I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

"I was a swordsman in ancient Japan ()"

Because of the rush of time, Mamiya only had time to cook a pot of ordinary rice porridge.

While eating dinner, Lin briefly introduced what happened to Mamiya and Genichi in Kyoto, their alliance with Ogata and Acho, and their plan to completely solve the Shiranui issue. There is a hidden danger in this plan.

Because it was late, and they were on the road during the day today, suffering from the exhaustion of boats and cars, so after dinner, Lin said that everyone should go to bed early, get down to business or something, and then talk slowly.

After dinner, Mamiya invited everyone to watch the gadgets he made in the past few months when he was bored.

According to Mamiya - when he was repairing the base of their gourd house, he had a playful attitude and used discarded wood to make many cabinets and boxes.

Anyway, I have nothing to do, except for Lin who has already gone down to rest, and Genichi, who already knew what Mamiya was doing, and was ordered by Lin to go to the island where Ogata and A-cho lived in the futons they needed at this time. Everyone except Tian and A-Machi who was about to take a bath followed to see the cabinets and boxes that Mamiya made.

These cabinets and boxes made by Jian Gong are piled up in a corner of the temple.

This pile of cabinets and boxes comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Mamiya pointed to the pile of cabinets and boxes he had made, and told Ogata, Makimura, and Asai that if they liked any one, they could just take it.

Both Makimura and Asai have no shortage of cabinets and boxes.

On the contrary, Ogata took a fancy to one of the cabinets.

The cabinet Ogata was looking at was very low, with only one layer of barrels, but it was very long and wide enough for two grown men to lie side by side on it.

"Jian Gong-kun." Ogata stretched out his finger and pointed at the cabinet in his picture, "Can you help me carry this cabinet to my room?"

"Yes, it's fine. But...do you want to change to another cabinet? This cabinet can't hold many things, so it's not very useful."

"It doesn't matter. I don't intend to use this cabinet to store things anyway."

"Huh?" Mamiya showed doubts, "If you don't use the cabinet to store things, what are you using it for?"

"Well... I'll tell you after you help me move this cabinet to my room."

...

...

Ogata and Mamiya worked together to move the low, but long and wide cabinet into Ogata's room.

The room that Ogata lived in was the same as the one he had stayed in when he first came to Gourd House a few months ago.

After entering this room, Ogata had a feeling of "long absence".

While having dinner just now, Lin arranged rooms for Ogata and A-cho.

There is no shortage of vacancies here in their gourd house, so Lin arranged a room for Ogata and Atachi, and their rooms were not far apart.

At Ogata's request, Ogata and Mamiya worked together to place the low cabinet in the center of the room.

"Okay." Jian Gong said while wiping the thin sweat from his forehead, "Can you tell me what you plan to do with this cabinet?"

"I'm going to—do it."

While talking, Ogata picked up the quilt that was placed at his feet.

This quilt should have been sent by Shimada just now.

After dinner just now, Lin asked Shimada to prepare the futons for Ogata and Atachi, so Shimada didn't follow to see the pile of cabinets and boxes made by Mamiya just now.

Ogata spread the mattress on top of the cabinet, and then lay directly on it.

Mamiya raised an eyebrow:

"Ogata-kun, are you going to sleep on it?"

"That's right."

"Won't you feel uncomfortable sleeping on top of the cabinet?"

"Gamiya, let me tell you the truth." Ogata looked at Gamiya seriously, "Actually, I'm not used to sleeping on tatami."

"Huh? Not used to sleeping on tatami?" Mamiya looked like he was looking at an alien,

Looking at Ogata.

Ogata could understand the gaze that Mamiya was looking at him.

After all, in 18th-century Japan, telling people that you weren't used to sleeping on tatami mats made people think you were a super weirdo.

"Unexpectedly, Ogata-kun, you have strange hobbies." Mamiya shrugged, then turned and walked out of the room, "Ogata-kun, I'm leaving first. You should have a good rest."

"Well. Good night, Mamiya."

After Mamiya left and closed the door smoothly, Ogata, who was lying on the cabinet, stretched vigorously.

Although it has been more than a year since he came to the Edo period, until now, Ogata is still not used to sleeping on tatami.

Every day when he opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor, Ogata felt an unexplainable strange feeling.

The reason why Ogata took a fancy to this cabinet was because it was low enough to be used as a bed.

Lying on this cabinet made Ogata feel nostalgic.

During the day today, I have been spending in bumps all the time.

Lying on the futon, Ogata felt a burst of drowsiness gradually occupying his mind.

When Ogata and Mamiya worked together to move the cabinet to his room, Acho ran to take a shower.

Now he must be back in her room too, ready to fall asleep.

Unknowingly, under the influence of drowsiness, Ogata slowly closed his eyes...

...

...

After falling asleep vaguely, Ogata suddenly heard footsteps outside the room.

The long years of ronin life since leaving the Hirose Clan has long allowed Ogata to develop the ability to "not sleep too much, and wake up as soon as he hears any trouble".

As soon as he heard footsteps outside the room, Xufang opened his eyes suddenly, and then quickly picked up Da Shitian, which he had been carrying in his arms.

As soon as Ogata sat up, he heard a very familiar voice from outside the room:

"Ayi, it's me."

"Machi...?"

After hearing the voice of Ah-Ming, Oochi slowly put down the Da Shitian that he had just picked up, and at the same time relaxed the tense muscles and nerves.

Wow.

Ah-Ming outside the room slowly opened the door.

A-Machi had loose hair, was wearing the yukata she bought in Kyoto, and was wearing a pair of cute white feet with wooden clogs on her feet. She was standing just outside the door of Ogata's room.

Before Ogata had time to ask Ah-Machi what he was doing outside the door of his room at night, Ah-Machi slowly walked into Ogata's room and closed the door again.

"A-cho, what's wrong?" The astonishment on Ogata's face still persisted.

A-Machi did not immediately answer Ogata's question, but first walked slowly to the cabinet under Ogata, and then asked Ogata with a confused face:

"Ayi, why are you sleeping on this cabinet?"

"Well... To put it simply, I think sleeping on the cabinet is more comfortable than sleeping on the tatami."

"Unexpectedly, Ayi, you have strange hobbies."

After saying this emotion that was almost exactly the same as what Mamiya had said just now, A-Machi kicked off the clogs on his feet and sat on Ogata's bed.

"A-Ming, what's the matter? You can't sleep, are you planning to chat with me?" Ogata put away Da Shitian and Da Zizai while sitting cross-legged.

"Hmm...well..." Ah-Ming said softly.

A-Machi lifted her legs up, stepped on Ogata's bed with both feet, and then stretched out her hands to wrap around her legs.

"I... say it, don't laugh at me." A-cho's face was a bit bitter, "I was already going to sleep just now."

"But...as soon as I close my eyes, I feel...there seems to be pursuers from Shiranui outside the house..."

"I've been wondering why I'm doing this."

"On the way from Kyoto to Owari, I obviously slept soundly every night, why only when I close my eyes now, I feel that there are pursuers from Shiranui who are about to kill me..."

"After thinking hard for a while, I finally figured out the reason."

Speaking of this, A-Machi turned his head and showed a faint smile to Ogata.

"Because I don't have you by my side."

"Because you were there on the way before, I wouldn't feel afraid."

Hearing what Ah-cho said, Ogata was slightly taken aback.

After a long silence, Ogata said softly:

"Don't be afraid. Machi. I'm here."

Hearing Ogata's words, the smile on A-Machi's face became more obvious, and both eyes were bent into crescent moons.

"Ayi, please chat with me."

"Then... When I get sleepy from talking and I fall asleep, can I trouble you to carry me back to my room?"

"...Well." Ogata nodded almost without any hesitation, "Okay, no problem. Then... let's talk about some ordinary topics first."

"A common topic? For example?"

"Machi, after Shiranui dies, is there anything in particular you want to do?"

"It's really a very common topic... Ayi, is there anything in particular you want to do?"

"Now I'm asking you. After you tell me what you want to do in the future, I'll tell you what I want to do in the future."

"Is there something I want to do next..."

After muttering like this, A-Machi became silent and thoughtful.

After a while, Ah-Ming said softly:

"...the bride."

"Huh? What?" Ogata, who hadn't heard what A-cho was saying just now, hummed like a mosquito, asked.

After being silent for a while, A-Ming blushed slightly, and said word by word in a slightly louder voice than before:

"After no more pursuers from Shiranui come to the door, I want to be a beautiful bride..."

"...What a simple dream."

"What's wrong with being simple?" A-Machi raised his hand angrily and patted Ogata on the shoulder.

After withdrawing the hand that patted Ogata's shoulder, A-Machi was silent again for a while, and then continued:

"Although it is indeed a bit simple, it is an unattainable dream for me..."

"When I was very young, I knew that as a female ninja, just planning to live the life of an ordinary person is a luxury..."

Ah-Machi's words instantly made the surrounding atmosphere a little heavy.

For some reason, A-Machi was silent again.

And Ogata also remained silent because he didn't know what to say now to ease the slightly heavy atmosphere.

The two who kept silent together made the atmosphere around them more and more heavy...

Just when Ogata still hadn't figured out what to say at this time, A-Machi broke the silence with a sudden voice:

"My simple dream, I don't know when it will take, and... Is there any chance to realize it?"

A-Ming's tone was half joking, half distressed.

Looking at A-Machi with a faint melancholy expression on his face, Ogata pursed his lips slightly, and then——

"Huh? Ayi, what's the matter?"

Ogata stood up suddenly, arousing Machi's doubts.

"Machi, come with me."

Ogata stood up, stretched out his big slap, gently took the slender and small hand of A-Machi, and then held A-Machi's hand involuntarily, making A-Machi stand up with him.

"What, what are you doing? If you're going outside, let me put on the clogs first!"

Although he didn't know what Ogata was going to do, A-Machi obediently let Ogata hold her hand and pulled her to the window.

In Ogata's room, there was only one window, which was not too big or too small.

Ogata opened the window, and the cool evening breeze immediately rushed towards the two of them.

Ogata raised his head, and after finding out the south, east, north and west according to the position of the moon, he stretched out his finger and pointed to the east:

"That's the East."

"Go all the way east from here, you can reach Sanhe, Yuanjiang, Junhe, and finally Edo."

"That area is also commonly known as the Kanto Land."

"As the ruling center of the shogunate, Kanto must be far more prosperous than my hometown and Kyoto."

Ogata twisted his fingers.

"That's the north."

"Going all the way north, you will be able to reach the land of Ezo."

"As the northern land of Ezo, once it's winter, you can look around and see it covered with snow."

"It's a bit ashamed to say that I have never seen a snow mountain. I really want to see it."

Ogata turned the direction his finger pointed again.

"That's the West."

"From here to the west, you can reach your hometown, Omi."

"Going west, I will arrive at my hometown - Izumo."

"It's been almost a year since I left Izumo."

"Although in Izumo, I don't have many people I still know well, but if I have the opportunity, I'd still like to go back to Izumo."

Ogata slowly retracted his fingers.

"Japan may seem big, but compared with the whole world, Japan is just a tiny country."

"There are still many countries in this world."

"In these countries, there must be many scenery that cannot be seen in Japan."

Ogata folded his arms around his chest, looked at the distant mountain that blocked the horizon, and said calmly:

"That's what I want to do after that."

"Huh? What...?" A-Ming looked puzzled.

"That's what I want to do in the future."

Ogata repeated what he had just said word by word.

"Seeing different landscapes around the world freely without any restraint. This is what I want to do in the future."

"After Shiranui is wiped out and the poison of immortality in my body is cured, I will, like before, put on a knife and become a vagrant who makes his home around the world, and then wander aimlessly and watch aimlessly. landscapes everywhere."

"It's different from my simple dream. Ah Yi, your dream is so grand." A-Ming said in a half-joking tone.

"That said, but if a person wanders alone without support, I'm afraid that one day in the future, I won't be able to persist in my dream."

Speaking of this, a faint smile began to appear on Ogata's face.

"So—Machi, come and help me realize my dream."

"Eh……?"

"I'll help you realize your dreams, and then you can help me realize mine."

After Ogata finished saying this, he slowly turned his head and looked directly into Ah-Machi's eyes.

His extremely clear eyes, reminiscent of the sky and the sea, clearly reflected the figure of Machi.

"The two of us have been cooperating seamlessly since Butterfly Island. With our tacit understanding, the two of us will surely realize each other's dreams beautifully."

When Ogata looked directly into Ogata's eyes, Acho also looked directly into Ogata's eyes.

The look of looking seriously into Ogata's eyes seemed to be looking for something in Ogata's eyes.

Her big eyes showed a slight surprise, and there was a bit of joy in the surprise.

Her rosy lips were tightly pressed, and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised.

"Do you know what you said just now? Are you planning to change my name to 'Ogata Town' in the future?"

There was a bit of helplessness in A-Ming's tone.

Ogata did not respond to Ah-Machi's words.

Just smiled.

Then—

Without any warning, Ogata slowly raised his hands, wrapped his arms around A-Ming's back, and pulled A-Ming into his arms.

The movements are as gentle as picking up beautiful flowers floating on the calm water.

For Ogata's sudden embrace, A-Machi did not make any resistance.

After being embraced by Ogata, A-Machi hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her hands, and gently embraced Ogata. That action is like a mother bird spreading her wings to protect her chicks.

While hugging Ogata backwards, A-Machi stood on tiptoe and leaned his cheek against Ogata's.

And Ogata also cooperated with Ah-ding, bending his waist slightly.

The cheeks of the two were almost touching, and Ogata could clearly feel the hot breath from her cheeks.

Ogata looked at her face intentionally or unintentionally, and saw a faint smile on her face, but she bit her lower lip again, as if she wanted to cry again.

Although it was strange to say so, Ogata only felt that—at this time, A-Machi was very... a girl.

In front of Ogata, A-Machi has always shown a heroic spirit and strength far surpassing other women of the same age.

This is the second time that Ogata has deeply felt that the person in front of him is a weak girl with a slender heart.

The first time was that long night in Kyoto, when Machi was shivering with fear.

And the second time is now.

The two of them quietly let time pass by like this.

These are chaotic times.

Everywhere is uneven.

In the world that is still in chaos, there is only this place at this moment, like a small boat floating on the calm night sea.