My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 127: Chapter 83: The Storm Prelude—Edo to Launch ”Anti-Terror Operation

”In any case, Mr. Tachibana, during this period, just rest and recuperate at ease.” Arima said softly to Aoto, ”Coincidentally, the day after tomorrow, the South Division will take over the management of Edo. Our officers at the North Guard Station will not need to report to the Magistrate’s Office for duty in February, so you can take this opportunity to rest at home.”

”During your recovery period at home, you might also want to take out your ceremonial robes and give them a good airing.”

”Those above are highly concerned about this incident.”

”I suspect—after some time, there will probably be a significant figure who will summon you.”

”To inquire in detail about the attack you encountered and how you managed to repel it... and at the same time, reward you for your great achievements.”

Ceremonial robes: The attire of samurai. When participating in important events or meeting significant figures, wearing ceremonial robes is necessary.

”And... during this time, you must also be extra careful and cautious.”

With these words, Arima instinctively turned his head to glance out the window.

”We cannot rule out the possibility that those madmen found out who made them look so pathetic and then retaliated against you.”

”So, being more cautious is definitely not wrong.”

”Avoid going to secluded places with few people, and pay more attention to your surroundings.”

”If you see any suspicious individuals lurking around you or your house, remember to report it to the Magistrate’s Office immediately.”

”Understood.” Aoto nodded firmly.

At this moment, Ushiyama, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke:

”Speaking of which... Lord Arima, Mr. Tachibana, a very strange thing happened in Edo these past two days.”

”A strange thing?” Aoto asked in return.

Aoto and Arima both cast puzzled looks at Ushiyama.

”Lord Arima, since you led the team to Kanagawa Inn to support Mr. Tachibana, you probably don’t know yet— for some reason, the incident of Mr. Tachibana repelling the enemies has been leaked.”

”Since about the day before yesterday, the news of ’Tachibana Aoto of the North Station Town Patrol defeating the Anti-foreigner Faction mobs with a small force’ has been spreading throughout Edo.”

”What?” Arima’s already large eyes grew even larger.

Aoto, also surprised, frowned slightly: ”Mr. Ushiyama, has the Magistrate’s Office already publicized this incident widely?”

”They haven’t.” Ushiyama shook his head, ”Mr. Tachibana, you should know, right? The Magistrate’s Office would certainly not leak such an incident to the public so quickly.”

Aoto pursed his lips.

Ushiyama was right.

The ”Radical Anti-foreigner Faction”, which is not much different from ”terrorists” and causes enough trouble for ordinary people, suddenly becoming strong and formidable, capable of sending out over 200 men in an ambush against several dozen samurai escorting western merchants... such information, once spread, could easily cause public panic.

Before making all sorts of preparations, the Magistrate’s Office would certainly not expose such affairs so quickly.

”Then how did this matter get leaked?” Arima’s brow furrowed sharply, ”Was it someone in the Magistrate’s Office who carelessly let it slip?”

”...I don’t think so.” Ushiyama slowly shook his head, ”If someone in the Magistrate’s Office carelessly let this slip, there wouldn’t have been such an exaggerated spread.”

”In just two days, the news spread almost throughout Edo... I absolutely don’t believe there’s no one behind this accelerating the spread.”

Aoto was more and more puzzled as he listened.

Someone deliberately leaked this incident of mine?

Who?

Why do this?

Seeing the confusion on Aoto’s face, Ushiyama sighed gently:

”The Magistrate’s Office is already investigating who is spreading this.”

”But whether they can find out who is responsible depends on luck.”

”...That complicates things!” Arima’s expression darkened suddenly, ”Since now everyone in Edo knows who defeated those madmen...”

”Then those madmen will also find out who caused them to suffer such a defeat...!”

Silence...

The already not very large hall suddenly became particularly quiet...

...

...

The visit by Ma, Pig, and Ushiyama to Aoto concluded amidst this eerie silence...

Currently, the stories of Aoto’s ”outnumbered victory” are spreading all over Edo... which, for Aoto at the moment, is certainly not a good thing.

It indirectly informs those ”terrorists” of who humiliated them— though that’s not the worst.

The worst is: Aoto has no effective way to prevent retaliation...

They certainly don’t have the financial resources to hire more bodyguards.

Ask the Magistrate’s Office to deploy a large force to protect Aoto 24/7?

The Magistrate’s Office has always been short on manpower, and despite Aoto’s recent great achievement, he is still not significant enough to warrant allocating a large workforce to protect him...

Aoto had a simple discussion with his three seniors about what to do.

After discussing, their conclusion was: there’s not much that can be done... the only thing to do is to be more careful and cautious in daily life...

In this awkward, eerie silence, after personally seeing off these three elders from his home, Aoto exhaled deeply and then turned to Saito and Kyūbē, who had just followed him to see off Ma, Pig, and Ushiyama to the door, saying:

”In the coming days... You all need to be more cautious.”

”Especially you, Kyūbē.”

”I’m now increasingly convinced: you can’t understand those madmen with common sense.”

”Nobody knows what kind of methods those people will use to retaliate against me.”