The Black Lily Blooms in Her Eyes Is Free on Steam, Combining a Kyoto Fantasy Novel with Turn-Based Card Battles

The Black Lily Blooms in Her Eyes is now available as a free-to-play Windows PC game through Steam.

Created and published by solo developer Saku Bougetu, the Japanese indie game combines a modern fantasy visual novel set across Kyoto with deck building, turn-based card battles, and a standalone roguelike mode.

Quick Summary

• Official English title: The Black Lily Blooms in Her Eyes
• Japanese title: 黒百合は瞳に咲く -古都と神秘と召喚戦争-
• Romanized title: Kuroyuri wa Hitomi ni Saku - Koto to Shinpi to Shoukan Sensou -
• Format: PC and browser game
• Steam genres: Adventure, Indie, Strategy, and Free to Play
• Core elements: visual novel, deck building, card battler, turn-based combat, modern fantasy, and roguelike
• Developer: Saku Bougetu / 望月朔
• Publisher: Saku Bougetu
• Price: free
• Steam platform: Windows PC
• Japanese release date: August 10, 2026
• Global Steam display: August 9 due to time-zone differences
• Browser edition: Novel Game Collection
• Steam languages: English and Japanese
• Full voice acting: not listed
• Primary modes: Story Mode and Roguelike Mode
• Arcana cards: 26
• Deck size: 10 cards
• Familiar positions: Main and Support
• Familiar stats: HP, ATK, and SPD
• Victory condition: defeat three opposing Main Familiars first
• Player ability: limited-use Signature Magic
• Protagonist: Ichito Tokimiya
• Heroine: Hitomi Yoihoshi
• Relationship: childhood friends and a couple
• Bells: seven
• Magicians: seven
• Opponents: six other bell holders
• Ritual reward: one wish
• Setting: Kyoto
• Named locations: Kiyomizu-dera, the Kamo River, and Kyoto Imperial Garden
• Estimated story length: approximately four to five hours
• Endings: one
• Battle-loss bad ending: none
• Additional browser-version content: Boss Battle Mode and a post-game extra story

Steam, Trailer, and Game Visuals

Seven Bells Can Grant One Wish

The story follows Ichito Tokimiya, an ordinary young man walking home with Hitomi Yoihoshi, his childhood friend and girlfriend.

Their evening suddenly changes when Ichito is pulled into an inverted white world and becomes involved in a magical ceremony known as the Arcana Rite.

Seven bells have been distributed among seven magicians. Each holds summoning power known as Familiars, and the person who gathers all of their mysteries is said to receive a single wish.

Ichito is not a magician and enters the conflict without the preparation of the other participants. He nevertheless carries one desperate wish important enough to convince him to fight.

Together with Hitomi, he challenges the other six bell holders across Kyoto while attempting to understand the truth behind the ceremony.

Build a Ten-Card Deck from 26 Arcana

Combat uses 26 different Arcana cards, from which players assemble a ten-card deck before battle.

Every Familiar has three basic statistics:

• HP
• ATK
• SPD

A card can also behave differently depending on where the Familiar is placed.

A Main Familiar serves as the primary combatant, while the Support position can activate a different effect and change the role of the same card.

That means there is no single fixed purpose for every Arcana. A strong Main card in one matchup may be more valuable as Support in another.

The first side to defeat three opposing Main Familiars wins the battle.

Signature Magic Can Change a Losing Fight

Ichito and the other summoners also possess their own Signature Magic.

These abilities have limited uses, making their timing an additional strategic resource.

When card effects and Familiar combinations are not enough, activating Signature Magic at the right moment can create another route to victory.

Players therefore need to consider card positions, Arcana effects, summon order, battlefield conditions, and the limited availability of personal magic rather than simply choosing units with the highest numbers.

Bougetu has described the design as a turn-based battle game with card-game elements rather than a conventional deck builder in which the cards themselves are the entire combat system.

Roguelike Mode Separates Combat from the Story

Players who want to focus more heavily on the card system can use the standalone Roguelike Mode.

A run begins by repeatedly choosing between card options until a ten-card deck is formed.

Players then move through three maps, choosing routes while encountering battles and events that can reshape the deck.

The mode also includes:

• active items
• passive amulets
• shops
• Magic Fragments
• card replacement during a run
• starting upgrades obtained through repeated play

Because the available routes and cards change, a successful strategy from one run may not appear in exactly the same form during the next.

Game Ad

Big Walk

The earlier Novel Game Collection edition has also received Boss Battle Mode and an extra story unlocked after completing the main scenario.

Kyoto Is Part of the Game's Identity

Several real Kyoto locations are directly incorporated into the adventure.

The official description names Kiyomizu-dera, the Kamo River, and Kyoto Imperial Garden as settings visited during the conflict.

These recognizable modern locations are combined with summoning magic, secret rituals, deliberately dramatic spell names, and battles between magicians.

Bougetu created the project specifically around a full-force chuunibyou modern-fantasy concept.

Tarot-inspired Arcana are also connected to the story and individual powers rather than existing only as decorative card designs.

Steam Includes an English Version

Steam supports both English and Japanese interface text and subtitles.

The developer's Steam disclosure states that AI-assisted tools were used to help translate the Japanese text into English and warns that some wording may sound unnatural or differ from the original intent.

Japanese remains the original language of the work.

Players who do not want to install the Steam edition can also use the browser version on Novel Game Collection, although the creator recommends the downloadable Windows build for a more stable experience.

The main story is estimated at approximately four to five hours including battles. It has a single ending and does not send players to a bad ending simply for losing a fight.

Why This Matters

1) It is free but still builds a substantial combat system

This is not simply a visual novel with a small card mini-game. Arcana, Main and Support positions, Signature Magic, and Roguelike Mode create their own strategic structure.

2) Deck building is connected to the narrative

The cards and summons have a direct role in the seven-bell conflict rather than existing as an unrelated gameplay mode.

3) Kyoto becomes a modern-fantasy battlefield

Real locations are used as the setting for magical ceremonies and duels between summoners.

4) Roguelike Mode extends the game beyond its story

After finishing the novel portion, players can continue experimenting with different cards, items, amulets, and routes.

Game Information

The important details currently known are:

• The Black Lily Blooms in Her Eyes is available for free on Steam
• its complete Japanese title is 黒百合は瞳に咲く -古都と神秘と召喚戦争-
• Saku Bougetu / 望月朔 develops and publishes the game
• Steam provides a Windows edition
• a browser version is available through Novel Game Collection
• Story Mode combines a visual novel with card battles
• players build ten-card decks from 26 Arcana
• Familiars have different Main and Support effects
• a player wins after defeating three opposing Main Familiars
• Signature Magic has limited uses
• Roguelike Mode uses three maps, route choices, items, amulets, and shops
• Ichito Tokimiya is the protagonist
• Hitomi Yoihoshi is both his childhood friend and girlfriend
• seven bells are distributed among seven magicians
• gathering their mysteries can grant one wish
• the story takes place across Kyoto
• Kiyomizu-dera, the Kamo River, and Kyoto Imperial Garden appear in official descriptions
• the estimated main-story length is four to five hours
• there is one ending
• English and Japanese are supported on Steam
• the game is available through the official Steam page
• the browser version is available through Novel Game Collection
• development updates are published through Saku Bougetu's official X account

Closing

The Black Lily Blooms in Her Eyes combines a seven-bell supernatural conflict with visual-novel storytelling and a turn-based card system that is now freely accessible on Steam.

Its Steam edition offers another way to experience Ichito and Hitomi's story on Windows, while Roguelike Mode provides a more replayable challenge outside the main narrative.