Chapter 297: Chapter 124: Aoto’s Promotion! 400-koku Salary Increase! [7,000 Words]

"Mr. Tachibana, tonight... I truly owe you my deepest thanks."

Katsu Rintarō bowed sincerely to Aoto, nearly at a 90-degree angle.

"Mr. Katsu, there’s no need for such formality." Aoto raised his hand to help Katsu Rintarō stand up, modestly saying, "I was just fortunate, and merely did what a ’Three Times’ samurai should do."

After learning that Katsu Rintarō wanted to see him, Aoto guessed that Katsu probably wanted to thank him in person.

Since he was free at the moment anyway, Aoto took the initiative to meet Katsu Rintarō.

As expected, upon seeing him arrive, Katsu Rintarō immediately bowed respectfully and expressed his gratitude solemnly.

Although Katsu Rintarō was older and held a much higher official rank, Aoto, despite having saved his life, did not act casually or disrespectfully when facing him, and always used respectful language while speaking.

After expressing his thanks to Aoto numerous times in one breath, Katsu Rintarō finally straightened up, showing a complex expression of emotions.

"Mr. Tachibana, I have heard of your reputation before."

"You truly live up to your name... no wonder you’ve become quite the young hero recently."

"Hmm?"

Katsu Rintarō suddenly widened his eyes and closely scrutinized Aoto from head to toe.

"Mr. Tachibana... haven’t we met recently? I feel like you seem somewhat familiar."

Aoto raised an eyebrow and laughed, "This afternoon, I went out for lunch and passed by the gate of the Military Academy; at that time, I brushed past you as you were coming out, Mr. Katsu, so you might have seen me then, and that’s why you remember me."

Katsu Rintarō showed a sudden realization: "Yes, yes, I remember now, you were one of those tall individuals I saw outside the Military Academy this afternoon."

"Haha, it seems we have quite the peculiar fate, don’t we?"

After a brief half-joking reflection, Katsu Rintarō turned his head, looking with a somewhat melancholic gaze at the Foreign Language Research Institute building beside them, half burned down.

"Mr. Tachibana, tonight you not only saved us but also saved this Foreign Language Research Institute."

"If not for your timely arrival, this academic center, built with the tireless efforts of countless people, would have been completely destroyed by those madmen..."

"You have done a great favor for me, for our Foreign Language Research Institute."

Katsu Rintarō shifted his gaze from the Institute back to Aoto, displaying a grateful smile.

"Mr. Tachibana, if you ever find yourself in need of assistance, feel free to come to us; we will do our utmost to help wherever we can!"

"Do our utmost to help...," Aoto smiled, "...well then, Mr. Katsu, I actually have a matter requiring your assistance now."

Katsu Rintarō was briefly taken aback but quickly responded, "What is it? Please do tell."

"Actually, it’s nothing much, just a question I’d like to ask you."

Aoto raised his hand, mimicking pulling a trigger.

"Mr. Katsu, how did you come by that revolver of yours?"

Outside the Institute, during the skirmish with the Anti-foreigner Group’s "Surrounding Team," Aoto had consistently heard faint gunfire emerging from inside the Institute.

After the battle, upon inquiry, he learned that the gunfire came from a revolver owned by Katsu Rintarō.

"Hmm? Mr. Tachibana, why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Aoto replied casually.

"Oh..." Katsu Rintarō nodded slightly, then without suspicion, pulled out a completely black revolver from his coat, "I got this gun two months ago when I visited the United States; a friend from America gave it to me."

"Although it’s powerful, loading it and aiming are quite troublesome. Hitting distant targets relies entirely on luck if not trained hard."

"I see..." Aoto murmured, "A gun from a friend..."

— So it wasn’t bought on his own...

Aoto couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

He had hoped to extract some information from Katsu Rintarō on where to purchase a gun...

For Aoto, whose soul hails from the 21st century, firearms had long captured his interest.

If there were a channel to acquire guns, he would have long abandoned swordsmanship and gone to buy a pistol!

Unable to obtain the desired information from Katsu Rintarō... Aoto felt regret, but he wasn’t overly anxious.

— Well... acquiring a gun... let’s leave it to fate then...

Aoto consoled himself with these thoughts.

...

...

Tonight, for many in Edo, would be a sleepless night.

The Magistrate’s Office "Three Times," having exerted themselves since daylight pursuing the Anti-foreigner Group, were a given.

The townsfolk, to escape the fire, were fleeing with their families to safer places.

The Town Fire Extinguisher officials, trying to prevent the blaze from spreading, all had their faces blackened by smoke.

After nearly an hour of battle, the fire across Edo was finally extinguished gradually.

This swift containment of the fire was owed to two factors.

Firstly: The favor of nature.

Although there was a light breeze tonight, the wind overall wasn’t strong, which greatly slowed the spread of the flames without the wind assisting it, granting the Town Fire Extinguisher officials ample time to clear firebreaks.

Secondly: The mobilization by the Shogunate, specifically Tokugawa Iemochi.