…

"Lulu~Lulu~Lulu~Lulu~"

Chiba Jutaro hummed an extremely unpleasant tune and walked swaggering down the corridor leading to his bedroom.

Suddenly, a bright breath came from the front.

"Hmm? Sanako?"

Chiba Jutaro looked at Sanako who was walking towards him in surprise.

"Why are you dressed like you're going out? Where are you going?"

"Well. I'm going out... to buy something."

After hurriedly giving a brief explanation, Sanako passed by Chiba Jutaro without any pause and walked away...

…

…

Edo, Ryogoku Bridge——

"Wow! It's so lively!"

Elodie, whose eyes were shining with little stars, scanned the prosperous scene in front of her like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

The fireworks display on the last day was still very lively... no, it was more lively than the previous two days!

At least from Qingdeng's perspective, the density of tourists was much denser than yesterday and the day before.

"Elodie, hold on to my clothes and follow closely. Be careful not to be squeezed away by the crowd."

Qingden shook his left sleeve towards Elodie beside him.

Elodie, who understood deeply, stretched out the thumb and index finger of her right hand and pinched Qingdeng's left sleeve tightly, hiding most of her delicate body in Qingdeng's shadow.

Qingdeng is like an icebreaker - he is the vanguard in the waves formed by countless people, cutting the waves for Elodie.

"Oh - hello! Mr. Tachibana! This way, this way!"

It's Harada's voice.

I followed the sound and saw that everyone was gathered at the agreed meeting place. Souji, Harada, Kondo and other bold-minded people were waving their hands vigorously to Ayoto and Elodie.

"Sorry, everyone, I kept you waiting for so long." Qingden quickened his pace slightly and led Elodie to join the guys smoothly.

"Hahaha, I didn't wait long!" Harada put his hands on his hips and laughed a few times, then squinted his eyes and looked at Elodie, "Mr. Tachibana, is this your little apprentice?"

"This is our first meeting." Elodie let go of Qingdeng's sleeves, folded her hands in front of her thighs, and politely bowed to Kondo and others without being humble or overbearing, "I am Mr. Tachibana's apprentice: Ai

Lottie de Angoulême. Please give me your advice."

Faced with so many unfamiliar adults, some of whom looked quite oppressive, not only did she not have any stage fright, she could also proactively say hello and introduce herself politely... Elodie's kind of character is truly rare.

.

Qingdeng couldn't help but feel a little proud at this moment.

Although Elodie's politeness has nothing to do with him, it is entirely due to the good education she received since childhood and her pure temperament, but Qingto still couldn't help but cast a triumphant look at Kondo and others.

Do you see it? This is the message conveyed in the eyes of my apprentice, Qing Deng.

"Hello, little girl." Kondo smiled and bent down, returning a salute to Elodie, "We have met several times at Renyitang. Although you may already know who I am, I still do

Let me introduce myself formally. I am Isamu Kondo, the teacher of the Imperial Examination Hall."

"I am the disciple of the Imperial Guard Hall, Hijikata Toshizo."

"Saito Ichi."

"I am Sanosuke Harada!"

…

Everyone reported their names to Elodie one by one.

The last person to speak was the director-general.

"Hello, Elodie~" The director waved his hand to Elodie with a smile, "Long time no see~"

"Ah, Mr. Okita!" Elodie happily jumped up to the director with whom she got along very well. "Mr. Okita, it's been a long time since I last saw you! How are you doing recently?"

"I've been living the same life lately," said the chief with a smile, "eating, sleeping, practicing swordplay, and the cycle starts over and over again."

The first official meeting between Elodie, Kondo and others... both the process and the result can be called a complete success.

As the saying goes, don't hit the smiling person - not to mention that the smiling person is still a young girl at the age of innocence.

Elodie's elegant and knowledgeable demeanor gave Kondo and his team a very good initial impression of this blond lolita.

The atmosphere was very harmonious, which made Qingdeng very pleased.

"Okay! Okay!"

At this time, Harada, as the organizer of tonight's outing, clapped his hands vigorously several times.

"Now that everyone is here, let's go quickly! While there is still quite a while before the fireworks show starts, hurry up and see if there is anything delicious or fun nearby!"

Harada's proposal was unanimously approved by everyone.

…

…

At this moment——

Edo, Ryogoku Bridge, somewhere——

"Miss Kinoshita, please leave slowly."

"Well! Goodbye Mr. Jinchi!"

Kinoshita Mai bowed nearly 90 degrees to Jinshichi in front of her. Then, under Jinshichi's watch, she hugged the rat removal tools that she successfully got back and set off on her way home.

Although I have tried my best to go to places with few people, at this time, such places, so-called "places with few people", simply do not exist.

"Tonight's fireworks display is still very lively..."

Kinoshita Mai glanced at the dense crowd around her and was secretly speechless.

The noisy crowd in front of her made Kinoshita Mai couldn't help but recall the beautiful scenes when she and Aoto visited this place the night before.

A cheerful giggle appeared on Kinoshita's cheeks little by little as the memories gradually unfolded.

——When there is another lively event like this, let’s go play with Qingdeng!

Kinoshita Mai was happily thinking this to herself as she strode across the street corner in front of her.

Then... the moment she turned into the street on the left, the silly smile on her face froze instantly.

"Qing...Deng...?"

Kinoshita Mai stared dumbfoundedly ahead, at a certain flow of people in the distance... Mixed in this flow of people was a tall figure that she was very familiar with.

It was Qingdeng whom she had just been thinking about.

With her good eyesight, Kinoshita Mai clearly saw that Qingnobo was walking side by side with someone.

And that person...is Souji Okita.

Due to the angle of view, Kinoshita Mai only saw Souji walking beside Aoto, but not Elodie who was also walking beside Aoto...

…

…

at the same time--

Edo, Ryogoku Bridge, somewhere——

“Thank you for your patronage! Welcome to visit us next time!”

With the store owner personally seeing her off, Sanako strode out of the Wufu store he had visited last night.

Until he reached the place where the shop and the shop owner were far behind him, Sanako slowly slowed down until he stopped.

"What on earth am I doing..."

Sanako looked down at the things in his arms and sighed heavily.

In Sanako's arms, he saw a blue yukata wrapped in fine colored paper...

At this moment, Sanako's mood was extremely complicated.

On the one hand, she felt very lucky that no one had bought the bathrobe.

On the other hand, she felt so ashamed - why should I be in such a hurry to buy this dress? I don't like wearing yukata!

"Forget it..." Sanako sighed again, "I bought everything... just treat it as a decoration and hang it in the closet..."

Although he said so... Sanako's hands unconsciously hugged the new clothes tightly.

At this moment when Sanako was about to leave for home——
To be continued...