I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"It's just that I was taking a bath last night and it felt so good that I accidentally stayed in the tub for too long. When I first came out of the bathhouse, I didn't feel too bad, but after I got back to Shie-kan, I started feeling dizzier and dizzier... But don't worry, I'm completely recovered!"

Having said that, the commander, with a broad smile, raised his arms high like a gorilla.

“…” Okita Hikaru silently stared directly into Souji’s eyes with a gaze as sharp as a knife.

Being stared at like that by her older sister, whom she respected as her own mother... Souji couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

In order to avoid letting Okita Hikaru discover her guilty conscience, Souji had to force herself to be cheerful, maintaining a smile on her face while bravely meeting Okita Hikaru's gaze.

Although Souji seemed quite carefree last night, she quickly composed herself after waking up on Aoto's back and chatted with Aoto about her past... but this was just Souji's nature.

Since Tachibana-kun has discovered her true identity as a woman, there's nothing she can do but accept the facts and move on—that's just the kind of person Souji is.

So optimistic and open-minded.

But Souji is still a girl after all, and she also has the modesty and sense of shame of a girl!

As for what exactly happened in the bathhouse last night... Souji would never tell anyone, not even his own sister!

She was bathing naked in the men's bath with Aoto, who was also naked. In order to avoid Nagakura and the others, she had to hide behind Aoto in a back-to-back position. In the end, she was so dizzy from being in the bath that Aoto had to drag her out of the bath, dress her, and carry her back to the Shieikan. During this time, Aoto even accidentally used her private parts as a hand to grab her... How could Souji possibly talk about these things!

The commander is just optimistic and open-minded; he's not heartless.

So last night, she and Qingdeng made a private agreement: everything that happened in Qianxun's house tonight was their secret and they must not tell anyone!

Qingdeng couldn't be happier with such an agreement.

Although the embarrassing things that happened with Souji that night, such as "accidentally catching the ball" and "helping Souji change clothes," were either accidents or unavoidable, it is undeniable that he did many things to Souji that, whether judged by the standards of this era or by modern values, would be enough to warrant Souji drawing his sword and chasing him down.

The fact that Souji could forgive Aoto so magnanimously and tolerantly for everything she had done to her moved Aoto both.

If Souji really did draw his sword and chase after him without regard for anything else, then Aoto might not be able to fight against Souji alone, whose reason had been destroyed by shame...

Even setting aside the serious reason that "leaking it would expose Souji's true gender and ruin his reputation," Qing Deng's gratitude for Souji not drawing his sword to attack him was enough to make him feel obligated to work with Souji to keep the events of that night a secret that could only be kept inside.

Incidentally, Kondo and the others didn't ask Aoto in detail last night how he brought Souji back to Shieikan on his own.

Kondo and the others weren't mentally challenged... They were well aware that it was inevitable that some awkward contact would occur on the way back to Shieikan from Chihiro-ya by a grown man alone.

So last night, they were quite adept at reading the room and didn't tell Aoto and Souji much about the details of their return to Shieikan.

However, they did investigate why Aoto and Souji were bathing together in the men's bath.

Regarding this question... Qing Deng chose to be vague.

This was requested by the commander-in-chief to be done by Aoto.

Even now, Souji still doesn't want too many people to know that her sister is forcing her to give up swordsmanship.

Therefore, Aoto used the excuse that "because Okita-kun's mental state has been very bad these past two days, I thought I would go to the bathhouse to ask her if she had encountered any troubles recently, and that's how I found out Souji's true gender in such a muddled way" to fool Kondo and the others' questioning.

After deceiving Kondo and the others, Aoto added: "Although I have asked Okita-kun in detail what happened these past two days, I still haven't been able to get any answers."

She perfectly kept the secret of the fact that Souji and her older sister were currently having a major conflict over whether or not to practice swordsmanship.

The two sisters stared at each other for a long time...

“…Xiao Si.”

Okita Hikaru, expressionless, parted his lips slightly.

"I always feel like you're hiding something from me..."

In private, when no outsiders are present, Okita Hikaru always calls Souji by his real name: "Tsukasa".

"What could I possibly be hiding from you?" Souji feigned ignorance.

"...Never mind."

Hikaru Okita slowly withdrew his gaze, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Souji.

"I don't think you would do anything shameful."

A guilty glint flashed in Souji's eyes for a moment, and her gaze began to dart away unconsciously... Fortunately, before Okita Hikaru could notice, she quickly and forcefully suppressed the abnormality that her body was showing.

"Are you still dizzy? Do you feel any discomfort anywhere else in your body?"

"No more!" Souji shook his head rapidly like a rattle-drum. "I feel great right now! I think I can eat an extra bowl of rice for lunch!"

Okita Hikaru carefully examined Souji's face. Seeing that Souji's eyes were bright and his complexion was rosy, he did not seem to be lying to her. He then let out a long sigh of relief.

"Hmm...that's good."

Okita Hikaru seemed to relax and gave a faint smile.

"Now that Xiao Si is out of danger, I'm relieved."

"You need to be more careful when taking a bath in the future! Don't do something as foolish as getting dizzy from taking a bath."

"Especially now that the weather is hot, we need to be more careful about the time spent taking a bath."

"Do you know how many people have developed irreversible health problems or even died because they spent too much time in bathhouses or hot springs?"

"I know, I know... Sister, I will never make such a stupid mistake again."

"That's just how you are, always so impulsive... How are you going to be a good wife and mother if you keep acting like this?"

"No, let alone being a good wife and mother, it's questionable whether you can even find a good husband."

Although Souji had sincerely promised that he would "never do it again," Okita Hikaru was not willing to let Souji off the hook so easily.

The conversation suddenly shifted from "Xiao Si, how could you be so stupid to accidentally faint in the bathtub?" to "Xiao Si, if you keep being this stupid, I'm worried about your future."

Faced with his older sister's nagging, Souji gave a dry laugh... The laugh was full of helplessness, but it did not contain any negative emotions.

"If I can't find a good husband... then I'll have to ask you, sister, to support me in the future."

Every now and then, Souji would playfully respond to Okita Hikaru's nagging with a smug remark.

"Come on."

Okita bent his right index and middle fingers and tapped Souji's forehead lightly with the second joint of the two fingers, saying in an annoyed tone.

"We won't raise a troublesome brat like you."

"Ah! It hurts!"

The two sisters, engaging in this kind of interaction, chatted back and forth, seemingly never getting tired of it.

Although the topics they discussed were not very informative... it was precisely this kind of conversation, which had no specific meaning, that formed the bond between the two sisters.

After chatting for a while, Okita Hikaru slowly stood up, pressing down on the hem of her kimono.

"Alright, I won't disturb your rest any longer, Xiao Si."

"You didn't disturb my rest. I already said I'm fully recovered! I don't need to rest anymore!"

"Even if you're already dead, it's always good to rest in bed while you're recovering. Lie down and go to sleep, even if you can't fall asleep, just close your eyes and rest. Today, unless absolutely necessary, you're not allowed to go anywhere except your bedroom."

Souji: "How could this be!"

Not only Qing Deng and others, but even her older sister placed her under a "stay-at-home order"... This made Souji very sad.

No bargaining allowed.

After saying that, Okita Hikaru crossed his hands in front of him and walked leisurely toward the door.

Rintaro Okita, who had been sitting quietly to the side, quickly got up and caught up.

"……elder sister."

"What are you doing?" Okita Hikaru, who had already reached for the doorknob, said without turning his head, "Didn't I already say 'no bargaining'? Just lie down and rest."

"No, I'm not trying to bargain with you. I want to make a serious announcement to you."

"Ok?"

Okita Hikaru frowned, turned around, and faced Souji again.

"...What are you going to announce to me?"

"Sister, I've thought it through! No... my resolve will never waver again!"

Souji tilted his head back high, revealing a bright, sun-like smile to Okita Hikaru:

"I will never give up swordsmanship!"

"I will keep swinging my sword, keep swinging my sword... until I can no longer hold it!"

The commander-in-chief has finished speaking.

The room was instantly enveloped in a silence so profound that even the sound of breathing could be clearly heard.

Hikaru Okita's eyes widened, and his lips parted slightly.

Rintaro Okita was startled at first, then looked at his wife and sister-in-law with a worried expression, alternating between them.

Souji met Okita Hikaru's gaze without fear.

The smile on his face revealed an unpretentious frankness and boldness.

Faced with Souji's "treasonous" remarks, which completely disregarded her advice over the past few days, Okita Hikaru did not fly into a rage, nor did she roar at Souji.

Silently, she pressed the hem of her kimono and sat down again at the head of Souji's bedside.

"...Why are you suddenly telling me this in such a victorious tone? Anyone who doesn't know better would think I've already agreed to let you continue practicing swordsmanship."

"Hmm... there's no particular reason."

At this moment, the scene of Qing Deng praising her for her willingness to sacrifice so much for swordsmanship the previous night flashed through Souji's mind—

……

(This spirit, this passion for swordsmanship, is truly admirable.)

……

"I just suddenly felt like saying it to you so loudly."

Souji tilted his head, grinned, and gave Okita Hikaru a childish, funny face.

The smile on her face deepened at this moment... no, it was as she recalled every word of praise Qingdeng had uttered to her the night before.

Honesty and sincerity are well conveyed to Hikaru Okita through his smile.

Okita Hikaru frowned and looked troubled for a moment, then immediately took a deep breath as if his heart was heavy.

"'My resolve will never waver again'..."