Sanosuke Ends a Night in Shimonoseki

Miscellaneous

Following his encounter with the Alexandrian embassy and the mysterious Masked Merchant, Ryūzaki Sanosuke returned to The Tanuki's Glee with his companions Ryūzōji Ryōka, Takenaka Hanbei, Takayama Ukon, and Byakurei. The first of these was already asleep, and Hanbei seemed to also be suffering from the late hour, so Sanosuke made the decision to end this night on the town and return to Nijō Castle.

Before leaving, he entered the now mostly-vacant restaurant again to convey this decision to his other companions. Before he could make much progress inward, however, he was intercepted by the ever-keen Kono Mikono. She was exuberant in welcoming him back, probably because Chōsokabe Kanetsugu had offered his tab to pay for the food and drinks of all the patrons that night. She had even performed a traditional dance in lieu of the evening's entertainment, one that Sanosuke was sorry to have missed.   Returning to Kaguya, Tanegashima Shigetoki, and Kanetsugu, Sanosuke made to politely ask Hōzōin In'ei if their contest might be put off for another time. Before he could, she asked the very same thing, expressing that it had grown too late too quickly and that she'd like to return to her lodgings provided by the Mōri.   With that handled, and a promise to see each other at the tournament, Sanosuke gathered his companions and bid Shigeaki Fujino return them to Nijō.