Demon Sword Maiden

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Lily sensed that if Shimizu continued teasing them, the sisters might become hostile. She stepped forward with a gentle smile and said, "Please don't worry. We come from a faraway place and ended up here by accident. We have no intention of reporting you."

Ryuen and Murasakiyo turned their eyes to Lily. Her soft green robe and slightly loosened collar revealed just enough to inspire both admiration and envy. Her cheeks held a faint blush, and her expressive eyes radiated a tender warmth. Even her breathing seemed subtly alluring, revealing the essence of her femininity.

To the two sisters, already drawn to women, Lily's presence sparked an immediate sense of affection—perhaps even desire.

Simply put, they felt no hostility toward Lily. Her words seemed sincere, and they accepted them without suspicion.

"I appreciate your kindness in keeping our secret," Ryuen said. "May I ask your names?"

"I am Kagami Lily."

"And I'm Minamoto no Shimizu."

Judging by their puzzled looks, neither sister recognized those surnames.

Shimizu gave a quiet scoff, her smirk deepening. Ryuen's expression tightened in response.

Lily quickly interjected, "May I ask for your names as well?"

"Shizutake Ryuen."

"And I'm Shizutake Murasakiyo."

"Those are beautiful names," Lily said with a warm smile.

"Re… really?" Ryuen blushed, her eyes inadvertently drifting toward the curve of Lily's chest.

Sensing the glance, Shimizu's presence sharpened, a flicker of dark energy radiating from her. Lily quickly sent a voice transmission to Shimizu, urging her to stay calm and avoid drawing attention.

She smiled again. "We've lost our way and were hoping to find a path to either Takamagahara or Yomi. But we don't know how."

Having overheard their earlier conversation about Celestial Maidens, Lily was confident they would understand terms like Takamagahara and Yomi.

"You really want to go to the heavenly realm or the demonic realm? Which one?" Ryuen asked, clearly surprised.

"What's the difference?" Lily asked.

"The heavenly realm is our dream. Everyone in the Shizutake Tribe and the nearby clans trains for generations in this secluded forest, hoping to pass the Celestial Maiden trial and earn the right to ascend. The examiners who visit us call it Takamagahara. The demonic realm, on the other hand, is called Yomi-no-kuni."

"So you have to pass the trial to reach Takamagahara. But what about Yomi-no-kuni?" Lily asked.

Ryuen shook her head. "Yomi-no-kuni is filled with demons and depravity. It's said that women suffer unspeakable fates there. No one wishes to go, and I wouldn't know how to reach it even if I wanted to."

"I've heard that people go to Yomi-no-kuni after they die," Murasakiyo added quietly.

"Murasakiyo, don't say such things!" Ryuen scolded. "Ladies, that's all we know. I hope it helps in some way."

Lily sent a voice transmission to Shimizu. 'What if we try meeting the Celestial Maiden examiners? They might know how to leave the Hekiraku Realm.'

'I agree. It's worth a try.'

Lily turned back to Ryuen. "Would it be possible for us to observe the Celestial Maiden trial? I'm sorry, but we overheard some of your earlier conversation…"

"Huh?" Murasakiyo blushed deeply. "You were spying on us? That's so embarrassing…" She covered her face and trembled slightly.

"You two want to take part in the trial?" Ryuen looked uneasy. "Is that your intention?"

There may have been no official limit on participants, but every newcomer still meant one more rival to overcome.

Sensing Ryuen's hesitation, Lily gently took her hand. "We only wish to speak with the Celestial Maidens. Given their roles, we believe they may have answers we need. We mean no harm and have no other purpose."

"Re… really?" Ryuen replied, her expression softening as she felt Lily's warm and supple hand. As someone familiar with physical intimacy, she instinctively knew that a touch like this could be dangerously enticing.

"Sister…" Murasakiyo watched uneasily, her concern growing. Although she, too, was drawn to Lily, it unsettled her to see her sister so easily swayed by a stranger.

"Very well. I'll take you there," Ryuen finally said. "But don't mention that I helped you. The appearance of Celestial Maidens is sacred and secret. Whether they choose to speak with you depends entirely on your fortune."

"In that case, thank you in advance." Lily offered a graceful smile, causing Ryuen to flush with color.

Shimizu, watching from behind, narrowed her eyes in silence.

With that, the sisters began leading the way. Ryuen added, "The Shizutake Tribe is still a thousand miles ahead. We'll need to move quickly. Can you keep up?" As soon as she finished, Ryuen turned into a streak of light, darting through the bamboo forest. Murasakiyo followed close behind.

Lily smiled faintly. Catching up wouldn't be a problem. Just as she prepared to take off, a sharp sting struck her hip. Shimizu had struck her with the flat of her scabbard—right across the hip.

Blushing, Lily turned to face her, rubbing the sore spot. "Sister, what was that for?"

"Hmph. Do you plan to charm every woman you meet?" Shimizu replied coldly. "If we weren't in the middle of something serious, I'd punish you right here."

"Sister, what are you talking about? I'm simply being honest with them. If you keep provoking people, they'll turn against us. How will we ever find a way out?" Lily protested, her tone tinged with frustration.

"Communicate? That's what you call it?" Shimizu grumbled. "You speak like you're flirting, and you touch people so easily. And would it kill you to adjust your collar? Are you hoping everyone gets a full view?"

Lily sighed, genuinely hurt. "Alright, alright. You already hit me. I'll be more careful from now on. Let's just go catch up." As she spoke, she tugged her collar higher.

"What are you so worried about?" Shimizu scoffed. "Even if they ran for an hour, I'd still catch them." With that, Shimizu vanished in a streak of light.

"Sister Shimizu!" Lily called out and quickly gave chase.

Lily felt wronged. Shimizu's jealousy was out of control. They weren't even truly together, yet she grew upset just because Lily was being kind to someone else. What would she be like in the future?

Though they were both women, Shimizu was far less tolerant than her senior sister had ever been.

Twilight had fallen, and the forest was gradually growing dim.

"It's night again already?" Ryuen muttered from up ahead, glancing at the deepening gray-blue sky. "The days have been getting shorter. The nights longer. The green demons have grown bolder."

Hearing those words, Lily was reminded of the growing darkness in the mortal realm. It seemed Hekiraku Realm faced the same threat. Perhaps the answers she sought would come from meeting a true Celestial Maiden—one from Takamagahara, not like the fallen ones such as Queen Kaguya.

After covering several dozen miles, Ryuen came to a sudden halt.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked.

"We can't keep moving. Green demons roam the forests at night…it's too dangerous."

Ryuen and Murasakiyo landed in a clearing, thick with fallen bamboo leaves. They stepped forward and began constructing a formation. The leaves swirled upward as their spirit energy spread through the air.

A protective circle formed, spanning ten meters across. Dim green light shimmered along the bamboo stalks and scattered stones surrounding it.

"Stay within the circle. As long as we remain here, the green demons won't detect us. Even if we're equal in strength, we're at a disadvantage at night. Facing them now would be unwise," Ryuen cautioned.

Lily grew anxious after hearing her warning. "But we're in a hurry. We need to find a path to either Takamagahara or Yomi-no-kuni quickly. If green demons appear, we'll just fight them."

She deliberately mentioned both realms to obscure her true objective.

"Oh? You're not afraid of green demons at night? You really must be outsiders," Murasakiyo scoffed, sticking out her tongue. "Don't be overconfident. Do you have any idea how terrifying those things are? The Shizutake Tribe and nearby clans have been fighting them forever. They've even developed tactics just to overpower women. If you run into them at night, you won't even have time to scream. Go if you want, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Her annoyance was clear. Ever since Lily arrived, Ryuen's attention had shifted, and Murasakiyo could feel it. That irritation had turned into subtle hostility.

"Oh? Now I'm curious. I wouldn't mind meeting one," Shimizu replied with a smirk.

"It'll take us an hour to reach the Shizutake Tribe, but the Celestial Maidens won't arrive for two more days. The trial begins on the third. There's no point in rushing. It's not worth risking an encounter with a green demon. Let's stay here for the night," Ryuen suggested.

"I see… Very well." Lily wasn't truly afraid of the so-called green demons, but since there was no benefit to arriving early, she agreed.

Lily and Shimizu sat together atop a large boulder.

Ryuen and Murasakiyo sat on another boulder nearby. Murasakiyo clung to her sister's arm, casting cautious glances at Lily. Lily, however, appeared distracted, lost in thought. What concerned Shimizu more was how often Ryuen kept stealing glances at Lily.

Naturally, Shimizu had noticed Ryuen's wandering eyes but chose not to react. She could have claimed Lily openly with a hug or a kiss, but she restrained herself, treating Lily with patience and an air of noble courtesy.

Ryuen kept sneaking glances at Lily, sometimes even letting her gaze linger where it shouldn't. Though nothing indecent was visible, it was enough to stir her imagination. Finally, overwhelmed with jealousy and frustration, Murasakiyo stood abruptly and stormed off into the bamboo forest.

"Murasakiyo!" Ryuen called out in alarm, quickly rising to her feet and chasing after her younger sister.