My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 588: Chapter 188: Elodie: ”Mr. Tachibana! Please Take Me as Your Disciple!” [Mass Release 10,000 Words]_2

”Should we change clothes now?” Elodie asked.

Leroy nodded. ”Yes. Although it’s still a bit early, the master wants to prepare in advance.”

”After all, today is the day to visit Mr. Tachibana, we can’t be careless.”

...

...

The time returns to the present—

”Promotion to Arson and Theft Magistrate?”

Aoto couldn’t help but let out a low exclamation.

Chokata and Kyūbē beside him were both showing expressions of surprise.

”It’s just that I’ve heard similar rumors.” Ushiyama interjected, casting a helpless glance at Inagawa, ”Whether it’s true or not, there’s no conclusion yet.”

Inagawa shrugged nonchalantly, ”I think it’s most likely true. Tachibana has made such a great contribution this time, it wouldn’t make sense not to promote him to a higher rank.”

”Anyway, no matter what, Tachibana is certain to be promoted this time, that’s without a doubt.”

”It’s just a matter of where he’ll be promoted to, and how high the position will be.”

The Arson and Theft Magistrate, as a special security force of the Edo Shogunate, is similar to the Magistrate’s Office in that they both belong to the security system.

In terms of rank, the Arson and Theft Magistrate, possessing a military nature, is naturally one level higher than the Magistrate’s Office’s ’Three Times.’

Therefore, if one can be promoted from a ’Three Times’ Dōshin of the Magistrate’s Office to a Yoriki or other higher position in the Arson and Theft Magistrate... that would indeed be a promotion.

Since they both belong to the security system, as Inagawa just mentioned, if Aoto is to be promoted to another government office, the most likely place would indeed be to the Arson and Theft Magistrate.

”Tachibana, you’ve made quite a name for yourself now.”

Inagawa paused, then transformed his multitude of emotions into a long sigh, showing Aoto a comforting smile.

”Not only have you stood out, but you’ve also become more famous in Edo.”

”The Westerners in the foreign settlement, needless to say. Your name has spread through every city town and alley in Edo over the past few days.”

”These days, no matter where you go, you can hear people talking about you.”

”The Westerners in the settlement praise you as the ’hero of the settlement’ who saved them.”

”Even the common people of Edo admire you greatly.”

”They believe that not only did you eliminate the significant threat of the Anti-foreigner Group, but you also discovered in time and reported the intelligence that the ’settlement was to be attacked,’ greatly preventing the spread of the fire and saving Edo from a disaster.”

”The name ’Tachibana Aoto’ is now truly known to everyone in Edo.”

”Hahaha, I’m even a bit curious about what kind of reward and promotion the higher-ups will give you next.”

In response to Inagawa’s unabashed praise, Aoto humbly and calmly smiled and said in a half-joking tone:

”I just hope those common people don’t give me any more strange nicknames. One ’Little Tengu of the North Guard Station’ is enough.”

At this moment, Ushiyama, who was usually taciturn, unusually smiled and interjected the conversation, asking Aoto.

”Mr. Tachibana, where would you personally like to be promoted to?”

”If I had a choice, of course, it would be to a place with more money and less work.” Still maintaining his half-joking tone, Aoto continued, ”But where I might be promoted to... is not something I can control.”

Saying this, Aoto, with a look of mixed emotions, let out a silent sigh.

”I can only leave it to fate.”

What accomplishments did Aoto achieve on that night 10 days ago?

1. Rescued the eldest daughter of the ’number one prestigious family in the martial arts world’: Chiba Sonako.

2. Discovered and reported to the government the conspiracy of the Anti-foreigner Group to destroy the settlement, allowing the magistrate’s office, the Arson and Theft Magistrate, and the Town Fire Extinguisher officials to quickly reinforce the settlement, arrest the majority of the Anti-foreigner Group’s thugs, and prevent the fire from spreading out of control.

3. Single-handedly fought against more than sixty thugs of the Anti-foreigner Group, saving numerous Westerners in the settlement.

4. Caught up with the leader of the Anti-foreigner Group, Kamino Tatsugorou, and successfully killed him alone.

The gold content of the achievement of rescuing Sonako was slightly lower, but any one of the other three achievements was enough to earn Aoto a rich reward.

Especially the second achievement.

Timely discovery of the Anti-foreigner Group’s conspiracy and reporting to the government... this saved countless lives.

Though it wasn’t a very windy night 10 days ago, there was quite a bit of night wind.

In Edo, where most buildings were wooden and houses were closely packed, any bit of wind could cause the fire to get out of control.

Thanks to Aoto’s timely information report, when the Town Fire Extinguisher officials arrived at the settlement, the fire hadn’t spread too severely.

With the concerted efforts of the Town Fire Extinguisher officials and the nearby commoners, the fire was ultimately contained to a very small area within the settlement and adjoining parts of the street town.

If the Town Fire Extinguisher officials had arrived a little later and the settlement’s fire situation had spread... the consequences would have been unimaginable.

With these four major achievements accomplished overnight, Aoto’s receipt of money or treasures, the enhancement of his family’s salary, and promotion to a higher position, is almost a certainty.

He might even gain a higher family status, upgrading from the current ’Imperial Family’ to ’Hatamoto.’

Though Hatamoto and Imperial Family are both direct samurai of the Shogunate, the difference in status between the two is enormous.