An indescribable mixture of indescribable anger that had been accumulating over the years, and the complex emotions that could not be well described for the person in front of her, pounded on her chest.

Hijikata's face sank slightly.

"This is my order, as the director of the Shinsengumi. ”

He took on the posture of a calm and steady leader, frowned, raised his eyes to look at her, one of his most powerful subordinates, as if he was trying to suppress some emotion surging in his chest, and declared in a calm and cold voice.

"I won't allow you to go with you to Ezo. You're going to get in the way of us there. ”

Intense anger and reluctance rushed to Willow Spring's brain. She leaned forward, glared at Hijikata's face without giving in, and blurted out retortive words:

"How am I going to get in the way of you?!, Director, please make it clear!"

Hijikata seemed to be momentarily choked by her rhetorical question, but he quickly found a reasonable reason.

"You...... Neither are the ancient and the weapons are not suitable! Now that the swords are about to become obsolete, you will even fail in the sword contest! When you kill those rakshasas in Sendai Castle...... Didn't you almost lose your life because of a defect in your weapon?!"

The more he spoke, the more stern he became, as if that was really the case.

"If you go with you, you will be sent to death even if you go with Ezo. ”

Liu Quan noticed that when he said the word "send to death", there seemed to be a slight fluctuation in his voice.

...... Could it be that she was really deeply shocked by the sacrifice of all her companions along the way, and then developed a feeling of weakness for fear of losing an important companion because of death again, so that she wanted to push her away from the dangerous path, so that it was completely worth it to subconsciously convince herself with peace of mind that it was worth it to exchange her life for the loss of her companions?!

For a moment, she felt both anger and pity. Even if he was bluntly rejected by the man in front of him who was clumsy in his speech and rigid thinking, the faint embarrassment and embarrassment that arose because of the rejection disappeared imperceptibly.

...... Really, were you frightened by those cruel partings, Mr. Hijikata? This looks...... This kind of weak thinking really doesn't look like the deputy chief of the ghost who crisscrossed Kyoto back then?!

However, Hijikata was clearly determined to finish what he had to say today. His voice grew colder.

“...... So, you live well as a woman, and don't be ...... by me anymore We're shackled. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he pushed her away and turned around quickly, as if he was going to leave on his own at once.

...... Although I have already played this plot in the original game in the world of my life, but because it was many years ago, I am now in this world again, and I have spent a long time, and I vaguely regard this world as a reality, and forget about that plot.

But now, with his brain sluggish again, creaking and searching the deepest recesses of memory for some remnants of the plot, Ryuzumi realized how angry and unwilling he felt when he actually experienced it.

She felt a sense of unbelievable absurdity, and rushed forward a few steps in anger, clenched her fists, and stared at the back of the earth.

"You...... You let me live as a woman?!Don't you know it's too late now?!"

I've never been the average woman you think I am. I can't be that kind of woman either.

It is only after giving up a qiē that I can stand here, standing in front of you, with a great and unchangeable determination to keep you alive, to keep this world where there are so many important people living from collapsing...... In this way, I will never allow this task I am carrying to fail so inexplicably.

Take 10,000 steps back, and at a time when so many companions have already left, I can't let you go forward alone. Because I made an appointment with Mr. Kondo, I made an appointment with Mr. Yamanan, I made an appointment with Ichi-kun, and I made an appointment with Mr. Soji-kun too.

I'm still burdened with so many important companions along the way and their unfulfilled expectations, and I'm not standing in front of you solely for the sake of some otome game goal. I stand here with a higher meaning and responsibility. I also have to practice this meaning and responsibility to the end, because that is what they promised me with their lives, and I must fulfill the promise, it's such a simple thing.

Actually, you know that. However, you would rather play the role of the villain who ignores his companions and breaks the agreement, but also let me escape from this dead end and get a way out...... Is it.

From this point of view...... How stupid are you who want to push me away even if you understand this......

As Mr. Shannan once said, that kind of stupid ...... The desperate look is really unbearable, and people can't let go.

“...... Hey, Mr. Hijikata!" yelled Willow Spring.

Tu Xiang paused slightly as he walked out of the grove, but he didn't look back or speak.

“...... When you left Tama's hometown, did you say the same thing to Miss Akoto there?!"

Even if you just look at the back, you can realize how confused the earthwork is at this moment. He tilted his head slightly, as if he had really thought about it seriously, before he replied simply, "...... Yes. ”

Maybe he didn't want to answer her bothersome question at first. But perhaps when he figured out that the answer to the question might completely discourage her from keeping up, he answered it truthfully.

This inference is really infuriating.

Liu Quan sneered.

"And then? Miss Aqin really went back like this? And then she married someone else in Tama hometown, gave birth to a lot of children, and gradually forgot about Mr. Hijikata, and even if I look back on it one day in the future, I will just say lightly, 'Ah, I still liked that person back then, I don't know how he is now', but even if she said that, in fact, Mr. Hijikata's life and death didn't matter to her, it was just a sigh of white hair, nostalgic for her girlhood?!"

This large pile of malicious speculation clearly exceeded Turkey's expectations. He was silent, not responding to her.

“...... I'm not that kind of woman!!" Liu Quan shouted with all his might.

The language skills that have been trained to the full level are activated on their own. The surging emotions pushed the words that had already surged in the chest, yet the other party stubbornly maintained an agonizing silence.

How do you convince this person to be useful...... What do you have to say so that you don't get left behind by this person?!

The deputy chief was an unexpectedly stubborn man in some of the things he had already decided...... Even if it would be painful for him to insist on what he had identified, even if it would take an extremely arduous and long process to accomplish what he had identified, he would tenaciously follow his own ideas, and even if he had to bear his own notoriety, even if he had to extinguish his heart's desires, he would not be able to stop him.

Because, that's what he is...... Stupid, desperate people.

A deep anger and uneasiness, mixed with anxiety and a sense of impatience, suddenly erupted in Liu Quan's heart.

"If this is the life that Mr. Hijikata thought I would be happy and asked me to pursue, I would not accept it under any circumstances!

All right. If you had to say something so plain that it would dispel you, then I would say it too. For I must not be in such a ridiculous place, because of your ridiculous ideas!

“...... I don't want to live a life where I miss Mr. Hijikata all day long and regret not being able to stay with Mr. Hijikata. ...... Because that kind of life can't bring me any happiness!"

Hijikata's back seemed to shake slightly. He stood there in silence, his back straight, showing his unyielding and stubborn attitude to the end, but looking from the direction of Willow Spring, the back of the person standing in the twilight, framed by the rays of the setting sun, looked so lonely.

...... The back reminded her for a moment of the day when they had evacuated the Kaneko Mansion in the Flowing Mountain, leaving Kondo alone, and then slaying all the enemies lying in ambush on the hillside, Hijikata standing on his back in the setting sun.

That back is full of the same pain, self-blame, loneliness and tenacious feelings as it was at that time, and it looks tough and fragile. These two diametrically opposed impressions blended in him, making his silhouette, also outlined by twilight, so deep and lonely.

For a moment he looked almost convinced by her strong language and blunt confession, and his shoulders shook slightly, as if he wanted to turn back to her—

However, in the next moment, he paused because he didn't know what he remembered.

He stood in the sunset, silent and stubbornly refusing to turn back, his heavy breath showing the fierce contradictions and struggles in his heart, but in the end he decided that the path he had chosen for her was the best, and without saying a word, he took another stride out of the woods.

He didn't look back at her, and he didn't stop himself. Although he had just heard her frank confession, he seemed to be deaf and indifferent.

Liu Quan trembled with anger at this stubborn attitude.

“...... Vice-Chief!!!!

In the face of her last, unfinished words, he replied that he strode out of the woods, and his figure disappeared into the path beyond the woods.