My Gang of Swordsmen

As Aoto was still wandering around the fireworks festival venue with Mukiwa—

Edo, somewhere, in an Izakaya, in a private room—

“So… Brother Shigetarou, suddenly calling me out, for what purpose?”

Chiba Domon Shiro picked up the sake nearby and poured himself a full cup.

“Brother Tadomaru!” Sitting opposite Chiba Domon Shiro, Chiba Shigetarou, looked excited, “I have a new plan for tomorrow’s fireworks festival!”

Upon hearing this, Chiba Domon Shiro was initially stunned and then let out a long sigh.

“Brother Shigetarou, what new plan have you come up with now?”

“Brother Tadomaru, when the fireworks are going off tomorrow night, we’ll just find some excuse to leave and create an opportunity for Mr. Tachibana to be alone with Sazanoko.”

“Huh? This… isn’t it a bit too difficult?”

“Not at all! I’ve already thought up the excuses for you! I’ll say I want to relieve myself, and you can say you’re hungry and want to buy something to eat. See, this way, the two of us can leave without suspicion!”

Chiba Shigetarou grabbed the cup in front of him and downed the sake in it.

“We can dawdle for a stick or two of incense before coming back, giving Mr. Tachibana and Sazanoko plenty of time alone. Brother Tadomaru, how do you find my plan?”

“…It seems alright.” Chiba Domon Shiro sighed lightly, “It’s much more reliable than those random plans you came up with before.”

As for why Chiba Shigetarou and Chiba Domon Shiro, these two cousins, are discussing such a ‘plan’ at this moment… it all goes back to ten days ago, when they formed a ‘unified front’ to match up Aoto and Sazanoko.

These brothers, upon forming the ‘unified front’ that day, fell into a predicament of having no experience and not knowing where to start with matters of romance.

Just at this moment of despair, Chiba Shigetarou heard the sound of Kagiya testing fireworks.

In that instant, countless ideas surged into Chiba Shigetarou’s mind!

Fireworks—the fireworks festival—a boy and girl going to watch the fireworks… Chiba Shigetarou’s imagination leapt as never before!

This leap of imagination transformed into a bold idea: why not find a way for Aoto and Sazanoko to attend the fireworks festival together?

The fireworks festival has always been an event where young men and women are most likely to spark some chemistry.

The reasoning isn’t complicated—

At a once-a-year grand festival, colorful fireworks repeatedly bloom in the night sky, the brilliant light illuminating the eyes and cheeks of oneself and the person beside them… whether young men or young women, facing such a scene and such an atmosphere, it’s hard not to have one’s heart stirred.

Though “parental command and matchmaking” is the absolute mainstream of marriage in this era, there are also many who come together through ‘free love.’

Especially among commoners, ‘free love’ is a very common affair.

Commoners don’t have as many protocols as the samurai, so compared to samurai, commoners are much more free and open.

Every summer, one can see many young couples entering the fireworks festival venue, enjoying the celebration together.

Examples of being influenced by the romantic atmosphere of the fireworks festival and becoming couples, and even soon after becoming husband and wife, are innumerable.

Chiba Shigetarou mused: this year’s fireworks festival is coming… isn’t this a good opportunity!

If Aoto and Sazanoko can attend the fireworks festival together… then perhaps this year, Aoto and Sazanoko can become a couple!

Then in a year, Sazanoko can change her surname to ‘Tachibana Sonoko’!

Then in another year, I could have a nephew or niece!

The overly pleasant imagination made Chiba Shigetarou uncontrollably curl his lips.

However… while the idea is beautiful, the problem is: how do you naturally let these two attend the fireworks festival together?

Directly telling Sazanoko, “Hey, Sazanoko, the fireworks festival is in a few days, do you want to go see the fireworks with Mr. Tachibana?”… That definitely won’t work!

Chiba Shigetarou is most aware of Sazanoko’s temperament.

Even though she’s already 22, she still has a strong rebellious streak.

The more you ask Sazanoko to do something, the more she wants to go against you.

She’s like a noble yet feisty cat.

If you stroke her with the grain, she’ll be gentle with you.

If you go against the grain… she’ll directly serve you with a ‘meow-meow punch,’

Chiba Shigetarou can already envision what will happen if he directly tells Sazanoko “go watch the fireworks with Mr. Tachibana”—Sazanoko would definitely give him a glare and coldly say “Why should I watch the fireworks with Mr. Tachibana?” before walking away without looking back.

Moreover, Chiba Shigetarou also isn’t quite sure what feelings Sazanoko currently holds toward Aoto.

Though Sazanoko recently seems to have a good relationship with Aoto… the scenes of Sazanoko previously declaring “I won’t like Mr. Tachibana” are still vivid in Chiba Shigetarou’s mind.

Thus, to be safe, Chiba Shigetarou decided to proceed cautiously.

He disclosed this idea of getting Aoto and Sazanoko to attend the fireworks festival together to his current only ally… that is, Chiba Domon Shiro. Working collaboratively with Chiba Domon Shiro, thinking about how to turn this idea into reality.

Speaking of Chiba Domon Shiro… after the Red and White Battle of ‘Xuanwu Hall vs Shiwei Hall’,” he clearly had a newfound passion for the project of matching Aoto with Sazanoko.