By the time Ei returned after putting away the chessboard, she slid open the folding screen and saw the two girls having a heart-to-heart conversation. A faint, gratified smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She gently closed the screen again, then walked with light steps toward the first-floor hall where the others had originally been sitting—the extremely spacious, square-shaped dojo.
Although she had come over, she did not immediately approach the two of them. Instead, she stopped before the weapon racks lining the edge of the dojo. Her graceful, slender figure stood there with her arms folded as she looked over the weapons. Then she glanced at the Shogun's back. After a moment's thought, she picked up two identical Amenoma Kageuchi.
"Shogun."
"...?"
Hearing her mother's call, the Shogun instinctively stopped talking to Ayaka and turned around. The next moment, she saw Ei toss a katana toward her.
Clack...
She caught it smoothly, glanced at the Amenoma Kageuchi kept in her home, and immediately understood what Ei meant.
"...Now?"
She asked the question reluctantly, and Ei could hear the unwillingness in her tone. However, when it came to training, Ei had never indulged her.
"That's right. Get up and spar with me."
Holding the sheathed katana in one hand, Ei loosely folded her arms and waited for the Shogun to rise. The Shogun glanced at Ayaka, who had also fallen silent. Ayaka met her gaze, then gave her a reassuring shake of the head to indicate, 'It's fine.'
"...Could we not do it now? Ayaka is still here. Just wait—"
"No. If you keep putting off your training, it defeats the very purpose of cultivation."
Ei still refused to relent, and for once, her tone was even somewhat stern.
"..."
The Shogun froze for a moment at that, then frowned slightly and silently gave her a protesting look that plainly said, What's gotten into you all of a sudden?
"Shogun, be good."
Ei understood her expression perfectly, but still refused to indulge her.
"Shogun-sama, you don't need to worry about me. Since Lady Ei wishes to train with you, why would I mind?"
Ayaka also offered a word of persuasion.
"But you—"
"It's fine. Hurry along. Don't waste Lady Ei's good intentions, mm~?"
Ayaka leaned close and whispered into her ear.
"Haa... Fine."
With no other choice, the Shogun stood and followed Ei to opposite sides of the dojo.
"Shogun, although I previously told you things such as, 'You no longer need to handle affairs on my behalf. Stay home and live your life properly,' I never told you to abandon your martial training. These past few days, you seem to have grown somewhat lax."
Ei fastened the Amenoma Kageuchi at her waist, then drew it with a practiced, graceful motion before lowering the blade beside her ankle.
"Aren't you handling official business every day? You still have time to pay attention to me?"
The Shogun drew her sword in the same posture and asked in puzzlement as she did so.
"Haa... Naive. Did you really think you could take advantage of the moments when I'm too busy to notice? You are my child, Raiden Ei's own daughter. I pay attention to your affairs instinctively. Do not assume that all I ever do is bury my head in work."
Ei sighed as she spoke.
"...///"
The Shogun flushed at those words, her face turning red and making her look exceptionally adorable.
"Pfft~"
From farther away, Ayaka covered her mouth with her folding fan and could not help laughing. It was not mockery. She had simply been charmed by how adorable her Shogun-sama looked.
"...!"
The Shogun adorably turned and glared at her, but the glare held absolutely no intimidation whatsoever. If anything, it carried a trace of coquettish annoyance.
Seeing that, Ayaka immediately suppressed her smile, gave a soft cough, and straightened her posture again.
"So, since I happen to have some rare free time today, I thought I would correct the lazy mindset you've developed over the past few days. The essence of martial arts lies in steady accumulation, not shortcuts. You must improve every day, even if only by a little. In time, that progress will bear fruit. Haa... Enough. Grip your sword and fight me. Let's see whether your skills have regressed."
The Shogun stopped arguing. Even so, she was still Raiden Ei's obedient daughter. She tightened both hands around the katana and held it horizontally before her. As she raised her arms, the sleeves of her pale kimono slipped slightly downward, revealing smooth arms. Her slender legs in white stockings also shifted into a corresponding crossed stance.
"..."
Seeing her stance, Ei smiled inwardly. She tightened her grip on her katana as well, taking an upright opening stance with one foot forward and the other behind. In an instant, the atmosphere became heavy.
"..."
The Shogun watched Ei across from her, then briefly swept her gaze over the surrounding space, intending to circle around and attack. However—Ei was faster.
Tap, tap!
Just as the Shogun was about to act, Ei took two crisp steps and flashed directly in front of her, slashing backhanded with a single stroke!
"—!"
Caught off guard by the movement, the Shogun instinctively retreated several steps and blocked the strike in slight disarray.
Clang!
The metallic cry of colliding blades rang throughout the room.
"Too slow."
Ei spoke sternly, reprimanding her before exerting force through her blade and shoving the Shogun away.
"!"
Displeasure rose in the Shogun's heart at those words. Her delicate lips tightened slightly as she flashed to Ei's flank and swept the back of her blade toward Ei's neck.
"..."
Ei merely glanced at the attack before skillfully blocking it, then seized the initiative and launched another rapid series of attacks.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
For a time, blades flashed like shadows as the two figures tangled together in streaks of violet light. Neither of them was using elemental power, and perhaps because neither was fighting at full strength, Ayaka could still barely make out their movements. From her perspective, the Shogun had been suppressed by Lady Ei from beginning to end, and the pressure was only growing increasingly severe.
Ayaka instinctively tightened her grip around the handle of her folding fan, silently cheering the Shogun on in her heart.
Clang!
Ei knocked the Shogun back once more. The Shogun retreated several steps, planting her feet firmly against the floor to regain her balance.
"Haa..."
She exhaled lightly, then looked at Ei again.
"My school of swordsmanship emphasizes steadiness, precision, and ruthlessness. It must be swift as a shadow, every strike lethal, with offense taking priority rather than defense. I do not recall ever teaching you to defend passively."
Ei deliberately taunted her in her own way.
"Haa... I haven't gotten serious yet."
The Shogun exhaled, calming her mind. Her eyes instantly turned cold, becoming as still as water.
"Good eyes. Come at me!"
Seeing her like this, Ei's lips curved slightly upward.
"—!"
Crackle!
In the blink of an eye, the Shogun vanished. Even Ei froze for an instant. Her brows drew together, and at the very last moment, she avoided the Shogun's blade. A trace of amazement appeared in her eyes at the sheer speed of the attack.
Whoosh!
After striking, the Shogun gave Ei no time to react and immediately followed with several more slashes!
Clang! Clang!
Ei recovered and was forced to block several strikes, instinctively retreating several steps as the Shogun instantly suppressed her. Yet despite that, their speed had already surpassed what the naked eye could follow. All that remained visible were endlessly flashing blades and the sounds of compressed air sweeping through the room.
Although Ei was being suppressed, she precisely neutralized every one of the Shogun's techniques throughout the exchange, never leaving her even the slightest opportunity.
As the fight continued, Ei gradually went from being pressured to fighting on even terms once again, and eventually began suppressing the Shogun in return.
Their swordsmanship came from the same source, and both had completely mastered its techniques. Their slender figures displayed an elegant grace amid the flickering blades, appearing for an instant before dissolving into shadows and vanishing, only to reappear again like flashes of lightning.
In the end, Ei concluded the battle with a single straight downward slash.
The blow did not strike the Shogun. It stopped at precisely the right point, barely a hair's breadth from her forehead.
"You lost..."
Ei said.
"...Hehe."
Yet the Shogun merely laughed.
"...?"
Ei furrowed her brows. Her relaxed expression instantly became wary again. Just as she realized something and tried to retreat, it was already too late. She felt something cold against her neck—the unmistakable touch of a blade.
The Shogun had appeared behind her, holding the back of her blade against Ei's neck.
"Eh?"
Ayaka was startled as well. Even she had failed to understand what had just happened.
"...I see."
Ei understood. She then looked at the 'Shogun' she had cornered in front of her. Violet light enveloped the figure, transforming it into an exquisitely crafted puppet. The puppet slumped to the floor before dissolving into motes of light and disappearing.
It was... a substitute, something only the puppet-bodied Shogun could do.
"Well? Surprised, weren't you? I haven't even used my 'arm' yet."
The Shogun raised an eyebrow as she asked.
"Indeed, impressive. But... have you forgotten that we were only competing in swordsmanship?"
Ei sighed and turned to look at her.
"...Hm? Did you... say that?"
The Shogun looked away and asked awkwardly.
"..."
Ei stared at her speechlessly, prompting the Shogun to cough.
"...!"
After thinking for a moment, Ei's eyes lit up. She deliberately glanced toward Ayaka and pretended to be surprised.
"...?"
Seeing Ei's reaction, the Shogun instinctively looked over as well... only to instantly fall into Ei's trap.
Whoosh!
Ei immediately knocked aside the forearm holding the Shogun's sword, then quickly hooked one foot behind the Shogun's lower leg.
"You—Ah!"
By the time the Shogun realized what was happening, Ei had already swept her off balance, sending her falling toward the floor. An adorable startled cry escaped her during the fall.
"—!"
Yet the sensation of her back striking the floor never came. Instead, she felt something soft beneath her. She opened her eyes and looked upward. Ei had already caught her and pulled her into an embrace, letting her head rest on her lap. The innocent look in Ei's eyes could not conceal her amusement.
"You... fight dirty."
The Shogun puffed out her cheeks and complained at the woman before her.
"The thief crying thief?"
Ei smiled and countered effortlessly, leaving her momentarily speechless.
"As my mother, you're supposed to go easy on me..."
The Shogun deliberately tried to annoy her.
"Heh. Is that so...? Then as my daughter, shouldn't you be even more obedient and listen to me?"
Ei immediately fired back again.
"...You... Ayaka is still here..."
The Shogun was now somewhat too embarrassed to save face...
"So you do remember that?"
Ei pinched the tip of her nose.
"Haa..."
Rendered speechless by the remark, the Shogun simply turned her gaze away.
"...Your thoughts have been easily disturbed lately, Shogun..."
"...?"
The Shogun slowly raised her eyes and met Ei's gaze. She discovered that the sternness and coldness Ei had shown during their spar was now completely gone. In its place was her usual gentle tone, and her eyes had softened until they seemed as calm as water.
"Are you angry?"
She asked cautiously.
"Hm? Why would I be angry? I was never angry to begin with. If anything, I was worried that you might resent me for what I did just now."
Ei answered. As she spoke, she moved the Amenoma Kageuchi aside and placed it on the tatami.
"...Are you disappointed in me?"
"I'm not disappointed. I simply think you still have a long road ahead of you, with many opportunities to grow in the future. Your temperament, for example. Although you inherited all of my martial skill, what you lack is the state of mind I developed along my own path. These are all things you can improve. Today, I merely wanted to steady your heart and make you understand... distracting thoughts are a warrior's greatest taboo."
Ei raised a hand and gently brushed aside her daughter's bangs, revealing the beauty mark beneath her eye that mirrored her own.
Seeing this, the Shogun obediently nodded... committing her mother's teachings firmly to heart. She felt neither unwillingness nor resentment, because she understood that Ei had not lied to her and would never harm her. She truly did still have shortcomings.
Of course, the little incidents from earlier were really nothing more than playful teasing between the two of them as mother and daughter.
"...Get up. Come back to Ayaka with me."
"Mm..."