CHAPTER 71 – WHAT MAKES A SWORD MIKO

“I have sworn, thus as long as I have a breath left, I will deliver the heavenly oracle to that lord1.” Lily firmly assured, her determination affecting Yoruko.

Yoruko looked at Lily and could feel the depth of her determination, and could only wonder in her heart, “What an incredible lady, I can understand why Ayaka trusts her so much, only… a lady like this carrying an un-upgradable ancient mirror. This world… can it really be saved…”

“Lady Kagami, I shall believe you.” Yoruko took a sip of tea, deep in thought.

Lily also fell silent, she contemplated the heavenly oracle. Lady Ayaka had assumed that the heavenly collapse was related to the fate of the mirror girls. However, today after seeing the natural phenomenon, Fayumi had received a heavenly oracle regarding the three great arch-demons.

Then the fate of the mirror girls was to lead the charge against the three great arch-demons? But humans and demons were originally on opposite sides. Even though they were able to coexist in Heian-kyo.

Since the three arch-demons were the source of the collapse, why were human factions still tormenting mirror girls? Recalling the past, she had been faced with the pursuit and wickedness from humans far more than from demons. Were the three great arch-demons secretly creating chaos in the human world?

The three great arch-demons stood at the pinnacle of demon power in Heian-kyo, but the demon factions exterminating mirror girls were not just the subordinates of the three great arch-demons.

If the three great arch-demons were the source of the heavenly collapse, then why were the gods dropping calamities on the humans instead of punishing the demons? The extended night could be said to be a punishment towards the humans. For the demon, it was more an advantage than punishment.

Why did the heavens punish Heian-kyo and not the root of the cause?

Lily didn’t think that Yoruko was tricking her, but she had doubts about the heavenly oracle. But she would acknowledge that the will of the gods was far beyond her understanding.

Lily sipped her tea and asked, “Lily has some points she doesn’t understand, could the madam please clarify?”
“Lady Kagami, please ask.”
“What exactly is a sword miko?”
Yoruko was taken aback, “What? Lady Kagami doesn’t know? …True, you’re from Kanto, you should be a descendant of a tribe of mirror girls who live there, you may not be too clear about these matters.”

“The origin of the sword mikos is shrouded in mist, we’ve existed since ancient times but it’s thought that we appeared later than mirror girls. We’re a bit different from mirror girls, sword mikos aren’t a bloodline, most of us who awaken are originally powerful female samurai. Sword mikos are just like other women, our descendants will not inherit sword miko blood so there are no clans of sword mikos. Sword mikos can awaken from any household, through some opportunity they awaken their sword, and through their sword’s guidance, they follow their destiny.”

“There is generally only one destiny, that is to find the fated mirror girl and protect her. The fated mirror girl will receive a heavenly oracle and embark on a path of true knowledge, the sword miko’s destiny is to protect her throughout that path. Though, in recent years the sword mikos have been receiving different destinies through divine oracles. Some say, it is because the mirror girls have been exterminated and few remnants remain, others say that the divine are disappointed in the mirror girls…”

“Disappointed in the mirror girls…” Lily thought of the massacres of mirror girl clans, if the mirror girls had fallen to this state because they attempted to complete their heavenly oracles, then would the heavens truly abandon the mirror girls?

“For example, recently many sword mikos have received heavenly oracles to attack Mount Ooe and pursue Shuten-doji. I didn’t understand why they would receive such a heavenly oracle, but today I think I understand. I think the heavenly will wants to remove the root of the disaster. After all, Shuten-doji is one of the three great arch-demons, this matches the heavenly oracle I received today.”

“Madam Yoruko, how many factions do the sword mikos have in Heian-kyo, can they really attack Mount Ooe?”

Yoruko shook her head, “Though I am the sword miko leader in name, sword mikos are by nature, strong willed and self determined. Even I am unaware just how many sword mikos exist. Though looking at Heian-kyo, I can say with certainty that the sword mikos will make a very powerful and persistent force, for they will all have guidance from fate and heavenly oracles.”

“Sword mikos grow extremely powerful when they have a mirror girl to protect, if the sword mikos all abandon their mirror girls to attack Mount Ooe… I think failure is more likely. Even the Heian dynasty will not dare say they will be victorious over mount Ooe unless they gather a great army. But with internal and external trouble, the imperial court not unified, and the country’s power emptied, it would be difficult to gather such an army. Maybe this heavenly oracle will become a cause for the dynasty to work together and counter the three arch-demons.”

Lily nodded, “Please be assured madam, I will definitely get this heavenly oracle to the lord. Madam, I still have a question, when I was fighting the Rashomon, I encountered a pair of sisters, one a mirror girl and the other a sword miko. I also encountered a mirror girl, sword miko and jade maiden working as one to fight a monster. The three of them combined and showed a power far beyond their original combat ability, only… they still failed due to the immense difference in power.”

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“That’s right, besides the mirror girl and sword miko, the jade maidens have recently appeared. The jade maidens are like the sword mikos, they awaken later on in life, but the difference is that sword mikos receive their ancient sword through some opportunity and awaken later on. Ancient swords are like ancient mirrors, they all have different ranks, the swords with a higher rank can also increase their rank after finishing their destinies. Ancient swords are originally extremely powerful and even more so after their ranks are increased, the sword mikos are naturally arrogant and powerful samurais.”

“As for jade maidens, in truth, I don’t understand them too much, they seem to be excellent samurais with outstanding martial arts. It seems they have a unique blessing method for their partnered mirror girl and sword miko sisters, but since I have never fought side by side with a jade maiden, the specifics I am unsure of.”

Yoruko took another sip of tea, seeing Lily engrossed with her explanation, she continued, “In this Heian-kyo, many young ladies of well off clans are determined to do something for this chaotic world and step onto the path of seeking ancient jades and becoming jade maidens2. This is entirely based on effort and not chance, as long as they find an ownerless ancient jade, they will receive a jade maiden’s heavenly oracle! In Heian-kyo, there are secret transactions of ancient jades, of course at extravagant prices. Ancient jades are like ancient swords and mirrors, they too have a rank and after finishing their destiny the best ancient jades can also increase in rank. So many young women seek ancient jades, not only for the world, but also to step onto a clearer path of advancement.”

“So it’s like that…” Lily suddenly understood, no wonder Kimiko had told her that many sword mikos, mirror girls and jade maidens wanted to deal with the Rashomon. Though they all worked for the will of heaven and fought regardless of danger, there was still competition between them.

“Thank you for your teachings, though my ancient mirror may not be able to advance in rank, I will continue to walk my path with confidence, for I too, have a reason.” Lily saluted respectfully, “Madam, since I now have a responsibility, I shall take my leave and deliver the heavenly oracle to that lord.”

Yoruko looked at Lily, observing her, seeing that she was not impatient, not angry, firm in mind but not arrogant or stubborn, she couldn’t help but like her more.

“Lily, though in this house I have been bestowed with the rank of a upper third ranked madam, it’s nothing but empty platitudes. I’m still single and pure, and a sword miko. I possess enough power to protect you, if you don’t mind my age, would you be willing to form a mirror sword sisterly pact with me?” Yoruko asked, her face flushing.

A sword miko proposing a sisterly pact toward a mirror girl, it was like a confession.

“This…” This sudden offer made Lily hesitant and shy, of course she liked madam Yoruko, but she suddenly thought of her senior sister, how could she agree to such an ambiguous relationship, she had after all seen what a sword miko and mirror girl were like together, like lovers.

She also thought of sister Uesugi, and sister Uesugi was probably the eastern sword miko that kappa mentioned, this also coincided with sister Uesugi’s sudden trip to Mount Ooe. Even if Lily ignored the couple aspect, in order to complete her destiny as a mirror girl, she had to form a sword mirror bond with a sword miko. Unless sister Uesugi found her own little sister mirror girl, or was confirmed as not a sword miko, Lily would not accept another woman, no matter how powerful that woman was.

In her heart, the position of her bonded sword miko sister would be reserved for sister Uesugi, just waiting for the day they reunited.

“Madam Yoruko.” Lily faced her seriously, “Madam’s character, power and concern for the world make me admire you. Though the madam may be older than I, your beauty and maturity are also so attractive. That a little samurai girl like I can enter your eyes really flatters me, only…I have a reason that I cannot become your mirror sister, please forgive me.”

“Ah…” Yoruko looked at Lily and smiled warmly, “There’s no problem, in truth I expected that you would respond like that, that reason must be the reason you’re so strong. Lily, though we cannot become sword mirror sisters, I still cherish you. Since we’ve had the fate of meeting, I shall teach you some useful abilities.”

 

References

Robinxen: Better not be that lord.Silva: ok…. I see where this is going…. Shimizu’s going to become the Jade Maiden isn’t it? Then will Rei become Lily’s sword miko?