Note: We continue with Muramasa's daily life. Someday we will enter the canon of Tensura, in the meantime let's continue in the relationship of Muramasa, Rimuru and Ciel.
I would never have imagined that this story would bring me a comforting feeling and peace of what is going on around my life.
Thank you for your comment of understanding my situation. You can feel free to continue reading and leave a comment or suggestion that can help us in the development of the story, I really appreciate the help you do.
Chapter 4
The air in the forge was charged, not only from the residual heat of the furnace, but also from the strange sensation Rimuru had felt moments before. As Muramasa finished organizing his tools and Ciel adjusted the kimono over his shoulders, Rimuru's gaze shifted from one to the other, his thoughts torn between the perfection of the sword he had just seen and the growing confusion in his chest.
However, he remembered something important, something he could not let go.
"Muramasa," Rimuru began, his arms crossed and his tone more serious than usual.
The blacksmith looked up, a little puzzled by the change in his attitude. "What?"
"I want to know something." Rimuru pointed to the kimono Ciel was wearing. "That kimono... why did you give it to her?"
Muramasa was silent for a moment, her golden eyes fixed on Rimuru as she considered her answer. He wasn't the type to give unnecessary explanations, but he knew Rimuru wouldn't give up the subject easily. Finally, she let out a slight sigh, as if accepting her fate.
"It's simple," Muramasa said as he placed the hammer on the table. "Ciel appeared in the living room of my house... completely naked."
The silence that followed was as thick as the Adamantite he had been working on hours before. Rimuru blinked several times, as if her brain was processing the words in slow motion.
"Naked?" she repeated, her tone rising an octave.
"Naked," Muramasa confirmed just as calmly, as if talking about the weather. "I thought it was the right thing to cover her, so I gave her the kimono."
Rimuru brought both hands to her head, clearly overwhelmed. "Why didn't you tell me about this before, that's... that's something I definitely had to know!"
Muramasa shrugged. "I didn't see the need for it. Besides, Ciel didn't seem interested by it."
Rimuru directed an accusing glance towards Ciel, who remained completely unperturbed, with his typical neutral expression.
"Do you have anything to say about it?" asked Rimuru, waiting for some explanation from him.
Ciel inclined her head slightly, his tone as calm as ever. "I considered it not a relevant detail to report. At the time, I was more interested in analyzing Muramasa. My lack of clothing was necessary to see Muramasa's actions, so it wasn't an inconvenience."
"Of course it's inconvenient!" exclaimed Rimuru, her cheeks reddening as she waved her arms. "You can't just show up naked at someone's house and act like it's nothing!"
"Rimuru-sama," Ciel replied, with a slight nod, "your emotional reactions are interesting, though they seem disproportionate to the situation."
Rimuru was speechless for a moment, her mind caught between Ciel's cold logic and the discomfort she felt imagining the scene. Finally, she folded her arms and let out a frustrated sigh.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself.
As Rimuru continued to reflect on what she had just heard, Muramasa resumed his work, though he couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled by her reaction. It wasn't the first time he had seen someone upset, but the way Rimuru was looking at him, as if he had done something wrong, made him feel slightly uncomfortable.
"What's all the fuss about?" he finally asked, turning to Rimuru.
She glared at him. "Because it's weird, Muramasa! Don't you find it strange that Ciel shows up like this and you just give her a kimono like it's the most normal thing in the world?"
Muramasa frowned, clearly irritated. "What was I supposed to do, leave her there with nothing? I don't have any women's clothes, so I gave her the only thing that could fit her."
Rimuru opened her mouth to respond, but stopped herself. Although she wanted to argue further, she could not deny that what Muramasa had done was indeed the right thing to do.
"Well..." she finally muttered, averting his gaze. "I guess you did what you were supposed to. But still, it's weird."
Muramasa did not respond, he simply went back to concentrating on his tools.
Ciel, meanwhile, continued to watch the interaction between Muramasa and Rimuru with growing curiosity.
(Indicators detected: increase in Rimuru-sama's heart rate. Possible discomfort or irritation. Hypothesis: Emotional reaction related to jealousy or frustration).
Although she could not fully understand human emotions, Ciel was beginning to notice a pattern in Rimuru's behavior. Her reaction to the "gift" of the kimono, combined with her earlier reaction at the forge, suggested a level of emotional attachment to Muramasa that she herself did not yet recognize.
(Conclusion: Human emotions are complex and often contradictory. I will continue to observe to gather more data).
With the discussion seemingly settled, Rimuru decided to change the subject and focus on the weapons and tools Muramasa had been working on recently. However, she couldn't help but cast occasional glances towards Ciel and her kimono, as if she was still processing what she had heard.
For his part, Muramasa plunged back into his work, as if the conversation had never happened. For him, the only thing that mattered was the work in front of him.
However, in a corner of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder why Rimuru had reacted that way. Although he didn't fully understand her emotions, there was something in her expression that had left him wondering.
As the forge remained relatively silent after the heated conversation about the kimono, Ciel watched Muramasa at work, analyzing every move with mathematical precision. However, his attention was soon diverted to Rimuru, who still looked somewhat annoyed as she checked the finished weapons in the workshop.
Ciel, as always, broke the silence with an unexpected comment:
"I think my next strategy to get a more meaningful reaction from Muramasa will be.... enter the bathroom while he is bathing."
The statement was so direct and emotionless that it caught Rimuru completely off guard. The sound of a sword Rimuru held clattering against the table echoed in the workshop as she slowly turned towards Ciel.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" shouted Rimuru, her voice laden with disbelief and anger.
Ciel, as if he had said nothing out of the ordinary, bowed his head slightly. "It's a logical strategy. Based on common human reactions, embarrassment or discomfort could lead to deeper emotional interaction between us."
Rimuru felt a vein begin to throb in her forehead as her fists trembled. "LOGICAL!!!LOGICAL!!!You think it's logical to go into the bathroom with him!!!What are you trying to do now!!!"
Before Ciel could respond, Rimuru had already taken the first step towards her, hands outstretched towards her neck. "I'll fucking strangle you!"
Ciel, though unchanging as always, allowed Rimuru to hold her by the neck, as the pressure gradually increased. Of course, being an entity created with superior abilities, the strangulation caused her no real harm, but the act seemed to satisfy Rimuru, at least on an emotional level.
"Rimuru-sama," Ciel commented calmly, even as Rimuru's hands tried to squeeze tighter. "I don't understand why you're reacting this way. My plan is effective and, considering our circumstances, completely reasonable."
"REASONABLE!!! REASONABLE!!! If you ever try anything like that again, I'm going to chain you in my room for the rest of your life, Ciel!" shouted Rimuru, clearly on the verge of emotional collapse.
The noise and exclamations made Muramasa look up from his work. Although he had initially decided to ignore the conversation between Rimuru and Ciel, the intensity of the shouting forced him to intervene.
"What's going on now?" he asked, his tone dry and laden with confusion.
Rimuru turned to face him, her hands still gripping Ciel's neck, though she loosened her grip slightly.
"Nothing! Absolutely nothing!" replied Rimuru quickly, her face red with both anger and embarrassment. "I'm just... solving a little problem. Don't worry about it."
Muramasa frowned, clearly distrustful, but decided not to insist. "If you say so..." he muttered, turning his attention back to his tools.
Meanwhile, Rimuru released Ciel, who adjusted her kimono as calmly as ever, as if nothing had happened.
"Rimuru-sama," Ciel commented as Rimuru held her arm tightly, "I don't understand why this situation generates so much discomfort in you. I was just considering methods for a deeper analysis of human emotions."
"I'm going to chain you up in my room, Ciel! That's what I'm going to do!" roared Rimuru as he began dragging her towards the exit.
Muramasa barely had time to blink before he saw Rimuru shoot out of his forge, dragging Ciel along like a sack of potatoes. All that was left was a celestial blur and a light puff of air inside her forge.
The blacksmith stood still for a moment, looking toward the door they had exited through, before muttering to himself:
"What the hell was that?"
Shaking his head, he decided not to give it any more thought and went back to focusing on his work. However, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble Rimuru and her enigmatic companion were causing.
As Rimuru disappeared with Ciel, shouting threats into the air, and Muramasa went back to hammering at the forge, the quiet days in this corner of the world began to fill with a mixture of chaos, emotions and unexpected situations.
❈-≫────≪-◦ ❈ ◦-≫────≪-❈
The soft crackling of the fire filled Muramasa's house as he enjoyed a simple but comforting meal. On his table rested several dishes: freshly cooked rice, grilled fish, pickles and miso soup.
As he took a sip of tea, a slight noise from the front door caught his attention. He barely had time to get up when the door opened carefully, revealing the imposing figure of a woman.
Shion, with her purple hair pulled back in a ponytail and her long black horn on her forehead, crossed the threshold with a mixture of curiosity and decision in her eyes.
"Who are you?" asked Muramasa, her tone as neutral as ever, though her gaze briefly scanned the intruder.
Shion bowed slightly in a gesture of respect, though his confident smile betrayed his formality. "I am Shion, personal assistant to Rimuru-sama."
Muramasa raised an eyebrow. "And what are you doing here?"
"Rimuru-sama mentioned your name several times at the mansion. I was curious as to why she has such an interest in a simple blacksmith."
Muramasa frowned, but before answering, Shion inhaled deeply, her eyes lighting up instantly.
"What a delicious aroma!" he exclaimed, looking at Muramasa's table.
He let out a small sigh, realizing at once that his food had captured the visitor's full attention.
"Are you hungry?" he asked in a dry tone.
Shion nodded quickly. "Yes! I forgot to eat my lunch before I came here."
Muramasa looked at the table, then at Shion, and finally let out a slight sigh. Although he was not the type to seek company, she knew that turning away a guest was not polite.
"Have a seat," he said, pointing to a place in front of him. "You can eat with me, but don't expect much. It's simple food."
Shion didn't wait to be told twice and eagerly sat down. "Thank you, Muramasa-san!"
Muramasa served a plate for her, who took the chopsticks excitedly. As soon as she tasted the first bite, her eyes widened like saucers.
"This is amazing!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe something so simple tastes so good!"
Muramasa simply nodded, accustomed to preparing Japanese food. However, Shion's reaction was genuine enough to elicit a slight smile from him.
Once the meal was finished, Shion leaned forward, staring at him.
"Muramasa-san, can you teach me to cook like you?"
Muramasa looked up from his teacup, puzzled. "Cooking? Why?"
Shion smiled proudly. "Because I want to prepare delicious meals for Rimuru-sama! It's my duty as her personal assistant to make sure she always eats well."
Muramasa put a hand to his chin, thoughtfully. The request was reasonable, though he hadn't expected someone like her to show interest in something as basic as cooking.
"I guess I can help you," he finally replied. "But first I need to see what you know how to do. I can't teach you if I don't know where you stand."
Shion clapped her hands excitedly. "Thank you, Muramasa-san, I won't let you down!"
That afternoon, Shion took Muramasa to the kitchen of Rimuru's mansion, where he used to prepare his meals. The utensils were perfectly tidy, but the atmosphere of the place was... peculiar.
Muramasa felt a shiver as he approached the dishes Shion had prepared as a display of his skills. There was something strange about the colors and textures; some portions sizzled as if alive, while others emitted an aroma he could not describe.
"Did you prepare this?" asked Muramasa, trying to remain calm.
"Yes! What do you think?" replied Shion, with a proud smile.
Muramasa looked at a dish that appeared to be some kind of stew, although its bright green color was anything but natural. She decided to try it, because if she could learn anything from this, it would be the level her student was at.
He took a small spoonful, bringing the contents to his mouth. The taste was... indescribable. It was as if everything that was wrong with the universe was concentrated in that one mouthful.
And then, everything went black.
Muramasa opened his eyes slowly, finding himself in her own bed, with the dim light of candles illuminating the room. His head was spinning, and there was a faint metallic taste in his mouth.
"What... happened?" he muttered, rubbing his temples.
He slowly sat up, remembering the events in Shion's kitchen, but everything after tasting the stew was blank.
"That explains a lot," he muttered to himself, though he couldn't help but feel a slight shiver at the thought of what had happened.
From the doorway of his room, he heard a nervous laugh. He turned his head and saw Shion, who was looking at him with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement.
"I'm sorry, Muramasa-san! I think I went a little overboard with the ingredients," he said, clasping his hands together in an apologetic gesture.
Muramasa watched her with narrowed eyes, clearly annoyed, but too tired to say anything.
"For today, let's go with I survived," he finally said, dropping back down on his pillow.
Shion nodded quickly. "Got it! But don't worry, next time it'll be better."
"I hope there won't be a next time," Muramasa muttered, closing his eyes as Shion left the room.
And so, the blacksmith promised himself that, if he ever taught anyone to cook again, he would be sure to check the ingredients before tasting the dish.
❈-≫────≪-◦ ❈ ◦-≫────≪-❈
The sun was already high when Muramasa arrived at the gates of Tempest City for the second time. The first time, the day before, had been brief, and the whole event had ended so... disconcertingly that he had barely had time to observe the place. Now, with his curiosity piqued, he had decided to explore further.
As I walked through the cobblestone streets, I couldn't help but notice the incredible variety of inhabitants. From goblins to kijins and dragonewts, each went about their business with remarkable efficiency. However, the presence of Muramasa, with his traditional Japanese attire and stoic bearing, seemed to attract curious glances.
Although no one approached him directly, he could feel the stares studying him from a distance. The whispers were not of hostility, but of intrigue.
"Is he..."
"They say Shion made him faint with her food."
"How is he still alive after that?"
Muramasa ignored the murmurs as he continued to move forward. He wasn't the type to be intimidated by stares or rumors, but he couldn't deny that the city had a peculiar air about it. Despite being inhabited by monsters, everything was surprisingly well organized and clean, as if he were in a human metropolis.
"So this is the place that Rimuru runs," he muttered to himself, observing the perfectly aligned buildings and market stalls filled with exotic goods.
As he walked, something else caught his attention: a handsome young man with short red hair walking down the main street. His bearing was elegant, and he carried a katana at his waist. Several women followed him with admiring glances, some even whispering words that were clearly flattering.
Muramasa stopped his gait and surveyed the scene with a raised eyebrow. The young man seemed accustomed to this kind of attention, responding with a quiet smile and a slight nod whenever someone greeted him.
Before Muramasa could move on, the young man noticed his presence and walked towards him confidently.
"So you must be Muramasa," the young man said, bowing his head slightly in a gesture of respect. "Rimuru-sama mentioned that you might be coming today. I'm glad to finally meet you."
Muramasa watched him before asking. "And you are?"
Muramasa bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment, though his eyes momentarily wandered to the women who were following Benimaru with their gazes.
"You seem quite popular," Muramasa commented.
Benimaru let out a light chuckle. "I guess I'm used to it. But let's put that aside. I'm here for another reason."
Benimaru crossed his arms, adopting a more relaxed posture as he continued speaking. "I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. Shion can be... a bit overzealous with her attempts at cooking."
Muramasa stared at him, his face unchanging, though a slight twitch in his eyebrow gave away that it was not a subject he wanted to remember.
"Rimuru-sama is also aware of what happened," Benimaru continued, scratching the back of his neck with a somewhat nervous smile. "He was concerned about whether you were well."
Muramasa let out a slight sigh. "Don't worry. I'm fine."
Benimaru raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because, from what I understand, you fainted as soon as you tasted Shion's dish."
The blacksmith gritted his teeth slightly, averting his gaze. "I don't remember anything after that, and honestly, I'd rather it stayed that way."
Benimaru couldn't help but laugh at Muramasa's honest answer. "Understood. I'll try to make sure Shion doesn't involve you in her culinary experiments again... though I can't promise that."
Muramasa watched him for a moment before replying, "If that happens again, make sure someone writes my will."
Benimaru let out a laugh at Muramasa's sarcastic response. There was something about the blacksmith that pleased him, perhaps his calm demeanor or his straightforward way of speaking.
"You know, Rimuru-sama has a good eye for people," Benimaru commented, adjusting his katana at his waist. "If he trusts you, then that's good enough for me. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask me."
Muramasa nodded slightly, grateful for the gesture, though he was not the type to ask favors easily.
As the two men exchanged a few more words, Rimuru appeared in the distance, walking towards them with a carefree smile. Ciel, as always, was at his side with the 'body double' ability.
"Ah, Muramasa, Benimaru!" greeted Rimuru, raising a hand.
"Rimuru-sama," Benimaru replied respectfully, bowing slightly.
Muramasa simply nodded, noticing that Rimuru seemed especially animated today.
"What were they doing?" asked Rimuru, looking from one to the other.
"Nothing special," Muramasa replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I was just looking around the city."
"Well, be sure to enjoy it," Rimuru said enthusiastically. "And Benimaru, thank you for joining him."
"Of course," Benimaru replied, though he noticed something in Rimuru's expression that suggested she had something else in mind.
As they continued walking through the city, Rimuru glanced sideways at Muramasa, who was studying every corner with his critical but calm gaze.
"I think you will like Tempest more than you think you will," Rimuru commented.
Muramasa didn't answer right away, but a small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe."
In the distance, the curious gazes of Tempest's inhabitants continued to rest on the blacksmith, as the day continued, full of new possibilities and connections that were just beginning to form.