"Is this the Slayer Village?"
Yae Sakura followed Kikyo and looked at the village before them. It was undoubtedly much larger than Kaede Village, and heavily guarded. It was nothing like the relatively peaceful Kaede Village.
Many people stood watch around the outskirts, weapons in hand.
Though it was called a village of demon slayers, most of its residents were ordinary villagers. However, a family of demon slayers had lived here for generations, which was why it was known as the Slayer Village.
"Sakura, your ears... Never mind..."
Kikyo turned to look at Yae Sakura. A little fox was perched on Yae Sakura's head, so she wasn't wearing her cloak.
The little fox lay sprawled across Yae Sakura's head, sleeping soundly.
Who knew what was wrong with Higokumaru? She'd been sleeping all day, looking listless.
"Let's go in!" Kikyo slung her bow and arrows over her back and led Yae Sakura toward the village entrance.
"Mm." Yae Sakura followed behind Kikyo, watching her long, straight black hair fall to her hips and sway as she walked...
Though Kikyo had the same face as Kagome, she looked like a pure, aloof goddess. She made people want to destroy that purity.
As for Kagome... To put it nicely, she was sweet and energetic. Less nicely... she was an airhead!
"A demon's coming!!"
"Stop! Come any closer and we'll attack!"
The demon slayers at the village entrance saw Yae Sakura and Kikyo approaching and immediately drew their weapons.
"I'm Kikyo, a priestess from Kaede Village. Your clan leader asked me to come." Kikyo took a few steps forward to show that she meant no harm.
"Priestess Kikyo? The one from the legends?"
"Isn't that the Asura Priestess beside her...? It really does look like them."
"There's no mistaking it. Priestess Kikyo is just as the legends say—she has such a pure aura. Looking at her is like looking upon a deity."
"Lady Kikyo, and you too, my lady. We were rude to you. Please accept our apologies! The clan leader has been waiting for you. Please, follow me."
The demon slayer quickly lowered his weapon and bowed apologetically to Kikyo.
"It's all right..." Kikyo didn't seem bothered, her expression as calm as ever.
"Kikyo really is amazing. Wherever she goes, people see her and immediately trust her."
Kikyo truly was remarkable. Even when she'd become a wandering spirit, anyone who saw the pure aura around her would trust her almost completely.
It was a unique charm that no one else could imitate.
For example, in the movie, the monks had fought desperately to protect a treasure from a demon attack. When Kikyo, already a spirit, passed by, they handed the treasure straight to her.
That was what made Kikyo so powerful: people saw her once and were willing to trust her.
"I'm glad!"
"Lady Kikyo, please wait here a moment. The clan leader will be here shortly."
The demon slayer led Kikyo and Yae Sakura to a guest room.
"Certainly."
In this era, there was no point expecting people in Eastern Island to have chairs on hand. Everyone sat on the floor.
A large rug made from the hide of some unknown animal covered the floor. A low table, about half a meter tall, sat on it, with nothing on top.
The demon slayer led Kikyo and Yae Sakura inside, and they sat down beside the table.
Yae Sakura hesitated as she watched Kikyo kneel beside her...
Honestly, Yae Sakura didn't like kneeling. Why not sit on a chair? Didn't your legs go numb if you sat like that for too long? Still... after a moment's hesitation, she obediently followed Kikyo's example and sat beside her.
"Ladies, please have some tea!" The demon slayer handed Kikyo and Yae Sakura a cup of tea each.
"Thank you!"
A few minutes later, footsteps sounded outside. A middle-aged man dressed in a very unusual fashion walked in. Yae Sakura glanced at the weapon on him. It looked strange.
But it was full of demonic energy. If she wasn't mistaken, it had been made from a demon's bones.
It reminded Yae Sakura of Sango, the demon slayer. But Sango wouldn't be born for another thirty-odd years.
"Priestess Kikyo, you've finally arrived!"
The demon slayer entered and hurriedly got straight to the point.
Kikyo stood up and looked at the demon slayer.
Yae Sakura saw her do it and stood up too.
"I won't waste time on the rest. Priestess Kikyo, I'm sure you already understand the situation.
"More and more demons have learned that the Jewel of Four Souls has appeared. For some time now, our village's demon slayers have had to fight demons from all over, drawn by the jewel's presence, almost every day. It's becoming harder and harder for us to keep them at bay.
"If this goes on, the jewel will inevitably fall into a demon's hands. The consequences would be unthinkable.
"We know we don't have the strength to protect the Jewel of Four Souls, so... we can only entrust it to you, with your powerful spiritual energy."
"I understand."
If the Jewel of Four Souls truly had the power described in the legends, then anyone could imagine what would happen if it fell into the hands of an evil demon.
"So please, I'm counting on you!"
Kikyo had already been told the reason for the request the day before. They had come this time so she could take possession of the Jewel of Four Souls.
If possible, the demon slayer would have brought the jewel to Kikyo himself. But escorting it was simply too dangerous.
So they had no choice but to ask Kikyo to come and collect it.
The Jewel of Four Souls was a hot potato. In the short time they'd been guarding it, the demon slayers had already lost many people. If they didn't hand it over soon, the Slayer Village might be wiped out.
And Kikyo, famous throughout Musashi Province and even the neighboring provinces, was the best person for the job.
Led by the demon slayer clan leader—Sango and Amber's grandfather in Inuyasha—they arrived at a room guarded by more than a dozen fully armed demon slayers. The room was also protected by a powerful barrier.
The clan leader had the guards open the barrier and the door, then led Yae Sakura and Kikyo inside. The Jewel of Four Souls was enshrined in the middle of the room.
Yae Sakura hadn't been allowed to go in at first, but the demon slayer clan leader only relented after Kikyo vouched for her.