Yashiro the Blind

Minjimaru frowned, his delicate face filled with conflict. "Whether it's life or death, from the moment I picked up a weapon, I was prepared for it. But my situation is different. Killing someone without any recollection of it feels like... that person wasn't me. It's a terrible feeling. Especially since I've found myself becoming more and more reliant on that stronger version of myself lately. If this continues, maybe one day I'll become someone else... another stranger."

"On the other hand, I don't know when this ability might suddenly go out of control. If it really comes to that, it will be too late to find a solution after innocent people are injured... So although this ability has saved me many times before, if possible..."

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed softly, "I still hope to get rid of this 'help.' Putting everything else aside, I don't want to leave my father's blood feud to others."

The girl vaguely sensed that this ability to "kill in dreams" was probably related to that shrine from back then. Later, she made a special trip back to Dewa Province to worship there, but to no avail. After that, she traveled to various countries and visited shrines and temples everywhere, trying to find a solution.

However, she wandered around for a long time without finding a clue until she unexpectedly met a strange woman named Ryuko in Sakai Town.

The other party had a dashing personality and exceptional archery skills. He and Minji Maru hit it off immediately and found they shared similar interests. They acted together for about half a year. Later, Ryuko decided to go to sea with a Dutch businesswoman she knew to travel around Luzon Island, which led to her parting ways with Minji Maru.

"When we parted, Sister Longzi told me that someone she knew lived in Yuanjiang and might be able to help me solve this problem... Let me think, what was her name again? I remember there was a number in it, Rokka? Shichi? It doesn't seem right, is it Kujina, or Ichiyo..."

Minjimaru banged his head repeatedly, deep in thought, but didn't notice Mai's strange expression as she turned her gaze to the window.

"I guess... the person you're looking for is named Yashiro?"

"That's right, it's Yashiro!" Minjimaru suddenly realized, slamming his fist into his palm with a loud crack, and excitedly looked at Mai, "Do you know her?"

"Far away, yet so close."

Mai nodded, gesturing for the dim-witted guy to turn around and look to the side.

Noticing the girl's gaze on her, Yashiro cleared her throat, about to speak, when she heard Minjimaru ask, "This... blind girl, do you know this master named Yashiro?"

"...?"

Yashiro was taken aback. Mai had given such an obvious hint, yet she still hadn't recognized her.

Wait... Could it be that Ryuko forgot to mention that she's blind again?

……

As expected of the Dragon Prince!

……

Chapter 112 Public Opinion Is Not Worthy of Heed

Fate is truly wondrous and inexplicable.

Yashiro initially thought this matter had nothing to do with her, but after going around in circles, she discovered that this girl was actually a friend of Ryuko. She had come to Tōtōmi with Ryuko's advice and wanted to ask her for help. Meeting her now was an extremely coincidental coincidence.

After all, the reason the girl came to visit on this night was not because Saemon had told her the location of the place. Come to think of it, given the two brothers' personalities, how could they easily tell others where they lived, especially a stranger of unknown origin and background?

Upon casually asking, I learned that Minji Maru had accidentally gotten lost and was wandering around the hillside hungry when he suddenly smelled the aroma of food. After a moment's hesitation, he couldn't resist the temptation and followed the smell.

"I was originally thinking that if I met a kind person, I would try to beg for a meal... or at least smell the aroma. Who knew I would be so lucky and run into the expert that Sister Longzi mentioned... and even had a good meal, hehe."

The girl scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed, then patted her stomach and laughed happily.

She was sitting cross-legged, her hands gripping her ankles, her body swaying back and forth like a roly-poly toy. The iron pot beside her had been removed, leaving only a pile of flames burning quietly.

Although it was still summer, the mountains were already quite cool, and the temperature dropped several degrees after the sun went down, making it perfect for warming oneself by the fire.

The bright red flames illuminated the girl's delicate face, making it appear exceptionally radiant. Perhaps due to years of martial arts training and wandering around outside, Minjimaru's skin was not fair but rather a healthy wheat color. Combined with her long, slender arms and legs, and the high ponytail tied behind her head, she looked lively, agile, and full of energy.

This contrasted sharply with a short man sitting next to him who had no manners.

That's what Mai thinks, anyway.

She glanced at Yashiro with some disdain and nudged her with her shoulder: "Get up, don't lie on top of me."

"It's because the first bud isn't here."

"I am not a substitute for Hatsune!"

"Hmph, are you jealous?"

"Eat, eat, eat, eat my ass... Forget it, I won't argue with a drunkard." Mai took a deep breath, looking at the other person's cheeks that were gradually turning red, knowing that this guy was already a bit drunk. Yashiro was annoying even when he was sober, let alone when he was drunk.

Honestly, she has a low alcohol tolerance but loves to drink, and she always has the audacity to say that she is saving the shopkeeper money on drinks and herself money, killing two birds with one stone—she truly embodies the phrase "putting on a brave face." She often feels that the hardest thing about Yashiro is probably not her gourd, nor her cane or the sword inside the cane, but her mouth.

That little mouth that looks so soft.

"Drunkard? Who's a drunkard... Only the dead become ghosts, I'm still alive now."

Some people get drunk and become unruly, either fighting, crying, or even dancing naked. But Yashiro doesn't fit into any of those categories. When she's drunk, she just likes to laugh and talk, and apart from occasionally being a little incoherent, she doesn't seem much different from when she's sober. To Hatsume, she's just as beautiful, and to Mai, she's just as annoying...

"If you don't get up, believe me, I'll turn you from a human into a ghost."

"I don't believe you... you can't beat me anyway."

She laughed heartily, then suddenly sat up, grabbing the sleeve of her dance costume to wipe the water from her mouth.

Mai glared at the drunkard but didn't get angry. Instead, she raised her hand and wiped away the rice grains that she hadn't touched earlier—anyway, it was Yashiro's turn to do the laundry tomorrow, so she could wipe them however she wanted, and it wasn't her who would be tired.

"You, you two..." This kind of interaction was commonplace for the two of them, but it made Minji Maru, who was standing next to them, almost bulge out of his eyes. "You two... could it be that kind of relationship?"

"No... never mind, just take it as yes." Knowing what kind of relationship she was referring to, Mai originally wanted to explain, but suddenly felt that it would be too troublesome to explain, so she simply replied casually, wanting to gloss over this troublesome topic.

As for whether it might cause some unnecessary misunderstandings, which could damage Yashiro's reputation, etc... she might care about other people, but after spending two whole years together, Mai had more or less figured out this guy's personality. Not only would he not get angry about such things, but he would also secretly laugh as if he had gotten the better deal. In fact, similar things had happened before.

After all, she usually appeared in public under the name of Tenjibu-ryu, and lived in the mountains with her sister and Yashiro. In private, whether it was Hikogoro and his friends, the restless monks of Ryutaiji Temple, or the townspeople, farmers, or merchants who usually interacted with her, they couldn't help but have some guesses about her.

She had even heard people claim with certainty that Mio was her and Yashiro's child, but that they hadn't made it public for various reasons... Mai had once seriously talked to Yashiro about these rumors, asking herself if it was necessary to keep a certain distance from her.

"Why? Brother Wu Liu, do you think I'm not good enough for you?" Even though it was just the two of them, Ya Xun still called her that, his tone clearly teasing.

"I'm not joking with you. These rumors don't matter to me, but to you..."

"I don't care."

"Really?"

"Of course, you're just implying that I might never get married. But I already have Hatsume—" Yashiro's smile vanished as she suddenly turned serious, "Brother Takeru, please entrust Hatsume to me. I will treat her well..."

This sounded like a joke, but her expression and tone were so serious that even Mai was taken aback: "You, you two, could it be..."

"Of course, if Brother Wu Liu feels lonely and wants to join the harem, I would be more than happy to welcome you."

"……roll!"

That wasn't even the worst part. Later, Hatsune heard about the rumor from somewhere and kept looking at her and Mio with suspicion for several days. Finally, Mai couldn't take it anymore and pulled her younger sister aside, saying earnestly, "I don't care what you heard, it's all fake!"

"So... Mio really isn't your child with Yashiro, brother?" Hatsume still looked suspicious.

"Do I look like someone who can make others have children?" Wu Yi was quite exasperated.

"Why not?" Chuya asked, bewildered. "Wasn't the child delivered by a crane after the two people became husband and wife?"

"...Hatsuya, you're not a child anymore. Try to read fewer fairy tales."

"A fairy tale? But my older sister told me that."

"...Elder sister?"

"Yes."

Mai remained silent for a long time, and never brought up the topic again. At the same time, she became more cautious and secretly investigated the matter on her own afterward, as if she had opened the door to a new world. Her worldview and values ​​were greatly shaken, and when she looked at Yashiro again, she felt that something was not quite right.

She originally intended to keep a close eye on her younger sister, lest she be snatched away by some wolf disguised as a sheep at any moment. But after observing her for the past two years, the sheep seems to really be a sheep, while her younger sister is a little... well, she can only hope that she is overthinking it.

Her consciousness drifted back to reality. Mai glanced to the side again and saw that the drunken Yashiro was hugging his cane, curled up in a ball, seemingly lost in thought, neither fully drunk nor fully awake. A sweet smile appeared on his lips, which were moistened by the wine and shimmered in the firelight.

To be honest, it is indeed quite beautiful.

Thankfully, Hatsune has already gone out, otherwise...

Thinking of her younger sister, who was growing up and whose thoughts were becoming increasingly obvious, she sighed inwardly, then looked away and turned her gaze back to the girl in front of her.

He thought that once he threw out that sentence, implying that the two of them were indeed in the kind of relationship the other thought they had, the topic would end there. But for some reason, Minji Maru's eyes widened even more, almost as if they were about to jump out of their sockets: "But you, aren't you both women?!"

The girl stammered.

"what?"

Wu Yi was stunned upon hearing this. She immediately realized what was happening, lowered her head, and saw that beneath her clothes, her breasts were half-revealed, revealing her voluptuous figure... Well, now she definitely couldn't deny it.

It's just that there were no outsiders present. Usually, only Hatsume and Yashiro are here, along with little Mio who is just learning to speak. Everyone knows her true identity, so Mai usually doesn't care much about her at home. She's too lazy to wrap herself in those cumbersome strips of cloth, which are so tight that it's hard to breathe. She never expected that outsiders would come to her door at this time, and she was caught red-handed without even realizing it.

However, she had seen her share of ups and downs and managed dozens of people under her. Putting aside everything else, she was quite adept at handling unexpected situations. Seeing Minji Maru's surprised expression, she remained calm and asked in return, "What's the big deal? Haven't you heard of homosexuality?"

The term "Longyang Zhihao," also known as "Zhongdao," refers to the practice of male homosexuality. It has been prevalent in Japan since the Nara period, spanning hundreds of years. Especially with the arrival of the Warring States period, this fusion of body and mind was regarded as a sign of intimacy. Some even believed that only by experiencing this could they entrust their lives to each other on the battlefield.

From nobles and princes to commoners, everyone took it for granted, even considering it a fashionable trend. If someone could "pass through a sea of ​​flowers without getting a single petal on them," they would be looked at with suspicion.

Minjimaru was naturally aware of this matter. Both her father and her master had one or two close "comrades-in-arms." She had even seriously considered whether to disguise herself as a man and infiltrate the enemy's side as a page to avenge her father, and she actually did put it into practice later.

The result was naturally failure.

Unfortunately, compared to those beautiful young men with delicate features and skin far more tender than women's, her appearance seemed rather "rough," so it was understandable that Sakagami Shuzen didn't fancy her. It was after that failure that Minjimaru, having learned his lesson, decided not to rely on those unorthodox methods, but to use his true skills to kill his enemies.

However, there were no enemies before him, only a majestic mountain range.

The girl swallowed hard, still puzzled: "But...that's between two men, aren't you women?"

"If two men can do it, why can't two women?" Wuyi asked seriously.

"Women too... is that okay?" Minji Maru's eyes were practically darting around. "There aren't any... how... how do I do it?"

"You want to know?"

As soon as Mai asked the question, the girl jumped up, shaking her head frantically, panicked: "N-no! I don't want to know at all! Oh, right, I'm going to sleep. I can just lie down in a corner of your house for a while. I'm going to sleep, I'm going to sleep, I'm going to sleep—"

Having said that, he leaped up, turned, and ran...

Pong!

It felt as if the whole house shook.

Mai stared blankly as the girl frantically tried to escape, only to crash headfirst into the wall, her eyes rolling back as she collapsed to the ground. After a long while, she remained motionless, presumably dead.

She had just raised her hand halfway when she hesitated, as if to say something: "Such a hard head..."

"Yeah, it's got a really hard head."

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the side. Mai turned her head and saw that Yashiro had sat up again at some point: "Sober now?"

"I'm awake." Yashiro shook his head.

"Oh, he's still not awake." Mai looked away.

The next second, someone moved closer and rested their head on her shoulder. She swayed but couldn't shake them off, so she ignored them and, after a moment, heard soft breathing.

Mai reached out and took the gourd. The wine in the gourd had been brewed three days ago, and she had drunk it for three days, getting drunk four times. She shook it, and there was still about half left... When it came to drinking, Yashiro was right; this guy was really "frugal and thrifty".

Wu Yi pursed her lips, wiped the wet gourd mouth with her thumb, and then took a sip herself.

"To get drunk on such a weak drink... that's really lame."

……

Nothing happened that night. By dawn, the fire in the stove had long since died down, leaving only a little warmth inside. Hachiko woke up groggily, and had barely stretched halfway when a small figure beside her rushed over: "Mommy! Good morning, Sanghao!"

"Oh, Mio, good morning."

He hugged Mio and shook her, causing the clothes he was wearing to fall off.

She picked it up and smelled it. She initially thought it was something Hatsume had draped over her, but after sniffing, she realized it was the outer garment of her mascot's dress. The two sisters smelled quite similar, one fainter and the other stronger. At first, they would sometimes confuse them, but after a while, they could tell them apart—Yashiro herself felt this explanation was a little perverse, but her keen sense of smell wasn't her fault. It was simply making the most of what she had!

She put the coat down and folded it neatly, then buried her face in the little one's arms and took a few deep breaths.

Mio giggled and pretended to struggle. After playing around for a while, Yashiro let go of her hand. This time, the little one grabbed her hand and pulled it to the side, placing it on her cane. She said in a childish voice, "Mommy, your cane!"

"Thank you, Mio."

"Thank you!"

"In this situation, I should say 'You're welcome'... But it sounds a bit strange for me to say that myself, so never mind."

She smiled and patted the other's head, then stood up, leaning on her cane. She then picked up Mio as well, listening intently, but for a moment she heard no sound from the Tenchi sisters, and didn't know where they had gone. There was only a relatively unfamiliar voice outside, which was that of the girl named Asano Minjimaru from yesterday.

At the same time, the sound of a blade cutting through the air could be heard: "1998, 1999... 2000! 2001, 2002..."

It was early morning, the sun hadn't even fully risen yet, and she was already practicing her sword. And judging from the numbers she mentioned, she had already swung the sword around two thousand times. Her hot sweat, panting, and rapid heartbeat filled the room, as if they were right next to me.

Hearing the sharp sound of wind breaking, Yashiro smiled and shook her head. Holding the child in one arm and tapping her cane with the other, she slowly walked out.

……

Chapter 113 Try Cutting Me!

"Two thousand four hundred and thirty-one...two thousand four hundred and thirty-two!"

The long sword in her hand seemed to be growing heavier and heavier, as if the tip of the blade was carrying a thousand-pound weight, requiring all her strength to swing it. The girl's thin clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to her skin and outlining the contours and curves appropriate for her age.

Sweat trickled into the corners of her eyes again. She squeezed her eyes shut, then forced them open a crack. Enduring the stinging pain, she raised her leaden arm again and swung it down forcefully.