My Gang of Swordsmen-Chapter 88 - 70: Encounter with Colonel Sanders

Opening the door was a chubby white old man.

When he laid eyes on this old man, for an instant, Aoto seemed to see Colonel Sanders...

This old man in front of him didn’t just resemble Colonel Sanders; he looked exactly like him.

The neatly trimmed short beard on his chin and lips.

His short hair, combed back and to the side, was as snow-white as his beard without a hint of another color.

A belly so large it pushed his clothes up high.

On his nose perched a pair of large glasses.

And that cheerful smile he was currently showing Aoto...

Aoto felt that if this man were born in the 21st century, he might successfully sue KFC for trademark infringement on his likeness.

After "Colonel Sanders" opened the door with his protruding belly, two graceful figures followed him inside the room.

One of these two figures was very familiar to Aoto—the very Western girl he saved today, Elodie.

Elodie still wore the light blue kimono and white socks, but her hairstyle was different from this afternoon.

This afternoon, when Aoto accidentally knocked off Elodie’s headscarf and mask, her hair was loosely down, likely for convenience in tucking it under the scarf.

Now, Elodie’s long, shiny golden hair was neatly braided into a three-stranded plait draping over her right shoulder, with her smooth bangs neatly resting on her forehead.

With hands folded in front of her, she followed "Colonel Sanders" step by step.

Watching Elodie walking behind "Colonel Sanders," Aoto couldn’t help but think: fate is really a strange thing.

A few days ago, he had just heard of Elodie’s name from Inagawa, and within days, he saw her in person...

This afternoon, he didn’t have a chance to look closely at Elodie’s face, but now, taking a careful look, Aoto realized: the rumors Inagawa told him about Elodie were not unfounded.

This Elodie truly was very cute.

Round and bright eyes, pupils clear and bright like exquisite gemstones, a high and straight nose, delicately beautiful lips...

At age 12 with such looks...there’s much to expect for the future.

Clearly Western and from France, yet Elodie’s features weren’t overly pronounced and deep.

Simply put...Elodie’s appearance had a bit of a blend of East and West.

The features were unmistakably Western at first glance, yet the lines had a touch of Eastern softness.

This appearance, with both Western and Eastern advantages, could indeed easily appeal to some people’s aesthetics in this era.

The other graceful figure besides Elodie, Aoto found both familiar and unfamiliar.

Rather tall, slightly dry brown hair, grandmother-green eyes, a face with some freckles.

Aoto didn’t recognize her at first; it was only when he saw her wearing that pale yellow kimono that he remembered—wasn’t this the "pale yellow girl" who silently followed behind Mukiwa and Elodie all afternoon?

The pale yellow girl maintained a certain distance, following behind "Colonel Sanders" and Elodie.

Aoto guessed this pale yellow girl must be Elodie’s maid: Leroy, right?

"I suppose you are Tachibana Aoto?"

Pushing his protruding belly, "Colonel Sanders" arrived in front of Aoto and greeted him with a peculiar-accented Japanese, smiling.

After a brief exchange with this "Colonel Sanders," Aoto learned this old man was indeed Anthony de Angoulême, Elodie’s grandfather.

Anthony’s visit this time was solely to thank Aoto for saving his granddaughter.

While thanking Aoto, Anthony also casually mentioned Oomura and the others’ interrogation results of the "birthmark man."

After successfully capturing the only survivor among today’s attackers, the "birthmark man" with an ugly birthmark on his face, Oomura and the others carried out an inhumane interrogation.

Under Oomura and the others’ questioning, they managed to uncover the attackers’ identity.

It turned out these attackers weren’t the "Radical Anti-foreigner Faction" targeting Aoto at all.

They were just a group of impoverished ronin who had lost their lord and livelihood.

To avoid attracting trouble, Elodie and Leroy used masks and headscarves to cover their hair and faces when they went to Ejima Shrine with Mukiwa. However, despite these precautions, a ronin noticed the color of Elodie’s eyes on their way to the shrine.

Blue eyes... unmistakably Westerners.

After realizing that the girl wearing the Celestial Dog Mask was a Westerner, the ronin harbored ulterior motives.

Aiming to escape his current destitute life, where he was homeless and hungry, the ronin decided to take a gamble: kill Elodie! Then, he would take her head to the "Anti-foreigner Faction Base Camp": Mito Domain, hoping to secure a position there or gain someone’s patronage.

Mito Domain—together with Owari Domain and Kishu Domain, collectively known as the "Three Royal Families," one of the Edo Shogunate’s most important favored daimyos.

During the Edo Era, which still adhered to a feudal system reminiscent of the Western Zhou Period of China, these great domains, almost like "countries within a country," wielded significant political influence and military power that could even challenge the Shogunate.

Seven years ago, after United States Navy Commodore Perry’s fleet opened Japan’s gates, each great domain chose their sides.

Some advocated for peace.

Some remained indifferent, offering no opinions.

Only a group of domains, led by Mito Domain, adopted a rigid diplomatic stance.

Mito Domain’s position was simple: expel every last barbarian! Return Japan to its former state of isolation!

For the past seven years, Mito Domain had been pressuring the Edo Shogunate to implement a complete anti-foreigner policy.

Mito Domain’s strong stance against the barbarians naturally earned the favor and esteem of the "Anti-foreigner Faction."

Thus, a large number of "Anti-foreigner Warriors" revered Mito Domain as their "spiritual leader," and Mito Domain naturally became their base camp, attracting more and more "Anti-foreigner Warriors" to unite and discuss the "Anti-foreigner Cause."

Because Mito Domain clung steadfastly to its "radical anti-foreigner" diplomatic policy, the relationship between Mito Domain and the Edo Shogunate was quite tense—currently, the Shogunate’s Tairō, Ii Naosuke, advocated for "opening the country," which was completely incompatible with Mito Domain, whose mindset was entirely focused on "anti-foreigner."

In summary, the ronin’s idea wasn’t necessarily an impractical fantasy—though securing a position at Mito Domain might be challenging if they brought a Westerner’s head there, gaining the favor of a committed "anti-foreigner warrior" who might take them in was plausible.

If nothing was done soon, he might remain a lifelong ronin. Instead of continuing this miserable existence, he decided to take a bold step— driven by this thought, the somewhat loyal ronin gathered a few friends, intending to change their lives by relying on Elodie’s head.

Their plan was perfect.

But they hadn’t accounted for Aoto as a variable...

After hearing Anthony’s account, Aoto couldn’t help but twitch his mouth.

So, after all this time, today’s attack was just a misunderstanding...?!

"Today, I am truly grateful to both of you," Anthony bowed ninety degrees to Aoto and Saito once more, "Without your timely rescue, I wouldn’t know how to cope."

Standing behind Anthony, Elodie and Leroy simultaneously bowed to Aoto in thanks.

"Ah... there’s no need for such formalities," Aoto’s face showed a helpless smile, "To be frank—I didn’t draw my sword today specifically to save your daughter."

If Anthony and Kiryu misunderstood that he had engaged in a bloody battle with those ronin solely to save Mukiwa and Elodie, it would seem like he was taking undue advantage of them.

Aoto liked to do things with clear terms.

Whether it was owing someone a favor or someone owing him, Aoto preferred not to leave things ambiguous.

Thus, Aoto patiently explained to Anthony and Kiryu why he decided to fight those ronin today.

Kiryu, Mukiwa, and the others weren’t aware that Aoto had been targeted by the "Radical Anti-foreigner Faction," so after listening to his explanation, they looked at Aoto in shock, much like Anthony and Elodie.

After hearing Aoto’s explanation, Anthony, after a moment of reflection, let out a hearty laugh.

"It doesn’t matter!"

He gestured grandly.

"Regardless of your motive in saving my daughter, the fact that you saved her remains indisputable."

"It won’t affect the deepest gratitude I owe you for this life-saving act!"

Having said that, Anthony let out a few more hearty laughs.

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