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Volume 10 - Dream Eater: Chapter 52 – The Princess’ Most Valuable Thing

“The truth is, my sister Ayaka and I are being pursued by Minamoto no Yoritomo. We’ve already fought several significant battles against him in Heian-kyo. We’re wanted as traitors by the Heian imperial court,” Lily revealed.

Concern washed over Asuka’s face. “In that case, why not take refuge on our Iyo continent for a while?”

“As much as I’d like to help you, Princess, I have many sisters, friends, and comrades back in the Heian Dynasty. They’re still at risk from Minamoto no Yoritomo. I can’t leave them unprotected,” Lily responded, her voice tinged with urgency.

“Miss Lily, you really value your bonds…” Asuka said, a mix of admiration and melancholy in her eyes. Just how many sisters

¹ and comrades did Lily have?

“It’s not that my sisters can’t protect themselves; it’s that they’re up against Minamoto no Yoritomo. That’s what worries me,” Lily responded.

“In that case, staying here is not an option for you… But,” Asuka said, her voice trailing off.

Suddenly, Asuka moved closer to Lily, their hands entwined, their bodies slightly pressed together, and their cheeks flushed. “Miss Lily, you’ve neutralized a grave threat to my kingdom. Without you, even I might have fallen to the rebels—to that arch-demon. I can’t thank you enough for your extraordinary vision and methods; even my entire treasury would fall short.”

“You don’t need to say that, Princess. Though you are royalty, I consider you a sister,” Lily assured her.

“Eh? Me?” Asuka seemed both flattered and flustered. “Then, how old are you, Miss Lily?”

“Seventeen.”

“So, I’m a bit older than you.”

With a light laugh, Lily said, “Elder sister.”

Hearing herself called ‘sister’ by Lily seemed to resonate deep within Asuka. She felt an even stronger reluctance to let Lily go, but she had no justifiable reason to keep her. What if something were to happen to Lily’s sisters and comrades? That was the last thing Asuka wanted.

“Sister, if you ever find yourself in trouble, know that I will come to your aid, no matter how far away I may be.”

“As will I,” Asuka nodded, her eyes locking onto Lily’s.

“Then, Princess, I must take my leave for now,” Lily said.

With a reluctant nod, Asuka let her go. “Farewell.”

Lily turned and began to walk toward the door, her thoughts heavy with concern for her sisters, especially after hearing from Kazama Azusa about the world’s alarming transformations.

Exiting Tenshu Castle, Lily found herself alone on the dimly lit road. Just then, she heard her name ring through the air.

“Lily!”

“Princess?”

Appearing from the shadows, Asuka had changed into a red kunoichi outfit. She no longer looked like a princess; now, she resembled a tall, mature kunoichi. Swiftly, she leapt off the eaves and landed beside Lily.

Upon reaching her, Asuka took Lily’s hand, hesitating for just a moment as if making a momentous decision.

“Lily, women of the Asuka royal clan are destined to be born for the heroes of the world,” Asuka declared.

“Princess?” Lily looked puzzled.

“Lily, I’m going to give you the most important and valuable thing in my life!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Guided by Asuka, Lily found herself in a secluded courtyard—a sanctuary reserved solely for the princess. Bathed in moonlight, the courtyard radiated serenity. Asuka led Lily to a square gazebo within the garden, where comfortable wooden boards had been arranged.

“Lily, take off your clothes,” Asuka instructed as she began to shed her kunoichi outfit.

“What?” Lily’s face turned scarlet

²

. “Princess, what are you doing?”

“Don’t worry, this is a private place. No one else is allowed here.”

“That’s not the issue at hand…”

“Hm?” Asuka stopped short, realizing her actions might be misinterpreted. Nevertheless, she continued to disrobe, leaving herself in traditional red underwear.

“What is that?” Although Lily was familiar with underwear, she had never seen one worn in the Heian Dynasty style.

Asuka, a tall woman, found the underwear a bit tight, exposing much of her slender thighs. “I’m sorry, wearing something so ancient is a bit embarrassing. But it’s an Asuka Royal Family tradition,” she said, her face turning a deeper shade of red.

“Tradition?”

“Yes. When women of the Asuka Royal Family meet a hero, it’s tradition to dress in clothes from a thousand years ago and present ourselves to that hero

³.”

Lily, with her feats and contributions to Asuka’s kingdom, was undeniably a hero. But both were women—what was Asuka attempting to do?

“Present yourself how? Why?” Lily felt her body heat rise in nervous anticipation. Even though she had several beautiful sisters, this was the first time she had seen such intimate apparel. Her curiosity was palpable.

“It’s to offer you my life’s most precious treasure,” Asuka clarified.

Lily found herself flustered. “No, no, you’re not married yet, and you’re also the future ruler of this country! Besides, we may consider each other sisters, but…”

“Don’t worry, Lily. This sight of me is for you and you alone. Anyone else can forget about it.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Lily, you should undress as well.”

“Huh? No, no, no, we can’t do this!”

“If you don’t undress, it will be hard to take your measurements.”

“Measurements?”

“Yes, if you’re clothed, how can I determine the exact size and depth needed for—”

Lily’s face flamed even redder as she interrupted, “Please, Sister, stop talking! How can you say such embarrassing things?”

“Embarrassing? It might be, but it’s better than what my ancestors had to do. Swordsmithing is a precise art

⁴. The hilt’s depth and the blade’s length aren’t arbitrary; they’re tailored to you. I need to understand your physical attributes to forge the most suitable blade,” Asuka explained, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

“What? You’re forging a blade?” Lily’s voice faltered, momentarily taken aback. Her imagination had taken a lurid detour, but she realized Asuka was talking about swordcraft. “Wait, weren’t your words somewhat misleading? Princess Asuka, you’re forging a blade for me?”

Lily had long harbored the desire to have the princess forge a blade for her, but considering the state of the kingdom, she never dared to ask.

“That’s correct,” Asuka continued. “Didn’t you mention that every samurai yearns for a personalized blade? The women of the Asuka Royal Clan are prodigies in bladesmithing, a skill inherited through millennia from Takamagahara. This inheritance has been our strength, but when the Celestials disappeared, we lost our mainstay.”

Asuka’s eyes met Lily’s as she spoke further, “The blade I plan to forge for you will be exceptional. Not to brag, but when it comes to sword-making, the Heian Dynasty has never been able to surpass my Asuka clan. I am a once-in-a-millennium prodigy of this clan. Your Dojigiri-Yasutsuna is an exquisite weapon, but it owes its qualities to external forces and fortuitous circumstances. Despite its brilliance, it has its flaws. I can create something superior, it’s just that…”

“What is it?” Lily inquired.

“In my Asuka Royal Family, every woman with a talent for blade forging gains the ability of natal forging upon maturity. This allows us to craft the pinnacle of blades, but only once in a lifetime. It’s this unique skill that elevates the Asuka Kingdom’s forging techniques far beyond the Heian Dynasty’s millennia of efforts. The pity lies in the lack of ideal materials. Though we have low-ranked spirit-grade Tamahagane passed down through our lineage, it pales in comparison to the celestial materials our ancestors used. Crafting the ultimate blade with subpar materials is a bladesmith’s regret,” Asuka explained, her tone tinged with a sense of loss.

Intrigued, Lily asked, “What kind of material are you talking about, sister?”

With a sigh, Asuka looked up at the night sky. “Imagine the moonlight—veiled in a soft glow yet concealing an incredible brilliance. Such is the essence of Oborozuki Tamahagane, the celestial metal used by our ancestors to forge unparalleled weapons.”

“Oborozuki Tamahagane?” Lily echoed.

Silently, Lily waved her hand, summoning an ancient chest before her. She opened it to reveal ore as dark as iron yet with a crystalline clarity. The ore seemed to resonate with the moonlight, glowing softly.

“Sister, could you have a look? Might these be the raw form of Oborozuki Tamahagane?”

Asuka’s composure shattered. Her face flushed red, and her legs pressed together tightly. For some inexplicable reason, her eyes sparkled, capturing the moonlight in an iridescent glow. No other tamahagane could evoke such a reaction. There was no need for formal appraisal; her blood told her the truth—this was the ultimate tamahagane for forging.

“Remarkable, Lily, truly remarkable! This is indeed the ore of Oborozuki Tamahagane! How is it that you possess such a long-lost treasure?”

Footnotes:

Robinxen: The harem is expansive.

Yuki: You’d think she’d be used to this by now.

Robinxen: What isekai protagonist set this system up and how can I pat them on the back for it?

Robinxen: You had me fooled author! I genuinely thought this was going to be another situation!