Demon Sword Maiden

Volume - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 12 – Night Parade of One Hundred Maidens (Part 2)

“Ah, an oversight on my part. Many here might already recognize me. I am Renka, responsible for capturing at least half of you. And this,” Renka gestured, “is Captain Isshiki.”

Flanked by the two captains, one leading and the other following, the ensemble of Rakshasa guards shepherded the hundred women through the winding corridors.

The duration of their walk eluded Lily. Surrounded by dark courtyards that mirrored the ancient Nara castle albeit cloaked in a tapestry of vines, thorns, and other peculiar flora, where demonic stone statues lurked amongst the foliage. The pathway was lit by stone lamps, fueled by luminescent crystals, casting demonic silhouettes from the towering trees, altogether conjuring an eerie ambiance.

The ponds, too, appeared ominously dark and seemingly unfathomable.

“Tread carefully, avoid the water. These ponds diverge from those in the human realm, harboring entities potent enough to slay quintuple-soul big dipper adepts,” Renka cautioned.

Guided by the captains, Lily and her companions ventured into a dilapidated courtyard, resonating with an aura of desolation.

The courtyard appeared uninhabited for years, yet Lily detected an enduring bitterness embedded in its very grass and stones.

Nestled within the courtyard stood three expansive terrace houses, each linked by a network of corridors.

“Consider this your provisional abode,” Renka declared. “Each house accommodates thirty individuals. Organize your sleeping arrangements accordingly.”

The opening of the doors revealed nothing but darkness within. Although the houses appeared long deserted, the distinct temporal flow of Yomi meant that years of abandonment didn’t result in the accumulation of dust.

The terrace houses extended in length, bare except for the tiled flooring, void of any furnishings.

One adept inquired, “May we utilize the belongings we’ve brought?”

“Certainly, provided there are no objections from the others,” Renka responded.

Moving forward, the Night Parade members needed to remain cautious around each other. In this competition, only one could emerge victorious.

Following any failure, a daunting hundred years of hard labor and a future filled with uncertainty loomed over them.

Truthfully, some of the women here would prefer the role of a concubine to a handsome and domineering demon over enduring a century of hard labor. Yet, what if they were bound to an exceptionally unattractive one? Would they not be left without tears to shed?

The others took note of Lily. Unfamiliar and indifferent towards each other, they nonetheless felt a sense of relief that she hadn’t received a jade token.

“I’ll be sleeping here, next to the window. The area to the right of this screen is mine; without my consent, no one crosses this line,” declared the woman with the pink ponytail, setting up a screen to delineate her claimed space.

Despite the spaciousness of the house accommodating thirty individuals, this woman claimed a portion of the communal area with a screen.

“Why must you be this way…”

“Aren’t the Rakshasa guards going to intervene?”

A number of adepts voiced their discontent angrily.

“Destruction of property, murder, and escape attempts are prohibited. Beyond that, we are unconcerned,” replied a Rakshasa guard.

Approaching from the side, a blade maiden adorned in attire featuring an unusual spider pattern, with short hair, made her way to the side of the woman with the pink ponytail to offer her perspective, “This is Miss Tamai Tomoko, of the esteemed and mighty Yomi Tamai clan lineage. Deliberately allowing herself to be captured, she has purposefully entered this competition. Her stature and vision far surpass yours. Is it not reasonable for her to claim a bit of personal space to preserve her grace and nobility?”

Tamai Tomoki, a septuple-soul big dipper adept who was slightly stronger than Lily, emerged as the most formidable among the Night Parade. Consequently, the others were hesitant to provoke her.

Yet, the pursuit of alliances so soon came as a surprise to them.

Lily felt a mix of helplessness and shame. Surrounded by unparalleled experts, each capable of ruling as overlords in Heian-kyo, these women, likely sovereigns of vast lands at home, now contested mere square feet of floor in Yomi and the Rakshasa Dojo, sacrificing the dignity of a powerhouse for safety.

Heroes may not easily shed tears, but this place was an exception.