| Author: Carrot Sauce | Original Source: SFACG | Word Count: 3023 characters |
| Translator: Keissen | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 1723 words |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | ||
“Wait, I’m afraid this is inappropriate,” the slave trader said. “Are you suggesting this girl isn’t a woman? This must be a joke that no one in Yomi-no-kuni could concoct. Why the unnecessary step?”
The slave trader could clearly see that the female captain had ulterior motives. The female queendom was composed entirely of women, and those with little power would naturally seize the opportunity to harass any beautiful women they encountered.
It would be different if they were typical slaves. However, the trader had spent a massive sum purchasing this slave and had carefully not touched her along the way to ensure a high price. How could she let the city guard captain claim her prize?
The captain persisted, even sniffing the front of Lily’s thigh. “You do smell like a woman. But with all the bad things happening in the city lately, what if she’s a spy? She must be thoroughly inspected. Otherwise, you can’t enter the city.”
“She’s just a slave. How can she be a spy?”
“That’s hard to tell! Come, drag her off the horse. We’ll examine her inside,” the female captain ordered.
“No! If you want to search her, do it right here. She’s my valuable commodity. What if you damage her? You couldn’t afford the compensation even if you worked a lifetime!” The slave trader unsheathed her weapon and stood protectively in front.
“What? You dare to defy the military’s orders?” The female captain unsheathed her long sword as several guards aimed their spears and bows at the slave trader.
Anyone capable of doing business in Yomi was naturally tough. Many of her underlings, wearing skull masks, also unsheathed their blades.
The scene tensed up for a moment.
“Stop!” a grim but mature female voice called out.
Everyone then saw a woman rapidly approaching on a dark blue horse. She wore white and blue robes with tassels running down her shoulders, her blue hair loose with braids, and a white bandana on her forehead. A group of armored female riders followed her.
“Commander Chiya!” the guard captain exclaimed, shocked.
Chiya Kasumi, dressed like a swordswoman, instantly dismounted and approached the spectral horse. She looked up at Lily but didn’t spare a glance for Hyozuhi, who was behind her.
Everyone stepped back slightly when she arrived. Even the slave trader fell silent.
Chiya suddenly reached out, grabbed Lily’s shoulder, and lifted her off the horse. She instantly cradled her in a princess hug.
For a moment, Lily felt dizzy and became dazed.
Despite wearing loose clothing, Chiya’s chest was incredibly soft, contrasting sharply with her domineering and distant demeanor.
Chiya’s face was quite close to Lily’s hair. She seemed a bit mesmerized, though she didn’t show it1. Holding Lily, she stared at the female captain determinedly. “I think you are blinded by lust! How can such a wondrous beauty not be a woman? If she isn’t, then the kingdom should redefine what it considers a woman! You must be ******* after her because of her looks and wanted to harass her under the pretext of an inspection. As an armed official of the city, do you recognize your fault?”
The captain turned pale with shock and fell to her knees. “Spare me, Commander! I… I… It’s just that she’s too beautiful. I’ve been guarding this place for a thousand years and haven’t started a family. I temporarily lost control and nearly made a grave mistake. Please forgive me, Commander! I… I’ll never do it again!” She sobbed, “It’s just too lonely guarding the city. We see so much happening every day, yet we can only watch from the walls.” As she spoke, tears started streaming down her face, and soon, the other guards were also tearing up.
“Enough. This girl is indeed charming, as though she were born to steal your soul. It’s not entirely your fault. I’ll let it go this time, but do not repeat this mistake in the future, or I’ll not spare you!” Chiya said sternly.
“Yes, Commander!” All the guards responded, kneeling.
Chiya subconsciously grabbed Lily’s slender waist again and effortlessly lifted her onto her blue horse while embracing her. “We enter the city!”
“Yes, Commander!” The female riders behind her echoed.
“Thank you, Commander Chiya, but…” As she watched Chiya naturally prepare to take Lily into the city, the slave trader felt grateful but also uneasy. “Commander, I bought her as a slave and planned to sell her in the city. Where are you taking her?”
Chiya glared at the slave trader in the beast skull mask. “Isn’t it obvious? Do you think I’m unaware of your profession? Don’t waste words. I’m buying her2. How much? Tell me!”
“What? Well…” The slave trader had initially planned to sell Lily at an auction inside the city to fetch a high price before Chiya intervened. Known as a dangerous figure and the strongest commander in the Female Queendom, Chiya was feared even by the region’s powerful warlords. Not only was she incredibly strong, but her temper was also formidable. Even the queen herself had to tolerate her antics. Despite having many connections and skills, the slave trader knew better than to confront Chiya directly.
“What? Afraid I can’t afford it? I know what you’re thinking—you want to auction her off. But let me tell you, I really want her. Even if you put her in an auction, no one would dare to compete with me.”
Initially, Lily was thankful to Chiya for helping her. However, being placed into her embrace without consent and hearing her plan to buy her brought on feelings of humiliation. Did she deserve to have no control over her own body?
Chiya didn’t concern herself with what Lily was thinking. She immediately pulled a pouch from her waist and tossed it to the trader.
“There are five thousand Blood Spirit Magatama in there. Is that enough?” Chiya asked grimly. If not for Lily, she wouldn’t have even conversed with a slave trader.
“Five… five thousand?” The slave trader’s legs went limp, and she dropped to her knees. Opening the pouch with trembling hands, she was frozen in shock. It was the first time she’d seen so much cash in her years as a slave trader.
“Enough! Enough! Enough! It’s definitely enough!” The slave trader exclaimed, kowtowing with the pouch in her hand. “That girl is this girl’s servant. I’ll give her to you as well, Lord Chiya. We will send them to your residence.”
It was five thousand Blood Spirit Magatama! Just by escorting her for a couple of days, she had earned an obscene profit. The trader understood that very few could spend so much cash at once—aside from Chiya, only the Queen and the Chancellor could afford such an amount. She wouldn’t have made that much at the auction; no matter how beautiful Lily was, no one would spend that much.
“No need. She is mine, so I’ll take her myself. I’ll take that other woman too,” Chiya declared, no longer wanting to waste her breath with the slave trader. She rode into the city with Lily in her arms. Another female rider took Hyozuhi up on her horse, with Hyozuhi sitting in front as they entered the city.
Hyozuhi was a beautiful girl, and the female rider behind her also seemed pleased.
The slave trader remained on her knees for a long time, watching as the group entered the city, before she stood up.
This was because her legs were limp.
“Ladyboss, should we enter the city and sell the rest of the goods?”
“Sell? Why don’t you sell yourself? Gift them all to the sisters guarding the gate! We’ll enter the city, buy property to settle down in the kingdom, and start training properly with the new training manuals and treasures. We are retiring from now on!” the slave trader declared.
“Boss… Yes!”
All her servants started cheering. This was a dangerous job, and as women, none of them wanted to victimize other women; they were simply forced into this job. Moreover, all female experts in Yomi desired to settle down in the Female Queendom, where they were protected and wouldn’t face the dangers that other women encountered.
Unfortunately, property in the Female Queendom was incredibly expensive, not to mention the exorbitant rent that was unaffordable for most. Given that many residents had lifespans spanning thousands of years, land was limited, causing its value to continually rise.
If they could settle down in the kingdom and train, who would want to remain a slave trader? Despite being ordinary-looking women, they wore ugly masks to avoid harassment by demons. Additionally, it was rumored that the Female Queendom allowed women to bear children and continue their lineage exclusively with female offspring, eliminating the need for men.
By this point, Lily had already entered the Female Queendom, cradled in Chiya’s arms.
Although this place was typically dim, it was dotted with lights and glowing crystals. The buildings were ancient yet clean and ornate. The streets were incredibly crowded with all kinds of people: female experts, Blade Maidens, and female demons, all here to explore, loiter, or conduct business. The atmosphere was beautiful and lively.
Lily also couldn’t help but peek while in Chiya’s arms. She had never seen such a lively scene, even back in Heian-kyo. Furthermore, she felt relaxed, seeing that everyone around her was a woman.
However, Lily soon realized that most people on the street were fixated on her.
“Chiya… Commander… Thank you for your help, Commander. But please, put me down. It might be inappropriate, especially in public,” Lily said while in Chiya’s arms.
“Helping you? Young sister, you might have misunderstood. I bought you. Do you know how much I spent to purchase you? You look so exquisite. How could I let you go? I’m going to bring you straight to my home just like this.”
“Huh?” Lily wanted to tell Chiya that she wasn’t a slave but couldn’t find the right excuse. After all, she couldn’t just admit that she had snuck in, especially not in public.
Still, the gazes she received on the street were truly embarrassing. Hence, she simply closed her eyes and clung to Chiya’s clothes, remaining in her arms. Out of sight, out of mind.
Chiya carried Lily across the street with her entourage before reaching her residence.
