A loud male voice suddenly sounded from beside Ogata and Atachi.

"Kondo?" After seeing who it was, Ogata raised his eyebrows.

The man who shouted "Master" was none other than Kondo Uchizosuke.

Kondo held the knife at his waist and ran towards Ogata quickly.

"Why are you here?" Ogata asked Kondo, who was running towards him quickly.

"A few days ago, Mr. Kotaro said that you were injured and were recuperating! I have some free time today, so I thought I would come and visit you!"

After approaching Ogata, Kondo looked up and down Ogata's face with serious eyes, as if "checking whether his husband possesses a woman's long hair."

"What are you doing?" Ogata, who felt a little goosebumps at Kondo's look, touched his face, "Is there anything dirty on my face?"

"Master, it turns out you are really the executioner Ittousai - Ogata Issei..."

"Did you not know that I am Ogata Ittousai until now..." Ogata felt helpless to complain, "I thought you recognized me as early as that night 4 days ago... so you have been

Are you calling 'Master' to someone whose name you don't even know..."

"On that night four days ago, after I followed your instructions and left the wife and daughter of the owner of Inaba Hall in the care of Kamiyama Koshinosuke, I realized that I never knew your name."

Kondo said seriously.

"I just feel like I've seen your face somewhere on the street."

"So after handing over the Inaba Hall Master's wife and daughter and the iron cannon to Kamiyama Koshinosuke, I ran around on the street to look for where I had seen your face."

"Then I saw you, Master, on a wanted poster posted on the street."

"Then I found out, master, that you actually accomplished the feat of 'attacking Nijo Castle'..."

As soon as Kondo finished speaking, Oubon said in a half-joking tone:

"Now that you know that I am the notorious Ogata Ittosai, do you still plan to ask me for swordsmanship?"

"Ogata Ittousai is just a heinous person in the eyes of the government. But in fact, Ogata Ittousai's prestige among the people is not that bad." Kondo smiled, "At least - I don't hate upholding justice in Hirose Domain.

Sword, Ogata Ittosai who killed the tyrant. On the contrary, he respects him very much."

"I have always believed that Ogata Ittosai's righteous deeds in the Hirose Domain are comparable to the 'Ako Forty-seven Martyrs Incident' 90 years ago!"

"The 'Ako Forty-seven Martyrs Incident' 90 years ago is different in nature from what I did in Hirose Domain."

Ogata said in a helpless tone.

"The Forty-seven Ako martyrs 90 years ago avenged their master, and I avenged my sect and those who were persecuted by Matsudaira Gennai."

"And my reputation will probably start to get worse now."

Speaking of this, the corner of Ogata's mouth evoked a hint of self-deprecation.

"If Ogata Ittousai was still a free-spirited knight in the eyes of others, then after that night 4 days ago, Ogata Ittousai may have become an 'attacking shogunate' in the eyes of most people.

It’s a lunatic who wants the land.”

"Maybe. But some people may respect Ogata Ittousai more. For example - me." Kondo replied without thinking.

"Oh?" Ogata cast a surprised look at Kondo, "Why?"

"In order to practice swordsmanship, I left my hometown and traveled around, so... I also saw many horrible scenes under the shogunate."

A look of reminiscence flashed across Kondo's face.

"After several trips, I had a vague idea: Maybe the shogunate should make some changes."

"We can no longer cling to ancient laws like this."

"But for a behemoth like the shogunate, 'change' cannot be carried out simply by doing it."

"Master, your attack on Nijo Castle 4 days ago may have made the shogunate realize that they are not secure, and it may have caused some... changes to the shogunate in the future."

"So in my eyes - Master, what you did that night four days ago, from some perspective, maybe it was a good thing."

"Ha." Ogata chuckled a few times, "I don't care what happens after the shogunate."

"On the contrary, Kondo, what you just said is very interesting."

"I didn't expect that you, who looks like a rough man, could say such shocking words."

"It doesn't matter if the whip is penetrated or something." Kondo smiled helplessly, "What I just said are just some small insights I experienced while traveling around the world."

"Then - I'll take my leave first."

"Hmm? Kondo, are you leaving?"

"Well, I came here today just to see how your injury is, Master. I feel relieved to see you so energetic, Master."

"Kondo, there's no need to leave so quickly. It's not too late to leave before you fulfill the agreement between you and me."

"Promise?" Kondo repeated the word doubtfully at first, then suddenly remembered what the agreement between himself and Ogata was, and his face lit up with joy.

"Follow me." Ogata said, turning around and walking towards the small yard of Fuma's house, "I'll... teach you my unique swordsmanship - 'Ogata-ryu'!"

"'Ogata style'?!" Kondo looked surprised, "Master, is this your own swordsmanship?"
Chapter completed!