Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko (刀使ノ巫女)

Fighting by yourself? Are you trying to be some kind of hero?

No, I...

Do you think you're the only one grieving

for Yume, Yukari-sama, or Princess Tagitsu?

Shidou, Konohana has been fighting as well.

She has worked with us on researching how

to remove aradama that are fused with the human body.

Thanks to her, our research has advanced dramatically.

It may take some time,

but one day, we will be able to remove the aradama from your bodies as well.

Remove the aradama?

Shidou-san, Konohana-san, we will not let your battles go to waste.

That goes for Tsubakuro-san as well.

You've been fighting with this all this time, haven't you?

Usumidori is an okatana deeply tied to my Kurama style.

But I guess I have no choice but to leave it with you for now.

Suzuka...

Now if only Yomi-san would come back,

all four of us would be together again.

You're right.

You will all be accompanying Akane-sama tomorrow.

Where are we going this time?

To visit the deputy director of the Sword Administration Bureau,

my sister, Origami Yukari.

You're reviewing the imperial guard candidates again?!

Yes.

How do we have time for that?!

We know where Princess Takiri is located, and the princess returned with injuries!

You must deploy an imperial guard right away!

You have plenty of ampoules!

And there are no issues with the candidates' preliminary compatibility tests!

So why are you doing this?!

The imperial guard must be able to protect the princess at the risk of their own lives.

I am assessing the level of their morale.

That's what you're doing?

No one can disobey the princess once they receive the aradama.

If you are ordered to become a shield and die,

you will offer your life without hesitation.

Just as Yomi and Tsubakuro Yume have done.

As the president of Ayanokouji,

I will make the decisions for Ayanokouji's students.

Don't interfere.

I'm warning you. There's no turning back now.

Name: Uchizato Ayumu

Katana Maidens

Episode 17 The Goddesses' Madness

Hiyori-chan.

Here, it's milk tea with lots of sugar.

Thanks.

Still feeling conflicted about things?

After my mother died, all I've ever thought about

was killing the great aradama, Origami Yukari.

Akane-sama said that Yukari-sama is no longer Princess Tagitsu,

and that she's gone back to being herself.

I know...

But you're not convinced, are you?

That's so like you, Hiyori-chan. You're so straightforward.

You have your own faults, too.

You just prioritize swordfighting over everything else.

That's true.

I really want to fight Yukari-sama again.

You've already fought with her plenty.

But this time it would be against Origami Yukari's actual Niten Ichi style.

You're so easy to figure out.

I think you're pretty easy to figure out, too.

I am not! I'm just saying you don't change.

You are you, and I am me.

You're right. I think chocolate mint tastes like toothpaste.

What are you thinking about?

Nothing.

Maybe you could've said that you're not sure how to face her?

You see right through me.

It's just because you're really easy to read.

You're probably right.

I knew about Yukari-sama taking in an aradama,

but I didn't know that it was Princess Tagitsu.

Had I known...

Would you have killed Yukari-sama?

I don't know, but I don't think I would have accepted the aradama.

Why did you accept it, then?

Because I felt like I wanted the power to keep fighting.

No matter the light, it always seems to be swallowed by darkness.

I thought that I should accept the darkness to confront the enormous darkness.

That's surprisingly cowardly for the first member of the elite guard.

Cowardly, huh?

One of the girls from Osafune said something similar that night.

I knew my own weaknesses.

So I decided to face them.

I would find Princess Tagitsu before anyone else and kill her myself.

I was even prepared to be destroyed along with her.

And you are foolish and reckless, too.

That's true.

Instead of killing Princess Tagitsu, I confused those around me.

I never imagined that she would be split into three conflicting parts.

Whether it's you or Juujou Hiyori,

must all Heijou students make such impulsive and straightforward decisions?

Speaking of, Suzuka, why did you accept the aradama?

I never asked you before.

Good grief! You never realized, did you?

Because I didn't want a certain someone to get too far ahead of me.

That's the only reason?

I envy such an admirable opponent.

You're so dense.

I am sorry for making you wait so long.

This is the last of the final interviews.

Y-Yes, ma'am! Thank you for having me.

There were no issues with the results of your compatibility test,

but I want you to really think about this.

There are various risks involved in the administration of strengthening drugs.

Even so, do you still wish to take them and join the imperial guard?

Yes, I do.

Why do you wish to do so?

When I was dispatched to Kamakura the other day,

I keenly felt my powerlessness.

I want to get stronger.

I want to get stronger and contribute to society as a Toji.

What about getting stronger with the normal curriculum?

I don't know that I could...

Also, I got to meet someone I admire at Kamakura!

She's a really strong Toji,

and I want to quickly become a useful Toji like her.

Please excuse me.

Rejected

Origami Yukari...

I wasn't expecting the director, who is supposed to be recovering in a hospital,

to show up in an armed submarine.

It is fully equipped with medical facilities, so I was not lying.

You're no longer an aradama, right, Yukari-sama?

Etou-san!

Y-You...

Yes.

We have inspected her numerous times,

and no aradama has been detected in her body.

But physically, she's still 17 years old.

Shidou-san, Konohana-san,

I'm sorry that we haven't been able to remove the aradama from your bodies.

It's fine.

How did you overcome it?

I didn't overcome it. I was cast aside by the aradama.

Cast aside?

We believe that Princess Tagitsu expelled herself

from the director of her own volition.

On that night?

What happened between you and Princess Tagitsu?

Juujou, watch your language!

That night, I, who had been assimilated by Princess Tagitsu, was defeated by you.

We were on the verge of perishing together

when Princess Tagitsu cast aside my body and escaped to the netherworld.

The aradama split herself up to throw off pursuit.

So you were cut off like a lizard's tail, then?

Kanami-chan, you could have phrased that more politely.

You're right. I'm the tail that was cut off and cast aside.

But we can't dwell on that right now.

You mean the three goddesses?

What was once known as Princess Tagitsu has now split into three.

Princess Tagitsu has been taking noro from various places.

Princess Takiri is in the possession of the Ministry of Defense.

The remaining one is...

Princess Ichikishima. They really are the three goddesses of Munakata.

I cannot believe aradama are naming themselves after gods.

Princess Tagitsu is after Princess Takiri.

Why would she be fighting another part of herself?

I summoned you all here to explain that.

And there is also someone I want you to meet.

The third remaining part, Princess Ichikishima, is here?

My spectrum meter isn't detecting anything.

This submarine is to hide her from Princess Tagitsu. We use various tricks.

Etou Kanami and Juujou Hiyori.

I see, so you are here to destroy me.

My existence as an individual was brief, but that was unavoidable.

So very brief...

We wouldn't be protecting you if we were going to destroy you.

This is an aradama? She seems rather...

No, Princess Tagitsu was like this, too.

Like a real person.

Konohana Suzuka and Shidou Maki. I was once a part of Yukari.

I know you both well.

She's pretty different compared to Princess Takiri.

You met with Princess Takiri?

O-O-Oh, yes.