Demon Sword Maiden

“Lunar Blossom?” This was a rather beautiful name. Lily recalled how the moon was hanging high in the sky during her first day in this world. This might be the work of fate.

“Hehe, I am also not sure about the specifics. I only heard that the writer of this secret manual is a super strong female warrior from the Jomon Period. There are in total three hundred and eighteen chapters.”1

“Th-Three hundred plus chapters?” Lily immediately lost all her strength.

She originally thought that eight to nine chapters were already a lot, so one chapter should be able to cover most of these three hundred plus chapters. What if this chapter one turned out to be nothing but a catalog? One secret manual was already so rare, just how was she going to find the other three hundred and seventeen chapters?

“Master, do you want to learn?”

“Y-Yes… I do!” It was still better than nothing. Lily at least wanted to hear the content of this chapter.

“Then master, I will start reciting it now, you better memorize it clearly… cause I am already getting a little sleepy.”

“Eh?” Lily hurriedly raised her voice, “Maybe next time! What if you stop at the crucial point again!”

“Just relax master, I still have enough energy to recite the foundation segment once. It should be enough for master to practice for the next few days. In addition, once master learned how to employ spirit power, you can transfer some of it to the parasol. Then I will be able to remain awake and use master’s spirit power to heal my injury.”

“Oh, in that case, just recite it quickly. If you really cannot endure it anymore, don’t force yourself and go to sleep.”

“No problem…”

In the dark room, the Sakura Parasol jumped in front of Lily’s eyes and rotated slightly. Translucent letters with a slight tinge of orange appeared one after the other under the parasol.

Even though she couldn’t read these letters, she could tell their meaning just by looking at them.

So what the Sakura Parasol meant by reciting was actually something like this. Lily sat in seiza and widened her eyes. The gentle light of the letters shone on her beautiful face.

I traverse alone at nightfall in solitude, realizing that we will never meet again, Your silhouette traverses far in this nascent world, the night-wilting blossoms akin to ill-fated sakura. If the latter generation is fated to read my ‘Lunar Blossom,’ know that the 317 books are akin to drifting blossoms, This isn’t an esoteric training method, but rather my life story.

I’m blessed to have been inspired in the viewing of flowers and the moon, as they contain the truth of the world. If you comprehend the first 33 pages, you shall know my name. I will invite you for a viewing of cherry blossoms together at that place, and drink tea, and read under the moon…2

Lily looked at what was supposed to be the introduction written by the author and didn’t really understand the content. She only felt reverence for the frosty aura of the lone moon emitted in between the words and lines. She was feeling like this just from the introduction, the woman who wrote this splendid masterpiece must be a great person.

Lily suddenly had a feeling that only when she reached the level to be able to view flowers and the moon with girls like this would she be able to solve the riddle regarding senior sister’s dormant state.

Lily sat properly and straightened out her yukata, then she bowed with utmost respect towards these floating letters.

“Maybe this little girl is still not qualified to address you as my master, but please accept my nine bowshttp://mindfulhappiness.org/2015/nine-bows-ritual/">3 in advance.”

Lily continued to bow for nine times. She didn’t bump her head onto the ground due to the fact that she was a girl. She just lightly touched the ground with her forehead. Lily believed that the woman who wrote this kind of book would also prefer bowing with grace.

Following that, Lily skimmed through the flashing letters and committed every letter to her memory.

After Lily memorized everything, she said with a gentle voice, “You have worked hard Sakura, just rest for now.”

Sakura was already so tired that she was unable to say anything. She just silently stopped the spell and went to sleep in the corner.

As for Lily, she opened the door and sat cross-legged next to the moonlight. That marked the first night of her spirit power training.

1. Oh sh~t really?!
2. This is not my translation, I asked for help and felt ashamed to even compare my “not even half completed” translation to Raven’s
3. http://mindfulhappiness.org/2015/nine-bows-ritual/