Custom-Made

"..." Tetsu no Sosuke wanted to crawl into a hole. What he had just said had come out so suddenly that he'd forgotten to lower his voice.

Now that she'd heard his real voice, of course she recognized it.

What was he supposed to do?

She hadn't drawn her sword at the hot spring because she hadn't had a weapon on hand.

But now... he'd worked so hard to repair her weapon. Was he about to die by that very blade?

The air seemed to grow still.

Wind brushed past his ears. Petals drifted down, and a sweet fragrance filled the air. He couldn't tell whether it came from the woman or the petals.

"So it was you."

In that stillness, Tetsu no Sosuke heard the words he least wanted to hear.

She recognized him!!!

Was she going to kill him now?

But when he looked closely, he found none of the murderous intent he'd imagined on Kochou Kanae's face.

Instead, her cheeks were faintly flushed. As though she'd noticed him looking, she turned away, hiding her face from him. "You repaired this blade?"

"Huh?" Tetsu no Sosuke froze. Was she letting it go?

He nodded at once. "Yes."

Clang!

The blade slid from its sheath. Tetsu no Sosuke instinctively shut one eye, keeping the other on the Flower Pillar.

If she so much as looked ready to swing at him, he was going to run for it.

But Kochou Kanae only stared at the blade in her hand. For a moment, she seemed to forget everything around her.

Tetsu no Sosuke opened his other eye, unsure whether to stay or flee. Meanwhile, another question was running through his head...

How can I convince her to let me forge her another Nichirin Blade?

Only he could understand how torn he felt.

On one hand, he feared Kochou Kanae might lash out over what had happened at the hot spring, so he was ready to run at any moment.

On the other, he didn't want her to die at Doma's hands. He wanted to forge her a better Nichirin Blade.

As he wrestled with himself, Kochou Kanae spoke.

"Thank you for repairing it."

Kochou Kanae's voice was like the scent of flowers carried on the wind, light and gentle. It held not a trace of force, yet every word struck deep in his heart.

Tetsu no Sosuke went still. His heart suddenly tightened, and he gave a rueful smile. "This feeling... I'm in trouble!"

Chapter 10: Custom-Made

"In trouble? What's wrong?"