My Gang of Swordsmen

The delicate eyebrows were outlined with an eyebrow pencil to create a gentle curve.

The subtle peach-colored eye shadow was captivating, making Mukiwa’s eyes even more dazzling.

A layer of shimmering light red lipstick was evenly applied on her plump lips.

…

Usually barefaced, Mukiwa had actually put on makeup…

A strong sense of novelty surged in Aoto’s heart.

Mukiwa’s makeup was neither too flamboyant nor too understated.

Whether it was the lipstick or the eye shadow… each of these makeup elements perfectly preserved Mukiwa’s natural features. On this basis, the skillful blend of powders and rouge added a touch of alluring charm to her every smile and gesture.

Aoto felt that his mood seemed to be becoming strange… No, it had already become strange.

“…Mr. Tachibana?”

Mukiwa’s voice seemed to come from a faraway place… This was an illusion created by Aoto’s dazed state.

As if his body was being controlled by that voice, Aoto blinked forcefully a few times, as if awakening from a dream.

In the next instant when his consciousness returned to normal, Aoto instinctively spoke with seriousness to the beauty in front of him:

“Awu, your clothes and your makeup both look amazing.”

There was not a trace of insincerity or flattery, just heartfelt and unembellished praise.

Upon hearing Aoto’s brief but emotion-filled compliment, a blush of shyness instantly appeared on the girl’s cheeks, her eyebrows arched upwards, and her bright eyes, sparkling like stars, twinkled with delight and excitement.

“Thank you… This makeup was done by Mr. Kiryu!”

“Boss Kiryu knows how to do makeup for girls?”

“Yes! He said he once learned how to do girls’ makeup when he was in Kyoto!”

“How come Boss Kiryu knows even this…”

Speaking of Kiryu… Aoto suddenly thought: would this old comrade follow them tonight?

Out of concern for the Young Master going out with a young woman alone, he might secretly follow them around… To be honest, such a thing, it seems Kiryu might just do.

After all, Kiryu did have the “habit” of always stealthily protecting Mukiwa every time she went out in her Cat Monk persona.

At this, Aoto instinctively looked up and scanned the surroundings.

Seeing Aoto’s actions, Mukiwa, who guessed what Aoto was thinking, let out an adorable soft laugh, “Pfft.”

“Aoto, don’t worry, Mr. Kiryu isn’t here. I specifically told him today not to secretly follow me tonight.”

“Do you think Boss Kiryu will listen to your request?” asked Aoto.

“He will,” Mukiwa said with certainty, “I’m not going to do anything dangerous. I think Mr. Kiryu wouldn’t come to oversee me even at such an event.”

Since Mukiwa said this… Aoto believed that Kiryu indeed did not come to tail them.

At this point, Aoto suddenly noticed that the surrounding crowd seemed a bit noisy.

Raising his gaze to look around, he suddenly realized that quite a few faces were turning towards them.

“Hey, look, that girl in the red dress is really beautiful…”

“Her makeup is so pretty.”

“Wow… those look so heavy.”

…

Streams of gaze, whether surprised, appreciative, or purely sensual, were focused on Mukiwa.

This was not surprising.

The intricately perfect makeup on Mukiwa’s face directly elevated her striking presence to the next level, increasing her attention rate by at least 20%.

Mukiwa also noticed that many people were watching her.

To Mukiwa, who had a bit of social anxiety, those gazes felt like hammers pressing down on her entire body.

Unaccustomed to and disliking being watched by so many people, Mukiwa’s delicate face immediately showed signs of unease, and her small, fair hands clasped together in agitation in front of her.

Aoto was the first to notice Mukiwa’s unusual state at this moment.

Almost without hesitation — Aoto stepped forward and stood by Mukiwa’s side, shoulder to shoulder with the girl in red.

“Awu, let’s go,” Aoto smiled, “Before the fireworks start, let’s enjoy this lively festival together.”

Aoto stood by her side… this small, seemingly unremarkable action seemed to possess some special magic, making Mukiwa feel an unusual sense of security envelop her whole being, with warmth spreading all over her.

The unease on her face melted away like snow, and her beautiful eyes regained their vivid brightness.

“Mm!”

Mukiwa beamed a big smile full of youthful vigor unique to a young girl at Aoto.

The young pair ignored the gazes around them, walking shoulder to shoulder with a somewhat mismatched rhythm, blending into the crowd ahead…

…

…

The fireworks display was set to begin at 8:30 PM.

At the moment, it was still early, and they had to wait an hour to see the splendid fireworks.

To pass the time, Aoto and Mukiwa strolled around the street areas near Ryogoku Bridge, stopping and looking along the way.

All sorts of vendors filled every corner of the streets.

There were stalls selling snacks and drinks, offering various fun interactive games, and specializing in performing arts…

The two occasionally watched interesting performances by street artists, and sometimes engaged in intermittent chatter.

Although they did nothing particularly meaningful or enriching, they simply felt that doing this was very interesting, joyful, and not at all boring.