Demon Sword Maiden

CHAPTER 173 – IN THE GARDEN

“I thought I’d give it to you after the duel, but as it’s a game-changing treasure, I decided it’s best I give it to you when we’re alone,” Ayaka stated while caressing Lily’s hand gently.

So this is Unmelted Snow, a domain treasure?

Putting it on made Lily’s hand look prettier and the unfathomable, transcendent aura coming off it also seemed to synergize with Lily somehow. Lily succumbed to the temptation and became the owner of this masterless treasure by infusing spirit power into it.

Lily had provided the main materials required for crafting Unmelted Snow, but a lot of the rarer materials had come out of Ayaka’s pocket instead, and she had even gone as far as to commission an expert jade artisan to make it. This wasn’t something that Lily could achieve with ease.

“I apologize for bothering you with this task, Ms. Ayaka, and am grateful for the expenses you’ve shouldered for me.”

“I wouldn’t call commissioning an ornament for my lover1 an expense to be frank. I’m willing to buy you anything you want if you wish for it, Lily.”

Ayaka held Lily’s hand gently and expressed her admiration.

“This bracelet looks perfect on you and accentuates your charm further.”

Lily blushed hard when she heard this as she just couldn’t take praises.

“I’m really thankful for what you’ve done for me, Lord Chief Advisor, but I must insist that I am not your love—Kyah!2”

Ayaka’s other hand slid over Lily’s back to her buttocks smoothly before slapping them.

“You better not call me Lord Chief Advisor again or else I’ll spank you harder next time.”

“I’m sorry… Ms. Ayaka…”

“No apologies, either. We can be considered lovers since you’ve accepted my token of love now, isn’t that so?” Ayaka blushed slightly as she whispered into Lily’s ears.

“Huh?”

Ayaka hugged Lily and turned to the scenic brookside view in the garden along with Lily.

“Just look at the pleasant and quiet scenery we have here, Lily. All of it will be yours from now on. We can train together here in the morning and have fun at night…”

Ayaka locked hands with Lily, interlocking her fingers with Lily’s. Lily’s palms were sensitive, so this kind of skinship made her a little uncomfortable. Lily turned her head back and stated, “Please stop acting like this, Ms. Ayaka… I… plan to move out of the mansion.”

“Huh?” Ayaka’s eyes flashed with worry. “Why, though? Are you telling me you don’t like it here? What kind of place do you prefer, then? I’ll buy it no matter where in Heian-kyo it is, and we can just train together and engage in court work there.”

Lily shook her head.

“No, I can’t let you take on such expenses again, Ms. Ayaka. It’s not like I’m lacking the money for it, either. I just believe that I must become independent and live in my own house since I’m a court official as well now.”

Lily just cooked up a random reason on the spot.

Ayaka expressed her displeasure when she heard this and stated coldly, “What do you mean by that? Are you giving me the cold shoulder now that you have an official position in the court? You don’t wish to serve me faithfully at my mansion now, is it?”

“Huh? N-No, that’s not what I meant,” Lily followed up anxiously.

“Is it that you hate me now? Is that why you’re trying to avoid me?”

“That’s not it, either…”

Ayaka grabbed Lily’s shoulder and pushed her against the tree, “What is it, then?”

“I know how good you’ve been to me, Ms. Ayaka, and am willing to offer you my loyalty without the slightest hesitation. However, I’ve always seen you as my master, instructor, and sister… I hope to retain this pure and beautiful relationship between us.”

Ayaka’s eyes filled with heartbreak, “I’ve kissed you so many times until now, loved you and even punished you in embarrassing ways. What else are you still hiding from me, lass? Is it so bad that you must distance yourself from me?”

“No, I don’t intend to distance myself from you…”

Ayaka grabbed Lily’s hands and pressed them up against the tree behind her, and her other hand raised Lily’s chin before she engaged in a deep kiss with her.

“Mmf…”

The hand holding Lily’s chin up slowly slid down towards her breasts as the kiss intensified.

“Ngh…” Lily couldn’t hold back from releasing a soft and muffled moan because of the kiss.

Ayaka finally spared Lily after a few moments, leaving Lily with a flushed face and ragged breaths.

“It’s clear that you like me. Is there a need to put up such a pretense?”

“I…”

“You what? If you don’t like me, why did you…” Ayaka eyed Lily’s expansive cleavage with a sense of accomplishment and dominance as she closed in towards Lily to whisper the remaining words in an inaudible voice.

Lily blushed hard after hearing what she had to say.

“Please don’t say such things, Ms. Ayaka. I have my reasons.”

“What reasons?” Ayaka pressed her for answers.

Lily just bowed her head in silence.

Ayaka stood at the top of the Heian Empire in terms of status, strength, and authority, so the fact that Lily hesitated to answer her and make the facts clear made her really want to punish the woman.

Ayaka couldn’t just act based on vague assumptions, though. Lily’s behavior irked Ayaka, but she hadn’t done anything wrong, so Ayaka couldn’t just abuse her power and punish Lily for nothing.

It wasn’t as if Lily had been insincere towards Ayaka too, but things weren’t that simple now. Their relationship had become much more complicated than where it had begun initially, so Lily couldn’t just admit to Ayaka that she already had a lover3.

It wasn’t as if she could just tell her about Rinne. Lily didn’t know how to explain who Rinne was to Ayaka as telling her that she was her senior from another world would be equivalent to showing Ayaka disrespect.

Lily had complete trust in Ayaka, but she couldn’t take her inside the mirror space as she was too powerful. There was also the fact that Lily couldn’t predict what changes would occur in the mirror space if she brought a powerful soul like Ayaka’s into it. Lily couldn’t afford to put Rinne’s soul in danger just to prove she had a lover.

Lily also didn’t know how to explain her own soul’s appearance within the mirror space and why Rinne’s soul looked the same as her body.

Ayaka observed Lily with keen eyes and even though she couldn’t figure out her thoughts, she became certain that Lily had a secret she couldn’t share with her.

Ayaka raised Lily’s chin gently again and brushed her fingers past Lily’s lips. She tried to pry into her warm lips with her thumb, but she stopped when she saw the sorrow within Lily’s eyes.

“Why… Lily? Is the secret so precious that you can’t share it with me?”

It was highly possible that Lily would just give in to Ayaka without putting up a struggle if the latter continued her aggressive approach in making the former her lover.

Ayaka didn’t desire that, though, and wanted Lily to swear eternal love to her instead. She wished for Lily to become infatuated and blind in love with her, so much that she couldn’t live without her or even bear to part from her.

She wanted all that Lily had, her lust and her love.

Ayaka wasn’t that versed in making girls fall in love with her as the world thought, but some people were just naturally good at achieving this while others never learned their lesson no matter how experienced they were with love.

Ayaka shook her head while sighing gently and curbed the intense feelings swirling within her eyes.

“You must be tired, right4? Have some rest within the hot spring behind the mansion, all right?” Ayaka stated before kissing Lily’s cheek gently.

Robinxen: Ayaka. Bold. Robinxen: Okay credit to Lily for trying to put her foot down. Robinxen: Why though…? Why is it so hard to just say “I have a lover but we were separated, I’m seeking strength to find her again.” Like it makes sense!!!!! Robinxen: ANYONE WOULD BE AFTER ALL THAT!