My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 594: Chapter 189: Accepting a Disciple! Aoto’s First Female Disciple and the Arrival of the Miss

”Therefore, I have made up my mind. I will temporarily give up Thrusting Swordsmanship! I will switch to practicing other Martial Arts!”

”My status as a Westerner prevents me from moving freely outside the settlement. If I want to practice other Martial Arts, I can only invite a Private Tutor to come and guide me.”

”And Mr. Tachibana, you are my most suitable... no, the perfect choice!”

”Mr. Tachibana, your character and skills are extraordinarily reliable, and you are excellent at teaching.”

”Recently, while playing with you, Mr. Tachibana, just a simple sentence from you significantly improved my movements.”

”If anyone could be the most suitable Martial Arts teacher for me... I think no one but you, Mr. Tachibana!”

A delicate voice, with a resolute tone.

A determined gaze, as if piercing through all hesitation and confusion.

Looking at Elodie, whose serious expression was filled with determined resolve, the people in the room were profoundly affected by her charisma.

To say such moving words as ”I want to learn Martial Arts to protect my family” at such a young age... Arima, Inagawa, and those who had families and children themselves couldn’t help but be deeply moved.

Inagawa even curled his lips slightly and mumbled in a voice only he could hear, ”Why isn’t my child this obedient and sensible...”

As for whose facial expression changed the most... naturally, it was none other than Anthony and Leroy.

”Miss... (French)” Leroy blinked forcefully and quickly, with slightly moist eyes.

Anthony, on the other hand, was initially shocked then delighted.

Elodie’s earlier words, ”protect my family,” had a powerful ”impact” on Anthony.

Anthony tightly pressed his slightly trembling lips, his eyes not as wet as Leroy’s, but his eyes were slightly red.

At this moment, Elodie’s voice rang out again.

”Besides Mr. Tachibana’s Swordsmanship... I also want to learn from Mr. Tachibana’s character!”

”This is the main reason I want Mr. Tachibana to be my Martial Arts Private Tutor!”

”My character?” Aoto’s face was full of questions.

”I want... to become as strong and brave as you, Mr. Tachibana.”

Elodie’s slightly upturned lips showed a shy smile.

A look of yearning and aspiration gradually appeared on her face.

”That night 10 days ago, when the entire estate suddenly caught fire and dozens of violent Anti-foreigner Group thugs besieged the estate from outside... Although it’s a bit embarrassing to say, I was so scared at the time that I couldn’t even move a muscle...”

”Even now, it’s hard for me to imagine someone being able to fight sixty Samurai fearlessly and all alone.”

Elodie looked up, expressing her admiration to Aoto through her gaze.

”I want to become a strong and brave person like you, Mr. Tachibana!”

”That’s why I want to follow closely by your side, Mr. Tachibana, and learn!”

”Learn from your character, learn how you became so strong and brave!”

Elodie squeezed her clenched hands on her lap even tighter.

Although her expression was somewhat restrained, Elodie’s feelings were honestly and thoroughly conveyed to Aoto.

There was no pretense, both her words and expressions overflowed with the sincere emotions unique to a child of this age.

This genuine emotion made Aoto involuntarily speechless.

Feeling Elodie’s sincerity and simplicity, Aoto pressed his lips tightly, his eyelids lowered slightly in thought.

—What a mature and sensible good child...

Aoto sighed with long admiration in his heart.

Elodie’s maturity and sensibility made Aoto again wonder, ”Is this little girl really only 12 years old?”

After Elodie poured out her earnest enthusiasm, the breathing of everyone began to dominate the room.

There was no sound of wind blowing outside.

No noise from the direction of the corridor outside the room.

At this moment, in this spacious hospital room, it was Aoto who became the focus of everyone’s attention.

Aoto’s mood had fully recovered from the initial shock of ”suddenly being approached to become Elodie’s teacher.”

His heart was calm, like a mirror-like lake without wind.

Under everyone’s gaze, Aoto calmly realized that he should give a serious response to this little girl who had bravely expressed her wish and took action for it.

Aoto had never thought, or planned, to take on any apprentices.

In an instant, a question arose in Aoto’s mind: Do I have what it takes to teach someone well?

Even though he would occasionally offer guidance and teach some of the new juniors at Shiwei Hall, Aoto didn’t believe that at his still young age, he possessed the ability to formally take on a student and impart knowledge.

Following the question ”Do I have what it takes to teach someone well,” another new question quickly presented itself to Aoto: Taking Elodie as an apprentice... what’s in it for me?

Aoto always considered himself a rational person, who likes to carefully assess the pros and cons before doing anything.

For things that are beneficial, he does them earnestly; for things that aren’t, he avoids them if possible.

So at that moment, Aoto subconsciously began to weigh the pros and cons of taking Elodie as an apprentice.

A major criterion for judging whether you’ve thoroughly mastered a certain knowledge is whether you can teach it well to others.

Teaching others knowledge can enhance your understanding of it and might even lead to new insights related to it.