My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 90: Chapter 71: Unrivaled in the World Iaido

It seems like I’m starting to get lucky—Aoto couldn’t help but think.

Thinking of this, Aoto’s smile deepened.

...

...

Elodie originally rode in the same carriage as her grandfather... which is Anthony.

But now, her best friend Mukiwa had arrived, so Elodie naturally ”kicked” Anthony out of the carriage to ride with Mukiwa, letting Anthony find another carriage for himself.

Thus, Anthony, ”expelled” by his granddaughter, could only share a carriage with another elderly gentleman: Kiryu.

Rumble... rumble... rumble...

The sound of the wheels turning continuously echoed inside the carriage shared by Anthony and Kiryu, where the atmosphere had been as silent as death since earlier.

Kiryu, sitting with legs slightly crossed and a gentle smile, had his hands folded on his lap, gazing calmly as if observing his own heart.

Anthony, sitting across from him, had his eyes half-closed, glaring angrily at Kiryu.

”...Kiryu, don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

”Explanation for what?” Kiryu with a smile asked Anthony in return.

”Yesterday, how could Mukiwa have possibly left the inn with Elodie under your watchful gaze?” Anthony’s voice abruptly rose a few notches, ”Do you take me for a fool?”

”Other than you deliberately letting them leave, I can’t think of any reason for Mukiwa and the others to slip away under your watch!”

Looking at the angry Anthony in front of him, Kiryu’s smile grew even broader.

He raised his hand to adjust his glasses on his nose.

”Ha... it seems it’s impossible to fool someone who knows me as well as you...”

”Yes, you’re right. Yesterday when the Young Master and the others sneaked out from the inn, I indeed turned a blind eye.”

”Why?” Anthony placed his hands on his knees, leaning slightly forward towards Kiryu, asking rapidly, ”Why deliberately let Elodie and the others leave the inn?!”

”No particular reason,” Kiryu said lightly, ”Just... wanted to give the Young Master a chance to have carefree fun with her only friend after a long time.”

”You should also know how much the Young Master cares for your granddaughter, right?”

”Three months ago, upon learning that your family was moving to Edo, the Young Master was so excited she couldn’t sleep, constantly hoping to see Elodie soon.”

”When two childhood friends reunited after a long time, yet were stuck in the inn and couldn’t go anywhere to play—it seemed a bit cruel.”

”So, I purposely let them leave the inn yesterday, letting them go out and play for a while.”

After listening to Kiryu’s explanation, Anthony showed an exasperated expression.

”Let them go out for a while? Kiryu, do you know it was because you intentionally let Mukiwa and Elodie sneak out of the inn that they nearly had an accident yesterday!”

”An accident?” The smile on Kiryu’s face slowly turned into a meaningful smile, ”Anthony, you’re overthinking it.”

”I’m not an idiot either.”

”Letting the still immature Young Master lead Elodie in such an unfamiliar place—I wouldn’t do anything that foolish.”

”Relax.”

”After turning a blind eye to the Young Master and the others sneaking out yesterday, I secretly followed behind, watching over them in the shadows.”

With that, Kiryu raised his hand and untied a long, cloth-wrapped package beside him.

Inside the package were only two items: a brown cloak and a tachi sword.

If Aoto were here now, seeing this brown cloak, he would surely find it quite familiar.

Because this brown cloak was worn by the ”cloaked man” he accidentally bumped into at Ejima Shrine...

”I noticed early on that a group of people was secretly tailing the Young Master and Elodie.”

”I was planning to show up and repel them as soon as those ronin made a move.”

”But who knew—Mr. Tachibana made an unexpected appearance.”

”This was just as well, Mr. Tachibana’s sudden appearance helped me out, defeating those ronin causing trouble for the Young Master, saving me quite a bit of effort.”

After quietly listening to Kiryu’s recent explanation, Anthony’s expression somewhat softened.

”...Hmph.” After a heavy snort, Anthony folded his arms and leaned back against the seat, ”This is more like it!”

”If you had actually just let Elodie leave the inn yesterday without secretly following and protecting them, I’d seriously question if Kiryu you’ve gone senile with age!”

”Though I’m old, I’m still quite healthy.” Kiryu shrugged.

Anthony, with arms tightly crossed in front, slowly turned his gaze to the other item in the cloth package with the brown cloak: the tachi sword.

The tachi had a large curve, with interchanging black and purple on the scabbard and handle, exuding an ancient aura.

Staring intensely at this ancient sword for a while, Anthony softly said:

”Kiryu... you still haven’t found anyone to inherit your legacy?”

”No,” Kiryu laughed freely, ”Regrettably, my Iaijutsu might really be lost to time.”

Anthony’s eyes widened slightly in surprise: ”Hey... is that okay?”

”If your unrivaled Iaijutsu got lost... wouldn’t that be too much of a pity?”

”...Whatever will be, will be,” Kiryu lowered his head, gazing at the purple-black ancient sword by his side, gently stroking it like a child, ”I used to be anxious about the skills dying out.”

”But now, I’ve come to terms with it.”

”If until the end of my life, I don’t find a suitable inheritor, it means my skills were not meant to be passed on.”

”Leave everything to fate.”

”If I’m lucky enough to find an inheritor before the end of my life, that’s naturally the best outcome.”

”If I don’t have this fortune... then I am willing to accept that result.”

Anthony frowned, ”...Come on, in a country this big, there must be people with exceptional swordsmanship talent, right? Can you not find even one person with exceptional talent worthy of inheriting your Iaijutsu?”

”Hmm...” Kiryu closed his eyes, gently shook his head, ”I look for more than just swordsmanship talent in an inheritor.”

”More than swordsmanship talent? What else are you looking for?”

”How do I put it...” Kiryu smiled, looking out the window, ”As you said, the world is never short of outstanding talents with great swordsmanship prowess.”

”So, I hope my inheritor has something... more interesting besides exceptional swordsmanship talent.”

”’More interesting talents’? What do you mean...?”

”Hahaha,” Kiryu laughed heartily, ”I don’t know how to explain it either. Anyway, my inheritor must be ’interesting enough’!”

”The thoughts of you great sword heroes are really hard to understand,” Anthony let out a sigh of impatience.

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Chapter 3 done! A total update of 10,000 words!

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