Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 13 - Takamagahara: Chapter 59 - The Mass Migration of the Female Queendom

“Lily, it’s really fine… maybe…” Yukiko hesitated, her words evasive. “There are just some minor issues, but we can handle them ourselves. You don’t need to worry.”

“Sister Yukiko…” Judging from Yukiko’s expression, it was impossible that everything was fine. There had to be a problem, and it was definitely not a small one. Yet Yukiko refused to say anything more. She stepped out of the Cloud Sanctum, her consciousness withdrawing from the Mirror Dimension.

Once she left, Lily had no way to press her further. But how could Lily possibly feel at ease?

“Shiu! Shiu!” Lily kept calling out. If everyone else was hiding things from her, Shiu certainly would not, but no matter how she called, Shiu did not appear. None of the sisters from the Heian Dynasty appeared either. Lily had no idea what was actually happening on the mortal realm.

Lily went to the council hall of Herikaku City and asked the assembled sisters about the situation in the mortal world.

“Lily, we’ve been worrying about you day and night here… we really haven’t paid much attention to anything else,” Shimizu said.

Lily did not respond to Shimizu. She had never expected Shimizu to be attentive to intelligence from the mortal world anyway. Instead, she turned to Ayaka with a pleading look.

“Lily, during this period, especially recently, the sisters from the mortal world have been coming to the Mirror Dimension less and less,” Ayaka said worriedly. “I asked them several times, but they never explained much. Every time they did come, they mostly asked about you, clearly more concerned for your safety, yet they rarely spoke about their own situation. These past few days, I’ve barely seen them here at all. I’m sorry, Lily. I did feel something was off, but I was so worried about you that I ended up neglecting other matters…”

As for Kaguya-hime and Chiya, although they could also enter the Mirror Dimension, they did not know the sisters from the mortal world at all, so there was no way they could have gathered any information.

Kaguya-hime spoke up, “These days, with Miss Shimizu’s help, Ayaka and I have been suppressing the resurgent lust demon clans in the Hekiraku Realm. Ayaka spent most of her time fighting there and didn’t have many chances to enter the Mirror Dimension either.”

What right did Lily have to blame anyone?

She herself rarely entered the Mirror Dimension as well. In Takamagahara, every step she took was fraught with danger. Most of the time, she was either racing against time, fleeing, infiltrating, or had already been captured twice, struggling just to survive. In such circumstances, she truly had no room to care about anything else. When she herself had been tied to a pillar, even if she had known what was happening in the mortal world, what could she have done?

“We’ve been away from the Heian Dynasty for far too long. I must return as soon as possible to see what’s going on!” Lily said.

“Mm!” The sisters all nodded. Rei, Ayaka, and Shimizu had come to the Land of Yomi for Lily’s sake in the first place, and of course they also wanted to return to the mortal world.

“Lily, if possible, let us go back to the mortal world with you,” Kaguya-hime said, gazing at Lily with deep emotion. “No matter what, I don’t want to be separated from you again. These past days, I’ve been worrying about you every single day.”

“But for those above the Big Dipper Stage, there’s no way anymore,” Chiya asked helplessly. “We’re all at the Celestial Stage, some even at the Supreme God level. How are we supposed to reach the mortal world?”

The sisters looked at one another and could not help turning their gazes toward Bishamonten.

Bishamonten pondered for a moment, then said with difficulty, “Long ago, there was a great path connecting the Three Realms. No matter what level of power one possessed, they could travel freely through it. That path was known as the Celestial Demon Path. Oh, in the Land of Yomi, it should be called the Demon Celestial Path instead. Its location lies at the ancient battlefield of Yomi.”

At the mention of the ancient battlefield, sorrow welled up in Bishamonten’s eyes.

In that battle, countless Celestial Maidens had fallen, and countless devoted lovers were left behind, doomed to lonely vigil ever after.

“However… in that battle a thousand years ago, Tsukuyomi no Mikoto used her final strength to unleash an unprecedented strike, the greatest blade since the existence of the Three Realms, sealing the Celestial Demon Path. From that moment on, anyone below the Supreme God level who tried to force their way through that blade mark would die without exception. Even a Great Imperial God would likely be gravely wounded.”

“From then on, the strong could no longer freely travel between the Three Realms. Although the mortal world is extremely weak, the great demons of Yomi and the gods of Takamagahara also can no longer descend there by relying on overwhelming power to wreak havoc. That was Tsukuyomi no Mikoto’s final act of protection over the Three Realms.”

As Bishamonten spoke, her eyes grew moist. The weight of those events was simply too heavy to recount.

“That strike protected the Three Realms,” Rakshasa-Onna said, “but it also meant that even those with good intentions could no longer come and go freely between them. Special small worlds like the Hekiraku Realm can, under very specific circumstances, connect to Takamagahara or Yomi. Such places do exist, but they are far too hidden, and the opportunities to access them are matters of rare fate. They are not places you can reach just because you wish to.”

After much discussion, the sisters still could not find any way to return to the mortal realm.

‘It seems I can only go and seek Mother’s help,’ Lily thought to herself.

However, Izanami and the Asura-Onna had already left to attend to other matters and were not present.

“Where are we right now?” Lily asked, gazing out at the vast expanse beyond the hall.

“Herikaku City is currently moving across the lands of Yomi,” Kaguya-hime replied. “We haven’t encountered any real threats along the way, and we’re already close to the Female Queendom.”

“The Female Queendom?” The moment she thought of the Female Queendom of Yomi, Lily was reminded of how weak and helpless she had once been in the underworld. Even though there had been a period when she might have been captured and reduced to slavery, she still found herself feeling a sense of nostalgia toward the Female Queendom.

Within two days, Herikaku City arrived outside the borders of the Female Queendom. Such a colossal city appearing beyond the mountain valley was a truly spectacular sight, and it terrified some of the attendants who had no idea what was happening.

However, when they saw that the one descending from Herikaku City was their queen, their fear instantly turned into overwhelming joy.

Because the Female Queendom lay within the domains of the Asura Dojo and the Rakshasa Dojo, with guards dispatched to assist in its defense, there had been no major upheavals during this period.

Queen Kaguya invited all the sisters from Herikaku City to visit the Female Queendom as honored guests.

Knowing that Lily was anxious about matters in the mortal realm, Kaguya kept everything simple and only held a small banquet. After all, the Madam had not yet returned, and there was still no way to learn how to go back to the mortal world.

Naturally, Lily also consulted her Senior Sister. Rinne spoke of the Celestial Demon Path as well, and beyond that, her thoughts aligned completely with Lily’s. She told Lily, “This is the Madam’s territory. If you want to defy the rules of the Three Realms and return to the mortal world, there’s only one person you can ask, your mother.”

Thus, although Lily was distracted and absent-minded, she still participated in the banquet out of courtesy.

At the banquet, the three major commanders of the Dark Celestial Maidens and Rakshasa-Onna seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit.

“Is that so? The State Preceptor merely left behind a hastily written letter of resignation and then departed the Female Queendom to pursue her own training?” Queen Kaguya said with some emotion.

That State Preceptor had originally been a spy planted by Lord Umashi, harboring ambitions of swallowing up the Female Queendom. But with her master already done for, and with news spreading that Lily, the Queen, Izanami, and the Dark Celestial Maidens had joined forces and utterly defeated Yomi’s strongest figures, she no longer dared to harbor any schemes and had long since fled.

“Your Majesty, once Mother gives me guidance on how to return to the mortal world, I may have to bid you farewell,” Lily said as she sat beside the Queen at the main seat. “But if I leave the Land of Yomi, I won’t be at ease about the situation here in the Female Queendom. Is there anything I can do? For example, if there are enemies, I’d rather eliminate them now.” Having witnessed time and again sisters falling into danger whenever she was absent, Lily’s resolve had grown sharper. Some threats had to be dealt with as early as possible.

“Lily, what are you saying?” The Queen looked at her in surprise. “Of course I’m going with you! Wherever you go, I’ll accompany you and stay by your side!”

“Your Majesty…” Lily was startled. She had thought the Queen’s earlier words were merely an expression of intent, not a firm decision.

“What? Lily, do you not wish it?”

“Of course I do. But what about the countless subjects of the Female Queendom?”

“The core of our Female Queendom consists of the Fallen Celestial Maidens. Naturally, they will follow me. As for the other female subjects, those willing to come with me will board Herikaku City together. Those who are unwilling will be incorporated into the Rakshasa Dojo or the Asura Dojo . I have already consulted the Madam about this, and she said they could be accepted,” the Queen replied.

“Really? That’s wonderful!” Lily was delighted. If possible, she wanted the sisters to remain together forever.

As for the myriad subjects of the Female Queendom, traveling to the mortal world was actually easier. Those below the Big Dipper Stage could simply pass through Yomi Hirazaka. Now that numerous rifts had appeared between the mortal world and the Land of Yomi, even some at the Big Dipper level could make the journey through those cracks.

At the height of the banquet, the Queen announced her decision. The Celestial Maidens of the Female Queendom erupted into cheers. They had once been true Celestial Maidens, and who would be willing to remain in the Land of Yomi forever? Even if they could not return to Takamagahara, going to the mortal world was far better than staying here.

Knowing how anxious Lily was, the Female Queendom issued a nationwide proclamation the very next day, mobilizing the entire country.

That very afternoon, the migration began.

On that day, Queen Kaguya formally decreed that from then on, the term “Fallen Celestial Maidens” would no longer be used. All would return to orthodoxy and be called Celestial Maidens once more.

Led by the Celestial Maiden Army of the Female Queendom, vast numbers of its citizens boarded Herikaku City, preparing to journey toward a new shore beyond this world.

Herikaku City rose tens of thousands of meters high and was unimaginably vast. Housing a hundred thousand Celestial Maidens would still leave it spacious, let alone the mere ten thousand or so citizens arriving from the Female Queendom.

There were also those unwilling to leave. Most of them continued living in the Female Queendom, which from that point on would be known as the Rakshasa Female Queendom.

However, when the Female Queendom’s Celestial Maiden Army and the Dark Celestial Maiden Army were unified into a single Celestial Maiden Legion, their differing stances caused no small number of problems during the integration.

Within just a few days, all those from the Female Queendom who were willing to follow the Queen to the mortal world had completed their migration and settled into Herikaku City.

On that day, Izanami returned.

“Miss Lily, the Madam wishes to see you,” Asura-Onna came respectfully to summon her.

At present, whether in status or in strength, Lily was second only to the Madam here. This was a position she truly deserved.

“Understood,” Lily replied. Dressed properly in a flowing red robe with wide sleeves, she went to pay her respects to Izanami.

Izanami was as beautiful, elegant, and mysterious as ever, yet today she seemed unusually solemn, sitting upright atop the wooden tower, her smoking pipe nowhere in sight.

“Mother,” Lily knelt and bowed respectfully.

“It has been many days since we last met. There’s no need to be so distant,” Izanami said, gently chiding her.

“Eh? Um… h-hello, Mom…” Lily said, her face flushing red.

“Hehehe, that’s more like it. Lily, I know what you wish to ask,” Izanami said affectionately, gazing at her with a mysterious smile. “Seeing how well-behaved you are, I’ll tell you sooner rather than later. The method you seek to return to the Land of Ashihara… it does exist.”