I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

This is all because of Qingdeng.

Yesterday, he suddenly visited the Senjiya (a shop specializing in miscellaneous tasks).

……

"Ah Wu, could you come to the Shiwei Hall tomorrow? I have something very important that I need to give you personally."

"Tomorrow?"

"um, yes."

"Qingdeng, what are you going to give me? Why do I have to make a special trip to the Shiwei Hall?"

Qing Deng revealed a meaningful smile:

"Well... please allow me to keep this a secret for now. You'll know the answer tomorrow."

……

"Why are you being so secretive..."

Kinoshita Mai's lips moved slightly, as if she were chewing on each word, and she murmured in a volume that only she could hear.

Although she was complaining, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

For Kinoshita Mai, who has a girlish heart, she doesn't dislike "secret gifts".

—It's very important...and it must be handed to me personally...What is it? Could it be Wu Fu?

Thinking of this, her expression turned shy, and she subconsciously raised her hands to cup her cheeks, hiding her flushed and hot face.

Wufu refers to kimono.

In contemporary Japanese society, the Western custom of proposing with a ring is not yet widespread. However, there is a custom among young men and women that is quite similar to it—giving a kimono as a gift.

During the Edo period, there were generally two situations in which men would give women kimonos as gifts.

Firstly, the father gives it to his daughter at her coming-of-age ceremony.

Secondly, the fiancé gives it to the fiancée.

The deeper Kinoshita Mai thought about it, the harder it became to suppress the anticipation and excitement in her heart.

—Does Qingdeng know my body measurements?

Ah, he should know, after all, he's already touched every inch of my body...

—If he really gives me Wu clothing, what kind of expression should I make?

—Ugh…! No! I almost forgot about Ms. Okita and Sanako Chiba!

With them around, how could Qingdeng possibly have given me Wu clothing...?

—Even if he were to give them away, given Qingdeng's style, he would definitely give each of us three a set.

—If I were to marry Aoto along with Ms. Okita… that wouldn’t be impossible.

—Ms. Okita is very gentle, and I am happy to be with her.

—But Chiba Sanako is absolutely out of the question!

—I absolutely cannot get along with Chiba Sanako!

—Hey, wait a minute… Although Qing Deng always dreams of “marrying three wives,” we can’t rule out the possibility that he might change his mind.

"—Ama, I've realized that compared to Tsukasa and Sanako, I still prefer you. I don't want to marry three wives anymore! I only want to marry you!"

—Hehehe~ If only it could be like that~~

—But will Grandma agree to my marriage with Qingdeng?

Grandma seems to dislike people who hold official positions... and right now, Seito happens to be one of the highest-ranking officials in the Edo Shogunate...

—A marriage that's not allowed... This feeling is actually quite nice!

—A forbidden love… just like the Romeo and Juliet story Elodie told me about the other day.

—But…on closer thought, it’s best to just think about it; I can’t possibly abandon my grandmother.

Instead of fantasizing about some 'prevented romance,' we should seriously try to get Grandma to accept Qingdeng.

Ah... If Aoto really sends me a gofuku (traditional Japanese clothing), and I'm the only one who receives it, while Ms. Okita and Ms. Chiba Sanako don't get any, what should I do?

—I really have to wear it for Chiba Sanako first! I need to let her see the kimono that Aoto gave me clearly, "casually"!

Even though nothing was actually happening, the idea that "Aoto's 'mysterious gift' is a kimono" was pure fantasy, yet Kinoshita Mai had already conjured up a dramatic emotional drama in her mind.

Just as she was lost in her fantasy, unable to pull herself away, a cold female voice suddenly rang out from beside her:

"...Kinoshita Mai, what are you grinning about?"

"Huh? Of course it's because I'm happy... Ugh! Chiba Sanako?"

Kinoshita Mai let out a strange cry and leaped backward like a spring up from the ground, nearly crashing into the earthen wall on the side of the street.

Her back was slightly arched, much like a stressed, agitated cat.

His eyes were wide open to the limit, revealing the beautiful whites of his eyes that were almost bloodless, and he stared at the stunning beauty in front of him with a look of astonishment and doubt.

"Chiba Sanako? What are you doing here?"

Sanako, alone, said calmly:

"I'm here for some reason. But let's not talk about that now. You'd better wipe your mouth, you're drooling."

"what?"

Kinoshita Mai was taken aback, then hurriedly wiped her mouth—her hands were completely dry.

"Where's the saliva?"

She tilted her small head up—it always takes a lot of effort for petite people to talk to tall people—and cast a suspicious look at Sanako.

"..."

Sanako and Sanako stared at each other expressionlessly.

then……

"...Pfft."

She silently turned her gaze away, staring at the corner of her eye while letting out a distinct laugh.

"Souji is right, you really are cute in some ways."

She emphasized the word "certain places" when she said it.

The girl in red was stunned again.

Then, her face flushed red at a visible speed—a red of embarrassment and awkwardness.

Her red lips parted and closed several times, as if she wanted to refute the other party.

However, when it comes to verbal sparring, she has difficulty even communicating normally with others, so how could she possibly be a match for Sanako?

A moment later, she stomped her foot and forced out what she thought was the fiercest expression on her face.

"Hmph! I didn't drool! Goodbye!"

After leaving those words with a "very fierce" tone, she turned and left.

—If I can't win an argument with you, can't I at least avoid you?

Without the slightest hesitation, she left Sanako behind... However, before she could get far, that composed and elegant way of walking caught up with her.

Kinoshita Mai turned her head—her surprised and suspicious gaze fell on Sanako once again.

Why are you going in the same direction as me?

"Because the place I'm going to is also in this direction."

"..."

"..."

silence……

The two women walked side by side, remaining respectful and silent.

Although she was very unwilling and didn't want to admit it... Kinoshita Mai was most afraid of encountering situations where "no one speaks".

Whenever she is in such an environment, she feels like she has needles on her back and sweat drips from her forehead.

To ease the awkwardness, she secretly glanced sideways at Sanako's clothes and appearance.

The light blue kimono, light green obi, white cloth socks, and blue-buttoned wooden clogs... there's nothing particularly special about them.

Because Sanako was also unmarried, her hairstyle, like Kinoshita Mai's, was the Shimada bun, a style exclusive to unmarried girls.

However, unlike Kinoshita Mai, she did not have any delicate hairpins in her hair.

Or rather, there was no trace of her being dressed up at all.

She was neither wearing jewelry nor wearing makeup.

It gives the impression that it was time to change clothes, slip on wooden clogs, and then head out.

However… it was precisely this simply dressed woman who garnered Kinoshita Mai an unusually high level of attention—and this was simply because she stood next to her…

In terms of looks, Sanako is more beautiful, but Kinoshita Mai is not much less attractive.

But in terms of temperament, the two of them are far inferior.

Judging solely from her demeanor, Kinoshita Mai is just an ordinary girl, as ordinary as can be.

Because of her introverted personality and poor communication skills, she would occasionally exude a gloomy aura.

As for Sanako... there's no need to say more.

Wherever she appears, she is the most eye-catching and dazzling presence, like elegant moonlight in the night.

After glancing at Sanako a few more times, Kinoshita Mai silently withdrew her gaze, a faint darkness flashing in her eyes. She hunched her shoulders, raised her right hand, and tucked the hem of her kimono tightly, her eyes unconsciously looking at the ground in front of her toes.

"……What’s wrong with you?"

Sanako noticed Kinoshita Mai's unusual behavior and asked:

Why do you suddenly look so gloomy?