Thousand Year Old Cherry Tree

Chapter 4: Not Alone

A few days had past, and I was finally able to summon a few more swords to form a party for a sortie. However I can't help but feel a heavy feeling weigh against my heart. Right after I  summoned Yamato no Kami Yasusada, I was reminded of what occurred before entering the Citadel.

I wanted a better future, but now the future was endangered from the retrograde army. In order to defeat them and keep the past safe from tampering, it's my duty to summon swords and choose the right ones to go into battle against the armies. But I can't help it. What if they get hurt? Even if they have human forms, they're vulnerable to getting hurt.

"Master, what's wrong?" I didn't notice, but Yasusada seemed to have crept up from behind me while I was staring out at the balcony. Though I wasn't sure of what to say to Yasusada, it had only been a few days since he got here. Would it be wrong to say not to go on the sortie?

I'd be selfish if I told them to stay and not go out on the battlefield. It's their duty to fight the retrograde army, that was the only reason as to why they even have a human form.

"I-It's nothing, Yasusada."

He gave a small frown upon hearing my answer.

"From the looks of your face, it doesn't seem like nothing." I flinched hearing Yasusada say that in a straightforward manner. "You don't have to say it right now master, but if you need someone to listen then we're here and ready to listen."

"Yasusada." I glanced down at the ground, noticing a few tantous running along to go play after finishing their chores. The smiles on their faces, I don't want to see them hurt. "Do I seem selfish?"

"In what way?"

"On the fact that I hardly send the tantous on to battle with you and Kashuu." Ever since I started gaining more tantous, a part of me pleaded or rather begged to not let them go into battle. However they were swords given a human form, they've been used to fight in battle under the direction of their former master/s. "I'm just scared."

"Even if you guys have a human form..." There was one thing I knew about swords, then there's no denial. I clutched the edges of my sleeves as I silently bit my lip. "You guys can get hurt to the point of breaking."

And I don't even know what happens when a sword given a human form becomes injured to the core. Konnosuke said that if the swords were to take a certain amount of damage, then the sword would be destroyed. But being destroyed...wasn't that even worse than dying?

I felt arms hold my form, cradling me as if I were fragile.

"Master." He uttered, keeping close in order to calm myself down. "I can't put it into words, but."

I could feel warmth from Yasusada as he continued speaking.

"Knowing that you care about us is enough." A small smile slowly formed against my lips, as I returned Yasusada's hug.

Despite the fact that he was originally a sword, I feel comforted by his words. "Thank you, Yasusada."