—Ah.
The sky today was the same as ever.
Incomparably blue, incomparably beautiful.
—What wonderfully clear skies!
"At least things had come to a temporary end. Though Mr. Tajima-no-kami had still tightened security."
Shaking out her sleeves, Miyamoto Musashi looked somewhat helpless.
The group was currently on their way back.
They were heading back to Senji Muramasa's thatched hut.
They had dealt with Tomoe Gozen, Archer Inferno, who had led a great number of monsters in wreaking havoc across southern Shimosa, and protected Princess Kiyohime from Mochizuki Chiyome, Assassin Paraiso. Though four Heroic Spirit Swordmasters remained, the matter should have come to a temporary close no matter how one looked at it.
This had also been their agreement with Senji Muramasa.
However, their actual return journey was a day later than expected.
Sakumura said nothing, merely looking Miyamoto Musashi up and down.
Miyamoto Musashi was still wearing the same outfit, but she had replaced various little accessories—after completing two tasks involving Kiyohime and Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, the group had received some money, so Musashi had simply spent a day sprucing herself up to look a little prettier.
"I thought Musashi-chan was the sort of woman who wouldn't care about that kind of thing."
Fujimaru Ritsuka looked rather surprised.
"How could you say that? I'm a girl too, you know!" Miyamoto Musashi puffed out her cheeks, reached out with both hands, and vigorously kneaded Fujimaru Ritsuka's face. "Rather, Ritsuka, you're the one who cares too little about these things! You're a girl in the prime of your youth too, so why don't you care about this sort of thing?"
"Mmph—Musashi-chan, let go already!"
It took Fujimaru Ritsuka several seconds of struggling to escape Musashi's clutches, her expression somewhat helpless.
"Actually, I used to care about and study those things a little, but