I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Now is the best time to travel incognito.

Since Aoto had said so, Sanako said no more.

This is what Qing Deng told Sanako in the women's bath last night about "needing your help"—to go on an incognito visit with him.

"Mr. Ju, if you want to travel incognito, you can do it by yourself. Why do you need me to accompany you?"

"Because I wanted to take this rare opportunity to go out with you alone, something that hasn't happened in a long time."

"Your straightforward personality, where you just say what you mean, can sometimes really be overwhelming..."

"So, is that okay?"

"Uh, that..."

Sanako grabbed the bathtub next to her legs and used it to cover her flushed face.

"May I?"

Qingdeng pressed closer and closer.

"Well……"

Sanako peeked out from behind the bathtub, shyly glancing at Aoto.

"...Okay, sure."

And so, the two walked side by side into the streets of Kyoto.

Mibu-go's geographical location is quite crucial; to the south lies Nishi Honganji Temple, and to the north is Nijo Castle.

After leaving Mibu-go, Aoto and Sanako first headed west, then turned onto Horikawa-dori and headed north.

"Tachibana-kun, where are we going now?"

"Hmm... let's go get some breakfast first."

As he spoke, Qingdeng looked around.

A moment later, his gaze settled on a popular wagashi (Japanese sweets) shop not far away.

"Sanako, would you like some wagashi (Japanese sweets)?"

Sanako followed Aoto's gaze and nodded slightly when she saw the wagashi shop that had many customers early in the morning.

Having reached a consensus, the two strode towards the wagashi shop called "Goro-ya".

As you lift the curtain, the steam rising from the crowd rushes out.

Qingdeng found an empty table, and as soon as he sat down, he heard a familiar female voice coming from above him:

"Huh? Tachibana-kun?"

Qingdeng paused, then turned to look.

"Mrs. Gumu?"

Mrs. Komaki—or rather, Mrs. Atachi—covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"Mrs. Komaki... that's such an awful title! Just call me Miss Atachi!"

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Another long chapter with over 7000 words today! Asking for some monthly votes isn't too much to ask, right? (Crying leopard head.jpg)

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

PS: Sanako likes to reflect on herself by "pouring cold water on herself" - this setting was mentioned when Sanako first appeared, and this chapter can be regarded as a foreshadowing and echo.

Yesterday, thanks to Leopard's tireless efforts, we finally found the approximate location of the Shinsengumi's headquarters on the Kyoto map! The place marked with a blue circle on the map is Mibu-go. Please see the paragraph commentary below. I also posted this map in the comments section of Qidian.com, but the image quality was compressed, so please bear with it.

Chapter 563 Goro Komaki and Atachi, please join us! 【4400】

Fair skin, slender and supple figure, a charming and handsome face, and an outstanding physique—it was Ms. Atachi, whom I had only met once at Kondo Isami's wedding and had never seen again!

Atachi was dressed in a black women's kimono and a white scallop, her hair tied in a high ponytail for easy work, her pretty face filled with surprise and joy.

[Note: Kappo-zukuri: An apron worn specifically for cooking during the Edo period.]

"Tachibana-kun..."

Seeing that Atachi was about to call him by his real name again, Qing Deng, who was afraid that he would be recognized by the people around him, hurriedly raised his right index finger and put it to his lips.

Seeing Qing Deng's action and then glancing at his casual clothes, Atachi immediately understood.

"One step."

She changed her words.

"Hmph, this is truly a case of a lucky find! Long time no see!"

[Note: "A colt emerging from a gourd" is a Japanese proverb. It means that an unexpected person or event occurs in an unexpected place. It is said to originate from Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals, who could put a donkey into a gourd.]

Atachi speaks fluent Kansai dialect, but the accent doesn't sound like Kyoto dialect.

Kyoto-gen-ha, Osaka-ben... these Kansai dialects all come from the same source, belonging to the Kansai dialect, only with subtle differences in tone and intonation.

Qing Deng speculates that Atachi's accent should be Omi dialect.

Omi is adjacent to Kyoto and is a beautiful region surrounded by Lake Biwa, with a highly developed economy and culture.

Lake Biwa was formerly known as "Tasui," which is why Omi is known as the "Land of the Sea."

Aoto once met a retainer from Omi Province who spoke in the exact same way as Atachi.

Qingdeng lowered his fingers from his lips and returned a gentle smile:

"Gu Mufu... ah, no, Miss Atachi, it's been a long time!"

Goro Komaki and Atachi—Aoto never imagined that he would have a day when he would be connected with these two names again.

To be fair, Qingdeng wasn't very familiar with this couple.

They had only met once, two years ago, at Isamu Kondo's wedding, and had lost contact since.

Despite the short time they spent together, Goro Komaki's elegance and Atachi's liveliness left a very good impression on Aoto.

Of course, the reason why Aoto still remembers Komaki and his wife so clearly is largely due to their relationship with the "old and young duo" of the Senjiya—they are good friends of the Kiryu boss and also have a close relationship with Kinoshita Mai.

"Miss Atachi, is this the shop you and Mr. Komaki share?"

Qing Deng still remembers that Komaki Goro once said that he and his wife made a living by selling wagashi (Japanese sweets) and ran a small wagashi shop in Kyoto.

"um, yes!"

Atachi's tone was full of pride.

"This is the shop that my husband and I are so proud of!"

Driven by curiosity, Qingdeng turned his head, scanned the interior of the shop, and carefully examined its furnishings.

Looking around, the entire store only has about twenty tables, and the area is really not large.

There are no fancy decorations.

There are no stubborn oil stains or grease, which are common in restaurants.

The table is a very ordinary style.

Apart from the price list, there was nothing else on the wall, which was simple and clear, giving people a refreshing feeling.

Both the size and the decorating style are typical of a "husband and wife team".

It's just past 7 o'clock, which is one of the busiest times for wagashi (Japanese sweets) shops.

A wagashi (Japanese sweets) shop from the Edo period was similar to a modern bakery.

Generally speaking, wagashi (Japanese sweets) shops have two peak business periods.

One is that in the early morning, people come to buy wagashi (Japanese sweets) to have for breakfast.

Another time is in the afternoon, when people come to have afternoon tea.

At this time, most of the customers who flooded into the store ordered takeout.

Only a few people—most of them middle-aged and elderly—found a seat like Aoto and Sanako.

This scene reminded Qingdeng of the morning tea he had in his previous life.

In his previous life, Qingdeng's hometown had a unique morning tea culture: people would invite relatives and friends to go to a nearby restaurant for morning tea early in the morning.

Although it's called morning tea, the format is actually very flexible.

You don't necessarily have to come in the morning, and you don't necessarily only drink tea.

It's common for people to order a pot of tea and then a dozen or so baskets of snacks.

Many people drink from morning to afternoon, or from noon to night.

Everyone ate, drank, and chatted. When they were thirsty, they would refill their tea; when they were hungry, they would order more dishes. They leisurely stole half a day of peace and quiet.

"This store is really good."

Qing Deng exclaimed in sincere admiration.

"Business is really good."

Sanako chimed in.

Hearing the two people's praise, Atachi showed a very pleased expression.

"The wagashi (Japanese sweets) made by the Komaki couple are highly regarded! They're very popular with the neighborhood!"

At this moment, Qingdeng suddenly noticed that a person who should have been there was nowhere to be seen.

"Miss Atachi, where is Mr. Komaki?"

"He's busy inside."

Atachi gestured towards the kitchen with her lip.

"He's a key chef at our restaurant. Without his hard work, we'd have to shut down! He can only come out for a breath of fresh air when there aren't so many customers."

At that moment, the elderly couple at the next table called out to Atachi: