"Pengumuman, pengumuman. Selamat sore, para penghuni Honmaru sekalian. Dicari bapak Kousetsu dan bapak Souza, karena sudah ditunggu adiknya yang berciri-ciri berwarna biru, dan memakai topi yang bisa menaungi seluruh warga Honmaru. Nama adiknya Sayo. Bagi bapak Kousetsu dan bapak Souza, diharapkan segera menjemput adiknya di pusat informasi, karena adik Sayo tidak mau ditinggal belanja ke pasar. Ayo bagi bapak Kousetsu dan Souza, adiknya jangan ditinggal belanja. Adik Sayo juga mau ikut belanja. Jangan sampai ditinggal belanja, nanti adik Sayo bisa dendam sama abangnya. Terima kasih, sekian pengumuman dari kami. Bagi penghuni Honmaru lainnya, selamat beraktivitas kembali."

Tsurumaru mematikan microphone-nya dan tersenyum lebar ke arah Sayo, "Gimana, Sayo-bou? Udah pas kan? Atau masih ada yang perlu diomongin?" Sayo menggelengkan kepalanya dan tertawa kecil, "Hehe, udah cukup. Terima kasih Tsurumaru-san." Dari kejauhan, terdengar langkah kaki yang semakin mendekat. 

Pintu ruang broadcasting pun terbuka lebar. "Osayo, siapa bilang kamu mau ditinggal?" Souza menghela napas sambil berjalan mendekati Sayo. "...Kan janjinya jam 5 mau berangkat, ini masih kurang 20 menit lho." Kousetsu menimpali. "...Kan udah kurang 20 menit, tapi kalian masih pada sibuk..." Sayo cemberut. "Yaudah, ayo siap-siap, bentar lagi berangkat." Souza mengusap kepala Sayo sambil tertawa kecil. "Oh, bagus deh! Akhirnya ketemu juga sama keluarganya ya dek yaa..." Tsurumaru tertawa. Kousetsu dan Souza hanya bisa menggelengkan kepala, hal seperti ini sudah wajar terjadi sehari-hari di Honmaru sejak ia ditugaskan untuk bekerja di bagian informasi. 

"SAAAYYOOOCCCHIIII, SOUZAACCCHIII, KOUSETSUUCCHIII!!! AKUUU, AKUUU JUGA MAU IKUUUTTT, AKU JANGAN DITINGGAAAALLL." Taikou berlari menuju ruang broadcasting. "Nahh, anak monyet dateng juga nihhh!" canda Tsurumaru. "Heh! Kan udah dibilang, aku bukan monyettt!" Taikou berkacak pinggang. "Iya, iyaa, monyet juga boleh pergi ke pasar kok." Souza pun juga ikut menggoda Taikou. "Ih, Souzacchi gitu ya! Tsuru-san, lain kali, aku mau juga ya, diumumin kaya Sayocchi tadi!" Taikou tersenyum lebar. "Oh, boleh, boleh! Dateng aja ya kalo ada yang butuh diumumin!" Tsurumaru mengacungkan jempolnya.

Semenjak kejadian ini, banyak Tantou dan bahkan Wakizashi lainnya yang ikut kelakuan Sayo untuk mengumumkan hal yang tidak penting melalui ruang broadcasting. Hal ini terjadi beberapa kali sehari sehingga Hasebe pun memprotes dan akhirnya pengumuman tidak penting pun hanya dibatasi sekali sehari saja untuk selingan di keseharian Honmaru.

This room is finally free of dust. It's less gloomy and surprisingly, it feels bright. After being neglected for many years, I cleaned this room. Previously, I woke up to an entirely unfamiliar situation each and every day. What I remember doing yesterday, there was no trace of it every time I opened my eyes. So I thought it would be meaningless if I cleaned the room, or tried to do anything to it. Even though I know this room didn't change and I have been living in this place for more than 10 years... but everyday I woke up in a place that feels like someone else has been living in it, not me. 

Now I understand, it’s still me. Out of the countless possibilities that happened, my retained physical situation is not synchronized with the memories that I am able to remember. For years I have always woke up disoriented, as if I have possessed someone else’s body everyday. But, at last… I can escape that loop. Now I finally have full control of my body and my fate. Although, it kinda feels weird that now I really can’t wake up as usual when I die? For me, that's good news, not bad news. I just need more time to adjust to this “normal” situation.

I snuggled under the freshly washed blanket with a white snake. “So… tell me your story… I won’t forget about it tomorrow, right? Now I’m curious about your story.” The snake slither his body closer to mine. Snake can’t regulate his own body heat, so it makes sense that he wants to stay close to me. 

“I am a fox spirit that worked for the Government of Time, and previously, they called me Konnosuke. But I’m not the only one, there were a lot of other Konnosukes as we were needed to guide the new Saniwas. But, I was the first one to fail in my job.” He already told me about Saniwas and this place previously, and I finally know my situation here. “How can you fail in your job?”

“I was in charge of this Honmaru and you–well, the ‘other’ you was the Saniwa of this Honmaru. Long story short, I failed to guide her to finish the tutorial. So this place is frozen in time like this. After that, I was stripped from my position as Konnosuke, and have been an outcast since then.” 

“So… what happened to her…? To the ‘other’ me?” I asked. “She’s now working as a Saniwa in another Honmaru. You can say, she’s doing a good job as a Saniwa.” Silence fills the room for a moment. I exhaled, “That’s good for her, I guess…” I nodded. “Did you not blame her for what happened to you?” the snake whispered.

“...Do you blame her for what happened to you?” I asked back. “Well…. I can’t say it’s her fault to begin with… If I was to blame her, I need to blame myself first.” The snake gazed towards the door, it’s still snowing outside. “I don’t think I can blame her either. Of course, I’m angry at this situation, and at her choice which made me stuck here … But it’s between me or her right? Someone needs to go through this.” 

“Let’s just say, I’m glad that I can survive through this. It’s not like that I remember anything to miss about anyway.” My memories are now so fragmented, and currently I can’t remember anything before I arrived here. “I don’t need to worry about anything anymore, right? Now you’ll stay with me, and you said we can travel through time now?”

“Yes, that’s possible… But to go back to your previous life would be difficult.” He looks back at me. “I know, I know… I’d also rather not go back. It’ll feel strange to me to be back anyway, since I can’t remember a thing.” I tossed around. “You said you knew about myself, right? I said I don’t want to go there myself… But I still wanna know. Now, can you tell me about myself?”

"Hey, Boss! I've brought the stuff you want!” The door to the meeting room slides open with a bang. The room went silent. “Hey, Blub! Thanks for coming!” I said and she grinned ear to ear and waltzed into the room. She brought a sack of items and dropped it on the table. 

She starts taking out some items from the sack. “Here are some batteries, and a solar powered generator… I dunno if it can be used here or not, though…” she rubbed her chin. “It’s not a problem, we will figure it out somehow.” I checked the items. 

The Touken Danshis also flock closer to my table. “Hmm… I have seen this thing work but I need to figure out how to utilize it here…” Hasebe checked some devices. “Ohhh, is this what you will build that with, Master?” Tsurumaru’s eyes gleamed. “Well, I hope we can do it.” I nodded. 

“By the way, sorry for always troubling you, Blub. You can take our crops as much as you want.” I patted her shoulder. “Nahhh, don’t worry, Boss! That’s what neighbors are for! Ngeh heh heh heh!” Blub guffawed. “What neighbor, we’re not even have a house.” Blekok walks into the room. “Thanks so much, Master. We are always in your care.” Blekok bowed to me. “We need you too, here. So don’t worry, we always have surplus in our storehouse anyway.” I waved at him.

“Thanks Boss! There is some stuff that I haven’t been able to get yet for you. I will try to get it for you next time.” Blub walks out the room. “Sorry for disturbing the meeting, Master. We will come again next time.” Blekok bowed in gratitude again. “Don’t worry! Feel free to stay here whenever you need it! You are always welcome here.” I waved them goodbye.

“Master! Master! Masteeerrr!” This time it’s Namazuo who rushed into the room. “Zuo-kun, you will fall if you run like that,” I shake my head. “What’s the problem?” I asked. “I just heard this weeeiirrdd thing! Master, you know that we have frequent visitors lately, right?” Namazuo’s sparkly eyes look into my eyes. “Hmm? Which visitor are you talking about?” I feigned ignorance. 

“That–the catfish and the crane!” Namazuo clarified. “Yeah, what about them?” I tilted my head. “They said, the catfish is dating the crane! Is that even possible?” He asked me with a really shocked expression that I couldn’t help but chuckled, “Why is it impossible? Of course it’s possible. If you look closely, you might even catch them kissing!” I grinned. 

“Noooo waayyy! Kiss? Isn’t that just the girlfriend trying to eat her boyfie?” Namazuo still isn't convinced. I furrowed my brows, “What do you mean? For your information. The girlfriend is the catfish, not the crane… But I guess, that’s true, she has been trying to eat the crane–but not in the way you mean though.” I laughed again.

Namazuo gasped again. “Well now, that’s a new scoop! I need to tell Tsuru-san about this… Also, Ichi-nii! I have something to tell you!” Namazuo’s voice fades as he runs outside the room.

❄️🔥❄️

“You did that, didn't you? You spread that rumor,” I glanced at Honebami beside me. “Master, if it’s the truth, then it’s not a rumor.” Honebami calmly sipped tea from his cup, “Also, this was Blub-san’s idea anyway, I just… I don't think it’s a harmful idea, so I just go along with it.”

I sighed, “Well, it seems our honmaru will be more lively again these days.” I leaned back on my chair again.

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING : DEATH⚠️

Today too, I came here. I don’t know what I am expecting, but I can’t deny that I have hope… I hope she doesn’t forget me today. 

I heard some utensils clinking in the kitchen, so I just walked in. Gasp! Crash! The girl was so surprised that she dropped the plate on her hand. “W-who are you?” she stepped back. I sighed, she still doesn’t remember me. “I’m the one who looks over this space.” I said, as usual. She gasped again, “Th-then, can you get me out of here?” she said, as usual. I guess this is our template conversation every time we meet. 

She stepped forward, so the plate shards cut her feet. I reflexively approach her to stop her, even though it seems like she doesn’t feel the pain. “Don’t move,” I held her shoulder and lifted her. I put her down on the dining chair. “I’m currently trying to do so… but it’s not exactly a simple thing to do.” I examined her sole and pulled the ceramic shard. 

“Am I won’t be able to get out of here?” I sense panic in her voice. I looked into her eyes through my mask and pressed on her bleeding wound. “I will get you out of here. I’ve told you before… if you believe me.” 

She went silent and looked at me even though she couldn’t see behind my mask. I only look at her back. “.... I believe you,” her lifeless eyes suddenly have some spirit in it. I’m a bit overwhelmed by her trust, honestly, I don’t know how to help her. I couldn’t ask anyone for help either, because it might put her in danger. 

I looked down and continued to tend to her wound, “Did you remember how you slept yesterday?” Yet silence filled the room again. She only answered after I looked up at her, “... I slept outside.”

“You… slept outside…? In the snow?” She averted her eyes, “...Yes, in the snow.”

I sighed. She always found a new way to die. How foolish. I just kept my mouth shut until I finished wrapping her feet in a handkerchief. “You don’t need to do that, it will heal tomorrow,” she said with certainty in her voice. 

I guess she is also smart enough to grasp her situation. “So… you met me yesterday?” she asked. “Yes,” I replied curtly. “Then… Do you know why I can’t remember that?” She was also trying to put the puzzle together.

“You might not be able to remember this conversation, anyway. Why should I explain it to you?” I sighed. “...It might be better if we can find the answer together.” This time, I’m the one who went speechless. That’s right, I’m not doing this alone, this is also her struggle. I looked into her eyes for a long time. 

“Do you know anything about the parallel world?” I asked. “Are you saying there is another version of me in a different world?” She immediately understood. “Kind of, yes. Whenever you make a choice, a new possibility is created, branching your existence into multiple versions of you.”

“But, this space, the Honmaru, isn’t designed to accommodate such a thing. The Honmaru only accepts one version of you, one timeline.” I continued. “That’s my speculation. Every time I meet you, you only remember the timeline in which you died, or you have some accident.” It’s only been a few months since I found her. Based on the data I’ve been collecting, that’s the conclusion that I’ve reached.

“That’s for your memories, but for your physical body, I guess you only retain your best possible condition,” I added. She fell deep into her thoughts, “...So you just need to kill me,” she whispered.

I fell silent. “Don’t you see? I will remember you if I die because of you!” Her eyes lit up, there was a tinge of madness in it.  I wonder why she always thinks like that. Yesterday, it was also her idea to kill her… 

“I did that already…” I whispered. “...What?” She was shocked. 

“Yesterday… I killed you. But you still don't remember me.” I felt like something was stuck in my throat. It reminds me of it… her lifeless body, cold and drenched with blood.

She looked down for a while, “Then you can try again… Maybe there’s something wrong with the method. We can always try again, until I can remember you.” I thought she would be disgusted if she knew I killed her, but she’s giving me another chance to do it?

“How did you kill me yesterday?” She sounds eager. “...Using my sword.” I replied. “Hmm… then you can try to suffocate me now.” She said it like it’s such a good idea for her to die. She took both my hands and put it around her neck.

I froze as she pressed my hand tighter. Her expression stays unfazed, curious almost… or hopeful? I swallowed my saliva, and started to put strength to my hands. 

She slowly closed her eyes, her arms dropped to her side, her fists clenched, as if she was fighting the urge to fight back. A second felt like an hour, and every time I felt her flinching, I felt like I can’t do this anymore. 

I saw her lips turned blue and suddenly strength left my hands and I released her. She started coughing and gasping for air. “...Sorry… I don’t think I can do it… Not again.” My hands trembled. “We will find another way… I know we will.” I patted her back as she calmed down.

“Wh-what other way?” her voice cracks a bit. Another flash of guilt washed over me. How can she not be disgusted by me? Even I was disgusted with myself. 

“I told you before… the memory you retained is not in line with the retained physical situation… So I can try to leave some clues for you… slowly.” 

“Then certainly, it won’t be our current encounter.” She wiggled her feet. She already acted like nothing happened. Like I wasn’t just trying to kill her. I picked the plate shard on the floor and put it in my pocket. “Maybe not today, but we always have another chance tomorrow…”

⚠️This story is a what if story where Shiromi Matou didn't create the second honmaru a.k.a 2flheimr. This is not happening in the canon story of 2flheimverse.⚠️

It has been almost a month since I've lived here, in a malfunctioned Honmaru. It’s actually not bad. I sipped my tea while gazing at the snowy pond outside. 

Hachisuka stepped closer and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, “Master, you should get in, you’ll catch a cold.” He put down his own cup of tea and sat beside me. “Hachisuka, what if no one comes to get us out of here?” I mumbled. 

“Master, we already saw that the Government of Time is currently investigating our condition… I don’t think they’ll just sit around doing nothing when you’re unconscious for almost 3 days.” Hachisuka reassured me. 

That’s true, we can observe what happened with my body through the device in the Saniwa’s room, and they’re currently busy investigating my case. 

❄️❄️❄️

It doesn’t take long until they come. That night, someone from the Government of Time came to get me. 

“Shiromi Matou-sama, we are here to take you back.” Someone with a black suit stands in the Honmaru garden. “Thank you so much. But can I ask you something first? Can I still be a Saniwa and come back to this Honmaru later?” I looked back and forth between Hachisuka and the man. 

“That would be possible, but we need to do some maintenance first with the system, we need to make sure such things will not be happening again in the future.” The man spoke very formally. “I understand,” I turn to Hachisuka and hold both of his hands. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

“Don’t worry about that,” he smiled and squeezed my hands. “I will be waiting for you, Master,” he gently pushed me towards the waiting man in suit. I stepped closer to him and he started to operate his device.

I kept looking at Hachisuka, until his figure blurred and vanished. When I was aware, I was laying down on a bed, in my real body. I’ve come back for real. 

Just like that, a week passed normally since I got back…

❄️❄️❄️

“Welcome back. It took you quite a while to return... But well, in the end you came back, so it's alright.” More than 2 months must have passed since I left here, but Hachisuka opened his arms warmly to me. 

I jumped into his arms. I’m glad that I could be back here. I hope I can also meet other Touken Danshis now. 

Same, it’s the same. I stared at the ceiling of my room. Nothing changed. I saw the same scenery every time I opened my eyes. I wanted to curse at fate… or maybe angry at the creator… perhaps I need to feel disappointed at myself too.

I reflexively got up and drew another line to the 正 character on the wall. Just like a clock always ticking, this marked my day just started too. Time might not stay still, but me? How about me? Everyday I felt like I was gradually losing myself. 

Yesterday, I remember I was sleeping in the bath tub. But just like everyday, I magically opened my eyes in my futon, my condition is great, no wound, I don’t even think there’s any hair falling off my head. It feels like I’m trapped in a time loop. But I know I didn’t. I see traces of food leftovers, and traces of me living here yesterday.

But I don’t know what’s actually happening. Is yesterday just my dream? Am I sleeping in the tub never happened? What am I doing yesterday? I feel like I’m in a big maze, but I’m nowhere close to solving it. 

The markings on the wall always add up just like I remembered, but the rest of it… I can’t remember. What did I do yesterday? 

Should I just make a journal? I searched around the room and finally found a blank notebook. I started to write what I remembered about yesterday. The rest of the day, I also jot down everything I did, even though there’s not much to do around here. 

The next day, I checked the journal. It started with the same stuff, but suddenly, the contents changed at one point. I read something I didn’t write yesterday. So I rewrote again what I remembered doing yesterday. 

☃️☃️☃️

It has been almost a week since I started writing the journal. I finally can see the pattern. The journal always changed when I got injured, or something like that. I felt like I’m getting closer to the exit. Not quite there yet, but definitely, I’m making progress. 

“So, what do you think about the world I’m living in?” The girl asked the man. They walked hand in hand in the middle of a crowded road. “Wow, Master, I didn’t expect there would be so many people in one place. I don’t think I’ve seen so many people in one place,” Rather than the girl, the man seems to be having more difficulties navigating in the crowd. 

“Come on, let’s go this way, it’s easier to walk on the side,” she tugged his hand and made their way to the side of the road. “Let me catch a breath, Master.” He wiped the sweat on his forehead. 

“Why do you seem more struggling compared to when you went into battles?” She shakes her head incredulously. “Oh, my Master, I’d rather go through your hellish non-stop grinding than battling with this sea of humans.” He sighed, “Now I know why you put us into that grinding frenzy… I guess you have been fighting your own battle here too.” He chuckled.

“Really? Are you up for another grind after this?” the girl teased. A horror flashed in his expression, “Master, please don’t joke like that.”

The girl laughed, “By the way, I told you to just call me by my name here. Nowadays, it’s weird for someone to call someone else, ‘Master’.” The man frowned, “But you’ll always be my Master, what’s wrong with that?”

“Excuse me, what a lovely newlywed, you two! Are you looking for a place to relax? Come to our restaurant! We’re giving a free pudding if you purchase a couple set menu!” Suddenly, a waitress of a restaurant came up to us. We didn’t realize that we had been standing in front of her restaurant.

The man suddenly stood up straight and pulled the girl by her waist. His demeanor suddenly changed as he played along with the waitress’ misunderstanding, “Oh my, Honey, I guess we should go, I’m a bit hungry after all that walk,” The man smiled brightly to the girl.

The girl seemed to be trying so hard to hold back her laugh, “Sure, let’s go.” She also played along.

“Then, we will have the couple set menu.” She said to the waitress. “Certainly! Please wait for a while.” The waitress bowed and left after taking their order.

The girl seemed to not be able to hold back her laughter anymore. “Bwahahahah! What was that? So are we married over a cup of pudding?” 

“Well, you told me to not call you ‘Master’. So, I guess it’s better to call you, ‘Honey’, right, Honey?” The man smiled. The girl still can’t stop giggling.

“If you want me to call you by your name, I need time to practice, let’s start that next time I go here again.” He smiled, even after those complaints, he seemed still willing to go to this place again next time. 

“Sure, we still have plenty of chances to make you used to it,” she laughed again.

When I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar scenery was waiting for me. I can see a tall man towering over me. He wore a fox-like mask and dressed mostly in white. 

Is that an angel? Is he coming here to get me at last? Is it time for me to go? He should be, right? Then he must be an Angel of Death, or what you call it again? A grim reaper? He can’t be a demon right? It would be cruel if after all of these, I need to go to hell too? No, I can’t accept that.

“Who are you?” He asked me unexpectedly. “W-what?” I stuttered. “Why are you here?” He asked again. “W-well! I would like to know that too!” It’s the least likely scenario I imagined. Why the hell didn't he know me?

“You’re not supposed to be here.” He said firmly. “Then send me back! I bet my parents have been worried about me too! What are you expecting? If you’re not taking me to the next life, then send me back to my previous one!” My head started to boil as I sat up straight. 

“Hmm… this is very confusing. How can someone enter this place? Are you a Saniwa?” He took a step back and seemed to be thinking about something. “What the heck is a Saniwa? I just suddenly woke up in this place with no explanations! It would be great if someone could explain something, but no! It has been… I don’t know, 3 years? Send me back home!” I demanded. 

“Wait a moment, let me check something for you.” He took out some devices and started to scan me with the device. A weird hologram screen popped up after that. I can see, it was full of warning signs. “How is this possible?” he mumbled. 

“What is the problem? You can’t send me back?” I asked. “No… it says, you don’t have an origin. You’re someone who doesn’t exist in any timeline or any universe.” He said a statement, but it sounded like a question. “I don’t understand what you are talking about.” I frowned. 

“I need to be sure about this. I need to run some more tests in my lab. I’ll visit you again tomorrow.” He waved his hand and a portal-like hole appeared. “W-wait! Take me with you, don’t leave me alone!” I chased him. 

“No, you can’t, just stay here, I’ll come back tomorrow.” Then, he disappeared with the portal. “Wait…” I desperately called. But I won’t be able to remember you tomorrow…

“Are you here?” A man came to greet you brightly the moment you stepped into this place, he spoke in a Tosa dialect. “Wow, that’s a lot of hay! It must be a lot of work to bring all of that here. Let me help you with that as I show you the way!” The man ran towards you and helped you pull the cart.

“You see, these days the Gov has been sending us more and more horses. They even sent us two more this month! Unbelievable!” The man grumbled a bit. “Oh, by the way, I’m Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki!” He introduced himself to you.

“Ah, nice to meet you, Mutsunokami-san… Err, but you are aware that this is not the only cart I need to bring here, right?” You cautiously asked Mutsunokami. “Whaattt? Well, I guess it’s not enough to feed all of those stallions, alright.” At first, you see Mutsunokami’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he quickly accepts it.

“Here’s the horse stable of our proud 2flheimr Honmaru!” You finally arrived in front of the huge stable. The stable was so huge that you can’t even see the end of it from the outside. “Are you surprised? You must be surprised, right?! If the Gov sends us another horse, that will be our 100th horse! Can you believe it? I don’t understand anymore, is this a place to collect swords or horses?” Mutsunokami shook his head in disbelief.

You and Mutsunokami quickly unload the hay from the cart. “Whoa, that was hard work! Really, for a sword to take care of horses, even though I’ve been doing this for years already, it still feels like a new concept!” Mutsunokami guffawed. 

“Thanks for delivering those hay! I’ll be waiting for the next delivery. I might take you on a tour around our Honmaru next time!” Mutsunokami waved his hand as you walked further from the 2flheimr Honmaru. 

Today, 2flheimr family is going on vacation, but unexpectedly, there is some misfortune in the process. 

There were two beds in the room, and also three grown men staring at them.

They actually book the correct amount of rooms, but the citadel unexpectedly got another newcomer, so there are three people who need to share the same room.

The three of them are Kikkou Sadamune, Heshikiri Hasebe, and… Sengo Muramasa.

“Hasebe-kun… are you saying, two of the three of us need to share a bed…?” Kikkou asked in a very disturbed voice. “Well, there’s nothing else we can do… There were no other rooms available, so we couldn't book another room.” Hasebe sighed.

“Hu hu hu hu… I don’t mind if I need to sleep with one of you. So, you two can decide the placement.” Sengo just smiled relaxedly and sat on the sofa. 

“I really don’t want to sleep in the same bed with you,” Kikkou frowned at Hasebe. “Neither did I.” Hasebe looked away. 

“Well, then one of you can sleep with me. Hu hu hu hu…” Sengo chuckled from across the room. 

Kikkou and Hasebe got goosebumps instantly. “No, no, no, I’m not doing this, I’m going to Gosshujin-sama’s room.” Kikkou said as he stormed towards the door, but Hasebe grabbed his collar and stopped him. “Wait a minute. I can’t allow you to do that. That would not be fair if you sleep in Aruji-sama’s room. You are already beside her for almost 24/7! I should be the one who sleeps in Aruji-sama’s room.” Hasebe retorted.

Kikkou and Hasebe then have an intense staring showdown, as they won’t give up on the chance to sleep in their Master’s room.

“Then… should I just go to Aruji’s room?” Sengo breaks the silence.

“OF COURSE NOT!” Both Kikkou and Hasebe shouted at the same time.

At the same time, the door opens. “...What are you doing?” Honebami entered the room amidst the chaos. “I brought a futon for this room… This might not be as comfortable as the bed, but I don’t think two big guys like you can fit in a single bed…”

Both Kikkou and Hasebe sighed in relief. “Whoa, thank you, Honebami-kun. You’re really a lifesaver.” Kikkou wiped his sweat. 

“Alright, I’m alright with taking the futon. I’ll do it to protect Aruji-sama’s virtue.” Hasebe said as he took the futon from Honebami. “When you say it like that, then I should be the one who sleeps in the bed!” Kikkou started to argue with Hasebe again.

“Oh… you two didn’t know? There was actually a mistake with the bookings, so I needed to share a room with Aruji-sama.” Honebami said calmly. 

“What…?”

“Well then, I hope you three have a good night's sleep…” Honebami bowed a bit before leaving the room.

“No, wait! Honebami–!”

Countless enemies pouring out from the big hole in the sky. It’s happening again. The History Retrograding Force is raiding our Honmaru again. 

“Everyone, get ready! Team 1, time to go.” Our Saniwa started to command the Touken Danshis. “Team 2, Team 3, Team 4, guard the gate! Don’t let any of the enemies inside our Honmaru!”

Everyone is getting busy. Even though our Honmaru is quite strong, it doesn’t mean that we should let our guard down. We need to be alert all the time, so there’s no casualties.

But of course, it doesn’t mean that there’s no sacrifice to be made. It’s our duty to protect the Touken Danshi and to make sure they brought victory home. Some of us might have offensive abilities, but in the end, we will be sacrificed to ensure the Touken Danshi’s safety.

“Take your troops! I also have assigned a horse for each of you.” The Saniwa continued to prepare for the inevitable battle. 

It’s Ichigo Hitofuri, the captain of Team 1 that comes up to me. “Please take care of me this time.” He took me out and put me in his pocket, with two other shieldmen like me. 

There were in total 16 troops that will be joining the battle, me included. We can’t communicate with the Touken Danshis, but we know our role. We will protect them at any cost, including our lives.

“Team 1, Ready?” The Saniwa makes sure for the last time. “Yes, Master!” Ichigo Hitofuri shouted in certainty. 

“Go.”

Our teams arrived at the front lines. I immediately open up my shield to protect Ichigo Hitofuri. The musketeers started to attack. Some of the bullets are flying towards us. I braced myself for the impact.

Some of our musketeers also lost after the first attack. I was also injured slightly. Next, the catapult troops send their rocks to the enemies. Some of the enemies are down now. The Touken Danshis started to engage in the battles.

Each time the enemies attacked Ichigo Hitofuri, I would run to the front to protect them. There were a lot of enemies ahead, biding their time to attack one after another.

One of the shieldmen beside me was already down. I wanted to pat his back to say he did a good job, but I need to focus on defending Ichigo now. I was also already heavily injured, it’s not a surprise if I’m also down after the next attack.

Finally, the giant enemy showed up. Without any delay, he started to attack the team’s captain. 

As I stepped forward, I saw that half of the troops survived. That’s good, we don’t have too many casualties. I’m sure, Ichigo Hitofuri will get a better troop replacement after I’m gone.

I closed my eyes and my body started to disperse with the light.

❄️❄️❄️

“Well done, that’s a good first run.” I heard Saniwa's voice. I looked around me. The other troops are smiling at each other.

Oh… apparently, in this raid, lost troops will be restored. 

“Get ready for the next wave!” 

I’m glad that I can serve the Touken Danshis after this. I checked my shield, and it’s perfectly intact, just like before I entered the battle.

“Go!”

This will be a long day, but we entered the front lines again for the second time today.

Today, I’m also doing my job as a Saniwa. But, I don’t know why, when I arrived at Honmaru, something felt off. Everything looks like it's growing bigger.

“Huh? What’s happening?” I stepped forward, but I tripped on my own yukata. “Owch! Huh? Why is this cloth so long?” I frowned, and saw my own hands. “Huh? It’s smaller? Wait, am I shrinking?” I look around me.

I immediately got up and waddled to the mirror across the room. “Whaaatt?” I was surprised when I saw my own reflection. I definitely was shrinked. I look like… a 5 year-old kid? But why?

At that point, my room door slides open. “Gosshujin-sama, have you arrived?” As usual, it was Kikkou, my personal attendant. “H-huh? G-g-gosshujin-samaaaa?! W-who is this kid?”

“Kikkou! It’s me! I don’t know why I became like this!” I frowned at him. “G-gosshujin-samaaa?” He immediately picked me up and I hung my head while being lifted up. I was red as a tomato. 

“K-kikkou…. Please put me down…” I covered my face. “Gosshujin-sama, since you’re like this, why don’t you take a day off today? I’ll take you around Honmaru today.” Kikkou smiled. 

“Huh? Well, yeah, maybe I should check around Honmaru. It has been a while since I inspected Honmaru’s situation.” I pondered. “Great! Let’s go!” Kikkou smiled ear to ear. 

❄️❄️❄️

But little that I know, Kikkou would bring me around Honmaru by saying that I’m his daughter… This little… I’ll make sure he knows that there’s a punishment waiting for him when I get my body back. 

“Kara-bou! Isn’t it nice to have a new garden?” Tsurumaru smiled widely and waved his hand when Ookurikara arrived. “... So? Why do you need me here?”

“You see! I need your help to trim some trees. Let me show you my vision!” Tsurumaru walked to the trees across the fountain and started explaining the shape to Ookurikara. 

“So, you just need to trim it a little, and make it the same height as the other one. Ooohh, but those two need to be bigger!” Tsurumaru instructed.

“... Alright, I’ll do it fast. I’m supposed to be on horse duty today,” Ookurikara sighed. “Great, then I’ll be working on the bushes around here!” Tsurumaru slapped Ookurikara’s back, making his frown more prominent. 

“...”

They started working. Even though they’re swords, they are already used to field work, and of course, that includes gardening too. It took less than 2 hours to finish trimming, including the clean up.

“Whoaaaa! Isn’t it great?! I’m sure our Master will be surprised with our hard work!” Tsurumaru wipes the sweat on his forehead, but he has the biggest smile.

“... Why will the Master be surprised…?” Ookurikara asked.

“You see, Kara-bou… You should look at it from here.” Tsurumaru gestured Ookurikara to come closer to the gazebo with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“...”

“... Wait, is that supposed to be…? Tsurumaru!!!”

⚠️This story is a what if story where Shiromi Matou died. This shows what happened after 2flheimr's saniwa died.⚠️

What will happen to a Honmaru when Saniwa dies?

Isn’t that question always in the back of a Touken Danshi’s mind? Time and lifespans are irrelevant to the swords, but… Saniwas are human. They do not live infinitely. Their lifespan is only a fleeting time for Touken Danshis. 

So… what will happen to the swords when their Saniwa dies?

Nothing happened to the swords. When Saniwa dies, it doesn’t change a thing. Sadly, Saniwa gave them life, but no matter how hard they tried, they can’t give their life to their Saniwa. 

Last month, our Saniwa died, but today, 2flheimr Honmaru is still operating as usual. It’s like nothing happened at all. When I tried to recall, our Master is the one who made this possible.

She always manages this Honmaru, with her death in mind. She trained us to survive without her presence. The honmaru is now operating as usual, even without her presence.

But what Master didn’t know… even if we can operate as usual, there’s still something missing without her presence. Even if it looks fine from outside, it's not the same. There is this emptiness that we, Touken Danshis, can not explain. 

So, we are currently researching how to meet our Master again… even if she’s just another version of her. 

Honmaru has the ability to time travel, so why can’t we meet our Saniwa? We are living in a multiverse dimension, so we should be able to meet her one way or another. 

Of course, we can’t just interfere with the past… we can’t change fate. But we can see her again. Some Touken Danshis are wanting to go, and some others wish to stay in 2flheimr to protect Master’s legacy.

But me, I wish to go to Master’s world, even if it means that I can’t go back here, nor meddle with her life… But I want to go.

❄️❄️❄️

I found myself laying down on a grassy ground. The sky is clear today. I heard some children running around in the distance. I got up and saw there’s a park nearby. 

My eyes immediately glued to a young girl playing on the swing. That’s her. I know that silvery purple hair, and also her face is not that different compared to her adult face. 

I sat on a bench and stared at her for quite a long time. Then I realized that my behavior would seem suspicious to others, and then I also looked around at the other kids, buildings, and various vehicles that passed the park. 

I should familiarize myself with this place, and I also need to build my foundation here. Now this is my home. 

When I shifted my gaze back to the swing, I was surprised that I couldn't find her there anymore. I looked around but I couldn’t find her figure anywhere. 

“Hey, Uncle! Do you know you act suspicious, right? You’re not gonna offer me some ice cream, right?” I was surprised when I heard a young girl’s voice behind me. 

“W-what?! Uncle? Kid, I’m not that old,” I frowned at the 9-years-old kid. 

The rule was… I can’t interfere with her life, but if she approached me first, then it’s inevitable. How did she recognize me? Is my connection with her that strong so she immediately noticed me?

“Eeeeh, but you’re old, and I’m still a kid! I should be allowed to call you Uncle, then!” She said in a naught. I just laughed, “I’d like it better if you call me Onii-san instead of Uncle, though.”

“Nahh, I’ll call you Onii-san if I can be as tall as you!” she smiled brightly. I laughed again. “Don’t dream too much, kid. You won’t grow as tall as I am,” I ruffled her hair, and it made her pouts. 

“Don’t do that!” she pushed my hand away from her. “So, why are you coming here? Why don’t you keep playing?” I nodded towards the swing. “You looked like you wanted to say something to me! Also, your red hair is eyecatching!” She said innocently. 

“I just…” I mumbled a bit before continuing, “Nah! It’s nothing, just go back and play, I'm just resting here for a while.” I smiled. “Alright, then, hope you enjoy your break, Uncle!” she waved her hands while going back to the playground. 

I smiled. I think I’m lucky that she recognized me. I hope I can have more encounters like this next time. 

⚠️ This lore is my version of Blub & Blekok’s lore, linked to 2flheimverse. ⚠️

How was Saniwa created? With a precise essence of time and some secret particles, the Government of Time is able to  create a light that awakens humans as a Saniwa. But who knows? The radiation of these lights are able to affect some other things too, and unexpected things happen in the least anticipated situation.

One day, there was a designated Saniwa who bought a lunchbox with them. In that box, there was grilled catfish. The grilled catfish got exposed to the radiation and got thrown to the time void.

The catfish floated around the time void for quite a long time… until one day, another Saniwa bought an egg they found earlier in the day with them, not knowing that it was a crane's egg. That crane’s egg also got exposed with the light radiation, and got thrown to the time void. 

No one knows if that was fate, or merely coincidence, but the grilled catfish and the crane’s egg found each other in the time void. After they came in contact with one and another, they started evolving.

At first, the catfish became alive but didn't have consciousness yet. But she unconsciously wrapped her body around the egg. The warmth finally helped hatch the egg, and they started to evolve further.

When they are aware of the situation, they have already taken human appearances. After adjusting to their new body, they started to use their ability to time travel and roaming around time and space together. Sometimes, they go to the past, sometimes to the future. It's not surprising either if they suddenly come knocking on your Honmaru's gate. 

My name is Hakata Toushirou! I’ve been living in 2flheimr for years already, but right now our Honmaru is facing a great crisis!

Our Honmaru’s savings are depleting so fast!!! After the efforts I put in… to earn those kobans… Master keep spending it like water! I feel like crying right now. I wonder what kind of ghost possessed the Master right now, because my Master is also eager to save money, just like me!

I’m sure my Master is currently on a shopping spree! Today, for sure, I’m going to meet my Master and talk to her to stop all of this misery!

I knocked on the Master's room, “Masteeerrr! Please let me talk to you!!” 

THUD! THUD! THUD!

I could almost hear someone whispering inside the room. “Masteerr, I know you’re inside! Please let me in!” I sniffled. After five minutes waiting in front of her room, finally the door slid open, and then Kikkou-san went out of the room. 

“Ehem, hello, Hakata-kun. Currently Gosshujin-sama is not doing well. Maybe she will be able to meet you tomorrow…” Kikkou-san’s voice is shaking a little. I frowned. It sounded like an excuse. 

“No. I demand a meeting with our Master right now.” I crossed my arms. 

I heard a sigh from the room. “Let him in, Kikkou,” Master said. I finally entered the room. But my master’s appearance was not what I expected. I thought she would feel ashamed by her recent spending, or maybe apologetic…

But she looks gaunt. I can see dark eyebags forming under her eyes. It made me flustered a little. “O-oh, I see you’re really unwell, Master… Has something happened?” I’m sure the one who spent a lot of money was the Master, but this was not what I imagined. 

“Hakata-kun, you know we’re currently being raided by the History Retrograding Force, right? To fend them off, we need to purchase a pass… and we need quite a lot of them,” Kikkou helped the Master to explain. 

“Also! They only gave us a little contribution point for each pass! So we need a lot of Koban to spend right now,” Master sighed. “It was exceeding my prediction… At least we need around one million to finish the raid.”

“WHAT? ONE MILLION?” My eyes widened. “I’m sorry, Hakata-kun… It wasn’t my decision either. But you know right? This is something we need to get done,” Master hung her head. 

“I guess… that can’t be helped then…” I thought this was the case when the Master went on a shopping spree, but turns out, we need the money to fend off the raid. 

 “Yeah, but just to inform you in advance… The Government is also releasing some new outfits for some Touken Danshi…” The master scratched her head sheepishly. “Well, as you always said, it would be unfair if some of us get a new outfit while the others don’t, right? I’ll overlook this time,” I shook my head.

“Yeah… but the thing is… they released 7 new outfits…” Her voice is trailing off while explaining. “No, wait, did you say seven???”

Today, unexpectedly, I found a letter on my doorstep.  It was Hogwarts Letter of Acceptance. Wow, I’m a wizard? But I’m not 11 years old–wait, this body is my 11 year old body! What happened?

So now, I’m going to Diagon Alley to buy all the necessities. Who would guess that the alley near Shibuya Crossing is linked to Diagon Alley? This is weird indeed.

I bought some robes, books, cauldron, and of course, a wand. Mr. Ollivander paired me with a Laurel wood with a Dragon core 9 ¾" and surprisingly swishy flexibility wand. I love it so much!

The days felt so fast that today, I finally boarded the Hogwarts express. I bought a lot of snacks from the Trolley Witch and spent the travel time in a great mood. 

After we arrived at Hogwarts, the first years were supposed to ride the boat to the castle, but in afar, I saw the carriages for the upper classmen. I was shocked when I could see the horses–or should I say, Thestral? …Did I witness someone’s death…?

Suddenly, certain memories flooded my mind…

❄️❄️❄️

GASP!

I woke up inside my Honmaru. “Master? Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?” Kikkou asked in a worried tone. I tried to calm myself down, “Ah, it’s not exactly a nightmare, but well… it was a peculiar dream, indeed.” I laughed it off.

Kitsunegasaki leaned back on his chair. Countless documentations of an anomaly called Fuyu were displayed on the screen in front of him. It has been months since he tried to solve this incident, but it proved to be a failure. 

One day, Kitsunegasaki found out there’s a human living in an abandoned citadel. It was not uncommon for a citadel to be abandoned, but for someone to be living in it, it’s very weird. She’s not even a Saniwa, just a regular human being. 

When he tried to search her origin, he failed, the system didn’t find anything about her origin. Her whole existence is just like a ghost, yet she’s a human being. 

Every time Kitsunegasaki visits Fuyu, she will forget about him. After some time of research, he finally got the answer to that mystery. Fuyu was trapped in a timeline branch, where her physical body didn’t align with her memories. She always retained the memories of her death, and yet, she always found her way to death. 

After conducting a series of research, Kitsunegasaki finally found her origin. She actually has a counterpart that became Saniwa, her actual name is Shiromi Matou. One person couldn’t become a Saniwa twice, so now, Fuyu’s existence would be a problem for the Government of Time. If the Government knew about Fuyu, they most probably would eliminate her. 

Kitsunegasaki got more leads about this riddle, but it doesn’t mean he moves closer to find the way out. He once promised Fuyu that he would get her out of the Citadel. Even though Fuyu wouldn’t remember any of those promises, Kitsunegasaki didn’t forget about those promises.

It’s a weird feeling for Kitsunegasaki. Fuyu should just be a riddle for him to solve, but why can’t he just take the easy way? Isn’t the easiest way to solve this is just report her to the Government? Maybe they won’t eliminate her. Maybe they will help her. 

But that uncertainty was stopping him. He promised to save her, he promised to get her out of the citadel. But, if he didn’t solve it himself, she might not be saved. 

What is that feeling? He was only a tool. A sword. Devoid of emotions. But, how come a tool couldn’t just choose the most ideal answer?

Did this curiosity turn into some other feeling? He wondered if he would find the answer once he solved this riddle. 

⚠️ This story hints relationship between Kikkou Sadamune and Shiromi Matou. ⚠️

Today is also marked as Kikkou's debut in game! Happy 9th Anniversary, Kikkou! 🐢

❄️❄️❄️

"Honebami-san, may I have a word with you?" It wasn’t that rare, but Kikkou approached Honebami. "... Kikkou-san? Sure, of course." Honebami nodded.

"Honebami-san... lately I have this worries about my feelings towards our master... I feel a great despondency because I keep thinking my feelings might be a burden towards our Master..." Kikkou fidgeting with his fingers.

"... Did the Master say something like that to you?" Honebami frowned, it was unlikely that their Master would feel like that, especially to Kikkou, the closest Touken Danshi with her.

"Oh no... of course not. It's just me... You must be the one who knows the best, right? Our Honmaru felt like... business-like more than anything. But, you know I harbored more than just familial feelings towards Master... Don't you think this feeling of mine will trouble our Master?" Kikkou looks down. 

"... Kikkou-san... You knew that I was this Honmaru's attendant prior to your arrival, right?" Honebami tilted his head. "Yes, of course,” Kikkou smiled and nodded.

"But you know... I never became the Master's personal attendant. That title... only exists for you."

"... Huh?" Kikkou was surprised

"Yes. The attendant's duties are not supposed to attend Master's personal needs, but to run the Honmaru. That's the common knowledge about attendants, right? But Master... want you to attend to her personal needs." 

"..." Kikkou was speechless. He knew that, of course, but it never crossed his mind that his position was special. 

"Let me tell you a story of mine now..." Honebami took a deep breath. "When I was first summoned to this Honmaru, I was disoriented because of my lost memory... That's when the Master said, she will create a lot of new memories for me, so she let me stay close to her and became this Honmaru's attendant... But that spot is yours since you arrived at Honmaru, Kikkou-san..." Honebami stared at Kikkou.

"Well... that..." Once again, Kikkou went speechless.

"But that doesn't mean I drift further from our Master. You can say, I'm still close to her. It doesn't like she broke her promises." Honebami shook his head slightly. 

"..." Kikkou fell deep into his thoughts.

"Kikkou-san, thanks to you attending to our Master's needs, now I'm not only close to her, but I can also see in a wider point of view. I can observe this Honmaru more, and make a lot of memories... not just with our Master. In a way, she made sure to keep her promises with me... Now let me ask you a question, Kikkou-san..." 

"Y-yeah?" 

"Was it you who chose to be our Master's Attendant?"

"That's... of course not."

"See...? It was the Master who chose you, not the other way around."

One day, Houchou approached Ichigo Hitofuri. “Ichi-nii, Ichi-nii! Today, I made a new friend with benefits!”

Ichigo Hitofuri choked on his tea. “Cough, cough… H-houchou-kun, what did you say?” 

“Friends with benefits! Soooo, today, I helped Souza-kun with his laundry, and then, and then…! He also helps me prepare food prepping in the kitchen, isn’t that what you call friends with benefits?” Houchou asked innocently.

“Ah, oohh… Houchou-kun, umm… Friends with benefits are not a term for little kids… You’re not supposed to use it. Just call them friends or families!” Ichigo patted Houchou’s head.

“Well then, Ichi-nii, are you Mikajiji’s friend with benefits?” Houchou tilted his head. Ichigo choked on his saliva this time. “W-why is that?” Ichigo frowned. “Well, didn’t you help Mikajii in the tea room yesterday? He also helped you with making snacks today!”

“Ah, um… We’re also not that, Houchou-kun. Umm… We’re just friends, so we need to help each other, right?” Ichigo became more flustered. “Eeeehh? But you’re not a kid, Ichi-nii!” Houchou pouted. 

“Ah, Houchou-kun, who told you about that term, anyway?” Ichigo asked. “Ah! Tsurumaru-san told us about it yesterday!” Houchou smiled widely. 

Ichigo clenched his fist, “Ah, I see… Anyway, let’s not use that term in our Honmaru okay? I’ll make sure to talk with Tsurumaru-san.”

My name is Imanotsurugi, and I’m a sword living in 2flheimr Honmaru! Recently, we have a new guest in our Honmaru. Previously Blub-san and Blekok-san had been a regular visitor on our Honmaru, but since around after our 10th Anniversary, we have a new guest. She told us her name is Fuyunotsurugi!

She usually wears a snake-like mask, and she also has a companion, a snake named Hebinosuke. Even though she rarely takes off her mask, I saw her face once, her face–is exactly like our Master’s face! It’s not just ‘alike’, but exactly the same, of course, there’s no scar on her face, but other than that, she looks exactly the same as our Master.

Once, I asked our Master about that, but she was a bit troubled by my question and just answered, “Yeah she’s actually like my twin! It’s a bit more complicated than that though.” Her answer is a bit vague, but I can’t bring myself to ask further than that. 

Another thing that made me curious about her is her sword! Her sword looks almost the same as my sword, the Imanotsurugi sword. But, only the coloring is a little bit different. When I asked her about it, she answered, “That’s right! This is an Imanotsurugi sword! I’m not a Saniwa, so I can’t summon him. That’s why I’ve been using it to fight instead.” Oh, is it that simple? I guess, that’s what I meant to be, if I’m not summoned by my Master! 

Even though Fuyu-san looks exactly like our master, her personality seems to be very different from our Master. Our Master is a very bold person, yet she is always warm towards us. We’re always at ease in our Master’s presence. 

But, Fuyu-san is a bit peculiar. She felt very distant. It’s like she has invisible walls around her. But then, she suddenly can crack a joke out of nowhere. Her joke was funny. It has a tinge of darkness in her jokes, but it’s not enough to make others uncomfortable. In short, she was an unexpected person. You can think you’re close to her, but in fact, you’re still far away from knowing the real her. 

Another weird thing about her, she never left our Honmaru since her arrival, but she only comes out from her room two or three times a week. She also rarely eats with us. I wonder, did she have her own personal kitchen in her room? 

So today, I’m going to find the answer to that. I knocked on her room’s door, “Fuyu-san? It’s already lunch time, are you not going to eat?”

The door slid open, but the person I saw was a very unexpected person. “Oya? Imanotsurugi-kun. Do you want to come and play?” Mikazuki Munechika smiled at me. The scenery beyond the door was a very unexpected one. It’s another Honmaru, there was another Honmaru inside our Honmaru.

“Ah, umm… Mikazuki-san?” I was so confused. “Oooh, I’m not the Jiji in your Honmaru, this Honmaru is called El1vagar Honmaru,” Mikazuki-san explained calmly. “O-oh, I see… Fuyu-san is this Honmaru’s Saniwa?” I stuttered a bit. “Aah, no… Our Saniwa is the same as yours, Shiromi Matou. But in this Honmaru, we have some differences with your Honmaru. This Honmaru can’t send our Toudans to the battlefield… Ah, do you want to come in? We just finished the clean up, so it might still be a little messy.” Mikazuki-san made way for me to pass the door. 

“Ah, if that’s okay, then excuse me…” I went into that unknown Honmaru called El1vagar. “Welcome, we will explain more inside.” Mikazuki Munechika closed the door behind us. 

“Hey, Imacchi! I found a new game other than Yatsushikurabe¹! Let’s go to Awataguchi's room and ask them to play together!” Taikou Samonji approached Imanotsurugi.

“What game is it?” Imanotsurugi asked. “Uki ki… Let me tell you, it’s called Truth or Dare! Let’s play that game!” Taikou grinned. “Alright then, let’s go!”

They came to Awataguchi's room and started to play the game. They’re having fun by giving a dare to each other to do acrobatic moves, or maybe asking the truth about their secrets.

But then, this time it’s Gokotai’s turn to ask Imanotsurugi, “Ima-san… Truth or Dare?” Imanotsurugi thinks for a while before answering, “Truth!” 

Gokotai fidgeting a little, “Uhm… Then, is there anything bothering you lately? You seemed a bit troubled…” Gokotai seemed genuinely worried about Imanotsurugi. “Ah, umm… Yeah… They didn’t say specifically to keep it a secret… So I think it’s ok, but just to be safe, please don’t tell anyone else, okay?”

Everyone seemed intrigued by what Imanotsurugi might say, so they leaned their body closer to him. “Umm… Do you know that there’s another Honmaru in this Honmaru?” Imanotsurugi whispered to them.

“Eeeeeehh? Ima-san, are you trying to scare us with a horror story?” Midare cringed and rubbed his arms. “N-no! I’m serious, it’s a Honmaru called El1vagar, and they’re very different from us! They don’t fight like us!”

“Whaatt? What would they do if they didn't fight, then?” Atsushi seemed to be absorbed in the story. “Well… they just manage the Honmaru and live there, I think? I assume, they’re hiding from something, so that’s why they hide their honmaru in ours!” Imanotsurugi speculated.

“So where is it? Can you go there?” Maeda asked. “Uhm… Yeah, we can go there. But I think you should find it yourself!” Imanotsurugi grinned.

Then they were involved in a deep conversation about this mysterious El1vagar Honmaru. Yagen secretly relieved that they didn’t continue the Truth or Dare game, because he wasn’t ready to tell them that he originated from that El1vagar Honmaru.

Sooner or later, they will know about that, but for now, he’ll keep that little secret to himself.

[1] Yatsushi is said to be one of the fundamentals of Japanese aesthetic and a Japanese art expression. The term has a lot of usage and can mean "to deviate from the usual; to make a shabby change in appearance; to disguise oneself; to put on makeup and dress up”. So basically, Taikou is using an old term of an impression contest.

⚠️ This story hints relationship between Kikkou Sadamune and Shiromi Matou. ⚠️

My name is Kikkou Sadamune. I'm a Touken Danshi and today I’ll meet my new Master. 

I wonder what kind of person my new master is. You can say, I’m really excited to meet them. I believe I can serve them better than any Touken Danshi. Even though there was a sword called… Heshikiri Hasebe? He should have arrived earlier in the Honmaru, but regardless, I won’t lose to him!

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I felt warmth spread throughout my body starting from my hands. I opened my eyes and promptly said my introduction, “I'm Kikkou Sadamune. The reason behind my name? ...Fufu. Perhaps I'll leave that to your imagination.”

When I realized, I saw a girl in front of me. She smiled from ear to ear, “Wow, finally! I can’t believe I finally met you, Kikkou!” It sounds like she is happier to meet me than I do.

I just realized she kept holding both of my hands tightly after she summoned me. I feel a bit confused and overwhelmed by her response. Am I supposed to feel this much happiness when I meet my new master?

She tugged my hand, “Let’s go, I’ll show you around your new home!” Isn’t this supposed to be the attendant’s job to show new Touken Danshi around?

I followed her and we spent almost all day touring around our Honmaru. In the middle of it we sat down near the lake. Then we ate some snacks from the kitchen too. We also rode horses for a bit. 

“What do you think? It still needs some improvement, but I hope you’ll get accustomed to the Honmaru life soon enough,” she smiled at me. She seemed so happy that for a while I only stared back at her. 

I felt something grow inside of me. Am I feeling awe? Admiration? Maybe longing? I felt like a piece of puzzle just fit right into my heart. 

“Yeah, I would definitely be happy to be able to serve you, Gosshujin-sama,” I smiled back at her and held her hand tightly. I’m glad that it doesn’t feel like bothering her. 

“I hope so! Usually I make newcomers as an attendant to adjust their new life here, so you’ll be my attendant too from now on.” She explained. 

“Aahh, I’m very happy that you trust me, Gosshujin-sama.” The piece of puzzle felt like it was growing bigger inside my chest. It’s not painful, but fulfilling. 

“But I’m kind of planning to make it a permanent thing. What do you think about it?”

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The conversation with Honebami the past few days made me remember my very first encounter with Gosshujin-sama. Now, she’s eating ice cream in front of me. The city surrounding us was a bit crowded, but I paid no attention to them. 

“Gosshujin-sama… I’ve been wondering about this for a while… Why did you appoint me as your personal attendant?” I carefully asked her. 

“Hmm…” She fell into her thoughts while gazing at me. “Yeah, I wonder why too? Well, I wanna say I like your voice? Or maybe your appearance? But then when I think about it again, none of it actually matters…” she shrugged. “Even if you have a very different appearance, I think I’ll still choose you, so why does it even matter?” She seemed to be thinking about something.

“G-gosshujin-sama…” I felt tears pooling on my eyes. “Why are you asking? Are you thinking about useless stuff again?” she handed me a tissue leisurely.

“... Me too, Gosshujin-sama… If I have a choice to choose my own Master, I’ll be choosing you over and over again…” I wiped my tears and smiled at her. 

My master’s definition of love might be different from mine, but why does it matter, when in fact, she still loves me.