Note: I have a question. Regarding the topic of Rimuru, Ciel and Muramasa. Can they have a child?
Rimuru's biology is a slime, Ciel... I have no idea to be honest. Muramasa is a heroic spirit, what I understand and have seen in the Fate series (Artoria Saber), is that she cannot get pregnant. Therefore, Muramasa cannot impregnate anyone, or can male Servants impregnate a woman?
And with Rimuru and Ciel, can they get pregnant even if they receive a man's seed?
That's the question I have, but, since this is a fanfiction. In any case, they will get pregnant and Muramasa will be a father.
Chapter 5
The river flowed serenely, its crystal clear waters reflecting the clear sky and the greenery of the surrounding trees. In the distance, the sounds of the city of Tempest were barely a murmur, leaving nature to reclaim the limelight.
Muramasa and Hakurou were sitting on the shore, each holding a fishing rod as the lines stretched out into the water. Next to them, a bucket contained a couple of fish already caught, but neither seemed particularly focused on fishing.
Both were silent, as if words were unnecessary at that moment. However, it was Hakurou who broke the silence, his tone calm and reflective.
"Muramasa," he began, noting how her line quivered slightly, "have you ever had a child?"
Muramasa, who was adjusting the string on his rod, raised an eyebrow at the question. He didn't seem surprised, but he hadn't expected Hakurou to be so direct either.
"No," he finally replied, his tone dry but sincere. "I never had a son."
Hakurou nodded, as if expecting that answer. "Why not?"
Muramasa was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the river. Finally, he spoke, with a slight sigh that denoted weariness.
"I was obsessed," he admitted. "Obsessed with creating a sword. Just like the life of a boy who wanted to save everyone and get to where his beloved was."
Hakurou looked at him curiously, turning slightly towards him. "What about that sword, did you manage to create it?"
Muramasa smiled, one of those smiles that seemed to carry years of experiences, failures and successes.
"Yes. I made it."
The elder kijin could not help but show an expression of admiration. "Then you accomplished your goal. That's not something everyone can say."
Muramasa nodded slowly. "I did it... But it wasn't my achievement alone. It was thanks to someone else that I had the opportunity to create it."
His words were loaded with deep meaning, though he offered no further details. And that was Shirou Emiya's body. If it were not for his Unlimited Blade Works, he would not have succeeded in creating Tsumukari Muramasa.
Hakurou did not insist. He had lived long enough to know when a man didn't want to talk about something anymore. Instead, he posed another question, a smile on his lips.
"If you've already accomplished that goal, haven't you considered exploring another path? Maybe starting a family?"
Muramasa stood motionless, his golden eyes reflecting the sunlight. He did not respond immediately. His thoughts traveled back years, to the countless days and nights he had spent at his forge, hammering steel, pursuing a dream with an almost irrational fervor.
Finally, he tilted his head slightly to one side, as if still weighing the idea.
"I never had any interest in starting a family," he confessed. "I was too focused on my goal ... but I guess you can never say never."
Hakurou let out a light laugh, his tone warm and full of understanding. "You're right. Life always finds ways to surprise us, especially at the most unexpected times."
Muramasa sketched a barely perceptible smile. "Yes, it would seem so."
Silence settled between them again, although this time it was more comfortable, as if no more words were needed. Both elders shared an unspoken connection, born of years of similar experiences: dedication to a purpose, internal struggles and the weight of time that never stops.
Hakurou, holding up his cane, added in a lighter tone, "If you ever decide to take that step, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone like Rimuru-sama by your side. After all, she seems to have a special interest in you."
Muramasa rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Rimuru is just a customer. Besides, I'm not interested in meddling in such matters."
Hakurou looked sideways at him, a playful smile on his face. "You think so?"
Muramasa did not respond, but a slight blush crossed his face before he looked away towards the river.
Hakurou let out a laugh, satisfied that he had annoyed the reserved blacksmith, though he did not insist further.
As the sun began to set, tinting the sky with shades of orange and gold, Muramasa and Hakurou picked up their rods and checked the bucket. They had caught enough for a good meal, though both knew that the real purpose of their day together was not fishing.
As they made their way back to the city, Muramasa couldn't help but think about Hakurou's words. Maybe starting a family was not as far off as he had thought.
"It always happens in an unexpected situation," he muttered to himself, remembering Hakurou's words.
The older kijin, walking beside him, smiled slightly. "You were saying something, Muramasa?"
The blacksmith shook his head. "Nothing important."
And so the day ended with both elders returning to their respective lives, albeit with new thoughts on their minds.
❈-≫────≪-◦ ❈ ◦-≫────≪-❈
The sound of bubbling hot water filled the space as Muramasa sank into the thermal pool. The steam enveloped the environment, creating a tranquil atmosphere isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city. The stone walls and the dim light from the lamps completed the scene, giving it a sense of serenity.
He had accepted the invitation to visit the hot springs after Rimuru had insisted that "it was an experience I should try at least once." Muramasa, always keen to keep his emotions in check, had agreed, thinking it would be a good opportunity to get away from the constant sound of the hammer in the forge for a bit.
He rested his arms on the edge of the pool and closed his eyes, allowing the warmth of the water to relax his muscles. Although his body was young thanks to his manifestation of becoming a Heroic Spirit (and having control of the vessel), his soul was old, and the years of working in the smithy often weighed on him.
"This isn't bad," he muttered to himself, enjoying the silence.
However, that peace would not last long.
A light splash broke the stillness, followed by delicate footsteps approaching the edge of the pool. Muramasa opened his eyes slightly, just enough to notice a female figure slipping into the water.
His senses, always sharp, captured every detail: the light blue hair shining faintly in the light, the water sliding down the fair skin, and...
Muramasa turned his head sharply, closing his eyes immediately as he felt a slight discomfort.
"Ciel?" he asked in a dry, bemused tone.
"Right," Ciel's serene voice replied, as if his appearance was the most normal thing in the world.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm watching."
Muramasa let out a heavy sigh. "Watching what?"
"Your reaction," Ciel said with unsettling calm, as he moved further toward the center of the pool. "So far, I've noticed that you rarely show human emotion. This is... a test."
Muramasa, with a slight tension in his jaw, kept his gaze fixed on the opposite wall. "There's that test again, stop using me as your experiment."
Ciel tilted her head slightly, analyzing the blacksmith's every move and reaction. "I wanted to confirm whether your ability to control your emotions includes unexpected situations. My hypothesis is that, if I present you with a stimulus sufficiently out of the ordinary, I might elicit a genuine emotional response."
Muramasa gritted his teeth, trying to remain calm. "And your idea was to sneak in here, naked?"
"Correct," Ciel stated, with no trace of embarrassment in his voice. "It's an efficient approach."
Muramasa brought a hand to his face, exhaling slowly as he tried not to lose his patience. "Ciel, did it not occur to you that this might be... inappropriate?"
"Inappropriate?" repeated Ciel, cocking her head to the side as she analyzed it. "I don't understand. This is a public facility intended for relaxation. Besides, my body does not possess the same level of emotional significance that others would consider relevant to the situation."
"That doesn't change the fact that this is weird," Muramasa muttered, keeping his gaze away from Ciel.
However, the blacksmith's acute senses did not let him ignore Ciel's presence. Despite the vapor that covered much of the area, he could clearly perceive the outlines of her figure. It was a detail he would rather not have noticed, but his status as a Heroic Spirit did not allow him to ignore it.
"This is awkward," he finally said, turning his back on her.
Ciel, for her part, continued to watch him closely. (Hypothesis: His discomfort is due to an emotional perception related to human values of privacy and decorum. Evaluation: Interesting).
"Muramasa," Ciel said after a moment, "your reaction suggests an emotional vulnerability. Is it possible that my presence here is a catalyst for such vulnerability?"
Muramasa let out a dry laugh. "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but I assure you, you're walking a very fine line."
Before Ciel could respond, a sudden sound interrupted the conversation.
"CIEL!"
Rimuru's voice echoed in the area, and before Muramasa could process what was happening, Rimuru appeared at the entrance to the baths, with a towel wrapped around her body.
"What are you doing!" exclaimed Rimuru, pointing an accusing finger at Ciel.
Ciel, completely calm, simply turned her head toward Rimuru. "I'm conducting an experiment."
"This isn't a laboratory, Ciel!" shouted Rimuru, advancing toward the pool. "Get out of there right now before I do something drastic!"
Muramasa, who had been silent up to that point, glanced sideways at Rimuru, noticing the slight blush on her cheeks. "Rimuru, is this... normal?"
"Of course not!" replied Rimuru quickly, crossing her arms as she shot a withering glare at Ciel. "Ciel, come out now!"
Ciel bowed her head slightly, as if considering the order. "Understood. But the results so far have been satisfactory."
Muramasa sighed, muttering to himself. "Why do I feel like my life has become more complicated since I met them?"
With one last glance at Muramasa, Ciel exited the pool with an unsettling grace, wrapping herself in a towel before disappearing down the hallway.
As Rimuru repeatedly apologized for Ciel's behavior, Muramasa simply waved a hand. "Don't worry, I'm used to strange things by now."
Rimuru, though relieved, couldn't help but look at him with concern. "Still, I'll try to talk to her so she won't do something like that again."
Muramasa did not respond, just leaned back against the edge of the pool, letting the warmth of the water relax his body once again.
However, as Rimuru walked away, he couldn't help but think that, while this was all frustrating, there was something oddly interesting about the dynamic between the three of them.
With Ciel finally out of the bathroom, Rimuru let out a long sigh as she hurriedly walked down the hallway, pulling Ciel by the wrist. Though the adrenaline of the situation still coursed through her veins, once she got far enough away, her mind began to calm down. It was then that she looked down and realized something important:
"I'm in a towel..."
The heat of the moment had caused her to completely forget that she had entered the men's room with nothing but a towel wrapped around her body.
Rimuru felt the blush begin to creep up her neck until it reached her cheeks. Instinctively, she squeezed the edges of the towel to make sure it wasn't ill-fitting, though she knew no accident had occurred.
She glanced sideways at Ciel, who was walking calmly beside her with her usual serene expression. Rimuru frowned, wanting to say something, but the words caught in her throat.
"How embarrassing! Muramasa was there the whole time! Did he look at me? No, no, no! He was busy dealing with Ciel... wasn't he?"
As these questions swirled around in her head, Ciel decided to break the silence. "Rimuru-sama, is it necessary to continue holding me down? This body can't be dragged away so easily."
"Shut up, Ciel!" snorted Rimuru, finally releasing her as she gritted her teeth. "What were you thinking sneaking into Muramasa's bathroom naked!"
"I was doing research," Ciel replied as calmly as ever.
"That's not a valid excuse!" Rimuru stopped and turned to her, pointing an accusing finger at her. "This is way past being a simple experiment! You're crossing boundaries!"
Ciel tilted her head slightly, as if analyzing Rimuru's words carefully. "Are you upset because I went into Muramasa's bathroom, or because you didn't?"
Rimuru felt her face flare up even more. "What kind of question is that!"
"Just an observation," Ciel said in a nonchalant tone. "Your heart rate and body temperature increased significantly since we left the bathroom."
"That's because I'm furious with you!"
Ciel remained silent, though her analytical gaze suggested that she was not convinced by Rimuru's explanation.
As they continued walking towards the female area of the bathrooms, Rimuru tugged her towel again, making sure it was snug. As they got closer, her mind went back to Muramasa, remembering his neutral and calm look even in the midst of such an uncomfortable situation.
"He wouldn't have noticed.... would he?" thought Rimuru, though the uncertainty in her mind only added to her embarrassment.
Finally, she reached the entrance to the female sector and let out a deep sigh. "Ciel, I swear, if you do anything like this again, I'm going to find a way to put you in chains."
"Understood," Ciel replied, although the tone of her voice didn't make it clear if he was really considering it.
Rimuru snorted once more before heading inside, leaving Ciel behind. As she adjusted her towel again, she couldn't help but think that this day had been one of the most embarrassing she'd had in a long time.
"I have to avoid Muramasa for a while. I'm sure he thinks I'm crazy now."
With that, Rimuru finally headed toward the female hot spring pool, trying to calm herself, though the blush on her cheeks seemed determined to stay.
And with that, the day at the hot springs came to an end, leaving Muramasa with more questions than answers, and Ciel with more than enough data to continue her experiments. And Rimuru embarrassed at the situation of being seen in a towel by Muramasa.
❈•≫────≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫────≪•❈
As Rimuru and Ciel walked away from the hot spring, the forge of emotions inside Muramasa began to forge something new, though he could not describe it accurately. The first time he had seen Ciel naked, it had all been a reflex. His mind had focused on analyzing the situation as a potential threat, without even fully registering the context. Only later, upon understanding that it was Ciel, had he reacted with the only gesture he considered appropriate: covering her body with the kimono he still wore.
But the hot spring bath had been a completely different experience. There, her goal was not to watch, work or protect; it was to relax and enjoy a moment of tranquility. And, without warning, the tranquility was shattered by the unexpected appearance of Ciel, completely naked and with her cold and meticulous attitude, declaring that it was all part of another "experiment".
Muramasa sighed, leaning against the edge of the bath as the hot water continued to engulf him. For the first time in a long time, he felt he had lost control over his emotions. Despite his efforts to remain calm, he couldn't help the blush that had formed on his face when Ciel appeared, let alone when Rimuru burst in shortly after, covered only by a towel.
"What kind of madness is this?" he thought as he ran a hand over his face.
Though he would never admit it out loud, there was something disturbingly unsettling about Ciel's 'body double' ability. "It's the same face, same body..." he thought, before shaking his head, trying to push those images from his mind.
It was strange. He had always been good at separating his emotions from his work, but ever since he came to this world and started interacting with Rimuru and Ciel, he felt as if those barriers were slowly wearing away.
His mind wandered back to the talk he had had with Hakurou. The conversation had left him with a similar feeling: a slight flush on his face, a subtle discomfort that he couldn't ignore. The idea of starting a family was something he had never seriously considered, but Hakurou's words had planted a seed inside him, and now it seemed that everything going on around him was watering that seed.
"I can't believe that talk and what happened last night are somehow connected..." he thought, letting out a slight dry laugh. "Maybe I'm going crazy."
However, he couldn't ignore the fact that, in a short amount of time, both Rimuru and Ciel had accomplished something that very few others managed to do: to push him out of his comfort zone and make him feel something more than his usual calm and neutral self.
"I don't like this," he admitted to himself, though deep down he knew it wasn't entirely true.
The next day, as he walked through the bustling streets of Tempest City, Muramasa tried to distract himself from his thoughts by observing the daily lives of the inhabitants. The city was vibrant and bustling with activity, with monsters and humans coexisting in a way he had never seen before.
However, he couldn't help but remember the events of the hot spring bath. Every time he saw a light blue-haired female figure in the distance, his treacherous mind took him back to that moment.
A group of women walked past him, laughing and whispering to each other. Though Muramasa tried to ignore it, he couldn't help but catch snatch snatches of their conversations.
"Is he the blacksmith everyone is talking about?"
"Yes, they say he's incredibly talented..."
"And handsome, to boot."
Muramasa let out a sigh. "What's with this place?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Muramasa!"
He turned to meet Rimuru, who was walking towards him with a bright smile on her face. Despite his usual composure, he couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable at the sight of her. The image of the towel was still fresh in his mind.
Rimuru nodded, though she couldn't help but notice a slight tension on his face. "Well, it's strange to see you out of your comfort zone. How do you like the city so far?"
"It's interesting," Muramasa admitted. "Different from anything I've seen before."
As they spoke, Rimuru couldn't help but study his expression. Although Muramasa always seemed calm, there was something different about his demeanor, as if he was distracted. "Is he thinking about yesterday?" she thought, feeling a slight blush on her cheeks.
Before she could say anything else, Ciel appeared at her side, materializing with her 'dual body' ability.
"Muramasa," she said in his serene tone, "have you considered the possibility that yesterday's incident has affected your ability to concentrate?"
Rimuru felt her whole body tense up. "Ciel! Why do you keep bringing that up?"
Muramasa let out another sigh. "I'm not sure why you keep analyzing something that is clearly of no importance."
Ciel stared at him. "My data indicates otherwise. Yesterday you showed significant emotional reactions. It is important to understand their origin."
"That's enough, Ciel!" exclaimed Rimuru, her face completely red as she grabbed Ciel by the arm. "Stop bothering Muramasa with your strange experiments."
As Rimuru dragged Ciel away, Muramasa stood watching them, a small smile curving his lips. Despite the strangeness of it all, he couldn't deny that there was something almost... endearing about their interactions.
"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let this madness continue a little longer," he thought, before continuing on his way.
❈•≫────≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫────≪•❈
Note: At this point I have no idea if Muramasa, Rimuru and Ciel's relationship is being slow or a bit rushed. I would like an answer to this question I have about how the three of them's relationship is working out.
Editor's note: Hello everyone! It's your new friendly neighborhood Editor here. Hopefully you enjoyed the quality of this chapter this time, as I have been asked by our Lord and Savior, Author, to help with some grammar issues from the translator they are using. Please also let me know if there are grammar issues that I may have missed since it is possible to still some minor ones. As for who I am, you check Chapter 6 to see our lovely conversation. ;)
This has been the Editor signing out!