Chapter 20 That Distant Hometown

Han Zhou sat at his desk, looking at the history recorded in the books. It was... about the fate of the Shinsengumi. Many open books were scattered on the desk.

Okita Souji, Hijikata Toshizo, Kondo Isami, Sakamoto Ryoma, and other famous historical figures

This book, titled "History," allows you to easily find old friends by flipping through it, and their entire lives can be glimpsed in just a few pages.

Did Han Zhou not have the power to save them? The answer is definitely no.

It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't.

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my chest, and even the handwriting on official documents responding to current affairs no longer possessed its former elegance.

——

The swordsmen watched as dark clouds drifted into the usually clear sky, creating a suffocating atmosphere of oppression.

They had expected a heavy rain, but it turned out to be a continuous drizzle.

Tsurumaru Kuninaga stretched his hand out of the corridor, the cool raindrops falling on his fingertips, bringing a slight chill.

"This is really tricky."

"Haha, even Tsurumaru has things he finds difficult?" Mikazuki laughed as he walked to his side, looking at the Honmaru where it was raining, which was a rare occurrence.

It's not that it never rains in the citadel, but this sudden rain came at a very opportune time. The spirits of the swords manifested by Hanshun could sense a profound sadness in this continuous drizzle.

That person, even in sorrow, showed no emotion. Unless they were extremely familiar with the other person, they probably wouldn't have noticed.

"We've all spent a century with our lord," Tsurumaru Kuninaga remarked, then chuckled softly, as if recalling something.

"That person would even sincerely thank a child who gave her candy."

Mikazuki listened quietly, a look of nostalgia unconsciously appearing in his eyes. Clearly, similar things had happened during that period of his life.

A figure in red sat on the corridor, watching the raindrops fall into the pond, rippling the calm surface. He glanced at the empty seat beside him.

"If only you were here... Anting."

Their time as swordsmen for Okita Souji was brief, and the memory of that man's death always brought an indescribable sorrow to their hearts.

Their lord, however, had been by Okita's side since he was a child, and didn't even get to see Okita's last moments.

How could I not feel sad about this?

Fudo Yukimitsu was accompanied by Yagen and Hasebe. On the way to his room, they encountered a small tiger.

The tiger cub's fur was soaked by the rain, and its paw pads were covered in mud. With each step, it left a small paw print on the wooden floor, and it even had a flower in its mouth.

"Oh, you went out even in the rain?" Yagen said with a hint of annoyance, picking up the little tiger who was soaking wet.

The flower in the little guy's mouth is a very pretty blue flower.

"Yagen-ni... I'm sorry, little tiger, for causing you trouble." Gokotai ran towards him with the other four little guys.

"Why are they all soaking wet?" Yagen looked at the other four, whose fur was also wet, though they were no longer dripping after being wiped with a towel.

Goko took the little tiger from Yagen with the towel in his hand.

"Because our lord is in a bad mood... they wanted to pick some flowers for him."

The tiger cubs of Wuhu were very clever; beasts are quite perceptive. They could sense Hanzhou's sadness, which is why they tried to bring her joy in ways they knew.

"How is the lord?" Hasebe's tone was urgent; if he weren't keeping an eye on this rude fellow, he would have gone to the castle tower long ago.

“Luanni has been there… but our lord used a formation to prevent us from getting close.”

The little tigers, still damp from being dried, excitedly ran towards the castle tower with flowers in their mouths. The barrier gently pushed the little guys away from the castle tower.

Gokotai glanced at the silent Fudou Yukimitsu, but he had no intention of speaking to him. After saying goodbye to Yagen and Hasebe, he left.

Seeing that Kanshū hadn't appeared at the restaurant by mealtime, the other spirits were worried. Tsurumaru, who appeared at the door, looked helpless, carrying a meal in his hands.

"They still won't let us get close. I wanted to leave the food at the door, but the lord forced it back."

They ate the meal somewhat absentmindedly, but as they passed through the courtyard, they saw Hanzhou.

"My lord?!"

But this figure was merely an afterimage left behind by Han Zhou.

"This is a message. By the time you see it, I will no longer be in the citadel. Before my return, my personal attendant was Tsurumaru Kuninaga."

After leaving the message, it turned into starlight and disappeared.

Where will Hanshun go after temporarily leaving the citadel? She has returned to her hometown.

She walked through the bustling streets and came to the foot of a huge, lush peach tree. The sweet fragrance of the blossoms filled the air, and pink petals swirled in the breeze.

Han Zhou, carrying a flask of wine, walked to the tombstone under the peach tree.

[The Tomb of Feng Qingyuan]

The rich aroma of the wine blends with the floral scents in the air, creating a truly unique and exquisite brew.

The sounds of children playing in the distance grew closer. The children had two little buns on their heads, and their faces were flushed from running, making them look like little lucky charms.

They were somewhat stunned when they saw the ethereal woman sitting beside the tombstone.

My parents said that those who live in tombstones have gone far away. It's hard to meet them again, so... is that woman grieving?

The children looked at each other, then scattered. They held beautiful flowers in their hands, and some of their faces were covered in dust.

As the fragrance of the flowers reached her nose, Hanzhou raised her hand and touched the flower wreath that had appeared on her head.

"Sister, this flower wreath is for you!"

"And hers too!"

One wreath landed on Hanzhou's head, and the other was placed on the tombstone.

She looked at the children and took out the candy she had bought from her pocket. A gentle smile appeared on her face.

Thank you.

They stared at Hanzhou's smiling face for a moment, then took the candy from her. Hand in hand, they ran towards home, laughing and joking.

Seeing the little ones waving goodbye to her, Han Zhou chuckled softly, her tone filled with nostalgia and a touch of teasing.

"What a great place to drink and enjoy the view... You really know how to pick a spot."

Han Zhou might not have known that time flowed differently in the citadel than outside. Or perhaps she did know, but at that moment she didn't want to think about anything else.

She just wanted to go home and see her.

Even a cold grave

——Honmaru——

Kitsune-no-suke tried to contact the Saniwa by ringing the bell in front of him, but it still didn't work.

"Where did our lord go? We can't send a signal..." Kitsune-no-suke said, head bowed in frustration.

"Perhaps they've gone home," Higekiri said, seemingly unconcerned, still sitting there drinking tea.

"Hmm...it feels like a very faraway place, hahaha."

Kitsune-no-suke watched Mikazuki discussing with Higekiri which tea snack was best and sighed helplessly.

"What should we do about that immobile Yukimitsu in the citadel?" it asked, looking at Tsurumaru Kuninaga, who served as its attendant.

"The rewards for the current political tasks have already been sent to the lord's account, and he presume he believes that the Dark Lord's Immovable Light has already shattered his blade."

"If he doesn't want to stay in the citadel, then let him go. That's what I say, but we can only decide after our lord returns."

Because Hanshu wasn't at the main compound, all the official documents that Hanshu needed to handle fell on Tsurumaru Kuninaga's shoulders. The documents were a minor matter; the most important thing was that unshakeable Gyomitsu...

This is really troublesome.