"After you were moved into the healing ward, Miss Chiba stayed with you the whole time, nervously waiting for the results of the diagnosis and treatment."

"It wasn't until the carriage to Yokohama set off that she finally closed her eyes and rested peacefully."

"As soon as her eyes closed, she fell asleep."

"The injury on her right shoulder is obviously not healed yet, but she is busy busy without stopping. She should be exhausted a long time ago."

"I think... the reason why she agreed to go to Yokohama without hesitation is probably because of you."

After Qingden heard this, he immediately turned his head subconsciously and looked at Sanako, who was lying on his left side, still sleeping soundly.

This was the first time he saw Sanako's sleeping face.

She lay on her side, curled up slightly.

The soft hair that fell to one side quietly covered her slender and beautiful eyelashes.

Although he has fallen asleep, his face and eyes still look tired.

After watching it carefully, Qingdeng was finally convinced that there was nothing wrong with the scene he had just seen when he was about to lose consciousness.

Sanako has indeed lost weight.

Although the weight loss is not huge, I am afraid that only those who have been with her day and night and are very familiar with her can notice such subtle changes.

But Aomori happened to be the one who could get along with Sanako day and night and was very familiar with Sanako.

When did Miss Sanako lose weight?

Ever since he was imprisoned in Kodenma Town Prison Yashiki, Aoto has hardly had a day of rest.

Escaped from the Kodenma Town prison house that was swallowed up by the sea of ​​fire, forced his way into the headquarters of the thieves, captured Kimura Suma and others alive, sneaked into Yoshiwara, annihilated Kitahara Konosuke, talked with Kikuchi Sensui, visited Miyagawa Shunzou at night, and challenged " "Rabid Dog", the battle at Platycodon Mountain, kicking the Qingshui clan in 13 places, looking for Phoenix House Yataro, fighting in the factory, shooting Nue, and being defeated by Rakshasa...

Looking back, Qingdeng suddenly realized that his experiences in the past half month were more ups and downs than most of an ordinary person's life.

Various events, large and small, came one after another, leaving him no time to pay attention to external things.

Qingdeng's mind was immersed in memories, and his consciousness traveled through time and space along with the memories.

Finally, he suddenly remembered that when he and Sanako met again on the stone steps of Yuegong Shrine, she was no longer as plump as before...

Souji once secretly told him that during the time when he was "missing", Sanako had been tirelessly searching for traces of him...

At this time, for some reason, Qingdeng suddenly felt very tired.

He turned over and lay down on his back with his eyes closed.

"Forget it...this is fine..."

He whispered softly at a volume that only he could hear clearly.

"I seem to be really... tired..."

There was a strong sense of exhaustion in his tone.

Qingdeng raised his right arm and placed the cold back of his right hand on his forehead, using it to apply cold compress to his still aching and swollen head.

——I have tried my best...

——I have done everything I can do.

——Fighting so far, not only have I suffered numerous injuries and almost died, but even my important relatives and friends have almost suffered accidents.

——Just let me rest for a while...

——The merits I have made and the sacrifices I have made are all blameless.

——The only big disappointment was that he was defeated miserably by Rakshasa in the most crucial battle.

——But there is nothing we can do about it. If our skills are not as good as others, what can we do?

——Even if I want to withdraw from this struggle that I don’t know when it will end, no one is qualified to say anything wrong about me.

——His Royal Highness Tenjoin asked me to rest in Yokohama and live in seclusion for a period of time, and Miss Sanako also agreed to this. This means that no one has the intention to criticize me, right?

——I'm so sleepy... Let's sleep a little longer... I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time...

——Yokohama is not far from Edo.

——When I wake up, I should be able to arrive in Yokohama.

——After arriving in Yokohama, let’s rest peacefully and recuperate first, and then slowly think about the future path after the body recovers.

——Ah, by the way, since Sanako-san and Okita-san want to accompany me to Yokohama, wouldn’t there be a chance for us to live together?

——If so... isn't this my ideal life?

——Marry Miss Sanako, Amu, and Miss Okita as your official wives, and then everyone can be happy together and live peacefully and happily... Such a life is so beautiful...

Thinking of this, an indescribable sense of relief surged into Qingdeng's heart.

——It’s really good.

——After a period of getting along, Sanako-san, who has a conservative personality, might agree to marry me along with Amai and Okita-san.

——Okay, that’s it!

——What about Huanfudian, what about the Qingshui clan, what about Rakshasa, etc. Let others handle these trivial matters.

——I'm really tired...just let me rest...

——Well...! I'm getting sleepy...

——Go to sleep...go to sleep...

——When you wake up, you will be able to return to a peaceful and happy daily life with Sanako and the others by your side...

Qingdeng put down the right hand that was on his forehead and put his limbs on the ground. His whole body entered an unprecedented state of relaxation, as if he was in the sea at night, and his consciousness sank to the bottom of the sea little by little with the undercurrent.

The wrapping of night and the light blocking of the carriage made Qingdeng's sleeping environment unprecedentedly good. Not a trace of light penetrated his eyelids, and abyss-like darkness came into his eyes.

Qingdeng will fall asleep again and have a wonderful sleep - this is how it should be...

…

…

...Huh? This is?

Qingdeng glanced around with a look of disbelief.

What should have been a dark field of vision suddenly appeared with color and light.

Before Qingdeng could react, these sudden colors and lights automatically formed a familiar picture.

A cave full of dust, a bloody man lying on his back.

It's Onodera.

To be more precise, Onodera was about to die.

Covered in blood, he lay on his back on the cold rock, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into an angry and bitter smile:

(Sure enough...I'm still so unwilling...I really want to...witness...the demise of the trick...)

Qingdeng: "..."

…

Suddenly, the scene in front of me began to change.

The scene that appeared this time happened just over an hour ago.

Nishino Hosejiro knelt on the ground in an extremely standard posture, with his head held high and his chest held high.

(Nioh...take action...)

Qingdeng: "..."

…

…

…

…

"...Sasushige, stop the car."

In the driver's seat, Shazhong and Yae were both startled.

"Stop? Why?"

As Yae spoke, he turned his face and cast a puzzled look at Qingden.

Qingdeng sat up without saying a word, unscrewed the medicine bottle in his hand expressionlessly, poured out 4 pills, and threw them into his mouth.

"parking."

He repeated it again.

Shazhong looked straight at Qingdeng's face, thoughtfully.

For a moment, she seemed to understand something, showing a rather charming expression that looked both shocked and sad.
To be continued...