Book 12: Chapter 33: Beauty Under the Moon

Book 12: Chapter 33: Beauty Under the Moon

Lily followed the maid through the palace corridors, passing scenery that was far more elegant and beautiful than any other place she had seen. Instead of leading Lily to the queen’s boudoir, the maid took her to a courtyard within the palace.

In the courtyard, Lily saw the queen admiring flowers.

Suddenly, Lily remembered she was dressed in this shamefully revealing outfit. The gauze that could have somewhat covered her had been left back in the hall.T/his chapter is updated by nov(ê(l)biin.co/m

It was indecent to meet the queen like this. This wasn’t a singing or dancing banquet where such revealing clothes were somewhat acceptable; this was a quiet garden with only the two of them...

But she couldn’t just leave to change clothes without the queen’s permission. Enduring her burning cheeks, she knelt at the entrance of the pavilion. “Your Majesty...”

What worried Lily most was that now the queen had noticed her, she could be said to have accomplished her mission. But what if the queen wanted to sleep with her?

“You’re called Lynne?” the queen asked, still admiring the flowers.

“Yes, I was rash and offended Your Majesty. I thank Your Majesty for your forgiveness...” Lily kowtowed.

“For thousands of years, I have watched countless women come and go from this palace. I know all too well why you were sent here, but you seem a bit different. Did you think I would not notice your thoughts?” The queen turned towards Lily with warm yet stern eyes.

“Your Majesty, serving you through dancing is already a great blessing for me. I ask for nothing else,” Lily said, remaining prone against the floor. Lily was very sensitive to gazes, but even in this posture, the queen’s eyes didn’t glance at her body. It was very... unusual, and she felt a sense of loss.

‘Her Majesty is alone with me in this courtyard, and she hasn’t looked at me... Isn’t it even more embarrassing since I’m dressed like this? Of course, I don’t want her to look at me, but what about my mission? What is the point of going through so much embarrassment and disgrace?’ Lily silently wondered.

The queen’s gaze was stern, not enchanted by Lily’s charm. She simply regarded Lily as a servant.

“Lynne, there’s no need to deceive me. Your dancing is not bad; with your skills, how could you commit such a low-level mistake? Throwing your scarf at me and falling on me while spilling the wine was all on purpose, wasn’t it?”

“Eh? Lynne...doesn’t dare1...”

“Just saying that makes you guilty of deceiving your ruler. If you were a man, I would have killed you. But for a woman, those little lies can be signs of cuteness, so I will forgive you. In this palace, who would dare lie to me over such a trivial matter?”

“Your Majesty...” Did the queen just say she was cute?

“However, things have come to this, so you must tell the truth. Otherwise, I will have to severely punish you. Confess.”

Lily knew she had no choice but to confess. The queen had already said that women could tell small lies; this was her chance. If she continued to lie, the queen might become angry.

‘Kaguya? Is that the queen’s true name?’ Lily observed the queen’s lonely figure, surrounded by bamboo trees under a moonless sky.

Suddenly, an idea struck Lily.

“Your Majesty, would you like to see the moon?”

“Hm?” The queen’s indifferent eyes suddenly sparked with interest, her watery gaze fixed on Lily with surprise.

“Lynne, what did you say?”

“Your Majesty, while my talents are limited, I have learned a few tricks besides dancing. If you wish to admire the moon, I cannot create the real one, but I can conjure a phantom. Would Your Majesty like to see it?”

“Lynne? Can you really make the moon appear?”

“Perhaps I am merely an insignificant woman who enjoys playing tricks, but your words and deep affection have truly moved me. I dare not speak lightly of such matters. If I fail, please punish me,” Lily said confidently yet calmly.

The queen trembled. “The lunar creation technique is no ordinary method. In Yomi, no one has yet mastered it. Lynne, if you cannot accomplish it, I won’t blame you, but please, try it for me.”

“Yes.” Lily stood up. In Yomi-no-Kuni, she couldn’t fly. “Then forgive my impoliteness.”

Lily walked to the edge of the pavilion and leaped into the garden. Her bare feet balanced gracefully on a rock. Her charm became ethereal, condensing the power of her soul realm into a star-frosted ribbon. She began dancing on the rock, the ribbon floating in the night sky.

The sky filled with stars and snow, completely captivating the queen’s attention.

Lily’s dance softened as her concentration intensified. Sakura petals filled the sky, mingling with the snow and stars. Above the blend of snow and sakura petals, a layer of snow clouds formed. The clouds followed Lily’s dance, parting to reveal a bright silver moon.

“What!? That...” The queen stared in disbelief, trembling with shock, her hands gripping the railing tightly.

“That... the moon... it really is the moon... the moon I have yearned for thousands of years. My home seems to be there, the courtyard of my childhood, the refuge of my soul... she... that is where I met her...”

The queen collapsed to her knees, staring at the moon.

The queen of the Female Queendom, the protector of tens of thousands of female adepts, she who stood unshakable, Queen Kaguya, an existence comparable to Wakarai or Rakshasa, knelt before the moon in the sky.

But Lily was already in a state of forgetfulness. Even though the queen had knelt before her, even though she could feel that familiar, admiring gaze filled with the suppressed desire of thousands of years, she didn’t react at all. Lily was just lonely and aloof, dancing under the moon without a thought.