Demon Sword Maiden

A massive wooden ship, its deck aglow with dim yellow lanterns, sailed across the skies. It skirted past the colossal fortress-like walls of Yuten Castle, then under the cover of night, turned its bow to enter through a gate at the rear.

This vessel stretched several hundred meters long. In the Heian Dynasty, a ship of such size could have carried thousands of passengers, but Takamagahara favored grandeur and vastness, its structures were immense, and so too were its ships.

At present, besides the sailors, only one squad of Celestial Maidens and dozens of Kunado tribesmen occupied the ship.

The Kunado were an ancient race of the heavens, yet regarded as outsiders. Each bore a form that seemed half-human, half-fish, their ancestors said to have come from the sea. According to legend, their guardian deity was Kon, a beast of unfathomable size.

The Kunado specialized in the trade of military courtesans.

Ordinarily, the Celestial Maidens would have despised associating with the Kunado, but this time they had no choice, it was an order.

“Riyuki! That Kuromon has gone too far! They’ve even given the fodder storage to outsiders, and now force us to escort a ship of courtesans like lowly guards. As women ourselves, to deliver other women to be toyed with by the Yuten Army, it is the gravest humiliation!” A Celestial Maiden in green stood at the bow, speaking to Riyuki in white. As she did, her eyes occasionally flashed with contempt at the distant, bulbous-headed, slick-skinned Kunado.

Celestial Maidens possessed far greater combat strength than most races of Takamagahara, whether native clans or alien tribes. They were disciplined, once the sharpest blade of Takamagahara, its cherished darlings.

Yet Riyuki’s mood was not entirely foul. Because she had defied Kuromon’s demands, she had incurred their deep displeasure. To rid themselves of her, they ordered her to escort the courtesans to Yuten Castle. But only Riyuki herself knew that she had already taken a great sum of Lily’s money, and was eager to leave Kuromon behind. Though Yuten Castle was a military fortress, its shops sold many rare goods unavailable elsewhere, and at reasonable prices. In recent years, common folk had little chance to set foot within its walls.

“I heard the Lord of Yuten Castle is Ame-no-Tajikarao, a man of renown, truly a figure who towers above others. He will also be our new master. Living in Yuten Castle is far better than wasting away on that border island, Mokuri.” Riyuki remarked.

Among the courtesans they were transporting, some were female adepts Riyuki had previously captured in the Hekiraku Realm, while others were purchased directly from the Kunado.

The day after Lily’s departure, the Kunado arrived, and Kuromon assigned Riyuki to escort them. Though the ship was not swift, Lily’s delays meant Riyuki’s group reached their destination only half a day later. After all, such a massive vessel moved unhindered.

Little did Riyuki know, as she soothed her subordinates, another squad of Celestial Maidens crept closer under the cover of night. They were quietly infiltrating the very ship she commanded.

The vessel was vast, yet sparsely manned, and being a second-hand ship bought by the Kunado solely for transporting courtesans, it was no great challenge for the Celestial Maiden Rebels led by Asazora to slip aboard.

Even more beyond Riyuki’s expectations, two others had also hitched a ride on her ship.

Atop the broad, weathered roof of the ship’s cabin, Lily and Rei gazed from afar at Riyuki and her convoy.

“Why are we running into her again?” Rei muttered.

“Leave her be. Unless it is absolutely necessary, we should avoid provoking her.” Lily replied.

Rei had not expected Lily to be so stubborn once she made up her mind. No matter how she or Rinne objected, Lily insisted they follow through with her plan.

Rei no longer had the strength to forcefully restrain her. Besides, given the present circumstances, though Lily’s plan carried grave risks, there was no other path forward.

Riyuki’s presence now was not exactly a boon, yet neither was it entirely ill. Still, Lily and Rei had no intention of letting Riyuki discover them.

The great ship slowly neared Yuten Castle. Courtesans might not have drawn attention in other armies, but the Yuten Army preferred to keep such dealings hidden. Guided by a soldier, the ship sailed into the gaps between enormous floating stone mountains beneath the castle. There, concealed within the rock, yawned a vast cavern. Its iron portcullis opened, revealing what was once used as Yuten Castle’s drainage outlet. The ship slipped inside and docked temporarily.

The massive iron gate clanged shut behind them.

Only seven or eight soldiers had come to receive them, yet each possessed enough strength to rival dozens of Kunado.

The Kunado began the transaction with the Yuten Army.

“One hundred and eighty-three courtesans in total. Of them, one hundred and twenty are at Spirit Jade Stage, sold at two Blood Spirit Magatamas. Fifty-five are at Permanence Stage, sold at five Blood Spirit Magatamas. Eight are at Throne Stage, sold at eight Blood Spirit Magatamas,” the Kunado calculated.

¹

“Enough of the tedious breakdown. How much altogether?”

“Fifteen Blood Spirit Magatamas in total.”

“Take it,” the Yuten officer said boldly.

“Thank you, sir!” The Kunado had in fact marked up the price several notches above the market rate, yet the officer accepted without hesitation.

“If you dare spread word of this, I’ll see your clan wiped out!”

“Never, never! We are merchants, we would never do anything so self-defeating as to betray a client.”

With the deal complete, over a hundred tearful, ragged women were tied with ropes, chained together, and led off the ship, where two soldiers took them into custody.

At that moment, a bald, obese giant with a head shaped like a mudskipper, clad in an oversized kimono, came striding forward. He was one of the proprietors of the courtesan district and also the chairman of the trade union.

Casting a glance at the women, his attitude was indifferent. “Most of them are just mortal women, or lowborn slaves from defeated heavenly clans. The stock is rather ordinary.”

“Sir, Kuromon said there would be a surprise.”

Who could have imagined that the women Riyuki captured from the Hekiraku Realm, intended as tribute for currying favor with her superiors, had instead been seized by Kuromon and secretly trafficked into Yuten Castle? Nor did they trust Riyuki to handle the money. In truth, Kuromon still owed Yuten Castle a vast sum for financing the fortress repairs years ago, and now sought to use these rare captives to offset the debt.

Riyuki led the dozens of women she had taken from the Hekiraku Realm. At the sight, both the Yuten soldiers and the union master were stunned.

“T-These… these are goods fit to rival Celestial Maidens!”

“Heh, to be frank, it’s said these women were candidates preparing to take the Celestial Maiden examination, but were deceived by Miss Riyuki here, who lured them under the pretense of Takamagahara’s official recruitment.” The Yuten officer frowned slightly as he recounted Riyuki’s deeds.

Shame welled up within Riyuki. To think she, who had committed such acts, was now looked down upon even by soldiers who openly defiled military courtesans. She loathed herself in that moment. Truly… she regretted what she had done.

The fat union master leaned toward Riyuki and whispered in her ear, “Miss Riyuki, our courtesan district also pays generously for part-time work. If you and your sisters ever find yourselves short of money…”

“Get away from me!” Riyuki snapped. Her dignity felt trampled upon. For the first time, she found herself filled with hatred—hatred for this world, and hatred for herself.

She handed over the captured maidens from the Hekiraku Realm to the union master and the Yuten soldiers, then joined the other Celestial Maidens to report to the upper command. After all, Yuten Castle faced urgent circumstances and a shortage of manpower, especially female military personnel. Riyuki’s squad would henceforth be reassigned to serve in Yuten Castle.

Late at night, silence blanketed the docks, broken only by the Kunado tribesmen dozing aboard the ship.

From the depths of the cabin, a group of Celestial Maidens cloaked in dark mantles slipped out, stealing into the cavern. The air was foul, the passage dim and reeking, and not a guard was in sight.

Asazora’s lips curved with satisfaction. “Everything is unfolding just as we expected. We have finally infiltrated Yuten Castle.”

“Through these tunnels within the mountain, we can reach the underground courtesan district. Since it is the courtesan district, it must be connected to garrisons throughout the castle. Reaching the army’s heart should not be difficult,” said another Celestial Maiden with a more scholarly bearing.

“Move. To the courtesan district.” Asazora gave the order, leading her squad of Celestial Maidens deeper into the pitch-black cavern.

Unbeknownst to them, two more figures followed in secret.

“Lily, if we turn back now, it’s still not too late.”

“Sister Uesugi, once, I was willing to charge into Heian-kyo alone to rescue Sister Ayaka. Today is no more perilous than that. For what I set my mind upon, I never retreat.”

“…Lily, alright. I have nothing more to say.”

If it had been only her, Rei would have braved any danger for the sake of her mother. But now Lily, the person dearest to her, was also taking this risk. How could she allow Lily to bear such peril? Yet her own strength was lacking; she could not replace Lily in this task.

“In that case, I will give you my all!” Once her decision was made, Rei hesitated no longer.

The Celestial Maidens climbed out from among the stone heaps, with Lily and Rei following close behind. They found themselves beneath the very foundations of Yuten Castle, with towering stone pillars and immense platforms above them. Between the colossal supports, scattered lanterns glimmered faintly, illuminating houses built upon the rocks. Each building was massive in scale, designed to accommodate the stature of Yuten soldiers, and many bore hanging signboards.

This was Yuten Castle’s hidden underbelly, the courtesan district. Here, not only military courtesans were found, but also commercial courtesans, performers, music halls, gambling dens, underground entertainment establishments, and a thriving black market trading in military goods smuggled out from Yuten’s stores.

Though the Yuten Army prided itself on discipline and rectitude, so many rough men could hardly all be paragons of virtue. Harsh regulations imposed by their commanders left them craving release, and this district was their outlet. The higher-ups turned a blind eye, leaving such indulgence unspoken but tolerated.

Yet when Lily saw the gaudy archways, the lurid signs, the vulgar woodblock prints, rage flared within her. She longed to free the women trapped here, to tear this place down to its foundations.

Still, she knew well, prostitution was legal even in the Heian Dynasty. Here, in Takamagahara, this might ironically be one of the most honest and equitable places left.

On the streets, alongside Yuten soldiers, were artisans dwelling in the castle, as well as monsters in yukata with grotesque forms, plying their trade and luring clients.

Even in the heights of Takamagahara, there existed shadowed places shunned by daylight, where monsters eked out lowly lives. Their status here was far below what they held in Yomi, but certain trades still suited their kind.

Lily and Rei kept their course simple, following Asazora and the others.

The rebels crept through shadows cast by boulders and crumbling houses, dispersing as they advanced while observing the streets. After all, Yuten Castle was vast, its roads labyrinthine.

Just then, several tall, dark-skinned Yuten soldiers swaggered out from a courtesan house and headed toward the street, intent on returning to duty. Asazora quietly led her squad in pursuit.

But none of them knew that their every movement was already under surveillance, from someone watching them from within a lofty open building overlooking the courtesan district.

Footnotes:

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   Syl: The author is so bad at maths… how did 120+55+8=163? The total should’ve been 183