My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 506: Chapter 174: Sazanoko Kidnapped, Sazanoko’s Chastity in Peril [7600]_4

At this, Nakamura Tsuki tightened her neck with a shiver.

”So he’s that Tachibana Aoto...”

Regarding Aoto, whose reputation in Edo had been growing recently, Nakamura Tsuki had heard of his name but had never had the chance to meet him.

”He looks and behaves much softer than I imagined... I thought a ’Three Times’ official who achieved so much would definitely be a man with a fierce face, no different from a wild boar.”

Nakamura Tsuki looked up at Sazanoko, casting a questioning glance.

”Miss Sazanoko, are you familiar with Tachibana Aoto?”

”Not particularly familiar, but not a stranger either.” Sazanoko replied without hesitation.

With this question and answer, the two women resumed their journey.

”He truly is a remarkable swordsman who can achieve so many great feats, facing nearly 20 samurai alone... I wouldn’t even dare to imagine such a thing.” Nakamura Tsuki tightened her neck again.

She was just about to say something else when she suddenly noticed that Sazanoko beside her was now pursing her red lips, her brows low, seeming deeply unsettled.

”Miss Sazanoko, what’s the matter?” Nakamura Tsuki offered a concerned look. ”Why do you look so troubled?”

Startled by Nakamura Tsuki’s question, Sazanoko snapped back, looking at her with slightly unfocused eyes, then took a deep breath, gradually restoring her usual aloof demeanor, akin to an unworldly fairy.

”I’m fine. It’s just...”

Sazanoko suddenly stopped.

She carefully pondered her next words.

After a moment, she continued:

”Just... feeling a bit emotional.”

”Emotional?” Nakamura Tsuki quickly questioned.

Sazanoko turned her head back, looking in the direction Aoto had just left, her eyes full of meaning.

”Every time I meet Mr. Tachibana... he always surprises me anew.”

”Every time I meet Mr. Tachibana... he seems much stronger than the last time I saw him.”

At this moment, Sazanoko suddenly recalled how she recently discovered by chance the ”Prospective Brother-in-law Handbook” with Aoto’s name in it from her brother Shigetarou.

”...Though I don’t really want to admit it,” Sazanoko said in a soft, distant voice, ”Mr. Tachibana truly is an exceptional hero.”

”A bit envious of Shiwei Hall for being able to recruit such a ’single-handed genius’.”

After sharing her feelings stirred by hearing Aoto’s recent achievements with her disciple and friend beside her, Sazanoko noticed that this friend was now displaying a strange expression.

At this point, Nakamura Tsuki was wearing a mischievous smile, suggesting some mischievous intent.

Before Sazanoko could ask why Nakamura Tsuki’s expression was so peculiar, she heard Nakamura Tsuki say with a grin:

”Miss Sazanoko, how rare!”

Sazanoko was taken aback: ”What’s rare?”

”This is the first time I’ve heard you speak so highly of a man, Miss Sazanoko!”

”Miss Sazanoko, you usually have high standards for yourself and others.”

”Even some who are called ’geniuses’ in our Little Chiba Sword Dojo haven’t received your praise.”

”It’s my first time seeing you speak so highly of a man like you just did!”

Sazanoko seemed stunned by Nakamura Tsuki’s words... her gaze was dazed.

Then, she furrowed her eyebrows slightly and said calmly, without emotion:

”Ayue, you’ve got it wrong. I wasn’t praising Mr. Tachibana.”

”I was simply admiring Shiwei Hall for having such a remarkable disciple.”

”If our Little Chiba Sword Dojo had a talent like Mr. Tachibana, our dojo’s overall prowess might surpass the ’Three Great Sword Dojos’.”

With that, Sazanoko deliberately changed the subject, intending to steer the conversation away from that young man...

...

...

With their various stops and starts, the two women finally arrived at the tea house.

This tea house, highly praised by Nakamura Tsuki, gave Sazanoko the first impression of being remote and rundown.

This shop, tucked away on an unremarkable street, had a rather shabby facade, which could be described charitably as having ”a rich sense of history.”

”Though this store looks broken and secluded, the wagashi they make is really delicious!”

Nakamura Tsuki, from Sazanoko’s change in expression, guessed what Sazanoko was thinking now. With a firm tone, she told Sazanoko again, ”This shop really won’t disappoint you,” and then excitedly led Sazanoko through the curtain into the shop.

There weren’t many customers inside the shop... Only at a table in the corner, four silent samurai were quietly sipping tea.

”Boss! I’m here again!” Nakamura Tsuki raised her arm energetically and greeted a middle-aged man at the counter whose hair was more than half white.

”Oh, it’s Miss Nakamura.” The boss smiled slightly, ”Good afternoon, Miss Nakamura.”

”Good afternoon, Boss! I brought a friend today!”

...

After Nakamura Tsuki finished exchanging pleasantries with the boss, chose a table, and picked out the snacks they wanted to eat... After doing all these things, the two women sat facing each other at the chosen table, sipping the warm tea the boss had just brought while quietly waiting for the wagashi to be served.

”Miss Sazanoko, did you know? Something seems to have happened at Tenshōin...”

Nakamura Tsuki seemed to have endless topics, from national affairs to urban tales, continuously bringing up various new topics to chat with Sazanoko.

Thanks to her talkativeness, the waiting time for the wagashi to be prepared and served wasn’t boring at all.

Sazanoko responded intermittently while constantly sipping small mouthfuls of the quite tasty tea in her cup.

Unconsciously, she had already finished the tea in her cup.

She lifted her head, looking towards the kitchen, preparing to ask the boss for a refill.

But at that moment, something happened.

Sazanoko suddenly felt her vision blur and her body swaying.

Realizing it was a strong dizziness, she had already fallen into an unconscious state, unable to speak.

”Miss Sazanoko... Uh...!”

Across the table, Nakamura Tsuki noticed Sazanoko’s odd behavior and spoke in a tense voice.

To Sazanoko, her voice seemed to come from far away.

Nakamura Tsuki barely managed to call out ”Miss Sazanoko” before clutching her head in pain and letting out a frightened whimper.

Even the most oblivious person should realize what’s happening by now.

Sazanoko wanted to stand up, wanted to shout, but she couldn’t control a single muscle in her body.

Her vision began to be consumed by darkness.

In an instant, Sazanoko saw something.

It turned out to be the irregular patterns on the table surface.

No, I can’t faint... Sazanoko just thought this, and her consciousness completely cut off.

She collapsed face down on the table.

And almost at the same time, the unconscious Nakamura Tsuki also fell onto the table...

...

...

After the two women both passed out,

the only other occupants in the tea house—four samurai who had been sitting at a corner table—stood up expressionlessly and quickly approached the two unconscious women.

”Why are there 2 girls...? Which one is Nakamura Tsuki?”

”The one who looks a bit younger is Nakamura Tsuki.”

”Then who is this woman sitting across from Nakamura Tsuki... Wow! On closer look, this woman is really beautiful!”

”Hey, didn’t they say Nakamura Tsuki usually comes to this tea house alone for snacks? What should we do now? How do we deal with this beautiful woman who’s with Nakamura Tsuki?”

”Might as well take her too? It would be such a waste not to play with such a beautiful woman... I think she’s even prettier than the courtesans of Yoshiwara!”

”I agree! Wow, on closer look, this woman isn’t just pretty in the face, her figure is amazing too. Look at her bust, they’re pushing the kendo uniform to its limits! Tsk tsk tsk!”

”Hey, wait a second! This woman seems to be ’Chiba’s Ghost Komachi’!”

*******

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Requesting monthly tickets! Requesting recommendation tickets! (Crying Jaguar Face)

The author hasn’t been able to find out the real name of the Princess Date, who is tutored by Miss Sazanoko, only knowing she’s a princess from the Uwajima Domain, so she will just be referred to as ”Princess Date” in this book (Face of Despair Jaguar).

If any readers can find out the name of this ”Princess Date,” please inform the author! (Hands Joined in Respectful Salutation)