Demon Sword Maiden-Chapter 123Book 12: : Sister, Are You Injured?

With a casual wave of her hand, Madam released Lily and Ayaka from her grasp.

"Sister Ayaka!" Lily hastily adjusted her skirt before rushing to Ayaka’s side, gently supporting her. Despite the earlier punishment, it was clear that Madam had not intended to cause serious harm—Ayaka’s back bore only faint red marks. Even so, the sight of it left Lily heartbroken.

"I'm fine, Lily. But what about you…?" Ayaka’s cheeks flushed as she forced a reassuring smile.

Lily shook her head firmly. Though Madam's punishment had been harsh, she had held back her true strength.

Though clearly reluctant, Ayaka still knelt before Madam. "I have offended you, Madam, and deserve whatever punishment you see fit. However, I cannot rest easy unless I remain by Sister Lily's side. Please grant me your forgiveness."

Lily immediately followed suit, kneeling beside Ayaka. "Godmother, this is my fault. If anyone must be punished, let it be me. Please, spare Sister Ayaka. In the mortal realm, she was once the Chief Advisor of the Heian Dynasty, a woman of great pride and dignity. How could she possibly endure such humiliation?"

Indeed, as the former Chief Advisor of the Heian Dynasty, Ayaka had once held unparalleled prestige. Even when taken captive by the Empire, no one had dared to treat her with disrespect. Yet now, she had been physically punished before Lily’s very eyes. The wounds on her body were minor, but the humiliation cut far deeper.

"Forget it." Madam took a slow drag from her pipe, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "Chief Advisor of the Heian Dynasty, is that supposed to impress me? Your audacity to challenge me should have cost you your soul. And yet, knowing full well that you were no match for me, you still risked everything for Lily."

She tapped the pipe lightly, watching Ayaka with narrowed eyes. "It seems your bond with my daughter runs deep. I won’t spare you because of your status, nor your strength—but because your concern for Lily is genuine. Consider this matter settled."

"Thank you, Madam." Ayaka bowed her head respectfully.

Madam took another deep drag from her pipe, her sharp gaze fixed on Ayaka. "However, I assume you’re already aware—Lily is to be married as the Princess of Yomi-no-kuni. The Boundless Abyss sent their response yesterday, not only accepting the arrangement but also offering a generous dowry. It seems they are quite pleased with you, Lily."

"Huh?" A wave of unease washed over Lily. She hadn't expected them to actually agree. If she had known, she would have deliberately botched the dance and made a fool of herself. Not that such a trick would have ever fooled Madam.

"So, Lily, you must begin your preparations," Madam said. "Once the baptism is complete, we will depart immediately. I will send you to Carefree City, where the Rakshasa Dojo’s escorts and the marriage procession are already making arrangements. They will be waiting for you there."

Lily remained silent, lowering her head.

Madam then turned to Ayaka. "And you? What do you intend to do? Will you wander Yomi alone? Or have you made other plans?"

Ayaka met Madam’s gaze, her voice steady. "I wish to accompany Lily. The Boundless Abyss is a dark and perilous place. If she is to be sent so far away, shouldn't the Princess have a trusted companion by her side?"

Madam considered her words for a moment before nodding. "Your loyalty to Lily is undeniable. However, let me make myself clear—you are to remain within the bounds of friendship…"

"From this moment on, you will serve as Lily’s maidservant1. You must never overstep your boundaries. If you do, it could ignite a war that engulfs all of Yomi, and I will not spare you. Do you understand?"

"I understand. Thank you, Madam," Ayaka replied solemnly.

"In that case, you are dismissed. We depart after the baptism tomorrow," Madam declared.

"Yes." Lily and Ayaka knelt, lowering their heads in deep respect.

The two retreated to a quiet compound within the temple to rest.

Lily shut the door behind them and turned to Ayaka, guilt evident in her eyes. "Sister, you’ve suffered so much because of me."

"You don’t need to say that, Sister," Ayaka replied softly. "Haven’t you already endured enough for my sake?"

Their hands found each other naturally as they spoke, fingers intertwining in silent comfort.

"Sister, are you truly alright? How is your back? Let me take a look."

Ayaka shook her head lightly and released Lily’s hand. Without hesitation, she turned and lay down on the floor, her slender figure stretching out before Lily’s eyes.

"See? It should be fine," Ayaka said reassuringly.

Lily leaned closer, catching the faint, elegant fragrance of Ayaka’s skin. As her eyes traced over Ayaka’s toned and nearly flawless back, she realized there were no visible scars.

Her gaze followed the delicate curve of Ayaka’s spine until it reached her wide, elegant hips, wrapped in white fabric. Just to be certain, Lily decided to check for any hidden injuries. With careful hands, she lifted Ayaka’s skirt slightly and traced her fingers over the smooth skin to ensure there were no unseen wounds.

Ayaka remained still, her breathing growing heavier, yet she said nothing.

"Sister, please spread your thighs slightly," Lily urged, concern evident in her voice. "If the whips struck the inner side, it would be dangerous if we left any injuries unchecked."

"I suppose…" Ayaka murmured, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Obediently, she parted her thighs as she lay on the floor, allowing Lily to continue her inspection.

Aside from a few subtle, indescribable reactions, Ayaka’s skin remained flawless. There were no visible wounds—only smooth, unblemished perfection.

Lily let out a quiet sigh of relief, reassured by the findings.

Ayaka slowly sat up, her breathing slightly unsteady. She looked at Lily with gentle concern. "You’ve examined me thoroughly, but what about yourself? I need to check if you were injured as well."

"Huh? I… well…" Lily hesitated, her face heating up.

Despite her embarrassment, Lily knew Ayaka’s concern was sincere. With a deep breath, she turned over and lay down, silently giving her permission.

Though Yomi’s air was cold and unwelcoming, the quiet intimacy between them in the dimly lit room filled Lily with an unexpected warmth.

‘Sister Ayaka… I will find a way to return the feelings you have for me. But how? I cannot betray my Senior Sister… yet I cannot ignore you either2.’ Lily’s thoughts swirled in conflict as she pressed her chest against the cold wooden floor.

The baptism was completed the next day. Once it was over, they boarded Madam’s carriage and set off for Carefree City.

"Fujiwara no Ayaka," Madam called, seated across from them in the carriage.

"Madam." Ayaka immediately knelt with respectful poise.

"I see you’re wearing a Celestial Maiden dancer’s attire. I am not here to praise how it looks, but tell me—such garments are meant for youthful dancers. For a fully grown, mature woman like you to wear them… don’t you find it shameful?"

"Madam…" Ayaka’s cheeks flushed as she responded awkwardly, "This is the Path I have chosen to cultivate. Whether others find it shameful does not concern me. My only wish is to grow stronger, to master new techniques—so that I may protect Sister Lily."

"I see. It seems your path is not an easy one." Madam exhaled slowly, then continued, "I have a book here—Ten Fundamentals of Dancing. It wasn’t written specifically for Celestial Maiden dancers, but I can tell that your technique is already polished, and your aura refined. You are not lacking in instruction. However, this book may aid your comprehension. It contains notes I personally wrote long ago, back when I still resided in Takamagahara. Take it3—it may prove useful."

As she spoke, an ancient scroll materialized in her hand and drifted toward Ayaka, suspended in the air by an unseen force.

"Thank you, Madam." Ayaka accepted the scroll, and the moment her fingers touched it, she felt an extraordinary aura radiating from within. In an instant, a vision unfolded in her mind—an ancient Celestial Maiden dancing gracefully in a distant, ethereal realm.

Lily watched from the side, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. She couldn't quite decipher what was on Madam’s mind. This woman had disregarded Lily’s wishes, forcing her into marriage—yet she still chose to teach both her and Ayaka mystical arts.

Perhaps she truly had no choice. Maybe this marriage was the only way to maintain peace in Yomi, and Madam, despite her formidable power, was simply making the necessary sacrifice. Even she must have struggles of her own…

Madam had placed a divine imprint near the outskirts of Carefree City. With a single teleportation talisman, they arrived instantly at the city gates.

Carefree City was an ancient stronghold of Yomi—vast, imposing, and fortified like a fortress guarding the borderlands. Despite its name, there was nothing "carefree" about this place.

With a mere thought, Madam shrank the carriage to the size of a simple ox cart. Then, with a flick of her sleeve, she conjured an ox and a frog-girl stagecoach from thin air. The frog-girl, clad in flowing green robes, had an almost elegant appearance—at least, as elegant as a frog could be. Naturally, this was all a product of Madam’s illusionary abilities.

"Godmother, what is this…?" Lily asked, perplexed.

"This is Carefree City. It has been many years since I last set foot here." Madam’s gaze swept over the towering gates. "There are numerous factions and subordinates within these walls who claim loyalty to me. However, their standing is too low to ever meet me in person, and I rarely concern myself with their affairs."

She turned to Lily and Ayaka. "We will enter the city together—but in secret. I want to see whether they have been fulfilling their duties. If I find any signs of negligence… Rakshasa-Onna will bear the consequences, as she is the one in charge here."

Lily and Ayaka both nodded in agreement. This arrangement worked in their favor—after all, it meant Lily would have more time to continue her training.

Thus, the three of them entered the city aboard the ox cart, guided by the frog-girl stagecoach.

Standing guard at the city gates were two enormous, grotesque double-headed demons, each adorned with gleaming golden horns. Towering over six meters tall, they radiated immense power—both were septuple-soul Big Dippers. The fact that beings of such strength were relegated to mere gatekeeping spoke volumes about the might of Carefree City.

"You are entering Carefree City. Do you possess a citizen’s badge?" One of the demon’s heads rumbled in a deep, guttural voice.

"A citizen’s badge is only granted to those who own property within the city!" the other head interjected, its tone laced with authority.

The frog-girl stagecoach croaked, "We are travelers from afar. We do not possess a citizen’s badge."

"In that case, each passenger must pay one shattered Blood Spirit Magatama as an entry toll," the demon declared.

"Could we get a small discount? Croak!" the frog-girl asked hopefully.

"Enough with the croaking!" the demon bellowed, its voices overlapping in a menacing growl. "Do you know where you are? This is Carefree City! How dare you haggle? I’ll flip your cart over!"

"Handle it. Pay them. No more talk," Madam commanded, her tone calm but final.

Ayaka stepped gracefully down from the carriage. The moment her translucent Celestial Maiden dancer attire caught the light, both demons momentarily froze, their many eyes drawn to her elegant figure. Without hesitation, she retrieved a Blood Spirit Magatama—one that Lily had gifted her—and held it out.

"Ah, much better," one of the demon heads chuckled. "But you’ll have to wait for someone to bring your change."

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"There’s no need," Ayaka replied smoothly. "Consider it a gift—buy yourselves some drinks."

All four of the demons’ heads lit up with glee, their once-hostile demeanor softening instantly. With no further obstruction, the ox cart was allowed through the gates without issue.

Inside the city, a bustling marketplace sprawled before them, filled with demons of various shapes and sizes. However, the atmosphere was anything but orderly—chaotic and unrefined, it felt more like a lawless bazaar than a proper trading district.

"You b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲! I’ll kill you! I swear I’ll kill you!" a furious voice rang out amidst the chaos.

As the ox cart trundled forward, a disturbance ahead suddenly brought it to a halt.

Up ahead, a dark-skinned demon warrior, draped in loose robes, was mercilessly striking a delicate yet resilient female warrior. She was visibly struggling, her slender frame unable to withstand his blows. A crowd had already gathered—demons and even a few human cultivators—watching the spectacle unfold with varied expressions.

"What’s going on out there?" Madam asked, her gaze narrowing.

"Godmother, we’ll go take a look," Lily offered, already preparing to disembark.