Demon Sword Maiden

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“Do you love me?” the Boundless Imperial Princess asked softly, her eyes locked onto Lily’s as the silent gazes of countless demon gods bore down on her.

The entire hall fell into an oppressive silence. The demon gods merged with the shadows, their glowing, ominous eyes piercing through the gloom—glaring at Lily with pressure and barely veiled derision.

Had it been any other question, Lily could have answered without hesitation. But this was different. This question—asked here, under the watch of the entire abyss—left her frozen in place.

She had only ever spoken those words to one person in her entire life. And in this lifetime, there was only one person she could ever truthfully say them to. Lily was capable of lying—about almost anything else. But not this. Never this.

Her silence dragged on too long. The tension in the air thickened as the demon gods shifted restlessly. Though none spoke, their growing displeasure was palpable. The Boundless Imperial Princess’ expression darkened with every passing second.

Who was Lily, if not her bride? The woman who had crossed half of Yomi in a grand procession to marry her—before the eyes of the world. Now, this one answer would define the face of the entire Boundless Abyss.

What Lily truly felt might have been meaningless in Yomi-no-kuni—a land ruled by deception and schemes. But this answer mattered more than anything. Even a superficial response would have sufficed. The demon gods cared only for appearances.

Yet Lily chose silence. She could have uttered a few false words and smoothed everything over. But not for this—not for something so sacred to her. No matter the consequences, she would never give a dishonest answer.

The moment struck the Boundless Imperial Princess like a blow. She stood motionless, as if turned to stone.

A murmur spread through the crowd of demon gods like ripples on dark water. A suppressed fury began to swell in the great hall, making all of Hekiraku City tremble ominously.

The Imperial Princess’ gaze darkened further. But then—unexpectedly—a smile curled on her lips, cold and unreadable. She gently lifted Lily’s chin, her voice trembling despite its softness. “What’s wrong, Lily? Are you just shy, perhaps… because of the crowd?”

“There’s no need to be afraid. They’re my allies—my subordinates. As long as I’m here, no one can harm you. So speak, Lily. Speak your heart’s truth. Before all the demon gods of the Boundless Abyss, tell me—do you love me?”

“I… I…” Lily’s chest heaved with each breath, her face flushed and eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I…”

“Say it—say it aloud! We’re to be wed, and you’re already mine in the eyes of all Yomi! Let the entire Yomi-no-kuni hear what your heart truly wants!”

The Boundless Imperial Princess, the countless demon gods, and the Dark Celestial Maidens—all fixed their burning gazes on Lily.

The suffocating pressure and scorching stares nearly caused Lily to stumble. She could speak a lie, utter simple words, and the situation would dissolve in an instant—no one would know, nothing in her life would visibly change.

Any other woman might have folded under such pressure—might have compromised their heart to survive.

Lily’s vision began to blur, her senses drifting far from the roaring hall. It felt like she had been transported back in time—back to that moment of the crash, when she and her senior sister plunged into the sea, helpless. Even then, her sister had chosen to shield her.

It may have seemed meaningless then—just two powerless humans facing death—but in that moment of terror, her sister gave her a final gift: kindness. It was then that they confessed—to each other, to themselves.

In that instant, their destinies became forever entwined.

A soft breath escaped Lily’s lips. Though surrounded by the suffocating shadows of the abyss, she felt a sudden breeze—like ocean air. She closed her eyes. She lifted her head, and her long hair rippled behind her, as if stirred by an unseen wind.

When she opened her eyes again, they were calm and resolute—filled with clarity, liberation, and an unshakable belief.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly but firmly. “Even if this abyss were bathed in radiant light, and Takamagahara swallowed by eternal shadow… I would still never love you.”

The hall froze. For a moment, even time itself seemed to hold its breath. As those words left her lips, the immense and shadowed Boundless Abyss seemed to flash with a momentary light, like the world itself had blinked.

The Boundless Imperial Princess stood still, her pale lips slightly parted in disbelief. Her dark eyes lost focus, hollow and stunned, as if her spirit had been frozen in time.

The countless ferocious demon gods were struck dumb with disbelief. The Dark Celestial Maidens stared in shock, frozen where they stood. For a brief instant, the Boundless Abyss fell into an unnatural, suffocating silence.

“What?!” came the collective outcry as the demons and Celestial Maidens erupted, shaking the very depths of the abyss.

The uproar thundered so violently, it seemed Hekiraku City itself might shatter under the pressure.

Had Kagami Lily lost her mind? Or was this some twisted form of suicide? Not only had she rejected the Imperial Princess outright, she had left no space for reconciliation. She had given not a shred of mercy.

The uproar surged like a tidal wave. Amid the chaotic shouts, the Boundless Imperial Princess stood still—expressionless, yet now the center of every gaze in the abyss.

In that moment, the Boundless Imperial Princess had become the laughingstock of all Yomi-no-kuni. She stared at Lily with lifeless eyes, her entire body stiff, unmoving.

“What… did you just say?”

“I’m sorry! Your Grace, back when I was still in the mortal realm, I made a vow to another sister—one I could never betray. I already have someone I love,” Lily said, bowing deeply.

The crowd erupted once more, an avalanche of deafening roars and shrieks.

“What did you just say?! Say it again! I dare you!” The Imperial Princess seized Lily by the hair, yanked her head up, and ripped her garments open, exposing her shoulder. Her hand came down hard—again and again—across Lily’s face.

“Say it again! Say it again!” she screamed, each word drenched in hysteria.

"I'm sorry… Your Grace, if I gave you an insincere answer, I would be betraying the very reason I continue to live. I know this truth won’t help the one I love most. I know it might even harm those I care for… But even so—"

“…there is one truth I will never hide; my love for my senior sister. I want all of Yomi, all the mortal realm, and all the heavens to know—Kagami Lily will love only her senior sister in this lifetime!”

Lily's long hair and sleeves danced in the air. At this moment, she no longer cared about the consequences. The path she had taken to awaken her senior sister was filled with hardship. Though she had often faltered and voiced her doubts, when it came to expressing her true heart, there was no one in this world stronger than Lily.

Her will had already surpassed the limits of this world.

For a moment, her impassioned cry made even the ancient demon gods hold their breath. It was as if a timeless, indomitable obsession had torn through the fabric of existence, silencing the mighty figures of the abyss.

The Imperial Princess raised her hands, as if ready to humiliate Lily before all the gathered demons by stripping her bare. Yet, she hesitated—and stopped.

A harsh slap struck Lily across the face with the full force of a Supreme God. Lily fell to the ground, completely drained of strength.

The Imperial Princess broke into a chilling laugh that echoed through the entire abyss. Her eyes turned pitch black, a faint mist swirling in their depths like a shadowed storm. A vivid blood-red pill materialized in her palm, glowing with ominous intensity.

The moment the pill appeared, the world seemed to lose all other colors, leaving only crimson and shadow. She exhaled calmly, placed the pill into her own mouth, then lifted Lily by the chin. With deliberate control, she brought her lips to Lily's and passed the pill to her.

Overwhelmed by the Supreme God’s power, Lily was unable to resist. The pill slid down her throat involuntarily. Her face flushed with heat despite her pallor, and her breathing turned shallow. She had no idea what the pill was—but its effect was immediate.

With a single wave of her hand, the Boundless Imperial Princess blanketed Hekiraku City and the entire abyss in absolute darkness. Only the space around her and Lily remained lit, though the light felt more suffocating and oppressive than the surrounding shadows.

Her voice, eerily calm and laced with madness, seemed to command the world itself. “This is the Fragrance-Breaker Pill. Once consumed, you’ll survive only until the night of our wedding. If you haven’t become a true woman by then—you’ll die.”

“You’ll be like a Higanbana that never bloomed… withering in this endless hell.”

The pill’s potent effects surged through her body. Even without being told, Lily could already sense the doom awaiting her. Her strength drained away, and her legs buckled beneath her. She collapsed into the Imperial Princess' arms, her body slack, long hair trailing along the ground.

Her flushed cheeks betrayed the rising heat and turmoil in her body, overtaken by unfamiliar urges. Yet despite the storm within, her eyes were empty—void of surrender or desire.

Her parted lips trembled as she whispered, “I live for my senior sister, and I’ll die for her. I have no regrets. I’ve wandered through Yomi and embroidered ninety-nine Higanbana flowers. I would rather be the last to wither unnoticed… than betray my vow and bloom in disgrace.”

“Hmph. Keep preaching your noble ideals,” the Imperial Princess sneered. “Soon, your own body will reveal what flower you really are. I already told you—you can only love me in this world. Either you do, or your life force will drain, and you’ll wither and die.”

“Take this woman away! Guard her tightly. She is not to take a single step outside her room,” she commanded coldly.

Two Dark Celestial Maidens stepped forward and began dragging Lily, who could no longer stand on her own. Even their grip under her arms ignited a burning desire deep inside her, further fueling the effects of the pill.

Tears welled in Lily’s eyes. Though her face still held its natural beauty, her expression was lifeless.

“Senior sister…” she murmured.