I Formed the Strongest Swordsman Group-Chapter 8: Kinoshita Mai

As Aoto slid open the shop door, the elderly man inside and the thick-lipped old woman immediately turned their heads to look at him.
"My, it seems we have a customer," the old woman said. "Mr. Kiryu Kazuma, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take my leave now."
"Mrs. Izumi, please take care," the bespectacled old man replied with a smile, lowering his upper body in an extremely elegant bow. "Feel free to visit again if your clothes need mending."
"Ah—! Mr. Kiryu Kazuma, if only my husband had half your skill and gentleness," the thick-lipped woman said, pressing a hand to her cheek like a lovestruck maiden. After swaying slightly, she quickly walked toward the exit while clutching a large cloth bundle containing women's kimonos.
Even as she left, the old woman kept turning back to cast affectionate glances at the spectacled man, who continued smiling as he watched her go.
Only when the woman had completely disappeared from view did the old man turn his attention to Aoto.
"How may I help you, young man?"
"Is your shop currently open? I have some business to discuss," Aoto said.
"Of course we're open," the old man nodded. "Please, have a seat."
Kneeling behind the counter, he gestured invitingly toward the space in front of it.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kiryu Kazuma, owner of this Senjiya. What would you like to consult about?"
While Kiryu introduced himself, Aoto quickly approached and sat down at the counter. Getting closer, he instinctively studied the old man's face.
The man was very old—at least in his eighties or nineties—yet his eyes remained bright and alert, his spirit seemingly quite vigorous. Despite the deep wrinkles marking his face, one could still discern traces of handsome features from his youth.
With Japan having opened its borders seven years ago and interacted extensively with foreign nations, people wearing glasses like Kiryu were no longer uncommon sights.
After Kiryu's introduction, Aoto politely reciprocated: "My name is Tachibana Aoto."
Following this brief exchange, Aoto got straight to the point: "I heard your shop can recommend sword schools. Is that true?"
Kiryu smiled and nodded. "Indeed. It's one of our specialty services. Are you inquiring about sword schools?"
"Yes!" Aoto nodded eagerly.
"What kind of sword school are you looking for?"
"I want one that meets three criteria." Aoto held up three fingers.
"First: Something my limited funds can afford."
"Second: A school that teaches practical swordsmanship, not just flashy techniques."
"Third: Preferably with many students—the more, the better."
"Any school meeting these three conditions would be acceptable."
With that, Aoto pulled out his money pouch containing the Tachibana family's remaining savings. He placed it on the counter and opened it so Kiryu could clearly see the amount inside.
Kiryu glanced at the money before calmly asking, "Sir, to help find the most suitable school for you, may I ask a question?"
"I understand your first two conditions perfectly. But the third one puzzles me somewhat."
"Why do you specifically want a school with many students?"
"I love sparring with others," Aoto lied casually. "So I want a school where I can spar to my heart's content."
"Ah, I see." Kiryu nodded gently. "Please wait a moment."
As he spoke, Kiryu pulled out a large ledger from beneath the counter and spread it open on the surface.
"What's this?" Aoto asked curiously.
"This is the most valuable item in my employment agency," Kiryu smiled. "It contains detailed records of every sword school in Edo—from tuition fees to student numbers."
"Wow! That is indeed valuable."
"It took considerable effort to compile this ledger." Kiryu's expression turned nostalgic as he began flipping through the "Edo Sword School Compendium."
"Practical swordsmanship... plus ample sparring partners... This school seems perfect for you."
Kiryu's fingers stopped flipping exactly as he finished speaking.
"Shieikan of the Tennen Rishin-ryu style."
"Tennen Rishin-ryu?" Aoto raised an eyebrow, mentally searching through his predecessor's memories but finding no recollection of this style.
As if reading his thoughts, Kiryu smiled. "It's a rather obscure school, so you may not have heard of it."
"But I assure you—in terms of practical combat effectiveness, it's on par with famous schools like Hokushin Itto-ryu or Shinto Munen-ryu."
Just as Kiryu opened his mouth to continue—
"Mr. Kiryu, I'm so hungry. Is breakfast ready?"
A clear, bell-like young female voice suddenly called from the shop's inner rooms.
Aoto instinctively turned toward the sound—a petite figure emerged slowly from behind a corner in the shop's depths.
It was an extremely cute-looking girl holding a small orange cat, appearing about fifteen or sixteen years old. The cat in her arms seemed less than a year old.
To Aoto, the girl seemed quite short, probably just over 150cm tall. Her delicate features included especially striking eyes—dark pupils bright and spirited, with an intellectual air between her brows.
She looked like she'd just woken up—long black hair loosely cascading down her back, clothes slightly disheveled, bare pale feet peeking out.
Despite her young age, her figure was surprisingly well-developed—even through thick winter clothing, one could clearly see the fabric stretched taut across her chest.
Upon spotting Aoto, the girl froze like she'd been petrified by magic. After a brief moment of eye contact, she instantly retreated behind the corner with her cat, moving as if teleporting.
"My apologies," Kiryu offered Aoto an embarrassed smile. "She's rather shy around strangers."
No sooner had Kiryu spoken than Aoto saw the girl reappear—but only showing half her face from behind the corner, the rest of her body remaining hidden.
The visible half of her face now bore a deep blush of shyness.
The girl: "@#￥%&*#..."
Aoto could tell she was speaking to him, but couldn't make out a single word. Her voice was so soft it sounded less like Japanese and more like incantations.
While Aoto politely kept his gaze fixed on the girl, Kiryu watched her too. When she finally finished her "incantations," Kiryu turned back to Aoto with a smile.
"She says, 'Welcome to Senjiya. I'm the shop assistant: Kinoshita Mai.'"
After translating, Kiryu looked back at the girl.
Girl: "￥%&@#*#..."
Kiryu: "She says, 'This is her good friend: Toto.'"
As Kiryu spoke, the girl held up the orange cat with both hands, presenting it from behind the corner.
"Meow~"
The cat appropriately greeted Aoto before being withdrawn back behind cover.
—Why introduce the cat...? Aoto mentally facepalmed at the bizarre behavior.
But the girl's "incantations" continued:
Girl: "#￥&@#￥%*#&@#￥%*#&@..."
Kiryu: "She says, 'I was terribly rude earlier, not knowing we had a guest and letting you see me in such an unkempt state. I sincerely apologize.'"
Girl: "&@#￥%*#..."
Kiryu: "She says, 'Please wait a moment while I prepare tea.'"
"...How exactly do you two communicate?" Aoto asked with visible exasperation.
"I once studied lip reading in Omi Province," Kiryu explained before calling out to the girl, "Young mistress, I haven't made breakfast yet. Please bear with me—after attending to this guest, I'll prepare food. Today's breakfast will be your favorite boiled eggs."
Aoto saw the girl's visible half-face light up with delight at these words before she fully retreated behind the corner.
"Young mistress?" Aoto repeated questioningly.
"That girl works as my shop assistant, but she's also the adopted granddaughter of the person I serve," Kiryu calmly explained. "So our relationship is both professional and that of master and servant."
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A bespectacled man named Kiryu Kazuma running a shop called Senjiya in Edo while living with a girl—the references were almost overflowing.