady Kagami rescued my life, I think I should go with her.”
Hearing this, the group could understand Mizue and no longer blamed her.
“We will now discuss our plan of attack on the medicine valley. I think, since Miss Kagami doesn’t agree with this, you don’t need to stay here? I look forward to seeing the results of your investigations.”
Lily felt that Shenzu thought her disobedient, and was expelling any possible dissidents. So be it, since these people wanted to anger Lady Kimiko, wanted to die, then go ahead. They should do their best.
Lily grabbed Mizue’s hand, “Mizue, let’s go.”
“Mm, ok…” Mizue had been someone’s wife for several years, she was used to being gentle and passive1.
“Hey, Kagami Lily, you…” Ijuin wanted to stop Lily, but when she saw Shenzu’s eyes, she could only give up.
Pulling Mizue, Lily didn’t plan on making any detours planned on directly leaving Shoujo street.
But when she passed the crossroads leading to Etsujo street, she saw a very familiar figure being pulled by several handsome men towards the street.
“Come, little lady, let’s go in to play a bit.
“You’re so beautiful, don’t worry, we’ll give you a discount.”
“That’s right, what’s so good about Shoujo street? If you come here, you’ll know, women still need men.”
The woman the men were pulling on, wore a revealing kunoichi outfit, had short hair and was drunk dizzy.
“Don’t, don’t pull me…I don’t want, I don’t want, don’t touch me…” that kunoichi had drunk too much, tipsy and groggy, though she didn’t want to, she couldn’t put up any resistance.
“Kasuga!?” Lily couldn’t help but be shocked.
Seeing that Kasuga was about to be pulled into a shop with a plaque of a picture of a strange demon with the head and body of a cow and tail of a wolf. “Halt!” Lily commanded.
Those men held up Kasuga and looked at Lily.
One handsome man derided, “Heh, who are you? You dare meddle in our business? Look where this is!”
“But…you’re quite the tasty little thing aren’t you? How about it, play with us, did you mess with us so we’d capture you?” Another tall huge rough looking man taunted Lily as he approached.
“Get lost!” Lily didn’t mince words and lightly waved her hand.
“Bam——!” That rough looking man was sent flying, from the south end of the street to the north end of the street, smashing into a group of miso jars before collapsing.
Those few men had seen enough of the world to know they would stand no chance against an adept like Lily, so they dropped Kasuga and immediately fled.
Mizue stepped forward and helped support Kasuga.
“What happened to her? Why is she so drunk?” Mizue asked.
“Keiko…Keiko…did you forget our oath of sisterhood? Keiko, how could you leave me…” Kasuga drunkenly called out the name of her oathbound mirror girl sister.
“Keiko…” Lily still had an impression of that young woman, she could understand how Kasuga ended up in this state.
Lily called an ox-cart to travel to the house Mizue had rented not far from the west city. She dared not bring them to the Chief Advisor’s mansion without permission. Kasuga was so drunk, Ayaka would be very disapproving if she found out. Lily understood that even as the Chief Advisor, Ayaka was surprisingly strict in some areas.
The house was a single storied log cabin on the riverpath. It only had an entrance, a fronthall and a single bedroom separated by a partition door. Mizue put Kasuga down in the bedroom before walking out to the public well, after putting a moistened cloth on Kasuga’s forehead, she went back out to make some tea.
Lily could only feel that a wife was good, they sure knew how to take care of people.
Finally, Kasuga’s state started to improve, she must have been drinking high quality wine, otherwise as an adept, she would not have become like this. Mizue helped her up into a sitting position.
“Where am I? Miss Kagami?”
“Kasuga, what are you doing? Why did you drink so much? A girl, drinking until she can’t think and wandering the streets, do you know how dangerous that is?” Lily scolded.
“That’s right, if Miss Kagami hadn’t wandered closeby and rescued you, I don’t know what would have happened to you.” Mizue added.
Then Kasuga’s mind cleared, and she could only hold her head and cry pitifully.
“Kasuga, what’s going on?”
Kasuga buried her face in her knees, “Keiko…Keiko…she doesn’t want me anymore.”
“Eh? Why? Didn’t you two travel to Heian-kyo as good sisters? Doesn’t want…do you mean?” Lily couldn’t help but be embarrassed.
The relationship between tsunaga sisters was complicated. For example, between sword miko and mirror girl, it started as close cooperation between adepts, then as adventure and battle companions, once established, the relationship would be a long-term relationship. Some became lovers while others remained as close companions.
“Keiko was…she was stolen away. Waaa——” Answering, Kasuga fell back into tears, who could cry harder than a heartbroken girl?
Lily didn’t know what to do. Seeing Kasuga being dragged into that place by those hooligans, she naturally had to react, but this? She was not so bored to get involved in this sort of matter, nor was she skilled at it either.
“Who stole her away? A man or woman?” Mizue comforted Kasuga while patting her back.
“Woman——sniffle.”
The more she cried the sadder she became, Lily could only sit there stiffly. Love and romance was not an issue she should be involved in right now. She stood up and faked a confident look, “Don’t be too sad, feelings are not something you can force…”
She didn’t expect Kasuga’s cries to increase, “Waaaaah, why is this happening? Lady Shenzu, you already have so many women, why are you still stealing my sister2! Keiko, why do you like that cheap playgirl woman!”
“What? Shenzu?” Hearing this, Lily, who wanted to sneak away, became concerned.
