I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"When I first met you... when Iemochi and I were disguised as members of the 'Third Division' and sparred with you, I said a lot of bad things about Tenshōin... and you stopped me in time. Do you remember that?"

Qing Deng pondered for a moment and quickly recalled: this incident had indeed happened.

At that time, Tenshōin, disguised as a member of the Third Division, spoke many of his own faults.

At the time, Qing Deng did not know that the person in front of him was Tenshōin himself. He felt that the person's words seemed to have gone too far, so he spoke up to stop him.

Qingdeng dislikes this kind of behavior of talking badly about others behind their backs.

In Qingdeng's eyes, it is a very foolish thing to talk about someone's rights and wrongs without ever having seen their face or interacted with them personally.

"I've experienced being mocked and ridiculed many times. But it's really rare to be defended by someone... It would be really inexcusable not to thank you properly."

"Sheng Qing, thank you."

Qingdeng raised his hand and scratched his hair, then smiled awkwardly:

"No need to thank me, it's just a trivial matter, there's no need for you to thank me specially. You've made such a big deal out of it, it just makes me feel uncomfortable."

"That won't do."

Tenshoin sprang up from his bed with a somersault.

"You spoke up for me and defended me to my face, so I have to do something to show my appreciation. At the very least, I should give you a small gift. Hmm... what should I give you..."

Tenshōin raised his chin, looked up at the sky, and extended his right index finger, supporting his right cheek.

"Ah, right!"

Tenshoin lowered her head, her slender, white fingers supporting her head, and smiled as she met Qingdeng's gaze. Their beautiful eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.

"I'll kiss you as a thank you gift!"

"……what?"

Qing Deng reacted slowly, turning his shock and disbelief into his voice.

He tentatively confirmed with his eyes and expression with Tenshōin in front of him: I must have heard correctly, right? Did you just say something very shocking in a casual tone?

Just a moment later, Qingdeng’s question received a definite answer.

"Because I feel a little shy, I'd like to ask you to close your eyes for a moment when I come down."

Tenshōin stretched out his right hand and covered Aoto's eyes.

Her palm was neither too big nor too small, just enough to completely block Qingdeng's eyes, preventing even a sliver of light from getting in.

The instant after his sight was "taken away," Qingdeng felt a sweet fragrance slowly approaching him.

Even with his eyes closed, Qing Deng could feel the shadow of Tenshōin looming over him.

At that moment, Qingdeng was gripped by unprecedented tension and panic, his muscles stiffening as if petrified.

What is this woman trying to do? Is she really planning to kiss me? Where is she planning to kiss me? I only did something so small, why is she thanking me so formally?

Before he could think or react, Qing Deng felt a tickle on his cheek—it was Tenshōin's moist breath hitting his face.

In addition, Qing Deng's skin began to feel Tenshōin's warm body temperature.

Tenshōin's pretty face was almost touching his own—half a second after Aoto's brain confirmed this fact, his lips were enveloped by a soft touch.

Qing Deng's eyes, which had been covered by Tian Zhangyuan's slap, suddenly widened in disbelief.

He couldn't believe that Tenshoin was such a passionate and unrestrained woman.

He couldn't believe that his first kiss had been lost so in such a confused and inexplicable way...

However, in the blink of an eye, Qingdeng gradually realized that something was wrong.

The sensation on my lips was cool and refreshing, with a powdery, flour-like substance. It tasted sweet, just like the mochi I had just eaten… Wait! Isn't this mochi?!

At this moment, Tensho-in released his hand that was covering Aoto's eyes.

Qingdeng looked ahead and saw that Tenshoin was holding a mochi that he had taken out from somewhere when he invited Qingdeng to rest in the pavilion, and was pressing the mochi hard against Qingdeng's lips.

Her red lips were pressed tightly together as she desperately tried to suppress a laugh.

After Qing Deng looked at her, she seemed to finally lose her temper and burst out laughing, revealing a mischievous smile.

"Let me guess, did you really think I was going to kiss you just now?"

"Your Highness...sometimes, your personality is really really awful."

After saying this, Qingdeng, as if to express his protest, ate the mochi that was pressed against his lips with a "whoosh".

This was the second time today that he had been tricked by this pretty widow.

Although he said that, Qing Deng did not actually feel angry or annoyed at being repeatedly pranked by Tenshōin.

"Sorry sorry."

Tenshōin clasped his hands together, smiled, and bowed his head in apology to Seidō.

"Why is that? I can't help but want to play pranks on you whenever I see you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tenshōin took a deep breath with a refreshed expression, then jumped off the bed and stood up.

"Alright, it's almost time. I should head to Edo Castle. Sheng Qing, I'll be going now. Sae, Yae, and Amakura are all at Tsukimiya Shrine today. If you want to train Yunliu a little longer before going home, you can go find them now."

Qingdeng nodded, and asked half-jokingly:

"Do you need me to give you a ride?"

"no thanks."

Tensho-in smiled.

"It's broad daylight, and the road from Tsukimiya Shrine back to Edo Castle is perfectly safe; no escort is needed."

"Take good care of yourself, I'm going now."

After leaving those words, Tenshōin crossed her hands in front of her and gracefully walked towards the path leading away from the archery range.

However, after taking only a few steps, she suddenly stopped as if she had remembered something important.

"Oh dear, I almost forgot to talk about business because I was having such a pleasant chat with you."

Tenshōin turned his upper body over and faced Aoto again.

"Sheng Qing, do you have time in six days... that is, the first day of the new year?"

"The first day of the new year?"

Qingdeng thought for a moment.

I didn't have any plans for that day.

"Well!"

Tensho-in nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Then—at 9 a.m. (2 p.m.) on the first day of the new year, gather at the Moon Palace Shrine. I have an important task for you—in the name of the new commander of the Oniwaban."

"This is your first mission since joining the new Imperial Guard, so please don't be late."

Upon hearing the mission, Qing Deng's gaze sharpened.

For a mission that could be associated with a covert mobile force like the New Oniwaban... Aoto naturally thought of words like "assassination" and "intelligence gathering".

Is he going to assassinate someone?

Or should we gather intelligence on someone else?

Thinking of this, Qingdeng's eyes and expression gradually became solemn.

Tenshōin noticed the solemn expression on Aoto's face.

"Hehehe, there's no need to be so nervous."

Tenshōin raised his hand to cover his smiling mouth.

"It wasn't a difficult or particularly arduous task; in some ways, it was quite pleasant and easy."

Tenshōin lowered his eyelids slightly, and a meaningful glint flashed in his eyes beneath his long, velvety eyelashes.

—Pleasant? Relaxed?

Feeling greatly perplexed, Qingdeng was about to press for further details about this mysterious mission when Tianzhangyuan spoke first:

"Anyway—don't be late in 6 days. I'll be waiting for you at the Moon Shrine at 9 a.m. on the 6th."

After speaking, Tenshōin had nothing else to add or forget to say.

They didn't give Qingdeng any chance to speak.

With her gaze withdrawn from Qing Deng, she took another step forward, her feet clad in purple-buttoned wooden clogs.

Soon, only the lingering fragrance of Tianzhangyuan remained beside Qingdeng.

……

……

5 days later—

December 30th, 1860 (New Year's Eve) —

Edo, Koishikawa Kohinagayanagi Town, dojo——

*Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack smack!*

The shockwaves from the clash of bamboo swords shook the air within the dojo.

Two figures of almost identical build passed each other at a breakneck speed.

In the blink of an eye, the bamboo swords in their hands clashed four times.

The clear sounds of four bamboo swords clashing together, almost simultaneously, lingered in the ears of Souji and his entourage watching the battle from the sidelines of the dojo.

The ball of my foot slid, and the ground made a sound.

After their bodies intersected, the two combatants ran nearly seven steps in opposite directions, and then, as if they had planned their moves in advance, they simultaneously turned around with their swords drawn, facing each other from a distance.

Neither of them made any rash moves.

Both of them were sizing each other up.

The two swordsmen facing off were a tall and talented young man, not yet 20 years old, named Qing Deng.