Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 242 - An Angry Mother

“Lily! How dare you make such a monumental decision without permission!?”

In the dim, spacious chamber, Lily knelt before her adoptive mother, Izanami. Having just been reprimanded by her senior sister, Lily had already anticipated that her adoptive mother would show no leniency either.

But Bishamonten was Rei’s mother, and someone who had once shown Lily great kindness. How could she stand by while her sister’s mother suffered such humiliation and torment!?

Moreover, Rinne had warned her: Bishamonten held a secret of unimaginable weight, one that absolutely must never fall into enemy hands.

Lily now knew that dangerous powers lurked within Takamagahara, plotting her downfall. What she had never expected was that the entirety of Takamagahara, those gods who ruled the Three Realms, were all enemies to her and her senior sister!

Though Rinne hadn’t said it outright, was there really any need? Eight million gods, all adversaries. Then what place was left in this world where she and her sisters could survive in peace?

In Yomi, at least the countless monsters and demons who lusted after her beauty were direct and transparent in their motives. She had allies like Izanami, Queen Kaguya, and the factions of the Rakshasa and Asura Dojos.

But there… in Takamagahara… eight million gods, every one an enemy.

And yet Lily’s heart remained resolute. Even if she had known from the start, her decision would not have changed.

“Mother, no matter what, I cannot stand by and let Lady Bishamonten be subjected to the cruelest torture known to womankind while I choose to run away. Now that I possess this strength, I must act,” Lily said as she bowed deeply. Her posture remained humble, but her words were firm.

“You think you have that strength? You little girl…where does your confidence come from? That’s Takamagahara we’re talking about! The ruling seat of the Three Realms, home to eight million gods! You’ve fought a few abyssal lords and now you think you can defy heaven itself?” Izanami’s chest rose and fell, her voice turning colder and sharper.

“Mother, when I fell into Yomi, I was but in the Throne stage, hunted by legions of demons. Now I wield the power of a Supreme God. I don’t intend to confront the gods head-on, only to infiltrate quietly. I don’t seek to defeat them, only to rescue Bishamonten and escape. That much, I believe I can do.”

“Hmph! So now you think your wings have grown strong enough to fly above your station? Have you forgotten who saved you time and again? Without the Rakshasa sisters, without me, you’d have been nothing but a slave to some depraved demon lord! And yet here you are, full of arrogant talk?”

“But Mother… didn’t you say I should follow my own heart? Surely you know what kind of person I am?” Lily countered.

“Insolent girl! You dare talk back?! You think it’s my fault now, is that it? Seems you’ve forgotten just how harsh your mother can be! Looks like today I’ll have to teach you a proper lesson, you ungrateful, foolish daughter!” Izanami bellowed in fury.

Lily had known this was coming, her adoptive mother wouldn’t easily let her go. Still, she couldn’t help wondering why she always seemed to end up defying her.

But principle was principle. Even if the one before her was Izanami herself, she wouldn’t back down.

“Please forgive my boldness, Mother. I understand I acted rashly, and I accept your punishment. But no matter what, I must go to save Bishamonten. That resolve will not change,” Lily said, unwavering.

Had she softened her tone, perhaps she might have swayed her mother. But instead, she chose defiance.

“Fine! You want to go? Then go!” Izanami stood up, pointing at her own divan. “Come here! Get on your knees!”

Lily didn’t run. She knew there was no escaping Izanami’s punishment. Besides, this was her adoptive mother. Let alone a Great Imperial God, even if it were just an ordinary matron, if she wished to punish her, how could Lily possibly defy it?

If she abandoned her cause out of fear of punishment, what worth would her resolve even have? Obediently, she walked to Izanami’s side. Her body complied, but her spirit did not waver as she knelt down.

But as she placed her hands on the divan and bowed forward, a flush rose to her cheeks.

What followed was Izanami’s harsh rebuke, and the stormy punishment that loomed like thunderclouds on the verge of breaking.

With a wave of her hand, Izanami flipped up Lily’s skirt, exposing a stretch of pale, raised flesh. Her expression held not the slightest tenderness, only righteous anger.

Another flick of her fingers, and the last veil of white modesty was stripped away entirely.

A crimson, semi-transparent punishment ruler appeared in Izanami’s hand.

Smack!

Whether it was the ruler, a crimson whip, or Izanami’s palm, none were things Lily could endure. Izanami, after all, was a Great Imperial God. Making Lily submit was far too easy for her.

Yet Izanami deliberately dispersed Lily’s divine power, forcing her to receive the punishment as if she were just an ordinary girl. This made it all the more difficult for Lily to bear.

“Do you admit your mistake?”

By this point, Lily had already been forced face-down over Izanami’s lap, one arm twisted behind her back.

“M-Mama… your daughter knows she was wrong. But even knowing it’s wrong, I still must go! I defied you, and I’ve disappointed your kindness. I accept the punishment willingly. But no matter how you chastise me, I will still crawl—if I must—to Takamagahara and rescue Lady Bishamonten! That is the vow I made to Sister Uesugi!” Lily choked back tears, her voice at once tender with shame and yet burning with unwavering conviction.

“Sister Uesugi? So she’s more important to you than your mother? Than yourself? You shameless girl! Clearly, I’ve spoiled you too much. Let’s see if a proper lesson will bring you back to your senses!”

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Every storm must pass eventually, and Izanami’s anger, too, was soothed through the punishment.

Though Lily offered many concessions, she never once budged from her intent to save Bishamonten. That kind of resolve, however maddening, also moved Izanami’s heart.

When she had told Lily to make her own decisions, had she not already anticipated this outcome? But as a mother, her worry was impossible to suppress.

Even the noblest hero sheds tears when the sorrow cuts deep enough. Izanami, high and mighty as she was, held no less tenderness than any other woman when it came to the daughter she truly loved.

She couldn’t bring herself to continue punishing Lily, not if it truly hurt her.

“Come now. Lie down on your stomach on the bed. Let Mama rub it for you.”

“Still hurts, doesn’t it?” Izanami relented, her voice softer now, massaging Lily as she asked by her ear.

This gentle comfort somehow embarrassed Lily even more than the punishment itself. But how could she reject her mother’s kindness?

“…Fine. Girls grow up and can’t be kept at home forever. If you insist on going, then so be it.” Izanami sighed. “But do you know… back during the great war, Tsukuyomi… she used the last of her strength to sever the entrance to the Celestial Demon Path. Since then, Takamagahara and Yomi have been completely cut off. The path is impassable.”

“There are still other passageways, but the stronger the traveler, the greater the cost. For anyone above Supreme God level, passage is virtually impossible. So how do you even plan to get there?”

“Mm… well, through Herikaku City… perhaps.”

Lily recalled what Rinne had told her earlier. Herikaku Realm was a small world, connected both to Yomi and to the heavens.

“…I figured as much,” Izanami murmured. She could guess it too, but because she didn’t want Lily to go, she hadn’t reminded her. “If it’s truly your decision… then what else can this mother say? I was only angry because I worry for you. I hit you too hard, didn’t I? You don’t resent me for it, do you? Hm?”

“N-No, of course not. You did it for my sake. I understand… ah—M-Mama, y-you… where are you rubbing…?”

What had begun as punishment now swirled with strange tenderness, a mingling of pain and affection that lingered in the air of the room…

When Lily finally emerged from Izanami’s chambers, her steps were unsteady. Her long legs ached faintly, and one slender hand instinctively reached to support her waist.

“Sigh… She said she was treating the injuries from the punishment, but honestly… I’d rather take another round of beatings than go through that kind of treatment again…” Her whole body was flushed with heat and her damp hair clung to her cheeks.

But despite the embarrassment, Lily’s body had truly recovered. And more than that, it had grown stronger. Izanami’s treatment, imbued with divine power, acted like a revitalizing massage.

After a bit of rest, she would be in even better shape than before.

“No way… I reached the fifth level of the Charm Heavenly Path?”

Lily blushed and covered her mouth, her voice a soft murmur in the dim corridor. Her breath carried a faint, orchid-like fragrance.

“So that’s what Mother meant by punishment… She was actually helping me advance…”

Thanks to Izanami’s “lesson,” Lily had not only endured it, she had somehow advanced her Charm Heavenly Path to the Fifth Level!

And after the Fourth, each level was as hard to reach as the heavens themselves! That Izanami had managed to draw out Lily’s latent charm and help her break through to the Fifth Level during such a… “thorough” punishment. Truly, how deep her intentions ran!

Unless one was a Supreme God or Great Imperial God, most Heavenly Paths could only reach the Sixth Level at best. For Lily to rise to the Fifth in a single session… it could only be called a gain, however strange.

She now held a small, intricately carved ancient tower in her palm.

“This is the Fivefold Tower, a gift from Mommy. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you absolutely cannot escape, take this out. Don’t cry, alright? Think of this treasure as Mama’s way of making up for hitting you, okay? And no more holding grudges, promise?”

Lily recalled her adoptive mother’s teasing yet affectionate words.

“…Mama…”

“Perhaps she truly was doing it for my sake. Her intentions… run deeper than I can imagine. Still, if she wanted to give me a treasure or teach me a technique, couldn’t she have just… done that? Why go through all that…?” Lily winced as pain flared again across her soft curves.

Just before leaving Izanami’s quarters, Lily hesitated. She knew full well that asking further might once again provoke her mother’s wrath. But given everything she had just endured, Lily thought to herself, ‘What more could Mama possibly do to me now?’ So, summoning her courage, she took the chance and inquired about Madam Yoruko.

To her surprise, Izanami did not become angry this time. She made no mention of the strict rules of Hyakki Street, nor did she reprimand Lily. Instead, she calmly stated that Madam Yoruko was not currently here, and that she had arranged other matters for her. Izanami told Lily there was no need to worry, that when the time came, she would allow Lily to meet with her.

Hearing this from her mother, Lily finally felt at ease.