Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 13 - Takamagahara: Chapter 70 - The Woman in Red

In the Lynn-hime Hall, Tsunenobu and Atsushi sat upon the main command platform at the head of the great hall. They looked down at Kotoka, who had collapsed onto the floor, now struggling through the pain to slowly rise again. Even as she endured the agony, she forced herself to bow repeatedly in humiliation, offering apology after apology. In response, the two brothers wore nothing but cold, contemptuous sneers.

Pity? There was none. In this world, everything depended on strength and ruthless means.

The Takashi brothers had originally been vassals of the Ashikaga family, but because their conduct had been excessively cruel, they had fallen out of favor with Ashikaga Kiyoshi. Now, however, they had been reinstated and entrusted with power once more. To call them the new masters of the Kanto would not have been an exaggeration. Within the Heian Dynasty, their authority now extended across half the continent.

With such power, women were naturally abundant around them. Yet the two brothers, especially the elder Atsushi, were notoriously lecherous. He constantly preyed upon the various beauties of Kamakura. But this land of warriors in Kanto was filled mostly with coarse women and peasant wives. How could any of them compare to Kotoka’s beauty and refined bearing?

Yet Kiyoshi had issued a strict and absolute command: they were forbidden from laying a hand on the women of Cherry Blossom Valley.

Moreover, Saionji Kotoka had been exceedingly cautious, giving them no excuse whatsoever. If they could only catch her committing some fault, they could drag her down to the underground prison for interrogation and conveniently violate her in the process. But Kotoka handled every matter flawlessly. Even under such humiliation and torment, beneath the watchful eyes of all, she refused to give them the slightest opportunity.

Although nearly everyone present, aside from the demons, was cut from the same cloth as the Takashi brothers, that very fact made them even less inclined to defy orders. Who knew whether one of those petty men might secretly report to Kiyoshi and seize their positions?

Thus, with Kotoka and Sakiko standing before them like delicacies at their lips yet forever out of reach, their fury only grew. From time to time, without reason or over trivial matters, they would curse and beat the women. If Kotoka or Sakiko dared to resist, then they could justifiably drag them into the dungeon. But Kotoka understood this well. She endured. She simply endured.

“Bring more wine! And fetch another table!” Atsushi barked irritably.

The wine and table were promptly brought.

“Come, Tsunenobu, let us drink.”

“Drink.”

For no apparent reason, the sky suddenly brightened. Atsushi and Tsunenobu, dressed in ornate hunting robes, found themselves sitting outside on the fine sand before Lynn-hime Hall, raising cups to one another.

“Hm?” The two froze and glanced around.

“What is this? Brother, why are we sitting outside?” Tsunenobu asked in confusion.

“That is strange. Weren’t we seated at the head of the great hall?” Atsushi muttered, equally bewildered.

“Why is the Lynn-hime Hall over there?” They rose at once and peered into the hall.

Inside, the generals seated along both sides stared in utter disbelief at the command seat at the front. Under the dim light, the main seat stood empty. The Takashi brothers had simply vanished. Even Kotoka lifted her head in confusion, her long hair disheveled.

Tap… tap… tap…

The sharp, deliberate sound of high wooden heels striking the floor echoed through the corridor.

A tall woman clad in a magnificent red long-sleeved robe entered from the side passage reserved exclusively for the lord. With a graceful sweep of her sleeve, dignified and composed, she took her seat upon the command platform.

As she sat, her long hair flowed behind her.

Upon seeing the young woman, Kotoka’s eyes shimmered uncontrollably with tears. The assembled generals, however, were utterly perplexed. What was happening? How had the two Lords disappeared? Where had this woman come from?

“Hey! Who the hell are you? How dare you sit in that seat?” one demon general below shouted angrily.

Outside the hall, the Takashi brothers had also seen the woman occupying what should have been their place. Enraged, they rushed inside. At a closer look, they saw that the woman bore an extraordinary aura and peerless beauty. Astonishment and fury surged within them, mingled with a vile surge of lust.

“I say, who are you? How dare you sit in our seat, huh?”

“Do you even know where you are?”

They shouted at her. The woman seated upon the platform did not respond.

“Damn it! Where did this woman come from, putting on airs before us?”

“Brother, she’s beautiful! And look at that chest. Forget the rest. Drag her down and we’ll interrogate her while we have our fun!”

“Right. Even from a distance she looks finer than that b̲i̲t̲c̲h̲ Kotoka!”

The two brothers strode toward her in great steps. Yet the closer they advanced, the more unease crept into their hearts. Younger and more beautiful than Kotoka, dressed in red, seated in Lynn-hime Hall…

“N-no… impossible!”

Overwhelmed by their depraved desires, they forcibly suppressed the thoughts that threatened them. They released a surge of Big Dipper aura, attempting to suppress the woman with spiritual pressure as they stormed forward. The force of their presence made the surrounding generals tremble in awe.

Abruptly, when they were only a few meters away, it was as though they had crashed into an invisible wall. They were violently flung backward and landed flat on their backs. Utterly humiliated.

“Damn it! What’s going on!?” The fall had not been light, yet when they looked closely, there was nothing between them and the woman. They sensed no aura from her at all. She appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary, delicate beauty.

“What the hell is happening?”

“Brother, does your chest feel tight?”

“Yes, it does… but of course it does! Anyone would feel suffocated in this situation. Why does the Heavenly Path’s pressure feel so strong today?”

“Forget it. Charge!”

Refusing to accept what had happened, they erupted once more with the full force of their Big Dipper power. By rights, such momentum should have shaken the great hall to its foundations. Yet the hall shimmered faintly with a hazy pink radiance, remaining utterly stable.

The Takashi brothers paid no heed to such details. They hurled themselves forward with all their might toward the woman.

This time, the rebounding force was even greater. They were blasted clear out of the hall and flung back into the sandy ground outside, smashing the table and wine that had somehow been placed there.

“Ow… ah, that hurts…”

It was as if they had hurled themselves at full force into a colossal iron plate forged from a divine artifact. The brothers felt as though their skulls and bones were on the verge of shattering from the impact.

“Damn it… what in the world is going on?!” Reeking of spilled wine, they struggled through the pain, fury burning in their eyes. They charged back into the great hall once more.

Inside, they saw Kotoka kneeling in the center of the hall, bowing deeply toward the woman in red. The sight of Kotoka paying her respects sent a chill down Tsunenobu’s spine. His mind was sharp, calculating. Yet he still refused to accept it. Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Atsushi, however, was far too enraged to think clearly. Seeing Kotoka only fueled his temper. Seizing the opportunity to vent his frustration, he lashed out with a vicious kick toward her waist.

But his foot met nothing. Kotoka vanished. Almost simultaneously, she reappeared beside the woman in red, still kneeling gracefully. The humiliation and panic that had once clouded her face were gone. In their place lay calmness and serenity.

“Madam Kotoka, these tea utensils from Takamagahara… I wonder whether they feel any different in use compared to those of our Heian Dynasty?” With a wave of her hand, Lily summoned forth two tea bowls and a full tea set that Kaguya-hime had once gifted to her.

Kotoka was well-versed in tea, yet even she could only tell that this set far exceeded the limits of her knowledge. “This… such a thing should exist only in the heavens.”

“Madam Kotoka, you have suffered these past days. Allow me to brew the tea for you.”

“Ah…” Kotoka’s eyes trembled with emotion.

The two women completely ignored the Takashi brothers and the assembled generals. Turning to face one another, they bowed with elegance and began the refined rituals of the tea ceremony.

The Takashi brothers were momentarily stunned by the scene of such profound stillness, so much so that they forgot to rush forward in violence.

“Ah… Lord Takashi, I… my chest… it feels tight…”

“Mine too…”

Thud. Thud!

One by one, the weaker generals on either side—human and demon alike—collapsed to the ground. Even the Takashi brothers felt the oppressive weight of the Heavenly Path pressing down upon them.

“W-what is happening? What is wrong with the Heavenly Path today?”

“This isn’t right, Brother. Why are those two women unaffected?”

“Who knows? Some kind of sorcery, perhaps!”

“We cannot let them continue like this!”

The brothers drew their katana. Spiritual power surged forth as killing intent filled their eyes. The entire hall trembled faintly under the pressure.

“Ha! Die!”

“Demoness! Take my blade!”

They roared, their swords radiating violent waves of sword intent and spiritual energy. The woman in red was whisking tea, her fair, slender fingers moving in smooth arcs. Then they paused. Her rosy lips parted gently. “How tiresome. Kneel.”

“Ah!?!” In that instant, countless sorrowfully beautiful cherry blossoms drifted through the air. An unquestionable force descended upon the two towering warriors. Their bodies trembled violently.

Thud! Thud!

Faces flushed crimson, they resisted with all their strength, yet were utterly powerless to stop themselves from dropping to their knees.

“D-damn it… what… what is this?” Their expressions twisted in disbelief.

The woman in red calmly continued preparing the tea.

“Speak. Who is your master?”

“Hmph! Where did you come from, demoness, daring to pry into our—”

An irresistible charm intent infiltrated their very souls. Desire surged within them. Though they fought against it, they could not stop themselves from answering. “Ashikaga… Ashikaga Kiyoshi is our master.”

“What?” The woman’s graceful hand stilled for a moment. A trace of surprise flickered across her features before calm returned. “I see…”

“Understood.” She rose to her feet, tall and slender. “Madam Kotoka, with such disgusting creatures staring at us, I have lost the mood for tea. Let us change locations.”

“Yes, my lady.” Kotoka bowed elegantly, lifting the tea tray as she followed behind.

“W-what? My… my lady?” Tsunenobu trembled. “Y-you… are you the one binding us? Who exactly are you?”

“Me?” Lily cast the brothers a cold, exquisite glance. “I am the master here.”

“What!?”

“Then you… you must be L—Li—”

“Madam Kotoka, let us go.” The woman in red turned and walked toward the side entrance. Kotoka followed silently.

“Hey! Wait! Stop! Release us!”

“Let us go, you demoness!”

“Oh, right. I almost forgot.” She looked back over her shoulder, her gaze radiating a sorrowful chill—enchanting, yet terrifying. “You two brothers… are you close?”

“What?”

“Of course! We kill together, we share women together! Our bond is excellent!” Atsushi boasted arrogantly. “You demoness, release us! When we break free, we’ll show you just how close we are!” Though unable to move, Atsushi’s leering gaze slid brazenly over Lily’s body.

“Brother… don’t… don’t say more…” Tsunenobu’s face had already gone pale.

“Oh? Is that so?” The woman in red regarded them coolly. “Then you may… commit seppuku together.” With that, she turned and left. The lingering fragrance of soul-soothing blossoms trailed in the air behind her flowing hair. Kotoka followed her out.

“Hey… what nonsense are you—crazy woman…” Suddenly, two unfathomable forces seized the kneeling brothers. Their arms rose against their will. The blades turned in their own hands, their edges facing inward toward their abdomens.

“Brother, what is happening?”

“Damn it! I—I don’t know!”

“Stop! Stop this!”

Their muscles bulged, sweat pouring down their faces as they resisted with everything they had. Yet their hands remained locked around the hilts, the blades inching slowly toward their own bellies.

They ignited their Big Dipper Stellar Soul, desperately trying to counter the force. It was meaningless. The swords gradually pierced into their bodies.

“Ugh… no… this can’t be… impossible…”

Their faces contorted in agony as they watched their own hands drive the blades deeper.

“No… no… no!”

“Spare us! Goddess, spare us!”

“Goddess! We were only following Kiyoshi’s orders! We are innocent—”

Pshh!

In the dim hall, two fountains of blood burst forth simultaneously. The Takashi brothers collapsed one after the other, their katana having passed through their own bodies.

“How… how could this be… that demoness… who was she…” Atsushi muttered unwillingly, blood spilling from his lips.

Tsunenobu’s gaze fell upon a single cherry blossom petal resting on the floor. “She… she was… Kagami… Li… ly…”

Their hands finally released the sword hilts and fell limply against the floor.