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After purging the Lord of Oblivion, who departed in the form of a child, Lily noticed that the restriction on releasing spirit power within Hyakki Street had mysteriously vanished.
Lily couldn’t determine whether this change applied solely to her or to all of Hyakki Street. However, the bewildered reactions of the other won suggested that she alone was exempt from the rule.
She instinctively activated her Soul World, sensing an imnse, otherworldly power calling to her from the night sky above.
Guided by the summoning force, Lily ascended the cherry blossom stairway, leaving the Lord of Oblivion’s palace behind. Through her Soul World, she discerned an unseen location shrouded in the rolling clouds above Hyakki Street.
Within the expansive night sky, Lily sensed the presence of a floating island. As she ascended, her steps carried her across the invisible terrain, as though she were walking on air. Below her stretched the endless expanse of Hyakki Street, its labyrinthine paths revealing no hint of where it truly ended.
A red torii gate stood prominently on the floating island, its ethereal design suggesting it could only be perceived by those who traversed this hidden realm.
"No wonder I could never reach the end of Hyakki Street," Lily murmured as understanding dawned. "Its true terminus lies outside the street itself!"
Resolute, Lily approached the torii gate and stepped through its crimson threshold. As she crossed the gate, an irresistible spatial force enveloped Lily, hurling her into the endless void.
She felt the world spinning around her as she drifted through the infinite darkness, weightless and unmoored. Suddenly, an unseen force pulled her downward, setting her gently upon a frozen, pitch-black boulder.
Lily found herself within a cavern illuminated by glowing crystal lamps of various hues. Despite the dim surroundings, the radiant lamps created an unexpected beauty. Dark butterflies with iridescent, glowing patterns danced around the lamps, adding an otherworldly charm to the scene.
"This place… where am I?" Lily murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
As her thoughts raced, a familiar, mature voice echoed softly through the cavern, "Here you are. Co closer."
"Huh? You… who are you?" Lily called out, but the voice offered no reply.
Glancing around, Lily noticed only one path leading deeper into the cave. Rising to her feet, she cautiously followed it. A faint, pleasant aroma wafted through the air, mingling with the swirling smoke. Along the winding path, she passed tiny pools of spring water, intricate ancient incense burners, and Higanbana flowers blooming in the darkness. Their vivid hues lent the cave an exotic, almost sinister beauty.
As she advanced, marveling at the cave’s surreal beauty, Lily beca acutely aware of her tattered clothing. Feeling it would be disrespectful to et such a legendary figure in such a state, she paused by a corner of the stone wall and changed into a set of crimson robes paired with a short skirt.
Suddenly, a chilling cry echoed from a narrow crevice in the stone wall near where Lily had changed, sending a shiver down her spine, "It's white! It's white!"
"What?" Lily instinctively clutched the hem of her short skirt, her cheeks flushing with embarrassnt.
She glanced around and spotted a goofy-looking cave frog croaking loudly, "It’s white! It’s white!" before hopping into a nearby stone creek and vanishing from sight.
Lily’s blush deepened as a wave of helplessness washed over her. This was hardly the ti to argue with a frog. "I suppose this is what I get for changing clothes in an unfamiliar place," she muttered to herself.
Shaking off the mont, Lily pressed onward, navigating the winding, ethereal cave. Soon, she ca upon a vast, shadowy expanse beyond the cave’s entrance, its view obscured by a shimring screen radiating unfamiliar energy.
Through the screen, Lily could faintly sense a presence waiting within the hidden dinsion.
Standing just before the screen, Lily bowed respectfully. "May I ask—are you the one who summoned ?"
"Hehehe, who else could it be but ? Co closer, Lily." The familiar, gentle voice—mature and laced with an alluring undertone—echoed softly through the air.
‘This voice… It has guided more than once in Yomi. Could she be the Madam that Rakshasa-Onna and Asura-Onna spoke of? The one who even the mightiest powers in Yomi fear? Who is she, truly? And how does she know my na?' Lily’s thoughts swirled with questions.
But there was no ti for contemplation. Though a flicker of unease stirred within her, retreat was not an option. Steeling herself, Lily adjusted her hair and straightened her collar before stepping through the screen and into the dinsion beyond.
The dinsion was suffused with faint, swirling smoke, and glowing flowers blood in every direction. Strange, shimring crystals and ancient lamps cast a soft, enchanting light over the space. The air was rich with a srizing, dicinal fragrance that seed to soothe and entice simultaneously.
At the heart of the dinsion lay a tranquil pond, its surface adorned with translucent jade lotus leaves and a rare Yomi sleeping lotus. Across the pond stood an ancient platform, frad by a massive circular stone window that offered a glimpse of the dark, endless sky outside. Reclining beneath the window was a woman, her figure striking even at a distance.
The woman’s tall, slender fra was cloaked in garnts of the sa crimson hue as Lily’s, though hers carried an air of maturity and allure. Her impossibly pale skin seed to glow in the dim light. Her lustrous black hair, as radiant as Lily’s, cascaded in unexpected length, its tips curling around her exposed feet and slender legs like tendrils. Beneath the darkness of her hair, faint hints of blue shimred softly.
Leaning gracefully against a wooden pillow, she held a dull-gold smoking pipe, three feet long, in one delicate hand. Her black hair was parted cleanly in the middle, framing her dazzlingly beautiful face and high forehead. A few long bangs fell elegantly over her left eye, lending her an air of mystery.
Her face, as pale as freshly fallen snow, exuded an intoxicating blend of beauty and maturity. Her dark, luscious lips contrasted sharply with her alabaster skin. Her left eye glowed faintly with a soft purple hue, while her right sparkled like vibrant green jade.
The woman’s beauty was breathtaking—so much so that she stood as Lily’s equal. Yet their charms were of different kinds: Lily embodied the radiance of youthful beauty, while this woman exuded the allure of maturity. If the two stood side by side, one might be tempted to believe that Lily would grow to resemble her in another decade or two.
Of course, such thoughts were re illusions and fanciful assumptions. In truth, this woman’s age eclipsed even the entire history of the Heian Dynasty itself.
Though she radiated maturity, her figure remained incredibly slender, her waist as delicate as Lily’s. Yet, beneath the open red collar of her attire, her fuller, more prominent curves seed to eclipse Lily’s, evoking an involuntary sense of inadequacy.
‘This woman… Could she truly be the transcendental figure who influences all of Yomi from the shadows? The Madam?’ Lily’s thoughts spiraled as she gazed at the captivating figure before her. Realizing she had lost her composure, she quickly averted her eyes and adjusted her collar, her cheeks flushing with embarrassnt.
The woman studied Lily with keen interest, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming. Slowly, she parted her crimson lips and raised the bronze tip of her smoking pipe to them, taking a languid puff before releasing a thin stream of smoke into the air.
Finally, she spoke, her voice smooth and rich. "As I expected, you are extraordinary. Do you know how many years it has been since a woman dared to et my gaze so directly and still remain standing? You are the first, Kagami Lily."
"Huh?" Lily hadn’t ant to hold her gaze intentionally. The woman’s beauty, maturity, and commanding aura had montarily entranced her. But when she recalled that even Supre Gods like Rakshasa-Onna and Asura-Onna were re servants to this woman, she realized how disrespectful her behavior must have seed.
Quickly, Lily dropped to her knees and bowed her head low. "I offer my greetings, Madam. Please forgive my disrespect. I’ve encountered so many unbelievable things on my journey that I beca overwheld."
"Hehehe, it’s fine," the Madam replied, her tone a playful blend of maturity and amusent as she exhaled another thin trail of smoke. "You’re not a native of Yomi, after all. Etiquette is unfamiliar to you, but don’t worry—I can always train you."
"Huh?" Lily assud the comnt was ant to put her at ease and brushed it off, not dwelling on the deeper implications of the words.
"Kagami Lily," the Madam began, her voice calm and deliberate. "Though others have won the Night Parade of a Hundred Maidens over countless years, only you have done so in such a short ti. You crossed Hyakki Street with remarkable skill, even earning the opportunity to assassinate a Supre God—a task so daunting it borders on the impossible. Your exceptional performance t my expectations, yet you still managed to exceed them. Hehehe."
"That’s far too generous…" Lily replied, her voice soft with humility. "I only succeeded because of your guidance and help, ti and ti again. Without you, Madam, I could never have co this far, let alone complete the trial unscathed."
"Hehehe, such sweet words," the Madam mused, a faint tremor running through her smoking pipe. "You speak as though you’re my daughter."
"I-I would never dare to presu such a thing," Lily stamred, bowing her head once more.
"Still," the Madam continued, her heterochromatic eyes studying Lily with intrigue. A playful smile curved her lips. "Don’t you think we resemble one another? The more I look at you, the more I find myself liking you. Why not beco my goddaughter?"
"Huh?" Lily’s body stiffened at the suggestion. The Madam’s status and power made her more than worthy of offering such a bond, but Lily felt unworthy—just an unfortunate girl who had stumbled into Yomi by chance.
"What’s the matter?" the Madam asked, her tone light but pointed. "Do you not wish to accept?"
"It’s not that I don’t want to," Lily replied, her voice trembling as she knelt lower. "I simply don’t deserve it. I’m just a human warrior who fell into Yomi, struggling even to protect my purity. You, Madam, are at the pinnacle of existence. I know my place."
"Hehehe, based on your performance in Hyakki Street, I believed you to be a straightforward woman—resolute when decisive action is needed, yet gentle and alluring when the mont calls for it. In many ways, you remind of myself in my youth, bold and fearless. But now, standing before , you seem so cautious. Tell , why is that?"
"Madam, I could never forget the guidance, help, and salvation you have given . However, even Rakshasa-Onna and Asura-Onna, who trained , have not received such favor. How could I possibly dare to accept it?"
"You make a valid point," the Madam replied, her heterochromatic eyes glinting with amusent. Yet, as she continued to study Lily, her fondness for the girl seed to grow. With a faint smirk, she added, "But I wouldn’t be myself if I always acted reasonably. Raise your head—this matter is settled. I’d like to see anyone in the three realms dare to object."
Though her tone seed casual, the Madam’s words carried an overwhelming dominance, as if the world itself bent to her will. Lily was stunned. What kind of transcendent being was this beautiful and enigmatic woman?
Lily knew resistance was futile. Whether or not it was appropriate, defying the Madam and risking her displeasure would only lead to disastrous consequences.
"In that case… I greet you, godmother1." Lily lowered herself into a deep kowtow, her words laced with the utmost respect and sincerity.
"Godmother feels so formal," the Madam said with a wicked smile curling her lips. "Raise your head and call mom."
"Huh?" Lily blinked, a soft sound of confusion escaping her lips.
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