My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 462: Chapter 164: Sazanoko: "I Will Never Like Mr. Tachibana" [6600]_3

"What is this...?" Sazanoko mumbled softly.

If Chiba Shigetarou were here at this moment, seeing this booklet, his expression would certainly change dramatically—this booklet... is his "Preparatory Brother-in-law Manual"!

Sazanoko came so suddenly just now that Chiba Shigetarou could only hastily tuck the booklet into his waistband.

Since it was tucked hastily, it wasn’t secured very well.

Then, a scene of "to add fuel to the fire" emerged.

As Chiba Shigetarou stood up and habitually patted the fabric on his bottom, the booklet, which was already not securely fastened, became even looser.

Finally, as Chiba Shigetarou went to find Chiba Dingji and passed by Sazanoko standing at the doorway, the booklet gently slid out from his waistband, dropping at Sazanoko’s feet, and Chiba Shigetarou did not notice at all...

This must be my brother’s thing... Thinking this way, Sazanoko, with one hand holding the hem of her kimono, crouched down, preparing to pick up the booklet and return it to the desk in Chiba Shigetarou’s bedroom.

But then—

A gentle breeze blew in.

A soothing, gentle breeze came through the wide-open window of Chiba Shigetarou’s bedroom.

The pages of the booklet fluttered under the breeze.

The wind stopped, and the pages stopped.

The booklet, blown open by the wind, settled on a particular page.

And the page it stopped at... was the one with Aoto’s name on it.

Sazanoko crouched down, preparing to pick up the booklet, but her hand suddenly paused.

...

...

"Father’s memory is really getting worse..." Chiba Shigetarou sighed heavily, grabbing his hair as he walked back to his bedroom.

Chiba Dingji had suddenly called him over just to ask why he hadn’t returned the ledger of their Little Chiba Sword Dojo.

Hearing Chiba Dingji’s question left Chiba Shigetarou puzzled and aggrieved: Haven’t I already returned it to you?

Wanting to personally review the recent business situation of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, Chiba Shigetarou borrowed the ledger seven days ago and returned it to Chiba Dingji two days later.

So facing Chiba Dingji’s sudden questioning, Chiba Shigetarou was completely bewildered.

Chiba Dingji shouted, "Is that so? You already returned the ledger to me?"

Chiba Shigetarou: "Yes! Father, check your room! I’ve definitely already returned the ledger to you!"

After some searching, the father and son finally found the ledger in the closet of Chiba Dingji’s bedroom.

This seemed like just a trivial matter.

But Chiba Shigetarou was quite worried about it... Chiba Dingji’s memory has been getting worse lately.

He often forgets things he said or did just the day before.

Seeing his father grow increasingly old... Chiba Shigetarou couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.

The once-radiant, great sword hero who, together with his elder brother Chiba Shusaku, glorified the Beichen One-Sword Style has also aged...

With a heart full of mixed emotions, Chiba Shigetarou returned to the door of his bedroom.

Upon returning, Chiba Shigetarou was taken aback—the door to his bedroom was left open.

Sazanoko didn’t help me close my bedroom door? With this thought, Chiba Shigetarou quickened his steps slightly.

Upon arriving outside the room and looking inside, the scene within left Chiba Shigetarou frozen in place.

Inside the room, Sazanoko sat perfectly on a tatami in an impeccably correct posture, her dainty white-red feet tucked beneath her peach-shaped, full hips.

With her elegant swan’s neck slightly lowered, she was looking at a booklet she held in both hands.

Upon seeing the booklet in Sazanoko’s hand, Chiba Shigetarou first froze, then quickly reached back to touch his waistband, only to find it empty...

"...Brother, you’re back." Sazanoko turned her head to look at Chiba Shigetarou.

Her gaze was calm, neither joyful nor sorrowful.

Chiba Shigetarou instinctively looked away, avoiding eye contact with Sazanoko.

Silence... Silence...

The awkward atmosphere lingered in the air for a while before Chiba Shigetarou chuckled dryly, sighed silently, then strode into the room and casually closed the door.

"Sazanoko." Chiba Shigetarou knelt in front of Sazanoko, "How did this booklet end up in your hands?"

"I picked it up at the door of your bedroom." Sazanoko said softly while flipping through the "Preparatory Brother-in-law Manual" page by page.

Whoosh... Sazanoko flipped to the first page of the booklet.

The first page of the booklet... like the page with Aoto’s name, only contained one person’s name.

Sakamoto Ryoma.

Similarly, like most names in the booklet, this name was marked with a large "X."

But unlike the other crossed-out names, this one was slightly unique: there was no "commentary" written below it.

Looking at the name on the first page of the booklet, Sazanoko’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.

Taking a deep look at the name on the first page, Sazanoko closed and handed over the booklet.

"Brother, returning this to you."

"Sorry for looking at your things without permission."

"When I saw this booklet drop at your bedroom door, I intended to place it on your desk but as chance would have it, a breeze blew in and opened the booklet allowing me to see the contents."