Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 15 Another Kind Of Failure

Once the commotion subsided, the Blade Maiden remarked, Oh, ah Hehe, at last, Ive eliminated a rival.

Eliminated? A flushed Lily had a sudden epiphany and instinctively turned back. Had the Blade Maiden indeed slain the female adept?

Yet, she found the woman lying on the ground, her attire in tatters. The woman averted her gaze, her face flushed, hair disheveled, eyes empty, struggling for breath.

Not deceased? Mature beyond her years, Lily quickly grasped the situation. Despite her own preferences, witnessing such extremity was a first for her.

The extent of cruelty the Blade Maiden had inflicted upon the woman was unknown to Lily, but the woman was unmistakably alive.

Having defeated me, just end my life. Why would you resort to this The female adept gasped for air. This is far more excruciating and degrading than death itself.

Oh, Miss Hyozuhi, in Carefree City, you and your clan held the advantage over me. During our skirmishes for treasure, you and your kin never ceased to torment me. Could you have ever envisioned this day? Despite your superior skills and artifacts, within these confines, were reduced to mere physical prowess. You are truly a delicate creature!

With those words, the Blade Maiden harshly squeezed a sensitive part of Hyozuhis body.

Oh, ah Hyozuhi cried out, her face turning red. Masako, you vile creature Just end my life!

Indeed, I am despicable. And your point? To merely kill you would be too lenient. In the realm of Yomi, for a Blade Maiden, defeat and the loss of purity bear greater shame and pain than death itself! I bet you hadnt foreseen, back when you pilfered my treasure, that wed both be ensnared, leading to your defeat at my handsa fate worse than death, wouldnt you say? Hmph!

Lily, from a short distance, tried to stifle her breathing, finding it hard to stay silent. Knowing all too well the cruelties of defeat, she believed death to be a kinder fate than the torment and violation inflicted upon a vanquished female warrior.

Such a fate was undeniably the most degrading and shameful end a female warrior could endure.

In a defeated tone, Hyozuhi conceded, Take the treasure if thats what you desire.

With a snort, Masako declared, No need for your permission. I will conduct a thorough search and claim all your possessions!

Lily was torn. While she would unhesitatingly rescue a maiden under attack by a beast, the current conflict was between two maidens. Was intervention warranted? The rules sanctioned such conflicts, even to the death. Lily herself might face such a situation in the future. What justification could she possibly have for intervening now?

Masako, the older woman, appeared to be a Blade Maiden as well? Nevertheless, affiliation alone did not align her with Lily.

After pilfering all of Hyozuhis treasures, Masako departed, leaving Hyozuhi bereft and bare on the ground.

Abandoned, Hyozuhi faced the peril of beasts or malicious ent.i.ties, could fall prey to monsters or encounter malevolent individuals like the sumo wrestler who was duped into becoming a sparring partner by the Rakshasa Dojo. After some thought, Lily realized she couldnt simply turn a blind eye and silently walk away.

Compelled, Lily approached.

With flushed cheeks and a hollow stare, Hyozuhi, upon noticing Lily, attempted to s.h.i.+eld her exposed body with the remnants of her clothing.

End my life if you must. Your efforts are futile, Hyozuhi murmured, turning away in despair upon noticing Lily.

Keen to keep her mirror dimension a secret, Lily retrieved a scarf from her attire and gently laid it over Hyozuhi.

Huh? Hyozuhi, taken aback, puzzled over Lilys unexpected act of kindness.

The solitary scarf was insufficient to conceal Hyozuhis fully exposed form due to her utterly shredded attire. Lily gazed upon her with a sense of awkwardness, commenting, Youre utterly defenseless now. Eliminating you would reduce my compet.i.tion by one. How could that possibly be considered futile?

Youre Kagami Lily, arent you?

Huh? Youre familiar with me?

Indeed, I am. You might not have seen me before. Rumor has it, a remarkably beautiful girl resides in the western quarters, claimed by its most formidable, Lady Tamai. Yet, in the eastern quarters, many eagerly yearn for you. You may find amus.e.m.e.nt in my current plight, yet beware, for you could find yourself in circ.u.mstances far worse.

Even in her current dire predicament, Hyozuhi managed to cast a mocking stare at Lily.

Upon hearing those words, Lilys cheeks flushed with embarra.s.sment, and she involuntarily clenched her thighs. Adjusting her skirt, she sharply responded, Who Who informed you of that? Just respond to my inquiry!

Miss Lily, Ive gathered that your arrival in Yomi was quite recent. Its hardly shocking then.

Shocking in what way?

That youre unacquainted with Yomis regulations.

Regulations? Lilys expression conveyed her puzzlement.

In Yomi, a female expert or Blade Maiden overpowered by an adversary and stripped of her purity might as well be considered dead. The dignity to traverse Yomi as a respected figure is lost. Ive been bested, and Masako claimed everything I had. Even surviving this ordeal and returning above wont embolden me to train among the maidens again. Once this ordeal concludes, Ill publicly concede, withdraw from the selection, and let Rakshasa Dojo dictate my destiny, likely relegating me to hard labor, Hyozuhi lamented, devoid of hope.

What? Such a rule exists?

Indeed. This rule has been in place since Yomis inception, established by its secretive sovereign. Any defeated individual who dares to persist in their pursuit of strength and treasure, despite their disgrace, will find themselves ostracized throughout Yomi. Theyd be reduced to the nadir of status, possibly even cursed by Yomis very essence, destined for a fate most grim, Hyozuhi articulated, her voice devoid of emotion, as if all hope had been extinguished.

For female warriors of Yomi, defeat and violation in combat equated to a metaphorical death. Their privilege to seek strength was revoked. Such was the unyielding law of Yomi.

Yet, Hyozuhi revealed to Lily a grim recourse: to wed the victor and become their spouse, concubine, or even serf. Only by submitting to the conquerors will could they persist in their training. Should their defeat become known, they would face scorn and isolation from Yomis other female elites, and potentially, incur Yomis own malediction.

To think such a rule truly exists Lilys legs buckled under her without warning. She staggered, lost in a daze, before leaning against a nearby stone pillar. Her head bowed, her hair disheveled and falling across her face.

But such outcomes only follow defeat. In mutual love, even if fleeting, theres no sense of loss for either party, Hyozuhi expressed.

Lily regarded Hyozuhi with empathy. Then Miss Hyozuhi, what are your plans now?

I wish I could just die here, unseen. The thought of how others will view a defeated woman is unbearable. Yet, Id choose being sold to a Yomi brothel or enduring a century of hard labor over becoming that womans wife! Hyozuhi declared firmly.

But wouldnt harboring such hatred make the humiliation even worse?

Yes, just let it all end, Hyozuhi wept. Leave me for the monsters. If youre reluctant to end my life yourself, why linger?

Miss Hyozuhi, our acquaintance is new, so my feelings arent pity. Its just the fate of women in Yomi seems so cruel.

Hahahahaha Hyozuhis laughter took on a hysterical edge. In Yomi, tragedy is the norm. Happiness? Thats for Takamagahara. Here, were all d.a.m.ned from the moment we fall in.

Hyozuhis gaze turned upward, her eyes alight with the enduring desire to ascend to the heavens.

Take this; itll help, Lily offered, despite the lack of food in her mirror s.p.a.ce, she had an abundance of spiritual medicine, which she handed to Hyozuhi.

Gradually, Hyozuhis strength returned, or perhaps it was her shattered psyche finding solace. Lily a.s.sisted her to her feet, and together, they found respite beneath a stone pillar.

Miss Lily, tales of your stunning beauty and the longing it incites are widespread in private discussions. Yet, its hard to believe youre also endowed with such kindness. Despite everything, youre here a.s.sisting a woman whos been stripped of her privilege to train in Yomi. No, Ive lost even the right to be considered a woman. At best, Im nothing more than a shattered relic, Hyozuhi said, cradling her bruised knees, her voice laden with despair.

Were all in this together. Theres no need for formalities, Miss Hyozuhi. And please, dont devalue yourself so.

Im not demeaning myself; Im facing the harsh reality

Miss Hyozuhi, may I ask how you ended up in Yomi, or were you born here?

Hyozuhi replied with a shake of her head, Originally, I was a shrine maiden in Nara. By sixteen, I had achieved the Big Dipper Stage, enabling me to retain my youth for centuries. By twenty-six, I had become one of Naras ten most formidable powerhouses, unmatched within the dynasty. The other renowned powerhouses were far older, prompting me to aim highertowards Takamagahara.

Regrettably, I didnt succeed at the Heavenly Gate, leading to my fall into Yomi. Crossing the Heavenly Gate, particularly the final threshold, is a formidable challenge. Success means ascending to Takamagahara and achieving the Celestial Stage. Failure, however, results in either death or descent into Yomi. Many fallen experts reside here, having failed their ascension. Despite this setback, I leveraged my remarkable strength and talent to further my training and even allied with a clan, holding onto the hope of someday ascending to Takamagahara or returning to the mortal world. Todays defeat was unimaginable, signaling the end of everything Sigh.

Hyozuhi let out a heavy sigh, tears beginning to stream down her face.

I cant fathom why Yomi enforces such a cruel rule! Lily exclaimed in frustration.

Yomi is inherently a realm of suffering, designed to entertain demons. Maybe thats the reason for imposing such harsh penalties on female experts, Hyozuhi speculated.