Book 5: Chapter 79: Trial

This sudden accusation was beyond Lily’s expectations. She looked at the old woman in disbelief, “Old granny, what are you saying?”

“Kagami Lily, do you still have anything to say?” Hirohikari growled, “Take her down! Prepare the punishment!”

Taking advantage of Lily’s shock and daze, several big men rushed forward grabbing her arms, hair and shoulders pressing her down onto the ground. She could only look at the old granny in shock.

What in the world was going on? Lily thought back to yesterday night, that old granny wasn’t too far away, but she didn’t pay attention. Afterwards, Lily got onto the ox cart and left, Madam Yoruko was fine up until then, and after that, Lily was attacked on the ox cart.

It was most likely that during that time, Madam Yoruko had been killed.

Since that old granny had seen her master send her away, why did she insist that she was the killer?

“Framed! This was clearly a false accusation!” Lily’s heart filled with anger, ‘But why is she doing this? And who is the real culprit?’

“Old woman, this is the interrogation hall, that witch has already been subdued. Don’t be afraid and tell us how she murdered Madam Yoruko, you saw it yourself?” Hirohikari asked.

“I saw it myself! That woman asked my lady to teach her sword techniques, and when my lady was distracted… with one blade, mortally stabbed her! After that she cruelly slashed more to ensure my lady was dead!”

“You lie! I didn’t harm Madam Yoruko! Why are you making up such a lie!” Lily shouted from the ground.

Kimura spoke up, “You say that Kagami Lily killed Madam Yoruko, then what weapon was used? Do you have any evidence?”

“She used a samurai blade to kill my lady, afterwards she stole an ancient mirror treasure, this treasure must be hidden on her!”

“What?” Lily was really completely stunned.

A samurai brought forward a samurai blade on a white cloth, the blade was stained red with blood.

Kimura inquired, “Old woman, look closely, is this the weapon?”

“Uh… it looks like, yes, it’s that blade!”

Kimura asked the samurai, “Where did this blade come from?”

He replied, “I am a military official of the Imperial Guard Divisions, this blade was seized from the woman in red last night.”

“Hmph!” Hirohikari sneered at Lily, “B̲i̲t̲c̲h̲! We have evidence and witnesses, what else do you have to say? You must be punished severely!”

“Hehehe….ahahahahahahaha, ahahahahahahaha!” Lily suddenly started laughing, a seductive intent emanc.i.p.ated from her, dying the lamps of the hall crimson.

“Kagami Lily, you, what are you laughing at?” Hirohikari asked.

That blade was the one she had swapped Yasutsuna with. It was an ordinary grade six samurai blade. It should be impossible to have blood stains on it. Lily finally understood, they had not mistook her for the murderer, from the start, she was being framed. Not only had Madam Yoruko been murdered, but they were making her a scapegoat.

Among the officials in front of her, there must be some who were colluding! This wasn’t an interrogation, this was nothing but a trap to eliminate her!

She looked at Minamoto no Yos.h.i.tada, “Right Division General, as one of Heian-kyo’s peak powerhouse, do you know what level of power Madam Yoruko possessed?”

Yos.h.i.tada wavered a bit, then answered, “Madam Yoruko was a Late Stage Throne ranked powerhouse, her swordsmanship could be called unique and outstanding even on the world stage.

“Then, do you know what power stage I’m at?”

“This… compared to you, Kimura and I are superior in power. We can feel that you are an Early Stage Spirit Jade.

“But, I am aware that you have many many secret methods and extraordinary opportunities. Though, I am unsure what your actual combat abilities are, you should rival Peak Permanence.”

Lily coldly smiled, “The two lords are still impartial and fair. Then I shall ask this, as a Spirit Jade adept, though with various abilities and methods, at most I equal a Peak Permanence rank, how could I possibly kill a Late Stage Throne powerhouse known throughout the lands for her swordsmanship?”

“You despicable b̲i̲t̲c̲h̲! That old woman already said you attacked when Madam Yoruko was unprepared!” Hirohikari derided.

“You also said, I used that blade to kill Madam Yoruko, is that right?”

“That’s right! It’s that blade!” The old woman confirmed.

“Then please, have someone who doesn’t surpa.s.s Peak Permanence, and test out that blade. If it can kill me, then take it as my confession.”

“What? This…” The lords looked at each other.

“What’s wrong? Since you’ve said that I murdered Late Stage Throne Madam Yoruko with that blade, then with that blade, it should be easy to deal with me? Why don’t you try it?”

Yos.h.i.tada moved forward, “No need, I will limit my strength to Peak Permanence, on my samurai honor, this, I vow.”

The men holding Lily down, dragged her in front of Yos.h.i.tada.

Kimura was worried, “Lord, this blade is evidence.”

“Since it is evidence, then it must be truly convincing. The blood on the blade has been checked by the Onmyoji, it is Madam Yoruko’s blood. It has been recorded already, there is no need to worry about the evidence.”

Lily looked at the blood stained blade, she couldn’t help the heartache, so that was really Madam Yoruko’s blood, those cheap despicable b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲s̲!

Who was it, who committed such a despicable cruel thing!

Hirohikari and Kimura could not find a reason to refute.

Raising the blade, Yos.h.i.tada walked forward, “Kagami Lily, no matter what crime you’ve committed, I applaud your courage. I shall remind you, once this blade slashes down, there will be no room for regrets.”

She proudly looked at him, “As long as you remember your vow.”

Lily had Kagura prepare a Blood Spirit Magatama in her mirror s.p.a.ce, if Yos.h.i.tada used strength surpa.s.sing Peak Permanence, then Kagura would immediately attack. Who would live and who would die, was still undecided.

“Ha!” Yos.h.i.tada’s aura flared around him, it was truly immense and powerful. Gradually the aura subsided, slowly lowering to Peak Permanence.

“Kagami Lily, this is what you wished for! I do not want to kill you, you deserve a public trial. Such a sin, for me to slash such a beautiful woman! With the bodhisattva as witness, everything I do is for justice! Ha!”

Yos.h.i.tada swung the blade down on Lily’s shoulder.

“Clang——!” A flash of purple-blue aura showed, and the sixth grade blade snapped in two on the aura. The broken blade spun and landed at the feet of Hirohikari, frightening and sending him to the ground.

Lily cried out painfully, she was knocked to one side by the powerful impact, but the men holding her forcibly held her up.

The clothes on her left shoulder had been split, revealing a pale white flowery shoulder, though her body trembled in pain …

Yos.h.i.tada and Kimura looked over, that shoulder only had a red mark.

“What!??”

The entire court was dumbfounded.

Lily had the Celestial Maiden Garment, and a hundred fold Spirit Armor, it was the equivalent of a grade nine heavy armor, at the same time she was refining her physique, her bodily resistance had improved a lot. Still, a Peak Permanence powerhouse wielding a grade seven weapon and above could still seriously injure or kill her, but that blade? It was nothing more than a relatively common grade six weapon she had randomly collected. This blade’s strength paired with the power of a Peak Permanence was insufficient to overwhelm her defense, instead it had broken first. Lily was very sensitive towards tamahagane, she examined every blade she had, so she understood what had happened.

But those who framed her, those who were putting her on trial, had no idea what had happened.

“Lord Yos.h.i.tada.” Lily looked at the tall military general who was still in shock over the broken weapon, “I ask, how can a weapon, that cannot injure a weak Spirit Jade realm samurai like me, kill a Late Stage Throne powerhouse famed for her sword skills?”

“This…”

Kimura turned toward the old woman in anger, “Old thing! What did you witness? Explain clearly!”

The old woman panicked, “That, that’s only because that woman was cunning! She made my lady trust her and then acted! My lady didn’t wear any protective treasures and couldn’t activate her spirit armor in time!”

“Well, as an ordinary woman who cannot even walk without staggering, you sure know a lot!” Lily coldly observed.

“This, this…” The old woman’s forehead was coated with sweat, she protested, “Though I’ve never trained, my lady still told me much over the years, so I know a bit!”

“Lie!” Lily immediately returned, “You said you never trained, then how could you tell Madam Yoruko couldn’t activate her spirit armor? Madam Yoruko was a Late Stage Throne powerhouse, even Permanence staged powerhouses can’t tell when she has spirit armor activated, much less a regular old woman like you!”

The court could only look at each other, Lily’s logic was very reasonable, they could only turn towards the old woman in doubt.

The old woman could only protest, “This, this, I guessed it! I-It’s true that I can’t feel it, but my lady is so strong, but was still killed by you! If she has time to activate her spirit armor, then how would it be possible? This, even if I can’t feel it, I can infer it!”