What he said was the truth; he really didn't have any remarkable performance in this battle.
"Teacher Kobayashi! You were truly amazing!"
In the crowd, Kobayashi Itsuki could see a potato-head wearing a red shirt and yellow shorts, sitting on Nohara Hiroshi's shoulders, vigorously waving at him, his small face flushed and clearly excited.
Now inside the castle, Kobayashi Itsuki was able to relax, no longer needing to maintain the Invisible Hand as he had before.
"I'm back."
Looking at the familiar smiling faces before him, Kobayashi Itsuki greeted them with a smile.
"Teacher Kobayashi, are you alright?"
Ohara Nanako hurried forward, looking at the slightly fatigued Kobayashi Itsuki, whose body was stained with flecks of blood, and asked with concern.
"I'm fine, this is all someone else's."
Kobayashi Itsuki said gently, signaling Ohara Nanako not to worry.
"Teacher Kobayashi is truly incredible! We saw it clearly from the castle. It was just like Miyamoto Musashi, entering and exiting the enemy ranks seven times, unstoppable!"
Nohara Hiroshi, with Shin-chan sitting on his neck, spoke to Kobayashi Itsuki with an excited expression.
Regardless of the time, the strong are always easily respected and admired. This was especially true for someone like Kobayashi Itsuki, who leaned toward the attribute of justice.
"Let's not talk about being incredible for now. What exactly is this Flowing Light Sword Saint business?"
"Are they talking about me?"
Kobayashi Itsuki asked curiously, and Nohara Misae beside him nodded vigorously and quickly replied, "They are talking about Teacher Kobayashi."
"We saw it very clearly from the castle. On the battlefield, Teacher Kobayashi, you looked as if you were completely enveloped in sword light."
"Uh-huh!"
Nohara Shinnosuke put his hands on his hips, wearing an expression that said 'that's exactly right,' and nodded forcefully.
"That's right, that's right, Misae, you said it perfectly, that's the way it was."
"I'm the one who came up with that title, isn't it super cool!"
So it turned out Nohara Shinnosuke was responsible for it. That explained everything; in terms of infectious enthusiasm, probably no one could compare to him.
"As expected of Shin-chan, that really is a very cool title."
Kobayashi Itsuki gave Nohara Shinnosuke a thumbs up and praised him.
Just as he was talking with the group, Kasuga Ren, ignoring the maid's calls, rushed toward Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi with an anxious expression.
"Matabei! Are you alright? Are you injured..."
Kasuga Ren rushed up to Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi, looking at him with concern, the tenderness and worry visible in her eyes.
This caused Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi, a tough, iron-blooded man who had just been fighting fiercely on the battlefield, to feel his heart soften, and a wave of tenderness surged forth.
However, Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi thought of the difference in their statuses and the surrounding onlookers, and could only try his best to hide the love in his heart.
"Thank you for your concern, Princess. I am not injured."
Facing the hand Kasuga Ren offered, Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi slightly deflected it, then bowed deeply as he spoke.
Noticing Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi's action, a subtle look of sadness flashed across Kasuga Ren's eyes, but she hid it extremely well and quickly recovered.
After seeing that Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi was truly unharmed, her face was filled with genuine joy.
Although the limitations of their status made it impossible for the two of them to be together like others, seeing her beloved safe and sound after the war was still a joyful thing.
"Speaking of which, this is all Kobayashi-kun's accomplishment."
Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi was not someone who liked to show off or steal credit, so he quickly told Kasuga Ren.
"If it weren't for Kobayashi-kun, setting aside injuries, it's possible we wouldn't have even achieved victory in this battle."
Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi's words essentially credited Kobayashi Itsuki with the crucial victory of the war.
Hearing this, Kasuga Ren showed a gentle, beautiful smile and curtsied gracefully toward Kobayashi Itsuki.
"We saw the renown of the Flowing Light Sword Saint much more clearly from the castle than you did, Matabei."
"Please allow me to thank you on behalf of the people of Kasuga Castle."
"Please forget the Flowing Light Sword Saint title. It sounds rather embarrassing when people use it."
Kobayashi Itsuki quickly waved his hand. Although the title was imposing, being called that face-to-face was genuinely awkward.
Kasuga Ren chuckled, "Kobayashi-kun is really different from the people of this era, isn't he, blue sky samurai?"
Hearing Kasuga Ren tease him, Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi also felt a bit shy and subconsciously rubbed his head.
It was only in front of Kasuga Ren that Ijiri Matabei Yoshitoshi would be so bashful.
"Alright, I believe Kobayashi-kun must be tired. My father has already instructed people to prepare a sumptuous dinner. Kobayashi-kun, please wash up, relax, and rest for now."
"Thank you very much then."
Although he had biscuits to restore his stamina, that didn't mean Kobayashi Itsuki wasn't tired.
Having fought continuously on the battlefield until now, besides the consumption required by the Invisible Hand, most of his energy was spent on horseback riding.
As someone riding a horse for the first time, he truly expended a lot of physical strength in that regard.
The inside of his thighs was already red and raw from the friction of the armor and the saddle.
He hadn't noticed it before, but now that he was resting, it stung fiercely.
Kobayashi Itsuki responded politely, exchanged greetings with Nohara Hiroshi and the others, and then followed a maid toward the side.
The maid led Kobayashi Itsuki to the inner city, and after helping him remove his blood-stained, nearly soaked armor.
She then attended to him, leading Kobayashi Itsuki to a nearby bathroom.
The hip-high tub contained steaming hot water.
Kobayashi Itsuki slowly sat down in the tub. The clear hot water overflowed with a splashing sound, and within moments, the water gradually turned a faint crimson.
Beside him, a maid gently rubbed a towel over Kobayashi Itsuki's body, helping him relax his muscles while carefully washing away the bloodstains.
Kobayashi Itsuki was not a pedantic person, nor would he spout nonsense about men and women not touching each other here.
Enjoying the gentle service, Kobayashi Itsuki comfortably leaned against the edge of the wooden tub and closed his eyes.
After resting in the hot water for quite a while, Kobayashi Yu finally emerged from the tub, then changed into a fresh, clean set of clothes with assistance, before being led to the great hall.
He had been here before, but compared to that time, it was now bustling with lively harmony.
Many figures moved through it, and a tempting aroma permeated the air.
Exquisite dishes and clear spirits were laid out on small tables.
The moment Kobayashi Itsuki appeared, the already lively scene immediately became even more boisterous.
Everyone turned their gaze to Kobayashi Itsuki, their eyes filled with either curiosity or admiration.