The Sword of Kaigen

by M.L. Wang

“Since the dawn of Kaigen, this peninsula has held its enemies back without fail. This is why we are called the Sword of Kaigen.

As a teenager, she had worn those accomplishments with pride… never realizing that at thirty-four, her proudest accomplishment would be getting five rambunctious children to nap at the same time.

“So, Matsuda Takeru ended up adopting the ideals of his parents’ killer?” Mamoru said quietly.

Sheesh. I didn't even consider that

Mamoru had no way of knowing that he had lived his whole life within an arm’s reach of a Zilazen glass sword.

His mother, after all, did not talk about her past.

SAY MORE

I want you to promise you won’t try to kill anyone else on these missions, okay?” Misaki frowned. “You know what I am, right? I’m a jijaka from a very specific family famous for killing people with swords.

If she had adapted to the dangers of Livingston’s dark alleys, how hard could it be to master marriage and motherhood?

A jaseli once told me, listening never made any man dumber, but it’s made a lot of people smarter.”

“Thank you, Kaa-chan.” Mamoru turned to her with a wide smile. “I think I learned something.” Misaki only stared. “What?” She tilted her head. “You have dimples.” “I got them from you.”

Idk why this exchange btwn Mamoru and Misaki has me so emotional. Very beautifully written characters and dialogue.

“But… doesn’t that just make us cannon fodder?” “It makes us the cannon.”

Whew!

As long as we are not broken, the Sword of Kaigen will not break, and the Empire will stand.

“I just said those things to my father.” “You did,” Misaki said, rather stunned herself. “Am I an idiot, Kaa-chan?” “You might be.” Misaki offered her son a smile, even as fear twisted in her stomach. “Now, do as your father says. Go defend your idiocy.” “Is he going to kill me?” “If he is, you’d better die like a man, on your feet.”

“If you think you’re man enough to preach truth to me, you’d better be ready to back it up in combat,” Takeru said, fixing his son with an icy glare. “Are you ready?”

I'M NOT. I'm scurred.

Tenderly, he touched her face. “No more tears, my love. Your parents and brothers and sisters are about to rest so peacefully. I’m going to send them off with the butchered corpses of all their enemies.”

Almost all of Yukino Sensei’s students came to Kumono from the western village. Mamoru was the only one left.

mother wouldn’t have been able to cut a young woman’s head from her shoulders. A human being wouldn’t have been able to turn from their dismembered corpses without a single pang of guilt. Thank the Gods she was a monster.

One of us is going to rest here with our son.

She means to fight to the death ?! Leaving her remaining kids with one less parent ?? NO. No. No. No.

As it came down, the Whispering Blade flashed from his hand, striking it in two.

A subtle flex

Since publishing this book, I’ve decided to discontinue the Theonite universe (more on that somewhat harrowing decision here).

Noooooo I just found this universe