Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 34 – Thousand years of Suppression
Kaguya was no longer the tiny infant born from the bamboo, silently bringing joy and blessings to the old man. Back then, she often gazed up at the moon. Only after being taken back to the Moon Palace did she realize that she originated from the heavens.
The queen could no longer remember how long ago that was.
Kaguya, glowing under the moonlight, was once the most beautiful and kind woman of her generation. The emperor, middle counselor, and all other men who courted her were wisely yet ruthlessly rejected. Kaguya was both rebellious and innately kind…
She didn’t know why she rejected those men. Not only were they the most elite of their generation, but they were also kind and sincere to her. Kaguya seemed naturally insensitive to such emotional matters.
Until she grew up, returned to Takamagahara, and met that person in the Lunar Palace.
At that time, she was only a minor spellcaster, without even a divine status. That person, however, was the supreme, divine, and pure G.o.ddess of the night. But somehow, without reason or warning, Kaguya fell in love with the G.o.ddess at first sight.
But the G.o.ddess she secretly loved was the ruler of the night, the Celestial War G.o.ddess of Takamagahara, the dream lover of ten thousand celestial maidens, and the arbiter that made Yomi tremble.
Kaguya didn’t even have the qualifications to approach or speak to her.
So Kaguya trained hard, year after year, in that lonely Lunar Palace. Her battle talent was not as high as the Bishamonten sisters, but she worked diligently, lonely and infatuated, yet not crazed. She trained endlessly, like a constant gurgling stream, practicing without ceasing. As Kaguya’s combat strength improved, her artes advanced by leaps and bounds. Her infatuated heart made her extra sharp, able to see through the world. She felt she could understand the loneliness of the G.o.ddess Tsukuyomi no Mikoto.
She believed Tsukuyomi was just as lonely as she was. Dreaming of her G.o.ddess every night was her source of motivation to train endlessly.
One day, Kaguya achieved great mastery of her spirit energy and artes, becoming one of the revered celestial G.o.ddesses of Takamagahara. Although she was still far from Tsukuyomi’s level, she now had the qualifications to be noticed, valued, and to work for her.
Just as Kaguya was overjoyed yet hesitant to reveal her feelings to Tsukuyomi, she discovered that the moon G.o.ddess already had a lover. They were a perfect pair, like the sun and moon.
Even Kaguya felt that Tsukuyomi and her lover were perfectly matched. When they were together, they seemed incredibly happy and blissful…
Kaguya was not jealous; the other was so far beyond her that feeling jealous seemed silly. But even so, Kaguya did not give up. She chose to silently hide behind the snow-white stone pillars of the Lunar Palace and continue to nurture her love for Tsukuyomi. It would be an eternal, secret love, unknown to anyone, a fruitless secret love. The image of the G.o.ddess Tsukuyomi’s back would be her eternal lover…
Kaguya wished she could become a star and be the moon’s eternal companion.
That night, Kaguya’s long black hair turned the color of starlight.
Even if she was just a small, un.o.btrusive light among the many stars surrounding the moon, Kaguya had no regrets.
Yomi, Female Queendom, Queen’s Courtyard.
As Lily finished her dance, she stood there, dripping with sweat, her cheeks flushed, as if she had some unfinished thoughts.
The clouds chased the moon, and the wind rustled the bamboo.
Lily stood panting beneath the artificial mountain, her small feet lightly planted on the rocks. Lily was out of breath, as if she had been too immersed and exhausted herself.
Lily couldn’t help but look at the queen, but all she saw was a silver ribbon flying towards her. It carried an undeniable force, filled with lingering memories and entangled with resentment. The ribbon wrapped around her and pulled her to the queen.
Lily had danced too hard. Although her spirit power was plentiful, her body was exhausted. Without being able to utter a cry of surprise, she was pulled to the queen.
Today’s Kaguya was no longer the young girl born from a bamboo tree, nor was she the little spellcaster who hid in the shadows of the Lunar Palace.
The Kaguya of today survived ancient wars, led a group of fallen celestial maidens, and established the Female Queendom. She was a supreme overlord in the land of Yomi. The strong, tolerant, mature, and wise ruler of the Female Queendom.
The queen pulled Lily into her embrace. She was slightly taller, and the way she looked at Lily had subtly changed.
“Your majesty…” Lily was unaware of the violent fluctuations in the queen’s heart and the painful, unforgettable love of countless years.
The queen cupped Lily’s chin and examined her closely. “How many years has it been since I said farewell to her? After falling into Yomi, I haven’t truly looked at any woman. Now that I do, you truly are beautiful.”
As the queen spoke, she gasped, feeling something inside her awaken that had been dormant for thousands of years. When something suppressed for thousands of years awakens, it is like an uncontrollable flood.
“Your majesty…” Lily sensed something different in the queen’s gaze. It was somewhat like the way other women looked at her, but also distant and heated, as if the queen was seeing her as a subst.i.tute. Lily felt torn between satisfaction and sadness.
“Lynne, you are truly different from other women. I don’t know… I can no longer remember her face, but somehow, you… No. It’s not about your beauty; your dance under the moonlight moved me. Lynne, you are the dancer General Chiya sent to the palace, correct?”
“Ah? Yes…”
“From tonight on, you are no longer just that.”
“Eh?”
“Lynne, I know you’ve worked hard on your dancing techniques and are skilled in various methods of service. Aren’t you doing everything you can to please me?” The queen’s voice was firm and warm.
“This, uh…”
“Why so shy? Which woman in the palace doesn’t have the same intentions as you? I simply don’t give anyone a glance, but you, Lynne, I will favor you!”
“Y-Your Majesty!?”
“Lynne, your dance was amazing. For the first time in thousands of years, I saw the beautiful moon. I will repay you. What do you want? I will give it to you!”
The queen was an overlord, her greatest strength lay in her arcane arts, but even so, her martial prowess was beyond what Lily could resist.
The queen waved her hand, sending out several strands of silver-white silk ribbons that restrained Lily and gently dragged her through the air, through the corridors, and into the queen’s boudoir.
When the ribbons released Lily and disappeared, she was placed on the floor. The queen walked into the boudoir as the doors closed behind her.
“Lynne, thank you. You’ve fulfilled my one wish, and I will definitely reward you. Moreover, I should no longer be willful; I should let nature take its course. The ministers of the Female Queendom will also be at ease.”
“Um? Your Majesty? I…”
Before Lily could fully grasp the intent of the queen’s words, the queen had already leaned over, grabbing Lily’s hands with one hand while the other caressed her face and neck.
One of the queen’s legs supported her on the floor, while the other pressed between Lily’s legs.
The sudden, unexpected sensation nearly drove Lily into a frenzy.
“Your Majesty? What are you doing?”
Everything happened too quickly. Before Lily could react, the queen had already pressed her down onto the floor, intending to take her immediately.
“No! Your Majesty, don’t do this! What are you doing? No!” This was beyond Lily’s expectations, and she fell into a panic.
“No? Is that truly from your heart? You worked so hard to seduce me, wasn’t it for this? From now on, your status will be different, and the ministers can be a.s.sured of the Female Queendom’s future peace and prosperity. Lynne, bear my child.” The queen’s face was flushed, her eyes misty and intoxicating, her breath faster than Lily’s. The feelings the queen had suppressed for thousands of years had been ignored by Lily; perhaps the queen had lost her calm deliberation and didn’t even know what she was doing.
“What am I doing?” As the queen pressed down, her knees pressing against Lily’s abdomen, another voice within her shouted, “Have I gone crazy? Only she can make me fall in love; no one else can move my heart! Why? I clearly don’t love this Lynne, but why can’t I control my body? This woman must want me like this; her little resistance is just a show to ignite my desire to conquer her. What am I doing? What are these thoughts of possessing Lynne, conquering Lynne? I don’t know!”
The words coming from the queen’s mouth were different from her thoughts. “Lynne, be my woman. Tonight, give everything to me.”
Only now did Lily realize the gravity of the situation. Resistance was impossible.
The queen was grasping her chest with one hand, while the other had already moved to one of the strings holding up Lily’s cloth bottom.
“Your Majesty! Wait! Please, wait!” Lily cried out.
“What’s wrong? Lynne, I will favor you and only you. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Your Majesty, I… I…”
The queen studied Lily’s flushed face and rapid breaths. It didn’t seem like an act; Lily appeared genuinely distressed. “Lynne, what’s wrong?”
“Your Majesty, I…” Lily was embarra.s.sed. She wanted to speak but was too shy.
“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable? If you have something to say, tell your royal big sister.”
Lily gathered her courage and leaned in to shyly whisper a few words into the queen’s ear.
“Ehh?” The queen was shocked by what she heard. Being warm-hearted, she quickly let go of Lily and helped her sit up, hiding her laughter. “Ahh, so it was that. There’s no need to be shy about it, it’s very natural. Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”
Seeing the queen’s warm, sisterly gaze, Lily felt even more ashamed.
“Go, the faster you go, the quicker you’ll come back,” the queen said warmly, gently patting Lily’s rear. “Hurry.”
“Yes…” Lily ran out, head lowered, face crimson, and waist swaying.