Mmm, a lot can still happen in a few days. [It had taken them over two weeks to arrive in Kyoto from Edo on foot - the idea of making the trip in days was fascinating. Could it even be done with that engine thing Cliff talked about? How could something be faster than light? He wasn't even aware that light travelled. Souji tilted his head back and let his neck rest against a cool rock, dissipating some of the heat from the bath. He closed his eyes as he brought back the memories of the war he'd been fighting four years ago - so distant now that it almost seemed imaginary.]

No, I think you would have survived. The leaders of the rebellion are smart - they'd have wanted to keep men like you alive and well even if you went after a fight where you didn't need to. So long as you never came up against the captains directly, I'm sure you would have survived.

[He would at least have out-lived Souji, that was for certain.]

We never tried to pick fights with the ronin who came to the capital. It wasn't our job. We just watched and managed, kept tabs on them and eliminated the ones who posed immediate threats.