Entering the city, Yumeko was greeted by a bustling scene. Crowds jostled along the streets, and vendors' stalls brimmed with goods: rice, vegetables, fruits, fresh meat. After three centuries of war, most cities lay in ruin, but here, food was abundant. Larger shops displayed luxurious silks and delicate jewelry, where well-to-do customers haggled with merchants, smiles on their faces.
Children dashed through the streets, laughing as they chased cats and dogs, carefree with their friends. Adults watched over them with gentle smiles, unbothered even if bumped by a playful child; at most just a pinch on a cheek in response.
Across the entire era, no other city matched this prosperity, peace, or happiness. Beyond the walls, famine and bandits ravaged the land. Outside, war and starvation were as routine as the rising sun. Inside, not a trace of suffering lingered. Every face beamed with contentment. If someone called this a "Pure Land," it wouldn't seem strange at all.
The city felt severed from the era, a self-contained world untouched by the chaos beyond.
Yumeko moved silently through the crowd. Normally, her snake tail, wings, and half-demon form would send people scattering in fear. But here, the citizens paid her no mind, their gazes sliding past as if she were just another ordinary woman.
Their indifference was strange, yet Yumeko seemed accustomed to it. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact, moving with a strange urgency; almost as if she were afraid.
Absurd, really. The ones who should be afraid were these ordinary people!
At a crossroads, a squad of demon guards parted the crowd to meet her. Their leader, a two-horned fiend, hesitated at her appearance.
Yumeko frowned. "It's me, Yumeko. Don't recognize me?"
The fiend blinked, then bowed hastily. "Lady Yumeko! You've… grown more beautiful. I didn't recognize you at first… Congratulations on completing your mission!"
She snorted, her tone haughty. "Take me to the Bone Spirit. It has a new guest!" With a flick of her tail, she revealed Shion.
The fiend nodded quickly, leading the way.
Oddly, despite the grotesque demons parading openly, the nearby citizens showed no reaction. They acted as if the creatures didn't exist or perhaps, to them, they truly didn't.
Kyoto boasted many grand buildings, but none rivaled the three towering structures at the city's heart: red, yellow, and green, each over a hundred meters tall, forming a perfect triangle. Their walls bore magnificent murals of ancient myths, the Heian era's exorcisms, and tales of Sengoku warriors. The scale and detail of the artwork seemed impossible for this era, hinting at something beyond human hands.
The red tower, "Yellow Springs," housed the Hundred Demons' headquarters. The Nura Clan's core members and new recruits lived there, with the clan's leader, the Slippery Gourd "Nurarihyon," and his son "Rihan" on the top floor.
Yumeko headed for the yellow tower: "Takamagahara." Its purpose was to hold princesses, shrine maidens, spirit children, and divine heirs; all girls under thirteen with special abilities.
As she walked, preparing to hand over her task, a man stirred from meditation in the green tower's top room. He opened his eyes.
"Jiu, is something the matter?"
His voice was gentle, like a spring breeze, soothing to the soul.
In the room's shadowed corner, a slim girl in ninja garb, her face half-hidden by a scarf, knelt. "I apologize for interrupting your meditation, Lord Yellow Springs." She bowed. "Lord Hundred Eyes sends word: the girl you've been waiting for has arrived."
Hundred Eyes was the man's trusted informant, privy to all the city's secrets. His message was reliable.
The man's face lit up. He rose and stepped to the corridor, gazing down from the tower's height. Though a hundred meters up, he saw everything clearly, including Yumeko and Shion.
"The last one….I've finally found her!" He smiled, delighted.
He'd waited long for this moment, eager to meet the child and assess her potential. Gripping the redwood railing, he prepared to leap from the tower.
"Wait, my lord!" Jiu called, alarmed.
He paused, a bit embarrassed by his impulsiveness.
He scratched his head. "Look at me, forgetting something so important…"
Jiu sighed in relief. As his attendant, she had to maintain his dignity. Jumping from the tower… it was unseemly!
".....My clothes would get dirty, and you'd have to wash them. Almost caused you trouble, huh?"
He laughed brightly, shedding his outer robe to reveal a sleek, fitted outfit.
"That's not what I meant…" Jiu muttered, stunned.
Before she could protest, he vaulted over the railing with a graceful flip.
Her faint cry echoed above as he descended, making him feel a pang of guilt. Nearing the ground, he tapped the air, summoning an intricate sigil that slowed his fall.
The demons below scattered as a shadow plummeted, landing with a thud.
"Greetings, Lord Yellow Springs!"
Yumeko and the others bowed, their expressions a mix of awe and excitement. To these lesser demons, he was a savior.
He nodded, gently lifting Shion from Yumeko's tail. With a soft touch to her forehead, a faint light purged the remaining poison from her body. Bruises and bumps from her ordeal vanished too.
Color returned to Shion's face. She stirred, opening her eyes.
"Ugh….W-Who are you?"
She glanced nervously at the demons, then settled on the kind-faced young man before her.
His black hair was tied simply and his features handsome, exuding a warmth that drew people in.
"My name? Yellow Springs—" He paused. 'That might be a bit scary…'
Being suddenly brought to a strange place must be frightening, he thought. Better to use a gentler name.
Still, he didn't want to lie to a child…
"Alright… call me 'Shiro,' sweet princess." He flashed a bright smile.
That name belonged to a young man from countless lifetimes ago, a relic of the past for the Yellow Springs leader. But for now, he'd use it again.
"Shiro…" Perhaps soothed by his smile, Shion relaxed, peeking over his shoulder at the green tower.
He followed her gaze. "That's where I live," he said warmly. "It's called…"
He tilted his head, as if recalling, then chuckled.
"Ukiyo (The Floating World)."
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do villains; wicked kings or dragons always lock princesses in towers after kidnapping them? If it were just one, it could be a quirk, but it's practically a tradition. Do fools just love heights?
And why kidnap princesses at all? From a species or size standpoint, it makes little sense… in every way.
Of course, if you asked a certain black-haired youth, he'd answer earnestly: "So they can't run away." And he did just that.
Indeed, his captive princesses never escaped.
No iron bars or shackles bound them; just their own frailty. These girls, none older than twelve, lacked the strength to descend a hundred-meter tower. Even if they tried, fierce demons guarded each floor. Though ordered not to harm them, the girls couldn't muster the courage to flee.
And perhaps the comforts here played a part. Every day, they enjoyed soft, delicious meals; a luxury beyond compare in this era.
Gathered from across the land, one hundred thirty-six "princesses" filled the tower. Some were born with gifts as "divine children," others heirs to exorcist clans, some carried non-human blood, and a few were true princesses from ancient noble lines.
Due to the age limit, like a freshness date, Shirohad spent years gathering girls of such caliber, even with the Hundred Demons' help.
Yet, he needed only seventeen who met his criteria. The rest were mere extras.
He'd already chosen sixteen, but the seventeenth eluded him. He'd worried time would run out, but today, she arrived.
Tales like the "Inugami Shrine Maiden" were common in this chaotic age, so he hadn't expected much, sending only a low-ranked demon. But she was real and her potential exceeded his hopes. It was a pleasant surprise for him.
After dismissing Yumeko and the others to rest and claim their rewards, Shirotook Shion's hand and led her up the yellow tower, Takamagahara. Despite the climb, she felt no fatigue, warmed by the steady heat from his palm.
Shion lost count of the stairs, doors, and guards they passed. After about twenty floors, they entered a spacious wooden room.
Inside, girls her age wore white robes and red skirts, dressed as shrine maidens. They'd been playing games, but when Shiroand Shion appeared, their eyes widened with curiosity.
Though captives, they showed no fear. The room was clean and pretty, decorated with toys and dolls to suit young girls. Rare sweets from outside were stocked here.
Aside from missing their families, this place was paradise.
The girls quickly welcomed Shion, drawing her into their games.
Shiro watched with a smile, then walked to the back of the room, where a lone girl sat, out of place among the others.
She was like a gemstone; cool, detached, not aloof but inherently different. While the others wore shrine maiden garb, she donned a snowflake-patterned kimono, playing shogi by herself.
"Still at it with shogi?" Shiro glanced at the board, chuckling wryly. "As baffling as ever."
The girl looked up, meeting his smile. "…Brother, you're here. Shogi… want to play?"
Shiro gave a sheepish grin, declining. "Sorry, Yuri, I'm no good at it… You'd beat me easily now."
He wasn't exaggerating. Shiro was skilled, even masterful, but Yuri had surpassed him in months, though he'd taught her himself.
'My sister's amazing.' he thought proudly.
But he avoided games he couldn't win. Even in shogi, he treated it as a serious contest, not a pastime.
Yuri's disappointment was faint, unvoiced. She returned to her pieces.
Perhaps Shirowould never grasp "play." To him, victory mattered most; the journey was secondary. Fixating on winning robbed games of their joy, turning them into stress and defeating the purpose of relaxation.
Sadly, he didn't see it. Not in this life, nor in any before. From the start, he'd never truly "played."
Singing, chess, calligraphy, etiquette, archery… combat and social skills were just tools to him, honed for his goals.
"Another… girl," Yuri murmured, almost to herself. "Time's… almost up?"
Shiro nodded. "Yes… soon, it'll all be over."
He paused, then shook his head. "No, it begins anew!"
Kneeling, he stroked her hair gently. "I promise… I'll keep these girls safe."
Though they shared blood, Yuri always felt distant from him. His promises didn't inspire blind trust.
She trusted their other brother more…
"Shiro… where's Big Brother… Shiro?" Her eyes, vast as the night sky, fixed on him.
Shiro met her gaze, nearly losing himself in their depths. 'Her divinity's accelerating… faster than I thought.'
Steeling himself, he said softly, "Big Brother… I don't know yet. He's probably safe somewhere in this world… Don't worry. When it's over, we'll all be together again… Trust me, okay?"
Yuri was silent, then nodded.
'Shiro's imprisoned, like me.' She knew the truth but saw no point in calling out his lie.
Before leaving, Shiro scanned the room, confirming the number of shrine maidens one last time.
"With the new one, seventeen meet the criteria. And a hundred twenty spares, in case of mishaps."
A relieved smile touched his lips. "Now, only the final piece remains… Brother, what kind of divine blade will you forge for me?"
.....
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