Facing the intense, emotion-filled gaze from Chiba Shigetarou, Aoto grinned.
"So... Mr. Shigetarou, you plan to rely on just you, me, Miss Sazanoko, and Mr. Chiba Domon Shiro—a total of four people to hold a swordsmanship demonstration? Isn’t that a bit too few?"
"Four people are enough."
Chiba Shigetarou shook his head with a wry smile.
"The reason I’m planning to hold the swordsmanship demonstration with this few people... is because the space we can use for the demonstration is too small."
"The stalls at the fireworks festival can basically be described as worth their weight in gold."
Chiba Shigetarou held up two fingers.
"Even for me, I could only secure a stall of two tsubo size."
"With such a small stall, it only accommodates three or four people for the sword demonstration."
"If there are more people, we wouldn’t even have a place to sit and rest."
After hearing Shigetarou’s explanation, Aoto nodded slightly, "Two tsubo, huh... That indeed only requires three or four performers..."
Aoto had heard that the stalls at the fireworks festival were extremely difficult to apply for.
For such a grand event, even a simple food or tea stall could earn a fortune.
So, in the eyes of the Edo vendors, the fireworks festival is a tasty piece of meat, waiting for them to feast upon.
However, with too many people and too few porridge... the space to watch fireworks is limited, and so are the spots for stalls.
Therefore, without some skill and connections, one couldn’t set up a stall at the fireworks festival.
Hence, from another angle, it was already remarkable for someone like Chiba Shigetarou, not a professional merchant, to secure a two-tsubo stall on August 24th.
As for what Shigetarou said about "attracting people to eagerly practice martial arts through demonstrations," Aoto had no interest in such lofty ideals.
But Aoto was quite intrigued by the "demonstration" itself.
Since crossing over, he had not held or participated in any form of sword demonstration.
Performing cuts on bamboo mats and demonstrating sword techniques on the roadside... Aoto found it refreshing and interesting.
Shigetarou was a friend, and Aoto was always happy to help out in such minor matters for a friend.
Moreover, he was quite interested in the event itself.
He didn’t have any plans that night and had free time. So, after a brief consideration, Aoto nodded gently:
"I understand. In that case, please let me offer my humble support."
"Hahahahaha!" Chiba Shigetarou laughed joyfully again, slapping his thigh hard, his mouth grinning so wide it almost reached his ears. "Thank you so much! Then it’s settled! We’ll meet on August 24th at ’Toryogoku’ by the Ryogoku Bridge!"
The location for the fireworks festival: Ryogoku Bridge is an east-west bridge spanning the Sumida River.
The east bridgehead is called ’Toryogoku,’ and the west bridgehead is called ’Nihonbashi Ryogoku.’ The streets connected to the west bridgehead are Edo’s most famous entertainment streets: Ryogoku-dori.
When Chiba Shigetarou mentioned meeting at ’Toryogoku,’ he meant the east bridgehead of Ryogoku Bridge.
The meeting location was just a minor detail. Aoto silently remembered the meeting place Shigetarou mentioned, then nodded to show he remembered.
Chiba Shigetarou, who crossed his hands into his sleeves, had a smile on his face that hadn’t faded since a while ago... No, not only did it not fade, it seemed to be expanding.
His eyes, nearly shut from smiling, were flickering with an imperceptible glint of cunning and joy.
Aoto didn’t know... that as the ’eldest son of the Chiba family’s branch,’ Shigetarou fully had the means to secure a space far larger than two tsubo.
Aoto also didn’t know—if he was free on August 23rd, the swordsmanship demonstration would be held on August 23rd; if on the 25th, then the 25th; if he was not free any day, Shigetarou would ask Aoto to find a day to participate in his demonstration...
The next day—
Man’en 1 (1860), August 16—
A night of commotion shaken by the worldview shift from "good brothers" to "good sisters" peacefully passed.
Even though the world had changed, as vast as sea changes, the sun would still rise as usual.
No one knew whether it was Toshisuke’s strong recovery ability or if the special concoction that Abi cooked played its part; after resting for one night, Toshisuke regained her usual spirit and vitality.
Everyone, including Aoto, sighed with relief upon seeing this.
Although Toshisuke seemed recovered, to ensure her complete recuperation, under the unanimous decision of Aoto and others, Toshisuke was placed under "house arrest."
Apart from her room and the bathroom, she wasn’t allowed to go anywhere; she was to stay in bed and rest, not to worry about meals, as they would bring food during mealtime—this was what Aoto and the others told Toshisuke in the morning.
The ’house-arrested’ Toshisuke argued fiercely, passionately stating she was healthy and didn’t need to rest in the room anymore.
"I want to practice swordsmanship at the dojo! Look! I’m full of energy!" Toshisuke shouted loudly while bouncing like a dog trying to please its owner, her thin ponytail swinging up and down.

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