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“Miss Shizuru!?” Mizue pulled Taira no Shizuru into the small house before shutting the door.

Shizuru had suffered injuries in the Yoshitsune Memorial martial competition. Lily had sent her to Mizue for treatment and to escape the punishment of the Taira clan. Only after Taira no Kiyomori had stepped forward to settle things did she return to the Taira clan.

Shizuru had deep gratitude and affection for both Lily and Mizue.

Entering the house, Mizue immediately asked, “Miss Shizuru, you’ve returned? Where’s Lily? Did she return?”

Shizuru shook her head, “Miss Mizue, Miss Shiu, calm down…”

……

“What!?? Sister Lily was besieged at the Honganji temple? Her whereabouts are unknown!?” Hearing this, Shiu was shocked into a daze and collapsed powerlessly…

“That hateful Imperial Court! They actually betrayed Lily!” Mizue was angry and anxious.

“Lily, I can’t imagine what would happen if she was captured by that… that… monster!” Mizue could only cover her face in panic.

“Sister Lily won’t die! And… and she won’t be captured by Shuten!” Shiu insisted, “But, even if so, how can we find sister Lily if we escape the city…”

Shiu had originally planned to search for Lily within the army, after all she knew both the general path and location of the imperial army.

They fell silent.

They couldn’t leave the city, and even if they could… where would they go look for Lily…

“Right, what happened to the other Tsunaga sisters? Where are Kasuga and the others?” Mizue asked.

“I came here because of that. Lily stayed behind to guard the retreat so the Tsunaga sisters were able to escape, only… When they returned to the army they were arrested by the black armored army. They were escorted back to Heian-kyo but they’re being detained in an abandoned temple. They’re not allowed to leave, nor have they been punished, I really don’t know what’s going to happen…”

“Why is this happening? Why has the world become like this? Lord Chief Advisor is under siege and in danger, and many of the Tsunaga sisters are mirror girls, won’t they be persecuted again!?” Mizue worried.

Shizuru was also worried, “It’s very possible… I’m trying to contact the families and clans of the Tsunaga sisters. I’m hoping they’ll be able to rescue them, Mizue, can you help me? The other Tsunaga Sisters in Heian-kyo need to be notified to be very careful, and to see if we can rescue Ijuin and miss Kasuga at the same time. Also, Ashikaga Makoto was arrested too. If we can unite the forces of the Ashikaga clan, maybe there’ll be a way!”

“But, we don’t know where Lily is. With just us, what can we do…” Mizue was at a loss.

“Sister Lily will definitely be fine! Those imprisoned Tsunaga sisters were the last ones with Lily, maybe they’ll know something.” Shiu insisted.

“Miss Lily was unable to contact me after the siege, but we shouldn’t let the Tsunaga sisters she rescued be persecuted by humans! Mizue, Shiu, please help me rescue them?”

“But… with just us, will it really be alright…” Mizue still hesitated.

“The imperial court might not have taken action against the Tairas yet, but if Minamoto no Yoritomo takes control, then my Taira family will have the same ending as the Lord Chief Advisor, and you two are Lily’s sisters. Even if you do nothing, just being trapped in Heian-kyo is extremely dangerous! We can’t sit and do nothing, we must act and unite and oppose the Shogun! When Miss Lily returns, how can she fight against the entire imperial court by herself? We must become her power!”

“When Miss Lily returns…”

“Sister Mizue.” Shiu looked at Mizue, before nodding.

“I understand, let’s try to rescue those sisters and investigate the whereabouts of Lily.”

“Mm!”
“Nn!”

The three held their hands together.

……

It was clearly summer, but in Suno, the extended night had caused the temperature to drop. It was like late autumn with cold winds blowing from the nearby mountains.

Lily was carrying medicine as she walked through the wooden corridor. The strong wind blew past, sending her hair flying in the wind.

She brought the medicine to Tamamo-no-Mae’s room.

“Lady Kimiko, it’s time to take medicine.”

Tamamo-no-Mae was dressed in a flowery long sleeved kimono, the long cloth draped over the floor creating an image of a sickly beauty.

“Thank you.” Tamamo accepted the medicine, “Lily, to think you’re capable on the battlefield and the household… gentle and virtuous, won’t you be my wife?”

“Eh?” Lily’s cheeks flamed, “Lady Kimiko, please don’t joke around, hurry and take your medicine, it is good to rest.”

“This medicine, it’s so bitter…”

“Lady Kimiko, this is made from natural heavenly materials and earthly treasures that you personally prepared, it’s so much more effective than any life recovery magatama. Stop complaining and drink so you can rest earlier.” Lily gently urged.

Tamamo looked at Lily a bit moved, “I, Tamamo-no-Mae, have walked this earth thousands of years, only now do I meet such a gentle and kind you…”

“Lady Kimiko, please don’t say anymore. If it wasn’t to rescue me, Lady Kimiko would not have suffered such wounds.”

Tamamo drank down the medicine before extending a hand, “Lily, help me up, I want to go outside.”

“Huh? Lady Kimiko, you just took the medicine, you shouldn’t go into the wind”

“Ehehe, little Lily, are you really acting as my wife? Taking care of me like this? I’m not a sheltered woman, I’m nowhere near that weak. There are, however, a few things I’m concerned about… help me outside.”

“Oh…”

Lily supported Tamamo to the balcony where they could see the entirety of Suno.

“Lily, these days when I look at the skies… I feel that the skies look strange in the east, where Heian-kyo is… I keep feeling like a tide of darkness is covering that side. I’m very worried, there’s no one in Kiyoszawa, and that raccoon Yuuta hasn’t contacted me in far too long. I feel like something has happened in Heian-kyo, something bad…”

“Lady Kimiko, Lady Ayaka is guarding Heian-kyo, nothing should happen right? If there are any changes, Lady Ayaka should contact us.”

“Lily, do you have a method to contact Fujiwara no Ayaka?”

“Mm.” Lily nodded, “Lady Ayaka gave me a voice transmission orb, only… When I tried to contact her these few days, it felt like I was back in the forests of Tanba and was unable to establish communication. It’s probably the eldritch aura of Tanba blocking the communication.”

“No, Tanba has Shuten’s eldritch aura barrier, but he cannot affect Suno. Lily, why didn’t you tell me early!?”

“Ah? I- I wanted to ask, but I was afraid it would affect Lady Kimiko’s healing…”

“The reason you cannot contact Fujiwara no Ayaka is because like Tanba, this Suno is covered by my barriers, you naturally cannot contact anyone outside! Ahh! This is my fault, to think I was so injured I only thought to ask you now. Lily, looking at the stars, there’s a very real possibility that something big has happened in Heian-kyo! I shall open the barrier and strengthen the voice transmission orb. Hurry and contact Fujiwara no Ayaka.”

“But, Lady Kimiko’s injuries are so serious, if you cast…”

“Such insignificant arcane artes are nothing!”

Tamamo and Lily went to the guest rooms facing the east where Heian-kyo was.

Tamamo opened up the barrier and strengthened the voice transmission orb, and Lily sat in front of the orb, watching silently.

Fuzzy mist started gathering in the inside of the jade bead, the sign of a connection being made. Lily’s breathing quickened as her mood started getting agitated.

Could she finally get in touch with Lady Ayaka now?

Gradually the mists in the bead turned into a clear scene.

It was a scene of grass within the night, it seemed that Ayaka’s voice transmission orb was in the grass.

From time to time, there was some weird light illuminating the grass while the ground shook.

It looked to be somewhere in the corners of the mansion, the view was very low, and it was impossible to see the situation.

“What’s going on? This voice transmission orb is a pair with Lady Ayaka’s. Why is Lady Ayaka’s orb in the grass?” Lily was confused, “Did Lady Ayaka lose the orb? How could that be possible?”

Suddenly, in the orb a pair of legs ran past quickly, as if that person was in a hurry.

Suddenly that person’s voice came, “Is there really no method?”

Another female voice answered, “No, we tried to give Lady Ayaka life recovery magatamas, but it’s no use!”

Suddenly a few scarlet hakamas like the ones mikos wore ran past the orb, but Lily could only pay attention to what had been said, a bad feeling emerging in her heart. “Life recovery magatamas? Why does Lady Ayaka need life recovery magatamas!? Did something happen to Lady Ayaka!?”

Lily grabbed onto the voice transmission orb, causing the image within to distort.

“Lily, calm down, you can’t touch the orb, your spirit energy will affect the array!” Tamamo reminded.

Lily suppressed her reactions and backed away, staring into the orb, but the orb’s display was still, nothing but grass.

“What’s going on? What happened?” Lily’s forehead beaded with sweat as she tightly gripped her skirt.

Suddenly, the image shook as the earth on the other end trembled, and the bead slowly rolled over.

The scene in the bead was slowly revealed.

Under the dark clouds and the night sky, Fujiwara no Ayaka was suspended in mid air wearing a tattered celestial maiden’s divine raiment. Her face was sideways, hair drooping and eyes shut and her expression was one of agony¹.

At this moment, Lily’s heart felt like shattering.

1. Robinxen: At least now Lily knows enough about the situation for things to be organised!