The Only Resident of Honmaru Refuses to Move

Shiyu Chinatsu, nineteen, a novice saniwa.

On her first day on the job, she was sent to the wrong citadel.

The citadel was huge. The cherry blossoms had withered, ash covered the stove, and the forging room was empty. When the previous saniwa ended their contract, they had destroyed every sword except one. Draped in tattered white cloth, it huddled in a corner of the attic and said, "I'm a replica. You should leave."

Chinatsu agreed, then turned and went to the kitchen to make three bizarrely shaped rice balls.

She didn't leave the next day.

She didn't leave the day after that, either.

On the fourth day, she cleaned the citadel from top to bottom and even took the white cloth to wash.

Yamanbagiri Kunihiro realized that this new saniwa seemed determined to stay.

Later, a second sword, a third sword, and a fourth sword joined the citadel.

Everyone said the saniwa was adorable.

The saniwa said they were all good friends.

The swords: ...Who said we wanted to be friends, huh?

A warm and funny story about a saniwa who unwittingly wins over every sword warrior, without realizing it at all, and sincerely considers them all close friends and family.

Theme: For safekeeping.