Book 3: Chapter 27: Tsutsujigasaki Castle

Lily and Rei rode through the desolate autumn-dyed hillside on the Nioh and surveyed the distant and hazy castle city that had been constructed entirely atop a hill.

A majestic castle tower rested at the crown of the hill and spa.r.s.ely illuminated olden castle walls surrounded the hillside below, the entire city almost occupying a range of three kilometers across the hill.

The Takeda clan of the Kai Province was famous for their horsemans.h.i.+p and metalwork. Although it was only dawn right now, Lily could see the crimson glows of the forges constructed within the castle city. Their glows were brighter than the lamps used by commoners and dyed the skies above them in a crimson shade.

Thats Tsutsujigasaki Castle, the castle of the Tiger of Kai, Takeda Tsunen.o.bu! Even a willful girl like Uesugi Rei showed some respect when mentioning Takeda Tsunen.o.bus name as he was the lifelong adversary of her grandfather, Uesugi Aokage!

Even though shes only looking from a distance, Lily felt an inexplicable unease and pressure for some reason.

Uesugi Rei and Lily proceeded to dismount from the Nioh.

s.h.i.+u, we shall wait for our masters at the crossing ahead of us, Airi stated after looking at her master and Lily.

Eh? s.h.i.+u revealed a perplexed expression, but Airi didnt give an explanation and urged the horse to walk towards the distant crossing ahead with s.h.i.+u sitting behind her.

As Uesugi Reis vice-general, she knew that her master wanted to spend time alone with Miss Kagami, and even though she wasnt willing to act according to the situation, s.h.i.+na Airi knew that she would always be just an attentive and faithful vice-general in Uesugi Reis eyes.

Rei and Lily stood face-to-face with the endless mountains and desolate wilderness behind them.

The two gazed into each others eyes, but they remained speechless even as time pa.s.sed.

Lily felt very reluctant at this moment and even the guilt that plagued her usually was nowhere to be seen.

She didnt want to part from the woman in front of her.

Yet she had to bid farewell.

Just like her, Uesugi Rei had her own path to walk and although Lily didnt know where that path would lead to, she could understand her sisters feelings.

However, even though she understood it, she still felt a bit sad and melancholic.

Uesugi Rei lifted Lilys long hair gently, Your hair is very pretty.

Lily smiled charmingly in response and caressed Uesugi Reis silver hair gently, Your hair is also very beautiful, Sis.

The duo seemed to have come to a mutual decision and caught a strand of each others hair before twining them together, beautifully intertwining the black and silver with each other.

Lily lifted her head and kissed Uesugi Rei.

The duo then unsheathed their cursed swords and their sharp edges s.h.i.+mmered with silver light before touching each other gently, producing a mellow jingling sound akin to poignant vocals, and the crimson and purple eldritch sword runes resembled two singers performing a concerto of a melodious love song.

The duo sliced that intertwined strand of hair from both ends tacitly.

Uesugi Rei then divided it into two halves and handed one half of the beautiful intertwined black and silver hair strand to Lily.

Even if they couldnt embrace each other at all times, this intertwined strand of hair would never separate.

Ill be journeying pretty far this time, so dont you forget about me, Uesugi Rei brought that strand of hair near her nose and breathed deeply, relis.h.i.+ng in its scent of womanly frustration that was the amalgamation of their eternal affection.

Lily brought the strand of hair close to her bosom and almost buried it in between her cleavage.

And then, she said, It tickles a bit.

Pfft! The two girls leaned forward slightly and broke into laughter.

They then gazed into each others eyes again, and the cheerful atmosphere cooled down gradually.

Even if I want to forget, its impossible for me to do so Return quickly, Sis.

Even someone as powerful and carefree as Uesugi Rei felt like crying at this moment.

However, she couldnt do that as she wanted her little sister to feel relieved with the belief that Uesugi Rei was someone who remained carefree and unimpeded at all times.

That she wasnt an overcautious little girl who waded through murky waters.

But no matter how powerful and carefree she was, she was ultimately a woman.

Lily, Ill show you a secret of mine when I return. Do you want to see my secret?

Lily replied with a flushed face, Ill never take my eyes off even if its that kind of secret.

Tsk, Uesugi Rei pulled Lily to her side gently and turned her around before slapping her lovely b.u.t.t tenderly, When did you learn to talk so indecently?

Arent you the one who corrupted me, Sis? Lily retorted shyly.

The two girls bosoms heaved up and down violently and their breathing turned ragged.

And just like that, Lily turned around again and engaged in a deep kiss with Rei1.

Reis hand stretched inside Lilys cleavage eagerly, causing her breath to quicken, but she didnt resist.

However, Rei paused abruptly.

Ngh? Lily opened her eyes once her breathing calmed down. Lil Sis Lily. We are most suitable for each other in this world, right?

Lilys eyes flickered evasively at this moment and although Reis heart ached, she revealed a pained yet relieved wry smile as everyone had their own secrets.

Rei withdrew her hand and Lily experienced a sense a loss, a trace of guilt remaining under the longing within her heart.

I should be leaving. Ill be waiting for you to return. Will you become my woman when I return?

Lily felt joyous and moved, but she just turned her head aside as she couldnt answer that question.

Uesugi Rei revealed a das.h.i.+ng and carefree smile.

Thats my Lil Lyn, my unpredictable and unfathomable Lil Lyn.

Rei breathed out gently into Lilys ear and whispered, Ill treat that as a silent approval then,2

Goodbye.

As she turned around, a translucent tear dropped from Uesugi Reis eyes under the moonlight.

Never say Goodbye when parting as it sounds too sad

The gigantic Nioh galloped forward with a thunderous momentum!

Uesugi Rei rode into the distance on her steed, leaving behind Lily who stood there and looked at the disappearing back of Reis heroic visage in a daze.

You have to come back safely, Sister Uesugi.

Lily cried, but not because of this parting, but because of her fate which was an entangled mess of contradictions that she couldnt escape from, as well as her weak-willed body and the vortex of perplexing emotions engulfing her.

She couldnt see the person in her heart and also had to part with the person in front of her.

Lily roused her spirit while flinging her hair back and steeled her heart to walk her own path as that was the best hope for both of them!

Lilys heart filled with perplexment and reluctance while she held the bundle of their hair strands, but she kept it safely and descended the hillside.

s.h.i.+u was already waiting at the bottom of the hillside while Airi followed after the deafening Nioh on horseback.

s.h.i.+u held Lilys hand firmly.

She knew she could never replace Uesugi Reis position in Lilys heart, but she didnt feel jealous at all. Although she couldnt obtain her masters love, she could always stay beside her master whenever she felt lonely.

The two walked hand-in-hand towards the dimly lit Tsutsujigasaki Castle that lied in the mountains ahead of them.

At the same time, in Okazaki Castle of Mikawa that was about 240 kilometers away from Kai.

Tokugawa s.h.i.+gemori summoned Mayumi.

The short-heighted yet awe-inspiring old man who resembled a tough piece of iron was currently within the low-key yet sumptuous dimly lit hall of the castle tower, and beside him sat the forlorn black-kimonoed Yukiko, his latest abducted trophy wife who acted attentively, submissively and charmingly in front of him.

Although this behavior filled Mayumis heart with pain, she didnt let her emotions show and acted in accordance with her ident.i.ty, Lord Tokugawa. For what reason have you summoned me so late into the night?

Im going to visit an old friend, Lord Takeda of the Tsutsujigasaki Castle3, along with my wife. You shall accompany us as well, Tokugawa s.h.i.+gemori stated while holding his wife in his callused arm.

Heh. Is that an order I hear, Lord Tokugawa? If you wish to request my help, I shall do so in consideration of the friends.h.i.+p between the Hundred Demons and Mikawa, but arent you mistaken about something? Im not your servant, Mayumi stated.

The expression on s.h.i.+gemoris hardened face remained constant, but popping sounds emerged from his thick knuckles in the next moment, which made Mayumi a bit puzzled.

s.h.i.+gemori continued speaking, The Kai Province is situated in the depths of the mountains and though Im fearless, the journey is pretty long. If I leave my wife behind and if she were to be attacked by a monster while I take care of my business, wouldnt that ruin everything? You also dont wish for that to happen, right, Mid Yumi?

Ugh Yukiko yelped in pain after hitting her limit and her face paled, a layer of cold sweat forming on her forehead. s.h.i.+gemori was actually using his hand to pinch Yukikos frail shoulder!

Yukiko hadnt trained in a long time, so it wasnt possible for her body that wasnt much different from that of an ordinary womans frail body to withstand s.h.i.+gemoris powerful grip.

Mayumis expression also darkened suddenly.

Fine. I shall accompany you to Kai and protect Madam Yukiko well so that no harm befalls her! Mayumi stated apprehensively with her fists clenched tightly.

Only then did s.h.i.+gemori relax his grip and reply in a deep voice, I really appreciate it, Miss Yumi. Haha.

The dim light of the night still dyed the skies.

A long-haired kimono-clad girl holding a black parasol gazed at the Tsutsujigasaki Castle shrouded in black smoke produced by the forges of the castle city from the hillside with a distant look in her eyes.

Lil Sis Lily. I can feel the dark eldritch energy filling this Tsutsujigasaki Castle even from so far away, especially so from the castle tower

Did Lord Kamakura set this up? He actually sent Lil Sis Lily alone to investigate such a dangerous place its really worrying.

But s.h.i.+mizus lovely lips curled up into a smile, Thats fine, too. If you never encounter any danger, Lil Sis Lily, how would I, the das.h.i.+ng and beautiful Sister s.h.i.+mizu of yours, get a chance to make an appearance?

Hehe. I wonder if my little sister will turn emotional when I save her from danger and fall in love with me as a result. Hehehehehehehe.

Youll definitely forgive me at that moment, right? Youll definitely feel that Im the woman who you can truly depend on at all times, unlike that Uesugi Rei who walks her own path.

s.h.i.+mizu resembled a vibrant obsidian flower blooming within the overgrown vegetation of the steep mountains as she followed the only woman of her heart without any regrets from a distance.

Although it was a mystery whether it was pure coincidence, Lily, s.h.i.+mizu, Mayumi, and Tokugawa s.h.i.+gemori, each made for Tsutsujigasaki Castle that lurked within the darkness of the mountains to accomplish their own purposes.

They were by no means someone that Lily could handle easily.

Silva: When did they get so intimate

Robinxen: Words fail me

Silva: Oh snap, what timing