Demon Sword Maiden

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The Lord of Carefree City, once a renowned figure across all of Yomi-no-Kuni, was now suffering the most humiliating defeat he had experienced in countless millennia.

A Lord—someone who had ruled with authority—was now reduced to kneeling before a mere young woman. His pride burned with unwillingness.

Yet this was no longer just a matter of pride—it was about survival. He never imagined that after spending an eternity oppressing women, the one he provoked today would turn out to be the Princess of Yomi-no-Kuni—none other than the Madam’s goddaughter.

It was one thing to kneel to a woman in private—but doing so before his entire city, in front of his subordinates and fellow demons, as their Lord… it was utterly degrading.

However, failing to handle this properly would mean offending not just the Princess—but Rakshasa-Onna, and ultimately, the Madam herself. Even if he somehow survived today, how long could he truly last? The Madam was unpredictable—could he ever live in peace again? Could he ever sleep soundly without dread?

‘Sigh… A real man must know when to adapt,' he thought bitterly.

Having steeled himself, the Lord of Carefree City approached Lily. He dropped to his knees and kowtowed beneath her, his head striking the floor with such force that the entire dojo trembled.

Lily saw it, but her mind was elsewhere—lost in thought.

As Lily remained distracted, the Lord continued to kowtow, over and over again. At this rate, the floor itself might crack beneath him.

All others present—the senior, the masters, the disciples, even the Lord’s guards—realized something was wrong. They couldn’t just stand by while their Lord groveled.

So, one by one, the thousands of demons knelt and began kowtowing to Lily. It wasn’t just their Lord—every demon present now pleaded for mercy.

After a long silence, Lily finally came back to herself. With a calm wave of her hand, she said, “That’s enough. Stop.”

At last, the Lord and the others ceased their kowtowing.

“I’ll overlook it this time, since your faction falls under Her Highness Rakshasa-Onna’s protection. But from this day forward, Carefree City will not oppress women again. If I hear of it happening—there will be no forgiveness. I mean every word.”

“Yes, of course! Thank you for your mercy, Princess! We’ll abide by your decree—absolutely!” The Lord of Carefree City had no choice but to agree to everything.

Lily turned her gaze to the unconscious Dojo Master. “This man abused his authority and acted disgracefully. He’s no longer fit to lead. Strip him of his title and send him to hard labor.”

“W-Well…” The Lord of Carefree City looked stunned. Veins bulged along his powerful arms in silent frustration—but he didn’t object. “I’ll do as you command, Your Grace.”

“And the female warrior you abused earlier,” Lily added, “teach her everything—your dojo’s full spell and swordsmanship techniques. Leave nothing out.”

“Y-Yes…” he responded, barely concealing the tremble in his voice. Fury simmered beneath his skin—but what choice did he have? The techniques of the dojo were its foundation. Not even his most trusted disciples had full access to them. Only the successive Dojo Masters knew everything. And yet, with a single command, this woman had shattered a rule upheld for millennia.

She was arrogant—unreasonably so. But… she was the Princess of Yomi-no-Kuni. And she had the power to annihilate Carefree City with a single word. Worse still—he had brought this upon himself. How could he dare to refuse?

Even Rakshasa-Onna gave a quiet cough, finding Lily’s demands slightly excessive. But fairness didn’t matter now—what mattered was the Madam’s authority.

And at this moment, the Princess was the voice of the Madam. With that in mind, Rakshasa-Onna decided Lily had acted appropriately.

“Your Grace, have you vented your frustrations?” Rakshasa-Onna asked as she stepped forward.

“They’re just lowly beasts,” Lily replied softly. “Why would I be angry with them? The Madam asked me to investigate Carefree City… and discipline them while I was here. That’s what this was. A message delivered. It wasn’t about venting. I simply carried out my duty.”

Lily’s words stung. The Lord of Carefree City and the surrounding demons clenched their jaws in silent fury. They had kowtowed, groveled, and obeyed every command—yet she still looked at them with contempt. Her dismissive tone was unbearable.

But there was nothing they could do. She was the Princess. Better to endure frustration… than face annihilation.

“We bid you farewell, Lyn-hime!” The demons parted to form a path, kneeling alongside their Lord as Lily, Ayaka, Rakshasa-Onna, and Renka departed the dojo.

Elsewhere, the Madam resided temporarily in a quiet, secluded estate within Carefree City—an elegant property under Rakshasa Dojo’s domain.

Upon hearing what had transpired, the Madam didn’t criticize Lily for going too far. Instead, she praised her for showing restraint while still administering discipline. Lily had handled it perfectly.

“Oh, Lily. A woman’s charm lies partly in her pride,” the Madam said with warmth in her voice. “What you did was perfectly fitting—just what I’d expect from my daughter. One day, when you become a true queen, you’ll have the poise and strength to command even the greatest powers.”

“I’d like to reward you, Lily.” As she spoke, she retrieved an ancient, heavy-looking black ruler—plain in design, yet exuding a strange weight. Lily’s heart skipped a beat the moment she saw it.

“This is the Phaseless Ruler, Lily. Though it appears to be a simple ruler, it can transform into a variety of punishment tools. Its purpose is unique—it inflicts pain laced with pleasure, while leaving behind no real injury. You’ll soon become the wife of the Boundless Empress. And as an overlord, she’ll have countless wives in her harem.”

"But you—with your status—will be its master. Naturally, you must learn how to keep those little vixens in line. You’re strong, Lily, and fearless in battle. But you’re too gentle with women. Never let them walk over you."

“Don’t worry—as your mother, I will shield you. You need only focus on maintaining order within the harem. This tool will help you do just that.”

As she finished, the Madam placed the ruler gently into Lily’s hands.

“Keep it close,” she added, her gaze lingering on Lily with a hint of affection—and something deeper. “You’ll find it indispensable when maintaining discipline.”

“Thank you… Godmother,” Lily replied softly.

Lily felt a tinge of embarrassment. After all, the Madam had once used this very item on her—right in front of Ayaka. But she dared not refuse. If she rejected the gift, the Madam might use it again… and that would be far worse.

Lily and Ayaka stayed in the estate, devoting themselves to training over the next several days. The Madam offered them occasional instruction, and every word of guidance brought them tremendous gains.

Outside the estate, all of Carefree City was alive with activity. Artisans and treasures from every corner of Yomi had been gathered here—for a singular purpose: preparing Lily’s dowry.

The goddaughter of Yomi’s shadow ruler was to be wed—how could the occasion be anything less than grand? Even the marriage procession itself had to surpass all others—becoming the most lavish in all of Yomi-no-Kuni.

For this reason, a bustling hub like Carefree City was chosen for the preparations.

Places like Rakshasa Dojo and Asura Dojo were home to warrior women—experts in combat, not ceremony. They lacked the means to gather talent and resources from across Yomi-no-Kuni for a celebration of this scale.

In Yomi, even craftsmen were powerful—most of them at least Throned or Big Dipper level. Naturally, their efficiency far surpassed that of mortals. A Yomi carpenter could construct an entire castle in a matter of days—what would take carpenters from the Heian Dynasty a year or more.

Thus, the wedding preparations continued, stretching over nearly a full month.

At last, every preparation was complete. On the grand day, every major road in Carefree City was sealed. Demons crowded onto sidewalks, alleyways, and even rooftops just to catch a glimpse—

The main road was reserved exclusively for the wedding procession. The procession itself stretched for miles, comprised of thousands of participants. Countless ceremonial flags danced in the wind, painting the skies with color in a spectacle unlike any other.

“Look, the Princess’ wedding procession is arriving!” a demoness exclaimed, clutching her three-eyed child in her arms.

“Mom, I want to see the bride,” the child said eagerly.

“Silly child,” the mother replied gently, “that’s the Princess of Yomi-no-Kuni. Of course she’s hidden inside the carriage. Lowborn demons like us could never catch a glimpse of her.”

“Look! The procession is coming this way! It’s Lyn-hime’s wedding procession1!” The crowd erupted with excitement.

At the front of the grand procession marched the ceremonial guards.

Leading them were Renka and Isshiki, two captains of Rakshasa Dojo. Mounted atop demonic steeds draped in crimson cloth, they commanded a formation of two hundred female warriors from Rakshasa Dojo—each riding their own fearsome beasts.

Behind them came the parade crew.

Massive wagons pulled by bull and donkey demons carried ornate lamps, divine statues, and sacred ceremonial artifacts. Alongside them, humans and demons dressed as deities and spirits of Yomi performed ritual dances and sacred ceremonies.

Some carriages, also drawn by bull demons, served as moving stages for musicians gathered from across Yomi. Human dancers, Blade Maiden entertainers, and orchestras filled with flutes, drums, and lutes played in harmony.

Among them were demons performing on strange, otherworldly instruments—sounds haunting and unfamiliar, echoing with foreign mystique.

Alongside the wagons, countless humans and demons in vibrant costumes danced beneath the moonlight, their movements fluid and ghostly. Some swayed with lanterns in hand, their faces joyful yet strangely eerie under the flickering glow.

Further back came the lantern bearers—hundreds of demons each holding a glowing, multicolored lantern. Among them were lantern demons, hopping playfully and moving forward with flicks of their long tongues. From a distance, they resembled a flowing river of starlight.

Up close, it was as if the infamous Night Parade of a Hundred Demons had come to life.

Behind the river of lights marched the heart of the procession—the bridal escort.

Leading this central group were one hundred elegant maidservants and one hundred brawny demons, all clad in ceremonial red robes, marching in perfect sync. At their center was an enormous, radiant bridal carriage—an opulent structure borne aloft by seventy-two Big Dipper demons.

These hulking, grotesque figures wore only red fur loincloths, their powerful bodies straining beneath the weight of the three-tiered, red-and-black structure adorned in intricate crimson embellishments.

The carriage’s roof was tiled with shimmering dark green gemstones. Within that majestic structure sat the bride herself— Lyn-hime.

Following the bridal carriage was another contingent of two hundred maidservants and demons.

Farther back, massive wyverns and colossal beasts pulled hundreds of carriages laden with treasures—Lily’s dowry. Behind them came squads of flag bearers and additional ceremonial performers.

Bringing up the rear was a convoy of wooden supply carriages drawn by bull and horse demons, escorted by the final unit of the procession. The rearguard consisted of one hundred elite female warriors from Asura Dojo, led by a single, imposing captain at the Infernal Stage.

In all of Yomi-no-Kuni, no one had seen a procession of this scale in the past ten thousand years—let alone within Carefree City.

“What a sight…!”

“As expected of Yomi-no-Kuni’s Princess—such grandeur! Such scale!”

Demons and human experts alike stood speechless in awe.

As the vast procession finally exited the city and entered the open wilderness, they were greeted by a waiting carriage—the Madam’s own. Beside it stood Asura-Onna atop a colossal eagle, and Rakshasa-Onna astride a snarling demonic wolf.