“The Cloistered Emperor’s order?” Frowning, Lily asked. In truth, she didn’t have a good impression of the Cloistered Emperor. He might have treated her well on the surface, but she had always felt uncomfortable and uneasy.
Makoto led Lily to an empty room with a large map.
She pointed at a temple icon in the mountains, “Lily, remember this location, according to the voice transmission we received, the sword miko advance squad has been besieged by the demons in these mountains. Fortunately, this ancient temple existed when the Hatanos ruled Tanba, so its existence is marked upon our maps.”
Lily observed the marks on the map, and estimated the distance between the ancient temple and port Ayabe, approximately two hundred miles or so.
“Memorized it?”
Lily nodded lightly.
“Within that Sword miko squad is not only the well known ladies of various clans, but also the emperor’s younger brother, Prince Narinaga.”
“Wha?? Prince Narinaga came to Tanba with the sword mikos? He, how did he enter the Tsunaga sisters?”
“Unknown, as for how he entered the squad, it is said that he was crossdressing.”
“……”
“……”
“The Cloistered Emperor personally named you, requesting that you go rescue the sword miko squad, especially Prince Narinaga. Lily, this will be very dangerous, if you have no guarantee, then even if I must disobey the royal command, I will send someone else…”
“No, Mother Makoto, I will go.”
“Hm?”
Lily felt that it would be better to go out on a rescue mission than be confined here, there were so many reasons for her to help. To begin with, the sword miko army had been here for a month, perhaps they had news on sister Uesugi, another reason was that she was also a member of the Tsunaga sisters, and lastly prince Narinaga was there, he had helped her during the murder trial, she owed him.
Although she ached to look for sister Uesugi, she had no idea where to start, but the sword miko squad was nearby. WIth her speed, she could reach them within a day despite the dangerous terrain.
Makoto nodded, “To tell the truth, I’m unwilling to send you out…but I know you, if I detain you here, you’ll definitely act by yourself. Lily, you must take the utmost care. How many soldiers and horses do you need, and who? I will mobilize the army’s elites.”
“No need, the road is dangerous, the more people there are, the greater the delay will be. I will go by myself.”
“You, by…yourself? Lily, the sword miko squad is besieged by an army of demons!”
“Mother Makoto, sometimes a greater number is not an advantage, also I don’t know anything about commanding troops. Only by myself can I act quickly and decisively.”
“True, Lily, take precautions, rescue the sword miko squad and return. You must not get carried away and continue into Tanba…do you understand? This is an order.”
“Unless I get news of sister Uesugi’s exact location, I will return immediately1.”
“Lily…”
Makoto didn’t know what else to say, she was afraid to put Lily in danger, yet she had given her the most dangerous mission. It might have been the Cloistered Emperor’s order, but still…
“Mother Makoto, you must take care too.” Lily turned and left the room.
“Woo! Kagami Lily, you’re dressed so sexy! Lonely? Do you want this lord to accompany you?” Takamune had been walking past, spotting Lily, he vulgarly invited her.
Lily had no mood to pay attention to him, pulling out a long scroll, she accelerated and hopped across a few roofs before jumping towards the Tanba river.
“Oii! Even if you don’t welcome me, there’s no need to jump into the river!” shocked, Takamune gave chase only to see Lily summon a ten meter long red Koi and jump on its back as they dropped into the river. With a swing of its strong tail, they easily sped upstream.
“Ah…this…what is this?” Takamune watched dazed from the port.
……
……
In Heian-kyo, in the dark shogun’s mansion
Minamoto no Yoritomo in a black suit and an official’s hat sat in the main room.
Shenzu had been brought here after being blindfolded.
“Enter.” A servant told her after taking off the blindfold.
Shenzu walked in, the room was big yet dark, the only light in the room was the moonlight shining where Yoritomo was sitting.
Walking in, she passed the pillars before arriving a few meters away from Yoritomo and sat down.
“Lord Shogun, why have you sought out a death inmate who colluded with demons?”
Yoritomo looked at Shenzu, her wrecked tattered clothes and her bare skin. There was not a hint of lust in his eyes, only sadness. “Shenzu…you’ve suffered.”
“I’m a sinner who’s destined to be executed and cursed at by the world. Aren’t the shogun’s words a bit ridiculous?” Shenzu thought nothing of Yoritomo’s sudden concern.
Yoritomo continued to look at Shenzu seriously, after a moment of silence he said. “Your real name is Minamoto no Shenzu, my daughter.”
Shenzu had grown indifferent to the Imperial court’s interrogations and punishments, but now she trembled uncontrollably, her eyes wide open and her golden blue pupils narrowed into a thin line.
For a long time she didn’t speak, but eventually she started laughing.
“Ahahahahaha! Lord Shogun, why are you joking around with a prisoner?”
“No, you are definitely my daughter. Your mother was not a human, she was a beautiful princess from Yomi.”
“……” Shenzu fell silent.
She still remembered that terrifying abyssal world in her childhood memories, but those memories were very vague, she couldn’t remember her mother’s face, but she felt that she had been abandoned by her mother there.
But before she had grown up, she remembered being picked up by Rokuhara Tandai, living with him, learning martial arts, learning swordsmanship…
She didn’t know if Yoritomo was speaking truth or lies, but it was true that she didn’t know who her father was.
“Why should I believe you?”
“I’m only telling you the truth, I don’t need you to believe me. My current wives have nothing to do with you, and you cannot disclose our relationship, there is no need to trick you.”
“If you are speaking the truth, why tell me now?”
Minamoto no Yoritomo was also helpless, “Originally, I was not going to tell you, but Lord Rokuhara Tandai’s death changed everything. I know that in your heart, Lord Rokuhara Tandai is much more important than this father who suddenly appeared, I completely agree.”
“Teacher…” Once Rokuhara Tandai was brought up, she trembled uncontrollably, she believed that Rokuhara’s power within her body must be even sadder. “Kagami Lily…that woman, she killed my teacher! She killed my teacher!”
“I think, you must be unwilling, if you are executed like this, then your teacher’s enmity will never be resolved. I have paid much to rescue you, including handing the Bureau of Justice to the Fujiwaras. You should also know just how stubborn Kimura is and how he doesn’t understand what the Genji’s real interests are. If you were not my daughter, why would I sacrifice so much to rescue you.”
“Fine, then even if your words are the truth, I won’t repay you!” Shenzu retorted, “From childhood, I had no mother or father, I no longer care who my father is, I only have my teacher in my heart!”
“I don’t need you to repay me, why would a father care about a daughter’s repayment? I only want to help you, so you can live as you will and do what you want.”
“What I want to do? Hah, the thing I want to do the most, is kill that Kagami Lily!”
“This…I will be blunt, with your current power, you cannot win against Kagami Lily. You have been imprisoned for a while, but her powers have increased significantly.”
“What…” Shenzu’s eyes filled with unwillingness, “Why, why does that hateful woman have such talent! Teacher was such a good person, why did he have to die?”
“Ah, Shenzu…everything has two sides. Lily who you hate so much, is she not the goddess of many of Heian-kyo’s people? Your teacher who you value so much, is he not the devil of many people? And me, I am your father, but to many others, an enemy.”
Shenzu turned her gaze to Yoritomo, “Right, father…in this world, only teacher treated me sincerely! As for you, I see a man who would use his own daughter, right?”
Minamoto no Yoritomo showed a sad expression, “It makes me very sad to hear that, I only wanted to let you live as you wanted, but if I set you free right now, you would immediately look for Kagami Lily, would that not be setting you up to die?”
“Then what do you plan on doing?”
“Minamoto no Shenzu, do you not want to inherit your teacher’s position?”
“What did you say?”
“I want to appoint you as the new Rokuhara Tandai.” The small eyes on Minamoto no Yoritomo’s face glowed2.
“What!??”
“You aren’t willing?”
Shenzu’s teacher, Rokuhara Tandai, was older than any official in the Heian dynasty. As the oldest military leader of Heian-kyo, he was a mysterious entity who survived through multiple generations.
Within Shenzu’s body resided her teacher’s power, her teacher’s spirit energy…
If she inherited her teacher’s title, then wouldn’t that mean her teacher would continue to survive in a sense?
Furthermore, if she became the second highest military official in Heian-kyo, wouldn’t her revenge against Kagami Lily be easily accomplished?
“Not willing? How could that be possible? Ahahaha, ahahahaha!” Shenzu started laughing, “Shenzu thanks the shogun, ah no, I should call you… Lord father.”
