Leave a comment

Tamamo-no-Mae led Lily and Rei out of the stone gate.

Once out, they could hear a woman’s cries. Looking towards the sounds, Lily found a young woman hidden in a stone crevice, only that the two raccoons had disappeared.

“Wahhh, what happened? I thought the mountain was collapsing, and your two shikigami died to protect me…”

When Lily rushed into the great hall, she had ordered the two raccoons to take the lady away to hide and protect her. Due to the ruckus, no other demons could pay attention to them.

“That…don’t worry, they’re fine. I said I’d take you away from this place, follow us.”
“Really? I…I can escape this place? Really…lord father, I can see you again…sobs.”

The woman followed the group crying. Tamamo led from the front, and any foolish demons blocking the road were instantly killed.

On this path, Tamamo no longer used any charm but directly burned all opposition with fox fire.

There wasn’t much opposition as they left the mountain.

Tamamo walked to the cliff, the cliff where Lily had fought the demon enforcers and fiendish kings, and waved a hand. With a poof of smoke, a two to three meter long red carpet appeared, on that carpet was an old orange toad with black markings, it was holding a dimly shining lantern.

“Get on.” Tamamo stepped onto the carpet.

“Lily…” Rei seemed to want to say something, but she tilted and fell over before another word. Lily immediately supported her and laid Rei down on the carpet. Rei’s face was white and her expression was calm and very unlike the fiery samurai Lily knew…Lily’s heart hurt at the thought of what tortures Rei had gone through.

The last woman also stepped onto the carpet and sat down.

The toad croaked a few times and demon clouds rolled underneath the carpet, carrying them all into the skies.

“Ah——!” The woman screamed in shock, though she was at the spirit jade realm, it was nothing but forcible improvements through magatama absorption, this woman didn’t even know the most basic of martial arts.

This was Lily’s first time riding a flying arcane treasure, it was completely different from riding a bird, it seemed to be both illusionary yet real. She couldn’t help but look behind her at the gloomy and majestic Mount Ooe and feel ruefully.

“I went in there with the determination to die…I didn’t think I’d really escape…”

Lily turned towards Tamamo and knelt down, “Lady Kimiko, thank you for the rescue.”

Tamamo looked at her and smiled “Little Lily, no matter what danger you encounter, I will always come rescue you.”

“Lady Kimiko…”

Tamamo’s face was pale white, and she suddenly fell to her knees and coughed out mouthfuls of blood.

“Lady Kimiko!??” Lily was shocked and rushed to help.

“Lily…” Tamamo gasped out, “The power of that ancient formation was destructive, I suffered serious injuries…I need to return to Suno…”

“Nn! Then I will accompany you to Suno. If anything is needed, just tell me.”

Lady Kimiko had been injured to rescue her, how could she not care.

Tamamo pulled out a white handkerchief to wipe off the blood, her voice was unprecedentedly weak, “Anything I need…just let me borrow your lap.”

“Eh?”

Lily had not thought of this request, but they were all women so it didn’t matter. Just sit upright and let lady Tamamo lean on her thighs.

“Little Lily really has a mesmerizing feminine scent…”
“Lady Kimiko, please rest, and don’t say something so irrelevant…” Lily’s cheeks flamed.
“Heheh…” The rescued woman covered her face giggling.
Lily looked over, “Right, I haven’t had the time to ask, but what is your name?”
“My name is Rin, Ikeda Rin, daughter of Ikeda Nakano…”

As the woman talked about her past, she burst into tears. As a young girl, she had been captured by Shuten Doji, taken to Mount Ooe and humiliated and tortured. Shuten had thought her beautiful and her identity noble, so instead of eating her, he had forced her to absorb magatamas so she would be able to endure more of his tortures. After torturing her, he would heal her for more torture, over and over, it was a nightmare.

Lily wondered for a moment, Ikeda Nakano…where had she heard that name?

Right, the first time she had encountered Shuten, when he had fought against Sugawara no Michizane, this name had been mentioned!

“Madam Rin, I think I remember you mentioning Sugawara no Michizane, do you know him?”

“Mm, Sugawara no Michizane is my father’s friend, he often comes to my house to discuss government affairs and calligraphy with father.” Rin’s face flushed as she spoke.

Lily wondered if Ikeda Rin had a secret crush on Sugara no Michizane?

“Lord Michizane, is the foremost scholar…he is most admirable…”

“Ah? Scholar?” Lily was taken aback, she had an idea but hesitated to speak it, but Tamamo spoke up first.

“The scholar you speak of, is now one of the four great vengeful spirits of this world.”

“What!??” Rin’s face was full of surprise before slowly turning gloomy and lost, “Is that so…I have been imprisoned for so long, I have no idea how many years have passed… Lord Michizane…”

Ikeda Rin suddenly remembered something, “Madam fox demon, do…do you know anything about my father? How is he doing?”

“Madam Rin, you are being impolite. You should address her as Lady.” Lily scolded.

“Don’t mind it.” Tamamo said before turning to Rin, “If your father is the Ikeda Nakano I’m thinking of, then he died many years ago. I have lived too long so I don’t remember too clearly, but I heard that he died of depression because you were kidnapped and he was unable to save you…”

“What…how could this be? Father, lord father… sobs.” Ikeda Rin started sobbing uncontrollably.

Suddenly, the carpet lurched throwing them all off balance, Lily quickly grabbed onto Rei while Rin grabbed onto the edge of the carpet, but the toad cried out strangely before falling.

“What happened!?” Lily cried out.

The carpet had barely regained stability and was constantly shaking as if flying was very costly.

Tamamo spoke up weakly, “I’m afraid…I can no longer support the Yomatsuri to fly…¹”

1. Robinxen: Crashing in the forest arc?! What is this, Gundam SEED?