Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 156 – The Beginning Of The Night (Part 2)

“Sister Rinne…”

Lily gazed up at her senior sister, who looked down on her with a gaze both gentle and stern. It was a look filled with unspoken understanding, deep affection, and subtle sorrow—as though she could feel all of Lily’s struggles, yet was on the verge of scolding her for each mistake made. A thousand thoughts swirled within Lily, but when she opened her mouth, only one thing escaped.

“I… I like you.”

As soon as the words left her lips, Lily turned her head away, face burning with embarrassment. One hand instinctively rose to her lips, as if trying to hide the confession that had already escaped.

In that moment, Lily’s instincts quietly stepped in, compensating for her clear inexperience. All she could do now was blush, remain still, and wait—heart pounding in quiet anticipation.

Rinne leaned in close, her voice low and tender. “I like you too.”

Before Lily could fully savor the sweetness of those words, Rinne gently took her chin between two fingers and pressed a kiss to her soft, expectant lips.

Was it the curse? A surge of desire? The lingering effects of the Fragrance-Breaker Pill? Lily didn’t know. All she knew was that her body felt as though it had melted—completely undone by the soul-deep affection she held for the woman before her.

It was, perhaps, both the longest and shortest night of Lily’s life. The happiest, and most unforgettable, night she had ever known. No matter how deep or grand her love became, it always felt fleeting—too short, too fragile.

The Boundless Abyss remained shrouded in darkness, even as so-called dawn approached. The moment would arrive all too soon. If this continued, perhaps even the mortal world would fall into such darkness, eventually.

When Lily awoke once more, she found herself still resting in her senior sister’s gentle embrace. She hesitated to open her eyes, afraid it had all been a dream. Afraid that someone like her didn’t deserve a happiness so real, so overwhelming.

But with quiet resolve, she gathered her courage and opened her eyes—only to be met with her senior sister’s ever-beautiful face, gazing back at her in the dim light. Lily’s face flushed with heat as she instinctively covered it with her hands.

“Are you awake, Lily?” Rinne’s voice was calm—mature and filled with quiet understanding—yet still carried the same alluring warmth it always had.

“Senior Sister… it’s really you, isn’t it? Truly you…” Lily’s voice wavered with disbelief. She barely noticed the changes in herself—the newfound maturity of her body, the sudden surge in power. She had unknowingly reached a breakthrough in her Charm Heavenly Path.

“Who else would it be, if not me?” Rinne smiled gently and stroked Lily’s cheek with tender affection. “Does it still hurt?”

Lily quickly shook her head, unwilling to trouble her with concern. She caught the knowing look in her senior sister’s eyes—eyes that seemed to remember everything from the night before. Realizing what she had just said, Lily’s expression stiffened.

Her cheeks flushed even deeper. She lowered her head and covered her face again, trying to hide her embarrassment. With a small, feigned pout, she complained to mask her flustered emotions.

“Senior Sister… how could you! You just woke up, and the first thing you did was that!”

“What’s wrong with that? Weren’t you the one who snuck into my bed and kissed me without permission?”

“Senior Sister!” Lily whined, squirming in protest. Though she was clearly the one being held captive, she somehow felt like she was the one who needed to apologize. Her heart was in chaos—she had no idea what to think anymore.

Rinne softly traced Lily’s lips with her fingertips—but Lily could feel a faint, ghostly quality to the touch, as though her fingers weren’t entirely of this world.

“Senior Sister…”

Lily had no time to process her thoughts—everything that happened the previous day had been far too intense. She had nearly forgotten that her senior sister still existed in spiritual form, even though that form had warmth, sensation, and tears that shimmered like starlight.

“Senior Sister… your body…” Lily whispered. She wasn’t troubled by what she had given up—she had done so willingly. What worried her was the condition of her senior sister’s body.

Rinne met Lily’s gaze, trying to conceal her concern. But despite her efforts, a fleeting shadow of sadness flickered in her eyes.

“Lily, I can’t remain outside for long. Though I’ve recovered some spiritual strength during my long slumber, it’s still limited. I’ll need to return to the mirror soon.”

“Senior Sister?” Lily’s whole body trembled, her eyes widening in shock. “Are you… going to fall asleep again? No, please—no!”

Rinne gave a soft shake of her head. “Not quite. I’ll remain in the mirror—a realm drawn from the spiritual plane, where Shikigami dwell. Within it, I recover more energy than I expend. It will be alright.”

Lily let out a breath of relief—only for a new worry to rise immediately. “Then… can you come out again, Senior Sister?”

“Why? Do you need me to come out for something in particular?”

“O-of course not!” Lily replied, blushing furiously. “It’s just… your body, Senior Sister… what will happen to it?”

In a daze, Lily took her senior sister’s hand and gently pressed it against her own soft chest. “This body… it’s yours, isn’t it? I’ll give it back to you. I’ll stay in the stone chamber within the mirror—I don’t mind sleeping in there.”

Hearing Lily speak so selflessly, as though making such a sacrifice meant nothing, Rinne was deeply moved. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she shook her head. “My dear sister, your kindness touches me… but you’ve misunderstood. This… is your body.”

As she spoke, Rinne pressed gently against Lily’s full chest to emphasize her words.

“Huh?” Lily stared, wide-eyed in disbelief. “Senior Sister… what are you saying? I don’t understand.”

Lily had always believed that once her senior sister awakened, she would return the body without hesitation. She had never once minded. But why was Rinne saying this now? This was clearly her body… wasn’t it? How could it possibly be Lily’s?

Was she saying this just to spare Lily? Afraid that, without the body, Lily’s spirit would wander, trapped in solitude within the stone chamber? That she’d be lost, or suffer? No… that couldn’t be the reason… could it?

“No… it’s not true. You’re just saying that for my sake, aren’t you?” Lily’s voice was steady, her maturing gaze unwavering as she shook her head. “Please, don’t spare me. This body…”

Seeing the sincerity in Lily’s eyes—the kind that would give up everything for her—Rinne’s heart fluttered. With a gentle smile, she turned to face her fully, her loose hair cascading down her shoulders. “My dear sister… you still don’t understand, do you?”

“I don’t understand… what do you—ugh…”

“Would I really do that to my own body?” she teased. “You’re my sister. I like you… and because of that, I love you.”

“Huh?” Lily gasped, her cheeks flushing as confusion deepened.

“This night feels far too short,” she murmured. “For now, I can only stay outside for a short while, so I don’t have time to explain everything. And really—who told you to faint last night? I still had so much love left to give you, dear sister.”

A soft blush colored Rinne’s cheeks as she spoke, her gaze turning dreamy as she leaned in—ready to kiss Lily once more…

At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the room. Lily’s wedding day had finally arrived!

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