Because he was in a hurry, Mamiya only had time to cook a pot of ordinary rice porridge.
While eating dinner, Lin briefly introduced to Mamiya and Genichi what happened in Kyoto, as well as their alliance with Ogata and Amachi, and their subsequent plans to completely eliminate Shiranui.
There is a hidden danger in this plan.
Because it was already late, and they had been on the road during the day and suffered from the fatigue of traveling and traveling, so after dinner, Lin said that everyone should go to bed early and get down to business and then talk slowly.
After dinner, Mamiya invited everyone to come and see the gadgets he had made out of boredom in the past few months.
According to Mamiya, when he was renovating their Calabash House base, he had a playful attitude and used discarded wood to make many cabinets and boxes.
Anyway, there was nothing to do. Apart from Lin, who had already gone down to rest, and Genichi, who had already known what Mamiya had done, they were ordered by Lin to prepare the bedding for Ogata and Omachi on the island.
Everyone except Tian and Atachi who was about to take a bath followed and looked at the cabinets and boxes made by Mamiya.
These cabinets and boxes made by Mamiya are piled in a corner of the temple.
The pile of cabinets and boxes come in various styles and sizes.
Mamiya pointed to the pile of cabinets and boxes he had made, and told Ogata, Makimura, and Asai that if they liked any of them, they could just take them.
Both Makimura and Asai are not short of cabinets and boxes.
On the contrary, Ogata took a fancy to one of the cabinets.
The cabinet Ogata was interested in was very short, with only one layer of barrels, but it was very long and wide enough for two adult men to lie side by side on it.
"Mamiya-kun." Ogata stretched out his finger and pointed at the cabinet he liked, "Can you help me carry this cabinet to my room?"
"It's okay. But... do you want to change to another cabinet? This cabinet can't hold many things, so it's not very useful."
"It doesn't matter. I don't plan to use this cabinet to store things anyway."
"Huh?" Mamiya looked confused, "If you don't use the cabinet to store things, then what are you going to use it for?"
"Well...I'll tell you after you help me move this cabinet to my room."
…
...gnawing at the bookstore
Ogata and Mamiya worked together to move the low, but long and wide cabinet into Ogata's room.
The room Ogata stayed in was the same room he stayed in when he first came to Calabash House as a guest a few months ago.
After entering this room, Ogata felt like "it's been a long time".
While having dinner just now, Lin arranged rooms for Ogata and Atachi.
There was no shortage of vacancies here at Calabash House, so Lin arranged a room for Ogata and Atachi each, and their rooms were not far apart.
At Ogata's request, Ogata and Mamiya worked together to place the low cabinet in the center of the room.
"Okay." Mamiya said while wiping the sweat from his forehead, "Can you tell me what you plan to do with this cabinet?"
"That's what I'm going to do."
As Ogata said this, he picked up the quilt at his feet.
This bedding must have been sent over by Shimada just now.
Just now after dinner, Lin asked Shimada to prepare the bedding for Ogata and Atachi, so Shimada did not follow him to see the pile of cabinets and boxes made by Mamiya.
Ogata spread the mattress on top of the cabinet and lay directly on it.
Mamiya raised an eyebrow:
"Ogata-kun, are you going to sleep on it?"
"That's right."
"Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable sleeping on top of the cabinet?"
"Mamiya, let me tell you the truth." Ogata looked at Mamiya seriously, "I'm actually not used to sleeping on the tatami."
"Huh? Not used to sleeping on the tatami?" Mamiya looked at Ogata as if he were looking at an alien.
Ogata could understand the look Mamiya was throwing at him.
After all, in 18th-century Japan, if you told people you were not used to sleeping on tatami, people would think you were a super weirdo.
"I didn't expect you, Ogata-kun, to have a strange hobby." Mamiya shrugged, then turned and walked out of the room, "Ogata-kun, I'm leaving first. You should have a good rest."
"Okay. Good night, Mamiya."
After Mamiya left and closed the door smoothly, Ogata, who was lying on the cabinet, stretched hard.
Although it has been more than a year since he came to this Edo period, Ogata is still not used to sleeping on the tatami until now.
Every time he opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor, Ogata felt an indescribable and strange feeling.
The reason why Ogata took a fancy to this cabinet was that it was short enough and could be used as a bed.
Lying on top of this cabinet made Ogata feel nostalgic.
During the day today, I spent the entire day in a state of turbulence.
Lying on the quilt, Ogata felt that waves of sleepiness began to gradually occupy his mind.
While Ogata and Mamiya worked together to move the cabinet to his room, Omachi ran to take a shower.
I must have returned to her room now and prepared to fall asleep.
Unknowingly, under the influence of sleepiness, Ogata slowly closed his eyes...
…
…
After falling asleep vaguely, Ogata suddenly heard footsteps outside the room.
The long years of living as a ronin after leaving the Hirose Domain had long ago allowed Ogata to develop the skill of "not sleeping too hard and waking up immediately when he hears any disturbance."
As soon as he heard the footsteps outside the room, Oufang suddenly opened his eyes, and then quickly picked up the Da Shi Tian that he had been carrying in his arms.
As soon as Ogata sat up, he heard a voice that was very familiar to Atachi from outside the room:
"Ayi, it's me."
"A-Machi...?"
After hearing Omachi's voice, Oubei slowly put down the Daishiten he had just picked up, and at the same time slowly relaxed his tense muscles and nerves.
Wow.
Outside the room, A-Machi slowly opened the door.
Atachi, with her hair disheveled, wearing the yukata she bought in Kyoto, with her cute little white feet wearing a pair of clogs, stood so cutely outside the door of Ogata's room.
Before Ogata had time to ask what Amachi was doing outside the door of his room at night, Amachi slowly walked into Ogata's room and closed the door again.
"A-Machi, what's wrong?" The look of surprise on Ogata's face has not disappeared.
Atachi did not answer Ogata's question immediately. Instead, he walked slowly to the cabinet under Ogata, and then asked Ogata with a confused look on his face:
"Ayi, why are you sleeping on this cabinet?"
"Well... to put it simply, I think sleeping on the cabinet is more comfortable than sleeping on the tatami."
"I didn't expect you, Ayi, to have strange hobbies."
After saying this emotion that was almost exactly the same as what Mamiya had just said, Omachi kicked off his clogs and sat on Ogata's bed.
"A-Machi, what's wrong? You can't sleep, do you want to come and chat with me?" Ogata put away Daishiten and Daizizai and sat cross-legged.
"Well... I guess..." Ating said softly.
Atachi lifted her legs up, put her feet on Ogata's bed, and then stretched out his hands to hug his legs.
"I...if I say it, don't laugh at me." There was a bit of bitterness on A-Machi's face, "I was ready to sleep just now."
"But...as soon as I close my eyes, I feel...there seems to be Shiranui chasing soldiers outside the house..."
"I always wonder why I am like this."
"On the way from Kyoto to Owari, I slept peacefully every night, but now every time I close my eyes, I feel like Shiranui's pursuers are coming..."
"After thinking hard for a while, I finally figured out the reason."
Having said this, Atachi turned his head and showed a faint smile towards Ogata.
"Because you are missing from my side."
"I didn't feel scared because you were there along the way."
Hearing what Atachi said, Ogata was slightly stunned.
After a long moment of silence, Ogata said softly:
"There's no need to be afraid. I'm here, O-machi."
After hearing Ogata's words, the smile on Machi's face became more obvious, and his eyes curved into crescent moons.
"Ayi, come and chat with me."
"Then... when I get tired from chatting and I fall asleep, can you please help me carry me back to my room?"
"...Hmm." Ogata nodded almost without any hesitation, "Okay, no problem. Then... let's talk about some more common topics first."
"A common topic? For example?"
"Atachi, after Shiranui Ri is destroyed, is there anything in particular you want to do?"
"It's really a very common topic... Ayi, is there anything in particular you want to do?"
"I'm asking you now. After you tell me what you want to do in the future, I will tell you what I want to do in the future."
"What do I want to do next..."
After muttering like this, A-Machi began to remain silent and thoughtful.
After a long while, Ating said softly:
"...Bride."
"Huh? What?" What A-Machi just said was like a mosquito buzzing. Ogata, who didn't hear clearly what A-Machi was saying, asked.
After being silent for a while, Atachi blushed slightly and spoke in a slightly louder voice than before:
"When no more Shiranui soldiers come to my door, I want to be a beautiful bride..."
"...What a simple dream."
"What's wrong with simplicity?" Amachi raised his hand and patted Ogata's shoulder angrily.
After retracting the hand that slapped Ogata on the shoulder, Atachi was silent for a while again, and then continued:
"Although it is indeed simpler, for me, it is an unattainable dream..."
"When I was very young, I knew that as a kunoichi, just trying to live an ordinary life was a luxury..."
Atachi's words instantly made the atmosphere around him become a little heavier.
A-Machi was silent again for some reason.
Ogata also remained silent because he didn't know what to say now to ease the slightly heavy atmosphere.
The two of them were silent together, making the atmosphere around them become heavier...
Just when Ogata still couldn't figure out what to say at this moment, Amachi suddenly spoke up and broke the silence first:
"I don't know how long it will take for this simple dream of mine to come true, and... whether there will be a chance to come true."
A-Machi's tone was half joking and half distressed.
Qishu.com. Looking at A-Machi with a hint of melancholy on his face, Ogata pursed his lips slightly, and then
"Huh? Ayi, what's wrong?"
Ogata suddenly stood up, causing Amachi to question.
"A-Machi, come with me."
Ogata stood up, stretched out his big palm, gently took A-Machi's slender and small hand, and then held A-Machi's hand without any explanation, asking A-Machi to stand up with him.
"What are you doing? If you want to go outside, please let me put on my clogs first!"
Although she didn't know what Ogata was planning to do, Amachi was very obedient and allowed Ogata to hold her hand and pull her to the window.
There is only one medium-sized window in Ogata's room.
Ogata opened the window, and the cool evening breeze immediately hit the two of them.
Ogata raised his head, and after determining the east, west, north, and south based on the moon's position, he stretched out his finger and pointed toward the east:
"That's the East."
"Going all the way east from here, you can reach Mikawa, Toe, Shunwa, and finally Edo."
"That area is also commonly known as the land of Kanto."
"As the ruling center of the shogunate, Kanto is definitely far more prosperous than my hometown and Kyoto."
Ogata twirled his fingers.
"That's the north."
"Going all the way north, you will reach Ezo Land."
"Ezo is a northern country. Once winter comes, you will see a blanket of snow as far as the eye can see."
"I feel a little ashamed to say that I have never seen a snow-capped mountain. I really want to see it."
Ogata turned the direction of his finger again.
"That's the West."
"Going west from here, you can reach Omi, your hometown in Omachi."
"Continue to the west and you will reach my hometown Izumo."
"It's been almost a year since I left Izumo."
"Although I don't know many people I know well in Izumo anymore, I would still be happy to go back to Izumo if I have the chance."
Ogata slowly put away his fingers.
"Japan may seem very big, but compared with the rest of the world, Japan is just a small country."
"There are many other countries in this world."
"In these countries, there must be many scenery that cannot be seen in Japan."
Ogata crossed his arms across his chest, looked at the mountains in the distance that blocked the horizon, and said calmly:
"This is what I want to do in the future."
"Huh? What...?" Ating looked confused.
"This is what I want to do in the future."
Ogata repeated what he just said word for word.
"Without any restraint, I can freely see different scenery around the world. This is what I want to do in the future."
"After Shiranui is destroyed and the immortal poison in my body is cured, I will carry the sword as before, become a wanderer who calls the world home, and then wander aimlessly and watch aimlessly.
Landscapes everywhere.”
"It's different from my simple dream. Ayi, your dream is so grand." A Ding said in a half-joking tone.
"Having said that, if I wander alone without support, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on to this dream of mine one day in the future."
Speaking of this, a faint smile began to appear on Ogata's face.
"So Atachi, come and help me realize my dream."
"Eh……?"
"I'll help you realize your dream, and then you can help me realize mine."
After Ogata finished saying this, he slowly turned his head and looked directly into Atachi's eyes.
His extremely clear eyes, which make people think of the sky and the sea, clearly reflected the figure of Omachi.
"The two of us have been working together since Butterfly Island. With our tacit understanding, we will be able to realize each other's dreams beautifully."
When Ogata looked directly into Amachi's eyes, Amachi was also looking directly into Ogata's eyes.
He looked at Ogata's eyes seriously, as if he was searching for something in Ogata's eyes.
Her big eyes showed a touch of surprise, and there was a bit of joy in the surprise.
Her red lips were pressed tightly, and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised.
"Do you know what you just said? Are you planning to change my name to 'Ogata Town' in the future?"
There was a hint of helplessness in A-Machi's tone.
Ogata did not respond to Amachi's words.
Just smiled.
subsequently
Without any warning, Ogata slowly raised his hands, put his arms around Amachi's back, and held him in his arms.
The movements are as gentle as picking up beautiful flowers floating on the calm water.
Atachi didn't make any resistance to Ogata's sudden hug.
After being held in Ogata's arms, A-Machi hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her hands and gently hugged Ogata. That movement was like a mother bird spreading her wings to protect her.
fledgling.
While hugging Ogata, Omachi stood on tiptoes and leaned his cheek against Ogata's.
Ogata also cooperated with Amachi and bent his waist slightly.
Their cheeks were almost touching, and Ogata could clearly feel the hot breath coming from her cheeks.
Ogata looked at her face intentionally or unintentionally, and saw a faint smile on her face, but she bit her lower lip again, as if she wanted to cry again.
Although it was strange to say this, Ogata only felt that Atachi at this moment was very... a girl.
In front of Ogata, Omachi always showed a heroic spirit and strength far beyond that of other women of the same age.
This was the second time that Ogata deeply felt that the person in front of him was a weak girl with a delicate heart.
The first time was during that long night in Kyoto, when Atachi was trembling with fear.
And the second time is now.
The two of them just let time pass by quietly.
These are chaotic times.
Everything is not peaceful.
In a world that is still in a state of chaos, only this place at this moment is like a small boat floating on the sea in a quiet night.