"What was so important that you had to call me here?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa glared at Tetsu no Sosuke.
He had come as soon as Tetsu no Sosuke wrote to him, but his attitude... that had not changed a bit.
Tetsu no Sosuke was baffled. When had he ever done anything to hurt him?
Why did Sanemi always look so annoyed at the sight of him?
Rubbing his nose, Tetsu no Sosuke said, "What if I said it was nothing? That I just hadn't seen you in a while and wanted to have a chat? Would you—"
Before he could finish, Sanemi Shinazugawa drew his sword.
"I'm joking!"
Tetsu no Sosuke immediately raised a hand.
Sanemi Shinazugawa glared at him for a long moment before sheathing his blade. "Spit it out."
"...Simply put, there's something I need you to help me test." Tetsu no Sosuke took out the Sword Guard. "The thread inside it is remarkable. Give it a try."
Sanemi Shinazugawa paused. "Thread?"
Tetsu no Sosuke nodded and pulled out the Cold Silk. He had learned a fair bit about it over the past few days. With a flick of his finger, he stuck it to the wall, then picked up a fruit knife and lightly drew it across the thread... The knife snapped in two.
Sanemi Shinazugawa's eyes narrowed. Then he saw Tetsu no Sosuke reach out and grab the Cold Silk, and his heart lurched. "You—"
Before he could finish, Tetsu no Sosuke gave the Cold Silk a gentle tug and pulled it free of the wall. It wound around his palm, lying neatly against his skin without a trace of its earlier sharpness.
Sanemi Shinazugawa stared in astonishment and rubbed his eyes. "Is that some kind of trick?"
Tetsu no Sosuke shook his head with a laugh