I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

When I'm old, I can take this flag out and tell my children and grandchildren about its glorious history.

If we're talking about whether anything noteworthy happened during this period... well, there was.

Souji's older sister... Ms. Okita Hikaru is going home.

……

……

On the night of December 15th, the first year of the Wanyan era (1860) —

Edo, Koishikawa Kohinata Yanagi Town, Test Guard Hall——

Nagakura: "Oh! Uncle Gen! Don't lose!"

Kondo: "Toshi! Hang in there! We're almost done drinking!"

Hijikata Toshizo and Inoue Genzaburo sat facing each other, each holding a two-bottle jug of sake, gulping it down. [1 go = 180ml]

Kondo, Nagakura, Harada, and others cheered on their respective chosen ones, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere.

Souji: "Uncle Yuan! Cheer up! Don't lose!"

No matter how loudly or vigorously Nagakura and Souji shouted, they still couldn't reverse the reality that Inoue's gaze was becoming increasingly unfocused and confused.

finally--

"Pfft...! I can't take it anymore... I can't drink anymore..."

Inoue slammed the half-empty sake bottle down beside his legs, then groaned in pain and swayed as he collapsed to the ground. He had surrendered without hesitation.

As for earthwork—

"Ah...~~ That was awesome!"

He let out a long breath, then, while letting out a loud burp, showed everyone the empty bottle in his hand.

"Wow! That's impressive, Toshi! You won again!" Kondo laughed heartily and patted Hijikata's back hard.

"Hmph, a piece of cake!" Hijikata smugly touched his nose.

Harada: "Alright! Let's get this spirited! Everyone! Look over here! I'm going to tell you all in detail how I got this big scar on my stomach! Actually, this scar is from when I committed seppuku..."

Nagakura: "Harada! You've gone too far! Why do you always have to go on and on about the origin of that scar on your stomach every time you get drunk? Don't you have any other stories to tell?"

……

The noisy atmosphere and the pungent smell of alcohol filled every corner of the examination hall.

Qingdeng looked speechlessly at his noisy companions, thinking to himself:

—Isn't the theme of this banquet to bid farewell to Ms. Okita Hikaru...?

Souji, who always fell ill during the transition from winter to spring and from summer to autumn, finally made a full recovery in mid-November thanks to Hikaru Okita's meticulous care.

Hikaru Okita originally wanted to return to Hino-juku after Souji recovered, but Souji, who had a "sister complex," wouldn't let him go.

"Sister~ stay here a few more days~~" At that moment, Souji threw herself into Okita Hikaru's arms and coaxed her in a soft voice.

Although Souji and Okita Hikaru had a huge disagreement on whether to continue practicing swordsmanship, this conflict did not affect Souji's love for Okita Hikaru.

Having lost both parents at a young age, Souji was raised by Okita Hikaru through countless hardships.

Therefore, for Souji, Hikari Okita was not only a reliable older sister, but also a gentle mother and a strict father.

Unable to refuse Souji's request, Okita Hikaru reluctantly agreed to stay at the Shieikan for a few more days.

And so, Hikaru Okita stayed in Edo for another month.

Given Souji's feelings for Okita Hikaru, even if Okita Hikaru lived in the Shieikan for her entire life, she probably wouldn't find it annoying.

Unfortunately, Okita Hikaru was not a member of the Shieikan Academy after all; she had her own life to live.

Therefore, three days ago, on December 12, Hikaru Okita said to Souji in a tactful way: "Your brother-in-law might cry after being separated from me for so long."

Since taking care of the sick Souji didn't require that many people, Souji's brother-in-law, Okita Rintaro, was sent back to Hinojuku by Okita Hikaru a long time ago.

Souji wanted her sister to stay with her a little longer, but it was undeniable that Okita Hikaru could not possibly stay at the Shieikan for long.

Despite his reluctance, Souji had to say goodbye to Okita Hikaru.

Tonight, under the personal supervision of Shusuke, everyone held a simple farewell party for Okita Hikaru.

All the guests of Shieikan participated.

This banquet lineup... Qing Deng knew it was going to be a disaster at first glance.

Finally, as expected—the farewell party turned into a drinking party and an awkward dancing party right at the beginning...

*******

*******

Thank you so much to reader [自歌自答] for the generous donation! This new patron's donation was a long time ago, but I was so forgetful I forgot to thank them! I'm extremely sorry! Thank you for your donation! (Crying face.jpg)

A new month has arrived! Readers who have monthly passes, please be sure to vote for this book!

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

I believe some readers have already noticed this.

Compared to Ogata in the previous work, Aoto's biggest difference is that he is very good at making friends and will take the initiative to make friends.

Besides enjoying making friends, they also like to learn from their friends and emulate their strengths.

For some reason, I feel like the protagonist of Persona, constantly improving my social circle to gain various new skills. At the same time, I'm juggling multiple ships, constantly jumping between them. (Laughing emoji)

Chapter 309 Okita Hikaru Catches Her Adulterers, Aoto and Souji's Affair [5000 words]

Hijikata and Harada are shameless "social terrorists".

Kondo, Nagakura, and Inoue are all top-notch corporate employees.

One can only imagine what a banquet organized by this group would turn out like...

For the first half hour of the banquet, it was a normal farewell party.

Then, half an hour later... the style of things suddenly changed!

There was no one in the entire Imperial Examination Hall who didn't like drinking.

Although Qingdeng was not a heavy drinker, he was not particularly averse to the feeling of being "drunk and tipsy" after drinking yellow liquor.

Even the taciturn Saito Hajime was a drinking champion who could finish a whole case of Japanese sake, which, converted to modern alcohol content, was nearly 20 degrees, without showing any expression.

In addition, Kondo Isami, Nagakura Shinpachi, and Harada Sanosuke, these three brothers, not only love alcohol but also love dancing.

Once these three gentlemen get tipsy, they can't help but run to the center of the banquet hall and dance in front of everyone.

The dance they were performing... well, let's just say it—to call what Kondo, Nagakura, and Harada did "dance" would be an insult to all dancers in the world.

The limbs seemed to have a mind of their own, moving randomly as they pleased.

Their movements were completely out of sync with the tunes they hummed.

He had plenty of emotion, but absolutely no skill.

A perfectly good farewell party turned into a drinking contest and an awkward dance party without any warning, perfectly natural, and without any consequences.

However, it is undeniable that Hijikata and Inoue's drinking contest, as well as Kondo and others' chaotic dancing, all contributed to a very joyful, lively, and vibrant atmosphere at the banquet.

Hikaru Okita, who should have been the star of the banquet, was completely sidelined.

However, Okita Hikaru seemed not only unconcerned but also quite enjoying it.

Okita Hikaru, exuding the aura of a "mature adult," sat gracefully in a corner of the banquet hall, sipping fine wine and smiling as he observed every scene unfolding before him.

The same applies to Qingdeng.

Like Okita Hikaru, he quietly observed everything before him. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

The people at the testing center were so noisy and boisterous... but he didn't dislike the scene.

Rather, this scene actually gave him a strange sense of security.

I've had similar feelings before, but never as intense or overwhelming as this one.

Is it because it's been too long since we've had a banquet?

Is it because they have just returned from a battlefield filled with mud, blood, and slaughter?

Just over ten days ago, he was fighting to the death with vicious bandits in Kai, the "mountain country." In less than twenty years, he was in a lively banquet, drinking heartily with his close friends. This rapid change in his surroundings really makes one wonder if they are in a dream.

Is this dreamlike feeling related to the sense of security that Qingdeng is currently experiencing?

Qingdeng couldn't figure it out... and didn't have time to figure it out.

This question was swallowed up by the hearty laughter that interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, Tachibana-kun! Why are you all holed up here drinking alone? Come on over and play a drinking game with me! Whoever loses has to drink!"

Qingdeng looked up and saw beautiful eyes staring straight at him, right in front of him.

Eyes blurred with a hazy color due to intoxication.

Eyes that radiate a spring-like glow because of their smiles.

Qingdeng, meeting those eyes, smiled unconsciously—a smile exactly like the one on the face of the beautiful woman before him.

"Okita-kun, haven't you had a little too much to drink?"

"No, no~"

The chieftain chuckled as he hugged the bottle of wine tightly in his arms. The corners of his beautifully shaped mouth extended slightly towards his ears, and an even brighter smile spread across his slightly flushed face.

"My alcohol tolerance has improved a lot lately! A mere one or two bottles of sake can't get me drunk!"

Souji was originally a cheerful girl, as bright as the sun.

After drinking some alcohol, she became even more lively and playful under the influence of the alcohol.

At that moment, Okita Hikaru, who was not far away, interjected with a slight frown:

"Shogun, be careful. Don't get completely drunk again."

"Okay, okay~"