I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Yes, that's right. I've asked all the questions I wanted to ask."

After speaking, Qing Deng bowed and gave a perfectly impeccable bow to Miyagawa opposite him.

"Mr. Miyagawa, thank you so much for tonight."

“If circumstances allow, I would really like to stay and have a long talk with you, whom I haven’t seen for two years.”

"However, now is not the time for me to rest and live a leisurely life."

"I will definitely come to visit again when things have calmed down."

After speaking, Qingdeng turned around and walked quickly towards the windowsill not far away.

Just as Qing Deng pushed open the window and stepped one foot onto the windowsill, Miyagawa shouted urgently:

"Tachibana-kun, wait!"

Qingdeng paused.

As he retracted the foot that had already stepped onto the windowsill, he turned his head and cast a questioning and curious look at Miyagawa.

Meeting Qing Deng's gaze, Miyagawa smiled gently.

"Mr. Tachibana, I guess your relatives or friends told you that I live here?"

"If that's the case, then your relatives and friends must have told you why I traveled from Nara to Edo, right?"

Having said that, Miyagawa Neko bent over and knelt on the ground in a dogeza position.

"Mr. Tachibana, thank you for helping my daughter twice."

"If it weren't for your timely rescue, I don't know what the consequences would have been."

"I will never forget your kindness!"

The "twice the girl helped" that Miyagawa mentioned naturally refers to Aoto helping Otsuki Minoru at the fireworks festival and when Otsuki Tsuneji was kidnapped by Kitahara Konosuke.

Seeing Miyagawa kneel down, Aoto immediately stepped to the side, refusing Miyagawa's greeting.

"Mr. Miyagawa, you're too kind."

"The reason I helped your daughter is simply to repay the kindness you have shown to my Ju family."

"So you don't need to bow so deeply to me."

Despite Qing Deng's earnest persuasion, Miyagawa still showed no intention of getting up.

"Tachibana-kun, you..."

Miyagawa stammered.

"You...you...do you still harbor resentment towards everything my daughter did to you?"

As Otsuki Minoru's father, Miyagawa was well aware of Otsuki Minoru's willful personality and the terrible things he had done to Aoto.

In fact, Miyagawa had always been troubled by Otsuki Minoru's stubborn personality.

He was utterly inept at parenting and had no idea how to discipline his daughter.

Miyagawa always believed that it was his dereliction of duty and failure to raise his daughter well that led to the despicable thing that happened: "Ootsuki secretly played with Aoto's feelings without his knowledge."

Miyagawa has always felt quite guilty about this.

Qingdeng raised an eyebrow.

Completely unprepared for Miyagawa's question, Aoto pondered his words for a moment before speaking softly.

"Regarding those unpleasant things from the past... Actually, I received a sincere apology from Ōtsuki Minoru a long time ago, so I don't mind anymore."

The scene of Ootsuki Minoru kneeling down to apologize to him in a dogeza posture flashed before Qing Deng's eyes.

"not to mention--"

Qingdeng continued the conversation with a faint smile on his face.

“I already have a partner who is far superior to Miss Ootsuki.”

After saying this with a tone that included a hint of pride and boastfulness, Qingdeng turned his head back to face the windowsill.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Mr. Miyagawa, please don't tell anyone that I was here tonight."

After leaving those words, Qingdeng leaped out of the window.

Miyagawa rushed to the bedside and peered out.

Looking up, a tall figure with a black scarf around his neck and a blue haori draped over his body ran straight north along the wide street, disappearing into the darkness in the distance in no time.

A bitter smile, tinged with complex emotions, appeared on Miyagawa's face.

"Longzhi...your son has really changed..."

Miyagawa's mutterings drifted away on the evening breeze and dissipated into the night sky.

……

……

At this very moment—

Edo, Koishikawa Kohinagayanagi Town, Hijikata’s home——

Although Hijikata Toshizo was a core member of the Shieikan, he did not live directly in the Shieikan like Aoto, Souji, and Inoue Genzaburo.

To make it easier to practice swordsmanship, Tufang, who came from a wealthy peasant family and was not short of money, rented a small house near the Shiwei Hall.

From Shieikan, it's just a short walk to reach Hijikata's "rental house".

It was already late at night, and Hijikata was preparing to go to bed fully clothed.

Just as he had finished making the bed—

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking on the door.

"What are you doing..."

Tsuchifang looked towards the entrance hall following the sound, his brows furrowed.

"It's so late...who could it be..."

Despite his reluctance, he strode toward the entrance.

"Who is it?"

wow——

Tu Fang opened the door.

"Ah Sui! Have you seen the Chief?"

As soon as the door opened, Kondo's loud voice pierced Hijikata's ears, making Hijikata's eardrums go numb.

Hijikata looked closely and saw that the visitors outside the door included not only Kondo, but also Chiba Jutaro from the Chiba Kenkan.

"Katsu? Jutaro? What are you doing at my house?"

Before Hijikata could finish speaking, Kondo impatiently interrupted:

"I'll explain that to you later! First, tell me, have you seen Souji?"

“总司？”

Hijikata shook his head blankly.

"No, I haven't seen her all day."

"Where is Sanako?"

Chiba Jutaro, who was standing nearby, took over the conversation.

Have you seen Sanako?

Tufang shook his head again.

"What happened? Have Souji and Sanako gone missing?"

—Could it be that… after Tachibana, Souji and Sanako have also disappeared?

Thinking of this, Hijikata's expression turned solemn.

"Hijikata-kun..."

Chiba Jutaro said in a heavy tone.

"Sanako and Souji... they might have eloped!"

"……what?"

Hijikata tilted his head to the side, his face displaying an expression that seemed to say, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

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Today is another day I'm thinking about marrying a female ninja. Damn it, when will I finally meet the female ninja who's like a giant bear? (Leopard.jpg)

Chapter 417 Sanako, a master of both swordsmanship and medicine! [6000]

Let's push the time forward a little bit—

Edo, Okemachi, Kochiba Sword Hall —

"Sanako! Sanako! The bathroom's empty, do you want to take a shower?"

Just as he came out of the bathroom, Chiba Jutaro, his body steaming, knocked on Sanako's door.

At this time of day, Sanako would usually be in her room, either reading or maintaining her kendo armor, bamboo sword, naginata, wakizashi, and other weapons.

Logically speaking, upon hearing her brother's call... especially since it was during Sanako's favorite bath time, she should have responded immediately.

However, at this moment, after Chiba Jutaro knocked on the door, there was silence behind the door, and no response came for a long time.

Chiba Jutaro frowned and knocked on the door several more times.