Book 4: Chapter 15: Minos Mirror Girls

The bearded samurai guided Lily out of the main trail and took her into the bamboo woods bereft of any trails, climbing across a tall hill and arriving at the depths of the woods, in which existed a pretty secluded mountain pa.s.s that was shrouded in dense mist all year long. Its surroundings were also quite deserted, which made it even more difficult to find.

We wouldnt have come in this deep into the woods and have discovered this spot if it werent for the jade bamboo shoots that we were looking for, The bearded samurai pointed ahead.

Lily looked at the gentle slope of the mountain pa.s.s deep inside the dense mist and saw a village on it.

The bearded man and Lily approached that village and surveyed it from within the bushes. It was a pretty small village and just had a dozen or so thatched huts built along the hillside of the bamboo woods. However, the entrance to the village was guarded by two black-haired women dressed in faded white clothes. The two women wielded naginatas of rather exquisite craft which had hilts of alternate colors, one red and one white.

It was quite clear that they werent weapons that women living in the wild should have had access to normally.

Lily looked at the bearded man, How do you know that they are from the mirror girl bloodline?

Mino has caught many a clansman from the mirror girl bloodline, so they are forced to live a nomadic life to survive. The clothes they wear are the same as those that were hung publicly and completely different from that of the local clans. We thus concluded that they were the mirror girls mentioned on the notice, and even if they werent, they were suspicious enough to warrant a report. No harm wouldve been done even if we were wrong, and we couldve earned a slight reward, too.

Lily nodded after hearing the answer. The bearded man was just a jobless vagrant samurai and not some evil crook who committed crimes, so Lily didnt want to kill him.

She fetched a gold coin and tossed it over to him, Take it, and never come into these woods ever again. And if you divulge this villages location

The bearded man kneeled on the spot after catching the gold coin, Rest a.s.sured, o G.o.ddess. I swear to the Heavens that Ill take this secret to my grave. This money is more than enough to support me and my family for our whole lives. Im satisfied with this.

Go now!

Thank you, o G.o.ddess! Thank you! The bearded man thanked her repeatedly and turn back to run.

Lily intuitively felt that the bearded man wouldnt divulge the secret, and even if he did, Lily planned to advise the villagers to leave this region once she confirmed that they were really from the mirror girl clan.

Lily was unable to save everyone in this vast alternate Heian, but the reason she was able to survive until today after coming to this world was because of the mirrors blessing, so she felt responsible with regards to the mirror girl clans matters.

Lily approached the village alone.

The two young women guarding the villages entrance patrolled the area occasionally and also looked quite tense.

The garments they wore werent that different from the ones worn by Haihimes branch clan members and held a lot of similarities. There were a lot of mirror girl branch clans and each had their own mirror and mission. Even so, it was hard to come to a conclusion just based on their apparel and required Lily to first confirm whether they were really from the mirror girl bloodline.

Lily thus walked out of the bushes and made for the village directly.

The highly vigilant women guards discovered Lily quite soon and raised their naginatas at the distant Lily.

Halt! Who are you? asked one of the women.

Me? Lily checked the surroundings out as she approached them, I-Im from Kamakura. I meant to go to Omi but got lost and found myself here before I knew it. Can you tell me which way Omi is in if you dont mind?

Omi? The two samurai women looked at each other, We arent sure about that, too. How about you come with us to ask the elders about it?

Indeed, Lily wasnt expecting the mirror girls to treat a stranger that cordially. However, if they were really mirror girls, she knew that they were bound to have their guards up and wouldnt let her leave that easily now that she had been discovered.

Is that fine? You have my grat.i.tude, then.

Lily walked to their front.

The rules of the village dictate that outsiders arent allowed to carry blades inside, said one of the girls.

Since Lily had shown herself, she had changed the katana she wore into Spring Soul.

After all, if the other side were really from the mirror girl clan, there was a chance that they might tense up after recognizing the value and craft of an overly advanced katana.

Lily handed Spring Soul over to the samurai woman and determined that the woman possessed early-stage sword master level strength with her acute perception. The fact that they had someone of such strength acting as the guard meant that this branch clan possessed decent power and had enough strength to protect themselves against the monsters in these woods.

The huts in this village had thatched roofs made from hay and had walls made from white clay with doors and pillars made from yellow bamboo. The huts also possessed a paper lantern each.

The two samurai women guided Lily to the biggest hut on the hillside and Lilys superior hearing allowed her to catch the conversation taking place inside it even from afar.

It was a conversation between two old women.

What should we do now?! A month has pa.s.sed since Lady Akis entry into Gifu, but theres no news yet. Sigh. The clansmen we sent out recently havent returned as well. Maybe even Lady Aki has We cannot let that happen! Whats the point in us living in such a place if something were to happen to Lady Aki? I told her not to go so much, but she didnt listen at all! She had to go since its the mirror girls mission. You shouldnt have warned her, too. We can only wait and pray for her safety now. I hope shes safe and is able to return soon

The two samurai women and Lily arrived at the huts door at this moment.

Whos outside?! shouted one of the old women inside.

A samurai woman wandered into our village while looking for directions, Elder. We brought her to you.

A samurai woman? the voice inside sounded quite vigilant.

The door opened soon after, and two old and grey-haired women dressed in faded white robes were taken aback after seeing the tall, slim and musky Lily standing before the door.

This is How could such a pretty woman exist in this world?!

The two old women welcomed Lily inside.

They felt a sense of natural intimacy after seeing Lily and judged that she wasnt a bad person.

Where do you come from, Miss, and how did you wander into this village deep in the wilderness? asked the old woman dressed in a red-bordered white robe.

h.e.l.lo, grannies, Lily bowed to them cutely, Im Lynne and I come from Kamakura. I was aiming for Omi and lost my way in these woods at night and then ended up wandering into this village somehow. I hope you can point the right direction to me, grannies.

The other old woman, who was dressed in a blue-bordered robe, questioned Lily, I wonder why you are aiming for the distant Omi, young lady from Kamakura. Are you unaware that the path is filled with perils?

You neednt worry, grannies. I have the power to protect myself and am heading to Omi for the sake of training.

Lilys statement raised the two old womens guard even higher, which made Lily notice that the two looked the exact same.

We are the elders of this village, young lady. Im Ayo, the Grand Elder, and she is Aya, the Second Elder. Although you dont look like a bad person to us, we cannot let you leave the village for the time being now that you have found this village despite the fact that we dont wish to interrupt your journey. We can only make a decision once the matriarch returns, explained the elders. W-What do you mean by that? I just came to ask for directions. Why cant let you let me leave?

The two samurai women had blocked the doorway already.

Sigh. Theres no point hiding it from you, young lady. Our clan offended the imperial court and weve been hunted ever since with bounties set for our lives everywhere. Our clan will meet its end if you were to divulge our location after leaving to get the bounty, young lady.

Lily sighed in relief, Rest a.s.sured. I will keep silent about this hidden village. Besides, I dont even recall how I arrived here.

We want to believe you, young lady, but only time tells the true nature of humans. We cannot gamble the lives of our clansmen with the matriarch absent, the Second Elder added.

Wheres this matriarch, then, and when will she return?

Sigh. Shes missing right now and hasnt returned for a whole month, the Grand Elder sighed.

We dont know if shell even be able to return, the Second Elder stated weakly.

Youre really putting me in a hard spot, grannies. I have something to do and cannot waste any time here. Just what crime did you commit that dest.i.tute villagers like you have become the imperial courts target? Lily questioned purposely.

Unfortunately, we cannot tell you that, young lady.

Im unable to leave since you plan to detain me here, so what harm is there in telling me about it? Dont you feel its too unscrupulous to do this?

Well The Grand Elder gazed into Lilys pretty and sincere eyes, Fine. You dont seem like a bad person, too

You mustnt, Sis! You cannot trust this pretty woman just because she looks pure and n.o.ble! I heard that concubine of Gifus castle lord is a pretty woman with stunning looks as well, but shes actually a witch! You couldnt be that witch now, are you?!

Lily got miffed as well, What are you trying to say? I came here seeking directions unsuspectingly, yet you actually detained me. I can understand if you have some hidden troubles, but you detained me without reason and are even doubting that I am a witch now? Let me tell you this. Knowing the directions isnt a huge deal for me. You cannot stop me if I wish to leave!

How dare you! Bind her! the Second Elder commanded.

The two samurai women charged forward to catch Lily, but she sent the two pitiful women out flying with a wave of her sleeves, making them land on the ground outside. However, she limited her strength so they werent injured.

Lily then walked out the door, which prompted the two old women to chase after her while chanting a spell quickly to produce four glowing purple runes that formed two hexes to imprison Lily.

Lily, however, just raised her foot and stomped down with her grade 9 wooden sandal to shatter the hex with a quaking bang.

What?! The two old women were alarmed by the fact that their hex was broken so simply.

A dozen or so guards came rus.h.i.+ng over from the village with weapons at this moment.

Lily formed a storm of sakura petals instantly and send them flying to the ground with a bang.

Hmph! You better not take my courteous att.i.tude as a show of weakness. I just wanted to ask for directions, yet you actually tried to detain me. It looks like you really arent good folks. I didnt intend to report this matter initially, but know this now, Ill definitely report you to the protector of Mino! Try stopping me if you believe that you can do it or just wait to get caught by the troops sent by Minos protector! Lily stated icily.

Lily strutted away with a wave of her sleeves and anyone who tried to approach her got blown away by the storm of sakura petals, none managing to confront her.

The two old women panicked after realizing how powerful Lily was and concluded that their only choice was to plead her if force didnt work.

The elders ran to Lilys front and kowtowed to her, We were in the wrong, young lady! We were blinded by our age and failed to recognize you were such an expert! Please dont report us, we beg you! We arent bad people, really!

Lily stopped purposely and stood with her arms akimbo, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s bouncing in the process as she directed her gaze at them, You arent bad people, you say? Who are you, then?

The elders were forced to tell the truth now.

We are a mirror girl branch clan who fled from Kansai decades ago and then went into hiding in these woods, young lady, the Grand Elders withered lips quivered as she answered Lily weakly1.

Robinxen: These mirror girl clans are starting to feel very unrare for such a persecuted population.