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Osaifu was surrounded on all sides by mountains, beyond which stretched vast, untamed primeval forests. The entire city itself had been constructed from timber.

From the mountains, Lily and the others gazed down into the city. Under the veil of night, scattered lights flickered across its expanse, while the faint rhythm of drums and music drifted up through the air.

“It doesn’t seem nearly as dangerous as that vagrant claimed,” said Rei.

“The real issue isn’t whether the lord of this city is some god or whether demons are causing havoc,” Lily replied, her expression grave. “What matters is whether they truly possess power beyond the Big Dipper Stage, and where such power came from.”

“The five of us traveling together like this would draw too much attention. We should split into groups and infiltrate separately. Even if our opponents have reached the Celestial or Infernal Stage, killing them wouldn’t be difficult. For now, we should focus on gathering information first,” said Ayaka.

The five sisters exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement.

“This time, I’ll be in a group with Lily,” said Ayaka without the slightest hesitation.

Rei and Nanako said nothing, but Shimizu asked, “Why?”

“No matter what has happened in this city, it is still a city of the Fujiwara Clan. I’m more familiar with the situation on that side.” With Ayaka putting it that way, it was difficult for anyone to object. In any case, this did not seem like a particularly dangerous matter, so the sisters followed her arrangement.

Thus, they split into two groups: Lily and Ayaka, and the other three.

Lily and Ayaka set out first, arriving at this city which, compared to those of the Heian Dynasty, carried a distinctly primitive and rustic tropical atmosphere.

“The guards seem to be soldiers of the Fujiwara Clan,” Ayaka said with a hint of puzzlement. At the city gate, the people passing through were mostly ordinary civilians and merchants, along with a few weak-looking monsters.

“It looks… fairly normal.”
“Don’t be deceived by appearances,” Ayaka warned.

The two of them blended into the incoming crowd and entered Osaifu openly, without obstruction.

“Where do you two young ladies come from?” a gate guard, a foot soldier, asked. Lily noticed that his armor was mostly woven from rattan.

“We came here from the Heian Dynasty mainland,” Lily replied calmly.

Even without mentioning Ayaka, Lily alone stood taller than the guard. Their figures, appearance, and attire captivated him completely, yet unlike the demons and Kegaretsu Clan members Lily was used to, he did not immediately attempt to tease or harass them.

“Do you have any relatives or acquaintances here to rely on?”

“No,” Ayaka answered, naturally unwilling to reveal their identities so soon.

“You are not locals, and you have no acquaintances here. However, by order of the city lord, refugees from outside are welcome. Please go over there to the magistrate’s office to register and receive a reward. The magistrate will arrange work and lodging for you,” the soldier said, pointing toward a large wooden building with a broad roof beside the dirt road near the gate.

“Ah…” Lily nodded, somewhat blankly.

‘What’s going on?’ The soldier’s conduct was so normal, so dutiful, that it left Lily at a loss. Strangely enough, this city appeared even more orderly than those of the Heian Dynasty. It was nothing like a hell overrun by demons committing every imaginable evil.

Yet deep in Lily’s heart, a sense of unease lingered. This city was too normal. There was no reason for Hidé to deceive her. Thus, Lily and Ayaka made their way to the magistrate’s office within the city.

Inside, aside from a green-skinned frogman in traditional attire keeping accounts, there were no other monster; the rest were all human workers. Lily had heard Shimizu mention such frogmen before. They were native monsters of the jungles of Tsukushi Island, not outsiders.

The magistrate himself appeared to be an entirely ordinary middle-aged man. When he saw Lily and Ayaka, his reaction was just as normal. A lustful gleam flickered in his eyes, clearly harboring improper thoughts toward the two beauties, yet it remained nothing more than a passing fancy, with no inappropriate actions.

Just like the soldier, his reaction was that of an ordinary man. Lily could sense that they were not being controlled.

How strange. The entire world had descended into catastrophe and darkness, yet here stood a city filled with ordinary people. This felt even more unsettling to Lily than a city teeming with demons.

The magistrate, taking in their figures and beauty, rose and asked, “You two young ladies must have come from a prominent family, I presume?”

“You flatter us, sir. We have drifted here all the way from Heian-kyo. With no one to rely on and little money left, we can only ask for your help in finding a way to survive,” Lily said, feigning a trace of sorrow.

Since everything here appeared so normal, Lily decided to proceed in the most natural manner possible. Perhaps only in doing so could she uncover what secret this city truly held.

The magistrate’s eyes lit up. “With such looks and bearing, I have never seen the like. Truly worthy of women from the capital. May I ask what skills you possess?”

“We can do needlework, and we can dance,” Lily replied.

“Oh! That is excellent. With your temperament and beauty, doing manual work would be a waste, and it wouldn’t earn much either. The lord’s residence is currently recruiting female dancers. With your qualities, you would surely become the finest dancers here!” The magistrate, his tropical-dark skin gleaming, flashed a bright, toothy smile.

Too normal. It was almost more than Lily could bear.

Thus, the magistrate personally escorted Lily and Ayaka toward the inner city.

Along the way, they passed through the main avenue in front of the city. The marketplace there was fairly lively, selling mostly Tsukushi Island specialties and tropical fruits. The people seemed even more at ease and content than those in Heian-kyo.

Within the inner city walls, the castle tower could be seen rising ahead. It was not particularly grand, and like everything else, it was built entirely of wood.

Following the magistrate’s recommendation, Lily and Ayaka were led by a frogman dressed in a yukata into the inner city.

They crossed a series of elevated bamboo and wooden corridors suspended above the primeval forest. Looking down, they saw a vast, mist-shrouded swamp. Though eldritch energy lingered there, it appeared to be a natural habitat for monsters rather than anything unusual.

They arrived at a low-lying area by the swamp, where a lone wooden house stood.

“This is the theatre, responsible for managing the dancers,” the frogman explained as he led them inside. The interior was dim, stifling, and damp.

“I heard there are new female dancers?” An elderly woman approached. “I am Ami, in charge of the women of the inner city. Judging by your looks and bearing, you must be young ladies from the capital.”

“Matron, that is all in the past. We have fled here only to seek a way to live,” Lily said with a slight bow.

The place was unbearably humid, the air thick with moisture. Sweat dampened Lily’s body, making her long for a place to bathe.

“Oh my, look at this waist, these legs, this figure…” The old woman circled Lily and Ayaka, smacking her shriveled lips as a matchmaker’s gleam shone in her eyes. “Such youthful and beautiful women! From the way you stand and carry yourselves, there’s no need to test your dancing. You must be well-versed in it. The lord will be holding a banquet shortly. Change your clothes and go dance for him at once.”

“Huh? Right away…?” A trace of reluctance stirred within Lily’s heart.