My Girlfriend is an Evil Woman

Why did Kitahara Hideji choose to study Ancient Swordsmanship?

Kitahara Hideji hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He couldn’t just say that he had no choice and had to learn it to deal with Fukuzawa Naotaka’s unreasonable daughter, right?

After a brief pause, he settled on a somewhat plausible reason. “I just wanted to exercise and keep myself in shape.”

Fukuzawa Naotaka didn’t seem entirely convinced. There were plenty of better ways to exercise, and specializing in Ancient Swordsmanship seemed unnecessary. Even if it were a matter of personal interest, he should have focused on Kendo, a modern sport that could potentially have more practical uses in the future. Having won awards in Kendo competitions could earn extra points in police department entrance exams, for instance.

However, Fukuzawa Naotaka didn’t press further. Everyone had their secrets, and there was no need to pry. He smiled tolerantly and said, “It’s quite remarkable that you’ve managed to reach this level of physical fitness through self-training. Kitahara-kun, have you never received any guidance before?”

“No,” Kitahara Hideji replied. He had mentioned earlier that he was self-taught.

“In that case,” Fukuzawa Naotaka said, “I have some words as a Sword Technique Senpai that I’d like to share with you. It wasn’t convenient to discuss them in front of the police station last night, so I’ve waited until now.” He then gently unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his chest and abdomen to Kitahara Hideji.

Kitahara Hideji was momentarily taken aback and examined Fukuzawa Naotaka’s scars closely. Running from his left shoulder to his right abdomen was a long, raised scar that looked like a twisted centipede, with visible stitch marks making it appear even more menacing. In addition, there was an unsightly scar near his left chest, near the heart area, although it was less noticeable next to the “centipede.”

Given his experience in Meditative Battle and his fights with Ronin swordsmen, Kitahara Hideji instinctively began to analyze how these injuries might have been inflicted. After a brief examination and some mental simulation, he concluded that Fukuzawa Naotaka had probably been caught off guard, with his defenses broken by a powerful left-handed swordsman who slashed from the left shoulder to the right abdomen. Then, the swordsman had ruthlessly delivered a follow-up strike to Fukuzawa Naotaka’s left chest near the heart.

Looking at these wounds, Fukuzawa Naotaka should have died on the spot.

Fukuzawa Naotaka, still observing Kitahara Hideji’s expression, noticed that he only displayed a subtle reaction—confusion rather than fear. This surprised him slightly, but he continued to explain with a smile, pointing to his chest, “My heart is on the right side, and my liver is on the left. That’s how I managed to cling to half a life… or perhaps just a fraction of one. When I signed the life-or-death contract back then, I suffered severe injuries and couldn’t go to a regular hospital. As a result, I can only say that I have half a life left.”

As Fukuzawa Naotaka shared his story and Kitahara Hideji inquired about the events, it became clear that this was a dangerous confrontation that had occurred, and Fukuzawa Naotaka had been fortunate to survive.

Kitahara Hideji asked, “A confrontation? What happened?”

Fukuzawa Naotaka replied with a faint smile, “In the past, I was young and overconfident in my Sword Technique skills, thinking that I was invincible. I was hired to represent someone in a duel against a talented Kansai swordsman who was even more skilled and dedicated than I was.”

“A duel?”

“Sometimes, when there are disputes between yakuza groups, and they don’t want to attract too much attention from the police, they settle their differences through one-on-one combat. At that time, a wayward son of a yakuza owed a significant debt and agreed to participate in a duel to settle it but then fled. Since I had great confidence in my Sword Technique skills, I took his place in the duel. You’ve seen the result.”

Fukuzawa Naotaka narrated the story calmly, almost as if he were discussing someone else’s experiences. “Looking back, I was quite foolish. No matter how prestigious a family’s martial arts lineage is, it’s not worth risking one’s life for. It’s better to live peacefully.”

He gestured towards the sake bottle and asked with a smile, “I noticed you hesitated earlier. Were you thinking of advising me to drink less?”

Kitahara Hideji nodded gently, but Fukuzawa Naotaka inquired further, “Do you still plan to advise me now?” After a brief pause, Kitahara Hideji hesitated and then shook his head.

With a skill level of 【Medical Skill LV5】, Kitahara Hideji possessed some basic medical knowledge. He understood that when people suffered from injuries like stab wounds or slashes, some of the nerve endings that weren’t visible to the naked eye might get severed. As the wound naturally healed, new nerve endings would gradually grow into the scar tissue, reaching the surface. When external conditions changed, such as rainy weather during the rainy season, these nerve endings could be stimulated, causing discomfort, pain, or itching. Based on Fukuzawa Naotaka’s injuries and the lack of proper medical treatment at the time, he was likely to experience increased discomfort now. Unfortunately, there was no cure for this condition, and Fukuzawa Naotaka seemed to be using alcohol to numb himself from the pain.

It wasn’t a matter of self-control or addiction, but a genuine necessity for Fukuzawa Naotaka.

Fukuzawa Naotaka gazed out of the window and sighed, “The rainy season is coming soon, and that dreadful month is approaching when it’s better to be dead than alive.”

Fukuzawa Naotaka’s words had a profound impact on Kitahara Hideji. He pondered for a moment, silently absorbing the wisdom of the older swordsman’s advice. He realized that violence should never be the first choice for problem-solving and should only be used as a last resort.

As Fukuzawa Naotaka continued speaking, Kitahara Hideji couldn’t help but reflect on his own actions, especially the incident from yesterday. While he had initially justified it as self-defense, he now understood that there were often better alternatives to deal with troublemakers and that he shouldn’t resort to violence so readily.

He also acknowledged that his passion for Ancient Swordsmanship might have clouded his judgment at times, causing him to overlook alternative solutions to conflicts.

Fukuzawa Naotaka’s final warning about the consequences of being labeled a social outcast in modern society resonated with Kitahara Hideji. He realized that his future ambitions and goals could be compromised if he continued down a path of reckless violence.

Kitahara Hideji broke his silence and expressed his gratitude, saying, “I understand your point, and I appreciate your advice. I will keep it in mind and make an effort to be more mindful of my actions in the future.”

Fukuzawa Naotaka smiled at Kitahara Hideji’s response, relieved that his words had made an impact. He knew that Kitahara Hideji was still a young man, but he hoped that this conversation would help him grow and make better choices in the future.

With their conversation coming to a close, Fukuzawa Naotaka nodded and said, “You’re welcome, Kitahara-kun. Remember, learning Sword Technique is not just about mastering the physical skills but also about cultivating the mind. If you ever have questions or need guidance in your training, feel free to ask me.”

Kitahara Hideji appreciated the offer and replied with a nod, “Thank you, Fukuzawa-san. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Kitahara Hideji’s tactfulness brought great relief to Fukuzawa Naotaka, making him feel that his efforts had not been in vain. He smiled and said, ‘Don’t be so polite all the time, Kitahara-kun. If you really want to thank me, you can help out Akitaro when you make it big in the future.’ Fukuzawa Naotaka made a half-serious, half-joking remark, then struggled to get up – he had suffered significant injuries before, probably why he moved like an old man on ordinary days. He continued, ‘Actually, Kitahara-kun, you’re much better than me in many ways, whether it’s your talent for swordsmanship or your composure and courage. You just lack a few things. If you don’t mind, you can come inside with me and take a look.’

Kitahara Hideji reached out to help Fukuzawa Naotaka up, and Fukuzawa Naotaka didn’t mind. He led him to a inconspicuous little door in a corner of the study. Kitahara Hideji opened the door first, and a strong smell of books and camphor immediately wafted out. Inside, there was a library larger than the outside.

Fukuzawa Naotaka went in first and searched the bookshelves for a moment before handing Kitahara Hideji a book. He softly recited in Chinese, but with a Japanese accent that sounded peculiar, ‘A lack of high moral character often stems from a narrow focus on personal gain; a lack of academic progress often results from laziness.’

Kitahara Hideji lowered his head to look at the title, ‘Wei Lu Ye Hua’ (Evening Chat by the Stove). When he turned it over, it was printed by Tsinghua University Press… He couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated. What was the meaning of this? Was he supposed to read miscellaneous books?

He silently grumbled to himself, while Fukuzawa Naotaka didn’t pause with his hands or mouth. He handed him two more books one by one.

‘Unmoved by favor or disgrace, observing the flowers bloom and wither in the courtyard; with no attachment to staying or leaving, gazing at the clouds roll in the sky. This one can help cultivate your temperament.’

‘One stumble can become a subject of laughter for centuries; looking back, it’s a tale for the ages. This one can purify your heart.’

Kitahara Hideji looked at the book titles in silence. They were ‘Cai Gen Tan’ (Records of Vegetable Roots) and ‘Zui Gu Tang Jian Sao’ (Sweeping the Sword at the Drunken Ancient Hall). He finally started to understand. Fukuzawa Naotaka thought that his sword technique had become too powerful for his age, fearing that he might become arrogant and stray off the right path. He wanted him to read books to cultivate his character and purify his heart, so that he wouldn’t accidentally cause a disaster in a fit of passion.

What was even more embarrassing was that he was Chinese, and yet he hadn’t read these books. Now, a Japanese person had given them to him to study, which was… Japan seemed to place a great emphasis on Chinese studies, believing it was closely related to personal cultivation. It seemed that even civil service exams required knowledge in this area, but wasn’t this going a bit too far, even more so than in the home country?

Fukuzawa Naotaka handed him three books, and seeing that Kitahara Hideji was holding them without moving, he handed him one more, a thick book like a brick, titled ‘Gu Han Wen Xiang Jie’ (Detailed Explanation of Ancient Chinese Texts). He smiled and said, ‘Although there are translations, I think if Kitahara-kun translates while reading, you might gain a deeper understanding. Don’t be afraid of the trouble. If we compare you to a sword, Kitahara-kun, you’re already sharp enough. What you lack now is the ability to control the sword. After reading these books and mastering your sword, it will greatly benefit your future… This is just my personal advice, whether you want to read them all is up to you.’

He concluded with a soft plea, ‘Don’t follow my old path, Kitahara-kun.’