Don’t get me wrong, I’m really not some lecherous glutton. Seeing no hope of rescue, I was prepared to die gracefully beneath the peony flowers— if I were to become a ghost, I’d at least be a charming one.
It’s not like I’m yearning for warmth or intimacy.
I’m such a serious person! I’ve been tortured by work to the point of near emotional numbness! Bringing this up at this time, in this place, under these special circumstances is purely because——
Among us Moonlight Magicians, there’s a widely known, somewhat risqué trope.
Yes, this trope is called Magic Replenishment :p
Using spiritual power to heal the wounds of the Touken Danshi is Shiroyama Yoshimitsu’s innate Skill of Healing Sword Warriors.
It can, to a certain extent, bypass the Law of Conservation of Mass I mentioned earlier. Even without resources or the repair pool, it can reduce a Touken Danshi’s injury by one severity level.
Of course, some Saniwa have tried to study this skill, but to this day, all attempts have failed.
After all, this is originally a talent unique to the Touken Danshi. If it could be easily cracked and even ordinary humans could use it, wouldn’t that be a huge blow to their divine pride?
Fusangshen are gods too, thank you very much.
That said, the composition of the Saniwa community is quite complex.
Saniwa fished out from long timelines.
Saniwa fished out from different worldlines.
As a high-dimensional world with achievements in both time and space, the Time Government wants this kind of talent—and they get it.
So, having a pool of talented people in the Time Government is perfectly normal.
As a Magician, I seem particularly ordinary among them!
And as a Magician, my Origin is Copy.
At this point, if anyone still doesn’t get my meaning, I’d have to laugh and call them a Nine-leak Fish. You probably didn’t pass reading comprehension back in school.
Pitying the intellectually challenged gaze.jpg
In short, I copied Baishan’s ability.
Though forcibly using divine skills with a human body inevitably comes with many constraints, combined with our Skill Unique to Magicians, it remains usable.
So, this Sleeping Duty is really a last resort.
I explained my thoughts and reasoning to the swords.
But for some reason, after my explanation, their expressions changed from the excitement they had when I first announced the Sleeping Duty to cold indifference.
Huh? Did I say something wrong just now?
I don’t get it— male blades’ hearts are like needles under the sea.
Since I can squeeze Baishan’s ability to turn severely injured Touken Danshi into moderately injured ones, the priority for this Sleeping Duty’s healing targets is the moderately injured blades who waste resources and take a long time to repair.
The short swords and some Wakizashi were cut out, since their repairs are more acceptable in terms of time and resource consumption.
Most importantly, if I could bring myself to do this to kids, well, I’m done for in this life.
I’d rot in prison forever, haha.
The short swords, led by their representatives, protested vehemently. They claimed that I’m actually the only kid in this Honmaru.
“Besides, when it comes to matters of the bedroom, we’re the most experienced, aren’t we?”
The blades who only kill enemies on the battlefield can’t possibly have the rich experience of short swords!
You’re right, but Auntie just can’t get over this mental hurdle.
So, you (pointing), you (pointing again), and you (dramatically gesturing with an arm)—
Out!
Oh, dear Higamaru, though you’re not a short sword, and though you consume tons of time and resources to the point that Auntie feels the pain, you’re out too.
Akashi Kuniyuki! Stop lying around! Come over and fulfill your responsibility as a guardian by taking Higamaru away!
The childlike blades left, and now I was surrounded by a group of adult, young male-sized blades.
Male on the left, male on the right, males all around.
I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but each blade’s gaze felt a bit chilling when they looked at me.
“Master… to think you would make such a sacrifice!” Hasebe’s face was full of tragic devotion, “All for us useless retainers…!”
“If only I had noticed earlier and stockpiled more resources within the Honmaru…”
He looked like he wanted to find a block of tofu and bash his head against it on the spot. I could only try my best to comfort him.
Yagen voiced an objection—he was the only short sword left here.
Of course, I’m not about to do anything immoral or insane. Yagen is the only Doctor in the Honmaru, so his presence is essential.
He may also have to serve in a dual role as Doctor and short sword, providing necessary knowledge to other blades—possibly even to me.
Yes, yes, I’m that nearly thirty-year-old Magician who’s never had a boyfriend since birth!
So? Anyone got a problem with that? (Draws sword with a cold smile)
Yagen was noncommittal about my intention to use magic to replenish and heal the blades’ injuries, but he pointed out a blind spot.
“Commander… there’s only one, right?” Yagen glanced around, “But according to what you said, isn’t the number of blades needing treatment a bit excessive?”
Besides, the physique, endurance, explosiveness, and stamina of the Touken Danshi are incomparable to ordinary human men.
In hindsight, I have to painfully admit that at that moment, my brain must have been kicked by a donkey.
But I just blurted out a sentence I regret to this day.
“It should be fine, right?”
In my naive, clueless way, drawing on my meager experience from reading fanworks, I said.
“After all, only cows get tired to death; the land never wears out from plowing.”
The Great Hall suddenly fell silent—it was even a bit too quiet.
It felt as if only my voice was echoing against the walls.
The Touken Danshi cast their gazes upon me, including some who had been shy or unwilling to get along with me before—they all looked up at me now.
I couldn’t describe that look.
It was like a flame trapped in ice, flickering and dancing—almost instinctively, I wanted to shrink back.
A hand stopped me from retreating. I heard Yagen sigh deeply.
“Hahaha… ah, well, this probably isn’t the time to laugh.” Mikazuki stopped me with a few chuckles.
The crescent moon in his eyes shimmered and shifted slightly.
“You can’t pretend you didn’t hear that kind of talk.”
Ah, you heard it, so what?
Is this some kind of forbidden topic?
I felt the confusion around me almost crystallize into a tangible form.
Little one, do you have a lot of question marks.jpg
“By the way, Master.” Mikazuki asked, “Who do you plan to choose for the first Sleeping Duty?”
…The atmosphere suddenly turned sinister—is that just my imagination?
No exaggeration, almost the moment Mikazuki’s words fell, dozens of blades’ gazes in the Great Hall all “swished” and fixed on me.
Though it’s a poor analogy, at that instant, I felt like I was a piece of fat meat hooked on a fishing line, everyone wanting to take a bite.
I felt I couldn’t answer that question lightly; otherwise, something very bad—something I definitely didn’t want to see— would happen.
So I carefully proposed a completely fair and just method of decision.
“How about you draw lots?”
Let fate decide everything! (thunderous voice)