My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 637: Chapter 4: Female Version of Chokata Toshisuke

Under the strong suppression by the Magistrate’s Office and the Arson and Theft Magistrate, the remnants of the Anti-foreigner Group were either killed, captured, or fled.

Just at the end of last month, the government officially posted an announcement: The Anti-foreigner Group has become history! The Anti-foreigner Group has been completely eradicated! From now on, Edo will no longer have the Anti-foreigner Group!

The fall of the Anti-foreigner Group dealt a significant blow to those people and organizations in Edo who upheld radical anti-foreigner ideals.

Judging solely from the organization’s apparent size and level of activity, the Anti-foreigner Group was undoubtedly the ’biggest and strongest’ among all the radical Anti-foreigner Faction organizations in Edo.

Such a powerful Anti-foreigner Group was eradicated... This caused the remaining radical Anti-foreigner Faction organizations in Edo to inevitably feel sorrow and loss.

Thus, with the fall of the Anti-foreigner Group, the increasingly intense anti-foreigner wave in Edo following Ii Naosuke’s assassination finally received strong suppression.

Edo finally regained some of its former tranquility.

”Elodie, if you want to see the fireworks, there’s no need to go to Ryogoku Bridge.”

Aoto looked up and glanced at the windows around.

”The settlement here isn’t very far from Ryogoku Bridge... So Elodie, you can also see beautiful fireworks by staying at home.”

After forming a mentor-student relationship with Elodie, at Elodie’s request, Aoto changed his address from ”Miss Angoulême” to calling her by name.

”But watching the fireworks at home isn’t fun at all!” Elodie pouted her little mouth and stomped her foot hard, ”For a grand event like this, what’s the point if you don’t experience the lively atmosphere in person?”

—That’s true...

Aoto nodded slightly while contemplating.

Watching fireworks at home... does indeed lack atmosphere.

”I’ll talk to Grandpa properly later...”

Elodie’s just-pouted lips now flattened.

In the depths of her jewel-like bright blue eyes, a faint melancholy emerged, almost imperceptible if not looked closely.

”No matter what... I just want to see the fireworks festival...”

After speaking, Elodie took a deep breath.

When she slowly exhaled the deeply inhaled air, Elodie’s expression returned to normal.

”Master, I’m sorry, we seem to have talked too much about things unrelated to practice.”

After smiling apologetically at Aoto, Elodie smiled and steadied the bamboo sword in her hand in front of her.

”Master, let’s continue today’s practice!”

...

...

Apart from the small interlude of ’Elodie stubbornly expressing her desire to see this year’s fireworks festival,’ today’s teaching with Elodie was smooth and steady.

When Aoto ended today’s guidance for Elodie and left the settlement, it was already four in the afternoon.

The western-tilted sunlight fell on the road and Aoto’s shoulders, as Aoto silently walked forward, sometimes entering the shadows of the roadside houses, sometimes stepping into the sunlight.

The summer sunlight was really scorching, shadowing everything like thick ink. The surrounding scenery was shrouded in lush green, the distant Kandagawa River reflecting golden brilliance, and the sky was filled with thick, summer-unique white clouds.

Aoto raised his head and used his right hand to shield the sun, squinting his eyes while looking at the sky overhead, a helpless wry smile appearing on his face.

—It’s really quite hot...

Clearly, this era shouldn’t have things like the greenhouse effect or heat island effect, but the weather this year was extraordinarily hot.

Aoto greatly missed the conveniences of human civilization like electric fans, air conditioners, and refrigerators.

Maybe I should buy a cup of iced tea... Just as Aoto was considering whether to stop by a tea house to buy a cup of iced tea to cool off—

”Eh... Was it like this before?”

”Hey, Aguang, are you sure we’re going this way?”

Aoto heard a conversation from a couple behind him.

”Hmm... We’ve only been away from Edo for a year, how did the cityscape change so much...”

”Aguang, if we keep going like this, I feel like we’re going to get lost. Why don’t we find someone to ask for directions?”

”Hmm... Alright. Ah, that Uncle Warrior ahead!”

Aoto heard the sound of light footsteps approaching him quickly from behind.

Realizing that this ”Uncle Warrior” was probably referring to him, Aoto turned around.

”Uncle Warrior, could I ask you for directions?”

Speaking was a woman wearing a low-brimmed conical hat for sunshade, clad in a green yukata, and bare-footed with her pretty feet in green-strapped flat geta sandals.

The woman’s face was mostly covered by the low-brimmed hat, so Aoto couldn’t see what the woman’s appearance was.

From her voice, the woman seemed very young.

Aoto didn’t have any urgent matters right now, so he was willing to help by giving directions.

”Mm.” Aoto nodded, ”Where do you want to go?”

”Thank you very much.” The woman clasped her hands in front of her, bowed to Aoto, then slightly raised the brim of her hat, looking politely into Aoto’s eyes as she spoke, ”I want to ask: How do I get to Little Ishikawa Hoshimura Willow Street... Huh? Uncle Warrior? Uncle Warrior?”

The woman called out ”Uncle Warrior” in a puzzled and anxious tone several times, but still couldn’t awaken Aoto from his state of ”extreme shock.”

After the woman lifted her hat and met Aoto’s eyes, Aoto seemed to have seen something unbelievable, his eyes widening as if to tear at the corners, his complexion changed drastically.