Book 4: Chapter 27: Lake Biwa

A pretty layer of snow had long covered Gifu by now.

However, the eldritch aura inside its castle tower was heavier than ever at this moment.

Momiji sat in the city lords seat and gazed at the vast snow-capped vista ahead of her from the towers front-facing terrace.

A commotion echoed across the stairs a few moments later, which was then followed by the aggressive invasion of a samurai group.

The one leading them was a full-bearded 30-year-old or so man who was almost 1.9 m tall. He wielded a tachi in one hand and pointed it at Momiji before asking Momiji a question, Momiji! Theres a lot of suspicious circ.u.mstances regarding my fathers death under the mirror girls hands, and I shouldve been the one to succeed the position of Minos protector! Ill never allow a witch like you to rebel and rob the land protected by my Ouchi clan for generations!

This man was none other than Ouchi Koreyos.h.i.+s son, Ouchi Yos.h.i.+tatsu.

Momiji, however, showed no fear towards the group of armored samurai who were pressing closer to her with katanas in hand and continued drinking the tea in a casual manner.

This indifferent att.i.tude of hers, on the other hand, left the samurai at a loss momentarily.

Sigh. It seems like youve misunderstood me, Lord Yos.h.i.+tatsu. I never intended to take over Mino. As Lord Koreyos.h.i.+ is dead, all of Mino, be it whether the land, city, people, army or the wealth, is naturally yours to take. Theres no need to claim that I intend to rob them Momiji stood up and walked to Ouchi Yos.h.i.+tatsus side enchantingly before pulling his muscular arm and pressing her soft body against it while tiptoeing, I, too, am yours. Why would I wish to rob the land and wealth that belongs to you?

What? The full-bearded Yos.h.i.+tatsus body quivered in response to Momijis actions and her breath as well as her touch really made him feel weak all over1.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu continued traveling forward according to the map after resting in the thatched hut for a night. As they had pa.s.sed through a lot of trails, it also seemed that their pursuers had failed in catching up to them.

However, Lily was unaware that a battle for the right of inheritance had occurred in Mino, which made Momiji disinclined to pursue Lily and stop sending more pursuers since that night.

The weather was clear on this snowy day, so Lily summoned Yuki-Onna outside. Nanako also wanted to have some fun outside, but Kagura forced her to continue with her training2.

So, this is Yuki-Onna It was s.h.i.+mizus first time seeing this s.h.i.+kigami from the legends. Although Yuki-Onna wasnt that strong a monster, she was actually quite famous.

Who are you and whats your relations.h.i.+p with my Lily? Yuki-Onna questioned intently. Lily had actually told her that she had been traveling with s.h.i.+mizu for the past few days.

Whats our relations.h.i.+p? s.h.i.+mizu chuckled devilishly. She hugged Lilys arm and reached out to Lilys belly before patting it gently, Youll have to ask that question to the baby inside Lilys belly

Huh? What do you mean?! An intense snowstorm manifested around Yuki-Onna, L-Lily! Youre already in such a relations.h.i.+p with this woman?! How dare you go back on our promise, you adulterous woman!

Lily blushed hard, W-Were not in such a relations.h.i.+p! She didnt mean that kind of baby!

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu had engaged in intimate contact in the past because Lily had hidden the ancient mirror in front of her underbelly. However, s.h.i.+mizu had given a vague answer purposely to make Yuki-Onna misunderstand their relations.h.i.+p3.

Nighttime, inside Gifus castle tower.

The 1.9 m tall Ouchi Yos.h.i.+tatsu sat on the castle lords seat, feeling pleased after obtaining what he wanted.

Lily had killed the Mino Triumvirate and caused Minos strength to diminish greatly. However

Momiji still sat in the same position she held previously, which was the seat beside the current castle lord.

The retainers were all seated on either side of the duo.

Should we pursue the mirror girl? Yos.h.i.+tatsu asked.

You dont need to do that. The two of them mustve fled a long distance by now since they are both transcendent samurai women, Momiji added, We almost caught the mirror girl and even made her drink the spring sake. However, weve also suffered huge losses as Lord Koreyos.h.i.+ and the Mino Triumvirate lost their lives to the mirror girls hands resultantly. Weve done our best.

But how can I just give up on avenging my father?! Yos.h.i.+tatsu thundered.

Milord, the mirror girl will probably be out of Mino soon, so its impossible for us to pursue her even if we want to. The mirror girl had raised a commotion in Mino and also caused chaos in Owari, so I suggest that we might as well annex Owari! After all, s.h.i.+ba Yos.h.i.+s.h.i.+ge is a weak and incompetent man. As for vengeance, it wouldnt take that much effort to achieve it and deal with a single samurai woman once youve ama.s.sed enough strength to become an overlord of this generation, one of the retainers suggested.

s.h.i.+ba Yos.h.i.+s.h.i.+ge, huh? Ive long had thoughts of going to Owari in the south. Youve suggested a nice idea! Momiji, my dear, what do you think about it?4

Momiji answered shyly, Lord Yos.h.i.+tatsu, it isnt just you who wants to kill the mirror girl in this world. Theres someone waiting for the mirror girls arrival in Omi with the same purpose from what I know and hes a powerful swordsman from Kansais Annihilation Dojo!

Annihilation Dojo? Yos.h.i.+tatsus lips twitched, The same dojo that trains their disciples with real blades from childhood?

Indeed. If you arent that fixated on obtaining vengeance personally, you might as well let this swordsman from the Annihilation Dojo achieve the feat of killing the mirror girl. You should focus on seizing this golden chance given by the Heavens and expand your power, isnt that so?

It is as you say, my dear wife! You really live up to your fame as a n.o.ble woman with beauty and wisdom, Momiji! I can become the overlord of this generation with you a.s.sisting me! Hahahahaha!

In this way, Mino had begun plotting to annex Owari secretly and renounced their pursuit of Lily5. As for the news about Lily killing Viper and the Mino Triumvirate, it had also soon reached Kamakura and the other lands.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu traveled west through the snow-capped woods and then turned south.

After traveling for a whole week, they had finally reached a land where there was no snow. As the sun came out, the weather also began to warm up.

Although Omi didnt have a favorable climate throughout the year, it was still much warmer than Mino.

Omi belonged to the eastern mountain region and this region was to the easternmost side of the Endless Demon Mountains. As such, Omi wasnt actually a part of the Kanto region and wasnt under Lord Kamakuras control.

However, Omi was also pretty far from Kansai. Although it had a pleasant environment and had lush aquatic vegetation, it was a desolate land that even the imperial court had abandoned, causing it to almost become an ownerless land.

It was blessed with the seasons of summer and winter and even the spring season, which arrived a little early in this region. The woods were thus quite warm and sunny on this day.

Although the trees in these woods werent as tall and broad as the ones in the East, they were vivacious and pretty in shape.

Sister s.h.i.+mizu, dont you feel its pretty hot today?

Lilys body sweated quite easily and also oozed warmth, so she was quite sensitive to the warm weather.

Although its hot, it isnt that hot. How about changing into a minidress if you hate the heat? s.h.i.+mizu suggested.

Its not that bad. Im just saying that its hotter than two days ago

A bright light arrived from the woods ahead at this moment.

W-What is that light, Sis? Lily asked.

s.h.i.+mizu also felt puzzled and wondered why there was golden light coming from the middle of the woods.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu continued walking forward as a refres.h.i.+ng breeze carrying the scent of aquatic plants blew towards them, giving them a pleasant sensation.

The duo sprinted forward enthusiastically while holding hands and actually found themselves outside of the woods.

Cras.h.!.+

Lily felt like she heard the sounds of cras.h.i.+ng waves.

After a momentary blindness caused by the overly bright light, the source of the golden light had finally reflected within Lilys eyes.

It was a vast lake that spanned across the horizon and was as boundless as the ocean. It was diffused with the golden sunlight and seemed to glow in a golden color when seen from the dim woods.

The refres.h.i.+ng lake wind blew back Lily and s.h.i.+mizus hair and also filled Lily with delight as it pervaded her body through her cleavage.

I-Is this an ocean or a lake? Lake Biwa6, the largest lake in the Heian Empire, and also the prettiest one, s.h.i.+mizu stated.

The link between water and girls was an indisputable one and they felt a natural intimacy with it whenever they saw it.

The azure lake glistened with golden light and was surrounded by lush green woods and sky-dyed mountains.

The clouds in the skies were like cotton flowers in bloom while the shallow waters at the lakeside were full of aquatic plant life and cluttered limestones.

Flocks of white and black aquatic birds glided across the lakeside from time to time as well.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu remained silent and walked into this picturesque vista while holding hands.

Lake Biwa was like a piece of jade in these dark times of the Heian period, and a gem of a mirror.

The moment the duo arrived at the lake, it was like two pretty fairies descended into the picturesque vista and though there was no reason for it, their presence added a new vivaciousness to the vista.

Lily finally understood what it meant to be inside a picturesque vista.

The water and sky were the same color and blended at the blue horizon.

Presented with such a vista, Lily and s.h.i.+mizu faced each other and felt an unspoken desire to meld even more intimately with the water of this heavenly lake.

The two slim and elegant girls arrived on a boulder beside the reeds and locked eyes with each other.

Lets do it for each other

Mhm, s.h.i.+mizu mummed, and Lily nodded in response.

The two of them approached each other and stood side-by-side.

They then untied the bow at the back of each others kimono and pulled it in the opposite direction.

This counterforce caused the duo to spin, and the pretty sashes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with the pleasant scent of girls descended down like rainbows.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu now had their backs against each other with their sashes stripped and their kimonos slipped down their shoulders at almost the same time, revealing their skin outside.

They were naturally still clad in breast binders and underwear, both of which were white in color.

The duo possessed stunning bodies and looked spectacular from behind, Lily blessed with a willower elegance, and s.h.i.+mizu blessed with a slimmer softness.

The duo descended down the boulder as if they were performing a ritual to meld with the world and stepped into the lake water with their bare feet and the rippling water soothed them.

Although Lily was pretty tall, she actually had quaint little feet that were hand-sized. As for s.h.i.+mizu, there was no need to even say anything.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu walked deeper into the lake and felt the lake water cleanse their bodies.

The duo undid their breast binders silently once their b.r.e.a.s.t.s had submerged below the lake water and cleansed their bodies with the water, using it just like a towel, which wasnt that much of an issue as it was all water.

Lily took out a small wooden box at this moment, Sister s.h.i.+mizu. This box contains the bath lotion that I found in the dressing room of the mirror s.p.a.ce and its much better than the fruit-based lotion we bought in Kamakura. It feels much nicer to take a bath if you apply it on the body and the hair.

Thank you, lil sis. Lets apply it to each other, okay?

H-Huh? Theres no need for that, Lily blushed.

The duo thus turned around and applied the lotion on themselves.

The duo washed their hair diligently after was.h.i.+ng their bodies and swam soothingly in the lake water for a long time after tossing their breast binders back to the lakesh.o.r.e.

Lily felt like her body was melding with the world and felt her understanding of the world deepen a little because of the incredibly beautiful vista before her eyes.

The skies darkened gradually, and dense clouds covered the setting sun.

Caw! Caw!

A strange bird call arrived from the depths of the lakesh.o.r.e and from its cries, it was clear that the bird was quite gigantic.

A cold and eldritch wind surged towards the lake from all sides as night descended.

However, Lily and s.h.i.+mizu were in no state to battle right now.

Lets return to the sh.o.r.e, Sister s.h.i.+mizu. Mhm.

The duo went ash.o.r.e, and Lily s.h.i.+elded her b.r.e.a.s.t.s intently as they did so, after which she turned around and donned a clean set of purple-pink yukata.

Take this yukata, Sister s.h.i.+mizu, Lily handed s.h.i.+mizu a dark-blue yukata from the mirror s.p.a.ce with her back still turned against s.h.i.+muzu.

Silva: And thats how she gained a new puppet.

Silva: Poor Nanako. Robinxen: Honestly, I forgot she existed.

Robinxen: SLY. I approve.

Robinxen: Oh G.o.d this guy has outsourced his braincells to a woman.

Robinxen: I wonder if shes doing this because she wants to keep Lily, or if she really doesnt care too much about it and more about power.

Robinxen: What a coincidence.