Tales of Kamiya dojo is written by Kaoru Kurosaki and published along with the “Rurouni Kenshin Hokkaido” arc in JUMPSQ. The tale involves the Rurouni Kenshin character in daily life that takes time between Kenshin and Kaoru marriage until the epilogue chapter in the original manga before the Hokkaido Arc. Until this month (July 2024) there are a total 79 chapters in Tales of Kamiya dojo. This is an unofficial translation.
“That's a reverse-blade sword... a cross scar on the head... that babysitter, it couldn't be..."
Seeing the color drain from Suwa's face, Kenshin prepared himself, wondering if this man also knew who "Battousai'' was.
“You're the Kamiya dojo‘s free-loader, aren't you?”
“Oro?”
Kenshin had assumed for sure that he would be called "Hitokiri Battousai" and nearly trip over.
“Well, that is it.”
“Awuah!”
Kenji, who was on his back, hitting on Kenshin's head like he’s attacking the enemy.
“Around here, you've got a reputation for being extremely strong, but I'm a skilled one too! Huh...eeeeh?!”
Before Suwa could say anything, Kenshin had smashed the three bodyguards with his reverse-blade sword in an instant. Suddenly he was in front of Suwa and glaring at him.
“Now, where are the skilled ones?”
“Aaahhh.”
Overwhelmed by Kenshin's glare and spirit, Suwa was lost of words, even though usually he’s a man who is good at talking.
“If you don't want to suffer, get out of here.”
He flashes the blade of his reverse-blade sword.
“Daa!
Kenji also yelled an angry "Daa!" at Suwa.
“Hyaa!”
Suwa was so overwhelmed by Kenshin's strength, he was standing there, limping, and had to give up.
“Gu…Guys…” Staggering, Suwa moved towards the defeated bodyguards and called them.
“Guys, are you okay? Now, our strategy is to retreat to avoid an unexpected turn of events.”
“Su... Suwa-san…” The bodyguards also staggered to their feet.
“Who would have thought we'd be fighting the Kamiya Dojo’s free-loader?”
“I've never heard anything about that.”
They had completely lost the will to fight.
As he watched the gang stagger away, Kenshin indulged in deep emotion.
It was a surprise to Kenshin to be called "Kamiya Dojo’s freeloader" rather than "Hitokiri Battousai" by his enemies.
Mikio and his current enemies were probably about the same age as Sanosuke. They were still children when Kenshin was active as Hitokiri Battousai. Even Sanosuke, who was active with the Sekihoutai at the end of the Edo period, didn't know who Battousai was without doing some careful research.
To these young people, Kenshin was "an incredibly skilled guest of Kamiya Dojo." It was a sweet yet sad fact that made him feel how time was changing.
・
“Kenshin!”
Kenshin was lost in his own thoughts and watching the gang run away, when Yahiko came running towards him, out of breath and he heaved his shoulder.
“Mikio, he took your sword...wait, what?”
“I did get the sakabatou.”
Kenshin held up the sheathed reverse-blade sword to Yahiko.
“Oh, so he took it to give to Kenshin? I thought for sure he was taking it to a pawn shop to sell.”
“It's a reverse-blade sword, so it's not worth a penny.”
“Well, that's true. So where's Mikio?”
Yahiko looked around restlessly, but he was nowhere to be found.
“After he handed me the sakabatou, he ran off in that direction..."
Kenshin pointed in a direction different from the cafe and the direction Suwa had fled.
“Well, I guess I'll have to look for him. I need to tell him that his wife has gone into labor and has returned to the tenement house.”
“Oro? Before there were no signs about it?”
“Kaoru and Megumi took her to the tenement, so I don't think there's anything to worry about.”
“I'd like to let him know as soon as possible... Let’s..."
Just as he was about to say that they would search together….
“Hueee…Hueee…,” Kenji began to whine.
“This crying is because of his diaper, that I think.”
“I'll look for Mikio, so you can change his diaper.”
“Sorry I can't help you.”
“That's okay.”
Yahiko runs off to look for Mikio.
Kenshin is about to leave the place, but suddenly stops.
“I feel like I've forgotten something important... Kenji, do you know what it was?”
“Whew, whew.”
Kenji didn't answer Kenshin's question, and continued to whine.
“Hmm... I guess even Kenji doesn't know. Well, then...”
He muttered and looked around.
“!”
Kenshin noticed a muddy tablecloth caught on the bridge.
“Oro…”
He hastily picked up the table cloth, it became more dirty than before he washed it.
“Kenji... How do we pay for this damage? No… if I wash it off with the soap, maybe I can return it to its original, clean state…”
Kenshin hurried back to the cafe to get soap and to change Kenji's diapers.
Kenshin couldn't help but feel that he was in a much more desperate situation than he had been before when he was facing so many enemies.
・
Thus, the first day of the Rabbit Cafe came to a climax.
Shino gave birth to a girl the next morning.
Mikio was found by Yahiko in time for the birth and was brought to the tenement house, so he made it in time for the birth.
Somehow Kenshin managed to wash the muddy tablecloth with soap and it became clean.
・
A month has passed.
The Rabbit Cafe was started because they needed to do something about the rabbits that had been brought into Kamiya Dojo, so Kaoru and the others were meant to help out at first. However, thanks to Usagawa's efforts, he found the waitresses to work exclusively at the cafe, and it was decided to replace Kaoru and the others.
Mikio would continue in his role as manager. The waitresses and backstage staff would hand over their duties, and this day was their last shift.
“It's over already. It went by so quickly…” Kaoru seemed reluctant to leave.
“The rabbit was so cute!” Misao felt that she did her best.
“Well, when you take care of them you start to get attached to them,” Megumi also didn’t seem to completely disagree.
“If Mikio-sama says he doesn't have enough staff, then I'll help out…”
“Geez, we can't keep this master-servant relationship going forever! This is the Meiji era,” Yahiko cut out Tsubame, who seemed to want to work for free.
“The cafe will still open, so you can come any time. Well, I prefer it if you come as a customer and spend money.” MIkio said. Although Western clothes didn't suit him, Mikio had gradually become more comfortable. And little by little, he would become accustomed to the Meiji era.
“Since it's our last day, why don't we have fun after this?”
Everyone nods at Kaoru's suggestion.
“You guys really get along well,” Mikio sounded annoyed.
“Umm, Mikio-sama, let's come along today too… Tsubame invited him.
“Huh? Me too?”
“That's obvious. We're comrades who started up the Rabbit Cafe,” Misao slapped Mikio on the back.
“Ouch, hey it hurts!” Mikio looked happy even though he grunted.
“So, where are we going? Akabeko?”
“You’ll have to wait and see where we go. You’ll go with our group after all,” Megumi said with a smile, she looked like she’s plotting something.
“Well, just shut up and follow us.”
“Geez, I guess there's no other way,” Mikio reluctantly agreed to Yahiko's words.
・
Mikio walked along following the group for a while, but gradually he could no longer keep quiet.
“Hey, you'd better put an end to your scheme,” Mikio said when they arrived at neither Akabeko nor *izakaya, but the tenement house where Mikio lives.
“What on earth are you guys planning to do at my house? I can't fit this many people in there anyway.”
“Well..well…”
Kaoru smiled and she opened the door of the house.
There was Shino holding a baby, Kenshin preparing something, and Kenji was on Kenshin’s back.
“Daah—!” Kenji greeted everyone cheerfully.
“I've brought some beef hotpot from Akabeko. It's a small space here, so let's go out to the *well and eat there, that we are.”
Kenshin headed to the well with food and drinks for everyone.
“Why are you here?” Mikio complained as he chased Kenshin.
“These are the people who helped out on the first day.”
“Well, I suppose so.”
Everyone gathered at the well, and Kenshin handed out sake to those who could drink, and barley tea to those who couldn't.
“The manager should lead the toast,” Kaoru urged.
“Oh, okay. Well then…” Mikio raised his glass and spoke briefly, “You guys have worked hard, cheers!”
Then he drank the sake poured into his glass in one gulp.
“Eh, that's all?” Misao chimed in.
“Shut up, what else are you supposed to say? Tsubame, you said something!” Mikio asked Tsubame to do something impossible.
“Um, well... that's…” Tsubame turned bright red and everyone thought she wouldn't be able to say anything, but she spoke firmly, despite her weak voice, “Mikio-sama, Shino-sama, congratulations on the birth of your child.”
“!”
Mikio, who never expected to be congratulated, was taken by surprise. An indescribable emotion welled up inside him. Not knowing what to do with it, he picked up the bottle of sake in front of him and gulped it down.
“Drinking like that is bad for your health,” Megumi warned him, but Mikio didn't care and drank the whole bottle.
“I... I'm... not the kind of man that you guys should celebrate with…” Mikio was crying a little.
Then, he wiped away his tears and turned back to face Tsubame.
“I'm sorry for everything,” Mikio said, bowing to Tsubame.
“..Mikio....sama?” Tsubame was so overwhelmed that this time she couldn't say anything.
“You see, Daddy is trying to become a real man,” Shino said to the baby she was holding.
“Shut up!” After roaring at the sky, Mikio fell asleep.
The bad deeds he had done. The bad deeds he had avoided. Swallowing all of those things with his alcohol, Mikio slowly became accustomed to the new era.
Notes:
*Kamiya Dojo’s free-loader: What he said to Kenshin is Kamiya Dojo no Shokkaku, Shokaku(食客) literally means house guest, but it can be used as slang for free-loader or parasite. (I interpret it as free-loader to convey the slang, but I open for any suggestion)
*sakabato: reverse-blade-sword
*izakaya: sake bar
*well: Since the Edo period, in the tenement house, usually there’s a public well where people gather to wash and take water for drinking and cooking.
.…..to be continued in chapter 80……
TLnote(1): translating Japanese is so hard because the sentence structure is very different compared with English. Also the style of writing is different, plus there’s a lot of figurative, poetic language and things that don't make sense if it’s directly translated into english. So forgive me if this is very weird to read, and please tell me if you want to give corrections.
TLnote(2) I will provide the original Japanese text for correction if any of you who read have better knowledge of the Japanese language. Just dm and I’ll send the file.
TLnote(3) Dtninja had translated some earlier chapters on his website. You can go and check on there
Read the rest of the story here: https://at.tumblr.com/kenkaodoll/kamiya-dojo-monogatari/5dqxxnmq29m0
When I watch the anime OP, I'm feeling familiar with the choreography in the Rurouni Kenshin musical. The way Teppei's Battousai moves, jumps, and twits his body is so beautiful.
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