After Kondo Shusuke listened, he lowered his eyelids and narrowed his already slender eyes into a slit.

After a moment of silence, he slowly said:

"...I have lived seventy-two years."

"You are quite old, and you only have a few years left to live."

"To put it harshly, even if he died suddenly, it would not be a pity."

"But you are different. You are only sixteen years old. You are still very young. You still have a long way to go. You still have a bright future."

"Elodie, to be honest, I don't want you to go to the battlefield..."

Kondo Shusuke persuaded Elodie in a tactful tone.

Elodie tilted her head unsurprisingly and smiled:

"Mr. Kondo, just as you have your own pursuits, I also have mines."

"I only mentioned my dream when I was here to the master and Miss Wu."

"Let's make an exception today and mention it again."

"Ever since I was a kid, I've always wanted to be a vigilante like Robin Hood who fights against injustice."

"Ah, Robin Hood is a great man in England. Like the Mouse Monk, he is also a good man who robbed the rich and gave to the poor, and was widely praised."

"Although it was a childish dream of childhood, I have never forgotten or given up on it."

"I'm afraid I will never forget those five days when the Eighth Prince fought hard."

"The first time I went into battle to kill an enemy, the first time I experienced the enemy's blood spraying on my face, the first time I felt that death was so close to me... Although I was very reluctant, I was really afraid of pain and death."

"I'm afraid that the sharp blade will fall on me."

“I’m afraid I’ll never be able to eat the food I like again.”

"I'm very afraid that I will never be able to play with Miss Wu and the others again."

"I'm very afraid that I will never be able to talk to Master again..."

At this point, she suddenly stopped talking and did not continue.

After hesitating for a moment, she directly omitted the unfinished half of the sentence:

"Although my heart is full of fear, apart from the fear, I feel a sense of pleasure."

"I'm killing off evil spirits."

"I'm protecting the country and the people."

"For the first time in my life, I feel that I am so close to the image of the knight in my dream!"

"I want to continue to be a knight that I can be proud of - this alone is enough reason for me to stay in Edo."

At this point, she paused briefly, and then changed to a half-joking tone:

"Now that I have grown up, I cannot let my childhood self down."

Kondo Shusuke listened quietly to the end.

After the girl finished speaking, he slightly curved the corners of his mouth, and a light smile emerged.

"Sorry, I just seemed to have said something very unfunny."

"Please forget what I just said."

After saying that, he stretched out his hand to the girl.

"Elodie, let me help you sharpen your knife."

"After five days of fierce fighting, your knife must be scarred, right?"

"The sword has been wielded for decades, and the sword has been sharpened for decades."

"When it comes to sword sharpening skills, I am not inferior to those professional sword sharpeners."

Hearing this, she looked happy as she picked up the Yamato Mamoru Anding that was resting on her right leg and handed it over with both hands.

Kondo Shusuke took it solemnly, and then pulled out half of the knife with a click.

No matter how powerful or tough a knife is, it is still a consumable.

Kondo Shusuke was right when he said that the fierce battles for days had left Yamato Mamoru's blade full of gaps.

He checked it carefully and nodded:

"Well...fortunately, the blade is only damaged and the blade is not bent. As long as the blade is sharpened once, it will be as sharp as ever!"

He said as he put the knife back into its sheath.

"Give me an hour."

"After an hour, your knife will be given a new lease of life."

Just when Kondo Shusuke was about to get up to get the sharpening tools, a strange shout came from the direction of the door:

"Is there anyone?! Is there anyone?!"

Kondo Shusuke and Elodie were both stunned.

"Mr. Kondo, are you your guest?"

"I don't have any guests today..."

He frowned slightly as he spoke and walked towards the door.

Elodie followed behind him.

Soon, they arrived at the door one after another and opened the door - standing outside the door was a young man they had never seen before.

This man was covered in dirt. He must have not taken a shower for a while. The clothes on his body were equally dirty and it was unbearable to look at.

His face was black and white, as if he were a charcoal burner.

It is worth mentioning that this person was carrying a long object tightly wrapped in homespun cloth on his back. Judging from its shape... it seemed to be a knife!

Kondo Shusuke looked at him a few times:

"May I ask who you are?"

The young man stood upright for a moment, held his head high and said:

"My dear Shikisaki Shiyō, I am a swordsmith!"

Shikizaki Jiyong—this strange and impressive name instantly evoked Elodie’s memory.

"Shikizaki Shiki...could it be said that you are the one who helps the master...help Tachibana Aoden repair his sword?"

The young man... Shikisaki Jiyō nodded vigorously.

"That's right! It's right down there!"

As he spoke, he untied the long object from his back and presented it to Elodie and Kondo Shusuke with both hands.

"Vairochana has risen from the ashes!"

*******

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Chapter completed!