My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 79: Chapter 61: The Cat Monk Skilled in Jujutsu

”Ahem...” The Guild Master coughed softly a few times, then continued as if nothing had happened, ”After stating his name, that Cat Monk charged at all four of them.”

”According to the young thief, that Cat Monk is quite proficient in jujutsu.”

”In just a moment, he knocked all four of them unconscious with a single blow each.”

”When they awoke, they found themselves tightly bound and thrown outside our Inquiry House’s front gate.”

Aoto’s eyelids instinctively drooped slightly.

The Cat Monk is skilled in jujutsu...

This piece of information was something Aoto... or rather the Magistrate’s Office had never known before.

As Aoto pondered this secretly, the Guild Master’s story continued:

”The young thief also revealed the location where they hid the stolen money.”

”They buried all the stolen money at the root of a large tree in a forest not far from our Fujisawa Inn.”

”I sent someone to dig it up overnight yesterday, and indeed, we recovered the stolen goods.”

”I have personally counted the recovered loot, and it matches the total amount stolen perfectly—nothing more, nothing less.”

”Even the stolen money has been recovered... Where is the loot?” Aoto asked.

”I’ll have someone bring it here right away!”

The Guild Master called a subordinate and instructed him to bring over the recovered loot from the previous day.

A moment later, the subordinate returned, carrying a large lacquer box before Aoto and the Guild Master.

Upon opening the box, they saw it was filled with yellow and white items.

After a brief count of the money in the box, confirming that it matched the amount involved in the case, Aoto requested the Guild Master to take him to meet the young thief who confessed all he knew and swiftly betrayed his companions.

This person was detained in a temporary cell within the Inquiry House.

Upon meeting him, Aoto skipped any pleasantries and bombarded him with several questions.

”Describe the entire process of how you were captured by the Cat Monk.”

”Did you see the Cat Monk’s appearance?”

”Describe the Cat Monk’s physique.”

”Why did the Cat Monk capture you? Did you have any prior conflicts with the Cat Monk?”

...

The reason for asking him to recount the entire process of their capture by the Cat Monk was purely to check if the Guild Master had omitted or concealed anything.

Upon introducing himself with the title ”Edo North Guard Station Designated Town Patrol Dōshin Tachibana Aoto,” the young thief immediately sat up, wearing a fawning smile, and respectfully answered every question Aoto posed.

While answering Aoto’s questions, the young thief repeatedly pleaded, ”Sir, I have told you everything I know, please reduce my punishment!”

The account of how they were captured by the Cat Monk was almost identical to the Guild Master’s report.

According to the young thief, the Cat Monk was about 1.5 meters tall, dressed entirely in black, with a black face cover, and a black headscarf, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed.

The voice was quite androgynous, neither male nor female.

Highly agile, moving effortlessly across the steep roofs of inns.

This information entirely matched what the Magistrate’s Office currently knew about the Cat Monk...

And when asked if they had any past grievances with the Cat Monk, the young thief shook his head vehemently.

He said they had only heard of the Cat Monk’s name before but never seen him, and he couldn’t understand why this Cat Monk would suddenly target them, given they were from the same trade.

After more questioning, Aoto left the temporary cell with a look of consternation.

Just outside the cell, Saito, who had been following Aoto like a shadow, whispered:

”So... did we come all the way here for nothing?”

”...Looks like it.” Aoto’s mouth twitched as he let out a heavy sigh.

Aoto now felt that this trip... was a journey into futility!

After traveling for three days to Fujisawa Inn, they found that the suspects had all been arrested... Not only had one of them confessed, but the stolen goods had also been entirely recovered...

Indeed, to put it bluntly... Aoto could now return to Edo.

Aoto didn’t need to personally escort the four suspects back to Edo.

He only needed to inform the Inquiry House staff to help send the suspects back to Edo.

When it comes to transporting people and goods, the Inquiry House, specialized in providing ”Man-And-Horse Relay Formation” services to officials, was certainly a professional.

”However...” Aoto scratched the back of his head lightly, ”It’s not entirely unfruitful... At least we obtained the latest information about the Cat Monk, which could be considered a minor achievement if brought back to Edo.”

The Cat Monk, a notorious thief causing the Magistrate’s Office a great deal of trouble lately, had prompted the Office to change superintendents multiple times.

Just the other day, Aoto received the latest update: The ”Cat Monk Case” is now assigned to the North Guard Station’s top detective: Nishino of the Tojo Group.

Deploying the North Guard Station’s ’ace’ to take full charge of this case showed how seriously the Magistrate’s Office regarded the ”Cat Monk Case.”

The Cat Monk’s jujutsu skills are extraordinary; four men were taken down and knocked unconscious in one blow each.

The Cat Monk’s activities are suspicious; previously active only in Edo, now he appears at Fujisawa Inn, aiding officials in catching a group of thieves...

Either of these two pieces of information could greatly aid the Magistrate’s Office in capturing the Cat Monk in the future.

If Aoto could bring these two pieces of information back to Edo, it would indeed be considered a minor achievement.

”How strange...” Aoto crossed his arms inside the sleeves of his Feathered Robe, ”Why would the Cat Monk suddenly appear at Fujisawa Inn and even help capture thieves?”

The information was too scarce, and after a moment of thinking without reaching a conclusion, Aoto decided not to dwell on it further.

After all, he was not responsible for the ”Cat Monk Case,” so he left these questions for Nishino, who was now in charge of the case.

Returning to the Guild Master, Aoto gave some simple instructions regarding the suspects’ transportation arrangements and then led Saito away from the Inquiry House.

”...Are we heading back to Edo now?” Saito asked.

Aoto shook his head: ”It’s already late, and in about an hour, it will be dark.”

”There’s only about one hour remaining before nightfall—there’s no way to rush back to the previous post station in such a short time.”

”I don’t want to travel at night or spend the night in a place in the middle of nowhere.”

”We’ll have to wait for dawn tomorrow before setting off back to Edo.”

With that, Aoto turned his head, casting a slight smile at Saito behind him.

”For now... let’s slowly pass the time here at Fujisawa Inn until tomorrow.”

”Consider it a half-day break and a reward for ourselves for the three hard days of travel.”

”Saito, is there any place you want to visit?”

Saito shook his head: ”No particular place I’d like to go.”

After hearing the expected answer from Saito, Aoto refocused his attention.

”So it falls on me to decide where to pass the time, doesn’t it...”

Aoto crossed his arms inside his Feathered Robe sleeves, slightly tilting his head back, pondering until nightfall where he and Saito might visit in Fujisawa Inn.

Suddenly, Aoto recalled Fujisawa Inn’s most famous tourist attraction...

Aoto’s gaze slowly turned towards the direction of Ejima Shrine.

”...Saito, are you interested in taking a stroll to the Shrine?”

*******

*******

New book launch!

Please vote! Please recommend! Please add to collections!