Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 159 – The Marriage Under Metal Chains

The arrival of the Imperial Princess cast a hush over the entire venue. Yet her demeanor, along with her attire, left the assembled powerhouses confused. This didn’t resemble a wedding at all.

On the front platform, many eminent figures had gathered. Among them, the Lord of Oblivion stepped forward. His reputation surpassed even that of the Madam. At present, he had taken the form of a green-skinned elder demon, with a white beard and a formal black full-length kimono. As the deity of the River of Oblivion, his form shifted often.

Indeed, he was considered the most senior guest present.

The Lord of Oblivion had once been purified by Lily, and as such, bore goodwill toward her. Still carrying that sense of gratitude, he smiled warmly and bowed toward the Boundless Imperial Princess. “I offer my congratulations, Your Highness, for marrying Lyn-hime, the most beautiful woman across the three realms. I wish you—”

“Everyone, I’m afraid you’re all mistaken,” the Boundless Imperial Princess interrupted, her eyes grim. She didn’t even spare the Lord of Oblivion a glance.

The Lord of Oblivion frowned, visibly displeased. After all, he was still one of Yomi’s most ancient and revered beings.

His smile faded as he restrained his irritation and asked in a grave tone, “Why? Your Highness, did you not invite the powerhouses of Yomi-no-kuni here to witness your wedding?”

Upon seeing Lily imprisoned in the enormous wagon, the Lord of Oblivion realized that something was terribly wrong.

Though the Boundless Imperial Princess stood small in stature, the vast sleeves, flowing skirt, and long ribbons of her black robes radiated overwhelming dark energy. “To all powerhouses present—today was meant to be the grandest wedding in Yomi-no-kuni. That is why you were invited. But I was deceived… by the Madam of Yomi.”

The moment those words left her mouth, hundreds of thousands of demons gasped in shock.

Her long skirt billowed with each movement, releasing dark energy that seemed to blend into the very abyss. One of her flowing black ribbons extended forward, pointing directly at Lily.

“The revered Madam of Yomi dared deceive me—with a false princess—shaming the Boundless Abyss!”

“What?!” The demons cried out, stunned.

At that moment, Queen Kaguya, Chiya, Rakshasa-Onna, and Asura-Onna—seated at the banquet—along with Rei, Ayaka, and Nanako watching from above, were all equally shaken.

“What does she mean by that?” Ayaka whispered, frowning. Though she had sensed something unusual about Lily from afar, she lacked the experience to understand the deeper implications.

As soon as those words were spoken, Rakshasa-Onna and Asura-Onna could no longer sit still. After all, they were considered the in-laws. The two rose from their seats, and Asura-Onna called out, “Your Highness, what do you mean by this? Please explain yourself!”

“Everyone, please remain calm,” the Lord of Oblivion said with a placating tone.

“Your Highness, I must say—Kagami Lily is exceptionally beautiful. I have heard of her deeds and her reputation. She is the goddaughter of the Madam of Yomi and has been formally acknowledged as a princess. How could she be false?”

“Yes, Yomi-no-kuni may be riddled with lies and illusions—I’ve seen many myself—but her grace, her presence, her beauty, are all undeniably real. She truly lives up to the title of the most beautiful woman in the three realms. How can anyone call that false?”

As he spoke, the Lord of Oblivion glanced across the crowd, gauging their reactions.

“That’s right! He speaks the truth!”

“I’ve trained for tens of thousands of years, and I’ve never laid eyes on a girl this beautiful!”

“That’s right. Even in torn clothes and shackled, she’s breathtaking! That kind of charm can’t be faked!”

The surrounding demon overlords began murmuring among themselves, voicing scattered opinions in the growing unrest.

From a distant viewing platform, King Mauro—the three-eyed bull demon—emerged from a crowd of his kin. Snorting heavily through his massive snout, he bellowed with a mix of envy and frustration, “That’s Lily, without a doubt! I nearly captured her myself when she first fell into Yomi!”

It was unclear whether he spoke to support Lily, vent his lingering frustration, or simply boast.

The demon crowd grew uncertain, their doubts beginning to stir.

Just then, the entire Boundless Abyss began to quake.

A colossal demon, whose foot rested deep within the abyss and whose full height would eclipse even Hekiraku City if he stood, raised his head above the chasm. He loomed like a shadow blanketing the sky, his glowing eyes glaring down at the crowd. His voice thundered through the air. “Silence! I am Kuroyodai-Okutsukokami! Who dares stir trouble at the wedding of the Boundless Imperial Princess?”

Kuroyodai-Okutsukokami was an ancient existence within the Boundless Abyss, among the largest and most powerful of all demon gods. Even Supreme Gods were helpless before his unbreakable body and overwhelming divine strength.

Yomi-no-kuni did not fear the Boundless Imperial Princess for her strength alone. The faction she led, supported by demon gods like Okutsukokami, wielded power that rivaled any in the realm.

The Boundless Imperial Princess stared coldly at Lily. The love once visible in her eyes had turned into seething hatred. ‘Kagami Lily… I loved you more than any other. There’s no one else in this world I’d treat as I treated you. And yet… you betrayed me? I won’t let you simply die. You’ll suffer the worst humiliation imaginable, before every demon and mortal here.’

Turning to the crowd, she spoke with a voice full of venom. “Do you all understand who I am? What the Boundless Abyss represents in Yomi-no-kuni? And yet, the so-called princess arranged by the Madam of Yomi is nothing but a lowly harlot! Lyn-hime? No—she’s nothing but S̲l̲u̲t̲-hime! The Madam dared send this disgrace to impersonate a royal and marry me. Is this not a direct insult to me and the entire Boundless Abyss?”

A furious roar erupted from Okutsukokami, the demon gods in attendance, and even the Dark Celestial Maidens. Until now, none of them had understood why Lily was to be executed—but now the reason was clear.

“Boundless Imperial Princess! The Madam is surely listening. How dare you slander her?” Rakshasa-Onna rose in fury, a surge of blue divine energy radiating from her body. “Kagami Lily is the victor of the Night Parade of One Hundred Maidens—the strongest and purest maiden in existence! How dare you speak of her like this? Are you insulting her… or the Madam herself?”

“Your Grace, Boundless Imperial Princess,” the Lord of Oblivion added, frowning deeply. “Laugh at me if you must, but I was once consumed by Yomi’s resentment. I became a monstrous pervert roaming Hyakki Street. It was Lyn-hime—pure and noble—who saved and purified me. Can such a woman truly be impure? Your words are too cruel.”

“Heh.” The Boundless Imperial Princess let out a cold sneer. “Pure? Noble? You’re all fools. Just look at her now! Look at the charm energy pouring off her! And you still call her pure? Lord of Oblivion, perhaps it’s time to admit you’ve gone blind and senile.”

“Well… Lyn-hime has always been youthful, graceful, and unmatched in beauty,” the Lord of Oblivion argued. “She’s the ideal all women aspire to, the finest creation in all three realms. Yes, her appearance and scent may stir desire in all beings—man or woman—but that’s not her fault. You can still sense the purity in her heart, can’t you?”

Despite his long years of wisdom, even he broke into a cold sweat as he watched Lily’s current state.

“Hehehehe, heheheheheh!” The Boundless Imperial Princess let out a low, chilling laugh. “How long will you all keep lying to yourselves? Since none of you believe me, I’ll just show you. I’ll give every demon here a spectacle they won’t forget.”

With a dark glare, she flicked her arms forward. “Bring this wretch to the Rinraku Stage.”

The prison wagon rumbled forward. The two grotesque, bloated demons holding Lily’s chains suddenly leapt into the air, causing her to rise off the ground. They landed atop the towering wedding platform beside an enormous crucifix crafted from ancient wood and prepared by the Dark Celestial Maidens. With a coordinated motion, they yanked the chains taut, suspending Lily on the crucifix.

They took their positions, standing silently on either side of the crucifix like statues.

Two Dark Celestial Maiden deities flew in, binding Lily’s limbs with fresh chains. They then pulled apart the chains connected to her ankles, attempting to force her legs open. At the same time, others tugged sharply on the chain around her neck, arching her body backward in a strained, vulnerable pose.

Nearby, several Dark Celestial Maidens raised ancient enchanted mirrors toward the sky. Their synchronized reflections created a massive projection of Lily’s bound figure, suspended high above for the entire crowd to see.

The Boundless Imperial Princess sneered as she gazed at Lily, whose expression reflected a mix of shame and pain. “Expose the filthy place this wretch hides—let every powerhouse see it clearly! Let them all witness what kind of woman she truly is!”

“What…?” Lily froze in disbelief. She had expected only to be restrained—but not to be publicly exposed. The realization that her most private self would be revealed before a horde of demons struck her like a blade. It was beyond shame—it was absolute humiliation.

When she was first brought out, Lily had noticed figures like Queen Kaguya and Wakarai among the guests, sparking hope that escape might be possible. She had intended to wait for the right moment, but now—faced with this horror—she had no choice but to resist. Though she hadn’t fully broken through, her body had grown stronger. The once-debilitating Fragrance-Breaker Pill had, after nullification, tempered her physique like a refining elixir. And now, at the fourth stage of the Charm Heavenly Path, she was just a step below the weakest of Supreme Gods.

“No! Stop! Don’t!” Lily cried out, clenching her legs together with every ounce of strength she had. Despite their efforts, the Dark Celestial Maidens were unable to overcome her resistance.

“Boundless Imperial Princess! What do you think you’re doing?!” Asura-Onna shouted in outrage. “Rakshasa-Onna and I are here as the Madam’s representatives. You’ve gone too far! Even if she were to become your bride, the ceremony isn’t over. She remains the Princess of Yomi-no-kuni. How dare you disgrace her like this? Cease this madness immediately!”

“This is an act of aggression against the Madam herself!” Rakshasa-Onna added, her voice trembling with fury.

The crowd erupted into chaos. But their shouts were not cries of protest or sympathy. Most were filled with perverse excitement at the thought of witnessing the exposed body of the most beautiful woman in all three realms.

“Lily!” Rei could endure no more. Even if she had no chance of victory, she refused to stand idle while the woman she loved was shamed before the world. Leaping down from her platform, she sprinted toward the Rinraku Stage. In the surrounding chaos, few noticed the movement of a lone Big Dipper Blade Maiden.

“Hmph. Useless, all of you. You can’t even spread a woman’s legs?” the Boundless Imperial Princess growled. At her command, two Supreme Gods brushed the Dark Celestial Maidens aside and took the chains into their own hands.

The force behind the chains surged as the Supreme Gods pulled with terrifying strength. Just as Lily’s pale legs were about to be torn apart—

“Stop!” A flash of crystal-blue light burst across the stage as Rei charged in.

The two Dark Celestial Maidens barely reacted. Seeing she was only a Big Dipper-level fighter, they leapt forward casually to intercept her.

Twin blasts of divine energy struck from afar, sending the maidens flying and clearing Rei’s path. With no one blocking her, she swung her weapon down toward the chain. Naturally, the Boundless Imperial Princess noticed the attempt—but she remained unmoved. How could a mere Big Dipper possibly break chains forged by a Supreme God?