My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 472: Chapter 167: Oh! Miss Elodie, Are You Blushing? [1W Burst Release]

Aoto’s footsteps faltered slightly.

Harada deliberately lowered the tone of his voice.

With his exquisite voice control, only those close to him, including Aoto, could hear what he just said.

As soon as Harada finished speaking, Nagakura looked at him with a face full of astonishment: "Those Western women’s faces are so strange looking. Seeing such faces, you still have the mood to do that kind of thing?"

Although the "Black Ship Incident" of American Commodore Perry commanding the fleet into Edo Bay happened seven years ago in Kaei 6 (1853), Japan didn’t immediately open its doors because of the incident.

Fearing the martial power of the United States, the Edo Shogunate did not dare refuse the demands to open the country, but feared abandoning the "National Lockdown Order" as a national policy would invite criticism across the nation once the doors were opened.

Thus, the chief Senior Councillor of the Edo Shogunate at the time, Abu Masahiro, used the excuse of "requiring the Emperor’s approval to accept the treaty," agreeing with Perry to provide a reply the following spring.

So, this visit by the United States fleet did not achieve any substantive outcomes, only successfully delivering their national letter demanding Japan to open up to trade, while effectively showcasing American martial power.

By the following year, Kaei 6 (1854), Perry returned as promised, leading a larger fleet into Edo Bay, demanding the Edo Shogunate "the appointed time has arrived, give a reply."

Only at this point did the Edo Shogunate finally succumb to the pressure and sign the "Kanagawa Treaty" with the United States.

Thereafter, nations like England, France, Holland, and Tsarist Russia swarmed in like cats sniffing out fish, seeking to sign treaties with Japan.

Only then did the "National Lockdown Order" of the Edo Shogunate essentially become obsolete, and the national doors were completely opened.

So, to be precise, until now, Japan has only genuinely kept its doors open for less than six years in total.

Due to too short a time since opening up exchanges with the outside world, even those who did not hold strong aversions toward Westerners found it very difficult to get accustomed to the appearance and culture of Westerners.

Whether it was the stature of Westerners, even women were very tall, or their overly pale skin, various hair colors, and eye colors, all made the Japanese of this era extremely uncomfortable, considering these Westerners looking like demons.

With Westerners’ noses generally high, like the Great Demon in Japanese legends: Tengu, thus further cementing some people’s notion of "Westerners are a bunch of yokai, impure beings."

After issuing sharp questions toward Harada, Nagakura lowered his voice, and said assertively:

"I’ve heard because our races are different from Westerners, doing that kind of thing with Westerners will make you sick."

"This is purely a baseless rumor." Even as Nagakura finished his words, Aoto couldn’t help but refute with a helpless tone as he found such a claim too absurd.

"Don’t you want to try it?" Harada licked his lips, "Anyway, I’m really hoping to try it."

"It’s just a pity that this place seems... unlikely to have Western courtesans here."

The Westerners living in this Edo Residence were either businessmen doing business in Japan or officials handling Japanese affairs. Those of lower statuses were servants or guards of the above two types.

In a word—residents of this region were not rich or noble.

Indeed, it was unlikely to encounter Western courtesans in such a place.

In response to Harada’s earlier question, "Don’t you want to try it?", Saito was the first to give a cold, cool, and characteristically brief answer: "No interest."

Nagakura followed Saito with a response: "I’m not accustomed to the appearance of Westerners."

At this moment, a man wearing a neatly pressed suit with brown hair and green eyes happened to approach Nagakura from a distance.

Looking at this man’s brown hair and very green eyes, Nagakura shrunk his neck, then silently stepped aside, standing away from this brown-haired man.

Seeing both Saito and Nagakura had given their answers, Harada turned his expectant gaze to Aoto.

Harada seemed to be seeking a companion to join him in his ventures of seeking pleasure.

Upon noticing Harada’s gaze, Aoto responded with a helpless expression: "I’m not particularly interested in seeking pleasure with courtesans."

Influenced by the education received in a previous life, Aoto has always maintained a resolute attitude against "seeking courtesans."

Moreover, in Aoto’s eyes, engaging with courtesans in this era was entirely a gamble risking one’s life.

Due to the lack of reliable protective measures and the general absence of a developed sense of hygiene among people of this era, venereal diseases were rampant among the populace.

In this era where antibiotics hadn’t been invented, most venereal diseases were terminal once contracted—one could only wait for death.

Aoto was unwilling to succumb to illness and perish... especially by dying from venereal diseases—it was something he wished to avoid happening to him.

Upon seeing even Aoto express "no interest," a clear look of dismay appeared between Harada’s brows.

"What about you?" Harada looked at the last person yet to express a stance. "Fujimura, what do you say?"

"Huh? Me?" Being the youngest in Aoto’s team, Fujimura’s face, still marked by noticeable innocence, showed a troubled expression as he pondered, "Um... How should I answer this?"