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Chapter 52 - A Bladesmith in Another World: Chapter 52 - An Unusual Rumor

"And who is that?" This time, Muramasa had learned his lesson. Whether he knew or not, he would just ask.

A satisfied smile appeared on the Guuji's face. "She was once a great general under the Shogun, by the name of 'Mikoshi Chiyo'. She fought alongside the Shogun against the dark evils... She once, from a tiger..."

Hearing this, Muramasa cut off her impending long-winded story. "I say, can we put aside the stories I don't understand for now? Knowing so much right now isn't very useful. If you want to talk, after we've finished the important matters, I'll pour you another cup of tea and listen."

The interrupted Miko put on a foxy pout, but she also felt he had a point. "Alright, you're right... When I talk about the past, I can't help but want to share." A rare look of melancholy crossed her face, which she quickly concealed. "Oh well. In short... after surviving a great disaster, she disappeared for a time. When she reappeared, she drew her sword against the current Shogun. After having an arm severed, she disappeared into the mountains again. No one knows where she went. All they know is that after her arm was cut off, she muttered that name."

After listening, Muramasa thought for a moment and asked, "After so many years, has that name never been heard again?"

Miko crossed her arms, her expression growing somber. "Of course, it has. And some are of questionable relevance. Some fishermen by the sea hear a distant cry in their dreams. Also by the sea, some fishermen will set out at night and disappear into the fog overseas. And, using the authority of the Guuji, I have also investigated with the Sacred Sakura."

The Sacred Sakura. Muramasa only remembered seeing a fox-shaped tree when he looked at the Grand Narukami Shrine.

Knowing he didn't understand, she added, "I can borrow the power of the Sacred Sakura to a certain extent. For example, wherever its roots reach, it is as if I have eyes and ears."

"And the result?" he asked.

"The result is that there is indeed a root of the Sacred Sakura that extends deep into the 'fog' the fishermen speak of." Thinking of this, the scene from that time seemed to reappear before her eyes. "But when I followed the connection, I found that I could not sense where the rest of it went. That place is like a VIP room; uninvited guests are forbidden."

Even she, a familiar of the Raiden Shogun, couldn't go there. It was indeed a troublesome place.

"Then how do you expect me to get there? Sailing is not a skill of a blacksmith."

At this, a smile finally reappeared on Miko's face. "Of course, I'm not asking you to set sail. You did say... you can exist in a spirit form, right?"

"Indeed..." Not understanding her meaning, he hesitated before confirming.

"Then it's simple. I just need to use the Sacred Sakura to send you there~" Miko smiled, explaining to the completely baffled smith. "When I was searching, I was following the roots, because I still have a physical body. But you're different. I can loosen some of the restrictions and let you, in your spirit form, enter the Sacred Sakura."

So a physical body can't travel through the Sacred Sakura, which is why I'm needed as the vanguard. Since there was indeed a root that reached that place, but it couldn't be entered from the outside, they could just 'sneak in' using the Sacred Sakura.

"Then, when do we leave?" Since he had accepted the commission and knew the method, there were no other problems.

"Not so fast." Miko wagged a finger. "To ensure your safety, I still need to go and cleanse the filth from the Sacred Sakura... But, that is my job."

Muramasa stared at the clever fox, trying to read something from her face. "That job isn't a pleasant one for you, is it?"

"Agh~ who likes to work? I'm an armchair type of person." The type who likes to live a leisurely life?

"I see," Muramasa didn't press further. "Then tell me about it. The things you... wanted to share. I already know about the work. From now on, you can speak freely. I'll be listening."

"..." The fox's breathing hitched for a moment, and her ears twitched. "Then, do you have any sake here? Have a few drinks with me."

"There's definitely sake, but I'll pass on the drinking."

"Don't be such a party pooper~"

"No, I'm really not good with alcohol."

"You're a spirit, aren't you? Can you even get drunk~"

Inside the Yashiro Commission

The blue-haired young man still sat at his desk, faced with a mountain of work and his personal intelligence network. He went through the pages of petitions, settlements, collaborations, and proposals one by one, annotating and signing them... endlessly.

The door to the room opened a crack, revealing half of a familiar ice-blue figure. "It's so late. Why are you not resting yet?" Ayato looked up, a gentle smile on his face, different from his official demeanor, looking at the half-visible Ayaka.

"Because I saw the light in your room was still on... so." She pushed the door open a little wider, carrying a bowl of warm soup into the room and placing it on his desk. "I wanted to do something I could."

There was no oil floating on the soup, a considerate choice for someone who needed to rest soon.

"You're very thoughtful. I'll rest in a little while. You should also get some sleep."

Seeing his tired state, Ayaka could only nod, then she retreated and closed the door.

Watching his sister leave, Ayato leaned back in his chair, intending to take a short nap. Another dense, unbearable night, and the uninvited dream arrived on schedule.

Gurgle...

Still so dark, so deep. All around was just a dark night scene, and the dozens of standard atmospheres of pressure enveloping his body. The only sound was his own heartbeat. The heavy pressure around him distanced him from the world.

'They say sleep is a rehearsal for death. Then you are the living person struggling on that border.'

Sinking was the main theme here. Every time he entered the water, he would sink deeper. The suffocating depth and the sound of his heartbeat were directly proportional. Fortunately, being proportional meant balance; the environment could not affect his individual independence.

"Hoooooo~~~"

From an infinite distance, a cry pierced through your 'liquid state', disrupting the pressure around you and pulling you up from the depths of the dream.

'A rapid change in environment means a breakdown of balance. Your absolute self is once again challenged by the outside world.'

Ayato suddenly shot up from his chair. Salty liquid poured out from his empty stomach. "Blegh—" His clenched jaw couldn't stop the flood. The gushing stream made intimate contact with his desk, and the night's work was ruined.

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