[ If Souji had a head half as good at politics than he had with swords, then he would have reason to be ashamed, even embarrassed. The backwater country ronin Souji assumed Mutsu’s previous master was had turned out to be Sakamoto Ryouma, a name Souji immediately recognizes. He knew all the names of the Shinsegumi’s enemies. They were the names of his enemies, more importantly, they were the names of Kondou-san’s enemies. And Sakamoto Ryoma was no exception. Sakamoto had been as slippery as a fish and twice as “annoying”, and had made enemies everywhere. He would masquerade under a false name. It only made sense. ]

[ And yet, the reveal doesn’t stoke Souji’s temper. It doesn’t set him on edge with his teeth bared, nor does it encourage him to unsheathe his sword. The death of Sakamoto was still recent to Souji, barring the weeks he spent in CERES after Itou Kashitora’s assassination. By all counts, Souji remembered Sakamoto as a dead man. Dead men weren’t enemies. ]

Sakamoto Ryouma, huh?

[ In contrast, Souji’s voice is impassive. What had he said back then when he found out? If Sakamoto was going to die, then he might as well have died by Souji’s hand? But no, Sakamoto and Itou-san had died while Souji remained in bed, barely able to breath much less wield a sword. ]

You’re right. We didn’t catch him. [ or kill him ] We were ordered to back off. [ Who had killed him? They spoke of it briefly, but he and Inoue-san and Sano-san and Shinpachi-san had moved on to discuss of matters like Sannan and the rasetsu, already embroiled in plans for an assassination of their own. ]

Not like that made a difference, I guess. That guy made himself unpopular with a lot of folks.