Bengtie, I'm really not a villain!

No one knows that the pattern that people respect is a mark of Raiden Mei's painful past, bearing witness to betrayal and humiliation.

【Now that she is being so popular with everyone, Raiden Mei has mixed feelings.】

Raiden Mei dared not meet the probing gazes of others, and could only bury her head even lower, trying to cover the conspicuous pattern with her hair.

Even so, Raiden Mei knew she couldn't escape.

[This pattern has become a part of her body, just like the unbearable things you did to her.]

All the words you uttered that trampled on and mocked her dignity, all the insults you committed, are deeply imprinted on her body.

People believed that the markings on Raiden Mei's body might be a secret of the Raiden family, or even a miracle, but unexpectedly, even the Raiden family leader was slightly astonished when he saw Raiden Mei.

[Raiden Mei's mother was overjoyed to see her precious daughter return in such a grand manner; Raiden Mei's achievements on the battlefield made her beam with pride.]

However, when her mother saw Raiden Mei's tattoo, her smile froze.

[Her maternal instincts made her feel, more than others, that something was wrong with the markings on Raiden Mei's body.]

Raiden Mei's mother seemed to sense that her beautiful, beloved cabbage, the cabbage that everyone praised and revered, had been stolen by someone.

[Especially the fact that Raiden Mei blushed under so many gazes made her mother even more suspicious.]

How could Raiden Mei, the young lady raised in the Raiden family, possibly be timid?

Faced with so many eyes on her, Raiden Mei should have displayed composure and equanimity.

[This is the training the Raiden family did when they were raising Raiden Mei, so why is she blushing so much?]

Therefore, Raiden Mei's mother became even more convinced that the girl had definitely been taken advantage of.

Moreover, the problem probably lies in the patterns that even she, as the mother, didn't know how they came about.

Even Raiden Mei's mother didn't know how Raiden Mei could have developed markings on her body; her family didn't have such a secret technique.

Not to mention the others.

[However, in Raiden Mei's mother's eyes, her sixth sense was even more acute, and she even sensed that this was some kind of play between Raiden Mei and that wild boar that was rooting up the cabbage.]

[If it were just secretly stealing cabbages, that would be one thing; Raiden Mei's mother might even be able to tolerate it...]

[While secretly stealing cabbages is unbearable, this is just too much to tattoo directly on Raiden Mei's body!]

Isn't this exactly what couples who are deeply in love want to leave an imprint on each other, so that the other person will remember them for a lifetime?

[It even contains connotations of "ownership," "ownership," and relationships like "master and servant" or "pet"...]

[These are all things that Raiden Mei's mother sensed from the markings on Raiden Mei's body through her woman's intuition.]

[Until this grand welcoming ceremony]

During a grand welcoming ceremony, Raiden Mei's steps were heavy, each one feeling like she was walking on a knife's edge, causing her unbearable pain.

The more people cheered, the more intense her shame became; the cheers sounded like merciless mockery to her ears.

When Raiden Mei saw her mother's familiar figure, her heart sank.

Her mother greeted her with a beaming smile, her eyes filled with pride and satisfaction, but to Raiden Mei, that smile felt like a thorn in her side.

[Having known her mother well, Raiden Mei knew that the matter of the markings could probably not be hidden from her mother.]

As expected, after a brief hug, the mother's smile gradually disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.

"What's with these patterns?"

The mother's voice carried a hint of accusation.

This question struck Raiden Mei's heart like a thunderbolt.

Raiden Mei lowered her head, unable to look her mother in the eye, and stammered, unable to speak.

Yes, how could she possibly hide it from her mother? Raiden Mei knew in her heart that this was an inescapable problem.

Just as Raiden Mei had to face the prospect of being treated as a deserter after everyone returned when she broke down earlier, she can no longer escape her mother's questioning.

However, just like before, Raiden Mei hadn't considered how to deal with it.

[Before, Raiden Mei was only focused on the reputation of deserters who couldn't make it to the battlefield, but now she finally has time to look at the markings on her body...]

[But it's too late to find you now. There's simply no time for her to clarify all the questions you have and resolve the tattoo issue.]

[Raiden Mei's reaction further convinced her mother that the issue with the markings was definitely not ordinary.]

The only thing that reassured Raiden Mei's mother was that, although the patterns were beautiful and alluring, they had nothing to do with the demons of Takamagahara.

If it were the evil power of those eight million gods, it definitely wouldn't have this kind of aura.

Despite this, Raiden Mei's mother was still extremely worried about her.

"You must give me an explanation."

Raiden Mei's heart raced; she didn't know how to face her mother's questioning, and felt only immense shame.

Is she going to tell her mother that you drugged her?

[Is Raiden Mei going to say that while she was being treated as a deserter by others, she was actually imprisoned by you and subjected to so much iaido training?]

[Does Raiden Mei intend to describe to her mother in detail how she was defeated by your Iaijutsu, how she was trampled and mocked by you?]

Raiden Mei couldn't bring herself to say it.

[Firstly, because her pride couldn't bear it; secondly, because Raiden Mei didn't want to hurt, upset, or anger her mother.]

What good would it do to tell my mother what has already happened?

[Does she want to get revenge on you, drug you, and then subject you to the same iaido training?]

[And then let her treat you with the same trampling and humiliating words?]

[Don't joke around. Raiden Mei knows this isn't a trivial matter; it's not something that can be resolved simply by retaliating in kind.]

And the resentment that Raiden Mei once held for you has now almost completely faded away.

[After all, even though it's only been a few days, Raiden Mei's feelings towards you have changed drastically after experiencing Himeko's account of the battlefield.]

Compared to before when she didn't understand why you were treating her so cruelly, Raiden Mei now knows that you were truly trying to save her.

[While the method you used to save her is debatable, you have indeed done Raiden Mei a favor...]

Whether it was making her so strong, or saving her master Himeko, and her life...

If you reveal everything, you're not only betraying your mother, but you're also embarrassing her.

[After all, Raiden Mei ignored everyone else's advice and objections, stubbornly coming to see you every day, even right before going into battle.]

This gave you the opportunity to take advantage of her.

If others find out it was because of you, then Raiden Mei will definitely never be able to see you again.

This is unacceptable to Raiden Mei; she still has so many questions she wants to ask you.

Although I don't hold a grudge against you much, Raiden Mei still needs to give you a good talking-to first.

At least we can't just let you move on like this.

Therefore, Raiden Mei believes this is a matter between her and you, and that others should not be involved, nor should the matter be blown out of proportion.

But now, facing her mother's persistent questioning, how can she possibly keep the truth from her past?

Despite Raiden Mei's preparations to keep it a secret, however...

The surrounding crowd was still cheering, but to Raiden Mei, the sound had turned into a noisy buzzing.

"Who is that man?"

[Raiden Mei's mother's questioning pierced Raiden Mei's last shred of shame; she didn't know how her mother knew it was related to a man.]

But Raiden Mei can't betray you.

Raiden Mei bit her cherry lips, even though she knew that based on her mother's experience, she would soon guess that it was because of you.

Seeing Raiden Mei's stubbornness, her mother quickly thought of you.

[After all, everyone knows that Raiden Mei is looking for you all the time, and no amount of interference from others can stop her.]

Because Raiden Mei's training was not affected, her mother allowed her to see you, whom everyone considered a good-for-nothing.

[Because Raiden Mei's mother was also wondering to herself, could it be that she really misjudged her back then?]

[When Raiden Mei, who was still an infant, was compared to you, Raiden Mei's mother was also an eyewitness present.]

[Raiden Mei's mother knew clearly that you had indeed crushed Raiden Mei back then, causing many Raiden clan members who were proud of Raiden Mei to leave with pale faces.]

[Like Raiden Mei, Raiden Mei's mother still harbors a sliver of suspicion, even though you've been considered a useless coward who's afraid to wield a knife all these years.]

After all, being afraid to handle a knife is one thing, but "has anyone actually seen you wield a knife?"

Such suspicion prevented Raiden Mei's mother from completely banning Raiden Mei from seeing you, believing that Raiden Mei might be able to test your true strength.

[But now, without even seeing your true strength, you've already dragged your daughter into this mess, making Raiden Mei's mother unable to bear it any longer!]

However, just before Raiden Mei's mother could issue a final order, Raiden Mei gripped the knife tightly and, in a moment of quick thinking—

"It's this knife..."

Raiden Mei displays the sword, revered by all, before her mother.

As Raiden Mei drew her sword, gasps of astonishment erupted once more, marveling at the terrifying sharpness of the blade.

[The moment the sword was drawn, all the flagpoles along the road were cut down by its sharp edge, even though Raiden Mei didn't move.]

[And that chillingly beautiful and alluring blade is so striking that most people dare not even look at it directly.]

When Raiden Mei drew the sword, her mother, standing before her, was also interrupted.

"The sudden response from this knife put me into a deep sleep for several days."

The reactions of the crowd and her mother's stunned expression convinced Raiden Mei that this path was viable, so she pinned everything on that knife—

["On the night before her departure, my daughter practiced her swordsmanship all night, trying to get used to the sword."]

[“During practice, my daughter accidentally cut herself, and after a drop of blood fell onto the blade, she felt a connection with the knife.”]

[“While interacting with this sword, my daughter fell asleep. In her dream, she kept practicing swordsmanship, repeatedly practicing Iaijutsu.”]

["When I woke up, I didn't know how many days had passed, and these knife marks had appeared on my body."]

Raiden Mei knew she couldn't keep her head down at this moment, otherwise it would only arouse her mother's suspicions.

Therefore, despite lying, Raiden Mei still forced herself to meet her mother's gaze.

[As she recounted the events, Raiden Mei unconsciously recalled the many humiliating things you had done to her with her sword.]

Although lying and reminiscing about what you did made Raiden Mei blush, she wasn't too guilty because what she said was only partially true.

After all, it's true that "Iaijutsu" and "sword patterns appeared on the body after falling into a deep sleep" did happen.

[However... Raiden Mei concealed the fact that she was forced to practice Iaijutsu by you, omitting what she was doing while she was unconscious.]

[This half-truth, half-lies allowed Raiden Mei to at least feel less guilty, and her earnest explanation left her mother unable to find any flaws.]

[After all, this is a village where almost everyone is a samurai. There are legends about swords that bind themselves to their masters with blood, but they only exist in legends.]

Hearing Raiden Mei's explanation, her mother reluctantly accepted it amidst a profound sense of disbelief.

"Yes, if it was a master craftsman capable of forging this sword, such a miracle would be understandable..."

[Raiden Mei's mother suddenly felt even greater respect and awe for the swordsmith who forged the knife, and she believed Raiden Mei's explanation.]

As for the sensation of being gored by a wild boar that Raiden Mei's mother felt on Raiden Mei's body, she simply assumed she had misread it.

[Raiden Mei's mother did not doubt Raiden Mei's statement, after all, that sword itself was a knife that their Raiden family had acquired at great expense, from a mysterious master.]

The swords of that mysterious master in Izumo Province are extremely sought after. The Raiden family went to great lengths to acquire such a weapon for Raiden Mei, one that could be used on the battlefield.

In retrospect, this weapon truly lived up to the effort and money invested in it.

[The fact that an ordinary knife can cut through iron like mud is a testament to the craftsman's skill, but the knife in Raiden Mei's hand can not only easily cut through those exquisite knives, but its terrifying performance on the battlefield is enough to demonstrate her strength.]

[Raiden Mei's mother had also seen a lot, and could feel that the sharpness of that knife was unmatched by any other knife.]

The combination of the sword pattern and Raiden Mei's design is truly astonishing.

The fact that such a miraculous thing could happen seems to further illustrate the perfect match between this sword and Raiden Mei.

Otherwise, how could such an unheard-of thing happen—the patterns on a knife combined with those of a person?

As for the knife, it didn't originally have such exquisite and beautiful patterns; its current transformation is truly remarkable...