Demon Sword Maiden

CHAPTER 21 – GENJI MAIN DOJO

“Who is this woman?” A woman wearing a spotless white Furisode in the courtyard asked.

“Miss, that’s probably the new female disciple,” A petite maid next to Shimizu1 responded.

“Newcomer?” Shimizu looked at Lily’s walking posture from a distance. It could be seen that Lily had a tall build. Although she herself was already 1.67 meters, Lily was much taller than herself. She was in fact taller than most men in the world of Heian.

However, even though Lily was tall, she looked delicate and slender. Her waist was even as thin as hers, yet her bosom was much more endowed than her own and her buttocks were bigger compared to her own.

“She looks a little tender and beautiful. However, that figure, don’t you think it’s inconvenient while training?” Shimizu said.

“Exactly. I’m afraid that the burdensome bosom will limit the sword skill. How can it be compared with the young lady’s lightness like a swallow…”

Shimizu also smiled when she heard it: “Although the bosom is large and reduces the flexibility, it isn’t useless. If it is used flexibly, it may also become a defensive weapon against beating, hehe…”

“Why don’t the young lady give her a pointer.”2

Genji Shimizu’s eyes turned into crescent moons with complacency and a smile appeared on her face. However, her eyes followed the distant swaying bosom of Lily, then at her swaying buttocks as the bosom got out of view.

“Cough, cough!” However, it was not a good time to stay out. A cold wind blew, causing Shimizu to cough again.

“Miss, it’s cold here. Hurry, go back. It’s time to take your medicine.” The maid immediately came up to help and draped over a snow white shawl on her shoulder.

“I don’t want to take medicine. That medicine… is too bitter.” Shimizu frowned slightly with a sad expression.

“Huh?” Lily seemed to have felt something as she was walking. Looking back, she saw a white clothed girl under the distant shade of the forest for a moment but the girl turned and left.

Lily followed the two attendants with Shiu while admiring the simple and secluded wild scenery of the garden. Soon, she arrived before a house with white walls, dark coloured wooden frames, and dark brown roofs in the forest.

Entering into the house, there sat a familiar looking old man. It seemed that he was the old man who gave her the pass certificate.

“Oh? Are we meeting for the first time, young lady?” Said the old man.

“Ah… maybe.” It seemed that the old man had a fuzzy memory and Lily didn’t want to talk about it.

The old man examined the letter of recommendation and said, “It’s really the spiritual seal of the magistrate. Okay, then I’ll issue the enrollment document for you.”

After getting the paperwork, triplicates were made out of it. One for Lily, one for the old man, and the last one was taken by the attendant and given to the dojo.

“Now I’ll guide you to your accommodation.”

“Yes, please.” Lily nodded.

“Miss Kagami, follow us.”

Two male and female attendants took Lily to the forest pathway. Then they crossed the pontoon bridge and came to the deep part of the Dojo garden where green pines and lush green polygonatum3 were growing everywhere. Manors with brown tiles and white walls were erected everywhere in the pine forest.

“Miss Kagami, every hut is the residence of a Dojo disciple. Although Dojo is very large, the number of disciples is not too many. There are only fifty to sixty people in total and many rich disciples live in their own residences in Kamakura city. Since they are not living here, many of these residences are still relatively unoccupied. Miss Kagami, you can arbitrarily choose any house without a nameplate on it. The expenses are all borne by the Genji clan and don’t need to be paid by you.”

Lily and others walked towards the quiet and secluded place. Lily saw a beautiful pond like a mirror. Beside the pond, there was a simple hut. Half of the wooden pillars of the hut were standing in the water. Lily liked it at a glance. As soon as she saw that the wooden signboard in front of the path was empty, she said, “Then I’ll choose this, can I?”

“Haha… of course. However it’s much more secluded here,” said the female attendant.

“It doesn’t matter, I like the quietness. How about it, Shiu?”

“I’ll live wherever the lady lives.” Shiu replied without hesitation.

In fact, it was nice to have a maid. Lily felt a bit of vanity. Of course, Shiu was an important family member to her and she was by no means an ordinary maid.

“Then please rest here first. Your luggage will be delivered immediately. At that time, an instructor will also come to provide you with guidance on your livelihood in the dojo.” After saying that, two attendants left.

Lily and Shiu took off their shoes and walked up to the wooden platform leading to the cabin. She opened the sliding door. Inside, there was a guest room, a big room next to the pond, and a hut with a splendid view of the bamboo forest. All the rooms had a table, simple tea sets, quilts, and other things in the closet. The rooms were not lavish but they looked clean and elegant. It seemed that someone had been cleaning them all the time.

It was just that there was no bathroom inside the hut.4 She could only ask about it later.

When Lily arrived at her room, she could see the water view and a small waterside pavilion. Standing on the waterside pavilion, she could see that there was a larger long house opposite the beautiful pond. There were lush trees on the left and right of the house, wild bamboo and reeds on the side, and there was also a waterside pavilion on this side of the house which directly faced her waterside pavilion.

The pond was only four or five meters wide. The distance between the two waterside pavilions was less than three meters apart. Lily didn’t know if anyone else lived there. If someone else lived there, she hoped that it was a girl. Otherwise, it would be awkward for Lily to open her window in her daily life.

It didn’t take long for their luggage to be sent over. It was men who delivered the luggage. It was not easy for Lily to ask about the bathroom.

Lily and Shiu took their luggage and unpacked them properly. Lily hid the heavy metal seal under the quilt in the corner of the closet. Although Lily wanted to carry it with her, it was too heavy. It would seriously affect her flexibility and it couldn’t even serve as a weight training for her.

Then, she waited at the hut along with Shiu.

Finally at dusk, Sakiko donning a black lined red kimono came to their waterside pavilion.

“Master Sakiko!” Lily stood up in surprise.

“Haha, aren’t you a little surprised? I’m your instructor. Besides teaching you swordsmanship, I’m also responsible for instructing you in your daily practice.” Sakiko said with a smile.

“That’s great.” Lily was still worried about whether she could get along well with the new teacher. After all, although it looked as if on the surface that things were simple here, the undercurrents seemed complicated.

“Well, it was quite a coincidence. The main dojo summoned me back for a meeting and we just happened to come across news of your reputation that spread like wildfire after the battle of Suruga, so I recommended you.”

“So it was Master Sakiko who recommended me to the main dojo. Lily truly does not know how to thank you. You helped Lily too much!”

This was true. From the time when Lily came to Takeshita alone and had only 300 mon on her, Sakiko helped Lily all the way. She guided her forward and helped her when she was in danger.

“Hehe, how do you want to thank me? How about devoting yourself to me?”

“Ah!?” Lily blushed.

“Hehehe, I’m just joking. Looks like you’re tired today. I live in the courtyard house5 to the east of this garden. You can come to me at any time.”

Sakiko took out a rice paper map. “It marked the location of some main places of the dojo. We are here. This big hall is the place for morning classes and meals. Behind the brook here. In the bamboo forest, there were women’s baths and hot springs. There were women’s bathrooms in those places. Other things are marked on the map. You can go through them slowly.”

“Great.” Lily took the map and subconsciously tapped her lower abdomen.

Sakiko took out another scroll: “This is the curriculum of this month but it has been half a month already. Hehe…”

Lily opened the scroll and took a look. There were various courses arranged on it. It was still quite full starting from the late afternoon. Martial arts included kenjutsu, horse riding, archery, spearmanship, pole art, karate, sumo wrestling, tea ceremony, calligraphy, painting, Go, illustrations, etc… There were even the elusive spirit power lectures that’s not available to outsiders.

“Sumo wrestling…”

“Hehe, the subjects above are just advance notice. At this time, some special teachers of Genji will come to give lectures. Most of them are famous samurai. They don’t live in the dojo all the time. Those who are interested can listen to it. It isn’t necessary to attend every class. You can practice at home or go out for adventures. The only compulsory class is the Dojo’s training trip. Other things are very casual.” Sakiko said.

“Ah, I see.”

“There are no age limits nor restrictions to the students in the dojo, so many disciples are not eager to graduate. Rather, they study here till the age of 25 before choosing to graduate.”

“What are the conditions for graduation?” Although Lily also wanted to study here with peace of mind, she still had to embark on the journey to wake up senior sister. She couldn’t study here all the time.

“Well, if you want to graduate, it is also simple. You can graduate by paying ten superior mid-rank anima or one high-rank anima. Of course, the dojo will purchase it at the market price. However, most don’t choose to graduate and stay here instead. The real advantage in this situation, is not just that you can attend classes and study for free but that you will enjoy other great things that are absolutely not offered to outsiders!”

Sakiko said brightly.

“What is this great advantage?” Lily was also surprised. It was a great advantage even for Sakiko herself, so much so that it was probably beyond her imagination!

“Hehe…” Sakiko smiled mysteriously, “It’s still too early for you to know, Miss Kagami. When it’s time to know, you will naturally know.

After saying that, Sakiko left.

Lily and Shiu looked at each other in dismay. Master Sakiko also began to keep people on tenterhook.

They looked at the map, looked at each other and then said, “Well, let’s go… there first.”

Lily proposed while blushing.

In the evening, Lily and Shiu followed the map and arrived at the big hall for dinner. However, they were stopped by two attendants.

“I’m sorry Miss Kagami. You can come in and have a meal. However, your maid has to go to the cottage behind this hall and have a meal with the attendants. This is the rule of dojo.” said the male attendant.

Lily looked at Shiu and said. “I’m sorry, Shiu. I wronged you.”

“Never mind, Shiu doesn’t care. I’m very satisfied to be with you.” Shiu said with a smile.

So Lily walked into the big hall by herself. The big hall was covered with tatami mats. It was supported by wooden bars and soft light was coming from wooden windows.

Dinner was served.

However, the hall was deserted. It seemed that many disciples didn’t come or eat here every day.

Lily was not familiar with this place. She lived in the dojo and ate in the dojo canteen.

“Hi, who are you? Why haven’t I seen you before?”

Before Lily could stand, several male disciples gathered around her. One of them was a little boy with a height of no more than 1.50 meters but he looked very buff. He was a dark skinned young man wearing a buckskin shawl. He stepped on the table and looked at Lily with suspicion and vigilance in his eyes.6