Book 1: Chapter 149: Back to Takes.h.i.ta

“Miss Uesugi, would you please carry Miss Kagami inside? Mr. Taihara, please deal with the aftermath.” Kotoka ordered.

However, Uesugi Rei turned around and walked towards Nioh with Lily in her arms. She put Lily on the back of the Nioh and then mounted the horse with a leap. She said, “Sister Lily, Lady Sakiko wants me to take you back.”

“Ah? Wait …” Lily was stunned. At this moment she was placed horizontally on the horse with her hips facing Nanako and she couldn’t turn back to see everyone.

“Let’s go!” Uesugi Rei also ignored the surprised expression of the Saionji family and yanked the reins directly. The black horse reared and neighed!

“Boom!” With the thundering sounds of horse’s hooves, it turned into a black hurricane and ran toward the outside of Suruga city. In the blink of an eye, only a long string of smoke could be seen…

Nanako’s two crescent-shaped twintail blew in the wind. She stared blankly at the direction in which Uesugi Rei forcibly took Lily away. Although she was a little relieved in her heart, somehow she also felt a bit sour.

Lily was taken away by a mighty woman like Uesugi Rei, it should be safe. But was it really safe? And what did Uesugi Rei want? Why did she kiss her sister Lily as she pleased… Moreover, older sister Lily actually blushed and did not refuse completely. It was as if it wasn’t their first kiss…

Nanako showed a joyful smile for the rescue of Lily but her sparkling eyes shed tears.

At the foot of the gloomy, cold and boundless Mount Aoame. “Ⓐⓢⓢⓗⓞⓛⓔ! Ⓐⓢⓢⓗⓞⓛⓔ! Ⓐⓢⓢⓗⓞⓛⓔ! Ah-! Ah-! Ah—!”

Hojo Dijon yelled at the sky: “That d.a.m.ned Kagami Lily made a Cursed Katana with the tamahagane! And she also shamelessly integrated the anima of Demon Hound into the sword!”

Dijon looked at a small gap in his huge tachi. This gap was not left when he fought against Uesugi Rei but when his sword collided with Lily’s blade!

It was even more noticeable than the tiny c.h.i.n.k left by several exchanges with Uesugi Rei!

“It really is a peerless sword and it is also integrated with the metal-attribute anima of the superior Demon! That is to say, Lily’s own strength is weak but her sword is more powerful than the sword I use! d.a.m.n it! Such a sword fell into the hands of this ⓑⓘⓣⓒⓗ! How hateful—!”

Dijon cut down a lot of trees in a rage. Looking at the people who followed him, almost half of them were either killed or injured by Demon Hound but now the middle to high-level combat power were almost annihilated!

Lily pretended to be weak and killed six Sword Masters with that sword! Sword Masters! This was the real backbone of the Hojo family, a valuable general!

“That woman Kagami Lily not only kills decisively but she is also very cunning and despicable. Although she is weak now, she is a Blade Maiden! It’s extremely fast for the Blade Maiden to improve her strength in a certain period of time! If it is true that she has just started practicing with the sword a few months ago, then her talent is really terrifying! A woman with such horrifying talent, cunning and vicious nature, and wields a sword that is stronger than all the swords of the Hojo family, will become a huge threat given enough time. She must be removed as soon as possible!”

At this point, Dijon did not simply want to kill Lily to express his hatred or revenge for his younger brother but because he truly regarded Lily as a potential threat and intended to erase it from the root!

“Why is this woman so cared for by Uesugi Rei!” Hojo Dijon broke the roadside rock into pieces with a single blow!

“Your Lordship, it’s useless to vent your anger on rocks like this. Let’s go back to Odawara as soon as possible. It’s useless to stay in the Imagawa family’s territory.” Yagyuu Munesaki with an arm sling came to persuade him.

“Alas!” Hojo sat down under the tree and said as he shook his head: “Instructor, don’t you care at all?! From now on, you and I may be the laughingstock among the samurai clans of the Eastern Nation!”

“Instructor might have it better. But even with the combined strength of Taira Hachiro, you, and me, we still got beaten by Uesugi Rei. In the future, it would be difficult to preserve the reputation of the Eastern Nation’s Six Swords. In this battle, we lost so much but Lily reaped all the benefits and it also increased Uesugi Rei’s reputation! I hate it! Instructor, I really hate it!”

“Yeah!” Yagyuu Munesaki also stamped his feet and sighed. He was also just as frustrated. The Shinkage-ryū was also quite popular in Kamakura. This time, failing wasn’t a good thing. It smashed the Yagyuu family’s reputation! No matter how good the sword-play was, it couldn’t stand Uesugi Rei’s vigorous and violent spirit power!

The weather was gloomy and it rained heavily.

“d.a.m.n it! Even heaven is laughing at me! Let’s go, we’re going back!” With the defeated soldiers in tow, Hojo stepped on the muddy mountain road to return to Odawara while drenched in the rain. From Suruga to Odawara, it was better to go through the road under Mount Aoame without having to go through Takes.h.i.ta town. At this time, Lily and Uesugi Rei were together. It was extremely difficult to conspire so Hojo had to go back first and then take his time to formulate a plan. However, Dijon’s face paled when he thought about what sort of face would his father —the Lord of Hojo clan— make when he learned the result of this battle.

That evening, Yagyuu Shiu and Ashikaga Kiyoshi arrived at the Saionji Household with the Ashikaga family’s cavalry.1

“After the girl Shiu returned to Takes.h.i.ta town by herself, I got the flying eagle from the Takeda family. It informed me that Ms Uesugi had met him in Kai Province which made me quite puzzled. I felt uneasy so I took my Ashikaga cavalry and went to Takes.h.i.ta town to find Miss Shiu and came together… but it seems that we are still one step behind.”

Ashikaga faced the b.l.o.o.d.y battlefield that was being washed by rain in front of the Saionji Household but he always remained calm and polite.

“Your Highness Ashikaga, come in and sit down.” Kotoka asked her retainers to greet him with an umbrella. In the end, Kotoka and Ashikaga entered the room.

“Ah— you…” “You…”

Shiu didn’t see Lily but she did meet Nanako.

“Hum!” The two were so touched to meet again after experiencing so many dangers but they seemed to have nothing to say and ignored each other.2

Ashikaga was wearing a black eboshi cap and black clothes. He sat politely, took a sip of tea and said, “Thank you, Madam, for your hospitality. Since Miss Kagami is not here, we’ll go back to Takes.h.i.ta Town to find her. As for Lord Imagawa, I’ll send someone to preach. I will never make things difficult for the Saionji family again.”

Kotoka nodded: “Thank you so much, Your Highness. I will also go to Kamakura soon to pay proper grat.i.tude to Your Highness again. By the way, Miss Shiu, these things are Miss Kagami’s luggage. Take them to her when you go back.”3

“Miss Kagami’s?” Ashikaga’s clear and candid gaze became somewhat vague.

“You know, Miss Uesugi took her with her and went so fast that she didn’t even take those things with her.” Kotoka shook her head with a smile.

“Yes, thank you very much, Madam.” Shiu took over those things, including all kinds of clothes and some of Lily’s loot. After all, there were many underwear and astringent cloth in them which couldn’t be directly shown to Ashikaga.

“Mom, I’ll go too.” Nanako said.

“I know that you want to go but you mustn’t go. This battle has also severely damaged the Saionji family. How can you, the future heir of the Saionji family, leave at this time?” Kotoka said sternly.

“Uuu… I know…” Nanako agreed with a pout.4

1. Silva: Oof… Shiu will be neglected again. Welp, at least she’s with Nanako
2. Robinxen: Come come, get along girls. Sail the Friend-ship SS Get-Along or else you won’t be part of Lily’s ships!
3. Robinxen: Shiu has been turned from a ninja into an errand girl.
4. Robinxen: Cute