Takasugi Shinsaku got beaten up badly.
Well, it wasn't exactly a beating. They had merely stopped Takasugi Shinsaku from trying to perform together with Izumo no Okuni.
By tying him up, gagging him, and hanging him from a rope.
"Mm—mm—mmph—!!!"
Takasugi Shinsaku hung from a beam, and with his mouth stuffed, even his screams came out broken and muffled.
"That should do it."
Even after doing something like that, Sakumura still wore a gentle smile.
Ryoma could not help but laugh.
"...Is this really okay?"
Ritsuka's mouth twitched.
Was it just her imagination, or did Mr. Takasugi seem particularly fond of courting death?
Well. If he had not enjoyed courting death and disgusting others, he would not have dragged his severely ill body to the front lines with Tokugawa Iemochi's head in hand back then. He had not even intended to fight—he had gone solely to disgust Tokugawa Yoshinobu, right?
Was that a talent or an instinct?
In any case, it gave her the subtle feeling that he deserved it.
"Souji and Hijikata should both be ready by now. Let's notify Miss Okuni."
Watching the sky turn completely dark, Sakumura signaled Izumo no Okuni, who was already seated on the stage with her shamisen in her arms.
Miss Okuni pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and plucked the strings.
The shamisen's sound was elegant yet ancient, melodious with a faint hint of strangeness.
Though she had studied it for only a short time, Izumo no Okuni had clearly already mastered the essence of the shamisen, playing it beautifully.
The villagers were interested in the shamisen, and since no strange incidents had occurred again last night, they had grown bolder. They came out of their homes and gathered in the square.
"...Everyone in the village has gathered."
Souji's hand remained on